Chapter 245: Unintended Companion (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 245: Unintended Companion (2)
The frontline was a land that had died, a place unable to resolve the crisis of the Gates of Demons. Now, it was a territory overrun by demons, withering endlessly under the constant opening of those same gates.
This raised a significant question.
How could such a vast, verdant forest exist in such a desolate, arid land? It was a dead realm where not a single drop of water remained, yet this lush greenery persisted.
Many had wondered, but no one bothered to seek an answer. The Murim Alliance had decreed that no one was permitted to enter the forest without the explicit approval of the Gu Clan.
Wasn't that ironic? Even the Murim Alliance needed the Gu Clan's permission when it came to the frontline. In essence, the Alliance had acknowledged the forest as Gu Clan territory.
Because of that, I found myself coming here far too often.
The Gu Clan's blood relatives were tasked with managing the forest. Originally, it was the responsibility of Gu Huibi's Fifth Army, but the duty had been passed to me once I was appointed Young Lord.
Would that change in this life?
I doubt it.
Unless I ran away and avoided becoming the Young Lord altogether, this part of my fate seemed immutable.
Damn it.
Rustle.
I moved slowly, stepping from one tree branch to another. The night was bright, illuminated by a full moon. It was roughly midnight.
I hope to return by morning.
Journeying to the forest's heart was never a peaceful endeavor. For starters, no proper paths existed, as it was not a place meant for easy entry.
[Grr…]
A quiet growl reached my ears. It seemed cautious, as if it knew all my actions tonight were ultimately because of it.
I should seriously consider ditching this bastard somewhere.
[Grr.]
The subsequent growl sounded almost like a retort, insisting that I couldn't possibly do such a thing. Which was profoundly annoying.
Pushing thoughts of that creature aside, I let out a sigh. Lately, it felt like I was sighing more than ever.
Swoosh.
The wind blew.
Summer was approaching, but the night breeze retained its chill. I was also acutely aware of the woman following me.
“You…”
I turned as I spoke, and my eyes met hers. It seemed she had already been staring at me.
“Yes.”
Moyong Hi-ah responded briefly, her cheeks tinged with a slight blush.
Was she cold? It wasn't that frigid, but given her unique condition, it was possible. Even now, she was bundled in a thick outfit utterly unsuited to the weather.
Seeing this, I frowned slightly and grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer.
“Ah…!”
Her eyes widened in shock at the sudden contact, but I ignored her surprise and channeled warmth into her.
“Ahhh…”
A soft sigh escaped her as the heat seeped into her body, and she twisted slightly.
Watching her, I asked, “Why did you follow me?”
“…The Sword of Heroic Flame…”
“Don’t use him as an excuse. Do you really think I’m that dumb?”
When I cut her off, Moyong Hi-ah averted her gaze. This time, her ears turned red as well.
So she feels embarrassed too?
“It’s strange enough that he stayed behind to rest, but I never asked you to substitute for him.”
“…You’re only quick-witted at times like this.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Moyong Hi-ah’s sharp, sword-like aura seemed to be softening as time went on, for some reason. She was a girl who could perfectly conceal her nature when deceiving someone, so I wondered why she was acting like this lately.
“…I didn’t do anything special. I merely made a request.”
“A request?”
“I asked him ‘politely’ if I could go in his place, and the Sword of Heroic Flame permitted it.”
“That… doesn’t really make sense. No matter how I think about it.”
Does he not know what I'll do to him when I get back?
I knew Gu Jeolyub wasn't the brightest, but I never thought him that foolish.
As I stared at her with suspicious eyes, Moyong Hi-ah, who had been avoiding my gaze, bit her lip lightly.
“…It would be nice if you just pretended not to know and went along with it.”
“Now you’re just being shameless.”
“Don’t you find it more comfortable with me instead, anyway?”
What was she talking about now?
Why would Moyong Hi-ah think I'd be more comfortable with her?
Just as I was about to ask, she answered. “With fewer people. Alone, if possible.”
“…”
“Is that not what the Young Master prefers?”
Her words left me momentarily speechless. She had seemed nervous earlier, but now she was looking at me with those sharp eyes again.
I really don’t know how to deal with her.
I truly couldn't let my guard down around her.
How did she know?
Inspecting the forest's center wasn't a difficult task. As one approached the core, the number of demons decreased, making it a simple check-up. Even Gu Huibi preferred to go with a small group for convenience.
Though her reasons are different from mine.
In my case, even though I had asked Gu Jeolyub and Muyeon to come, I never intended to enter the heart of the forest with them. It was better to keep certain things hidden. Besides, only blood relatives were permitted entry to begin with.
However, Moyong Hi-ah was now a problem.
“What do you gain from this?”
She had taken Gu Jeolyub’s place, which was bothersome enough, and I was sure she had orchestrated Muyeon's absence, leaving just the two of us. But what did Moyong Hi-ah stand to gain?
“What do I gain?”
Moyong Hi-ah’s sky-blue eyes gazed at me as she answered, rubbing her slightly reddened cheeks. “Time.”
“Time?”
It was an unexpected answer. What did she mean by time?
While I still held her wrist, she continued. “The time I get to spend with you.”
“…What?”
“Do you know what I despised the most?”
What did Moyong Hi-ah despise the most?
“Being pointlessly emotional. Yearning for something knowing I won’t get anything in return. I despised that.”
Her cold words were tinged with emotion. “It’s pointless. It’s a process that changes and destroys a person. Both my father and mother were destroyed because of it.”
I noticed a slight tremor in her voice when she said ‘because,’ spoken without hesitation. Did she mean the Princess of the North Sea when she referred to her mother?
I somewhat agreed with her. I knew better than anyone how terrifying it was to be swept away by emotions.
“But funnily enough,” Moyong Hi-ah’s lips curved into a slight smile. The girl who seemed carved from ice was smiling. “I realized I was doing that exact thing.”
Sss.
Her wrist slipped from my grasp.
She had pulled away with force. “But it didn’t feel that bad, after experiencing it.”
“You…”
“So this time is rather important to me.”
The weight behind her words felt heavy.
…Why?
No matter how dense I was, I could tell she was expressing interest in me. The problem was why she felt this way.
Was I too familiar with her?
Our contract required me to channel heat into her every few weeks. Or was meeting her every few days the issue?
As these thoughts stormed in my head, I heard a soft chuckle. It came from Moyong Hi-ah. She seemed to be enjoying herself greatly, giggling behind her hand.
“I knew the Young Master would make that expression.”
“…”
“I didn’t say this expecting an answer. I only said it so you would finally realize. Because you never did, no matter how much I hinted.”
Moyong Hi-ah stepped forward, standing directly in front of me. I caught her scent, a mix of her natural fragrance and the chill of her Ice Qi.
“I know it’s hard on you.”
Each word felt like a poke to my chest, making it impossible to retreat.
“But for me, even that side of you is attractive.”
Having said that, she took another step forward. As I stood there, dumbfounded as if struck by lightning, she glanced back over her shoulder. “Come now. We can’t afford to be late.”
I was the one left flustered, watching her walk ahead as if nothing had happened. This was probably the most confusing day I’d had all year.
* * *
We reached our destination within the forest without exchanging another word. I thought I would die from the awkwardness, but Moyong Hi-ah seemed perfectly composed. How could she be like this?
A headache threatened to overwhelm me, yet she was more serene than ever.
…I’ll just ignore it for now.
I had a task to focus on. Honestly, I couldn't completely dismiss what had just happened, but what else could I do?
At the entrance, Moyong Hi-ah stopped. “Have a safe trip.”
“…Uh, Y-Yeah.”
She waited there as if she had expected this. I had planned to tell her to stay behind, and it seemed she had anticipated it. Could I really leave her alone in a demon-infested forest at night? Yet, there were fewer demons near the center—practically none, in fact. I didn't know why, only that it had always been that way.
Leaving Moyong Hi-ah behind, I approached the entrance.
Then,
Ring-
A faint ringing sound reached my ears as I stepped through. It was the sensation of passing through a formation, similar to the one in the Gu Clan’s basement.
It’s fascinating every time.
A formation that only permitted the blood relatives of noble clans was a rare sight. I'd heard that anyone else would be thrown back with a thump! I'd even witnessed it happen.
I wonder if Gu Jeolyub could enter too.
The thought crossed my mind. Since he carried Gu blood, even from a collateral line, wouldn't the formation technically allow him?
There's no way it can distinguish between a direct descendant of the Clan Lord and others.
A formation wasn't a living being; such fine discrimination seemed impossible.
The center was exactly what it sounded like—the heart of the forest. As I ventured deeper, a small, circular plain came into view, surrounded by trees and grass, with a pool at its center.
Despite the incongruity, the frontline forest was breathtakingly beautiful, with scenery that seemed almost too perfect to be natural.
In the distance, my focus sharpened on something above the pool. A black shape, resembling a Gate of Demons that hadn't been there last time, floated ominously in the air.
I can’t believe one formed here of all places.
Should I call this lucky or unlucky?
Why am I even questioning this? It’s extremely unlucky.
My disgustingly bad luck remained unchanged, even after all this time.
[Grrr…]
The creature inside me reacted the moment I spotted it. Its roar was a clear demand to devour the gate immediately, echoing through my entire being.
I'm going to let you have it, so shut up.
[Grr…]*
Splash.
I stepped into the pool and waded toward the floating rift. As I drew nearer, a giant marble resting on a pillar in the pool's center caught my eye. This was one reason the Gu Clan managed this place—they had to ensure the marble hadn't fallen or cracked.
Frankly, the marble was so durable it could weather any storm. I never understood why the clan insisted on constant checks. I didn't know its purpose, only that the clan's ancestors had brought it here. Father called it a seed. It looked nothing like a seed, and who ever heard of a seed that size?
There don’t seem to be any problems.
I inspected the marble, since that was my official pretext for coming, and thankfully, it appeared intact. The reason it was left here with only periodic inspections was simple: the barrier surrounding it was immensely powerful. It would take someone on the level of the past Heavenly Demon to break through.
…And that bastard actually managed to tear through it.
The fact that it required the Heavenly Demon's full strength proved it was no ordinary barrier.
I wonder why that bastard tried to come here.
In my past life, the Heavenly Demon had attempted to reach this very spot. It had shown interest in various world treasures. I never understood why. Although it succeeded in breaching the barrier, it ultimately didn't take the marble. 'Failed' isn't quite right; it simply lost interest upon seeing it.
-It is pointless to me.
That was all it said. After putting me through all that trouble.
“…Tsk.”
Pushing thoughts of the marble aside, I slowly reached out and placed my hand into the floating rift. Just like before, as my hand entered, the spatial tear began to gradually close until it vanished completely from the air.
[Grr.]
The creature inside me let out a satisfied burp.
“You full?”
[Grr.]*
“Sigh…”
To think I went through all this in the dead of night just to satisfy this bastard. It really felt like I was raising a wild beast, though I'd never been the type to enjoy pets.
I clicked my tongue and closed my eyes.
I wonder if anything has changed.
I opened and closed my hand, testing for any difference in my body, but felt nothing.
I suppose it's better to say there's no change.
My task complete, I turned to leave the pond when—
“…Hmm?”
My attention was drawn back to the marble. It was unchanged, only seconds having passed, yet something about it compellingly caught my eye.
What the…
It felt strange. An intense, ticklish sensation crept into my fingertips, a desperate urge to touch the marble no matter what. Not that touching it was forbidden; I'd done so a few times in the past.
“…”
I didn't understand the feeling, but after staring at the marble for a long moment, I reached out. I wanted to satisfy my curiosity and dispel this odd sensation.
But then.
[…N…o.]
Pause.
My hand froze mid-air, just before contact.
The creature had spoken. The one that had curled up, content, now had its eyes wide open, focused on the marble.
No?
[That… is…danger…]
I had to ponder its words carefully. It had never reacted like this before.
Are you saying it's dangerous for me, or for you?
[…Bo…th.]
Usually, it fell silent when questioned, but now it seemed panicked, worried about me touching the marble.
Would you look at this bastard?
[…Not… yet… Not yet…]*
Hearing it struggle to form words, a frown automatically creased my brow. What would happen if I touched it? I didn't need to, but its warning only made me more tempted.
What is this?
Was it the rebellious urge a child feels when told not to do something? It felt different. More like a profound thirst. A feeling that I couldn't leave without touching it. It was deeply unpleasant.
Press.
I suppressed the emotion with my Qi.
It felt shitty, like I was obeying the creature's command, but I too sensed danger here.
[If… eat now… explode.]*
What was going to explode? My body? Or the marble?
“Sigh…”
I didn't know what it was, but I turned away at its repeated warning. “Explain.”
I couldn't just leave it at that.
[Grr….]*
“If you don’t give me a convincing explanation, I’ll touch it and explode anyway.”
Was I supposed to abstain just because it said so? I didn't have the personality to blindly follow orders.
So I will hear it.
A reason compelling enough to stop me.
Hearing my firm words, I felt a storm erupt in my dantian. Was the previously placid creature going wild?
Slam! Slam!
Violent shocks reverberated through me, but thankfully, there was no pain like last time. I stood firm, weathering the vibrations until the storm in my dantian slowly calmed.
Then.
[Seed…]
It seemed to realize it had no choice. It gave a short answer.
[Giant Tree’s seed…]*
The seed of a Giant Tree.
…Huh?
A very simple name. It just meant the seed of a giant tree, but hearing it triggered a memory.
No way. Perhaps…
On the day the young prodigies of my past life fell into the Abyss, moments before I was to be devoured by demons after being used as bait, a tree of impossible height had formed before my eyes, its canopy blotting out the sky.
For some reason, upon hearing ‘Giant Tree,’ that very tree came to mind.