Chapter 151 : Chapter 151

Chapter 151

A ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍voice resounded as if it were shaking the very space itself.

─You… ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍are you of Hyun Yuyeol’s bloodline?

He ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍looked into my Demonic Eye and reached his conclusion at once.

He ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍must have known that Hyun Yuyeol’s granddaughter had cast aside the burdens of her clan and chosen to build a household with an insignificant man.

Contrary ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍to public perception, the first Director-General, Cha Jaehee, and the prominent figure of Gangneung, Hyun Yuyeol, had maintained rather frequent contact.

“Then ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍you are the Phantom Thief Cha Jaehee, correct?”

─Phantom Thief… That is a nostalgic nickname.

He was a heroic spirit of mana, existing only temporarily—like a Chimera, a side effect of a forced awakening potion.

More precisely, he had sealed his mana while alive and, according to a prearranged trick, now lingered in this world for a brief time.

─But if you have come to find me, does that mean you have inherited my will? Hah, how damn irritating.

“……”

Such uninhibited language.

In that moment, I was reminded once again of whom Cha Yeri had inherited her sharp tongue from.

─I only hoped you would not be of that bastard Hyun Yuyeol’s blood…

“It seems the two of you shared quite a deep friendship.”

─Deep? How could I have built a deep friendship with the man who brushed aside my opinion and led the awakened over to Gangneung?

When Hyun Yuyeol moved to Gangneung after the Great Rift, the leader of what would later become the Bureau had been Cha Jaehee.

At the time, public sentiment feared Hyun Yuyeol for using the Witch’s tools, but Cha Jaehee had taken the stance that coexistence was possible and had tried to keep him in Seoul.

In the end, however, Hyun Yuyeol crossed over to Gangneung.

Thus, Cha Jaehee’s grumbling was nothing more than a lingering bitterness over their irreconcilable differences.

─But that child… is Yeri, is she not?

After briefly wearing a self-mocking expression, Cha Jaehee approached Cha Yeri, who was leaning against the wall.

He stroked his great-granddaughter’s head with unmistakable affection.

He pinched her cheeks, pried open her closed eyelids to peek inside.

He even grasped a strand of her hair and tugged it at length.

Every single one of them were things Cha Yeri despised most.

It was yet another reminder of where Cha Myeonghan’s eccentric temperament had originated.

─She is not asleep. It is closer to unconsciousness. Your doing, I presume? Just like that bastard’s bloodline, you resort to the same methods.

“I had no other choice. She is stubborn beyond reason. I wonder whom she resembles.”

─Hmph, enough of that. What is your relationship with Yeri?

“We are nothing special. Simply cadet and cadet.”

─You had better take responsibility for those words. If you harbor even the slightest improper thought toward Yeri, you will regret being alive.

A threat from the dead.

He must have known he had no other means and could only resort to intimidation.

At some point, Cha Jaehee had seated himself in the chair he had used while alive and continued.

─Still, you are remarkably composed. As if you knew I would appear.

“I anticipated that some sort of anomalous phenomenon would occur.”

─An absurd excuse.

“Then what if I said I was hoping a hidden will of yours would surface and leave Hyeonseong to me?”

─Before dirt ever touches my eyes, Hyeonseong will never fall into the hands of the Hyun Clan.

It was a declaration of absolute impossibility.

His funeral had been conducted by cremation. There would never be dirt in his eyes.

─More importantly, who is the Director-General now?

“Baek Dojin. His term ends this year.”

─Is that so? That is a relief. To think that man is leading Seoul.

Had I not been the original author, I would have found those words incomprehensible.

Thirteen years ago, it had been Baek Dojin who destroyed Gangneung.

The problem was that the unprecedented incident had occurred almost as if by coincidence, shortly after Cha Jaehee’s death.

There had been no hidden reason behind his passing.

He had, in fact, closed his eyes quite peacefully.

However, from his perspective—unaware of the Gangneung incident—Baek Dojin had been an exceptionally capable individual, one he himself had acknowledged.

Capable enough that he had predicted he would inevitably become Director-General.

─And Hyun Jaejun? Is he still guarding Gangneung without trouble?

For a moment, I hesitated.

Should I tell the truth to someone who still believed Gangneung stood intact?

But he narrowed his eyes, as though he had seen straight through my dilemma.

─So something happened.

“……”

─Let me rephrase the question. Is Gangneung still standing?

I silently shook my head.

─So it came to that in the end… Then what of that child? The one Yuseong found.

He meant Do Minyeong.

He corrected himself.

─Ah, do you happen to know a girl named Do Minyeong?

“She is a cadet at Hero Prep like me. She is still… safe. Under Principal Kim Shinwoo.”

─Shinwoo is there? That is a relief. Still, you must have had a difficult time. Having no ties in this field makes for a rather harsh path.

“Well… that is true.”

─Perhaps our meeting is not mere coincidence. Why not state your business? Those with such arrogant eyes always behave as though they know everything. You came to see me because you need something, did you not?

Just how had Hyun Yuyeol lived his life?

I felt an urge to open the setting book and search through his entry at once.

“The reason I sought you out is verification.”

─That is quite an arrogant word.

“Arrogant? I simply wish to confirm the truth of this world.”

More precisely, I wanted to verify the worldview I knew.

I had to confirm the settings of this common, mass-produced fantasy world.

No one was more capable of clearly recounting the events of that era than Cha Jaehee standing before me.

─For example?

“That you are of a race from beyond the Rift.”

─…….

In an instant, Cha Jaehee’s expression darkened ominously.

Though he was nothing more than mana, the force of his gaze pressed against me, and I swallowed unconsciously.

“And one more thing—the whereabouts of the seven magic artifacts. Excluding the Demonic Being, you would know more than anyone.”

─Now that I look at you, you do not seem merely Hyun Yuyeol’s descendant. Who are you?

“Let us say I am someone who sees a little more than others who possess the same eyes.”

─Hmph. And why should I trust you? Even if you bear Hyun Yuyeol’s eyes, betrayal is common in this world.

“I promised Sword Emperor Kim Shinwoo that I would protect Do Minyeong. If possible, I would call him here myself, though I am unsure whether your mana would remain until then.”

─So whether I believe you or not is my choice. In any case, I have no option but to answer your questions. I was designed that way.

“That is fortunate.”

Cha Jaehee propped both feet upon the desk.

A perfectly natural gesture.

Yet what drew my attention were his black hair and black eyes.

In stark contrast to Cha Myeonghan and Cha Yeri, who bore blond hair and blue eyes.

He resembled Do Minyeong far more.

─Very well. Where shall I begin? Ah, it would be best to start with the race beyond the Rift. I do not know where you heard such clues, but the blood of that race flows within me.

As expected.

He continued.

─Strictly speaking, I am a half-blood. A mixture of the race that lived beyond the Rift and the humans of this world.

“Then what constitutes your other half? What race?”

─That race is the sole existence that lives in immortality. In this world, they are called Demonic Beings.

“……”

A race that attained immortality by parasitizing the desires of higher species.

Yet they differed somewhat from the Demonic Beings I knew.

They had learned to live without feeding upon human desire.

─As you know, Demonic Beings do not form groups. They move independently in search of desire. Yet there are always exceptions. Mutants who do not consume desire and instead quell their hunger with mana, like monsters.

If I were to liken it to my previous world, they were akin to vampires who had never tasted human blood.

Whether by conviction or constitution, they lived without harming humans.

Naturally, they were weaker and duller than those who devoured desire, and at times they were even consumed by their own kind.

Without seeking desire, a Demonic Being was merely a higher species.

If there was one advantage, it was their freedom from the curse of sunlight—of the light attribute.

─To escape other Demonic Beings, they settled in this world early on. Their traces remain in the records of human civilization. Tales of descending with rain, wind, and clouds to save the foolish. Of wielding hammers while calling down lightning. Of building a legendary city beneath the sea…

“They reside within mythology. And the foundation of those miracles was ability.”

─Indeed. At times they were gods, at times heroes. At other times malevolent spirits who brought calamity, or emperors who unified continents. And in more recent times, a Sword Saint who saved humanity from unknown monsters… They left countless marks upon this world’s history.

“Then Sword Saint Kim Yuseong was of the same race?”

Cha Jaehee shook his head once.

─Yuseong, like me, was born between them and humans. Aside from the trace of immortality—his youth—and somewhat superior mana sensitivity, he was no different from other awakened.

Youth that bore the mark of immortality, yet a fate that remained mortal.

“Then how many of them remain? Excluding half-bloods like you and the Sword Saint.”

─None, at least none that I know of. In time, we too will fade as we mix with humans. Even Yeri scarcely possesses any Demonic power. Though she will retain her youthful beauty for a very long time.

“Then why did those who lived eternally disappear?”

At that question, Cha Jaehee fixed his gaze upon a portrait hanging on the study wall.

I had never seen the face before, yet she bore the same hair and eyes as Cha Yeri.

It must have been a portrait of his human wife.

─Because they made the foolish choice to love humans.

“……”

─They turned their backs on desire all their lives, yet set foot into the most noble desire of all—and thus were cursed as Demonic Beings are.

There was a condition to the immortality of a Demonic Being.

They had to consume the desire of higher species.

But those beings had failed to fulfill that condition and had naturally entered the path of extinction.

Half-bloods like Cha Jaehee were likely their only legacy.

Thus far, nothing contradicted my own settings.

What I truly wished to know was—

“Then what about Hyun Yuyeol? Does he too carry blood from beyond the Rift?”

Where had the character Hyun Yuyeol originated?

─Hyun Yuyeol is undeniably human. An unusual human who wielded the darkness attribute. Perhaps he is this world’s answer to our existence. The fact that his eyes have passed on to you proves he was no ordinary man.

So that was it.

In the end, he was an anomalous existence born from my use of the coin.

Powerful enough to be acknowledged even by a half-blood Demonic Being like Cha Jaehee.

One concern remained.

The formidable Hyun Clan had been annihilated by Baek Dojin.

Given their strength, their abilities must have been set at a considerable level.

I had expected it, yet this would prove troublesome.

─It seems you have obtained the answer you sought. Shall we move on to your next question—the magic artifacts?

I nodded, and he continued.

─Since you mentioned Do Minyeong earlier, it seems you have grasped part of the artifacts’ secret. Still, I will ask to be sure. Tell me, descendant of Hyun Yuyeol. Do you know what happens when the magic artifacts gather in one place?

The seven tools said to have been used by the Witch.

What would occur if they were assembled together?

It was a simple question.

I gazed out at the sky beyond the window and answered quietly.

“The Great Rift would open once more.”

─No. That is only half an answer. The opening of the Great Rift signifies that the two worlds merge into one.

“……”

─And when that happens, this world will become a land of death, where ordinary life cannot survive.