< Chapter 650 > Back to the Central Plains.
Three days had passed since the bloody battle against Mang and the white demonic beast.
It had been a brief time, but changes were afoot in the Northern Sea.
“Charge!”
Waaaaah---!!!
The war had not ended.
Under Mang’s direction, Yuseon had stepped forward and lit the flames, but it was no different from them having joined the rebellion.
The remaining warriors continued fighting to seize the Palace.
As a result, it did not take long to reclaim the Palace.
‘After all, the Palace hadn’t gathered all its forces to begin with.’
The Great General who joined the rebellion was stationed under the Blue Wolf, whose main house lay in a remote place.
Hearing this, I wondered why they had not placed any forces in the Palace, which ought to have held symbolic significance.
How should I put it.
‘It was a formation built expecting defeat, so to speak.’
Perhaps they never intended to win from the start.
Then what had the war been fought for?
I could not know.
‘If it were me….’
For starters, I would have beheaded the captured bloodline member and shown it to the troops to raise morale.
Knowing the enemy leader was weakened and having located their hideout, I would have crushed them without hesitation.
Yet Yuseon did none of that.
Despite possessing such strength and forces, she had accomplished nothing significant.
Why was that?
‘She’s already dead, so I can’t ask her.’
The Palace was reclaimed with not even that many troops.
I had tagged along out of boredom while sending Heuksaja, and it was surprisingly simple.
There, I saw it.
The corpse of the dead Yuseon.
I burned it the moment I saw it.
Heuksaja saw this and asked why I burned it.
[I found her unsightly.]
I had to dismiss it with a light remark.
A somehow peaceful expression on her shriveled corpse.
It was too miserable for the end of a woman once deeply ambitious, too pathetic for the final moments of one who had fought me.
So I burned her.
Rather than bringing that sight before my father, I thought it better to say I burned the wretch because she was unsightly.
I walked down a cracked corridor that looked weathered.
There was no guide. If there was one, it was only Seongyul walking ahead.
“Hey.”
“Yes.”
“What happened to the other bloodline members?”
Underground in the Palace.
That is, in the dungeon for criminals, apart from where the Ice Crystal had been, other bloodline members of the Ice Palace had been imprisoned.
Those we found were the First Young Master and the Second Young Master.
The First Young Master had no issues aside from dehydration, but the Second Young Master’s right leg had been severed.
To my question, Seongyul answered without turning his head.
“The First Young Master is resting, and the Second Young Master has yet to awaken.”
“Hm, so they’re alive at least.”
Why had they been kept alive?
That was the greatest question.
Bloodline members. And male ones at that.
If kept alive, they would obviously become obstacles once one became Palace Lord.
‘Did she have some lingering attachment?’
It didn’t seem like it.
I didn’t know.
‘She kept the First Young Master comfortable, yet severed the Second Young Master’s leg. That bothers me.’
How should I put it.
‘It feels like there was a separate reason she did that only to the Second Young Master.’
I had heard from Yuri before that the Second Young Master possessed greater talent and could not accept the First Young Master becoming the Little Palace Lord.
‘Could that be why?’
Cutting off the leg entirely to prevent him from aspiring.
Might that be what she did? That thought suddenly crossed my mind.
‘But why go so far?’
Why Yuseon had done so was still something I could not know.
“Hey.”
I posed another question to Seongyul, who was walking ahead.
“Yes.”
“Do villains with reasons exist?”
A pause.
Seongyul, hearing my words, stopped walking for a moment.
Then he answered, looking at me.
“I believe there are. For there is no one without a story.”
Everyone has their circumstances and narratives. There are those rotten from the start, and those who could not help but become rotten.
If so.
“Does having a story become a reason to forgive them?”
“...”
Having heard the question, Seongyul continued without a change in expression.
“What does the Young Master think?”
“Who knows.”
I answered as if I did not know, but I was aware.
‘I don’t care.’
I had no interest in the other’s narrative or circumstances. Furthermore, it mattered not whether they were good or evil.
It was merely a matter of whether they blocked my path ahead or not.
‘Though if they were a decent sort, I might let them live.’
It would depend on the situation. It might seem selfish and unprincipled, but if it were me, I would surely do so.
“...”
Hearing that answer, Seongyul stared at me quietly for a moment, then nodded shortly after.
“Yes, I am the same.”
“Brat, have you nothing to say, so you’re just copying my answer?”
“...”
A slight smile formed at Seongyul’s attitude.
And I walked down the corridor again.
This small talk was not merely about Yuseon.
As the Black Flame Demon Lord of my previous life had been. As the Sword Demon of my previous life had been.
A villain is a villain.
Those who had stories had no need to be accepted by those who died by my hand.
The same would hold for how I treated Yuseon.
Whatever thoughts she held, whatever choices she made in life.
It was none of my business.
That was all.
Squeak-!
Following Seongyul’s guidance, as I approached the great doors, they naturally opened.
A coldness different from the outside brushed past my body.
Feeling the chill, I raised my gaze.
‘I thought I had devoured all the energy. It seems some remained.’
On the throne ahead. Where Yuseon had once sat, someone else was seated.
“I apologize for summoning you here.”
“Your body should not be fully recovered yet. Is it alright for you to be sitting there already?”
It was the Palace Lord of the Ice Palace, its master and a half-dragon.
He spoke to me with a slight smile.
“This seat cannot be left vacant for long, you see.”
“Hm.”
The Palace Lord’s treatment was not yet complete.
Having been beaten without respite, his internal and external injuries were severe.
One could say he was lucky to be alive.
‘Though he looks fine on the outside.’
Immediately after absorbing the cold energy. The Palace Lord, having received treatment, fortunately survived.
Moreover.
‘His Dragonification had also been undone.’
After devouring all the cold energy, his skin that had sprouted scales returned to normal, and his frozen body also recovered.
Also.
‘With the cold energy gone from the Northern Sea, the temperature is rising gradually.’
Perhaps thanks to having devoured all the Ice Crystal’s energy, blue skies stretched over the Northern Sea.
Though it was still cold, everyone could tell the weather had somehow changed.
Had the Ice Crystal’s curse disappeared?
That was how it appeared to me.
‘Whatever the case, it means it is on a different level from the Dark King’s curse.’
Step.
I slowly moved my steps toward the Palace Lord.
I felt gazes on me. Several men, including Heuksaja, were positioned around.
‘They’re all Transformation Realm martial artists.’
Two more who were no less than Heuksaja.
‘So they are on the level of Great Generals?’
I nodded. In short, it meant that one became a martial artist by cutting down the direct subordinate squad of the leader. They were probably all who had not betrayed.
“Under normal circumstances… I should have come to see you myself. I apologize for summoning you here when I am still unable to move about freely.”
“That doesn’t matter. My legs are not that heavy, after all.”
“I am grateful for your understanding.”
At my words, the Palace Lord smiled faintly. Seeing that, I asked.
“May I ask why you summoned me?”
For three days, I had not been able to meet the Palace Lord.
His treatment had been the priority, and I had been somewhat busy myself.
“The reason I called for you is, quite naturally, to express my gratitude.”
Srrk.
The Palace Lord rose from the throne. And then he abruptly knelt.
“Palace Lord--!?”
“How…!”
The guards and generals tried to stop him at the sight, but the Palace Lord raised his hand to restrain them.
“How could I not kneel at least once before my benefactor. I am capable of doing far more than this, so do not stop me.”
In the end, the Palace Lord knelt. I silently watched him.
“Thank you.”
“…I simply had some time to spare and helped out. There is no need for thanks.”
“For saving the Northern Sea. I am truly grateful.”
“...”
At the Palace Lord’s words, I closed my mouth and clicked my tongue inwardly.
I had thought he was expressing gratitude for helping reclaim the Ice Palace, but unfortunately, it seemed the Palace Lord knew.
‘He knows I devoured all the Ice Crystal’s energy.’
I had been pretending ignorance, but it seemed the Palace Lord knew after all.
“…You won’t blame me, will you?”
“Hm? What do you mean?”
“It would be troublesome if you demanded compensation for my having consumed all that energy.”
Having absorbed all that abundant Ice Crystal energy. If they claimed ownership from the Ice Palace, things would become bothersome.
Of course, I had prepared plans to talk my way out of it if caught playing dumb, so it was fine.
However.
“…?”
The Palace Lord’s expression turned strange upon hearing my words.
“How dare I demand such a thing from my benefactor.”
“Huh? You won’t? Why?”
“…?”
“…?”
A strange silence passed.
I would have demanded it, you know? I might have gone on a rampage, grabbing him by the hair and asking why he ate my stuff. But he did not.
‘Well, if he won’t demand it, all the better.’
Thinking that a good outcome was good enough, I let out a sigh of relief. Having expressed his gratitude, the Palace Lord carefully rose and sat back in his chair.
I could see the back of his hand trembling as he sat.
“Along with my gratitude… there is something I wish to ask the Young Master.”
“Please do.”
“From Heuksaja, I heard that your father came and went. Is this true?”
“…Ah.”
He had come.
He came, dragged out the Palace Lord, beat him up, and left.
“Yes… He came for a moment and left right away.”
“…I see… So it was him.”
At the mention of my father, the Palace Lord gave a bitter smile.
“If we were to reunite, I had hoped it would not be in such a manner. It is somewhat regrettable. Did he perhaps leave any words for me?”
“He probably did not even know you were the Palace Lord.”
There was a monster before him, so he simply beat it. He likely did not know whether it was a Palace Lord or what.
“I see.”
The Palace Lord nodded.
“I wonder if I should consider that a blessing.”
“They say good is good enough.”
“…Ha.”
He looked anything but comforted.
Just what had my father done in his youth for the Palace Lord to react like this?
‘Judging by how he treats him like a friend, it seems he did not simply beat him up.’
You would not treat someone you had thrashed once as a friend.
I thought that, yet I recalled some fellows in my head who were somewhat like friends.
‘Hm.’
Maybe not.
There are surprisingly those who enjoy being bullied.
“Young Master Gu.”
“Yes.”
“If you wish, we shall hold a banquet in your honor. If you desire, I can give you the gold, silver, and jewels stored in the main fortress.”
At the Palace Lord’s words, I made an absurd expression.
“We are still at war; how can you speak of banquets and treasures?”
“If you desire them, it is only right to give them.”
“I do not need them.”
I said, waving my hand.
I did not enjoy banquets, nor did I need gold and silver.
Perhaps in the past, but I was swimming in money now.
‘Night-Shining Pearls and Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron. Just think how much I sold them for.’
Besides, I had many means to earn money if I wanted.
“Then, might I ask about your future plans?”
“There is nothing much to speak of. I will be heading back soon.”
To be precise, as soon as Namgung Bia’s treatment was more or less complete, I would return straight to the Central Plains.
At those words, Heuksaja behind me spoke in surprise.
“…Do you mean now?”
Hearing him, I answered with a puzzled expression.
“Is there any reason I cannot go now?”
“…No.”
“If you are talking about the war, I have no intention of involving myself further.”
“...”
I knew the reason.
They would want to hold onto me somehow. The Northern Sea was still at war, and strong individuals like me were rare.
However.
“I trust you will not make such a demand.”
I declared firmly, looking at the Palace Lord, and he too nodded.
“Of course. I know it would be unreasonable to ask anything more of you.”
They should clean up the remaining mess themselves.
Having heard the Palace Lord’s answer, I relaxed my expression.
Then.
“But Young Master Gu.”
The Palace Lord spoke to me.
“Yes.”
“No matter how much you say you want for nothing, I truly cannot send my benefactor away empty-handed. Is there truly nothing you desire?”
“Hm.”
A reward.
‘I haven’t exactly suffered losses here.’
On the contrary, I had gained much. I had risen to a realm I would have needed at least another two or three years to reach.
I had also obtained a great deal of information, so there was nothing I particularly wanted as a reward….
‘Ah.’
Just as I was thinking that, as if it had been waiting, one thing came to mind.
“There is something I need, as it happens.”
“Oh.”
The moment I said there was, the Palace Lord’s face brightened.
“Information regarding something called ‘Sorcery’ in the Northern Sea. And the one rotting in prison right now. Please return him to me.”
“…!”
At my following words, the Palace Lord’s expression instantly stiffened.