1.
Peter’s first memory.
It began with the image of a woman who abandoned him and simply observed him.
She murmured something for a long while, but now, only one final word comes to mind.
“Monster…”
With that, Peter never saw that woman again.
“Oh my, his hair is black?”
“Could he be a child from the East?”
“Who knows? His face is completely Imperial, though.”
“Anyway, let’s take him in from the back alleys.”
He was taken in from the back alleys, but only briefly.
“This little bastard’s… off.”
“Throw him out!! If we raise something like that, we’ll all be executed by the Inquisitors!”
“Ah… Aria, Goddess of Light… cleanse this filth…”
Sensing something from Peter, those people abandoned him once more onto the streets.
Whether it was misfortune or fortune, the season he was cast out was late spring—so he could choose survival over death.
When hungry, he ate.
When sleepy, he slept.
His meals were rats, and his bed was the filthy sewers—but still, Peter lived on.
Then one day—
As usual, he was lying in the sewer, chewing on a live rat, when some children playing adventurers found him and asked.
“Mo-Monster?!”
“No!! I-I think it’s a person?”
“Hey! Monster! Why do you live here?! No, why do you live like that?!”
Though their gazes were filled with contempt, Peter answered flatly, as if nothing was wrong.
“…Just.”
A life eating sewer rats—but at least he didn’t die.
“So I just kept living.”
Saying that, Peter offered a bite of his half-eaten rat, and the already frightened kids turned pale and ran off.
After that, rumors spread.
That in the darkest corner of the sewers, lived a demon who gnawed on rats.
Inquisitors, high priests, and the Holy Knights—high-ranking figures from the church—were dispatched, and after a few days of searching.
“He’s just an orphan.”
“Damn it, can’t you manage things properly?!”
“I’m sorry. I never thought anyone could live in a place like this… I’ll be more vigilant with the patrols from now on.”
Early autumn.
“Whatever, kick this bastard out!! Now!!”
“Yes, sir.”
Peter was thrown out of the sewers.
Even after being tossed out, Peter’s way of life remained unchanged.
His staple food shifted from rats to animal carcasses, maggots, and food waste—but Peter still ate when hungry and slept when sleepy.
In front of people.
“You crazy bastard!”
“Blasphemous wretch!”
“Call the Inquisitor!”
Fear and disgust.
A sense of superiority and violence.
“Ugh, urghh…!!”
“Get lost!! Get the hell out of this village!!”
“Filthy monster…!!”
Furrowed brows.
The sound of retching.
Contemptuous gazes.
Then, one day, a rock flew and cracked his head open—and for Peter, who had already been abandoned three times, it finally clicked.
“Am I… strange?”
.
.
.
“And then, at that moment—Ria appeared. She held me close, even though I was covered in filth, and whispered: It’s okay, Peter. You’ll never—”
“Sorry, it’s been four minutes.”
At Nahan’s cutting interruption, Peter closed his open mouth and muttered softly.
“…I see.”
Nahan turned his head naturally, leaving the now-silent Peter behind.
【Time Limit: 00:00:48】
He hadn’t even mentioned the Empress yet, and already the time was up.
‘I see you differently now, Peter.’
He had thought Peter would end things briefly and coldly, acting composed after his defiance—
‘I didn’t expect he’d spend the whole time just on the introduction.’
Suppressing the drowsiness creeping in, Nahan once again faced Peter.
And to the Peter who stood frozen, unsure what to do, Nahan spoke.
“I know everything. Ria was the nun who took you in. Unlike the others who shunned you, she always gave you the same love, embraced you.”
Thanks to the memories he obtained as a reward, he knew more than anyone.
Not a member of the main Aria Church, but a free nun who ran her own chapel and orphanage—Ria.
She gathered outcast orphans like Peter and used her own wealth to feed and raise them.
“You, who grew up there, dreamed of becoming a priest, and Ria supported you wholeheartedly. But after a certain incident, Ria was accused of being a demon spy. She was assassinated by those bearing the Empress’ crest, and the orphanage collapsed.”
At Nahan’s calm explanation, Peter, who had been frozen, muttered in a low voice.
“…You truly are divine.”
Everything Nahan said was the truth.
Free Nun Ria.
The agent of God who poured her entire fortune into running a small church and orphanage.
A young nun who raised children with her whole being, so they wouldn’t stray.
And—
—That child must’ve known, right? Ah… I’m a little different from others…
—It’s okay, Peter. You’re never strange.
The first person in his life to understand and affirm him.
The only one in the world.
And she had vanished from the world in vain.
“I…”
“Because you couldn’t stop it, you believe you killed her.”
“…”
Peter fell silent, about to say something, then raised his head and declared.
“I don’t know how the Lord knows all this… but regardless, I must kill the Empress. Please stand aside.”
An emotionless, calm demeanor.
So cold it bordered on terrifying, but Nahan responded unshaken.
“Can I offer you a deal, Peter? If I don’t die when the dirge ends, then don’t kill the Empress—for just one day.”
“…Die? There’s no way the Lord would fall to mere magic like mine.”
“Why are you like this, Peter? You know it, don’t you? That I’m not a god.”
Peter’s pupils trembled.
Seeing the hesitation in him, Nahan patted Peter’s shoulder and added,
“I’ll take that as acceptance.”
【<Dirge> has ended.】
【<Heart Attack (EX-)> activates.】
Whoa, that went fast.
Thud.
With a searing pain, Nahan’s vision suddenly dimmed.
Gasping, limbs tingling, Nahan collapsed to the ground, writhing.
“…Lo…”
“…Lord?”
“A…ambu…lance… sh*t…”
“L-Lord…!!”
What Peter had always seen happen to targets when his ultimate landed.
As he had said, he hadn’t meant to actually kill this time. So the moment Nahan collapsed, Peter panicked and dropped to his knees.
【<Iaso’s Ring (Ex)> activates.】
【Unique Skill – <Undying> activates.】
【<Undying)> is triggered against all attacks except those with the power of <Destruction>】
【“Child… Please stop using your body so recklessly.”】
Emerald light streamed out from the ring, flowing directly toward Nahan’s heart.
Thump!
His heart beat once more, and the color began returning to his skin.
‘…So it actually worked.’
Though it was said that Iaso’s Ring could do it, he had only half-believed it.
“That ring…”
Murmuring faintly, Peter watched as Nahan slowly pushed himself up.
“Keep your promise.”
“…I never agreed to it.”
“Silence is often consent. Anyway, I was thinking we could talk over a meal. You haven’t eaten properly in days, have you?”
Despite having just died and come back to life, Nahan’s tone was so casual it was hard to believe. Peter almost nodded unconsciously.
But catching himself just in time, he steadied his mind and asked the Nahan who was now withdrawing his mental world.
“Why are you doing this for me?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know. I turned my back on the Captain. I even tried to kill him. I’m a traitor.”
Having reclaimed all his power, Nahan shook his head with a serious expression.
“You didn’t try to kill me—you did.”
“That’s exactly why…!! Even if you let me live, I’ll just defy the Captain’s will again and kill the Empress!! So please, punish me right here and now!!”
Peter already knew.
That the moment he and Kassler failed to assassinate the Empress, they had lost everything.
Even though the Captain had ordered them to stand down, and as always, the other members had obeyed—
—Peter. What I believe in is your kind heart.
But of all times, Ria’s voice had resurfaced in his mind, and so Peter, before realizing it, had no choice but to disobey the Captain’s command.
That was the moment he decided to die.
Whether torn apart by the members or by the Captain himself for his insubordination—
He had already accepted death. He simply wanted to burn the last of his life for Ria.
And yet, why—
“You withdrew the members, allowed me to survive, and even when I turned on you to kill you…!! Why did you let me live…?”
“……”
Seeing Peter calm down so quickly, Nahan felt a certain conviction.
But that was something to address later.
Thinking on how best to answer Peter’s question, Nahan replied briefly.
“Because you’re a victim too.”
“…What?”
“Not just you. The Empress, the members, and countless others… all of them are just victims, played by <Eclipse>.”
It had become clear to him after Peter’s rampage.
‘Whether I hide information or reveal it, the future strays from the original <Babylonia> either way.’
Whether it was due to solving late-arc episodes early, moving differently than the source material, creating entirely new characters—whatever the reason—
The end result was deviation.
So if it was going to be a problem either way, wouldn’t it be better to at least share some information with the members of the <Black Wolf>?
If they had even shared the core truth—that Eclipse was the real enemy—then perhaps Peter wouldn’t have gone out of control like this.
And so, Nahan made a decision.
Even if not to everyone, he would share information with the members.
“…Victim, you say?”
“Listen closely, Peter. The truth is──”
Just as Nahan stood before Peter, ready to explain everything—
Ding.
A cheerful notification chime rang out, and a blue system window appeared in front of his eyes.
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.
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【You have received a message.】
【From this moment on, all that happens is your responsibility—for disturbing the story.】
【Sender: Halorand.】
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Something had gone wrong.
