Chapter 704 — Only one answer (2)
13 min read ·
“Can I ask you what kind of mask it was?”
Rosalyn crouched and made eye contact with On and Hong.
“That-”
“No.”
Hong was about to say something, but On moved in front of him and stopped him. Rosalyn realized her mistake and moved away from On and Hong.
What she saw embedded in On’s eyes was wariness toward people who suddenly appeared from a sister who had to protect her younger brother on her own.
‘It feels a bit, a bit upsetting?’
Rosalyn knew that this was an illusion, but it was so realistic that this place seemed like the past.
That was why she was thinking that On’s wary eyes looked smart and thus was proud of On, but also felt a bit upset that she was the target of such wariness.
“Something is weird.”
Rosalyn heard Choi Han’s voice at that moment.
“This tree was originally black.”
On and Hong flinched and looked at Choi Han.
“It turned white one day. That was after Cale-nim visited this tree.”
“What?”
Rosalyn’s eyes opened wide. Clopeh eyes clouded over. Mary, who was hidden under her robe, started speaking.
“The young master-nim has a wood attribute ancient power.”
His allies were aware of that power more than any other power.
“Shield.”
The silver shield was pretty much Cale’s symbol.
Rosalyn subconsciously raised her voice.
“Choi Han, did young master Cale ever say that he got the power from this tree?”
“I didn’t hear anything. But it is easy to come to a conclusion.”
The Man Eating Tree suddenly changed, Cale was somehow connected to it, and it stopped eating people after that. Cale used his wood attribute ancient power at the capital.
“…It is highly likely.”
The chances of young master Cale getting his shield here was extremely high. However, there was something Rosalyn could not understand.
“Then how did the White Star take that power instead?”
The White Star of the past should not be aware that the shield was here.
That was how Cale was able to get his hands on it.
“And isn’t the White Star supposed to get the wood attribute ancient power from Harris Village?”
Choi Han could not respond to Rosalyn’s question.
Originally, the White Star should come to Harris Village with his subordinates and massacre the villagers. Furthermore, he would take the wood attribute ancient power that is locate somewhere in Harris Village.
That ancient power would allow the White Star to see the annual rings and know things like if time is twisted for someone.
“…The shield is not a power the White Star needs.”
The White Star was a reincarnator. The power he needed was the power located in Harris Village.
“But the White Star took the shield instead of that power?”
Why?
“…How.”
They heard an angry voice at that moment.
“Dare he…!”
All of them turned toward the voice.
Clopeh Sekka. His fists were clenched and his whole body was shaking. He looked like someone who was so angry he didn’t know how to release his anger.
Clang.
Clopeh took out his sword.
“Noona.”
Hong and On flinched while Rosalyn and Mary moved in front of them. On was watching them with an odd gaze.
Clopeh didn’t care and started stomping forward.
“He dares!”
He was still swept up in anger and Choi Han subconsciously reached out after seeing the direction he was walking.
“Stop-”
However, Clopeh’s physical strength now that they were back in the past was quite strong, even if it wasn’t as strong as Choi Han.
Baaaaang—!
There was a loud noise as Clopeh’s aura smashed into the white tree.
Rosalyn looked at Clopeh’s sudden action in disbelief but her face stiffened after hearing Clopeh’s voice again.
“He dares to try to take away the path of the hero?!”
Clopeh couldn’t hold in his anger. This might be an illusion, but this situation was destroying the future that that person had created.
“That sir is the only one who will become a legend! He dares to steal that?”
His green eyes that had been calm now looked crazed, as if tsunamis were roaring inside them.
“I will not accept this!”
He looked ready to swing his sword and destroy everything right now. However, they were within the Henituse territory, the true place where the hero, Commander Henituse’s achievements had started. That was why Clopeh was barely holding in the roaring desire for destruction inside him.
Choi Han, Mary, and Rosalyn looked at each other. Rosalyn did not hide the fact that she seemed to have realized something as she started speaking.
“Yeah. The past and the illusion are different.”
This was an illusion and not the real past.
It was an illusion created to throw them into sadness and toward despair.
That was why everything would be difficult.
“…Is the reason young master Cale is not here because the White Star takes away his things? Will we need to fight against the White Star who has young master Cale’s powers?”
“Haaa.”
Rosalyn let out a sigh.
Choi Han brushed his face with his hand.
“…Whether the contents of the test is sadness or despair… If the White Star takes Cale-nim’s things and fulfills his desires… If I need to see it happen with my own eyes…”
After Choi Han’s hands brushed past them… His eyes were glowing.
“I cannot accept that. Such a situation cannot exist.”
He took a deep breath. He then smiled.
“It is dangerous here. So I think it is best if you go down.”
He crouched and made eye contact with On and Hong.
The two of them were hiding behind Rosalyn and Mary and flinched when Choi Han came closer, but Choi Han looked at the children with a warm gaze as if it didn’t affect him.
Choi Han recalled when he first met Cale.
On and Hong had been there for sure. They were the kittens that made him miss a step as he jumped over the wall. Choi Han learned a few days later that their names were On and Hong.
‘Do you have somewhere to go?’
He called what Cale had said.
“Hey kids, do you have somewhere to go?”
He did not hear a response. He had done the same back then.
‘Do you have somewhere to sleep?’
“Do you have somewhere to sleep?”
On was sharp and was extremely sensitive after living on the run. That was why she quietly observed Choi Han.
‘Are you hungry?’
“Are you hungry?”
The children were observing him as he had done with Cale.
‘Are you not going to respond?’
“Will you please respond?”
At that moment…
Growl.
Hong clutched his stomach in shock. Hong’s ears turned as red as his hair. Choi Han looked at Hong and clenched his eyes shut before opening them back.
Seeing Raon and the children’s pasts was extremely difficult for Choi Han.
On looked at him for a moment before responding.
“We’re hungry.”
A bright smile appeared on Choi Han’s face.
“I know a great restaurant.”
Cale’s voice echoed in his ear.
‘Hey, come with me. I’ll feed you.’
After seeing the dead bodies of the Harris Village people and committing murder for the first time killing the bastards who attack the village… He had run like crazy to the Lord’s Castle.
This had been the first act of goodwill he experienced. It was also the moment he was shown a path to continue his life in a different direction than for revenge.
The memory of his true past filled his mind.
“Do you want to go with us?”
Choi Han was simply doing exactly as he had experienced.
* * *
“And where did you go just now?”
Choi Han, who was walking out of an alley and was about to head back to the restaurant where On, Hong, and the others were, stopped after seeing someone at the end of the alley.
Clopeh Sekka. He had a twisted smile on his face while looking at Choi Han.
“I wonder where you ran off to so stealthily after leaving everybody else at the restaurant you claimed was great.”
Choi Han said he had something to do and left the others with On and Hong to eat while he stepped out.
Clopeh started speaking after looking at Choi Han’s stoic face.
“You didn’t believe me.”
The alley Choi Han was walking down… That was one of the paths toward the Lord’s Castle and the Henituse Estate. Choi Han sighed and responded to Clopeh.
“I cannot trust your words.”
“Good. That is very like you, Choi Han.”
Clopeh had said that Cale was not in this world, but Choi Han needed to confirm whether that was the truth. Choi Han could not trust Clopeh yet. He had no intentions of trusting him.
Clopeh Sekka was too dangerous of a bastard to trust.
Choi Han started to speak.
“Did you kill Syrem?”
Clopeh started to smile.
Syrem, the fake Dragon Slayer.
He was one of the White Star’s subordinates who appeared during the war between the Indomitable Alliance and the Henituse territory. The White Star had given him three ancient powers.
Choi Han eventually ended up taking Syrem’s three powers and made up his mind to become a Dragon Slayer.
Choi Han had seen Choi Jung Soo’s memories after getting those powers to learn about Cale.
One of those three ancient powers was the power to control wyverns.
Clopeh shrugged his shoulders.
“That must be how I am controlling this wyvern, no?”
He seemed calm as if he was reading a book.
“Choi Han, I didn’t want to use a wyvern I got from you in this place as well.”
Clopeh’s green eyes were shaking unlike his calm demeanor.
“Don’t worry. I killed Syrem instantly and so stealthily that he himself didn’t realize he had died. The White Star’s side shouldn’t know for a while that Syrem is dead.”
Choi Han looked at him for a moment before speaking as he walked.
“…There are three powers.”
“I noticed.”
“Your body would not be able to handle ancient powers if your plate is weak.”
“It doesn’t matter. This is an illusion.”
Choi Han stopped walking and stood in front of Clopeh.
People learned things about ancient powers when they earned them.
“There is a power for Abandoning Your Life.”
“I believe so. It seemed to be extremely strong.”
“This is an illusion, but don’t use it.”
One of the three ancient powers was abandoning your life. Choi Han swore that he would lose someone important if he used this ancient power.
“……”
Clopeh silently observed Choi Han. Choi Han had such a stern face as if he would not allow any openings. Choi Han showed no emotions whatsoever as he looked at Clopeh before he chuckled.
He then spoke in a stern voice.
“Cale-nim will not accept you using that power even if it is inside an illusion.”
Clopeh’s expression became odd. He soon nodded his head.
“You’re right.”
It was a full understanding.
Choi Han and Clopeh walked to the restaurant side by side. This was an inn with a restaurant and Rosalyn was sitting alone when they walked in.
She didn’t ask them about them coming in together, as if she had expected them to do so.
“Miss Mary went up to get the kids a room.”
The first floor was the restaurant while the second floor and higher were the inn.
“Neither of them shows any signs of wanting to go with us.”
On didn’t even want to accept this room, but she decided to accept the goodwill after seeing Hong. Of course, Rosalyn knew On’s personality and said that it was not just an act of goodwill and that they needed the kids to do something for them.
Of course, the thing she would ask them to do was something easy and safe.
Screech.
Choi Han and Clopeh sat down while listening to her.
“But you see… This might be just my hypothesis, but…”
The smile disappeared from Rosalyn’s face as she addressed the two of them.
“I believe that young master Cale is somewhere in this world with us. But he isn’t.”
Choi Han was about to drink water as he looked at Rosalyn.
“But the White Star took young master Cale’s powers.”
She awkwardly smiled after both sets of eyes were focused on her.
“What if young master Cale became the White Star?”
The corners of her lips were slightly shaking.
“What if we don’t realize that and attack the White Star based on his outer appearance and hurt young master Cale in the process? What will we do then?”
Tap.
Choi Han put down his cup.
“Let’s go back to Harris Village and talk.”
* * *
The black tiger inside the cintamani was shaking its voluptuous mane in disbelief.
- You’re a ghost?
“Yes, your highness. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you in your tiger form. Your mane has become quite majestic. But you said that the God said, ‘Do not stop the god’s game?’ ”
- Yes. That’s what priestess Cage told me. But you are a ghost?
“Yes, your highness. I really am. But your highness, are you sure she said ‘game?’ It wasn’t observation?”
- I already told you that! But what are you going to do if you are a ghost?
“Haa… A game?”
Cale Henituse didn’t even look at the Dark Tiger in the cintamani pounding his chest in frustration as he scoffed.
Game.
Having fun and messing around. A word to describe something playful.
Cale looked down at the golden plaque.
The White Star existed inside here, sealed through Embrace.
That meant that the White Star was also participating in this illusion test but could only stay inside the golden plaque because of Embrace.
The White Star could not leave there unless Cale released him.
That meant that there should be gaps in this world for him and the White Star. That was why if this world of two years in the past had a White Star, it must be an illusion.
But he had an iffy feeling about that.
Cale finally realized why he had been feeling that way.
“…If there is a White Star roaming around this world and that White Star acts differently from the White Star I know… Then I now know the identity of that person.”
Although it was still just a hypothesis…
The God of Death would not say things for no reason. There was a reason for everything that was said.
- Who is it?
“A god who is playing a game or that god’s puppet.”
- …God?
He was almost certain that would be the case.
- And the reasoning for your hypothesis? Explain it to me.
Cale happily shared his hypothesis and the reasoning behind it to Alberu.
* * *
Creeeeeak.
A wooden door opened and they saw a small place with a few furniture that still looked warm and welcoming.
“It’s here?”
Choi Han nodded his head at Rosalyn.
“The Chief let me use this place.”
Mary stayed behind saying that she would look after On and Hong while Choi Han returned to Harris Village with Rosalyn and Clopeh.
Of course, the black Dragon seemed to follow them while invisible as well. They had purposely discussed the coordinates of Harris Village in front of the Dragon before teleporting because they thought it would be difficult for Mary to take care of Raon, On, and Hong.
“Everybody liste- hmm?”
Choi Han flinched and then quickly walked in.
His eyes stopped on a small table.
Rosalyn’s eyes opened wide while looking at the table.
“Hmm? A video communication device……?”
She soon shook her head.
“It’s not. It looks similar but I don’t feel any magic in it.”
Choi Han stopped in front of the table and looked at the round orb on it.
“Why is this here?”
- It’s been a while, little Han.
“…It really is the cintamani……?”
Lee Soo Hyuk was waiving inside the cintamani.
- By the way, Rok, no, Cale is next to you.
“Excuse me?”
- Cale is saying that he is currently a ghost.
“Excuse me?”
- Little Han, Cale said to tell you to calm down.
Choi Han responded.
“Excuse me?”
That was the only thing that came to mind right now.