1022 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

The tree was several times larger than anything else around it. It was an impressive specimen, and could not be considered anything like the one at the Huashan Sect. Though smaller than their sacred tree, it was certainly not an ordinary tree. Moreover. 'Why is it so black?' The tree was remarkably black. From the leaves to the base of the trunk, it was entirely that color. It appeared as if it had been burnt in a fire. It certainly looked that way, but... '...It's not actually like that.' It wasn't a dead tree either. I was certain. If it had been charred and dead, it wouldn't exude such a vitality. And it wasn't just vitality. There was something fresh and sacred emanating from it. Uuuh. My heart resonated with something pure and holy from the tree. This was something I had also felt from the sacred tree at Huashan Sect and the sacred tree at Yeowol. Hence. 'That is the sacred tree. That's what this implies.' That black and murky tree was, in fact, the sacred tree of Mareng Mountain. It didn't seem to match the usual sacred tree appearance, but as I learned in Yeowol, the physical appearance of a sacred tree didn't seem to matter. "......" Splash. I slowly moved my steps. My feet entered the waters of a lovely lake. The water wasn't very deep. I was drawn to the tree as if in a trance. I climbed up the hill. Up close, the sacred tree appeared even larger. I reached out to touch it, but just then... "......I apologize for making an esteemed guest walk so far." A voice came from near the tree. Hearing it, I paused. I turned to look in the direction of the voice. It was right beside the tree. Had I been so entranced by the sacred tree that I failed to notice someone sitting there? "Were there any difficulties getting here?" This person cautiously spoke to me. I asked while observing them. "Spirit?" Upon my question, the person sitting slowly stood up. They staggered as they rose, then knelt before me. "A humble being greets a great one." "Are you the spirit?" "Yes... It is an honor to be remembered." "..." I was momentarily speechless. I came face-to-face with the presence that had manifested as a butterfly and called themselves a spirit. 'A child.' Now that I saw them, they looked incredibly young. How old was this child? They looked younger than ten. '...No.' While one shouldn't judge age based on appearance alone, this seemed quite extreme. The one who introduced themselves as a spirit appeared to be barely six or seven, wearing a long white robe. Their eyes were covered with a white band matching their clothing. "...What exactly are you?" What was this entity that had sensed my arrival and drawn me here? I was curious to know. The spirit, without delay, answered my inquiry. "I am the maiden guarding this sacred tree." "...Maiden?" A maiden... Is that what I think it is? I had heard of individuals who once bore spirits and carried responsibilities, yet those were said to have disappeared after the rise of the demonic phenomenon. With the phenomenon known as Magyeongmun, the faith in gods had faded, explaining their absence. 'But a maiden, here.' Could such entities still exist in Man Gye? Then. "How did the maiden know of me and bring me here?" I wanted to know how the spirit recognized me and what intentions were behind their actions. "The spirit of the sacred tree told me...." "The spirit of the sacred tree?" At those words, I looked at the black sacred tree. I had no other considerations regarding the spirit mentioned by the maiden. Given the circumstances, it was clearly this tree. "The great presence has arrived, and we must welcome them with all sincerity... Thus spoke the sacred tree," the spirit conveyed. "......" The reference to a "great presence." An awkward and unsettling term. '...That the sacred tree informed the maiden of my arrival.' Was this true? It was odd enough that there was a maiden at the sacred tree, yet it was even more unbelievable that the sacred tree recognized my impending arrival and informed the spirit. Should I trust this? As I pondered this quandary, the spirit called out to me. "Great presence." "That term…" "May I dare to ask something?" "...Go ahead." I contemplated asking them to use a different title next time. With that thought, I waited for the spirit's question. "May this humble servant inquire... To which world do you, O great one, belong? That is what I wish to know." "…Hm?" I frowned at the question. What was that? "Possessing a world... What does that mean?" "Hm?" At my question, the maiden tilted her head. Despite having her eyes covered, I could sense her startled expression. "As you are the master of another world, I wished to know where that place might be." "…What?" Her words widened my eyes. "A master... why am I called that?" Suddenly, being dubbed a master was baffling and incomprehensible. I rephrased my question, and the spirit, with a slight tilt of her head, replied. "You possess the spirit of a tree and thus hold a world within... This radiance is only known to masters of other realms... This I humbly understand well." "......" The spirit bowed again. Her demeanor was as if she believed I was testing her. However. '...What is she saying?' Naturally, I had no intention of testing her. I was absolutely earnest. 'Me, a master?' The term "master" used by the spirit. It began to unsettle my once-calm mind. As I struggled to control my shaking eyes, I turned around. I sought the Heavenly Demon. Not because I expected an answer. It was a reflexive action that arose from habit. Annoyingly, this seemed to be a habit I had developed. As I looked to where the Heavenly Demon should be— 'Eh?' I had to freeze in place. There was no other choice. Until just moments ago, the Heavenly Demon had been following me. 'Where did she go?' Suddenly, she had vanished without a trace. * * * Whhoooosh—!! At the highest peak of Mareng Mountain. The location is so elevated that fierce winds constantly whip through. It was so high up that it seemed almost possible to reach the clouds. Someone sat at the edge of this sheer cliff. A woman with long black hair. Her eyes were closed as if she were savoring the wind. Occasionally, she would tuck her wind-swept hair behind her ear, relishing in the breeze with her eyes shut, until, after a while, she opened her eyes to gaze below. What appeared to be an ordinary rocky mountain allowed her to see every detail within its stones. With a bit more focus, she saw the prepared hill, the black tree, and the young man standing before it, his face slightly troubled. “Haha.” Seeing this, the woman unintentionally let out a laugh. The expression on his face was so amusing to her that she couldn't help but chuckle. “That face never changes, does it?” No matter how many times she saw it. Even after countless encounters. Through innumerable experiences and trials. That expression stayed the same. So consistent. It was an expression made when bewildered or when something was utterly unexpected. Despite having seen it so many times, she never grew tired of it. “I’m glad.” With so much that had changed and been forgotten, having something that remained unchanged was a relief. That’s what the woman thought. Sitting at the edge of the rock, she swung her dangling feet in the air. Her heart desired to be near him a bit longer, but unfortunately, this was not the time. The time allocated was far too brief. It was insufficient and inadequate for indulging in her desires. So she chose to watch from a distance, albeit briefly. Even if forgetfulness shattered her heart and clouded her eyes. As always, just this much was enough for her. “…….” Continuously observing the young man, the woman eventually turned her head to look behind her. Someone stood there in a place that had been empty just moments ago. The woman wasn’t surprised. She had expected this. Rising to her feet and looking at this person, she greeted them. “Hello.” The woman initiated the conversation, but there was no response. The figure simply gazed at the woman through a black mask. In response, she smiled gently. “Just like me….” She uttered as she approached, yet the figure remained still as the distance closed. “You’re the same.” Her white fingers extended, grasping the mask of the figure. Click. The mask came off with a sound. The face beneath was revealed to the world. “Your taste in men is unnecessarily similar to mine. That’s why it ends up like this.” The faces of the two were identical. The only difference lay in the color of their eyes and hair. Everything else was exactly the same. “What should I call you? What would you like me to call you?” “…….” She knew there would be no answer but asked anyway. Truth be told, she hadn't expected a response. “It's unfortunate to ask if we’ve been well. It seems silly to say it’s been a while. We aren’t on the terms to apologize to each other.” Saying thank you wouldn't be appropriate either. This was how things were between them. “So, I’ll just keep it light.” Thus, there was only one thing to say. “Goodbye” It was the same word she had used the first time she greeted the other. “Sister.” “…….” The woman bid farewell to the counterpart she had killed and been killed by countless times.