Some time later.
“Indeed, it was the right choice to remove that cumbersome obstacle, my lord.”
This was Selene’s reaction upon hearing the story that I had kidnapped Jeon Dongwook.
The current location was Abyss.
The timing was around when the issues of the Tower eruption incident and the appearance of the 5-star Calamity, the Charred Saint Selene in Jung-gu, had somewhat subsided.
[The Dragon King and the Flame King announced, “We have achieved significant results in conquering the Tower…” and declared future re-conquest.]
Thanks to this incident, there was almost no damage to me.
This was because Yoo Junseo had exaggeratedly claimed that the Tower had been almost cleared, mixing in more than half of his own embellishments.
The lightning-shaped scar on the body of the Charred Saint Selene, who had appeared in Jung-gu, also played a part.
Non-awakened panelists, who claimed to be experts, seemed to interpret it as a wound from a fierce battle with me.
In any case, due to the Management Bureau Director’s skillful media play and my reputation as an S-class Awakener, and most importantly, because Selene had not caused any casualties, the Tower eruption incident did not escalate into a major issue.
Instead, it was being praised as a miracle by some, as the Awakeners of the Management Bureau had risked their lives to stop the 5-star Calamity.
From the Management Bureau’s perspective, it couldn’t get any better than this.
It’s a win-win situation.
Of course, the Management Bureau wasn’t the only one to benefit.
[Calamities Held: 50/50]
[Experience Held: 7010 Exp]
I also managed to gather a decent amount of Calamities and experience.
The number of Calamities Selene had collected was so vast that the accumulated experience was truly enormous.
I heard that more than half of the Management Bureau’s Awakeners had lost their held Calamities and were left with nothing.
In any case, the situation had resolved favorably, and Selene, who had healed from her wounds from the battle with Mirien, was now asking me for the full story.
“My lord, while it is greatly welcome that the current situation is proceeding smoothly, there is one thing I am curious about.”
“I think I know what it is. Go ahead and ask.”
“So… what exactly happened with Mirien?”
Selene asked cautiously.
I had not yet told her about Mirien’s actions after kidnapping Jeon Dongwook.
“Hmm. It’s a bit complicated to explain…”
Her expression as she asked the question was tinged with a strange sense of anticipation.
I couldn’t tell what emotion it stemmed from, but I tried to simplify it as much as possible.
“We managed to clear up the misunderstandings through conversation.”
“My lord, where is that woman now? Since she’s not in Abyss, it seems she hasn’t joined your ranks…”
“Well, she’s somewhere.”
“Didn’t you say you cleared up the misunderstandings?”
As she continued, Selene blinked as if she had just remembered something.
“I see…”
“Huh? Why that expression?”
“I cannot help but admire your foresight, my lord.”
I frowned at Selene’s flattery.
What on earth is this woman talking about?
Before I could ask, Selene continued with a bitter smile.
“To order that magic-wielding woman to commit suicide. Truly a splendid decision. Eliminating that ungrateful woman would be beneficial in the long run…”
“Wait, Selene. There’s a misunderstanding here. I didn’t kill Mirien.”
“…You didn’t?”
“No. I sent Mirien back to the Tower for now. There’s a lot to sort out.”
Before being a Ruler Actor, I was known to the world as an S-class Awakener, Nam Jooyeon.
I had to give interviews to reporters about the failed conquest of the Tower and the eruption, and I needed to coordinate with Yoo Junseo.
I also needed to talk to Kang Sena to find the whereabouts of the missing Awakeners, including Seo Yerin.
There was also the matter of Jeon Dongwook.
In the end, I didn’t have the time to leisurely reconcile with Mirien, so I sent her back to the Tower for now.
“Ah…”
Selene’s expression visibly showed disappointment at my explanation.
‘Actually, it’s because of you.’
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
The reason I didn’t bring Mirien to Abyss was largely due to this ashen-haired saint in front of me.
Every time they made eye contact, they seemed ready to fight.
If I put them in the same base, it would lead to a disastrous outcome.
I needed to keep them apart for now.
“Then, do you plan to visit the Tower again once things settle down?”
“Yes. It will become my second base.”
“…Second base?”
I nodded.
If Abyss is the base where the Calamities of S-class Awakener Nam Jooyeon are gathered, then the Tower is the place to realize more secretive and covert plans.
My second identity.
“Not as the Ruler Actor of Abyss, but as the Tower Lord Actor of the Tower.”
“…..”
At my words, Selene’s eyebrows lowered calmly.
“So, it’s like having two households.”
“…Selene, what did you say?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing.”
Selene’s expression was as usual, but the unusual atmosphere emanating from her overwhelmed me.
*
The Charred Saint Selene had sworn infinite loyalty to the Ruler Actor.
It was a vow she made when she first entered the rift, and it remained the same even now, as she assisted the Actor in a new dimension.
Everything Selene did was for the Actor, and she was willing to throw away her life without hesitation for him.
She wanted to remain as a loyal servant, supporting the Actor’s grand plans, even until her death, and beyond.
The bloody battle with Mirien, the Storm of the North Sea, was also born out of this loyalty, and she even felt relieved when the lord said that things had ended well.
Since things had gone according to the lord’s will, Selene should have been satisfied.
‘Why is it?’
Yes.
It’s a good outcome.
That woman, Mirien, will live the rest of her life burdened with guilt towards the Actor.
It remains to be seen, but she won’t be a nuisance to the lord for a while.
But for some reason, Selene’s heart was not at ease.
Is there some hidden danger she’s missing?
Or does that woman, Mirien, still have some scheme?
‘Strange.’
Selene felt that her own state was very strange.
Seeing the lord show such a human side, smiling while talking about Mirien…
She should think of it as a meaningful display of the lord’s virtuous character, along with his good fortune.
So why is she feeling this surge of anger?
It’s not betrayal.
Selene is a devout follower of the one true god, the Actor.
She would never, ever betray him.
Then what is this unpleasant feeling rising in her chest?
Selene decided to define this unexplainable feeling not as love, like Mirien, but simply as a physiological aversion born out of her own hatred for Mirien.
She had to.
*
It seemed Mirien had imprisoned the kidnapped Awakeners in the basement of the Tower.
Now that they had reconciled, it was easy to secretly retrieve the kidnapped Awakeners.
“T-this many…”
Kang Sena looked at the dozen or so Awakeners I had rescued with a surprised expression.
It’s impossible to control all these people, so when I asked Mirien, she threw them out of the Tower as if disposing of trash.
“How did you find them? No, more importantly, how did you realize that Yerin was in the basement of that Tower?”
I couldn’t exactly say that I heard it from the kidnapper herself.
I shrugged and stroked the head of Tempest, the Storm Dragon.
The giant wyvern was quick-witted.
It did a somersault, showing off its elegant form.
“There’s always a way.”
“Ah. As expected of a 4-star Calamity… S-class is different…”
The world of Disaster Order is quite convenient.
People tend to accept explanations as long as you bring out a Calamity.
“…I won’t forget this. I will repay this favor somehow.”
Kang Sena kept expressing her gratitude, but I couldn’t help the rising sense of guilt.
Especially after hearing her next words.
“Ah, by the way, it seems more people went missing during this chaos.”
“Missing? I thought there were no casualties?”
“Yes. There were no casualties. Whether it was because the Charred Saint showed mercy, or because the rainy weather made it difficult…”
Kang Sena trailed off, then smiled bitterly.
“Investigator Jeon Dongwook is missing.”
“….”
“He seems to have gone AWOL. He was seen stealing a motorcycle and heading northwest. Maybe he sensed something strange…”
Kang Sena didn’t show much sorrow over Jeon Dongwook’s disappearance.
He wasn’t exactly a beloved superior to begin with.
But I wonder what expression she would make if she realized that the person who kidnapped her superior was standing right in front of her.
“…That’s unfortunate.”
“Well, I should say it’s unfortunate.”
At my indifferent response, Kang Sena nodded with a knowing smile.
*
After this incident, the security around the Tower in Yeouido became even stricter.
Not just police forces, but Awakeners dispatched from the Management Bureau were constantly on the lookout, making entering through the main gate a suicidal act.
Perhaps that’s why. Mirien created a new route to enter the Tower.
“My lord, did we really have to use this place as the entrance? It seems clear that Mirien is looking down on you. At the very least, shouldn’t we have laid down a carpet here?”
A sewer pipe.
Selene seemed quite displeased that I was walking through this smelly path, but I didn’t mind.
“Now, now, calm down. Remember what I ordered?”
At my words, Selene reluctantly nodded.
“…Yes. I will never fight with that woman.”
“Arguments are also considered fighting, remember?”
“I am aware of that as well.”
After getting Selene’s confirmation, I placed my hand on a magic circle on the nearby wall.
Then, like something out of a movie, a mechanism activated, and my vision flipped.
“…Actor.”
Having finished her treatment, Mirien, now looking clean, was staring at me.
“You’re here to torture him, right? I’ve got everything ready.”
As if showing off, she pointed to the Awakener Jeon Dongwook, who was bound and breathing heavily, and smiled brightly.
The tools next to Mirien were all sharp blades, some even heated to a glowing red.
“…Mirien.”
“Yes.”
“Go outside and hold hands with Selene.”
After all, Calamities are Calamities.