Chapter 1207 - 513: Embracing a Sweet Death

Divine Knowledge Saintess—

Upon hearing this term from the Hero's mouth, the ever calm and composed face of the father finally showed some change.

In the real world, the father left everything in the Viscount Mansion and sneaked into the Dungeon of the Plain Ancient City, right after the Dual City Displacement Disaster.

It was precisely after the Dual City Displacement Disaster. At that time, the Hero was defeated by the Four-winged King, and most of the time, Divine Knowledge Saintess was focused on her.

However, even without the existence of the Hero, just from the displacement disaster, it could be seen that Divine Knowledge had abandoned her duties as a Saintess.

Even if not involved in the plan of the Key of Transformation, considering it was also a Key of the Door, father surely understood Divine Knowledge's status at that time.

It can be said that if one wished to escape Divine Knowledge's notice, there was no more suitable time than that.

In the Dream of Dusk, although the Empress was overwhelmed by the Empire's Dragon Tide and did not fully grasp the situation of the Kingdom at that time, the timing of father's departure to the Plain Ancient City probably also fell into the gap when the Four-winged King descended into the world, and Divine Knowledge Saintess decided to assist Him fully to cope with the World-Ending Dragon Tide.

This means the Emerald-Starred Key would only take action when assured Divine Knowledge could not see him.

This is not hard to understand. Although Divine Knowledge Saintess once had huge prestige and countless fervent believers in the Kingdom, there were still those outside the Church dissatisfied with her actions.

Even now, without committing a crime, if one were to foresee such a future, they would still be strangled.Even the kind Lord King was quite wary of Divine Knowledge Saintess, never having met her directly during her tenure.

If the plan of the Emerald-Starred Key was detected by Divine Knowledge Saintess, she would probably pursue father far and wide until he was eradicated.

If the timing of father's actions stemmed from Fear and apprehension of Divine Knowledge Saintess, it's quite easy to understand.

Yet observing the subtle and profound change in father's expression and recalling words once told by mother, the Hero suddenly perceived something.

[Hero activates skill: Heart Soft and Easy to Pay (Perception 214 + base 50, D2)]

D318+100=(150)=250

[Superior to father's Perception 233, success by default]

"Abandoning the present and manipulating oneself into foolishness...Mother said that's how you judged Divine Knowledge predecessor." The Hero whispered.

"Indeed, that's what I said." Father responded calmly.

"...Could it be that everything you did was because of her?"

"'Because'—this word is quite fitting. It seems you have understood." Father raised his head, gazing at the ceiling, his tone infused with indescribable emotions.

"Humankind is a social creature; every encounter and touch with others can become a catalyst that alters one's life.

"As you just mentioned, since my pursuit is strength without end, choosing a possibly overturning approach defies common sense.

"But inheritance and pioneering, all prerequisites, assume the future still exists."

"Yet, Divine Knowledge predecessor thought that humankind will inevitably face destruction...Is it knowing this that made father choose this path?" The Hero couldn't help but smile bitterly.

"No. Different from what you say, actually at that time, I didn't know what the future looked like in her eyes." Father swiftly denied.

Hearing this, the Hero wasn't surprised but simply maintained silence, continuing to listen to father's candid words.

"That woman probably still doesn't know I exist.

"When I first met her, I hadn't entered the Palace yet, surely beneath her notice completely.And like that mortal CEO chasing money in the dream—at that time, I merely pursued strength itself, enjoying the process without reflecting on a further future.

"But after meeting her, I asked myself a few questions I once posed to you."Is she the strongest known existence in my world?

"Without a doubt, yes."Throughout human history, I doubt there's a Professional stronger than her. Even now, neither you nor anyone should claim to defeat the peak Divine Knowledge Saintess."

The Hero remained silent.

Ignoring her daughter's reaction, the father just immersed himself in his thoughts, narrating his untold inner self.

"And the 'strongest' I know, even if yet to reach the ultimate limit of the individual or the world, is probably not far.Witnessing her silhouette at that moment filled me with genuine joy, even a trace of longing for her.

"But through observing her, this longing soon turned into resentment."—because I saw the end."

"Dad, your vision isn't that great." The Depraved Hero shook her head in disdain, "Already at that level and feeling there's no more path?"

"...Heh, what you said isn't wrong." The father chuckled lightly, "If you weren't my daughter, and I were born a bit later, in the era when you were the Saintess, maybe everything would have been different.

"But to be honest, even now, the power of the Divine Knowledge Saintess has many incomprehensible facets in my eyes. One must admit the unfathomable strength she possesses.

"However, from her actions back then, I understood one thing: she had already given up on advancing.

"Not only that, she didn't even try to cultivate successors or stronger individuals as you just suggested.

"In other words, those eyes of hers had already chosen a future—a future where humankind doesn't need to become stronger.

"The strongest, the one at the end, the one who sees all... someone like her, not only did she stop trying to hone her own strength, but she also turned her realm into the endpoint for humankind, indeed for all life.

"The moment I realized this fact was the angriest moment of my life."

The man clenched his fists. In those emerald green eyes, a fiery flame was burning quietly.

"Why, why, why? Time and time again, I questioned myself passionately, wanting more than once to confront her, but in the end, relying on reason, or you could say with reverence, I kept silent.

"She is the strong one, without question, and I am the weak one.

"I have no qualifications, no authority to make any accusations against her, not even to inquire is beyond my reach.

"So, I can only continue to observe, continue to ponder—why?"

"Thus, I left that person's sight, went through the Church's texts, visited many places, and asked many people.

"Finally, in that city, the place where you were born, I found the answer in a book."

At this point, the father released his fists, lowered his head, and let out a long breath.

"The answer..." The Hero repeated his words, an image of a person suddenly appearing in his mind.

Deep in the alleys near the Air Port, that book spirit with a three-strand braid.

She who kept diaries of two generations of Saintesses seemed to also know his father.

"Daughter, you are now also a Saintess. So, have you thought about why she chose such a future?" The father suddenly asked, looking at the reflective Hero.

The image of that figure standing with her back to him, facing the Angel King, surfaced in the Hero's mind, and he sighed softly.

"...Because the predecessor wanted to protect more people."

"That's right, that's the reason." And then, the father calmly said something completely different.

"—Because humankind was too weak."

The Hero's eyes slightly widened, while the Depraved Hero silently grinned at the table.

The father just continued speaking calmly, expressing the conclusion reached after countless times of introspection in his heart.

"The Divine Knowledge Saintess, she valued her kin, valued those unrelated to her—including the unfamiliar me.

"She wanted us to survive, wanted to help us escape destruction.

"On our own we couldn't do it, according to the future she saw, we were destined to meet a tragic end.

"Humankind was too weak.

"Yet despite the fact that we burdened her footsteps, she accepted it willingly, becoming the wall that stood in front of us, in front of annihilation.

"Weak, weak, weak. The strongest one, born into such a feeble tribe full of worthless ones, never despised us. For not abandoning us worthless weaklings, she even gave up a future in which she could become stronger.

"That was the first time in my life that I sincerely pitied a strong one.

"How pitiful, how lamentable.

"Even being a weakling, I can only abide by her will—but I can't understand, nor do I ever agree with such a choice.

"As a human, we should know shame.

"Therefore, I decided that when she no longer watches this world, I, as a human, will help rid her of the burden of the weak and pioneer a new future.

"Since destruction will eventually come, then let it be unstoppable.

"At that time, civilization will meet its end, and the last Holy Sword will be unsealed.

"I don't need a gentle end, don't need the protection of the strong.

"I will die as food, as a weakling.

"And she will become stronger.

"Even though she might also face failure—it's okay. At least, at that end, it no longer exists."