Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Midnight passed, and noon arrived.

It was finally time to leave for Zhongyuan.

Feeling the passage of time, I opened my eyes in the prepared quarters.

Huuuuu.

As I exhaled the breath I had been holding, energy accompanied it, slowly dispersing.

The circulating energy settled and seeped into my heart.

“Hmm.

” It was a strange sensation.

Something similar to inner energy, yet distinctly different.

If I were to describe it, it wasn’t unpleasant, but it felt awkward—an odd fit.

‘Peculiar.

’ Truly peculiar.

Several hours ago, in the underground chamber with the Palace Lord, I had gained the power to use enchantments.

The Palace Lord called it a "ring," and I agreed that the name was fitting.

A ring was indeed bound around my heart.

Unlike the inner energy gathered in my middle dantian, the ring hovered outside my heart, spinning slowly.

By using the technique I had acquired in the underground chamber, I formed the ring.

The more I studied it, the more surprising it became—because the number of rings increased.

The single ring had become two.

‘What’s the difference?

’ Why had it doubled overnight?

All I did was breathe normally.

‘I don’t get it.

’ Shaking my head, I rose from the bed and grabbed the book beside me.

It was the book on enchantments the Palace Lord had given me.

Ah, not the initial technique I had received, but the book they handed over afterward.

Initially, the Palace Lord had refused to give it to me, claiming it was against the rules.

However, when I demonstrated that I had successfully formed one ring, they relented and presented it to me as a gift.

‘What did they say when they handed it over?

’ Something about it being an investment in my "brilliant talent.

" How embarrassing.

‘Brilliant talent, my foot.

’ The absurdity of the statement made me chuckle.

‘What’s the point of talent if it’s for something useless?

’ Judging by the Palace Lord’s reaction, I might indeed have a knack for enchantments.

But even if I did, what use was it?

With martial arts training already demanding enough, I didn’t have the luxury to devote myself to enchantments.

‘I only picked it up because it seemed potentially useful.

’ I hadn’t thought deeply about how I’d use it later.

Even mastering it didn’t seem like it would aid my growth in martial arts.

‘I’ll probably learn it since it’s not too hard.

’ But I doubted I’d dedicate much effort to it.

I had neither the time nor the leisure for that.

‘And who would even teach me?

’ In martial arts, I had Paejon pushing me to my limits and occasionally my father giving me guidance.

That was fine.

But when it came to enchantments, there was no one suitable to teach me.

If I stayed longer at the Ice Palace, that might have been different, but it was time to return to Zhongyuan.

‘Maybe I should ask the Divine Doctor?

’ If I were to inquire, that was my only option for now.

He was the only one I knew who had mentioned enchantments.

With that thought, I got up.

‘But first...

’ I’d have to return and see.

With that, I left the room.

****************** Walking slowly, I arrived at the clearing behind the palace.

Whoosh!

The wind swept by, tossing my hair.

The air was still cold, but there was a faint fragrance mixed in.

The Palace Lord called it hope, to which I had inwardly thought, What nonsense.

It sounded poetic, but as always, it didn’t resonate with me.

The only thing I could discern was— ‘The cold is gradually receding.

’ Being accustomed to heat, I could clearly feel the difference.

The bitter cold of the Northern Sea was slowly fading.

While the region’s natural climate would always be cold, the curse-induced chill was lifting.

Perhaps soon, even this place would experience the changing seasons.

Looking at the frost-killed trees, I mused: ‘Will the leaves turn red here, too?

’ For some reason, thoughts of autumn often crossed my mind when I considered the seasons.

Did I like autumn?

Not particularly, I thought.

Yet, I’d been recalling it often lately.

“Young Master!

” As I continued walking, a familiar voice reached my ears.

In the distance, Tang So-yeol was enthusiastically waving at me.

Unconsciously, my pace quickened.

By the time I arrived, most of the group had already gathered.

“You’re not late for once.

” The moment Paejon saw me, he took the opportunity to jab.

I let out a dry laugh in response.

“Anyone listening would think I’m late all the time.

” Though I wasn’t sure, I never missed anything due to my impatience.

Or did I?

“Hmm.

” As I brushed off his comment, Paejon examined me closely, nodding as he remarked, “You’ve changed again.

” “...

” “You’re past the age of growth, yet something about you keeps evolving.

” His sharp perception was annoyingly accurate.

‘Does forming a ring show that much?

’ Paejon didn’t dwell on it and shifted his gaze elsewhere.

Three days ago, after battling a Crimson-Rank Beast, I had confessed one truth to him.

The truth about Mado Cheonheupgong.

Without revealing my regression or anything about Cheonma, I mentioned that I could absorb energy from materials like demonic stones, which accelerated my growth.

I thought explaining at least that much might dampen his curiosity.

Luckily, it did.

His first response upon hearing it?

[At least you won’t collapse from a lack of energy now.

] And the second?

[So, how does it work?

] ‘Madman....

’ I’d expected him to ask where I’d obtained such a technique.

Instead, his eyes sparkled as he immediately inquired about the principles behind it.

Though baffled, it seemed he had accepted it as an explanation for my sudden changes.

“Young Master, did you eat?

” Tang So-yeol trotted over to me, asking.

“Why do you always bring up food whenever you see me?

” “Because you don’t take care of yourself!

Have you eaten?

” “...

” I hadn’t.

So I had no response.

“See?

I told you.

” “...

I was planning to eat later.

” “Liar.

You’re just avoiding the question, aren’t you?

” “...

” Ugh.

Her nagging was relentless.

I needed an escape.

Turning my gaze, I spotted Namgung Bi-ah standing idly nearby.

She seemed to have slept poorly, letting out a wide yawn.

It was a familiar sight.

Noticing my stare, she waved casually.

Though her actions were predictable, they oddly brought me some comfort.

Sighing softly, I looked around.

It seemed most people had gathered, though a few were still absent.

And then— ‘They’re here.

’ Almost immediately, I sensed multiple presences approaching from behind.

Turning my head, I saw several figures entering from the palace gates, including the Palace Lord.

And among them— There was someone being dragged along like a prisoner by the warriors.

“Look at that sorry state.

” No matter how I saw it, I disliked him.

“And yet, there’s no trace of the beating I gave him.

” I had put in some effort to thrash him, but his face and body were completely healed.

That irritated me most of all.

If he’d at least limped a little, it would’ve been satisfying.

Tch.

Clicking my tongue, I adjusted my posture.

Even so, I had to maintain some decorum.

“Greetings, Palace Lord.

” As the Palace Lord approached, I offered a slight bow.

Unlike the calm demeanor from last night, their expression now seemed rather somber.

“Well, did you rest peacefully through the long night?

” “Considering we spent the night together, isn’t that a strange question to ask?

” “...

Don’t you think your answer is even stranger, Young Master?

” Was it?

Thinking it over, it did sound odd.

Then again, there wasn’t anyone who might misunderstand, so I figured it wouldn’t matter much.

“...

The night?

” “The night...?

” Hearing the whispers of two women behind me, I quickly waved my hands to dismiss the misunderstanding.

“Haha, I was referring to the training you helped me with.

” The Palace Lord glanced subtly behind me, noticing my hurried attempt at clarification.

“It seems you’re more conscious of others’ perceptions than I expected.

” “Conscious?

I’ve never cared about such things.

” “Hmm.

Is that so?

” The Palace Lord nodded at my response, though their expression betrayed their lack of understanding.

Then came a voice through transmission.

Regarding the book I gave you.

It would be best to read it only after forming more than two rings.

Hearing this explanation, my eyes widened.

The Palace Lord, noticing my reaction, nodded knowingly and elaborated.

It must be surprising.

The concept of increasing the number of rings is something unexpected.

With diligent practice, the single ring will eventually become two.

Judging by your talent, you’ll likely achieve this within six months at the latest....

I actually formed two rings just before coming here, so I suppose I can read it now without issue.

...

Bullshit.

Pardon?

Excuse me...?

What did you just say, Palace Lord?

Oh, nothing.

I must have yawned unintentionally.

That wasn’t the sound of a yawn at all.

It sounded suspiciously like a curse.

‘...

Did I hear that wrong?

’ Surely the Palace Lord wouldn’t swear.

Yes, I must have misheard.

That had to be it.

‘So the difference in reading comfort was due to the number of rings?

’ Requiring such a condition just to read a book seemed absurd, but it was probably best to trust the Palace Lord for now.

Thank you for your guidance.

I’ll make good use of it.

...

I certainly hope so....

The more we spoke, the more the Palace Lord’s expression seemed to sour, but I ignored it.

Given their poor health, it was probably because they’d come out so early in the day.

The Palace Lord gestured behind them with a firm hand, prompting the warriors to drag forward the person they had brought along.

Bound in cuffs on both wrists and ankles, Woo Hyuk was led to the front.

Our eyes met briefly.

“...

” “...

” We didn’t exchange words; it was still awkward after the fight.

I broke eye contact and examined the cuffs.

It was obviously a show of restraint.

The cuffs weren’t even reinforced, and Woo Hyuk could likely break free with minimal effort.

His inner energy hadn’t even been sealed, so it felt more like they were giving him a chance to escape.

I glanced at the Palace Lord.

‘Do they want him to flee?

’ It seemed plausible.

Perhaps the Palace Lord was hoping Woo Hyuk would escape.

Allowing him to run might serve their purposes better than sparing him outright.

‘It would create a stronger justification for killing him.

’ At least, that’s how I would have done it.

If someone needed to be killed, I’d fabricate reasons to justify it.

It felt like something I would have done in their place.

Given the coldness in the Palace Lord’s gaze toward Woo Hyuk, it wasn’t hard to imagine.

“...

As discussed with the Young Master, I will hand over the criminal according to the agreement.

” At the Palace Lord’s words, the warriors began unlocking Woo Hyuk’s cuffs.

Clink.

Thud.

It didn’t take long, as the restraints hadn’t been particularly tight.

While they worked, I focused on the Palace Lord’s phrasing.

‘Agreement.

’ The Palace Lord referred to our earlier discussion as an agreement, lending weight to the matter.

They also emphasized Woo Hyuk’s status as a criminal before officially handing him over to me.

‘A justification born of necessity.

’ Though Woo Hyuk’s roots were in the Northern Sea, his life had primarily been in Zhongyuan.

Thus, he was to be sent back to Zhongyuan for judgment and punishment.

This was likely phrased this way to convince the high-ranking warriors of the palace or perhaps for the Palace Lord to justify the decision to themselves.

I simply nodded.

“Thank you.

” I had achieved my goal.

Worrying about anything else wasn’t worth my time.

As the conversation continued, Woo Hyuk stood silently with his head lowered, his appearance pitiable.

Still, this was a consequence he had to face.

“And now, I trust you will fulfill the conditions I mentioned.

” With those words, someone stepped forward.

Like Woo Hyuk, this person also wore a displeased expression.

It was Yuri, who had become the first princess of the Ice Palace following Yuseon’s death.

Yuri approached me slowly and offered a formal greeting.

“...

I greet my savior.

” Her expression, however, betrayed her distaste.

Though the official reason was her study abroad in Zhongyuan, Yuri surely knew it was more about sending a weak daughter away to escape the war’s aftermath.

‘Because I’m a trusted bloodline.

’ It seemed a reasonable decision for the Palace Lord.

But— ‘...

Then again.

’ I noticed something peculiar in Yuri’s somber expression.

Excitement?

For some reason, there was a faint glimmer of that in her face.

‘...

What is this?

’ Why did she seem oddly pleased?

Looking for a reason, my eyes naturally landed on Woo Hyuk.

‘Could it be?

’ Could she be happy simply because she’d be traveling with him?

That couldn’t be.

If it were, it would be an absolute disaster.

How could she harbor any goodwill toward someone who nearly ruined her family?

‘That’s a bit much, isn’t it?

’ Even so, I couldn’t help but wonder—was it his face?

Was this another case of someone being swayed by a handsome face?

Looking at Woo Hyuk’s annoyingly perfect features, a wave of irritation surged.

I hated to admit it, but I couldn’t completely dismiss the possibility.

Suppressing a curse, I let out a sigh.

‘At least...

it seems to be working.

’ Despite all his protests about not going, once I used Yuri to pressure him, Woo Hyuk fell silent and stood obediently.

I had plenty to say about the situation, but for now, I decided to hold my tongue.

‘Enough.

Let’s get going and deal with it later.

’ It seemed everyone had gathered, and just as I was about to prepare for departure— "But, Young Master Gu," The Palace Lord addressed me.

"Yes?

" "Are you sure it’s wise to depart with your current group?

" "What do you mean...

Ah.

" I turned to look behind me and immediately understood.

There were too many injured.

Namgung Bi-ah’s internal injuries hadn’t fully healed, and even Goeseon was in a similar state.

"If you wish, you could stay longer for proper treatment.

" "That won’t be necessary.

" I declined the Palace Lord’s offer.

While I was concerned about Namgung Bi-ah, Goeseon was another story altogether.

‘It’s better to return to Zhongyuan and seek the Divine Doctor.

Besides...

’ I glanced at Woo Hyuk.

‘There’s something I need to test.

’ With things to confirm, this seemed like the best course of action.

The Palace Lord nodded slowly at my response.

"I see...

Then, perhaps the carriage we prepared—" "That won’t be necessary either.

" A carriage?

I didn’t have the patience for such a slow method of travel anymore.

I tilted my head back to look at the sky.

"Come down now.

" At my words— Hwaaaaah!

A vibration shook the air as the sky darkened momentarily.

Something massive blocked out the sun, casting a wide shadow over the ground.

Seeing this, I couldn’t help but chuckle in disbelief.

‘This bastard’s at it again.

’ The theatrics were amusing to me but evidently alarming to others.

"What is...?

" "What the—!

" The atmosphere turned tense, panic spreading among the crowd.

Then— Huuuuuuuooong!

Boom!

A massive figure descended to the ground, the impact generating a powerful gust of wind that sent several people flying backward.

I immediately circulated my inner energy to clear away the dust cloud.

‘Damn it, I told it to land quietly!

’ Despite my previous warnings, its size seemed to make it even less obedient.

I glared at the source of this ridiculous spectacle.

Grrrrrrr....

A growl resonated from the colossal creature, now twice the size it had been before.

"Ahhh!

" "It’s...

It’s a demonic beast?!

" Larger than any Crimson-Rank beast, its immense presence caused the warriors to hurriedly draw their weapons.

Seeing this, I swung my hand and struck its head with force.

Thwack!

The sound of the impact echoed loudly, amplified by the energy I had infused.

Grrrrrrr!

Its massive head wobbled from the strike.

"I told you to show up quietly!

Are you trying to embarrass me to death?

" Grrrrr...

"What?

You thought it was cool?

Do you want to die for real?

" What did it take after to act like this?

Cool?

There was nothing cool about it.

Its enormous body was such a drain on my energy that I could feel it being sucked away just from its movements.

‘This is ridiculous.

Why is °• N ? v ? l i g h t •° my energy being depleted just because it’s moving?

’ It ate enough as it was, never listened, and now it was draining my energy, too.

‘Should I just get rid of it?

’ Grrr...

Perhaps sensing my thoughts, the beast lowered its head meekly.

Despite its knack for infuriating me, it was quick to read the mood in moments like these.

"Haha...

" The Palace Lord, who had been watching the scene unfold, let out a hearty laugh, clearly flustered.

"...

You keep a demonic beast, I see.

" That was the best response they could muster.

"I don’t keep it.

It attached itself to me.

" Grrrr.

"Stay still.

You’ve got no right to sulk.

" Grr...

The beast lowered its head further, looking dejected.

Seeing this, Tang So-yeol reached out and gently stroked its fur, while Goeseon observed it with interest.

"I see now why you were in no rush to depart...

You had this.

" Even Yuri seemed shocked, her widened eyes fixed on the creature as she asked, "Isn’t it...

bigger than before?

" "It’s still growing.

" "Still growing...?

" Yuri trailed off as if realizing it was pointless to ask further.

It was exhausting just being here any longer.

Wearing an expression of pure fatigue, I waved my hand.

"Get on.

Let’s go home already.

" The beast crouched down, lowering its massive frame.

Hesitant at first, everyone began climbing onto its back.

Though the number of people had increased, the beast’s larger size and greater energy capacity made it more than capable of carrying us all.

Young Master Gu.

Just as I was about to climb on last, the Palace Lord stopped me.

I turned to face them.

Thank you for saving the Northern Sea.

I regret there is so little I can do to repay you.

The Palace Lord’s tone was sincere, and I responded with an awkward smile.

Being called a savior felt uncomfortable.

‘I never intended to save it.

’ In hindsight, I hadn’t saved anything so much as gained a lot for myself.

I had even extracted Woo Hyuk through coercion.

If anything, guilt outweighed satisfaction.

Surely the Palace Lord knew this.

Still, they added with clear eyes, I wish you a safe journey.

...

Thank you.

And please...

take care of the first princess.

That last request, I suspected, was their truest sentiment.

I’ll do my best.

For all that, I couldn’t help but wonder why it had to be said through voice transmission.

Why not just speak openly?

If they had, Yuri likely wouldn’t have minded.

Then again, I realized I wasn’t so different.

Shoving aside my mixed feelings, I turned my gaze forward.

"Let’s go.

" Huuuuu.

Energy surged from my heart, lifting the beast into the air.

Finally, we were heading back.

It wasn’t until this moment that the reality of it sank in.

Just then, the beast growled at me.

Grrrrr.

"You’re asking how fast you should go?

" Grr.

The confidence in its demeanor was palpable.

It seemed to think highly of itself after growing a bit.

Smirking, I replied, "As fast as you can.

Let’s see how fast you really are—" Hwaaaaahhh!

Before I could finish, the wind roared, and my surroundings blurred as the beast accelerated.

What I had meant as a challenge, it took seriously.

Its speed was far beyond my expectations.

In just a matter of days, I returned to Hanan.