Chapter 385: Destiny (4)

Everyone has secrets they can’t share.

Rachel had believed this since she was a child. That secrets are the nourishment that shapes a person’s identity.

And that this applied even more when it came to women.

Whether we realize it or not, humans are slaves to expectation.

Only when we feel the pressure of mystery does something begin to seem interesting.

Those whose “surface” and “content” are the same might be able to live with a smile on their face, but are they really fortunate?

That’s why Rachel respected everyone’s secrets.

If someone couldn’t talk about it, they surely had a good reason.

She never asked unless necessary, nor pretended to know what she shouldn’t.

Because she hoped for the same in return.

Rachel Mura.

Even she, with a mind clear as water, held a deep secret.

It was a power. A special vision that allowed her to see whether a person had a secret they couldn’t reveal.

She 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.

However, once she heard even the nature of the secret, that color would fade.

As if the secret dissolved. A strange power. Inexplicable.

And one she had never told anyone.

“Because that is the true worth of a secret.”

Maybe that’s why her personal symbol was a heart ♥. After all, there’s no better icon to express something as abstract as emotion.

But enough beating around the bush.

“Geom-Ma…”

Rachel had already known. For ten years. Since she saw him for the first time, face to face in a class.

She knew that Kang Geom-Ma carried a secret that could never be shared with anyone.

It 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.

In other words, even after ten years, Kang Geom-Ma hadn’t shared his secret with anyone.

Not even his own family.

But Rachel had never abandoned her principles. She always believed that secrets—whether hers or others’—only shine when kept hidden. However…

‘…You were fighting alone all this time.’

Rachel Mura broke, for the first time, the vow she had made to herself.

It was instinctive.

Geom-Ma’s fingers lost strength.

The sashimi blades fell to the floor with a clank, and his body tilted to one side.

Rachel caught him with her cheek.

Meanwhile, Murasame was submerged in the pool of blood. Even the last strands of cord wrapped around the hilt were stained red.

***

Whack. Thud.

The 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.

There was no reason for the beatings. At least, not one that made sense. My “look is annoying”? That shouldn’t be an excuse.

“Hey, you piece of shit! It’s your fault! All your fault!”

That 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.

Does that really ease his anger? If at least it brought him peace.

I 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.

“Fucking bastard. Ptui.”

A glob of spit stuck to my cheek. So thick it didn’t even drip down. Damn bastard.

“This shithead isn’t even fun to hit. The more you hit him, the more disgusting he gets.”

The 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.

“…Guess I’ll use her today.”

I saw it. The malicious smile spreading on his face. It felt like my diaphragm suddenly collapsed.

Whack!

When he tried to move, I grabbed his ankle. His gaze from above twisted with rage.

“Let go! I said let go!”

“Go to hell, bastard!”

“You little shit… fine! Today I’ll beat you to death. And don’t you dare complain later. You asked for it!”

He 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.

‘It’s okay.’

I told myself that, staring at the master bedroom door.

Creak.

A small crack opened. Dark eyes peeked through the slit. A gaze that seemed never to have known joy stared at me silently.

It’s okay, XX. Your “oppa” will take it all for you.

…

……

“…Huh?”

What… did I just say?

“Oppa”? Did I say that?

That couldn’t be.

Why…?

Why…?

That meant I had a sister. That besides these biological parents, I had another family.

But I remember nothing.

The pain from the beating didn’t matter. Because there was another kind of shock pounding in my head.

Everything went dark. I felt like I was being dragged into the depths of the ocean. But the water was warm.

And the color was strange.

Since when is the ocean this red?

***

Around the abandoned ranch stretched wide fields of farmland.

A pastoral landscape so idyllic it looked like a painting. Only the ranch itself gave off a horrible stench.

Cherry blossoms in full bloom dominated the area. If someone were to discover them, the place would surely be filled with visitors in spring.

Beneath a large solitary tree, past the overgrown vegetation, were two people.

Kang Geom-Ma was lying down with his head on Rachel’s lap.

“……”

The 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.

His eyes remained shut, with no signs of waking. Only faint groans escaped him from time to time.

‘He’s completely unconscious.’

Kang 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.

Rachel 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.

Fwoooosh.

The spring breeze gently brushed against them. The wind entered their lungs and flowed through their bodies.

If only it could carry away the smell of blood too. With that wish, Rachel sank into her memories.

“It was the same that day.”

When he fought alone against the demonic siren. Geom-Ma closed his eyes, and the darkness that wrapped around his body deepened.

It was as if he were losing part of his humanity.

Rachel watched him silently and brought her hand to the edge of her eyes.

Fortunately, the fever had gone down. He wasn’t fully recovered, but compared to before, it was a relief.

It was then that soft footsteps were heard. Grass brushing against ankles. Two people.

Huff, huff.

Soon, heavy breathing struck the back of Rachel’s neck.

It was Abel and Shail.

Knox Auditore had contacted Ryozo and Abel directly. It was an urgent situation, so he informed only those closest to Geom-Ma.

Ryozo couldn’t come right away due to her responsibilities, so Shail came in her place.

Shail, in fact, was part of the Nibelung family.

“You’re here?”

Rachel spoke without turning around.

“Rachel…”

Abel’s voice was choked with breath. Her throat was dry, as if she had swallowed sand.

And no wonder. Abel and Shail had run from Wonju to Hoengseong.

A 40-kilometer journey.

By car, it would be twenty minutes at full speed, but the situation was too urgent to wait for transport.

“What happened… huff?”

“Same as always. For Geom-Ma, it’s just another day.”

A chill.

Goosebumps 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.

After all, it was hard to accept the sight of her husband, Kang Geom-Ma, the pillar of everything, unconscious in front of her.

Her thoughts tangled. Causes and effects blurred. Nothing made sense.

And what agitated her most was Rachel’s voice. It sounded different than usual.

“Abel.”

Even the way she said her name had changed.

“…”

Abel almost choked on her breath. She made an effort to regain composure, and feigning calm, asked while looking at Rachel’s back.

“So it’s true.”

“…I’ve heard the gist of it. Auditore told me. This old ranch was a key point for a villain cell, right?”

Rachel responded coldly. Still, Abel didn’t make an issue of her tone.

She tried to ease the conversation by lowering hers as well.

“And what happened to Geom-Ma—how did he end up like this?”

No.

“Don’t tell me he was hurt…”

“No. Do you think someone like that Geom-Ma would even get a scratch from those insects?”

“Then…”

“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.”

“Thank goodness…”

Just when a sigh of relief started to appear on Abel’s face—

“What’s so good about that?”

“…Huh?”

Abel was taken aback. The star drawn in her eyes flickered with tension. Rachel spoke, as if accusing her.

“What’s so good about it? That your own husband has a fever and the flu?”

“No, no. I’m not happy that he’s sick, of course—I’m just relieved he’s not hurt, that’s all…”

“Lady Mura.”

Shail stepped forward and intervened.

“I understand how you feel. But with all due respect, that sounds inappropriate.”

“…Hah.”

Rachel let out an empty laugh.

“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.”

Abel hesitated. Shail furrowed her brow slightly.

An awkward spring breeze blew between the three of them. Only Rachel continued speaking.

“You all… those little ideas you have, so close to you… they’re what stop Geom-Ma from living as a human being.”

Rachel wiped her forehead with the back of her hand.

“He always has to be a superhuman. Because if he’s not, you all get scared. Because everyone feels safe that way…”

“Rachel!”

Finally, Abel raised her voice.

“What are you trying to say with all this?”

“…”

Only 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.

“I already told you before, remember?”

There was no heart shape. Rachel’s pupils were perfect circles.

“If this keeps up, I’ll have to withdraw my resignation.”

The pink smoke floating around Rachel dispersed.

“Lady Abel.”

And she didn’t even notice it.

***

At the same time, in the Demonic Hell of Gehenna.

Joaquin 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.

Seven hundred years ago, he had no time to enjoy this, always fighting.

And now that he was half-ghost, he could finally take it in.

“Hmm.”

Come to think of it, distancing himself from the physical world had brought a certain peace of mind.

“*Same as always, huh.*”

A 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.

“There’s nothing else to see.”

“*You’re so boring.*”

Lycan scoffed and sat down. With his tiny hands, he began to brush his tail. Suddenly, he asked:

“*What’s Kang Geom-Ma really like?*”

“Why do you ask? You’ve been with him almost ten years. You’ve seen him yourself.”

“*I’ve only been with him ten. You’ve been with him for decades. You should know better than anyone.*”

“How curious.”

Joaquin smiled faintly.

“The great First Corps Commander, Lycan, interested in a human.”

“*I’m not interested in humans. I’m interested in Kang Geom-Ma.*”

“And now you’re acting all tsundere?”

“*So that’s why Geom-Ma’s so influenced by subculture—it’s your fault, Joaquin.*”

“And how do you even know what ‘tsundere’ means, Corps Commander?”

“……”

“……”

“*…Let’s drop it.*”

The scar-filled war was over.

“That guy’s covered in thorns.”

Joaquin spoke as he stared at the black sun.

“Because he lived a life far too harsh.”

“*I’ve heard the gist of that. But at least he’s overcome it now, right? He has a family.*”

“No.”

Joaquin shook his head firmly.

“He still hasn’t overcome his past.”

In his gaze reflected the setting black sun.

“That’s why he still lives with the pain of loss.”