translation by mourningmoor
As soon as Mihyang let go, I pulled the blade out of Bartholomeus’s body.
Then, I sent Mihyang straight to the back of the stage.
A shocked Bartholomeus screamed and checked his chest.
“AAAAH!”
Not a single drop of blood flowed. There was no wound on his chest either.
“Don’t worry. This isn’t the kind of blade you’re thinking of.”
“W-what…?”
This is a ‘Soul Blade’ made from a fragment of the Demon King’s soul.
“Yeah. It’s a Soul Blade I made to extract the Demon King from your body.”
The Demon King deliberately cooperated with Bartholomeus to become one with him.
That day in Samcheok, he told me everything he had found out.
[That crazy old man asked me to lend him my power. He said if we combined the power of Jess you gave me with the power of Jess I already had, we could open a path together. He said if I entered his body and secured mana through Yoo Noah, we could create a more perfect portal.]
He also told me one more thing.
[About the strand of Jess's hair he stole from the magic tower vault. It seems he converted it into energy and melted it into a mana tank. He said if I just entered his body, I could steal it. All Jess needs to do is find a way to pull me back out.]
So, I made the Soul Blade.
[With a Soul Blade, it’s possible. One of the characteristics of a Soul Blade is that it pulls toward souls of the same kind.]
[A Soul Blade? Can you make one? Even in Armania, not just anyone can…]
[Am I just anyone? Just leave it to me. I’ll make it so beautifully, it’ll suit you perfectly.]
For me, who had far surpassed the 9th Circle, making a ‘Soul Blade’ was nothing.
I secretly handed the Soul Blade to Mihyang when I untied her hands earlier.
I told her to stab Bartholomeus in the chest when he was distracted by me.
All I needed was for the Demon King, who had entered his body, to buy enough time to access the mana tank and break down my power.
Suddenly, Bartholomeus coughed and spat out blood.
“W-what is this…?”
“Ah, that? I also extracted the power of mine that you stole while pulling out the Demon King.”
I waved the Soul Blade in my hand, and Bartholomeus, wiping his lips with the back of his hand, looked utterly devastated.
“What?”
“It means your mana tank will soon be in shambles.”
I saw the blue light mixed with the red light earlier. It seems the Demon King, despite his big talk, succeeded after all.
At my words, Bartholomeus shook his head in disbelief.
“Don’t joke. That’s… my mana……”
It seemed he finally realized that it wasn’t me who had fallen into a trap, but him.
“How dare you…?”
“Yeah, how could you trust the Demon King?”
Tsk.
I threw back the words Bartholomeus had said to me earlier and looked at the third-floor audience seats.
It’s almost over. Just need to wrap things up.
First, deal with those armed bastards.
I flicked my fingers, and Bartholomeus’s goons were sent flying, crashing into the walls.
Next, unseal the kids’ mouths.
I snapped my fingers, and Jaewon’s voice rang out loudly.
“Wowww. Hyung, you’re amazing.”
Now, it’s time to deal with the Demon King.
“Director Kim Chanyeong!”
When I called for Kim Chanyeong, he peeked out from behind the stage.
“Is it all over?”
“Almost.”
As I nodded, Kim Chanyeong climbed onto the stage.
With Yoo Noah.
This was the first time I was meeting Yoo Noah without the Demon King.
Even without the Demon King’s red aura, Yoo Noah exuded an extraordinary presence befitting the top idol of this world. This must be what star power is in this world.
[Actually, Yoo Noah, this friend is in a lot of pain.]
Before making the Soul Blade, the Demon King told me.
[He has a rare disease called ‘Complex Regional Pain Syndrome,’ and it hurts so much that he can’t perform on stage anymore. So, on the day the lightning struck, he tried to kill himself. He took a lot of pills and fell asleep, but that’s when I entered his body.]
The moment the Demon King took control, he was freed from the excruciating pain. So, he begged the Demon King.
He said he could use his body however he wanted, just please stay with him. Please save ARCHE from disbanding. Please let him keep performing on stage.
[So, I can’t leave him alone for too long. It hurts too much. So, hurry up and finish this. He’s like family to me now.]
Family, huh.
That remark made me smile bitterly.
Both the Demon King and I entered the bodies of humans on the verge of death and ended up blending into their worlds, making friends and finding family.
It was like a spring breeze blowing into our lonely lives. That’s why we wanted to protect it.
“Yoo Noah sunbaenim.”
I approached Yoo Noah and examined the back of his neck.
A thick magic circle was engraved there by Bartholomeus.
“It might feel a bit hot.”
Then, I shattered the magic circle.
A blue light rippled and covered the magic circle, creating a rainbow-like effect.
Then, the light spread sideways like oxidation, and the magic circle disappeared.
As the magic circle vanished, Yoo Noah immediately looked for the Demon King.
“What about Daimon?”
I showed him the Soul Blade.
“He’s here.”
Then, I placed the Soul Blade in Yoo Noah’s hand.
“Just hold on a little longer. Until I finish things up.”
From now on, I have to do this alone. I can’t let the Demon King interfere and mess things up.
“After I disappear with that old man, stab the Soul Blade near his heart. If you can’t do it alone, ask my mom to do it. She did a good job earlier.”
Yoo Noah swallowed hard and nodded.
“It’ll hurt, but you won’t die. You saw it earlier, right?”
Yoo Noah smiled bitterly.
“It’s not like I’m not in pain now anyway.”
I patted Yoo Noah’s shoulder a few times and turned my gaze to Timothy Gordon. His eyes were red as he held his twins and looked at me.
“You three, come here too. I need to erase the magic circle.”
Timothy Gordon, holding his children, approached.
“You’ve worked hard. In many ways.”
There was some resentment.
People died in the pop-up store incident.
If he had given me a heads-up, those precious lives might not have been lost. Gyuhyung wouldn’t have been hurt either.
Most importantly, I wouldn’t have had to see my people’s blood.
But since Timothy Gordon told me Yoo Noah’s location and personally brought me to Paris, I thought it was okay to show some mercy.
So, I erased the magic circles from Timothy Gordon and the twins.
“Natalie Grace will return once they sort things out among themselves. Everyone needs to find their place.”
I told him to wait just a little longer.
Then, it happened.
The members seemed to have come down from the third floor.
“Ichan!”
“Hyungnim!”
They rushed over and surrounded me.
At least I got to see their faces like this. That’s a relief.
“Are you guys okay? No injuries?”
“Yeah. We’re fine. Are you okay, hyung?”
The youngest answered bravely and checked my body.
Then, he scratched his head and smiled awkwardly.
“Well, a lightning-struck jujube tree wouldn’t get hurt.”
Roa, who patted the youngest’s shoulder, chimed in.
“Right. Hyungnim is special.”
On the other hand, Hanjoon and Siu were silent.
Yeah, that’s understandable. It’s weird and awkward.
I smiled faintly and just patted the kids’ shoulders.
I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you in advance, and I’m even more sorry for showing you this side of me.
“Hanjoon hyung.”
Still, I have to say what needs to be said.
“Take care of the kids.”
Hanjoon, biting his lip, nodded.
I gave him a faint smile and looked at Kim Chanyeong.
“Director. Tell Daimon to handle the cleanup when he wakes up. Do as we discussed.”
“Got it.”
That’s it. This should be enough.
I’ve seen their faces and said what I needed to say.
Finally, I glanced at Mihyang and the kids one more time before walking to the center of the magic circle.
There’s no way to deal with Bartholomeus in this world.
It’s not easy to gather mana, but as a mage, mana will gather somehow.
Somehow, somewhere, from someone, he’ll cause trouble again.
There’s only one way.
Open the dimensional gate and return to Armania.
There, he’ll be tried and sentenced to annihilation.
Then, the earth’s mana will take his mana and disintegrate his soul.
I sat Bartholomeus, who had already withered away, in the exact center of the magic circle and raised my hands to activate the ritual to open the gate, just like when I came here.
Then, the members rushed over.
“Hyungnim!”
“Hyung.”
“Ichan.”
Then, without hesitation, they hugged me.
Hanjoon, who had slowly approached, raised his hand and gently ruffled my hair.
“Hey, you.”
Hanjoon’s eyes were red.
His voice trembled as he struggled to hold back his tears.
“If you’re sorry for not telling us in advance, then say it properly now. Where are you trying to go without saying anything?”
I couldn’t explain everything.
It must be utterly baffling for the kids.
“Well…”
I wondered how to explain, then opened my mouth.
But Hanjoon immediately shook his head.
“No. I don’t want to hear it. Tell me when you come back.”
He postponed it to next time.
“So, come back.”
They all seem to intuitively know that I might be leaving and not coming back. Of course. We’re still connected by mana.
“Please come back, hyungnim.”
“Chani hyung. I like you even more because you’re special. You’re cool.”
After Roa, who was on the verge of tears, the youngest spoke.
Such a maknae thing to say.
“So, you’ll come back, right?”
These kids. They don’t feel any discomfort with me being a different being.
In fact, they seem to accept it willingly, as if worried I might overthink it.
“You have to come back so we can really enjoy it. Okay?”
Then, Siu spoke.
“Ichan. Don’t forget the coffee truck.”
I thought he was being awkward because he hadn’t said much, but no.
He was holding back tears.
“Don’t forget I started the drama to fulfill your bucket list.”
Finally, Siu burst into tears.
“Okay.”
So it doesn’t become a real goodbye.
“I’ll try.”
I’ll try to come back.
I gently patted the backs of the kids hugging me.
Then, I gently pushed them away with mana and raised my hands again.
“Take care.”
A blue light flowed out, covering my body and Bartholomeus.