episode_0067

『I realized it one day. The reason humans compare old age to twilight is because they want their lives to be as brilliant as the sun.』

“Haa…! Haaaa…!”

Dusk as the setting sun sets.

Eunha barely managed to get out of the walkway and was breathing heavily.

Her haggard appearance, as if she had come back from the dead, could not escape the realm of a corpse, to put it kindly.

Would this be what it would feel like if a corpse that had been eaten by a wild beast came alive and moved?

Thanks to [self-recovery], the area where the monster had chewed on only left a scar, but the nape of the neck, where the wound was deepest, had not yet recovered, leaving white bone exposed.

The blood-covered hoodie was torn to shreds and had lost most of its function as clothing, so Eunha somehow tied the tattered hoodie to cover her body.

『Unlike us, the sun will rise again and again… and yet we hope to be the sun.』

“Haa…! Haha…! Grandpa…! I found it!”

『Hehe… you had a lot of trouble climbing the mountain. How have you been?』

“Can’t you tell when you see it? Sigh…!”

A circular, open space. Eunha found an old man sitting peacefully on a wooden bench and collapsed on the floor.

The sight of him gasping for breath and clutching the hollowed back of his neck looks quite painful.

Did I use all my strength to get here? She was leaning against the carrier holding the [Black Book] and taking a deep breath, wiping the cold sweat from her forehead and looking around.

An open space. An old man sitting on a bench.

In the center of the vacant lot, the blue dragon statue, the symbol of the [Blue Dragon Guild], shows off its majestic appearance.

This is the place where I met the wise old man before.

But when I look back,

A huge ridge rising high into the sky was visible, along with a walking path covered in dense trees.

The mountain peaks were not visible because of the hazy fog.

This is halfway up the mountain.

A place where travelers who are tired from arduous mountain climbing can take a breather.

It seems as if Euncheon-gu Park has been relocated to the side of a huge mountain.

For some reason, there were a lot of uphill paths on the trail. It was a mountain path.

“Haa…! I did a good job of hiking!”

『If you breathe in the clean air and walk around nature, your body and mind will feel refreshed.』

“Oh, grandpa, please be quiet. I’m having a hard time.”

『Silent bastard.』

My whole body hurts, but he keeps talking to me.

Eunha got up from her seat and staggered into the clearing.

Are there clouds hanging over the mountain? Visibility is limited due to the hazy fog.

As if surrounded by a transparent shield, only the open space and walking path are clearly visible.

The rest of the outside scenery was obscured by thick fog, so that only the outline could be barely discerned.

It is a mysterious yet eerie sight.

“Ha… It’s hard. My clothes are a mess. From now on, I’ll have to pack my clothes in my suitcase too.”

『Isn’t there a lot of stamina left?』

“No, is your physical strength a problem now? I almost died from the pain. I’m even more upset because I didn’t die.”

Prison…

Eunha sat down next to the old man and hit his shoulder with her fist.

The old man’s body is slightly pushed along with a soft sound.

Although it may seem like a very controversial action on the surface, the old man in front of her was no ordinary being, so Eunha didn’t care and just punched her until she got angry.

Prison… Prison…

To what extent was it beaten? The old man slowly lifted his butt and walked away from Eunha.

The intimidating feeling of a huge tree lifting its roots and moving. However, Eunha did not give up and continued to follow and throw punches.

“Huh? Grandpa, why has the park suddenly become like this? What is that trail?”

『Do you remember what you said last time? It was intentionally hidden. You are here to meet this old man, so there is no need for any other rules.』

“You mean the guide? Did you see any other ‘rules’ today?”

The old man continued to speak casually even though he was hit on the shoulder by Eunha’s soft fist.

Like a grandfather playing with his grandson at an amusement park, his turquoise eyes are full of kindness.

The fog surrounding the vacant lot sways back and forth like an octopus’ foot.

『There was an accident recently. Someone broke the ‘rules’. So, for the time being, we cannot arbitrarily modify the rules.』

“…Oh, is it because of the department store?… If I had known that would happen, I should have come later. I got bitten by a wild animal while hiking for no reason. What are you going to do with my hoodie?”

Eunha frowned at the throbbing sensation in the back of her neck.

Ang! Oh my!

At that time, something hiding under the bench let out an angry cry and jumped at Eunha’s feet.

Eunha, who had been venting her anger by punching the old man on the shoulder, looked down at the angry cries of a newly born puppy.

“Wow… what is this, potatoes are rolling around.”

It was such a small puppy that I thought it must have been a year old.

He was flopping down at Eunha’s feet, rubbing his plump buttocks on the floor and looking up at her.

Brown fur as fluffy as cotton candy. I couldn’t even see the sturdy legs, so I thought it was a round potato rolling around.

At the appearance of the extremely cute cutie, Eunha, who was tapping the old man’s shoulder with her soft fist, let out a sincere admiration.

Is there such a creature?

​

“Grandpa. What is this puppy? Is it yours?”

『I am the gatekeeper of this place.』

“Why are you using such a small potato as a gatekeeper? Our apartment also has an elderly person guarding it, but you don’t work? If you sit still, your bones will get sore.”

『Someone said it. What you see is not everything.』

“Ang! Aang!”

The frowning puppy got angry like fire. Is it true that he is a gatekeeper?

Perhaps it was because her body had changed like this, but Eunha was so fascinated by the cute lump sitting at her feet that she couldn’t come to her senses.

Eunha, who was looking down at the guy who looked as ugly as a steamed bun with a melted expression, soon grabbed the dog’s side and lifted it up to eye level.

The puppy lifted by her struggled as hard as he could, swinging his feeble front and hind paws. He seems so angry that he sticks out his tongue and pants.

​

“Wow… what breed is this?”

“Ang! Hae-aeng!”

“Wow, did you eat meat curry today? It must have been delicious.”

​

Eunha held a potato as soft as cotton candy in her arms and gently rocked her body.

The peace of mind that came after being mauled by a wild animal on the trail… Aren’t pets a sanctuary for the mind?

But her house is too dangerous to have pets.

So let’s enjoy the moment. Eunha healed her devastated spirit by stroking the soft belly of the puppy she was holding like a baby.

The puppy, which had been meowing softly, also seemed to realize that she was not a bad person, so it stopped struggling and panted quietly.

Saliva drips from the sticking out tongue.

The ‘thing’ in Eunha’s arms quietly twitches her pale chest exposed through her tattered hoodie.

『In any world, stories of beasts trying to become humans are common.』

“Ha… I think my grandfather survived thanks to this guy. Otherwise, I would hit him until his shoulders were hollow.”

『Hehehe! Okay, be careful from now on.』

“I wish I knew. I’m sorry for hitting you.”

A conversation interrupted by the appearance of a rolling potato.

Eunha held the puppy in her arms and absentmindedly admired the scenery outside.

An open space on the side of a mountain. It wasn’t a very nice view because the surrounding fog obstructed her vision.

However, the quiet atmosphere and the bright yellow light of the sunset breaking through the fog gradually restore Eunha’s mental strength that was lost on the trail.

『The sunset seen from the mountain is also quite charming.』

“I can’t see anything because of the fog.”

『… … I realized it one day. The most beautiful scenery is only completed when memories are mixed together.』

The wise old man pointed his finger beyond the fog.

Wrinkled hands. A shabby hand, scribbled over time, guides the galaxy.

As I moved my gaze through the fog, following the tips of the old man’s fingers… very vaguely, I could see a building.

A structure so huge that even perspective is ignored,

It stands proudly beyond the mountains in the distance.

Because of the thick fog, all I could see was an outline, but even that alone made me feel overwhelmed.

A weight that weighs down the soul. I asked the old man while stroking the soft belly of the puppy in my arms.

“…What is that?”

『A long time ago, there was a young man.』

But the old man,

‘It’, which contains immeasurable wisdom in its turquoise eyes,

Instead of answering Eunha’s question, he extended his hand toward the structure visible through the fog.

『His job was to go to the clock tower and ring the bell when the time came.』

Taaah!

The old man snapped his fingers.

lightly.

Like shaking off the traces of time on a blanket.

And the galaxy,

From the old man’s just gesture… I felt a flow of ‘energy’.

Deang—-!

The bell rang.

Long ago, a magnificent bell sounded from the clock tower.

The sound that announces the end of dusk.

And, visible beyond the dark guidance,

It was also the sound coming from that huge structure.

Eunha’s body reflexively flinched.

『The man rang the bell.』

『Because the huge bell ringing the heavens and earth was the only way to prove that he was alive in this world.』

『As if marking the passage of time day by day, the man rang the bell.』

Deeng—-!

The bell rings.

The sound that announces the end of dusk.

At the same time, bright yellow waves resembling a sunset emanate from the huge ‘bell tower’ that disturbs human perspective.

The waves of the sunset resemble the sound of a bell.

Holding the weight of time in its arms, it spreads out majestically, as if chasing after the time that has passed away.

『The man thought he was giving time to this world.』

『It was always his bell that signaled the beginning of the day and the end of the day.』

Deeng—-!

The bell rings and stretches out.

With waves containing the sunset.

The wave passed all the way up the mountainside where the two people were, and disappeared beyond the thick fog.

Eunha felt an unknown ‘energy’ in the sunset light passing by her skin.

『You don’t ring the bell to tell others the time,』

『I thought that by ringing the bell, time passes in this world.』

『… … It was the thought of an unwise, infinitely foolish person.』

The wise old man says:

Ringing a bell.

Without even asking why Eunha came to see him or what concerns he had.

Like an old tree deeply rooted in the earth, he just looks at her with clear blue-green eyes.

Deeng—!

The bell rings.

The sound that announces the end of dusk.

The sound of time passing.

Every time the waves of sunset light spread out from the huge ‘bell tower’,

Eunha blinked as if embarrassed by the flow of ‘energy’ she felt for the first time.

Deeng—!

The bell rings.

Until dusk ends, again and again.

『A long time ago, so long ago that no one remembers.』

『Humans in a certain world built a huge bell tower that stretched to the end of the world.』

The wise old man held out his hand.

With a kind smile.

The wrinkled and shabby skin that has been scratched by time is dyed in the glow of the sunset.

『I realized it one day. Wisdom develops further through people.』

『Then, if two people exchange one piece of wisdom endlessly…』

『Should it really be called development?』

Deeng ㅡㅡㅡ.

A ringing bell.

The fog gets thicker by the minute.

Eunha held the old man’s hand as if she were possessed by something.

Passyuk…

And, the galaxy’s hands crumble like old parchment,

[Self-healing] begins to move mana in her body.