I Became The Villain The Hero Is Obsessed With

410 – Paradox of Prophecy

[Major events after the Total Assault]

＞Angel’s air raid continues. It had diminished for some time but is currently on the increase.

＞The cooperation between the base for countermeasures, the association, and the cathedral has been strengthened. Thought to be mainly due to the joint resistance against the angels and the cathedral halting the terror.

＞Shelters capable of holding thousands have been established worldwide. The death toll from angel attacks continues to decrease. The damage from the raids is being assessed and recovery operations are ongoing.

＞People’s faith in the hero ‘Stardust’ is growing stronger. Going forward, the team for public reassurance and societal normalization plans to centre their publicity and opinion on Stardust.

＞’Moonstone’, a new material, successfully containing the power of the Sun God. Discussing its potential application and usage.

***

“Sigh…”

Still in the hospital.

Reading the report handed to me, I sighed and laid it down.

Stuck in this hospital room for more than a week, I was beginning to get used to it. All of my work was now being done from here, anyway.

Sure, physically, it feels like everything is fine — except being a bit weaker than before… Well, the reason for my confinement isn’t my current condition, but the uncertainty of what state I would return in if I left.

My sister had been crying and pleading, saying that I looked awful and close to death… It was difficult at that point to argue with her…

Thus, with my power wonky to the point where I vomit black blood every time I teleport, I couldn’t leave anyway. With nobody on my side, I was dealing with everything from my hospital room.

Moreover.

[Ha! They’re never-ending, are they? Let’s see how far they go.]

[Destroying evil with burning purple flames. Almost said it~]

[Sigh… This is endless. How long do I have to do it?]

[hahahahaha! Let me show you the power of the Saint Petrius, the Death Knight!!!]

Watching the holographic scenes floating before my eyes, I sighed again.

Now I could even monitor in real-time the situations of my members.

The visible figures of my EgoStream team members on the screen.

Through the mask, I could check, on a floating live feed, the situation of each EgoStream member.

One person in each screen.

Choi Sehee, Seo Jaryoung, Shin Rongssi, Desik Ajjae, Eonwoli, and even Seo-Eun working at the association for some reason… All were being monitored in real-time.

Naturally, this was a system set up by Seo-Eun.

She had provided drones to track each individual so that I could watch them in real-time through the drone cameras.

She had attached the trackers because she said I couldn’t keep track of my team members’ situations from my hospital room and that I had to leave to keep up with them. Now I could monitor them in real-time, ‘the other members also agreed’, she’d added.

Seriously, is being continuously monitored better than me escaping this confinement…

Anyway, the moment I lowered my mask and switched off the holographic images momentarily.

“Egoistic, what are you up to?”

The door suddenly opened, and Celeste, dressed in a white saint’s robe, comfortably entered the room.

…Do I have no privacy at all?

“I was just resting. I mean, it seems like the world is holding up well these days.”

Of course, I did not say that.

…Would I, to Celeste, who devoted her life following and trusting the Sun God only to betray him for my sake? I just didn’t want to say anything to her lately.

Indeed, she seemed to be on edge lately.

“Uh-huh… That’s right. Things are going well.”

With a faint smile on her face, she pushed back her silver hair, and gently sat on a chair next to where I was sitting.

I looked at Celeste.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Ah… I just spaced out. I’m sorry.”

Could she feel my gaze? In a slightly embarrassed voice, she gruffly turned her head away.

No. I kept my eyes closed, so I wouldn’t notice.

She was still a little cranky, but I knew. That she was suppressing her temperament, quietly cooperating with the association, and setting up a huge protective barrier around the world – all for my sake.

After all, even her vengeful feelings towards the Sun God had been planted in her by me.

After the Sun God fell into that state, she was quite dependent on me. She felt insecure without me.

‘…But.’

As I contemplated, I noticed something strange.

When I collapsed, the person who worried when I woke up was Celeste. She was worried that there might be confusion while I was collapsed.

However, according to the story, while everyone was in chaos worrying about what would happen if I was in trouble, Celeste was the one who calmly reassured everyone that I would be okay.

‘And…’

Unlike EgoStream and Stardust, who confined me fearing that I might die even before the arrival of the Sun God.

…Celeste had said she didn’t have to go to such lengths. That I would be fine.

As if, she had some strange basis for judging that I would be safe.

What could that be?

I was curious and decided to ask Celeste directly.

“Celeste.”

“Huh. What is it?”

“…At that time, when I was collapsed. I heard you reassured everyone that everything would be fine.”

Upon hearing my question, Celeste, still huffed and her arms crossed, turned her head, her face solidifying instantly.

Looking at her reaction, I continued to question.

“I appreciate that… but was there any reason you thought as such?”

In response to my question.

“…Well, I just thought you would be fine because it’s you. Why on earth are you asking these questions?”

She looked perplexed, her cheeks slightly red, and she firmly told me that there was no reason, her eyes closed.

Hmm… it appears like there’s something.

No matter, I can’t expect answers right now.

I looked at Celeste for a moment, then decided to think about it later.

More than that.

‘… It’s about time to take action.’

Thus, I thought as I watched Celeste.

It was time to destroy the Sun God’s relics.

The advent of the Sun God was not far away. Before it’s too late, it was time to crush its relics.

Especially since as the Sun God’s influence became stronger, responses were also coming from those relics… because one never knows what reaction could be triggered once the Sun God has completely descended.

However.

“…..”

Why was it?

I kept getting this strange premonition that destroying this relic now could be a problem. That’s why I’ve been putting it off.

But what can I do? If I don’t destroy it now, everything may fall apart when the Sun God descends? It was time to destroy it before it’s too late.

“Now, rationale should take precedence over emotions.”

With this thought in mind, I looked at Celeste, who was fanning herself with her head turned away, and made up my mind.

Now, it was time to persuade them to destroy the holy relic.

***

“…Back then, when I was fainting. Could it be that you assured people by telling them I would be okay all by myself because you had a specific reason for thinking so?”

A question from Egoistic.

This question certainly surprised Celeste.

‘…H, how can I tell you?’

The reason being.

…Celeste was staunch in her belief that Egoistic would always come back from the brink, even if he were to faint and lose consciousness. And also, she stood steadfast in her belief that Egoistic is safe now.

The reason,

In a space made of bricks,

A woman with silver hair in a saint’s dress was pinned against the wall by a man in a black hat.

With her back pressed against the wall, the woman with silver hair opened her mouth with a shaky voice, looking up at the man in front of her nose with golden eyes.

“Hold on… Egoistic, calm down. We shouldn’t do this here, okay?”

“I can’t. I can’t hold myself back.”

“No, I mean, calm down! I also like it, right? Just for a moment here… Ugh.”

“Ugh… Aah, just for a moment…! Ugh…”

‘Oh dear…’

Because of the prophecy she saw.

The scene she saw of herself being vehemently kissed by Egoistic…

That prophecy gave Celeste conviction.

‘Egoistic… until he and I ki, kiss like that… he definitely won’t die first…’

That’s right.

The assertion that she and Egoistic would kiss at some point.

…Interpreted differently, it meant that Egoistic could not possibly die before that kiss happens.

Using the time paradox that one cannot kiss someone who is dead.

Therefore, Celeste was confident.

Until that scene occurs, there is no danger to Egoistic…!

In reality.

…Of course, that prophecy was more one possibility of the future rather than a 100% guaranteed prophecy.

Despite the fact that the oracle who gave the prophecy disappeared before and after the advent of the Sun God, she nevertheless chose to believe it.

Because it was now impossible for her to imagine a day without Egoistic in her life.

‘…’

In truth.

…She didn’t show it much, but she had been heavily reliant on Egoistic since the incident with the Sun God.

Actually, calling it reliance would be an understatement. It was more a fixation, and an abject submission.

Because it was nothing short of substituting the object of her lifetime of worship, the God, with Egoistic.

…Egoistic may not see it, but she was currently in a delicate mental and physical condition. If Egoistic were to command something seriously now, she would just follow, no matter what it is. She would even die if he wanted her to.

She was in a state like Egoistic’s saintess.

…Of course, she tried her best to conceal it.

However, that’s the kind of person she was.

“…Celeste.”

“What is it?”

“…I’m getting frustrated being stuck in this sick room. Can I go outside for a bit?”

“…No.”

“Come on, Celeste. I’ll just quietly stay at the cathedral and then come back. …Because I have something to do there. Alright? When there’s no one else, just the two of us.”

“…..”

‘Ju, just Egoistic and me…’

When Egoistic suggested this, wearing a small smile and a serious face.

She, she couldn’t refuse.