Chapter 125 – The Past (4)

In a secluded mountain range, where Do-won resides, lies the abode of the Heavenly Demon. Though unknown to the world at large, those in the know are well aware of its location.

An attendant approached the chamber of the Lesser Heavenly Demon bearing pickled peaches, red elixir, and water. He knocked on the front door and announced, “It’s time for your nourishment.”

The attendant knelt down, his hands respectfully clasped together, and bowed his head. A blackened dragon carving loomed beside the door, its long, slit eyes glaring menacingly.

‘Please, let everything go smoothly.’

This room is where the successor to the Heavenly Demon rests. Their name and gender remain unknown. However, the attendants who had witnessed their demeanor earlier reported a fierce and domineering temperament. It was clear that any misstep could lead not only to expulsion from Do-won but to far worse consequences.

‘…They consume this costly sustenance daily?’

In truth, even the attendants themselves were formidable warriors, having reached a certain level of prowess.

Within Do-won, Bam had been steadily gaining trust, and now, if only she managed to catch the eye of the successor, her future path would be wide open.

‘I cannot let this hard-earned opportunity slip away.’

*Thud.*

A short, dull sound echoed from within the room. The attendant tensed their neck, bowed their head deeply, and awaited a response.

“Enter.”

“Ugh!”

The weight in the voice nearly snapped the attendant’s focus in an instant.

It felt as if a straw was inserted into their head, draining all strength away. The attendant barely managed to open the door and present what they had brought into the room. As per the rule, they kept their head lowered inside this chamber. They tried to steal a quick glance, but the figure lay obscured, wrapped in a blanket.

“You may leave now.”

“Yes, have a good night.”

A silk blanket tightly enveloped the figure’s body. From the space above the blanket, a form large enough to easily accommodate two people was revealed. As the attendant had heard, this person was indeed extraordinary. The sight before them matched the image they had envisioned upon hearing that commanding voice.

The servant exited the room, bowing his body.
In doing so, he forgot his original intention to somehow showcase his talents.

‘I must reach that level if I am to follow that person.’

Despite having only been briefly exposed, his hands were trembling.
What an astonishing individual.
Swallowing those words, the servant bitterly strode down the corridor.

* * * * *

“He’s gone.”

Upon hearing Cheondo’s words, I hastily crawled out from under the blanket.

“Ugh, I thought I would perish from the heat.”
“I apologize. My father always instructed me to keep my body warm… If you need water, it’s right here.”

Even though it wasn’t her fault, Cheondo offered a light apology.
Her words were simple, yet they made me feel oddly awkward.

Scratching the back of my head, I asked Cheondo,

“But why did you hide me?”

“Having encountered an extraordinary individual, it’s only natural to extend courtesy. Besides, they didn’t seem to harbor any malice.”

As soon as I heard the knock, I was taken aback when Heaven urgently instructed me to crawl onto the covers.

“…But do you typically protect someone unrelated like this? Regardless, I appreciate it.”
“It was my first time experiencing something like this, so I was quite startled as well.”

The young Heaven grinned and offered me a glass of water. Concerned about my still damp hair, I accepted the water and conjured a light spell.

– Whoo!

A simple spell to evaporate some of the moisture in my hair. The magic gathered at my fingertips, brushing past Heaven like a breeze.

“…What is this?”
“Magic.”
“Ah, so magic like this exists nowadays.”

Is this an era where magic has yet to be fully integrated into daily life?

As I drank the water and observed Heaven, she marveled at the sensation while running her fingers through her soft hair.

It was akin to a child beholding a helium balloon for the very first time.

For several minutes, Cheondo fiddled with her hair, then sensing my gaze, her face flushed red.

“Ahem… so who are you? What sort of peculiar sorcery did you employ to ascertain my name?”

Cheondo belatedly posed her question. I responded with a sly grin.

“There are reasons I can’t disclose.”
“…Reasons? This isn’t a simple issue, though.”
“You told me.”

Although it was Cheondo from the future, it didn’t really matter. The young Cheondo’s face grew increasingly bewildered.

“I told you?”
“Yes.”
“But I have never met you before, how could that be possible?”

Her assured tone of voice spoke to the confidence she possessed. She smiled covertly, almost childlike, but her eyes could not fully conceal her inner thoughts. Cheondo remained wary of me.

It’s a significant issue that the highly confidential information, which she didn’t consider me a villain for, has been exposed.

“It won’t be a major problem. It will never harm you. After all, I have no affiliation and no status.”

Is this level of hint insignificant?
Heaven, who grasped my intentions, let out a bitter sigh.

“Your words feel like the truth. No, if I thought that way, it would be the truth.”
“You’re bold.”
“Of course.”
“Is it because you’re the daughter of the Heavenly Demon?”
“You know everything. Only my father and I should know that fact.”

The subtle leaking of information earlier wasn’t intended to provoke.
And it certainly wasn’t to label me as a suspicious person.

“If only you and your father know, what about your sisters?”
“Now even that…”

Heaven appeared flabbergasted and lost her smile.

“Ha ha. Ha ha ha… If there is such a thing as fate, like the master spoke of, it must be something like this. Effortlessly unveiling secrets unknown to anyone in the world, as if peeling pumpkin seeds.”
“Considering it as fate is fine by me. I’m grateful for your thoughts.”
“I intended to think that way even without you mentioning it. How did you get in here?”
“I had some business to attend to.”

Cheondo took a quick glance at my face.

“It seems there’s no place for you to sleep. I hope you’ll rest here tonight.”
“…Thank you. What will you do if someone comes in again?”
“In that case, we must do this: ‘Get out now!'”

A bandit-like voice burst from her mouth, the same one I had heard earlier. Startled, I opened my eyes wide as Cheondo chuckled slyly.

“I’m quite skilled at voice impersonation.”
“That’s impressive. Your sisters would certainly enjoy it.”
“Would they? It feels like a peculiar talent.”
“I’m sure it would be a hit with them.”

Hwangdo is always full of laughter, and while Baekdo may seem cold towards me, she is actually quite innocent and carefree.

I wonder if Hwangdo and Baekdo are here as well? If I have the opportunity later, it might be interesting to see them.

“From the way you speak, it seems like you’ve been with us for years,” Cheondo said, studying my face with a meaningful expression.

“I’ve grown more and more curious about who you are. May I ask your name?”

“Lee Si-heon.”

“…Pardon? I didn’t catch that. Could you repeat it, please?”

“Lee Si-heon.”

Cheondo narrowed her eyes and stared at my lips.

“Say it again.”

“Why?”

“That’s strange… It’s not just your lips moving, right? What’s your name?”

“Lee Si-heon.”

Could it be that my name can’t be heard?

Noticing something amiss, Cheondo pursed her lips and adopted a serious expression.

“Perhaps it’s better if we learn your name later.”

“Alright.”

“I’m aware that you’re not quite a normal person. You have a countenance that’s never been seen around here before.”
“Those words are a bit hurtful.”
“If you tell me everything you know, I’ll earnestly consider whether or not to rethink my stance.”

Heaven stuck out her tongue and laughed, then flipped the blanket over herself and lay down.

I couldn’t help but smile bitterly at the childlike playfulness she exhibited.

‘So, Heaven, who used to be like this, has become almost emotionless now. Even if it’s just a recent prank… All I can remember is getting kicked in the side.’

Heaven’s initial playfulness seemed peculiar to me.

“But don’t you need to take medicine for this?”
“Ah, right, I should take some medicine… Please give it to me.”

As I handed her the pill wrapped in delicate rice paper, Heaven casually swallowed it down.

This was a process of magical power absorption that I had experienced several times before – forcibly filling oneself with mana to expand one’s capacity.

“Ugh.”

Cheondo playfully stuck out her tongue and took a bite of the pickled peaches. It took a moment to neutralize the bitterness with the sweetness, but sensing that it might be impolite to eat it all herself, Cheondo discreetly used a toothpick to pick up a piece of pickled peach and offered it.

“Would you like some?”
“You should eat more. It’ll help you grow taller.”
“What do peaches have to do with height? Besides, you’re shorter than our master. Really.”
“Am I not quite tall?”
“A man should be at least 2 meters tall.”

Could that be too tall? Considering his stature, Heavenly Demon did indeed appear to be about that height.

Regardless, it seemed to be the first time he had been teased about his height since his appearance had been fixed. As he opened his eyes wide in surprise, Cheondo giggled.

“I never thought I’d have such a conversation with someone I just met.”
“Actually, it’s easier to have a conversation with someone you meet on the street, someone who has nothing to do with you. The closer people are, the more they tend to hold back.”

“That makes sense. Here, one must always maintain quietness and solemnity.”
“It must be very difficult.”
“Well… I can openly tell you since you know all my secrets. If our conversation reaches my master’s ears, wouldn’t I face consequences even before the moon completes its cycle?”

That thought is somewhat frightening.
Considering Cheondo’s immense power, which leaves her without equal, I can only imagine the strength of her master.

Cheondo, who had been focusing on the braised peaches, glanced at me.

“…But what do you plan to do once today is over?”
“I don’t know. I’ll have to think about it tomorrow.”
“Are you going to leave right away?”
“I can’t stay here all the time, but I should visit occasionally.”

Now that I’ve memorized the coordinates, I can enter Cheondo’s room whenever I wish.

Perhaps tomorrow, after assessing the situation outside, I’ll return.

In truth, setting everything else aside, it feels like time flies by simply observing Cheondo’s childhood.

“So, you never told me why you came here in the first place.”
“I came to see you. I’ve only appeared before you twice.”
“Unbelievable. Risking your life for that?”
“It was worth it.”

Cheondo laughed softly like a child, putting the peach into her mouth.

“I’ll trust you this time.”

After eating the entire peach, Cheondo went straight into the blanket.

“Brush your teeth or they’ll rot.”
“Don’t treat me like a child.”

Today, I’m sitting like this, taking a quick nap. The World Tree of Time hasn’t contacted me yet. Perhaps it’s because I used a lot of magic, but it seems to be taking longer than before.

‘It’s a relief, though. It’s fortunate that Cheondo is here… If it were normal circumstances, people would have already gathered and caused chaos.’

There might have been a fight.

It would have been manageable if it was a warrior I had seen before, or one who had delivered medicine here. However, if Heavenly Demon appeared, I would have surely died.

It was a stroke of luck that Cheondo was surprisingly amicable towards me.
I couldn’t fathom why.

“Let’s get some sleep.”

Just in case, I waited for around 30 minutes in the realm of time, but there was no reaction. Cheondo fell asleep in a matter of moments, as if her slumbering habits from childhood remained unchanged. Not long after, I too closed my eyes, succumbing to sleep as if collapsing from a heavy nod.