LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 102
Her death was not in vain.
By sacrificing her life, Hana saved the world.
As the Black Goat had said, the age of gods has waned, and the age of humans has arrived.
The monstrous beasts that had threatened humanity have completely vanished.
Furthermore, the abilities that were humanity’s core means of defense have also disappeared.
Only the remaining gates serve as a grim reminder of the fierce battles fought against the demons.
But that was not the end.
Not only were the people who had become holy water revived, but also the countless lost lives from the war with the apostles were brought back.
It was nothing short of a miracle.
A reunion with a beloved person who had to be let go.
How could one express the emotions of that moment with words?
“Sister!”
“Si-hyun. Where are we…?”
I watched the scene where the sisters embraced each other.
It felt as if all the despair that had been gnawing at the world had vanished, leaving only hope.
“Hey. Are you feeling okay?”
“…Master.”
Yeon Hwa, who seemed to have her own story, reunited with the Great Mage.
Everyone else also reached a happy conclusion.
It was a joyful occasion.
But what good does it do?
Your death was certainly not in vain.
However, with all this gained, without you, it is meaningless.
Time continued to flow without stopping.
Even though you still remained in that spot, the world moved on, forgetting you entirely.
People were busy focusing on the happiness they had regained.
Very few paid attention to the unknown savior.
However, not everyone experienced a happy ending.
Shortly after Hana left, Longinus fell into a deep malaise and could barely manage to stay upright.
She lay on her hospital bed, spouting meaningless words without caring for her own well-being.
“The twisted world through the crown is ultimately a connected world line. Your actions affect everything—the past, present, and future.”
“…Would it hurt to explain it in a way I could understand?”
In response to my joking question, Longinus replied with a weak smile.
“Hang in there. You can definitely do it.”
“Yeah. I’ll make sure to succeed.”
Somewhat cliché yet ordinary encouragement.
That was the girl’s last will.
As expected, once again, the world showed no reaction to a girl’s death.
They were overwhelmed trying to adapt to the rapidly changing situation, so it was understandable.
It may be obvious, but the board did not resurrect.
After all, they were like the roots that constituted the foundation of the Academy.
With them disappearing in an instant and the monstrous beasts and abilities all vanishing, there were debates on whether the Academy should even continue to exist.
Ultimately, it was declared that the Academy would transform into a regular school.
The heroes faced a similar predicament.
The reality of having no enemies threatening humanity felt quite unfamiliar.
A period of chaos, mixed with many debates and an indelible sense of unease, lasted quite a while.
Demons, including the Black Goat, had suddenly disappeared.
They likely didn’t vanish alongside the monsters.
Even just after Hana’s death, the Black Goat was still intact.
What were they doing, and where?
Who knows. Perhaps they are still alive on some uncharted deserted island.
Since that place could only be accessed by teleportation, no one knew exactly where it was, making it impossible to find. There wasn’t even a particular reason to search for it.
Even amidst the chaos, people eventually adapted to the changes.
The world gradually stabilized, with no one doubting that the monsters had completely disappeared.
Quite some time had passed since Hana’s death.
I had been moving since the moment she left until now.
Driven solely by one objective.
To find the thorny crown.
The plan Hana had shared that night was not complicated at all.
In fact, it could be summarized in a single line—find the crown to turn back time and gather all three holy relics.
However, in reality, it was difficult to the point of feeling hopeless.
I hadn’t even caught a hint of the crown’s whereabouts thus far.
Maybe it’s only natural. The Black Goat had failed to find it for decades.
Does it really exist?
Such fundamental doubts had exhausted me.
The only clue was Hana’s words.
I can find it anytime.
If I clearly remember what she said and don’t forget it, I will surely find it.
Holding on to just that belief, I didn’t give up and continued searching.
I scoured the entire world, yet still failed to uncover even a single lead.
Two years passed.
There were times I felt so exhausted I wanted to give up.
Was this really meaningful?
I studied all sorts of knowledge related to religion and visited every holy site recorded in world history, yet I still achieved nothing.
Alone, I couldn’t spend my entire life crisscrossing the globe.
The thought that I was possibly wasting my precious time weighed heavily on me.
So I resolved to change my approach.
Ultimately, the reason I sought the crown was to turn back time to the past.
Because this is no longer the age of gods, but of humans.
Perhaps, if I used science instead of holy relics, it might be possible.
With a desperate heart clinging to that idea, I delved into it relentlessly.
But the more knowledge I accumulated, the more despair weighed me down instead of hope.
No matter how I looked at it, turning back time was a blatant violation of the laws of physics.
Even the greatest genius would find time travel to the past impossible.
That conviction only grew stronger.
The world developed rapidly, and technology soared steeply.
I gained a lot of understanding while absorbing various knowledge, yet, despite that, the emptiness inside my heart only grew deeper.
Still, I did not give up.
I tried everything to meet Hana again.
After she left, the social status and honor I had built up crumbled away. The bonds of new relationships I had formed dissolved naturally over time.
It was just like when I had been isolated for six months at the Academy without Hana.
I gradually became distant from everyone in this world and slowly found myself alone.
It’s okay. It doesn’t matter.
After all, this world wouldn’t exist without you.
You sacrificed yourself to return everything, so I will repay you.
No matter how long it takes.
Even if it takes a lifetime.
Don’t worry.
I will never forget you.
No matter how far apart we are, if our hearts are connected.
I’m sure we can be together.
“Is it already time for the cherry blossoms to bloom…?”
Pink petals fluttering down like snow.
As I stared blankly, I moved my frozen steps.
The tenth spring welcomed without you.
It has been ten years since Hana left.
I am still searching for you.
*
It was now the full-blown spring.
With the warm weather, families, friends, or lovers strolled through the streets to enjoy the cherry blossoms.
It was a beautiful sight.
The pains of the past had become distant memories over ten years.
A generation that doesn’t even know what monsters are runs around innocently.
As I quietly watched that scene, I wondered if this is what the Black Goat had envisioned for the world.
Such trivial thoughts often engulfed me.
Today was a day to meet old friends after a long time.
The only connection I still had that hadn’t broken.
Even that was something I only met occasionally.
At the café along the cherry blossom-lined riverside.
The view through the window was stunning enough to take my breath away.
Maybe that’s why the café was packed with customers, creating quite a lively atmosphere.
I’m not too fond of crowded places, but for the sake of such scenery, I could endure it.
I spotted a familiar face at the window seat.
It seemed she saw me too, waving her hand.
“Yo. You came earlier than I expected?”
“It’s been a while. You still look just the same.”
“Why do you look so haggard? With those glasses, you’ve turned into a total uncle.”
“Is that so?”
Yeon Hwa looked just like her ten years ago.
It was hard to believe she was nearing her thirties, radiating vibrant energy.
As I settled in across from her, the nagging continued.
“You should shave a bit. Looking like this, you seem like such a slacker.”
“Haha. Got it. What about Si-hyun?”
At the mention of her name, Yeon Hwa shrugged her shoulders.
“Don’t know. She’ll come on her own.”
“True enough. Everyone has their own life.”
“Seriously. What life do you have?”
She sighed with a complicated expression and added.
“…Are you still searching for her?”
“Of course. I can’t give up.”
“You really are stubborn. It’s hard to put into words…”
I could only swallow my bitter smile.
I completely understood Yeon Hwa’s reaction. Ten years is certainly not a short time.
But it couldn’t be helped.
What should I say? Ever since that day until now, it felt as if I’ve been in a dream for ten years.
Yeah. This place felt like a dream rather than reality.
One I would forget the moment I woke up.
Even if it felt like a long time had passed in the dream, I would realize it was just a fleeting moment once I woke up.
If I meet Hana, I would likely feel the same way.
Even if it took ten more years, it would be the same.
Just a fleeting dream I’d forget once I woke up.
“…Idiot.”
Understanding what my silence meant, Yeon Hwa could only mutter curses.
“Yeah. I understand why you are like this. It still pops up every now and then for me too, especially when I saw the cherry blossoms on my way to the café today—it brought back vivid memories.”
“Cherry blossoms aren’t exactly related to Hana, are they?”
For Shin Woo, candy usually recalled Hana, especially grape and strawberry flavors.
“When we went on our first field trip, it happened to be when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.”
“Ah…”
I immediately recalled when that was.
The first field trip during our second year.
That was when I first encountered the Black Goat, and when Sophie had died…
Looking back, it seemed that was when our misfortunes began in earnest.
Sophie’s death had completely shattered Hana.
“At that time, we didn’t know anything. The cherry blossoms were beautiful, and with everyone in the bus, it felt just like a picnic. Eating snacks in the back seat…”
“Yeah. I remember. It definitely had a picnic vibe.”
As I unconsciously chimed in, Hana’s voice suddenly echoed in my ear.
“Once everything is over, shall we have a picnic that we couldn’t go to together?”
Thud.
I cradled my head with a headache.
Why was that saying popping up right now…
In that moment.
Memories of that day, which I had completely forgotten, began to resurface hazily.
A spring season just like today, with cherry blossoms blooming radiantly.
It felt like a picnic.
“Shin Woo, don’t you think it feels like we’re on a picnic today?”
No way.
“Remember what I said? If you don’t forget me, you’ll surely find me.”
Was that what it meant?