Chapter 964: Lost Soul.

I looked at the hand blocking my way.

A thin, slightly pale hand. My body trembled at Noy’s grip.

I tried to move my body somehow, but ultimately couldn’t.

It wasn’t just the strength of Noy’s grip; I was also forcing myself to endure.

Kkadeudeuk.

My bones resonated. As I struggled to endure, repeating shallow breaths.

“Sssseuuu.”

I managed to block it somehow. But even as I did, my gaze followed the figures who had passed behind me.

“Calm yourself.”

Noy said, gripping my shoulder.

“…”

I didn’t answer. Only after blankly watching the two people disappear into the crowd did I…

“What was that…?”

I could ask Noy.

“What I just saw. Was that… real?”

What I just saw. Or rather, what I felt.

To my question of whether it was real, Noy replied with a slight frown.

“How would I know? I’m just as bewildered.”

Noy didn’t seem to know much about the situation either. Noy’s expression, proving it, wasn’t exactly pleasant.

That meant…

‘It wasn’t my imagination.’

The sensation I just felt.

It was the certainty that it wasn’t just my imagination.

So then…

‘Why…?’

Why are they here? I had hoped it was a mistake. But if it wasn’t a mistake, it was even more problematic.

Kkuuk.

“….”

I suppressed the sensation in my hand and recalled.

I couldn’t meet Mother right now. Not in this state, at least.

I kept reminding myself of that. Noy’s reason for telling me must have been that too, but…

“Fuck….”

It wasn’t as easy as I thought.

Especially seeing them pass right before my eyes.

Setting aside why they appeared here…

‘Are they telling me to just let them go like this?’

Thinking that, I had to watch the direction the two had disappeared for a long time.

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

“Hmm?”

A woman walking down the street suddenly stopped. Then she turned her head and looked back.

“What is it?”

She looked back, perhaps sensing something unusual, but all she saw was the dense crowd.

“Hmm….”

The woman pondered, looking at the crowd. Should she lift her veil for a moment to check?

She thought of it, but then shook her head slightly and looked forward again.

Lifting the veil now wouldn’t be good.

The moment she lifted it, unnecessary trouble would arise.

Having come down after so long, she wanted to leave quietly if possible.

Of course.

‘Something… feels off.’

Something felt strange.

A faint sense that she shouldn’t just pass by brushed against her.

What had she passed by so far? She had passed so many children that none stood out in her memory.

Within the veil covering her face, crimson eyes moved.

Her jewel-like eyes shifted slightly, then glanced at the woman beside her.

“Daughter.”

“…”

At the woman’s call, the veiled woman, Yar-ang, looked at her.

“Did you happen to see anything strange?”

To the woman’s question, Yar-ang paused for a moment, then quickly shook her head.

“Really?”

The woman smiled, seemingly convinced without suspicion.

“Alright. From now on, you must truly be my eyes and ears. Guide me well.”

To the woman’s words, Yar-ang nodded once again.

However, Yar-ang’s expression, as she said that, was fixed on the path they had walked.

After observing the crowd for a moment, the woman moved, and Yar-ang followed again.

“Hmm.”

The woman looked around as she moved from place to place.

“It’s changed a lot since I last saw it.”

When was the last time I saw it? It was too far in the past to count.

Back then, it was just overgrown with bushes, so it was quite novel to see something like this.

“As always. Time really flies, doesn’t it?”

Yar-ang nodded at the woman’s words.

Time changes in the blink of an eye.

Mortal time never aligns. Time simply exists.

The flow that came from it wasn’t particularly important to the woman.

That’s why.

That’s why.

‘She doesn’t care.’

Because time is infinite, it holds no meaning. Meaning is beautiful precisely because it is finite.

But it wasn’t like that for the woman; her essence had faded as a result.

Thus, even while seeing the changed Yawal, she found it novel but felt no excessive sentiment.

“Hmm.”

Looking around, the woman’s uniquely beautiful eyes were visible, but the light within them had somewhat dimmed.

What was she looking at now?

She tried to capture it in her eyes, but it wasn’t captured beautifully.

No, she probably didn’t want to capture it that way either.

Since capturing it would be useless anyway, there was no need to imbue it with meaning or try to remember it.

This was the world she should be in, and the place she must protect as an existence, that was true, but…

It was just that.

That’s what this land was to the woman.

I want to remember and capture it.

When was the last time I lived feeling that way?

I couldn’t remember that either.

‘Memory.’

Is there any need to remember anything?

Have I ever tried to do that?

Just as the woman was walking, pondering that.

“Ah.”

The woman’s eyes widened as she discovered something. Then…

Kkung-!

In a secluded spot, something landed as if falling from the air.

It was a young man with light green hair. The woman looked at him with a composed expression.

“…Greetings, Master….”

Yusa bowed respectfully, his expression tense.

“It’s been a while.”

As the woman spoke in a gentle tone, Yusa swallowed and bowed his head even deeper.

“Why has a noble being graced this humble place…?”

“Humble, you say.”

The woman chuckled slightly at Yusa’s words.

“Where on this land could be considered humble?”

“…”

Yusa’s lips moved at the floral scent wafting past his nose.

It seemed he had made a slight slip of the tongue.

“…I apologize. How dare I….”

“It’s alright. I wasn’t seeking an apology.”

Sarak. The woman approached Yusa. A sensation of nothingness.

Yusa flinched at the near-null sensation.

How can one be so devoid of feeling?

“Lift your head.”

Yusa obeyed and lifted his head.

Then, he met the woman’s crimson eyes.

Seuuk.

The woman stroked Yusa’s cheek with her pale hand.

“Would my coming here specifically cause you any trouble?”

“…How could that be? There is no place on this land that our Master cannot traverse.”

The woman smiled faintly at Yusa’s unwavering words. And then…

“That’s good. Then, may I ask you a few things?”

“…I shall listen attentively.”

Yusa prostrated himself, almost lying flat on the floor.

His wagging tail had long since stilled, and his perked ears were flattened.

He had shown every possible courtesy.

Seeing this, the woman asked.

“I heard something interesting happened recently.”

“…!”

Yusa’s tail twitched slightly at the woman’s words.

“Things happen, that’s understandable… but it sounds like the first I’m hearing of it.”

“…It’s not that. We were just about finished with verification. I intended to report after gathering concrete information.”

“Is that so?”

“It really i….”

[Is that so?]

“…!”

Deolkeong-! Yusa’s body jolted violently at the woman’s voice.

His heart. Even his soul within flinched.

The sensation of his throat tightening. It felt like receiving an order.

“…It really… is.”

“I see.”

As soon as he managed to answer, the crushing pressure vanished.

Only then could Yusa breathe properly.

“So, does that mean you’ll tell me later?”

“…If you wish. I can tell you right now.”

“No, that’s fine.”

The woman refused Yusa’s offer.

“You say you’ll tell me when the time is right. I’ll wait.”

Waiting was no issue at all.

As I mentioned earlier, time meant nothing to the woman.

“Hearing your answer is enough. Sorry for interrupting.”

“Not at all….”

“How long do you plan to stay here?”

Asking how much longer he’d be in his own country.

It was a strange question, but there was a reason she asked.

“I will depart immediately tomorrow.”

This was because the woman had entrusted Yusa with a separate task.

“Alright. Then, rest well.”

The woman turned her back immediately, as if she had nothing more to say.

Seeing that, Yusa hastily spoke up.

“Master… are you returning now?”

“Hmm. No.”

The woman shook her head slightly at Yusa’s question.

“Not immediately….”

The woman hesitated in her answer, then looked at Yar-ang beside her and said.

“I think I’ll go for a little stroll now.”

“A stroll… you say.”

“That’s right. A stroll.”

The woman said so and walked away slowly.

She moved away from Yusa as if she had no lingering attachment.

Yusa had to bite his lip slightly as he watched Yar-ang follow the woman.

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

After that, the place the woman headed to with Yar-ang was a park in the center of the castle.

It was like a quiet space barely existing within the chaotic castle.

She strolled calmly through the park, looking around.

Passing through areas that were only buildings, arriving here felt a bit strange.

Yar-ang followed her obediently, watching her.

How much.

Until when.

And for what purpose.

If she wanted to ask these things, she could have, but…

Yar-ang did not.

Not only could she not ask questions, but even if she could, she wouldn’t have been able to.

She just quietly watched the woman.

Just then.

“Daughter.”

The woman spoke to Yar-ang.

“You know, it seems…”

Her tone, as always, was gentle yet serene.

Beyond the softly spoken words.

The woman added the rest.

It was…

“It looks like it’s time to change the General.”

Unlike her gentle tone, the words were rather chilling.