episode_0125

People live by creating their own stories.

And the virtue that ordinary people can accumulate has its limits.

That is why most of the countless stories in this world are marked with periods in each person’s life and gradually forgotten…

However, stories can be spread far and wide.

Some stories survive through the ages, passed down among people.

From mouth to mouth… from writing to writing…

Whether it’s memories heard while sitting on a grandparent’s knee in childhood or lines written in an old bookstore’s books…

Though the ways in which each person encounters stories may differ, ultimately they end up sharing the same tales.

Stories known to you and me.

Hence, even if there were a deer speaking in the story, or a mountain spirit emerging from a lake to offer golden and silver axes, or a magical millstone surfacing to churn the sea into land, people wouldn’t find it strange.

Yes, it becomes akin to a sort of social agreement.

Thus, as someone’s story spreads and individuals in society accumulate virtue, gaining immense vitality, it becomes the law of the world.

This was the essence of the stories shared with me by the Eastern Sage since he told me the tale of the Fairy and the Woodcutter.

“Yes. The name of this story is ‘The Fairy and the Woodcutter.’ It was the story that Hui-seon should have experienced had you not intervened.”

“I see… But, sir.”

“Speak.”

“So, how does virtue accumulate through this story?”

“Haha. It’s simple. You become the one who performs virtuous deeds within it.”

Ah, I see now!

I finally understand how virtue accumulates.

By performing actions deemed virtuous by the story, one naturally receives rewards for those deeds.

The woodcutter accumulated virtue through saving the deer. Enough virtue to win the fairy as his wife.

The deer repaid the woodcutter’s kindness, even excessively offering to grant any wish.

And he also inadvertently realized the grim truth of the story.

Because… the virtuous act judged by the story… was actually a misdeed that caused suffering to the fairy.

It also portrayed an ordinary hunter, who hunted merely to sustain himself, as an evildoer.

“Now do you understand why our deities are so sensitive and strict about stories? The actual morality within the story doesn’t matter much. What’s important is that most people view them as the kind woodcutter and the grateful deer.”

“Ah… I see… But, sir, if this story needs to gain vitality, shouldn’t many people know about it? However…”

“No one around you knew about ‘The Fairy and the Woodcutter,’ right?”

“…Yes.”

Of course, I knew about ‘The Fairy and the Woodcutter.’

It was a fairy tale I enjoyed reading in my childhood, one of Hyunkyung’s favorites, so much so that even as an adult, I would enthusiastically read it to her.

But that was back in my hometown.

Here, I had never heard of such stories involving fairies or woodcutters.

Hmm… Perhaps I had been a frog in a well.

Although I landed in a child’s body, I wasn’t truly a child, so I never pestered my foster parents for old tales like other kids did.

Living in a small village nestled in the mountains, surviving by hunting, I hadn’t heard this story here, but I wasn’t entirely convinced that others were unaware of it.

“Ha-ha. That’s only natural. This story was sealed long ago.”

“Sealed?”

“So it is. The genesis of this tale dates back to the distant past. Just as mountains change over a mere decade, eras shift, and the concept of justice evolves. Hence, there are stories that lead to ruin. Such tales are sealed away in forbidden libraries, meticulously managed so that only His Majesty can lay eyes upon them.”

“Ah… I see…”

“In those forbidden libraries, countless such stories exist. Tales so perilous that merely being awakened from their seals leads people into despair. Whether these stories hold relevance in the present or not, having grown on the essence of human wisdom over the ages, their potent consequences are beyond even His Majesty and the deities’ intervention. Even if they could intervene, it would only plunge the world into chaos. Thus, it falls upon the deities to roam the world, managing these narratives. Discovering and sealing them away is the best course of action.”

Upon hearing the elder’s words, a single curiosity arose.

How could a deer, a creature so thoroughly guarded and accessible only to His Majesty, gain entry into the forbidden library?

“Elder, may I ask you one question? It’s about… the deer…”

“…Yes. I understand what your question pertains to. Whether it’s a flaw in heaven or not, I am prepared to provide an answer. You were the one who saved our Heesun; what would I hide from you… Well, there’s hardly anyone else who could answer besides me. Your question might be one that even His Majesty finds difficult to address…”

It seems the topic of the deer is quite sensitive.

As the elder gradually regained a hint of amusement, his expression turned serious, as if preparing for a solemn revelation…

“Um… If it makes you uncomfortable to answer, Elder, you don’t have to. I wouldn’t want to cause any trouble. I’m just curious about how the deer managed to enter the forbidden library and perhaps what its true identity was before facing retribution… Heesun seems unaware as well…”

“That’s understandable. Since those events occurred long before Heesun was born… Personally, I’d prefer to keep what I’m about to say from Heesun. Oh, no, secrets within a marriage should not exist… Please refrain from asking Heesun directly, and I’ll do my best not to disclose unnecessary details.”

“Alright, Elder. I will respect that.”

The revelation of the deer’s true identity was quite shocking.

All its actions thus far, the lies it spun before me…

I even delved into its mind through the awakened stories.

A being with such repugnant emotions…

Turns out, it was Heesun’s sibling!

I never could have imagined such a thing.

Goodness, so it was planning to betray its own younger sibling!

“…He was His Majesty’s son, undoubtedly the rightful heir of Heaven. And… he would become a dear brother to Heesun.”

As soon as those words left the elder’s lips, the shocking truth left my mouth agape.

It is said that His Majesty had been waiting for an heir.

Having spent long years as the Yellow Emperor, he grew weary and always hoped for a successor…

Was it only His Majesty?

Once the news of the heir’s birth became public, Heaven celebrated for a hundred days straight.

He possessed the ability to handle stories akin to His Majesty and displayed intelligence and wit as he grew up, bringing joy to the deities who taught him.

But did the attention and love towards the heir become excessive?

At some point, he began to grow arrogant.

Lowering others’ opinions became natural, and he started believing that only his thoughts were right.

“People gradually grew uneasy about such successor’s actions, but… still believed he was entitled to them.

Because he was the one destined to become the next Emperor of the Jade Emperor.

The problem was… his arrogance had crossed the line by meddling with the story.

“Master, why do you insist on letting the story flow as it is? With a little help from my abilities, we could gain even more merits than now! If we just casually manipulate it, there shouldn’t be any issues. We need to accumulate merits quickly so that I can relieve the heavy burden on Abamama’s shoulders once I become the Jade Emperor.”

“Sir, how could you utter such disrespectful words! Others might overhear! As I’ve mentioned before, the world doesn’t revolve around this single story! There could be countless interconnected tales. While it may seem seamless at first glance, eventually cracks will appear in the story leading to chaos! That’s why we must always be vigilant and cautious of disruptions!”

“Oh… Disrespectful? Where are the naive Heaven dwellers who don’t realize Abamama wishes for rest… And chaos to that extent? The world won’t collapse over a minor disturbance. At most, a few Celestials might suffer. But aren’t Celestials transient beings anyway? Who will remember after some time passes… Neglecting for a moment, when you look again, what swells up are Celestials.”

“How can you make such dismal remarks…! Stories are formed by the hearts of those transient Celestials! Without them, there would be no stories…! Even we…”

Recalling the conversation of that day, Elder Dongbangsak seemed to be in agony, sighing deeply before lowering his head.

The events that followed were predictable.

Utilizing his inherited abilities from the Jade Emperor and his status as the successor, he secretly entered the forbidden library…

It is said that by accumulating merits through the story, he ultimately received punishment, turning into a beast and being thrown into the cycle of reincarnation.

Guilt filled the face of the Elder who had just finished the story.

Although he had already received the punishment he deserved… he still felt his heart boiling with anger.

Sigh… What was lacking in the Jade Emperor’s son that he committed the sin…!

I understand why you said it would be difficult for the Emperor to answer that question.

Even thinking back to the way the Emperor embraced and wept over me at our first meeting, it was evident to anyone that parental love is excruciating…

How painful must it have been to punish a beloved child.

If I had ignorantly asked the Emperor about this, how remorseful I would have been…

No, I was already remorseful.

Look at the expression on Elder Dongbangsak’s face.

Calling him Master, implying that the deer was Elder Dongbangsak’s disciple…

How burdened he must have felt with guilt, thinking he had taught his disciple wrong.

Approaching the Elder with bowed head, I gently embraced him.

“Elder, I think that way. It’s not your fault. I’ve read that deer’s heart.”

“……”

“Elder, please teach me properly. How to use merits. How to handle stories, from A to Z.”

“… My child.”

“I’ll show you. That your teachings were not wrong. I’ll prove that the deer’s actions weren’t your fault… So you won’t have to be so distressed anymore. Please be my true Master. Elder.”

“……”

“Elder?”

Despite my questioning, the Elder simply stared at me with wide eyes, mouth agape.”