Chapter 222
'This guy is reading my mind anyway, so ordinary resolve won't persuade her.'
The god had read Luca's mind and fixed the phone several times already. So she was surely reading his mind now too.
Simply threatening suicide or claiming it was for the protagonist wouldn't work.
'I need a reason not to abandon the protagonist that even I can accept. That's what I have to think of.'
So Luca thought.
'The reason the god abandons the protagonist is because she dislikes his choices. Then what about me?'
That was Luca's concern.
'Up until now, I think I've made choices she liked, but will I really only make choices she approves of right to the very end?'
It wasn't something he could guarantee.
After all, even the protagonist had probably made the choices she wanted before the time loop.
'Then what if I made a choice she didn't like? Would she really just sit by and do nothing?'
Luca's gaze sharpened.
'Wouldn't she just create another Luca Traverse?'
What if, a year before Luca possessed this body, someone else—sent back or reincarnated—came to sabotage Luca?
Or what if, somewhere in this timeline, there already existed another Luca Traverse she'd created?
'I have to break the chain.'
To prevent such things, he had to change Maya's mind here.
He needed to ensure that she wouldn't resent those she summoned even if they made choices they truly wanted.
With that, Luca spoke flatly.
"If I disappear now, this world will be destroyed. I'll need Choi Leejun's help to stop that."
At Luca's words, Maya was silent for a moment, then spoke in a slightly threatening tone.
—Are you serious? Just to be clear, if you die here, you can't go back to your original world.
"... I don't care."
He'd expected it. He wasn't mentioning death lightly.
Maya hesitated at Luca's calm reply, then spoke urgently.
—Why... Why go that far? Is the original protagonist that precious to you?
"Aren't you reading my mind? Then you should know. You know why I'm doing this."
Luca retorted almost mockingly at Maya, who seemed to be asking despite knowing.
"It would be a lie if I said I just liked that guy. I just can't trust you anymore. Maya, the god of stories."
Luca's voice grew colder.
"I came here thinking I had to correct the protagonist's wrongs. But you're aiming for a complete replacement. You think you can just swap out the protagonist if you don't like him. Then what about me? If I ever do something you dislike, will you just replace me with another protagonist too?"
—......
Maya was silent.
She couldn't pull herself together after the bomb Luca had dropped.
'Is he serious?'
It sounded like a lie that he'd really end his own life.
But everything she'd seen of Luca so far showed he was someone willing to take reckless risks, even at the cost of himself.
'If I could only read his mind...'
She used to be able to read his mind. But now she couldn't.
'This guy's become too strong.'
In just a year, Luca's mind had grown incredibly powerful.
Of course, some of that was thanks to her power, but by overcoming so many hardships, and especially after facing the Devil of Wisdom and experiencing true transcendence, he'd developed mental strength far beyond that of an ordinary person.
'If only I could sneak into his inner world...'
And, though she wasn't sure, there seemed to be something blocking access to his inner world too.
She suspected it was Whistle, the Skybird, but had no way to confirm.
'This is driving me crazy. Why are all the people in this world like this?'
First Choi Leejun, who turned back time with the devil's power after the heroine died, now Luca, threatening with his own life.
Both had acted far beyond her expectations.
Rage welled up in Maya.
'Should I just let him die and look for a new protagonist?'
That thought made her pause. Because she had just been reminded of what Luca said about replacing protagonists.
'But I have no choice. I can't let anyone ruin the story.'
For her, the story was everything. She couldn't leave anyone who threatened to ruin it unchecked.
Just as if he had read her mind, Luca spoke up.
"Even if I die here and someone new shows up, nothing will change. That guy will eventually make a choice you don't like, too. Are you just going to keep summoning new people each time?"
—......
"If you repeat it enough times, I suppose eventually someone will appear who makes the perfect choices and crafts the perfect story you desire. But..."
Luca narrowed his eyes.
"I wonder if your world will hold out until then."
—......
She knew this as well.
If the Devil of Life wasn't defeated soon, her world—the place where she made her stories—would be completely destroyed.
And she also knew that Luca's cooperation was essential for defeating the Devil of Life.
In the end, Maya had no options. She'd already spent so many resources on Luca.
If Luca vanished now, with the devils at the brink of their demise, her world would literally disappear.
She hated the idea of ruining the story, but she hated losing the story's very stage even more. So Maya chose the lesser evil.
—What do you want me to do?
She could only comply with Luca's request. It was the only choice left to her.
"I'm not going to ask for the impossible. Let's just take what we need from each other."
—What we need from each other?
At her question, Luca nodded.
"I'll save your world. In return, don't interfere with us enjoying your world."
—So as payment for defeating the devils, you want me to leave you alone while you remain in this world?
"That's right. Don't try to use this to manipulate us."
As he said this, Luca shook the phone.
—... Fine. I'll get rid of the hint about the protagonist too. Will that be enough?
"One more thing. What's to stop you from turning on us after saying all this? Give me something I can be sure of."
She could easily betray them, take care of the devils, and then try to remove them right after. He needed something as assurance.
—Haaa. You don't have to worry about that. If I could do that, do you think I would have waited for you to say something like this before getting rid of you and bringing in another protagonist?
Maya's voice grew irritated. Luca's eyebrow twitched.
"So you're saying you can't do it right now?"
—If I could do anything I wanted, I wouldn't have had to bring you in at all. I would've just created a character to wipe out the devils. I have limitations, too. Call it plausibility. I can only do things through the scenario, and I can interfere with characters indirectly through the scenario, but I can't directly control them.
Maya spoke in a bitter tone.
—It's difficult to give power directly to the characters in my world, so I gave it indirectly through other god-type characters. The only thing I can really do is guide them as the "voice of the god."
And even that isn't perfect.
He'd known she had restrictions. Still, hearing it spelled out felt strangely moving.
"So that's how it was."
—That's why I dislike the protagonist. I did my best to help and even gave them power, but in the end, because the heroine sacrificed herself, he turned back time, which weakened my influence. Do you know how hard that made things for me? Ugh, that damn guy!
Suddenly, Maya started shouting hysterically. Luca flinched.
'She really isn't quite sane.'
Luca shook his head and replied calmly.
"It can't be helped. Wishing for happiness is a basic human desire."
—I get that, but plausibility is the issue! She only died because it was plausible!
"Sometimes forced happiness is better than plausible tragedy."
At his words, Maya paused for a moment, then spoke disdainfully.
—What... did you say...?
"You know those comics and movies that guy likes? The ones where, whatever happens, everything turns out fine and everyone is happy in the end. That's all he wanted—a happy ending."
The original work was serialized ten years ago.
And the original protagonist, Choi Leejun, lived on Earth even longer ago than that.
Back when happy stories were more popular than bleak ones.
"Sure, plausibility is good. But there are readers who want things to work out and for a happy ending to come, even if it means stretching plausibility."
—... Are you one of those fans?
At her question, Luca shrugged.
"At least here, I want things to end that way. It may be your story, but ultimately it's my life now. I want the story I experience to end happily."
After all, that was what he'd worked for up to now. Maya fell silent at his words.
—Maybe forced happiness really is better than plausible tragedy...
She muttered softly, but then her voice sounded a bit lighter.
—Fine. Maybe you're right.
"Well, now that our interests are clear—"
Luca spoke impassively.
"It's about time to prepare to fight the Devil of Life. His authority is a nuisance, after all."
* * *
The Kingdom of Lux, located in the southwest of the Hernan Empire.
The king of Lux, Jerond Lux, was one of the continent's few Grandmaster-level swordsmen.
Even in the royal Lux bloodline, famed for producing strong swordsmen, Jerond Lux possessed particularly overwhelming talent.
From a young age, he'd defeated all his siblings and claimed the throne—there was nothing he feared.
Yet now, out of nowhere, people from the Order had come to him. Jerond Lux frowned as he looked at them.
"What's this sudden commotion, priest of the Order? You've been quiet until now."
"King Jerond Lux. The threat of the devils is now at our doorstep. You will need our help."
The Holy Knight Order Commander Carmel bowed his head slightly at this.
Jerond Lux snorted.
"Ha! Do you not know who stands before you?"
"I do, grand Swordmaster Jerond Lux. Your name is always cited among the continent's greatest warriors."
Carmel raised his head.
"But the devils of Demonz have already killed numerous Grandmasters. I'm sure you've heard that all the 10th-tier mages from other countries have fallen."
"Hmph! Are you comparing this king to some pathetic mage?"
"Though not public, I must inform you that another Grandmaster-level swordsman and martial artist have already died. You could be next."
At that, Jerond Lux's gaze grew savage.
"Do you realize you're insulting me right now?"
"I apologize if it seems so, but this is—"
Whoosh!
At that moment, a powerful killing intent burst forth from Jerond Lux.
Ordinary people would faint instantly just from being near it.
Thud! Thud!
"Ggrhk...."
"Ugh...."
Several priests behind Carmel collapsed, frothing at the mouth. Jerond Lux spoke in a cold voice.
"Go back. Even if I really am in danger, you lot would be of no help."
"... But—"
As Carmel tried to argue, someone appeared beside Jerond Lux.
"What's wrong? Go easy on them~. They probably don't want to protect you either~."
Fwoosh!
The moment he appeared, Jerond Lux drew his sword and slashed. Even in that brief instant, a shining ether blade came forth.
But the man who had appeared simply caught it with his bare hands.
"!"
"Devil!"
Commander Carmel immediately unleashed holy power as well. But the Devil of Life ignored him and looked at Jerond Lux.
"You have quite strong vitality. More than I expected. Is this another seed Agréas sowed?"
"Who... are you...?"
Jerond Lux felt his body slowly become paralyzed.
The devilish power was seeping from the blade the Devil of Life held into his body.
The pain was unbearable.
"Grrrk! ... Nnghk!"
"King Jerond Lux!"
Carmel tried to rush forward to attack the Devil of Life, but found he couldn't move.
"!"
At some point, vine-like growths were winding up from his feet, ensnaring his ankles.
"Marbeth. Can I eat this guy?"
Just then, a strange voice came from behind Carmel. A shadowy, plant-covered figure.
"Haha. It'll give you trouble. Better to just kill him."
The Devil of Life—Marbeth—burst out laughing, then looked at Jerond Lux.
His body was already covered in black spots.
"Now, then. What kind of devil shall I turn you into?"