Haa, haa…
Maybe it was from shouting at the top of my lungs, but my breathing had become ragged and uneven. Even though I managed to steady it somewhat, my insides showed no sign of calming down. Still, perhaps because I’d finally let it out, my mind felt strangely clear—hot, yet cold at the same time.
With a voice rough from the strain, I lowered my tone.
“Can someone please say something… anything…?”
But still, no one spoke.
After a long silence, a quiet voice came from ahead.
“Our position is different from the demons’.”
I glanced up.
“The demons are acting this way because they can. Conversely, there’s a reason we can’t move forward.”
Gabriel’s voice was steady, unwavering as always. From the moment he first faced me, he had maintained his composure without fail.
“Well… I wonder. Even if we explained our situation, would you really understand?”
In other words, he was saying there was no need to tell me, nor did I need to know. No matter how unavoidable or desperate the circumstances, this harsh reality—and the user’s stance—would not change. Gabriel was pointing that out bluntly.
Just then, my eyes met those of an angel nearby. The seraph slowly lowered his gaze, then squeezed his eyes shut, his face contorted. He pressed his lips tightly together.
“Ughhh…”
He let out a simmering groan and covered his face with both hands. Pressing his palms against his cheeks, he breathed in deeply and exhaled for a long while.
“Huuuh… huuuuh…”
“…I don’t think we can talk any more.”
“…”
“Let’s call it a day. We’ll gather more information on our side and summon you again when the time comes.”
A gentle dismissal. It was clear no one was in a state to continue. I understood and accepted it, but I couldn’t think rationally. Honestly, I wanted to grab any angel nearby and tear them apart.
But even I knew that was impossible. So I turned away.
Just before stepping through the shimmering portal, I stopped abruptly. Looking ahead, I spoke quietly.
“But at least one thing is clear.”
“…?”
“I understand now why the Southern Continent allied with the demons.”
“…”
As soon as I stumbled outside, two things hit me immediately: it was still dark, and my body was drenched in sweat. The cool breeze brushing against me helped bring some clarity back to my mind.
I considered returning to the Mercenary Castle but instead headed north. It wasn’t a time for festivals, and there was something more important. The one person I could confide in completely. I made my way to the Hamil Clan House.
It was quite late, actually. Showing up unannounced, the clan members were understandably baffled. Still, no one tried to stop me when I said I wanted to see my brother.
I opened the door to his room.
“Huh? Who…?”
He was lying on the bed, turning to look at me. Thankfully, he hadn’t fallen asleep yet.
“Oh. Su, Suhyun?”
But the moment he saw me, the smile on his face vanished, replaced instantly by surprise. Drool even dripped from the corner of his mouth.
“Hyung.”
I just called his name, but he scrambled up quickly, subtly hiding his hands. When I glanced over, a faint blue glow leaked through his fingers. That looked like a crystal orb or something. Was he reviewing some kind of record? Why hide it…
“What are you doing at this hour? No, no, it’s good you came. Come on, sit down.”
Though something felt off, I obediently sat as he invited. He bent down beside the bed, then settled opposite me, eyes wide open and calm.
“Is something wrong?”
“Hm?”
“You look pale.”
“…Yeah?”
As expected, he immediately noticed my state.
“Tell me. That’s why you came, right?”
His voice was gentle, soothing. Encouraged by it, I calmly recounted what Gabriel had told me—the rebellion of the users, and their request for us to go to the Southern Continent. Seeing my brother listen so seriously helped my heart settle bit by bit.
“Hmm… So the Southern Continent allied with the demons.”
When I finished, his reaction was surprisingly composed. He did look a little shocked at first, but not nearly as much as I was, and he quickly regained his usual expression.
“Hmm. I thought things had quieted down recently, but so it’s come to this in the South…”
“You’re not very surprised?”
He let out a long sigh and shrugged.
“I expected it. I wish they’d just given up, but I figured they’d try something. Though I didn’t think the Southern Continent would actually fall.”
“Same here. I just don’t get it…”
“But what about you?”
“Hm? Me?”
“What did you do when you heard? You seemed like you stormed out just now.”
“…Was that wrong?”
Did he secretly watch me? Feeling a pang of guilt, I asked. He rested his chin on the back of his hand and shook his head.
“No. You did well. When nothing is certain, you can’t just act recklessly.”
That was so like him. He never acted on impulse. Outwardly calm, but probably calculating countless possibilities in his head.
“And you came to the right place. It’s better to take a breath than be driven by emotion.”
Part of me envied that. In every cycle, every crisis, my brother remained calm and collected.
“What do you think we should do?”
“We need to think it through. Both of us.”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s natural. Anyway, don’t worry too much. Let’s sort our thoughts first. Oh, and stay here tonight.”
“Stay here?”
“Yeah, you. Your clan’s probably in the middle of the festival.”
I stared blankly at him. I hadn’t told him about the festival today, and now I felt uneasy—as if he was watching my every move. It was unsettling.
“But if you stomp off like that, you’ll definitely cause a fight. Given the situation, still, let them enjoy today. Because from now on…”
He bit his lip with a faint bitterness. Still, it made sense, so I nodded. The incident had already happened, and the Southern Continent was too far to deal with immediately. First, we needed to rest and regain composure. Then we could plan our response.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
“No. I don’t even have an appetite.”
“Good. I’ll clear my room for you to get some rest. We’ll talk again in the morning.”
“…Okay.”
He smiled faintly and stood.
“Oh, Suhyun.”
Just before leaving, he turned back as if he’d forgotten something.
“Whatever you do, don’t look under the bed. Got it?”
…What could possibly be under there?
The next morning dawned.
For the first time in a long while, Kim Yuhyun was able to act like a proper older brother in front of his sibling. He comforted me with words like “Don’t worry so much” and “Let’s wait and see,” and made sure I ate a solid breakfast.
After sending me off, around noon he dressed carefully and went out. Checking his orders and donning a thick coat, he looked like he was heading into battle. Though his steps led toward the temple.
A little later.
“Long time no see, Lord of the Mind.”
In the summoning chamber, Kim Yuhyun came face to face with Gabriel. Gabriel wasn’t his assigned assistant, but Yuhyun had requested a private meeting. Of course, as the leader of the angels, Gabriel wasn’t someone you could meet just by asking.
“Is this our second meeting?”
“Probably. The first was during the Guardian incident.”
But things were different for Kim Yuhyun—he was Kim Suhyun’s older brother.
“That’s right. Thanks to you, we were able to appoint Kim Suhyun as a Guardian… Anyway, what did you want to talk about today?”
“You probably have an idea.”
“Hmm~. Did your cute little brother come running to complain?”
“Yeah. Apparently, when he got to the bathroom and lifted the toilet lid, someone had left a mess. A really nasty one.”
Gabriel sneered with a smile, and Kim Yuhyun didn’t flinch, mocking back. Gabriel clicked his tongue.
“Tch. Nothing to say, huh?”
“I’m not here to blame anyone.”
“How’s Kim Suhyun? Is he angry?”
“Yeah. It’s probably best not to summon him for a while.”
To an outsider, it might look like a casual, friendly chat. But the truth was far from it. Kim Yuhyun had a purpose for this meeting, and Gabriel was deep in thought.
“Oh? That serious…”
“You told him to see it as a good opportunity, right? I think that’s what set him off.”
“Oh, no, no. That’s a misunderstanding. I really meant it.”
“I think so too.”
At that moment, a flicker of surprise crossed Gabriel’s eyes.
“But before anything else, let’s be clear. Did the Southern Continent ally with the demons? Or was it a full takeover?”
“Yes. That’s highly likely… No, it’s true.”
“I see… Then it might really be a good opportunity.”
“…Why do you say that?”
When I confirmed again, Gabriel’s eyes sparkled.
“Unlike the Western Continent, which was overtaken, they chose coexistence. I don’t know how long it took, but I don’t think the people of the Southern Continent are that foolish.”
“Heh. You know everything. Did you hear that too?”
“Well, anyway, while I can applaud the success, it feels like they pushed it through without considering the process or aftermath… kind of forced.”
“Interesting. Tell me more.”
“I was just trying to put myself in their shoes. If it were me, I don’t think I’d have rushed into things like that.”
“Oh?”
“Of course, if they were stuck between a rock and a hard place… well, I can understand why, after much deliberation, they had no choice but to make a bad move.”
“Heh. Hey, Sovereign, did you know something?”
Gabriel nodded repeatedly, smiling brightly.
“When the Guardian seat was vacant, it wasn’t Kim Suhyun who had overwhelming support—it was you. At least, within our ranks.”
“Why? Were you trying to control Suhyun through me?”
I joked, and Gabriel threw his head back, bursting into laughter.
In that brief moment, Kim Yuhyun’s eyes flashed sharply.
“Actually, Suhyun once said something like this.”
“Hm? What did he say?”
“That he likes this whole plane. He’s still undecided, but it seems he’s starting to think about staying here for good.”
“…Is that so?”
My smile faded abruptly. It was a random comment, but Gabriel didn’t seem to think so. Kim Yuhyun still wore a smile, but his eyes had turned icy cold. The atmosphere between us chilled instantly.
“That’s quite an interesting thought.”
“Then, I suddenly wondered.”
Cutting off Gabriel’s words, Kim Yuhyun continued.
“If he’s going to stay here anyway, do we really need the Zero Code?”
The mention of the Zero Code stiffened Gabriel’s expression. He might have heard it from Kim Suhyun, but his reaction was instinctive.
“Ah, of course, it’d be nice to have it. But honestly, neither Suhyun nor I are exactly lacking… so it’s not like it’s absolutely necessary.”
“You.”
“So maybe, instead of risking everything, it might be better to just live peacefully as we are… don’t you think?”
“…”
Gabriel, who was about to say something, suddenly fell silent. His eyes narrowed sharply, glaring at me. I met that piercing gaze with a faint smile.
“What do you think?”
“…What exactly are you trying to say?”
Despite the sharp warning, Kim Yuhyun leisurely moved his arm. His long, slender fingers—unusual for a man—rested lightly under his chin.
After a moment.
“The Southern Continent has allied with the demons… alright. Fine.”
He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“But you know.”
Suddenly, a sly grin spread across his lips.
“What if we allied with the demons too… what would happen then?”
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
If you thought yesterday’s chapter ended abruptly, consider this Song 9(?).
I once said I wouldn’t end chapters abruptly, so I apologize if I upset any readers.
Honestly, I didn’t think it was abrupt, but I realize the way I view chapter breaks might differ from how readers do.
Today, I tried not to cut off the story abruptly, so I hope you can relax and enjoy it. (__)