No Dark Secrets In This Book

Episode 142

Naturally, I couldn’t go on foot. We need to know the concept of light years. That thing we learn in Earth science class. Calculating by the speed of light… Damn it, forget it. The World Tree was so immensely huge that it occupied more than half of the visible universe, and I was an insignificant human. It was more so because I was sitting on the trunk of the World Tree, the boundary between the living and the dead. Above all, what was unsettling was that the place I was sitting was shaped so much like a woodpecker’s nest that I was afraid of when the owner would come…

[How dare you intrude in my home. Do you wish to die.]

…It was a problem.

A very huge and suffocating problem at that.

‘Damn. Isn’t that a dragon?’

Although it didn’t emanate a sacred aura like a dragon, it was still terrifying to see a winged serpent of that size.

It seemed like it would take about five of my height to barely match its width.

‘Please move out of the way?’

Without knowing, I looked under the tree. The endless void of the universe was there.

I raised my head again. And smiled.

“Hahaha. Well, you see.”

[Get lost right now! Otherwise, I’ll strike you dead in one blow regardless of whether you’re still living or not!]

Logically, this huge serpent was obviously right. But I would also die if I descended from here.

This won’t do. I have to fight.

“I’ll heal you later, so how about we call it even?”

The huge serpent snorted as if I was ridiculous. And I immediately cut my wrist and used blood magic.

***

[…Yes, Master. I’m all ears.]

“Good.”

A little while later, the serpent who had turned into a human and I were having a cozy conversation.

Ah, by the way, the serpent became very obedient. To the point of even fanning me.

‘Wouldn’t it be nice if you were like this from the beginning?’

The serpent, who was diligently fanning me while listening to my explanation of the situation, asked very cautiously.

[…So you’re saying, Master, that you ended up here while being delusional?]

“Yes. Slave. You understand now. Earlier, I was thinking of killing you because you couldn’t understand no matter how many times I beat you.”

[…With all due respect, if you came here, wouldn’t it be more like you just passed away… Ack! Why are you hitting me!]

“It seemed like you kept speaking of hope.”

[Ah, no! It’s the truth, sincerity, the real deal of wisdom! I may look like this, but I’m just before becoming a dragon…!]

“If you died before becoming a dragon, you’re not a dragon. What nonsense are you spewing. You mere serpent.”

I found out about the serpent’s past while beating it up. It said that it had its connection with the World Tree severed after threatening the world out of anger when a human stole the wish-granting orb it had worked so hard to make in order to ascend to dragonhood. For the children who grow up breathing the breath of the World Tree in the world created by the World Tree, having their connection with the World Tree severed…

It meant a punishment worse than death.

Never being able to reincarnate for eternity. Despite that, not even being able to be annihilated.

It is a life of endless… loneliness.

I inwardly pitied the serpent. But I didn’t express it out loud. I felt like that’s what it would want if I were in its place. To be treated as an ordinary being, to be accepted as if it were nothing. That seemed to be enough.

Only when I glared at it a little did the serpent finally say something useful.

[I’ve never seen a person alive with a mana circle in their dantian in my life. So shouldn’t you be able to go back by breaking away from the existing framework? The World Tree is still connected to you, Master.]

“…Is that so.”

[That means there’s a chance. It’s not uncommon for humans who came this far to return back down. There are even people who went higher up and came back, talking about seeing things like heaven or paradise.]

The serpent said those words indifferently. 

Despite being called a snake or whatever, it seemed to have a profound aspect as expected from the years it had lived.

“What does it mean to break away from the existing framework?”

[Huh? How would I know that?]

“…”

If it hadn’t said this, I would have almost thought it was smart. As I coldly glared at it, the human-shaped serpent with scales on its neck hastily spoke.

[Well, I mean, the framework is different for each human, each race, each object! You have to break your own framework, Master. What’s the point of me breaking mine?]

“You could become a dragon.”

[Ah.]

Ah, what the…

Should I even listen to this guy’s advice? I seriously don’t know. But there wasn’t really anything else.

“What’s your name. Kid.”

The serpent pouted its lips and raised its fist before replying with an ‘eek’.

[It’s Saha.]

“Saha?”

[Yes.]

“That’s a pretty name.”

[I think so too. Although there’s no one to call me by it anymore.]

“Hey, you have me, kid.”

I was in a pretty good mood as I used the way of speaking Jeong Ian shared with a very small number of friends for the first time in a while, but Saha nonchalantly said,

[You’ll be leaving soon anyway. Somehow, you’ll find your own way.]

“How can you be so sure of that? I could put down roots here for the rest of my life.”

Saha was silent for a moment before speaking.

[I don’t remember how many light years it was. Occasionally, lost souls would come to my dwelling. About seventy-seven of them.]

“…”

[Once is a mistake, twice is a coincidence, and three times is inevitable. Do you know what ‘inevitable’ means?]

“…”

I knew the meaning but didn’t answer. It felt like I shouldn’t.

It felt like I should just let it speak…

[It means fate. The World Tree has abandoned me here and is using me to nurture future generations. Only those who are lost but can return if given a clue are sent to me, and then, I, here, spend my whole life just watching those kids live their lives through fragments of stars, and that becomes my everything…]

“…”

Countless stars were reflected in Saha’s eyes. The stars shone endlessly and some were pulled up to the world above the leaves. Although I cannot understand what that means to Saha, I could at least feel the sorrowful wind clawing at my heart as it passed by.

Soon, Saha turned its head towards me and smiled brightly.

[That was a long story. What I meant was, you’ll be able to escape from here, Master. That’s why you were assigned to me. At least that’s what I believe. That’s what ‘inevitable’ is.]

Saha’s eyes were somewhat dry.

[That’s what ‘fate’ is.]

So I spoke. The sentence I chose to convey my sincere regret was this.

“Screw that.”

[…Pardon?]

Yeah. I feel really sorry that you met someone like me, Saha.

I smiled sarcastically like an old fart.

“Because it’s fate, you’re stuck here? Are you kidding me? What’s the best effort you can make?”

Saha’s thin face hardened.

[I’ve already done my best.]

“As if.”

[Don’t make rash remarks without knowing anything. From the moment I realized I couldn’t reach Earth by flying, I’ve been continuously cultivating to become a dragon. I tried my best to stay on the righteous path. But it doesn’t work. I’m just destined to be trapped here and die. What can I do when it doesn’t work out? I’m asking you. Please don’t make me angry. I’m telling you not to insult me.]

I knew what it meant. Honestly, I knew from the beginning that further intervening would only result in hurting each other. The reason I approached was because I wanted it to be helpful to both of us, even if it would be painful. I wanted to see, in the future, even the distant future… a dragon named Saha roaming the Earth.

It’s ironic that I have to hurt it right now for that to happen.

But I was confident in playing the villain.

‘Well, I did act as Cassice Demillang for so long.’

I raised the corner of my mouth crookedly. Arrogantly. Haughtily. Annoyingly to those who see it.

“So were you starving to death?”

[No, if there’s no food, then…!]

Saha gradually raised its voice as if getting angry.

But my words weren’t finished yet.

“You should have at least caught and eaten the people who came!”

But an unexpected situation occurred. Saha was dumbfounded with an absurd expression.

‘Huh. I thought it would try to eat me if I said that.’

[…What? If I commit evil deeds, I can’t become a dragon…?]

But the words that came back were in this meek tone.

Hey, didn’t you say you had your qualification to become a dragon revoked after threatening the world when a human stole your wish-granting orb?

But why do you have such innocent eyes…?

‘Ah, am I the only bastard again?’

I was momentarily disheartened but there was no choice. I decided to become a concept pusher who pushes the concept I was pushing.

“The World Tree said to break the framework!”

[U-Use honorifics! How dare you discuss the creator of the universe…!]

“Don’t interrupt me! Honorifics or whatever aren’t important right now! Listen to me first!”

But the World Tree zealot didn’t seem to be in the mood to listen.

[W-What if the World Tree gets angry because of this!]

“Hey, I’m more pissed off right now!”

[…!]

It was the logic of a miracle but I was sincere.

“In the end, if it’s a god that will kill me for not using honorifics, then go ahead and kill me, damn it. Are you joking? After messing up my life like that, you’re going to kill me for not using honorifics?!”

[Calm down. Please. Please! Calm down! I won’t interrupt you again! Please!]

Saha clung to me and whined, telling me to stop the blasphemy. Only then did I brush off my clothes as if letting it slide.

“Ah, geez. I’ll put up with it.”

[….]

I decided to ignore Saha treating me as a madman.

Anyway, I looked straight at it.

‘Wake up quickly. At this rate, you…’

Because I don’t have much time either.

‘Do well when I try to save you. Bastard.’

The clock of death and extinction was ticking and tocking away.