New Year
New Year
Lying to trick someone is a common prank. Why else would a day like April Fools' Day exist?
'He really is terrible at lying.'
Words that can never become true—that is the definition of a lie. And so, Baek Wol-seon dismissed Hong Jin-seon's words as nonsense.
"You won't believe it, but it's the truth. Cadet Lee Ha-yul manifested Azure Sea."
"For real?"
That was how it started. When the same statement came a second time, he had no choice but to reconsider.
Baek Wol-seon had been connected to Hong Jin-seon for well over half a century.
After all, they knew each other's personalities that well.
A man of fiery temperament beneath a gentlemanly facade. He was not the sort to make empty remarks about a matter this serious.
"No, that's just..."
Even accounting for that, he couldn't readily believe it.
As Baek Wol-seon spoke with a scowl, Hong Jin-seon took a sip of tea and placed a device he'd pulled from his coat onto the table.
"Just watch this and talk."
Soon, a hologram projected into the air. After witnessing the evidence with his own eyes, Baek Wol-seon's mouth fell open.
"...Is this fabricated? You really poured a lot of effort into a prank."
"The unit members on site saw it with their own eyes. You can find the ones who returned and ask them."
"No, wait. More importantly, isn't that Taesan, not Azure Sea?"
"Azure Sea and Taesan are both present."
"What the fuck."
Baek Wol-seon finally couldn't hold back a swear word. It was crude language, but Hong Jin-seon nodded as if he understood.
How could he not? Hong Jin-seon himself still couldn't believe it, after all.
"What in the..."
Unlike Hong Jin-seon, who had already absorbed the shock and was calm, Baek Wol-seon couldn't close his mouth.
His confusion was so intense that the teacup in his hand was slowly freezing over.
"That, that is... is that even possible?"
It was impossible. That was the common-sense conclusion already reached in his mind. But the reality his eyes perceived was different.
Lee Ha-yul, shown on the screen.
Just thinking about anything related to his daughter soured his expression. The sight of him, looking worse than a corpse, made his eyes narrow.
Witnessing Azure Sea and Taesan radiating from the same body, as if coexisting, made his head spin.
"Wouldn't it be easier on your mind to just accept it with grace?"
"This shit... You've been practicing Tai Chi, I see."
Baek Wol-seon grimaced sharply, hit by his own earlier words thrown right back at him. The shock snapped his dazed consciousness back to the present.
"Haah... Fine. I'll believe it... I have to. The eyewitness accounts can be confirmed by calling the unit members in for interviews."
Baek Wol-seon let out a deep sigh and raised his teacup, then awkwardly lowered it when he saw the tea had frozen cold inside. It wasn't because of Hong Jin-seon's joke—the cold energy of Azure Sea had forcibly frozen the chaos in his mind.
"This is certainly no light matter. It's so heavy that I'm afraid I can scarcely bear it."
"Your daughter could have conveyed it, but I thought it best I tell you directly, so I came."
"That makes sense. That... Cadet Lee Ha-yul also has Azure Sea, so..."
And he'd manifested Taesan at the same time. Even as he said it, he couldn't believe it and let out a hollow laugh.
'Calamity Flame? Azure Sea? Taesan? All in one body? Does that even make sense?'
Azure Sea, he could understand. There could be a bloodline the main family hadn't tracked.
Same for Taesan and Calamity Flame. No main family can track every single bloodline descended from its progenitor without a single omission.
Of course, he didn't know why the physical traits were different, but the Calamity Flame Family must have registered Lee Ha-yul in their family rolls for the same reason.
Having managed to compose himself somehow, Baek Wol-seon asked, "Anyway, if Taesan's involved too, we'll have to call Lee Ji-ah, won't we? We'll have to convene a Tripartite Meeting."
A Tripartite Meeting.
An occasion where the top leadership of the Three Great Families gathers in one place to discuss an agenda.
These were not held periodically. Since none of them were in positions to move freely, they were only convened when there was sufficient cause.
"Ah... But will Lee Ji-ah even come out? She's been holed up in her family estate for over a decade, saying she has important business, and shows no sign of leaving."
Baek Wol-seon rested his chin on his hand and shrugged.
It was common knowledge that Lee Ji-ah, the current head of Taesan, was in seclusion.
The exact reason was unknown.
Hong Jin-seon, Baek Wol-seon, Lee Ji-ah. The three were superhumans of the same generation.
Born in the same era, they had close ties between their families, grew up in friendly rivalry, and became family heads around the same time.
They had become close enough to consider each other friends, but at some point, Lee Ji-ah had drawn a line, calling it "internal family business," and confined herself to the main estate, refraining from external activities.
"She did come out for this year's Birth Festival."
"That's right. Why did she suddenly go to that... Ah, wait. You don't think she already knew?"
"...I wonder. I don't know."
"Don't tell me only the two of us were in the dark..."
...in the dark?
Continuing his joke, Baek Wol-seon suddenly let out an inward sigh of realization.
- Father, could Calamity Flame and Azure Sea be manifested at the same time?
He recalled the question his precious daughter Baek A-rin had asked in passing several months ago.
- Simultaneously? Hmm... If the world's energy helped with all its might, maybe? But the moment they manifested, the repulsion would go boom! And they'd probably burst and die.
- Aha, so that's the case?
It could have been a question asked purely out of curiosity. That was what he'd thought at the time.
His daughter was occasionally startlingly perceptive and smart, but she was still young, wasn't she?
But once he connected the dots, he thought differently.
Lee Ha-yul, who had manifested Calamity Flame. Baek A-rin, who had been strangely close to Lee Ha-yul...
'She already knew?'
Baek A-rin had already known this fact.
'Why, why did she keep it a secret from me...?'
That realization hit him as a psychological shock.
Baek Wol-seon was the head of the Changhae Family and Baek A-rin's father.
Wasn't he someone she should trust and rely on, publicly and privately?
When she had such a secret, shouldn't she naturally have told him...
- It's really okay. There's no problem at all.
"......"
"...Why that expression?"
"Ah... The matter is simply that shocking. My head is spin... ning..."
"Indeed."
Hong Jin-seon agreed with Baek Wol-seon's excuse, nodding along.
They were sharing the same bed but dreaming different dreams.
* * *
Around the time the Reverse Side situation was more or less being sorted out, Lee Ji-yeon returned to the Taesan Family's main estate with the forces under the family's command.
"Udadadada... A dog-like return to my homeland!"
"Don't use vulgar language, I told you."
"Heok, I'm sorry—!"
"No, don't slam your head on the...! I didn't say to go that far!"
"Heok, I'm really sorry...!"
"...Haa."
Lee Ji-yeon let out a heavy sigh at the openly playful response.
The return to the family had taken some time.
For security reasons, no gates connected to the interior of the territory.
They had to arrive at the Seoul Gate Terminal, then enter the territory via a separate prepared vehicle.
During that time, the Dark Evil Unit members in the same vehicle had played a few pranks on her.
They had started out awkward, watching her reactions, but later, as they got used to her, they were playing around.
"Unit member Lee Da-hee is handling the follow-up work. I'll go report to the family head."
"Yes, understood."
.
.
.
"Mother... I've confirmed that Lee Ha-yul manifested Taesan."
The main estate of the Taesan Family.
After returning with the forces, Lee Ji-yeon immediately sought out Lee Ji-ah to make her report.
Confirming the existence of Taesan within Lee Ha-yul. This was carrying out the directive Lee Ji-ah had issued after last summer break.
"Furthermore, I've confirmed he manifested Azure Sea."
There was a result beyond the directive. She had somehow learned that Lee Ha-yul had manifested not only Taesan but also Azure Sea.
'Covering this up at my level is impossible.'
Most of the unit members had already witnessed it with their own eyes.
It was impossible for Lee Ji-yeon, the successor, to hide that fact from Lee Ji-ah, the current family head.
'...What will happen...'
Lee Ji-yeon maintained a blank expression outwardly while agonizing inwardly.
Lee Ji-yeon was the successor of the Taesan Family, but the one currently leading the family was the current head, Lee Ji-ah.
How she would accept the existence of Lee Ha-yul—Lee Ji-yeon could not predict the thoughts of her stoic biological mother.
"Good. Well done."
"...Yes."
Just as she'd predicted, Lee Ji-ah merely nodded impassively.
Past experience told her that a few perfunctory words of appreciation, then she'd be dismissed, would follow.
"The heads of Calamity Flame and Azure Sea will have heard the same report, so a meeting will be held."
But this time it continued. Lee Ji-yeon, who had been preparing to turn and leave, opened her eyes slightly wider.
"At that meeting, Lee Ha-yul, the person in question, and the family heads will gather and discuss. But it cannot be convened urgently. There is much preparation required for the meeting."
"Yes."
"Moreover, the head of Changhae is unable to leave his post easily with a special-grade labyrinth having appeared in his territory. The head of Calamity Flame is also not in an easy situation, pursuing a capital criminal."
Lee Ji-ah had opened her mouth in a lengthy explanation, which was rare for her.
Lee Ji-yeon was surprised by it, but listened attentively to Lee Ji-ah's explanation.
"No matter how important the matter, the circumstances are unsuitable for convening urgently. It will take at least some time before the meeting can be held. Keep that in mind."
"Yes, understood."
Having said that much, Lee Ji-ah turned her head and stared out the window. Her green eyes fixed on something impossible to discern.
"I intend to remain in the Death Vein until the meeting."
"The Death Vein, you say?"
Lee Ji-yeon's eyes flew wide open.
The Taesan territory held many specially managed zones.
There were elixirs requiring delicate handling, monsters being raised in strictly controlled environments, rare environments and dungeons, and such.
Among them, the Life Vein and the Death Vein were the zones managed with the highest importance.
The Life Vein was a region where sacred vitality energy had settled. It was an excellent location for training Taesan's Earth Manipulation and Life Force Manipulation.
Conversely, the Death Vein was a region heavily saturated with death energy.
It was a zone where undead spontaneously formed and perished, a dangerous place where most superhumans who entered recklessly would have their energy corrupted.
"While I am secluded in the Death Vein, you will perform the role of acting family head as successor."
"Yes... Yes, what?"
Lee Ji-yeon had been sufficiently shocked by the statement about staying on the Death Vein, but the words that followed made her blink rapidly.
.
.
.
The family head's office lay in silence.
Lee Ji-ah stared fixedly at a certain spot. It was the very place where Lee Ji-yeon had just been making a fuss, asking what on earth an acting family head was supposed to be.
- Mother... I've confirmed Lee Ha-yul manifested Taesan.
- Furthermore, I've confirmed he manifested Azure Sea.
The content Lee Ji-yeon had reported. Also, the directive she herself had given to ascertain it clearly.
Recalling them in order, Lee Ji-ah nodded.
It was a fact she already knew.
Lee Ji-ah stroked the corners of her eyes and recalled the serpent's viewpoint that had once entered her field of vision.
Twin-headed Poison Dragon.
Decades ago, a 3rd-Rank Alpha monster that the combined strength of the Three Great Families, including herself, had personally subjugated.
They'd smashed it to pieces so thoroughly it couldn't even be used as an undead, yet in the end, it had risen as an undead anyway.
But fortunately, the worst-case scenario they'd feared had not come to pass.
It was thanks to Lee Ha-yul personally cutting down the Twin-headed Poison Dragon before it could rampage.
He had cut it down more decisively than Lee Ji-ah herself could have, leaving no room for misuse.
'.......'
That single strike that finished off the Twin-headed Poison Dragon.
The spectacle of tri-colored energy raging was the scene that remained peculiarly vivid in her mind.
* * *
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