Chapter 75
A chilling system message sent shivers down my spine.
‘I see.’
I didn’t wonder what it meant.
I had a rough guess who it was.
Princess Adela, Nerjin, Gilbert, Elisha—all mistook me for him.
Villains like Dr. Keren and the high-ranking demon did too.
The Peacemaker.
‘I’ve been waiting.’
I wasn’t like Gilbert, saving everyone, but I rejected the original ending where 99.9% died.
Now, convinced that uncovering the Cosmos Empire’s secrets would lead to a new ending, the appearance of the Cosmos' Star Child, the Peacemaker, was the most crucial puzzle piece I’d been waiting for.
If the Peacemaker, a hidden giant, could offer a new ending!
“Cadet Martin.”
I’d simulated it countless times…
Wait, why was I so dizzy?
Was I overheated from excitement?
“Cadet Martin…?”
“Stay with me, Cadet Martin!”
A cataclysmic level of Stellar Force, beyond your vessel’s capacity, was unleashed from your hands. The first such event since the Cosmos Empire’s fall.
The last thing I saw was Elisha, shocked, running toward me.
***
When I opened my eyes, I was in the Imperium Academy’s affiliated hospital.
Despite my protests, an overwhelming number of medical staff swarmed me.
They were apparently under pressure from the Harmadun Ducal Family.
In the end, I got confirmation that there was no Maki reaction in my body, and my shoulder wound was healing quickly.
“Not human healing… What is this natural recovery?”
“Some foreign power is enveloping Cadet’s body.”
Seeing the medical staff’s confusion, I resolved to leave quickly.
Stellar Force wasn’t something to reveal carelessly.
“I’m discharging myself.”
“What? No, you can’t.”
“Why not? Is it about the bill?”
“No, the bill was charged to the Harmadun Ducal Family, but, uh, Princess Elisha is on her way.”
Hearing Elisha was coming solidified my resolve, and I got up to head home.
That was my biggest mistake.
The greatest threat was waiting at home.
“Master.”
“Uh, uh…”
“Nothing to say?”
“….”
Lilac, hands on hips with a piercing glare, was a new kind of fear.
A cute terror, perhaps.
Irresistible.
The letter from the Academy hospital in her hand felt resentful.
“…I’m sorry.”
“Haa.”
But the heavy air soon lifted.
No, I was mistaken.
Today’s Lilac wasn’t just angry—she was beyond that.
Lilac sighed heavily, like she carried the world’s burdens, and looked at my left shoulder with sorrowful eyes.
It was still bandaged.
“Why… Master, was Lilac’s plea to just not come back injured so unreasonable…?”
“I’m sorry.”
“….”
I heard someone swallow hard.
Nerjin, Bianca, Savo, even Sebastian.
All kept their mouths shut, watching Lilac’s mood while focusing on café preparations.
Lilac bowed her head deeply.
“Master, I’ll escort you to your room.”
The rest of the talk would happen there.
I followed Lilac to my room on the second floor.
A day had passed, so there should’ve been some flaw, but not a speck of dust was found.
“Master. Sit.”
Her somber voice felt unfamiliar, so I sat on the bed as told.
Lilac slowly knelt, placed both hands on my knees, and buried her head there.
My heart skipped a beat.
After a moment, Lilac spoke calmly.
“I… a mere maid like Lilac, daring to tell Master what to do… I know I have no right.”
“….”
“But I swore to live my entire life solely for Master Martin. Do I not know chivalry because I don’t wield a sword? Do I not know loyalty because I lack a noble title?”
“….”
“Please, Master… don’t get hurt. Don’t suffer. It’s okay if you do nothing. Lilac will work hard enough for your share…”
For the first time, I saw Lilac’s tears.
Ironically, I couldn’t grant her request.
I’d face harsh trials head-on, unafraid of getting hurt.
Especially to protect Lilac from the apocalypse.
Lilac slowly stood.
On the seat of her confession, only tear stains remained.
But her eyes smiled as if nothing had happened.
Lilac lifted the hem of her maid dress slightly.
“Master, thank you for your arduous journey. Rest well today.”
She bowed politely and went back to the first floor.
The sound of the closing door brought a wave of fatigue.
“….”
I was tired.
I was about to lie down when…
“You’re loved.”
“…A stalker?”
Turning, I saw a man sitting by the window.
A man in a hood covering his head.
Two large revolvers at his waist caught my eye.
“Not a stalker.”
“You came faster than I expected.”
“You knew I’d come?”
“Because the Rosary was unleashed.”
“Hm.”
He smiled.
“This place isn’t great. The touch of that crazy princess who obsessively chased me lingers. Can you come to me instead?”
He snapped his fingers, and a card flew toward me like it’d cut my eyes.
I caught it with my hand.
In that moment, the Peacemaker vanished from sight.
I silently checked the time and place on the card, then burned it as per the postscript.
“…Why there?”
A new worry gnawed at my brain.
“No, no.”
I suppressed the thought.
I needed to sleep first.
The laziness that often crept up after a long trip felt like it was clinging to my chin.
“….”
After a nap granted as a small reward, I woke to find it already dark.
Going downstairs, the café was empty, as the coffee wagon hadn’t returned.
‘Time to go.’
With the sun set and darkness settled, it was time to head to the meeting place.
Finally, I’d meet the Peacemaker.
I left the house, walking through the capital of the Imperium Empire.
The closer I got to my destination, the busier the streets became, filled with people.
At the end was the Imperium Bank.
The place where the empire’s money and people gathered most.
‘Strange.’
Entering the bank’s first floor, I saw a vast hall and countless people like sprouts in a steamer.
Ignoring them, I looked at a corridor guarded by burly security.
A passage for VIPs only.
Despite the crowd, not a single person approached it.
‘Will this really work?’
As I approached the corridor, the guards looked down at me.
“….”
They parted and bowed.
Pretending to be calm, I entered the corridor.
The sound of the crowd stirring behind me was ignored.
“Whoa?!”
I was more startled by a girl who popped out in front of me.
“Martin!”
The precious daughter of the Elidore Marquisate, owners of the Imperium Bank.
Luri, with pink twin-tails.
Unlike my shock at the unexpected meeting, Luri’s pink eyes sparkled.
“Meeting Martin by chance makes today the best!”
Luri was a VIP regular who visited the coffee wagon almost daily, even during breaks.
“What’s up? Been well? Why are you here? To see me? Nah!”
My head spun.
“I’m here to meet someone.”
I recited the note the Peacemaker gave me.
Luri was an ally, after all.
Telling her might help in unexpected situations.
“A single flower shining under moonlight, kept in the world’s vault.”
“Hm? A riddle?”
Luri tilted her head innocently, but don’t judge her by appearances.
Luri was a specialist in mind-reading.
Her intelligence was among the best.
“It’s probably the far end of the top floor corridor.”
“The top floor… isn’t that the Elidore Marquisate’s residential area?”
“Yep, but let’s go check. I’m curious too.”
Luri led the way up the stairs.
Who I was meeting, why in the Elidore Marquisate’s area—Luri didn’t pry.
I appreciated the consideration, but…
“Wanna grab tea after? Hm? Hm? Let’s have tea with me~.”
This wasn’t appreciated.
Luri, in a pink dress, was like a spring flower.
Similar to Teacher Hailey but more lively.
If only she’d let go of my hand.
“Can you let go of my hand?”
“Then I’ll link arms instead?”
“…Just hold my hand.”
“Wow! We’ve progressed to hand-holding!”
Was this what an unwinnable fight felt like?
“Cadet Luri.”
“Yeah?”
“Do you like me?”
“Yeah!”
“….”
Her boldness made me more embarrassed.
“Because I saved Helaine?”
“It’d be a lie to say that’s not part of it, right?”
Luri continued.
“But that’s just the start. It’s the reason a girl named Luri von Ciel Elidore took an interest in a boy named Martin von Targon Ulvhadin and began enjoying her youth.”
Enjoying youth—people might think we were already dating.
I had to listen to Luri’s chatter all the way to the 10th floor.
It wasn’t unpleasant.
It wasn’t, but… I felt sorry for her.
Her feelings could never be reciprocated.
A creator falling in love with a character in their creation?
The only case I knew was Pygmalion and Galatea from Greek-Roman mythology.
“Ta-da! We’re here!”
Reaching the 10th floor, Luri hopped up the last step and spread her arms to welcome me.
It was practically her daily home scenery, yet she was this happy to see me?
“So, it’s probably to the right, right? I’ll guide you!”
“Um? Wait, Cadet Luri.”
“Yeah?”
“It might not be important, but…”
I’d been here once before, right after the Helaine incident, summoned by Marquis Arnold.
It felt austere then, but now it was cluttered.
“Hehe. It’s not Dad’s taste. Must be because of a guest!”
“A guest…”
Fancy tables, vases, and statues were scattered throughout the corridor.
All expensive items.
Know-It-All (Lv 3) examined the items. They are intricately made replicas.
Replicas displayed in the Elidore Marquisate…?
That was very strange.
“Here we are.”
Following Luri’s lead, we reached the far left end of the corridor.
There was a balcony, and indeed, a silver plant pot gleaming under moonlight.
And, prominently, a door leading inside.
‘Finally.’
The Peacemaker was waiting inside.
I took a deep breath and reached for the doorknob.
Suppressing my nervousness, I turned the handle.
Click.
“…It’s locked?”
“Huh? Locked? That can’t be. Weird…”
Luri touched and turned the knob, but the locked door showed no sign of opening.
Puffing her cheeks, Luri shouted randomly.
“Ugh! Open, sesame! Black sesame! Uh… roasted sesame! Or sesame salt!”
…Is she really from the owner family?
Wild Instinct (Lv 3) detected an ambush!
I immediately grabbed Luri and hid behind a vase in the corridor.
A ‘bullet’ shot belatedly and lodged in the wall.
“Wow, fast! No, beyond fast. Future prediction? No, too slow for that. Aha, your intuition’s reached a level of perception beyond cognition.”
The attacker’s voice!
Peering past the vase, I saw the robed Peacemaker aiming a revolver at us from a distance.
I rolled with Luri to hide behind another vase.
The vase we’d been behind shattered with a crack.