Crossroads of Freedom and Power
Cindy returned to her room, collapsed onto the bed, and let her thoughts drift back to what had just happened. Following An Rok-san would undoubtedly make her stronger and solve many of her difficulties. But at the same time, she realized her freedom would be drastically reduced.
It's definitely a good offer, but... it would be hard to act however I want anymore... Still...
Backers. Supporters. Sponsors. Having played Changcheon Murim with Kang Hyun's help, Cindy knew all too well just how massive the difference was between having someone behind her and going it alone. And in Changcheon Murim, a supporter wasn't limited to simple financial backing. In the world of Murim, no matter how much money you had, powerful martial arts and equipment were incredibly difficult to obtain. It was the nature of Murim warriors to never teach their own techniques or pass on their secrets to outsiders, no matter how much gold was offered.
Even though this was now the universe of Endless Universe, the world of Changcheon Murim had been woven into it. So Cindy figured her reasoning wasn't entirely wrong.
Should she accept a clear path to power at the cost of her freedom? Or should she slow her growth in exchange for keeping her freedom and avoiding restrictions?
Standing at this crossroads, Cindy agonized for a long time before finally reaching her decision.
Yes. I'll follow Elder An Rok-san.
Losing freedom was certainly a negative. But the support of one of the absolute top-tier powerhouses currently active on Earth, combined with the chance to become a member of the enormous Martial Alliance and receive their full backing, was more than worth the sacrifice. Cindy made up her mind to tell An Rok-san her answer at the banquet.
Just wait for me, Kang Hyun!
Time passed, and when the hour of Yu arrived—between five and seven in the evening—Cindy was on her way to the banquet celebrating the outer disciples' departure from the mountain when she ran into An Rok-san.
"Did you rest well, Lady Cindy?"
"Yes, Elder. Please just call me Cindy. This is perfect timing. I've been thinking about your offer."
"I told you to take your time... and you've already made up your mind?"
"Yes. I..."
"Ah, let's head to the banquet hall first. There's no rush. Would you accompany me?"
"Of course."
"Heh heh. To enter with a beautiful woman like yourself... it is truly an honor."
"Oh my, you're quite the smooth talker, aren't you? Ho ho~ But I'll admit, it feels nice!"
"I wasn't joking. Haha."
As Cindy walked beside An Rok-san, she kept stealing glances at him, once again marveling at his massive frame. His incredible size and muscles seemed almost mismatched with his middle-aged face, yet they perfectly accentuated his masculine charm. After studying his face—which looked to be in his forties or fifties—she suddenly met his eyes when he turned toward her. Flustered, she quickly looked away and apologized.
"S-sorry. I was staring too much."
"Haha, with my height, it's nothing unusual. I get asked how tall I am all the time."
"Ho ho. Thank you for understanding. You really are quite tall, though."
"Heh heh. We've arrived. Shall we go in?"
When they entered the banquet hall, servants greeted them. At An Rok-san's request, Cindy was seated in the same area as him. As time went on, more and more people arrived. The fellow disciples she'd trained with looked for her, but when they saw her sitting with An Rok-san, they looked surprised and disappointed before turning away.
Cindy felt sorry toward them, but since she had something important to discuss with An Rok-san, she decided she would talk with them later even if it was regrettable.
After some time, Dokgo Mu-hyun arrived. He gave a welcoming speech for the outer disciples' departure and the Martial Alliance exchange group, then the banquet officially began. The hall quickly grew lively.
Cindy and An Rok-san sat in a relatively quiet corner, sipping their drinks while he answered the questions she was curious about.
"So you're saying the Federation has over a hundred member planets?"
"If you include the smaller ones, it's even more. Space is vast, after all."
"Hmm... What about the Federation's structure?"
"There are three representative chair planets at the top, with over a hundred member planets beneath them. Though it's called a federation, unity isn't exactly its strong suit. If you look at history, there have been quite a few planets and factions that betrayed the others. The same goes for the Empire. Speaking of which... I actually looked into your background a bit. We needed to confirm you had no connection to the Empire before the other elders and leadership would approve your recruitment."
"Oh my, did I manage to earn some trust after all? Ho ho."
"The truth is... not everyone feels the same, but many families that suffered greatly during the Empire's invasion two hundred years ago still harbor deep hatred toward them. That said, even within the Federation, there are a very small number of planets that trade with the Empire. War is war, and trade is trade... Everyone keeps quiet about it, of course. Money talks, after all."
"There are so many complicated circumstances..."
"Indeed. War continues at the borders, but that's just the border. In space, there are countless ways to bypass borders and reach the Empire—or vice versa. Still, at least most factions on Earth consider the Empire their enemy."
"Because of the invasion?"
"That's right. The Empire's top priority is subjugation, while the Federation emphasizes coexistence. Of course, diplomacy is still ultimately governed by power, so the difference isn't that huge... But with the common enemy of the Omega Empire, the Murim world has strangely avoided another righteous-demonic war. The Imperial Palace has actively requested cooperation from Murim, and there aren't many bold enough in the Central Plains to ignore His Majesty's wishes. Plus, the countries in the Western Regions have joined the Federation and exchanges have increased."
"So Earth isn't completely unified either?"
"Correct. They say it's rare to find a planet with as many nations as Earth."
"Heh..."
So the scope has expanded to include the entire Earth with all its countries... I really want to go see them someday when I have the time...
"Come, have another drink. It's been a while since we've had such an enjoyable gathering. We've been talking too much, the both of us."
Glug glug.
"Ho ho. Thank you, Elder An Rok-san. Let me pour you one as well."
"Hahaha, thank you! Wine poured by a beauty always tastes better. Here, Cindy, have one too!"
"I'll gladly accept, Elder An Rok-san."
As they exchanged drinks with An Rok-san, Cindy was able to ask about all the information she was curious about. She had already learned much of it through her Bio Device while staying at the Dokgo family, but hearing it directly from someone's mouth felt different. She cross-verified the information she'd gathered, and since most of it matched, she felt reassured as she chatted and drank with him.
Moreover, because of An Rok-san's position as an elder of the Martial Alliance, she was able to learn quite a bit of new information that wasn't available on the Bio Device. Details like which specific planets held grudges against the Empire, or which factions within the Martial Alliance were friendly toward the Federation and which weren't—these were fresh pieces of intel she couldn't have obtained otherwise. Cindy was extremely satisfied.
Quite a bit of time passed. After drinking a moderate amount, Cindy briefly left An Rok-san's side to talk with the fellow disciples she'd trained with. Since they were outer disciples, they hadn't spent enough time together to truly call each other senior or junior brothers and sisters, but they were still precious people she'd spent four months with. Jang Il-sin in particular looked sad about parting with her the next day. Cindy smiled, told him they should part on good terms, said her goodbyes, then returned to An Rok-san and continued drinking with him.
Even though it was a game, it had been a while since she'd had alcohol. Cindy became quite drunk. Unlike in Changcheon Murim, her character here wasn't strong enough yet to purge the alcohol, so she eventually fell into a hazy, half-dreaming state. An Rok-san suggested it was time for her to stop.
"You seem to have had quite a lot. How about we call it a night, Cindy?"
"Haa... You're right... Hup... I'll head out first."
Despite her words, the moment she stood up she staggered. An Rok-san quickly rose and steadied her.
"You really drank too much. Tell me where your room is."
"Haa... I'm sorry. Then... just for a moment, I'll have to trouble you..."
Because An Rok-san was so tall, he simply picked her up in his arms and quietly slipped out of the hall without drawing attention, carrying her toward her room.
Nestled in An Rok-san's embrace, Cindy thought quietly to herself.
.... The elder's body... it's so firm and warm... Just like Kang Hyun... Haa.
Cindy pressed herself even more tightly against An Rok-san's chest. As he felt her soft, elastic body against him, his manhood began to swell and harden.
.... It looks like I won't be able to sleep easily tonight.
After laying Cindy down on the bed, An Rok-san turned to leave when her drunken voice called out from behind him.
"...Kang Hyuuun... I miss youuu~"
"....."
Hearing that, An Rok-san silently pulled the blanket over her, left her room, and headed to the guest quarters in the adjacent building.