Chapter 377
Chapter 377
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 378
Chapter Title: The Center of Chaos
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In the deepest darkness shrouding the heart of the city, on the top floor of a certain building.
After her secretive meeting with Kim Seonwoo, Haryeong stood by the wide window, gazing down at the ground below, lost in thought.
“……Kim Seonwoo.”
Her mind was filled with thoughts of Kim Seonwoo, whom she had met that day.
She had uncovered a few of his secrets,
but those secrets had planted new questions in her mind.
“What do you think?”
Just then, Seonhwa asked from behind, pouring herself a glass of whiskey.
Haryeong replied without turning her gaze from the window outside.
“About what?”
“About Kim Seonwoo. Can we trust him?”
That day, Kim Seonwoo had made them an offer.
He would kill the ‘King’ they despised,
in exchange for their cooperation in his plan.
The plan was simple.
Leak information about the King to the Association in a subtle way. And firmly imprint on the King that the Child of Prophecy was ‘Kim Seonwoo.’
“The hostility toward the King that Kim Seonwoo showed was genuine. And he’s proven it with his actions so far. He’s trustworthy enough.”
“No, can you believe that Kim Seonwoo holds no ill will toward any demons except the ‘King’?”
According to Kim Seonwoo, he promised not to touch any more demons once he succeeded in subjugating the King and his loyal retainers.
In other words, after the King’s death, he would hand over control of the demon world…… the position of the new ‘King’ to them.
“No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t make sense. Even if he is the Child of Prophecy, why would he want only the King’s death when he has no emotions toward our clan?”
It was certainly strange.
Why would Kim Seonwoo, who harbored no ill will toward demons at all, go out of his way to kill the King?
“……A grudge against the King.”
Haryeong began piecing together the puzzle fragments in her mind.
Kim Seonwoo.
Overwhelming strength unfit for a 19-year-old, Child of Prophecy, hostility toward the King, interest in Jin Cheonwoo…….
The same precognitive ability as that person.
And……
“……Super Regeneration.”
“Hm?”
“How can Kim Seonwoo use Super Regeneration?”
This was the biggest mystery.
Super Regeneration, the ability to regenerate the body using mana, was an exclusive power of demons.
“It is odd, for sure. Super Regeneration is our clan’s ability.”
“……Is he really human?”
“What are you saying? That Kim Seonwoo might be a demon?”
Haryeong didn’t answer Seonhwa’s question.
The Kim Seonwoo she had seen was clearly using human ‘mana,’ not demonic qi.
But as she pieced together the clues related to Kim Seonwoo, such thoughts kept creeping in.
What if Kim Seonwoo had some secret connection to his lord, the King of Prophecy?
It was an absurd hypothesis, but if it were true, it would explain many of the mysteries surrounding him.
Overwhelming strength beyond his years.
The reason he held no grudge against the clan but sought to kill the current ‘King.’
Even the reasons for possessing precognition and Super Regeneration, and chasing Jin Cheonwoo.
“Kim Seonwoo……”
The more Haryeong thought of him, the more she was reminded of her own lord, who had died long ago.
……Thus, Haryeong’s mind grew increasingly tangled with questions about Kim Seonwoo.
[Changes in the future have been detected.]
[Karma increases by 1.0.]
[The world’s major powers turn their attention to you.]
[Achievement ‘Center of Chaos’ unlocked.]
[Reward: 10,000 points acquired.]
“......What the hell?”
After parting with Haryeong.
The moment I returned to the dorm, a message appeared before my eyes.
Karma and points had risen.
The karma increase was one thing, but the name of the suddenly unlocked achievement was ominous.
“……Center of Chaos? Did I earn this because the Association, Jaun demons, and all the powers are now watching me?”
Rather than joy at gaining 10,000 points, this achievement made me worry about the future.
The more I intervened in the world, the more this was destined to happen.
“Gretel, I’m back.”
I dismissed the message and stepped inside, where I saw Gretel’s sleeping form sprawled in the living room.
The TV was on with a movie channel playing, but it looked like she had fallen asleep midway.
I gave the sleeping Gretel a small smile and turned off the TV.
The living room fell silent in an instant.
I sat carefully at the table in front of the sofa so as not to wake her, then pulled out a notebook and opened it.
Lately, I’d learned so much complex information and laws that I needed to organize it.
“Alright, let’s do this.”
After scribbling in the notebook for about 15 minutes, I paused and reviewed what I’d written.
1. The laws of the world are rules that make those belonging to the world live out their fated destinies.
2. As an outsider not bound by the world, I possess ‘freedom’ to live by my own will, unbound by fate.
3. The more I alter others’ fates and interfere with the world, the more ‘freedom’ others can gain as well.
This was all basic setup, knowledge I’d had for nearly a year now.
I had verified it several times myself.
But the problem was the new information I’d learned from Haryeong today.
4. Living by fated destinies is a law the world created to prevent chaos and destruction, and it is not harmful.
Until now, I’d thought of the world’s laws as shackles suppressing people’s freedom.
Those who knew about the laws had envied me, and I couldn’t accept the idea of a predetermined fate pleasantly either.
I read the next line.
5. An ‘outsider’ unbound by the world’s laws disrupts those laws the more they interfere with the world.
6. If the world’s laws collapse, the world’s order collapses, and the world falls into massive chaos and destruction.
I stared blankly at line 6.
After meeting Haryeong, this line confused me the most.
It suggested that my very existence could harm the world.
“……But what am I supposed to do?”
If I stayed still to prevent world chaos, Lee Seojun was likely to die.
But if I acted, the world’s laws would collapse, plunging the world into chaos.
What the hell was I supposed to do?
“Ridiculous.”
As I reread the lines, a sudden thought struck me.
The content about the world falling into chaos.
Was this related to the karma cleansing I’d heard about before?
“……Come to think of it, the disaster-level beast quest was about judging those who disrupt the world’s laws.”
The reason Cruas’s appearance was accelerated compared to the original……
And the meaning of the ‘judgment’ Cruas spoke of to people.
“……No way it’s targeting me, right?”
I bit my lip.
Considering Cruas’s role, it was entirely possible.
I was the only one disrupting the world’s laws.
“Well, better than it targeting Lee Seojun……
The problem was, if Cruas really was after me, how would I survive it.
I was still weak.
I’d grown tremendously in the past year or two, but without [Moon’s Scythe], I couldn’t easily handle even an S-Rank wizard.
My options were limited.
“The best case is Kim Jincheol subjugating Cruas first.”
But according to Association reports, Cruas had completely hidden its presence,
meaning I couldn’t expect Kim Jincheol to take it down anytime soon.
“Damn.”
It felt like the things I had to worry about were piling up.
Who would succeed the ‘King’ after its subjugation would be important too.
I thought Haryeong was the right choice, but who knew what variables might arise.
“Sigh.”
Mountains of things to do.
Maybe things would improve once this unknown karma cleansing ended.
With a bitter expression, I glanced at my notebook, then turned to Gretel sleeping soundly beside me.
“……Ngahh.”
She was sleep-talking, maybe having a dream.
Seeing her like that eased my heart somehow.
I smiled faintly and gently stroked her belly.
Right then, my smartphone buzzed with a message alert.
［Sorry. I’ve been so busy lately I couldn’t contact you… T T］
It was from Han Seyeon.
I’d been worried something happened since we hadn’t talked much lately, but apparently not.
As I pondered a reply, another message arrived.
［Oh! And samples of the potion made from Gretel’s leaves and branches are ready. Let’s meet next week sometime.］
“The samples are out already.”
A potion made from Gretel’s leaves and branches…… I was looking forward to it.
I glanced at the fruit on Gretel’s head.
The plump fruit, almost fully ripened.
Instinctively, saliva pooled in my mouth.
It’d be perfect to pick tomorrow or the day after.
What results would come from combining Gretel’s spiritual medicine with Han Seyeon’s pharmaceutical ability?
As I thought that, I noticed a bit of dust on the fruit.
“Can’t have that if I want to keep it fresh.”
As I reached to gently brush off the dust,
Plop.
The fruit fell from Gretel’s head and rolled across the floor.
“......Huh?”
At the same time, Gretel twitched and opened her eyes. She blinked up at me.
“Ngaeh?”
I tensed, wondering if she’d get mad, but from her reaction, she didn’t even know the fruit had fallen.
Jackpot.
I quickly stashed the fruit in my subspace and smiled.
“Nothing at all. You’re tired, Gretel—go back to sleep.”
［Mysterious Demon Tree Fruit (S)］
Category: Spiritual Medicine
Description: Consuming it increases all stats by 5%.
Grants [Demon Tree’s Blessing (S)].
“......Hmm.” Friday after school.
In the empty wizard academy library, after finishing my spell formula studies, I was examining the effects of Gretel’s fruit.
Like last time, this fruit had a slightly unique effect.
It was a spiritual medicine containing what seemed to be an S-Rank skill or trait.
“……Demon Tree’s Blessing, huh.”
I had no idea exactly what ability it hid, but being S-Rank, it surely wasn’t ordinary.
I wondered if checking the outsider benefits would reveal it, but no luck searching.
The shop sold most traits and skills, but not this one. Unexpected.
“Hmm. Maybe it’s an ability related to Gretel?”
I wanted to consume it right away to find out, but I’d decided to hand it to Han Seyeon to maximize the effects.
The downside was the appointment was next week, so I couldn’t eat it immediately.
Still, waiting might yield even better results, so I’d endure.
I stored the fruit in my subspace and stood up.
Then I opened the door and stepped into the hallway.
After school at 7 PM, the hallway should’ve been empty.
But with the Taehwi Festival next Monday, the school was buzzing.
I saw students gathered by classes preparing something, others rehearsing performances or cooking, and some practicing for the manifestation arts contest.
Right then.
—T-Tae, Taehwi! Dum. Bbe. Ra!
An oddly familiar yet awkward shout came from somewhere.
I stopped in surprise.
Heading toward the voice, I peered through a window gap and saw Yoo Ara clutching a script, chattering away, with Yoon Hayoung sitting in front of her, coaching (sort of).
—Ara, try it more naturally.
—Yeah, I. Am. The. Witch. Of. Death!
I let out an incredulous laugh at the sight.
“……Wow. She’s really terrible at acting.”
