When I woke from the dream, I felt cold sweat soaking my entire body.
But I wasn’t afraid.
There was no fear, just a heavy, sinking feeling in my chest.
I gripped my blanket tightly.
Now, everything finally fit together.
What it ant to die at the hands of those I loved.
What it ant to die at the happiest mont of my life.
What it ant when Grace said that even after my death, she would ensure I was sent to a place fitting for my deeds.
And…
What it truly ant when she said she would spread her will through .
Now, I understood everything.
Asmodeus, the Demon King of Lust…
Of course.
It had been strange from the very beginning.
I had no mana.
No divine power.
And yet—ti stop, body modification, three-thousand-fold sensory amplification, absolute hypnosis...
Where the hell did these absurdly broken abilities co from?
Turns out, they were the powers of a Demon King.
A fresh wave of emotion surged inside , and I buried myself under the blanket, crying for a long ti.
Why am I so unlucky?
Why am I always so fucking miserable?
A harem king…
Is that really such an impossible dream?
I don’t want to leave.
I want to stay here with Ione, Alne, and Erfa, living happily for a long, long ti.
But for their sake—I have to leave.
If I stay because of my selfish desires, I don’t know what my power will do to them once the Demon King’s authority fully awakens.
That day, I didn’t do anything.
“Saint?”
Old Yodel ca looking for , worried.
So did the paladins. The priests.
And even the people from the slums who visited every day—they were worried too.
But I didn’t et with anyone. I just stayed in my room and cried.
Word must have spread, because by evening, it reached the ears of the imperial princesses and Erfa.
That night—
As I lay in bed, skipping dinner and crying into my pillow—
The three of them ca to find .
“Amayel.”
“Saint.”
“We’re here.”
Their worried voices and faces made slowly sit up.
I forced myself to smile at them.
“Co, sit down.”
Even if I shut out everyone else—these won deserved to hear the truth.
The three of them hesitated for a mont before sitting down beside .
I looked at each of them in turn before finally opening my mouth, my voice trembling.
“I have to leave. As soon as Lord Wergen finishes the psychic amplifier I left with him—I’m leaving.”
Their faces went pale.
But I clenched my fists and forced myself to continue.
“I won’t be coming back. I don’t think we’ll ever see each other again. You can’t follow . I have to go alone. So... please... don’t look for .”
The more I spoke, the more tears welled up.
And before I knew it, I was sobbing, my cries filling the room.
None of them said a word.
Then—
After what felt like an eternity, I felt Ione and Alne pull into their arms.
“This relationship… We were the ones who forced it on you. Rember, Saint?”
Alne’s voice trembled as she spoke.
“We were the ones who pushed it on you. We never thought you’d stay with us for long. You always had too many things to do. We knew you’d have to leave one day.”
Four hands gently lifted my face.
When I looked up, I saw Erfa, holding back tears as she forced a smile.
“This was all because of us. We were the ones who made it happen… So please, don’t feel burdened. Just go. If things ever get too painful, too exhausting—please, at least let the mories of us be sothing that keeps you going.”
Hearing them say that—my heart ached even more.
I pulled them into a tight embrace.
“I’m sorry. I… I’m so fucking sorry… I hate that I have to leave after everything… I hate that I have to run away like a coward… I’m sorry.”
They smiled as they held back.
And for so reason—
Their smiles only made them look even sadder.
“Thank you for accepting us, even when we forced ourselves on you.”
“Thank you for forgiving us, even when we tried to force you into it.”
“Thank you… for making us happy, even if it was just for a little while. Saint, don’t worry about us. We’ll take what you’ve left behind and make this place better, stronger. So go without regrets.”
I broke down completely.
The four of us clung to each other, crying until our voices were hoarse.
Once I go back to Korea, I’ll probably never see these won again.
The way it all began—it wasn’t good.
But still…
Still, they were the won I chose to love.
And now I have to leave them behind.
But what else can I do?
The power inside is filthy, wretched.
Leaving is the right choice.
For them.
For this world.
I cried for a long, long ti.
Until deep into the night.
And the very next morning—
News arrived that Lord Wergen had finished tuning the psychic amplifier.
****
“Here it is, Saint. The fully tuned psychic amplifier. I’d say it’s my masterpiece.”
Completely oblivious to my feelings, Tower Master Wergen continued his enthusiastic explanation.
“The unicorn’s horn has a unique neural circuit that is separate from the brain. That neural circuit acts as a psychic amplifier. The usage is incredibly simple! You just have to open the lid of this locket!”
“I see.”
“The mana efficiency is outstanding as well. It operates just fine using the ambient mana in the air. After all, psychic amplification isn’t a field that requires a lot of mana—it’s all about the precision of the circuit.”
“……”
“It can be used for much more than just ti stop. There are a number of additional functions—wait, are you alright?”
I stared at the locket-shaped psychic amplifier in Wergen’s hands with a conflicted expression.
If only that hadn’t been completed…
Then I wouldn’t have to leave.
Regret kept creeping in.
I really don’t want to leave.
Even as I thought that, my hand was already reaching toward Wergen.
“May I take it?”
“Of course. But… is sothing wrong?”
I didn’t answer.
I just smiled bitterly.
As I fastened the locket around my neck, Wergen hesitated before cautiously asking,
“Will you be visiting the temple today? I’d like to observe your miracles again. I’ve been developing a new study based on my last observations, so I was hoping to watch again today.”
At that, I shook my head.
“You won’t be able to see even if you go.”
“…What?”
“Thank you for everything, Tower Master. I wish you peace in the days to co.”
“Wait, hold on…”
He looked startled by my formal farewell, but when he saw the expression on my face—like I was about to cry—he let out a deep sigh and lowered his head.
“I see… You must have received another divine revelation. Saints have always been like this. Thank you for saving the Empire. I pray that you’ll find peace, wherever you go.”
“Thank you.”
Wergen bowed his head to , and I returned the gesture.
That was the last exchange between us.
Leaving his chambers, I trudged back through the tower’s lobby, then returned to the temple. There, I summoned High Priest Yodel and the entire Jonathan Karma family to my room.
“Please, continue to heal the sick. Do not stop caring for the poor and the suffering.”
“Of course, Saint. But… what’s wrong? You haven’t looked well lately.”
I simply smiled at Yodel.
Then, I turned to Jonathan Karma’s family.
“Money is a good thing. But don’t let yourselves be consud by it. Build a world where people can live well together, prosper together. You have the ability to make that happen, Jonathan.”
“…Of course, Saint. But why… why are you saying this all of a sudden?”
“Are you unwell?”
Jonathan and his wife, Olivier, asked worriedly.
anwhile, their daughter, Cecilia—whose intuition was terrifyingly sharp—stared at anxiously.
“…Are you leaving?”
At her words, silence fell.
High Priest Yodel looked at in horror.
“…Are you leaving, Saint?”
I didn’t answer.
“Do not look for . Ever.”
That was all I said.
“Saint! Please, don’t leave us!!”
Yodel—an old man—shed tears that didn’t suit his age.
“There are still so many sick and suffering people who need you!! The Church needs you!! We all need you to continue guiding us!!”
In Yodel’s tears, I saw the danger.
If the High Priest himself was reacting this way, then what about the others?
Their unwavering faith in —
It would only amplify my power and, in the end, revive the Demon King.
It would bring about the horrifying future I had seen.
I couldn’t let that happen.
“I must leave, Yodel. It’s for everyone’s sake. So please… don’t look for .”
Yodel wept.
But after a mont, he bowed his head.
“I… I will try. I will do my best. But I do not know if the priests and believers will all obey your words.”
I knew that.
There was no way there wouldn’t be so priests, paladins, or believers who would act on their own.
Especially the people from the slums.
They would never just sit idly by.
No doubt, there would be those who would go to any lengths to find .
That was why I had prepared ways to counteract tracking miracles and ti stop.
I already had a place to run to.
The ten kilograms of gold the Emperor had given were safely stored in a tiny subspace pouch, sitting snugly in my pocket.
Now, all that was left was to leave.
“I’m sorry. But I believe in you all. Even without , I know you will continue to guide this place.”
Yodel wiped his tears and nodded.
“We will carry on your will, Saint. We swear it.”
My will.
What will?
I’m just a fraud. I never had any grand vision to begin with.
“…Go without hesitation, Saint. I will continue to expand Karma Company in your na. We will never forget how you saved our family.”
Jonathan bowed deeply and kissed the back of my hand.
Olivier and Cecilia did the sa.
I looked at them one last ti, then turned away.
Leaving my room, I walked slowly down to the temple’s first-floor lobby.
“Saint!”
“The Saint is here!!”
“Saint!”
Everyone greeted with deep bows.
I even spotted a few people from the slums.
Well-fed, well-dressed—their skin had a healthy glow now.
Seeing that, I let out a quiet chuckle.
Yes.
Now is the right ti to leave.
I cannot let them worship any more than they already have.
Because if I do, they will all suffer for it.
“…I pray for your continued peace.”
With those words, I bowed my head to everyone.
Then, I reached up and opened the locket hanging around my neck.
With a faint hum, the psychic amplifier activated.
And I used ti stop.
The entire world froze.
Then, I took a step forward.
It felt like switching from driving a rusty, manual car to the smoothest, newest electric vehicle.
“Hah… It works so damn well.”
With this, I could probably cross the entire continent under ti stop.
The efficiency problem that had plagued for so long—finally solved.
But I felt no joy.
“…Fucking hell, it works too well.”
I would never return to this place again.
Never see Erfa, Ione, Alne.
Never see Yodel.
Never see Jonathan Karma.
Never see the many unfortunate people from the slums whose faces had beco so familiar.
That was what pained the most.
Wiping my tears, I stood up.
I needed to hurry.
There was no ti to wallow in emotion.
I walked through the frozen world, step by step.
Along the way, I used body modification to change my face and pulled a fresh set of clothes from my subspace pouch.
Once I reached the outskirts of the capital, I deactivated ti stop.
I stepped carefully out of an alley.
No one recognized .
Feeling relieved, I headed to the train station.
When I tried to purchase a ticket, the station attendant asked the obvious question.
“Where to?”
Where should I go?
A place with little Church influence.
A big enough city that priests wouldn’t co often to use tracking miracles.
Sowhere far from the capital.
After considering my options, there was only one place that fit.
“I’d like a ticket to Scrap Yard.”
“That’ll be 400 leons.”
I pulled the money from my pocket, handed it over, and received my ticket.
Shortly after, I boarded the train.
With a low rumble, the magic engine whirred to life, and the train slowly began to move.
I closed the locket around my neck and slumped into my seat.
Back to square one.
Once I arrived in Scrap Yard, I would find a place to live.
I would stay hidden, only going out when necessary.
And along the way, I would search for black magicians or demon worshippers.
Find a way to have my soul destroyed by their hands.
As I sat there, staring out the window, I prayed that once I returned to Korea—
Maybe, just maybe—
I could finally be happy.
The train sped forward, slicing through the wind.
My new ho—
Scrap Yard was not far away.
****
“The Chosen One. We have confird that the Saint of Healing has disappeared.”
At those words, a smile crept onto the lips of the Evil God's Chosen.
“So the Evil God has acted just as He foretold. Now that the Saint has broken free from the Pantheon and the Church’s influence, eliminating him will be even easier. The Blood Drinker truly carries out His will.”
As the Chosen One chuckled, the pool of blood atop the altar began to bubble.
Upon witnessing this, the Chosen imdiately stepped forward.
“The Evil God grants us His revelation!!”
Eyes gleaming with anticipation, the Chosen stared intently at the pool of blood.
From the bubbling crimson surface, words began to erge.
The Chosen read them carefully, his gaze fixed, and soon, he burst into laughter, stepping back from the altar.
“The Saint of Healing will soon die.”
“Has the Evil God revealed His plan to eliminate him?”
“Yes. The Saint has gone to Scrap Yard.”
“To that den of godless heathens who worship mines, machines, and steam?”
“That’s right. The fool has walked into hell of his own accord.”
Using the Saint as a catalyst to ignite a war between the Pantheon and Hell—
For such a purpose, there was no place more perfect than Scrap Yard.
After all…
“The followers of the Lord of Greed, Mammon, are already there.”
For a long ti now, that place had been firmly under the control of one of the Demon Lords.
A collision between the Pantheon and Hell was inevitable.
That much was already set in stone.
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