358 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 359: The Rabbit of the North - Web Novel Archive Listening to words carried on the spring breeze, I found myself speechless. ‘What did she just say?’ Did I hear it correctly? Though I heard what Wi Seol-ah said, it felt as though my mind was rejecting the idea. And it was inevitable. The words were too bewildering for me to comprehend. “What… what did you just say?” “...” Wi Seol-ah wore a pained expression in response to my question. Why she wore such a face was beside the point. I needed more clarity. “You made me time-travel…” The one who turned back my time. “...Heavenly Demon?” Already, my life was hitting rock bottom, only to be thrust further down by this figure. The master of the Demon Sect and the one poised to bring bloodshed to Central Plains in the near future. ‘The Heavenly Demon sent me back?’ No matter how I thought about it, it made no sense. “Sir Goo…” “Explain… explain to me. What does that mean?” “...” I grasped Wi Seol-ah's shoulders and questioned her. Perhaps I had held too tightly, as she winced in pain, causing me to relax my grip a bit. “…Calm down….” “That might be difficult. This isn't the kind of story that allows one to stay calm.” “...” “You know why, right? Why I'm living like this now.” Why I've been relentlessly pursuing this path. Barely sleeping, consumed with elevating my state of being. Persistently moving forward. Wi Seol-ah, standing before me, surely knew the reason. “…Sir Goo.” To kill the Heavenly Demon and prevent the massacre. This life was dedicated to that cause. Not for myself. If it were for me, I’d have secluded myself in a mountain, living the rest of my life in solitude. That might have been a better fate. But ultimately, the reason I endure this struggle is not for my own peace. It is an apology to those who died and lived for my sake. Yet. “…Why the Heavenly Demon?” Ever since Yeon Il-cheon told me it was a miracle that I had returned. I've always thought someone had a purpose in my being brought back. If the Heavenly Demon had indeed sent me back in time, as Wi Seol-ah claims. Wouldn't that mean every action I'm taking, every situation occurring to me, was anticipated or orchestrated by the Heavenly Demon? The thought makes my mind spin. “Sir Goo….” “Is it true?” “...” “Did the Heavenly Demon really send me back in time?” I longed to hear it wasn’t true. That it was just a grim joke due to the heavy atmosphere. But. “…Yes.” Wi Seol-ah was resolute. “If it’s not me…. On this land, only she could do something like that to you, Sir Goo.” “…That’s…” Her words felt like chewing on my tongue. If it wasn't Wi Seol-ah, then only the Heavenly Demon could have done it. This suggested a hidden significance in her words. It implied neither Wi Seol-ah nor the Heavenly Demon were human. That, like the World Tree, they were beings capable of altering time. Moreover. It meant Wi Seol-ah was aware she was not human. “…You.” “I thought Sir Goo already knew.” “...” I knew. That Wi Seol-ah was not human anymore. In the past, I might have vaguely sensed it. But now, I was certain. Wi Seol-ah smiled as she read my expression. Was my face really that amusing? “I'm relieved.” What exactly was she relieved about? “…Even knowing, your attitude remains unchanged.” Her words made me frown. “Why would it change?” Wi Seol-ah widened her eyes momentarily at my response but quickly covered her mouth and laughed again. “Exactly. I wonder what frightened me so much.” I couldn't help but notice how her shoulders seemed slightly smaller. Yet, the conversation we were having before was more pressing. “…You’re saying that if it wasn't you, the Heavenly Demon did it—it's just your assumption?” “No, I’m certain.” “Why…? Why are you so sure?” The Heavenly Demon died at the hands of Wi Seol-ah. That’s a fact. And I faced death in the underground prison of the Alliance some days after that. The Heavenly Demon was already dead by then. Yet Wi Seol-ah was confident it was the Heavenly Demon who sent me back in time. Seeing my confusion, Wi Seol-ah averted her gaze and replied. “Because it’s something we must know.” “…What does that mean?” “It’s what we are made to comprehend.” The words linger like a strange echo in my heart. “What are you guys, exactly?” “...” “What… what is your relation to the Heavenly Demon?” They couldn’t possibly be unrelated. It was obvious to anyone. Wi Seol-ah and the Heavenly Demon looked identical—as if they were reflections in a mirror, excluding their hair and eye colors. Though the world is full of improbable coincidences and miracles, could this really be chance? “In terms of what our relationship might be… it’s difficult to define.” “What does that mean…?” “Simply… ‘we’ were never meant to have been two separate beings.” “Must you speak so cryptically too? You know I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed.” “…I’m sorry, please understand.” Wi Seol-ah smiled wistfully and grasped my wrist. The growing roughness in my voice was something I hadn’t realized. Having her hold my wrist calmed me somewhat, though it didn’t extinguish the flames completely. This unexpected reunion wasn’t something I wanted to ruin. ‘So it’s true that the Heavenly Demon sent me back in time, then?’ According to Wi Seol-ah, it is. Yet it remains a mystery. Beyond assuming the Heavenly Demon even had that power. The World Tree, ruler of this world, had confined Yeon Il-cheon within an illusory world as a price for sending him back in time. The World Tree was imprisoned, and all records and memories of its existence vanished from the world. Not even a trace remained. If the Heavenly Demon indeed sent me back in time. ‘Why does the Heavenly Demon still exist?’ What was the Heavenly Demon I saw yesterday? Could it be that they really wouldn't face any consequences? ‘And above all else.’ If such power existed, why didn’t they use it to return themselves? Why go through the trouble of sending me back? According to Wi Seol-ah, it seems that while she couldn’t, the Heavenly Demon could achieve such feats. ‘This implies…’ Could it be that the Heavenly Demon’s power surpassed Wi Seol-ah’s? It was a thought I had entertained casually before. The Divine Sword was mighty. Though I never fought her directly, I witnessed from a distance how powerful Wi Seol-ah was at her peak. She was undeniably strong. Strong enough that I dared not claim I could defeat her. ‘Was the Heavenly Demon… Was the Heavenly Demon truly weaker than the Divine Sword?’ If asked whether the being known as the Heavenly Demon was weaker than the Divine Sword, I couldn’t affirm it. This entity appeared entirely on a different level. That’s why, when I heard of the Heavenly Demon’s death near the end of the last great war, a quiet peace settled in my heart accompanied by a persistent question. How could the Heavenly Demon die? “The more I learn, the more questions I have to answer.” Just when I think I’ve discovered something. The world tosses another secret my way. “It’s as if the world awaits me to unravel its mysteries.” “...” Wi Seol-ah remained silent in response to my frustrated tone. “Does even someone like you have to keep things from me?” “…Sir Goo.” “If you said you don’t hate me. If you said you’re sorry. Then…” “I’m sorry…” Wi Seol-ah apologized once more. “I want to tell you everything you’re curious about.… Everything I know.” “Then just tell me.” “...” If she knew, if she wanted to share, why not just tell me? What this wretched world desires from me, why the Heavenly Demon returned me in time—just tell me everything. Yet, everyone acts as if they’re about to speak, only to shut their mouths. “Just…” “I don’t have much time left.” “What?” The words aimed to pry out of frustration came to a halt. With Wi Seol-ah’s single statement, my mouth clamped shut. “What did you say?” A wry smile crossed Wi Seol-ah’s face when she saw my reaction. Not much time left? “What do you mean, not much time?” “…I no longer have the strength to answer your questions, Sir Goo. Discussing the Heavenly Demon was my limit.” What was she saying? It’s even less comprehensible than when we discussed the Heavenly Demon earlier. Not much time left? “…I’m sorry…. I can’t tell you more.” “Wait… What are you saying? Are you disappearing or something?” “I’ve already stayed too long. This is this child’s body, after all; I can’t overburden it.” Wasn’t Wi Seol-ah borrowing the body of the current Wi Seol-ah? “…Then, what about the original child?” “I’ve just put her to sleep for a moment. This isn’t a story to share just yet, though she’ll know eventually.” “That means… are you really disappearing?” “...” “Answer me…!” She didn’t reply, but the silent answer lingered on Wi Seol-ah’s smiling face. Suddenly. Wi Seol-ah’s hand touched my cheek. It was cold. “That’s the first time I’ve seen that expression.” What kind of face am I making to cause you to make that expression? “Good. I’m glad I got to see this side of you.” “How much… how much time is left? Do you have at least a few years?” “...” “If not, a year? A few months?” If not that, at least a few days should remain. If even that’s not left. It’s really an awful story. “Sir Goo…” “Is this what you meant by something I’d regret?” “That’s not it at all…. I didn’t think you’d regret my disappearance…” “What’s more regretful than this?” The definitiveness of my words startled Wi Seol-ah. “If you return inside and rest, will it get better? Then go back now.” “…I’m sorry.” “Please… stop with the apologies and tell me a solution.” I wanted to shout, but I held back. I didn’t remove the hand on my face. I just watched Wi Seol-ah’s trembling eyes. I wonder what expression I’m making right now. All I know is that it wouldn’t be a calm one. Seeing me, Wi Seol-ah smiled again. “Don’t just smile… What’s there to laugh about in this situation?” “How could I not smile?” The hand on my cheek moved. Was it meant to be a gentle caress? “You’re looking at me with such concern.” “…Should I scold you instead?” “We’re this close. You’re touching my cheek.” “...” “Did you know?” Her smile was heartbreakingly beautiful. Rendering me speechless. “This was my dream. More than peace in the world. This is what I’ve longed for.” Her voice quivered. “How didn’t I realize that?” “…Then do it now. If you don’t disappear…” Wi Seol-ah’s eyes curved even more at my unintended words. “That would be selfish.” “What’s wrong with being a little selfish? Everyone lives harboring desires.” She probably lived her life without a single selfish desire. Such was the life of the Divine Sword. So, what harm is there in indulging now? Though I spoke this, Wi Seol-ah simply shook her head. “…For me, it's a regret.” Wi Seol-ah slowly pulled back the hand touching my cheek as she began to speak again. “I’ve been selfish. I even once thought of taking over this child’s body.” “...” “Would you be able to tell me to do that?” The answer surfaced from my heart. But it couldn’t leave my lips. The notion of the Divine Sword taking over the current Wi Seol-ah's body. Perhaps because they were the same existence, it seemed plausible. Could I really say that the present Wi Seol-ah and I are the same existence? No answer surfaced. “I guessed you wouldn’t be able to answer that.” “…It’s because…” “I’m grateful, truly. That you’re the kind of person who would hesitate.” “…You.” “This life belongs entirely to her. I have no place in it. Meeting you now is like lingering on a regret for me.” Wi Seol-ah took a step back. “I’m erasing the regrets I held onto.” “…Regrets?” “Regrets about how things could have been if we had met differently, or if life had been slightly different—she’s helping me erase them.” “...” “I know it's all due to your efforts, which is why the regret remains stronger, I guess.” She must have seen everything—how I'd strived to be different from that time. “That’s why I can’t remain here any longer.” “What does it matter? Even if you don’t want to interfere, you could just watch over us.” “It’s impossible, and even if it were, the desire would consume me. The yearning to feel that happiness myself.” She took another two steps back. And I took a step forward to close the gap. No. I intended to approach, but found myself unable to. “…!” Wi Seol-ah’s body began to emit a faint light. A sense of dread welled up. For some reason, I couldn’t reach her. --- The woman gazed at the man. Even amidst her blurring vision, his face remained peculiarly clear. He shouted. “Wait…! Just hold on a moment!” His expression looked bewildered by the abruptness of the situation. It was another new face; today had shown many firsts. That's why it was so much better. Suppressing the swelling emotions, the woman spoke. “I didn’t want to say goodbye like this. I knew there wasn’t much time left…. If possible, I didn’t want you to notice.” Every action. Her very existence might become a shackle for him. That was the woman’s reason. “Yet… I see you’re happy to have met me in the end, and that’s a relief.” Grave sins against fate and turning against causality had burdened her soul. If she vanished like this, she would face punishment. Though she feared it, she kept a composed front. She looked into the man’s eyes. His face was a mess. Were those tears glistening in his eyes? Probably not. She had never seen him cry. ‘No, perhaps he cried when she died.’ When the Demonic Empress passed away, did he weep? Even at such a moment, petty jealousy bubbled up. Reflecting on this, the woman spoke. “I am not in a position to ask you for such favors… but I have two requests.” Even as she spoke, the man struggled to move. His efforts were pitiful, yet he wouldn’t be able to. This was the world rectifying karma. Merely witnessing it was a remarkable feat. “Please cherish this child…. As much as you couldn’t cherish me.” She didn’t voice this last part, as she didn’t wish to burden him with it. And the other request… “…Call her by her name.” The man, who had been struggling to move, hesitated. Once. Not once had Goo Yang-cheon ever called anyone by their name. That included himself and everyone else—it was universal. The reason was unknown. But a vague assumption might be made. Perhaps it was because he didn’t want to keep anyone close enough to call by name. Like her, he was a man with many fears. Knowing this, asking seemed selfish and embarrassing. Yet, at this moment, it was a request she could make. Even so, excluding the surrounding women and directing it only toward this child was… A selfishness she could muster for herself. Pa-sst… Something crumbled away. It wasn’t her physical body collapsing. It was the sensation of her soul disappearing. To sense one’s soul fade—what a feeling it was. Once vanished, what would remain? Perhaps whatever existed on the other side, he wouldn’t be there. ‘That’s… quite sad.’ This thought made her smile, even now. Regrets lingered. She held so many words unspoken to him. She hadn’t told him she wished to see him. She hadn’t uttered the most important words. That she liked him. That she dared to say she loved him. The woman couldn’t bring herself to say those few words. Understanding the impact those words would have on him. Fearing they would burden him further, she swallowed them back. This was enough. ‘I’m sorry.’ She whispered to her younger self, asleep within her. There was so much she wanted to share. But it seemed her time was not enough. Yet, in a way, she felt a pang of envy. For the younger self who would live a life alongside him. Reflecting on this, the woman closed her eyes. Then. With a tearing sound, Warm hands appeared to embrace her.