Chapter 241: Various Stories
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 241: Various Stories
The current situation in the East alone was enough to tell you that. In fact, even at this very moment, the summoners of the West were likely still supporting the Sword Saint. To begin with, only those with a certain degree of power were capable of traveling between cities. For people like my past self or Choi Seulgi, long-distance travel between cities was something we couldn't even dream of. Of course, now that relations had soured and invisible borders were being drawn, things were probably even more closed off.
“I can’t forget.”
A flash of madness glinted in her eyes. I wasn’t the only one who had changed a little. After the ten years I spent scraping by, it wasn’t like I’d never seen such a look before, but it certainly felt like she had changed in this respect. Yet, maybe I was just smitten, because it didn’t look bad at all. Funnily enough, I found it a little sexy.
Of course, I, too, don’t forget my grudges. I couldn’t say I wasn’t at fault for being foolish, but the grudge from when they abandoned a dying Choi Seulgi still remained in my heart. Even though I had met her again in this life, the grudge hadn’t disappeared.
“What’s the current situation between the North and the West?”
“They’re holding back for now, but it feels like it’s about to explode. No, we have to make it explode. It’s just like our past life. The North and West are on bad terms right now. So bad that I don’t even need to intervene. There are territorial issues, problems with the dungeon located in the central region, and a lot of other tangled matters. The only reason Aia is playing the part of lovers with that bastard from the South is to keep the North in check… and we’re supposed to form an alliance with the Queen of the East. The intelligence she brought us about a potential attack also helped worsen relations. However, there’s still something holding Han So-Hye back, so she’s hesitating… Once it’s confirmed, we can make it blow up immediately.”
“Mmm…”
“Well, to be honest, the West probably holds a bigger grudge against us. To be precise, the West sees the North as barbarians and the East as a crazy city that uses slaves… I guess if they can’t have it all, they’ll just try to divide and conquer… In fact, the Holy Knights Order is the one sending threats. Thanks to them, I ended up coming to the East, so when you think about it, the Sword Saint is the one who brought us back together. Heh.”
Thinking that could be true made me laugh.
“We would have met eventually, even without that. Once I finished up my business on the Eastern Continent, I was planning to go find you…”
“You’re a smooth talker. Hey. Put that tail away.”
Since I’d found her a little sexy just a moment ago, I had subtly moved my tail, but a sharp voice immediately cut through the air. I quickly put my tail away, but for some reason, I was met with a rather disappointed look on Choi Seulgi’s face.
“Why, want to pet it a little?”
Choi Seulgi’s face flushed, and she spoke again, seeming to hastily change the subject.
“Anyway, the Eastern Continent?”
“Ah, I didn’t tell you. There were Japanese people and elves on the land next to the one beyond the Forest of Fog. The idea that only Koreans and Green Skins were being summoned was always the more unrealistic part. I don’t know how it happened, but the Japanese were treating the elves like their servants… Well, it’s mostly been resolved now.”
I had only said it casually, but Choi Seulgi’s expression was unexpectedly serious. I immediately realized the answer.
“You guys found something too, didn’t you.”
There was something north of the North.
“Didn’t I say earlier that So-Hye was hesitating because something was holding her back?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s not certain… but.”
“But?”
“A rather famous clan from the North once went on an expedition far to the north, and they returned a few months later… as undead… Since then, undead have been trickling down from below the northern mountain range, little by little. It’s not on a scale that could cause any real damage here… so in the city, they’re in the middle of a heated debate about whether it’s the appearance of a new dungeon or the possible existence of another continent to the north… but hearing your story…”
“It’s not an impossibility, is it? No, to be more precise, it’s more correct to assume there is something there.”
After speaking, I fell into thought for a moment. If there was something at the eastern edge of the continent, it was only natural to think there was something at the northern edge as well. I had wondered before if perhaps Chinese people or undead were being summoned in the North, but the thought that it might actually be true sent a small chill down my spine. It didn't have to be the Chinese. If humans had won the war on the continent to the north, that would be a relief, but if the undead had won and all the humans had been turned into undead, it would be more than just annoying. And that wasn’t all. If we assumed there was something in the North, that meant there was a possibility of something in the West and South as well.
“We’re still investigating. That’s why So-Hye is hesitant to clash with the West. Is the fog in the forest at the edge of the East clearing up for you guys too?”
I nodded. The snowstorm over the mountain range at the North’s back was probably clearing up as well.
“Why… is it the same for you guys?”
“Yeah. Fuck, this is suddenly getting complicated… really… In our past life, for sure…”
“Things might have changed in this life, or it could be something we just didn’t know about. At most, all we knew was the West, after all. The information we could get was limited…”
Watching Choi Seulgi bite her nails, I realized that she cherished the North just as I cherished my own people. It was only natural for her to react that way, having spent so much time with them, but seeing her like this made me feel strangely pleased.
I wanted to stop the headache-inducing conversation and was about to subtly change the subject when Choi Seulgi spoke first.
“Anyway, let’s catch up on the rest later. We should get moving. Your lovely girlfriends must be waiting. By the way, how many are there in total? And give me a brief introduction.”
“The Green Flower you saw before, her name is Jung Hayeon. She was originally human, but she suddenly changed during the Tutorial… I’m not sure how it happened. The Fairy is named Mev, and she’s taken it upon herself to be the matron of the clan… The priestess who was here earlier is Baek Ahyeon, and the woman next to her was the master of the Spider Clan, Choi Eunju. I messed with her mind a bit, so she thinks I’m her husband… Lastly, there’s the Queen of the East, Jang Ye Ri. That’s it.”
“Fuck… Kim Taesung, you’ve got some skills. The Spider Clan’s Master… even messing with her mind… the Queen of the East… and what’s this about a human turning into a Green Skin?”
“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you bit by bit later. We have plenty of time.”
I hadn’t realized how much time had passed while we were talking. I’d been told to finish my business by evening, but thankfully, it wasn’t too late.
“So I’m joining the Kim Taesung harem now… How absurd. It’s still absurd when I think about it. That Kim Taesung… wait a minute, isn’t that Fairy basically a kid? That ordinary-looking priestess from before was tiny, too… Did you awaken some weird fetish or something? Hah… Kim Taesung, you’ve really become a piece of trash.”
“It’s not like that. That Fairy has changed a lot, too. And Baek Ahyeon is old enough.”
“Old enough for what?”
“Her age, I mean.”
Even after I said that, the suspicion in her eyes didn’t fade. To be honest, in Mev’s case, there were times when even I was taken by surprise. It was hard to tell if she was teasing or being serious, but Choi Seulgi’s gaze was quite burdensome. For now, the right thing to do was to get out of here quickly.
I had sensed someone was outside, and when we left, Lee Wanyong was waiting for me and Choi Seulgi.
“Hehehe. Ah, Lord Blood Dagger and Lady Choi Seulgi, I have been waiting. Did you have a pleasant time? A handsome man and a beautiful woman, you look so good together.”
What an amazing guy. He had already adapted perfectly. Just a little while ago, when Choi Seulgi had come up behind him, he’d looked like he was about to piss his pants, but seeing his comfortable smile now made me think his adaptability was truly outstanding. Choi Seulgi also smiled faintly as she spoke to Lee Wanyong.
“Thank you, Wanyong. I apologize for my mistake earlier. I’m truly sorry.”
In truth, Lee Wanyong had been instrumental in arranging my meeting with Choi Seulgi, so she seemed quite grateful to him as well. She subtly pulled something from her pocket and handed it to him. It was probably an item or something of monetary value. I glanced over and saw it looked like a rather rare artifact obtainable from the shop.
“Oh, it’s quite alright, Lady Choi Seulgi. This is too much. And a mistake…? As I recall, you were nothing but kind to me.”
“Oh, were you? Even so, please accept this as a token of my sincerity. If you refuse… I’ll be sad.”
“W-Well, if you put it that way, I will accept it gratefully.”
Looking pleased, the man took what Choi Seulgi gave him and tucked it into his pocket with a smile. All the while, he was diligently watching my expression. Only when I nodded did he seem to relax, flashing a happy grin. He was still an absurd and clever guy.
“Then I shall guide you. Everyone is waiting in the dining hall.”
Lee Wanyong walked confidently, slightly ahead of us. Choi Seulgi watched him for a moment before whispering in my ear.
“That guy is fucking competent. Where did you find him?”
“In Somorah…”
It seemed she liked him. As we continued walking, Lee Wanyong began to guide us to a large banquet hall, and I stepped inside a pace ahead of Choi Seulgi.
“You are late, my dear. Very late.”
“My savior.”
It wasn’t just Jang Ye Ri, Baek Ahyeon, and Choi Eunju waiting. For some reason, Mev was there wearing a golden crown, and Jung Hayeon was looking this way with an anxious expression… It had been a really long time since I’d seen Mev, so I couldn’t help but be happy to see her. When I opened my arms, a fluttering Mev immediately flew into my embrace.
“Captain! Captaaaain! It’s been too long! Sob…”
That lasted only a moment. The instant she saw Choi Seulgi behind me, Mev’s expression soured slightly. Come to think of it, I believe Mev held a bit of a grudge against Choi Seulgi.
“Tae… Taesung.”
Jung Hayeon, who already knew how much I cherished and liked Choi Seulgi, was also glancing back and forth at her. Choi Seulgi looked at Jung Hayeon and Mev and spoke.
“Green Flower, long time no see. You too, Fairy. It’s good to see you.”
There was no reason for them to suddenly gather here. I naturally looked toward Choi Eunju, the only one with teleportation abilities, and she spoke up.
“I… was asked to…”
It seemed Jang Ye Ri had asked Choi Eunju to bring them here. Even Alisha was present to act as an interpreter, so I couldn’t help but notice that Jang Ye Ri had made up her mind about something today.
When I shifted my gaze, Jang Ye Ri spoke as if it were nothing.
“It is a family meeting.”
“What?”
“I said, it is a family meeting, my dear.”
The tense atmosphere felt far too sharp to be a simple family meeting, but I nodded for now. A sudden family meeting. It was the first time since the incident with Jang Ye Ri that I had been seated in a gathering of all these women, so I couldn’t help but feel a little burdened by the situation.