### Chapter 385
Ixion.
A gathering of World Erosion agents centered around the Black Witch, aiming to birth the God of World Erosion.
Years ago, there was the First War between the world and Ixion.
After suffering a significant defeat in that war, Ixion retreated and went into hiding.
Now, those guys have stealthily entered the Forest of Giants, scheming something again.
“When did this all start?”
Kraush asked, glancing at Sigrid, who peeked at the Forest of Giants outside their inn’s window.
The two were deep in conversation in a room nearby.
The towering Forest of Giants, having consumed the Freya Mountains, was vividly visible beyond the window.
“I learned about it not too long ago. To assist my lord, the Empress used her shadow powers to scout the routes and stumbled upon this.”
“Then they might have been lurking here longer than we thought.”
“The Freya Mountains are the largest mountain range in the world.”
Even the Empire couldn’t fully grasp the entirety of the Freya Mountains.
Especially since they had been devoured by the Forest of Giants, they were even more impossible to keep tabs on.
“I also informed the Sanctuary of Stars, the Ten Great Lords, and the various kingdoms.”
Since Kraush was bound to come to the Forest of Giants anyway, Sigrid didn’t bother contacting him.
She had been too busy notifying others.
She was always the efficient one.
“The problem is their exact intentions.”
As she said that, Sigrid looked at Kraush.
She understood.
No matter how pressured Ixion was, this situation could lead to their annihilation.
Ixion was a group that inherently struggled to unite.
Naturally, they wouldn’t suddenly develop camaraderie and selflessly sacrifice themselves for a noble cause.
Thus, Sigrid concluded that their intentions couldn’t be purely for destruction.
And her deduction was spot on.
“Yeah, their real goal is to absorb the monstrosity that I’ve become.”
“What?”
Sigrid’s face stiffened in disbelief; she hadn’t expected this at all.
“…For what purpose?”
Sigrid knew how to think realistically.
That’s why Kraush often sought her advice and shared his thoughts.
Consequently, Kraush slowly recounted Abella’s intentions—the plan to use him as a vessel to revive the God of World Erosion.
After hearing everything, Sigrid sighed in exasperation, rubbing her forehead.
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“Well, I figured you’d oppose it, given your personality.”
“Of course I would, it’s just too risky.”
Sigrid genuinely worried for Kraush.
Even though she supported his choices, being concerned was a different matter.
Especially since Sigrid could visualize exactly what Kraush might do.
“Abella… I’ve been continuously researching her, but the more I dug, the more it felt like a labyrinth.”
After Kraush informed Sigrid about Abella, she steadily gathered information about her.
However, finding concrete details was nearly impossible.
“I tried to investigate based on the ancient Hell Fairy’s activities, but there was hardly any information.”
“It’s fine. I expected as much.”
“The number of variables is just overwhelming. If there was a straightforward way, we wouldn’t be stepping into the Forest of Giants.”
Sigrid looked at Kraush with a serious expression, emphasizing her sincerity.
Kraush smiled briefly, recalling the day he met Abella.
And after sharing everything with Sigrid, her brow furrowed slightly, and she let out a breath.
“…Are you really okay with that?”
Sigrid could foresee Kraush’s end through his words.
Everything he had built could come crashing down in an instant.
Yet she still questioned him about being okay with that.
Sigrid had watched him closely.
She knew what he fought against, what he protected, and what he sacrificed to achieve this.
It was almost impossible for anyone in this world to accept the complete collapse of everything they had worked for.
Inside the inn, sunlight poured softly through the windows.
Kraush sat there, serene in the warm light.
“Sigrid.”
Kraush lived a life akin to the bottom of the barrel in the last cycle.
Whether Arthur had intended it or not, that life still remained with him.
And so Kraush realized the truth.
Even a life beginning from the ground up wasn’t necessarily a worthless life.
“I’ve been running solely towards one goal.”
Kraush, who once thought every life goal was meaningless, realized that accepting the curse allowed him to act as a launchpad for the next generation.
A nobody who claimed one thing.
His desire was to protect the world from destruction.
“I’ve come this far for that singular goal. So, I should at least feel a sense of accomplishment.”
Kraush smiled.
Sigrid, who was staring blankly at his smile, eventually bit her lip and asked.
What made him so obsessed with the collapse of the world, Sigrid could not know.
She could only make vague assumptions among many possibilities.
But none of those assumptions suggested that his life had flowed smoothly.
“Okay, I got it.”
Sigrid exhaled softly, slowly lifting her gaze to meet Kraush’s eyes.
“Then let me show you that even if you think you’ve lost everything, you haven’t lost a thing.”
With that, Sigrid flashed one of her characteristic smiles.
“What are you planning now?”
Feeling an odd sense of unease, Kraush felt Sigrid’s response was coming.
“Does a position like that of an emperor really hold power? Things like popularity and political finesse pale in comparison.”
“…Are you trying to make me an emperor?”
There’s no way he wanted to end up like Arthur.
“Hmph, do you take me for a fool?”
Kraush started sweating when Sigrid leapt up from her chair and leaned over the desk, arms extended.
“I’m not satisfied with being just an emperor. I’ll give you more than what you’ve done for this world, even more. So look forward to it.”
More than an emperor?
The sheer audacity made Kraush uneasy.
After all, Sigrid had made good on every promise she had spoken so far.
He thought she might genuinely take over the world.
“…Sigrid, calm down.”
“Am I supposed to calm down? I have a ton of tasks to push forward!”
At that moment, Sigrid fumbled, losing her balance, and fell forward.
Panicking, Kraush tried to catch her, but Sigrid grabbed his wrist instead.
Then, without hesitation, she tilted her head down and pecked him.
Caught off guard once again, Kraush froze in speechlessness as Sigrid smiled mischievously with flushed cheeks.
“Wow, my dear lord really likes me, huh? Leaning in for a kiss like that. How could I possibly not be tempted to return the favor?”
“Don’t you know about the boy who cried wolf?”
The shepherd boy lied and swore a wolf was attacking, but when it finally arrived, no one believed him.
Yet Sigrid tilted her head cutely.
“My lord wouldn’t just let me fall, right?”
Kraush was left speechless.
He had no retort.
It was hard not to catch someone when they’re stumbling right in front of you.
His body moved instinctively.
“I know you feel the need to protect me deeply.”
Sigrid puffed her little chest proudly.
“Though I may lack the destructive power of a Holy Maiden, I definitely have my own demand.”
“Don’t downplay yourself. You’re a princess!”
“This is a secret kept just between us. I only say this to you.”
She never stopped teasing.
But that was just Sigrid being Sigrid.
“I’ll have everything set for a fight against Ixion. I’ll let you know once our forces are gathered, but since you’re here, take a breather first. This isn’t a request; it’s an order from your fiancée.”
Surrounded by worried girls, Kraush responded.
“Alright, I got it. I actually had some business in this area too. I’ll handle that first.”
Kraush said, getting up from his seat.
As he turned to see Sigrid fixing her posture, he reached out to ruffle her hair.
“And thanks as always. I’ve made it this far because of you.”
After hearing that, Sigrid’s mouth fell open slightly in surprise.
Then she licked her lips quietly and glanced at Kraush.
“……Sigrid point, 10,000 points.”
Feeling the urge to escape, Kraush recognized the impending danger.
*
Having barely escaped Sigrid in hot pursuit, Kraush walked a bit away from the Forest of Giants for his task.
This was for fulfilling a promise made a long time ago.
“Crimson Garden.”
Kraush quietly called her name.
Suddenly, a crow appeared overhead, gliding down slowly to land in front of Kraush.
“How do you think I look now?”
The only land Kraush could head towards was the Forest of Giants.
At that moment, immense power coursed within Kraush’s body.
Having become as strong as he could be, he was filled with the might of the Kingdom of Jeblam.
Through his dealings with Crimson Garden, he had agreed to steal her immortality in exchange for her power.
But there was one condition attached.
That was, he had to become stronger than Crimson Garden herself.
“Underestimating a dragon is insanity. Do you think you can reach that level?”
He had become this strong, yet he still had to aspire for more.
Honestly, after absorbing the Demonic Bastion’s energy, he thought he had nearly approached the sanctuary’s level and could outperform the World Erosions and their destructive power.
As he contemplated how he could increase his strength further, Crimson Garden continued.
“Well, if you use that dragon of yours, it might be worth a shot.”
Kraush, seeing her nonchalant attitude, couldn’t help but roll his eyes.
“Your attitude remains unchanged as always.”
It felt as though they had known each other for quite a long time.
Crimson Garden hadn’t changed a bit.
“In your eyes, it feels like ages. In my view, it was merely a flash.”
Kraush glared at Crimson Garden as he spoke.
“Crimson Garden, let me ask you one thing.”
Kraush had refrained from using the dragon’s power until now to obtain Crimson Garden’s immortality.
“If I were to take your immortality, what would happen to you?”
Crimson Garden paused momentarily before turning her back to him.
“Why, do you think I would die?”
“That’s a given.”
The bond they had built was definitely not brief.
At the very least, Crimson Garden had been the most reliable ally Kraush had.
So when he spoke without hesitation, she chuckled lightly.
“I never expected there would be a day when someone would be sad about my death.”
She slowly perched herself on Kraush’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry. At least the women around you have their lifespans secured.”
“You must have really been keeping this to yourself.”
“At least I should see the end of my loyal servants.”
It seemed she had been preparing for what was to come after meeting Kraush.
“If that’s the case.”
Kraush spoke before standing before a cave next to the Freya Mountains.
No one would mistake it for anything other than a simple stone cave.
In fact, it was similar to natural caves where bears often hibernate during winter.
Kraush stepped into the cave.
The moment her crow cawed, the surrounding scenery began to shift.
In the distance, expansive green fields unfolded before him.
Stars flowed seamlessly through the sky, glimmering in the Milky Way.
Upon witnessing that sight, Kraush soon spotted a massive red dragon resting there.
The dragon, enormous in size, seemed lost in a deep slumber.
An immortal—Crimson Garden August.
Perhaps one of the longest connections Kraush has ever had.
Gazing at Crimson Garden, Kraush raised his hand.
In an instant, a light began swirling in his grasp.
“It’s time to wake up.”
From this moment onward, he was about to rouse Crimson Garden from her slumber.
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