Chapter 1253: Scorched World

Dawn.

Mi Hyoran called me. Not anyone else, just me.

Upon hearing the news, I immediately followed the guide. The place I arrived at next was the same place I had visited earlier that day.

“You’ve arrived.”

As soon as I arrived, Mi Hyoran greeted me. Ah, well, she wasn’t really greeting me. I felt a somewhat glaring gaze.

“Sorry for calling you out since dawn.”

“You don’t look sorry.”

“I just look that way.”

No, you don’t. You really don’t look sorry?

I wanted to point something out, but I held back for now. It wasn’t the time to be discussing things like that.

“So, why did you call me?”

To my question, Mi Hyoran crossed her legs.

“I thought we needed to talk.”

“Talking is good. Though what we talk about is what matters.”

“Young Master Baek.”

“Yes.”

“First, I have a question.”

A chill ran down my spine. I averted my gaze. I sensed a faint residual energy. A killing intent wafted subtly.

“Where have you been until now?”

Where was this killing intent coming from? It wasn’t that I couldn’t sense it, but it was faint.

‘What kind of person is this?’

It was baffling. Could there be energy I couldn’t sense? I never knew there were people who could hide their presence so well.

‘Even if the energy I possess is low.’

It was strange not to feel someone’s presence like this. While focusing on that, I first answered Mi Hyoran’s question.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s a question exactly as stated. Where have you been until now?”

“I’ve been here and there.”

“I haven’t heard anything about you. Even after searching for quite some time. I even asked those who might know. But I heard nothing. Where on earth have you been?”

I sensed suspicion in her eyes. The fact that she had been looking for me caught my attention.

“You were looking for me? Why?”

“Because it seemed like you definitely came with us, but you weren’t visible. But I gave up on that a while ago. Anyway…”

Kkiik.

Mi Hyoran rested her chin on her hand, making a sound from her chair.

“The fact that you haven’t shown up until now means you’re either dead… or…”

At that moment.

Seureung.

A sound came from the sheath of the Cheollyong Brigade Leader beside me.

“You became an Apostle. It had to be one of the two.”

“…Hmm.”

“That’s why I’m asking. Where have you been until now?”

“In other words, you’re suspecting me of being an Apostle?”

“That’s right.”

“Even after I met Poison Phoenix and came back after killing an Apostle? Didn’t I tell you we confirmed it with blood?”

“Well…”

Even when I said I had killed an Apostle, Mi Hyoran’s reaction didn’t change.

“There’s no proof to back that up.”

“Ah…”

I nodded. That was true. So.

“What do you want me to do about it?”

Annoyance was starting to rise. It was slightly better that she was being so openly suspicious, but I felt like we needed to reach a conclusion soon.

“This guy…”

At my tone, the Cheollyong Brigade Leader tightened his grip on the hilt. He looked ready to draw it at any moment, but Mi Hyoran held up a hand towards him. It meant not yet.

“Are you going to handcuff me to check or something?”

“That would indeed be the fastest way.”

“Then bring them. I’ll let you confirm it.”

I pushed it. If I were handcuffed, it would obviously be the same situation as last time. Still, I pushed it. The reason was simple.

‘There’s some other meaning behind this.’

It’s because I didn’t think Mi Hyoran was simply curious about whether I was an Apostle or not. If she was curious about me being an Apostle.

‘She wouldn’t have done it this way; she would have confirmed it and brought me here.’

She would have properly checked me at the entrance when I first arrived. But for her to not do that and come to this point now…

‘What is she trying to find out?’

It means she’s trying to find out something.

Even if I don’t know what it is.

“…Hmm.”

Mi Hyoran nodded her head.

Meeting her gaze, I continued speaking.

“If you’re not going to check, stop playing games and state your purpose. What is it?”

“…”

Wrinkles formed between Mi Hyoran’s brows. And I heard a small sigh.

“I was hoping to draw this out a bit longer. You noticed, didn’t you?”

“Anyone who doesn’t notice is an idiot.”

“Then there are more foolish people in the world than you might think.”

“That’s none of my business.”

“…”

Perhaps it was because my words were a bit rough, but Mi Hyoran’s expression crumpled. I could feel it in her eyes. She looked like she was wondering how I was raised.

‘…I guess I didn’t receive much of that.’

I had nothing much to say about that part, so I moved on.

“State your purpose. I don’t want to exert myself since dawn. Are you really curious if I’m an Apostle?”

“No. Whether Young Master Baek is an Apostle or not isn’t that important. Honestly, I don’t even think you are an Apostle.”

“What makes you think I’m not?”

“If you were an Apostle, you wouldn’t have come here. And Poison Phoenix wouldn’t have returned alive. Furthermore.”

Mi Hyoran said, tapping the armrest of her chair.

“An Apostle… wouldn’t feel like you do right now.”

“Feel? Is it because I don’t have horns?”

“I’m not talking about outward appearance. Anyway. I didn’t think you were an Apostle.”

“Then what are you trying to probe?”

“Earlier. You asked about the Cheongryong Brigade Leader… that is, Young Master Gu.”

“Yes.”

I heard he was dead. I didn’t believe it, and I still don’t. My father is dead?

‘I can’t believe it.’

I thought it couldn’t be true. There was no physical evidence or proof, but I had that belief.

And.

“Young Master Gu did not die.”

Mi Hyoran gave the answer to my question at that time.

I wasn’t surprised. Because I thought so.

“Then why did they say he was dead?”

“…Because it’s no different from him being dead.”

“What do you mean?”

He didn’t die, but it’s no different than if he had? I didn’t understand the meaning.

I needed more explanation. So, I looked at Mi Hyoran, waiting for an answer.

“Young Master Gu…”

Mi Hyoran said to me.

“He became an Apostle.”

“…What?”

It was about an unbelievable fact.

---

Kkiiiiik.

Kyaaaaaaa–!!!

Howling sounds spread in all directions. The monsters filling the ground all let out cries. That noise filled not only the ground but also the sky.

The vibrations were about to burst. In a state of daze, someone quietly murmured.

“…Quiet.”

With those words.

Ttuk-!

The monsters that had been crying noisily fell silent in an instant. A woman. The one called the Sword Empress Eulyeong smiled, looking at the monsters.

“Well done.”

At the gentle and kind voice, the monsters bowed their heads. Behind her, folded wings and a slender tail swayed.

She was alluring. Her appearance had changed quite a bit somewhere. And.

“The additional child has died.”

The Sword Empress spoke, swaying her tail. At her words, the person standing behind her opened their eyes.

“Even though it wasn’t a particularly outstanding child, it wasn’t the kind to disappear so easily. It’s strange, isn’t it?”

“…”

He didn’t answer the question. He just quietly looked at the Sword Empress. Their gazes met, and the Sword Empress smiled slightly.

“You’re still taciturn.”

He spoke little and was quiet. Since he was someone who just quietly did his job, I wasn’t particularly surprised.

The Sword Empress continued speaking, looking at the young man.

“It’s been a long time since an Apostle died. The last time was when Biju. He eliminated two in succession.”

The Apostle sent to capture Biju returned crushed beyond recognition. It seemed he wasn’t dead, but since he was damaged beyond saving, I remembered him being disposed of.

This was the first time something like this had happened since then.

“I sent them off gladly upon hearing they found the Dangmun child. What sad news.”

It was a child she had kept her eye on. Because they possessed such brilliant potential, she thought they were necessary for the future.

“…It seems there was something around them.”

Something must have been beside the Dangmun child. That’s probably why the Apostle failed.

So the Sword Empress was curious. Curious about which warrior managed to defeat an Apostle.

As long as they possessed divine power, a warrior could never defeat an Apostle. That was the law of this world.

But an Apostle died. There had never been a case where their very existence vanished like this; it was incomprehensible.

Therefore, she needed to confirm.

“Looking at the location where they died, it’s a bit of a long way, but could you go and check it out?”

When she made the request, the young man finally opened his lips and spoke.

“Understood.”

“You’re finally letting me hear your voice.”

“…”

The Sword Empress didn’t get angry at his demeanor.

She thought that even this much was enough. After all, they were only by her side for each other’s purposes.

“I ask this of you.”

Without a sound, the young man turned his back. Amidst his expressionless face, flames ignited from his toes.

Gray flames enveloped his body. When the flames disappeared, the young man had also vanished from his spot.

“Hmm…”

Watching him, the Sword Empress turned her head again.

“You can cry now.”

Kkiaaaaaa!

Kiaaa–!!

As soon as permission was granted, the monsters that had fallen silent began to cry out again. Even with the noise filling the space once more, the Sword Empress had an unfazed expression.

No, rather, she seemed comfortable.

Since she could erase the things she didn’t want to think about with that noise, there couldn’t have been anything better.

“Ah…”

The Sword Empress simply wished.

“Soon…”

That she could see her child after this matter was over.

It was a choice made for this.

She just longed and longed for it.