Chapter 740: Chapter 740: Changed Fate (3)

There is a prophet named Cassandra.

She foretold the fall of Troy, but the king of Troy did not believe her, and Troy ultimately perished.

Of course, the king had his excuses.

Apollo, who had been rejected by Cassandra, spitefully took away her “persuasiveness.” The fact that people did not believe the prophecy was clearly influenced by that “curse.”

But...

“Well.”

Even if she had persuasiveness, it might not have been much different.

Who wants to believe ominous prophecies?

Even people who pay for fortune tellers run away when they hear bad news.

Would the king of Troy really have nodded and said, “Hmm, we’re doomed,” after hearing her prophecy?

“Of course not.”

Just like I wouldn’t.

“Haha... How about calming down a little? I didn’t come to fight, Prince Lion.”

“I’m not here to fight, but to verify. To see whether I can trust your words or not.”

I spoke coldly, and at first he seemed surprised, but then he smirked—like his surprise was just an act.

“You already know, don’t you? The elder’s power.”

“Yeah, I know that old man’s ability well. He’s a master at playing with people.”

Despite my sneer, he quietly replied without much reaction.

“Then why did you stop?”

A sharp question.

“You could have just passed ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) by and headed for the sanctuary. What reason do you have to stop?”

“......”

“Prince Lion, surely you knew in your heart that you might regret not listening to the elder’s advice.”

I wanted to deny it.

That I only tried to listen to what the old man said, to see what he meant. Even false information is information, and I planned to use it to understand the old man’s intentions.

I wanted to say that, but as he had just said, he knew the real reason.

It wasn’t that.

“By the way, I asked you earlier if I’d live or die here.”

“......”

“The elder didn’t give me a clear sign, but... well, since we’re still talking, I guess this isn’t where I die today.”

“......”

“Then will you lift this? It’s getting suffocating.”

Ha...

“Damn it.”

Using my free hand, I tore off his mask.

Swish!

The face revealed beneath was very ordinary.

A mid-30s beastman you could see anywhere in the city...

Hmph, I wondered if I knew him.

“Haha... Were you that curious about my face?”

Seeing that he wasn’t fazed at all, I quietly asked.

“Just one thing.”

“Anything.”

“If you worked under that old man, you’d know about the records, right?”

“Of course.”

“Then why do you keep saying the future changes depending on choices? You say you don’t believe it changes.”

Whether I believe in fate or not is irrelevant here.

I was just curious why these damned true fate believers act like this.

“Hmm... That’s a tough question. It might be a long answer, is that okay?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“For example, a man is playing cards with other drunks at a bar. The dealer accidentally deals the cards out of order.”

I thought it was nonsense but kept quiet.

“If dealt correctly, he would have had a weak hand, but because of the mistake, he got a very good hand. The others were so drunk they didn’t notice the error. So he quietly kept his mouth shut and took advantage.”

I still didn’t understand what he was saying.

“Now I’ll ask you.”

He asked.

“Was his original fate to get the weak hand, or was it to get the good hand?”

I didn’t grasp the point of the question, but there was no need to hesitate answering.

“The good hand. The dealer’s mistake was part of fate.”

“Haha, good answer. You learn quickly.”

He said so, but honestly, I didn’t understand at all.

But...

“As Prince Lion said, a changed fate is still fate.”

“And...”

“What we’re doing now is trying to deal the cards so someone gets a slightly better hand in a ‘very small game.’”

Though I didn’t fully understand the content, I was beginning to grasp what he meant.

So I asked.

“So what happened to him?”

He looked a bit surprised but smirked as he spoke.

“In the end, he lost big in that gamble. But because of the good hand, he minimized his losses.”

“Even with a changed fate, he couldn’t change the fact that he lost.”

“Exactly.”

He smiled like a teacher giving a gold star.

“But don’t worry too much. That man who kept winning and losing eventually grew into a greater person far in the future.”

Of course, those words didn’t comfort me.

They only strengthened my resolve.

“Decide. The cards have already been dealt to Prince Lion.”

I decided never to talk with these damned fate believers on such topics again.

On the castle walls, heat and black smoke rose.

“......”

“......”

After a long silence, unable to wait any longer, he spoke first.

“Is it so hard to decide?”

“......”

“Think simply. If asked which you’d lose, a car or a house, most would choose the car.”

That made sense; for most people, a house is more precious than a car.

But in this vast world, there are those who think otherwise.

I’m the one to decide what’s more precious.

So...

“I’ve decided.”

After much thought, I decided, and his pupils darkened with curiosity.

“What will you do?”

When he spoke as if he knew everything, I felt a strange sense of satisfaction and shrugged.

“Why should I tell you?”

“......?”

“Now get lost.”

With that, I threw him down into the burning District 7.

“Ugh...? Ugh! Uwaaaa!”

He wouldn’t die from falling here.

Seeing him genuinely terrified told me he had no clue this future was coming.

Boom!

Watching him fall into the sea of fire, I felt as if years of old indigestion had finally lifted, but that satisfaction didn’t last long.

“Phew...”

A stone heavier than years of indigestion settled on my chest.

But there was nothing I could do.

“......”

After tossing him down, I stood dazed on the wall for a while before starting to run again.

Toward the sanctuary and District 7.

The destination I’d chosen after much deliberation.

Though my body was uncomfortable, I entered a closet far more comfortable than anywhere outside.

Sven Parav had decided he wouldn’t leave this closet until everything was over, even if he soiled his pants.

But...

“Um...”

Was it too much to expect even a roommate to share that resolve?

“Uh... are you feeling uncomfortable?”

“Could I... just step out for a moment?”

“Eh...? It’s dangerous outside the closet...”

“I know, but... it’ll really be just a moment.”

While saying this, his roommate Lilith Marone nervously shook her leg, like a person on edge.

Because of this, Sven Parav—usually called oblivious—understood why Lilith wanted to leave the closet.

“...Then hurry and be quick.”

Though nervous even for the brief moment the closet door opened, he had no choice but to comply.

“Okay... I’ll just quickly go next door...!”

Lilith left to deal with her condition, and Sven Parav closed the door, waiting.

After about four minutes, the closet door opened again.

Lilith’s face was urgent and anxious.

“Parav...! There’s a fire, a fire!”

“Eh...?”

“The entire east of District 7 is engulfed in flames!”

District 7’s east faces District 8... was there an incident over there?

“Parav, you should come out and see!”

“...Eh?”

“Come see! It’s serious... the fire might even reach here.”

“Oh...”

“No, I mean, we might have to evacuate soon.”

“Y-Yeah...”

Despite Lilith’s warning, Sven Parav didn’t want to leave the closet.

Still, a little uneasy...

“Could you please close the closet door for a moment...?”

“...Sure?”

“Just for a moment.”

He shut the door himself.

Thump—

His heart calmed as the door closed.

Clack!

Though Lilith reopened the door quickly, that brief peace gave him confidence.

Whether there was a big fire in the east or not didn’t matter.

As long as he stayed in this closet, he was safe.

That intuition became absolute certainty.

If someone heard him say this, they’d think he was insane, but...

“Yeah, you follow your instincts.”

Sven Parav had been saved many times by that instinct, and even Yandel, called the “Giant,” sometimes trusted it.

Therefore...

“I’m fine, Miss Marone. It’ll be safe here.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“You’re a mage, I’m a paladin. If we take turns using our powers, even if the whole city burns, this closet won’t.”

It wasn’t an unreasonable claim.

Paladins have shields, barriers, holy enchantments; mages likewise.

“Hmm...”

Maybe it sounded more reasonable than “instinct.”

Lilith seemed to agree, and Sven Parav seized the chance.

“Aren’t there Noark troops all around outside? It’s too dangerous to move now. If we must move, it’s better after the fire reaches us. Then the enemy will be distracted by the flames.”

“Oh... that makes sense. Then for now, we wait...”

Nodding, Lilith agreed they’d hold out as long as possible in the closet.

Suddenly, Lilith stiffened, staring out the window.

At first, I wondered why—

“...Aaaaaaah!”

A loud scream came from outside, and suddenly he understood.

“Captain! Found a woman hiding here!”

“Aaaaah! P-please save me...!”

“Hahaha! She’s begging for mercy? What should we do?”

The moment I heard this conversation, my heart dropped.

Thump!

No, no, no... please no.

I prayed again and again inside—

“P-Parav...!”

Thump!

“...We have to save her!”

As always, bad omens never failed.