CH 189

“El…”

“Be quiet.”

Elohim hid me in his arms. The pressure on his shoulder disappeared and breathing became much more comfortable when he hugged me.

“Let this child go.”

He spoke to someone in the cave without hastily touching my leg, which was held in the soil. Kugung, the ground shook once more.

“He is not an intruder. Step back now.”

The cold air that shook me came from Elohim, and at the same time, the pure white light grew stronger. Then the vines, which were holding my ankles strongly, disappeared.

At that moment, when a pure white light illuminated the dark inside of the cave, I could see it. The eyes of a creature so huge that it couldn’t be described in words.

Green eyes were vertical with a pointed pupil in the centre. As Elohim’s power diminished, the owner of the eyes that were hidden in darkness again let me go and hid its presence inside the cave.

“Se-hyun-ah. Can you stand up?”

“…yes.”

However, contrary to the answer, my body could hardly move. Elohim looked at me for a moment and then gently lifted me up.

“I, I can walk…”

“Stay still.”

He rolled his little back in the corner and put the shivering fox on his shoulder and then walked slowly.

“Let’s go back.”

Every time Elohim’s pure white bare feet touched it, green buds sprouted from the black soil, but it withered and died in an instant. As he walked leisurely through the dark forest, there wasn’t a single smile on his face.

“…I’m sorry. I came in without your permission.”

“It’s okay.”

At that moment, Elohim’s golden eyes, who looked down at me, briefly flashed.

“Se-hyun-ah, I already know that you came to save this child. Rather, I am in a position to be grateful.”

“……”

“I’m sorry to bother you. It’s not that I’m angry. Rather than being angry…”

Elohim couldn’t finish his words with a sad face and shut his mouth.

“What is the identity of the being in the cave?”

“He is the kid who lived with us.”

“Like the fox?”

“He lived before these children were born.”

Elohim’s face, who answered calmly, was too dark.

“He was Elahah’s favourite child. That’s why I couldn’t possibly kill him.”

“…was he different from what he is now?”

“Yeah.”

As the darkness grew fainter, I could see the entrance to the forest I had entered. Auung, I heard a cat cry from afar.

“The child ate the fruit. That’s how he had changed since then.”

“If it’s a fruit…”

“Have you not seen it before? The fruit of an apple tree.”

Those words reminded me of an apple tree covered in gold and shining brilliantly. A strange fruit that charmed those who came close.

“The fruit has the power to realize the desire of the one holding it. So, it’s dangerous to eat carelessly.”

“It seems that he ate it without knowing it.”

“No.”

At my words, Elohim twisted his eyes and smiled.

“Kali fed him. Directly.”

“……”

“Kali took the fruit and fed him, and that child changed because of Kali’s desire.”

When I came out of the forest, the cosmos flowers swayed in the wind. Then the relieved fox came down to the ground and rubbed the cat that was waiting for us.

I couldn’t answer and kept my mouth shut. I didn’t know what comfort to give.

“It’s the price of loving someone who shouldn’t you love.”

Elohim, leaving the fox and the cat alone, passed the cosmos flower garden and headed towards the temple. This was already the second time I had passed this road in his arms.

Soon the sun was setting. It was really beautiful to see the sunset sky and transparent papers fluttering around.

“Elahah…”

I looked up at the scarlet-coloured sky and asked cautiously.

“Is he okay?”

“He is different from me.”

Elohim’s long hair, walking towards the temple, looked crimson in the setting sun. I wanted to touch it because it was as pretty as a jewel, but my body still didn’t even budge.

“Elahah… he really loves Kali with all his heart. He had believed and relied on her and considered her as a family.”

I remembered Elahah, who was recording nonstop in the library. Was he still looking at me?

“He wants Kali to die more than anyone else, but he still loves her.”

“……”

“He will carry the scars he received from Kali for the rest of his life.”

Returning to the room inside the temple, Elohim laid me on the bed. My hands trembled slightly as I forced my stiff arms up.

“The flowers that bloom near the cave have a paralyzing effect. It will be released naturally after about an hour, so don’t force yourself to move and rest.”

“All right.”

“Thank you for saving Fox. If it weren’t for you, he would definitely be dead.”

“Why did he suddenly go there?”

“Well… I will find out while you’re resting. I’ll scold him.”

As usual, Elohim, who smiled softly, patted my forehead a few times before leaving the room.

* * *

Piiik. Piik.

The fox, lying on the table with his belly visible, found me and hurriedly got up and cried. I was reassured by the sight.

“How are you?”

“It’s alright.”

I lightly answered Elohim who brought the finished dish from the kitchen and sat down. Then the fox walked over near my hand and fell down.

Piii. Piiik. Pik.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Since we had maintained a certain distance from each other, the fox’s behaviour was very awkward. But even if my hand slightly avoided him, he continued to come and rub against me.

“You saved him, Se-hyun-ah. That’s why he likes you.”

It was burdensome… I stared at the fox that was staring at me with dazzling eyes for a moment, then pushed the tip of his nose straight out.

“Did you really scold him? It looks like he’s super excited.”

“Umm. I did scold him, but… I can’t even beat that little kid, so it’s hard to properly scold him.”

“That’s true.”

The fox lightly bit my finger, pushing the tip of his nose. It was a playful level compared to the last time the marks were left.

“Why did you go into the forest?”

“Do you remember the story that the fox was born with difficulty?”

“Yes.”

“He seems to be very concerned about not being able to use invisibility alone among the brothers. Seeing that he went into the forest to awaken his power. There is no place for adventure in this place other than that forest.”

“Seriously.”

I couldn’t help but laugh in vain. What did a little kid do? I deliberately grabbed the fox’s soft cheeks and pulled it out. Piiik! The fox struggled as if to let go.

After tormenting the fox for such a long time, I could feel the soft fur around my ankles. I looked down to see a little rabbit with a round body, twitching the tip of his nose and looking up at me.

“Oh…”

It was the rabbit I hadn’t seen in a long time. The rabbit, which had pricked its ears with its front paws raised, jumped, stepped on the chair, and came up on the table. I thought he would fly like the fox.

Although they were brothers, they seemed to have different personalities just as they looked different. The rabbit hopped up to the fox, sitting with his legs crossed and wagging its bountiful tail.

It was kind of cute to see white and fluffy kids gathered. As I looked with a happy smile, the rabbit with its front paws swung straight at the fox.

Ppaak—!

“Gasp…!”

Piiik! Piiik!

As soon as I was startled by the sound of a heavy blow, the fox, who was beaten, cried loudly. With that or not, the rabbit raised its front paw once more.

“Wa, wait! Wait a minute!”

I held the fox crying in my arms because he was about to hit him again.

“What’s this all of a sudden?”

At my cry, Elohim explained with a bright face.

“It seems that he has come to scold his younger brother.”

“No, but still, where are you going to hit this little kid…”

Piiii.

Knowing that I was on his side, the fox clung to me and began to whine sadly. The rabbit, who had been quietly staring at me and the fox at the table, stomped his foot this time.

“He should hit him more, Se-hyun, he says he’s dissatisfied because you blocked him.”

“No… you can scold him, but hitting the head is a little too much. I heard in the past that hitting the head kills brain cells and makes you dumber…”

Thud! Thud!

I tried hard to make excuses, but it didn’t work on the rabbit. As he stomped even harder, I quietly shut up.

“He seems very annoyed.”

“El… since the broadcast of the situation is now over, can you please stop him?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s so much fun.”

Elohim lifted the rabbit and threw him out of the window. The rabbit, who flew through the air without any problem, glared at me once and left the temple.

“That’s scary.”

“He’s an exceptionally warlike kid compared to his other brothers.”

“But he looks like a rabbit.” (그런데 겉모습은 토끼군요)

“Um? Doesn’t it suit him more because he’s a rabbit?”

The fox didn’t come down from my shoulder even when the brother, who scolded him, went away. It seemed that the pain was still in the place that I saw the rabbit hit his head with his front paw.

“The rabbit creatures have been bad-tempered for a very long time. It’s different from his cute looks.”

“Is, is that so? I didn’t know.”

“If you think about the realistic ecosystem, of course, the fox can’t be won, but… Anyway, it’s probably because he’s the strictest among them, so whenever the brothers cause problems, he always comes and scolds them.”

It was no different with people. I chuckled and grabbed the fox’s neck, which was still clinging to my shoulder, and lowered him to the table.

“This time, I was surprised and stop him, but there’s no next time. You did something to be scolded.”

“That’s right. You must never go into that forest again, Fox-ya.” (여우야)

Piiii…

When I and Elohim nagged at the same time, the fox drooped his four ears and turned his body away from me. A lot happened, really.

“By the way, I have something to tell you, Se-hyun-ah.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t you have another question for me?”

I didn’t know what he was talking about, Elohim raised the corners of his lips as I stared blankly.

“There is a pattern you found at the gate in D17 Area. You must be curious.”

“Ah.”

I went with Ha Tae-heon and found an underground pattern. I nodded quickly and asked.

“Of course, I want to know. Whether the weapon exists or if there is a way to get it.”

“As you expected, it’s true that the weapon exists.”

Elohim, who smiled brightly with the corners of his eyes folded, added.

“But I think you will need my help to get it.”

“El’s help?”

“Yes. On the day you return to Korea, I will connect the passage to the underground of that gate, so let’s see it. With me.”