The Main Characters That Only I Know

Even after Patrick and the soldiers of the Salio Empire had retreated, Baek Seoryeon’s expression didn’t ease.

She had been overwhelmed by a sense of unease for some time, unable to feel at ease.

Baek Seoryeon knew better than anyone else that the Salio side wouldn’t withdraw so easily.

Retreating without resistance meant that they certainly had something planned for later.

“Yura. You should go home now.”

“What? You want me to go alone? What about you, oppa?”

“Yuhyun will stay with me. The same goes for Hye-rim unni. It's okay now, so hurry home.”

“Why… why are you trying to send me away like this? Unni, tell me the truth. Something's going on, right?”

“…That’s not true.”

“Don’t lie. Something’s been strange since earlier. They’ve been trying to frame oppa as the culprit, and suddenly, soldiers from the Salio Empire appeared. Unni, I’m not stupid. Even though I may look like this, I’m the captain of the guard. I know at least what's happening within the alliance.”

“…I said it’s dangerous, so you should step back.”

“What’s so dangerous? And what about you, unni? Wouldn't you be more in danger if a battle breaks out?”

Baek Seoryeon could only purse her lips at Kang Yura’s sharp observation and couldn’t come up with a proper response.

In the end, Yuhyun stepped in, unable to watch any longer.

“She’s just saying it because she’s worried about you, so don’t take it too harshly. Besides, Seoryeon’s not wrong.”

“But, oppa…!”

“A big fight is going to break out soon. A lot of people might get involved. I’ll protect Seoryeon, so you should take care of our parents.”

“It’d be better if I helped though…”

“It’s okay.”

Yuhyun smiled and patted Yura on the shoulder.

In the past, she had been just the right height for him to ruffle her hair, but in the last five years, she had grown significantly, making that impossible now.

Still, in Yuhyun’s eyes, Kang Yura was still a child.

To him, she was like another version of himself, one with potential he had not been able to realize.

Kang Yura couldn’t afford to stop here. She had to keep moving forward. Her potential wasn’t something that should be limited to a place like this.

“Leave the rest to me.”

“Oppa… you're going to fight those hard battles again…”

“This has been my job from the very beginning.”

From the moment Yuhyun had regressed and returned to the past, he had vaguely felt it.

Even though he had vowed to live a different life, to shed the role of a supporting character meant to highlight another protagonist…

Now that he thought about it, the path he had walked had ultimately been shaped by devotion to others.

He had told himself he wanted to see the end of his own story, but was it really for himself that he had wanted to see that ending?

Perhaps, without realizing it, his entire life had been for this.

“So don’t worry.”

“…Okay.”

Kang Yura couldn’t insist any further.

Seeing Yuhyun speaking with a smile, she found herself overlapping his image with that of their parents. Unable to suppress her sadness, she nodded her head.

“Make sure to visit home later, okay?”

“Yes. Of course.”

Leaving behind the words for him to keep his promise, Kang Yura turned and left.

Now, only Baek-hyo, Kang Hye-rim, Yuhyun, and Baek Seoryeon remained.

“Yuhyun, we should move now too.”

“Do you think the Salio Empire will move right away?”

“I don’t know. Personally, I think we’re safe for at least a few days. Although sending an Executor was unexpected… it’s hard to believe they’d act to this extent…”

Baek Seoryeon couldn’t finish her sentence.

Kwaaang──!!!

A massive explosion from the first floor of the Central Administration made Baek Seoryeon’s face go pale.

The worst possible scenario, something she hadn’t even considered, was now unfolding.

“Don’t tell me…!”

“It seems like they’re even crazier than we thought.”

“No matter how crazy they are, to do something like this in broad daylight!”

Baek Seoryeon was flustered, but Yuhyun had a vague sense that something like this would happen.

The look on Piren’s face as she led Patrick away had been far too calm, as if she had already anticipated this situation.

Despite their failure to recruit Yuhyun, they had retreated far too easily.

There was only one reason.

They had already anticipated the possibility of failure in this plan and had a backup strategy prepared.

‘But to execute it so quickly…’

If they were so blatant in their actions, it meant they were confident they could deal with the aftermath.

“Seoryeon. In a city like this, when a terrorist attack happens, how strong are the soldiers who usually respond?”

“Huh? Normally, it's the captain of the guards, someone between a lower and middle-rank transcendent.”

“There’s no stronger force? In a large city like this, shouldn’t there be a ruler protecting it?”

“There’s the Chief of the Guard. He’s a lower-rank ruler. Besides him, the actual ruler of the city is usually an Executor. And the Executor of Old Town is originally…”

Baek Seoryeon hesitated. Yuhyun understood why.

“Choi Do-yoon.”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

The ruler of Old Town was the Sword Lord, Choi Do-yoon.

There was no way to ask where Choi Do-yoon was or what he was doing now.

Things had developed in the worst possible way. While Choi Do-yoon would return as soon as his injuries healed, how much more time would he need?

Ultimately, the only forces available right now were the guards and the Chief of the Guard.

And besides them…

“It’s me.”

Baek Seoryeon widened her eyes at Yuhyun’s words. He gave her a bitter smile.

“These guys made their move in broad daylight, walking straight through the front gate. They must have been waiting for this from the beginning. With everything they've done so far, there’s no way to resolve this peacefully.”

“But, still, with you here, Yuhyun, would they really act so boldly…?”

“If they weren’t confident, they wouldn’t have made such a move. They must think it’s possible. Their goal is likely your assassination, Seoryeon.”

In order to achieve that, they would have to overcome the wall that was Yuhyun.

However, it was impossible that the enemy would have gathered a mediocre force to face Yuhyun, who had the strength of an Executor.

At the very least, they would need someone of equal power.

That meant…

‘Piren.’

The Executor from the Salio Empire. That woman had joined the fray this time.

* * *

The entrance to the Central Administration was engulfed in a massive explosion.

People who had heard the commotion screamed and fled in all directions. Amidst the chaos, figures cloaked in robes charged forward.

Their movements were swift and precise.

Even though it was broad daylight, their robes—perhaps due to some magical enhancement—completely concealed their appearances.

“Hurry. We need to eliminate the target and leave quickly.”

Piren, who was leading the group of terrorists, gave the order. These so-called “terrorists” were, in fact, carefully selected forces supported by the Great Army.

Even Olympus and Asgard had agreed that if they were going to cause such a commotion, it would be better to ensure a clean finish.

‘With Olympus’s Dragon Knights and Asgard’s Einherjar, even if Old Town’s guards rush in, we should be able to handle them.’

Piren herself thought that she only needed to distract Yuhyun. And if the opportunity arose, it would be best to kill the Book Pile Lord as well.

That man had already turned his back on the Salio Empire. And according to information they had gathered, the Book Pile Lord was originally from Earth, a former Teller. But that detail wasn’t important.

All Piren needed to remember was that the man was now an enemy.

“Enemy! Stop them!”

“To attack the Central Administration in broad daylight! Are you insane?!”

Guards appeared throughout the hallways.

There were martial artists from Jungcheon League, soldiers from Midland, and warriors from the Foreigner clans.

But.

Sssslash!

“Kraaagh! Aaargh!”

Their level was only that of mid- to upper-level Collectors.

In front of the mighty warriors who were already knocking on the door of transcendence, they couldn’t even withstand a single blow.

The hallways were quickly filled with blood and screams. The Dragon Knights and Einherjar pressed forward without hesitation, with Piren, the Executor, leading the charge.

‘They haven’t escaped yet. We’ll strike quickly before they can.’

Having reached her target, Piren violently kicked open the door and charged inside.

“You’re here?”

And waiting for her was none other than Yuhyun, alone.

“…Where are the others? No, more importantly, you didn’t run?”

Kang Hye-rim and Baek Seoryeon, who should have been there, were nowhere to be seen. And, most notably, the giant white owl had vanished like a mirage.

Could it be that they had already been taken away during that brief moment? But there hadn

’t been any sign of someone escaping.

“What are you thinking so hard about?”

Yuhyun, who had been waiting in the center of the room, pointed at Piren and the terrorists behind her.

“You came here to kill everyone anyway.”

“…It seems you’ve hidden them with some special method.”

Correct.

Yuhyun nodded without any attempt to conceal it.

The power of Descartes that he wielded made it possible. Currently, Kang Hye-rim, Baek Seoryeon, and Baek-hyo were all in the wandering world he had created.

Unless Yuhyun brought them out, there was no way for Piren’s side to find Baek Seoryeon.

“If you want to find them, you’ll have to kill me.”

“I was planning to do that anyway. You’re completely insane, revealing everything to your enemy like this. But it doesn’t matter.”

Piren had wanted to fight Yuhyun anyway. Earlier, the First Prince had prevented her from acting recklessly, but now things were different.

Although she had only been concealing her identity in a perfunctory way, the robe she wore—though it appeared simple—was a special one created by the magical engineering of the Salio Empire, ensuring that her identity would not be easily exposed.

“To think that someone referred to as a Lord would hasten their own demise with such arrogance.”

Piren couldn’t help but sneer at Yuhyun’s recklessness.

Originally, she had intended to face him one-on-one, but with his actions, Yuhyun now had to face over thirty elite soldiers of the Great Army along with her.

If this wasn’t a s*****e mission, what was?

“You should have just run away. Didn’t you think about what would happen if you stalled for time here?”

Yuhyun smiled as he looked at Piren.

For a moment, Piren felt as if darkness had descended around Yuhyun.

‘I can’t see his expression?’

No, that wasn’t it. A mask had appeared on his face in an instant.

‘A demon mask with four eyes. Just as the intel described. They said wearing that thing greatly boosts his combat power.’

The eerie aura emanating from the mask was no joke. If she had faced it unknowingly, her skin would have crawled. If she had brought a ragtag group, it would have caused chaos.

However, since this situation had been anticipated, Piren felt no hesitation.

“Those words…”

Wearing the Mask of Aporia, Yuhyun’s eyes glowed as he looked at Piren.

Above the mask, four lights flared up, and an overwhelming pressure radiated around him.

“I’ll send them right back to you.”

Yuhyun drew his sword from his waist.

A white sword paired with a black mask. Piren thought it was an oddly mismatched combination.

But the intensity was real.

“Everyone, attack!”

At Piren’s command, the elite soldiers of the Great Army, still cloaked in their robes, launched themselves at Yuhyun.

* * *

“What an impressive city.”

High above the clouds, overlooking Old Town, a being muttered in admiration at the sight of the city.

How ridiculous had it been to hear that a coalition of lowly beings had created something called a ‘Lords Alliance'?

But seeing such a beautiful city made by those same creatures, he had to admit that they had some use.

“If we take control of this, we won’t have to worry about getting good laborers to build a proper fortress.”

The bearded man laughed heartily, pleased with his own statement.

However, his eyes weren’t laughing. His gaze was fixed on the towering structure at the center of Old Town, the Central Administration.

He was closely watching the clash of powers inside its very heart.

‘Hmm. It seems our warriors aren’t performing as well as I expected.’

He thought he had selected the finest ones, but it seemed they weren’t enough.

The Dragon Knights from Olympus had been sent, and yet the soldiers inside were struggling so much. Just how strong was the one they were facing?

“Even among those lower beings, there seem to be some strong ones.”

To him, humans and all those who lived in the lower world were nothing more than insects.

Crush them, and they would die without a peep, scattering in droves. Of course, some had sharp stingers or teeth that could hurt if they struck, but that was all.

Ultimately, to those who stood in the place of the gods, the beings of the lower world were nothing but creatures to rule and oppress.

“Those who talk about supporting the potential of these creatures must be dreaming.”

The man muttered, rotating his arms and loosening his shoulder muscles.

He didn’t need to do this, but it was a habit he often displayed before going into battle.

For now, he planned to just watch. But if things took a turn for the worse…

“Well, then I’ll just step in.”

Although they had only promised to support Salio Empire with the Einherjar, did it really matter if he broke a treaty with such lowly creatures?

If they failed despite all this support, that would be their fault, not his for breaking a treaty.

The man muttered to himself as he grabbed the hammer hanging from his waist with his right hand.

He hoped the moment would come when he could swing it.

Crackle.

A faint current of electricity ran through the hammer.