Chapter 137
Chapter 137
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 137
Chapter Title: What Happened on the Luxury Airship (4)
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Nothing in this world is eternal.
A passionate love, once promised to be unchanging, can turn cold as if it never existed.
Even a mighty empire that once ruled the world cannot endure for more than a few hundred years before fading into the annals of history.
But as it happens, this was inevitable.
Living beings are fundamentally imperfect, with no other end but death.
It was impossible for something created by such beings to last forever.
Tempest, hailed as the pinnacle of all living creatures, knew this all too well.
No, having lived longer than anyone, he felt it in his very bones.
“Hah, it feels like the problems just keep piling up day by day. And I only have so much time left to keep my eyes open…”
His face etched with wrinkles, Tempest stared quietly out the window, his expression troubled.
But he wasn't looking at the scenery outside; he was looking at his own past.
Reflected in the glass was Tempest, an old dragon who had lived for thousands of years.
There was even a time when he was called the Dragon King in another world.
He possessed a stature that the title of "most exceptional dragon" barely did justice to.
However, even Tempest was a living creature. His lifespan had its limits.
And by his own estimation, he had a mere decade or so left.
One might think that a long time, but for a long-lived species, it was but a fleeting moment.
He knew this all too well.
He furrowed his brow and muttered with a click of his tongue, a hint of complaint in his voice.
“Tsk, I suppose it’s about time for this old man to step down…”
“Please don’t say such things. It’s frightening to even imagine what would happen to the Fixer Association without you. Besides, I have no desire to serve a new master.”
Tempest had been muttering to himself, not expecting a reply.
But a voice, deeply familiar to him, came from his side.
Naturally, Tempest turned his head slightly, and his gaze fell upon his personal secretary, Yeresa.
She was a tall, beautiful woman with a strikingly cool impression and a hime-cut hairstyle.
When did she even come in? Is she trying to act like a ghost?
Tempest looked at her, dressed in a suit, and shook his head in disbelief.
“What is it, Yeresa? When did you get here? I keep telling you to make some noise…”
“I did knock. Twice, in fact. Please don’t blame me just because your hearing is failing.”
Yeresa straightened her back, looking perfectly innocent as if she’d done nothing wrong.
But Tempest, who could instantly discern lies, knew the truth immediately.
Her claim of knocking was a complete and utter fabrication.
She had even suppressed her breathing and footsteps as she entered. Her intention was likely…
‘This one… She came in without a sound just to startle me. She looks like a typical ice queen, but she’s surprisingly mischievous.’
Perhaps it was because he had taken her in as a child after she lost her parents and raised her like a father.
Whenever they were alone, Yeresa often seemed to let her guard down in a strange way.
This is why I should have kept a tighter rein on her from a young age. Education truly is a difficult thing.
Tempest pressed a hand to his forehead and shook his head at his secretary’s unbefitting behavior.
As he reacted, perhaps she grew tired of feigning innocence.
Yeresa asked Tempest, her tone suggesting the joke was over.
“…So, you suddenly turned off the watch’s recording function and asked me to leave for a moment. Why are you now staring off into the distance and lamenting your fate? Were you not satisfied with the interview results?”
“No, it’s not that. In fact, I’m quite pleased. It feels like I’ve neatly resolved something that was bothering me. It couldn’t have gone better.”
“Then why…?”
Heh heh heh.
Tempest chuckled like an old man with a rather wicked sense of humor.
Then, he spoke to the still-puzzled Yeresa, as if to tell her not to worry about it.
“Well, it’s just an old man’s thoughts. I can’t wield this power forever. I’m just worried about whether things will run smoothly after I’m gone.”
“That is…”
“You know it as well as I do. That I’m not what I used to be. Well, I’m still active… but that won’t last more than a few years.”
His worries were not without reason.
Think about it. Tempest could guarantee victory in a fight against any being on Earth.
That fact itself was an excellent deterrent, preventing wars from breaking out rashly.
But humanity had come to rely too heavily on his existence.
So much so that if he were to disappear overnight, the world’s balance would be severely tipped.
Therefore, it was only natural for Tempest to pour so much effort into the Fixer Association for the sake of the future.
A sandcastle that crumbles the moment no one is watching is a hopelessly empty thing.
‘In that sense, Miss Yuria’s existence is a stroke of luck in many ways. A psychic who is hostile to the Invaders… I can’t trust her completely yet, but she will undoubtedly be at the center of the changes to come.’
As Tempest thought this, he recalled the girl who had left the interview room.
A girl in pure white, wearing a fox mask—Yuria.
Her every gesture revealed a pure soul that couldn't hide her emotions.
She tried her best not to show it.
But to the discerning eye of a dragon who had seen countless humans, she was nothing more than a cat pretending to be a lion.
Furthermore, he could distinguish truth from lies by the aura of a soul.
His conversation with Yuria had been so transparent that he could see right through her.
‘I was a little surprised when she suddenly bared her stomach… but one look at those scars tells the story. They weren't inflicted in a short period. They are the marks of abuse, carved over a very long time. If she presents that as proof… I have no choice but to accept it.’
Of course, Tempest was a cunning old man with considerable experience.
He knew that Yuria had deliberately avoided sensitive topics and answered only with what was advantageous to her.
After all, this was a common tactic used by all sorts of dangerous individuals he encountered to withhold information.
But even considering that, it was an undeniable fact that Yuria had become a psychic through a dangerous experiment.
And in that process, there must have been acts akin to torture. The scars etched on her body were clear proof of that.
It must have been agonizing. Most would have been unable to bear it, their minds beginning to break.
They would have their hearts stolen by the Invaders and become dangerous seeds leading the world to ruin.
And yet, Yuria’s soul was still pure, possessing a charm that drew people in.
Tempest was certain that Yuria was a different kind of being from the psychics he had known.
If he were to weigh the pros and cons, she was a definite gain he had to secure.
In that case, he needed to have a more open mind rather than a short-sighted perspective.
“On another note… I can’t believe she turned me down. Heheheh, I’m really looking forward to seeing what happens next. Don’t you think so?”
“Pardon? What are you suddenly… Ah, if you’re perhaps going senile, may I ask you to include my name in your will?”
“Kahahaha! You’re too much! But even if I were to die tomorrow, my entire fortune would be returned to society, so put away your greed! Yeresa!”
“Tsk. I was hoping for a chance to turn my life around… what a shame.”
Still, they would surely cross paths again soon.
Tempest had a vague certainty of this as he closed his eyes and envisioned the future.
In a world flickering precariously like a candle flame.
It felt as if a girl in pure white had glanced back at him.
***
Only after I was a good distance away from the interview room could I finally let out a sigh of relief.
The tension that had filled my body to the point of tingling had finally subsided.
‘Hah, phew… To think they found out I’m a psychic. That was really bad for my heart. It’s an experience I never want to go through again.’
It was a good thing the Dragon Mayor was more of a man of character.
What if the one who discovered my identity had been someone who hated psychics, or someone who wanted to exploit them?
I would have had to unleash my psychic powers and flee the scene with all my might.
That would have inevitably drawn attention, and my peaceful life would be gone for good.
Ugh, just imagining it is the worst.
Besides, our kind Mayor promised to keep my psychic nature a secret.
This was a blessing in disguise. No, I should call it the best possible scenario.
‘But I never thought the Association would offer to protect me… I never imagined I’d receive such an offer. Hmm, thinking about it again, it’s not a bad proposal.’
The Association’s protection was an offer that couldn’t be better for my safety.
The Fixer Association had all sorts of powerful Fixers besides Tempest.
Being protected by the Association meant having a very high-level Fixer as a bodyguard.
Well, I’d have to cooperate with them regarding my psychic powers in return.
Even so, the ability to have a powerful escort with me at all times was quite appealing.
If I had received such an offer when I first arrived in Nighthaven…
I would have accepted without a second thought. At the very least, the risk of dying would be almost nonexistent.
‘Well, I already refused.’
However, being under the Association's protection also meant being under surveillance.
I would have to abandon the name Yuria and be forever separated from the people I hold dear.
And I wouldn't be able to charge my Tesseract or Echo through the crack in the closet.
At this point, it would more likely be a major obstacle to changing the situation.
That was why I refused Tempest’s offer.
Because I wanted to protect my precious people… with my own hands.
‘Still, we exchanged contact information. For now, that’s enough. …Though I might need it for the fourth assignment right away.’
How long had I been walking while lost in my own thoughts?
Suddenly, a familiar shade of pink hair flickered at the edge of my vision.
Alice. The moment I recognized her, my head snapped up.
And at the sight before me, I couldn’t help but blink blankly in bewilderment.
“Wh-what are you doing! I’ve been telling you, I don’t like you!”
“So what? I happen to like pretty, energetic girls.”
“…?”
Unfolding before my eyes was the sight of Vespera, standing excessively close to Alice.
Alice’s face was contorted in disgust, while Vespera licked her lips as if she found her quite to her liking.
How did things end up like this? I felt completely baffled.