Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 946

Chapter 946

“What do you suppose I am?”

The question, asking him to define my nature, caused the leader to flinch.

A tremor still ran through his frame, and most strikingly, the look in his eyes was utterly transformed.

Before, his expression had been one of scorn, as if he were quietly looking down on me.
Now, it was completely changed.

His gaze was filled not just with uncertainty, but with a deep, powerful skepticism and a formless dread.

This abrupt change in his attitude was puzzling.

“Was my action so astonishing?”

If I had to pinpoint a cause for his shift, it was likely what I had just done. Yet I couldn’t fully grasp it.

“What is so significant about this?”

At most, it resembled an ability akin to Dragon Speech.

Naturally—

“Dragon Speech is an extraordinary power in itself.”

The mere act of imbuing words with energy to constrain another’s movements was strange enough. But for the leader to be so profoundly affected, there had to be a greater reason.

“What is it?”

I wanted to comprehend, but—

“You are unaware, aren’t you?”

—I also needed to seize the current advantage.

“You will not deduce it.”
“…What are you…?”

The leader was disoriented. This was not a moment to let slip away.

“Do you recall my words from before?”

I let my words spill out rapidly,不给他任何思考的时间.

“Do you wish to remain where you are? Or… do you aspire to rise higher?”
“…”

The leader gave no reply.
But that was irrelevant.
I knew he was listening intently.

“I told you, I understand people like you perfectly.”

Eyes burning with ambition.
People who would disregard method or morality to reach their objectives.

Even if it meant defying the natural order or shattering their own principles,
such individuals would not hesitate.

And to me, this leader appeared to be one of them.

Otherwise, it made no sense.

“If that were not true, he would not have allowed me to stand here unharmed.”

There was no need for further speculation or calculation.

If he truly distrusted me—
he would have already reported me to Yusa or Mongmong, or at the very least, considered me a threat and acted accordingly.

But—

“He did not.”

He had done none of those things.
Which meant—

“He has hopes vested in me, or…”

He is assessing whether I am someone who can facilitate his own desires.

That implied the leader harbored ambitions of his own.

“I realized it when he handled Gubong.”

His so-called son was collapsed on the ground, and another had fled.
Yet the man who called himself their father did not even glance their way—his attention was fixed entirely on me.

Even after I had incapacitated one of his sons, he still watched me and even spoke of offering me the position of next leader.

“Is he deranged?”

I thought he was genuinely mad. Of course, since this was another world, I considered it might be a cultural difference.

But—

“Nonsense.”

Judging by Gubong’s reaction at the time, that was not the case.

It was simply that this man was unusual.
He possessed desires and did not care about the means to fulfill them.

And then, I entered the picture.
To this leader, it seemed I possessed something he required.

In that scenario—

“What if I reveal something greater?”

If I showed him something exceeding his expectations—

What would the leader’s response be?
I already had an inkling of the answer.

“You are already aware of the method, are you not?”

At my assured words, the leader’s brow furrowed deeply.

“…That…”

It was the correct assumption. Though I had only ventured a guess, his reaction confirmed it.

“How high do you wish to climb? Reveal your ambition to me.”
“…”

The leader’s eyes shifted. The confusion in his gaze faded, leaving only hesitation born of sheer ambition.

Now was the moment.

“Listen closely.”

I leaned in closer, meeting his eyes directly.

“This is me granting you an opportunity. Not merely throwing you a rope.”

So you cannot evade it.

“I am offering you the chance to walk at my side. To stand beside me.”
“…”

I channeled energy into my heart, making it thrum faintly.

It was not ordinary energy—I had stirred my demonic energy, and my eyes were likely shining violet now.

“…”

The leader did not answer. The silence was tense, but for now, this was sufficient.

I leaned back, creating distance, and added,

“The decision is yours. However.”

I made sure to offer a faint smile.

“I will not grant you much time to ponder. Decide by our next meeting. Then…”

I turned around and walked toward the door.

“I will tell you how I can make your desires a reality.”

I grasped the doorknob without pause and pulled the door open.
Cheonma stepped outside as if she had been waiting there.

The people outside appeared startled and tried to peer into the room, but—
since nothing seemed amiss, it did not become an issue.

The door swung slowly shut.

Even as it closed, the leader remained motionless, his expression stiff, staring silently at me.

The door clicked shut.

“Hah.”

Finally, I released the breath I had been holding.
At the same time, I withdrew the energy I had dispersed around the room.

“A good thing it went unnoticed.”

I had spread my energy everywhere as a precaution.
It was a relief I did not need to use it.

Had the situation escalated—

“…It would have been a catastrophe.”

Not merely troublesome, but a total disaster.

“With a General so close by, too.”

Mongmong.
Or Yusa.

The ruler of Yahwol must have been nearby.
If things had turned sour, I would have been the one in peril.

“…I managed to navigate through it, somehow.”

This was not my initial objective.
But the result was not unfavorable.

The leader was now deeply engrossed in his thoughts, which was a victory. And besides—

“Judging by his expression, the answer is already evident.”

I was nearly certain of the choice he would make.

It was clear just from looking at him.

“Of course, I will prepare for any contingency… but still.”

Would he truly choose differently?
I did not believe so.

Therefore—

“For now, I must plan meticulously.”

When the leader makes his choice, I need to have the solution he wants ready.
That—

“I have not yet devised it.”

For the moment, I had bluffed my way through.
But I would have to figure it out, starting now.

Although—

“I doubt it will be excessively difficult.”

Because in the end—

I already knew the answer.

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

I departed the Black Clan’s estate and moved outside.

By then, the sun had long since set, and night was steadily advancing.

The streets illuminated as if in anticipation of the darkness, lanterns casting a warm glow.

Strangely, the people seemed even more lively than during the day.

“So these are the ones blessed by the night.”

The Moonlit Night Tribe—these beast-like humans were known as the children of the night.
Perhaps they truly yearned for the approaching darkness.
I walked among them, observing my surroundings.

Naturally, Cheonma was with me.

“…Hmm.”

I glanced at her. Though she had fashioned herself ears, she still lacked a tail, compelling her to keep it concealed beneath her cloak.
She appeared utterly captivated by the night market, constantly turning her head to take in every sight.

Curiosity and wonder.
Those emotions filled her eyes.

Pure and serene. Almost like…

“…Wi Seol-ah.”

It was eerily similar to Wi Seol-ah’s gaze when she looked at me, causing me to narrow my eyes.

I tried to disregard it and followed Cheonma’s line of sight.

“…What has caught your attention?”

What was she staring at so fixedly?
I tracked her gaze to a street vendor in the distance.

Much like the food stalls of Zhongyuan, it offered various unfamiliar dishes.
The sights were novel, but the aromas were inviting.

“…”

After a glance at the stall, I returned my attention to Cheonma.
She was still staring, unblinking.

Could it be…

“…Do you wish to eat that?”
“Yes.”
“…”

Her immediate, blunt reply made me run a hand through my hair.
Not only did her face remind me of Wi Seol-ah, but her appetite too? And now, of all times, she wanted food?

Feeling both irritated and resigned, I sighed and guided her toward the stall.

Why was I even doing this?

Even as I moved, I questioned myself.
Why was I behaving this way?

The doubts kept arising, but my body continued on regardless.

At first, I assumed it was because she evoked memories of Wi Seol-ah.

“What do you wish to eat?”
“…May I select just one?”
“Of course. Do you possess any money?”
“No.”
“Then what gives you the impression you get to choose? Pick one.”
“Understood.”

But watching Cheonma carefully select her food, my thoughts began to shift.

“This feels incorrect.”

It felt profoundly wrong.
Just observing her made me feel uneasy.

It was as if something within me was screaming—
insisting that this was not the way to treat her.

“Stop it.”

Stop and do it properly.
That is what the internal voice demanded.

“What in the world does ‘properly’ mean?”

How absurd.
If I were to do things properly, I would not be here.

“I should have killed her already.”

From the instant I realized I could kill her, I should have ended her.
I should have done everything necessary to eliminate her.

“What in the world am I doing?”

What was I doing here?
In another world, of all places, what was this ridiculousness?

“Purchasing food for Cheonma, of all people.”

Who could have imagined a day would come when I would do such a thing for such a proud, arrogant being?

“…Tch.”

Clicking my tongue at the thought, I saw Cheonma flinch.

“…I will choose swiftly.”

She spoke hesitantly, glancing at me as if assessing my mood.

“…”

Cheonma, gauging my mood?
The sheer absurdity made me want to clutch my forehead and groan.

This was not the time for this.

“…I wonder how the children are faring.”

How was Zhongyuan managing?
The flow of time might differ, but it was still progressing.

If they discovered my absence, I could not even imagine their reaction.

“I must return as swiftly as possible.”

I knew that, yet here I was, engaged in this ridiculous charade with Cheonma.

“…Hah.”

A sigh escaped me, unbidden.

“That one.”

Cheonma finally pointed at something.

It was a skewer impaled with something thick and substantial.
It resembled meat, but its exact nature was unclear.

“That one?”
“Yes.”
“One skewer, please.”

As soon as I spoke, the vendor promptly handed over the skewer.
I paid and gave it to Cheonma.

She reached for it eagerly, ready to take a bite, but—

“Out of the way—!!”
“Make way!”

Shouts erupted from a distance.

“What now?”

What was happening this time?
Looking around with a puzzled expression, I spotted a flag in the distance.

“Huh?”

Squinting, I recognized it.
I had seen it briefly before, when I had climbed to a high point in Yahwol to survey the area.

“Was it blue? Or perhaps another color?”

I vaguely recalled it belonging to one of the two noble families, excluding the white and black clans.

Which meant—

“Nobles.”

Those individuals were nobles.

Realizing this, I took a step back.
Even if they did not notice me, it was wiser to remain inconspicuous.

I waited at a slight distance for the carriage to pass.

The carriage moved through the crowd and drew near to my position.
I watched it with curiosity.

“Not a horse?”

Surprisingly, the carriage was not drawn by horses.
Instead, two massive wolves—beasts as large as horses—pulled it.

Growl.

The wolves snorted as they slowly passed, and the carriage seemed about to continue on when—

Screech.

It came to an abrupt halt directly in front of us.

“…Hmm?”

I frowned at the carriage that had stopped so unexpectedly.

A bad feeling settled in my gut.

“This cannot be good…”

My instincts were screaming.
Something undesirable was about to occur.

And then—

Creak—!
The carriage door opened, and out stepped a man with strikingly blue hair.

He was a sharply handsome man, the type who exuded arrogance.
The kind of person reminiscent of Woo Hyuk.

As soon as he appeared, the surrounding crowd dropped to their knees.

“What is this?”

Bewildered by the strange scene, I struggled to comprehend it.

“Woman.”

The man finally spoke.
And he was looking directly at Cheonma.

“You are beautiful. Become mine.”

That is what he said.

And without a second thought, the words erupted from me:

“What the hell is this fool saying?”