I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit - Chapter 185

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

For Maria, the small hut was her entire world.
That dark place, barred by iron grates instead of windows.
Beyond it lay monsters who treated her as a monster herself.
She could not take a single step outside the hut.
It was the only comfortable space where she could find rest.
And she had her father.
She couldn’t remember when he had become her father.
Some things caused her head to ache when she tried to recall them, leaving her unable to remember anything at all.
But such things didn’t matter to her.
‘I hope Father comes soon.’
Once or twice a month.
The days when Father would visit her.
He would examine her body here and there, and draw her blood.
She couldn’t know exactly what ‘Father’ was doing.
But having someone beside me was undoubtedly a blessing.
“Please don’t go. I’m scared.”
Usually, after staying one night, he would depart for somewhere else, and each time Maria would beg and plead.
She was terrified of being alone again once he left.
She begged him not to leave her alone.
That was the entirety of the world she had lived in.
But one day, light began to seep into that dark hut.
Maria feared even the light.
That light too would surely point at her and call her a demon.
The power she possessed was undoubtedly demonic.
But it wasn’t.
The light was not darkness.
The spring that had always been cold had somehow become warm.
The power she possessed was not demonic, and her ‘father’ was not her father at all.
He was merely a merchant who had profited from violating her human rights.
Maria, having reclaimed light and spring, embraced Isabel tightly.
“Your Highness became my light.”
She felt like singing a hymn in Isabel’s honor.
“You became my first spring.”
She stepped out of that narrow, small hut and set foot in a world full of spring.
Now no one saw her as a monster.
Many people called her a saint and loved her.
She was happy about that.
Isabel, whose body had been stolen by Narbidal, heard that voice.
And she made a request of Narbidal.
‘Narbidal. Please hold Maria.’
Hearing the voice within, Narbidal lifted his arm and gently embraced Maria.
Tears welled up in Maria’s eyes.
‘What is Maria trying to do?’
Because of the power of death, I could not sense Maria’s heart at all.
Narbidal spoke.
‘She is trying to kill me with the power she possesses… No.’
Narbidal thought it was something slightly different from that.
‘She is trying to save you.’
For Isabel to live, Narbidal must cease to exist.
The power Maria possessed was the power of life.
Only that power could guide Narbidal to peace.
Maria continued speaking.
“And I will not forget that spring.”
It was the sunlight that first extended a hand to her.
The first life she had ever met.
“I take back my words. Please do not remember me.”
Please do remember. That I revered the Princess.
She hoped Isabel would not remember those words.
‘I am to meet a joyful death here. But I am worried about the Princess who must live on.’
To make Narbidal cease to exist, she too had to sacrifice her life.
‘Because that would torment the Princess.’
She is that kind of person.
She does not turn away even from a small thorn embedded in another’s finger.
She spoke again with conviction.
“I did not choose this path for the Princess. This is a choice for myself. Only this way do I feel I can truly live.”
She could not bear to watch this sunlight that had saved her fade away.
She had no shame in living alone in a world without spring.
So she resolved to give her life and save Isabel.
“I say it again. This is for me. So do not grieve. That would be an insult to my death.”
Though I will die, I hope the Princess will live.
Someone else, another Maria, needs the Princess.
The Princess will approach someone and become another spring for them.
‘I alone will remember the Princess.’
And she unleashed all the power she possessed.
This power she had known as demonic strength.
This power she herself had cursed.
She was truly grateful to possess this power.
With reverence, she made her final confession.
“You were my queen.”
A vast curtain of light unfurled, enveloping the bodies of Isabel and Maria.
It was a vast and brilliant light that humanity had never witnessed before.
A miraculous power unfolded that human eyes could neither perceive nor comprehend.
Warm and gentle radiance.
A divine luminescence that could not be artificially created filled the entire space.
Isabel lifted her head and murmured one final time.
“Is this the potential of humanity?”
I could finally understand the Dragon Lord’s words.
A sense of peace gradually washed over me.
“I have caused so much trouble.”
I had thought there was no way but to die by borrowing Isabel’s body.
Even the Divine, who had existed since the beginning, had judged it so.
But that judgment was wrong.
“You are guiding me in ways I never imagined.”
This was not merely the power of that human alone.
Narbidal, who absolutely required death, never changed my plan until the very end.
I believed only by borrowing Isabel’s body at the final moment could death be brought to me.
Yet after my descent, I encountered dragons and many humans.
They had brought the situation to this point.
After that, Ron’s blade wrought a miracle, considerably weakening Narbidal’s power.
“Individual hearts gathering together create miracles.”
To that, Maria’s holy power was added, and the miracle unfolded.
That miraculous light was so full of vitality that it seemed it would completely erase the dominion of death.
Narbidal finally thought I could bring this to an end.
“One… it is still insufficient.”
But it was not so simple.
‘So this won’t work after all.’
Narbidal laughed bitterly.
“Still not enough.”
Human potential was nearly infinite, yet ultimately could not surpass the Divine.
The veil of light Maria had unfolded gradually grew faint.
Maria began to age rapidly.
She was being consumed by the power of death.
Narbidal spoke with a sorrowful expression.
“So even humanity’s miracles cannot dethrone the Divine.”
Narbidal still had not vanished.
Maria collapsed heavily.
Her hair had turned white and her face was covered in wrinkles.
Maria’s sacrifice alone was not enough to kill Narbidal.
Narbidal was disappointed.
‘So this is where it ends.’
I had placed great hopes in humanity, but it seemed they had ultimately failed.
If I did not disappear completely, I would eventually be resurrected.
In the end, it seemed the only way left was to disappear by borrowing Isabel’s body.
But that was not the end.
“Once again, you exceed my imagination.”
Narbidal lowered his head and gazed at the sword piercing his chest.
It was Arun’s sword.
* * *
Ron stared blankly ahead.
He had been so focused on Isabel that he hadn’t even noticed Arun’s arrival.
Arun had rushed forward and pierced Isabel with his sword.
And Ron sensed it immediately.
‘Arun… has surpassed me.’
He had no choice but to accept it.
Ron could only manifest the Living Blade with the sword that Maria and the Archmage had created together.
But Arun had used the Living Blade without the aid of such artifacts.
With miracles following one after another, even Narbidal finally sensed his own annihilation.
“Humans.”
“…”
“It is a pity that I cannot witness the world you will build.”
For the first time, Narbidal felt regret about death.
They had made him feel this way.
In human bodies, continuously pioneering the impossible and advancing forward—he had grown fascinated by their very existence.
“I support your lives, the world you will create, your miracles. May all the springs to come be warm.”
Five-colored radiant dust rose above Isabel’s body.
The God of Death, Narbidal, had completely disappeared, and Isabel lost consciousness and collapsed.
Arun caught Isabel in his arms.
“Isabel!”
Ron rushed over in panic.
“She is fine. Her breathing is steady. She has merely lost consciousness temporarily.”
“…”
“She needs rest, so I will hold her.”
“…”
“This is not out of selfish desire. It is for the Princess’s stability.”
Ron clenched his teeth.
“So the thief has made his intentions clear.”
Ron furrowed his brow, then knelt and bowed toward Maria.
Then he spoke.
“I will not pity you. As you said, that would be an insult to your death.”
The light had faded from her face and her heart no longer beat, yet Maria was smiling.
“However, I offer my respects to your death.”
Ron seemed to understand Maria’s heart.
Had Ron been in Maria’s position, he would have made the same choice.
And gladly at that.
Ron cradled Maria’s body in his arms.
“I will not forget your sacrifice. I, the people of the Empire, will remember you. And as the Emperor of the Empire. No—as Isabel’s father. I offer you my deepest gratitude and respect.”
Then his gaze shifted to Arun.
“Check Isabel’s wrist.”
Since Narbidal had vanished, I thought Narbidal’s Mark should have disappeared as well.
Isabel’s body hung limp and powerless.
Arun examined Isabel’s right wrist.
“…Your Majesty.”
Arun’s expression twisted in distress.
“Say no more. I can see it clearly with my own eyes.”
“…”
Ron could see it too.
Narbidal’s Mark still remained.
Though countless hearts had united to annihilate the god of death, the seeds of death the god had sown did not vanish with it.
Narbidal’s Mark continued to drive Isabel’s life toward the precipice.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————