Chapter: 449
When was it?
No, how long has it been?
I can’t remember exactly.
It’s been such a long time, and it’s a memory I really don’t want to recall.
It’s something I’d like to bury deep in my heart or just erase from my mind altogether.
Yet, despite those feelings, there are definitely things that refuse to be forgotten.
No, it’s the opposite—those are the kinds of memories that stick around even more vividly.
That’s how it was for me at that time.
I grew accustomed to the foul smell unique to the Demon Realm.
The rising red moon, too, had come to feel like a normal light.
It was just as I woke up late at night to stand watch as usual.
As time passed, the number of survivors dwindled, and the order of things became so tangled that it was a hot mess.
Hwaruk.
As the darkness thickened, I lit a fire to illuminate my surroundings.
Even though the flame burned as small as a rat’s droppings, it only brightened the area immediately around me, and it didn’t warm my body much either.
Still, I felt fortunate to have it lit.
Pick-!
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew in from somewhere and snuffed out the flame.
[…]
Frowning at the pitifully extinguished flame, I glanced to the left.
[What are you doing, do you want to die?]
My annoyance flared.
That gust was definitely an artificial wind made from my own bet.
The figure who extinguished my flame was looking at me with her characteristically icy gaze.
[You, of all people. I distinctly warned you against lighting a fire without permission.]
I clicked my tongue at the woman’s cold voice.
[What do you expect me to do if I can’t see anything? If I can’t see, how am I supposed to stand watch?]
[If you can’t see anything, then you might as well keep your eyes closed. If you can’t see even this, you won’t be able to see anything else.]
Her firm words made my brows furrow involuntarily.
[You talk like a total jerk.]
[That’s the truth. Better than having a monster swarm over when they see your flames.]
She nonchalantly blurted out her biting remarks, then pulled her long blonde hair back and tied it neatly behind her head.
The short neckline made it impossible for anyone, especially men, to avert their eyes from her.
But I purposely averted my gaze.
It wasn’t her beauty that pricked me deeper, but her words instead.
[You say I’m weak, so I should know to crawl, right?]
I could see the woman’s shoulders tremble slightly at my words.
[… That’s not what I meant…]
[What do you mean it’s not? Whatever, it’s not like it’s the first time or the last.]
At this point, there was no need to let such words injure my pride.
There’s no way that my already shattered and bruised pride has anything left to break.
No, well, maybe just a tiny bit might remain.
[… People like you wouldn’t understand.]
Was that why I managed to blurt out those words without realizing?
[You have no idea what it’s like to roll on the ground like this.]
[…]
Her golden eyes turned my way.
In those eyes, a peculiar irritation simmered.
I couldn’t even fathom that annoyance.
The once-in-a-lifetime talent, who now stands in for Oryongsambong, is what they call her.
Why is it that receiving compliments about talent annoys them so much?
That was a part I simply couldn’t grasp.
[What do you know to say something like that?]
She said that, and maybe because she was irritated, but I took it indifferently.
[Did you say that because you know me so well?]
[…]
At my words, the woman, Sogeomseong, bit her lip.
Seeing that made me sigh.
This was an unnecessary squabble.
I especially despised going toe-to-toe with those who were more gifted.
No matter how we talked, it was clear we wouldn’t understand one another.
Why in the world would I bother with this bothersome conversation?
As I shook my head at that thought, she suddenly shot me a question.
[Why are you always so dissatisfied?]
[What?]
[Do you feel better acting like that about everything?]
[You little brat. Now you’re trying to tell me how to live? What makes you think you can say something my parents didn’t?]
Exactly.
My parents didn’t do it, hence I ended up like this.
I swallowed those words down.
[No matter how brilliant you are, this is just wrong.]
[I’m not brilliant.]
[Who are you kidding right now?]
With all the rad titles you’re flaunting, and you say you’re not remarkable? Seriously, what kind of nonsense is that?
One.
[… I really wasn’t that brilliant.]
Sogeomseong said that to me in a tired tone.
While I still didn’t get what she was saying.
[Yeah, you’re totally not brilliant.]
I just decided to let it slide this time since it was too annoying.
What can I do about someone who claims they aren’t brilliant?
I just wished for this moment to be over quickly.
Not only was standing watch annoying, but standing next to Sogeomseong was just uncomfortable.
It ended up like this because the one who was supposed to stand watch before became food for the demons.
By this point, all we did was grind our teeth whenever we ran into one another.
And now they had us glued together like this.
That rotten Seolbong, must’ve known what she was doing.
Organizing the night watch is such a pain in the ass.
Since she knew I felt uncomfortable around the Sogeomseong, she most probably arranged it like this on purpose.
She was, anyway, a gal I just didn’t like.
Anyway, it had been a bit over seven days and nights since we became this pair.
Among those days, today seemed to have an unusually high amount of conversation.
Ah, of course, the conversation hadn’t been peaceful and was still tense like before.
After more growling back and forth, silence began to permeate the air.
I actually found this silence quite comfortable, so I just sat there counting the pebbles on the ground.
Suddenly, Sogeomseong asked something weird.
[What’s your goal?]
[… Huh?]
At those words, I involuntarily frowned.
What the hell are you talking about?
That was such an unexpected question. What’s your goal?
[What kind of nonsense is that out of the blue?]
[I just wondered if someone like you has a goal too.]
[Why are you suddenly stirring the pot? Are you nuts?]
It was absurd.
It felt like I’d just been hit in the face while distractedly staring at a rock.
Meanwhile, a goal? A goal?
[…]
I pondered for a while, but nothing notable came to mind.
A goal wasn’t something I actively sought out in life.
If I had no fondness for life itself, then what good is a goal?
There’s no way I could have something like that; it’s just about breathing and getting by.
The more I pondered, the more my mood soured.
With a disgruntled expression, I turned to Sogeomseong again.
[How about you? Do you have a goal?]
[…]
At my question, Sogeomseong turned her head and avoided my gaze.
[What? You don’t have one either? Guess we’re the same then.]
I chuckled as I said that, causing Sogeomseong to whip her head around, her eyes burning bright.
Looks like she was pretty bothered by my comparison.
[… I do have one…]
Though her expression was fierce, her voice was exceedingly soft.
There seemed to be a hint of embarrassment mixed in.
[You do? What is it?]
Honestly, I wasn’t very interested in this, but I just asked out of curiosity.
I really didn’t need to know what other people had in mind for their goals.
[…]
In response to my question, Sogeomseong remained silent for ages.
What could be so significant that she hesitated like that?
Is she aiming to be the leader of the martial world, or something?
Now that would be a bit tough.
But hey, considering her talent, maybe that is a reasonable goal.
As I waited for her to finally respond, Sogeomseong finally mumbled something barely audible.
[… I want to meet my mom.]
[What?]
It was so quiet I barely caught it. I leaned in closer and asked again.
[… My mom…]
Sogeomseong said with slightly flushed ears.
Mom?
[…]
Hearing that made me wear a strange expression and distance myself a little.
[… What?]
What do you mean, “Mom,” out of nowhere?
Did I hear incorrectly?
[… Mom?]
[…]
I asked to clarify, but judging by her reaction, I hadn’t misheard.
Seeing my reaction made Sogeomseong suddenly get defensive, as if feeling wronged.
[… Why…? Is that strange?]
[Wouldn’t it be strange? Just out of the blue, saying your goal is your mom.]
[… My mom is a worthy goal. Why don’t you understand that?]
[Must be due to my mom’s absence. I don’t fully get it.]
[…]
Sogeomseong momentarily closed her mouth at that blunt self-deprecation.
I didn’t mean it to sound that way; it just slipped out.
[But, why is that your goal of all things?]
Out of all the impressive things, why is it ‘Mom’?
This had to be the most incomprehensible thing I’d ever heard.
[… I wouldn’t say it’s specifically a goal.]
[You mentioned it was your goal just now.]
[I simply meant that I dream of a normal life.]
[Hmm?]
A normal life?
[To meet someone. To fall in love. To marry, have kids. To fight and reconcile, and grow old together. That’s the kind of life I envision.]
The more I listened, the drier my mouth seemed to feel.
[Then you can do that. What’s the problem?]
Because it didn’t seem grand enough to be classified as a goal.
It wasn’t that I wanted to become an ultimate master.
Nor did I wish to be the head of a legendary clan.
Her words about wanting to live simply like an ordinary woman felt tough for me in another sense.
I couldn’t comprehend why she insisted on calling it a goal when she could actually do it right now.
Could she sense my feelings?
Sogeomseong suddenly smiled an enigmatic smile.
[Yes, it’s a very easy thing.]
Though she said that, I could still hear the whispered words that followed.
-That easy thing is genuinely hard…
She said it.
After voicing that, she fell silent again.
I chose not to press further.
With an odd feeling that night had somehow grown darker, I followed her lead and kept my mouth shut, as if we were sharing a silence pact.
And so that day ended,
Yet, strangely, the memory of it didn’t fade from my mind.
What was so significant about this conversation that I could never forget it?
If I were to search for a reason,
It might be because that was the point where I unknowingly began to take her into consideration.
The reason I started tracking Sogeomseong was because I found it fascinating that this extraordinary woman’s goal was merely for mediocrity.
Or maybe it was the sorrow reflected in her expression while she spoke that was the issue.
Even now, I don’t have a clear answer.
By the time I became aware of it, I had already inadvertently turned into that.
It’s likely that the goal she had inquired about was born within me around then.
I never shared it with anyone.
A goal I had no idea existed until the day I died.
The amusing part is…
Whether it’s her goal or mine,
The truth is, in our previous life, we never managed to achieve that together, right until our last moments.
Was it an illusion?
No.
No matter how much I analyzed it, this was no illusion.
Sogeomseong’s gaze was distinctly locked onto me.
Why was she looking at me among all these countless beings?
I kept checking to see if it was a coincidence, but Sogeomseong’s stare remained fixed on me without wavering.
As I looked into her golden eyes, I felt a pang of embarrassment.
Thud.
“…!”
I felt an inexplicable vibration resonating within my body.
I rubbed my chest.
‘What’s going on?’
Thud… thud.
The pulsation wouldn’t cease; it endlessly reverberated in my chest.
I swallowed hard as the sensation swelled.
‘…This.’
The vibrations within my body.
I had a hunch about their source.
Quickly, I shifted my gaze to Sogeomseong.
She was still staring at me with a look of astonishment.
This time, I would also be wearing a similar expression.
She must be sensing something akin to what I felt.
Recalling that notion, I clenched my fists tightly.
‘Damn it.’
Thud. Thud.
The resonance grew louder and steadier.
No.
This wasn’t simply a vibration.
This was resonance.
This was the matching of energies in harmony.
Once I confirmed that, my eyes widened in realization.
How could I have not foreseen this?
‘…What the hell, how could I have predicted this?’
It was an energy that even I had trouble perceiving.
Whether it was properly contained in my body or if it had already vanished.
I had suffered for quite some time without being able to ascertain it.
And now, this energy resonating with Sogeomseong is…
‘The Divine Sword….’
It was definitely the energy I had encountered during this lifetime.
As my mother had said, I carried her energy within me.
That energy was the one currently resonating with the small sword up there.
Given that she was feeling it too, that was likely the expression she was making.
This was an error.
‘I didn’t expect things to go this way.’
Who would have imagined the energies would resonate with each other?
I had been certain the Demon Emperor would catch a whiff of it since it was the intrinsic power I possessed.
‘…Even this?’
I truly wasn’t prepared for Sogeomseong to feel this.
The trouble is.
‘This can’t be hidden in any way.’
This Divine Sword energy is something I don’t know how to handle nor conceal like this.
So naturally…
Boom boom boom-!
The resonance with her intensified fiercely.
Feeling my head begin to throb, nausea crept in.
“… You even called me. Is there really a plan to go to war?”
I heard the Demon Mage addressing Sogeomseong.
“It seems that you all are the ones itching for blood, not me. Am I wrong?”
The tone of his voice, laced with malice, felt even more dangerous than before.
It truly felt like he wanted to kill everyone in sight at any moment.
In answer, Cheonjon merely continued to stand with his hands behind his back as he spoke.
“I’ll say it again; we came to make a deal.”
“If you keep spouting nonsense, I’ll just pull out your tongue here and now.”
Crack, crack, crack.
The ground where the Demon Mage stood shattered!
Shallow flames erupted from the scarred earth.
“Perfect timing. Since that inept girl is also here, I might as well eliminate both of you right now.”
What a load of nonsense.
This fool has no intention of killing.
I could practically see the gears turning in his head as he brainstormed ways to get out of this mess.
Thud…
‘Ugh.’
The resonance stirring within my lower abdomen intensified.
In that moment, I felt someone draw closer and touch my back.
The energy flowing through my body began to circulate.
The resonance remained, but it felt a tad more manageable?
When I turned to see what was happening, I found that the Demon Sword Master had come up behind me, resting her hand on my back.
She looked at me and asked,
“…Are you okay…?”
“…Thank you… for your support.”
I was taken aback.
I couldn’t help but stare at the Demon Sword Master in surprise.
Why would someone who abhors physical contact suddenly behave like this?
Of course, it was a relief to feel a bit more grounded, but the unexpectedness caught me off-guard.
As I managed to calm my racing thoughts thanks to the Demon Sword Master,
Shiiiii-!
The small sword that had been floating in the air gradually descended to the ground.
“…”
Seeing it up close became even more apparent.
What was right in front of me was her from back then.
Along with a beauty that didn’t play second fiddle to the Demon Sword Master,
She was an extraordinary woman with brilliant golden hair and an exotic aura.
Much more mature than the Wi Seol-ah I had met after my regression, her overall appearance spoke of refinement.
The atmosphere around her felt deeply subdued.
“… Mage.”
Having gently landed, Sogeomseong opened her mouth, focusing her attention on the Demon Mage.
Upon noticing this, Mage turned hostile, growling as he spoke.
“Looks like your life isn’t too valuable. You came all the way here under your own power.”
“… We don’t desire conflict.”
“You bring this strong of an escort but don’t seek a fight? You can’t expect me to take that at face value.”
“…”
“Just be honest and say you want war. Then I’ll face you earnestly.”
“… As Cheonjon said, we want to negotiate…”
Kugugugugu-!
Before Sogeomseong could finish her statement, a massive surge of flame erupted from the Demon Mage.
The sword of Sogeomseong soared towards the inferno.
Afterward, the flames were consumed just like before.
That black flame, infused with magic, must have been extinguished by her power.
The abrupt attack made Sogeomseong’s expression twist in displeasure.
Yet amid this, I noticed her gaze flickering my way occasionally.
“If you want something, give it a try…”
“… I will return your brain to you.”
The Demon Mage, who seemed ready to jump in at any moment, halted at Sogeomseong’s words.
I, too, paused, though for entirely different reasons.
‘Thunder Fang… you mean?’
Hearing that, I turned to glance at the Demon Sword Master.
Her expression was unfiltered displeasure at Sogeomseong’s words.
Based on that look, it seemed quite likely that the Thunder Fang was indeed over there.
‘What does that even mean?’
I could feel my heart racing at this discovery.
And rightly so.
Because in my memories, Demon Sword Master’s Thunder Fang had never once left her side.
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