The garden was quiet.
No, that’s not quite right. I had deliberately chosen an early hour, but I sensed the presence of three or four people nearby. They must have gotten up early, felt something unusual in the air, and stepped outside.
But there was no time to check who was watching. Because right in front of me, Mar was staring at me with clear, unwavering eyes. As much as she focused on me, I focused on her.
“…Let’s begin.”
A heavy, subdued voice suddenly broke the silence. Then, she let her arms drop to her sides and quietly began chanting an incantation—softly, in a language I couldn’t understand.
Mar’s demeanor was deeply sorrowful. On the surface, she seemed calm, but if you listened closely, you could tell. Her usually upright posture was now slumped downward.
Of course, I understood how she felt. How could I not?
From Mar’s perspective, she might not have understood why this had to be done. She only wanted to help, and maybe she had hoped—deep down—that I would gladly accept her offer to assist me.
And honestly, that could have been the case.
…But if that had happened, would it really have been okay?
That was when it happened.
Whirrrrr!
While lost in thought, a soft white light began to glow in my field of vision. The source was right in front of Mar. The light coalesced into a bright, spherical orb that steadily grew larger.
Then, with a low hum, the orb rose upward, and Mar’s arms rose with it, aiming directly at me. Her fingers trembled slightly as if debating whether to pull the trigger.
Though it was a power I had never seen in my fourteen years, the strange vibrations radiating from the orb carried an explosively ominous energy.
After a moment, her eyes—brimming with disappointment—fixed on me silently. She was probably wondering why I was just standing there.
Seeing her face, on the verge of tears but holding back, I wanted nothing more than to let her speak her heart freely. I wanted to rush over, apologize for making things tense, and comfort her, telling her not to cry.
But more than anything, I wanted to encourage her to stay strong.
From the start, I had no intention of being sincere. Testing Mar with a battle that felt like real combat to check her skills? Anyone would laugh and call it overkill. Besides, Mar was my daughter, and I had already confirmed the residents’ information through the Third Eye.
I just wanted her to prove something.
This proof wasn’t about measuring strength or skillful use of power. How Mar interpreted it was up to her, but what I truly wanted to confirm was only one thing.
“Are you not going to come?”
“!”
The moment I spoke, Mar’s eyes narrowed slightly. I crossed my arms and waited silently. It was a deliberately provocative gesture, but there was no sign of anger. Instead, her calm expression gradually showed clear signs of inner conflict. Yes, she must be confused.
“……”
“……”
How much time passed, I couldn’t say.
The chill of early dawn lingered, making the air bitterly cold. Yet, despite the biting cold brushing past us several times, there was no sign of an attack. Was she lost in thought? Or still wrestling with her doubts?
I had expected this, but I couldn’t just wait forever. I even considered ending it right there, but since I’d come this far, I decided to see it through properly.
With that in mind, I uncrossed my arms and drew my sword. Then, planting my right foot firmly forward, I swung the blade horizontally with all my strength. To be precise, I just put all my power into a strong swing on the spot.
And the effect was immediate.
Shing!
The sharp sound of air slicing startled Mar, who took a step back.
At the same moment—
Bang!
A loud blast echoed. The orb, which had been hovering, exploded in a dazzling flash of light and surged toward me. It was a reflexive release triggered by my sudden movement.
“Ah!”
A belated cry escaped her lips, but now was the crucial moment.
I immediately dropped my arms. Not to dodge, but to freeze my magic and suppress any resistance. I relaxed my entire body, abandoning all defense, and threw myself straight into the orb’s path. I focused my gaze on Mar’s reaction.
“Da-Dad!”
Her face was a mix of panic and helplessness. But in an instant, my vision was flooded with white light.
In that split second—
“No…!”
I clearly saw it. Though it lasted only a fraction of a second, Mar was definitely trying to withdraw the orb.
But since I had charged headlong, the orb had already collided with my chest. The radiant sphere pierced through me like a beam of light, exploding with such intensity that my vision blurred. Being completely defenseless, my body tilted and flew through the air.
…Yet.
Even as I tumbled across the garden, I felt relief.
“Da-ad!”
Because as soon as I stopped moving, I heard hurried footsteps rushing toward me.
Lifting my upper body lightly, I saw Mar running over, her face a mix of worry and confusion. I sat up and smiled faintly.
“You passed.”
“W-Why! …What?”
“If you cried, it would’ve been canceled.”
“Hic!”
Mar’s face, which had been bracing for tears, suddenly twisted oddly. I chuckled and rubbed my chest. I felt a slight impact, but it was nothing serious. My durability wasn’t something to underestimate. Besides, it wasn’t a full-powered strike.
Most importantly, at the last moment, Mar had barely managed to pull back her energy. Even if only a little.
That meant Mar must have known I wouldn’t be seriously hurt.
Only…
“You didn’t fully withdraw your power, but you did manage to change its direction—from my head to my chest.”
“Huh? W-What?”
“Right before the orb hit me.”
“That’s…”
Mar blinked several times, hesitating, then nodded cautiously.
“Good. That’s enough.”
I didn’t ask why. Those two facts alone were enough.
But since she’d been looking at me with a bewildered expression for a while, I figured a little explanation was in order.
“……”
…But when I tried to speak, the words caught in my throat. I didn’t want to say something cliché or preachy. Like, “With great power comes great responsibility,” or “A true wielder must…” and so on.
Part of me also felt embarrassed. What I wanted from Mar was completely at odds with what I had taught the kids years ago.
“Mar.”
But I couldn’t just laugh it off now. I decided to tell her.
“From what I’ve learned living this long…”
“Yes?”
“This world is a place where no one can do anything alone. No matter how strong your power is.”
“……?”
Hmm. Now that I say it, it doesn’t sound all that new.
Anyway, one thing Mar and I have in common is that we both suddenly became strong—overnight, almost.
At the start of this cycle, I used my newfound strength to bend everything to my will. Back then, I blindly pursued my goals, thinking it was the right thing to do.
Looking back, though, maybe that was abuse of power. At my worst, I even thought, “Should I just kill them on sight?” So you can imagine.
I don’t deny it. I did things that made me think that way, and I’ve regretted it. It took me a long time to come to this realization.
Because of that, even if my situation was different, I didn’t want Mar to follow the same misguided path. Even if it’s too late for me, Mar is just beginning.
Of course, considering Mar’s usual behavior, maybe I’m worrying unnecessarily. But after her awakening, when I checked with the Third Eye, I quietly made up my mind. One of Mar’s traits is balance—just like me.
…Well, maybe that’s my fault, too.
“I… don’t really understand.”
Mar tilted her head, still wearing a complicated expression, and I gave an awkward smile. After all, there’s a lot to unpack, so expecting her to get it all at once might be too much.
Just as I reached out to pat her head—
“Hm?”
Our eyes simultaneously turned toward the front gate. The courtyard was utterly silent, but there was a suspicious presence outside.
A moment later, the gate swung wide open, and three or four people rushed in. Looking closely, I recognized them as the priests from the last festival.
“Mercenary Road! Is Mercenary Road here?”
…Could it be another summons?
The moment I stepped into the summoning chamber, I was a little surprised. I had been bracing myself for a guardian’s call, but the scene was just as usual. No portal to the heavens, no Four Archangels in sight.
“Welcome, Suhyun.”
Only Seraph sat at the altar, as always.
Wait a minute. Since when did Seraph start calling me by my name so casually?
“What’s going on? I heard it was a guardian summons.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“…Where’s Gabriel?”
“He’s working.”
What?
“Correction. Currently, Gabriel and the other Four Archangels, as well as all angels assigned to the Northern Continent, are gathering information related to the current situation.”
I thought I misheard, but Seraph immediately corrected herself.
“And as of this moment, I, Seraph, have been granted full authority over the recent incident. In assisting the Guardian, I hold equal power to the Four Archangels, and any information gathered from now on will come directly through me.”
While I was still in a daze, Seraph spoke all this in a rapid yet clear voice. Not satisfied with just that, he continued.
“Also… first, I sincerely apologize for failing to prevent the demon’s schemes in advance, and for the inadequate follow-up response. I bow my head in genuine remorse. I am truly sorry.”
“?”
“All the angels, myself included, feel a collective responsibility for this series of events.”
“?”
“Therefore, after an internal meeting, we reached a conclusion. We angels will do everything in our power to assist the Northern Continent in resolving this crisis.”
“?”
“We intend to provide full support in any way we can. However, we will not interfere or impose beyond offering advice in decision-making, and we will unconditionally respect Suhyun’s opinions.”
“?”
…What the hell?
I couldn’t help but doubt my ears. Did these guys all just take a hit of some kind of drug? Or were they collectively under some spell from that day? I cautiously opened my mouth.
“Um, Seraph… I’ve got a random question.”
“Yes. Please ask. I’m listening.”
“Do angels… um, experience something like… menstrual cycles?”
“Huh?”
“No, I’ve heard that women tend to have strong emotional swings on those days.”
“…No.”
Seraph’s voice took on a slightly annoyed tone.
I scratched my head and slumped down. Honestly, I was pretty flustered, but… I figured it was better to take it as a good sign. After all, we planned to maintain a united front until the demons were wiped out. I could always shift my focus after securing the Zero Code.
“Anyway, if you called me here, that means you’ve got solid information, right?”
“Yes. Absolutely. You should watch this footage first.”
Snap!
As soon as Seraph finished speaking, he lightly snapped his fingers, and a translucent screen began to materialize before my eyes.
Being with Seraph was definitely comfortable. Having known each other for so long, he knew exactly what I wanted.
Just as I thought that, the screen started showing something. I pulled out a cigarette and focused intently on the video. Then, just as I was about to light it—
“Huh?”
My hand suddenly froze without me realizing it.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Dear readers,
Did you enjoy your exciting Friday night?
Thank you for waiting patiently yesterday.
I’ll be back to updating diligently from today onward. :)