1.
Yesterday at dawn.
Having finished his conversation with the Empress, Nahan headed straight for Duke Halorand’s estate.
Perhaps he had been briefed beforehand by the Hero Party, as Duke Halorand calmly asked.
“I heard from the Heroes. The Goddess has given you a revelation, and you must depart, yes?”
“That’s correct.”
It was a one-sided termination of their agreement, something not easily accepted, yet Duke Halorand extended his hand with a faint smile.
“Thank you for all your help thus far.”
“Not at all. I’m the one leaving abruptly, so I can only be grateful for your generous understanding.”
“No matter the reason, surely nothing outweighs the will of the Goddess.”
Kind and respectful — in no way did he resemble a hidden villain.
‘…Could it be the original story was twisted?’
Suppressing the thought that naturally surfaced, Nahan quietly left the Duke’s domain.
The next step was returning to the capital.
“I’m the leader of the Hero Party, so I’ll return to the capital with the priest.”
“No. The fastest route is the one I, who specializes in exploration, know best.”
“Huh? I can just open a portal, though?”
“I shall carry him on my back and take him!!!”
The Heroes bustled in noisily.
Without hesitation, Nahan reached out and grabbed the small blue girl.
“Please take care of it, Great Mage.”
“Keh! You all saw that, right?”
It was Marin Blue, grinning as she glanced at the other Heroes.
【High-Rank Magic – <Long-Distance Teleportation(SS+)> is activating!】
After returning to the center of the capital, there was a brief date with Marin.
By the way, the short walk and snacks were only called a “date” because—
“This is a date, right?”
“Ahaha…”
“Don’t laugh. Should I tell Asha and Selena that we had a date?”
Because of Marin’s one-sided insistence.
“You better!! Call it a date, okay!?”
“Alright, alright. Be careful heading back.”
“Pfft! This is already fun.”
With the oddly joyful Marin as the last, Duke Halorand’s request came to an end.
Of course, Radiance would remain for a few more days to protect Halorand’s listed figures, but the request for “Ian Red” was officially over.
In other words—
‘This means I can now move more freely, out of the heroes’ line of sight.’
For some reason, Ian Red had attracted all of the heroes’ attention — they’d even follow him when he tried to use the restroom.
‘…Finally, I can breathe a little.’
Nahan immediately started moving.
His destination: the cabin in the deep forest where <Yellow Dragon>’s equipment had been hidden.
Upon arriving at the barrier and stepping through, the protective spell Dalan had reinstalled parted like silk curtains.
And at the same time, someone caught his eye.
“…”
He hadn’t expected anyone to be here.
Instantly immersed in his Black Wolf persona, Nahan approached the mound next to the cabin and spoke.
“It’s only just noon, yet seeing you already back and resting… I guess the Mercenary Alliance didn’t have much gossip today.”
Only then did Dalan, who had been staring at the grave, soften his sorrowful gaze into a faint smile.
“Well, thanks to the Captain’s orders, the rampaging Black Wolf has disappeared.”
“So, are you protesting now because you’re bored and want to run wild again?”
“Puhah. I won’t deny it.”
Dalan chuckled and rose to his feet, bowing toward Nahan.
“You’ve arrived, Captain.”
“As you can see.”
A hand landed lightly on Dalan’s shoulder — a gesture of encouragement.
“…”
It was a warmth he hadn’t felt from the previous Captain, but since Nahan had started changing lately, Dalan accepted it naturally and asked.
“Did everything go well?”
A casually tossed question.
“Smoothly. Ah, by the way—”
But what followed that answer was a new order.
“From now on, our <Black Wolf> will begin a large-scale purge.”
A command that was anything but peaceful.
“I’ve compiled a list. Confirm their crimes, and if they’re truly villains — kill them.”
The tone was as casual and light as saying, “Let’s go for a stroll.”
Despite the light tone, the content was brutal — but Dalan nodded without hesitation.
That was the nature of their relationship.
If the Captain spoke, he would simply follow. It was that kind of simple thing.
“Take it.”
“Yes, Captain.”
On the paper Nahan handed over, the names of nobles were written in neat handwriting.
‘Even conservatively, that’s at least twenty.’
After Dalan finished counting them one by one and confirmed there were a total of twenty-four, Nahan asked again.
“How long do you need for the investigation?”
Whether the people on the list were truly villains, what crimes they had committed if they were, and how to kill them if they deserved death.
After calculating in his head, Dalan bowed and reported.
“Four days should be sufficient.”
“I’ll give you three.”
“Yes, Captain.”
Normally, he would’ve been given a generous week, but with the Empress potentially dying soon, time was of the essence.
“Then I’ll begin right away.”
“Wait.”
Just as Dalan turned to leave, Nahan stopped him and pulled out the Yellow Dragon’s armor from subspace.
“Investigate Duke Halorand as well.”
A name not on the list.
‘Why him—he’s the Empress’s only real rival?’
Dalan felt a moment of doubt but swallowed it without showing any reaction and bowed again.
“Gather intel with Ruby. For infiltration, send Peter and Yuria. Keep Lactea on standby for immediate response.”
“Yes, Captain. Then what orders should I give to Luna and Han-Ryang?”
Dalan asked calmly.
Nahan paused to think.
‘From observing both Duke Halorand’s territory and the Hero Party, their strength exceeded expectations.’
Especially <Eclipse>, and its leader, the <Calamity of Destruction>, might be on par with himself.
‘We’ll reinforce our forces too.’
He had learned that through the Main Scenario – <The Unredeemed>, rescuing <Black Wolf> members upgraded their Ranks.
While averting this Bad Ending and rescuing Dalan and Ruby…
“Tell Han-Ryang and Luna that No.2, Kassler, must return.”
He would complete <Black Wolf> once more.
“Yes, Captain.”
With orders for all members, Dalan bowed and turned around.
Normally, he would have vanished the moment the farewell ended, but today was different.
Step, Step, Step.
He walked quietly to the cabin, stood before the small grave, and whispered.
“…I’ll be back, Rose.”
Dalan, the Monstrous Dragon.
Usually so lively, yet now gently caressing the gravestone with a longing touch, he barely managed to pull his hand away.
It was.
– Dalan, what is it that you truly loved?
A sorrowful farewell known only to Nahan and Dalan in this world — a lingering regret.
By the time Nahan turned his head away, pretending not to see, Dalan had already left.
Only then did Nahan sigh and murmur,
“What sorrowful lives they lead.”
Though his possession and intervention had lowered the difficulty somewhat, that only applied to the present and future.
The pasts of <Black Wolf> members.
As well as the Hero Party, the Empress, and other characters — remained unchanged.
And so Nahan pondered.
No matter how much he strove for <Salvation>, the past was something he could never change.
It wasn’t like the dead could return, nor that what happened could be undone — it was merely a conversation to let go of lingering regrets.
Perhaps it was even—
‘Not about letting go, but more about ruminating on the pain of the past.’
Still—
‘If I were given a chance to speak with my brother, or with my only friend—’
Maybe then, I could let go too…
“…Such a complicated world.”
But since such a thing could never happen to him, Nahan quietly closed his eyes.
2.
The Calamity of December — Cheonmyeong — thought to himself.
‘This is already the second failure.’
Before <Black Wolf> appeared, he had never once failed.
But making two mistakes in such a short span — that was an unforgivable sin within <Eclipse>.
Even his predecessor, and his predecessor, had lost their lives over just one failure.
So surely—
‘I will lose mine too.’
Half resigned to his fate, he looked around at the new Calamities seated at the Round Table.
Third Elder – Calamity of Silent Silence
Fourth Elder – Calamity of the Blooming Blood
And beneath them, the newly filled Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Elders — so hastily appointed they hadn’t even earned names yet.
And himself.
Second Elder – Calamity of December.
“…”
“…”
“…”
He glanced at the three silent new Elders and offered a brief warning.
“Earn an alias — but do not earn infamy.”
A warning born from experience — the kind that comes from someone whose own mistakes had become their very title.
The three new Elders responded with silence.
And then—
Clunk.
The great stone doors opened, and in stepped the First Elder – Calamity of Destruction.
Merely his appearance was enough to crush the other six Elders under a suffocating pressure. As if on cue, they all stood and bowed their heads.
Step. Step. Step.
Ignoring them entirely, the First Elder took his seat at the Round Table and gave a short command.
“Shift the primary enemy from the Empress to <Black Wolf>.”
The words were softly spoken, yet they pierced through the room like blades and pounded in the Elders’ minds.
“Since <Black Wolf> has latched onto several of Halorand’s chess pieces, the Calamity of the Blooming Blood shall move to sever Black Wolf’s limbs.”
“Yes, O Vicar.”
“The three newly appointed Elders shall accompany the Calamity of the Blooming Blood and return with earned names.”
“““Yes, O Vicar!!”””
No one refused.
As soon as the order was given, the Calamity of the Blooming Blood and the three unnamed Elders vanished from sight.
Next came the Calamity of Silent Silence.
“Claim the neck of the traitor.”
“…Yes, O Vicar……”
Fwwip.
The Third Elder, too, disappeared instantly — and only two remained in the chamber.
“…”
“…”
Silence hung thick for a while.
Cheonmyeong thought to himself.
‘It’s not death I fear — it’s that I still dread the reckoning for my past mistakes…’
I am still a failure.
Still a man who deserves to die.
“…”
“…”
Just as he was quietly awaiting his purge, the First Elder finally spoke.
“Cheonmyeong. With this, you have exhausted all your ‘seeds without cost.’”
Words he hadn’t expected at all.
‘…Seeds without cost?’
Uncertain of what it meant, he dared not speak and simply waited. Then, the First Elder spoke once more.
“The next seed — will be so agonizing, you’ll think death preferable. So let me ask you, one final time.”
Cheonmyeong, will you—
“Choose a life worse than death — or be saved by me, here and now?”
A voice laced with genuine concern.
But Celestial Mandate had long been living a life worse than death already, and so—
“I will live.”
He chose life without hesitation.
“…I see.”
The First Elder nodded.
“Then my final command to you is this: from now on, act as your heart desires.”
“Yes, O Vicar.”
And with that, it was over.
The First Elder – Calamity of Destruction murmured alone in the now-empty chamber.
“A future neither I, nor Halorand, have ever experienced.”
In this world where everything repeats, only one thing had changed.
“…Black Wolf.”
What in the world are you?
