<Reminiscence 2/2>
It happened in that very moment. The instant the word “Detestable” slipped out, a fierce blaze erupted from Gehenna’s entire body. The flames surged upward like a spring, spreading rapidly in all directions, soon engulfing the entire first-floor plaza. Shelter, floor, stairs, railings—nothing was spared from the all-consuming fire. In the blink of an eye, the surrounding space was bathed in a sea of crimson flames. Even Ko Yeon-ju and Kim Yoo-hyun were not exempt.
Gehenna watched the two silently, her head tilted slightly, chin resting on her hand, as if enduring some inner torment. Her blood-red eyes still shimmered with a strange, unsettling energy.
“Before I sent Kim Soo-hyun back, he said something to me. He asked if I wanted to go with him.”
“I… refused. No, it wasn’t really a refusal—I simply couldn’t. Because of the circumstances, because of the laws.”
“But after letting him go, my feelings became complicated. Without realizing it, I found myself recalling the places where we had slept together, the paths we had walked side by side. That’s when I first understood loneliness—and then came regret.”
“Then suddenly, a thought struck me. If I wanted to stay with him, I could have just stayed here. So why did he choose to return?”
“The answer was surprisingly simple.”
“Wasn’t it because of you?”
Gehenna’s eyes snapped wide open. She glared fiercely at the two, who winced under the intensified pressure.
“I mean, didn’t he value his bond with you more than his connection with me?”
“…”
“That’s why I hate you. You irritate me beyond measure.”
“…”
“If only it weren’t for you… just you…!”
“…”
Her voice ended in a growl, fierce and animalistic. The flames around them roared in response, dancing wildly. If Gehenna were to harbor even a hint of murderous intent, everything the fire touched would be utterly destroyed in an instant.
Ko Yeon-ju and Kim Yoo-hyun remained silent throughout—not because they chose to, but because they couldn’t. The pressure Gehenna exerted was so suffocating it blocked even their breath.
Suddenly, a faint golden gleam flickered in Gehenna’s blazing red eyes. She showed a brief look of surprise. From her slumped form, golden energy burst forth in streaks. The power of the Thunder God had awakened. Though the flames devoured it as soon as it appeared, Kim Yoo-hyun’s tightly clenched lips trembled and finally parted.
“Did it… have to be Soo-hyun?”
“Because he possesses the strength to be my equal.”
“So that’s why you chose pregnancy…?”
“Our powers are fundamentally opposed. They repel rather than harmonize. So through conception, we seek a natural fusion.”
Kim Yoo-hyun nodded, as if understanding. But the flames, momentarily pushed back, surged again, licking up to their chins. Before the fire could fully consume them, Yoo-hyun managed to speak again.
“One last… question… please.”
“If you’re willing to stake your life on it, I’ll allow it.”
“Do you… truly love Soo-hyun?”
“…!”
Without hesitation, Kim Yoo-hyun threw the question straight. Given that she was immediately engulfed by flames afterward, it was the right move. Gehenna, caught off guard, narrowed her eyes in surprise.
After a moment, the roaring flames began to subside, fading like smoke after a downpour. The hellscape that had manifested in this world vanished in an instant, as if it had never existed.
“Ugh! Huff!”
“Ah! Haah!”
The two collapsed, their bodies slackening as the oppressive energy lifted. They struggled to adjust to the sudden freedom. Gehenna regarded them with eyes somewhat softened, and as their breathing steadied, she spoke quietly.
“I don’t know.”
Her voice betrayed confusion, as if admitting something honestly. Kim Yoo-hyun, gathering herself, lifted her chin to meet Gehenna’s gaze. Her lowered eyes flickered uncertainly, searching for something to focus on. Then, suddenly, their eyes locked. Gehenna gently placed a hand over her left chest—where her heart lay.
“It beats…”
With a vacant look, Gehenna added, “When I think of him.” Then, lifting her lonely eyes, she stared beyond the fourth-floor stairs—directly toward where Kim Soo-hyun was.
“When he’s near, my heart races; when he’s gone, there’s emptiness. But just thinking of him makes my heart flutter again. I want to lean on him. Being in his arms feels warm and safe. He reminds me that I am a woman. I want to see his worried gaze, and it pleases me when he gets angry on my behalf. That’s why I even pretended to be hurt by insignificant things. Deep down, I want to wipe you both away completely, but thinking of how sad that would make him holds me back.”
Her words flowed longer than ever before—not rambling, but a raw, unfiltered confession of feelings long buried. After a long, wistful gaze, her eyes shifted to Kim Yoo-hyun. Though bleak and desolate, they shone with a desperate yearning.
“…But I have lived alone for thousands of years. It’s impossible for me to clearly define what love is.”
Her voice turned self-reproachful, and her eyes sharpened.
“So I ask you: can you say with certainty that what I feel is love?”
“I don’t know.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Kim Yoo-hyun answered. Gehenna’s eyes widened in surprise. Though still dazed, Yoo-hyun shook her head firmly. Then, steadying herself, she met Gehenna’s gaze without wavering.
“But there is one thing I can say for sure.”
“…?”
“That the feelings you have for Soo-hyun are somewhat similar to the feelings I have for him.”
“What do you mean…?”
“Of course, I love Soo-hyun as his older brother, as family. I don’t know about romantic love—I’ve never experienced it.”
“…”
Perhaps something clicked. Gehenna, who had been slumped, straightened her posture. She uncrossed her legs and rose from the backrest she’d been leaning on. Her hands gently caressed her swollen belly. The grand duchess had shed her regal guise, returning to the warmth of a mother. A faint, knowing smile played at her lips.
After a long pause, Gehenna suddenly chuckled softly.
“I think… I’m starting to gain some confidence. Good. Then I’ll be on my way.”
“Wait…!”
Kim Yoo-hyun tried to stop her, but from the moment Gehenna said “Good,” she was already rising. Meeting the uncertain gazes of the two, Gehenna smiled gently.
“To return to the original story, I have good news for you. I have no intention of staying by his side in this world—or anywhere—until the very end.”
“The limit… you mean?”
“I told you earlier. This dimension doesn’t allow me to stay. My presence alone disrupts the balance, so I’m bound by a limit—I have to return eventually. When the king is born, I will go back on my own.”
“What do you mean by ‘dimension’?”
“Don’t overthink it. Just understand it as the unease you feel when you look at me.”
“…”
The two still looked confused. But when Gehenna added, “Even if I remain until the limit is reached… fine. It just means I’ll leave sooner,” their expressions shifted.
“I want to show the child his father’s face, even if only for a few days. And while I’m here, I hope he doesn’t suffer because of me. You can call that selfishness.”
“Then…”
“I will stay quietly, and leave quietly. That’s the greatest concession I can make to you, and my only promise.”
“…”
With that, Gehenna said, “At least you two can stay together,” and without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked away. Without being taught, she climbed the stairs and slowly disappeared from sight. Though it was a near one-sided announcement, the two left behind had neither the strength nor the will to stop her. After enduring hell and emerging, their bodies felt heavy and sluggish, like wet cotton.
How much time passed?
“Phew… User Ko Yeon-ju.”
As Ko Yeon-ju stared blankly at the empty space, Kim Yoo-hyun, having snapped out of her thoughts, spoke. Her ash-gray eyes flickered slightly—was it from a brief sigh, or a tone of apology? Ko Yeon-ju’s head turned stiffly, like a rusty robot.
Knowing she couldn’t say what she wanted, knowing she shouldn’t, Kim Yoo-hyun closed her eyes tightly and spoke softly.
“I have a favor to ask.”
In the dark night, the quiet corridor echoed with intermittent, agonized groans. Sounds of pain that seemed on the verge of breaking, labored breaths that made even breathing feel like a burden.
“Huuuuu…”
…How many hours has it been now? There’s already a pile of cigarette butts scattered across the floor. Even if I try to stay still, right now the best I can manage is to pace back and forth. Honestly, I want to storm inside, grab Gehenna’s hand, and tell her to hang in there. I want to comfort her. I’ve actually tried that a couple of times, only to be shooed away for getting in the way. Unable to suppress the flood of anxiety rising inside me, I clutched my head with both hands. I wonder if my parents felt this way when they were bringing me into the world.
Right after Gehenna’s labor pains began, I stared blankly at the white liquid pooling on the bed, utterly confused. I knew nothing about childbirth—only about battles. I didn’t even realize that was amniotic fluid. After fumbling around for a while, I frantically pressed the call button and, unable to wait any longer, dashed out to wake up Sangnam hyung and Nono nuna. Since they’d been through childbirth before, I figured they’d know better than me.
“What? Leaving a pregnant woman alone? What kind of idiot are you!” Nono nuna scolded me harshly, then quickly got things ready. With Sangnam hyung’s help, we called in a few clan members and maids. After that, all I could do was wait. Occasionally, I fetched hot water in a basin or brought clean cloths, but at some point, I found myself just standing at the end of the hallway, burning cigarette after cigarette.
Honestly, “distracted” doesn’t even begin to cover it. All I could do was focus my hearing as sharply as possible. Every groan that brushed past my ears felt like a stab to my chest.
“Hyung… maybe you should go in and check?”
I looked up to see An Hyun’s awkward face.
“If I get kicked out again, that’ll be the third time.”
Jin Suhyun, crouched against the wall, answered. Both of them were victims of my frantic calls. They looked half-asleep, probably because I’d woken them up in a panic.
“Yaaawn. How many hours has it been? How long is this going to go on…?”
“Watch your mouth.”
Just as he stretched out a lazy yawn, a sharp voice cut through the hallway. Jin Suhyun covered his mouth with a hiccup, glancing nervously at Heo Junyoung’s fierce glare. Everyone’s nerves were frayed, just like mine. I felt bad, but honestly, I didn’t have the energy to care about much else right now. I sighed deeply and crossed the quiet hallway.
Aaaagh!
Then it happened. The faint moans suddenly exploded into a scream that split the hallway in two, and I froze in place. Everyone stopped moving and turned toward the door. But Gehenna’s voice was gone. A heavy silence followed, wrapping me in an inexplicable dread.
Why? What’s wrong?
Ah, the baby’s not right!
As the commotion inside grew louder, my heart dropped. A small, nagging worry crept up.
“Kim Suhyun!”
Heo Junyoung shoved me forward urgently. Even as my vision blurred white, I staggered to the door and twisted the golden doorknob with all my strength. When I stepped inside, a strange mix of smells hit me. Then, in my line of sight…
“S-Suhyun…”
The first thing I saw was Im Hanna, holding something tiny and helpless in her arms, looking utterly lost. Nono nuna sat dazed on the floor, Park Dasom hesitated nearby, An Sol was on the verge of tears, and Gehenna, leaning against the bed, was gasping for breath. For some reason, she was smiling faintly. It almost looked like she was overwhelmed with emotion.
“The baby… the baby isn’t crying! I mean…”
“Use the sacred chant…!”
Chaos erupted again. I had no idea what was happening. My head spun. Trying to stay calm, I pulled an elixir from my pocket. Things seemed to be going wrong, so I decided to give it to the baby first.
“Here…!”
“Hit the butt! Hit the butt!”
Even in the panic, Im Hanna seemed to know what to do. She carefully laid the little one across her arm, and then slapped the small, plump bottom with a firm hand.
Smack!
The sharp sound echoed.
And then—
“Eh!”
Suddenly, the tiny thing flinched and let out a sharp, piercing cry. Everyone, including me, froze.
When I finally looked at the little one’s face, I couldn’t help but be utterly shocked. I don’t know much about childbirth, but I do know that newborns aren’t usually pretty—red, wrinkled skin, sparse hair, and so on. But this baby shattered all my expectations.
Glossy black hair, slightly mottled but pale skin, plump cherry-red lips, and clear, intense eyes the color of twilight… Okay, I could accept that. After all, there’s Mar, and this isn’t exactly a normal human baby. But what really threw me off was something else.
The baby…
“……”
was incredibly solemn. For a newborn, its expression was far too composed and serious. I couldn’t quite put it into words. It wasn’t wailing its lungs out. Its tiny, wriggling hands and chubby cheeks were undeniably cute, but those steady eyes and tightly pressed lips were downright grave.
“Eeeek~!”
And on top of that, the baby seemed downright offended. It glared fiercely at Im Hanna and let out an angry shriek, as if scolding her for daring to slap its bottom. What kind of baby does that? I’d imagined hearing a wail, bursting through the door, and holding the baby in a heartwarming moment. This was… not that.
Questions swirled endlessly in my mind, but I quickly took the baby from Im Hanna, who was hesitating. The baby glanced up at me and cheekily winked with one eye. So bold. Bold, but adorable.
“Is it a boy or a girl?”
Suddenly, Gehenna’s voice came from nearby. I looked down.
“A girl… no, a daughter.”
“Oh? Soona, Soona. That man is your father. You should greet him properly.”
Gehenna’s voice was a mix of soothing and pride. So her name is Soona. I wondered if she understood. Without thinking, I hugged Soona tightly.
But after staring at me for a while, Soona—
“…Pff.”
With a sigh, she turned her head away.
…This kid?