1274 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

After some time had passed, people began to realize something was off and went looking for Namgung Jin again. “Huh?” “What’s happened here…?” Suddenly, his appearance had changed. It was as if Namgung Jin had returned to his original human form, causing everyone to widen their eyes in disbelief. "Young Master Baek, what on earth happened?" Tae Hoan asked me. I scratched the back of my head and answered awkwardly. “…Well, it’s a bit of an experiment gone awry.” “Experiment? What kind of experiment turns a demon into a human?” With a swift motion, I conjured white flames at my fingertips. Tae Hoan's brows furrowed as he recognized the flames. “That’s what you mentioned earlier…” “Yes, it's the power that the demon consumes, yet I thought perhaps it could also be used to revert them back to human form.” Of course, it was a lie. What I used was demonic energy, and I hadn’t employed the white flames at all. ‘If I had indeed scorched him with those flames, there wouldn't even be bones left of Namgung Jin.’ If the demon's power was indeed inhuman, then the white flames should have obliterated it. However, for the sake of a convenient excuse, nothing was more plausible. Mi Hyoran had already set the groundwork for such a story. Using the white flames to oppose the demon, I formed my convenient narrative around it. “So… it can revert a demon back to human form using such power?” Evidently, the narrative took hold. Given Namgung Jin’s state, it was inevitable for them to believe it. The only problem was: “What exactly is that power?” I needed to explain what my white flame was. I had prepared an answer for this in advance. “I can’t tell you.” “What?” I can’t tell them. In truth, this was the best method. “You can’t tell us…?” “Yes. It’s hard to explain, and I simply can’t.” “What do you mean by ‘can’t’… Ah.” While speaking, Tae Hoan seemed to suddenly understand something. “…A Vow?” “That’s right.” Thankfully, he arrived at the conclusion I’d hoped he would. “So, it’s under a Vow. Just what have you been up to in the past year—” A missing year. And a power to oppose demons. Moreover, a power that could not only oppose but also turn them back into humans. All of these elements combined to add credibility to the claim of a Vow. As Tae Hoan pondered deeply, gripping his forehead, Mi Hyoran stepped forward. “Now isn't the time to discuss these matters.” She approached Namgung Jin. “Lord Namgung. Lord Namgung…! Please, come to your senses.” Mi Hyoran moved close to Namgung Jin, speaking gently. Tang Cheongi and the Poison Pheonix subtly tensed as they watched, as they couldn’t be sure what would happen the moment he awakened. During this cautious moment, “...Ugh…” Namgung Jin grimaced and slowly opened his eyes. ‘He’s awake.’ I felt a slight relief, as I hadn’t had much time to properly assess his condition. ‘…I’ve wasted an immense amount of energy.’ The energy I had accumulated from capturing demons was almost entirely expended to revert him. Although it was ultimately successful, ‘Using it further would not be cost-effective.’ I was sure this wasn’t a power worth using. Simply killing demons and harvesting their energy was much more efficient; there was no reason to forcefully turn them back into humans. ‘Moreover, I didn’t even get to test reverting them back to their demonic state.’ I wanted to see if it was possible to turn humans back into demons again, but I didn’t have the luxury of time for that. “Lord Namgung.” “…Where am I…” Slowly, Namgung Jin regained consciousness at Mi Hyoran’s call. “…Lady Mi?” He turned to Mi Hyoran with widened eyes. “Where is this…?” In confusion, he surveyed his surroundings until his eyes met mine. “Baek Yangcheon? How are you…?” “Doesn’t seem like you remember anything, huh?” “Even Divine Dragon Deputy Lord?” His face was full of bewilderment, completely unaware of why he was here. “I don’t remember anything…” “…It’s just that my head hurts…” “What’s the last thing you recall?” “…The last thing I remember is… Ugh…” He clasped his head in pain, causing Mi Hyoran to furrow her brow in concern. “We should focus on healing him first.” “Let’s do that.” Tae Hoan silently set restraints on Namgung Jin. Mi Hyoran didn’t object to this measure. ‘Even if he’s human now,’ For safety, they decided to secure him, which was understandable but hard to argue against. “We’ll discuss this further once he’s feeling better. Young Master Baek, thank you.” “It’s nothing.” Tae Hoan expressed his gratitude to me, and I just smiled in response. “Really… thank you.” Even Mi Hyoran thanked me sincerely, which caught me off guard. I hadn’t expected her to be this genuine. ‘…What’s this?’ Why was Mi Hyoran so grateful? Was it because her peculiar guilt had been alleviated? Or was there another reason? If there was another reason… ‘No, it can’t be.’ The thought occurred to me that perhaps she had developed feelings for Namgung Jin. That would be troubling. ‘No matter how chaotic my household is,’ Even in another world, crossing that line is a bit much. Feeling perturbed, I twisted my face slightly. “And…” Mi Hyoran quietly caught my attention. “Could we… have a private conversation?” “Oh. Yes.” Nodding in acceptance, I followed her lead. * * * After we moved a bit deeper into the cave, With a slight hum, I created a barrier with my energy. “Thank you.” “It’s nothing. But what is it that you want to talk about?” I’d set up the shield to ensure our words wouldn’t be overheard, which seemed to match her intention. I wondered why she wanted to speak with me alone, holding onto my curiosity. “The method to revert demons to humans… Did that truly use those white flames?” As Mi Hyoran continued speaking, I gave her a skeptical look. “Is that really what you're curious about?” Just as I thought that was the extent of her question, she added: “No, that's not what's important.” “Then what is?” “…What’s important is whether it can work on others.” “Can you explain what you mean by that? What are you asking?” The idea of it working on others—what did she mean by that? “To be specific… I’m wondering if, like you did with Lord Namgung, you could also use it on Young Master Gu.” “…” Hearing her question, my eyes widened. ‘Ah.’ I understood. And it made sense now. ‘What a needless worry.’ I had been concerned that she might have feelings for Namgung Jin, which nagged at me. ‘A pointless overthinking.’ Her visible reaction when I turned Namgung Jin back into a human—I finally understood her reaction. ‘She wondered if it could work on her father too.’ She was hopeful that perhaps it might also work on her father. “I’m not sure. It’s something I'd need to try to know.” “Are you saying there’s no certainty?” “Yes, that seems to be the case. This was my first attempt.” “…I see…” Her face fell, disappointment etched across her features. Seeing her expression, I sighed softly and said: “I can’t say definitively if it’s possible or not. I’ll attempt it later when I encounter him.” “…Understood.” “Is that all you were concerned with?” “Oh, yes…” “When Lord Namgung regains full consciousness, make sure you question him thoroughly.” “Huh? Where are you going?” “Oh, I’m not leaving for long.” I glanced towards the cave's entrance. There, “I just need to check on something.” The King of Assassins was there, quietly concealing his presence beyond the energy barrier. * * * Kyaaaaaa—!!!! Kyaaa—!! Monsters incessantly screeched and roared, as if lamenting a loss, their howls full of longing. Kyaaaa—!!! Sitting gracefully atop the horde of monsters that filled the space, the Eulryeong Sword Queen opened her eyes. Swish. A black tail swayed gently behind her, and at its subtle movement, the roars of the monsters fell silent as if they were mere mice. “My...” A bewilderment flickered through her alluring gaze. “A precious child has disappeared.” Her fingers itched, as she realized the energy of one of the many she had bestowed power upon was gone. What could have happened? “They should have been capable of handling themselves alone.” If they had completely died, she would at least have been able to ascertain their location or situation. However, this disappearance was unusual. Fortunately, “They last reported a location to the west, didn’t they?” She knew well the place where the child of Lightning Qi, who clung to it, frequented, so she wasn’t entirely clueless. In that case, “I must send someone again.” It seemed another dispatch was necessary. Should she send the child of Infernal Flames once more? That could work, but... “Could you exert some effort this time?” The Eulryeong Sword Queen made a different decision. Rumble. Her words shook the space behind her. The spot began to tremble, and someone emerged walking slowly. “I’d rather take it easy for a bit longer.” It was an aged man of large stature. Weariness was evident in his eyes, drenched in fatigue. “I’ve allowed you ample time to rest. Lend me your aid.” She was firm, and in response, “…Ah. Seems I have no choice.” The old man sighed and agreed. Resolving himself, the old man—or rather, “Where should I head?” The Iron-Blooded Warrior, the best in the world, asked. It was his first appearance in months since the skirmish with the Dishonored Venerable.