NOTICE: Many of the novels have been removed because they might cause violations, which we were not aware of earlier.
Episode 32
Geo inhaled the food from the night market.
“… … .”
“Do you have any questions?”
“No, you eat well.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Geo was a big eater.
“Aren’t you full?”
“I’m okay because I eat a lot anyway.”
“It’s so amazing.”
“If it didn’t taste good, I would have just made it taste good, but it was all delicious, so I did it.”
“It has to be delicious for people to come.”
It’s true, but if all restaurants and food were delicious, no stores would go out of business.
‘Anyway, the tourist attractions have become quite substantial after 31 years. When I visited with my classmates, we were almost walking through the history. It took a lot of effort to appease the bored kids.’
After roughly removing the sap, Geo chewed on rice cakes grilled over charcoal and coated with soy sauce. This was Korean tang-hoo-ru.
‘When you think of Gyeongbokgung Palace, you think of a typical cultural heritage… It had that kind of boring feel to it.’
It was a place with many memories, but what created those memories was not Gyeongbokgung Palace itself, but rather the communication with the students who were searching for their own identity while wearing hanbok.
‘Seeing you cry for no reason, I wonder what happened to our idol trainee who said he was the king of Joseon in his past life. I wonder if everyone is doing well.’
If it weren’t for the students who were faithful to their nonsense like high school students who can’t live in their right mind, Geo wouldn’t have enjoyed Gyeongbokgung Palace as much.
Although Hanok is beautiful and quaint, there were many students who protested that they had to come here, especially in the summer.
‘But Gyeongbokgung Palace now has more substance. There is definitely a lot to enjoy.’
People wearing hanbok enjoyed role-playing, often swapping the kind of lanterns they bought with others. Everyone seemed to be having fun.
“… … .”
If there’s one thing I’m curious about.
‘What is that?’
I saw something like a transparent shadow waving around wearing a hanbok.
‘It’s the same in the fan shop, and in the alleys of the Hanok village… I see similar things walking around.’
There may be exceptions, but all of the ones Geo saw were wearing masks.
A group of shadows in the shape of a troupe swaying on a rope with lanterns, a group of children with ponytails jumping around and passing through the crowd, a group of civil servants coming and going within the palace with restricted access… .
“… Mr. Yoo Seong-un.”
“huh?”
“What is that called?”
“What is… Ah.”
Yoo Seong-un said as if he assumed Geo would know.
“Fairy tales, living stories. Is this the first time you’ve seen them in a place like this?”
“… … .”
“They usually like places without people, so it’s rare to see them in crowded tourist spots like this. Still, they’re one of the proper children of the original.”
I’ve heard this before.
“You told me something similar last time.”
“What? Are you talking about the children of the origin?”
“Yes, can you elaborate a little more?”
“… Oh, I see.”
Yoo Seong-un continued speaking, scratching the back of his neck.
“I think I gave a rough idea of what the gardener was like last time… but it was a bit vague at the time. It’s hard to summarize it in a few words, but I’ll explain it to you.”
“… … .”
“There is a transcendent being that we humans define as the ‘Source’, the God of Gods. It is a kind of system that maintains balance and creates various rules throughout the universe and dimensions.”
“It’s a system.”
“And this source usually creates other children. They are called ‘children of the source.’ They are beings that can be distinguished as one nature, like waves or wind, or beasts and humans.”
“… … .”
“Children of this origin can be divided into several categories… .”
Yoo Seong-un pointed to the figure of a civil official moving within the palace. His face was hidden by a large hat and veil, and his sleeves were strangely long, making it impossible to see any part of his body.
Their movements in groups had a certain charm that made them seem like they were watching a military parade, but because of that, they didn’t seem like living beings. It was as if shadows were wearing clothes and imitating people.
“Those guys are called ‘fairy tales.’”
“What kind of being are you?”
“Like most children of the original, they are not interested in humans and do not harm them. ‘Fairy Tales’ are living stories and at the same time, they are beings that closely resemble humans.”
“Then isn’t the mind closer to human?”
“They don’t really think like humans, they just imitate traces. The children of the Origin are good at arranging their appearances. It’s not like they learned it later, it’s just a characteristic of their nature.”
Yoo Seong-un drank the persimmon juice and continued speaking.
“Fairy tales, no matter what kind, all wear masks, and there is no face on the other side. They do not have a human body or the ability to think like a human, but only imitate the appearance.”
“… … .”
“Just because you draw someone doesn’t mean the drawing becomes a real person. Oh, I don’t know about you, but… Usually there’s a limit to the dimensions.”
“I understand.”
A portrait like mine wouldn’t be common in the world. When Geo agreed, Yoo Seong-un continued.
“They have their own stories, and when they finish, they disappear. Gyeongbokgung Palace is a place with many people, but strangely enough, it is a place where such fairy tales are quite common.”
Geo, who was observing the people, asked.
“Can’t people see the children of such origins?”
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“There aren’t many people watching.”
Yoo Seong-un nodded.
“The average person can’t detect the frequencies that dolphins and bats use. It’s similar. The children of the Origin exist in the world, but not many people can detect them. It’s not like they’re hiding.”
“Ghost?”
“Ah… You could see them as similar, but they’re a little different in that they don’t understand humans at all. No matter how much they look like humans, they’re empty inside. They’re different from the very root.”
He said as if something had occurred to him.
“Ah, that’s right. In the past, no one could see the children of the Origin. They say that because the Earth was greatly influenced by the Origin, dungeons were created… and Awakened people were born… and because of that, the ecosystem itself changed, and that’s why they were able to see them.”
It was a mystical story like a fairy tale.
“As you can see, I am one of the few people who can perceive such a source.”
“I guess so too.”
“Well, I guess so.”
Although I tried to hide it, Yoo Seong-un looked a little awkward. It was probably because he thought of me as something other than a human.
‘Anyway, if it’s Mr. Yoo Seong-un, it doesn’t matter whether I’m human or not, because he’ll know that I’m a harmless being that can’t even kill an ant.’
For fear of being dragged out of the portrait, Geo didn’t bother to correct it and looked back at the view of Gyeongbokgung Palace.
‘The Earth and humanity have become stronger.’
I was definitely eliminated. Geo, who only knew how to eat, sleep, and draw, had lost the confidence to survive in this harsh world.
“How many people can see the source of existence?”
“Are you asking about the percentage among all humans? Well, not much.”
“okay.”
If something is special, it will be stabbed. Geo once again vows to dedicate his life to portraits.
“… … .”
Geo, who was sitting blankly on the bench, soon noticed a small commotion.
“I hear fighting.”
“That’s rare, in a tourist destination like this.”
Yoo Seong-un, who was leaning against the chair, leaned his upper body forward.
“The guards will catch him soon….”
As expected, the guards wearing thick hanbok caught the man who was yelling. He was a middle-aged man, but he was making a fuss about trying to run at a rather handsome man wearing scholar’s attire.
The scholar, who was adjusting his shirt as if he had been grabbed by the collar, had an embarrassed expression.
“… … .”
He is clearly a young man with a good impression, but… .
Let’s make a frame and check its safety (0/1)
Reward: Seal
Geo has a feeling.
“Geo?”
“… … .”
It’s a picture frame.
Geo raised both hands, made a camera shape, and held them up to his eyes.
Dangerous ★★★★★
Five stars.
‘Isn’t it very dangerous?’
It seemed like the security guards had caught the wrong person and were supposed to be dragged out.
Would you like to check your history?
[Yes/No]
Do I really have to do that?
“… … .”
The eyes of the young man in scholar’s attire met Geo’s.
‘Were you staring too intently?’
Yoo Seong-un seemed to find Geo’s sudden behavior strange, but he didn’t say anything.
The scholar looked Geo up and down with his eyes as if he was trying to figure him out, then nodded and passed by. His expression seemed to indicate that he thought he had picked a fight.
“Kuruk.”
“Wow, that’s surprising.”
Yoo Seong-un was startled by Honey’s sudden appearance.
“… Huh? A water bird? Wait, Geo, you showed me this guy last time… .”
“It’s honey.”
“Were you able to bring this guy out?”
“I don’t know about other birds because I haven’t tried them.”
“Um, yeah, uh… I see.”
Yoo Seong-un had a somewhat liberated expression on his face.
“It’s almost time for the Earth to end.”
“You seem to be holding up well, so I don’t know why you’re suddenly saying something so out of the blue.”
“It was clear that it was a sand castle that would crumble if you hit it lightly….”
Yoo Seong-un, who had been smiling with a resigned face, soon returned to his usual expression and asked.
“So, why does that guy bother you?”
“It looked dangerous.”
“…okay?”
“I don’t think you liked me.”
dread.
“I didn’t want to start a fight.”
I had momentarily forgotten that if you make eye contact for more than 3 seconds, it’s a binary choice between ‘Does that kid like me?’ and ‘Is that kid trying to fight me?’
‘I should have spoken to him politely and kindly before the 3 seconds passed, but his resume was too impressive, so I missed the timing to act friendly. It seems Sergio, who was called the 21st century’s Pokemon trainer, has lost all his intuition.’
They say that when eyes meet, it’s a battle. For better or worse.
‘I think that guy just interpreted it in a bad way.’
In this tough age where businessmen in suits fight monsters, what’s the point of picking a fight with a five-star danger lord?
‘No, shouldn’t the risk level for just a passerby be this high?’
Geo spoke with all his heart, lamenting this crazy hellish Republic of Korea.
“It’s scary.”
“It’s hard to take it seriously when you say you’re scared… Are you being sarcastic?”
“I think we should go back to the hotel.”
“If you want to do that.”
Geo left Gyeongbokgung Palace after gently putting Honey, who was trying to peek out from between his scarf, inside. He must have been so impressed by the sparkling fish that he had already put them in his stomach.
And then I passed out in my hotel bed and woke up at 3:32 in the morning.
“… … .”
Geo confirmed that Honey was gone.
“please.”
Can’t you just leave me in peace right now?
There are times when I end up crying.
* * *
“… … .”
A dark, deserted alley in a slum.
“… So what the hell was that kid just now?”
Now the man, who had taken off his scholar’s uniform, roughly swept his hair up.
‘I had a strange feeling.’
It was a man wearing a pitch-black hanbok. He was so wrapped up that his face was not visible.
The height seemed to be around 190cm, but it was difficult to guess who the subject was based on gender and height alone.
“It feels awkward.”
If it were normal, I would have just passed by him as some weird kid picking a fight.
but.
“At that time, the gesture was something….”
A hand gesture that seems to imitate something like a picture frame.
It was only for a moment, but it felt like my identity was being revealed piece by piece.
“… … .”
The man scratched his head.
“… This won’t work, damn it, this is weird. That kid must have been an Awakened one, right?”
The person sitting next to me was a meteor hunter. The curator of Bisabal was right next to me and was personally guiding me, so he was probably a rich young master who had recently awakened.
‘Because I had bad manners built into my body.’
But it was difficult.
‘If it becomes known what I’m planning… .’
It wasn’t going to end with him simply being demoted to a fifth-class citizen.
There were more Awakened people than you might imagine who had the skill to freely check someone’s thoughts or memories, or to glimpse into that person’s past. It’s not that rare of a skill, but people just don’t talk about it for fear of getting stabbed somewhere.
So the pitch-black man I saw at the Gyeongbokgung night market might have used that kind of skill to spy on my thoughts. It was a very reasonable conclusion, considering the random hand gesture.
“… … .”
Phew… .
I sighed.
“The event will start soon, what is going on, I wonder.”
If you think about the aftereffects, you can’t just let it go. That’s how dangerous the work he’s doing right now is, and it’s a betrayal of humanity.
I never felt guilty, but I couldn’t help but get in trouble if I got caught.
No matter how much I think about it, it’s still the same.
“I have to kill you.”
How much time and effort had gone into securing a spot in the Temple of the Sun? Now, I couldn’t afford to leave the risk factor alone just because it left a bad taste in my mouth.
It was when I made up my mind to trace the traces of the man I saw at Gyeongbokgung Palace.
“… … .”
“… … .”
“…what.”
There was a squishy bird sitting on the pipe.
Inside, there were fish and other tourist attractions swimming around, so it was quite bright. I wonder why I only noticed it now in this dark alley.
“… … .”
It was strange.
‘… This is the first time I’ve seen a city monster like this.’
Moreover, monsters that usually have a new form, especially small ones like this, usually travel in groups. This is because all beasts or monsters that travel alone are capable of defending themselves.
So what are the odds that this seemingly insignificant bird is actually a common monster?
“… This, shit, no way… .”
Is that the surveillance monster that the kid I saw at Gyeongbokgung Palace put there?
‘You were a trainer?’
I never thought he would be a professional hunter. Somehow, that sinister bastard Yoo Seong-un treated me so kindly. Does that mean he is an Awakened person worth that much?
The man held the staff tightly.
“… Well, is it okay?”
It seemed that the owner of this bird was a rookie. It was obvious that the bird smelled like its owner. It seemed that when he sent the spy, he had no idea that he would be caught in return.
The man forced a smile.
“If you noticed something strange, you should have told Yoo Seong-un right away.”
I didn’t feel threatened by this bird, which was just blankly staring at me. It really seemed to be a surveillance camera, and if so, it would be easier to track it.
‘You weren’t sure enough to tell Yoo Seong-un.’
Not reporting your doubts to your superiors in advance is a common mistake made by beginner hunters.
‘How stupid.’
I don’t know exactly what this bird was, but I had to deal with it now.
The man who thought so reached out and caught a bird that was so small it wouldn’t even fit in his mouth… .
-Kkwak.
“… … .”
“… … .”
“uh?”
Hand.
It’s gone.
“… … .”
Inside the bird’s transparent body, his hand was visible. The back of a flailing fish wrapped around the severed hand.
Soon the two of them slowly melted away.
“…ah.”
“Kkuk.”
“fu*k.”
The man was not incompetent.
“Crunch?”
“Oh my, this is fu*king shit….”
“Gurrrrrr?”
“… That’s ridiculous.”
“Kuk kuuk.”
As a priest of the sun and a rank that was by no means easy, he was in a position to be proud.
However, all of this was a situation where things that could not have happened in common sense happened together like a disaster rather than a miracle. It was not a problem that a single individual could solve.
The tiny bird’s body began to swell strangely.
“fu*k, fu*k, fu*k.”
“Gulp?”
A feather that sparkles with a light that is hard to tell if it is the moon or the sun.
Long legs with strong, hook-like claws.
And, a big beak.
“no…!”
Gulp―.
I can hear the sound of water flowing.
“Ugh, ugh…!”
Then a stirring sound was heard again.
“… ! … !!!”
“… … .”
“… … !!”
“… … .”
“… … .”
within,
Silence fell.
“… … .”
The man was nowhere to be seen.
“Crunch.”
Only a very small bird was flying leisurely.
* * *
“honey.”
Geo likes small and harmless things.
However, the children of the origin were those who were good at making things up.
“Where have you been?”
“Cur.”
“It’s okay because it’s cute.”
then.
What exactly is its essence?
“There’s some bungeoppang over there.”
“Push!!”
“You are truly my son.”
“Gurrung?”
“Tell me something delicious.”
Even the children of the origin themselves would not know that.