Chapter 84

The next day…

I put on the stiff clothes made from the fabric brought by a person from Cheonma Church and headed to the place where the funeral was being held with Soo-oh.

It’s not at the Cheonma Church Main Hall. The funeral is taking place in a village extending westward from the Cheonma Church Main Hall.

One thing that concerns me is that Jeechacheon, the head of the Cheon Palace branch, hasn’t shown his face to me for over a week.

From his movements, I thought he’d make contact at least once…

Is he cautious or just deeply considerate?

Or maybe, after seeing the form of the Heavenly Horse, his spirit was broken.

Perhaps doubts arose: even if someone else becomes stronger through the Harvesting System, can they really defeat the Heavenly Horse?

If there’s a fierce desire to beat the Heavenly Horse, there’s a chance one could acquire the ability to do so, but it seems everyone is too old to take the challenge.

Don’t they test their subordinates as guinea pigs just to gauge how much stronger they’ve become? For the sake of power, you should be willing to bite into poison if necessary.

Ultimately, their submission to the Heavenly Horse shows low expectations.

While I was thinking about this, we arrived at a village where white cloth stretched across houses. From afar, faint mournful music could be heard. We just had to follow the sound.

“What is this, Choseol?”

Soo-oh looked around, still clearly confused.

“It’s decoration to honor the deceased.”

I refrained from saying it was also a display of authority. Even I know better than to show harsh realities to a child, revealing the cruel truth behind everything.

You see, I don’t have the strength to protect a child’s illusions, which means failing them. Anyone who insists on showing the world as it is to a child is foolish.

To present a vision of the future filled with ruins and expect something great to arise from it…

Such people blame the children who can’t keep up, claiming it’s their fault for not following. But placing ruins in the blueprint and expecting a magnificent building to appear is either a sign of no intelligence or someone who desires such a broken world.

But since people aren’t unintelligent, it must be those who wish for a ruined world—so they can exploit the lost and ignorant for what they want.

I won’t do that.

Because even if I show children a beautiful future, when they grow up, they won’t take my place.

Weaker individuals fear losing their position to growing children. These types only worry about their own futures while destroying the world around them.

Hehe.

I’ll aim high.

Isn’t it fun to imagine your Harvester can do anything? Harvesters live freely, kill any obstacles, and send warmth my way.

Once, I imagined covering the whole world with harvesters, but I learned in the first world that it shouldn’t be done.

So, to gain more warmth, I need strong people.

If obtaining warmth from deaths caused by bombs instead of guns or swords is possible, then I should make someone capable of pressing the nuclear button into a harvester.

There are many ways to earn warmth.

But there are plenty of obstacles to overcome before reaching that point.

Let’s take it step by step.

We have plenty of time.

With these thoughts, Soo-oh and I stood beside a person from the Cheonma Church.

Looking around, no one appears genuinely sad. Instead, they quietly criticize the deceased Jeonyang.

“Heavenly Horse’s concubine was cruel; good riddance.”

“Why are we holding a funeral for someone like him?”

“Thankfully, he’s dead.”

Whispers like these echoed throughout the ceremony.

Interestingly, no one curses the Heavenly Horse.

Survival instincts remain intact; every time they insult Jeonyang, people glance nervously at the Heavenly Horse.

If they’re going to do that, it might be better not to insult at all.

I covered Soo-oh’s ears and moved forward. If the Heavenly Horse is nearby, bad words won’t reach his ears.

Thus, I parted the crowd and approached the location of the funeral.

Up ahead, the leaders of various factions stood. In front of them was the Heavenly Horse, dressed in pure white, standing out due to his pale blue skin contrasting sharply with his attire.

Maybe it’s because of the era, but the slightly yellowed hue makes him stand out here.

And in front of him stands the leader of the Wolje faction wearing an extremely elaborate outfit, reciting incantations or prayers in the Cheonma Church tradition.

I noticed the music we heard since entering the village was coming from musicians dressed in Wolje faction robes standing on either side of the coffin.

There were brass, string, and percussion instruments blending together.

Music exists in this world too. I thought it would only be about fighting, so I didn’t expect this.

Right at this moment, the faded man’s memory sparkles, insisting that musical arts are fundamental.

No.

What is with this obsession with martial arts?

Strictly speaking, nothing guarantees that this mixed-up world matches what I know.

By that logic, the Heavenly Horse should’ve died already. Then Gyeongu would ascend to the Heavenly Horse’s position, spread tyranny, and die suddenly.

But things didn’t go that way, did they?

So, it doesn’t matter much.

Even though I’ve read countless stories of people mistaking themselves for knowing the future and falling, I don’t understand why these memories don’t connect.

In the second world, I silenced the particularly noisy ones irritably.

Soo-oh and I quietly waited while observing the long funeral ritual.

At the final farewell,

Since the Heavenly Horse memorizes the faces of those around him, I caught his gaze and waved while holding Soo-oh’s hand.

I’ve made my mark, fulfilling the minimum requirements.

Though the funeral for Jeonyang, disliked by most, feels unpleasant…

This must be the best the Heavenly Horse knows how to do.

Bored, I poked Soo-oh standing there, waiting until the ceremony ended. Once finished, people suddenly dispersed.

Following them, I saw people who clearly looked dragged along throwing fake paper money in front of Jeonyang’s coffin.

This must be part of the culture here.

I worried about not having any money for this ritual, but they handed out some to take along.

So, we followed others’ actions and left the place resembling an incense offering spot.

They don’t seem to offer food here.

Should we just go back and have lunch cum dinner?

As I pondered, Soo-oh tugged at my clothes a few times.

“What’s wrong?”

Soo-oh pointed somewhere. Following her gaze, I saw a food stall.

Of course, it wasn’t a meal but fruit cut up and sold as snacks. It’s understandable—standing here since morning past lunchtime, hunger is natural.

The problem? I don’t have any currency.

I know the currency used in this world, but I have none on me.

“Give it to me!”

Her childish tantrum brings joy, but…

Hmm…

“I’m sorry. I don’t have money.”

“But you’re amazing, right?”

Do I look that way? But I can only run away when hit or break glass bottles.

Thinking about the pleasure of breaking glass tempts me again…

Still, I’m okay.

I can endure.

If it continues, I might feel dangerously close to shattering the world for the present rather than focusing on the future.

If anyone finds out what I’m doing, it’ll surely make traveling to other worlds harder.

Thus, I mustn’t destroy this world—even if it means getting kicked out.

I can destroy the world with my weight, but if it doesn’t call me back, I can’t return.

I must stay submerged and watch from below.

If I foolishly break the world now for immediate warmth, I’ll never rise again.

So, endure, endure, and endure.

To endure, I amplify the emotions I feel now.

Yes.

I’m incredibly embarrassed.

I don’t even have money to buy something for a child! I’m incompetent! I’m sorry!

I tightly held Soo-oh’s hand.

“When I earn money, Soo-oh will buy it.”

Oh no! Soo-oh’s face turned teary.

No, wait, what do I do?

“Here, take it.”

Turning my head, I saw the fruit vendor giggling and offering Soo-oh a small piece of fruit.

“We can’t afford it.”

“It’s fine. Honestly, today’s business is ruined anyway. Alcohol sells better than fruit these days. Since I’ve already peeled these, you might as well eat them.”

The man glanced toward the funeral site.

Indeed.

Holding a funeral for someone whose death brings relief is unpleasant.

I stood up and bowed with Soo-oh, who happily chewed on the sweet fruit.

“Thank you.”

“No problem. Are you sisters? Haven’t seen your faces around here.”

“We started living in the northern area recently.”

At my words, the man’s expression hardened.

“There? That place has no residents anymore, right? And I’ve never seen kids like you from that village.”

I observed the man. Sunburnt skin, deep scars on his arms and legs, thickened feet, and missing finger joints.

I roughly understand his situation.

He belongs to a marginalized group. His tone suggests he lived in that ruined village.

Someone who’s lost something precious yet strives to survive holds value. Though I planned to delay, this is a good opportunity.

I pointed at his scars.

“Old wounds, huh?”

“Uh? Yeah. I survived that day.”

The man scratched his head uncomfortably. His other hand had swollen knuckles. I watched Soo-oh happily munching on the fruit.

Then I turned to the man and said:

There’s justification.

What’s needed is simple staging.

“I received kindness. So, I’ll repay it with a contract. If you desire a better reality, answer me.”

Though it sounds like repaying kindness with kindness, I’m not binding him with goodwill.

Rather, it’s the opposite. Those with goodwill are often harmed by malice, aren’t they?

“I offer myself to you. In return, after you finish everything, you can claim everything you possess then. How does that sound?”

The man blinked, unsure what I meant. When I extended my hand, he hesitantly took it.

“So, answering ‘yes’ works?”

Yes. That’s enough.

The man’s face cracked, and soon pristine white skin emerged. His hair turned purple.

I raised my hand for everyone to see.

The fingers that were missing moments ago reappeared on the man’s hand.

“Yes. Congratulations on your recovery. This is your kindness returned to you.”

Though what was returned wasn’t kindness but malice.

The man stared blankly at me, then gently pulled his hand away and touched it repeatedly. After confirming his other hand had also healed, he bowed deeply, pressing his forehead to the ground.

“Thank you, Lady Cheonnyeo!”

Not only him, but others who saw me bowed their heads.

Hehe.

It’s time to expand influence.

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