Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 877

Chapter 877

The inquiry was almost at an end.
To tell the truth, it could scarcely be called an inquiry from the start.
Even though we combed through the region, labeling our efforts a true search felt generous. There was simply nothing of substance left to discover.
The area had been scrubbed clean. What else was there to possibly uncover?
Our only real task was to bear the metallic reek of blood as we arranged the dead.
No matter how diligently we hunted for leads, nothing came to light.
«The perpetrators were unbelievably thorough.»
I was already aware of their fury. And yet, in spite of that, they had executed everything with flawless precision.
It served as another harsh lesson on the true nature of the Shadow King.
“That will do.”
At my order, the warriors of the Azure Dragon Division and the martial artists of the Alliance ceased their movements.
“Continuing is pointless.”
“…”
Silent agreement hung in the air. No matter how hard we looked, nothing would materialize.
“Was there any sign of anything?”
“We found evidence that things had been wiped away, but nothing more.”
“To be this painstaking….”
We had scoured the records of the Celestial Stream Sect and searched key sites, but even after turning their branch offices inside out, we found nothing useful.
The sole piece of information we secured was this:
“To learn the former branch leader was secretly allied with the unorthodox sect.”
We uncovered through the account books that the man using the Mokri surname had been in league with the Celestial Stream Sect.
It was well concealed and took time to find, but we eventually located the proof.
“This is probably information the Demonic Cult intentionally left behind, wouldn’t you say?”
“They likely saw no reason to take evidence that was already compromised.”
“Then why is there no trace of the Ilcheon Sword?”
The Ilcheon Sword had not only conspired with the Celestial Stream Sect and the unorthodox factions but was also connected to the Demonic Cult.
This astonishing fact had been admitted by the Ilcheon Sword himself.
“The Demonic Cult must have considered that information too sensitive to leave intact.”
“Your logic is sound.”
“In any case, since the Ilcheon Sword confessed personally, there’s little reason to pursue that thread further.”
Moreover, Cheonma had arrived to execute the Ilcheon Sword himself.
Even if some documents were destroyed, his confession had cemented the reality.
“To think the Grand Lord of the Martial Alliance was involved in such dishonorable schemes behind everyone’s back.”
“In these troubled times, there is truly no one left to believe in….”
Whispers of hopelessness were clear to hear. Listening to them, I raised my voice.
“Enough talk. Collect what must be gathered.”
“Yes, sir!”
At my command, the martial artists sprang into action. Watching them, I was left to ponder.
“No one to believe in….”
The words were achingly accurate. There was no one in this world worthy of trust—not even my own self.

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

We arrived back at the branch. A full day had elapsed, and dusk was settling once again.
“Draft a short dispatch to send. With the Tang Clan reinforcements here, allow the men to rest.”
“Understood.”
“Cut the night watch details by half. Inform the Tang Clan so they can coordinate the rotations.”
“It will be done.”
Though it had only been two days, it was an arduous forced march.
For martial artists of our caliber, physical weariness was not the problem; the mental exhaustion was another story entirely.
Everyone looked utterly spent.
If I pressed them any further, they would soon shatter.
That is why I mandated rest, even if it had to be imposed.
If I intended to continue using them, this was essential to prevent their complete collapse.
“Once the report gets to the main Alliance, they will send more reinforcements, correct?”
“Yes, though it will likely take three months.”
“Then they will arrive long after we have departed.”
Three months was more than enough time for us to have concluded our business and returned.
“Well, that will become their concern to manage.”
Any subsequent investigation would be purely for show. I had little confidence in the main Alliance’s methods.
“We have verified what we can. Everyone is to rest. Inform the branch leader I will come by within the hour.”
“Yes, sir.”
I relayed my orders and departed. My destination was my own chambers.
“I must resolve the Poison King affair by the day after tomorrow. I also need to send word to the merchants concerning the Dokcheon Pill.”
Although Cheol Ji-seon had probably passed the message along, I still needed to oversee the matter.
“The Green Forest… Before the leadership hears of it, I need to deal with the informants who have been taking unauthorized bribes.”
Some beggars had been leaking information to the superiors without approval.
The moment rumors begin to circulate, the Green Forest leaders will act. It is better to tidy this up beforehand.
“The Shadow King appears occupied. Nahi has her own duties. I cannot rely on Tang Deok for this either.”
That fool could not be trusted to handle it without causing a disaster.
I required another individual….
Ah.
A specific person came to thought.
Someone currently managing affairs in the Xian region. That individual would be suitable.
“I will send a letter later….”
As I was pondering the next moves, I opened the door to my room.
“You’ve arrived.”
“…”
An icy voice welcomed me.
I raised my head to see a pair of green eyes glinting in the darkness, fixed upon me.
“You are late.”
It was Tang So-yeol.
Tang So-yeol stood with her impassive expression, watching me. I asked,
“Why are you here…? More precisely, how long have you been waiting?”
“Not very long.”
*Not very long*, she claimed. Yet the atmosphere suggested she had been here for a considerable time.
“Damn it.”
I swallowed with a dry throat.
I had failed to detect Tang So-yeol’s presence entirely, my mind having been elsewhere.
Which meant—
“She was seriously concealing her aura.”
Tang So-yeol had been deliberately suppressing her presence with intense focus.
Not merely in this room, but likely from the moment I entered the quarters.
*Whooong!*
The moment our eyes locked, a barrier sealed the space around us.
It was a sound-dampening barrier, evidently arranged ahead of time.
“You worked hard today.”
“…Ah, yes. You as well.”
“I did nothing.”
“R-really? How come?”
“I was too preoccupied with a certain matter to concentrate on my tasks. Ah, I know it was wrong to neglect my duties, so you may reprimand me later.”
“…”
Who could possibly chastise someone who said that with such a frigid demeanor?
I held my tongue and kept the thought to myself.
“…Are you aware the head of the Tang Clan is here?”
“Yes, I know.”
“Have you seen him?”
“No. Should I go and see him now?”
“…Ah, no, I was merely asking.”
“I see.”
“…”
“…”
The exchange lapsed into silence.
Though it sounded like ordinary talk, the barbs in her words pricked at my throat.
It had been a long time since I had felt this kind of trepidation.
After the prolonged quiet, she spoke again.
“Young Master.”
“…Yes?”
Tang So-yeol looked directly at me and inquired,
“Is there nothing you wish to say to me?”
“…”
I swallowed heavily.
The moment I had been fearing was here. My throat moved involuntarily.
It was a reality I had briefly forgotten amidst everything else.
No, rather than forgetting, I had been actively trying to avoid it.
*»I won’t let it slide.»*
The words Tang So-yeol had said to me when questioning if I was Cheonma.
And her declaration that, this time, she would not be so easily put off.
Remembering that, my body went rigid.
In the silent, dark room, I stood frozen for what felt like an age.
A soft sigh finally broke the stillness.
“Young Master.”
“…Yes?”
As I remained silent, Tang So-yeol pressed on.
“Are you Cheonma, Young Master?”
“…”
It was a demand for confirmation, delivered with resolute purpose. She would not drop this.
My heart sank like a stone.
In the darkened chamber, only her eyes shone with clarity.
She stared at me unblinkingly, her gaze relentless.
Her resolve was obvious: if I did not answer, she would never let this rest.
“…Ah…”
What could I say?
What excuse could I possibly offer? No—would offering excuses change anything?
Tang So-yeol already seemed convinced.
She might have been interested in the answer I would give, but her mind appeared to have already reached its conclusion.
All that was left was my choice.
Should I lie, knowing she already knew the truth?
Or should I admit to a reality I did not wish to confront?
The decision was mine to make.
But how?
How could I possibly choose? My breath shook as fear gripped me.
Unable to form words, I stood mutely for a long time.
Then—
*Swish.*
Tang So-yeol abruptly reached out and took my hand.
“Young Master.”
Her voice was as steady as ever.
“I do not know what it is you fear so greatly.”
For some reason, a slight smile touched her typically blank face.
“But I like you far more than you believe, Young Master.”
“…”
“You already know, do you not? How I, how we, feel about you.”
The subtle shift from *I* to *we* was laden with meaning.
“Under any other circumstances… I would have feigned ignorance or spared you the hardship of speaking. However…”
Her hand gently stroked the back of mine.
“This time, Young Master, you have crossed a line.”
“…What did I do?”
I could not conceive of what I might have done to prompt this. My mind was reeling when she stated:
“You hesitated when you pushed me aside, did you not?”
“…”
Her words made my eyes widen.
She was correct.
Amidst the turmoil, when I wore the mask and wrought destruction, I had faltered for an instant when Tang So-yeol came at me.
I had tried to disguise it, to act as if nothing occurred, but had that momentary pause betrayed me?
“It is not only that, however. Normally, I would not have noticed. But I have spent far too long observing you, Young Master.”
“…”
“So I wondered. Why were you standing there like that? What are you striving for this time?
It is unlikely to be for your own benefit. After all, that is not your nature.”
I wanted to refute it.
I wanted to claim that I was doing this for myself, that I was far more self-serving than she imagined.
But…
“That is why I wished to ask.”
“What…?”
“I wondered if I was even someone deserving of an answer from you, Young Master.”
“…”
“I thought, perhaps, I might come to understand a fraction of the burden you carry that we know nothing of. So I asked.”
Her expression softened entirely. For once, she did not resemble the usual Tang So-yeol.
The composed and aloof demeanor she always wore was absent.
But now there was something different about her—a faint trace of pain and disappointment in her eyes.
“It is fine, however. I suppose the time is not yet right. But I believe it will be, one day. So let us pretend I asked nothing today. Do not trouble yourself over it.”
She stepped past me as she finished. But then, just as she reached the door, she paused and turned back.
“Oh, and one more thing, so you are aware…”
I looked back at her.
“I do not care what form you take, Young Master.”
Her words struck through me, causing my body to react instinctively.
“I mean, certainly, at first, I liked you for your face. But now… oh!”
I drew her into my arms before she could complete her sentence. Her slight form settled perfectly against me.
“W-wait…!!”
Tang So-yeol shuddered in my embrace. I could feel the heat rising in her cheeks, warming my chest.
“This, this is… wait, this is….”
“It is true.”
“…What?”
“I am precisely who you believe I am.”
“…!”
I could not force the word *Cheonma* past my lips. It felt too absurd. But I confirmed it indirectly.
I had not even planned to say it. Seeing her walk away, my body had moved on its own.
“And one more thing.”
I hesitated briefly before continuing.
“It is not because you are insignificant that I could not tell you.”
“Then…?”
“It is the opposite.”
Meeting her bewildered gaze, I went on.
“I could not tell you because I feared you would despise me.”
“…Despise you? Why?”
“Because… it would mean that you matter a great deal to me.”
I lowered my head, too ashamed to look at her. I was terrified that she would hate my actions, that she would hate me for them.
Even now, that dread prevented me from saying more.
Tang So-yeol stared at me, her face flushed crimson.
What expression was I making now? I did not know. I could not even guess.
“So… for the time being, that is….”
“Young Master.”
She interrupted me, her face looking as if it might burst as she smiled.
“I love you.”
It was so sudden, so disconnected from our conversation.
“…What?”
But I could not question it. I lacked the capacity.
“I am certain you already know, but I am sincere.”
Her words emptied my mind.
Yes, I had known for some time. It would have been foolish not to realize.
Still, hearing it directly was different. As a cold sweat formed on my brow, she asked,
“What about you, Young Master?”
“What do you feel for me?”
«…»
Me?
‘What about me…?’
The answer rose in my mind instantly, as if it had been waiting.
I already knew it, so discovering it was not hard.
The trouble was I could not bring myself to voice it.
«I….»
Just as I was about to answer Tang So-yeol, a voice suddenly echoed in my head.
«Do you know that?»
‘…What?’
It was a memory.
But I did not recognize it.
I frowned, concentrating, and then another voice spoke.
«What do you mean?»
It was my own voice.
Though slightly deeper and touched with a faint, unfamiliar amusement.
«I’m in love with you.»
This time, it was a woman’s voice.
«But you probably don’t know that.»
«I do.»
«You know, but not in detail.»
Was this a hallucination? Conversations I had never had began to unfold in my mind.
«I know perfectly well. Why would you think I don’t?»
«Because you don’t.»
«I don’t understand.»
«You don’t need to understand. Just remember.»
The woman spoke as if that was the final word, her tone laced with a subtle sorrow.
Why was I remembering this? What were these memories, and why were they emerging now?
Unable to make sense of it, I furrowed my brows.
«I love you so much that I would do anything for you.»
«…»
«So, you should always be grateful for being loved by someone as incredible as me.»
«That’s dramatic.»
«Of course. I’m dramatic and incredible.»
«You’ve got an unnecessarily high opinion of yourself. Fine, then. What should I do to repay the love of someone so magnificent?»
«Hmm? You don’t have to do anything.»
«Does that mean I should just accept it and carry on?»
«That is acceptable. Merely accepting it is enough for me. But if you insist on giving me something in return….»
I could see nothing—no scene, no person, nothing at all.
All I could perceive was the voice.
«Whenever I wish, call my name.»
«…That’s a strange request. Is that truly sufficient for you?»
«It is enough. And it is harder than you think. ‘Whenever I wish’ is… far more difficult than you realize.»
«It does not matter. That much, I can do easily.»
«Really?»
The woman laughed softly.
«Good. I will trust you, then…. That is all I require.»
«I still do not understand….»
I laughed too, perplexed by the situation.
Then.
«Hey.»
The woman spoke again.
«Can you say it now?»
«Now?»
«Yes. I want to hear it.»
In response to her words, the me within the memory spoke.
And without realizing it, I repeated the name aloud.
«…Yehwa.»
It was a name as fragile and fleeting as a mirage.