Murmurs and whispers.
On an otherwise quiet morning, the castle’s main gate suddenly erupted into a commotion. Someone, burdened with a heavy bag strapped to their back, was sprinting, sweat pouring down like rain.
The garden’s waterway, crafted from gleaming white marble, stretched from the main gate all the way to the castle’s inner entrance. The water, filled to the brim and almost spilling over, reflected the sunlight streaming down, creating a shimmering flow of light.
“H-hey!”
“…”
“You there!”
Slurp.
“You, redhead drinking tea in the waterway!”
“…Huh?”
Gehenna, who had been leisurely sipping tea with her calves half-submerged in the water, flinched. Redhead, she said? How rude. Curious about who could be so shameless, Gehenna turned her gaze with a faint smile, then looked at the newcomer with eyes that expressed more surprise than anger.
“You’re… you’re the one…”
A cool breeze blew. It slowly cooled the sweat on the woman’s breathless face, who was struggling to catch her breath. Gehenna waited patiently for her to steady herself before nodding lightly. The woman swallowed hard and straightened her bent back in one swift motion.
“Of course! Ah, no—let me introduce myself first. I am Vivian La Clacidus, the world’s greatest genius and beautiful alchemist…”
“A summoner, huh? And one who’s contracted with our people, no less.”
Gehenna cut her off sharply, her voice louder than necessary. Vivian’s expression went blank. But with just one glance, Gehenna had already analyzed her. She was a summoner tied to infernal beasts, not an ordinary human but exuding the faint scent of a minor monster. As for the claim of being a genius and beautiful alchemist? Gehenna never believed that to begin with.
“So, what’s the matter?”
Gehenna’s tone was indifferent. Even if Vivian was connected to infernal beasts, it was hardly surprising. More like, “Well, that’s unexpected.” If anything, her reaction leaned toward cold detachment. Because Gehenna already had a good guess why Vivian had come.
“W-well…”
With only about ten meters left, Vivian froze in place. Meeting Gehenna’s twilight-colored eyes, she suddenly found herself unable to take another step. She sensed—though she didn’t know why—that if she said the wrong thing, everything would go terribly wrong.
Vivian glanced nervously and cautiously spoke.
“I was hoping to get a little help.”
“Help? What kind of help?”
The reply came immediately, emotionless but carrying an unmistakable air of disbelief. The rising tension made Vivian close her mouth. Gehenna nonchalantly took a sip of her tea.
“Looks like you’re having trouble summoning beasts…”
“Y-yes, that’s right.”
“Contracts with beasts require mutual respect and will, naturally.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Who you contract with is none of my business, but conversely, I have no right to interfere with your contracts.”
“I know that.”
Gehenna smiled dryly, as if it were obvious.
“Then that’s settled. Now, be gone.”
“B-but…”
“What kind of ‘but’ is that? Do you expect me to summon the beast you want and connect you directly?”
“That’s not it!”
Vivian suddenly shouted. Gehenna’s eyes narrowed sharply, a faint glint of anger flashing as she stared down her.
“How dare you raise your voice in a place like this.”
“Sorry if I startled you. But I can’t just walk away like this.”
“What did you say?”
“I don’t have enough information.”
Even if it’s the same words, tone matters. Vivian wasn’t trying to sugarcoat or soften her words—she just said it plainly. She lacked the information needed to summon the higher legions. Thanks to the source, she had some clues, but ‘borrowing power’ and ‘summoning a legion’ were entirely different matters.
She was facing an insurmountable wall, no matter how hard she tried, no path opened. For Vivian, this opportunity was too precious to miss.
“I’ve devoted my life to this path, even giving up my humanity. But I still can’t see the end. It’s so bleak.”
“That’s to be expected. What do you want me to do about your limited abilities?”
“Maybe I’ll never see the end before I die. But I can feel it instinctively.”
“Hm?”
“If this continues… I’ll be stuck forever.”
“That’s your problem…”
“Please, I beg you!”
“…”
With a thud, Vivian set down her bag and dropped to her knees. Her clenched fists rested on her knees, a posture that somehow looked solemn. Gehenna squinted, studying her carefully.
Still damp with sweat, her eyes sunken and shadowed—almost to the cheeks. Had she been buried in research for days on end? Her unwashed, disheveled appearance was pitiful and shabby. Yet, despite knowing how shameless she was being, the look in her eyes revealed both frustration and desperation. At least those eyes were sincere, Gehenna thought. The earnestness radiating from her entire being made Gehenna nod slightly.
“I understand how you feel, but since I already said it earlier, there’s nothing I can do. Even if I could, I don’t really want to.”
“I’m not asking for a forced contract. Just some advice would be enough. Even a single word, a single phrase.”
Vivian’s voice softened, as if she’d been waiting for this moment. Gehenna’s lips twitched in a quiet exclamation, tilting her head slightly—not in confusion, but as if reconsidering. This changed things.
In truth, Gehenna had only pointed Vivian in the right direction over the past three days, never doing anything directly. If Vivian had said something like, “If I contract with you, I could meet Kim Soo-hyun more often,” Gehenna would have been furious.
First of all, she wasn’t capable. It was like walking into a computer store with 300,000 won and demanding, “Build me a rig that can run the latest games on max settings!” Plus, sharing knowledge and forcing subordinates to obey are entirely different matters.
But Vivian hadn’t done that. She’d simply been honest about her feelings and intentions. Ironically, that honesty moved Gehenna.
“Tch. Summoning beasts isn’t such a big deal. They’re not even that strong.”
Someone muttered quietly. They’d been waiting for an opportunity, and now Vivian had suddenly taken the spotlight, which was irritating.
“Who said that? Not strong? Idiot! The beasts summoned here are avatars, not their true forms! If the real ones appeared, you wouldn’t even be a mouthful!”
Vivian shouted fiercely, eyes blazing. Gehenna smiled with satisfaction. Whether true or not, she liked seeing someone proud of the path they’d chosen.
At this point, there was no reason not to help.
“How many legions can you summon now?”
At Gehenna’s calm voice, Vivian snapped her head around.
“Four. Four legions.”
“Four legions, huh? Six and sixty-six require special conditions, so let’s exclude those. So the problem lies with the first, second, and third legions?”
“Exactly! I tried summoning them a few times, but I couldn’t even get a response, let alone a contract…!”
“Of course.”
“Of course?”
“Yes. Even among the higher legions, the first, second, and third are the king’s direct legions. They only act for the king, each with their own role.”
Gehenna chuckled at Vivian’s stunned expression.
“For example, the third legion is in charge of ‘extermination.’ When the king commands, they lead the charge and wipe out enemies.”
“And the second legion?”
“The second legion’s role is ‘protection.’ They’re the king’s personal guard.”
“And the first legion?”
Gehenna fell silent for a moment, then smiled faintly.
“The first legion… is born with the king and stands with him until the end.”
“Huh?”
“Well, that’s just how it’s said. You can think of them as the king’s doppelgangers.”
“Doppelgangers…”
Vivian muttered to herself, dazed.
“I see… the king’s direct legions… so…”
Her expression darkened. She understood, but deep disappointment spilled out. The fact that they only obey the king’s orders meant there was no chance for an ordinary human to summon them.
“So there was no way at all… and I didn’t even know…”
“Well.”
“…?”
“I never said there was no way.”
Gehenna smiled alluringly at the dejected Vivian.
Kim Soo-hyun, who had stopped by the first-floor conference room for a moment, froze at the strange scene before him. Sitting in the usual seat of honor was Suna. Despite her small frame, she had stretched out her arms to rest on the armrests, sitting with an air of arrogance. Not only that, but Gehenna stood politely beside the throne, hands folded.
“I, the unworthy Vivian, humbly beg the king’s forgiveness!”
Thud!
“I have committed the grave sin of summoning and commanding the king’s army without permission…”
Before them, Vivian lay flat on the floor, banging her head repeatedly while muttering incomprehensible words.
“What on earth is going on here?”
With a wry chuckle, Kim Su-hyun strode across the conference room and suddenly scooped Suna, who was seated at the head of the table, into his arms.
“What on earth were you doing here, Suna?”
“Eek! Eek!”
Suna, who had been maintaining a stern demeanor, scrunched up her upper lip and growled—a clear warning not to interfere.
“This little rascal? How dare you glare at your own father like that?”
Kim Su-hyun feigned anger, but then quickly pressed a kiss to Suna’s tightly pursed lips. She was startled for a moment, then bared her teeth, clearly showing her displeasure. She twisted and squirmed, flailing her arms in protest.
“Eek! Eek!”
“See? Suna’s hopeless.”
He planted quick kisses on both her cheeks. Suna looked at him with a bewildered expression, then slowly shook her head with a sigh, as if resigned to his nonsense. Even that exasperated gesture was endearing, and Kim Su-hyun smiled broadly, cradling her and gently patting her back.
Because of that, he didn’t notice Suna shooting a sidelong glance at someone, her lips curling into a sly smirk. Nor did he see Gehenna quietly sighing.
“My dear, it’s fine that you’re here, but we’re in the middle of a very important ceremony. Would you please put Suna back in her seat?”
“Huh? Ah, right.”
Kim Su-hyun obediently set Suna down, and the atmosphere quickly returned to normal. As he stepped back, curiosity written all over his face, Vivian continued speaking.
“However, I have never once used the legion for personal gain. On the contrary, I sought to unleash the might of the hellish beasts upon this world…”
“I’ve heard they’re quite renowned in this realm.”
“By the king’s grace, may the power of hell spread far and wide. I humbly beg you to grant my request…”
“Though human, she has spirit. Unlike ordinary humans, her summoning circle is quite unique and independent.”
Vivian rattled off her points while Gehenna chimed in occasionally. The long-winded explanation boiled down to this: they had used your four subordinates without permission. Sorry about that, but it was for a good cause. From now on, we’ll serve you properly, so please allow us to use your direct troops.
Suna’s reaction was a spectacle in itself. At first, she raised an eyebrow, then, on Gehenna’s advice, adopted a lofty expression. When the speech ended, she closed her eyes and pretended to ponder deeply. Had Im Hanna seen this, she might have clutched her chest and fainted.
In truth, Suna was thinking:
Using the king’s army without permission is a crime worthy of a hundred, no, a thousand deaths. She’d deserve to be beheaded on the spot!
…But they were sincerely apologizing and asking for forgiveness. More importantly, unlike the usual ruffians who shriek and poke her cheeks whenever they see her, this one trembled and bowed deeply. Surely, this was proper respect for the king and a true example of a loyal subject.
At this point, it was hard to refuse.
Suppressing a smile, Gehenna whispered:
“After all, the legions summoned here are mere avatars, manifestations of the king’s power. It’s an opportunity to spread the king’s prestige beyond hell, even to other dimensions. Showing the king’s magnanimity here wouldn’t be a bad thing.”
That was the final blow.
Suna’s eyes flickered, and with a low hum—more like a soft growl—she sank back into her chair. Resting her chin on her plump cheeks like her mother used to, she stretched out her right leg with a grunt.
“If you truly wish to be forgiven, show some sincerity.”
As Gehenna elaborated, Vivian quietly lifted her head, then crept forward, gently cupping her small white foot and carefully pressing a kiss to it. Kim Su-hyun groaned.
“Aww.”
Suna laughed softly, then stretched out both arms. Vivian cautiously lifted her, and with a nod, Suna gestured toward the outside.
“Congratulations. The king seems to have taken a liking to you.”
“Ah…”
“Though brief, make sure to serve well. At this moment, you are recognized as a loyal subject.”
Vivian’s eyes gleamed with determination. She nodded resolutely and took a step, then another. As she disappeared through the entrance carrying Suna, the two men burst into suppressed laughter, stifling their chuckles lest Suna hear.
“What’s going on, Gehenna?”
“Don’t laugh too much. At least it wasn’t a play.”
“So it was real?”
“Yes. Summoning a high-ranking legion requires the king’s permission. That’s why she had to become a subject.”
“Oh. So now you can summon her?”
“You said as much.”
Gehenna shot Kim Su-hyun a sharp look, and he gave an awkward smile. The moment the king was born, Gehenna returned to her original duty—officially becoming the commander of the first legion. That opened the door for Vivian to summon her, so it would be a lie to say he wasn’t looking forward to it.
Still, Gehenna shrugged.
“Well, I think three legions is the limit.”
“…Really?”
Kim Su-hyun’s voice dropped noticeably.
“But you…”
“Of course, responding to a summon wouldn’t be a bad thing.”
“Then why?”
“Do you really not know?”
Faced with the sharp retort, Kim Su-hyun fell silent. Of course, he knew. The first condition for summoning a high-ranking legion was the king’s permission; the second was the summoner’s skill. It was unimaginable that Vivian could summon Gehenna alone. Even after sacrificing 1,800 people, she was only granted a few days. Relying solely on the king’s permission and a perfect summoning circle to replace everything was absurd.
Theoretically, summoning was possible—or rather, attempting to summon was. But the moment Gehenna responded, Vivian would be utterly overwhelmed and die violently. That would be the worst outcome.
“Still, it wasn’t a pointless effort. With the king’s birth, the beasts’ unity will strengthen. So that Vivian will grow stronger too.”
Kim Su-hyun remained silent at the comforting tone. The hellish legions Vivian summoned would grow stronger over time. It was undoubtedly a good thing, but Gehenna’s words implied one thing: they’d have to return soon. To solidify the beasts’ unity, the king had to be in hell.
“I see…”
Watching Kim Su-hyun force a smile, Gehenna clicked her tongue inwardly. Her mood was sinking.
“Don’t make that face.”
“The more you do…”
Why wouldn’t Gehenna want to stay by Kim Su-hyun’s side? But she couldn’t abandon her personal happiness or the millennia-long dream she’d worked so hard to achieve. The same was true for Kim Su-hyun. Rewinding time with the zero code wasn’t about wanting to be with Gehenna.
Their goals were different. So different that they could never align. It might sound cruel, but the sooner they parted, the better—for both of them. At least, that’s what Gehenna believed.
“I’ve achieved what I set out to do, and kept my promise…”
She had reunited with Kim Su-hyun, been loved, had a child, and shown him his father. There was nothing more to wish for. Besides, she had promised to leave once the child was born. She had decided three days ago and had more or less come to terms with it.
Still, there was one thing she feared: Kim Su-hyun holding on to her. No matter how resolute she was, she couldn’t bear to coldly reject his desperate grasp. To avoid that, there was only one way.
As she said before: leave quietly, without anyone noticing.
“The sun’s already high… I wonder if there’s enough time.”
Gehenna muttered to herself, then looked at Kim Su-hyun and added,
“My dear, I actually have a favor to ask…”
Though it felt like she was trying to change the subject, Kim Su-hyun let it slide.
“Yeah? What is it?”
Gehenna’s request was surprisingly simple.
“I want to see a bit of the outside world. It feels a little stifling.”
I gladly offered to guide her, but she flatly refused and added an unusual condition: she wanted the person who had spent the most time with her to be her guide.
Since the longest time spent together could only be measured from the summoning ritual, that meant one of An Hyun, An Sol, Kim Han-byul, or Lee Yoo-jung. Among them, An Sol, who had been recognized for summoning Gehenna, eagerly followed her, clearly expecting to gain something from the experience—judging by Gehenna’s recent behavior.
So, cloaked head to toe in a robe, Gehenna went out with An Sol and didn’t return until very late at night. When she entered the office, she was carrying Suna, who had already fallen fast asleep.
Curious about where she’d been, I asked, but Gehenna, tired, brushed it off and headed straight to bed. I grumbled about being sidelined but eventually turned off the lights and lay down beside her.
“…”
And so the night deepened, but sleep wouldn’t come. No, I didn’t want to sleep.
Gehenna lay on her side, back turned, while Suna breathed softly beside her, a strangely satisfied smile on her face. I fought to keep my eyes open, staring at them both as clearly as I could. I couldn’t let myself fall asleep—not with the conversation from this morning’s meeting still weighing on my mind.
Even though she hadn’t said it outright, Gehenna had made it clear.
She was leaving.
This was goodbye.
I was scared. Scared that if I closed my eyes and woke up in the morning, one day they’d be gone. That day could be today.
“My dear.”
It was then.
Gehenna, who I thought was asleep, suddenly spoke.
“Is there nothing you want to say to me?”
A strange sense of déjà vu washed over me. I’d heard something like this before. Yes, in hell. Was it the day before I left? An inexplicable wave of anxiety surged through me.
Back then, I pretended to be asleep and said nothing…
“There is. So much.”
This time, I answered clearly.
Gehenna shifted a couple of times, then carefully turned to face me. Her red eyes locked onto mine.
“Then why don’t you say it?”
“I want to take it slow from now on. One thing at a time… slowly.”
“Is that so.”
“Yes.”
I wondered if she truly understood what I meant. She gave a faint smile, which made me think she did. It felt a little cowardly, but I didn’t care. If it meant I could stay with them one more day…
Suddenly, a flash of red light flickered in Gehenna’s eyes. It was brief, but unmistakably deep and intense.
At that moment—
“…I… am… Gil.”
Gehenna’s lips moved as if trying to say something, but I couldn’t hear it.
I saw her slowly sit up, but strangely, she couldn’t look upward.
Why? I felt my strength drain from my body all at once.
My head spun uncontrollably.
Darkness crept into my vision.
For a moment, someone bowed their head, their hair falling messily across my eyes.
After that, only complete darkness remained.
A heavy drowsiness spread through me.
My body felt limp, like soaked cotton.
I was exhausted.
Eventually, I closed my eyes.
…Or maybe they were already closed.
“……”
No. This can’t be. I promised myself I wouldn’t sleep tonight. I haven’t even tickled Suna’s feet or kissed her yet.
I forced a small smile and summoned every ounce of strength to open my eyes.
“Gehenna. You…”
Just as I was about to laugh and ask what she was doing—
“!”
Suddenly, my mind went completely blank.
The sharp chill in the air told me it was dawn, not late at night.
“Suna…?”
The neatly made bed beside me was empty.
And—
“Gehenna?”
There was no sign of her anywhere.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Yes, with this, the Gehenna chapter comes to a close.
The next installment will include flashbacks and the parting scene, spanning from the beginning to the mid-late section.
After that, a new episode titled “A New Beginning” will be serialized.
Thank you, as always, for reading. (__)