Chapter 168 – Monolith – The Isolated Rock

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Translated by Jinmu

Read only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“Were there no additional requests from Kang Geom-ma?”

At the Spear Saint’s question, the employee standing at attention in front of the treasure vault’s main gate answered.

“No, he only said through the intercom that he was finished. If there was anything that felt odd at all, it would be that his voice sounded a little sad……. But I think that was probably just my imagination.”

“I see. If he’d asked for even a single treasure, I was prepared to hand it over gladly. Did he really just look at that Monolith and leave it at that? He really is an unusual fellow. Is he always like this?”

The Spear Saint turned his eyes toward Media. She answered with a calm gaze.

“Geom-ma’s always like that. He has no greed for material things at all. The kid doesn’t feel like a kid, and I guess you’d say he’s very, very dry in a way.”

“That part resembles the young Nibelung.”

“He’s different in texture from Zeke. That fossil grew up lacking nothing from childhood, so he just has no interest in that sort of thing, while Geom-ma is more like……. I don’t know. It feels like his focus is on something other than material things or fame. Every time I look at him, I somehow feel anxious too. It makes me feel like I need to take even better care of him from nearby.”

Media trailed off, then shook her head.

“Enough small talk. Let’s go in first.”

“Let’s.”

As the two of them entered the vault, the Monolith gradually came into view. Kang Geom-ma, standing there blankly in front of it, also came into sight.

Even when he sensed their presence, Kang Geom-ma kept looking only at the Monolith. Media cautiously tried speaking to him.

“Did something happen……?”

“Ah, no. It’s fine.”

Only then did Kang Geom-ma take his eyes off the Monolith. And then he faced the woman looking at him with slight surprise. For a long moment, without a word.

Fresh green hair like spring foliage and green eyes. She overlapped with the little child he had spoken with, if only for a brief moment. A faint trace of pity entered Kang Geom-ma’s gaze.

‘Mester.’

He had regarded it as just a quest and acted on impulse. And as an aftereffect, history had changed. The scene he had experienced had not been an illusion. The status window that rose after clearing it was proof enough.

‘Hidden – Using Crown of flower as a catalyst, the history of the world’s good was being rewritten.’

If only the additional reward had been given, he surely would have regretted it. No matter what, hadn’t he twisted history itself? When one tampered with the past, a time paradox occurred in which the future became uncertain. The so-called time paradox that came up in SF movies.

So when he thought about what great event this might trigger, no reward had any meaning. Endless honor, treasure of gold and silver, even a spirit-class blessing. The value of all of it would be lost.

It might have been an atrocity. Wasn’t the official history already greatly warped? And yet even history itself had reached a turning point? It went without saying that the butterfly effect would follow.

Even so, there was not the slightest trace of regret in Kang Geom-ma’s eyes. Rather, his face showed satisfaction.

Kang Geom-ma slowly moved his steps around to the back of the Monolith. There, pictures with an atmosphere completely opposite from the front came into view.

They were murals depicting cows and sheep grazing in a pasture, and the process of cultivating a vegetable garden. In one corner, something was written in crooked, uneven letters.

Pictures that made one imagine how the little child had lived the rest of her life. Her footprints were carved into this stone.

Kang Geom-ma let out a long sigh inwardly. Even though the meeting had been short, the aftertaste was enormous. Was it because of a sense of kinship? He himself, too, had one day suddenly fallen into an unfamiliar game world. The texture was different, but the circumstances were similar. Loneliness.

Kang Geom-ma suddenly looked at Media. Then he let out a short laugh. It was easy to imagine what that bold little child might have looked like if she had grown up well.

‘She’d probably look a lot like the beauty standing in front of me.’

The descendant of the child who had lost everything had become an adult who embraced youth. She stood as a sturdy roof and protected Hoakin Academy. She bestowed compassion not only on him, but on all the cadets.

Though the little child might have lived in loneliness, her descendant lived within abundant relationships.

Kang Geom-ma felt a faint irony. But at the same time, the bitter smile on his face softened into a gentle curve.

After silently examining the Monolith, Kang Geom-ma suddenly asked Media.

“Headmistress, do you happen to know what the writing in that corner says?”

“Of course, if it’s a favor from you!”

Media reacted intensely. With half-lidded eyes, she carefully examined the corner.

“The form is primitive, but… the framework itself looks like `Rune Script`…….”

She was one of the highest intellects alive. On top of that, the Poison line had, generation after generation, shown exceptional talent in letters and linguistics.

“The grammar is archaic, but the structure is solid, so I should still be able to interpret it.”

While Media examined the inscription, the Spear Saint, who had been stroking his beard, cut in.

“…But was something like this written here originally? I find it hard to believe the Association researchers would have discovered this and somehow missed a passage this long.”

“Ah, come on! Be quiet, gorilla! Geom-ma made a request for once, so let me concentrate!”

Pak- As Media glared at the Spear Saint, her gaze shifted to Kang Geom-ma. Her eyes curved warmly as though nothing had happened. The Spear Saint scratched his cheek, looking a little embarrassed.

After finishing the deciphering, Media recited the contents.

I was upset that mister disappeared without a word, and I wanted somehow to pass my words on, so while looking for a way, I ended up creating something called `letters.`

Dad kept telling me before he died that I was clever, so I guess it was true.

I’ll had to refine it little by little from now on, but this was pretty impressive already, right?

.

The twentieth spring after mister left.

Did you know? To be honest, when I was first left all alone, I resented you a lot, mister.

Ah, of course, I feel deeply grateful to you. You saved me from those winged monsters.

Still, I wish you had at least left a single word before going……. Now that I think about it, you even just left behind the flower crown I made, didn’t you? Honestly, that’s almost funny!

Now that I think about it again, I didn’t miss you at all, mister. Hmph!

.

The fiftieth spring after mister left. I’ve gotten taller, you know? Of course, not as much as you, mister, but now I’m at least tall enough to look down over most grass thickets!

But now that I remember, you did say you were three years younger than me……?

Why had I been calling you mister all this time? To someone younger than me!

.

The one hundred and second spring.

Hello, little brother? You know, after thinking carefully for a hundred years, it suddenly struck me that maybe you weren’t a person from this time at all, but someone from the far future.

A woman’s intuition, maybe? Ever since I started thinking that, I stopped waiting. All I could do now was hope that someday, far in the future, this writing would reach you. Still, if I indulge one small selfish wish…….

.

The three hundred and fifth spring.

Last winter was especially bitter. Whenever that happened, I feel sad about being alone. Did I really had to live this long…….

Countless times I think I don’t want to live anymore, but I can’t quite bring myself to do it. Little brother, it’s the life you saved, after all. So I’m going to try living as long as I could.

.

The three hundred and forty-seventh spring.

The three hundred and ninety-first spring.

The four hundred and twelfth spring.

The four hundred and seventy-sixth spring.

.

The five hundredth spring.

Did you know? Today was my five hundred and twentieth birthday.

These days I didn’t really think about things being hard anymore. Instead, I feel happy just to be alive. At this point, I almost feel like I want to live for ten thousand years.

…But if I really did keep living like that for so long.

……..

Someday, could I reach the future where you were, mister?

While listening to Media’s voice, Kang Geom-ma looked at the traces carved into the Monolith.

The handwriting grew gradually neater as the years passed. Every letter contained reflection upon life and struggle.

“Pick one, idiot. Either mister or little brother……”

Kang Geom-ma muttered to himself. It was hard to suppress the groan that threatened to slip out.

At that moment.

-Paaat!

[Human rank has risen greatly.]

Kang Geom-ma pressed his forehead against the rough stone surface and closed his eyes. Then he began thudding it against the stone over and over.

It had truly been a very long time.

Since his emotions had surged up this intensely.

If no one had been watching, he would have cried out loud.

* * *

After finishing what we came to do, we left the Seoul branch. Even though Media stubbornly tried to stop him, the Spear Saint came out to see us off in the end.

Just before I got into the car, the Spear Saint held out his hand for a handshake and spoke. “I’m sorry to send you off without even treating you to a meal. It’s not as if I really did much for you either.”

“……”

I stared blankly at that thick hand, then took it. In an even voice, I answered.

“If you come to Korea next time, do it then.”

The Spear Saint and Media both flinched in surprise at the ready acceptance.

Even the Spear Saint, who had made the suggestion, looked as though it were unexpected. Still clasping hands, the briefly dazed Spear Saint showed his teeth and laughed.

“Kuhahaha, be sure to!”

Amid countless farewells, Media and I got into the car. And the black sedan departed at once.

I looked out the car window for a moment, then turned my gaze to the side. There was Media, nodding off.

Thump.

Soon her head came to rest on my right shoulder. I quietly let her keep the shoulder.

The driver, who had been watching us through the rearview mirror, also slowed to an appropriate speed. The engine noise quieted.

Thanks to that, Media was able to sleep soundly all the way to the academy without waking.

* * *

Lancelot Company. Among all hero agencies in existence, it was considered by far the finest.

“Haa… haa……”

A man was hurrying breathlessly down a corridor paved with gleaming marble. It was Kane, All Mute’s secretary.

Only when Kane reached the door labeled Training Room did he get his breathing under control. He opened the door without even knocking. It was contrary to Western manners, but he had no time to care about such things right now.

“Ellie!”

All Mute, who had been lightly moving a 220-pound dumbbell, turned only her eyes.

“What is it?”

“You remember the Sashimi Sword Saint you saw at the festival that time, right?”

At Kane’s words, All Mute nodded with a somewhat blank expression.

“Of course I remember. The foreign press has kept reporting that he fought the demon race that suddenly appeared during the Hoakin Catastrophe this time too. If you only go by the articles, they’re practically calling him the reincarnation of the Hero of Origin.”

“Hey, Ellie! Is this really the time to be going on and on praising your rival?”

All Mute’s eyebrows twitched.

“Rival?”

“If you’re fighting with him over one of the Seven Star positions, then he’s your rival, isn’t he? What, is he your colleague?!”

“And here I thought it was something serious.”

When such an indifferent reaction came back, Kane shouted angrily.

“Is this really the time for working out?! We just got a call from the White House. Ellie, they said that if you fail to become one of the next Seven Stars, they’ll pass a bill slamming our company with a tax bomb!”

“What’s strange about paying taxes? We’d just be paying what we hadn’t paid until now all at once.”

“Are you joking? The amount we’d have to cough up is three hundred million dollars! Three hundred billion won in Korean money! That’s our company’s quarterly revenue! If all of that gets seized? Have you even imagined it?”

All Mute lifted and lowered the dumbbell as she asked back indifferently.

“Paying taxes is a natural duty as an American citizen.”

“……”

“And you know this too, don’t you? I’m not actually that interested in the Seven Stars position. It’s only because the White House keeps pushing me so hard. The proper person ought to be the one sitting in that position. The Sashimi Sword Saint, that kid is the hero of this Hoakin Catastrophe, isn’t he.”

That was exactly the kind of hero All Mute was. A straightforward nature that knew how to acknowledge others without reservation.

That was why the public found her charming, but from the opposite angle, it was a headache for the agency.

Honesty? Fine, sure. But in this society, everything came down to money. And yet their flagship star lacked any business mindset……. It was no different from disgracing the capitalism of the United States.

‘If it has come to this.’

Making a miserable face, Kane let his shoulders droop. Then he muttered in the most pitiful voice possible, loud enough for her to hear every word.

“Right… if that’s your decision, then there’s nothing to be done. But I guess that means the `citizens` of our country, who were so full of anticipation that our homeland would produce the next Seven Star, were all fools.”

“……”

“And do you think the company is doing this because of money? It’s all reflecting the wishes of the `citizens.` They sincerely want you, All Mute, to become one of the Seven Stars.”

Thud- a heavy sound. The dumbbell she had dropped rolled across the floor and struck Kane’s foot. Kane glanced sideways at All Mute.

Her complicated feelings were laid bare in her eyes. After standing still for a long while, she spoke.

“Book me a flight to Hoakin Academy.”

Kane forced down the smile that had begun to rise.

“For when?”

“As soon as possible.”

“OK.”

Kane immediately placed a call and had a private jet prepared.

‘Sorry, Ellie. I know it’s petty, but if the company was going to survive, this was the only way.’

The only weapon that could provoke the noble hero All Mute.

It was her unusual patriotism, her nationalistic fervor.