Chapter 647

The day I witnessed the spectacle of Immortal being created, Vertus said, "Someone has to take responsibility for all of this." Then, Vertus and I briefly talked about not just the responsibility of the Gate Incident, but also the responsibility of the Great War. Since everything started with the Great War, the responsibility should be taken from that time. It was clear from Vertus' story who was responsible and who the subject was. If the real cause of the Gate Incident was the Great War, then who is responsible for the Great War? It would be humanity. However, humanity as a whole is not taking responsibility, but rather paying the price. Someone has to take all the responsibility. Therefore, it was humanity that was the beginning and the source of everything. The Gradius royal family that decided on that war. Vertus said that the royal family should take responsibility. "Did you cause the Great War?" Of course, Vertus did not decide whether or not the war would happen. And although the royal family started the war, it would have happened eventually. No one wanted the war, so even if it was the royal family, they could not have mobilized such a large force. "Do you remember what I said a long time ago? That everyone is equal under me." Yes, he said that. "But I'm not here because I actually did something. I don't deny that I'm not that great." "Because you're an Archdemon, just like a demon king, I could do that because I'm the emperor's son." Yes, Vertus certainly said that he was above everyone else, but he did not say that he was above everyone else because he was great. It was something that was inherited. Whether wise or incompetent, power is given to people in the royal family. It's not a matter of right or wrong, it's just the way it is. "If you were born with glory and power unrelated to your achievements, you should also take responsibility unrelated to your achievements." "Glory and power are ridiculous and petty if you enjoy them but deny responsibility." If you deny responsibility, you should not have enjoyed the inherited power and glory in the first place. Neither of them came from you. "Now is the time to take responsibility. Actually, I can't say that I had no role in all of this." Being treated as a noble existence from birth was not because of one's greatness, but because it was inherited. Therefore, one must take responsibility for everything that happened due to the Great War, which is unrelated to oneself. If you inherit power, you must also inherit responsibility. In front of Vertus' solemn expression, I couldn't say anything. If you enjoyed glory and power unrelated to your achievements, you should also bear responsibility. Isn't that a story that applies not only to Vertus but also to me, who enjoyed everything I created in this world? Therefore, shouldn't the responsibility for everything that happens in this world be mine, not Vertus'? After all, Vertus is a victim because of me. The fact that I am the perpetrator of all this does not change. "You don't need to make such an unlucky expression." What expression was I making? Vertus just said that. "Do you know if it's harder to put down the world or to swallow the world? " Vertus has a difficult task. Then is my task easy? "It's ridiculous to say this, but just as I take responsibility in my own way, you also have to take responsibility in your own way." Yes. That's right. Putting down the world. Digesting the world. Both are difficult tasks, but the latter will be more difficult. Vertus has a way of taking responsibility, and I have a way of taking responsibility. Vertus doesn't give me the world. He's passing the world on to me. If I can handle all the aftermath of the violence brought by the emperor, the world will be mine, and I will be able to survive. But if I fail, everything I have and myself will be destroyed, even if the world does not perish. "I think you should be angry." Vertus laughed as if he didn't understand why I was making a strange expression. "Strange." Then Vertus laughed. As if he couldn't stand it without laughing. I couldn't laugh in front of Vertus. * * * -Grrrr! I was swinging my sword in the hellish wasteland where flames, ice, and lightning were boiling. Tiamata and Alspringer don't use it. -Kyaah! Just looking at the liquid monster rushing towards me evaporated with flames. Flames of fire. Many people are mixed up on the battlefield. Therefore, everything that happens is unknown to me. I throw a broken spear that I don't know whose it was towards the enemy. -Crack! The spear pierces the head of the giant monster that tramples on soldiers on the battlefield. -Kreweo! But it doesn't fall. There are countless times when the place that looked like the head of a monster that was born differently was not the vital point. Not as much as Ellen. I have killed countless monsters that I can't count. I run towards the monster that doesn't fall as if flying over the battlefield and hit it with my fist. -Pyeong! The sound from the fist is not a sound from the fist. Strictly speaking, it is a sound from the magical shock wave that explodes when the fist touches. In the flesh of the monster where half of the body is blown away in an instant, I pass by the soldiers who are looking at me blankly. There is a good thing about the Immortal appearing. If you wear a helmet with a mask, you might be one of the Immortals. Even if one soldier who doesn't know kills monsters and advances, the soldiers don't think of them as the empire's hidden power, and they don't think that the demon king is participating in the war. So, it's better to wear a helmet than to move with a different face. Soldiers are shocked to see me, but they don't suspect me, just like how Immortal doesn't suspect me amidst the chaos and noise of the battlefield. In the distance, I see Immortal advancing towards the warp gate, leaving a trail of golden light as he slays monsters. I, too, run towards the warp gate as part of the battlefield. Immortal includes mages in his ranks, and Olivia Lanche is among those who heal the wounded and bless them with light. And then, a flash! Among the lights flying towards the city from the rear of the battlefield, there are also those shot by Heriot. Among the lightning pouring from the sky, there are also those summoned by Liana. How do I take responsibility? Just as I cannot bear all responsibility with my life alone, there are various ways to take responsibility. Is this the right way to take responsibility? I just don't want to bear the responsibility of death. I swung my weapon as if possessed. * * * The Allied forces arrived at the next major city, Luboten, and stayed there for a while, keeping their distance until Immortal had dealt with all the warp gates of other small and medium-sized cities. After Immortal completed his mission, the Allied forces marched towards Luboten. The battle was definitely more intense than during the Warun battle, and the battle itself took longer. But in the end, the sacrifices were still fewer than during the Serandia attack. The expressions of all the Allied soldiers looking at the ruins of Luboten were slightly different from when they succeeded in the Serandia attack. It was a greater victory with less damage, but the atmosphere was not one of joy but of solemnity, as everyone knew that the moment they had been hoping and longing for was now approaching. We have only one left. Now, it's really coming to an end. Everyone felt a sense of solemnity rather than celebrating the victory, knowing that the moment they had been hoping and longing for was now approaching. The Allied forces cleaned up the battlefield in a solemn atmosphere. Cleaning up the battlefield is the responsibility of the Allied forces. We returned to Lazark. Liana shrugged her shoulders as she looked at me. "But did we really need to fight ourselves?" "It's better than doing nothing." "Well... you're not wrong." Liana nodded her head with a sullen expression at my words. I wanted to fight on the battlefield rather than watch from afar. I could have used the Dreadfend ring to transform and pretend to be one of the Allied soldiers, but I didn't participate because it would be strange if there was a very powerful soldier whose identity was unknown. However, after Immortal appeared, it was no longer strange for the Allied forces to have a very powerful ally whose identity was unknown. So, I was planning to just wear a helmet and jump into the battlefield alone. But when she heard my words, Heriot said she would come too. As a result, even Olivia and Liana came along. In battle, it was easier for the protagonist to fight anonymously by hiding their appearance with a helmet or robe. Even Elelris and Lucinil helped in the fight, although not significantly. The victory was bitter as there were still casualties. Heriot, Olivia, and Liana eventually joined the protagonist in battle. After the battle, Olivia complained about her armor and the protagonist helped her take it off. Olivia's platinum hair was a mess and she smelled of blood. Olivia stood up after seeing Heriot looking down the hill from afar as if she envied him. "If I'm born again, I'll learn magic too... Ugh... This is so annoying..." Olivia grumbled and went into the tent without taking off her bulky armor. Charlotte came out of the tent as Olivia went in. "I heard the battle ended well." Charlotte, who had excellent combat skills, was dressed in the most modest dress since her role was not on the battlefield. "Well... thankfully." Although we also participated in the battle, the biggest roles were played by Titan and Immortal. Charlotte took a deep breath with her arms crossed. "Now... only Diane is left." "Yes." As soon as those words were spoken, cold sweat broke out in our hands. It really seems to be the end now. Immortal had cleared all the other places. Diane was the capital of Relzern. This is really the last one. Only the final march remains. Everyone could only feel resigned.