By Zephyria When he came to his senses, he was stabbing at Jomagu’s eyeballs.
Kieeeeeek!
After a few stabs, his head cooled down. Once he had vented to some extent, the reason that had left him returned.
That was when he realized.
Someone had deliberately awakened this specter.
In fact, he should have noticed it from the beginning.
[Yudang Tree] growing in the southern mountains
Jomagu’s [Foul Odor]
But the sudden scent of [Jahwa Flowers]?
Ki Jae-eon’s question was only resolved when he had peeled off half of Jomagu’s skin.
The answer was with Jomagu.
The scent of the flowers that had been on someone when they awakened Jomagu had been transferred as is.
And Jahwa flowers… were one of the medicinal herbs mainly cultivated by the Exorcists of Heavenly Land.
Upon realizing this, Ki Jae-eon felt his blood run cold. He planted his sword in the ground and breathed slowly. He was able to experience what it meant to become calm when one was too angry.
Thus, he decided to kill Jomagu in front of everyone, and he did kill him. It was a kind of threat not to touch him anymore.
‘I hope they understand it well.’
Ki Jae-eon, who had returned home, rubbed his dry eyes and walked unsteadily. He felt like collapsing immediately, but he forced himself to move, thinking that he wanted to see his brother.
He had just reached his destination.
Without warning, the door slid open.
“…….”
“……!”
The person who came out from inside the room was a face Ki Jae-eon knew well.
His father, Ki Tae-ho.
In his hands were a washbasin made of brass and a washcloth. There was only one direction in which this situation could be interpreted. His father had come out after wiping his brother down.
An action that was unlike his father, but that he could do because he was ‘father.’
Ki Jae-eon glanced at the washbasin and habitually lowered his head. His gaze fell upon the blood-soaked clothes. Ah, he was going to get scolded. As he worried, a low voice, weary with fatigue, was heard.
“He just fell asleep.”
“……Yes. I’ll just, g-go.”
Ki Jae-eon, taking it as a sign to leave without waking him, was about to turn around.
“No, look at him before you go.”
Ki Tae-ho stopped him.
“That’s why you came, wasn’t it.”
“…….”
“The skin reconstruction surgery on his left arm is necessary, but other than that…… there are no injuries that pose a threat to his life, I’m told.”
God must have helped. He must have been watching over him. Ki Tae-ho muttered to himself as if talking to himself. But somehow, he seemed very tired. Was it because it was late? Or was it because he had been suffering? He looked somewhat haggard and depressed, like someone who had been tossed about by a fierce storm.
Yes, it was the look of a parent who had almost lost their child.
Well, he had almost died at the drop of a hat. No matter how much of a Ki Tae-ho of the Gi Clan he was, his heart must have sunk. He was constantly causing trouble and arguing at every opportunity, but…… there’s no finger that doesn’t hurt when bitten.
“I’ll, just look at his face from a di, distance and come out.”
“You-.”
A weary voice reached him from behind as he was about to enter the room.
“Do you think I’m being harsh on you?”
“…….”
“That I’m being particularly strict?”
Zirrrrr- The sound of crickets chirping was mixed with the eerie atmosphere unique to the night air.
“Yes, it’s only natural that you would think so.”
“…….”
“Should I treat you kindly?”
The hand gripping the doorknob twitched at the sigh-like word. Ki Jae-eon turned his body towards Ki Tae-ho without realizing it.
The wooden floor made a creaking noise, oblivious to the situation. His father was reflected in Ki Jae-eon’s calm eyes, which held no answer.
The breaths of the two men were colder than the night air at dawn.
“Like any other family, building new memories every day. Living a life without unnecessary control.”
“…….”
“A life that doesn’t instill any strange obsessions.”
Do you want that? Ki Tae-ho wore a self-deprecating expression. A hint of bitterness was etched on his face, which had not lost its handsomeness even in middle age.
“Then I’ll have to find someone to replace you first. Like your brother is now.”
“…….”
“Although you might really die next time?”
Ki Jae-eon stopped breathing at his last remark. Wavering eyes. Ki Tae-ho closed the distance towards his agitated son. A step that felt particularly heavy. His heart felt hollow with each step he took. Sensing an instinctive revulsion, Ki Jae-eon took a step back without realizing it. But as if not allowing him to escape, a large hand quickly reached out and forcefully wrapped around his sweat-soaked neck, pulling him in.
“Ki Jae-eon, my son.”
Foreheads touching.
“The world isn’t fair.”
Black eyes stared at him as if to see through him.
“Whether you want it or not, you were born with infinite talent. Do you know what that means? It means you have to bear a duty, regardless of your will. It can’t be helped, even if it’s unfair. You have to endure it. Those who have power must fulfill their responsibilities.”
At the low whisper, Ki Jae-eon’s expression blurred as he mouthed the words as if following along. …Responsibility. Ki Tae-ho tightened his grip on his neck as if that muttering was the correct answer.
“Yes, responsibility! Jae-eon, the more freedom you enjoy, the more the world will hate you. Even if it’s not your fault, they’ll blame you and resent you. Why? Because you have the power to save the world, but you don’t contribute. Which parent would leave their child to be hit by such stray stones. So you should just hate this one father. Just one person who stole your life……. And be loved by the world. That’s the right way.”
Was that, in other words, to walk the tightrope and receive applause no matter how painful it was?
Ki Jae-eon averted his gaze instead of answering.
Of course, not all of his words could be said to be right.
But it was hard to say that he didn’t understand.
Because when ‘that’ appeared in the world, people didn’t demand Ki Jae-eon’s one-sided sacrifice?
‘The more freedom you enjoy, the more the world will hate you.’
That’s right. The future that Ki Jae-eon had experienced had unfolded as Ki Tae-ho had said.
Ki Jae-eon knew that best.
And one more thing.
‘I’ll have to find someone to replace you. Like your brother is now.’
His brother, Ki Jae-ha, who was groaning in pain, filled Ki Jae-eon’s black eyes.
‘Is this also the price for abandoning my duty?’
A long shadow fell over his face.
*
Many things changed after that day.
First of all, the Exorcists affiliated with Heavenly Land rushed to the Gi Clan. On the surface, they came to wish for ‘Ki Jae-ha’s’ speedy recovery, but there was no one who didn’t know the true meaning behind it.
As Ki Jae-eon seemed likely to resume his activities, they were lining up in advance.
It was a very blatant and unpleasant attitude. But since they were willing to sort out the hierarchy on their own, there was no reason to refuse.
And Ki Jae-eon.
He acted as if he had returned to his old self.
Of course, it was perhaps a natural attitude, as there was a shortage of hands to handle the backlog of requests and tasks. However, the problem was…… that his mental state was not normal.
He was a patient suffering from PTSD, and it was still ongoing.
“Cough- Heok! ……Haa, haa.”
Ki Jae-eon, who had returned home at ten o’clock tonight as well, went to the bathroom first. He grabbed the cold toilet bowl and vomited as if he was used to it. Haa, haa-. His exhausted body was trembling.
Squeak-.
Ki Jae-eon bit his lip and turned on the faucet. Soon, cold water poured over his body. The water pressure was very strong. Ki Jae-eon squeezed his eyes shut and stood blankly under the cold water that hit him hard. How many minutes had passed like that?
“Haa-.”
His wet hair was even more curly, and his lips, which had lost their warmth, turned blue. But it wasn’t bad. Thanks to the cold water, his noisy head seemed to quiet down.
‘Home…….’
When did I get here? Ah, I don’t know. It’s enough that I came.
Ki Jae-eon slowly wiped his tired face and slowly undressed. It was quite difficult to take off because it was soaked in water. Especially when he touched the bandage wrapped around his thigh while taking off his pants, he had to grit his teeth.
It wasn’t a wound sustained during battle.
It couldn’t be said that there was no connection at all, but the exact cause was wrong.
If you were to find the definite perpetrator, yes. It was Ki Jae-eon himself.
He had stabbed himself to steady his wavering mind whenever he encountered a specter. Forgetting pain with more pain. It was a plausible theory.
“…….”
Ki Jae-eon threw the bandage off irritably.
His mind, which had already been driven to the brink, was stimulating his sensitivity to the fullest.