Chapter 94

In the end, there was only the request to wait four more years.

And that unpleasant feeling of something important being missing lingered too.

I feel like I’ve lost my way in the vast ocean.

Since I am that sea, maybe there’s no path at all.

But even as I ponder this, time keeps flowing on.

When the sun sets, Soo-oh and I make dinner together. When night falls, I sleep on the porch, feeling the cool night air.

Then when morning comes again, I grab Soo-oh and tell her stories – mostly tales filled with dreams and hope dressed up in justice and morality. Beyond those are just a few simple facts.

We only did really basic arithmetic.

Numbers were such a hassle that we couldn’t do much else.

Anyway, I’m neither a parent nor a teacher, so if Soo-oh didn’t want to do it, we didn’t.

Soo-oh calls me by my name without honorifics. At least she definitely doesn’t see me as a parental figure.

And as far as I know, Soo-oh’s family is still alive. She wasn’t abandoned by them.

Because every child around the Cheonma Church ends up being forcibly taken. When they reach a certain age, they’re dragged off to the main hall for brainwashing and have insects injected into their bodies.

And even Soo-oh knows that’s something parents can’t prevent.

So maybe instead of a familial relationship, she treats me like she would back at the main hall.

Though…maybe she’s thinking about returning to her family someday when she gets older.

Or…no, there’s the matter of the Cheonma. There’s also the possibility she isn’t thinking what I assume.

It wouldn’t hurt to ask.

“Soo-oh, do you miss your family?”

The room is too hot in summer, so we basically live on the porch.

At my question, Soo-oh, who had been lying sprawled out complaining about the heat, lifted her head.

“Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

Her face clearly said “Why are you bringing this up randomly?”

“Don’t most children long to see their parents?”

That’s generally how people are, right? Even though family values have broken down quite a bit, the bond between parent and child isn’t so easily severed.

So normally speaking, wouldn’t Soo-oh miss her family?

But after looking around, she asked me:

“What about Choseol?”

“Choseol’s parents are already both dead.”

This was because the previous church leader captured Eunjai’s descendant to uncover the secrets of the Cheonma technique. They got very close to the truth.

Since Eunjai’s Cheonma technique involved using me in combat…

And since she asked about Choseol instead of me, I told her about Choseol’s situation. As for the man from my faded memories…well, I don’t know what happened to his parents.

“I see. I guess I’ll have to meet them sometime. Yeah.”

What an oddly cold attitude.

“Aren’t you interested in meeting them? You remember your parents, right?”

“I remember them. That’s why I don’t want to meet them.”

Trying to understand Soo-oh’s answer…but failing. If you remember them, wouldn’t you want to see them?

Looking into Soo-oh’s memories, her relationship with her parents hadn’t been bad. Sure, her older siblings disappeared, leaving only her younger brother and sister, but that was normal in that area.

There aren’t any middle children left in any household. They all get taken to the Cheonma Church. And only half come back alive.

There are plenty of ways to die within the church.

Of course, it’s not the same for everyone. Looking into Gapjae’s memories, children from the villages west of the Cheonma Church don’t get taken.

The villages attached to the west side are part of the Cheonma Church territory, but there are other villages beyond that.

To put it simply: The Blue House is the Cheonma Church main hall, the nearby western village is Seoul, and the village Soo-oh was taken from is one of the regional cities.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. Why are you suddenly asking about this anyway?”

Soo-oh asks suspiciously, clearly annoyed.

“I was just curious.”

Well, I’d actually been thinking about it for a while now. If yesterday, I might have asked if she’d be able to survive on her own after leaving.

But four years have passed.

Making it just an idle question.

For some reason, Soo-oh crawls over and clings to me, burying her face in my body. It’s surprisingly hot, but she holds on tight.

While I’m wondering how long this will last, Soo-oh finally lets go, saying it’s too warm.

And right then, the male Cheonma arrives.

Guess lunchtime has passed already.

I stood up.

“Let’s eat lunch first.”

“Waaah!”

Soo-oh jumped up.

And for the first time, the male Cheonma, who arrived before we finished lunch, joined us.

Incidentally, he lamented how bland our food was compared to what he eats daily at the Cheonma Church.

True, compared to what we eat here, the food at the church does taste better.

After cleaning up, the two of them started training.

I waited until Soo-oh began her autonomous training, then planned to head to the village with the male Cheonma. But then I realized this method would take too long.

So I told him I’d walk ahead to the village and left the house.

Time to create the harvesting system.

This time, I’ll go to the village with the male Cheonma.

If there’s an unknown group, it’s important to go with the highest-ranking person.

And if the harvesting system continues to be abducted, it’ll become obvious soon enough.

Crossing the heat-rising ground, I headed toward the village. Once near the entrance, I waited for the male Cheonma.

Not long after, the male Cheonma appeared, crossing the distance I had walked for quite a while in an instant.

Isn’t he faster than most cars?

“Why are you so fast?”

“I’m the male Cheonma.”

Though it’s funny how he thinks that answers everything, it’s not entirely wrong, so I nodded and entered the village with him.

Once inside the village, the atmosphere changes drastically.

When I came alone, there were always prying eyes, but now it’s full of reverence and worship. People bow deeply wherever the male Cheonma walks.

Religions tend to be like that.

The Cheonma Church is closer to a gathering of people who admire force rather than having codified doctrines. Still, a religion is a religion.

Strictly speaking, there is one place with clear doctrine.

The Moon Robe Hall.

It operates quite differently from the rest. While the Cheonma Church combines religion and martial power, the Moon Robe Hall handles purely religious matters.

The male Cheonma is more of a symbol.

Of course, I didn’t say that to him. Though we talk about swords and such, people’s thoughts aren’t something that can change easily, right?

I have no intention of revealing that I view things through the perspective of the harvesting system anywhere. After all, it’s one of my few weapons.

And knowing there’s a flaw in that weapon makes me smart enough not to mention it. Not being able to fully grasp the thoughts of the harvesting system is quite fatal.

The two of us moved forward through the crowd bowing to us.

“To whom do you wish to give blessings?”

When we reached the center of the village, the male Cheonma stopped and asked me.

So I looked around.

There are many familiar faces. Some of them have crippled legs, though they were fine originally.

I don’t plan to involve them yet.

Hmm.

Yes, let’s improvise a plan.

This is likely the moment when the male Cheonma’s favorability is at its peak. Whatever request I make now, he’ll probably agree.

Let’s take a risk here.

The Moon Robe Hall is too covert. It seems hard to find unless the male Cheonma openly destroys the Cheonma Church.

Originally, I wanted to help the oppressed, but I’d rather obtain knowledge that could summon me when the opportunity arises.

“To the leader of the Moon Robe Hall. I’ll give it to that person.”

Confusion crossed the male Cheonma’s face.

“The leader of the Moon Robe Hall? Why them?”

I pointed at the village with my finger.

“One of the people who went missing here gave me something. You should remember. The man who kindly shared fruit with me and Soo-oh.”

I raised my voice.

“They trampled on the kindness given to me. I must meet the leader of the Moon Robe Hall.”

Package it as if I’m purely seeking justice. I have no intention of questioning actual crimes. After all, I’m the most evil one here.

As long as I can gain warmth, I don’t care what happens.

However, the element of someone helping those below is extremely important.

Appearances and justification.

I directly experienced their power in the first world.

What we learn should be put to good use.

First, let’s establish who is truly right.

“Cheonma, am I not the very embodiment of the power the Cheonma Church desires?”

The male Cheonma had said something like that before.

“That’s correct. You stand at the pinnacle of the Cheonma technique. Perhaps even at the peak of all destructive actions.”

The male Cheonma agreed.

“So rejecting me would make one a heretic, right? Is the leader of the Moon Robe Hall truly a heretic? Or not? Hehe. Let’s go meet them.”

I sowed the seeds of discord.

Through wordplay, I positioned myself as the endpoint of the Cheonma Church and declared anyone who rejects me as evil. I provided a righteous cause for those who helped us kindly to rebel.

The Celestial Maiden.

She gave kindness as someone from the heavens. In return, I offer to turn that kindness into a weapon. If you get hurt, come to me. If your friend dies, come to me.

I’ll lend you my strength, so do whatever you desire.

Armed with kindness, seek the righteous path.

No matter how much blood flows beneath, I’ll bless it all.

Swallowing the words I shouldn’t say yet, I made a few disparaging remarks about the leader of the Moon Robe Hall with the male Cheonma, repeated several times that anyone uneasy about my power is an enemy of the Cheonma Church…

Then I went with the male Cheonma to find the leader of the Moon Robe Hall.

Now it’s time to acquire knowledge.

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