Serengeti, who had set out on a grand expedition with 500 knights, was his only child, though she was a daughter, and she had transcended by eating stars, becoming a 'Transcender.'
When he saw her return tied to a horse, her lower body cut off, how despondent he must have been.
There was nothing he hadn't done to wake her up.
The city's granaries were empty, and he couldn't remember the last time he had slept properly.
Even so, Serengeti did not wake up.
βOh, Serengeti...β
Focus returned to her eyes.
Time, which had stopped, began to flow again.
Serengeti, who had opened her eyes with the blessing of the stars, looked at him.
Duke Wiser's eyes welled up with tears.
He reached out to embrace her fiercely.
He had been such a harsh father over the years.
A father who made her swing a sword without rest every day.
Serengeti, who had sensed Duke Wiser's feelings, opened her tightly closed mouth with difficulty.
βHudson...!β
...Who?
For a moment, Duke Wiser suspected he was hearing things.
Hudson? Who is that?
Obviously, it should be 'Father' or at least 'My Lord,' right?
βSerengeti!β
From behind, a man who had been unnoticed until now rushed forward and tightly held Serengeti's hand.
One of the two who had entered with the heir to the Knight King.
Wasn't he just a simple attendant?
Serengeti looked at him with disbelief.
βIs this a dream? How can Hudson, you be in front of me...β
βIt's not a dream. I'm here. I'm sorry I'm late. I thought you would never wake up... Ah.β
Hudson burst into tears.
He trembled, holding Serengeti's hand.
He had tried to become a councilor in the city of Arkan and return, with the goal of getting married after receiving formal permission.
But he heard that Serengeti had returned as a cripple from the grand expedition.
Hudson couldn't go.
βI thought it would be enough if she was alive.β
If she was alive, that would be enough.
If he became a councilor as quickly as possible and returned, the Duke would recognize him.
If she had lost her lower body, he would become her legs.
It didn't matter if she couldn't wake up. As long as she was alive, he would take care of her forever.
βIf I had been a little later, I...β
Reflecting on it now, he felt regret.
It was a foolish act. He should have come no matter what. The idea of coming back with everything in place was nothing but his arrogance and greed.
Serengeti's once robust body was now emaciated. She, who could lift him with one hand, was now so frail that he could lift her.
If he had been a little later, she wouldn't have been here.
And he would never have met her again.
The Count of Sai would have kept her as a trophy, hidden away where only he could see her.
βI settled the casino and returned here with a spirit. If it weren't for Randolph, I would never have seen her face again.β
Hudson looked at Randolph.
Though he was now ready to die without regrets, he couldn't shake the thought that all of this was part of Randolph's plan.
From the moment he appeared at the casino, causing chaos and pulling Hudson out, he had precisely understood Hudson's desires and made him settle the casino.
He gained a spirit's egg and confidence.
He climbed the Spirit Tower and became the master of a spirit!
Now there was nothing he couldn't do. He could do anything he wanted, even if it meant jumping off a cliff.
β20 million gold, I will give it.β
Hudson straightened his back and turned around.
Duke Wiser, who was looking at him with a bewildered expression.
βGive Serengeti to me, Father.β
βA... Father? What are you babbling about, you madman?β
βAren't you in need of money? 20 million gold can solve the city's urgent problems.β
Swoosh!
Duke Wiser drew his sword himself.
He pointed it at Hudson's neck and said,
βWhat are you, a nobody, to demand?β
βI am...β
What should he say?
He had no way to describe himself.
He wasn't a councilor anymore, and he had sold the casino.
An ordinary human. A player. He couldn't say such things.
Hudson looked at Randolph.
βI am his loyal servant.β
Duke Wiser's face twisted like a demon's.
βA servant, are you now, trying to take my daughter?β
Hudson spoke calmly.
βHe is a man who looks at the stars and communicates with them. A man who is respected by nature and the forest, the heir to the Knight King, and one who will shine even brighter than the Knight King. How can I, who follows such a man, be an ordinary servant?β
βYour silver tongue...β
βEnough.β
What are you doing?
I clicked my tongue and intervened.
After all, Hudson was a merchant. He was skilled at packaging things.
But now wasn't the time for that.
βEveryone is moved, but the curse of the Demon King isn't completely lifted yet.β
β...Then?β
Duke Wiser sheathed his sword at his waist.
Indeed. Though he wanted to kill this absurd man, lifting Serengeti's curse was more important.
βShe can only open her eyes for today. To completely lift the curse, we need to find another 'star.'β
The only ways to increase holy power are to level up or find a star.
The five stars that Knight King Wilhelm spilled when he died.
One was recovered, but four remain.
If they fall into someone else's hands, the star's memory will be damaged.
βThe secret effect of the Star Successor class. If it's possible to read the previous owner's memory, we need to recover the stars as quickly as possible.β
Before the stars are damaged or contaminated.
While Knight King Wilhelm's memory is still intact, we need to recover them.
If someone else becomes the owner of the star, Wilhelm's memory and skills will be lost forever.
βSo, everyone, leave. I have something to say to her.β
Shoo, shoo. He waved his hand, urging everyone to leave the room immediately.
Soon, Hudson and Duke Wiser left the room with complicated expressions.
The atmosphere was like a storm was about to break, but it wasn't my concern.
βYou are...?β
Serengeti spoke to me, now alone in the room.
βI am the heir to Knight King Wilhelm. I have come to hear his final words.β
β...He has no heir.β
But Serengeti was certain. She didn't hide her suspicious gaze.
Indeed, my closest confidant.
I had already anticipated that such an absurd lie wouldn't work on her.
Her star hadn't fallen yet.
βIsabella, make sure no one can hear.β
Immediately, Isabella, who was standing outside the door, began to move busily.
She is an assassin. If Isabella is involved, not even a mouse can approach.
After ensuring the surroundings were clear, I looked at Serengeti and spoke.
βTell me about my final moments. As the only witness, you must know the situation better than I do.β
β...!β
She knew she was the last witness.
But that was as far as she could deduce.
So, I pressed further.
βI clearly killed the Demon King.β
I clearly killed the Demon King.
But the one who died was me.
Why?
βI definitely stabbed 'Light's Path' into his core. But then my consciousness was lost, and I died. What happened in between?β
Serengeti's eyes widened in shock.
*
βDamn! I killed him! Finally!!!β
In front of the computer, I cheered.
I killed the Demon King!
I cut off his head and stabbed his heart. I've been controlling the character for hours, and my fingers hurt like crazy. My joints feel like they're out of place.
It feels like half a day has passed.
But I killed him. I overcame all the boss patterns and phases, and I stabbed the unique sword 'Light's Path' into his core, which is poison to demons. Even the Demon King couldn't come back to life.
In fact, the Demon King's soul was flowing out of his core, just like when raid boss monsters die.
A feat after five years.
He clearly said he would grant a wish if I cleared it.
What wish should I make? Maybe ask for 100 billion?
I don't know if this unknown company behind this trash game has 100 billion.
βHuh...? What? No, no, no. Wait. What's this sudden blue screen?β
The screen suddenly turned blue.
No matter how much I hit the monitor, it doesn't come back.
After about ten seconds.
When the screen came back, the Demon King's laughter and the familiar words 'Game Over' appeared on the monitor.
βWhat the hell is this?β
I was speechless.
I clearly killed the Demon King, but the blue screen appeared, and I died.
-Hahaha!
And the laughter from the speakers. Is the Demon King still alive?
βAh. They made it so it can't be beaten from the start.β
The blue screen appearing is also strange. It seems the game company set it so the Demon King can't be killed.
βWhat a trash game.β
They must have been reluctant to grant the wish.
I sat in the chair, feeling defeated. Five years of effort were all for nothing.
But what's even sadder is that it can't be cleared.
A grand goal. The goal of finally achieving something in my life is lost.
βI knew I couldn't beat it...β
It wasn't a game made to be beaten from the start.
Damn game company. I knew it would be like this.
But no matter how much I try to understand, I can't stop the words that naturally come out.