Chapter 56: Stay, you are so beautiful(2).

There were no incidents during the remaining time on the ship.

Even if demons attacked additionally, the ship’s barrier was sturdy, and with four of the Seven Divine Pillars on board, there wouldn’t be any major problems.

The problem started when they reached the ground.

The scene that unfolded as soon as they stepped onto land was completely different from what they knew.

It was like a scene from an apocalyptic movie.

Or reminiscent of a zombie movie.

As soon as they discovered the ship, countless demons nearby swarmed towards it.

Among the group, the two girls who wield the strongest power against a large number of demons leap towards the ground.

As the two girls wield their swords side by side in the air, black claws on one side and white sword energy on the other exploded, sweeping across the ground. Those who quickly defeated the approaching demons surveyed the surroundings.

Buildings were destroyed, and not a single person could be seen.

“What on earth…”

Yeonkyung’s voice trembled.

Seeing numerous cracks appearing on the island and demons attacking from the sea, she had somewhat anticipated this situation.

However, the scene before her eyes was excessive.

The balance of power had completely tilted.

She couldn’t explain with her knowledge how so many demons could pour out at once, how the world could change so drastically in an instant.

Barely over 12 hours.

That’s all the time that had passed since Yeonkyung left for the island and returned.

“…This is, Hexennacht.”

“Hexennacht?”

A soft voice murmured.

Yeonkyung immediately questioned Chayeon’s words.

She also asked Yggdrasil inwardly, but she also reacted as if she didn’t know.

“Yes, it’s Hexennacht.”

At that moment, Chayeon’s tone changed.

Was the Heukgumiho possessing her?

For a moment, Yeonkyung thought so, but soon realized it was slightly different.

Chayeon was simply conveying the Heukgu’s words.

“Yggdrasil and Wolmyeong are still young, so they wouldn’t know.”

“What exactly is Hexennacht?”

“It’s a time forgotten in memory, the cause of the ancient human extinction that occurred before we were born. It’s a disgusting act that revives all demons and makes them ascend to the earth.”

“What!”

How could such a thing be possible?

It was a story not passed down in any history or tradition.

In the first place, what was ancient humanity?

“It’s a story from a long, long time ago. I never thought such a thing would appear again.”

“What exactly is the cause? What’s the solution?”

Yeonkyung asked urgently.

It was no longer just a problem for Jindal.

If what was happening before their eyes was happening globally, it was a matter of human survival.

“There’s no solution. Now that it’s happened, there’s no way to send the demons that have crossed over back immediately.”

Yeonkyung was speechless at the despairing answer.

“However, there’s a way to choose the lesser of two evils. If we eliminate the mastermind behind this prank, we can prevent more demons from crossing over.”

“The mastermind being?”

“Mephistopheles.”

Mephistopheles.

Yeonkyung knew the name.

Wasn’t he a famous demon from the Faust legend?

But that didn’t mean she knew him as a real person.

Unlike Jormungandr, Ouroboros, and Cerberus, who were demons that existed in reality and were passed down in stories, Mephistopheles was a demon that only appeared in stories.

A fictional being that didn’t exist.

That’s what she had always known.

“Does such a demon exist? There’s no record of it in Jindal.”

“Only those who have lived as long as I have would know. That’s because it was sealed a long time ago. It seems it has awakened again somehow.”

While not hiding her embarrassment, Chayeon steadily conveyed the Heukgu’s words.

“So, we need to subjugate Mephistopheles. But where did such an existence suddenly drop from?”

“I don’t know. No matter how I think about it, the series of events that have occurred recently seem to be due to its interference.”

In the church they went to as a task before, cracks were being painted over, and special-grade demons appeared.

The demons that appeared on the island this time were named king-level demons.

Considering that most of the demons Chayeon and Arena dealt with just now were 4th grade or lower, strangely strong demons continued to appear around Chayeon.

“…Nearby?”

“It’s definitely nearby, but where on earth…”

Chayeon, who was conveying the Heukgu’s words, instead asked the Heukgu.

Watching Chayeon start to mutter to herself, Yeonkyung retraced her memories.

Nearby, nearby.

She recalled the demons, suspicious people, traitors, and unidentified Ineungnyeokjas she had encountered in recent years one by one.

Was there a clue?

Her mind was foggy as if shrouded in mist.

“Excuse me.”

Byeol, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, interjected.

“I was just thinking, but is it possible that everyone in Jindal has been subjected to mind control…?”

At that moment, Heukgu, Yeonkyung, and Wolmyeong all froze except for Byeol.

They weren’t just surprised that she had pointed out the possibility of mind control.

Ineungnyeokjas should always be cautious and mindful of mind control.

It was common sense.

Therefore, Jindal regularly performed self-diagnosis using their hearts to check for mind control.

When exactly did they forget?

Why couldn’t they even recall that fact?

It was an idea that no one in this place had thought of until Byeol, the girl who hadn’t been subjected to mind control out of the two children, pointed it out.

They should have suspected it as a matter of course, it was strange not to suspect it.

While suspecting others of mind control, they hadn’t considered themselves at all.

Which meant,

“Could it be.”

“It seems that’s it.”

This time, the Heukgu truly possessed her and opened her mouth.

That’s how it was made.

The mysterious mind control on Seohee.

The entity was the same as the one who placed the Geumje on Ouroboros.

Arena was also under it out of the two girls.

They weren’t special.

Everyone in this place except for Byeol had already been subjected to mind control.

Most likely, the majority within Jindal would be under it.

Moreover, what was frightening was that this mind control made them unable to have even a hint of suspicion about themselves until it was pointed out.

It erased the suspicion itself.

It buried the related memories.

Yeonkyung’s eyelashes trembled.

‘Does a demon that can perform such mind control beyond common sense really exist?’

It was beyond the norm.

At the same time, this realization awakened at least one fact.

-It’s inside Jindal.

Simply burying the memory of self-diagnosis couldn’t cause the manipulation.

That’s because numerous materials remaining in writing and data would prove and announce the existence of self-diagnosis.

The demon who cast the mind control must have erased the materials on self-diagnosis.

To do that, the demon had to be inside Jindal.

And quite close to Yeonkyung.

‘Who on earth, who on earth is it?’

Even after coming this far, her thoughts didn’t progress.

It seemed like it would come to mind, but it didn’t.

The thought that this was also Mephistopheles’ trick – the demon suspected of casting mind control – made fear start to rear its head.

It was Arena who broke the silence.

“…It’s not connecting.”

While everyone was talking about Mephistopheles, Arena had been looking down at her phone the whole time.

“Still?”

Chayeon asked with a tone filled with anxiety.

Arena had been holding her phone ever since she got on the ship.

From the moment she realized that what happened on the island wasn’t limited to there, she had tried to contact various places, but couldn’t reach them.

“Mom, Dad…

…Are they okay?”

The world had changed completely.

The anxiety she had felt since the ship had become a reality.

Arena hadn’t been able to contact her family for a while.

After looking down at the ground for a long time, Arena finally made a decision and looked at Yeonkyung.

“I, I have to go home.”

“No.”

Yeonkyung cut off Arena’s words decisively.

“Why!”

“Jindal comes first. Didn’t you hear? If we don’t do something about Mephistopheles, the situation will become more serious.”

“I know that too! But!”

Arena clenched her fists.

Yeonkyung had saved Byeol, and Arena had promised to head to Jindal with Chayeon.

However, that promise was before they knew that the country itself had become like this.

The promise she made a few hours ago not to turn a blind eye to Jindal’s crisis and her worry for her family clashed within her.

“I’m so worried… I just want to check that they’re safe, take them to a safe place, and then come back… Please,

Please…”

As Arena pleaded in a desperate voice, Yeonkyung hesitated.

Worry for her family.

There was no way she couldn’t understand.

However, if the newly appointed White Witch of the Seven Divine Pillars left, the blow to their strength would be great.

‘Not only that…’

Yeonkyung, who was troubled, glanced at Chayeon.

Then looked at Arena again.

After that, she made a decision.

“Okay. Come to Jindal as soon as possible.”

“…! Okay! I’ll be there right away!”

“And Chayeon can’t.”

Before Chayeon, who was twitching her lips, could speak, Yeonkyung cut her off first.

“Please don’t forget the promise you made. And…”

“I know.”

Chayeon answered like that before Yeonkyung could even speak.

She couldn’t leave Teacher Seohee behind after coming this far.

Chayeon didn’t realize that she was unknowingly holding onto Arena’s sleeve with her slightly trembling hand.

“Can I go instead?”

In the meantime, Byeol intervened.

“Byeol?”

“It’s still too dangerous to leave Arena alone.”

Saying that, Byeol approached Arena.

Yeonkyung nodded readily.

“I’ll attach a Shikigami. You’ll be able to return faster.”

As Yeonkyung gestured, a man standing on one side whistled with his hand.

Soon, a huge creature descended from the sky.

It resembled a large eagle.

It was big enough for two girls to ride.

“It’s a power that’s usually hard to show, but now there’s nothing to hold back.”

The man laughed self-deprecatingly.

“Thank you.”

Byeol bowed her head, and Arena lightly followed suit.

“…We finally met again.

Are we parting like this?”

“Arena.”

Chayeon urgently grabbed Arena’s hand.

Arena looked at Chayeon, holding her hand as if she had been waiting.

“I’ll be back soon.”

“…Really?”

“Hey, what do you take me for! I might arrive at Jindal faster than you guys, so you better hurry!”

Arena raised her voice.

It was a lively and confident tone.

It didn’t feel like she was forcing it.

It was truly Arena’s usual voice.

Her golden eyes sparkled.

I see.

That idiot Arena has become able to hide her expressions so naturally.

That fact somehow felt sad.

Chayeon took another step closer.

“Are you really okay?”

-Don’t go.

“Yeah, I’m okay.”

“Are you really okay?”

-Please don’t go.

“Yeah, I’m really okay.”

“Really, really, okay?”

-Stay with me.

Seeing Chayeon, who was showing an endlessly weak side and was restless, Arena lowered her knees.

Their foreheads met, and the two girls’ noses gently touched.

“I wanted to try this once.”

She lightly rubbed her nose.

“I’ll definitely come back. See you later.”

Arena, who had taken her body away, seemed to turn around and leave, but suddenly turned her body back and pointed at Chayeon with her index finger.

In other words, she was wagging her finger.

“That’s when I’ll surpass you. Wait for me, Jeon Chayeon!”

And the eagle carrying the two girls began to fly.

Until the flying eagle became a black dot, Chayeon continued to look only at the shrinking dot.

Her eyes opened.

Her body felt stiff.

She felt like she had taken a nap while tired and woken up in an ambiguous state.

Or it felt like she had just woken up after sleeping for too long.

Her vision slowly adjusted to the darkness.

There was a person’s shadow in front of her.

It was a man.

As the fragments of her memory were pieced together one by one, she remembered why she was in this place.

I see.

She had really been asleep for a long time.

“How are you feeling, Teacher?”

Looking at Seohee, who had awakened after two months, Jo Namyeon opened with those words.