Chapter 304

Chapter 304

“You’re welcome, Corporal.”

Adeshan said. The voice was cold and icy, hovering in Ronan’s ear. After a long moment of stunned silence, he finally spoke.

“—Captain? Are you really the captain?”

“Yeah. It’s been a while since we’ve talked like this. How are you?”

“Yeah. I mean, I’ve been fine, but how the hell did you—.”

My head was still spinning, first of all, it was definitely not the same Adeshan acting, because there was no reason for that, and the vibe was completely different.

“How do you—.”

Ronan thought to himself. I never thought I’d see him again, he thought, his eyes threatening to turn gray. Adeshan removed his hands from his pockets and pressed them to his chest.

“I wasn’t expecting that either. The regressive jabo still had some energy left in it. I lost the power to rewind time completely, but I was able to preserve my personality and memories in this child’s body.”

“I can’t believe it. Where did your personality go?”

“Don’t worry, you’re safe inside me. I’m having happy dreams just like everyone else—very happy dreams.”

Adeshan smirked. She said she had taken over the body while her original personality had fallen asleep. Ronan asked, puzzled.

“So you’ve been on the inside since the day you were born?”

“That’s not true. My memories of this life began the moment I met you, when I was knocked out by Instructor Nabiroze, and when you held my hand— in the infirmary.”

For some reason, her voice trailed off at the mention of the word hand. She glared at Ronan, then suddenly looked away.

Somehow, his face seemed redder than before. Adeshan pursed his lips and opened his mouth.

“—Corporal. Would you come over here for a minute?”

“What?”

He seemed to have something urgent to say. Without thinking, Ronan approached, and the car slammed into his face. Aaaah! His head snapped around as the sound of a hard blow rang out.

“Bam!”

“You bastard.”

My cheeks tingled as if scalded by fire. The thrill of reunion flew away with the pain.

Ronan looked back at her, touching the spot where he’d been slapped. Adeshan’s face was now so red it looked like it would burst if poked with a needle.

“Wow–I’d love to do more if you’re willing, but let’s call it a day, because you, like me, still have some work to do.”

“Go, why are you hitting me all of a sudden?!”

Ronan’s face flushed with embarrassment. He was more dumbfounded than angry at being hit in the face, and quite hard at that. Adeshan, breathing quietly, raised his axe-eyes.

“You say. Do you know why I gave you the right to turn back time?”

“Uh–wasn’t it to help me defeat the baldies and save the world? I thought you said you believed in my ineptitude.”

“That’s right. You did very well. What I failed to do in three lives, you did in one, and then—.”

“But?”

Adeshan interrupted suddenly. Ronan shook his head at the awkward silence that had returned. After three or four dry washes, she spoke up.

“But why on earth did you and I become lovers—!”

“Ah.”

Ronan’s mind went blank, her unusual behavior suddenly making sense.

“You’re screwed.

I should have known from the beginning that he was maintaining his personality inside his body. He gestured with his hands and began to explain.

“Well, I can’t help it, you’re a really nice guy, and as you saw inside, we’re really good—.”

“Shut up, don’t say any more. You have no shame, and you know it—.”

“Uh–did you see it all in there, from beginning to end?”

“Then what will you do, you unscrupulous bastard!”

“Off!”

Suddenly, Adeshan reached out and yanked Ronan by both ears. Ronan screamed, unable to react. Bringing his face up to his eyes, Adeshan spoke in a harsh tone.

“Yeah, I saw it all! The whole thing! I had to watch the whole thing from start to finish, just the two of them!”

“Well, you should have been sleeping when you did that—.”

“You think living inside is like living in a boarding house? Huh, I can’t believe I’m thinking about it again. You suddenly kissed me and said it was just because I was pretty? Where the hell did you learn that kind of cheesy line—!”

“Ow! Don’t pull my ear!”

Ronan struggled. His hands seemed to have a spicier flavor, as if his personality had changed. Adeshan began to pour out the words that had been building up without stopping.

“I don’t need to look to know that. You must have wooed a lot of ladies with that way with your words, and it must have been as easy as blowing your nose to woo a mulatto who hadn’t held a man’s hand in all his life, wasn’t it?”

“Oh, shit–if I was that good, I’d be dead in my previous life, and this is the first time I’ve ever really been with anyone!”

“You told me this knowing that I have the ability to detect lies, and if you’re trying to deceive me—.”

Adeshan growled, his eyes never this fierce except when he commanded the final battle against Ahayute. Ronan’s eyes narrowed in frustration.

“Damn it, I didn’t even ask you out if you were going to do that, what the hell do you know!”

“——!”

Adeshan stiffened. The single word echoed through the silent battlefield. After a moment of silence, she nodded.

“—I know.”

“Yes?”

“I know it’s true. If you were an unruly gnome who barged in everywhere, I’d have thrown you off the gryphon the day we first kissed.”

The hairs on his body stood on end at the horrifying tale. Adeshan removed his hand from Ronan’s ear. Ronan breathed a sigh of relief, finally free.

“Whoa–is this the end of the hearing?”

“Yeah. I got excited, which isn’t like me. I’m sorry.”

“No, thanks for noticing. ”

Ronan smirked, and Adeshan, watching his face, smiled bitterly. Swallowing what she was about to say, she nodded.

“Okay, let’s talk about work.”

“Okay. So, what, you piloted the Asel, right?”

“Yes. Aside from your father, you’re the only one of our allies who can raise the Star Guard, though I didn’t realize it was so powerful.”

Adeshan looked up at the sky, his eyes filled with energy. The stellar shield Asel had raised on his own seemed no different from the one the Savior had used. She gauged the thickness of the shield and spoke.

“At this rate, I should be able to block at least three more of his attacks. With support like you, Savior, we can hold out much longer. But our purpose isn’t just to hold out.”

“Sure.”

Ronan grumbled. Sure, Asel’s abilities were extraordinary, but there had to be a limit.

We had to strike first and kill them. But before we could fight back, we had to wake the sleepers. Ronan snapped his fingers, remembering the Savior’s words.

“Yeah. What the heck is going on? My dad was asking what my sister was doing.”

“It’s literal. This is what Irene Yang did.”

“—Huh?”

Ronan stiffened. Adeshan nodded. She pulled Daetae into her arms and stroked the throbbing head of the Nabirozé.

“Your sister is dangerous. I don’t know exactly what it is, but it’s probably some sort of ability to project her will on the world. I’ve tried to warn her, but there’s a limit to what I can say, and it hasn’t worked.”

She had been warning him of the threat she sensed from within for some time now. Ronan gave a short gasp as she explained Iril’s actions.

“What a strange life, I wonder if my sister—.”

“It’s unfortunate, but it is what it is. We have to find it and stop it. We’re running out of time.”

“Sure, but why don’t you just use your powers to bring these people to their senses?”

Ronan asked. Come to think of it, Asel was moving just fine now. Adeshan shook his head.

“I’ve already tried, but it’s impossible. Ms. Iril’s power is far too great for me.”

“Huh? So how does Asel and everyone else move?”

“You have only made the body listen to your commands. If the mind is intoxicated by a blissful dream, there is nothing wrong with the body. But to awaken the dreaming personality, the Iriyil must be restored to its normal amount.”

In short, it was akin to a puppet. A being dancing on a string without a doctor. Of course, that alone would have been a great help to the power, but it was not a human being, and it could not be left alone.

“In short, if you don’t stop her, there’s no answer.”

“Yes. That’s why the master kidnapped your sister. First he gives her happy dreams, then he synchronizes the thoughts of everyone in the world, so they can’t resist the apocalypse at all.”

“A bastard to tear apart—.”

Ronan gritted his teeth. I missed it because of the Giant King’s descent. Should we have taken the risk and cut it down,” Adeshan said, looking around.

“After we wake them up, we’ll look for Mr. Navarordze. We’ll have to organize a separate search party.”

“What, didn’t Abel get you?”

“I think something’s wrong, but I can definitely feel you’re alive. We just need to find out where.”

Ronan’s eyes widened. He hadn’t been back for so long I thought he was dead. It wasn’t a bad feeling, the way things were going. Yes, this was the kind of man the Warlord was.

“And everything I’ve said so far is for me and others to do. There’s something else I need you to do, and I don’t need to explain what it is, do I?”

“—Of course.”

Ronan nodded. There was only one thing left to do, and only he could do it.

Ronan was fiddling with the hilt of his sword when a low, gravelly voice echoed overhead.

“Judgment on those who dare to hurt Him.”

“The price of arrogance.”

“You’re early.”

Ronan sighed and looked up. A half-dozen giants were flying in from the distance. They hadn’t been caught by the king’s descent.

“Annihilate the Mortals! Leave no trace!”

Then a voice rang out, many times louder. The bottom of the clouds exploded, revealing the King of Giants.

He was still dripping blue blood from his neck and chest. The wounds he’d received from Ronan earlier. Adeshan said.

“We’ll save the joy of reunion for after the job is done, Corporal.”

“That’s a good idea.”

Ronan laughed. He looked just as he had in his last life. Focusing, Adeshan made an odd gesture.

“Wake up.”

A muffled voice rang out. At the same time, the mana of the shadows spread across the battlefield. One by one, the dazed and dazed began to rise to their feet.