With the matter concerning Eshnunna settled, the meeting came to an end, and the majority of the seventh recruits gathered around Chi-Woo.
“Wow, you really were good at talking. You said everything I wanted to say and more. It was so refreshing,” Ru Hiana said to Eval.
“Come on, it was nothing. It wasn’t hard to come up with things to say given the way they were acting.”
“That’s true. By the way, where have you been? I hadn’t seen you around for a good while until you started showing up more often.”
“Nowhere really.”
Her excitement fading, Ru Hiana tilted her head at Eval in question, but Eval began whistling in lieu of a proper response.
“Anyways, I’m glad everything has been wrapped up nicely. I suppose Lady Eshnunna won’t have to concern herself with this issue anymore,” Ru Amuh said in relief.
Ru Hiana shifted her inquisitive gaze to him and asked, “But do you think the sixth recruits would stand by and do nothing? They looked like a shady bunch. What if they stab us from behind?”
“Although we may see them in a negative light, they had all proven themselves before entering the Celestial Realm. They made a promise to help save this World in front of everyone. I doubt they would try to break the promise now,” Ru Amuh said kind-heartedly like the good soul he was. The fact that they had proven themselves didn’t necessarily mean they were kind, of course.
“They could break their promise.”
“If they do that, then…” Ru Amuh trailed off and made a soft but cold smile. When he turned around to face Chi-Woo, though, his usual amicable expression was back in place, and he crossed his arms before his chest.
“Yup! That’s how the Ru clan should respond!” Ru Hiana looked at Ru Amuh with pride.
‘A clan that regards promise as a living being…’ Chi-Woo thought as Ru Hiana and Ru Amuh sorted through their thoughts. Then Ru Hiana turned to Chi-Woo and asked, “Senior! Did you know how cool you were just now?” Like someone who had read tales about princes riding to rescue on a white horse, Ru Hiana squealed, “When you stood next to the princess and demanded an apology, I wanted to scream because of how impressive you were.” Seeing the enthusiasm in her eyes, Chi-Woo almost felt like he was talking to a fanatic fan.
“It wasn’t anything to fuss about.”
“What? You’re acting like this again, Senior! There’s a limit to how humble you can be. You should show off sometimes.” Ru Hiana nudged Chi-Woo with her elbow and chuckled. “No one will blame you for that. You really are awesome!”
She gave Chi-Woo a double thumbs-up with sparkling eyes. Chi-Woo sighed when he turned to see Ru Amuh smiling in silent agreement. They’re mad, especially Ru Hiana. Ru Amuh knew to draw a line even though his admiration for Chi-Woo was clear, while Ru Hiana didn’t restrict herself in any way. It seemed like she would burst into cheers any moment and declare, ‘I will cheer for you whatever you do!’
‘We haven’t even known each other for that long…’ Chi-Woo thought. Of course, saving a life she treasured was no small task, but… ‘She seems passionate…?’ Chi-Woo remembered how it hadn’t been long since Ru Hiana became a hero. In that aspect, she was closer to an ordinary person than a hero at heart. That was why she was prone to overreaction.
“Huh, Senior? Why are you looking at me like that? Did I do something wrong?” Ru Hiana tilted her head back and forth. Chi-Woo shook his head. Her and Ru Amuh’s dazzling eyes felt heavy on him. It was a small comfort that Ru Amuh had been taking secret glances rather than staring straight at him like his childhood friend.
‘It’s quite…’ Eval licked his lips while looking at Chi-Woo. His reason for stepping forward earlier was far from noble. Eval Sevaru was a unique hero. Unorthodox, in a manner of speaking; he relied heavily on his superb ability to read the situation. As soon as he arrived at the Shahnaz camp, he had been suspicious of them and planned to escape on his own should anything happen. However, the situation changed with Chi-Woo’s intervention. Intelligent as he was, Eval quickly realized who the most influential figure would be, and if he didn’t get himself under Chi-Woo’s banner, there was a high possibility that he wouldn’t be able to escape an accidental death.
The surest way to survive was sticking to the strong. Eval didn’t choose the strong simply by their abilities. They had to be in a different league from all others, which let them rise above everyone. If they fulfilled this criterion, people naturally gathered around them, and even those who were reluctant couldn’t help but support them. In an age where heroes could come from anywhere and any background, this kind of person stood out as true heroes in the traditional sense. Knowing that he lacked this trait more than anyone else, Eval had to crawl under someone of a different league.
It hadn’t been easy for him to find someone like Chi-Woo from the beginning. Not only was the situation on Liber dire, but since everyone around him was a hero, it was also more difficult to find someone above and beyond everyone else. All things considered, what happened earlier had left a deep impression on Eval. Chi-Woo had managed to shake up the crowd with just a few words, and he had more than proven his abilities. Was he in a different league than the other heroes? It seemed to Eval that Chi-Woo ticked most of the boxes…
‘I have to watch him for a bit longer, but he’s worth sticking to for now,’ Eval thought to himself and maintained his silence. If he could, he would rub his hands togethers and flatter Chi-Woo to gain his favors, but it seemed Chi-woo wasn’t comfortable with that, so he thought it was best for him to not go too far.
‘Hmm?’ While Eval was doing all sorts of calculations inside his head, Chi-Woo was straining his eyes to look ahead of him. Somebody had been watching them from far away. As soon as Chi-Woo focused his gaze on the figure, they flinched and hid behind a building.
‘Would you look at that.’ Chi-Woo smiled brightly after getting a good look at the hem of the robe sticking out from behind the building. “You guys can keep talking. I’ll be heading back.”
“Really? Where are you going, senior?”
“I have some business to take care of.” Chi-Woo got up from his seat and walked to the dorm.
‘One, two, three…’ Chi-Woo began counting in his head after returning to his room. When he counted to twenty, he heard someone knock on the door. ‘He came faster than I expected.’ Chi-Woo smiled brightly and said, “Come in.”
Creak. The door opened, and a boy standing shorter than the doorknob showed himself cautiously; it was Eshnunna’s younger brother, Salem Yohan.
“Hello,” Chi-Woo greeted Yohan in a friendly tone. Yohan entered the room awkwardly, but his eyes clearly revealed all the emotions he was feeling: limitless admiration, gratitude, and a bit of… anxiety. Chi-Woo was also grateful that he was able to stop Eshnunna thanks to the die. Considering this, he understood why Yohan had come to visit him.
“Sir Hero, I want to thank you sincerely for saving us,” Yohan said. Chi-Woo knew he must have many things he wanted to ask about and things he was extremely curious about. Nevertheless, the boy didn’t ask his questions right away, and instead politely expressed his gratitude first.
“No need to thank me. It was all thanks to everyone putting in the effort.” Pleased with Yohan’s response, Chi-Woo decided to live up to the boy’s expectations. “Did you come here because of your sister?”
“Ah.” Yohan gasped. He seemed taken aback that Chi-Woo had read his mind, but he readily admitted, “…Yes. My sister…”
Chi-Woo could guess what Yohan wanted to say. Yohan must have seen a lot and bottled up a great deal of emotions up to this point, but the fact that he had come to Chi-Woo to ask about his sister indicated that, in a small corner of his heart, he still wanted to trust her. Knowing that, Chi-Woo waited for Yohan to muster enough courage to ask the question.
“Did my sister really not betray the heroes?”
Chi-Woo didn’t answer right away, because he could sense that Yohan had more to say. After a momentary silence, Yohan continued, “My sister was strong. She was special from a young age—the type of person who learned ten times the amount a normal person would learn at once. And I’ve never seen her cry…If only she hadn’t been a woman, she would have been named the heir right away.”
Yohan made a bitter smile. “She was far superior to everyone around her, to the point that I resented her when I was younger. It also scared me a bit.” Yohan had had an inferiority complex about his remarkable sister and dreaded how his sister might think of him, having been deprived of a chance to succeed the throne for a reason as menial as gender. He even feared that she might gather support and work against him.
“I began to feel guilty after growing up. Meanwhile, my sister has always stayed the same.” As a member of the royal family, she always played the part of an accepting and understanding princess for the Salem Kingdom.
“That was why I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want to believe it.” Yohan couldn’t accept the truth that his strong sister could have betrayed the trust placed on her. Chi-Woo lowered his eyes and stared at the boy and his drooping shoulders.
“It depends on how you look at it,” Chi-Woo said. Yohan looked up at him immediately.
From the natives’ perspective, Eshnunna hadn’t betrayed anyone. But of course, this wasn’t what Yohan was asking. “In the perspective of the sixth recruits, Ms. Eshnunna was a traitor.”
A sharp inhale. Yohan’s eyes turned round. “Did she really—”
“But in the perspective of the seventh recruits, she didn’t betray anyone,” Chi-Woo said firmly. His group might have experienced the same thing as the sixth recruits, but Chi-Woo had stopped the worst from happening. He approached Eshnunna in person, listened to her story, and reached out to her; at the end of the day, Eshnunna had taken his hand.
“Perhaps the fifth recruits might have more to say.” The fifth recruits had tried to do something even without Eshnunna’s compliance. That at least proved that they had a strong desire to save Liber and had put it into action. “The sixth recruits didn’t even try to save the world. Don’t you know that well?”
Yohan didn’t seem entirely convinced.
“In short, I think it’s just a matter of circumstances.” The recruits had made their decisions and suffered the consequences, with Eshnunna being only partly at fault. “If we really get down to every little detail, it would be nobody’s fault but the fault of this World for reaching such a state.” Yohan opened his mouth slightly but didn’t speak. Chi-Woo went on. There was a simple answer to the question why Eshnunna had acted the way she did.
“Ms. Eshnunna…simply treasured her people and her brother, Salem Yohan, far too much,” Chi-Woo continued. “She said that she would give up everything if only the heroes let you live. If the fifth recruits had accepted this offer then, she would never have gone this far.”
Yohan’s eyes widened. It seemed to be his first time hearing this.
“As it was, things unfolded differently, which you’ve witnessed yourself.”
Eshnunna cared for her brother so much that she surrendered to the cursed and broken ones and didn’t resist bewitchment. She walked into an obvious trap with her own two feet and bided her time while enduring everything forced on her with stubborn resolve.
“I think the explanation should be enough for you.” Chi-Woo could have told Yohan what he wanted to hear, saying, ‘It’s a misunderstanding. Ms. Eshnunna is a real patriot.’ And the conversation would have ended on a much more comfortable note for the boy.
However, Chi-Woo continued, “People tend to expect certain things from others. It happens in any relationship and any situation…It’s normal for you to be disappointed when the other party fails to meet your expectations.” Chi-Woo smiled. “Mr. Yohan, you know the context in which your sister did what she did, and the reason behind her actions, but you still hate this part about your sister, right?” Chi-Woo folded his arms. “Then it’s time for you to be the change you need.”
Yohan let out an exclamation as he understood Chi-Woo’s unspoken words. Yohan was the reason behind all of Eshnunna’s choices and actions.
“Mr. Yohan, if you grow up to be a great man and help Ms. Eshnunna shoulder the heavy burden she’d been carrying by herself, she might return to the sister you expected her to be.” If Yohan changed, Eshnunna’s choices and actions might change as well.
“Ah…!” Yohan’s face brightened like dark clouds dissipating in the sky. He also looked embarrassed. Even though Chi-Woo had spoken in a way that would soften the blow, he was basically telling Yohan that he was no different from his sister.
Moreover, Chi-Woo was also saying, ‘If you’re so angry at her, why didn’t you say anything? You didn’t even try to do something like your sister. Do you have any right to criticize her when all you’ve been doing is watching from under her wings?’
“Yes, that’s true.” Yohan sighed. “You’re right.” He lowered his head. “I was the coward.” Even though he seemed to have fully understood what Chi-Woo meant, Yohan looked relieved rather than hurt.
“I don’t know if Ms. Eshnunna cherishes you so much because you’re her little brother, or because you’re the heir of the Salem Kingdom…but if you’re curious, why don’t you ask her yourself?”
“What?”
Chi-Woo smiled brightly and looked outside. Through the crack of the door Yohan had left ajar, a blue skirt could be seen.
‘Siblings are siblings in the end.’
“Sister?” While Chi-Woo snickered inside his mind, Yohan called out to Eshnunna in a daze.
Swish.
The fluttering skirt quickly disappeared. However, she was already caught. After a couple of seconds, the door slowly opened. Eshnunna carefully walked up to them. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop…I had something to tell you…”
Eshnunna and Yohan’s eyes met. Silence fell between them, but their gazes spoke volumes. Chi-Woo quietly laughed while various emotions were being exchanged between Eshnunna and Yohan. The reconciliation was a long time coming.
“Would you like some snacks?” asked Chi-Woo.
Yohan’s eyes widened in surprise. But he caught on quickly and made a slight smile. “You told me you didn’t have any left to offer.”
“But there’s probably more in Ms. Eshnunna’s room.” Chi-Woo glanced at Eshnunna, who was blinking in a daze. “Even though I told her to eat it secretly by herself, she didn’t do it. I wonder who she has been saving the snack for?”
Yohan’s smile deepened at Chi-Woo’s nonchalant words. “Thank you!” He politely bowed and immediately turned around. Seemingly embarrassed, he left Chi-Woo’s room like he was running away.
‘He’s smart.’ Chi-Woo made a pleased smile as he heard Yohan’s footsteps quickly moving away from them. It would be good if Eshnunna and Yohan reconciled. However, Yohan should mend his relationship with his sister on his own rather than relying on Chi-Woo’s help. When Eshnunna went back to her room after finishing her conversation with Chi-Woo, Yohan would probably be waiting for her. If the two of them could resolve their misunderstanding by talking and having snacks together, their relationship would become stronger than before. Chi-Woo had no doubt about that.
That was until he heard Eshnunna murmur to herself, “But I finished all the snack…”
“What? When?”
“A few days ago. I went back to my room, and before I went to sleep…It was right there, so…” She mumbled guiltily even though there was no reason for her to be.
“Why did you…”
“What’s wrong about that?”
“If you were going to eat it, you should have done so earlier. Now, I have to take back my words.”
“You kept telling me to eat it before…” Eshnunna narrowed her eyes and pouted. Chi-Woo didn’t have a comeback because she was right. In the end, he sighed and took out another snack from his bag.
Eshnunna stared at it and asked, “Do you have more?”
“I really can’t give away more.” Chi-Woo did bring a lot of snacks. But the amount had gone from ‘Chi-Hyun will be able to enjoy as much as he wants’ to ‘Well, this should be…enough’. Moreover, Chi-Woo had also taken a couple of snacks out and eaten them when he got hungry, but that was a secret he would take to his grave.
“…Thank you.”
‘What for? For saving her? For giving her the snacks? Or…’ Chi-Woo looked at Eshnunna and laughed at her awkward coughs and furtive glances.
She looked up at him with puzzlement and asked, “Why are you laughing?”
“Just because.”
“Please don’t laugh.”
“Why?”
“Because it seems like you’re making fun of me.”
Chi-Woo shrugged when Eshnunna’s expression turned serious. He waited for her to change the topic while laughing even louder than before on purpose.
“I wanted to tell you…seriously!”
“Ah, I got it. I’ll stop. I’ll stop”
Eshnunna glared at Chi-Woo for laughing nonstop. Only then did she go on to give him the message. There was a hero who wanted to meet him. When he asked her who it was, she said it was the leader of the fifth recruits.
“Why does he want to meet me?”
“I didn’t get the details. But he told me it was extremely important, and that you should bring comrades you can trust with you.”
Comrades he could trust…Chi-Woo wasn’t sure he could fully trust them, but several people came to mind. “Should I go right now?”
“Not right now. It’s…” Eshnunna made a troubled face. “After barely managing to finish a sentence, he fell into a coma.”
Chi-Woo was taken aback, but then he realized how serious the hero’s condition was. It was pointless to even ask how the man was doing.
“I’m telling you this just in case. If he gains consciousness by some miracle, I’ll let you know immediately.”
Chi-Woo did not know why the hero wanted to meet him, but he was the leader of the fifth recruits; there would be no harm in listening to him.
“I’ll go as soon as you tell me.” Chi-Woo nodded.
After the conversation, Chi-Woo kept on waiting, but the hero’s condition continued to worsen. The next dawn, the man overcame death several times, and over the following three days, he had been struggling in a precarious state. When they were finally going to give up, thinking that there was no hope for the man, the leader of the fifth recruits miraculously gained consciousness. Chi-Woo immediately went to meet him with Zelit and several others.
The hero was lying on the bed—with neither eyes nor any of his limbs. He was helplessly lying in an old bed, and he lifted his head slightly when he heard their footsteps.
“…Is everyone here?” he asked in a raspy voice as soon as Chi-Woo and the others arrived.
Zelit glanced at Chi-Woo for a brief moment. When Chi-Woo nodded, Zelit turned back to the leader of the fifth recruits and said, “Are you able to talk?”
“Don’t worry. I know my body the best. I’ll get straight to the point.” The hero came into Chi-Woo’s focus. If Chi-Woo were in the man’s shoes, recovery would be his top priority, and he would do anything necessary to survive. However, the hero didn’t seem to care about his condition at all, and he spoke like worrying about his health was a waste of their time.
“Before that—I heard that the prophecy has gone through a sudden change. Would you be able to tell me what happened?”
Zelit answered faithfully while the hero steadied his breathing; he had become out of breath after saying only a few words.
“Is that so…Something about the seventh recruits must have been the key to turning our current situation around.” He came to the same conclusion as Zelit without much trouble.
Zelit replied, “I believe so. Even though the prophecy is not absolute, that would be the most likely explanation.”
The hero’s gaze snapped to Chi-Woo.
Zelit continued, “I don’t think that’s the thing you called us here to talk about. What is it that you want to say?”
The hero fell into silence. An inescapable sense of drowsiness washed over him; he was absolutely certain that if he closed his eyes this time, he would never open them again.
“…I think it’ll be better to give you my conclusion first.” After a pause, he said, “Be prepared to fight or run away. I’ll recommend running away immediately.”
The atmosphere grew heavy.
“What do you mean?” Zelit asked, his gaze sharp. “Are you suggesting that the broken ones will come to avenge their comrades or something?”
“Those beings…I won’t completely disregard that possibility, but I’ll say it’s unlikely.” The hero shook his head after a brief moment of bemusement. “If it’s true that those beings have been defeated, the damage they suffered must be great.”
“Then what are you talking about? The cursed ones?”
“It’s the same for those beings.”
Confusion began to overtake everyone. If neither the broken ones nor the cursed ones were the problems, what was the man talking about?
“What I’m trying to tell you is…”
Everyone’s eyes opened wide at his following words.