The one who had been roughly pushed to the ground was Hawa.
“It’s all because of you! If only you didn’t—” A young man screamed at Hawa like he was going to rush at her any moment now. The only reason he didn’t was because of the large man restricting both his arms behind him.
“Hey, stop it. She’s a native. A native. What are you doing in a public space?”
“Damn it! Let me go! Let go! If it weren’t for that damn wench!”
“Calm down. She has no responsibility.”
“What?”
“The one who made the decision was Abis. She made the move. This girl isn’t responsible.”
“But brother!”
It was hard to tell what the two brothers were upset about, but the younger one looked enraged. Eshnunna was about to intervene when a woman with blonde hair stepped forward.
“What’s going on?” Ru Hiana demanded. When she saw Hawa on the ground with her head hanging low, she ran to her and kneeled down. “Oh my! Ms. Hawa? Are you okay? What happened? Let me see your face. Hm?”
Ru Hiana was about to carefully lift Hawa’s jaw, but Hawa shook her head. While there was no injury on her face, it was clear she had been hit—by a hero, no less. As someone who had grown looking up to Ru Amuh, Ru Hiana strongly detested those who called themselves heroes but preyed on the weak. Furthermore, she knew Hawa on a personal level.
“Did you do this?” Ru Hiana immediately got up in rage.
“What if we did?” The young man immediately shot back.
“Have you gone mad? How could you hit a native, especially a child? How could someone who calls himself a hero do this?”
“What?” The young man’s face went flushed. “Shit! If you don’t know anything, shut up! It seems you know this girl, but you don’t even know what’s going on—Ah, stop it, brother!” The young man barked as the man behind him continued to hold him back.
“What’s going on?” Another person intervened then. Everyone’s attention snapped to the newcomer, and Ru Hiana’s sour face brightened.
“Ruahu!”
“What are you up to again…huh?” Ru Amuh trailed off.
The young man swallowed his retort, and the man behind him looked surprised.
“…Ms. Hawa?” Ru Amuh’s eyes shot down to Hawa, who was on the ground. “Are you alright? Are you injured anywhere?” He bent down to check on her, but Hawa didn’t answer. She simply trembled with her hands balled into fists. After taking some time to confirm her condition, Ru Amuh got up and turned around, marching up to the two heroes and saying, “I’m Ru Amuh from the seventh recruits.”
There were murmurings, and a small commotion arose. Ru Amuh was famous for being one of the main leads in securing the capital, and he was the only one to have reached the Gold rank among the heroes on Liber. Furthermore, everyone knew of his efforts to lure the great demon, Vepar, to rescue the eighth recruits, and thus, he was even acknowledged by the twelve families of the Celestial realm. In this sense, Ru Amuh’s name alone carried a heavy weight.
“Ru…Amuh…?” The young man seemed to have calmed down slightly, but still looked like he had no intention of backing away.
“…Kuh! It seems you know this girl, but don’t intervene in matters unrelated to you and go on your way—umph!” The young man couldn’t continue, because the man behind him had muffled him with his large hands.
“Quit it now, man.” The man whispered into the young man’s ears. “It’s Ru Amuh. You must have heard the rumors.”
“Umph…!”
“Furthermore, what’s more important right now? This random guide girl, or Abis?”
“…”
“Let’s try talking first. Who knows? They might offer to help us out.”
Hearing this, the young man stopped. He glared at Hawa and gritted his teeth.
“If you understand, back away quietly and don’t act rashly. I am warning you.”
The young man slouched at the man’s warning, but seemed to have understood. Letting go of his brother after making sure he wasn’t going to act up again, the larger man walked up to Ru Amuh.
“Do you know this girl?”
“Yes.” Ru Amuh nodded.
“Well, then I understand why you’re upset…” The man scratched his head. “But we also have our reasons.” He jerked his head to one side. Ru Amuh stared in the direction, and his eyebrows furrowed slightly. A woman was lying next to Shahnaz’s statue. She appeared to be the two’s companions, but even as this commotion was going on, she lay still on the floor…not moving an inch.
Ru Amuh immediately sensed that there was something wrong with her. She didn’t appear to have simply lost consciousness. To be more specific, she seemed like a doll rather than a living person.
“May I give you the details elsewhere? It’s hard to explain everything here.”
Ru Amuh agreed to the man’s request immediately.
* * *
They moved to Ru Amuh and Ru Hiana’s place.
“…I mean truthfully, there’s nothing but the yongmaek at the fortress.”
“Yes, sir.”
“So, we just called it quits and quickly came to the capital.”
While Ru Hiana took Hawa and cared for her, Ru Amuh and the man talked. Besides them, there was the young man who had pushed Hawa, and Eshnunna; he followed along, quietly listening.
“I didn’t think everything would magically get solved once we stepped into the capital. We kept our expectations low, but still, we thought it would be better here than at the fortress.”
“But when we went to meet that goddess, Shahnaz, she didn’t even respond to us properly…”
“Is that why your brother got so angry?”
“That’s not it. When that guide girl introduced herself, she emphasized that she was Shahnaz’s shaman. My brother placed his hopes on that…but since nothing came out of it, he became all riled up.”
It was then the door opened, and Ru Hiana walked out. She spotted the crestfallen young man listening by the side and glared at him. Noticing her accusing look, the older man quickly added, “I apologize for my brother’s rash action though. He shouldn’t have done that. It’s not the girl’s fault.”
Ru Hiana was about to say her piece, but Ru Amuh interjected. “Your brother can say his apologies to Hawa directly.”
Ru Amuh didn’t want them to continue bickering about this point. It was true what the young man did was wrong, but his brother admitted the wrong and apologized. Also, based on the story, he could understand why the younger brother got so angry.
“Of course he should,” the man said. Then he began to chew on his lower lip. After a reluctant pause, he continued. “By the way…you saw her condition, right? Abis, I mean.”
Ru Amuh pursed his lips, and Ru Hiana trembled slightly. While they were laying the woman named Abis on the bed, Ru Hiana had clearly felt the wrongness of her condition.
‘Is she…really a person?’ She seemed like a broken doll with loose threads, and being near such a being filled Ru Hiana with a strange fear. Her body instinctually rejected this creature.
“Is there perhaps…any way you can help us?” At the man’s question, the young brother’s head jerked up to hear the response. “I know it’s shameless of us to ask, but we don’t know what else to do. We can’t just let her be…” The man trailed off, and the young man looked at Ru Amuh desperately.
“Even a simple suggestion would be enough. A word or two would be a great help for us,” the man said. Ru Amuh was someone everyone was talking about these days. They put their hopes on him in their dire situation.
“…I’m sorry.” But Ru Amuh didn’t know what could be done. Infiltrating their enemy’s trenches and attacking their enemy’s bunkers would be easier than this. Such a matter had nothing to do with the sword, so there wasn’t much Ru Amuh could think of either. However, the man still didn’t give up.
“Then, do you perhaps have any connection with the legend? If you do, could you introduce us to him?”
“I met him once or twice, but I’m in no position to introduce people to him. Furthermore, he has left the capital for the time being.”
“Then…” The man smiled bitterly and bit his lower lip. A sigh escaped his mouth.
“Kuh—!” The young man groaned with his head hanging low. Even though she didn’t like him, Ru Hiana could empathize with him. She knew what it was like to lose sight of everything when a loved one’s life was on the line. She would have fallen into despair if someone hadn’t reached out to help her then. The thought led her to think of the person who might be able to help.
Ru Amuh seemed to have come to the same thought. “…I can’t help you, but there’s a person who might be able to.”
“What?” The man and the young man instantly raised their heads. Ru Amuh had told them he couldn’t help, and the legend was currently absent. How could there be anyone else who might be of help?
“Are you talking about the stars of the Celestial Realm? But, like us, they haven’t been here for long—”
“No.” Ru Amuh shook his head. “This hero came at the same time as I did as one of the seventh recruits.”
“…Really?” The man blinked. The seventh recruits were famous for completely changing the future of Liber’s fate when Liber’s situation was at its worst. However, no matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t think of another famous hero besides Ru Amuh among them. It was only natural; despite gaining a lot of merits for himself, Chi-Woo had been working hard to hide them, and he hadn’t raised his rank at all. As a result, only those who had been by his side knew about his skills and achievements.
“Ruahu! Are you perhaps…?”
“Yeah, I’m going to find Teacher.”
“Ah! Why? You know about his physical condition! Senior told us he was training, but he might actually be trying to recover—”
“I know that. I’m not going to request anything. I’m just going to relay this situation to him. If it’s teacher, he might know something, perhaps even a solution.”
“Even then…”
“But most of all, Teacher won’t just overlook this situation.”
The difference in perception was a frightening thing. From Chi-Hyun’s perspective, Chi-Woo was just a young, immature, and weak younger brother, but to Ru Amuh and Ru Hiana, he was a great hero who was worthy of the highest respect and trust.
Ru Hiana eventually agreed with Ru Amuh and no longer opposed his decision. Then the man realized an important part of their conversation. There was a hero that Ru Amuh, a hero who had resolved a danger at the star-cluster level and proved his abilities even on Liber, respectfully called Teacher. He had no idea who it was, but he was sure this was no ordinary hero.
Thus the man asked, “Will you be able to introduce us to him?” They were at the last of their wits and had to grasp at straws anyway. He quickly added, “We won’t force anyone to help us. I’ll never forget this favor! Please!”
* * *
Everyone at the temple left the capital and climbed the nearby mountain. Ru Amuh took the lead, while the others remained on high alert to make sure they didn’t let him out of their sight. Before climbing the mountain, Ru Amuh had emphasized many times that they must not lose sight of him even for a second.
“What kind of person is he that we have to climb all the way here? Why didn’t he just stay in the capital?” The man carrying his comrade, Abis, scanned his surroundings with interest.
“There were certain circumstances.” Ru Amuh didn’t tell them anything besides this. He had to pay his utmost attention to find the right path. If he hadn’t memorized the way while following Chi-Hyun, or if he hadn’t had synesthesia, he wouldn’t have even attempted to return to the cave where Chi-Woo was. After circling the mountain for a long time, he was finally able to reach their destination.
Ru Amuh said, “Please be quiet from now on. We can’t make a commotion.”
The man quietly followed Ru Amuh with curiosity. Who was the hero for Ru Amuh to be so careful? After a while, they saw a cave. There was a big rock in front of the entrance, and they saw a young man quietly meditating in a lotus position. When he saw Chi-Woo, Ru Amuh turned around and put his index finger on his mouth—he was telling them to wait quietly and not make a noise.
The man and the young man grew anxious with anticipation, but they waited patiently. After what seemed like an eternity, Chi-Woo, who hadn’t made the slightest move, suddenly made a sound.
“Pweh…”
The man felt a bit distrustful when he saw how young Chi-Woo looked. But when Chi-Woo let out a long breath, the man suddenly had a strange sensation. He couldn’t clearly describe it, but his first impression of Chi-Woo was a monk seeking the truth and cultivating his energy in the mountains. But at a second glance, Chi-Woo didn’t feel like a mere monk, but a sage. Chi-Woo’s clear eyes were full of wisdom, and spiritual energy seemed to flow out of him.
When the man sniffed the air, he smelled a fresh and thickly sweet scent. His mind and body seemed to calm down just from that. There also seemed to be a faint light coming from Chi-Woo’s back, and before he realized it, he found himself growing loose and relaxed.
‘…What’s this?’ At that moment, the man realized something strange. For some reason, he felt an unknown sense of awe and respect towards the young man in front of him even though he’d never seen this person before and had no reason to feel this way. It felt like looking at a saint.
“Mr. Ru Amuh? Ms. Ru Hiana?” Chi-Woo said. “Ms. Eshnunna and Ms. Hawa are here too…”
“Have you been well, teacher?” Ru Amuh politely bowed.
“Yes, but…” Chi-Woo’s eyes, which looked puzzled, shifted towards the two—no, three people he didn’t know.
“Please help us!” Then the young man suddenly dropped to his knees and slammed his head against the ground. “I beg of you! Please..!”
While Chi-Woo was flustered, Ru Amuh quickly approached Chi-Woo and briefly explained the situation. “Sir, I apologize for acting on my own, but they looked so desperate that…”
“No, it’s fine. Well…” It would have been a lie if Chi-Woo said he didn’t find this situation bothersome, but he knew they needed his help, which made it uncomfortable for him to tell them to return. His mentor and several teachers had told him a hundred times to not thank them, but instead listen to people’s cries for help and help people in need when he grew up. Chi-Woo had been able to live a relatively normal life thanks to their generous help. Thus, he needed to at least pay back what he had received.
“Please come in.” Chi-Woo got up and guided the unexpected guests into the cave. “Would I be able to check her condition first?” Originally, he had planned to first hear about how this whole situation occurred, but the young man looked so unbelievably distraught that Chi-Woo thought he should go straight to assessing her condition. At Chi-Woo’s request, the man carrying Abis laid her on the floor. Abis’ condition was very severe. Her eyes were half-open, but they were completely out of focus. And while she was breathing, it was very weak. Even when they called out to her or shook her, she showed no reaction, nor did she let out even the smallest groan. She was alive, but it didn’t seem like it.
“Hmm…” Chi-Woo carefully observed the woman’s condition and suddenly put his palm close to her face. He closed his eyes and focused for a while before narrowing his eyes. “…Oh.”
“Is it really…bad…?” the man cautiously asked.
Chi-Woo slightly lowered his head. Then he withdrew his hand and remained silent for a while. “Perhaps… Was there water nearby?”
“What?”
“Was there water in the place she became like this? Even a little bit?”
“Uh…” The man and young man looked at each other and stared at Chi-Woo at the same time. They were surprised and wondered how Chi-Woo knew.
The man said, “Y-Yeah. It wasn’t a lake or an ocean, but there was a lot of water on the ground and puddles everywhere.” Just by looking at her condition, Chi-Woo was able to make an accurate guess of the kind of environment in which Abis became like this.
“How did you know?” The man felt hope rising in his heart.
‘As expected of Senior!’ Ru Hiana thought, but her mood was dampened by the increasingly stiff look on Chi-Woo’s face.
Chi-Woo murmured to himself. “How can this…be? It’s supposed to happen to dead people. How can a living person… If this is true, whoever did it is a real bastard.”
The man nervously asked, “What, what is it?”
“No, it’s my first time seeing something like this, so I’m not sure.” Chi-Woo shook his head.
“Do you have any idea what it is? Even a guess is fine. If we can find out why she became like this…”
Chi-Woo deeply sighed at the man’s plea. After a long silence, he said, “It seems like…”
While everyone looked at him with tense expressions, Chi-Woo clicked his tongue like he was facing an extremely troublesome matter. Then he finally said, “...a neokgeori.”