episode_0081

Kwarung!

Every time a small flash of light flickered, the sound of lightning striking followed behind it. The interval between sounds gradually became shorter, and it appeared to be moving as if it was tracking something.

The small shadow surrounding the body with electric current fixed its gaze downward and jumped across the trees, leaving its body to the wind.

The sound of the wind cutting through the thunder rings in my ears.

As I step off the thick tree branch I used as a stepping stone, it starts bobbing up and down heavily.

As if in response to the tree branches shaking up and down, leaves fall and cover the ground.

The sound of thunder was heard below, and the screams of a strange creature not of this world rang out.

“Keee!”

The monster that was bleeding and running away from the flash of light ran only looking ahead with eyes full of fear. I didn’t even have time to look back.

The monster, who was hunting small animals as he pleased in the forest, showing off his strength and size, was feeling like he was being hunted for the first time.

Before I knew it, the sound of thunder came right behind me.

As a last act of defiance, the monster swung its tail, which looked similar to a morning star, at random, but there was no way that an attack without properly checking the target would be successful.

The final flash of lightning that came before my eyes was the last sight seen in the eyes of the monster that held the throne of the forest. Now it was time to come down from the old throne.

The beam of light that instantly pierced the monster’s body was accompanied by an unpleasant sound.

Knock!

An uncomfortable sensation piercing through the flesh, the death of a monster tearing through the eardrums.

The thunder that was splitting the sky then slowly began to stop.

The boy, who appeared through the monster’s body, stood in front of the monster that had ended its life by being split in half, spilling its internal organs, and put his hands together and prayed in silence.

Although they are monsters that are not welcomed by anyone and are cursed by everyone, they certainly have their own lives and lives.

The boy announced the end to his long life. By your own judgment, not by anyone else.

The thought that he was the only one who would remember him as he rotted in the ground, and at some point, the ritual of offering silent prayers to monsters became his habit.

After praying for the life that was lost in a meaningless movement, the boy easily carried the corpse of a monster much larger than himself on his back.

I was now familiar with the hot sensation of the blood flowing from the cracked corpse soaking my back.

As the boy moved the monster’s body, he swept the sweaty hair that was blocking his vision diagonally.

Her short hair, which had grown past her shoulders, was tied up near the nape of her neck, and the deep, cut-like scar on her right cheek did not suit her youthful face.

The boy who was walking through the forest eventually arrived at a clearing. There was a deep pit in the center of the clearing, and underneath it was infested with maggots and countless corpses of monsters. With familiar movements, the boy threw the body of the monster he had just killed into the pit.

The moment when you slap your hand and shake it off and leave.

A rustling sound came from the thick bushes. At the same time, feeling the presence of others, the boy turned around with a familiar gesture and confirmed the presence that had come a short distance away.

She crossed her arms, took a quick look at her armpits, and spoke directly in a low voice without saying a word of greeting.

“Compared to the beginning, your skills have improved quite a bit… .”

The boy answered angrily, wringing the clothes stained with the monster’s blood with both hands as if washing them.

“It’s something we do every day, so it’s natural.”

Before he knew it, the tall woman was right in front of him and patted the boy’s sweaty head as if to compliment him.

The boy slapped the woman’s hand touching his head upward so hard that it made a sound, then turned his gaze towards the pit and began speaking in a cold voice.

“Something like this… It’s uncomfortable.”

Although he was told that it was uncomfortable, Rowe still said only what he wanted to say.

“Well… Race is race, and it would be difficult to lose to kids like these.”

Number 25 let out a long sigh.

Conversation was a type of communication where people shared their stories.

Q&A with Rowe, who I couldn’t communicate properly with, was always uncomfortable.

No. 25 was slowly realizing that the reason other people felt uncomfortable with Law was not because of her power.

“Let’s go now.”

“Yes, I guess so.”

In response to No. 25’s suggestion, Law shook off the bear bag, turned around, and walked away.

The magic tower so towering that you could see it if you turned your head, even in the forest where you couldn’t see even an inch in front of you. It was a kind of castle where Law and No. 25 currently lived.

Inside the tower, where space was distorted, certain conditions had to be met in order to go to a specific area.

For example, to get to Rowe’s room on the top floor, step over the threshold of the warehouse in the innermost part of the first floor with your left foot, or something like this.

Rowe took No. 25 to his room.

Arriving in the room, Law naturally sat down in front of the desk, and No. 25 also sat across from her with a familiar gesture and stretched out his arm in her direction as if he was used to it.

Law put a scary-looking thick needle into No. 25’s forearm without hesitation and immediately drew blood.

I was now used to seeing my own flowing blood metastasizing to disease.

“… .”

After the blood collection, Rowe tilted the bottle containing No. 25’s blood back and forth and divided it into several bottles. They were mixing the strangely colored, mysterious liquids contained in the bottle in front of them with No. 25’s blood and observing the reaction.

Rowe, who began his research, would not hear any sound. Number 25 sighed, went down the stairs further down the tower, and headed to his room just below.

As if to prove that we would not make you experience any inconvenience, room number 25 was quite luxurious.

A ceiling with a twinkling chandelier, antique floors and wallpaper, a fluffy blanket, and a bed too big to lie down on alone.

Even though No. 25 was given such a room, he deliberately curled up in a corner of the hard floor and was lost in thought.

Aser, Charlotte, Hilda.

I missed everyone.

Two years have already passed since I was taken by Law and lived in District 2.

When asked when he would be able to return, Rowe always said that he would let him go soon, but for Rowe, who lives in eternity, it seemed that even two years would not be enough.

To be honest, living with her wasn’t that bad. Rather, life itself was much more pleasant and comfortable. However, that couldn’t give me peace of mind.

In the Tower of Law, like Aser’s Castle, dishes flew by themselves without the maids having to move them, and all kinds of chores were done by colorful spirits.

Everything from housework, cleaning, and even toileting.

I had heard that it was Area 2 where magic was developed, but the reality was different. It was an area where there was only one huge tower in the center of a dense forest with no end in sight.

There were almost no people except the occasional wizard who came to test his skills against monsters or a wizard who came to respect Law.

It was embarrassing to even call it a district in the first place.

Nevertheless, the reason District 2 can be recognized as a district is only because of Rowe, and her existence meant something.

A person who purged the outdated wizards of the old world and established the entire current magic system.

To those who invested their lives in magic and studied him, Law’s existence itself was no different from a divine being.

After crouching down and thinking for a moment, a sound came to No. 25’s ears as if he had been waiting for it.

Knock, knock, knock.

Knocking on the door exactly three times was one of Rowe’s habits.

After the knocking on the door, I heard her drowsy voice.

“Come out and eat… .”

Number 25 got up from the corner and trudged away.

Of course, not having anyone meant there was no chef, so all of the dishes No. 25 ate were cooked by Law himself.

Unlike his usual appearance of just staring blankly at the forest and smoking a cigarette, he also had quite a homely side.

When I first came to District 2, there was a time when I refused to eat because I thought I might have taken some strange medicine.

From then on, I couldn’t refuse to see her smiling sadly at times when I refused to eat.

Law raised the corner of his mouth as he looked at No. 25 sitting on the chair.

“Because I worked hard today… I made it with what you like.”

On the table were bread, grilled bacon, salad made with eggs and potatoes, and a red-colored drink.

“Yes, well… Thank you.”

Even though he reacted bluntly, Law didn’t really care. I focused only on saying thank you, and only slightly raised the corners of my mouth and smiled.

She rested her chin and looked blankly at Number 25, who had started eating.

From Law’s perspective, the sight of No. 25, continuously mumbling and pushing his meal down his throat, looked cute, like a small herbivore.

No. 25 did not particularly recommend a meal to Law, who was looking at him.

Because she didn’t need food to begin with.

While eating, Rowe unconsciously grabbed the stick in his hand and lit it on fire.

Number 25, who saw cigarette smoke trying to infiltrate the food on the table, frowned so deeply that he wrinkled his face and immediately expressed his dissatisfaction to Law in front of him.

“I understand normally, but isn’t it a bit wrong to smoke while eating?”

Law, who was looking down with a bear bag in his mouth, only slightly raised his eyes to look at No. 25, and then nodded.

“Okay… . If you say so.”

Contrary to his title as one of the strongest demon kings, Law’s personality itself was very docile.

Even when No. 25, who was forcibly brought in, complained in an angry tone, he immediately accepted it and put Gombangdae back in his arms.

Rowe only played with the handle of the bear’s armrest, rested his chin with a somewhat regretful expression, and spoke to No. 25.

“If there is anything uncomfortable, please tell me again… I will listen to anything you say.”

What is the definition of discomfort?

Does being comfortable in your body mean that you are not uncomfortable? The body and mind could not be viewed separately.

No matter how good Rowe was to her, she couldn’t soothe the emptiness in her heart.

Number 25 hasn’t felt comfortable even for a single day since coming to the castle in District 2.

This inconvenience probably won’t end unless we get out of Zone 2.

Contrary to his saying that he would listen to anything, Law consistently refused requests to be allowed to go to Area 7 where Aser was.

He dismissed it by saying that his research was not yet completely finished, and kept No. 25 locked in his area and kept under observation.

After finishing his meal, No. 25 stood up and spoke briefly.

“I’ll go first.”

Number 25, who came up to the room and crouched in the corner again, was just staring blankly at the pattern on the wallpaper.

In a dark room, loneliness eats away at your body.

Number 25 buried his face between his knees and quietly repeated the names of his loved ones.

I couldn’t get their presence out of my mind even for a moment. I was confident that I would lose my mind if I didn’t do this.

I thought I would become stronger and that I was determined not to harm them. However, bitter solitude weakens the heart, and precious memories shatter into pieces.

Memories of them flowed through my cracked heart.

Although the memories were mainly filled with white and flesh colors, they were all precious.

Number 25 just stretched out his hand and pulled the blanket on the bed to cover his body.

Not long after, the only sound that came from inside the blanket was the dry sound of skin rubbing and hitting each other.