I’m the Madman of This Family

Episode 381. The Future Without Me (9)

Misteltein.

No one knows who created it, not even the gods, but one thing is certain. It is an arrow that can kill a god. The Heavens Sovereign witnessed the fate god being struck by it.

Moreover, the “concept” held by the annihilated god becomes something that can no longer be interfered with.

Even if time were reversed, since the concept itself is destroyed, the fact that it was annihilated remains unchanged, even if tens of thousands of years were turned back.

‘That thing was definitely sealed away.’

Would the gods have left such a dangerous arrow alone? The gods, who don’t even know the meaning of cooperation, probably collaborated for the first and last time to seal Misteltein.

Even high-ranking gods like the Heavens Sovereign couldn’t break the powerful seal placed on it.

But Keter took it out.

The Heavens Sovereign, suspicious, tested Keter.

“Do you know what kind of arrow that is before taking it out?”

“You’ll find out when I stab you with it.”

When Keter pretended to throw it, the Heavens Sovereign hurriedly spoke.

“Wait. If you shoot that arrow, you’ll die too.”

“I know. But you said it yourself. I’m a transcendent being. A couple of times should be fine, right?”

“It’s not fine. Even the god of creation, who was called the foundation of the world, died after shooting that arrow.”

“I’ll give you one last chance. Answer my question. If I kill Akra, what were you planning to do with me afterward?”

“We would recognize you as the god of humanity. You would become an equal to us.”

“Bullshit. Whether humans came first or gods, it’s all the same in the end. You won’t leave something you fear alone. You’ll either destroy it or try to control it.”

“Then after killing Akra, we’ll turn you back into a human. That way, we won’t have to fear you, and you can reign as the god of humanity.”

“Are you playing word games, or are you just shameless? In the end, you’ll try to get rid of me. My very existence is a thorn in your side.”

Crack!

The table split on its own. The Heavens Sovereign, perhaps offended, began to explode clocks.

Amid the exploding clocks, the Heavens Sovereign spoke.

“That might be true. But cooperating with me would be better than cooperating with Akra. At least we won’t kill you immediately.”

“Now you’re showing your true colors. And why should I have to choose between siding with Akra or you in the first place?”

“If you accept my offer now, you’ll have allies and enemies. If you refuse, you’ll only have enemies.”

Keter had become a shrimp caught between two whales. Choosing either side would endanger his life, but the Heavens Sovereign was the lesser evil.

However, Keter acknowledged Akra and the Heavens Sovereign as whales but didn’t consider himself a shrimp.

“Are you sure you’ll be fine? If you threaten me here, I’ll take you down first.”

A shark caught between whales. Keter was a predator capable of killing whales.

With the intention of ending the conversation, Keter nocked Misteltein on his bow and drew the string.

“Choose. Will you send me to the 8th Layer, or do you want to taste Misteltein?”

In response to Keter’s threat, the Heavens Sovereign clapped without hesitation.

Clap!

The ground crumbled and swallowed Keter.

“Get lost, you lunatic.”

Keter thought he had easily escaped the Heavens Sovereign, but there was no way the Heavens Sovereign would let him go after refusing the offer.

*

Sephira’s Lord’s Office.

Hisop, as usual, was busy with work. But something was off. Streaks of gray hair were scattered across his head, and wrinkles were prominent on his philtrum.

A large scar marked the back of his hand, fully healed but clearly not something that appeared overnight.

Knock knock.

Someone knocked on the office door. But Hisop didn’t seem to hear, remaining motionless.

Even though Hisop didn’t say to enter, the office door opened. Only then did Hisop turn his head to look at the person who entered.

“Grand Duke Nabakin. Did I miss the knock again?”

Nabakin, once a mere knight, was now called Grand Duke. The man who always seemed impatient now spoke with an air of calm.

“At least a few dozen times.”

The man who used to be intimidated by Hisop now even cracked jokes. Hisop smiled faintly and gestured for Nabakin to sit. But Nabakin declined.

“It’s fine, Lord. I came to deliver some good news.”

At the mention of good news, Hisop’s eyes widened as he asked.

“Has Keter returned?”

Nabakin had heard this question hundreds of times. At first, he felt sorry, but now he only felt pity.

“We’ve captured Skull Mountain. Everyone worked hard, but the Holy Knight Commander especially stood out. Prince Rakan has granted him the title of Count and is holding a celebration.”

“Is that so? Finally, Skull Mountain… Is Anis safe?”

The Holy Knight Commander. That was Anis’s title.

While capturing Skull Mountain, Anis suffered critical injuries and fell into a coma, but Nabakin, who had been asked by Anis, spoke as if it were nothing.

“He’s resting, saying it was tough, but he should be up soon.”

“Phew, that’s a relief. No, maybe not. With the path to the Royal Capital open… Demon King Rukan won’t stay idle.”

Rukan, once called the Crown Prince, was now called the Demon King by the entire world.

“The movements of the Demon King are being closely watched by the world’s strongest. If the Demon King makes a move, they will too, so there’s no need to worry too much.”

“Why wouldn’t I worry? My father is among them.”

Demon King Rukan was so powerful that Transcendent Beings from all over joined forces. Among them was Basil, the former Lord of Sephira.

The old Nabakin would have been flustered by his slip of the tongue, but the middle-aged Nabakin responded smoothly.

“That’s why it’s even more reassuring. If it weren’t for Elder Basil, we wouldn’t be at ease.”

With Basil, victory is possible. At Nabakin’s words, Hisop couldn’t help but laugh.

“You’ve changed a lot too. Just like Keter.”

At the mention of Keter’s name, Nabakin glanced around and spoke cautiously.

“Lord. It’s been 10 years since Keter disappeared. We’ve kept eyes and ears open all over the world since then, but there’s been no trace of him. So maybe it’s time to give u-”

Slap!

Before Nabakin could finish saying “give up,” Hisop slapped his cheek. With a stoic face, Hisop pointed to the door.

“Keter didn’t give up on us, so how can we give up on him? If you’re going to spout nonsense like that, get out.”

“…I’m sorry.”

After Nabakin left, Hisop calmly returned to his seat, but his mind was too chaotic to continue working.

Creak.

Leaning back in his chair, Hisop opened the table drawer. It was stiff, as if it hadn’t been opened in a long time.

What he pulled out was a cigarette. Made from cheap materials, it was clearly the work of an amateur.

It was a cigarette Hisop had made himself.

“Seven years of holding back.”

Putting the cigarette in his mouth, Hisop recalled when he first learned to smoke.

When Keter didn’t return even after two years, Hisop suffered from extreme anxiety, hallucinations, and insomnia.

At that time, Daat, Sephira’s strategist, recommended cigarettes to Hisop.

“Brother said, if you’re so stressed you want to die, try this.”

Keter didn’t return, but Daat remained in Sephira. That was a great help to Hisop and the Sephira Union.

Though Daat usually seemed to be there but not there, he was always the first to step up in times of crisis. And when he did, they somehow avoided the worst.

Through smoking, Hisop suppressed the stress of war and the anxiety of Keter not returning.

Thanks to the cigarettes, his anxiety eased, but his health rapidly deteriorated. Eventually, he even started coughing up blood.

Yet, Hisop refused to quit smoking until Daat’s words changed his mind.

“If you die meaninglessly like that, what will you do when Brother returns?”

He couldn’t die before Keter returned.

By then, most people thought Keter was dead, so Hisop steeled himself. He couldn’t forget Keter, even if he was the only one left.

He had endured stubbornly for seven years, but the conversation with Nabakin earlier made him feel like something had broken.

The war caused by civil war. When Crown Prince Rukan, who had turned into a monster, declared war on the entire world, Hisop felt immense stress, but the fact that Keter might be dead was even more stressful.

‘I’m sorry for even suspecting that you might be dead.’

Though they weren’t blood brothers. No, precisely because they weren’t blood brothers, Hisop felt even more sorry.

‘You did everything for us, but we couldn’t do anything for you.’

He knew Keter had left for Ruquer and descended into its underground. Everyone tried to go underground to help Keter.

But they couldn’t. Ruquer’s underground had collapsed. No one could go down there anymore.

Which meant coming back up was impossible too.

From this point on, Keter’s return was practically impossible, but no one gave up easily. Because it was Keter.

But as the war grew more intense, everyone grew weary and exhausted, so it was inevitable that Keter was gradually being forgotten.

Hisop picked up a document and sighed.

“No news from Strategist Daat either.”

Daat had stayed in Sephira for seven years but disappeared one day, leaving only a note.

-There’s an urgent matter I need to attend to.

After spending so much time together, risking life and death, some cursed Daat for leaving with just a simple note. They wondered if he left because there was no more reason to stay in Sephira now that Keter was dead.

At the time, Demon King Rukan was pushing the world coalition with overwhelming force, and baseless rumors spread that Daat had betrayed them.

Of course, Hisop tightened discipline within Sephira, forbidding the spread of unfounded rumors, but he too felt regret.

“The system is all in place. But it feels like something big is missing.”

It was clear what that was.

Keter and Daat.

Everyone was confident in the world coalition’s victory. But Hisop was uneasy. His unease wasn’t about fear of the Demon King but about what would come after.

The civil war had split the Lilian Kingdom into four.

The National Scholar Lerkin.

Crown Prince Rukan.

Second Prince Rakan.

And Sephira in the south.

Before Keter left, three factions united to overthrow Rukan.

At the time, it was agreed that if Rukan was overthrown, Sephira would take the south, the National Scholar the west, and Rakan the east and north.

But now, things had changed. Countries joined the war to punish Rukan, the agent of evil, and a massive army now occupied the Lilian Kingdom.

Would they quietly leave after Rukan was dealt with?

No way. They would stay in the Lilian Kingdom for various reasons and assert their rights.

Seeing this obvious future, Hisop grew gloomy.

‘The war won’t end until I grow old and die.’

That’s why Hisop longed for Keter even more. Keter always had a way of cutting through such frustrating situations.

“Phew.”

With a sigh, Hisop put down the cigarette he had been holding and picked up his pen.

“Nothing changes with just wishful thinking.”

Hisop’s gloomy eyes regained life. Thinking of Keter made him want to rely on him, but Keter’s words also came to mind.

“If you give up, that’s where it ends.”

The memory was hazy, and the nuance might have been slightly different, but Hisop would mutter those words like a mantra whenever he wanted to give up.

Hisop erased the word “give up” from his mind once more.

Keter will definitely return. But even then, it would be shameful for Sephira to only rely on Keter’s help.

“I’ll prove that Sephira is strong even without you.”

Hisop firmly believed that was what Keter truly wanted.

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