Chapter 962: Lost Soul.

“I wonder what they saw.”

The woman rose onto her white toes and slowly walked towards Yarang.

As she approached, the floral scent filling the room grew impossibly stronger.

Yarang, head bowed low, moved their hands.

It looked like an attempt to write something on the floor, but…

“Stay still.”

At the woman’s words, Yarang’s movements froze exactly as they were.

Their body stiffened as if obeying an order, remaining motionless.

Then, the woman came closer and stroked Yarang’s hair.

“My daughter.”

“…”

“I think it would be better for me to see it directly now.”

As the woman said that with a gentle smile, Yarang lowered their head a little further.

It was as if they were making it easier for her to stroke them.

Once the posture was set, the woman stopped stroking and fixed her palm on the top of their head.

Then.

Ssssuuuuuuuu–!!!

Energy seeped from Yarang’s head and flowed up the woman’s arm.

It was a beautiful crimson energy.

The energy that flowed up slowly seeped into the woman.

“Mmm.”

The woman let out a short hum, swallowing all the energy.

A moment later.

“This is strange…”

The woman opened her closed eyes and looked at Yarang.

“It really is strange.”

Even then, Yarang hadn’t lifted their head.

Watching Yarang like that, the woman whispered.

“Why can’t I see it…?”

The woman’s expression was slightly furrowed, clearly showing discomfort.

The reason was simple.

What the woman had just done was absorb Yarang’s memories to directly confirm what they had seen and heard.

‘I can’t see anything.’

Surprisingly, things that should have been visible normally were nowhere to be seen.

No, not nothing.

Yarang’s movements. What they heard.

Even the scents and sensations they perceived.

She had retrieved and absorbed most of the memories, but…

‘…Mmm.’

She could feel that certain parts were strangely missing.

Especially the final part was almost empty.

Yarang heading somewhere. The gaze Yarang cast.

The space their gaze was directed towards.

At the end of the footsteps taken as if discovering someone.

It was as if black fog had descended, obscuring all the absorbed memories.

When the fog finally cleared after passing through the memories.

Yarang was walking alone, drenched in rain.

“Mmm.”

Having confirmed this, the woman tilted her head. This was unprecedented.

Memories being obscured? Memories that weren’t hidden even within the Sacred Tree…

‘What could it be.’

What was this situation? She couldn’t understand.

So, the woman moved her finger and lifted Yarang’s chin.

The masked face lifted its head, and the woman reached out with her other hand to grasp the mask.

Sssuruk.

The mask covering the face fell off.

The radiant appearance within was revealed.

Thump. The woman, dropping the mask to the floor, caressed Yarang’s cheek.

“Daughter.”

“…”

“What happened here?”

Though she asked, there was no answer. Still, the woman didn’t mind.

She knew Yarang couldn’t answer anyway.

“You wouldn’t lie to me, would you…?”

The possibility of Yarang deceiving her. That wasn’t entirely impossible, but…

The woman deemed that probability low.

If that were the case, she should have known immediately.

“Hmmmm.”

What could have happened? Did this child really see something?

Such doubts began to sprout.

Whoosh. The woman suddenly withdrew her hand from Yarang and turned her back.

As the woman moved, the tails surrounding them stirred restlessly.

But.

The colossal tails filling the room began to change gradually.

Their size diminished bit by bit, eventually becoming too small to see.

After shrinking the tails, the woman naturally sat down and looked at Yarang again.

“Daughter.”

“…”

“It seems something is going on. Isn’t that right?”

Again, no answer came, but…

That was where the woman felt something strange.

Not answering was usual, but…

Normally, at this point, Yarang should have responded with some action.

However.

Yarang now simply stared motionlessly at the woman.

Confirming this, the woman’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Something is definitely up.

She became certain.

“Hmmmm…”

Should I press them further?

Or is there a reason they can’t answer?

Normally, it would be right to dispose of someone who cannot answer their master.

It was the natural course of action, but…

The woman couldn’t do that.

She couldn’t do that to Yarang, even if she could to others.

-Cherish them like a daughter, no matter what.

That was the directive imprinted upon her soul.

The woman didn’t question why such a directive existed.

It was natural. Thinking that way was natural to her; there was no need for questions.

Sssuk.

The woman, who had been sitting, rose again and walked forward.

Without hesitation, she headed towards Yarang’s side.

“Daughter.”

The woman called Yarang in a calmer voice than before.

“Get up.”

Hearing her words, Yarang rose.

At that moment, something was suddenly draped over Yarang’s body.

It was a cloth covering them down to their head.

And the same was draped over the woman.

What was happening? As Yarang quietly watched her.

“It’s been a while since we went out. Let’s get ready.”

“…!”

Yarang’s eyes widened at the woman’s words.

The Master floating in the sky.

Had declared they would descend to the surface themselves.

---

Around the time the pouring rain subsided somewhat.

Ironically, with clothes dried by the heat, I had to return to the Hwasan Sect.

I probably wouldn’t have had major issues just heading straight for Yawal, but…

Since something had happened, I needed to at least report it.

If not for that.

‘I have to talk about what I saw.’

I needed someone to ask about what I had experienced.

In this world, there was only one such person for me.

“…Why is this brat here again? Didn’t they leave?”

Elder Shin, who was drinking tea in his quarters, glared at me.

Gu Bong, whom I hadn’t seen in a while, was there too.

“They say it rained outside. How come you, brat, look fine… What happened?”

Elder Shin, mid-sentence, changed his tune the moment he saw my face.

I lightly brushed my face at his reaction. Was my expression that strange right now?

I said, trying to compose my expression.

“…It’s nothing major. I just came by because something came up.”

“Something came up?”

Elder Shin frowned at my words.

“Yes.”

“I shall wait outside.”

As soon as I nodded, Gu Bong stood up.

It seemed he realized from past experiences that this wasn’t a place he should be.

Gu Bong bowed his head towards me and left.

I felt his attitude was slightly different from before.

I wondered why he was acting like that, but since Gu Bong wasn’t the issue, I let it slide.

Once we were alone, I spoke to Elder Shin.

It was an explanation about what had just happened.

---

After that brief summary, Elder Shin asked me with a contorted face.

“…Yarang was that child?”

Yarang is one of the generals, a Divine Sword.

That was his reaction upon hearing my explanation.

“Yes.”

“…”

As I nodded, Elder Shin suddenly let out a deep sigh while looking at me.

“Brat…”

“Yes.”

“You always bring unbelievable stories while claiming they’re nothing major.”

“…”

I chuckled awkwardly at his words. Come to think of it, he was right.

“Ever since you arrived, there hasn’t been a single peaceful day.”

Should I apologize? I pondered what to say.

“…Are you sure?”

Elder Shin asked, and I nodded again.

“Yes. I’m certain.”

It wasn’t just that they looked alike or anything.

If it were anyone else, maybe, but I knew.

The emotions I felt when looking at them, the aura I sensed from them.

Even the way they fought against the Heavenly Demon.

Everything pointed to Yarang being the Divine Sword.

When I told Elder Shin about this, his expression also turned serious.

“How could that be possible?”

“You didn’t know either, Elder Shin?”

“Of course not. How would I know that? If I had known, I would have told you.”

“…”

He was right.

“Then, do you know how long Yarang has been active?”

“I don’t think it’s been that long, but they existed before me, at least.”

So, they existed in Mankye before Elder Shin?

That means they’ve been around for at least over a hundred years.

‘What on earth could have happened.’

How could she exist here?

No matter how I thought about it, it was logical to assume she was merely someone who looked alike.

‘No.’

I saw it wasn’t the case.

Those eyes back then. That aura. Even the emotions I felt watching them.

Everything told me Yarang was indeed the Divine Sword.

“That child… Hmm.”

Elder Shin also seemed unable to comprehend, continuously humming thoughtfully.

He stroked his chin, clearly deep in thought.

Then.

“…So. Setting that aside.”

Elder Shin asked, looking at me.

“Even assuming that’s true. What do you want to do?”

“…Yes?”

“If you’re convinced that child is here. What are your plans now?”

“…”

More than the possibility that Yarang might be the Divine Sword.

What I intended to do next. That seemed to be what Elder Shin prioritized.

So, what would my answer be?

My mind was already made up about this.

“I have to meet them.”

I have to meet them. Somehow, I must meet them.

If I’ve confirmed their existence. Even if I’m convinced, I need to know if it’s really them.

And how they ended up in that state.

I had to confirm all of that.

To do so, meeting the Divine Sword was ultimately necessary.

Upon my answer, Elder Shin posed another question.

“So, do you plan to wait? Until that child reappears?”

“…”

I couldn’t answer this question immediately.

I needed a moment to think.

Of course, even so, it didn’t take long.

“…I’m going to find them.”

I’ll find them wherever they are.

Recalling them lingering nearby, they might return if I waited, but my temperament wasn’t patient enough to just wait quietly.

Besides.

“After all… if we want to understand the situation, don’t we need to find everything?”

Even if I were to capture Yarang and interrogate them.

I knew the true culprit behind this situation was someone else.

‘Back then.’

The last time I briefly encountered the Divine Sword.

The entity who advised me to hold onto them within my body as they were about to disappear.

‘Mother.’

My mother, and…

The highest being in this Mankye.

I believed she would know well about the current situation.

She absolutely had to.

‘In the end.’

The reason I came to Mankye.

The relationship between Mankye and the Blood Demon.

The secrets about me.

Furthermore, about the Divine Sword.

To learn all this, meeting Mother was unavoidable.

‘I need to pick up the pace.’

To see Mother, and also to handle the things I intended to do along with Elder Shin’s request, I felt I needed to process them more quickly.

If things continued like this, it would be frustrating and unproductive.

As if reinforcing my conviction, I stirred up fervor within my mind, piece by piece.

This must have started from the moment I saw the Divine Sword again.

That was the cause of my unusual impatience and the rising fervor.

“…Anyway, that’s the situation. If you don’t know about it either, Elder Shin, I’ll take that into account.”

As if I had finished speaking, I stood up.

If there wasn’t much information to gain from Elder Shin right now, this wasn’t the time to be lingering.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to Yawal.”

I had something I intended to do there originally, so I had to head back to Yawal to handle it.

So, when I told him my destination, Elder Shin suddenly stood up as well.

“Elder Shin?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

“Huh?”

Let’s go? Go where?

I asked quizzically at his sudden remark, and Elder Shin added calmly.

“I said, let’s go to Yawal.”

“…You’re coming too, Elder Shin?”

“Yeah.”

Tap tap! Elder Shin said, brushing off his martial robes.

“It seems I have to go this time too.”

“…”

Elder Shin’s expression as he said that…

‘…looks exactly like someone going to beat someone up.’

For starters, it definitely didn’t look like he was going with good intentions.