Chapter 168
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 168: How to Deal with Betrayal (4)
Then, the thread connected between me and that vortex began to fade. I felt a sensation as if something was snapping. Only then did I realize I was truly liberated. It felt like something that had been binding me tight had come loose. On the other hand, it also felt like something that was supporting me had disappeared. Whatever it was, I felt strange at the sensation that something important among the elements that made up 'me' was missing. But whether I felt strange or not, my story would continue to be shown to them. I thought that, but shook my head.
“Phew…”
So what if my story continues to be shown?I'm no longer influenced by them. That was enough now. Since I achieved my goal, it was time to leave this strange space. As I manifested my will, the surrounding scenery began to change slowly, as if rewinding the spreading of paint on paper. Smiling brightly, I returned to the original world that was gradually revealing itself. Tornito was looking at me with a small smile.
“You succeeded.”
“...Thanks to you.”
It was embarrassing, but I had no intention of denying that I had his help. I only muttered it quietly, but Tornito, who managed to hear it, let out a short laugh. I felt my face turn even redder at his low laughter. …Let's change the subject.
“More importantly, how do you handle Spiritual Power so well?”
“I learned from my mother.”
“Mother?”
“Yes. I inherited Spiritual Power from her and learned how to use it.”
Tornito's eyes became wet with nostalgia, as if reminiscing about the past. I felt like I shouldn't disturb his recollection, so I kept my mouth shut.
“Mother was strong. She possessed strength befitting a member of the Savior-capturing team. Have you heard the name Six-Tailed Fox?”
“...I have. She's famous. The one who revealed the Tower's secret.”
“Yes. Mother thought the war happened because she revealed the Tower's secret. So she took me in, a war orphan.”
War orphan? I blinked quietly. Wait a minute, wasn't the war with the other races decades ago…?…Even if he was a child then, he…
“...Wait, how old are you?”
“Hm? I just became an adult.”
“No, no, no, the calculation is weird???”
If he became an orphan during that war, he should be older than Choi Garam??? When I glared at him with eyes full of suspicion, Tornito tilted his head, then nodded as if he realized something.
“Ah, right. I didn't tell you this.”
“What?”
“I grew up in a place where time flows slowly.”
“...Time flows slowly?”
“Yes.”
Is there such a place…? Just as I was thinking that,
“Compared to outside the Tower, inside the Tower… especially in Lord Cheonho's domain, there are many places where time is slow.”
“Wait, stop.”
Inside the Tower?!More than that, Lord Cheonho's domain?! I was appalled at him, who had an expression like he didn't know what the problem was. Why didn't you tell me that?Even if I say that, he'll just say something like 'You didn't ask'!I know it!
“...From the beginning, I mean... tell me everything about your background, where you grew up, and any unique points in your growth process that are different from normal people.”
“Hm? Understood.”
And so, I learned about Tornito's insane background that I hadn't known at all until now.
“I became an orphan during the war and was adopted by my mother… the Six-Tailed Fox.”
“Yeah.”
“The Six-Tailed Fox happened to be looking for a place to seclude herself, so she took me to Lord Cheonho's domain. Permission was no problem. Because she was Lord Cheonho's daughter.”
“Ah… daughter? Huh? No, no. Keep talking….”
“After that, I grew up under her care inside the Tower the whole time, and then heard the news that the outside suffered damage close to… destruction. This is the story of the 1st turn.”
“I see….”
“And at a point in time I don't know how long passed, the Oracle, possessing the body of the Hero's descendant, came to the Tower to extort Spiritual Power from my mother.”
He spoke quietly.
“Mother had no talent for combat, so she was defeated, and before she died… before all her Spiritual Power was taken by the Oracle, she passed on all her remaining Spiritual Power to me and sent me outside the Tower.”
“...Aha.”
I couldn't come to my senses at the series of shocking facts. No wonder a fox's descendant is a tiger….
“...So that... Gumiho is...”
“She is my grandmother. She said it was unfortunate she couldn't be of help because she is currently sealed.”
“Right, I see…”
I held my throbbing head. No, more than that…
“T-then, wouldn't your mother also have resurrected now that time has turned back?!”
“Probably not.”
He denied my words instantly.
“Mother'sSpiritual Power is the ability called 'Singularity'. Instead of manipulating time, it is an ability where no matter how much time turns back, only the things that happened to her cannot be reversed.”
“Then….”
“She is already dead. That is why I am also already outside the Tower every time I turn back time. Because the event of Mother sending me out has already happened.”
“It's complicated…”
I held my head. But Tornito seemed calmer than I thought.
“What's there to be complicated about?”
“Huh?”
“Something happened in the past. If something else happened instead, how would it be different? I regret it. There is no need to think about such things. I just need to carry the past and think about what I must do in the future.”
“……”
I quietly looked into his golden eyes as he said those words. Tornito himself seemed to really believe that, looking at me with eyes firm without a gap. Seeing him like that, I unconsciously let out a chuckle.
“...I guess that's true.”
“Right.”
“Yeah. Then… let's do Spiritual Power training first. Since that's the only thing we can do right now.”
For some reason, when I was with him, I felt like my worries so far were solved clearly.
Tornito and I practiced how to handle Spiritual Power more delicately, and also proceeded with sparring against each other. In the process, I learned about Tornito's ability.
“Blank Skill?”
“Yes. That is the manifestation method of my Spiritual Power.”
“What is it?”
“Three Skill Cards that can cause any event.”
“Oh… that's amazing?”
“No. Because this ability is also determined by the amount of Spiritual Power as to what it can do. Miracles like turning back time are now impossible to use.”
No, if even that was possible, it'd be a cheat. I laughed awkwardly and shook my head. Just as we were having such trivial small talk,
“You were here?”
The Fox suddenly poked his head into the training room where we were.
“H… Mihail?”
“Yeah. It's me.”
He approached with a beaming smile. In his hand was a snack bag that looked like it was bought from a convenience store. Behind him, Sion and Choi Borim, who seemed to have come with him, were hesitating and approaching us with awkward expressions.
“But why are you two here?”
“The Tower God Cult work is busy, you see. We ended up staying for a while.”
“Do you still attend the Academy? Why are you in school uniforms?”
“Ah, it's more efficient to wear Academy uniforms to make people recognize that we are Awakened.”
“...What a reason.”
I made a subtle expression.
“Well, the urgent work is roughly over!”
“Right. Like Sion said.”
The Fox wagged his tail.
“So I heard you were training, and I came to watch and chat.”
“You're quite relaxed.”
“Because the things I had to do roughly are finished. Now I just have to maintain the status quo.”
The Fox smiled leisurely. It was a face that looked quite slick. I sighed and shook my head. But the Fox, seemingly unconcerned by my lukewarm attitude, brazenly sat down on the empty seat next to me.
“It's break time, right? Let's rest a bit.”
“Honestly….”
But it wasn't not break time, so I took the bag he handed me and poured it onto the table. Snack bags and drinks rolled onto the table. I gestured to the two who were still standing awkwardly.
“You two over there, come here too. Don't stand there awkwardly.”
“Oh, thank you!”
“Ah, yeah….”
Sion and Choi Borim scurried over and sat down. We opened snack bags and talked. Looking at the profile of the Fox opening a snack bag, I recalled when this guy came to find me alone.
“Hello, Noona.”
“Yeah. Long time... no see, right?”
“I felt like it's been a long time?”
He came and greeted me smoothly this time too, as if nothing had happened. It was the hallway where I was returning to my room after finishing Spiritual Power training with Tornito, which had become a daily routine since coming to the Wild Hunt. The Fox took me to another space without hesitation, as if he was very familiar with the structure of the Wild Hunt headquarters. I followed him silently. The place he led me to was a window where no one was around. He sat on the low window sill where light poured down and looked at me quietly. I wondered what to say to the Fox first, then threw a question.
“Did you do everything you wanted to do?”
“Umm… No. Not yet?”
The Fox giggled.
“My goal was to destroy the Balder Family, but I'm dissatisfied that it ended with just causing some damage, and it's annoying to let the Oracle run wild as it pleases.”
“...Well, the Oracle side is annoying to me too.”
I sighed and sat next to him silently. During a long silence.
“Noona.”
“Huh?”
“I heard you made a deal with the Black Scales.”
“……”
How does the Fox know that? I widened my eyes.
“Didn't you know? The Balder Family often makes deals with the Black Scales, and even those damn twins.”
Ah. Only then did I remember that there was a connection between the Balder Family and Gemini. The thing related to Choi Sujeong's past. If they know of Gemini's existence and use them, there's no reason they can't use the Black Scales.
“Well, the Black Scales side demands quite realistic prices, so it's a bit tricky. Rather, the twins side demands bizarre things, but those requests themselves are relatively easy to grant, so they trade with the twins more often.”
The Fox muttered quietly.
“There are plenty of orphans to throw away, there.”
“……”
I looked at the Fox silently. The Fox's emerald eyes sank as if thinking of something.
“You're amazing, Noona. To even make a deal with the Black Scales alone to protect your siblings.”
“...I guess.”
I recalled the things I demanded from the Black Scales.
'I want 'the Teacher and all the children at my orphanage to never be entangled with the Oracle'.'
And,
'If I cannot take care of my orphanage people, that is... if someone attacks them physically, mentally, or socially when I am separated from them, protect my orphanage people.'
I chewed over the words 'attack' and 'protect'. I don't know what means the Oracle will use to attack the orphanage people I cherish in the future. Even if it doesn't directly possess them, it might hire people indirectly. Thinking of such possibilities, it was really fortunate that I made that promise back then.
“Because they are my loved ones.”
“Hmm. Am I included in that, by any chance?”
“Idiot. You are included, that's why I'm doing this with you now.”
At those words, the Fox smiled as if relieved.
“I see.”
“Yeah.”
You were also a lovely younger brother I had to protect.Where is the older sister who wouldn't be swayed when such a younger brother appeals so desperately? I said that grumblingly and leaned my head on the Fox's shoulder. The Fox only let out a low laugh and didn't move my head.
Sion and Choi Borim, who were somewhat awkward, seemed to get more comfortable as time passed. Sion, who was originally sociable, laughed nonchalantly and actively participated in the conversation.
“By the way, are you training every day?”
“Yeah. Since that's the only thing I can do.”
“As expected of the Savior-nim!”
I frowned slightly at the word 'Savior-nim', which popped out suddenly and which I hadn't heard in a while. Come to think of it, I'm curious.
“But, why do you guys call me Savior-nim?”