The Strongest in the World Doesn’t Want To Do Anything

5 – Behind the Curtain / Hagnes

“Did his head really explode?”

“Yes. That’s right. That’s how the warrior Adelus died.”

Listening to Yulia’s excited voice behind him, Alan stared at the boiling kettle.

The faint scent of tea leaves began to spread in the room.

With a satisfied expression, Alan lifted the kettle and sat it on the table where Yulia was sitting.

“How tragic.”

“Self-inflicted, I’d say.”

“But how was that possible?”

“It’s saliva, Alan.”

“…Are you saying someone was killed with saliva?”

“Yes. Wolfgang had also trained in Eastern martial arts, as I mentioned before.”

“Yes, that’s right… Could it be?”

“No matter how many chains seal all his powers, they couldn’t stop one thing—martial arts. Wolfgang knew that. He had studied every bit of information about relics for use in the war. Anyway, he compressed every energy in his body into his saliva to the point where he could cause an explosion, aiming for just one chance. If even a drop penetrated the opponent’s body, it could kill.”

“Impressive.”

“Isn’t it? Hehe.”

Admiring both Wolfgang’s creativity and the more spirited Yulia than ever, Alan handed Yulia a cup of tea from the kettle.

“Thank you, Alan.”

“Don’t mention it.”

After taking a sip of the tea, Yulia, who had regained her taste, asked Alan a question.

“But, Alan, aren’t you curious about what happened behind that barrier?”

Looking at her sparkling eyes, Alan scratched his forehead.

The story itself was interesting and fun, but Yulia wasn’t good at summarizing, so he had been listening to Wolfgang’s story for three hours already.

“…I’m curious!”

He answered with a forced smile, trying to appear as natural as possible.

Yulia, as if knowing that, nodded proudly and opened her mouth.

“I knew you would be. Behind that barrier…”

***

“Isn’t this a betrayal of the agreement? You promised to kill but hand over the remains to the sect…”

“Oh, Haganess. We need to completely eliminate the threat, don’t we? How can I hand over such a dangerous person?”

“But you clearly promised me!!!”

When Haganess turned towards the Queen, the remaining senior members of the corps blocked her path.

“Don’t do this, Haganess. Why are you like this?”

“Sir, I suggest you calm down.”

“Haganess, please don’t do this.”

Haganess looked at the women who stopped her and placed her hand on the hilt of her sword, causing the senior members to adopt a combat stance.

The Queen watched the situation with an expression of interest.

Haganess let out a hollow laugh as if expressing her disbelief.

“You all know, don’t you? What Adeus promised me.”

Lowering the barrel of her gun aimed at her, Casey attempted to persuade her.

“Haganess, I know you have a special relationship with Wolfgang, but if you continue like this, we really won’t be able to hold you back.”

Tendrial and Chaewonso, who were standing side by side, also spoke up.

“Sir, please act rationally.”

“If you were going to take the side of your lover until the end, why did you betray him for a greater purpose?”

Tendrial’s words pierced Haganess’s heart sharply, reminding her of past events.

The orphanage of the sect where she had lost her parents in an accident during her childhood.

Haganess, who became an orphan in an instant, had difficulty adapting to the sudden change in environment.

And then, a red-haired boy who approached her first and extended his hand.

That’s how the bond between Haganess and Wolfgang began.

As time passed, the little children who held hands and played in the playground became dignified young adults, and when the time came to leave the orphanage, they both applied to the academy operated by the sect.

Even after entering the academy, they always stuck together and naturally grew their feelings of love.

Despite that, their academic performance remained consistently high.

As they approached graduation, they poured in efforts to be scouted by the influential figures of the sect to join their departments.

At first, it was just a path chosen for a stable future, but the more Haganess studied about the gods, the more she became fascinated by religion.

To her, who had nowhere else to rely on but Wolfgang, religion became a new sanctuary.

But she never neglected her relationship with him.

On the contrary, while dreaming of a future with Wolfgang within the blessings of the gods, she earnestly continued her religious life.

It was her dream to find a job in the financial or administrative departments of the sect and build a stable home.

Wolfgang seemed to want to step into a slightly larger world, but it wasn’t a big problem.

Everything was going smoothly.

Until Wolfgang inherited the power of the gods.

Haganess, feeling trapped in deep thoughts of the past, shook her head to dispel the sensation and questioned Tendrial.

“If it were you, what choice would you make to protect the most precious person in this situation?”

“Even if it means dying together, I will stand and fight alongside.”

“Easy to say. Have you ever considered someone precious enough to entertain the absurd thought of sacrificing limbs and only clinging to life?”

“In discussions about thievery…”

Tendrial, responding to Haganess’s final reproach, looked at her sharply with a mocking expression as if to say, “Are you serious?”

Her firm and unwavering posture, without the slightest hint of disturbance, revealed a determination to strike at any opening.

“Think about the Order, Haganess. If we die here, the Order ends.”

At the Queen’s words breaking the silence, the silvery armor covering Haganess’s body began to tremble ever so slightly.

“Huh…huh…hoo.”

With a clinking sound, the knights of the Order knelt and began sobbing.

The once seemingly unyielding firmness of the knight now turned into tears on the ground.

“Please! Spare Wolfgang’s life…”

“Haganess, that’s not possible. You know it too, right? Even if the Order is rebuilt, we can’t control Wolfgang.”

“Please, Your Majesty!”

“Even if you create a pact, we don’t know the limits of his abilities. His very existence could threaten humanity. You know that, right?”

“Please… Your Majesty… I beg you. I can control him! I’ll manage him well with the Order… so please keep your promise…”

The Queen, witnessing her plea with her head buried in the ground, sighed.

In the peaceful days, the Order flaunted their influence based on powerful authority.

Now, facing the greatest enemies of humanity, the once-mighty Order crumbled helplessly.

The Order, encompassing Haganess’s entire life, even considering it the culmination of her existence.

The reason Haganess, once a simple knight, joined Terosa, was the same reason she became the first member of the Crusaders, leading the charge in every battle.

It was for the sake of the beloved Wolfgang that she had betrayed.

The Queen lifted the knight’s face from the ground, revealing the falling curtain.

About 95% of the curtain covered Haganess, who hastily pushed her face through the gap.

Adedus, who had drawn the Holy Sword and slowly approached Wolfgang, seemingly accepted death with an empty expression.

“Wolfgang!!! I’m sorry!!!! I never meant to…”

Before she could finish her sentence, a pitch-black darkness cruelly obstructed her view.

It felt empty.

The parting with Wolfgang.

Haganess never expected to experience it in this manner, even though she had thought it would eventually come.

Regret flooded in.

Even if it meant turning against all of humanity, she should have stood by Wolfgang’s side.

At least, when she discovered the dreadful plans of Adeus, she should have gone to Wolfgang for consultation, not Adeus. But Haganess dealt and compromised with Adeus.

At that time, she believed it was the right judgment.

As the prospective king of Terosa, who had risen as a superpower of humanity, wanted to eliminate Wolfgang and with many already aligning with this, Haganess saw the future of the institution in it.

If it was an unstoppable course, she thought to protect Wolfgang and turn it into an opportunity to revive the institution.

Even if Wolfgang’s body was not whole, she could still love him unchanged.

But why didn’t she think she could be betrayed?

Regret, self-loathing, anger, and sadness all mixed into complex emotions that surged deep within her heart.

Once the reflection on her actions ceased, the tears that seemed endless stopped abruptly, almost like a lie.

Her trembling body came to a halt.

Raising her head, which had been buried in the ground, she stared past the officers at the face of the queen standing behind them.

“Your Majesty… You will uphold the promises related to the institution…”

From Noble mtl dot com

“Yes.”