Suicide Before Defeating the Final Boss

Suicide Before Defeating the Final Boss – 83

EP.83 Lucia Part 2

Lucia—both the Hero’s companion and a Saintess. She was supposed to be a blessed figure, someone who would help the Hero save the world. But the Order didn’t see her that way. Shortly before the Hero’s arrival, they locked her in a prison they called the “Small Chamber.” The reason they gave for her confinement was ironic: it was supposedly for the sake of saving the world.

A Saintess exists to save the world, so Lucia couldn’t understand how imprisoning her could serve that purpose. Yet, without the strength or authority to question or resist them, she could only submit to the Order’s will and accept her fate.

‘So, there I sat, for countless days, in a prison devoid of even a sliver of light.’

Trapped in silence and darkness, unable to speak freely, she spent those days in isolation, praying alone. Eventually, by some divine grace, she began to receive visions of the Hero.

‘…’

What she saw was horrifying. The Hero’s body was riddled with scars from brutal torture, and he was bound in chains, denied a single moment of peace. Rather than a noble hero, he looked more like a condemned criminal suffering a wretched fate. Yet, despite his condition, Lucia somehow knew immediately—this was her Hero.

Was it his aura of divine power? Or perhaps the resemblance to the image of a Hero she had held in her heart? Whatever the reason, she was inexplicably drawn to him, and so, she began watching his journey.

But instead of finding happiness or triumph, he only experienced endless suffering. Treated worse than livestock, he endured unbearable hardship, and in the end, he chose to end his own life.

‘… It’s revolting.’

Lucia shuddered, remembering the Order’s cruelty, their selfishness in completely ruining a life for their own gain. No reason could justify such inhumanity, especially not against someone who was supposed to be their savior. They had taken away his chance at happiness and life, all for their own purposes. Overcome by disgust, she cried in silent grief, haunted by his tragic end.

“Saintess, it’s time for you to come out.”

They finally told her one day. The Order, deeming her confinement no longer necessary, released her with a few cold words, congratulating her on her “hardship.” She was only freed after the Hero’s death, long after her help could have made a difference.

***

After her release, Lucia encountered many changes, but what stood out most was her enrollment at the Academy. Although the Order had kept her hidden to prevent her identity from being revealed, for reasons unknown, they suddenly insisted she attend the Academy. Relieved to escape the Order’s grasp, even if just for a time, she eagerly left and made her way there.

Upon arrival, though, she was met with confusion. The Academy’s newspaper declared that everyone awaited the Hero’s return, yet the students didn’t even know he had ever existed. Determined to honor his memory, Lucia tried to correct them, spreading word that the Hero had lived.

But people only scoffed at her.

“She’s insane.”

“The Order probably sent her here because they couldn’t deal with her.”

“There’s clearly something off about her.”

No one listened, and everyone dismissed her words. Still, Lucia held her ground, knowing that if she gave up, the Hero’s existence would be erased completely. Even so, all she received in return for her efforts was ridicule and harassment.

No one listened to Lucia. She tried for months to convince them, but each time they dismissed her claims, unwavering in their disbelief. A doubt began to creep into her mind—could she be mistaken? After all, all she had to go on were the visions shown to her by the goddess; she had never met the Hero in person, nor did she have any solid proof.

Every day, she would bring chrysanthemums and agonize over these thoughts in front of the makeshift grave she had built for the Hero. And it was during one of these solitary moments that the real harassment began. At first, it was just small pranks, but over time, it became physical, escalating whenever she tried to resist. Her tormentors seemed almost proud to humiliate her, as if their bullying validated them in some twisted way.

‘Honestly, I don’t care what they do to me…’

What pained her most was how they blatantly denied the Hero’s existence, planting seeds of doubt in her mind.

─ Are you brainless, Saintess? My brother says the Hero was a thing of the past—no Hero’s appeared in ages.

Hearing such remarks over and over wore on her, eroding her once unshakable belief in the Hero’s existence until she couldn’t tell what was real anymore.

Then, one day, the Hero appeared.

‘Not the most impressive entrance, but still…!’

She watched as he threw rocks and knocked out her tormentor, Aerielle. In that moment, it felt as if he had rescued her from every lie and rejection she’d endured, a turning point—a salvation she had yearned for.

But just as she marveled at his arrival, the Hero, without missing a beat, began to self-harm.

Despite everything he’d already suffered, he relentlessly pounded at a tree with excessive divine energy, injuring himself over and over. The sight left her horrified—a memory so raw it lingered like a scar.

‘Back in that prison, I’d prayed every single day that he’d have one day without pain.’

So why did he keep putting himself through more suffering, even now? She forced herself to treat his wounds, doing her best to prevent his injuries from worsening, but he’d only repeat the same self-destructive training. Watching him tear himself apart was so agonizing that, in frustration, she found herself shouting harsh words at him now and then. But looking back, she remembered every word came from a place of genuine concern.

Lost in thought, she snapped back to the present as Jeong-hyeon waved his hand in front of her.

“Lucia? You okay?”

“Huh? Y-yes, I’m fine.”

“So, this prison you mentioned—what was that about?”

His tone held an edge of irritation.

She hesitated, glancing at his slightly angered expression. Telling him the whole truth now might push him to drop everything and confront the Order. Just as she had sworn that day with Aerielle, she wanted to share his burdens, not add to them.

‘I don’t want to make his load any heavier.’

So, Lucia just smiled and shook her head.

“It’s nothing.”

Jeong-hyeon didn’t seem too happy with her response, but she left it at that.

Lucia, who had stubbornly spoken of the Hero’s existence for so long despite everyone’s disbelief, decided that just this once, she would do things her own way. She smiled, letting her words hang in the air unspoken. White flower petals blanketed the ground as fall approached, reminding her of her own white hair as she walked forward.

But then a thought came to mind, and she stopped, turning to Jeong-hyeon with a sudden burst of sincerity.

“Jeong-hyeon…!”

“Yeah?”

He answered.

“If anything ever feels too hard, don’t handle it alone, okay? From now on… I mean, I’ll always be by your side. So please, tell me whenever you need help. I’ll be there no matter what.”

The abrupt informality caught Jeong-hyeon off guard, and he stared at her in surprise. Noticing his reaction, Lucia felt a thrill at having startled him for once. With a playful grin, she took his hand in hers. Although the warmth felt familiar by now, it was something they had both longed for before they met each other. As she intertwined their fingers, she silently promised herself never to let go.

“Y-your hands are big.”

She murmured.

With a chuckle, Jeong-hyeon replied.

“Maybe you’re just small.”

“Really…?”

“Why did you go back to formal speech all of a sudden? Didn’t we agree on speaking casually?”

“I don’t know.”

“Honestly, you’re just like Hana.”

She laughed at his comment and glanced around. Though it was a dark night, lanterns illuminated their path. She knew that the journey ahead of Jeong-hyeon would not be an easy one, but she resolved to support him to the end, giving him strength to move forward.

***

Jeong-hyeon found himself bewildered by Lucia’s unexpected behavior. She switched to casual speech, touched his hand, and acted far differently than usual. Watching her, a strange thought crossed his mind.

“Could she be thinking of… something drastic?”

People often acted out of character before doing something final, and Lucia’s sudden closeness left him worried. He racked his brain, grasping at straws as he looked at her. What could he do to help? To him, Lucia was not only a valuable ally but also a close friend. If she were to disappear, it would be a blow like no other.

Just then, Lucia sidled up to him, her face blushing, clearly embarrassed. She tried to hide her face with one hand, her voice barely a whisper.

“D-don’t stare…”

But if she didn’t want to be looked at, shouldn’t she let go of his hand? Stifling a laugh, he looked down at her still holding his hand tightly and gave a helpless chuckle.

***

Meanwhile, Miria stood in awe, staring at Hana. She couldn’t fathom how someone as brash as Jeong-hyeon had such a cute and lovable daughter.

‘It’s really amazing.’

She thought, wondering if Hana had taken after Lucia’s gentler side.

As she pondered, Hana was talking to a golden goblin, who suddenly used dimensional magic right before Miria’s eyes.

“…Huh?”

At first, Miria was shocked, thinking the golden goblin was escaping. But when it soon returned, her eyes widened in disbelief. Hana had actually tamed it.

‘Wait… if Hana successfully tamed the golden goblin, that means…’

It would be a turning point for their connection to the Demon King and marked the beginning of even more intense upheavals. From here on, Jeong-hyeon’s plans could become more chaotic than ever, and Miria felt a shiver at what he might do next.