Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 1023

Chapter 1023

Cheonma was gone.

I could no longer see her anywhere. She had been right behind me only a moment before—where could she have gone?

«Again. Without saying a thing.»

I scowled. I had brought her with me precisely to keep her close, and yet she had slipped away like this.

And of all times, now?

«Tsk.»

It was irritating, but she couldn’t have gone far. Based on her usual habits, she was never very far away.

«The issue is that she isn’t here right now.»

Though, to be honest, that wasn’t the real problem either.

«It’s not as if her presence would change anything, would it?»

It was only because of our recent exchange that I had instinctively looked for her. Whether she was here or not made little real difference.

So, I turned back to the spirit and asked,

«What does it mean for a soul to have a ‘neck’?»

«…….»

At my question, a flash of uncertainty passed over the spirit’s features. Her expression seemed to say, *How could you not know something like that?*

«Would the Lord of the Afterlife truly ask such a thing…? If this is a test of my unworthiness, then—»

«It is not. I ask because I genuinely wish to know. I am unfamiliar with your traditions.»

«…….»

She had just called me ‘Lord,’ so how could I not inquire?

Furthermore, she had mentioned embedding a tree into a soul. That was a concept I simply could not grasp.

«……A Divine Tree that acts as the link to complete the world. Since you carry it within yourself, that is why I said what I did.»

«I carry a Divine Tree?»

Hearing that, I placed a hand over my chest. A Divine Tree, she said. What could that mean?

«…Is it possible?»

I frowned, thinking back. If I had truly ‘carried’ something within me, then…

«Is she referring to what I received from Yahwol?»

Back then, when I touched the Divine Tree, I had distinctly felt an energy seeping into me. Could that be it?

«Is that why she believes I am her master?»

If this spirit’s misunderstanding originated from that event, then it was a logical conclusion.

However…

Perhaps because I continued to feign ignorance, a hint of doubt began to cloud her expression as well.

She now looked as if she was questioning whether I was truly her master. And if I was not her master, then what was I? A flicker of caution shone in her eyes.

«Hmm.»

I knew instinctively—if I made it too obvious that I was not her master, the situation would not proceed in my favor.

And as if to confirm that suspicion, the guards stationed behind her began to subtly radiate killing intent.

«…What to do?»

If I wanted to, I could eliminate them all. It would not be especially hard.

«But I haven’t learned enough yet.»

Disposing of this woman, who clearly possessed knowledge, would be a mistake.

I needed information. And I knew there was much I could gain here.

Moreover…

«The Divine Tree right there….»

I looked upward.

It was still day, but when I remembered the moon I had seen the previous night…

«There isn’t much time until the full moon.»

In only a few days, the full moon would appear. And when it did, the time my mother spoke of would arrive.

«The night of the full moon—she told me to meet her on the hill.»

The hill she mentioned had to be this very spot in Mareong Valley, where the Divine Tree stood.

The small hill itself was proof.

«That means I must remain here for a few days and wait for the appointed time.»

If that was the case, there was no reason to provoke a needless conflict.

Having made up my mind, I addressed the woman.

«I see… Just as I suspected.»

As I nodded, she reacted.

«You—»

«The test concludes now.»

I interrupted her.

«There was something I needed to verify, and so I tested you. For that, I apologize.»

«…!»

A slight smile touched my lips as I spoke, and the spirit’s eyes widened with understanding.

«As I believed…!»

Her expression showed she was now convinced she had been correct all along.

Seeing that, I turned my back to her.

My focus was entirely on the Divine Tree, my back presented to the woman.

If this was a performance, I could not let my face give me away.

«You said your name is Spirit?»

«That is correct, Great One.»

«Then, as you stated, I am a being from another world.»

«Ah….»

Her voice shook with reverence.

Why was she so deeply moved by me coming from another place?

I did not understand, but it didn’t matter—understanding could come later.

«I will ask you this. Why are all of you trapped here?»

Gathered in Mareong Valley, unable to depart—

That meant they were not here by choice.

I spoke as though I already knew the answer, and watched as the spirit immediately clasped her hands together and replied.

«…We are the descendants of the Seoksan lineage, the eternal guardians of Mareong Valley.»

«The Seoksan lineage?»

«Yes… A branch of the Moonlit Night Tribe, where those with the purest blood reside.»

«…I understand.»

Their blood was especially pure. That, I could comprehend.

«So they truly are part of the Moonlit Night Tribe.»

Not merely humans with beast-like ears and tails…

«There are also those who are nearly complete beasts.»

Aside from walking upright, some of them appeared almost identical to wild animals.

But the true question was…

«Then what about you?»

The others were one thing. But this one—this spirit—what was she?

Unlike the rest, she bore a strong resemblance to the Moonlit Night Tribe I recognized.

Even with her face veiled, her human features were apparent.

Her fox ears and tail confirmed her ancestry, but…

«You are different from the others.»

If her story was true, then shouldn’t she look more like them?

At my words, as if she had been waiting for this moment, the spirit spoke.

«…Among the Seoksan lineage, once every thousand years, a new kind is born to inherit the duty of the priestess.»

«A new kind?»

«Yes. The Lord of All Realms bestows their blessing, sending a child made in their image.»

«…What?»

Hearing that, my expression shifted as I looked at the spirit.

«She bears the master’s likeness?»

That meant…

«She resembles my mother?»

White hair, white ears, and a white tail.

Her veil hid her face, and even when I tried to sense what was behind it, it was impenetrable. The veil itself had to be an artifact, likely a spiritual tool.

«I apologize. I do not reveal my face because it resembles that of our Lord. It is forbidden to show it recklessly.»

Because she bore the face of the Lord of All Realms, she kept it covered with a veil.

That was the reason.

But…

«For what purpose?»

The Lord of All Realms—why did they create her kind, designating them as priestesses and bringing them to this place?

That question remained.

The spirit, her voice shaded with sorrow, continued to explain.

«…Originally, this was meant to be a land where our master’s will could be spread and delivered.»

Her gaze swept over our surroundings.

«Even Mareong Mountain was not always like this. It was once a far more vibrant and beautiful place.»

At a glance, it was still a decent-looking forest, but beyond its edges, it was different. Outside lay nothing but barren stone—no life, no vitality to be felt.

«So it was not always like this?»

It hadn’t always been just rock?

«But around two hundred years ago… when our master’s words ceased to reach us, a great change occurred.»

«A great change?»

«A being who called itself the ‘General’ appeared… and when the Chief arrived, all life on this mountain was erased.»

«…What?»

The Chief came, and life was wiped out?

«He began capturing everyone who originally lived on Mareong Mountain. For reasons unknown, the mountain lost its vitality, piece by piece. We were forced to flee.»

«…You fled from this General?»

«That is correct… With nowhere on the mountain to hide from his sight, we had no choice but to use the fragment our master left behind.»

«A fragment?»

The spirit carefully revealed an object in her hand. A shard of stone with a deep crimson color.

«It is a divine relic our master sent to the priestess.»

«…….»

The moment I saw it, I understood.

«…What kind of energy is that?»

The amount of power contained within that small fragment was staggering.

An overwhelming force, yet utterly foreign.

The instant I saw it, my body reacted on instinct.

«So you used this to create this space?»

«That is correct… This land is a sanctuary we fashioned using the power granted by our master.»

«Why did you not try to escape entirely?»

«…Because we cannot. Without the Chief’s permission, we are unable to leave Mareong Mountain….»

«Hmm.»

So when the Chief took control of Mareong Mountain, its life force dwindled.

He captured all the original inhabitants.

And to escape, they used the fragment’s power to create a hidden refuge.

After hearing all this, a question emerged.

«Then why is it that I can only sense your presence during the day?»

I had noticed the peculiarity of this space. Their presence was undetectable at night, but clear during the day.

If they were truly hiding from the Chief, they should not be releasing any trace of their existence at all.

«There’s no way that bastard wouldn’t notice.»

I had already experienced how sharp his senses were.

If these people had truly fled from him, then allowing their presence to be known was like inviting him to charge in.

At my question, the spirit answered,

«…The General of Mareong Mountain does not act during the day.»

«What?»

Now that was valuable information.

«He never moves while the sun is up. He only begins to act after nightfall. Knowing this…»

«You allow your presence to be felt more freely during the day?»

«That is correct.»

«…If that’s the case, I assume it is to conserve energy?»

«Y-yes… that is correct.»

When I deduced the reason, the spirit looked startled.

Even though that fragment held immense energy, it was ultimately a finite resource.

To sustain it for as long as possible, they had to conserve it.

«So when the Chief is inactive—or dormant—during the day, they reduce the density of the space to save power.»

That explained why I could only detect them during daylight.

With that thought, I folded my arms.

I now had a general grasp of the situation. At least, up to this point.

«Then, one final thing.»

I looked at the spirit.

«You said you were waiting for me. How was that possible?»

All this talk of a ‘great being’—the way they behaved as if they had been anticipating me.

The way they reacted as if they knew I would come.

That was the most crucial part for me.

Because of that belief…

«They are freely giving me all this information.»

The reason they were offering so much the instant I acknowledged being the Lord of the Afterlife—

That answer had to be hidden within this question as well.

As if she had been waiting for this, the spirit responded immediately.

«…Our master left us a message.»

«The master?»

«Yes. Two hundred years ago, when our master last spoke to us… they expressed regret for the hardships to come and, along with the fragment, gave us one final promise:

That another Lord of the Afterlife would one day come to find us… and grant us salvation.»

As she spoke, the spirit clenched the fragment in her hand.

«…At last, the time has come.»

Her voice quivered, thick with emotion.

«…O Great One.»

She bowed her head as low as she could.

«Please… Please, save us.»

The small figure of the spirit was now prostrate before me.

«…Hmm.»

I scratched my cheek as I looked down at her.

«No.»

«Thank you very mu—… Huh?»

The spirit lifted her head, stunned.

Her veil shifted slightly. Even without seeing her face, her shock was unmistakable.

So I smiled and said it again.

«I said no.»

«…….»

Her entire body went rigid.