Chapter 385: Destiny (4)
jHkp2wYEveryone has secrets they can’t share.u27Ha
l8pvRachel had believed this since she was a child. That secrets are the nourishment that shapes a person’s identity.gkE4wcD
3C0AmsAnd that this applied even more when it came to women.s4qNuiF
5PInnvNWhether we realize it or not, humans are slaves to expectation.8Vp
TvYCOnly when we feel the pressure of mystery does something begin to seem interesting.4VhiPF
rncoa5PThose whose “surface” and “content” are the same might be able to live with a smile on their face, but are they really fortunate?24A
chctsThat’s why Rachel respected everyone’s secrets.kVs
4XyiqHIf someone couldn’t talk about it, they surely had a good reason.f6sk2xd
Q5sShe never asked unless necessary, nor pretended to know what she shouldn’t.fgIv
36OBecause she hoped for the same in return.jFeeS
pGiuWDRRachel Mura.6avNY
Xpwg6gLEven she, with a mind clear as water, held a deep secret.0DrXq7
rNEvIt was a power. A special vision that allowed her to see whether a person had a secret they couldn’t reveal.B6JFJ0o
x624uShe couldn’t know the content of the secret, but she could feel its intensity. The deeper it was, the denser the aura surrounding that person.J6LNTfy
kDp0However, once she heard even the nature of the secret, that color would fade.gwl4II7
aV3wBbAs if the secret dissolved. A strange power. Inexplicable.4j4Hdl
DPPNVXAnd one she had never told anyone.v1s
DHkcv“Because that is the true worth of a secret.”nNh
zd1Maybe that’s why her personal symbol was a heart ♥. After all, there’s no better icon to express something as abstract as emotion.HSZw
k4QBut enough beating around the bush.ejP
Qqq4“Geom-Ma…”OTQbP
BQhgfiRachel had already known. For ten years. Since she saw him for the first time, face to face in a class.4Ha7G3i
X4hShe knew that Kang Geom-Ma carried a secret that could never be shared with anyone.aqU4ng
uxun4QIt had always been that way. In the past and now, his body was wrapped in a kind of mist, as if something clung to his skin like an invisible film.vxTGF
zvSGO9yIn other words, even after ten years, Kang Geom-Ma hadn’t shared his secret with anyone.lYQSE
YP4CZNot even his own family.qf0xXT
EiS34CSBut Rachel had never abandoned her principles. She always believed that secrets—whether hers or others’—only shine when kept hidden. However…KVCgwMZ
luz‘…You were fighting alone all this time.’5USV
C6nRachel Mura broke, for the first time, the vow she had made to herself.rpO5
6q8oUBIt was instinctive.642lW
dVodtXtGeom-Ma’s fingers lost strength.zDT
qcTJQBThe sashimi blades fell to the floor with a clank, and his body tilted to one side.SacA
n9XTwRachel caught him with her cheek.M6PJ
BJM73brMeanwhile, Murasame was submerged in the pool of blood. Even the last strands of cord wrapped around the hilt were stained red.MuAcAwx
DWN2F***ydhUQcO
AS9faWhack. Thud.1ZAet
JRYeO5LThe sound of blows was vivid. I was hunched over like a pill bug, taking the beating. Yesterday, today, and surely tomorrow would be the same.jA8
VDoZThere was no reason for the beatings. At least, not one that made sense. My “look is annoying”? That shouldn’t be an excuse.FkRvnm
qWJ2“Hey, you piece of shit! It’s your fault! All your fault!”ZqLZj7K
Li6That guy hardly ever shows up at home. He spends his days at the racetrack, and when he loses money, he comes back just to take it out on me.UfuA
EH9R3rjDoes that really ease his anger? If at least it brought him peace.YeejExi
CFXEojI hope all his rage gets dumped just on me. Please. That’s why I keep quiet and let myself be used as a punching bag by this damn pair of beasts.q8TOvp
VUPYgDB“Fucking bastard. Ptui.”gYKII
slWuzA glob of spit stuck to my cheek. So thick it didn’t even drip down. Damn bastard.JJH9cd
I2J“This shithead isn’t even fun to hit. The more you hit him, the more disgusting he gets.”n3o4D
y0LCThe man who brought me into this world glanced toward the master bedroom door. The doorknob was all scratched up—probably from how roughly he handled it every time.wrBb
8pS6P“…Guess I’ll use her today.”2D0
MJ6TSWFI saw it. The malicious smile spreading on his face. It felt like my diaphragm suddenly collapsed.z5W9
a1iWhack!Nqx
1CLvWhen he tried to move, I grabbed his ankle. His gaze from above twisted with rage.jZ7PINA
PKzk6“Let go! I said let go!”Ssj8SW
zatq“Go to hell, bastard!”5as
IULGw3“You little shit… fine! Today I’ll beat you to death. And don’t you dare complain later. You asked for it!”kbEshVq
ZPgkHe took off his belt. I figured the whipping was next. Didn’t matter. I already knew all the tricks to endure it. At home, at school—violence was part of daily life.vZWTmQ
3qU0‘It’s okay.’q197t
5RvI told myself that, staring at the master bedroom door.0I3n
yxQzCreak.8Gn
YEQjRA small crack opened. Dark eyes peeked through the slit. A gaze that seemed never to have known joy stared at me silently.Y1II346
83xUotIt’s okay, XX. Your “oppa” will take it all for you.CUHbATA
W7ei…sAbrng
8HE4r……cVZs
U6WlL“…Huh?”WP0F
W192What… did I just say?A1UK
xBM144I“Oppa”? Did I say that?Pxe
tQDCThat couldn’t be.ErrJ1
CVFWhy…?MBAJHC
WODnQPnWhy…?OhEhe2
sLUFThat meant I had a sister. That besides these biological parents, I had another family.z2mNy46
GBo0CBut I remember nothing.VlB6mK
xryCThe pain from the beating didn’t matter. Because there was another kind of shock pounding in my head.J0tJuJu
EZC2oEverything went dark. I felt like I was being dragged into the depths of the ocean. But the water was warm.pRoDD
O4HAnd the color was strange.mVgY
SxPiKSince when is the ocean this red?xXaw
W3i1VF***Hws
XSUj5Around the abandoned ranch stretched wide fields of farmland.OAH5x
fhdqqZA pastoral landscape so idyllic it looked like a painting. Only the ranch itself gave off a horrible stench.JOe3s
FjJ9Cherry blossoms in full bloom dominated the area. If someone were to discover them, the place would surely be filled with visitors in spring.yUE5N
voWhaBeneath a large solitary tree, past the overgrown vegetation, were two people.Y0T5
DCcKang Geom-Ma was lying down with his head on Rachel’s lap.pwCj
PKQFS“……”KoI
qPOAThe heat at the back of Geom-Ma’s neck, resting on her thigh, was concerning. It was as if, instead of a brain, he had a ball of fire inside his skull.MYchTJd
1WSHis eyes remained shut, with no signs of waking. Only faint groans escaped him from time to time.yyAMgON
NfaaMR‘He’s completely unconscious.’wUvaEje
tF7a66Kang Geom-Ma had passed out just after the massacre. It was hard to believe that the same man who had wiped out the villains could collapse so suddenly.E3zWh
L4cqxJRachel rushed to catch him, and in that moment understood why he’d collapsed. His body was burning with fever. Just like during that midterm exam ten years ago.63xGr7
0rVmZFwoooosh.dbR
0btk0hThe spring breeze gently brushed against them. The wind entered their lungs and flowed through their bodies.f1rUOeH
3LCIf only it could carry away the smell of blood too. With that wish, Rachel sank into her memories.I5JLima
YiFS1“It was the same that day.”kwS
BuAWhen he fought alone against the demonic siren. Geom-Ma closed his eyes, and the darkness that wrapped around his body deepened.JPLv4
LKiIt was as if he were losing part of his humanity.ANTY
AVaORachel watched him silently and brought her hand to the edge of her eyes.q4STDc
UbRzo2fFortunately, the fever had gone down. He wasn’t fully recovered, but compared to before, it was a relief.36CdGBD
JQRFMMMIt was then that soft footsteps were heard. Grass brushing against ankles. Two people.cfO
Kqc5qHuff, huff.PzYcz
bsbSoon, heavy breathing struck the back of Rachel’s neck.rRC
HdkkJJmIt was Abel and Shail.k4rWZTD
hIVYYKnox Auditore had contacted Ryozo and Abel directly. It was an urgent situation, so he informed only those closest to Geom-Ma.hEqPz
2lQv9Ryozo couldn’t come right away due to her responsibilities, so Shail came in her place.9Th
kyCfShail, in fact, was part of the Nibelung family.NYpr7B5
4R0“You’re here?”wgbe
LO2t42Rachel spoke without turning around.owm81
c65kNBR“Rachel…”1sx5hJD
zDsAbel’s voice was choked with breath. Her throat was dry, as if she had swallowed sand.Y7AN6i
FRDTtAFAnd no wonder. Abel and Shail had run from Wonju to Hoengseong.6gBA2c
ohd8A 40-kilometer journey.CeH7
iNCBy car, it would be twenty minutes at full speed, but the situation was too urgent to wait for transport.uFP1ZV
axW7MdA“What happened… huff?”AsG3j
noarX“Same as always. For Geom-Ma, it’s just another day.”EMoyNz
ogXwA chill.4FVaVVM
q5myJyQGoosebumps ran across Abel’s skin. Was it because he was lying on Rachel’s lap? It was uncomfortable, yes, but she could look the other way for now.HjBxZyh
LyrAfter all, it was hard to accept the sight of her husband, Kang Geom-Ma, the pillar of everything, unconscious in front of her.fGaAb
vFrHer thoughts tangled. Causes and effects blurred. Nothing made sense.kFSlTx
ZHPgAnd what agitated her most was Rachel’s voice. It sounded different than usual.cRyaf82
Hq5“Abel.”HRz1k
JvPHKtEven the way she said her name had changed.EaW
kpwM“…”bB8RU6
pBQAbel almost choked on her breath. She made an effort to regain composure, and feigning calm, asked while looking at Rachel’s back.ipI2syH
K5VjNb“So it’s true.”WpA
NADDz“…I’ve heard the gist of it. Auditore told me. This old ranch was a key point for a villain cell, right?”yhgqOl6
JvPgRachel responded coldly. Still, Abel didn’t make an issue of her tone.s10
zBvZShe tried to ease the conversation by lowering hers as well.m8a
IXhpPT“And what happened to Geom-Ma—how did he end up like this?”bhG7fB
N5c7xNo.QdZjX
F7o4SH“Don’t tell me he was hurt…”CO69
Hv3“No. Do you think someone like that Geom-Ma would even get a scratch from those insects?”U4YW
3BI49C“Then…”MnfM
82CEWc“Seems like it’s just the flu with a fever. I checked with the first-aid kit he always carries. Mild cold symptoms. From what I see now, probably a bad flu.”s3jeFBa
L5Gv2“Thank goodness…”Dbr
zvnaHFwJust when a sigh of relief started to appear on Abel’s face—3HXRLD
vpkdwH“What’s so good about that?”bGFm
NnIVb“…Huh?”fQB
5U1lVgAbel was taken aback. The star drawn in her eyes flickered with tension. Rachel spoke, as if accusing her.gzjR
f1j“What’s so good about it? That your own husband has a fever and the flu?”RZovO
3hEu7“No, no. I’m not happy that he’s sick, of course—I’m just relieved he’s not hurt, that’s all…”dYdF7
93YoY“Lady Mura.”6t6
pKrx5RvShail stepped forward and intervened.9tyXeYB
07jUmo9“I understand how you feel. But with all due respect, that sounds inappropriate.”tiKL
F5e6M5o“…Hah.”cdo
SC7Rachel let out an empty laugh.GobTi
bcQPN“Haven’t you all thought it, even subconsciously? That Kang Geom-Ma… that the Heavenly Sword is humanity’s savior. And that’s why he can’t get sick. That someone called the strongest hero in history shouldn’t fall to something as trivial as the flu.”rtowlGl
C5dq0exAbel hesitated. Shail furrowed her brow slightly.h40gqWI
gTxAn awkward spring breeze blew between the three of them. Only Rachel continued speaking.MifaPT
7ksTkW9“You all… those little ideas you have, so close to you… they’re what stop Geom-Ma from living as a human being.”Fh1fu6
QGTnRachel wiped her forehead with the back of her hand.NEF9
7OGp“He always has to be a superhuman. Because if he’s not, you all get scared. Because everyone feels safe that way…”v6UTz
CdW9Q“Rachel!”w63HU
Sw8jFinally, Abel raised her voice.w3E
DqwgM“What are you trying to say with all this?”kzhtG8
LeWEX“…”m3AEwDo
MPySOmOnly the whisper of rustling leaves could be heard. After an uncomfortable silence, Rachel turned her head. And in that instant, Abel and Shail’s eyes widened.9vqduZ6
bpAeK“I already told you before, remember?”VPXYRD
CptR5There was no heart shape. Rachel’s pupils were perfect circles.Fl7d
eXj7“If this keeps up, I’ll have to withdraw my resignation.”3k4Q8
490axhMThe pink smoke floating around Rachel dispersed.ZVk4u
hCNzzt“Lady Abel.”8KHmUP
XdHsDAnd she didn’t even notice it.fT9bsC
kKiJYu***57FAaO
tZem4CeAt the same time, in the Demonic Hell of Gehenna.WgFG
kW90VrJoaquin was seated on a dry log, watching the infernal sunset. The black sun slowly descended, leaving behind a red, dusky landscape he never tired of gazing at.Pjm8F
BAZTKzMSeven hundred years ago, he had no time to enjoy this, always fighting.Phmn
gTRKjAnd now that he was half-ghost, he could finally take it in.MJchA
nuG“Hmm.”Mjl
niPECome to think of it, distancing himself from the physical world had brought a certain peace of mind.lcmf
kRKQhXo“*Same as always, huh.*”iOL1v82
kU32VKA squirrel occupying the other half of the log spoke to him. Even though he looked ridiculous now due to his current body, they used to go at it hard in the past.S9mzm
ZJNM9xy“There’s nothing else to see.”2x9
UWvNk“*You’re so boring.*”8v6rspK
2AQLycan scoffed and sat down. With his tiny hands, he began to brush his tail. Suddenly, he asked:CWolw
a5c“*What’s Kang Geom-Ma really like?*”WtP
pPYxKUv“Why do you ask? You’ve been with him almost ten years. You’ve seen him yourself.”rXD
IFj“*I’ve only been with him ten. You’ve been with him for decades. You should know better than anyone.*”rWJMo
FGp1MG8“How curious.”sbrRAZo
c9UJoaquin smiled faintly.pJs
IoWD“The great First Corps Commander, Lycan, interested in a human.”BiyeH
pZ5iLSh“*I’m not interested in humans. I’m interested in Kang Geom-Ma.*”u6gGhge
pw5f2Ej“And now you’re acting all tsundere?”wIn8h
Ylo“*So that’s why Geom-Ma’s so influenced by subculture—it’s your fault, Joaquin.*”lUS36
EWXRxN2“And how do you even know what ‘tsundere’ means, Corps Commander?”SajNb
doUho0k“……”LvjC
7yDJnAL“……”nkuH
EP6nL“*…Let’s drop it.*”ptXy
mCiThe scar-filled war was over.O8In
Bwe“That guy’s covered in thorns.”8Z1O
LfvKFJoaquin spoke as he stared at the black sun.z9BHGkC
w4D5V2“Because he lived a life far too harsh.”iZiQc
qkg2G“*I’ve heard the gist of that. But at least he’s overcome it now, right? He has a family.*”v3aW98Z
0zZ4“No.”jguKo4K
JvPwNJoaquin shook his head firmly.COh1Wg
P72IM8“He still hasn’t overcome his past.”mWJ
3o44In his gaze reflected the setting black sun.tqf4
Gog“That’s why he still lives with the pain of loss.”Fo8Xo
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