Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 1025

Chapter 1025

When did I first realize something was amiss?

I couldn’t identify the precise instant.

It wasn’t caused by any specific incident or condition. It was just a deep, instinctual feeling of disquiet.

“She’s concealing something.”

The spirit.

She was withholding information from me.

That much was clear.

“She explained everything without hesitation.”

She had laid out their predicament, their hardships, and their urgent cry for assistance. None of it seemed outwardly dubious.

And yet—

“Something feels wrong.”

A strange discomfort lingered just beneath the surface.

“What is it? What is she not telling me?”

I could sense it, but I couldn’t grasp its nature.

Was I just inventing concerns?

“No.”

No, I was certain.

“There’s something here.”

Something about the spirit—or about Mareong Valley—was not adding up.

That was the reason I had behaved as I did.

I don’t help people without compensation.

Naturally, I would have said that regardless of the scenario, but—

“Their behavior only strengthened my resolve.”

Suspicion had started to grow.

I needed to scrutinize their motives more closely.

“…Interesting.”

What did they truly want from me? And, more importantly—

“What are they keeping from me?”

Why make such an effort to hide something?

It piqued my interest.

And if there was something I secretly desired—

“I hope it’s something terrible.”

Not because I take pleasure in cruelty, but because—

“That would make it simpler to destroy them without remorse.”

If they proved to be corrupt, then I could use them as I saw fit and cast them aside once they’d served their purpose.

That would be far more convenient for me.

“To hell with their salvation. My own circumstances are far more pressing.”

My mother left her final message in Mareong Valley.

Did she truly believe I would save them?

Or—

“Did she conceal something there?”

Was there a deeper meaning behind it all?

I still didn’t know.

“Salvation? Don’t make me laugh.”

I scarcely have the time to ensure my own survival. The notion of saving anyone else is absurd.

The spirit told me—

Mareong Valley is a gathering place for those who cannot leave Mareong Mountain.

So, the true question was—

“Why can’t they leave?”

Was it due to the master’s decree?

Or—

“Was it the Chief’s doing?”

If it was the master’s will, then there was nothing I could do.

But if the Chief was the one holding them captive—

“That would be workable.”

That wouldn’t be so difficult.

If all it required was removing the Chief, then it was a straightforward task.

But—

“Tsk.”

The moment I considered killing the Chief, I clicked my tongue in irritation.

“What’s wrong?”

Cheonma tilted her head at my reaction.

“…Nothing.”

I swept my hair back and released a sigh.

Something was troubling me.

“It’s a pointless thought.”

I tried to dismiss it, but it kept revolving in my head.

The issue was—

“The Chief was my mother’s subordinate.”

Killing him meant killing someone who had once been loyal to her.

That fact persistently needled me.

“Yu Sa was different—he was attempting to usurp my mother’s position, so his elimination was justified.”

But the Chief…

That was another matter.

He appeared to be sincerely devoted to the Lord of All Realms.

And that was what made this more complex.

“Am I suddenly developing a conscience?”

It was much too late for that.

But the reluctance I felt was already influencing my choices.

That reluctance had gotten in the way when I confronted the Chief.

“If I had truly meant to kill him, I would have acted differently.”

Instead of trying to “evaluate” him, I would have attacked first.

“There would have been no reason for scouting.”

I would have done everything necessary to eliminate him instantly.

“Though, I guess it turned out well enough.”

If not for my hesitation, I wouldn’t have discovered that another presence had been hiding in the shadows.

So, ultimately, it produced a favorable result.

However—

“The real problem is that I hesitated at all.”

Regardless of the outcome, the fact that I hesitated remained.

“This won’t be simple.”

If I want to advance, I need to clarify my position.

“Hmm…”

I narrowed my eyes and ran a hand through my hair.

If I consider my mother’s plans, then this isn’t something I should be worrying about.

“This is a useless worry.”

Why was I hesitating over something so insignificant?

I didn’t even know the answer myself.

I looked up at the sky.

“There’s still time.”

The sun hadn’t started to set yet.

There was still a long while before the Chief would wake.

In that case—

“I should investigate a bit more.”

If I had overlooked anything, now was the moment to discover it.

**********

As the scarlet sky dimmed, evening slowly drew near.

I sat on a rocky ledge, my expression openly displeased.

I had anticipated finding something—anything—but the cursed place had provided nothing.

“This place is absurdly empty.”

Empty to an unreasonable degree.

I had spent hours searching the area, only to find it as desolate as a desert.

No, a desert would have been preferable. This was worse.

“Haa.”

Was the issue with me? Or was this land just unnatural? I couldn’t decide.

“Tsk.”

Clicking my tongue, I got to my feet.

There was no reason to remain any longer. It was time to return.

“Hey.”

I called out to Cheonma, who was nearby, idly kicking her legs from atop a large rock.

“Yeah?”

She replied without much engagement.

I looked at her and asked,

“…Did you notice anything?”

If anyone could have detected something, it would be her.

“…Huh?”

Cheonma just tilted her head, bewildered.

I frowned.

“No, I mean—did you see anything unusual?”

“Only you.”

“…You little… Don’t tell me you spent the entire damned day just watching me.”

“……”

“Never mind. Forget I asked.”

I waved a hand in annoyance. Continuing to talk to her would only bring a headache.

Besides, based on her reaction, she hadn’t seen anything either.

“…Let’s head back.”

“Okay.”

Cheonma leaped off the rock and landed softly on the ground.

I turned and started walking back toward Mareong Valley.

**********

We arrived back at Mareong Valley.

The moment I neared the entrance the spirit had described, the guards stiffened as if bracing for an assault.

But as soon as I invoked the spirit’s name, they promptly opened the gates, acting as though nothing was amiss.

I moved past the heavy iron doors and into the valley. Nothing had altered since my departure.

The only change was that, with the sunset outside, the interior scenery was also transitioning.

Since the ceiling was essentially an illusion of stone formed by sorcery, the shifting sky was visible from within.

“I wonder how they manage that.”

It couldn’t be seen from the outside, yet from in here, it looked completely transparent.

The method behind it fascinated me.

As I contemplated this, my feet carried me further in, and before I realized it—

“You have returned….”

The spirit was waiting for us, appearing somewhat weary.

“Have you been well?”

I asked with a smile.

She bowed her head in greeting, the veil over her face shifting slightly.

For the briefest moment, I saw her features.

Not that it was especially shocking—I had already deduced her appearance.

“I greet the Great One….”

“Yeah, yeah, skip the formalities. So, what about my request?”

“……”

“What can you give me in exchange for my assistance?”

That was what I had asked before I left.

The spirit stayed silent.

I watched her reaction carefully as I walked past the edge of the water and ascended the small hill that led to the sacred tree.

I didn’t touch it.

I only looked up at it.

A tree charred black, as if reduced to cinders.

If I were to place my hand on it, I felt that something would shift.

“I came here for this, so why not just touch it?”

The idea occurred to me—but I restrained myself.

“Spirit.”

“Yes… Great One.”

“Tell me what you’ve decided.”

“……!”

The spirit flinched.

She was startled—was she surprised that I knew she had been thinking of something?

There was no need to be.

“It’s obvious from your reaction.”

If she hadn’t considered anything, she wouldn’t have reacted that way.

Her behavior made it evident that she had anticipated my return.

And based on our earlier discussion, if she had been waiting for me, it could mean only one thing.

“So? What have you got?”

“……”

The spirit had something prepared for me.

If not, she had at least settled on a proposition.

Pressing her for a response, I observed her closely.

“…Great One.”

She finally spoke, her voice faintly shaking.

“A lowly, insignificant being like myself has little of value to offer to one such as you…”

“Skip the introduction and come to the point.”

I had no tolerance for empty modesty or long-winded speeches.

I cut her off, and after a short silence, she reached into her robes and drew something out.

“Hm?”

I narrowed my eyes.

“This is all we have to give….”

She extended it toward me with care.

And when I saw it—

“Oho?”

A smirk curved my lips.

It was a fragment infused with immense energy—a relic left behind by the master of this land.