Ending Maker

EPISODE 327 – SOLARI’S TREASURE (2)

Solari, the archangel of the sun.

She was called the sun goddess in Pleiades.

Opinions were divided regarding Solari’s death.

There were stories that she died from exhaustion after having used up all her strength in the fight against the overlords of Hell, and there were also stories that she died together with the overlord.

There were also those who denied that she had died.

They assumed that she had just pretended to die and hid herself.

That she had returned to Heaven and was recovering her strength.

That she would surely come back one day to save the world.

Even Jude and Cordelia did not know the answer.

They were aware of Solari’s death because of the suggestive words that the archangels who appeared in Legend of Heroes 3 had said, but they did not exactly know how Solari died or what she left behind in Pleiades.

But there was one thing that even those two – no, all humans on earth were convinced of.

Solari, the sun goddess.

She loved the people of the earth.

She did her best for them, dedicating and sacrificing her own life to them.

It had already been hundreds of years ago since the Solari’s denomination disappeared.

But even up to this day, the people remembered Solari.

They prayed to her who sacrificed herself and shared her light and warmth to everyone who were in fear and despair.

***

“The Tomb of Solari…”

The gods of the Legend of Heroes series were not abstract beings.

The archangels of Heaven.

They were beings who clearly existed.

Therefore, it was not strange that she had a tomb.

Rather, it was something natural.

It did not make sense for the Solari denomination, that even built tombs for Gallus and the other holy warriors, to not create a place in remembrance of their goddess.

‘It’s just that no one knew where it was.’

Hundreds of years had already passed since the disappearance of the Solari denomination.

Although the Guardians of the Holy Cross inherited many things from the Solari denomination, they did not inherit the story of the Tomb of Solari.

‘In the first place… we are the first ones to have come this far because of the slates.’

Even Kamael knew little about the slates.

In other words, it meant that Jude and Cordelia were the first ones to collect the slates and to have come this far.

‘The reaction of the Fire Fairy Queen was like that too.’

The two people of destiny.

Words that bothered him.

Especially now that he had some of the memories of the other Jude, whom he did not know if it was from a parallel world or if it was something he actually experienced in the past.

‘Wait, now that I think of it…’

Something popped up in his mind when he thought of the fire fairies.

Even if the queen was strict and stern, she was still a fairy. But they had been distracted by the Fire Fairy Queen’s majesty and actions, and completely forgot something.

“Sir Gallus.”

“You may speak.”

“Can we… delay visiting the Tomb of Solari for a bit?

“Jude?”

Cordelia tilted her head at Jude’s suggestion.

Because it was unlike Jude to take a break now.

But instead of explaining what he meant, Jude sent a pleading look to Gallus, and Cordelia immediately responded.

She clung to Gallus’ arm and pleaded.

“Can we? Please?”

She did not know why, but she thought that it was because of something necessary.

So for now, she did her best to help.

‘After all, it’s Jude who does the thinking!’

It was Cordelia’s role to do the action.

Jude would have wept if he had heard her belief of ‘the right person for the right job,’ but anyway, the effect of her actions was great.

“Ahem… You don’t have to go in now.”

It was a bit different from the normal process, but it was not a problem.

“Wow, really? Thank you very much.”

Cordelia had a wide smile and Gallus smiled too. But Jude had a grim expression even though things had gone well.

Because he was concerned that Cordelia was hugging Gallus’ arm.

Therefore, Jude spoke quickly.

“How much time do we have?”

“You only have to come back in a day. Uh… Should I leave this place for a while?”

When Gallus said with a smile, Jude had an awkward smile.

Because Gallus knew what Jude was thinking.

‘He’s not wrong though.’

It was not that he did not think about doing ‘that.’

[Jude?]

Jude coughed for no reason upon hearing Cordelia’s call before he spoke again.

“Then we’ll be going out for a day… no, we’ll be back in a day.”

“I understand.”

Gallus smiled and stepped back.

Given his appearance, he seemed to be in his thirties at most, but his expression and behavior were close to that of an old man.

“Let’s go, Cordelia.”

“Huh? Uh, yes.”

Cordelia reflexively held Jude’s hand when he stretched it out towards her, and her face flushed red.

She had held his hand every day, but it somehow felt different today.

[Do you want your award that much? To the point where you can’t wait for even a second?]

Jude flinched at Cordelia’s message.

It was not just because of the award that Cordelia had promised, but she was not wrong either.

[No, umm… there’s that, but there are other important things too.]

[Like what?]

[The Fire Fairy.]

Cordelia tilted her head, but only for a moment.

[The Fire Protection!]

[That’s right, we missed it earlier, right? Let’s get that first.]

[Yes, yes. It’s a must to be prepared before a boss fight.]

There was a brilliant gate and the Tomb of Solari located beyond it.

But according to the laws of RPG, a boss fight would begin the moment they entered the other side.

‘Of course, I don’t think we’re really going to have a boss fight.’

Perhaps something like the soul of Solari would come out.

She was the sun goddess, after all.

Rather, it was more plausible if they would be fighting a powerful Tomb Guardian.

‘When I think of that, it feels like that will really happen.’

But he was not scared.

On the contrary, he felt like he wanted to fight against a strong enemy.

The sword horizon he saw for the first time.

He had become stronger because of it.

[Anyway, let’s go out and get the Fire Protection.]

[Yes, but Jude.]

[Why?]

[Are we just going to return after getting the protection?]

Really?

We have a full day, right?

Jude did not answer her sly questions.

Instead, he slightly pulled his back and took a step with a slouched posture.

“It’s hard, huh?”

Cordelia said teasingly, and Jude did not answer again this time.

He just hurriedly walked.

***

“Do you want my power? I’ll give it to you if you want it.”

Getting the Fire Protection was surprisingly simple.

“You’ve already passed Gallus’ test, so there’s no need to take another test.”

“So cool.”

“The Fairy Queen is the best!”

The Fire Fairy Queen maintained a poker face amidst the successive praises of Jude and Cordelia, and added the Fire Protection on the Fairy’s Bonds in the hands of the two.

Spring, summer, fall, and winter.

Earth, fire, and wind.

A total of seven protections.

[Only water is left.]

They had to get one more to attain the Great Protection of the Four Elements.

There was only a step left until they obtain the Fairy King’s Protection that was considered the most powerful protection in the Legend of Heroes series and something on the level of fantasies.

“Hehe, hehehe.”

As Cordelia snickered, Jude laughed too. Now that their most urgent task had been completed, it was time to do the next one.

The award that Cordelia promised.

Jude’s hand wrapped around her waist and Cordelia slightly bit her lips as she glanced up at Jude.

[The corners of your mouth are twitching.]

[So are yours.]

He seemed to be seriously restraining himself.

[Is it seriously hard for you? Is it that bad already?]

[Should we take a break now?]

[That’s a bit…]

Cordelia shyly wiggled her fingers, and Jude could not stand it any longer. He grabbed her back and immediately carried her.

“Then Fairy Queen, we will leave for a while to do some preparations before coming back.”

“That’s fine with me.”

As soon as the Fire Fairy Queen gave her approval, Jude hurriedly left. Cordelia let out a small scream while in Jude’s arms.

As for the two who were watching all of this.

[They’re like dogs in heat.]

[I think so too.]

It was Melissa and Valencia.

Both of them had bitter smiles.

***

On the hill overlooking the Tomb of the Star.

“Haa… haa…”

Cordelia who was drenched in sweat rested her head on Jude’s chest as she roughly breathed.

Pain and ecstasy.

A feeling of pleasure had filled her mind even though she felt like she was going to die from exhaustion.

And another emotion.

An indescribable deep sense of relief.

Jude was here.

Cordelia herself was right next to him.

They were together like this now.

It was a very natural fact, but it felt strangely precious to her.

Tears came out of her eyes without her realizing it.

“I have strange…no, sad memories.”

Jude hugged Cordelia and opened his mouth.

The intense emotions he felt right after the test.

The fragments of memories that he found it hard to think of belonging to someone else.

Jude began to slowly speak.

The memory fragments were not properly connected, but he let out of his mouth one by one the memories of the other Jude who had reached the sword horizon.

“The worst route…”

Jude who had lost everything and lived only for revenge.

Cordelia who became a demonic human and died at the hands of Jude.

As Cordelia listened to his story, she felt a pain in her chest. Tears flowed out more than before.

“Actually, I also have something I want to talk about.”

The stories in her dreams while they were traveling in the south.

It was blurry at first. But while listening to Jude’s story, the blurred memories gradually became clearer.

The Cordelia who regained her humanity at the last moment and died while pretending to be a demonic human because she did not want to hurt Jude’s heart.

The Cordelia who died after whispering sorry to Jude, just like the other Jude’s memories.

And the Cordelia who became a demonic human and ridiculed and tormented Jude.

All these were terrible stories.

That was why she just dismissed it as dreams.

But if these were not just simple dreams.

If it was from a parallel world, or something that actually happened in the past like in novels and movies.

“Are you talking about… regression?”

“I’m not sure. Rather, the parallel world theory makes more sense.”

If for some reason, memories from a parallel world were transmitted to them.

But it was at that time.

Cordelia suddenly crouched. Her hands slightly trembled.

“Cordelia?”

“I mean, uh… well… it’s a bit scary.”

“Scary?”

“Our memories… uh… our memories before we became Jude and Cordelia.”

Their past lives.

The two were rotten waters of Legend of Heroes 2.

If their memories of the two were not memories of their previous lives.

If it were just other people’s memories that were transmitted to them like the memories from a parallel world.

She felt like she would be losing her identity.

The two were Jude and Cordelia, but were Kang Jin-ho and Hong Yoo Hee at the same time.

“I don’t know yet. There’s no guarantee that these are memories from parallel worlds.”

When Jude hugged Cordelia’s waist and said that, she nodded. And she whispered involuntarily – no, as if she was being guided by something.

“If we go to the Tomb of Solari… will we know a little more?”

What these memories were about.

What the words two people of destiny meant.

“Well, perhaps. And… In any case, the fact that I am me… and that you are Cordelia will not change. So it will be fine. It will not be a problem.”

Obvious words but also words that made her feel relieved.

“I’m glad that the two of us are together.”

That I’m not alone.

That we’re together like this now.

“By the way, Jude.”

“What is it?”

“Well, it feels like your hand is going down though?”

Jude continued to move his hand instead of answering, and Cordelia flinched but soon had a playful expression.

She stretched out her head and bit Jude’s neck.

***

“You really returned in a day. You’re also in the nick of time.”

Jude and Cordelia shyly smiled at Gallus’ words while Melissa and Valencia’s eyes became cold.

[Both of them are beasts.]

[I agree.]

But Jude and Cordelia had already ignored the voices of the two.

Jude spoke to Gallus with a calm face.

“Sir Gallus, please.”

“Hmm, I understand. Get ready.”

Gallus unhesitatingly answered, and a golden arched door appeared again.

“May the glory of the sun always be with you.”

“May the muscles always be with you.”

Cordelia replied to Solari’s greeting with Landius’ greeting, and looked through the wide open door as she took a deep breath. She held Jude’s hand again and stepped forward.

She crossed the doorsill.

And beyond that.

It was a space filled with the power of Solari.

Cordelia reflexively turned to her side.

Jude was not there.

The hand that she had just been holding until now had disappeared.

‘Stay calm.’

Something bad did not suddenly happen to Jude. The gem embedded in Count Chase’s bracelet, which could tell if the other person was alive or dead even if they were far away, was still shining faintly.

Jude was still alive.

His life was not in danger.

‘A barrier.’

Or something like that.

Cordelia turned to Moonlight. She could not feel Melissa’s energy.

Perhaps this space itself right now was like a dream and not reality.

“Solari.”

Cordelia said in a low voice and spread out her angel wings. Her hair that had now completely turned pink became light due to the powerful light let out by her angelic halo.

She slowly walked forward.

She received the warm and gentle power of Solari and looked straight ahead.

A red sky and blue earth.

A woman stood in between.

“Hello.”

An archangel with red hair.

The sun goddess Solari stood there.