Chapter 991: The Divine Tree and the Master.

What is it.

What happened?

Being caught from behind was one thing. This was an unexpected voice and situation.

‘Why…….’

How did Mother…? No, why is Master here?

I didn’t need to turn around to see her face.

I knew it the moment I heard the voice.

Because of that, my mind snapped to attention and my body tensed up on its own.

What should I do?

‘Why.’

Why is she here?

Why here, of all places?

‘The place where the Black Leader is.’

This is the residence of the Black Leader, whom I corrupted into a demon.

I couldn’t help but panic that Master had come to that place.

What’s my current condition?

‘What do you mean, ‘how am I’? I’m in a total mess.’

I was wearing black clothes and had changed my body to pretend to be Cheonma.

“Excuse me? Can you hear me?”

“…….”

I swallowed dryly at Master’s voice.

“Hmm.”

A low voice. I sensed that staying silent after hearing that would only lead to trouble.

“……Why are you talking-“

Before more words could be heard, I turned around.

“……Who are you?”

“Oh my.”

As I turned and met her gaze, Master let out a surprised sound.

Her eyes widened as she looked at me. I could confirm it seeing her face.

‘Shoot.’

It was Master, just as I’d suspected. She was wrapped in cloth like last time, but there was no way I wouldn’t recognize her.

My hand fiddled with the mask I was clutching. I’d discreetly tucked it behind my back when I turned around.

Master, who had been staring at my face, tilted her head slightly.

Did she notice something was off? As the knot of tension tightened in my stomach…

“Are you going inside?”

“…….”

Master pointed at the door with her hand. Looking at that hand, I said,

“……I was planning on it.”

“Oh, darn. Could you perhaps let me go first? Like I said earlier, I have something urgent to attend to.”

I frowned at her words, delivered with a sweet smile as if asking a favor. The gentle smile was the same as the one I’d seen in the past. It made me shut my mouth before I even realized it.

However.

“That might be a bit difficult.”

Still, I had to say it. If I couldn’t act with my face, I’d just go blank. That was my go-to move based on past experience.

I tried to keep my face stiff, but Master made this weird expression when she heard me. What kind of expression was it? Was she mad I dared to refuse? Or was it an expression of someone who had noticed something? My mind was racing.

“Excuse me.”

Master said to me.

“Haven’t we met somewhere before?”

“…….”

At those words, I almost scrunched up my face without meaning to.

She doesn’t recognize me? Even with my appearance-altering magic? And Master doesn’t recognize me?

Maybe she recognized me and is just playing dumb? I thought so, but…

‘Well…?’

The vibe I was getting suggested otherwise. This wasn’t a certainty either, but that’s how it felt right now.

“I don’t know. This is the first time I’m meeting you.”

“Hmm… Is that so?”

Master tilted her head, then casually stepped closer and reached out her hand. I froze when I saw her hand. Should I push it away? It was moving slowly enough that I could have, but I decided to wait and see. I needed to figure out what she was up to.

Master’s hand stopped short, hovering right near my cheek. What was she doing? Trying to touch me? I stared at her hand, giving her my best ‘what the heck?’ look.

“Ah, sorry. It just slipped out.”

“…….”

Master mumbled, retracting her hand with an embarrassed look.

“That’s weird. I could have sworn I’ve seen you somewhere.”

“…If you don’t have any business here, may I go in first?”

“Ah.”

Master was about to nod at my words when…

“Hold on.”

Just when I thought she was finally letting me go, Master grabbed my arm.

“Are you, by any chance, one of the staff here?”

I had to pause at the question that followed.

A staff member here? I thought about it for a split second. I couldn’t hesitate.

“No, I am not.”

“Hmm, I see. Then a customer?”

“Something like that.”

Master nodded again, seemingly satisfied with my answer. ‘Did that do the trick?’ I thought, feeling a brief moment of relief.

“But why aren’t you finding me suspicious?”

Master asked, her eyes suddenly sharp.

“……!”

I nearly choked.

Her voice was still calm and soft, but I felt a strange ripple in the air around her. I definitely wouldn’t have noticed this before. Or maybe… maybe I could only sense it at night, not during the day. My heightened senses were going wild.

My instincts screamed at me: ‘Be careful! Things could get seriously bad here! Stay tense! Stay vigilant!’

My brain, which had been idling along carelessly, suddenly kicked into high gear.

“An important person must be staying here. Yet you’re not surprised when I approach casually?”

“Why aren’t you asking who I am when I say I’m going in?”

Those words sent a chill down my spine.

I knew I couldn’t mess this up. After carefully choosing my words, I said,

“I just came as a guest. Seeing you moving around so peacefully, I assumed you were a guest like me. Weren’t you?”

“Hmmmm.”

Master’s eyes narrowed slightly at my explanation. I’d just blurted that out, but would it work? What if it didn’t? Would I have to fight?

‘……Fight Mother?’

Even if she didn’t remember me and had become some dangerous entity… I had to fight Mother here? Forget winning or losing, I just didn’t want to. A deep-seated rejection surged within me.

But.

Squeeze.

I slowly tightened my grip on the hands hidden behind my back. If I had to, I wouldn’t back down. Even if I couldn’t win, I wouldn’t die without putting up a fight.

As I slowly focused my energy towards my heart, thinking this…

“I see.”

Master said.

“Yes, that makes sense.”

And with that, she spun around.

“I did have something urgent, but since you do too, I’ll let you have it. I’m actually running late anyway.”

“…….”

She walked away lightly, the very picture of grace.

“Goodbye. I don’t know who you are, but… Oh.”

She stopped mid-stride and looked back at me.

“If you could, would you pass on a message?”

Master’s face was beaming, like a beautiful flower. Just like the Mother I remembered.

“When the next full moon rises, come up to the hill.”

* * *

After Master left, I stood there for ages. My heart refused to calm down, and I couldn’t stop wiping the cold sweat off my face.

“Huuuuuu…….”

I finally exhaled the breath I’d been holding in. A sigh that had been coiling inside me. But even after letting it out, the tension, which had solidified instead of fading, wouldn’t ease up.

‘……Haa.’

I ran a hand over my chest. It was unbelievable.

‘What was that?’

What could I even call that?

I felt nothing, yet paradoxically, I was flooded with information. It was ridiculous that I hadn’t sensed her presence at all. The sheer presence of Master, which I’d just witnessed firsthand, was bone-chillingly terrifying.

Was this because I’d become a Wolya Tribe member and gotten stronger? Things I couldn’t see before were now visible. I didn’t feel anything from Master herself, but… on the outside? Or maybe the inside?

‘Something vast is bound.’

Vaguely, almost transparently. A subtle shimmer on Master’s surface. It was faint, yet deeply unsettling, radiating an intense presence that made me tremble. How could something so faint feel so overwhelming? I couldn’t comprehend it.

‘This… isn’t just about being strong.’

It wasn’t something you could just call ‘strong.’ This was…

‘Lofty.’

A presence so high, so lofty, it was almost painful to look up. That’s what I felt from Master.

“…….”

I forced the sweat from my brow. Did Master really leave?

Even so, I’d still been thinking of her as Mother. But seeing… that… made me seriously doubt if she really was the same being.

“Hoo…….”

I sighed again and reached for the doorknob. I’d been debating whether to go in or not right up until now, but…

Creeeak-!

I decided to go in after all. The door opened, and I stepped inside.

The moment I stepped inside, the occupant inside looked at me. Its eyes widened and its body flinched.

“You….”

The Black Leader took a defensive stance, seeing me. I’d already put my mask back on.

Checking its body beyond the mask…

‘The demonic energy is there.’

The demonic energy I’d implanted last time was still present. Confirming this, I spoke to the Black Leader.

“Been well?”

“…….”

“From the looks of it, not so much.”

This was the first time I’d seen him since turning him into a demon. His face was practically radiating caution and hostility. I could tell just by looking.

‘I felt it last time too, but complete corruption seems impossible.’

I’d infused him with demonic energy, turning him into a demon, but making him perfectly obedient… that didn’t seem possible.

‘Is this a Wolya Tribe thing? I’m not sure. It’s a curious point, but I’ll put it aside for now. I immediately addressed the guy.’

“Seems like another guest dropped by, besides me?”

I was talking about the Master I’d just met.

“What…?”

“When the next full moon rises, come up to the hill. That’s what she asked me to tell you.”

I mentioned Master’s words, trying to gauge the Black Leader’s reaction. It felt like a secret code, so I expected some kind of response.

“What are you talking about…? Full moon? Hill…?”

“Hm?”

The Black Leader’s reaction was odd. Was he playing dumb?

So, I focused my energy and asked again,

“Answer me properly.”

Vwoom–!!

“Ngh…!”

As the command took effect, the Black Leader groaned in pain.

“Seriously… I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

‘What the…’

The answer was still the same. I widened my eyes. He doesn’t know? Then why would she ask me to pass on that message…?

‘Huh?’

My thoughts stopped as I whipped my head back. Towards where Master had disappeared. A chilling thought slithered into my mind.

‘……That message.’

‘When the next full moon rises, come up to the hill.’

The words Master had asked me to pass on.

‘Could it be…’

…not a message for the Black Leader…

‘…it was meant for me?’

Since she’d already figured out I wasn’t just a guest.

‘Was she telling me to hear it?’

A shiver ran down my spine.

I turned my creaking neck to look at the Black Leader. Or rather, out the window of his room. Two moons hung in the sky. One was already close to a crescent, and the other was nearing its full phase.