Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: Faintly, Suddenly (4)
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Training, ascending to higher realms.
I was prepared to do anything to build my strength.
Especially after witnessing the overwhelming prowess of that old man.
"You said experiencing death was fine."
The old man who had descended from the sky muttered.
Truly, whenever I found a stable place, I tended to forget my previous vows.
People don't change easily.
Only by constantly pushing my mind to the limit could I avoid repeating the same pathetic life as before.
"Awaken."
My chest was kicked by the old man's foot.
At that instant, my halted heart began to pound again.
"Kahak, kolok, kolok."
"I took you in because of your stubbornness and my curiosity about how you ended up here. I've been indulging you as you wished, but since you're a migratory bird who will leave someday anyway, no lingering attachments. If I say stop, you'll stop anytime."
The old man who had brutally crushed my hand ground his foot from side to side.
Blood slowly seeped up from the dirt floor.
I tied together the threads of consciousness that had snapped multiple times.
My body was torn mercilessly, but my mind was as clear as if it had been washed clean.
The exhilaration felt while spewing blood.
Not some sense of achievement from stepping beyond concerns for future safety, but pure focus on the fight itself.
I raised my body and gathered mana.
A thick smile crept across my lips at the denser mana than before.
"...You're grinning despite the pain? What a pathetic bastard."
"I don't think I've felt this much joy recently."
I felt relief at the fact that I was steadily progressing.
I could do more.
Emotions close to self-hypnosis overcame even my drowsiness.
As I used it more, the World Tree's power seemed to grow as well; the torn flesh on my battered body began to heal bit by bit.
"When I first saw you, I thought some idiot had inherited my power."
The old man infused mana into his fist once more.
"But in the heat of battle, you remind me of my younger self."
As the old man, having tossed out a single compliment, moved to strike—
I swung my broken arm, splattering the blood I had been clutching.
For some reason, the old man didn't dodge the blood. Fortunately, it got into his eyes, obscuring his vision.
This was my chance. But as I tried to move, my legs gave out, and I collapsed.
"Your durability is commendable. Even though I went easy on you, you're the only one who's lasted half a day struggling against me."
Come to think of it, my vision was blurry.
Because the sun had set and the moon was bright.
The old man clicked his tongue at the bloodstained peach blossoms under his feet.
"You've dirtied all the flowers on the mountain because of you. Come back next time. I'll patch up those holes in your body too."
"I can still go."
"Shut up. I'm busy too. Because of what you've done, I have to oversee the internal affairs of the Peach Paradise for a while."
Internal affairs.
After pondering deeply for a long time, I hesitantly opened my mouth.
"...If it's that, I can do it."
"What?"
"I'm not bad at studying, and I've learned quite a bit from the outside world, so I won't be useless."
Managing a territory isn't easy, but I've seen and learned plenty.
If asked if the tasks are exactly the same as what I did, I can't be sure. This place has its own martial world flavor, after all.
Still, with my knowledge, I could be of help.
And repaying the favor while learning about the Peach Paradise.
For too long, I've been ignorant of my surroundings.
I needed to learn about the Heavenly Path and the Heavenly Demon, and even the karma of the peach tree I'd heard about long ago on a broader scale.
It might even help with future matters involving the Heavenly Path, White Path, and Yellow Path.
The old man widened his eyes in surprise at my words.
"Looks like you didn't come just to leech off us."
"It's the Heavenly Path's hometown."
My master's hometown. I tried to say that, but my words caught, so I substituted with something else.
Yet the old man, sharp as a ghost, understood and chuckled.
"That frail old hag who spent her life weakly... she's even raised a disciple."
A man who had quickly realized I came from the future.
Knowing about the Spirit King meant he might know about the World Tree of Time as well.
"And yet you know nothing about me except my title. She must have hidden it well. I don't know what happened, but are all three of them still alive?"
To the old man who asked meaningfully, I hesitated before answering.
"I'll make sure they are."
The Yellow Path, White Path, and Heavenly Path live in the same body.
That alone was concerning, but in the future, they even disappear.
However, I couldn't speak of the future, so I conveyed only my resolve.
It was a vow.
The old man straightened his expression but seemed pleased, clicking his tongue.
"Sucker. Fine, learn the ropes from Hong Yeon. I'll give her a heads-up. Ask her if you have questions."
I had tons of questions.
Like why the Peach Paradise fell, or why the Heavenly Path became so emotionless.
The White Path's change too. Why did she suddenly switch her speech when she was overflowing with playfulness now?
'I've been clueless about everything.'
But first.
There was something I had to ask him.
"What's your name?"
The old man stopped in his tracks the moment he heard my question as he turned to leave.
"My name... Everyone calls me the Heavenly Demon, so I don't even remember the last time someone called me by name."
Behind that bitter-sounding voice, the old man said thus.
"I don't know. I forgot. Abandoned by my mother as a child, a filial ingrate, I lived having discarded my name."
However—
The old man lowered his voice.
I watched the departing silhouette of the old man from afar until it vanished into the distance.
"That mother called me Tae-jin. I don't know what it means. Don't want to know either."
Those were the old man's final words.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The next day.
"I heard the story."
As I set out early in the morning, the Heavenly Path approached and asked me.
"You're going to handle the Peach Paradise's administrative duties?"
"It just happened that way. Couldn't just freeload forever with everyone watching."
"You could have just stayed as a guest..."
I gave a vague reply and positioned myself behind the Heavenly Path who was following me.
I overlapped our bodies in an embrace.
The ticklish sensation calmed my trembling hands.
"Clinging again. Don't get any weird ideas."
"What's a weird idea?"
"Ah, that... um..."
"Heh, minors give me no such feelings."
"Th-then let go."
"But I like it."
Soft and squishy.
The Heavenly Path, who had been quietly listening, furrowed her brows slightly.
"Sigh, if you need someone to hug, just make a girl for that, right?"
"I have one."
"Then why hug me?"
"I thought I'd live looking at one person forever. Turns out more is fine too."
"Ugh. You're the first to say it so openly."
Is that so?
As I tilted my head, the Heavenly Path, looking up at my face from below, muttered sulkily like a pouting middle schooler.
True to her age, so childlike.
"What... I came to check on you out of worry."
Middle schoolers in my world picked up weird speech from their phones and parroted it.
Seeing the innocent and honest Heavenly Path melted my heart.
'...Our Shiba would be perfect at this age too.'
I wondered if my daughter was doing well.
Was she fighting with the White Path again? Was the Yellow Path's excessive affection overwhelming her to the point of yelling?
Our poor daughter worries because of a lousy dad like me.
"You worried about me? Thanks."
"Whatever. Fine. I shouldn't hang out with someone who won't even tell me his name... I was so shocked from that match. It was all for nothing! For nothing!"
"Kukuku."
I wrapped both arms around the Heavenly Path's neck and rested my chin on her crown.
Thanks to our height difference, I could do this.
"Don't hug me!"
"That shocked? How long have we known each other for you to worry like that?"
"Wouldn't you worry about a puppy that might die anytime, drenched and shivering in the rain?"
A pretty sharp metaphor, but it didn't faze me.
The Heavenly Path could curse at me, and it'd be fine. Even if she hit me.
"After work today, want me to visit your room for old times' sake?"
"No. Don't come."
I ruffled the Heavenly Path's hair to my heart's content and finally released her from my embrace.
The Heavenly Path, who pushed me away, smoothed her hair and made a sad face.
"Hate you!"
Was my affection too much?
I smiled wryly at the fleeing Heavenly Path's back.
I wanted to grab her right then and head to the market for street food and fun, but I had somewhere to go first.
The pinnacle of the Peach Paradise.
No particular name attached.
Like a palace in a kingdom, it served as both residence and managed all affairs of the Peach Paradise.
A building so massive it seemed impossible on a mountain range.
As I entered, the guarding soldier bowed lightly in greeting.
"Greetings, Little Heavenly Demon."
"...Uh, yeah."
Little Heavenly Demon. Similar figure, I suppose.
I knew quite a few had trained under the Heavenly Demon.
But not all trainees become Little Heavenly Demons.
Still, the soldier recognizing me as such meant the old man had put in a word.
"Go down the right corridor, and the innermost room is where the Leader resides."
I nodded and found the room as directed.
Hong Yeon (紅聯). The characters written in brush on the paper above the door.
The office of that woman I fought.
I didn't enter right away but knocked lightly.
-Come in.
A heavy, dignified female voice resounded.
Opening the door, Hong Yeon's face came into view.
"You're here."
Bandages wrapped tightly around her face. Swollen eyes barely open.
The gauze in her sunken nose was red with blood.
Even so, Hong Yeon, diligently moving her quill, looked at me with a sullen expression.
"You look like a sugar maple sucked dry."
"Did you have to say it? And the casual speech again..."
It wasn't necessary.
Just a jab because I regretted not hitting her enough back then.
Hong Yeon sighed, seemingly irritated just looking at my face.
"Sigh, expecting manners from a guy like you was my mistake. Fine, you said you'd handle things yourself. Hope it's not empty talk. Sit. I'll hand over the duties."
-Scratch, scratch.
Still moving the quill, Hong Yeon handed me a few old books as I sat.
"Confirming again, you can handle this?"
"Not sure if it's exactly like what I did, but I won't be clueless when taught."
"...And stop with the casual speech. This place has its hierarchy."
"Not around others."
"Stubborn with words."
Why did a guy like this roll in?
Hong Yeon muttered curses and began explaining.
"First, these are the basic rules of the Peach Paradise you need to know. When disputes arise, punishments are based on this, so memorize them all by tomorrow."
Not quite a constitution, but a fairly thick code of laws.
Documents organizing incoming and outgoing goods.
From taxes to military, it seemed systematically organized.
"Can you memorize them?"
I picked up the book, read a few lines, and nodded.
"Yeah. The rest I'll pick up on the job."
Every nation's laws or systems look plausible on the surface.
Whether they function well or leave room for abuse is another matter.
I'd have to read and work here to know, but from what I knew, the Peach Paradise wasn't exactly safe.
I'd heard rumors of happenings in the lower parts from prior investigations.
"Hope it's not all talk. Next task..."
She subtly showed her dislike, but seemed competent in managing the Peach Paradise.
'The Heavenly Demon held me back specifically; must be reasons for valuing her.'
Good that the teacher wouldn't teach poorly.
I listened intently to Hong Yeon and began immersing myself in the Peach Paradise for real.