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Chapter 493: The Hound Runs (4)

The dark clouds over the horizon began to clear.

As the sun rose and the rain weakened, a double rainbow appeared.

The monsters were losing their strength and fleeing to the depths of the sea.

…Boom! Splash! Rumble-

The Kraken, the strongest enemy that had troubled the Tochka Allied Forces the most, lost all its tentacles and crumbled into the water.

In the distance, the palace could be seen collapsing.

“Ah!? The black mist has lifted!”

“Vikir did it!”

“…As expected!”

Tudor, Sancho, and Bianca shouted with joy.

However...

“Hmmm. I have a bad feeling about this.”

Standing atop the corpse of a large monster, Camus had been feeling uneasy for some time.

The flow of mana was unusual. A powerful energy surged, then faded, and faintly reappeared.

This was not Andras’ energy but a completely new kind of force.

Moreover, Vikir’s energy was also flickering, as if it was about to vanish.

It wasn’t a matter of life force—it felt as though he was trying to go somewhere very far away.

“Camus, is something wrong? Do you sense something bad?”

On the corpse of the monster across from her, Adolf Morg appeared.

At her uncle’s question, Camus simply nodded in response.

“…Call it a woman’s intuition?”

Around the same time, Aiyen, Dolores, Sinclaire, and Kirko, who were just as talented as Camus, also sensed something suspicious.

Boom!

Camus immediately leaped off the surface of the water and dashed forward.

Four shadows followed closely behind.

Aiyen, Dolores, Sinclaire, and Kirko.

Annoyed by their appearance, Camus turned to them and snapped.

“What are you all doing here!? Why are you following me!?”

“I’ve been watching the palace since earlier. I had a bad feeling.”

“Lord Vikir might be hurt. We need to treat him as soon as possible.”

“I’m worried about my brother. We’re at the point where we need all the help we can get!”

“I’ve been following that guy from the start. Got a problem with that?”

Just then...

Ssssshhh—

The sea surface parted, revealing a vast land beneath.

Baby Madam. It revealed its back as if offering a ride to the five women, including Camus.

“Alright!”

Camus, Aiyen, Dolores, Sinclaire, and Kirko climbed onto the offspring’s back and headed toward the palace.

And soon...

They witnessed a shocking scene.

It was none other than Figgy, resurrected from the dead, and Vikir, covered in blood, standing in front of the dimensional gate.

The first to scream was Camus.

“Where do you think you’re going! Hey, you…!”

She was so startled and furious that curses almost slipped from her tongue but were swallowed back down.

Camus pressed her hands against her chest, trying to calm herself.

“Huff… No, I can’t. I just corrected my speech; I can’t start cursing again. Damn it!”

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t hold back.

Soon, she extended her trembling finger, pointing at Vikir.

“Where are you going!?”

“...”

At Camus\'s sharp question, Vikir could only widen his eyes in surprise, unable to say anything.

After some time had passed, he finally managed to open his mouth and reply.

"I\'m going to the place I came from. The place where I was supposed to be."

"Bullshit! The place you\'re supposed to be is right beside me! Don’t you get it yet!?"

The area around Camus\'s eyes was turning red, the same color as her irises.

"…Do you only ever think about yourself?"

"…"

"Do you ever think about how I feel?"

Camus continued, her voice hoarse with emotion.

"Who do you think I\'ve been rejecting all those marriage proposals for?"

"…"

"Who do you think I gave up on having a normal life for—dating like everyone else, going to school like everyone else—only to spend my youth combing through the jungles of theRed and Black Mountains? And then you even messed up my career path by pushing me into dark magic, making things awkward with my uncle…"

"…"

"Do you even know that I became a member of the Grand Magic Council just to meet you? Then I transferred schools to find you, only to see you get trapped in the Abyss Tree. When you got out, you were on trial and thrown in prison. When you escaped, you were holed up in Tochka. Then you stormed the palace…"

"…"

"You bastard! You really are a Baskerville hunting dog through and through!"

Camus looked like she was on the verge of casting a spell.

Vikir, realizing he couldn\'t handle Camus\'s wrath in his current state, quietly raised his hands and backed away from the dimensional gate.

Only then did Camus\'s fiery demeanor slightly subside.

Vikir took a moment to really look at Camus’s face.

Quite some time had passed. Though traces of the young girl she had been at eight still lingered, she had clearly grown into a young woman.

He had thought her affection was just a passing crush, but it seemed he was wrong.

At that moment, another woman stepped forward to stand beside Camus.

It was Aiyen.

"You haven\'t forgotten the time we spent in the Floodlands, have you? Or what we went through in Nouvellebag."

"…"

"The first time I saw you was through the bars of a slave trader’s cage. When you saved me, I knew in that moment that we were meant to be together for life. No cruel or harsh fate could ever tear us apart."

"…"

"Even when the Red Death was spreading, even when you were trapped in Abyss Tree. I never once forgot you. That’s why I went into Nouvellebag myself to save you."

Aiyen\'s face was flushed with a rare redness.

"And I’m already as good as married. You’ve seen everything there is to see about me—even when I was... relieving myself..."

As soon as the word "relieving" left Aiyen\'s lips, the person beside her blushed as well.

Dolores’s fingers began to fidget nervously.

"…Uh, I, well..."

After hesitating for a long time, Dolores finally mustered up the courage to speak.

"I’ve been working hard all this time because I wanted to be of help to you, Lord Vikir! I studied resonance effects diligently so I wouldn’t be a burden as your soul companion, and I followed you on demon hunts! I even formed the organization \'Night Walkers\' to fulfill the mission you left behind..."

Dolores\'s eyes began to fill with tears as she looked up at Vikir.

"I’ve tried my best, but... it’s too cruel of you to leave without even giving me a single word of praise."

Next to her stood another woman who had also been a part of the Night Walkers.

Sinclaire.

She looked up at Vikir with clear, determined eyes.

"Brother, do you remember what you once told me?"

"…"

"You said that what we see, what we believe, and the choices we make are entirely our own responsibility."

"…"

"You were right. That’s why I’m about to make a decision that’s entirely my responsibility."

"…"

"Let’s date, Brother! Seriously, with marriage in mind! Remember how we promised while having late-night snacks in the dorm? That once you achieved everything you wanted, you’d take me as your bride!"

At Sinclaire’s bombshell confession, Camus, Aiyen, and Dolores all narrowed their eyes.

As a scuffle started to break out among the women, a fifth voice cut through the tension.

It was Kirko.

"Garam. No, Vikir."

"…"

"I’m still confused. Why did you save me? And what was going through Garam’s mind? Everything is just so bewildering."

"…"

"That’s why I want to keep following you for a while longer, to find the meaning of my life. To figure out what I’m supposed to be living for."

"…"

"I already prepared myself for death once. Without you, I have no connections or regrets in this world."

"…"

"It might sound a bit shameless, but... since you saved me when I was about to disappear along with my homeland, don’t you think you owe me that much? So take me with you, to the place you originally came from."

Camus, Aiyen, Dolores, Sinclaire, and Kirko.

They all gazed at Vikir with determined expressions, matching his resolve.

With a cracked and hoarse voice, Vikir finally spoke.

"The place I came from is a desolate one."

The five women all nodded in agreement.

"We know. We can guess as much from your personality."

"What kind of environment makes someone as difficult as you?"

"Lord Vikir, you really should reflect on yourself."

"Brother, do you have issues with your personality?"

"A place harsher than Nouvellebag... I’m a little curious."

Vikir spoke again.

"I\'m a wretched person. The burdens I carry are heavy... and I’m not young anymore."

Once again, the five women nodded.

"We know you’re wretched. It’s why we love you—because even a wretch like you deserves love."

"You did seem older. Your mannerisms and speech gave it away."

"Our Pope once said that Lord Vikir\'s soul seemed old from the start. That’s why she called you ‘old man’ the first time she met you…"

"Speaking of burdens, remember when you were in Abyss Tree and you kicked me? I hold grudges, you know~ I’m going to make you regret kicking me."

"What’s the appropriate age difference between a man and a woman in a relationship? I’ve never dated before, so I don’t know… Is a 50-year age gap weird?"

One by one, they each made their remarks as they ascended the steps.

Finally...

Camus, Aiyen, Dolores, Sinclaire, and Kirko stood behind Vikir.

Just as they always had.

Of course, the women’s expressions remained unchanged even as they gazed at the scene beyond the dimensional gate.

"I can\'t let you go to such a brutal place alone. Remember? You promised that you would stay with me even at the threshold of death."

"I’ll go with you too. I want to help our tribe, who might still be alive on the other side."

"I saw your inner self in the Abyss Tree. You called us comrades. We’ll share the burden, Mr. Choco."

"If you’re going, I’m going too. Don’t even think about leaving me behind."

"It’s a mysterious place. Has Nouvelle Vague also collapsed over there? Still, I want to see it for myself."

In the end, Vikir could only sigh.

"Do as you please."

Vikir turned towards the dimensional gate.

Camus, Aiyen, Dolores, Sinclaire, and Kirko followed him.

Watching all of this, Figgy’s lips curved into a faint smile.

"...You’re all good people."

With that, the dimensional gate closed.

Vikir hurled himself into the swirling, fiery space beyond.

The Baskerville dog, the Night hound.

He was returning to where he originally belonged after completing all the tasks he had carried.

Zzzzzzzzzzz……

The world before him began to spin hazily.

All his senses twisted and distorted.

The clockwork turned backward, tick-tocking in reverse.

And between the ticks of the second hand, Figgy’s last message as a friend from long ago, and now a friend sending him off, flickered faintly.

"Have a wonderful journey, my friend."

That was the last thing from this world.