◈ Episode 515. Not a Pleasant Thing (4)
This time, I couldn’t open my blurry eyes.
Claudi territory.
Young Grandfell.
Blood Grown Lycoris Flower.
A series of unexpected scenery.
I couldn’t forget what I saw in my blurry vision.
So I couldn’t help but ask.
‘What is it, Grandfell?’
I still didn’t know what secrets the House of Claudi held. Only the Lycoris Flower that filled the vast Claudi territory gave me a hint.
The cruelty of secrets.
‘…… Isn’t it all about my settings, too?’
I, Lee Hoyeol.
As I gained power beyond that of a single player.
There is a saying that I have come to truly understand.
With great power comes great responsibility.
So I wondered.
How did Claudi become great?
I, Lee Hoyeol, was being treated as a great player in reality, whether it was an overestimation or an illusion. I’m objectively ahead of other players and I have a lot to show for it.
But.
‘Even for me.’
Suspicion and strict standards. The criticisms, big and small, were endless. Of course, I’m not here to complain, because I know it’s human nature.
Like I said, it’s just a question.
‘No one who knew Claudi had any doubt.’
About Claudi’s greatness.
Was it simply because of overwhelming greatness and brilliance?
No, it wasn’t.
Because the opposite is true of me.
Then the thought comes naturally.
[Blood Grown Lycoris Flower]
Maybe the flower that covered Claudi’s territory was…….
Could it be the flower that bloomed during the Claudi family’s rise to greatness?
I grit my teeth at the thought.
‘Claudi’s secrets, they can be cruel, but…’
What I don’t understand is this.
Grandfell, you.
The you of the past.
That you’ve sent him back to the Claudi family.
‘Perhaps it’s because I have a nephew of your age.’
A wistful expression remained on Grandfell’s face.
The way he smoothed his clothes with his tiny hands.
The way he greeted me with a formal bow.
I couldn’t easily forget the younger Grandfell.
‘But I’m sure you know that.’
You were young enough to be a householder.
Why you were so uncharacteristically unwilling to leave Claudi.
And whatever it was.
‘We could have changed it, couldn’t we?’
That you could have intervened in young Grandfell’s past and changed the present. Do you think it’s funny to talk about changing the past when you’re worried about the butterfly effect?
I don’t care if it’s funny or not.
There’s only one thought in my head right now.
‘There’s nothing more pitiful in the world than a kid who grows up too early.’
For I had nothing but concern for what would happen to young Grandfell when he returned to the Claudi territory, to the Claudi, where the [Blood Grown Lycoris Flower] was in full bloom.
Words that pass by in my memory.
-“Remember, boy. There is no paradise where you run away.”
I’m sorry to say.
Even I, who was more familiar with Grandfell’s way of speaking than anyone else.
I couldn’t help but nod.
Clink.
A stack of [Spacetime Gold Coins] as a reward. I couldn’t see them now. I quickly tucked them into my inventory and reached for the scroll with the top-level spacetime request.
‘Let’s find it.’
And if there was a quest associated with it, let’s start it right away, because if nothing else, watching over young Grandfell would ease this guilt.
But the quest name and objective gave me no clue. Just as I hadn’t expected to encounter young Grandfell on the quest earlier.
‘……Damn.’
Still, I read on, hoping for the best.
[Mythic Quest: The Storm Dragon’s Envy]
[Mythic Quest: Nightmare at Sea]
[Mythic Quest: Shepherd Boy]…….
Eventually, though, I put the scroll down.
I took a small, deep breath.
I said to Grandfell.
‘We need to take a moment to think.’
Because I still don’t understand why you said that, Grandfell, I don’t understand, and you’re not going to tell me your secret, are you?
‘After that, I’m going to try my best this time.’
I checked the flashing message.
[Hidden Quest: Revealing the Abyss]
The Claudi family has a secret.
A secret that no one has been able to uncover.
Until you realize the secret.
Until you realize its weight.
You will not be able to wield the Claudi halo.
-Witness House Claudi intact. (Success)
However, I have yet to fully realize the secret.
Perhaps the weight of the secret is more than I dare to imagine.
Now that I can guess.
‘…… That’s a tiger’s den.’
The walk back to [Hidden Piece: Claudi’s Treasury] was not a light one, but what needs to be checked, must be checked. The gold and silver treasures have returned to the light.
‘But before I do that…….’
~♩♬♩♬♬♪~~
Spacetime Social Hall.
I’ll have to stop by downstairs and turn this song off. If they’re playing it for a VVIP, shouldn’t they be able to turn it off if the VVIP doesn’t want it?
ttogag.
Even as he removes his cloak, I still insist on talking to Grandfell.
Until you confess your secret first.
It’s a cold war between us for the time being, Grandfell.
“……!”
But damn it, our cold war couldn’t last long.
Ouch.
Thanks to little Grandfell in my head, I forgot.
The possibility that there were other transcendents in the Spacetime Social Hall……!
‘……Well, if it’s just one or two people.’
And one or two of them could be Mary, the Witch of the Southern Seas.
Or one or two of the Four Families.
All I had to do was put an iron plate on my face as usual.
‘After all, they know my full name.’
But with each creaking step down the stairs, my expectations were shattered.
ttogag.
Every step-down.
“!”
One by one, the Transcendents reveal their shocked faces.
‘No.’
The previously mentioned heads of the Four Families and Mary. In addition, the players, including Nam Taemin, who was a familiar face to me. Everyone was looking up to me as I appeared with my majestic music.
‘Really.’
I don’t think the world wants our Cold War, Grandfell……! I hate to break it to you, but I’m afraid it’s going to take some of your extremely socially awkward bullshit snouts to disperse the crowd once and for all.
To my words, Grandfell responded.
From between his lips.
A cold voice flows out.
“Stop playing.”
♩♬♩……─
A thud.
The music cut off.
In the silence, I spoke.
“I’m not in the mood to hang out with you right now.”
You don’t have to say it so mean!!!
*
“……!!!”
That was bad.
Gulp.
Nam Taemin swallowed dryly.
‘Mr. Hoyeol……?’
He looked desperately patient.
However, a faint trace of emotion flows from his face.
That emotion is unfamiliar to Nam Taemin.
No, it was unfamiliar to everyone in this room.
Sadness.
It was unmistakable.
Right now, Hoyeol was desperately suppressing it.
Hisagi’s gaze fell to the black piece of cloth in Hoyeol’s hand.
‘Is that a robe……?’
A thought flashed through his mind.
‘To express condolences to the Great Sage……?’
It was a reasonable enough thought. Hisagi shook his head, even as he realized his behavior was presumptuous. Yes, it was. If you’re the kind of Commander-in-Chief he’s seen so far…….
‘Even if you are offering your condolences to the Great Sage.’
He was not one to swallow his grief alone in a place like this.
Even more so when you look at the way he mourned the elders of the Magic Tower and the Tower Master.
Hisagi bit his lip.
‘Then what on earth could have brought you…….’
This unprecedented grief?
“…….”
Everyone could only stare.
Until all the Transcendents followed Hoyeol out of the social hall.
No words were uttered.
[VVIPs exit the Spacetime Social Hall].
Why did Hoyeol, who was far from a socialite, enter the Spacetime Social Hall? The reason must lie in the sadness behind his stony expression.
Jesse stared at the vague staircase.
‘Mary can enter the upper floors.’
But even Mary couldn’t fathom the reason for Hoyeol’s sadness at this moment. If so, then……. Jesse’s gaze traveled upward.
The top floor of the Spacetime Social Hall.
If I can reach there, I might be able to find out a little bit about the reason for Chief Lee’s sadness. Jesse pressed the brim of her cone hat firmly down on her head and vowed to herself.
‘You’ve got a long way to go, Jesse Heinness.’
Jesse wasn’t alone in her resolve.
In the face of the first mood swings in the crowd.
As they gathered in the social hall, they had a common goal.
She clenched her fists and vowed.
‘We can do this. No, we have to do this.’
Lee Hoyeol, Commander-in-Chief of the Holy War Alliance, Chief Mage, Claudi…….
You have many names.
As if you were our strength.
Now the time has come for us to share your sorrow.
*
Exit from the space of consciousness.
I opened my eyes in my original place.
And what I see is.
Clatter.
Claudi’s vast treasures, were finally restored to light.
To be honest.
I still have some bitter feelings for you, Grandfell.
I don’t think it’s the time for us to be fighting.
Why, didn’t we just see them in the Spacetime Social Hall?
The look on their faces. I was afraid that if we fought twice, everyone would freak out at the sight of our faces.
Plus.
‘I kind of understand your feelings.’
I’m not saying I understand what you said to that kid.
The innocence of the man who tormented me with not just words but actions.
I just meant that I understand a little bit.
[Luxury: Yuribe’s Oath]
[Rank: Unique]
[Limit: Lv.800]
One.
[Masterpiece: Bracelet of Thorns]
[Rank: Epic]
[Limit: Lv.950]
Two.
[Melted Mountain Beast Hide].
[Rank: Legendary]
[Limit: Unknown]
Three, four, five…….
A pile of items too numerous to count. Even compared to the magic tools in the Garnet Hall of the Magic Tower, the items here were of a higher rank.
‘There’s no need for further explanation, right?’
However, I, Lee Hoyeol, was not pleased in the slightest.
I was.
There was a landscape superimposed on the gold and silver treasure.
A field of blood-grown Lycoris Flowers. Little Grandfell greeted me against the backdrop of that flower field. Why did Grandfell, who couldn’t help but stick to formality and discipline, want to escape from Claudi’s territory …….
I exclaimed sincerely.
“Get out of my sight.”
If nothing else, I understand this.
Grandfell, why you.
Why you weren’t proud of the Claudi family’s wealth.
‘It’s a shame to use such an unpleasant thing.’
In Claudi’s territory, the House’s orders are absolute.
[Claudi’s Abyss swallows the offering].
The treasury became blank again. But my mind was not empty, for it was filled with more complexity than ever, and threatened to burst.
‘But we’re only a third of the way there, right?’
[Darkness Understanding: 70%]
‘I don’t know what past you want to hide from me, Grandfell. I have thoughts too. I, Lee Hoyeol. I have no intention of belittling the dark history that I have honestly revealed to you, even if it is unfair.
Whatever it is, I need to know.
I stared at the system message.
[Hidden Quest: Revealing the Abyss]
The Claudi family has a secret.
A secret that no one has been able to uncover.
Until you realize the secret.
Until you realize its weight.
You will not be able to wield the Claudi halo.
-Witness House Claudi intact. (Success)
The secret and weight of the House of Claudi?
‘It’s a give and take I learned from you.’
Whatever.
Just like you never laughed at my dark history.
I’ll understand everything.
That’s how my heart touched yours.
His lips moved.
Yes, I thought, you would never forget.
“This makes my valuable investment meaningless.”
Anyway, the end of that damn thing!
A valuable investment.
You must be referring to the one green tea bag you had left, right?
‘……Well, okay.’
I’m in the mood.
Only this time, it’s a different kind of bag.
Let’s order green tea bags that cost 1,000 won each.
‘Surely, that green tea from Jeju Island was really expensive, right?’
*
AAU Korea Branch.
[Emergency Update]
A ringing alert declared an emergency.
“There’s a rift in Jeju Island, senior!”
“A rift? It’s not even a day or two old, why are you making such a big deal about it?”
“Well, I don’t think it’s a normal rift!”
“……What?”
What popped up on the monitor was an emergency update.
And then.
Yoon Soogyeom’s face contorted as he pushed up his glasses.
“A rift connected to Paimon’s domain……? Is it a rift in the first place, this?!”
At the same time, a breaking news report appeared on the TV.
-Forests in western Jeju Island burned to the ground, including nearby green tea fields…….
News that will enrage ‘someone’.