Chapter 47
Chapter 47
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Finally Home
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Finally
The house he returned to after about a month was, naturally, completely empty.
As Elena passed through the front gate and crossed the garden, she unwittingly came to a stop. Was it because it had been so long? The empty garden felt hollow and awkward.
Standing there blankly gazing at the garden, Elena forced her reluctant feet to move and walked forward.
The moment she opened the door and stepped inside, the living room lights turned on automatically. The unchanged scenery of the living room from before she left brought her no sense of welcoming warmth. Elena stood dazed in the middle of the living room for a long while.
A mansion a bit too large for living alone. From now on, Elena would have to live in this mansion by herself. Every day, she would wake up alone, eat alone, leave the mansion without greeting anyone or hearing a greeting in return.
She would have to tidy up the rooms of those who would never return, dispose of things that could no longer be used.
“...”
Even things she had taken for granted until last year—now she couldn't recall how she had lived in this mansion back then, or what she had felt.
The being she had lived with in the mansion, whom she had firmly believed to be her childhood friend Elena—no, Yuri—was actually a monster that had merely worn her childhood friend's skin.
In the end, he was a complete stranger, someone who had taken advantage of Elena's goodwill to enjoy a comfortable life here.
What was even more vicious was that, even after learning all this, Elena still couldn't bring herself to hate the possessor unconditionally.
She had thought it over many times.
That the current Yuri was better than the Yuri she had only heard about through letters without meeting in person. The one she had wished would come find her sooner was this "current" Yuri.
Elena couldn't know exactly what kind of person the real Yuri had been. She could recall what Yuri was like ten years ago at the orphanage, but she knew nothing of the Yuri who had wandered the back alleys after leaving it.
A dreadful feeling washed over her.
If Elena had been stronger, if she could have killed the Blood Fiend Ghost without Yuri stepping in. Then maybe she wouldn't have had to realize this truth.
Maybe she could have continued the childish play-pretend for another half year without ever realizing that the current Yuri wasn't Yuri, but a possessor.
Maybe she could have exchanged occasional letters with Yuri after he left the mansion, looking forward to their next reunion.
She felt disgust toward herself for thinking that way. At the same time, she felt guilt toward the real Yuri, who was already dead.
In the end, Elena was more despairing over the sense of betrayal from the possessor she had thought was Yuri than the fact that the real Yuri, whom she had been separated from for ten years, was already dead.
And yet, she couldn't bring herself to hate Yuri the possessor unconditionally.
In the end, Elena hadn't been able to shout at the possessor to "give Yuri's body back." The choice she made in that moment was parting ways, a result of turning a blind eye to many things.
If they met again someday.
Once these tangled emotions knotted into something clear, could she make a choice other than parting?
Could she leave only pure betrayal behind, denounce him as a lying monster, and kill Yuri?
Or.
“...”
Elena, who had been standing blankly in the living room, climbed the stairs with staggering steps. In front of the firmly closed door, she unwittingly clutched her chest. There was trembling and hesitation, but it didn't last long. In the end, Elena steadied her breath and opened the door.
A neatly tidied room came into view. Though she had opened the door, Elena couldn't step inside.
“Ugh...”
Elena bit her lip hard and raised her hand. —Crackle! Electric currents resonated with mana and surged around her. But in the end, Elena couldn't pour her magic into this room.
No one would return. She shouldn't make anyone return. That would be completely denying the dead Yuri. But even thinking that, she couldn't bring herself to destroy this room.
In the end, Elena chose to turn away and run again this time. She closed the door again and collapsed in front of it.
“What... the hell do I even want...”
The currents had faded, but her bangs were a mess from static, obscuring her vision. Elena swallowed down her sorrow and frustration, pressing her bangs down with her hand.
She thought of the hairpin she had received as a gift.
In the end, Elena hadn't been able to throw away the hairpin, but neither could she bring herself to use it.
*
“Adra Jevanni. Estimated tier is 4th tier, weapon is a sword. If you want to know the martial arts he uses, you'll have to pay more.”
The easiest way to connect with an informant is through a back-alley tavern. Naturally, it's not free. You have to pay the tavern owner separately for the connection, and the cost varies wildly depending on the info's quality.
“Oh, and just so you know, the martial arts I tell you about aren't guaranteed to be accurate. These days, not many guys shout out their technique names while using martial arts, and as you know, those shouted names are often bait anyway, right?”
No standout weapons visible, so probably a martial artist? Maybe even a mage, but that seemed unlikely. The sturdy build under the large robe and the solidly muscled arms made it almost certain he was a martial artist.
“The gang that follows Adra as boss numbers ten in total, four of whom are 3rd tier. They call themselves the Angor Eleven Swords... and just like that ridiculous name, they've set up base in Angor Mountain, preying on peddlers and passersby.”
A gang that knows its place. They generally avoid martial artists or mages, and they don't even glance at merchant caravans. The Angor Eleven Swords only target lone peddlers or travelers.
In the end, their accumulated misdeeds led the guild to put a bounty on them, but thanks to their cautious hunting, the bounty on the boss Adra Jevanni isn't that high. Considering you have to face all eleven—not just the boss—the reward is pathetically low compared to the effort.
‘This guy's a joke.’
Adra Jevanni's martial arts. Characteristics of the four subordinates estimated at 3rd tier. A map of Angor Mountain marked with their hideout.
Altogether, it's several times the bounty on Adra's head. From the informant's perspective, a customer buying unsellable info must seem like a sucker, but the bounty hunter's attitude of not caring about breaking even felt oddly suspicious.
“Revenge, by any chance?”
Most cases of pursuing such unprofitable ventures stem from personal grudges. Maybe family or a friend was killed by Adra? The informant asked out of idle curiosity, but got no reply.
“Customer, I'm saying this like you're my little brother. If you go alone, you're dead for sure. Adra that bastard may be petty and cowardly, but he's not weak. Plenty of bounty hunters have gone to Angor Mountain thinking they'd make some pocket money, and most ended up dead.”
“Looks like not all of them died, though?”
“Adra that bastard has a ghost's sense for knowing his limits. If he spots you from afar and thinks you're stronger, he never shows. The map I gave you marks the hideout, but that's not all of them. If he sees something iffy from a distance, Adra and his lackeys bolt to another hideout.”
“So, what do I look like to you?”
Yuri flipped back the hood on his head and asked. At the question, the informant blinked and scrutinized Yuri's face.
Not a particularly fierce impression, and no veteran aura. Age looks early twenties at most. A few scars on the face might've made him look decently tough, but unfortunately, no scars.
“You look weak.”
The informant stated his honest impression. The eyes aren't sharp. Build is decent, but not the hulking frame of a typical external arts master. No weapon. Especially fatal: no presence unique to a martial artist who has cultivated internal energy.
“That's why I'm telling you. You really seem like my little brother. This isn't for the money—it's pure goodwill advice. So, customer, if you're going alone, how about recruiting some comrades?”
The informant lowered his voice to a whisper.
“Line of work means I know a lot of people. Pay the fee, and I'll introduce you to an expert who can take down Adra that bastard.”
“No thanks.”
Seeing him as a sucker rather than a brother, probably. Yuri replied indifferently as he pulled out money. Claiming they vanish like shadows if you're stronger, yet offering to introduce an expert? Contradiction from the start. Just a ploy to squeeze more intro fees.
“Ah, seriously, you're really gonna die...”
The informant checked the money he'd received without much regret.
“Then let me give you different advice. You look like a martial artist, obviously. Instead of poking the Adra bear, how about targeting someone else? Pay up, and I'll pull a list of targets suited to your level.”
“That does pique my interest.”
Yuri stood from his chair as he replied.
“I'll hear that after I get back.”
Yuri himself wasn't entirely sure how far he could go.
There were several reasons for choosing Adra Jevanni.
Among the wanted criminals he could hunt in this village, he had the highest estimated tier. Ten underlings, four at 3rd tier. And all used swords.
Before coming to this village, he had fought a swordsman.
A bandit, unnamed. Estimated tier around 2nd.
The guy had suddenly blocked his path on the road, sword at the ready, demanding everything he had.
When Yuri refused, he swung right away.
It barely qualified as a fight. The clumsy swordplay didn't even graze Yuri's clothes, and the nameless bandit died with his head smashed by Yuri's fist.
No need for sword aura.
First time fighting a swordsman, but it hardly felt like experience gained.
So he chose Adra Jevanni. Estimated 4th tier, with 3rd tier underlings. The remaining six were at best 2nd tier, no need to worry.
He could fight proper swordsmen and gain experience in multi-opponent melees. No one around here would give Yuri as much experience as Adra.
A shame the info fee exceeded Adra's bounty, but killing him and looting the hideout should cover it.
‘She should have arrived in Lutran by now.’
He thought as he unfolded the Angor Mountain map.
Ten days since leaving Logos. Coming here, he'd dawdled through stops and taken half a month, but the return trip would be different.
Yuri let out a deep sigh and folded the map.
To climb Angor Mountain before sunset, he had to move now.
*
“Your disciple reached 5th tier?”
The face was one he hadn't seen in a while, but Ox God Head hadn't changed. He still had his hair spiked up, wore a pure white outfit scrawled with indecipherable characters topped with a jacket, and had his magic staff at his feet.
He didn't know exactly what commission Ox God Head had received from the Ascard Family, but his return to Lutran after two years was dramatic. His whereabouts had been unknown in between—some even thought he might be dead—but this mad possessor had entered Lutran striding through the sky on his magic staff, showing off another freakish feat.
“5th tier at 22. Astonishing talent. Really not a possessor?”
Ox God Head slowly shook the teacup held to his nose. Savoring the fragrant tea aroma, he turned his gaze.
“Hmm~ Thor. Your tea-brewing skill has truly reached mastery. In the art of tea ceremony, you could be called a true master. But aren't you neglecting real cultivation by obsessing over tea ceremony?”
“Don't call me that.”
Reisy openly showed his irritation, glaring at Ox God Head.
“And I told you, I'm not Thor.”
“Hahaha! What's so embarrassing that you deny that nick? All you did as Thor was play Confucian scholar, wasn't it?”
“Con... fucian scholar? What's that? Don't use words I don't understand. And I'm really not Thor.”
“Then what was your nick?”
“Not telling. Anyway, I'm not Thor. My name is Reisy Yuzha.”
Reisy snapped back, then strode over and snatched the teacup from Ox God Head's hand.
“And I haven't neglected cultivation. I just don't obsess over blindly raising my tier.”
“Even so, 5th tier after two years is too much. Isn't it because you skipped real combat and holed up in the magic tower?”
“I've done plenty of necessary combat. And I could reach 6th tier anytime. I just choose not to.”
“Why?”
“There's still room to delve deeper into 5th tier magic. Before going to 6th, I want to fully understand 5th tier magic.”
The perspective of 6th tier and 5th tier differs vastly. Reisy wanted to see everything visible at his current tier before ascending, rather than rushing upward.
“You picked the wrong magic tower.”
Orca, sitting across from Ox God Head, chuckled as she replied.
“If you're obsessed with mastering all magic before advancing tiers, you should've chosen Lucio Nel Magic Tower, not Derusia. No one's as fixated on the pinnacle of spellcraft as old man Arsen.”
“I've told you many times: I prefer Derusia Magic Tower's magic over Lucio Nel's.”
“This is truly an honor. But I'd like you to reach 6th tier soon, myself.”
“Isn't Elena working hard in my place?”
“Elena Haiderga.”
Ox God Head, stroking his chin, spoke up.
“So. Your disciple—really not a possessor?”
Elena Haiderga's fame had recently spread beyond Lutran. She was already renowned as Derusia's favorite child for reaching 4th tier at 20, but 5th tier at 22 was unprecedented.
“Elena is not a possessor.”
Orca replied with a sly smile. Two years ago, she had three disciple candidates, but Reisy withdrew himself, and Arrist was expelled.
Thus, Elena became Orca's sole disciple.
“Elena's reaching 5th tier... she has talent rivaling a possessor, but it's more thanks to her thirst and madness for magic and power.”
“Something triggered it, huh?”
Ox God Head eyed Orca with gleaming interest.
“Fascinating. I saw your disciple briefly two years ago, but honestly, she didn't catch my eye much.”
“Well, your attention was on someone else back then.”
“Ah, right, it was.”
Clap. Ox God Head clapped his hands and nodded.
“Name was Yuri, right?”
Ox God Head rarely remembered names of those weaker than him. But he recalled the young man said to be Kwon Rang's disciple-like figure.
He deemed it a name worth remembering. Internal energy was lacking, but the 'eyes' and martial talent were real. It would take time, but the potential to grow strong overflowed.
“Is that guy still in Lutran?”
“No, Yuri left Lutran two years ago.”
“Left? Why?”
Ox God Head retrieved the teacup Reisy had snatched via telekinesis and brought it to his lips.
“Not certain, but seems he was a possessor.”
Gulp...
Tea poured from Ox God Head's mouth like a waterfall.