Chapter 116: Turning Point

< Chapter 116: Turning Point (1) >

Shin Jia was on the phone with Kang Seo-yul in her room.

“So, it was the ancestor who dealt with the gate after all?”

—That’s right.

She suspected it might be because it involved flame magic; it turned out she was right.

“What’s up?”

Ha Si-yeon, who was sitting on the sofa across from her and sipping tea, casually asked.

Shin Jia slightly covered the phone’s microphone with her hand and answered.

“It’s something the ancestor took care of.”

“Wow.”

Ha Si-yeon closed her mouth in admiration.

—Is someone there with you?

“Yes? Ah, yes. It’s Si-yeon. We were planning on training together at my place today.”

—So, she’s staying over tonight?

“Yes.”

The current time was 11:20 p.m. It was too late to go home.

“The situation is hectic because of the gate. I told her it might be dangerous, so she should stay the night.”

—Good job.

At Kang Seo-yul’s warm praise, the corners of Shin Jia’s mouth lifted. If she had a tail, it would be wagging excitedly.

“Jia, ask about the gate opening today.”

“Ah, yes.”

The gray-out and the gate opening. Did Kang Seo-yul know about this situation in advance?

“Ancestor, about this incident... did you know about it in advance?”

She was half-skeptical, half-hopeful. It’s just that since Kang Seo-yul handled this sudden situation, maybe he knew about it.

—Yes, I did.

“Ah...”

Kang Seo-yul straightforwardly confirmed it.

“He knew?”

“...Yes.”

Both women looked perplexed.

“If you knew, why didn’t you tell us...”

It was bitter. In the end, were they of no help in crucial moments? They expressed their disappointment.

—Is Si-yeon pouting right now?

“What?”

—She probably looks disappointed, wondering why I didn’t tell her. Isn’t she?

“Ah... well.”

—You’re probably a bit disappointed too, Jia.

“No! How could I possibly be disappointed with the ancestor...”

Shin Jia raised her voice.

—That’s a relief then. Tell Si-yeon not to feel too disappointed.

“Okay.”

—I should’ve just told you in advance. I held back because it felt unnecessary to say.

Kang Seo-yul didn’t tell Yu Hwa and Maiden or even Shin Jia and Ha Si-yeon in advance, all to gain more firm trust.

The level of trust between telling before and after the gray-out event would differ significantly.

Aside from that, he also felt confident that he could handle the first gate alone.T/his chapter is updated by nov(ê(l)biin.co/m

“Ancestor, I want to make it clear. I could even believe you if you said the world would end tomorrow.”

—Re-really?

Kang Seo-yul’s voice trembled slightly. Jia’s trust weighed heavy.

—Then, trust me on this and I will tell you in advance this time.

“Excuse me?”

—Put it on speaker mode so Si-yeon can hear as well. I don’t want to explain twice.

“Oh, sure. Understood!”

Shin Jia quickly placed her phone on the table and switched it to long-distance mode.

—Can you hear me?

“Yes.”

“I hear you~”

Both replied at the same time.

—I’ll get straight to the point.

Kang Seo-yul spoke in a serious tone.

—In exactly four days, dozens of gates will open simultaneously all over Korea.

Both of their eyes widened in shock.

* * *

After finishing the call with Jia and Si-yeon.

I came back to the living room.

“Are you done with the call?”

“Yes.”

The princess was playing with Goldie.

I bought her some cat toys, and she seems to be playing without noticing the time passing by.

Goldie also genuinely seems to follow the princess. Probably due to the animal affinity that’s unique to the Beastmen tribe. After all, Goldie is also a guardian of the Beastmen tribe.

“Besides that, princess. About the conversation we had earlier.”

“Hmm?”

The princess tilts her head as she looks up at me.

It seemed like she was saying, ‘What conversation did we have?’

I showed the back of my hand to the princess.

“This. You said it’s Adam’s Mark, right?”

“Ah.”

Earlier, the princess looked at the ‘Fire Elemental Tattoo’ on my hand and called it ‘Adam’s Mark’.

I was going to ask what that was, but then I got a call from Jia, so I had to put it off.

“To explain Adam’s Mark, I have to start with the world’s creation myth... Do you know about the creation myth?”

— If it won’t take long, are you talking about...10 minutes?

That’s too short even if it’s short.

— Roughly 2-3 hours?

The princess stroked Goldie in her arms and smiled sadly.

— ...So, I’ll have to eat lunch alone.

The current time is 11:30 a.m.

Three hours later would be well past lunchtime. This princess really hates eating alone.

— Anyway, I understand. Go and come back safely.

The princess returned to a stern expression. Anyone could see it was a forced expression.

Although it’s a bit heartbreaking, I can’t help it. The matter is that important.

— I’ll be back soon.

I headed toward the entrance.

The princess and the two tigers followed to see me off.

— Hmmm... Ha Si-yeon said there’s a phrase to use for times like this...

While I was putting on my shoes, the princess seemed lost in thought. Si-yeon apparently had told her something useful.

— Ah!

The princess let out an exclamation as if she had realized something.

“See you later, Melona!”

“...”

See you later, Melona.

The princess had learned a unique Korean greeting way too early.

* * *

Seated on a bench in a nearby park with no set appointment, I quietly waited.

The expectation lingered that she would show up if I simply remained there.

“Hello.”

She’s here.

I turned my head toward the direction of the voice.

Shirakawa Ai.

Lust looked at me and grinned.

“Is it a coincidence today as well?”

“Yes, it’s quite interesting that you are always here when I go for a walk. It’s almost like fate.”

I came to this park today to eliminate variables in dealing with the recent Gate Explosion incident.

“If it’s really a coincidence, then it must be fate.”

Of course, that variable is Lust.

And furthermore, it means interference by the Saviors of Truth.

If I don’t resolve this, I can’t act properly due to anxiety.

“Ah? You don’t believe me? It’s really a coincidence.”

Lust looked at me with an ‘unjustly accused’ expression.

I chuckled inside.

Believable words should be believed.

Can it really be a coincidence meeting like this?

“...I really mean it.”

Lust’s expression turned sad.

“Yes, I believe you.”

“Your face says you don’t.”

Her expression looked as if she couldn’t be more wronged.

Even acting would be fine.

“Do you see me as a bad person who stalks you?”

That’s how it looks.

If she’s a high-ranking member of the Saviors of Truth, then that says it all.

I plan to deal with Lust today.

Although I don’t know what actions the Saviors of Truth will take after dealing with Vagabond and Lust, I have no choice.

I can’t keep an element of uncertainty right before me when facing this significant episode.

Nearby, Maiden and others like Yu Hwa, Jia, and Si-yeon are waiting. All I have to do is lure Lust there.

I was about to start acting when—

Thump.

Lust grabbed my hand.

She brought her face close to mine, looking desperate.

“I really didn’t do anything wrong! Please believe me!”

Her eyes were moist as she asserted her innocence.

My eyes widened at that moment.

I wasn’t impressed by Lust’s acting skills.

My eyes widened because a newly acquired racial trait of the Spirit Race activated.

The trait of the Fire Spirit, ‘Light of the Soul.’

It allows you to see the soul of the person you hold hands with, in color.

An innocent soul is white, while a sinful soul gets darker. If someone has committed murder even once, their soul becomes gray.

In other words, Lust’s soul should be pitch-black, given that she’s a high-ranking member of the Saviors of Truth.

“White?”

“Yes?”

Yet, the light emanating from Lust’s soul was white.

It was almost pure white, not even gray.

“It doesn’t make sense.”

Meaning, that Lust has never committed murder in her life.

“Seo-yul? What’s wrong?”

Or even committed a sin a handful of times...

“...”

“Seo-yul?”

She was completely good.

< Chapter 116: Turning Point (1) > End