Saving My Favorite in a Doomed World

“Are you looking down on my servant?”

 

With those words from Hwashin, Rodi’s complexion turned pale. He quickly lowered his eyes and muttered.

 

“N-No. That’s not it—”

 

“My people can handle everything on their own.”

 

Too well, perhaps. The gate would have closed even if he hadn’t come this far. He might be the one causing trouble.

 

“Pii!”

 

– You only realized that now?

 

Even here, he was hearing things. He thought it had quieted down lately. Hwashin scratched his ear once.

 

–  Elric. Sometimes things won’t end the way you want them to.

 

‘I never wanted a particular outcome. Everything is according to that timid prince’s will anyway.’

 

He was not really a god, and what he wanted here wasn’t an ending, but ‘something else’.

 

The path to the palace through the chaotic alleys wasn’t difficult. The palace in the center of Arbion’s capital. The palace grounds were arranged in a vast circle. Past the artificial lake in the desert and the long bridge connecting it, the entrance to the palace revealed itself.

 

“It’s already occupied. How do we get through here?”

 

“Secret passage. Follow me.”

 

Rodi’s eyes widened. A secret passage? He had lived in the palace for a long time but had never heard of or seen such a place.

 

“What? There’s no secret passage in our palace. Even I, the prince, escaped through the main gate… but it exists?”

 

Why did it exist here?

 

Huh, how could he not know of this?

 

“As expected of the god! You know everything!”

 

Rodi’s eyes sparkled again. So this was why people had faith. He felt like he understood why his ancestors praised the gods so much.

 

Knowing about a secret passage even the prince didn’t know about. Indeed, only a god could have such absolute power.

 

“I already know everything.”

 

“I’ll trust you and follow you, god!”

 

Hwashin smirked and opened the door to a cave behind the palace. The rusty hinges of the wooden door creaked loudly.

 

「Light.」

 

Guided by the light from Hwashin’s finger, they walked through the eerie secret passage. Abandoned for ages, there wasn’t a trace of human presence inside.

 

“But where does this secret passage lead?”

 

“To the underground prison.”

 

Originally, Unit 1 that accidentally discovered this passage would find the princess’s corpse here.

 

“That’s where your fiancée is imprisoned. My followers are probably there too.”

 

“…Sniff.”

 

“Don’t cry. What are you crying about after abandoning your fiancée and running away?”

 

– How could you say that to a child?

 

“Pii!”

 

Now he heard both the hallucination and Pii’s cry overlapping.

Well, isn’t this guy pathetic? Isn’t he?

He ran away from the palace, abandoning his fiancée to save himself.

 

‘If it were me, Dragon, I would have stayed by your side.’

 

As Hwashin was having this mental argument with Dragon, Rodi’s regretful voice came from behind.

 

“…My brother promised. If I gave up the throne and ran away, he’d spare my wife’s life. That’s why I fled. I know it’s disgraceful. But I was certain to die anyway. But she’s innocent.”

 

Hwashin waved his hand dismissively. The light moved with his hand.

 

“Ah, enough. I’m not really interested in your story.”

 

There was no need to know more than what was necessary to solve the dungeon.

 

“What? But I thought you asked because you were curious—”

 

“I didn’t.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Really. I just said it because you’re pathetic.”

 

Ugh. Dragon’s shouting was vivid in his mind.

Alright, alright. I’ll be polite.

Hwashin took a deep breath and replied.

 

“Listen, my child.”

 

“Yes…”

 

“Whether that fellow dies by your side or not isn’t for you to decide. You should have at least asked the opinion of the woman who was to be your wife. I’m still not interested in your story, but when you meet the princess again, at least give her a tight hug. Okay? Understood?”

 

“…Sob, yes.”

 

“And we’ve arrived.”

 

With those words, Hwashin stopped abruptly. In front of them was a wall, but beyond it, there were sounds of murmurs. The rebellion was nearly over. The first prince had disappeared, and the princess was imprisoned. The capital had already been occupied, and the fifth prince’s ascension was almost certain in this situation.

 

“Here~”

 

There was only one reason for the noise. Hwashin raised his foot.

 

「Enhance. About 80% of Yoo Jian’s power.」

 

With those words, the wall shattered with a bang as he kicked it.

 

Rumble.

 

Beyond the roughly collapsed stones, people appeared. He was surprised by the unexpected number of people.

 

“Hey, we found the princess! Shouldn’t Yoo Hwashin be here too?”

 

“The problem here is that fifth prince or whoever that is. If we kill him, it’s over, right?”

 

“Both of you, calm down. Ugh, why don’t phones work here!”

 

“Hwashin will show up on his own. His vital signs are still active.”

 

“It doesn’t work well here!!”

 

It was reassuring to see all the familiar faces safe, but—

 

“There’s even a bonus too?”

 

The fifth prince was also there.

 

Whoosh. Reacting to the playful voice, the heads of Unit 1 all turned in one direction.

 

“…Yoo Hwashin?”

 

“Hyung!”

 

Before he could answer, Yoo Jian and Mueum hugged him tightly. It was a good thing he enhanced himself before Jian hugged his neck. Otherwise, he might not have had any bones left.

 

“Hyungnim?”

 

There was another reunion among siblings. It wasn’t a touching reunion of two loving siblings, but it was still somewhat emotional.

 

“…Dongsaeng.”

 

Of course, there was someone rushing for a hug from the other side too. The woman who glimpsed Rodi from behind the first unit pushed through the crowd and hugged him.

 

Rodi eagerly told his fiancée about Hwashin. Most of it was incorrect.

 

“Those three are the god’s followers, like our guides.”

 

“Followers?”

 

“Followers?”

 

“Followers?”

 

The gazes of all three people landed on Hwashin simultaneously. Indeed, karma always came back around. Hwashin waved his hands dismissively, as if he knew nothing.

 

“What on earth are you doing now?”

 

The fifth prince, who had been watching the situation in disbelief, finally spoke up. His surroundings were already filled with kingdom soldiers.

 

“Why did you come back here, hyungnim? Didn’t I warn you beforehand? I told you to run far away if you wanted to save the princess. I said I’d hunt you down to the ends of hell myself, so at least one person should survive.”

 

“Dongsaeng.”

 

“Are you afraid of death now? Did you come back because you suddenly want the throne?”

 

A new storyline appeared before Unit 1.

 

「Rhdi was just sad. He had never been interested in the throne. He only loved this woman. He was just the first prince. His younger brother just didn’t have everything he had and envied him for it. That was all. How did everything get so tangled up?」

 

“What the hell is this?”

 

“You’ve all heard the situation from the princess, right?”

 

Everyone nodded at Hwashin’s words. Yoo Jian whispered to Hwashin.

 

“That’s why Cha Jaeha said we should just sweep everything here away.”

 

“…Well, our Jaeha’s words are usually right, aren’t they?”

 

Overhearing their conversation, Jeong Mueum muttered.

 

“Hyung, you’re sometimes too soft on Cha Jaeha.”

 

“You’re one to talk. You guys didn’t have any other solutions either.”

 

“Well, that’s true.”

 

But actually, Cha Jaeha killing the fifth prince and turning this place into a mess did bring good results to their world. To Cha Jaeha, this place was just the inside of the gate, another dimension, a dungeon.

 

Showing mercy here would be unnecessary meddling.

 

But that was something you could do only when you didn’t know about the divine objects. Yoo Hwashin knew about the divine objects obtainable here, items measured as S-rank in reality. And not just one, but several.

 

‘I spared that guy’s life to get those things.’

 

“I have a plan.”

 

Mueum pouted at Hwashin’s mention of having a plan. His voice was filled with hurt.

 

“Hyung, you just came back from the brink of death, what would you know…”

 

Even Yoo Jian chimed in.

 

“Yeah. You better be ready for a real scolding later.”

 

Cha Jaeha remained silent, but he would surely try to kill Hwashin when they returned to the Association. His dignity as a grand mage was at stake here.

 

He should jump back into the conversation between the brothers that had gone out of focus.

 

“No matter what you say, hyungnim, we all know. The prophecy is absolute. If you marry that woman from across the sea, you’ll become the true heir, the true king!”

 

“Wait a moment, dongsaeng. Even still, if I say I’m not interested in being king, is there really a need for us to fight like this? You know better than anyone that I have no interest in the throne.”

 

In Arbion, prophecies were absolute.

 

The founding myth was based on a prophecy, and when a child was born, their name was chosen by the temple. Every child went to the temple that gave them their name when they came of age to receive a prophecy.

 

And they would live their lives according to that prophecy. The gods determine the fate of humans.

 

But did everything really go that way?

 

Threads didn’t always run in one direction. Balls of threads could become tangled or even break. And sometimes, the end connected to an unexpected person.

 

The prophecy of Albion was wrong.

 

Hwashin was certain of it.

 

‘The thread of the king… is connected to the little brother.’

 

Hwashin often called the causality he saw when manipulating karma.

 

According to the prophecy, the thread of the king should have been connected to Rodi.

 

But the golden thread, the brilliantly shining thread, was with the little brother. The prophecy was wrong.

 

However, there was sometimes a faster way than destroying someone’s faith.

 

“Attention, please.”

 

“…God…?”

 

All eyes turned to Hwashin. Hwashin cleared his throat briefly and smiled warmly. That clear and holy expression, looking at his own creations. Rodi’s eyes sparkled once more.

 

“So you’re saying my two children are fighting because of that prophecy?”

 

“…Yes, that’s right. God.”

 

“God?”

 

The fifth prince frowned skeptically. Hwashin subtly illuminated his back with light magic. A warm, pure white light enveloped the underground prison. And secretly, he warmed the fifth prince’s body.

 

The skeptical eyes wavered slightly.

 

“About that prophecy.”

 

Gods don’t make mistakes.

 

“I think I got it wrong because I was a bit young then.”

 

But I do make mistakes.