"Yeonwoo, actually... there's something I want to tell you today."
"Really? What a coincidence. I had something to say too."
Twenty-four years ago.
Yeonwoo still regrets what happened that day.
Because it was the Constellations and the Monarch who were chasing after her.
Lee Geon must have thought he died because Yeonwoo called him to that place.
Fortunately, the only one who died that day was Yeonwoo, but still, she ended up dragging Lee Geon into it.
"So, Geon, what did you want to tell me?"
"Uh...? Uh... that's..."
"Should I guess? I think I know."
"Huh? Uhhh??? No...! Aagh! No, wait!"
"We're way behind on rent, right? I heard from the landlady. So I figured that was it and ta-da, brought this. You don't have to worry anymore!"
"......"
"Huh? What's wrong? Isn't it? The landlady said it was urgent..."
"We were behind, yeah, but do people usually talk about that kind of thing in a restaurant like this?"
"...Oh, no?"
"No, they don't. And I paid the rent before we left the house earlier, okay? Ugh, forget it."
"Huh? S-sorry, did I upset you? Where are you going?"
"Don't worry, you idiot, I'm just going to the bathroom. I'll tell you as soon as I get back, so wait for me."
But in the end, she never got to hear it.
Rather, that was the last time they saw each other.
While Lee Geon was in the bathroom, they came barging in, and Yeonwoo tried to leave Seoul altogether, pretending she was alone, but well.
[This man, he's with you, isn't he?]
That was why Yeonwoo regretted it.
No matter how much she missed him, she shouldn't have given in to the desire to say a final goodbye.
If she had just disappeared that day, there would have been no reason for Lee Geon to get hurt.
That was why, this time, she intended to simply hand over the throne and quietly disappear into the Inquisitional Realm.
But in this moment.
Crunch!
Lee Geon roughly grabbed the chains.
'!'
Simultaneously, the thick chains trying to return to hell came to an abrupt halt.
Everyone was shocked by the sight.
Even the chains seemed surprised.
Naturally so, because not a single god had ever dared lay a hand on an Inquisition escort.
But Lee Geon, gripping the chains fiercely, flashed his eyes in anger.
"Who do you think you're touching right in front of me?"
At that voice, Yeonwoo's body trembled. Hugo gaped as if horrified.
His expression was one of disbelief that the guy could even say something like that.
But the chains appeared extremely pissed off.
[Unnamed Constellation, what do you think you are doing?]
The voice was thick with killing intent.
[Does a mere Constellation dare obstruct an execution of the Divine Realm?]
At the same time, Yeonwoo, who was being dragged away, realized and tried to stop Lee Geon.
A Constellation could not, and must not, interfere in the affairs of the Inquisitional Realm, the Lower Realm.
Each world had its rulers and those in charge, as there existed a non-aggression pact forbidding encroachment on each other's territories.
And the Serf of Tartarus was under the jurisdiction of the Inquisitional Realm. Even the highest superior gods could not lay hands on her.
Because that was the rule.
And those who broke that rule were severely punished according to the laws of the Divine Realm.
That was why Yeonwoo grew urgent.
[Lord Serpentbearer! You mustn't!]
As she tried to muster some will, a leash that had been invisible until now materialized around her neck.
Perhaps because she was Constellation-level even though she'd lost her divinity. The leash seemed to have entered alert mode early on.
It was as if the leash despised the mere act of the serf opening her mouth.
Thanks to that, Yeonwoo could barely move her limbs, but she shouted anyway.
[Lord Serpentbearer! The chains are the body of the Divine Realm. If you go any further, you too, Lord Serpentbearer, will become a serf for treason...!]
But Lee Geon ignored her.
"Are you going to let go or not?"
Clang!!
He put strength into the hand holding the thick chains.
Under that tremendous force, the chains, which felt as if their body would snap, let out a scream.
[You insolent bastard! How dare a fledgling Constellation meddle in the affairs of the Lower Realm! If you do this, you'll be demoted too...!]
"Get lost."
Along with that chilling murmur, the sound of the earth splitting was heard.
Crack!
As he violently twisted the chains, a huge fissure appeared.
Crunch!
[Aagh! Stop!]
But the furious Lee Geon didn't stop there.
"I said let go!"
As Lee Geon's demonic energy seeped into the chains, the chains shattered.
Crunch!
Simultaneously, the chains screamed, and the bound Yeonwoo plummeted towards the ground.
"Ah...!"
But.
Thud!
Right beneath her, Lee Geon appeared and caught the falling Yeonwoo in his arms.
And perhaps they heard that scream.
Rumble!
A strange pattern emerged from the white floor, and unfamiliar beings appeared.
They were half-beast, half-human, with the heads of animals.
They looked like Subordinate Gods, but they were not.
[Caution. They are Subordinate Gods belonging to the Divine Realm, agents of the Divine Realm. It is best to avoid friction.]
[Agents of the Divine Realm hold the right to execute a Constellation if they violate the rules.]
They were the jailers of the Inquisitional Realm.
As they appeared, Lee Geon set Yeonwoo down and drew his Condemnation.
The jailers, startled by the sight before them, were about to pull out their execution tools immediately but hesitated.
After all, since awakening as a formal god, Lee Geon was also a member of the Divine Realm.
Moreover, the twelve signs of the Zodiac were thrones of high rank.
Fundamentally, they could not treat Lee Geon recklessly.
Perhaps that was why.
They spoke respectfully.
[Thirteenth Constellation of the Thirteenth Zodiac, this will put you in a difficult position.]
[If you continue to obstruct the execution of the Divine Realm and damage the property of the Lower Realm, you yourself, Serpentbearer, will face trouble.]
Of course, they weren't sincerely trying to stop Lee Geon.
Because those chains were an executive-level entity of the Inquisitional Realm. Despite its appearance, it was a superior deity belonging to the Inquisitional Realm.
'The manager overseeing Tartarus's serfs.'
'Like the landlord of a serf farm.'
In other words, even a Constellation couldn't completely destroy it anyway.
'And touching a Constellation makes things troublesome for our side too.'
So they tried to coax Lee Geon into letting go of the chains.
[We will discuss the serf matter with the upper echelon. The leash can never be removed, but depending on the terms of negotiation, the treatment at least can be made favorable...]
But the chains flashed their eyes as if telling them to shut up.
[Negotiate what! The serfs of the farm aren't even worth that!]
The moment the words fell, the ground shook.
From behind Lee Geon, chains rattled up again.
Had the main body of the chains that Lee Geon had shattered come?
Ones much thicker than before appeared.
There were even far more in number this time.
They intended to seize Lee Geon as well this time.
[I'll drag that bastard and his entire party to the Inquisitional Realm and torture them all!]
However, the thick chains couldn't finish their sentence.
Boom!!!
With a tremendous sound, the chains were flung away right before Lee Geon's eyes.
As if an invisible barrier had erupted in front of him.
At the same time, a peculiar pattern rose in Lee Geon's left eye and demonic energy burst forth.
And then.
Shatter!
The smaller chains that were charging became ash right before Lee Geon's eyes.
Because of that, the jailers couldn't help but be bewildered.
It wasn't his display of such power that surprised them.
[Wait! Isn't that demonic energy the aura of them!]
[Correct! It is the aura of the original masters who created the thrones!]
The jailers stirred.
[The original master of a throne, you say. Could it be that heroic legend?]
[Do you mean the ill-fated Creator clan who eventually went mad and were executed by their subordinates?]
[Yes! Especially that person is the 13th throne who was the most outstanding among them...!]
[What? The 13th? Isn't that the one who ruled the serpents!]
[The legendary being who would still be called the greatest had they not gone mad...]
Thus, they looked at Yeonwoo with perplexity.
Because the 13th throne's original master they spoke of was Yeonwoo's master.
They were appalled.
[Could it be that the serf resurrected that original master?]
But Yeonwoo herself was equally bewildered.
It was because Lee Geon's power, awakened as a god, greatly resembled that of her master.
Of course, he wasn't her master.
But.
'He resembles my master.'
The original master of the 13th throne, who had picked her up when she was a worthless baby snake and raised her as a substitute god.
Though while she was away seeking medicine for the original masters, her colleagues had committed the usurpation.
And she herself had ascended to the throne to grasp the truth of her murdered master.
Well, what she learned as a result was the betrayal of her colleagues and that her masters had never actually gone mad.
So she did wonder what was going on as she looked at Lee Geon, but that was brief.
'!'
She was startled by the black gate opening behind Lee Geon's back.
'An execution skill of the Inquisitional Realm...!'
And right now, more than the numerous questions floating up, Lee Geon right in front of her was more important to her.
'I can't let him get entangled again.'
In the end, she gnawed at her remaining life force to squeeze out demonic energy. And just as she was about to block the Inquisitional Realm's skill.
"Gah!"
"Yeonwoo-ssi!"
Lee Geon was taken aback.
The leash wrapped around Yeonwoo's neck was roughly choking her.
It was the doing of the thick chains that had tried to drag her to the Inquisitional Realm.
The chains that Lee Geon's power had shattered seemed greatly humiliated.
It could recover if it returned to the Divine Realm, but this humiliation suffered by the hands of a serf was something it could not restore.
Sure enough.
[How dare you resurrect something like that and try to interfere until the end?]
Yeonwoo, choked by the leash, was in immense agony.
Usually invisible, she was undeniably a serf within the Divine Realm hierarchy.
Naturally, she was suppressed by the leash. And as long as it existed, she could never escape the Inquisitional Realm.
Soon the chains shouted.
[Insolent wretch. I'll annihilate yo... Aaagh!]
Lee Geon, roughly grabbing a fragment of the chains, had a murderous glint in his eyes.
"The ones being annihilated are you lot."
And as if responding to him, the throne of the Serpentbearer shone.
That was the moment.
Boom!!
A flash erupted along with the demonic energy in his hand, and with it, the divinity of the chains was completely annihilated.
He had killed the gods of the Inquisitional Realm.
[Divine rank is increasing.]
[You have obtained a vast amount of experience points.]
As a result, the jailers watching the scene could only be horrified.
[The Constellation has gone and smashed the regulations to pieces...!]
They looked utterly unable to comprehend it.
They couldn't help it.
[Lord Serpentbearer, have you not already noticed, Lord Serpentbearer? That serf is one with little life left anyway!]
[Her contract is over, and she is a being destined to dissipate soon. There was truly no need to go this far, even making an enemy of the Inquisitional Realm...!]
But Lee Geon said nothing.
He only spoke a single sentence.
"Whatever, just get the hell out of here."
At that furious view of his back, the agents of the Divine Realm flinched.
Well, even if the chains were a god of Tartarus, they themselves were officials.
There was no benefit in touching a Constellation who would become a member of the Divine Realm.
Especially with that power.
Perhaps that was why.
[We judge that the serf has been retrieved by you, Lord Serpentbearer, and will not dispatch a separate pursuer for the runaway serf.]
[Serf, you should also be grateful that, thanks to Lord Serpentbearer, you will not die as a serf when you do die.]
Finally, they respectfully vanished.
At the same time, perhaps because the manager, the chains, had been annihilated.
The leash around Yeonwoo's neck was completely severed.
"Ah."
She had completely escaped the Inquisitional Realm.
And perhaps due to that influence, the restriction on her movement also disappeared. The power that had been constraining her body for decades was gone.
That was when Yeonwoo was dazedly wiggling her fingers.
She felt a presence behind her back.
It was Lee Geon.
So, startled, she turned her head in an instant.
'!'
Yeonwoo, Hugo, and Yang Wei were all greatly surprised.
Lee Geon carefully wrapped his arms around Yeonwoo's head and held her tight.
And as if to feel her warmth, showing how much he had missed the existence that was Yeonwoo, he buried his face against her.
"Yeonwoo."
And Hugo was shocked by the sight.
To think that bastard could do something like that.
But regardless, Lee Geon tightened his arms as if he would never let Yeonwoo go.
"I'm sorry, for leaving you alone in a place like that."
"......!"
"Let's go back together."
At that choked voice, Yeonwoo's hand trembled. An expression like she might cry crossed her face.
So, without realizing it, she also wanted to embrace Lee Geon, but.
Stop.
Her hand halted above Lee Geon's back.
She couldn't help it.
'The contract with the Divine Realm is not over.'
The leash was undone, but it was only temporary.
If she stayed by his side, Lee Geon would be in danger. Even if that weren't the case, she hated the idea of her existence hindering Lee Geon's future path.
And.
'In any case, from the moment I transfer the throne, I will soon disappear.'
Because that was the contract.
In exchange for receiving the power to guard the throne, she would become part of the primordial power after the contract ended.
Perhaps that was why.
She smiled and said.
"Thank you for releasing my leash. However, great master of the Serpentbearer throne, I am merely a spirit with only the will of the original master remaining. I only share the same outward appearance, have no memories, and am by no means the person you are looking for. Therefore..."
At those words, Lee Geon let out a sigh.
"Do you think I wouldn't recognize you?"
"......!"
Yeonwoo felt choked up.
"Uh, I am... not..."
Lee Geon stroked her as if soothing her.
From the moment he saw Yeonwoo, Lee Geon had already sensed that she would soon disappear.
Because as his powers of life and death grew, the form and lifespan of souls became dimly visible to him.
Therefore, it wasn't as if he had saved her, even messing with the Inquisitional Realm, unaware of this.
He had actually tried to attempt something, but the notification window said:
[The serf has changed to the status of a free spirit.]
[However, she cannot be brought in as a Subordinate God.]
[Divine rank cannot be granted to thought-forms.]
[The original soul is required.]
Rather, it was remarkable that she, as a thought-form, had managed to guard the throne until now.
Of course, Lee Geon had made that possible, and as a price, she had probably been a serf of Tartarus.
And he had a rough guess of where the original soul might be.
Oblivion, who had devoured Yeonwoo, or Time, who had coveted that power. It would be one of the two.
Perhaps that was why.
"I'll come get you soon. Wait for me."
"......!"
And it was at that moment.
Flash!
Yeonwoo, who was crying in Lee Geon's arms, smiled through her tears even as she began to vanish, starting from her head.
It was a sight like scattering sand grains, like smoke.
Lee Geon did not raise his head.
But it was then.
Right at that moment, after Yeonwoo had disappeared like mist.
"!"
Something was caught in Lee Geon's hand.
(Continued in the next episode)