A few days later.
Finally, someone came home!
However, there’s a minor issue: the person is in the harvesting period.
And they know the harvesting period very well.
“By the movements, I can see you’re practicing the Cheonma Martial Art used by the gods. But there’s no formula, and you’re just mimicking the actions. You can’t master Cheonma Martial Art like that, can you?”
I was working out when Cheonma, who had been watching me for a few days, finally spoke up.
Soo-oh, trying to imitate my movements, hurriedly fled to the kitchen. Why’s she running away when there’s no need?
“Hello, Cheonma.”
I put down the branch in my hand. After all, I’m exercising to maintain this body. Plus, I’m doing it to show Soo-oh.
“Have you finished your busy work?”
Back at the Future Hope Church, I always waited for a response, but here, I act a bit more proactively. Being completely passive might catch them off guard, but there are too many moments when you have to relax otherwise.
Of course, it depends on the environment, but here, it feels okay.
“Yeah, it’s all done. Thanks for joining Jeonyang’s funeral.”
Surprisingly, he’s behaving quite humanely.
I was just keeping basic etiquette that a person living in society should adhere to. Even at an unknown person’s funeral, if you attend, you must be cautious with your words and actions.
Cheonma approached and stood before me.
He really has azure skin and black sclerae. And his yellow eyes glow with a deep violet center. Plus, purple hair—definitely an eye-catching appearance.
Aside from those traits, he’s quite attractive.
However, those peculiar elements are so pronounced that to someone unaccustomed, he might appear monstrous.
In fact, someone from a closed-off world would label anyone with a different skin color as an “ear,” treating them as less than human.
Still, the shimmering phrases from the memories of the Faded Man are a bit horrifying. What on earth is a “Blue Skinned Flood Bender TS Beauty Cheonma”?
“I have a question. On the first day of Jeonyang’s funeral, why did you bestow a blessing upon a person?”
After a report, he finally asks me. The intent behind his actions can only be known by asking me directly.
Hehe.
A blessing, you say? So, he’s thinking of it that way because it’s the harvesting period. He could see a vague view of what I am with unseen eyes, yet he doesn’t understand his own state.
And that means it’s also hard for him to comprehend himself.
So, I choose my words carefully to keep him misunderstanding.
“Before the use of currency, humanity relied on bartering. I don’t possess any currency.”
Just stating facts.
It’s fact upfront and fact behind. But the intent behind why I turned that person into a harvesting period is something I won’t reveal.
I interpret others’ questions subjectively and give vague answers. That’s an easy way to deceive people.
Because when you connect those two answers, people tend to think for themselves, right?
Once they reach their own conclusions, it’s hard for them to deny it.
Cheonma stares at me intently.
Then he asked another question.
“Compared to the traces left by the gods, you live far too quietly. Why have you come to this world? What are you planning to do moving forward?”
Hmm.
That’s a serious question.
He’s inquiring about my essence.
So I decided to respond truthfully.
“I came to this world for warmth. And as for what I’ll do moving forward, let me answer like this: humanity wants to do a little bit about a blessing. Not too much, though.”
Yep.
Warmth has always been the value I pursue from the start. Cheonma sees it that I’ve gained warmth while being with Soo-oh.
So, I respond in a way that makes it easy to misunderstand, saying I don’t want to create many harvesting periods. As if creating harvesting periods is work.
This ties back to what I did earlier.
I exchanged actions for the benefits of making harvesting periods.
How does that sound?
Doesn’t it seem like I’m killing time with labor?
“You seem like a celestial being appearing to grant wishes.”
Celestial being. In this world, it’s a term replacing god. It’s explained as a transcendent existence. But I shake my head.
“I’m not that. You called it the ‘Purple Light Belief and Seasonal Chaos.’ But I’m not so great as to be called a god, nor am I chaotic enough to lack rules. Just, a human who turned into a monster.”
And then I casually dangle a bait that can’t be resisted.
Cheonma frowned.
“You say you’re a human?”
And then he asked boldly.
“Oh, didn’t you know? I was once human. I can’t count how long ago that was, but yes, I was human.”
Cheonma looks shocked. Yes. I don’t even know what my identity is, but I know how my words will be received. When someone hears “once human,” this is how they would likely take it.
A monster that’s slightly advanced from being human.
Isn’t that right?
“You were human? You? That thing?”
At the end, Cheonma pointed at me with a finger. He really did point at me. I’m seeing me through eyes that can’t be shared.
“Now all that’s left is faded memories. One day, I suddenly became a monster.”
I was in a completely cold and dark place, losing my mind until I saw light. I was in the sea below the surface.
Only to find out I was a formless monster.
“Thank you for summoning me. This is sincere.”
So I don’t mention that I got a chance to obtain warmth. Cheonma seemed to have trouble understanding what I was saying, staring at me for a while.
“Is there a reason you think of yourself as a monster?”
Oh, you’re asking that part?
I thought he would limit the number of harvesting periods or scold me for recklessly creating them, but he’s asking a fundamental question?
“I have no sorrow for myself, no submission to others, no sense of right and wrong, nor pity for others’ misfortunes. This isn’t human.”
No self-loathing, no humility towards others, no judgment of right and wrong, and no sympathy for others’ unhappiness.
Rather, it’s a joyous environment where warmth arises.
Not the right person, but a society full of immoral beings.
The more such a society exists, people kill people.
Coincidentally, it increases the chances of gaining warmth.
Cheonma let out a slight chuckle at my words.
“Isn’t your standard for humans a bit too high?”
So I replied simply.
“Yes. That’s why I like this world.”
You all will live by killing and dying; that’s what I’m saying.
Cheonma stares at me, eyes wide.
Seeing Soo-oh hiding behind the kitchen post, breathless as if she’s choked, it seems like I’m exuding some sort of ungraspable energy.
Since I don’t feel it, I’m just wasting unnecessary energy.
“Okay. I think I understand you a bit more.”
Ah, Soo-oh is gasping for breath.
Did he drain that energy? In other words, he asked a pressing question, and when I didn’t waver, he made his own judgment about me.
He’s using techniques one would expect someone used to force would use.
You might call it scummy.
But it’s quite simple, and its effect is straightforward, especially for those who can feel that energy.
“Are you going to stay here from now on?”
Cheonma took a step back, then looked around as he asked.
I pondered how to respond to that.
Hmm.
Alright. Sharing this dilemma would be very human-like of me.
“I’m thinking about it.”
“Thinking about it?”
I pointed towards Soo-oh at the back. When I looked at her, she beamed widely, then got startled as Cheonma’s gaze followed her and ducked back behind the pillar.
“This isn’t exactly a good environment for Soo-oh to learn, is it?”
Cheonma looked back and forth between me and Soo-oh and smiled as if he understood.
“You’re speaking as if you’re that child’s parent.”
If I appear too human here, it’ll undermine the persuasion of my earlier claim of being a monster. After all, I don’t even think of myself as human, right?
How I express that can change how others perceive it.
Especially if they think they’ve delved into my essence like Cheonma in front of me.
“This is something Cheonma gave me. Since I received it, shouldn’t I raise it so it grows to its best performance?”
I’m just stating that I’m viewing that girl as something of an object.
But over these past few days, Cheonma, having observed me from a distance, might find it quite comical. I’ve likely appeared to live like a family.
“Okay. I see you think that way. Then I’ll teach you.”
Huh?
Wait, what?
What do you mean by that all of a sudden? Cheonma directly? Why? And didn’t she refer to herself in the third person? Is she switching characters now that she’s a woman?
As I blinked at Cheonma, she gave a soft smile.
“I might as well keep an eye on you too.”
Ah.
It seems I’ve made a mistake somewhere. This is why I don’t want to talk too much with smart folks.
I thought I had been leading the conversation well until she caught a contradiction from somewhere. I’ve only stated facts, so there shouldn’t really be any major contradictions.
Since my intentions play into it, there might be some bits that don’t quite match up somewhere.
The good thing is that my heartbeat doesn’t change due to this.
Since considering Soo-oh, there’s no reason to refuse, turning down here would be strange.
“Alright. Do what you want.”
“Great. I’ll join during your training time. See you tomorrow, Choseol.”
Cheonma said that, waved at Soo-oh, and turned away. It seems she has no intention of hiding that she’s been watching me. She openly states that she knows when we usually worked out.
What is Cheonma even thinking?
Suddenly, a phrase from the memories of the Faded Man shines: “female degeneration.”
Has this memory finally worn out and broken?
