Book 2: 275

Book 2: Chapter 275

Translator: Seven

Editors: Ana_Banana, Yahiko

‘Why did you protect me...?’

Min Ha-rin stared at the sky with a blank look in her eyes.

She could barely see Lukas’ silhouette. And at some point, the roaring which sounded like heaven and earth were being torn asunder, also stopped.

Was the battle... over?

Who won?

“Did the teaching help?”

Suddenly, she heard a voice from behind her.

When Min Ha-rin turned to look, she saw the Priestess standing there.

“...tea-, ching?”

“The teaching you received from Master.”

“...I... was taught by Master?”

“Do you not know what you received?”

The Priestess’ voice gradually became sharper.

“Although the method might have been a bit radical, what Master told you was the thing you needed to hear the most.”

Min Ha-rin’s mind had been on the verge of shattering. Talking softly to someone in this state was no different from forcibly fixing a broken item after it had reached the end of its lifespan.

That’s why Lukas chose to directly shatter her mind. It was because he thought it would be better to start over from scratch.

“Why do you think he used 9 star magic? He already had the means to deal with Nodiesop. Nevertheless, he continued to fight against him while only using magic. Haven’t you wondered why that was the case?”

“...”

No. She hadn’t. In fact, she hadn’t really been thinking about anything, she couldn’t.

Min Ha-rin looked at Beniang with a slightly dull gaze.

“It was to show you. The fighting style of a Wizard who has reached the peak of magicology.”

“...!”

There was a difference between seeing and not seeing the true power of 9 stars at least once.

And this difference was incredibly large.

“In the future, when you have reached 8 stars and are preparing to enter 9 stars, you will encounter the largest and most frustrating wall that you will ever experience in your entire life, and you will feel despair because of your lack of talent... The memories you have gained today will guide you to the next ‘step’.”

Her body couldn’t stop shaking.

Min Ha-rin grabbed her hair roughly.

“Ah... uh... ah...”

Her thoughts were a mess.

Far too many things had happened too suddenly.

Still, there was a lingering question in her mind that she was able to voice.

“Does he... intend to die?”

“...”

Beniang didn’t answer this question. Instead, she just took a deep breath.

Right. Lukas hadn’t changed.

It was Min Ha-rin who had changed.

She was the one who had become pathetic.

“...I don’t want to separate now.”

Like a child, Min Ha-rin cried even harder.

“I want to stay with you a while longer.”

“Our parting was determined from the moment we met. Whether it happened sooner or later, we were bound to be separated at some point. That is a providence that not even God can change.”

“I know that! But our parting could still be postponed for a while longer! If I, if only I were stronger...”

“That might have been possible if you were strong enough to defeat Nodiesop. But do you really think that’s possible? Do you think you could defeat an Absolute who has lived tens of thousands of years more than you have?”

“Then, then do you just... want me to accept fate?”

Min Ha-rin covered her face as she shouted.

“I, I don’t want to get used to parting...!”

Lukas remained silent for a while. Then, he slowly approached Min Ha-rin and wrapped his arms around her.

She sank into his soft embrace. A feeling that she wished could last forever.

“I’m not telling you to get used to it. I’m telling you to be strong. You’re still young. So you will experience many partings in your life. Are you going to collapse and cry every time?”

“...h-, huk.”

“Stop being a baby. It’s time to be mature. Someday, you will also have to leave someone. Someday... you will also want to rest. I have lived... far longer than a human can handle.”

The desire to stop him from leaving welled up inside her.

However, Min Ha-rin knew just how selfish that thought was.

“Can I be greedy one last time?”

“Yes.”

“Can you see me off with a smile?”

It was a difficult request, but Min Ha-rin gave in to his request. With a tearful smile, she looked up at him.

“...I’m really glad I got to meet Master.”

“Right.”

“I’m sure everyone else thinks so too.”

“Thanks.”

“You’ve been through a lot and you deserve to rest.”

“...”

“I will never forget you. Please-”

Min Ha-rin stopped talking.

At some point, she stopped receiving responses, and after a while, she felt the warm presence disappear.

The cold air hit her chest hard.

She didn’t want to raise her head. Still, she forced herself to straighten up and look straight ahead.0

Lukas was no longer there.

“Please... rest in peace...”

As she said that, Min Ha-rin collapsed.

Instead of the end of her sentence, the only thing that could be heard was loud crying.