"Mmm."
"Hohohoho."
"Mmmmmm."
"Hohohohohoho!"
"…This is that funny to you?"
"Of course. It's so cute to see you so anxious. How could I not laugh?"
Yeon-woo let out a deep sigh. It was painstakingly clear his mother was definitely a part of the Cha family at times like this. 'She's having such a good time that I can't even say anything… Great.'
While Laplace was visiting the palace as an envoy representing the groom's family, Yeon-woo was restless. It was Laplace, of all people, who was acting as the envoy! The most disobedient troublemaker of all his subordinates. Yeon-woo had wanted to give the job to Shanon or Hanryeong, or even Boo or Rebecca. 'But Shanon is with Jeong-woo. He's probably busy right now.'
Yeon-woo knew the reason why they didn't call Jeong-woo here was because it was one of the busiest times for him.
The Changgong Library was where the history of the entire world was recorded. Moreover, the universe had recently been expanding with parallel universes and multiverses, so the scale of the library was becoming larger by day. It was a result created by the universe slowly taking its place with the battle between the Heavenly Demon and Black King paused.
Yeon-woo didn't want Jeong-woo to be bothered with other things. He planned on calling him over when the actual wedding ceremony took place, not during its preparation stages. Although if Jeong-woo knew, he would be upset that he was excluded… Anyhow, that was why Yeon-woo didn't call Jeong-woo, and he couldn't summon Shanon either since Shanon was helping Jeong-woo.
'Hanryeong is traveling with his son, and Rebecca is with Cernunnos.'
Hanryeong and Rebecca were both spending time with beings special to them.
'Boo is…a man of few words.' Yeon-woo felt apologetic to Boo, but he questioned whether Boo could really act out the duties of an envoy with how silent he was. '…And it's not like I can ask the otherworld gods or Olympus either.'
The Resident of the Border and other otherworld gods didn't know the customs of this "inside world," so it was likely they'd just be standing around with blank expressions. Yeon-woo hadn't had any contact with Olympus in a while either, so it was awkward to ask them.
On the other hand, Laplace wasn't busy doing anything in particular, and he knew of the Tower's customs and the current situation, so he was a perfect fit… And so for all these complicated and annoying reasons, Laplace ended up being the envoy in the end.
Yeon-woo couldn't help but worry about the trouble Laplace might cause on the way, so he had kept open their channel of communication.
『I'm so excited to be receiving all this attention and affection!』
But Yeon-woo desperately wanted to shut it off. Fortunately, Laplace didn't make any scenes, probably because of Yeon-woo warning that he'd keep him locked in the middle of emptiness for at least ten thousand years if he caused any mischief… Yeon-woo muttered to himself that Laplace better keep up what he was doing.
"Son, can I hug you?" Yeon-woo nodded as Rhea asked with a smile. She gripped him tight. She held her son who was at least a head taller than her in her arms and stroked the back of his head proudly. "Today will be the last day of you just being my son."
"…Mother."
"It was really hard for you all this time, wasn't it?"
"…"
"You always made sacrifices for our family… Both your dad and I are apologetic and grateful to you. Always."
"…"
"Now, you can put down all the heavy burdens weighing down your shoulders."
"…"
"I'm so proud of you, my son."
Yeon-woo couldn't say anything for a while. If he opened his mouth, the emotions he'd managed to keep down would suddenly pour out.
"Thank you for being born as my son."
But it wasn't easy.
"…Thank you for being my mother." Yeon-woo was only able to speak a long moment later.
Rhea kept her son in a tight embrace. She hoped with all her heart that her son could finally be free and live happily a life of his own.
* * *
[This is the 'One-horned Tribe's Village!']
[There is currently a big festival happening in the village. The One-horned tribe has made an announcement regarding this festival to all participants.]
[The announcement is all follows.]
[Announcement]
[1. Festivals are sacred.]
[2. Any act of disrupting this sacred festival will be seen as a challenge to the One-horned tribe.]
[3. You are forbidden from causing any incident while the festival is taking place.]
[4. The village takes a neutral stance on all things political, and personal grudges between outsiders while in the village won't be permitted.]
[5. Stay well behaved with the other minor rules. If you don't listen, just know you'll die.]
Frankly, the announcement could be summed up by the fifth point. It was a violent threat that anyone who disrupted the festival or got on the tribe's bad side would end up dead.
It was a blunt message that didn't take into consideration the reputation of clans who read it, so there were many who talked behind the tribe's back. But this was commonly how the One-horned tribe acted, so no one openly complained.
As a result, despite the great number of clans, groups, players, and rankers in the tribe, nothing too eventful happened.
To be honest, even if it wasn't the threat of the One-horned tribe, no one would do anything that would get the supreme god of Olympus, the king of gods and demons of death, ruler of the dragons of death and Ghost Giants, and the system's highest administrator mad.
"Whoa!" Thanks to this, Sesha was able to enjoy the festival to her heart's content. "This is delicious!"
Sesha took a big bite of a skewer she purchased from a street vendor and let out an exclamation of astonishment. A festival of flavor exploded in her mouth from the burst of meat and vegetables with special sauce and the taste of fire.
"This is good too!"
She was captured by dumplings filled with meat juice.
"And so is this!"
The churros filled with chocolate were delicious as well.
"Is this…heaven?!"
Sesha had experienced many things in her life, so she didn't make any expression of emotions easily, but she was excited to return to her home, the Tower.
Ananta followed her daughter with a smile and was surprised the Tower, a place constantly filled with wars, could give off such an atmosphere. On the way here, they had seen many people and processions, but there was no fight. Ananta saw the flags waving in the air and was taken aback by how many clans were in the Tower.
On the other hand, Min Chae-young, who wasn't used to seeing crowds of people, was feeling very timid. This was her first time traveling to an "otherworld," so everything was foreign. The group had found out later, but Min Chae-young had never flown in an airplane either. She had never left South Korea, so it was probably even more shocking to see this world.
Still, Ananta was protecting Min Chae-young by her side, and Sesha dragged her along to see this and that, so her tensions eased. After a day or two, she'd probably get used to it, wouldn't she?
'I hope she only sees the good things before she leaves.' Ananta knew of how gruesome the Tower could be, so she hoped Min Chae-young didn't have to know the pain in the Tower until the end.
"…"
'…Fortunately, he's staying quiet too.' Ananta smiled wryly looking at the hooded man who stayed close behind Min Chae-young: Allforone. He was the man who had Vivasvat's identity and Son Jae-won's memories at the same time. Right now, most of his powers were sealed due to Yeon-woo, so he looked normal, without any light coming off of him. No one would think he was Allforone from how he looked now.
Still, Ananta knew of his hostility toward the transcendents and resentment of the world, so she was concerned he might cause trouble. Fortunately, Allforone just looked around with emotionless eyes, not showing any reaction.
Under normal circumstances, Allforone would've tried to carry out his will even if Yeon-woo had sealed his abilities, but reuniting with Min Chae-young must have influenced him greatly, because he was still keeping quiet obediently.
Ananta was curious about Allforone and Min Chae-young's relationship. 'Do they try and complete each other because they're both imperfect?' They were both missing something for a long time, so Ananta wondered if they were trying to fill each other's existences. There were many forms of love.
'Just like me and my husband.' Upon that thought, Ananta hoped their relationship turned out well, although they were both hanging on dangerously by threads.
"Chae-young."
Fortunately, it didn't look like Ananta had to worry about Min Chae-young too much. She wasn't alone anymore. Chae-young looked around like a scared meerkat, but Sesha tightly gripped her hand.
「H-Hmm…?」
"I think they're putting on a performance there. Let's go see it."
「Hm? I…!」
"Come on." Sesha pulled Chae-young along before she could say anything. She wasn't taking no for an answer. Min Chae-young stuttered and was dragged through the crowd of people.
"Sesha! Look where you're going!" Ananta and Allforone followed behind them. Ananta knew nothing could stop her daughter when she was acting this way, so she was anxious that something might happen.
Soon enough, the running Sesha slightly bumped into an elderly man's shoulder. He had gray hair and was wearing a blindfold. He had a distinct appearance with the large crow on one of his shoulders.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" Sesha quickly bowed. Although it was only a soft bump, it was only right she apologized since it was her mistake, and the man might be mad.
"…" However, the one-eyed man just glanced at his shoulder and didn't say anything.
"Goodness! I told you not to run…! I'll apologize instead. Are you all right?" Ananta arrived a moment later and bowed. The atmosphere was tense.
"…" However, the man just looked between Sesha and Ananta with his one eye. He stayed silent for so long that they wondered if he was unable to speak.
Caaw! Caaaaw! Just then, the crow flapped its wings and let out a queer cry. It was such a loud noise that the people walking by quickly distanced themselves from the old man and glanced at him.
Ananta strangely received an ominous feeling. Something she couldn't explain in words, the aura of death—something that would be felt from a battlefield—was being exuded from the man. "If you're hurt anywhere, please let me…!" She was about to say something, but the man suddenly stretched a hand toward her. It was such a natural movement that Ananta didn't realize something was wrong. She didn't feel any murderous intent or emotion from him.
"Mom!"
Ananta only realized the ominous energy wrapped around the old man's after Sesha called for her. 'A skill of high level…!' She frantically tried to summon her magic power but the old man's hand was already inches from her face. The fact that she might die took over her head, but another arm suddenly stretched out and annoyingly snatched the old man's hand away.
Ananta turned toward the direction the hand came from, and she saw a familiar face. The new leader of Olympus, Athena, glowered at the old man with a stiff face. "Did you already forget trouble won't be permitted at this place, Odin?"
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