Chapter 319: |
The noisy square became quiet again, as if someone had poured cold water over it.
The only sound that echoed in the hall was the crackling of the huge bonfire that burned fiercely in the center of the square.
“Did you say we have to fight against a god?”
“And what about Ryan being a traitor? Why? Wasn’t he one of the explorers?”
“Georon? He wants to kill us?”
Despair. Distrust. Frustration.
All kinds of negative emotions spread thickly in the square.
Despair was like a plague. And the plague spread easily.
“Ha, haha. Lean, sir. You’re joking, right?”
“You’re joking, right? It’s just a special day, so you wanted to surprise us…”
“…”
“Lean, sir. Please tell me it’s a joke. It’s just a misunderstanding. There’s no traitor, and no god who wants to kill us.”
“…”
The man’s face twisted gradually.
“Please, say something. Lean, sir!”
“What do you want me to say?”
“…!”
Everyone widened their eyes at Lean’s irresponsible remark.
“No, what do you mean by that…!”
“What else do you want me to do here? I dealt with the traitor, and I found the real cause of the curse in this world. And I told you all. Yes. I told you everything. I didn’t hide anything, I told you all the truth.”
Lean looked so miserable that it was hard for him to bear it himself.
“What else do you want me to do for you? Do you want me to grab a sword right now and go for Georon’s throat? Do you want me to bring Ryan’s corpse and curse him in front of you?”
“That’s not…”
“It’s all meaningless.”
At his negative words, Yu-hyun tried to calm him down and approached him.
Then a disgusting hand grabbed Yu-hyun’s shoulder.
“…Prichen. Let go of me.”
“Calm down and stay still. This is not our place to interfere.”
“But still…”
“Besides, that guy Lean hasn’t finished talking yet.”
Prichen was right.
Lean asked quietly in an amplified voice.
“What are you going to do now?”
“What?”
“What are you going to do now, I asked.”
“Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”
“I told you the truth. And we have a way. Are you going to sit still and wait for death in hell, or are you going to fight against Georon with everything you have?”
“Well, if we just stay here…”
“You stupid bastards.”
Gondulbor glared at the people with bloodshot eyes.
“Do you think this magic circle will last forever? You stupid things! There is nothing eternal in this world! The lifespan of this magic circle is only 60 years at most!”
“But 60 years is still a long time…”
“Then what about after that? After 60 years, when the magic circle disappears and you can’t get any food and the cold devours this place. What are you going to do then?! Or what, do you not care because it has nothing to do with you right now?”
Some people shuddered at Gondulbor’s words.
Gondulbor did not hide his contempt at the sight.
“Ha! I’m angry that I’ve been maintaining and repairing this magic circle for these things!”
“How can you say that?”
“Then what! Are you trying to argue with me now?!”
“No, no, that’s not what I meant…”
“Listen carefully! This magic circle has only 60 years left. But listen to those who want to sit still and endure for 60 years! Don’t you have any pride?! Aren’t you ashamed of your descendants who might be born someday?!”
Where did he get such energy from his wrinkled and dried body?
Gondulbor hit the people’s ears with his hoarse voice without using voice amplification.
“And you call yourselves the great Gardrins?! Is it your way to be afraid and tremble in front of your enemy?! Even though I’m not a warrior, but an old man who stays in a corner and plays with magic, there’s one thing I have to say! No matter who the enemy is, if you are Gardrins, fight bravely!”
“…”
“…”
No one could refute Gondulbor’s words.
Some even bowed their heads in shame.
Gondulbor still seemed angry, and soon left his seat with a snort.
“I left the voice amplification rune magic on. If you have something to say, go ahead.”
“Gondulbor, sir. Where are you going?”
“I’m going back to my workshop. If I stay here, I’ll explode with anger and die first. You take care of the rest.”
“…Okay. Thank you for your help.”
Gondulbor left.
Leanne opened her mouth as she watched the situation.
“As Gondulbor said, the Guardian will be destroyed in 60 years. The last city of humanity will eventually collapse. Someone might say that we can survive for 60 years anyway. But let me ask you this. If we rot inside for 60 years, can we call that living?”
Living quietly inside, doing nothing but postponing death.
Can we call that living?
Those who lost their will and hope were nothing but pieces of meat that breathed.
“I will fight.”
“…!”
“I will wield a sword and fight against Georen. It doesn’t matter if I die this way or that way. I will die fighting until the end. As a glorious Guardian.”
A glorious Guardian.
How long has it been since the world was destroyed and he talks about fighting?
People thought. Don’t fight, run away. That would be better.
At that moment, a voice burst out from behind.
“Yeah. Let’s fight!”
Surprisingly, the one who uttered those words was one of Frechen’s followers.
The citizens widened their eyes as if they didn’t expect Frechen’s subordinate, who had been doing whatever he wanted in the Guardian, to say such a thing.
Another explorer shouted with enthusiasm.
“Yeah! It’s the same whether we die this way or that way!”
“Yeah! And my comrades who died by the frost giants! If I don’t avenge them, I can’t rest in peace!”
“For the great Guardian!”
Like a wave.
The response spread across the square in a concentric circle, and then disappeared as if it was sucked in again.
A little spark began to light up in the frozen hearts of the people.
A little hope formed in the eyes of the citizens. Is it worth fighting? Maybe this is not so bad?
“Let’s fight.”
“Yeah. We have to fight. We’re going to die anyway.”
“If we’re going to die, let’s die fighting.”
“I’m tired of living like this.”
One by one, voices began to gain strength.
Of course, not everyone was like that.
“Shit, don’t make me laugh!”
Someone shouted like a fit.
It was a face Yu-hyun knew, Hender, who was Ringo’s childhood friend.
“Fight?! Are you talking with your right mind?! The opponent is Georen! Georen! The god of the great warriors!”
“Coward!”
Someone called Hender that, but Hender’s momentum didn’t die down.
“I don’t care if I’m a coward! As long as I can live! You guys are the ones who are sure you can win?! Why are you going when you know you’re going to die?!”
“Hender!”
Ringo couldn’t help but call Hender’s name.
“What are you saying right now…”
“Shut up! I know too! Ringo, don’t talk like you’re better than me!”
“Hender…! Don’t act like a coward!”
“Shit! Yeah. I’m a coward!”
Hender screamed as if he was possessed.
“At this age, when Ringo went out and fought hard as an explorer, I stayed in the city and did nothing! Because I’m a coward! Because I don’t want to die! The great Guardian? The land of glory where you go when you die? What does that mean when you die! You die! All of it!”
His hand trembled violently. Not only his hand. His lips twisted with anger seemed to want to spit out his resentment right away.
“Why are you all like that! Why are you so restless because you can’t die! Explorers and warriors! What’s so glorious about that!”
“Hender! Don’t insult the explorers! They are noble…!”
“Noble! That damn noble! That damn honor!”
Hender shouted with bloodshot eyes.
"No, almost wailed.
“Our parents are! Our mom and dad who died doing explorer work!”
Tears ran down his cheeks.
“They’re honorable?! They went nobly?! They went to that monster-like frost giant without even leaving their bodies beyond the frozen land? Then, then kids! What about me! What about me who was left alone after my parents died! What am I?!”
“Hender, you…”
“Why did they go so nobly?! Why didn’t they come back! They were honorable! They went honorably, but why did they leave me alone! Why do I have to suffer and be in pain alone! Why! Why!”
Hender approached Ringo and grabbed his collar.
“Is this natural?! Is this honorable and what humans should do?! Ringo! Answer me! Is that honorable? Is it right to die and leave your precious family in misery and sorrow? Is that right?! Answer me Ringo!”
“Hender…”
“Answer me!”
Anger turned into frustration.
Frustration soon turned into sorrow.
Hender knelt down and cried endlessly, tears streaming down his eyes.
“What’s so great about Gard? What’s so great about being a warrior? I just wanted to be with my family.”
“…”
“…”
No one could say anything to blame or comfort Hender.
He was not the only one. There were others who had lost their precious families.
Their pain, their grief.
They say the departed are honorable, but what about those who are left behind?
Who will console them for this cruel reality hidden behind the ideal?
“Hender…”
Ringug, who always smiled brightly, looked down at Hender, who was sobbing in front of him, with a distorted expression of sadness.
Ringug thought Hender was a coward. And he thought Hender was jealous of him, who was different from himself and joined the exploration team to roam outside.
He thought Hender looked down on the exploration team and disliked them, all because he was a coward trying to boost his own ego.
He even pitied Hender, whose parents were excellent explorers, for being like that.
He realized now that it was all his own arrogance.
Hender never looked down on or ridiculed the exploration team.
He just hated and despised them.
The one who truly looked down on him was Ringug himself.
“I’m sorry.”
“Shove your pity!”
Hender got up from his seat and pushed away Ringug’s hand.
“Go ahead and die if you want! I’ll survive until the end!”
Hender shouted and glared at Lean with his bloodshot eyes.
There was a time when he admired Lean. He built this city, gathered the survivors, and fought against the dangers outside. He looked like a hero.
But now he looked like nothing but a disgusting hypocrite who pushed everyone into the pit of war.
“Honor and glory! Screw that! I just want to live, even if it’s ugly!”
Hender gritted his teeth and ran out of the square.
No one could stop Hender. Rather, some people glanced around nervously after his outburst and left their seats.
Yu-hyun approached Ringug, who was standing blankly.
“Ringug. Are you okay?”
“…It’s my fault.”
Ringug shook his head with a gloomy expression.
“If I had paid more attention to Hender, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“It’s not your fault. It’s just that there are people like that.”
“…I guess so. But I still have to apologize to Hender. I judged him without knowing him, and even though I pretended not to, I looked down on him.”
“But Hender won’t meet you.”
“I know. But I still have to apologize. Even if not now, later. After this war is over.”
There was no guarantee that he would be alive by then, but Yu-hyun didn’t bother to point that out.
Instead, he comforted Ringug that he would surely have another chance to apologize.
“So, is there anyone who doesn’t want to fight anymore? If there is, you can answer honestly. This is not coercion.”
Everyone looked around at Lean’s words.
They were still eager to fight until a while ago, but they were engulfed by anxiety after hearing Hender’s scream.
They were indecisive when Frechen stepped forward.
“Geez! You guys are useless! If I knew there were so many cowards here, I would have given them a good beating earlier!”
“…Frechen.”
“What? Did I say something wrong? That young man just now, well, whatever. But the rest of you here. You’re ridiculous. You’re looking around to see if you should fight or not. Who cares what others think of your choice?”
“You might as well kneel down and beg in front of Georen for a chance to survive.”
“Frechen. Watch your mouth.”
The people gathered in the square frowned.
Even if they didn’t do the work of the exploration team, they were still Gardians.
Gardians traditionally valued fighting and honor.
The tradition had been diluted a lot during the 32 years they had been rotting in Gardian, but they couldn’t just laugh off being called cowards in their faces.
“Who said we’re not fighting? It’s better this way.”
Everyone was surprised when Bella rolled up her sleeves and came forward.
“Bella?”
“You, really…?”
In fact, there was no one here who had suffered as much as Bella.
She had also lost her husband whom she loved.
“So what if we die anyway? Then I’ll at least smash the skull of one of those frost giants who took my husband away. That’s fair, right?”
“Hahaha! Lady! You sure know how to talk!”
“Shut up! If you call me lady one more time, I’ll spank your ass, emperor or not!”
Bella threatened Frechen, who shrugged his shoulders and looked at the others.
“So, what are you going to do? Leave her alone to fight? Well, if you’re going to cower behind her skirt, I won’t stop you.”
“Who’s going to do that!”
“That’s right! There’s no future anyway, except for fighting!”
The voices of the people spread quickly.
A moment ago, they were scared, but now they were burning with passion.
They remembered their forgotten instincts.
The genes of Gardians, engraved in the blood that flowed hotly in their bodies, woke up from a long sleep.
“Let’s fight!”
“Until the end! Do our best!”
The square was filled with cheers.
Soon, everyone’s eyes turned to Lean.
Their leader and their last hope.
Lean nodded his head toward the warriors who were burning their last flames.
“Let’s go. To the final battle.”