Childhood Friend of the Zenith -
Chapter 358: The Celestial Sword (3)
I couldn’t say a word as her words drifted to me on the spring breeze.
What did she… just say?
Did I hear her correctly?
I’d definitely heard what Wi Seol-Ah said, yet my mind seemed to reject her words.
It was only natural.
After all, it was too strange for me to understand.
“What… did you just say?”
“…”
Wi Seol-Ah’s expression turned bitter.
Rather than wonder why she looked that way, I needed confirmation.
“The one responsible for my regression…”
The being that sent me back… was none other than…
“The Heavenly Demon…?”
The one who had dragged my life from rock-bottom into something worse than hell, the Leader of Demonic Cult, the monster destined to bring calamity to the Central Plains.
That existence was the one who brought me back?
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t make sense of it.
“Master Gu…”
“Explain… Explain now. What do you mean by that?”
“…”
I grabbed Wi Seol-Ah’s shoulders and urged her to speak.
I must have grabbed her harder than I realized, as Wi Seol-Ah winced in pain.
Seeing this, I backed away slightly, loosening my grip.
“…Calm down…”
“That’s a bit hard. I can’t calm down after hearing something like that.”
“…”
“You know why I’m doing all of this.”
The reason I kept rolling in the dirt endlessly.
Why I put all my focus into training, pushing myself to reach a higher level and even sacrificing sleep.
I believed that Wi Seol-Ah in front of me definitely knew why.
“…Master Gu.”
To kill the Heavenly Demon and prevent the calamity.
That was the purpose of this life.
It wasn’t for me.
If I only cared about myself, I would have spent my days peacefully, hidden away in a mountain.
Honestly, that might have been better.
But the reason I endured all this wasn’t for my own peace; it was my way of apologizing to those who had lived and died for me.
Yet…
“…Why would the Heavenly Demon do something like that?”
Ever since Yeon Il-Cheon had asked if I thought my regression was a miraculous coincidence, I’d been thinking about it.
I began to suspect there was someone behind my regression.
But if the Heavenly Demon really sent me back, as Wi Seol-Ah claimed, then was this all part of its plan? Did it foresee my actions and everything that would unfold in this life?fe?
Thinking about it that way left me conflicted.
“Master Gu…”
“Is that really the truth?”
“…”
“Did… the Heavenly Demon really bring me back?”
I wanted her to say no.
I hoped she was just joking to lighten the mood.
I wanted her to say that, but instead,
“…That’s right.”
But Wi Seol-Ah responded firmly.
“If I can’t do it… then the only one capable of something like that is her.”
“…That’s.”
I bit my tongue, trying to process her words.
There were many hidden layers to Wi Seol-Ah’s words.
Her words implied that neither she nor the Heavenly Demon were human; rather, they were higher beings capable of sending people back in time, like the World Tree.
Moreover, it meant that Wi Seol-Ah was fully aware she wasn’t human.
“…You.”
“I think you already knew, Master Gu.”
“…”
I did know.
I might not have known in the past, but I knew now that Wi Seol-Ah wasn’t human.
Wi Seol-Ah smiled after reading my expression.
Was my face really that amusing?
“I’m glad.”
What was she so glad about?”
“…Despite knowing that, you still treat me the same.”
I frowned at her words.
“Is that a reason for me to treat you any differently?”
At my response, Wi Seol-Ah’s eyes widened briefly, and she smiled, covering her mouth.
“That’s true. I don’t know why I was even afraid.”
I was a bit concerned about how her shoulders seemed lower than before, but I was more concerned about the conversation we were having.
“…When you said only the Heavenly Demon was capable of that… was that just a guess?”
“No, I’m certain.”
“Huh…? How can you be so sure?”
Wi Seol-Ah had killed the Heavenly Demon.
This was an undeniable truth.
A few days after that event, I’d met my death in a Murim Alliance prison cell.
It didn’t add up, considering the Heavenly Demon was already dead.
Yet, Wi Seol-Ah was certain.
Avoiding my gaze, Wi Seol-Ah responded to my question.
“Of course I know.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“That’s just how we are.”
The part where she said it was “obvious” for her to know stuck in my mind.
“What are you guys?”
“…”
“What is… your relationship with the Heavenly Demon?”
They had to be connected somehow.
Just looking at them, it was obvious.
They weren’t just a little similar. Wi Seol-Ah and the Heavenly Demon looked so identical it was like a reflection in a mirror.
The only difference between them was their hair and eye color.
There were many coincidences in the world, but could this really be one of them?
“If I had to explain my relationship with her… it’s hard to give a single answer.”
“What do you…”
“It’s just that… instead of ‘us,’ there should have only been one.”
“Do you also have to put it that way? You know I’m not the sharpest.”
“…I’m sorry, but please understand.”
Wi Seol-Ah gave a pitiful smile and held my wrist.
I felt my voice growing rougher as my frustration mounted.
It got better when Wi Seol-Ah held my wrist, but it hadn’t fully calmed down.
I was just holding back my anger, not wanting to ruin our reunion.
So it’s true that the Heavenly Demon brought me back?
If Wi Seol-Ah was right, that seemed to be the case, but it made me wonder.
Even setting aside the question of the Heavenly Demon’s power, the world’s original ruler, the World Tree, had been imprisoned in another world as punishment for bringing Yeon Il-Cheon back in time.
The World Tree was imprisoned, its existence and records erased from the world, leaving no trace behind.
If the Heavenly Demon was truly responsible for my regression,
Then how can the Heavenly Demon still exist?
What exactly was the Heavenly Demon I saw that day?
Or could it be possible to avoid that punishment?
And more than anything,
If it had the power to do that, it should have brought itself back.
Why would it bother bringing me back instead?
According to Wi Seol-Ah, only the Heavenly Demon was capable of something like this.
That means…
The Heavenly Demon is stronger than Wi Seol-Ah?
I’d always wondered.
The Celestial Sword was strong.
I’d never fought her myself, but it was clear that Wi Seol-Ah, in her prime, was incredibly powerful.
She was strong.
I would dare say no martial artist could defeat her in battle,
But the Heavenly Demon… was the Heavenly Demon really weaker than the Celestial Sword?
If someone asked me that question, I wouldn’t know how to answer.
That being seemed to be on an entirely different level.
So when I heard that the Heavenly Demon had been killed and the war had ended, even though a part of me felt at peace, I couldn’t help but wonder.
I wondered how the Heavenly Demon could have died.
“The more I learn, the more questions I have instead of answers.”
Just when I think I’ve learned something, the world throws another mystery at me.
“It’s like… the world is waiting for me to uncover its secrets.”
“…”
Wi Seol-Ah stayed silent as I spoke in frustration.
“Couldn’t you at least not keep secrets from me?”
“…Master Gu.”
“You said that you don’t hate me. You said you are sorry, so then…”
“I’m sorry…”
Wi Seol-Ah apologized to me once again.
“I wish I could tell you… everything you’re curious about.”
“Then why can’t you?”
“…”
If she knew, then she should just tell me.
I wanted to know what this damned world wanted from me.
I wanted to understand why the Heavenly Demon brought me back.
She should just simply tell me, but she hesitated.
“How about you just…”
“I don’t have much time left.”
“What?”
Just as I was about to push her, her words stopped me cold.
“What did you say?”
Wi Seol-Ah gave a bitter smile, taking in my reaction.
Not much time left?
“What do you mean by that? You don’t have much time?”
“…I no longer have the strength to tell you everything you want to know. Telling you about the Heavenly Demon was my limit.”
What was she talking about?
I was more confused now than when Wi Seol-Ah first mentioned the Heavenly Demon.
No time left?
“…I’m sorry… I wish I could have told you more.”
“Wait… What do you mean? Are you going to disappear?”
“I held on as long as I could. I also don’t want this child’s body to suffer.”
The Wi Seol-Ah in front of me had told me she was only borrowing this body.
“…Then, what about the other you?”
“I put her to sleep for a bit. One day, she’ll learn too… but it’s not something I want her to know just yet.”
“Wait, does that mean you are actually disappearing?”
“…”
“Answer me…!”
She didn’t answer, but her smile told me everything.
Then, Wi Seol-Ah placed her hand on my cheek.
It was cold.
“I’ve never seen that expression on your face before.”
What expression could I possibly be making for her to say that?
“I’m happy… that I got to see this side of you.”
“How… long do you have left? A few years?”
“…”
“If that’s not it, one year? A month?”
If not even that, then surely she had a few days left.
Because if she didn’t then it would really be shitty.
“Master Gu…”
“Is this what you meant when you said that I’ll regret it?”
“Not exactly… I didn’t think that you would feel sad just because I am leav- “
“What could be sadder than this?”
“…”
Wi Seol-Ah hesitated after my firm response.
“Would it help if you just returned to rest inside the body? If that’s the case, then go rest.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Fuck… Stop your damned apologies and think of a way.”
I wanted to scream, but I forced myself to hold back.
I didn’t push her hand away from my cheek.
I just continued to stare into Wi Seol-Ah’s trembling eyes.
What kind of expression was I making right now?
I knew at the very least it wasn’t a normal one.
Wi Seol-Ah smiled again as she looked at me.
“Stop smiling… How can you smile right now?”
“How could I not smile?”
Her hand moved on my cheek, as if she were stroking it.
“You are worried about me.”
“…Should I curse you out instead then?”
“We’re this close, and I’m even stroking your cheek.”
“…”
“Do you know that?”
She smiled so beautifully. I couldn’t say a word.
“This was my dream. I probably wanted this, more than world peace.”
Her voice trembled.
“But I wonder why it took me so long to realize.”
“…Then it’s not too late to start now. If you don’t disappear…”
Wi Seol-Ah’s eyes softened into a smile as I spoke.
“That would be too greedy.”
“Who cares if you’re greedy? Everyone lives with some kind of greed.”
She’d probably lived her life without a single selfish desire.
That was how the Celestial Sword had lived.
So who cares if she lives this life with few desires?
I wanted her to understand, but Wi Seol-Ah just shook her head.
“…It’s a regret of mine, too.”
Wi Seol-Ah slowly withdrew her hand as she spoke.
“I’ve been too greedy. I even thought once about taking full control of this child’s body.”
“…”
“Could you tell me to do something like that?”
The answer in my mind wouldn’t make it to my mouth.
The Celestial Sword taking control of Wi Seol-Ah’s body in this timeline.
In some ways, it seemed possible since they were the same person, but I also wondered if she was truly the same as the Wi Seol-Ah of this timeline.
I wasn’t able to answer.
“I knew that you wouldn’t be able to answer.”
“…I.”
“That’s why I’m glad. You’ve always been this way.”
“…You.”
“This life belongs to her alone. I have no right to interfere, which is why I feel regret meeting and speaking with you like this.”
Wi Seol-Ah took a step back.
“My regrets are starting to fade.”
“…Your regrets?”
“I always wondered how different my life could’ve been if our first meeting had been different. But that regret is fading, thanks to this child.”
“…”
“I know it’s because of your efforts. But that only deepens my regret.”
She had been watching all my efforts up until now.
“Because of that, I cannot stay here any longer.”
“What does it matter… If you don’t want to interfere, you can just watch.”
“Not only can I not do that… and even if I could, it would just be another act of greed, my own selfish desire for happiness.”
She moved farther away.
I took a step forward to follow her.
I tried to, but I couldn’t.
“…!”
Wi Seol-Ah’s body began to shimmer faintly.
A wave of anxiety hit me.
For some reason, I couldn’t get any closer to her.
******************
The lady stared at the man.
Even as her vision blurred, his face stood out vividly.
The man called out to her.
“Hey…! Wait a moment!”
He seemed stunned by the sudden turn of events.
So he could make that expression too, huh.
She had seen so many new expressions from him today.
That made her happy.
Suppressing her emotions, she spoke.
“I didn’t want our farewell to happen like this. I knew I didn’t have much time left… and I didn’t want you to find out, either.”
Because everything about her, even her existence, could become a shackle to him.
That’s how she she felt.
“…Even so, I’m glad that meeting me one last time made you happy.”
Defying her fate and altering her life had burdened her soul, and she knew she would face punishment once this was over.
She feared this, but didn’t let it show.
She looked into his eyes.
His expression became a mess. Were those tears gathering in the corners of his eyes?
That surely wasn’t it.
After all, she’d never seen him cry.
No, he might have cried when she died.
She wondered if he’d cried when the Demonic Sword died.
Even now, her childish jealousy clung to her.
With that thought, she spoke.
“I have no right to ask anything of you… but I’d like to make two requests.”
The man tried his best to move as she spoke.
It was hard to watch him struggle, but she knew he couldn’t move.
This was the world’s way of correcting what had been altered.
It was impressive enough that he could even stand there and watch.
“Please take good care of this child…”
She didn’t add, ‘as much as you couldn’t for me,’ as she didn’t want to place more burden on him.
And one more thing,
“…And please, call this child by her name.”
The man, Gu Yangcheon, who had struggled to move, paused.
Not once.
Gu Yangcheon had never called anyone by their name in his life.
That included himself as well.
No one knew why, though.
The lady assumed it was because he didn’t want to keep people so precious that he’d feel compelled to call them by name.
Just like her, he was full of fear.
She felt selfish and ashamed to make these requests, knowing that, yet in this moment, she felt she could.
Even so, by mentioning only this child and not the other girls around him, she allowed herself one last selfish act.
Pssss…
She felt herself begin to break apart.
It wasn’t her physical body that was breaking.
It was the feeling of her soul fading away.
So this is what it feels like for a soul to shatter.
I wonder what will remain of me once I disappear. Whatever the answer, he likely won’t be there.
That… might be quite sad.
Despite this thought, she smiled.
She still held countless regrets.
There were so many things she wasn’t able to say to him.
She never got to say how badly she’d wanted to see him, nor could she tell him the most important thing.
She liked him.
She had dared to love him.
But she hadn’t been able to bring herself to say those words.
Because she knew how the man would feel if she spoke those words.
She knew he would feel conflicted, so she kept those words inside.
This much was enough for her.
I am sorry for you.
She said this to her younger self, asleep within this body.
There were so many things she wanted to tell this child, but her time was nearly gone.
Even so, in some ways, she was envious.
She envied her younger self for being able to live the life her older self had never had.
With that thought, she closed her eyes.
Then…
Craaaack-!
With the sound of something tearing, a warm hand reached out to her and pulled her in.
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