The evil god gathered actors for his grand play.

‘Then we should respond in kind.’

Argio, whose heart had been sealed, had avoided causing harm as much as he could—but the evil god, now a complete divinity, was not him. The god bared his rage without restraint, and countless victims were piling up.

In this situation, no one could stay calm after seeing her tattered, kidnapped state. And yet, allowing the Demon King subjugation campaign to continue like this wasn’t right either.

‘The sacrifice would be too great.’

Sacrifice, huh.

‘...That mustn’t happen.’

She had to think rationally. She needed to find a path that would minimize the damage, lessen the burden on both sides, and allow everyone to accept the outcome. The Saintess had found such a path.

‘It might come back to bite us even harder if it fails...’

Aram wanted to turn the crisis into an opportunity.

‘My teacher is with the evil god. All the mercy and whims he’s shown up to now—my teacher must have had a hand in them. I should show as much sincerity as the help he gave me.’

Yes, Aram’s plan included that meaning, too.

“......”

The evil god was seeking an end.

‘That might mean death—true death.’

He had endured too long in eternal wrath. It was pain no seal could contain. Argio might truly want to end everything and die.

A god’s death was close to impossible—but not wholly. Especially if that god desired it himself. But if that happened, Aram had no idea what would become of her teacher, who shared the god’s body.

‘And even for Argio himself... that couldn’t possibly be called a good thing.’

That was why she devised the plan. Perhaps Aram’s decision wasn’t so different from the evil god’s own. Just like how he had spared Ather instead of granting him the mercy of death—it could end up being cruel to him, too.

‘But this is the best I can do.’

She had no room to worry about the evil god’s suffering in a situation where she didn’t even know if her plan would work. Steeling herself, Aram looked at the crow who flew to her side.

“...What’s the public response?”

“More favorable than we imagined.”

“Well, Koreans do love that sort of thing...”

“What exactly do they love?”

“When something different from them treats them kindly.”

It was a world full of romanticism about becoming friends with monsters. Hunters, of course, knew better than anyone how absurd that was. But because of that, they also tended to know more.

And just knowing—was enough to affect people.

“Win over their goodwill.”

So they could hesitate.

“So they don’t rush in recklessly—be their wall and shield.”

“Understood.”

The crow, once Aram’s guide, blinked in a way that resembled a smile and took off again. The wise crows arranged the visiting humans throughout the Dream Amusement Park with perfect intuition. Their insight could be trusted.

“......”

Aram clenched her hands tight.

‘...I must at least make this plan succeed—for Ather’s sake.’

What Ather held for Argio, even if it bordered on hatred, was love and faith. Argio, though a god, had once been human—he wouldn’t end Ather’s life so easily.

And Ather wasn’t someone who would just die, either.

‘I have a role to play.’

Aram rose from the stump.

“...Haaa...”

She brushed her hand over her face.

“I really hope this works out.”

She had lived as a Saintess for quite some time—even if she didn’t look it. In other words, she knew how to make good use of her position.

***

Just when the hunters in the dungeon were exhausted from fatigue and pain, the animals appeared.

“...Foxes?”

“They’re not here to eat our corpses, are they?”

“Shit, don’t say ominous crap like that.”

The foxes flicked their tails, showing themselves coyly. The crows flew quietly between structures, tilting their heads. The wolves observed the humans with heavy bodies and silent steps.

“Wait, aren’t those...?”

“What?”

“Oh, right. Those things...”

“There were supposed to be guides in this amusement park, right?”

“Weren’t they human-shaped back then?”

“No way... first the evil god, now even the animals trying to attack us?”

“I don’t know. Everyone suit up again. Watch the perimeter.”

But contrary to their foreboding expectations, the animals were gentle.

“...? What the hell?”

“...They’re cute.”

Especially the foxes, who snuggled up so naturally—it was astonishing. They swayed their fluffy tails and approached with charming smiles.

Of course, everyone was wary. Some even attacked. But the foxes only whined and fled, never fighting back.

Eventually, some hunters began to scoop them up like pets.

“Hey, are you out of your damn mind? You’re hugging a monster in a dungeon?!”

“No, I mean... it just seems like a normal animal. Doesn’t feel like a monster...”

“They were the park’s guides, even if they looked like animals.”

“But it’s cute.”

“......”

A particularly exhausted hunter nodded.

“...Fair point.”

This was a dream, after all—they didn’t need food, or sleep. And that made people more worn out. In this setting, these affectionate furballs were a great comfort.

“Maybe they’re like us—just under the Demon King’s control. Maybe they’re forced to work or something...”

“I don’t know. It’s weird how unguarded they are. Shit. Who even knows when we’ll get to go home at this rate.”

“When the hell is this goddamn dream ending? Some people wake up just fine, but us... why can’t we go back and regroup in the real world?”

“If that were possible, we wouldn’t still be stuck here. But damn, this thing is so soft. I feel like I could fall asleep right now... it’s nice...”

This dungeon was truly hell. Even if you lived, it didn’t feel like living. Time didn’t flow. They were like walking corpses. Unless the ‘dream’ ended, there was no way back to reality.

“Maybe we should just try dying once?”

“You psycho. Talk sense.”

“No, I mean... maybe it’ll wake us up...”

“No one’s ever died here and returned to reality.”

“...Goddammit...”

“If you don’t want to die without leaving a corpse behind, then shut up.”

“...Yeah, guess you’re right.”

At this point, even the hunters were worn down. Unless it was death, they could accept anything. And that wasn’t just the case for those trapped in the dream.

“If this war goes on much longer, it’ll affect reality, too.”

“Most of the participating hunters have already lost motivation. At this rate...”

“I really hate to say this, but we’re playing right into the evil god’s hands.”

“We need to settle this somehow.”

Even the hunters who could wake from the dream felt just as exhausted.

Into their midst slipped three groups of animals. Foxes led the charge, nestling in warmly and swaying their tails. Crows flew down bearing sweet fruit-like gifts.

And the wolves—quietly stood beside them and even swatted away approaching hands of the evil god.

“See? I told you. They don’t like being under the evil god either.”

“Come to think of it, the animals have never actually harmed anyone...”

“If they’re helping us, doesn’t that tip the odds in our favor?”

Still, it wasn’t so simple.

“Then why didn’t they help us from the start?”

“The wolves look big and strong, but aside from batting away the god’s hands, they haven’t done much actively.”

“They clearly understand us, but when we ask about the evil god’s body or heart, they don’t answer.”

“Maybe they’re not fully on our side?”

Just then, the animals began moving in one direction.

“...They want us to follow?”

“Uh, maybe...”

“But what if it’s a trap?”

While people hesitated, Justitia’s Guildmaster Seo Seo-hee stepped forward.

“Then I’ll go first.”

“Wait, hey—”

“Don’t worry. You’re not seriously thinking I’d be in danger, are you?”

Wearing that characteristically trustworthy smile, he took the lead. Some of his guild members followed.

Emboldened by the sight, other hunters also chased after the animals.

They were guided to the ruins of the Black Forest.

“...Oh, wow.”

Seo Seo-hee smiled at the small figure waiting ahead.

“You’re the Saintess of the Moon Sect, right?”

“Yes. You recognized me.”

Surrounded protectively by animals, Aram greeted them.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

Her white hair resembled the Moon’s. Though covered in wounds and reddened, her composed and intellectual gaze held mystery. The moment he saw her, Seo Seo-hee understood the Saintess’s intent.

He decided to play along.

“All these animals... they follow you, Saintess?”

“...We share the same purpose.”

And Aram, too, quickly grasped Seo Seo-hee’s intent. With one of the Symbols of Eternity backing her, she had nothing more to fear.

Supported by her distant senior, Aram opened her ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) mouth.

“Are my family members here?”

“...S-Saintess...”

“Come to me.”

“Saintess, w-we...”

Among the crowd, a priest of the Moon Sect stumbled forward.

Some hunters had suspected that the Saintess might be in league with the evil god, but with a Symbol of Eternity standing firm, no one acted rashly.

Thanks to that, the Moon Sect’s highest-ranking elder safely reached her.

“...I-I feared you had vanished into shadow...”

In the Moon Sect, death was symbolized as the moon’s shadow. Even in death, they could not rest in the Moon’s arms. Only the Saintess and Saints could enter that embrace.

To be parted from her had meant eternal separation. They had long feared that their beloved Saintess had met such a fate.

“Ah, thank you. Thank you, Saintess. I’m so grateful you’re still strong.”

“Did my absence frighten you?”

“Too many things are unraveling. W-We can no longer reach the bishop. No one’s come from the real world. We’ve had terrible premonitions...”

“I know what happened to them.”

“...Saintess, d-does that mean... were we...?”

The elder swallowed his tears and asked:

“...Were we abandoned...?”

With calm grace, the Saintess embraced the elder—who was many times her size. The elder didn’t even groan—he accepted her embrace, clearly resigned.

But Aram had no intention of leaving it that way.

“...There is something I’ve long wanted to show you all.”

“...Please, tell us. What happened to us? What must we do? We’ll follow your guidance.”

“Would you step inside?”

She released him and stepped back—calling the hunters into the ruins.

“Everyone must see.”

Now that she had drawn their eyes, it was time to reveal the truth—and share it.