Chapter 304 - 289: A Beautiful Bubble, Shattered at a Touch

Chapter 304: Chapter 289: A Beautiful Bubble, Shattered at a Touch

He could buy any expensive Magic Materials he fancied and no longer needed to fight dangerous Demons in the wild like other Adventurers.

He could live out his life in splendor and riches, without a single worry about food or clothing.

His gaze fell upon Bev, who was still waiting for his answer with teary eyes.

And so, Zelir’s journey came to a halt around Black Stone Town.

He and Bev fell in love and got engaged.

Then came the grand wedding that was the talk of the entire town.

Everything fell into place, as beautiful as a fairy tale with a script written long ago.

We often say that one must know contentment to feel happiness.

Making comparisons only brings pain.

But Zelir’s life was one that even the most demanding, extreme pessimist couldn’t find a single fault with.

Even a King did not live as comfortably and contentedly as he did.

After their marriage, Bev was an impeccable, perfect wife.

Beautiful, gentle, considerate, and understanding.

She devoted all her energy to Zelir.

Every morning when Zelir woke up, a warm cup of black tea was ready for him, along with a good-morning kiss from Bev.

Their life together was incredibly sweet.

In the second year of their marriage, they had their first son.

In the fourth year, they welcomed a daughter.

Their children ran across the neatly trimmed lawn, their joyous laughter filling the entire Alberti Manor.

The members of his old team had also saved up enough money one by one and chosen their own paths.

Marcus simply retired in Black Stone Town and became an Instructor at a training ground, living a comfortable life.

Gray ultimately chose to return to the south. It’s unknown if he ever reconciled with his father.

As for Valles, he shouldered his Longbow Moonlight and set off on the long road back to his distant homeland.

Everyone had a happy ending.

As for Zelir himself, despite not adventuring often, he still became a Middle Level Mage at the age of nineteen, relying on his extraordinary talent.

Then, at twenty-eight, he became an Upper Level Mage.

This was a pace staggering enough to leave people speechless.

A young and handsome Upper Level Mage, backed by the Mage’s Guild and the Alberti Family.

Throughout the entire Northern Territory, everyone showed Zelir the utmost respect.

And the world, it seemed, also wanted Zelir to steep himself in this immense satisfaction.

All the strange and bizarre things he had encountered before receded completely.

The Evil Gods, the Fantasy Mages—all of it vanished from Zelir’s life without a sound, leaving no trace.

Everything... everything seemed so perfect...

Until the end of days arrived.

It was an afternoon with no warning whatsoever.

The cataclysm struck suddenly.

One second, Black Stone Town was calm and peaceful; the next, it was suddenly shrouded by Hell.

The sun went out.

A viscous, blood-reeking land of flesh surged from the far north, spreading out layer by layer, turning the earth into a writhing, breathing carpet of crimson.

Blooming flowers withered in an instant, and countless spinning eyeballs burst forth from their stems.

A chant like an aria echoed through the air, announcing to the world the return of the Old Master.

It was a magnificent power that mortals could not possibly resist.

Evil. Madness. Blasphemy.

The vast majority of humans could not withstand this power and exploded into a bloody mist while still alive.

As for the small number who remained, they screamed at first, but soon the sounds they made were no longer human words.

It was more like the "GURGLE" of some kind of mollusk rubbing together.

Everyone, including Zelir and Bev, was warped into tentacles rooted deep within the earth.

There was no pain of death. Instead, a deeply twisted ecstasy welled up from the depths of their minds—a desire to merge with all things.

Those tentacles bloomed, as bewitching as flowers.

They flourished at the foot of a throne of bones.

They swayed and danced in the bloody storm that swept across the world.

[Ending Two]: Beautiful Illusion That Shatters at Touch.

...

The scene before his eyes was like shattered stained glass, reassembling piece by piece.

Then, the image froze, reforming into the pattern of a carved rose.

The bas-relief of the blooming rose on the door looked so serene and beautiful under the dim yellow halo of the wall lamp, exuding an alluringly intimate air.

Zelir hadn’t gone in yet.

He was still standing at the door to the Rose Room.

As if his soul had just been forcibly dragged back into his body from the abyss, Zelir shuddered violently, his pupils contracting sharply.

He broke out in a cold sweat in the chilly night.

Zelir’s breathing grew heavy.

"HUFF... HUFF..."

His heart pounded wildly in his chest, so loud he could hear it himself, and his head felt like it was about to explode.

Even after several gasps for air, he couldn’t calm the turmoil in his heart.

’Just now...’

’Did I trigger another vision of an ending?!’

As if electrocuted, Zelir let go of the brass doorknob and took two steps back.

’Dammit...’

’What the hell was that scene?!’

Even after casting a Calm Mind Skill, Zelir’s mind still wouldn’t quiet down. He struggled to recall the fragmented pieces of the vision.

’In that vision, if I just push open the door...’

’...I’ll start a relationship with Bev.’

’Then we’ll fall in love and get married.’

’And amid a day-to-day life that’s both ordinary and wonderful, I’ll eventually walk toward a ruinous end.’

’This is too...’

SLAP!

Still in disbelief, Zelir lightly slapped himself across the face.

’This is too ridiculous.’

’Will things really develop that way?’

’But thinking about it carefully...’

’Okay, it’s not entirely baseless.’

’Given the atmosphere tonight, if Bev and I were in the same room, it would be almost impossible for nothing to happen.’

’If I went in and still acted all prim and proper...’

’...on one hand, it would be an insult to Bev’s Charm. On the other hand, she’d inevitably think there was something wrong with me... functionally.’

’And once that line is crossed, there’s no going back for some things.’

’Starting a relationship would be the inevitable next step.’

’I can’t just be like Gray, sleep with her, and then pat my ass and walk away saying I have to go save the world, can I?’

’Duke would definitely hire someone to flay me alive.’

Zelir wasn’t capable of doing something like that.

Once the relationship was established, responsibility would become a shackle.

Just like it happened in the vision.

Falling in love, getting married, having children, living a life of ease.

And ease is the greatest slow-acting poison.

’In a life as sweet as honey, how could I possibly find the motivation to throw myself into adventure after adventure?’

’Even if I were willing, Bev would never allow it.’

’What happened back in Falling Leaves Town was harrowing enough for her.’

’And then there’s the most, most, most crucial, core issue.’

’The sudden advent of the Evil God that happens later...’

’It doesn’t seem to be targeting just Black Stone Town; it affects the entire world.’

’In other words...’

’Those ancient, evil beings from the old world have already begun the secret process of revival?’

’And... it will be complete in just a few decades?’

’Can it really be that fast?’

’Before the Power of an Evil God, an Upper Level Mage is no different from anyone else—just an ant.’

That feeling of powerlessness still lingered deep in Zelir’s heart.

It was truly... suffocating!

"TICK... TOCK..."

The wall clock ticked, its sound clearly audible.

Standing in the hallway, Zelir’s thoughts echoed over and over again.

The amount of information contained in [Ending Two] was simply too much to process all at once.

He took a few steps back, leaned against the wall, covered his forehead with one hand, and sighed in defeat.

’How could there be a path like this...’

’I thought that by steeling my heart and not being tempted by long life, I could avoid the path of [Ending One].’

’But now it seems that living too comfortably will just lead me into another trap.’

’A more fatal one, at that.’

’In [Ending One], I at least managed to grasp the Great Creation Skill.’

’In [Ending Two], I was just crushed to death.’

Zelir had no clue for the time being on how to resolve the advent of the Evil God.

At best, he could only start by focusing on the Great Creation Skill.

But at the very least, he understood one thing tonight...

He couldn’t live a peaceful and comfortable life. The gaping maw of the abyss was waiting for him just around the corner.

One wrong step, and every step after would be wrong.

Casting one last glance at the Rose Room, Zelir let out a deep sigh.

He put his hands in his pockets and went down the spiral staircase on the other side of the hall.