Chapter 546: Emperor, Dawn (1) |
The gnosis about Chang-Sun was trembling in Odin’s [Foretelling Eye], Odin gaped as a shiver ran down his spine.
[Unable to analyze the target!]
[Unable to analyze the target!]
[Unable to…!]
…
[The target is under restricted access.]
[Due to overuse, your ‘Foretelling Eye’ has been weakened.]
[The target is using the Channeling of your ‘Foretelling Eye’ to send in his energy!]
‘Impossible…!’ Odin quickly pulled up his mind barrier after instinctively sensing the external influence invading his mind.
However, Chang-Sun dismantled the barrier with ease and got into Odin’s mind, tying him up with invisible chains. Odin’s magic? Authorities? Divine power? None of them worked. In fact, Odin could not even use his Divine Authorities, which were supposed to be stronger than those three things combined, as if he was tied up in Divine Steel chains.
‘Divine Steel composition formula…!’ Odin finally realized what Chang-Sun was doing.
Odin had tried to trap Chang-Sun in a magic spell that he had infused with Divine Steel's composition formula. However, Chang-Sun had not only done the same to Odin, but also upgraded the technique and planted it inside Odin himself. In this way, Chang-Sun could restrict a soul itself, rather than merely physically incarcerating a person in a certain place the way Odin had done.
‘How did he get such an idea?’
It was a very simple outside-the-box idea, but it could not be more effective. Of course, the whole idea was only possible because Chang-Sun understood Divine Steel’s composition formula and had the ability to make modifications.
‘An Emperor.’
Right at that moment, Odin became furious as he thought of the position he had desperately wanted but could not get.
‘Why… Why is it you, not me…?!’
Chang-Sun reached out to Odin. Even though it was his imagination, Odin felt as if he was about to be crushed in Chang-Sun’s grip, so he screamed endlessly. It was silent due to the Divine Steel within him, but he kept on screaming.
Odin had wanted to reach greater heights, so as not to repeat the same tragedy his beloved teacher had gone through or die meaninglessly after a betrayal again.The only reason he was trying to become free and establish standing of his own was to see the one thing he had been hoping to see…!
“Odin.”
“Yes, Teacher?”
“Can you see the sunset over there?”
“Yes, I can.”
“How does it look?”
“It’s pretty!”
“That is right. Sunset is very pretty. Then what do you think is beyond the sunset?”
“Hmm…! I’m not sure. Do you know the answer, Teacher?”
“Haha, I actually don’t know.”
“Impossible. There’s something you don’t know? ”
“Of course, there are a lot of things.”
Odin could not even remember how young he had been at the time. As Bestla’s student, he had traveled with Bestla, and she had liked the blindingly bright evening glow in the scarlet sky. He had gotten many chances to watch the sunset from vast plains with his teacher. In contrast to her time on the battlefield, Bestla’s eyes had been filled with longing when she had watched the sunset, so Odin had stood next to her and kept her company in silence.
“That’s why I’m trying to reach the sky. I… think it’ll be very beautiful.”
Bestla’s remark had been imprinted on Odin’s mind, so he had always wondered what could be beyond the sky. Of course, the usual answer would be a dark void, but Odin knew that the sky Bestla had talked about was more complex than that. However, Bestla had passed away before she could accomplish her long-held dream.
That was why Odin had wished to become an Emperor after his plummeting. It was also the reason why he had tried to maintain his self-identity as he went through samsara numerous times. Nevertheless, Odin’s pursuit of his dream was really about to end. Even though he wanted to break free at all costs, Chang-Sun’s hand had already reached Odin’s face.
“What’s beyond the sunset? Of course, it’s dawn,” Chang-Sun said, his voice as clear as the sky in Odin’s final moment.
Using his one eye, Odin looked at Chang-Sun through the gap between his fingers, silently asking what he meant by that.
“Night falls after sunset. What happens afterward? I think your teacher wanted to see dawn, so morning would arrive. It’s a time when people can rise again, filled with hope and spirit.”
At that moment, many memories flashed through Odin’s mind. Because of Audumla, Ymir, and the Mother Terra Celestial, Bestla had been forced to lead a life of despair for a long time before she could regain her freedom on some level. After that, Bestla had cried out for a liberated world where she and her people could be truly free.
Bestla had always encouraged her people to work hard for a better future, and also told Odin to study and acquire more knowledge because independence required knowledge. Odin had to be able to see far so he could lead his own life without being swayed by others.
Drip―!
‘Then what in the world have I been searching for…?’
Teas of lamentation crawled down Odin’s cheek. The answer was right before him, but Odin had not realized it until now. On the other hand, a thought also crossed Odin’s mind. Sunset was the time of the setting sun, while dawn was the time of sunrise. The former seemed to represent Bestla and Odin, who were disappearing into history, and the latter symbolized Chang-Sun, the heir of their legacy.
Swish―!
With that thought, Odin disintegrated into particles and disappeared into the wind, looking far more peaceful in his last moment. Chang-Sun closed his eyes as he absorbed Odin.
Click, click, click―!
The pieces of Chang-Sun that had been missing until now merged with the others. Chang-Sun thus continued heading toward completeness and faced a new change, feeling his heightened Divine Class.
***
“Waaaa. Waaaa.” Peter cried loudly in Cha Ye-Eun’s arms.
Right after that, Nemea stopped his menacing attacks, his hands trembling in front of Peter. “Son. My boy…”
Ye-Eun could not understand what was going on right now. She could see how Chang-Sun had awakened as an Emperor using [Peter's Key] and was facing another elevation after absorbing Odin.
That was why Nemea should have disappeared and been absorbed by Chang-Sun, but Nemea was still here. Although his Spiritual Body was precariously fragmenting, Nemea’s eyes were glued to Peter as if he was unaware of his condition.
Ye-Eun wanted to call what was happening a miracle. Nemea’s concern and long wait for his son allowed him to resist even a force of nature. Even the blazing madness in Nemea’s eyes was gone, but he was now afraid to touch his dear baby, worried that he could hurt his treasure.
“Go on. He’s your son.” Ye-Eun carefully handed Peter over to Nemea after seeing how much he had changed.
Nemea seemed to be at a loss, not knowing what to do like a father who was meeting his baby for the first time. When he met Ye-Eun’s eyes, she nodded, urging him to hold Peter.
Gulp.
Nemea swallowed down his saliva and then reached out for Peter, who miraculously stopped crying and beamed at him. Recognizing his father, Peter grabbed Nemea’s index finger with his small hand. Nemea flinched and tried to pull his finger away, but Peter pulled it harder, not letting his father go. Of course, there was a limit to how strong a baby could be, but Nemea could never win against Peter.
Right at this moment, Nemea’s entire focus was on his baby boy.
“Try holding him.” Ye-Eun gestured at Nemea.
Nemea blankly took Peter into his arms as if he was bewitched. When Peter giggled in joy, a faint smile finally spread across Nemea’s face.
Drip! Drip!
Big teardrops crawled down Nemea’s cheeks, so Peter tilted his head in confusion. His father, whom he had met in a while, was smiling, but his eyes were tearful. Thinking his father was playing pranks again, Peter smiled again, and Nemea held his son in his arms even more tightly.
‘I missed you so much, my son. You were here. Thank you, my baby. Thank you for staying alive…’
With that thought, Nemea disintegrated into dust. At that moment, Ye-Eun saw the light of <Dawn> from Chang-Sun shining down on Nemea’s back. Like a believer who received salvation from divine light from the sky, Nemea looked almost holy as he shed tears with a baby in his arms.
Ye-Eun watched them and caught Peter, who started falling after Nemea disappeared. Peter was beaming at Ye-Eun; although she was unsure why he was so happy, she smiled together with him in the end because his smile resembled Nemea’s.
Ye-Eun slowly turned her head and saw Yog-Sothoth watching them through a wide gap. It seemed that he was also smiling for some reason.
All Your. Long. Wanderings. Over.
Ye-Eun bowed slightly. Yog-Sothoth’s remark kept ringing in her ears, and the thought that their wanderings were finally coming to an end made her smile. She no longer had to say her goodbyes and could stay together with her family until the end. At the end of that train of thought, Ye-Eun was suddenly reminded of something, so she asked, “Where is Sun now?”
After the light of salvation that enveloped Nemea had disappeared, both Chang-Sun and Nemea had suddenly vanished. Ye-Eun did not think Chang-Sun had gone very far, but she couldn’t see him.
Your. Lover. Meeting. Your. Brother.
Ye-Eun’s eyes widened. “My brother?”
Yes. To. Finish.
Ye-Eun tilted her head in confusion.
You. Need. Blessing. For. Your. Marriage.
Ye-Eun’s face reddened a bit after Yog-Sothoth’s mischievous remark. Yog-Sothoth had previously been solemn and strict, but Ye-Eun got the impression that he was having fun right now.
***
[You have entered the 'Changgong Library'!]
Chang-Sun opened his eyes again and saw <Deus Ex Machina>, who was looking at him with disapproving eyes.
“I sent you to save my sister, not start a family drama.”[1]
A family drama? After belatedly understanding what <Deus Ex Machina> meant, Chang-Sun chuckled dumbfoundedly. <Deus Ex Machina> seemed to be talking about how Chang-Sun and Ye-Eun had a baby even before their marriage
1. The raw is ‘그새 사고를 쳐서 와?’ The expression is often used for a premarital pregnancy. People have become more open-minded, but premarital pregnancies traditionally haven’t been perceived well in Korea. ☜