1293 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

As if time stands still. I pushed away the woman who had been resting quietly in my embrace. "..." While I felt a refreshing sense of clarity, my mind seemed to freeze. Why did I hug her? It felt as if some mechanism within me had malfunctioned. "..." Namgung Bi-ah gazed intently at me. I couldn't bring myself to meet her eyes. It was embarrassing. How should he address this? I attempted to think through it, ignoring the heat that slowly rose within me. "You." Namgung Bi-ah's eyes curved slightly as she looked at me. "Your ears are red." Her hand touched my ear, and the cold sensation made me shudder slightly. Startled, I recoiled, increasing the distance between them. "What the... Why did you touch me?" "..." Upon hearing my words, Namgung Bi-ah narrowed her eyes slightly. "You hugged me first." "..." I was at a loss for words. She was right. "Well, now..." "Won't you hug me again?" "..." She opened her arms slightly. Stiffening like a stone at her gesture to embrace once more, I wondered if I would. 'Are you crazy?' Slap-! I slapped my own cheek, bringing myself back to my senses. "Don't joke around." "It's not... a joke..." "Explain it now. How did you come here?" "..." "This isn't a place for you to be." A world created by my mother. A false world. It wasn't a place for neither me nor for Namgung Bi-ah to inhabit by possessing Hyun So-yeon's body. "What exactly are you?" But who is this Namgung Bi-ah standing before me? "Don't think of escaping this time." "..." "Answer me." I wasn't letting go. I grasped her wrist firmly, emphasizing my resolve. "I received... permission." "What?" Permission? "From whom?" "...My mother..." "...Mother... What?" Mother? Could it be... "Are you talking about my mother?" "Yes." "What's with the title... Never mind that. How did you get permission?" My mother was in the World of Ten Thousand. Namgung Bi-ah should be in the Central Plains. What connection could they have to allow this permission? I looked at her in disbelief. "Because I needed to find you." "What do you mean by that?" To find me? "In the Central Plains? That's impossible." The time between Central Plains and World of Ten Thousand were utterly disparate. Though I had been apart from Shin Noya for a brief period in that world, Shin Noya had spent several decades in the World of Ten Thousand. Hence, even if he vanished, it shouldn't pose a significant problem. That's what I believed. "It couldn't have been that long—" "Much time has passed." "...What?" "A lot... of time has passed." "What nonsense is that?" Time had passed? My eyes widened as I urgently grabbed Namgung Bi-ah by the shoulders. "How long. How long exactly?" "...I can't say." "You can't say? Speak clearly—." I stopped abruptly and narrowed my eyes. "Is it a restriction?" "..." She was blocked from saying more. Just hearing that made me want to access my inner sight, but— Twinge. 'Ah, damn it.' He was in a state where he couldn't even use his inner sight due to his exhausted energy. 'Who could it be?' Who placed this restriction? If it was related to mother, could it really be her? Possible, but... 'What's important is, how did Namgung Bi-ah get involved with my mother?' No connection between Namgung Bi-ah, who was in the Central Plains, and mother, came to mind. Especially not if— 'If the timeline isn’t as I expected.' Different from my expected time difference. Contrary to my belief that the time he spent in the World of Ten Thousand wouldn't mean a great span had passed in the Central Plains... '...if time has indeed flowed.' This is troublesome. If this is the case, all my plans would be in jeopardy. My face contorted with distress. 'Moreover, my energy is a problem.' To resolve this quickly, I needed to restore my physical state, but even that was proving difficult. Tsk. I clicked his tongue inwardly and asked Namgung Bi-ah. "...So what about Young Lady Hyun?" What happened to the original owner of the body? At my question, Namgung Bi-ah tilted her head slightly as she responded. "She’s asleep." "Asleep?" "I borrowed it." She borrowed the body. Which implied that Hyun So-yeon's consciousness was dormant. "Duration?" "Not long. It's about to end." "The reason you inhabit Young Lady Hyun’s body... Is it because of what I suspect?" Because of his mother. Not just the uncanny resemblance, but the fact that she was the one who gave birth to Namgung Bi-ah. I was also indirectly asking if she knew Young Lady Hyun was her mother. "Yes." Namgung Bi-ah calmly confirmed. She knew everything, and the reason was accurate. "Did you choose this?" "No..." It wasn't her direct choice, it seemed. She could say that much. Then... "...Why did you come?" Shouldn't I be able to learn why she came? When I asked that— "To find." "Me?" "Yes." "You came all this way to find me?" While I couldn't learn how she came, I could gather that the reason involved me. "I had to... just like many others searching for you." "...What?" Not only Namgung Bi-ah, but many others are searching for me? His brows furrowed in confusion. Just what is happening outside? "How did things unfold this way?" "That is..." Namgung Bi-ah, who was about to speak, suddenly wavered. His eyes widened as he quickly held her. "What's wrong? Are you alright?" "Time." "Time?" "It's up... I'll come back later." "No, not yet. I have so many questions, how can you leave now...!" After finally meeting her, they were just beginning to converse. Was she leaving already? Tight. Suddenly, Namgung Bi-ah gripped his arm tightly and spoke. "...Find." "What?" To find? Unable to hear clearly, he brought his ear closer. As I leaned in, I finally caught what she said. "...Find Tolly." "...Huh?" Tolly? In the moment of his confused reaction— Sizzling-!! A short spark of static, and her hair began to change color. It shifted to the unique hue belonging to Young Lady Hyun. Thud. She lost consciousness and slumped against my shoulder. Feeling her lingering warmth, I recalled her recent words. 'Find Tolly?' Why did that name suddenly surface? Could it be...? '...Has he also come here?' Has Tolly somehow arrived in this world too? Could that be possible? As a dull ache brewed in my temples, I pondered in confusion. ‘Ah.’ He suddenly remembered something his mother had said to him here. - Snake! '...Snake.' For some inexplicable reason, the mention of a snake brought to mind Tolly. * * * Afterward, I walked briefly, trying to escape the area. Though Namgung Bi-ah's disappearance was problematic, I took solace in having managed some sort of successful escape. ‘I overdid it.’ It had been an ignorant approach. Did I really think he could pull it off? Perhaps I grew arrogant, thinking he had become stronger. '...I was foolish.' Had I overestimated my power? Or had I been too focused on my ability to consume a demonic being? Whatever the case, my choice hadn’t been wise. To begin with, 'I should’ve focused solely on the search.' I shouldn’t have been flustered upon seeing Paejon. I should have understood more about the existence of the Sword Queen. '...Did I forget that this is a false world?' Maybe that was part of it as well. "…Tsk." Frustration brewed. Both my mind and the circumstances felt suffocating. In this world, where I thought all he needed was resolution— ‘The unknowns...’ The consequences of these unknowns were tightening around me. 'What to do.' First and foremost, escaping this world was imperative. To do so, I needed to deal with the Sword Queen. 'Once that's done—' What would happen to Mother then? I needed to retrieve the power that had supposedly passed over to the Sword Queen. ‘Hmm.’ It was a headache. Why was Paejon confined there, I wondered. 'One year. That gap is significant.' Why was he confined for a year when it seemed the world raced ahead? 'Was it the Blood Demon?' This illusory realm was the work of the Blood Demon, so it was possible something happened at his hands. 'Wait.' His eyes narrowed. ‘...What’s the Blood Demon's goal?’ When this world was created, what was the Blood Demon's objective? While he'd focused solely on escape, he hadn't considered why the Blood Demon trapped them here. Chillingly, I realized the oversight. The Blood Demon's intentions. It was crucial to unravel this. ‘What could it be?’ As I strained my cooling mind to think, I suddenly heard something behind me. “Hmmm…” “…!” A noise beckoned from his back. “Hmm…” “You’re awake.” The woman I had been carrying, Young Lady Hyun, had opened her eyes. Upon my words, she stirred and lifted her head slightly. “…Where are we?” “I was heading into the woods, but they seemed endless, so we’re just walking for now.” “…Ugh.” Young Lady Hyun stretched with casual ease. “Oh, I’m so stiff…” “You're feeling more alert...?” As I observed her, I was about to pose a question. “How was it?” “Pardon?” Young Lady Hyun cut me off before I could continue. How was what? “What do you mean?” “How was it to see your fiancée after so long?” "..." Stopped in my tracks by her words, I halted mid-step. As I glanced sideways, Young Lady Hyun was grinning broadly at me. “…And how did you...” Before he could inquire how she knew, “What should I call you now? Oh!” With a mischievous expression, Young Lady Hyun spoke to me. “Should I call you my future son-in-law?” "..." With that, I released my hold on her. Thud-! “Ack!” Young Lady Hyun fell to the ground with a yelp.