I could only stare in surprise. The original owner of the body, whose ownership had changed due to my transmigration.
The original Lucian Vane.
The one who provided me with this opportunity and memories.
He smiled bitterly.
"You’re really strong. Actually... I was watching everything. You acting as me."
"You...!"
"At first, I felt wronged and angry. I wondered what the hell was going on."
The sword lodged in his solar plexus was soaked in blood. Despite this, Lucian didn’t stop speaking. In his resolute expression, I could even sense a certain sense of mission.
"But it wasn’t bad, you know? Watching you, I even thought you were better than me. After all, you accomplished so much. You proved yourself. It was cool."
With trembling hands, I tried to let go of the sword. Should I pull the sword out first?
No, that’s wrong. He could die from excessive bleeding if I did.
Lucian grabbed my hand. He firmly held my hand, which was trying to let go of the sword.
"Don’t let go. It’s your sword. It’s your alter ego."
"You’re going to die like this, you bastard...."
"Anyway, I was as good as dead even before you transmigrated."
"What are you talking about? You even overcame all those difficult trainings!"
Why would he say he was dead? I was the one who could truly say my past was dead.
I was the one who thought it would be better to just die.
Lucian sighed deeply.
"It was hard, alright. But that was the only thing I knew how to do. Do you know that feeling? When it’s something I like, but I can only do what I’m barely good at."
"...I know."
"Yeah, I also wanted to become a cool Hero like everyone else, and I wanted to have a girlfriend. But... I just didn’t have the talent."
I was speechless. Lucian was exactly like me.
Having something he wanted to do. Throwing himself into it.
But being frustrated by a lack of talent. And after that, living with a broken spirit.
"That’s why I couldn’t even ask Aunt for the family heirloom, the holy sword. Isn’t it funny? Haha. I wanted to be a cool son to Aunt."
"You did well enough. You’re cool...."
Lucian shook his head. He looked at me, rather, with envy.
That gaze felt both familiar and strange.
"Compared to me, Lucian, you’re a truly amazing guy. And you have talent."
"What am I... No."
"I saw your past too. It must have been as hard as mine, really."
"My past... Haha. It probably wasn’t worth appreciating."
Instead, I was receiving comfort. Lucian was such a considerate person that he gave me the comfort I should have been giving him.
At the very least, he wasn’t a worthless person who could be said to have lived a dead life.
If only he had gained a little more confidence, if only there had been more people who looked out for him.
Wouldn’t he have become like me now?
"...That’s enough, Lucian. It’s not like I’m the only one living like this. There are many people born without what they should have."
"But you still tried, didn’t you? That’s what’s cool."
"I didn’t even do my best. My web novel ultimately failed too."
I shook my head. A failure was a failure.
At the time, I didn’t want to admit it, so I think I directed that anger towards other people or readers.
It was a foolish and pathetic thing to do. To a writer, readers can be customers, or they can be friends. Not all readers could have been bad.
"Ueuk... Keup!"
"Hey, hey. You’re really going to die!"
Lucian, who was bleeding from his mouth, shook his head. His complexion was already turning pale.
"You ultimately proved yourself. As Hero Lucian, and as a cool man who’s no less than our father. That’s enough. You cool bastard."
"Why did you appear here? Why does it have to be like this?"
"I wanted to give you strength. It’s my last moment, you see."
"Last moment?"
His last moment? Even if I had transmigrated, Lucian’s soul or consciousness should have been alive.
So, honestly, if only I died, Lucian would have returned.
But his last moment?
"You know that Tris Narg took over the body, right?"
"Yeah, they... seem to be trying to do something with your body."
"After taking over the body, they even assimilated the soul?"
"Even the soul?"
This crazy bastard. Not content with just the body, they want to take everything!
I see. That’s why they used the term "resurrection." Not just to use this body once and discard it, but to possess it forever!
"But when they targeted you, I intervened first. So even if someone dies, it’ll be my soul that dies, not yours."
For a moment, I doubted my ears. What was he saying now? This guy, surely not?
"Wait, then you’ll disappear, won’t you? What kind of dogshit are you doing?!"
"Then should I just let you disappear? I can’t even fight like you."
"What kind of...!"
"Before you completely disappear! I came because I wanted to see your resolve. Congratulations, since I won, you’ve fulfilled one condition, haven’t you? You’re cool, you bastard."
Lucian smiled. But there was no longer any strength in that smile.
Instead, it looked like a final smile, made while recalling painful yet enjoyable times.
Compared to Lucian, I was serious. Tears even came out.
"You idiot...! What are you doing? Why are you doing this? It’s your body originally! You should have just used me as a shield!"
"Why?"
"Because Lucian Vane is you!"
I shouted with all my might. Lucian Vane is that man I’m looking at. It’s definitely not me.
Lucian’s face darkened. He looked at me with a sad expression.
I desperately continued to pour out words to him.
"You’re the original, I’m just an uninvited guest who transmigrated. Why are you saying you’ll die? You have to see Aunt again. Don’t you have people you want to see?!"
"I told you. I can’t fight like you. How many times do I have to tell you, you punk."
"But...!"
"Watching you in action, I ended up enjoying it too. You actually achieved what I only imagined. That’s why you’re truly amazing. More, more, more than our father or grandfather."
"How can you say something like that?!"
"From a certain point, I decided. Even if someone lives, the one who has a reason to live should live."
"You have a reason to live too!"
He must have a reason to live. Why else did he overcome those difficult Hero trainings?
Why else did he endure all the villagers’ contempt?
Lucian had a dream of becoming a Hero. For a person, as long as their dream shines brightly, they are not truly dead even if they die.
"When you voluntarily enlisted, what were you thinking?"
At his question, I shut my mouth. I just stared.
Because I thought everything was over and was just trying to do something worthwhile before I killed myself.
Lucian smiled as if to say, "See?"
"You thought it didn’t matter what happened, that it was okay to die. You... gave up on everything."
"Why are you bringing that up...?"
"Watching your past, I really empathized a lot. I was also severely ostracized in the village because I was like this, and because I couldn’t live up to the expectations of a Hero family. You know that, right?"
"Yeah... I know."
How could I not? I also suffered quite a bit for a few days after transmigrating.
I even heard people tell me to just use my looks to become a male prostitute.
"But no matter how much I struggled, I couldn’t change this reality. So one day, before going to sleep, I prayed. To a god who might exist."
"What did you say?"
"Please, let everything change. And then, you came into my body."
"Lucian... It’s not too late, even now."
"It’s too late. So, I’m entrusting everything to you. From my name, to everything that sustains me, and everything I must protect."
The strength in Lucian’s voice gradually faded. His faint breaths highlighted his precarious state.
"Hey, hey!"
He even became translucent, as if he would disappear at any moment.
The feeling was completely different from when the Goddess disappeared.
"And, you must win, okay? My first and last conviction, I’ve bet it all on you. You cool bastard."
Lucian smiled weakly. Watching him, I was restless.
Even if I pulled the sword out now, it would be too late. But what should I do?
I, I don’t have any ability to save people.
No, that’s wrong, I don’t have any items at all right now! If only I had even a holy relic!
"Fuck, fuck...! Why are you doing this, seriously. What am I, I’m just, Lucian, ugh, Lucian!"
He smiled, giving a thumbs-up. In that state, with blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, he disappeared.
As if he had never existed in the first place.
It felt empty. It felt futile.
The original Lucian Vane had died. Saying he would give me strength.
I was left alone. Alone in this empty space.
I slumped down. Tears flowed incessantly from my eyes.
Had I ever cried this much for someone? Probably not.
Nevertheless, I clenched my fist and swore.
"I’ll definitely win. Definitely, absolutely...!"
It was a vow for my past self, and at the same time, for the real Lucian Vane who had now disappeared.
Then, swallowing my tears, I slowly stood up.
＊＊＊
The capital of the Dharma Empire, Myra, was half-destroyed and had become a crucible of chaos. It was even more serious than during the previous Cult War.
Grant was riding a monstrous bird, chasing something. They were none other than veteran knights of the Knight Order.
As they were fleeing, they stopped. Then Grant smiled crookedly.
"They’re struggling to keep me away from the capital. Your imperial palace has already fallen. The Emperor is dead too."
"How do you...?"
"How do I know? Hehehe."
"...Why? Will it be disadvantageous if you fight here? You destroyed the imperial palace, but you can’t defeat a few people, can you?"
At the veteran knights’ provocation, Grant shrugged. To him, veteran knights were nothing more than ants.
Ants that, no matter how many gathered, couldn’t even take down a single person.
"Provoking me isn’t a very good idea."
"Provocation or not, we’re going to defeat you! For the Dharma Empire!"
"Die for that glorious Empire."
The veteran knights charged. The sheer impact of their charge shattered nearby trees and rocks.
They rushed forward, burning with magnificent fighting spirit, but their opponent was Grant.
He just watched silently. As if he would accept their challenge at any moment.
"Prepare yourselves!"
One of the knights imbued his sword with sword energy and swung it with all his might.
"Split in two and die!"
Sword energy flying at a speed exceeding Mach 30. However, Grant deftly dodged it by moving slightly to the side.
Of course, the monstrous bird he was riding was split in two.
"Tsk, humans don’t love animals, do they?"
The veteran knights rushed towards Grant as he fell to the ground.
"Got him!"
"Die, traitor!"
"You Demon Lord!"
Grant checked each of the knights attacking from all sides and smiled grimly.
There was only one thing he needed to do. Just swing Dawn once with great force.
"What was caught?"
The necks of the charging knights were simultaneously severed, rolling on the ground.
Then the last remaining knight trembled.
"Ah, no... This is!"
At that moment of despair, he was split in half and died.
Grant shook his head. It wasn’t even entertaining.
"It was going to end up like this anyway."
As he flicked the blood from his sword, he turned around.
Because he had sensed a presence behind him. Interest flickered across his face.
"What’s this now?"
"Heok, heoeok...."
A red-haired knight, who had run with difficulty and whose complexion was poor, just drew his sword.
On various parts of his armored body, embers could be seen burning.
"I am the Acting Knight Commander, Guardian of the Embers, Lorian of Rosrical!"
Lorian steeled his resolve, ten halos of light shining brightly near his chest.
He had originally been severely wounded and was receiving treatment, but upon receiving the report, he had urgently chased after Grant.
Grant burst out laughing.
"Hehehe, this looks like it’ll be fun, doesn’t it? Alright, let’s kill each other."
Finally, Grant gripped Dawn with both hands. But Lorian knew.
"This won’t do. I’ll have to lure him there!"
Lorian gripped his sword firmly and took a breath. And then, the two clashed in an instant.