Chapter 943: Do you know who my mom is?

‘What the hell is this guy.’

I looked at the pure white arm draped over my shoulder. It felt like human skin, but it was terribly cold.

Maybe because their build is small, the height of their arm over my shoulder feels strange.

Should I say it felt forced?

The guy was half a head shorter than me.

I stared calmly at such a guy.

Their pupils were a light green, and so was their hair.

The colors reminded me of Tang Xiaoye, but in reality, they were even lighter.

It was obvious they had an alien aura, but in this world, it was already too late to worry about that.

One.

‘This is absurd.’

Even considering all that, I had to look at this guy strangely.

‘What on earth are they hiding?’

They looked weak, but they seemed different to my eyes.

Looking at them, my heart pounded violently.

My Mind’s Eye had opened on its own, of course. The ring of magic spun madly, and threads shot out, gathering around my eyes.

Then, a new world became visible.

Should I say something sprouted within my energy sense? A new sense, one that wasn’t there before, was added.

Beyond my widened field of vision, the threads of magic drew lines.

They merged with my Mind’s Eye.

Things that shouldn’t be visible could be glimpsed.

It was the guy’s soul.

Looking at him like that, the guy contained something unbelievable within his small body.

It was far too large for his size.

It was an oppressive presence that made my instincts flare up uncontrollably.

‘This.’

Where have I felt this before?

It felt strangely familiar.

As I rummaged through my thoughts, I recalled it.

‘That calf they called the Leader.’

That black bull, as huge as a mountain.

I think I felt the exact same way when I saw that guy.

Which means.

‘This guy is on the same level as that one?’

It was a chilling prediction.

Without opening my narrowed eyes, I met the guy’s gaze.

Then, his green pupils curved into crescent moons.

“Why aren’t you answering? Can you perhaps not speak?”

I snapped back to reality.

I suppressed my emotions without using any power.

If I used my power at this distance, I’d be found out immediately.

“I was surprised. Who wouldn’t be startled if someone just came at them out of the blue?”

Tak.

I removed the arm.

The arm that had been draped over me dropped limply.

Feeling the touch, I thought to myself.

‘So that’s why I couldn’t sense their presence.’

This small body I saw now.

It seemed like they were using considerable power just to maintain it.

The reason I momentarily lost their presence was partly because they weren’t strong enough to be caught.

‘It was also because I let my guard down.’

It was due to my own lowered vigilance.

“Who are you?”

“Me? I…”

When I asked, the guy tilted his head.

He seemed to be pondering how to introduce himself.

“Just a passerby?”

“…Then please just pass by, then.”

I said this lightly, moving aside.

“Aw, come on. We’ve met now, that’s fate. How can I just pass by?”

The guy didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving, just smiling brightly and planting his feet firmly.

‘Shit.’

It seems I’ve gotten tangled up with a weirdo.

Ah, no.

‘Should I say they approached me because they noticed something?’

They wouldn’t have just grabbed me for no reason. It felt like there was a motive behind the approach.

What is it?

‘Did they find a trace?’

Did I leave a trace when I beat up Baekwol or something? No.

As far as I know, I shouldn’t have left any traces, but…

‘I can’t be sure.’

Since this is another world, there might be ways of tracking I don’t know about.

I can’t easily lower my guard.

Watching the guy, I raised my energy sense. Raising my overall power was risky, so I just enhanced my five senses.

I intended not to miss even the smallest movement.

Just then.

“So. Where are you looking for? Just tell me.”

The guy asked about my destination again.

What should I do?

I shouldn’t take too long to think.

Nor should I remain silent for too long.

“What will you do if I tell you?”

So I continued speaking. It was to buy myself time to think.

“If you tell me, I’ll naturally guide you.”

“Why?”

“Like I said before, this is fate, right? You looked lost. Why don’t you trust me?”

The more we talked, the more I felt it.

This bastard.

‘They have no intention of letting me go.’

It seemed like they intended to keep me here by any means necessary.

What would happen if I just left and ran away?

Should I try it?

As soon as the thought occurred, I shook my head.

‘It’s too dangerous right now.’

I didn’t know what this guy was capable of, and they weren’t weak.

Fighting here and now would be dangerous.

Deciding that, I spoke, mixing my breath.

“I had business with the Black Faction.”

That wasn’t my original destination, but I changed it in a hurry.

“Oh, the Black Faction?”

At my words, the guy showed interest.

“Yes. I’m a guest there.”

“Ah? I see.”

“Can you guide me there?”

“Oh, certainly! I know all the paths in Yawoel Castle like the back of my hand.”

The guy said so confidently.

He immediately started walking forward.

As he moved ahead, I saw his green tail swaying.

“Let’s go!”

“…”

Watching that, I slowly followed.

************

After walking behind him for about half a gak.

This guy was also walking a bit slowly, so it took a while to reach the destination.

Especially since he was taking us through alleys instead of the main roads I knew, it seemed to take even longer.

‘He really seems to know the area.’

He was definitely someone who knew the way.

Which is why.

‘He’s taking such a strange, roundabout route.’

He was intentionally lengthening the distance to the destination.

Meaning, we were going in circles.

I narrowed my eyes and looked at his back.

What was strange was that even taking this route, we were gradually getting closer to the destination.

Glancing away from him, I looked back.

Behind me, Cheonma was following without complaint.

Fortunately, the blood-red cloak she was wearing hid her tail, and I could see her ears were still intact.

‘Still okay for now.’

Unlike what Geobukyi did, the magic I cast has a rather short duration, so I have to keep paying attention to it.

This alone is complicated enough.

‘What is this guy, really?’

Who is that guy in front of me?

Why did they approach me so suddenly?

‘Is he the leader of another faction?’

A leader from somewhere other than White or Black.

I wondered if that might be the case, but…

‘I don’t think so.’

My gut feeling says no.

Especially since…

‘If they’re that strong, it doesn’t make sense.’

They’re on a different level compared to the leaders I’ve met.

So, I strongly hoped that wasn’t the case.

‘So then.’

What could they be?

What intention did that green blob have in approaching me?

I followed, raising my guard to the fullest.

Then, suddenly.

“Ah, but.”

The guy spoke to me without looking back.

“Since we’ve met, that’s fate, right?”

His ‘fate’. What exactly is fated about this?

“Shouldn’t we introduce ourselves?”

“That’s a rather random suggestion.”

“We’ve walked this far, isn’t it about time?”

“For that matter, we haven’t exchanged a single word, have we?”

“Well… it seemed like you weren’t keen on talking, so I decided to humor you.”

“Ah…. I see.”

“So, what’s your name?”

The guy asked me with a voice tinged with amusement.

My name?

Before I could answer, I asked the guy.

“Why don’t you introduce yourself first?”

“Oh, me?”

Yes. You.

“I am… hmm.”

He pondered hard, then seemed to recall something and said to me.

“Mongmong. Let’s go with Mongmong.”

“…”

Not “I am Mongmong.”

What kind of introduction is “Let’s go with Mongmong.”?

This crazy bastard, they don’t even bother trying to hide it?

It’s ridiculous.

And after that, they expect me to tell them my name?

I let out a short, hollow laugh and said to the guy.

“My name is Cheol Jiseon.”

I immediately sold out Jiseon. It’s not like selling him out is unheard of, but selling out a name should be fine.

“Oh, Cheol Jiseon. That’s a nice name?”

“It’s not really that great of a name.”

“Ahaha, I see.”

The guy didn’t look like he believed me either.

An awkward atmosphere settled between us.

Since we both clearly knew it was a lie, there was no need for further conversation.

“Then, what about you, miss?”

Mongmong asked Cheonma for her name.

At the question, Cheonma tilted her head and looked at me.

“What’s my name?”

“…”

Why are you asking me that, you crazy thing….

They were really a pair of lunatics.

As soon as he heard that, the guy burst out laughing.

“Hahaha! You don’t even know your own name?”

“…”

Cheonma frowned at Mongmong’s laughter.

She seemed slightly angry.

“Ah. Seriously.”

He laughed so hard that tears welled up in his eyes.

But.

“This is fun.”

Mongmong, who had been laughing, suddenly stopped.

“So much fun.”

Woong.

Instantly, I felt the air ripple.

Feeling it, I lifted my head.

Far in the distance, I could glimpse the mansion of the Black Faction, where I had gone before.

However, it was still quite far, and there were few people around.

‘Hmm.’

Is this a trap? Just as I realized the problem belatedly.

Swish-

Mongmong’s green tail twitched.

“It seems like it’ll take a while longer to get there. Shall we walk while chatting?”

“About what?”

“Just, you know, about life?”

Mongmong started walking.

I focused on his feet.

Tzuduk!

I saw something breaking. It wasn’t his body, but a change happening within him.

“Well, something happened in the castle recently, you know. Did you hear about it?”

“I heard something.”

“Sigh, I was so scared when I heard. Not just anything, but a leader of the nobility was attacked!”

“It’s truly unbelievable.”

“Exactly.”

I lowered my gaze.

Mongmong’s walking speed slowed slightly.

“As you probably know, in this world, the ranks bestowed by the Master are an immutable law that never changes.”

“…Right.”

What is that?

It was information I didn’t know. I nodded in affirmation, perking up my ears.

“A lowly nobody wouldn’t dare touch a noble, so it must have been a pure-blooded noble who received the same blessing…”

Wouldn’t have touched.

He spoke with conviction.

‘Does that mean nobles can’t touch others unless they’re also nobles?’

If that were true, it would be a damn unfair rule.

The problem is.

‘Then what am I?’

I recalled how I thoroughly beat up the White Faction’s father and son.

Is there some difference? Or is it not a restriction or anything like that, just words?

“Strangely, it seems like there’s no one like that among them?”

While processing various pieces of information in my head, I focused on Mongmong’s words.

“So, in the end, it means someone broke the law…”

Mongmong, who said that,

“Who could it be? Aren’t you curious?”

Suddenly dropped the polite speech and…

Kwaduduk-

“…!”

He reached out, grabbed my neck, and slammed me into the wall.

The wall crumbled as I was crushed against it.

Stuck in the wall, I had to widen my eyes as I looked at his arm.

His usually delicate arm had thickened considerably, and it was covered in thick fur.

It was a beast’s arm.

“…What is this…”

As I asked, enduring the pressure, Mongmong asked me without losing his smile.

“What are you? I don’t know any kids like you.”

“…What do you mean?”

“You’re really strange. It’s been a while, and so much has happened. The Sacred Tree is slow to react. It’s all so damn annoying?”

A child’s voice and a child’s manner of speaking.

But within it lay a thick emotion.

Is it malice or killing intent? No, it’s completely different from those two.

This is…

‘Hunger?’

Hunger.

I could feel that emotion in his smile and voice.

Eudeuk.

The pressure on my body intensified.

I glanced sideways.

Cheonma was watching me calmly, but her expression showed hesitation.

Whether to attack or not.

It was that kind of hesitation. Seeing it, I blinked slightly.

It meant to stay still for now.

Seeing that, Cheonma’s shoulders dropped slightly.

“So I’ll ask you?”

Mongmong spoke, looking at me.

[Answer truthfully.]

Instantly, his voice and tone changed completely.

Gugugung-

The voice invaded my body. A tingling sensation swept through me.

This is…

‘Dragon language?’

It wasn’t exactly Dragon language, but something similar to it.

[Are you the main culprit causing trouble in my castle?]

The guy let out a crazed laugh and continued speaking.

Kkuuk-

The pressure on my heart intensified.

Feeling that, my mouth slowly opened.

This, could it be…

‘I can’t speak lies?’

Is it a power that forces me to answer his words truthfully?

So, should I start fighting right now?

I worried, but…

“No, I’m not.”

“Huh?”

“Hmm?”

Contrary to expectations, the lie came out so easily.

After speaking, Mongmong and I both wore equally stunned expressions.