A Night of Revelations
The dark mountain valley unfolded before them. The sight of mountains shrouded entirely in blackness filled Eclipse's eyes. It captured the essence of a silent night landscape so perfectly that Yusoha felt an unexpected sense of peace settle in her chest. A sparsely traveled road, lit by faint illumination, caught her gaze. She drove on, wrapped in that tranquility.
It looks comfortable.
"Yeah. The road to my grandfather's house has no people on it and it's quiet, so I like it."
Eclipse found himself slightly puzzled. The Yusoha he had observed until now seemed to thrive on noise and commotion.
A little unexpected.
"Huh? What is?"
As much as you enjoy flashy things, I assumed you'd prefer noise over silence.
"Ah, I like both. Sometimes silence feels right, and sometimes noise is better."
True enough. No need to draw a strict line between them.
"Yeah."
After their brief exchange, silence settled over them once more. Yusoha seemed lost in thought, her expression heavy with contemplation.
Is something troubling you?
"......It's probably because of the North Korea expedition."
Are you worried?
"Worried... Yeah, I suppose it is worry. No matter how strong you are, it's a dangerous place. Even with Shin Seongmin coming along, it's the same. My concern isn't for you—it's for the whole team."
I see.
"Well, injuries can't be helped, but I'd rather no one dies if possible."
There won't be any deaths. Isn't that what all the preparation is for?
For a moment, Yusoha appeared somewhat downcast in Eclipse's eyes.
"I hope you're right. Actually, the reason I'm heading to my grandfather's house this late is related. The team members are working hard, so the team leader can't just sit idle."
A commendable attitude.
"It's not particularly commendable. It's simply the posture a team leader ought to show. If I don't demonstrate excellence, what can my team members believe in when they follow me? Giving advice to others is pathetic if your own abilities don't back it up."
That very mindset is what makes it commendable. Far more people fail to recognize their own shortcomings. I believe I was the same in the past.
"Should I thank you for viewing it so favorably?"
If you believe you deserve praise, then feel pride in it. Besides, I tend to be sparing with compliments, so all the more reason.
"Ahaha. My pride in myself already pierces the heavens. The reason I can even speak of arrogance is because I possess conviction in myself."
I see. There are certainly things I learn from watching you. Perhaps the old me lacked that same conviction in myself.
"You? Just from your recent displays, your arrogance overflowed like a flood."
Yusoha recalled the figure he had presented at the Hwanryeong tournament. The way he had knocked her sister down and declared it wasn't even a warm-up—that was undeniably an arrogant sight.
I learned it by watching you. In my previous world, I never pushed my own opinions forward. I lacked conviction in myself. All I had was the vague notion of fighting for the people......
The atmosphere had shifted into one of mutual vulnerability, and without realizing it, Eclipse had begun speaking of his previous world. Yusoha looked puzzled; he had always avoided mentioning the past before.
"What's this? You never talked about the past much, right?"
Hearing her words, Eclipse pondered for a moment before replying.
Well...... After asking you to teach me about arrogance, I realized I couldn't avoid telling you how the old me lived.
"That's fair. Then shall we take this chance to hear your story? All I know is that you lived in a world on the brink of destruction and were summoned to me right before you died."
It's like those common stories in novels. The last remaining warrior fighting an enemy he cannot overcome...... And with me as the sole survivor, all of humanity was annihilated.
"......"
It was far heavier than she had imagined. Yusoha listened to Eclipse's tale in silence.
"How did you live there?"
Do you remember me mentioning I was a vagrant?
"Yes. Back then you asked me not to speak of your world."
Then...... I'll share a little more. My master took me in while I lived as a vagrant. It was then that he gave me my name.
"So that's how you became Eclipse......"
Yes.
"But it's a bit surprising."
What is?
"On Earth, eclipses have long been viewed as a negative omen, so it wasn't suitable as a person's name."
That differs from the world I came from. In my world, an eclipse symbolized good fortune.
"Oh ho."
The first emperor of the empire where I lived was born on the day of an eclipse. His birth was considered a blessing brought by it, so eclipses remained a symbol of luck across generations.
"How fascinating....... Truly, another world is another world."
Anyway, that's how I received the name Eclipse.
"I see. So after that, it was nothing but training?"
You could say so. I did nothing but train constantly. I learned how to live according to my master's will and began living by the values he pursued.
"Your master's values?"
Nobility.
"Nobility......"
Yusoha couldn't help sinking into thought, for she still didn't fully understand what nobility truly meant.
"It feels like a concept that's too advanced for me right now. I lived without ever considering such things."
That is only natural. Even now, I don't fully understand what nobility is.
"You really lived a difficult life."
Well. I simply lived that way because I had no other choice. After enduring countless hardships and striving to save people, I ultimately couldn't prevent the world's destruction. That is my story. Even if I explained it in greater detail, it wouldn't differ much.
"I see. Then the scar on your face—it came from that time?"
......You could say that.
It had been an excuse he'd given before, when he hadn't wanted to reveal his face. But calling it a lie now felt awkward, so Eclipse had no choice but to repeat the falsehood.
"That's a shame."
......Is it?
"Yes. I've wanted to see your face at least once."
Can you wait just a little longer?
"A little? How long?"
Until my heart is prepared.
"......Hehe."
Yusoha simply laughed. After a moment, she spoke to him again.
"Then, will you make me one promise?"
What promise?
"In this world, I want to be the first person who sees your face. Because I'm your contractor."
......I promise.
Carrying a subtle trace of loneliness, Yusoha stared straight ahead as she spoke, and Eclipse answered.
"Yeah. That's enough."
Silence fell between them once more. Neither Yusoha nor Eclipse commented on it. As the quiet stretched on, Eclipse—finding the silence uncomfortable—spoke up.
How much farther?
"A little more. We're almost there."
Understood.
Yusoha's car continued along the winding mountain road. Some time later, at the end of the curving path, a small house appeared atop a high hill. An ordinary home. Neither luxurious nor remarkable, it was a typical countryside dwelling. Yusoha drove up the slope and parked in the modest lot beside the house.
"We've arrived. You can materialize now."
Understood.
As Eclipse took physical form, the towering knight manifested behind her. Yusoha stepped out of the parking area and gazed at the charming red mailbox.
"This place never changes."
She walked a little farther and knocked on the door of the small house.
"Grandfather, Grandmother! I'm here!"
Her voice rang out bright and lively, exactly like a girl happily greeting her grandparents.
Clunk. Creeeak. The somewhat aged door swung open.
"Oh my."
A voice filled with surprise reached them. It was a voice Eclipse recognized—the same one he'd heard during the Hwanryeong tournament. An archaic, serene, and lofty voice. If nobility could be expressed through sound alone, few would suit it better.
"My dear child. What brings you all the way here?"
It was Yusoha's grandmother, Rumeorn.
"You came because there's something you wish to learn?"
"Yes."
"I see. Tell me about it. What do you wish to learn?"
"I'm heading to North Korea this time."
"......North Korea? What do you mean by that?"
Yusoha began recounting everything that had led her here. She spoke of needing achievements to advance to S-class, but with Korea's situation now stabilized, it could take years to earn them. Therefore, she had decided to undertake the North Korea expedition, just as Shin Seongmin had done, in order to gain those achievements quickly.
"You've chosen a dangerous path."
"But I want to do it. With Eclipse by my side, I believe it's possible."
"......I see. Then I understand why you've come to me."
Rumeorn quietly closed her eyes.
"......Yes."
"To become stronger. Is that correct?"
"Yes."
"Then what do you wish to learn from me?"
"How to handle the mana I possess more effectively. And...... how to increase its volume."
"I see. Since this is what you desire, I cannot stop you. I will teach you. However......"
"However?"
"It will be extremely grueling. Will you still wish to learn?"
"......Yes."
Yusoha met Rumeorn's gaze, her eyes filled with unwavering resolve.
"Understood. Tomorrow at first light, we will head to Seoul. The children under your command need training as well, so I cannot keep you here indefinitely."
"Yes!"
"This timing works out well. I was already planning to visit Seoul for a while, so everything aligns perfectly."
"Yes? What for?"
"What else? It won't be long before the government summons everyone again for their bothersome events."
"Ah....... That's right. Around this time, the government hosts a banquet. They call in the five major Korean guilds to resolve their conflicts......"
"Yes. I must attend for that reason as well, so this works out nicely. I will oversee your training then."
"Yes!"
"By the way, I wonder when that old man will return."
"Ah. Now that you mention it, where did Grandfather go?"
"It seems he's off cultivating. The moon is bright tonight. We can visit him later."
"Yes."
"Ah, and you. Eclipse, was it?"
Rumeorn addressed Eclipse, who stood quietly nearby. Her form of address had subtly changed from before. Unlike the purely casual tone she had used previously, her words now carried a thread of respect. The reason was simple: Eclipse was a powerhouse worthy of Rumeorn's acknowledgment, and he would remain at Soha's side to protect her going forward. Even she found it difficult to speak to him with complete informality.
"That is correct. Is there something?"
"Yes. When my husband sees you, he will likely demand a spar. Please accommodate him appropriately."
"Understood."
As though she could already foresee what would unfold, Rumeorn offered Eclipse a faint smile.