1080 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

**Chapter 1080: North Rabbit - Web Novel Archives** "I... I'm interested in you." "..." A sudden confession from a woman I didn't know, left me with a bewildered expression. Interested in me? Really? '... Why me?' I've never heard such words in my life. Especially not from someone who approached so bold and straightforward from the get-go. Doubt crept over me. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe in deities." "What?" "I have no interest in hearing something strange. And I don't have any money." "What are you talking about?" Could I be mistaken? Her reaction seemed odd with every additional word I spoke. Am I wrong? If not, then this makes no sense. This can't be real. I don’t think of myself as ugly, but at the same time... I understand my looks aren't meant to attract such sudden attention. Apart from Tang Soyol, I have never had anyone—. 'Wait a minute...' Tang Soyol? ... Did she say she was Tang Soyol? I squinted at the woman, looking at her attire for any clues. "My lady." "Yes, yes?" I questioned while observing her closely. "May I know your name?" "Ah..." She hesitated at first, but then removed the veil she had been wearing. I wondered why she would suddenly unveil her face. But it made her face all the clearer to see. I thought so earlier, and it's the same now. The woman bore a striking resemblance to Tang Soyol, from her green hair to her outfit. Which means... This woman is likely part of the same family I know. "I'm Tang Seon." "..." Her introduction confirmed my suspicions. "Tang Seon... By any chance..." "Yes... I'm from the Sichuan Tang family, known as Tang Seon." I knew it. No wonder it felt peculiar. 'Tang Seon...' Who is she? Was there someone of her age in the Tang family besides the Poison King that I knew of? As I scanned her with a puzzled gaze, she seemed to pick up on the question. "Yes. I'm known as 'Dokbong.'" From her mouth came a nickname I was familiar with. 'So, she's the former 'Dokbong.' That means...' Before Tang Soyol, she must have held the title of 'Dokbong.' Then... "Your relation to the current Dokryong is...?" "Pardon?" I assumed there must be a connection with the current Dokryong, and thus brought it up. Tang Seon nodded with a peculiar expression. "He is my younger brother." "..." I nodded. 'So, she has an elder sister.' That means she would be an aunt to Tang Soyol. I never heard about Tang Soyol having an aunt. No wonder I didn't know. "Oh, I see." I awkwardly understood the situation and shifted from my bewildered expression. "So, you are a lady of the Tang family?" "That's correct." "So... um, thank you for your words." I understood she approached with words of interest in me. "But I am engaged." "Oh..." Upon hearing about my fiancée, Tang Seon's eyes widened then softened into a look of disappointment. "I see... that's unfortunate... truly." "Thank you for telling me this." Where else could I have heard such words? The problem was, the one confessing was a peculiarly eccentric woman from the Tang family. "Thank you for talking with me. I wish you a good day." After conveying her formality, Tang Seon soon disappeared. Even the way she turned her back resembled Tang Soyol, leaving me with an odd sentiment. 'I wonder how she's doing.' Although not much time should have passed, given what Sin Noya mentioned, a significant period had elapsed for me, making me reminisce. Ah, indeed. 'I must be longing.' I missed the kids dearly. So very much. --- A day passed. Even as the new day dawned, I remained in this world. Having had no expectations, the circumstance didn't bother me much. Turning my murky mind, I stifled the irritation as I stepped out of the inn. 'Ugh, the weather is annoyingly nice. This is insane.' Whether fate sensed my mood or not, the sky shone bright and clear without a care. I sighed as I observed the brilliant sunlight. "Damn it..." Life can be such a hassle. Time-traveling and exploring new worlds. I've even ended up in my father's youth. "Life..." Ah, now that I realize, I'm not human anymore either? "Rotten luck." Indulging in idle thoughts, my footsteps moved forward, and before long, the main compound appeared. Upon nearing the entrance, I approached and spoke. "Excuse me." "Accepted candidate?" "Yes, that's correct." "Hand over your acceptance certificate." The gatekeeper, as though used to it, requested my certificate. I showed him the acceptance note I had prepared. After verifying it thoroughly, he stepped aside to let me through. "Enter. Congratulations." "Thank you." It wasn't a particularly celebratory tone. More like a tacit acknowledgment. But I understood their sentiments, hence it was fine. '... They're in a tough spot.' Gatekeepers... I had done that work once in a past life. Those were grueling days. 'I used to receive many complaints about looking intimidating.' Ah, the bittersweet memories. Perhaps that's why I felt increasingly bitter. Grinding my teeth, I stepped into the main hall. Though there were many people inside, they were fewer than yesterday. ZGVPdDc2cnQxMFU0bVlrbnZITXlVbzQyR2J2SEpRSTJ2OWdTVHRJNS9uOWVkSE9yT1FLUWZwVXlMcVl2Q0pHdg Reason being, only the successful candidates remained after the others departed. Upon arriving, I noticed they were forming a line. I quietly fell into line behind them. Waiting calmly, someone tapped on my shoulder from behind. As I turned to see, an unfamiliar youth stood there. "... What is it?" "When did you get accepted?" "Excuse me?" The sudden question threw me off. "Yesterday." "Ah, you took it at a different time then. Haha, wasn't the exam tough? I found it really difficult." "..." Ah, just a chatterbox. I quickly assessed the situation. "...Oh, it was moderately difficult." "Moderately? Did you know? They say this exam was the toughest in the last ten years." "Really? Is that so?" Apparently. "Yes, genuinely! In the book exam about magical creatures, there were three questions about red creatures. What's the point of that when red creatures don't even appear anymore? Nobody studies them now. But to have three questions... it was absurd." "Oh..." I solved them effortlessly, but thinking about it, red creatures weren't a concern in this era, making such questions irrelevant. "As a result, the pass rate hit an all-time low." "Is that so?" "Truly. There was only one person who got a perfect score." "Ahh." "He must have prepared meticulously, someone who's destined for greatness." The young man shook his head in disbelief. Just when I thought the conversation was over and it would become quiet... "Oh, and you must have seen yesterday?” "..." More to say, huh? It was becoming increasingly bothersome. "You must have seen the Overlord arrive." "Ah... yes, I did." "Ugh!!! I'm so jealous. I should have applied yesterday... Ahhh... Seeing the great Three Sovereigns in person... I envy you so much." "Oh, well..." He was just fascinated by seeing them up close, I suppose. If I told him that I once used the Three Sovereigns as my servants, mentors, and guards, he would probably faint. "And not only did they appear, but they picked someone to take as a disciple. Did you see that too?” "..." Considering it was about me, I found myself speechless. "I didn't see it, but anyway, why do you ask?" I didn’t see it; I experienced it. So technically, I wasn't lying. "Didn't see it? Oh, that's unfortunate. I was curious about what kind of person received such an offer..." The young man smacked his lips regretfully. "I heard that person was not just an enormous figure but also prided themselves on unmatched martial prowess and had a presence that would captivate the hearts of women." "..." What the... where did these ridiculous rumors come from? It had only been a day, and already such nonsense was spreading. "What else could lead the Overlord of the world to take an interest in them—that alone speaks volumes. And on top of that." The young man pointed a finger upward dramatically. "Don't be surprised." "...Yes." "Apparently, the person who received the offer was also the only one who scored perfectly on the book exam about magical creatures." "..." I couldn’t help but make a perplexed expression at his words. Seeing my face, the young man seemed to grasp something and patted my shoulder. "Ah. Don't make that face. I know it seems unfair, but that's life, isn't it?" It seemed he misunderstood something again. "Look at the current dragons and phoenixes. Life for people like us is different. There's no end to envy, you know? Just like yesterday, there are always people whose worlds differ from ours." Ah, he thought I was envious. "Oh, right. We’ve talked this much, but we haven't introduced ourselves." More like listening to his monologue than having a conversation. "I'm Do Yoon from the Sanseo Do family. How about yourself, young miss?" "...Ah, me?" I figured I should at least introduce myself since he did, and I was about to say my name when suddenly— "Baek—" "Baek Yangcheon! Is Baek Yangcheon of the Baek family here?!" "Huh?" I turned my head. Someone on the distant podium was calling out for me. Then— "Baek Yangcheon? Oh, that guy. That’s the one who got the offer from the Overlord and the perfect test score. Word has spread already." The young man looked at me with a renewed sense of curiosity. "I was wondering what kind of person they were. This is a good chance to find out. Oh, you were saying your name?" "I'm that." "Huh? What?" "That's me." I pointed toward the podium. "Baek Yangcheon!" Indicating the person fervently yelling my name, I had to sheepishly acknowledge it. "...What?" Do Yoon's expression was priceless. Looking at him, I couldn't help but chuckle. "Let's exchange greetings another time. I have to go see what they want." After giving a friendly pat to the young man named Do Yoon, I made my way toward the platform. Immediately, all eyes were on me. “Uuhhhh!?!!” In the midst of this, Do Yoon let out an astonished shout. I nearly burst into laughter from his reaction.