Endless Debt-Chapter 824 - 271: The Great Rescue from Within the Story_3

Ewen sighed, those magnificent eyes reflecting all the splendor of the world like a kaleidoscope, yet in the face of such absolute beauty, Ewen felt an overwhelming sense of regret.

"Alluring and multifaceted... yet sadly empty, void."

He continued tapping the keys, one fresh character after another imprinted onto the pristine white paper.

"You’re right, whether it’s you, Asmodeus, or Belphegor, my reasons for rejecting you all are simple.

Not real enough."

Just moments ago, Ewen was deeply emotional, seemingly willing to give everything for his Muse, but within a few minutes, his fervent emotions vanished, leaving only a chilling, metal-like coldness, frighteningly clear-headed.

"Is reality... truly that important?"

Muse didn’t understand, nor did Asmodeus; the reality is harsh and despairing, yet Ewen persisted in believing and standing firmly in such reality.

"Why wouldn’t it be important?"

Ewen asked back, "Humans are fragile, we get sick, we get hurt, our lifespans are so brief, like meteor fireworks.

You, those near-eternal beings, even if you grant yourselves humanity, how can you, the immortal, ever understand our pain?"

Ewen gradually lost the sensation in his fingers, his scant blood mixed with the ink, and the characters turned crimson, like a curse, more like a vow scribed in blood.

"Think of the masterpieces of those artists, those vibrant paintings, stirring melodies, books that carve into the soul... and those indomitable structures.

What kind of mindset do you think we have, creating all these?"

Ewen asked and answered himself.

"It’s death, it’s void, it’s diminishing.

The root of artistic creation lies in the fear of death, the burial by time, the oblivion by the world; all our efforts merely seek to leave our mark in this harsh world... even though that mark may ultimately be worn away."

Ewen broke into a joyful laugh, sensing the realization of his self-worth bit by bit, his hands danced wildly, like performing a grand overture.

"Are you lamenting humanity’s sorrow?" Muse reached out, "I can make you eternal, as eternal as me."

From a certain point in time, this was no longer a bet between devils, but Asmodeus’s duel with Ewen, she aimed to conquer this mortal’s soul to prove her nobility.

Ewen paused, looking at Muse with sympathy, "No, you don’t understand."

"What I mean is, even though everything ultimately returns to nothingness, we and our creations existed, this is an undeniable fact, regardless of whether we can leave anything behind.

I desire a real existence, not an illusory continuation."

Ewen laughed, his laughter carrying a stern rebuke, "If what’s owned is no longer real, even if it only existed in illusion, wouldn’t that be too sad?

All this will be destroyed, but you cannot deny our existence, even if you’re a devil."

Muse’s smile faded, she lost patience with Ewen, and no patience was necessary anymore, Ewen’s recent declaration had made the story clear.

"So you’re going to reject me, Ewen? You should understand, this is your last chance."

"Reject what?"

Ewen remained in that contemptuous stance, seeing nothing noble about devils or anything contemptible about humans.

"I know, I know, I know what you want to say, these words have been said to exhaustion, just don’t say anymore."

Fatigue climbed into Ewen’s spirit, not from the flesh, but from the soul.

Ewen couldn’t help but sigh, this indeed was a long journey, but fortunately, he was not alone in this journey.

Bologue’s cries reached him, as they felled heaps of demons amidst Ewen’s words, if possible, Ewen truly wished to write Bologue and the others into his story... oh, they’re already in the story.

At this moment, Ewen wished to cheer loudly, a lifetime of solitude brought him good friends in the end, even in the depths of darkness, he wanted to loudly lament the world’s beauty.

Ewen’s tone was leisurely, like a leisurely afternoon chat.

"To you, this is merely a damned, sinful game, but I can’t, I cannot view this all as a game, I’ve fallen into some... irretrievable fantasy.

Indeed, I love you, Muse, Cinderella, Asmodeus... whoever it may be, but they don’t exist, they’re just false fantasies, and you, you as a devil, are the closest medium to this fantasy."

Ewen murmured to himself, "Sometimes I feel I’m pretty pathetic too."

"I can love you."

"No, you’re just a damned devil, you don’t understand what love is, you don’t even know what I love."

Ewen became furious, "I love the fantasy built upon you, the illusions of eternal beauty I see in you."

"It’s truly despairing; such beauty doesn’t exist in this world."

Ewen wrote of his despair, "I fell in love with an idealized phantom, a corpse hidden in my mind."

The glorious light in Muse’s eyes slowly dimmed, the human part gradually fading away, Asmodeus regained control of consciousness—or perhaps it was Ewen choosing to let go.