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Chi-Woo decided to wait to hear what Philip would say, yet Philip didn’t speak up as much as Chi-Woo had expected him to. He simply nodded and empathized with the natives, listening quietly as the natives expressed their sorrow and rage. And after a while, the natives grew quiet. They had poured out all the emotions in their heart as much as they wished to, and now they glanced at each other and Chi-Woo. Eventually, one of them mustered up the courage to ask, “Sir hero…are you planning to accept those damn heinous devils into Shalyh?”

Chi-Woo remembered the person who spoke. He was the middle-aged man who came running to him, imploring him to take a look at his daughter. At his words, everyone’s gaze turned toward Chi-Woo.

“It’s as you say,” Chi-Woo said.

There were gasps among the natives. It was as they feared. The middle-aged man’s gaze wavered anxiously before it finally found its place, and a new glint came to his eyes.

“Then, why did you ask to see us?” His careful tone instantly turned aggressive. The daughter he had treasured and loved so much came back after losing her mind. There was nothing more for this father to lose now.

“It’s because I have a request to make.”

“A request?”

“I’m not oblivious to the current situation. If I accept the Demon Empire like this, there would definitely be backlash,” Chi-Woo said calmly. “That is why I want to ask for your help.”

“What help?”

“I want you to soothe the anger the natives are feeling toward the Demon Empire.”

All the natives looked shocked and appalled. Like they couldn’t believe what they were hearing. The middle-aged man especially stared at Chi-Woo with eyes bulging in disbelief. If the young man in front of him was a regular man rather than a hero, he would’ve cursed profusely at him. The middle-aged man inhaled deeply.

“You’ve found the wrong person,” the middle-aged man said, suppressing his anger. “Not all of us are against what you suggested. A group of refugees came to the city yesterday saying the same things as you do.”

As the middle-aged man said, the humans and the League members who stayed in Purupuru’s territory did agree with the idea of letting the Demon Empire in.

“Their opinions are in alignment with the judgment I made. Thus, I do not have to seek them out and ask for their understanding.”

“Understanding? Did you say ‘understanding’?” the middle-aged man shouted. “How could you say something like ‘understanding’?” He felt someone tap on his elbow, but he ignored it. As said before, he had nothing left to lose.

“In the end, you are the same as the other heroes! You all are just heroes in name alone but no different from thugs! How foolish of me to go around shouting that Sir Chi-Woo was different! That the Seven Stars he led was different! That he was the true hero who would lead us to salvation! I was a complete fool!” The middle-aged man shouted so loud that his voice echoed in the room. “In the end, you were the same!”

After saying everything in his mind, the middle-aged man then realized what he did. Nobody could deny the achievements that Chi-Woo had made until now. But in his fit of anger, he dismissed all of them in front of Chi-Woo while insulting the rest of the heroes. If another hero heard those words, they would immediately swing their sword at him. Yet the middle-aged man simply heaved with bloodshot eyes and didn’t retract his words, excusing them as a slip of the tongue and whatnot. Even if he was to die, he wanted to stop the city from accepting his worst sworn enemy, the Demon Empire.

A heavy silence filled the room, and surprisingly, Chi-Woo didn’t appear angry. He remained calm and looked understanding as he did from the beginning. The middle-aged man felt irked by Chi-Woo’s reaction. He would prefer it if Chi-Woo got angry instead so he wouldn’t feel so conflicted.

“…What’s your reason?” the middle-aged man asked in a slightly hoarse voice.

“A reason?” Chi-Woo murmured shortly. Then he cleared his throat and said, “Before that, it seems like you are misunderstanding something. I do not empathize with the natives who speak well of the Demon Empire.”

“What? But just before—”

“I simply said their opinions are in alignment with the judgment I made.” ‘Opinions’ and ‘judgment’ sounded similar, but they held different meanings.

“Then, is your opinion…the same as ours…?”

“How could it be any different?” Chi-Woo nodded. “I have saved many planets besides Liber, and countless lives died in the process. Do you think I, of all people, wouldn’t know how you all feel?”

The middle-aged man’s lips twitched. Among the lives lost, he thought about how many would have shared a deep connection with Chi-Woo. He couldn’t even wrap his head around it.

“I had experienced such losses even after coming to Liber.”

Thus, the middle-aged man found the situation even more befuddling. “Then why…!”

Chi-Woo looked straight at the natives and replied, “That’s exactly why I’ve made my judgment.” The two looked each other in the eyes. The middle-aged man frowned again. It sounded like the conclusion was the same as before, and Chi-Woo wouldn’t back down from his stance.

“So, what about it?” The middle-aged man raised his voice again. “Can’t you just ignore us and call upon those who agree with you and push through with what you want by force? Why did you have to call us…!”

“As I said before, I want to ask for your understanding and gain your collaboration.”

“Ha! When did you start caring about the opinions of weaklings like us…!”

“You aren’t ‘weaklings’,” Chi-Woo said, “You all are also heroes.”

“What…” The middle-aged man hesitated. The other natives responded similarly and wondered what Chi-Woo was getting at.

“Of course, I could reply the same way as the child who stood in front of the Demon Empire’s survivors did. And I can add onto it to make a plausible reason to persuade you all, but I won’t do that,” Chi-Woo said. “It’s because I think you all are heroes just like us. Thus, I need to ask for your understanding.”

The middle-aged man and the other natives opened and closed their mouths wordlessly at the sudden declaration. After a momentary silence, Chi-Woo let out a long, tired sigh and leaned into his chair. “What I’m going to say from now on…is my personal thoughts.” This wasn’t his judgment, but his opinions.

“It happened a long time ago. When was it? Yes, it was when I first arrived at Liber from the Celestial Realm.” Seeing Chi-Woo’s bitter smile at the remembrance of the memory, the natives couldn’t help but focus on the story. “The situation at that time was more dire than now. There was no place to rest peacefully and no food to fill our stomachs, so we had to cook mud to eat.” One or two of the natives nodded from the memory.

“It was then the incident happened. Enemies rushed from all around us, and we were powerless.” It was a situation where they could only await their deaths.

“The first ones to step forward were Hakop and Malala.” They were the middle-aged couple and the first natives to offer themselves as sacrifices after Giant Fist and Mua Janya. When Chi-Woo mentioned those two names, a native raised his head slightly.

“You know…their names?” The native sounded slightly surprised. Of course, Philip hadn’t known their names. It was Eval’s doing. He found it out under Philip’s command.

“From the sound of it, it seems like you were also there.”

“Yes, yes. I was there.”

“Did you know those two?”

“Of course I did. We were neighbors.” The native nodded senselessly. Chi-Woo responded with a faint smile.

“It’s the same for me. They were my companions. How could I not know their names?”

“You consider them…your companions….?” The native looked extremely touched. It seemed that he had known the couple very well.

“Those two gave up their lives for us. Why wouldn’t they be my companions? But they weren’t the only ones.” Chi-Woo said in a low, solemn voice. “With them taking the first step, many got up and willingly chewed on poisonous herbs. One after another, they bade their farewell and met their end, all for the salvation of Liber. That was how they offered their lives to the temporary, shoddily-made altar.” Chi-Woo looked up and stared into space as if he was reliving the memory. “And it’s thanks to them, who offered up their precious lives like mere firewood, that we are now standing here.” Chi-Woo looked empty in reminiscence.

“…You know, I usually don’t like thinking about the past.” Chi-Woo’s voice dropped even lower. “Rather than regretting and recounting what happened before, I think it’s more important to prevent the same thing from happening again. But for some reason, I can’t forget the memory from that day, and it keeps lingering in my mind.”

Chi-Woo collected his breath slightly and continued, “And whenever the memory comes to my mind from time to time, my resolve becomes firmer. It reminds me that I have to fulfill the wish that my companions left us with no matter what.”

The natives flinched. They were getting goosebumps all over their bodies, and they found themselves pinned down by Chi-Woo’s gaze when his wandering eyes settled on them. “But the process…is still so cruel. Though it’s taking firmer shape and turning into reality, I can’t fathom how much more blood we’ll have to shed to meet our goal. Not just us, but the League would have to lose many precious lives. Of course, I do not fear sacrifice. As a hero, I’m determined to lose my life if necessary. But,” Chi-Woo put more strength into his voice to emphasize this point, “There’s one thing I wish to make true…it is to minimize the blood that you all would have to lose.”

With his eyes lingering on the natives, Chi-Woo continued, “You have all shed too much blood, so much that it would be dangerous if you lose any more. But if blood loss is inevitable, and it can’t be prevented no matter how much we try, we need to use others to substitute for the loss. We need to make those who should pay for their sins shed blood in your stead. That’s the only way and the judgment I made.”

The middle-aged man seemed dazed. ‘Making someone else shed blood in our stead. He wasn’t so foolish that he didn’t get what these words meant.

“Are you saying we should make them slaves and send them off to the battlefield just as they had done to us? And use them as meat shields?” the middle-aged man asked.

“That’s not what I’m saying.” Chi-Woo shook his head. “That’ll only cause more trouble and disturbance. It would be preferable to chase them away or kill them instead of doing that. I’m saying… We should provide them with an environment in which they won’t hesitate to shed their blood. And above all…I…” Chi-Woo suddenly hesitated. After a long pause, he opened his mouth with some difficulty. “I can’t help but think about what would happen afterward.”

The natives’ eyes widened. ‘Afterward?’

“Our mission ends after we get rid of all the enemies that disturb Liber. After finishing the mission, we will probably return to the places we need to go. Then, the rest of you will have to work together to rebuild the ruined Liber. And if things go back to how they used to be, the ones who will rule Liber wouldn’t be the Sernitas, the Demon Empire, or the Abyss. It won’t be the Cassiubia League either.”

Chi-Woo lowered his eyes and looked at the natives straight-on.

“It’s you all. I believe that only humans can be Liber’s true owners.”

Starting with the middle-aged man, the natives gradually opened their mouths. This was why. This was the reason Chi-Woo told them that they couldn’t shed more blood and came to his conclusion. They finally understood the reason behind Chi-Woo’s judgment. Of course, accepting and agreeing to it were two different matters.

“I know that whatever I say might sound like excuses to you. You probably want to say, ‘Just send me to the battlefield’—that you would rather shed blood than to accept those fiends.”

The middle-aged man nodded. It was just as Chi-Woo said. If he could just shred those Demon Empire bastards to pieces, he would prefer to jump into war.

“I’m repeating myself, but I know with my whole heart how you all feel. Even so, I seek your understanding. Because…I…have to keep my promise from that day.”

The atmosphere was tense and so suffocating that it felt like something would burst any second. Everyone had their heads lowered solemnly, and the middle-aged man worried his lip, recalling the words he had just blabbered in a fit of rage. Was Chi-Woo like the other heroes? No, certainly not. One could tell just by the words Chi-Woo had said. While everyone was only focused on the present, Chi-Woo alone was looking ahead at the future—while remembering the promise made to the natives whose names even he didn’t know of.

Who could be called a hero if not this man? The middle-aged man wanted to die in embarrassment that he had yelled so viciously at such a hero.

“To be frank with you, this is perhaps my stubbornness. It is my selfishness to pay the price of being that stupid fool who couldn’t even save his companions.”

Despite all that, the hero didn’t rebuke him but accepted him.

When Chi-Woo got to his feet, the natives raised their heads.

“You can insult me all you want and curse me out. I will accept all your insults and whatever rocks you throw at me in the streets,” Chi-Woo continued. The natives shook their heads. They couldn’t do that. “So, I make my plea. Just this once, won’t you help this stubborn, selfish fool!”

All the natives gasped in shock when Chi-Woo bowed at them at a 90-degree angle. Their mouths gaped wide open, and their minds went blank. If they had to tell the truth, they didn’t really know what to say or think. They didn’t think they could ever forgive the Demon Empire. However, this hero wasn’t seeking their forgiveness, but simple understanding for the sake of Liber and, ultimately, their future.

Truthfully, there was no need for this hero to go this far. The natives knew that they weren’t heroes or League members. That they were merely wandering background characters whose presence didn’t matter. If the hero wanted to ask for support or understanding, he should be asking other heroes or the Cassiubia League members. He could’ve simply ignored their opinions and did what he thought was right. Yet Chi-Woo didn’t do that and didn’t hesitate to bow to them.

The middle-aged man gritted his teeth. Every time he remembered his daughter, a rage burned from the bottom of his feet to his head…but for some reason, his heart wavered. Chi-Woo remained unmoving, and the middle-aged man looked deeply conflicted.

Chi-Woo had called the natives his companions and them ‘heroes’. Even the middle-aged man knew that it wasn’t true, but this hero’s intentions appeared pure. He had simply wanted to be their companion and wanted them to make a choice just like the natives named Hakop and Malala. The middle-aged man closed his eyes.

This was the hero who had returned to Shalyh alone to protect the city. He was always the first one to step forward in every crisis and solve the problems they were facing each time. He was the one who recovered humanity from the trenches and put them back into the current limelight, and he didn’t forget to look back at the natives no one cared about. Though this hero said that he was acting out of his selfishness and was trying to carry all the blame on his shoulders, the middle-aged man knew that he was a hero who cared about Liber’s salvation and future more than anyone else. He cared to the point of foolishness and cared so deeply that he would bow and implore them to help him out just once. The state his daughter was in when she returned to him still lingered in his mind.

“…” At this moment, the middle-aged man couldn’t turn away from the hand that was reaching for him. Thinking this, he got to his feet, and the other natives followed. Eval, who had been watching everything quietly from afar, smiled. It was because as soon as they got up, the natives got down on their knees again.

“Please get up…”

“Raise your head, sir…there’s no need to lower yourself so far…please…”

“We…we were the one in the wrong…!”

“We didn’t realize your true intentions…!”

***

Chi-Woo’s meeting with the natives ended in a success. Everyone returned teary-eyed and promised while crying that though they wouldn’t be able to forgive the Demon Empire, they would accept the demons. And they would all try to help make Chi-Woo’s vision happen.

“Since you’ve changed the hearts of the natives who had been most fiercely opposing the idea of letting the Demon Empire in, it would only be a matter of time before the rest follow. That’s how public opinion works. Really splendid work, boss,” Eval exclaimed in admiration and turned around. Now that Philip had set everything up, it was up to Chi-Woo to take care of the rest.

—Ah, I feel like I’m going to die. It’s been so long since I went all out like this.

Philip returned Chi-Woo’s body to him as soon as Eval went outside. After recovering his body, Chi-Woo looked up at Philip in surprise. Philip was sprawling in the air.

—What are you staring at, man?

“Nothing, I’m just really impressed.”

—Hmph. Did you have a good time watching the show?

“Yes, it was touching. As expected, one should treat others genuinely…”

Philip snorted. Chi-Woo was touched? If that was the case, Chi-Woo had a long way to go—not as a human, of course, but as a ‘master’.