Chapter 553: Sorting Out the Hierarchy (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 553: Sorting Out the Hierarchy (5)
Silence fell over the room.
The clerk blinked a few times, then asked again, utter bewilderment painted across their face.
"...A name change? You mean you want to change your name?"
Changing one's name was a common enough occurrence. If parents bestowed a bizarre name upon their child, people often chose to change it of their own volition. The problem, however, was the man standing before the clerk: the Mage in White. The name "Park Min-woo" was hardly something to be ridiculed, and he had already achieved global renown. While people abroad might only remember him by his title as the Mage in White, there wasn't a single soul in the Korean Empire who didn't know the name "Park Min-woo."
Changing a name with that much weight made absolutely no sense.
And yet.
"Yes. I intend to change my name," Park Min-woo replied firmly.
In that instant, a heavy silence blanketed the building.
Everyone inside had been hanging on his every word, holding their breath at this absurd turn of events. Normally, the clerk should have simply processed the request. That was their duty. But, unable to suppress their burning curiosity, they pressed further.
"...Are you perhaps planning to turn your back on the world and go into hiding?"
"I have no such intention. As someone who serves His Majesty the Emperor, I plan to continue my active service on the front lines."
"Then, have you had some sudden change of heart recently? Did you go through a bad breakup, or is there some unavoidable circumstance forcing you to do this? I know it's rude of me to ask, but in the last ten years, there hasn't been a single case of someone of your stature changing their name. Shall I show you the list of recent applicants? They're all names like Bang Gwi-nam, Jo Kka-chi, Kim Gae-nyeon... most of them are highly unusual or downright embarrassing. For someone who has already achieved global fame, there's absolutely no reason to change your name, is there?"
The clerk's reaction was entirely understandable.
His name wasn't strange, nor was there any astrological or fortune-telling issue with "Park Min-woo."
Think about it. He was already globally recognized as the Mage in White. If his name carried bad fortune, he would have failed long ago and ended up sleeping in some back alley under a piece of cardboard. He was already living the life of a highly successful man. If he wanted to maintain his current destiny, keeping his name was the logical choice. Since this situation deviated so wildly from the norm, the clerk stared at him with eyes practically begging for an explanation.
All eyes in the room zeroed in on him.
Normally, Park Min-woo would have found this annoying, but for some reason, he felt compelled to speak his true feelings today.
"You see, in this world, there are times when the recognition of a single person matters far more than the recognition of ten thousand. It is not for any of the trivial reasons you mentioned. I have simply decided that this name change is absolutely necessary for my life. So please, process it. The Mage in White, Park Min-woo, no longer exists."
He was unyielding.
There was no room for further questioning. Though the clerk didn't fully understand, Park Min-woo's sheer determination forced them to back down.
"Very well. What name do you wish to change it to?"
The clerk pulled out the paperwork. But as they prepared to start the procedure, they froze at the voice that followed.
"Kim Pan-seok. I want to change it to Kim Pan-seok."
"...Excuse me?"
With a face painted in sheer bewilderment, the clerk once again doubted their own ears.
* * *
Kim Pan-seok.
It wasn't a bad name. It had a manly, robust ring to it. The problem was that it wasn't a name particularly favored in modern society. Just think about it. "The Mage in White, Park Min-woo" versus "The Mage in White, Kim Pan-seok." Which sounded better? It wasn't about prejudice against the name itself, but rather how incredibly awkward it was for someone who had lived so successfully as Park Min-woo to suddenly become Kim Pan-seok.
Moreover, he had even changed his last name.
At the mention of discarding the family name passed down by his parents, the clerk had questioned him once more. But in the end, they accepted his request.
The man who had entered the government building as Park Min-woo stepped back out as Kim Pan-seok.
That's right, Pan-seok. Now, you live a new life.
A profound sense of fulfillment welled up inside him.
His life as Park Min-woo hadn't been bad. He had lived a life looked up to by many as the Mage in White. However, he decided that he needed a powerful impact to solidify his bond with Roman Dmitry. Kim Pan-seok was his first life. Back then, he had been nothing but an ignorant commoner, but he had also been a citizen of the Heavenly Demon Cult, living at the foot of the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
Had Roman Dmitry not said it himself?
You were my citizen.
If he revived the memories of that time through his name, Roman Dmitry would surely view him differently. That was more than enough. Just to appeal to Roman Dmitry even a little, he had abandoned everything he had achieved as Park Min-woo.
Though the world remembered him as the Mage in White, Park Min-woo, the memories of others did not matter to him in the slightest. He desired only one thing: the recognition of Roman Dmitry. Just as Wang Wiryong claimed a connection to Roman Dmitry through the mural, he, too, would assert his identity as a 'citizen of the Heavenly Demon' through his very name.
His steps were light.
There was a place he needed to go right this instant.
Your Majesty. Your servant Park Min-woo—no, Kim Pan-seok—is on his way.
At the thought of meeting Roman Dmitry, Kim Pan-seok's mind filled with flowery, joyful anticipation.
* * *
It was an absurd situation.
Upon meeting Roman Dmitry, Kim Pan-seok bowed his head low and recounted the dynamic events of his day.
"Just a moment ago, I had a dispute with Wang Wiryong. Although we both serve Your Majesty, I believed that sorting out our hierarchy was necessary to establish a firm order. Thus, with Wang Wiryong's consent, we conducted a duel. As a result, I emerged victorious, as is only natural."
In the Heavenly Demon Cult, internal competition was a given.
Roman Dmitry did not interfere in matters of competition, whether in his past life or his present one. Yet, Kim Pan-seok had gone out of his way to run over and report his victory. Hoping someone would notice his achievements without him speaking up simply did not fit his personality. Just as he used to grab random passersby to boast of his triumphs, Kim Pan-seok used the guise of an official report to declare that he was Roman Dmitry's true second-in-command.
That wasn't all.
"Furthermore, I have changed my name from Park Min-woo to Kim Pan-seok. Though people remember me as the Mage in White, Park Min-woo, my roots lie with 'Kim Pan-seok,' who was once a citizen of Your Majesty. Until now, I tried to adapt to this new life, but ever since I met Your Majesty, the desire to reclaim my roots grew too strong to ignore. For that reason, I resolved to change my name. Your Majesty, I am well aware that I committed grave sins in my past life. However, the me of today is solely loyal to Your Majesty, and I am prepared to break my bones and grind my flesh to dust for your sake. Therefore, please make heavy use of me. You may place me on the absolute front lines, just as in the war with Russia. I only wish to live a worthy life as Your Majesty's citizen."
Thud!
He slammed his forehead against the floor.
He shouted, the veins in his neck bulging. Kim Pan-seok's intentions were blatantly obvious. Looking down at the man desperately trying to win his favor, Roman Dmitry gazed at him with calm, steady eyes.
Kim Pan-seok.
Alexander.
Park Min-woo.
Three lives, three connections.
Kim Pan-seok was not a man who could be judged by a single lifetime. As Kim Pan-seok, he had been nothing but an ordinary commoner; as Alexander, he had been twisted by excessive greed; and as Park Min-woo, he had strived tirelessly to pay off the karma of his past lives. Humans are not one-dimensional. Kim Pan-seok was a truly multi-faceted individual. But the reason Roman had not firmly defined their relationship was clear.
More than anything else, Dmitry was what mattered.
If the people of Dmitry did not accept him, all of Kim Pan-seok's efforts would be meaningless.
"I do not turn my back on those who strive and sacrifice for me, Kim Pan-seok. There is only one thing I can promise you, who are so devoted to me. If the people of Dmitry say they will accept your existence..."
A citizen of the Heavenly Demon.
An existence whose life had been thrown into chaos because of him.
Perhaps Kim Pan-seok was Roman Dmitry's own karma. Since the man had already paid for his sins with a prior death, Roman did not unconditionally reject this soul bound to him by fate.
"...then you may remain as my citizen."
Kim Pan-seok snapped his head up.
Those words were more than enough. Though it was an unassured future, the possibility Roman Dmitry had opened up gave him the drive to keep living.
"Advent of the Heavenly Demon, Submission of Ten Thousand Demons! Advent of the Heavenly Demon, Submission of Ten Thousand Demons! Your servant Kim Pan-seok will continue to dedicate his everything to Your Majesty!"
He poured his heart out. He screamed until he tasted blood in his throat. Toward Roman Dmitry—toward the Heavenly Demon Baek Joong-hyuk, who was his entire world—Kim Pan-seok poured out his emotions without a single shred of regret.
* * *
Over the next few days, wild rumors circulated regarding Park Min-woo—no, Kim Pan-seok.
"The Mage in White defeated Wang Wiryong? Is that even possible?"
"I'm telling you, I heard it directly from the Mage in White himself! I don't know the reason, but apparently, the Mage in White and Wang Wiryong had a massive showdown. Normally, you'd think Wang Wiryong, the world's greatest swordsman, would have the upper hand, but according to the Mage in White, he won overwhelmingly!"
"I heard that too. Seeing how China hasn't said a word despite the rumors spreading like wildfire, the Mage in White must be telling the truth. There's no way they'd just stand by and let rumors that tarnish Wang Wiryong's reputation slide."
Wang Wiryong and the Mage in White.
All eyes were focused on their duel. People marveled at Kim Pan-seok's strength, whispering that perhaps no one but Roman Dmitry could match him. Of course, defeating Wang Wiryong did not mean he could beat absolutely everyone. Since other powerhouses like the inheritor of Chris existed, people had to be cautious about making definitive claims regarding the world rankings.
The rumors didn't stop there.
"But why did the Mage in White change his name?"
"From Park Min-woo to Kim Pan-seok. The given name is one thing, but to change his family name too?"
"If you ask me, he must have suffered some deep emotional trauma, enough to make him want to completely reset his relationships. Otherwise, why throw away a globally recognized name?"
"Idiots. Isn't the reason he changed his last name obvious? Family drama. Turns out his late parents weren't his biological parents."
"What is this, a soap opera?"
"It's already a soap opera. Park Min-woo becoming Kim Pan-seok, I mean."
Opinions were divided.
People spread all kinds of wild rumors about Kim Pan-seok, but the man himself couldn't care less. The only thing that mattered to him was his relationship with Roman Dmitry. Just the fact that Roman Dmitry was gradually accepting his presence was enough for him to completely ignore how the rest of the world viewed him.
The Great Disasters had ended.
The wars had also drawn to a close.
The world was rapidly regaining stability, and the Korean Empire, contrary to the massive waves it had stirred, focused quietly on consolidating its internal strength. Yet, absurdly enough, it didn't take long before an incident occurred that would once again throw the Korean Empire into an uproar.
The starting point?
It was none other than a repair center in Seoul that no one had ever paid any attention to.
* * *
The Miracle Repair Center.
As the oldest establishment in Seoul, it was famous for specializing in magical armaments.
A customer walked into the shop. An ordinary appearance, and an ordinary request.
"I'm here to have my weapon inspected."
"Let me take a look at the item first. Then I'll give you a rough estimate of whether it needs repairs and how long it will take," replied Ha Seong-tae, the artisan of Miracle, with a businesslike expression.
For someone who had worked at Miracle for years, the customer standing before him was a dime a dozen—a completely routine case.
He took the weapon. It was a single sword. He had intended to give it a brief glance, but his eyes gradually sharpened.
The condition of the sword...
It was extraordinary.
After examining the blade for a long while, he looked up at the customer and asked,
"Where did you get this?"
The customer's name was Park Cheol-min, a member of the Incheon Government's Directly Controlled Unit. Park Cheol-min replied nonchalantly,
"It's standard-issue gear supplied by the government. Is there some kind of problem with it?"
"...This is standard-issue?"
Ha Seong-tae was struck with shock.
At the time, he didn't know. He had no idea what kind of storm those casually tossed-out words—and the source of this "standard-issue gear"—would soon unleash.