Chapter 722: Chapter 722: Limited Time (1)

The question of who I am—a cliché so tired it’s almost stale.

Recently, Bersil Gowland often found herself asking that very question.

Because honestly, she was truly confused.

“I am...”

Who?

When she was first dragged here, it was a question so easy to answer that she didn’t even need to ask herself.

But now, after carrying this name for well over ten years, she couldn’t answer it easily at all.

“I am...”

Is she the white woman who worked in New York’s financial district?

Or is she the mage living in the labyrinth city?

“...I don’t know.”

To be honest, she really didn’t know.

So she used elimination.

If she were the former, there were many things that wouldn’t add up.

After all, no matter how many NPCs lost their lives in Ice Rock, that woman from the financial district would never be angry...

Just look now.

That selfish woman who only cared about herself wouldn’t have worried this desperately.

For the survival of “us,” not just “me.”

“...What should I do?”

Gowland’s gaze habitually drifted to one spot.

But all she could confirm was the presence of an empty seat that had remained unchanged for days.

The one who seemed like he could always find a clear path in any situation was not here.

But perhaps because of that...

“Get a hold of yourself, Gowland! If you keep this up, we’re all going to die!!”

She cleared her mind, as if expelling the overwhelming chaos swirling in her head.

“If you can’t, I’ll take command—”

“Don’t worry.”

“...Huh?”

“Because I’m awake now.”

In a way, the situation wasn’t so complicated.

During the war, the main force retreated, abandoning the explorers on the frontlines, leaving them stranded deep inside enemy territory.

“The deserters?”

“Sven Parab, Lilis Marone, Auyen Lokrov, Emily Raines... so far, there are four.”

Though wildly worried about the safety of comrades lost in the chaotic battle, to be frank, there was no energy to care about them right now.

Therefore...

‘I can only hope they survive...’

Bersil Gowland steeled her resolve.

“Ahhhhh...! Pl-please save me...!!”

“The front is retreating! We won’t hold out much longer!”

“Any reinforcements? Are # Nоvеlight # there really no reinforcements?”

“Fools! Don’t run away! Fight to the end!!”

The explorer clans drafted to the front were standing back to back, holding the line, but it was clear they would collapse if things continued like this.

Yeah, so...

“Kaislan, call the clan masters—or if not masters, whoever holds decision-making power—who are still resisting around here.”

“What do you intend?”

“Just once... I want us all to join forces to open a path out.”

She knew full well that many sacrifices would come with this.

But what else was there to do?

If they stayed like this, they’d all die.

“Very well...”

Kaislan nodded sharply in agreement and raised a pointed question.

“But will they really listen to us?”

This was something she also worried about.

Yet surprisingly, the answer was easy to find.

Because that barbarian would surely act like this.

“Tell them that our Anavada clan will lead the charge. And if they still refuse to join, tell them we’ll leave them behind.”

At those words, Kaislan paused as if recalling someone, then asked one more question.

“So your goal is to break the siege and head toward the Ecliptic?”

Not so much an ignorant question as a last confirmation.

Because the king was in the Ecliptic.

Naturally, the Ecliptic was the safest place even during wartime.

But...

“No. We won’t head to the Ecliptic.”

Bersil shook her head firmly and continued.

“We’re heading to the sanctuary.”

“...The sanctuary?”

Kaislan’s expression showed surprise, but she didn’t oppose it.

On the contrary, she smiled wryly, as if convinced.

“Now I see why Yandel made you deputy commander.”

“Is that... a compliment?”

“Of course.”

With that, Kaislan ran across the battlefield delivering the message to the clans, and Bersil watched from afar, reaffirming her resolve one last time.

She found it somewhat unfamiliar—did she really have this passionate side?

‘...I will definitely.’

She would return alive.

Saving as many as possible.

The screen filled the entire wall.

The sound system was flawless.

The vivid video made her palms sweat just from watching.

If only there were popcorn, it would be perfect.

If only her comrades weren’t in the footage.

Beep!

Just as Bersil and Kaislan were having an awkward conversation, the King of Apocalypse paused the video.

And then...

“Seems your subordinates think highly of you?”

Subordinates...

She wanted to add something but held back, and the King of Apocalypse chuckled at her expression.

“You look like you have a lot you want to say.”

She couldn’t deny it.

Why he showed the video.

Why he stopped it now.

How on earth they filmed such footage.

There were so many questions she wanted to ask.

But among all the countless mysteries, one was most important...

“This is...”

Yeah, this one.

“...Is it live?”

Is the footage real-time or recorded long ago?

Arguably, the most critical point at present.

“A sharp question. Excellent.”

The King of Apocalypse praised with a satisfied voice.

But praise was praise, and this was another matter.

“But it wouldn’t be fun to tell you now.”

That damn hedonist.

As she internally cursed the king, he casually asked.

“Which do you think it is?”

Uh...

“No, I should rephrase that. Which do you want it to be?”

Honestly, she wanted it to be live.

Answering honestly, the King of Apocalypse laughed again with a faint sneer.

“Hahaha! The past can’t be changed, after all.”

“...Yeah.”

After a brief pause, he suddenly burst out laughing.

“Hahaha! Hahahahaha!”

That wasn’t just a sneer—it was uproarious laughter.

Being laughed at like that right in front of her was disgusting, but...

What could she do?

Creak...

As a complete subordinate, she had to endure it.

“...Ahaha. Sorry for the rudeness. It’s been so long since I heard something that funny.”

Fortunately, the laughter didn’t last long.

Soon, the King of Apocalypse composed himself and said to her.

“So, what now... You made me laugh sincerely after a long time, so I can’t just let this go. Ah, shall I repay you by giving the correct answer?”

Uh...

‘Really?’

As she unconsciously looked at the figure beyond the silk with expectation,

He revealed the ‘answer’ casually.

“The footage I just showed you was recorded.”

“When was it...?”

“Well... when was it?”

The King of Apocalypse muttered, and the knight standing nearby politely answered.

“It was when Your Majesty was enjoying ‘board games’ with Baron Yandel.”

“Oh, was it?”

“...”

While she was goofing around with that bastard, her comrades were fighting desperately on the frontlines.

Her heart grew heavy, but she quickly calculated the dates.

“They played board games on day two, and now it’s day four...”

The footage was filmed two days ago.

Simply put, no matter who dies in that video, she couldn’t intervene.

“You look disappointed and frustrated.”

“...”

“To comfort you a bit, even if the footage wasn’t recorded, it wouldn’t have made much difference.”

“...What?”

“You wouldn’t have been able to change anything anyway.”

When she gave no answer, the King of Apocalypse tilted his head.

“Ah, was that too blunt to be called comfort? Haha, I’m a type T.”

Her blood boiled.

Starting with the brazenness of naturally discussing personality types despite being from another world.

But today, he was an opponent she couldn’t just attack while possessed by a barbarian spirit.

So she kept quiet.

Bored, the King of Apocalypse resumed the video.

Beep!

The figures in the previously paused footage began moving frantically again, struggling with sweat and blood to survive.

Watching that, her heart pounded.

No, actually, it had been pounding from before.

Thump!

Would blind arrows or magic fly toward her comrades in the video?

Would the front collapse suddenly, leading to the worst outcome?

Would someone breaking through at the front get hurt or die?

And...

“Sven Parab, Lilis Marone, Auyen Lokrov, Emily Raines... so far, there are four.”

Were those four lost in the chaos safe?

Clenching her fists tighter and tighter, she could only think of that.

Because that was all she could do.

So she kept thinking in the part she could influence.

“Well, now it’s day four... just three more days to go.”

Only three days until the promised week.

The remaining time didn’t matter.

Why had the King of Apocalypse asked her to keep him company for a whole week, making all five ‘requests’?

Did he just want to keep her tied down and see her suffer?

Tap, tap...

Well, maybe.

But from the personality she’d experienced, he wouldn’t do that.

There had to be another reason.

If so, what was it?

Tap, tap...

Thinking from the King of Apocalypse’s perspective, a plausible hypothesis came to mind.

“You seem distracted? Ah, is it because this part isn’t interesting?”

He operated the remote and paused the video again.

“If you don’t want to see it, say so now. I don’t mind chatting or playing games.”

She slowly shook her head and asked bluntly.

“Have any of my comrades died so far?”

“If you’re curious, why don’t you just watch?”

“Please answer.”

When she pressed him more firmly, the King of Apocalypse was silent for a moment.

Since only his silhouette was visible beyond the silk, she couldn’t read his expression.

But it wasn’t hard to guess he was satisfied.

And the guess was correct.

“Your questions... have become a bit longer than before?”

His voice suggested he was surprised but not displeased, confirming her hypothesis.

“Has anyone died so far?”

“...No. Not yet.”

It was a kind of taming.

What this guy was doing to her right now.

“So it is?”

“So it is.”

As the King of Apocalypse seemed to enjoy this situation, she quietly nodded.

Then she stooped low like a hunchback and raised her head, as if looking up.

And bluntly asked once more.

“Your Majesty, then how can I reach my comrades?”

A line theatrical enough she never spoke before—neither in life nor as a barbarian.

“......”

“......”

His answer came after a brief silence.

“Hmm, I expected day five.”

Even she didn’t understand herself.

His tone hadn’t changed much, nor had anything else around him.

“This... you’re quite the clever one, huh...?”

Why did a chill run down her spine the moment she heard that?

Swoosh.

For some reason, the silk curtain that hadn’t moved once in four days slid aside.

And...

Step, step.

The King of Apocalypse walked down the stairs between the silk curtains.

He stretched his arms as if his shoulders were stiff and headed toward the doorway.

“Huh... being stuck inside the room keeps getting suffocating. What, aren’t you coming?”

“Uh...”

“Let’s walk for a bit and talk. There’s something I want to show you.”

“Ah, ah... yes...”

Still dazed and barely aware of what she was saying, she followed behind him.

Because she had no choice.

‘This is... the King of Apocalypse...?’

He was so much like

someone she knew.