abcnovels
Chapter 117: Motherless Man (1)
Chapter 117: Motherless Man (1)
Chapter 117: Motherless Man (1)
The incident that occurred at the prison in Paju turned the nation of Korea upside down once again.
It was a shocking incident where over 2,000 members of the Black Star Organizations suddenly became crippled for life.
According to the prison officers’ testimonies, the culprit of the incident was deemed to be Prison Chief Jeong Jaechul, but because he had a solid alibi where he was out on business in the suspected frame of time, the incident was once again shrouded in mystery.
In the end, the final verdict was this: Someone disguised themself as Prison Chief Jeong Jaechul and punished the criminals.
As they weren’t caught by the CCTV or the security magic put in place, and because not a single one of the ambushed Black Star Organization members would open their mouths for some reason, the culprit’s identity was a complete mystery.
Large amounts of criticism were pointed at the guild union for being unable to properly manage the apprehended criminals, and the public opinion of the Association had done nothing suddenly became more positive.
Thankfully, for the guild union, the incident that was a big issue at first soon settled down, and interest quickly dispersed.
‘It’s understandable.’
Most of the public actually expressed that they felt refreshed because the ambushed Black Star Organization members were all scum from Cheorwon Prison.
It appeared that the guild union also wanted the incident to be forgotten as soon as possible since they didn’t commence proper investigations to catch the culprit.
“Everything worked out just as planned.”
Ohjin smirked while looking at the news.
He was able to get his hands on an immense amount of mana, achieve the Black Heaven’s fifth awakening, and though it was slight, improve what the public thought of the Association.
‘My efforts were worthwhile.’
It was worth the risk of infiltrating the Black Star Organization’s HQ all by himself.
“Though my mana… is a little disappointing.”
Ohjin thought that he wouldn’t have to worry about running out of mana due to absorbing the mana of over 2,000 Awakeners.
‘I never knew that there were problems like this from low-quality mana.’
Though there was no problem with using normal skills, when he used powerful skills such as Lightning Flames, Exceed, or Charge, there was nearly a 10 to 20 times difference in mana consumption speed.
‘I guess you could say it’s like having a bunch of health but no armor and magic resistance in a game.’
He had a lot of mana, but wasn’t all-powerful, as an according amount of mana was consumed.
‘There probably won’t be much use in absorbing large amounts of low-quality mana from now on.’
The efficiency of low-quality mana would be too insubstantial when he considered the fact that the stigma of Lyra and Black Heaven would continue to develop in the future.
It was better than nothing, but there was no reason to go actively looking for it.
“Well, with this, the important matters have all been finished.”
Taking a moment to rest and focus on training before going to find the star relic buried in Mt. Baekdu seemed to be a good choice.
‘I also want to know what’s changed with the fifth awakening.’
There was especially a need to take time to find out the identity of the unknown trait, ‘Heaven Unfolding’.
* * *
‘Then, before starting my training… should I go check up on my goddess?’
He hadn’t been able to see Vega for a while and kept the pendant off of him because he had continuously been doing deeds he couldn’t show Vega such as infiltrating the Black Star Organization’s HQ and absorbing the stigmas of the restrained Owls.
“Vega.”
Ohjin flowed mana into the pendant and called Vega.
Owooong!—
Soon, silver rays of light flickered as a doll sized around 30cm floated in mid-air.
“Vega?”
[…]
Vega, who had materialized after Ohjin’s call, blatantly stared at him with narrowed eyes and her arms crossed.
“What’s wrong, Vega?”
[…Hmpf.]
Vega puffed air out of her nose and turned her entire body around.
‘What?’
Ohjin’s expression stiffened.
He wondered if she noticed the acts he had committed.
‘I don’t think I made a mistake…?’
Ohjin looked at her with nervous eyes.
“Um… Vega?”
[Don’t want to.]
“…Don’t want to do what?”
[I don’t want to talk with you.]
“Huh?”
‘Why is she acting like this all of a sudden?’
[…Do you really not know why?]
“Uhm, uh…”
[Do you really not know why?!]
Vega fiercely opened her eyes and glared at Ohjin.
Judging from the mood, It appeared that he had made a mistake, but there was nothing that came to mind.
[Just how long has it been since you called me?! And you left the pendant behind as you pleased for the past few days…!]
“Ah.”
‘So she’s upset because I haven’t called her in so long. I got worried for no reason.’
Ohjin rest assured and smiled.
[This is no laughing matter!]
“I’m sorry, Vega. You must’ve been lonely because I didn’t contact you for so long.”
[I-I wasn’t lonely. I-It’s just that…]
Vega’s cheeks reddened as she stuck her index fingers together and twisted her body.
[…the sanctuary is a little too quiet for me to stay alone in.]
‘So she was lonely, since when did she get so cute?’
The way she appeared solemn and divine when he had first met her was nowhere to be seen with her showing her honest and cute side so often lately that it made it hard to imagine that she was a goddess.
‘Thinking about it now, this is probably Vega’s real personality.’
The real face of the woman named Vega hidden behind the mask of a North Star celestial.
‘Does that mean… she trusts me to the extent that she would show it?’
A bitter smile was put on Ohjin’s mouth, but soon after, he carefully extended his hand out to Vega, who had her cheeks puffed out and was thoroughly upset.
“Why were you alone? Where did Riak go?”
[About Riak… Hmm.]
Vega twirled her hair with an expression of hesitation.
[He did say to keep it a secret from you… but he has recently been focusing on training in order to cross over the ‘wall’.]
“Wall?”
Come to think of it, Ohjin had heard about it several times before.
‘Something about hitting a wall for hundreds of years.’
When he had first met him, Riak was in despair about overcoming the wall.
No, even worse than despair, he had given up entirely.
‘Though I haven’t felt those kinds of emotions yet…’
Ohjin’s growth had never stagnated enough for him to feel that he hit a ‘wall’ yet.
However…
‘I understand… that it’s so painful that it cannot be expressed with words.’
When simply forgetting where you placed an item and wandering in search of it for an hour was torment, how painful would it be to silently continue training in search of enlightenment that seemed to always escape out of your grasp?
Riak had repeated that intense suffering for…
a year,
a decade,
and over a century…
“…Tch.”
Ohjin quietly clicked his tongue.
It did weigh down on his mind, but it was something Riak himself had to overcome.
“It really would’ve been very quiet if even Riak wasn’t there.”
Ohjin nodded his head as he recalled how empty her sanctuary was.
[…That’s not it.]
“It isn’t?”
[There were a lot of times I kept watch over the sanctuary alone. However, back then… it wasn’t this lonely nor gloomy.]
“…”
[I’ve only started to feel these emotions after meeting you.]
Her shaking eyes headed towards Ohjin.
[I also… do not know why I’ve started to feel these emotions.]
Vega smiled faintly, and pat Ohjin’s head with her gentle touch.
[Fufu. Maybe some kind of miracle occurred and a part of my past life’s memories were transmitted.]
“…”
No, that couldn’t be true.
The memories that existed between Ohjin and Vega in the past life were lies created by him.
[Anyways! Call me more often from now on!]
“Ah, yeah. I got it.”
Ohjin, who was looking at her with perplexed eyes, awkwardly nodded his head.
[By the way…]
Vega opened her mouth while looking at the news that was broadcasted onto the TV.
[Was that the war you were referring to?]
—The fight between the Black Star Organization and guild union.
It was so one-sided that it was embarrassing to call it a ‘war’, but the big incident was definitely large-scale enough for it to be a war.
“Originally, it didn’t end this easily. There were also way more casualties.”
[What did you do for the war to end this easily?]
“I spread some information.”
[Ah… so you’re the anonymous informant who spread the locations of the Black Star Organization’s headquarters and branches!]
“Yeah.”
Vega’s eyes twinkled as she clapped her hands.
[But how were you able to find out that information? Didn’t you say that you don’t know much about the Black Star Organization?]
“I also originally didn’t know about their precise locations, but was able to find them out this time after finding a clue.”
[Hmm. I guess if it’s you, it wouldn’t have been that hard since you know everything that happened in the future.]
Vega nodded as she rubbed her chin.
[But… then is the person who crippled those 2,000 people also you?]
Her eyes contained worry.
“No. That isn’t what I did.”
He acted natural as he shook his head.
As long as she believed that he was a ‘hero’, he couldn’t tell her that he had turned over 2,000 people into cripples, even if there were unforgivable criminals.
[Then just who…]
“I don’t know.’
[You don’t know?]
“This never happened in the 1st Round.”
[…]
Vega’s eyes narrowed.
[So the future changed once you released information about the Black Star Organization.]
“Yeah.”
Ohjin nodded with a serious look.
“Well… I don’t know who turned them into cripples, but I succeeded in preventing the war.”
[Then what are your next plans?]
“There’s a star relic hidden in Mt. Baekdu.”
He recalled the memories obtained from Lee Shinhyuk.
[Ooh, are you planning on acquiring that star relic before any other this time, as well?]
“That’s right, but not even I know its precise hidden location.”
[Hmm. Then I guess it would take a bit of time to find.]
“It’s not like I’m in a hurry. I’m thinking of taking things slow when looking for it.”
[Fufu. Indeed, you are reliable.]
Vega stroked his head as she thought he was praiseworthy.
[If you’re the one doing it, anything should be possible.]
He could feel infinite trust from his goddess.
[Just from the recent incident, did you not save the lives of many who were originally supposed to die?]
“Though it’s not like there’s anyone who’s aware of it.”
[There is me.]
Vega flew up close to him.
[How much effort you’ve desperately put in to change the future, how many lives were saved thanks to your efforts…]
Radiant rays of light wrapped around her body as Vega returned to her true form.
[I shall continue to watch over them— right beside you.]
Vega extended out her hands and gently pulled in Ohjin’s head.
“…”
A soft sensation pressed down on his cheeks.
How much she trusted him was transmitted through the warmth that touched his skin.
‘It does make me feel a little guilty.’
Vega trusted him that much, but he was deceiving her.
‘Well, it can’t be helped.’
He had already crossed the point of no return.
At that point, he just had to pretend to be an Awakener until the end.
“Thank you, Vega.”
[Hmpf! Be a little more thankful!]
“Thankkkkk youuuu!!! Vegaaaaaa!!”
[Uuh?!]
Ohjin pulled in Vega’s hips with both of his arms.
[Fufu. It’s almost as if you’ve become an actual child.]
Vega received Ohjin’s childish act and smiled sheepishly.
[Hmm…]
Vega was silent in contemplation with Ohjin for a while.
“What’s wrong?”
[…Th-There is one proposal I have for you.]
“What kind of proposal?”
[C-Could you call me ‘Mama’ this one time?]
‘Pardon? What kind of insane thing are you talking about?’
[I-It’s your fault! You unsettled my heart because you kept acting childish!]
“Since when did I—”
[Shush!! Be quiet! It is punishment for leaving me alone in the sanctuary!]
Vega got angry with her reddened face.
“…”
Ohjin looked up at her with a dumbfounded look.
“Ma—”
He slowly opened his mouth.
Bang!—
At that moment, the front door violently swung open.
“I was going to sit still, but you’re seriously pushing it!! Mama? Did you say ‘mama’?!”
Ha-eun entered the living room while puffing out rough breaths.
She shouted out as she roughly pulled in Ohjin’s arm.
“My Ohjin doesn’t have anything like a mother, okay?!!”
“…”
She wasn’t wrong, but…
‘Is that right…?’
‘What is this indescribably unpleasant feeling…’
T/N: To add a little context here, in Korea where respecting elders is important, insulting the parents of others is taboo. This is just joking around with that in mind.