YM778.TV Chapter 581: Supreme Sacrifice (1)
Chapter 581: Supreme Sacrifice (1)
“I’m not looking down on you. I’m not blaming you either. Strictly speaking, it’s not because of you, it’s all because of my personal opinion. I… I am scared. I’m scared, Raphael.”
“Leader.”
“I’m scared that… no one will remember our true self. I’m scared that… they’ll think we’re just dirty contractors who sold our souls to a demon. I fear that not one person, not even one, will ever understand us. That’s why I want you to live. I want you to survive and watch our end. It will be difficult, but I hope you can take on that role.”
“It’s not, sir. You don’t have to think about it like that. We can’t expect all of them to understand, but there must be someone somewhere who does. There will surely be some who will remember and honor what we’re doing. There will definitely be people who understand the noble meaning behind the Order’s actions.”
“No, we will be remembered as evil. Regardless of whether this succeeds or fails, the world will treat us as evil and curse us. That will never change. But Raphael, even one person is fine. If even one person remembers us… yes, I’m sure this meaningless consolation will mean a lot to the Order members.”
“But…”
“I hope you can bear witness to our end. I want you to keep it in your heart and mind until the end. I want you to tell our story. We started this simply for vengeance, but still… Still… I hope they remember that some fought for our land and the justice of the continent. Please.”
“I will fight with you, sir. The deaths of our comrades… your death… I can’t just watch.”
“This is my last request. My last request.”
“…”
I had no choice but to quietly watch the fierce battle commence. My sole duty was to keep watching such noble people sacrifice their lives for a cause.
Our starting points were different, and the beginning wasn’t good, but in the end, how could I describe the way the Order made its way toward the right goal? Perhaps no expression could represent our actions. No fine word would be able to showcase our feelings.
I felt cursed for being forced to witness the situation helplessly. My hands trembled, and I was sweating coldly.
My emotions were shaken, causing me to bite my lips tightly, but tears continued to pop out of my eyes uncontrollably. I wanted to turn my head every time there was a huge explosion. I didn’t have the confidence to look at that fierce battle until the end, but…
It was my responsibility to keep my eyes open and look at everyone’s end. It was the last mission I could do as a member of the Order.
“Don’t step back! Don’t step back! A little bit more… little bit more… if you reach out a little more, you can definitely grasp it. Think of the past days. Keep moving! Let’s think about what we’re here for!”
‘I should have been there too…’
He might seem hot-tempered, but Gavenne was actually more warm-hearted than anyone else.
Luciela joined late but was always the centerpiece as the wizard of the Order.
Jean Valjang from the Republic was branded as a criminal for stealing bread, but actually had to feed her little siblings to survive.
Priest Sirviola quietly supported us from behind.
I could see all of them charge in. They had already gone beyond their limit. Some time had passed since their bodies began collapsing. The output that could be produced was overtaken a long time ago.
It was going to be painful. None of them spoke, but they were all surely in unbearable pain.
Moving their legs, swinging their swords, binding the prisoner, and even shouting out loud would cause tremendous agony. I could see that even though I wasn’t with them.
While evidently showing the feeling of being burned by hellfire through their frowning faces, they still constantly moved. Who could look at such a scene and think they’re simply people that signed a contract with a demon?
Who would dare rebuke them for being filthy after watching them trying to resist absolute evil even at the expense of their own lives?
Perhaps no one would be able to deny how sublime they were. Definitely… People would definitely recognize their sacrifice. Everyone looking at the scene of that fierce battle would eventually understand the Order’s motives.
It was then that a voice came from right next to me.
“Those fucking bastards!”
“Because of those dirty demon contractors, the Chairman…the Chairman Lee Kiyoung… sniff…”
“Chairman, hold on. Please, hold on!”
“Hold on, Honorary Cardinal Lee Kiyoung. Hold on!”
“I will pray. I pray for the Honorary Cardinal to get rid of this ordeal. Everyone, let’s pray. Let’s pray for Honorary Cardinal Lee Kiyoung, who is resisting against them for people as insignificant as us.”
My hands were now shaking. This was because I could feel an unknown hostility in the voices coming from all over the place.
“Those fucking demon-contracting bastards!! The continent is not yours! The light will never lose! Never!”
‘It’s not him. The one you should support isn’t that scammer…’
“Look at those disgusting beings that sold their souls voluntarily. I’d be scared to see them even in my dreams. Where did those bastards come from… It’s the end of the world, the end of the world! Since the demons still greatly influence people, our Chairman is naturally working hard on this project. Isn’t all this what the Chairman predicted? Those filthy demons destroyed part of our building!”
‘He’s not the one committed to the continent. It’s us… Our Order… that truly serves the continent…’
“Hold on, Cho Hyejin! Smash their heads!”
“Please protect the Honorary Cardinal, Cho Hyejin. Please.”
“We can’t just watch like this. Anyone who can fight, let’s take up our arms. We can’t just stand around while the Chairman is in pain. We can’t watch any further. How long do we have to hide behind the Chairman? We too… let’s prove here that adding even a small amount of strength can cause a large difference, everyone.”
‘Your swords shouldn’t be aimed at the members of the Order. That bastard is a scammer…’
“That’s right. It’s a weak force, but we can fight too. Even if we die here, we want to help the Continent and the Honorary Cardinal. I will fight. Let’s go. Let’s start doing something for a change.”
‘That’s not right. That’s… That’s not right.’
“We’re coming, Chairman!”
“You will just get in their way if you go. Look at that right now…”
“…”
“He can’t properly focus… because we might get hurt. Watching and praying from a distance is all we can do. If you try to add some half-assed strength to it… you’ll create a chance for the demon contractors. Why… think about why the Honorary Cardinal is not letting go of that fallen power.”
‘The leader is not a demon contractor.’
“W-What should we do?”
“Pray. As always, isn’t the Goddess looking at the Honorary Cardinal? Pray.”
I could see my teammates vomiting blood as they fought restlessly to the end.
It was too different. The scenery that I was thinking and that of others were far apart. Even I was confused about which justice was real.
I couldn’t understand those who called the Order members cursed bastards, damn demon bastards, and even went as far as using abusive language aimed at them.
They didn’t know anything about the leader and the members of the Order. They knew nothing about the secrets and truths of the Honorary Cardinal.
‘You know nothing.’
Was it really worth giving away their lives for those people? To protect the continent… for such close-minded people…
“Why have we been fighting…?”
I could see them falling one by one. Whenever one fell, cheers popped out from all sides.
“For these people… Why did we have to go through a lot of suffering?”
“Good job!”
“I always believed!”
“Eliminate all those dirty demon contractors!”
“Look out!”
I wondered what the members were thinking at that moment. What were they thinking while listening to those voices?
‘Hold on, leader.’
Would my voice even reach him?
‘Don’t lose to such a dirty scammer. Don’t lose.’
“Hold… Hold on.”
‘Don’t fall.’
“Hold on! Don’t fall! Hold on! We’re cheering for you. Hold on!”
I stood in the middle of the crowd and shouted, but there was no way I could reach him.
“Those fucking bastards are standing up again. Those vile demon contractors are getting up!”
“Dirty bastards… how can they move even though their heart has been pierced… they’re real monsters…”
“Look at them spitting dark red saliva. I’m afraid that the Honorary Cardinal will be exposed to that energy.”
“Watch… watch those demons rise again. All those who have fallen are standing up.”
Did I reach them? Did my voice really reach them? I wasn’t sure if it really was my voice that caused the members to move again.
It was probably an illusion. How could the members distinguish my voice lost within the crowd?
However, there was nothing I could do other than shouting. The only option left for me was to give my support and trust that it would reach them.
‘A miracle…’
If God truly did exist, I hoped he’d make a miracle happen for those poor people.
For those who were hurt and abandoned by the world, even a tiny miracle…
‘Please reach them.’
It wasn’t a difficult request.
‘Please reach them.’
I wanted Him to give them the power to move even for just a little more.
‘Please reach them!’
The power to resist the absolute evil of the continent.
“Hold… hold on. Hold on!”
“Hold on! Honorary Cardinal Lee Kiyoung!”
“Hold on. Ugh… hold… hold on. Ugh… hold on!”
“Good job! Cho Hyejin! Good job!”
“Sniff… Hold on. Hold… hold on.”
“Let’s pray. Let’s all pray for the Honorary Cardinal, the Chairman.”
“Sniff… stand up. Ugh… Oh, God… please… please, a miracle…”
“The Chairman is standing up again. Let’s cheer for him a little more!”
“Hold on!”
And immediately after that…
As I slowly turned my head, I could see that the leader found me mingled in the crowd.
I couldn’t see him properly due to the tears covering my eyes, but I saw that he was definitely smiling. I could see that his face was saying, ‘thank you for sending your support, I surely heard your voice, and it’s okay now.’
‘I reached them.’
“Thank you.”
‘I reached them.’
“Sniff… Thank you…”
The leader stood up again, his sword tightly grasped, and the members held each other’s hands, sharing their last remaining power.
“Win. By all means… win.”
That was the end of our long journey. I kept my eyes open and watched all the way, never turning my head in cowardice. I had to bear witness to their end.
“You… have to win.”