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Chapter

Woo Hyeok grumbled.

Behind the Heavenly Demon, a crack had opened up. The violet hue swirling in the crack was overflowing with an ominous presence.

I could see the ominous black qi creeping upwards. I understood the reason my brows furrowed just by looking at it.

That’s…

‘That’s what I used in my previous life.’

The tear in space that the Heavenly Demon occasionally used to travel dimensions.

At first glance, it looked like a Demonic Gate, but no Demon Beast came pouring out.

It seemed to be used solely for transportation or some other purpose, and even I didn’t know what lay within.

It vaguely resembled the power that Cheol Jiseon used, but…

‘Something feels different.’

I could tell that it was somewhat different from the power he used.

‘Why didn’t I notice?’

No, why didn’t I remember? The Heavenly Demon could open cracks.

Wasn’t it the same in Shinryong Temple?

‘She opened a crack back then.’

She had opened a similar crack back then too. Why had I forgotten that?

“…Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“What’s that? What’s it used for?”

“Hmm?”

The Heavenly Demon turned to look behind her at the crack she had opened.

Stretching out her white hand, she lightly swept downwards.

Then—

Kiiiiiing—!!!

With a creepy sound, the door shut instantly. The crack vanished without a trace as she spoke.

“Home.”

“…Home?”

“Yeah. Home.”

What does that mean? As I listened, a thought crossed my mind.

“Home? So we can go to the Central Plains?”

The Heavenly Demon’s home is indeed where Gu Ryeonghwa is. Could it be that if I go through that crack, I can return?

As I thought this and spoke up, she said,

“No, that’s not it.”

The Heavenly Demon tilted her head as if to say, “What do you mean?”

“That’s not a home.”

“What…?”

If that isn’t home, then where is?

Dumbfounded, I asked her again, and she looked at me and asked,

“Do you want to see? The home?”

“……”

What is this supposed to mean?

“If you want me to show you, I will.”

“If you’re curious.”

My eyes widened at the Heavenly Demon’s words. She would show me what lies inside?

‘She never showed it before, even if I begged.’

In my previous life, she never showed me, no matter what. While I never asked, it felt like whenever I showed curiosity, the Heavenly Demon would say something like.

‘Are you curious?’

Pouting her lips, she would say enchantingly.

‘Then don’t be curious.’

Even if the world ends.

‘I shall never show you, no matter what.’

“……”

The Heavenly Demon’s words replayed in my mind as I narrowed my eyes.

The fact that she would show me if I was curious. I thought about it for a moment, but my response came out sooner than expected.

“I’m curious.”

I was curious. If I could see it, it would be worth it, wouldn’t it?

Once I said that, she simply nodded and moved her hand again.

Kiiiiiing—!!!

Her nails tore through the air.

As she drew the crack, a violet Demonic Gate formed.

It was the same place I saw earlier.

The Heavenly Demon stepped through the door she created. Halfway inside, she turned to me and said.

“Follow me.”

“……”

With that, the Heavenly Demon vanished.

I was left behind, staring at the door in silence. I said I was curious, but is it really okay to enter?

‘…Setting curiosity aside.’

I had unconsciously acted casually alongside the Heavenly Demon.

But could I really do this? That thought crossed my mind.

Am I really following her to that dangerous place?

‘What if this is all part of the Heavenly Demon’s plan?’

It might be. There’s always a risk involved. Without realizing it, I had let my guard down around the Heavenly Demon.

‘…Hmm.’

I reconsidered this. Is it really alright to go?

Just then.

Kiiing—!!

The door started closing slowly.

Seeing that, I took a step forward.

I passed through the door.

*

The first feeling I experienced was familiarity.

The passageway of the crack seemed to be made of the Heavenly Demon’s energy, making it feel both familiar and alien at the same time.

Moreover, the passage wasn’t short. It felt like I had been walking for a long time, and there seemed to be no end.

Since it appeared to be a space made of the Heavenly Demon’s energy, my guard couldn’t be lowered.

Anything could happen.

‘This energy might reveal its fangs at any moment.’

Aware of the danger, I walked on and on.

Could it really be that there was no end to this space? Just as that thought began to take root.

Strangely, at that moment, I saw a light in the distance. Was that the exit?

As I approached the light, my vision shifted dramatically.

Something entangled began to clear, transforming the background.

“Hmm?”

I frowned as I gazed at what lay before me.

What is this place? It starkly contrasted with what I had imagined.

I thought I’d find a dry plain beneath a decayed sky and a rotten landscape waiting for me.

When I made that rough prediction, I thought it might resemble the forgotten land where Mu-A was.

‘This is…’

Completely different.

Clear. The sky was bright. It didn’t seem to be blue, but instead there was a sunset hinting at its colors.

The sky was crystal clear without a single cloud, and it was just the right time for the moon to appear.

In addition to that, instead of dry land, green pastures surrounded me, and the sound of splashing water filled my ears.

As I looked off from afar, a stream of water could be seen flowing down.

The surrounding forest was lush, flourishing.

No matter how I looked at it, this place was neither a forgotten world nor anything I had anticipated.

Too clear.

On top of that.

“It feels familiar?”

It was somehow familiar, as if I had been here before.

“What could this be?”

Why did I feel this familiarity? What could this place possibly be that felt so well known?

“It vaguely resembles the Central Plains.”

I instinctively knew that this place wasn’t the Central Plains.

This isn’t the Central Plains. Then, what dimension is this?

I scanned my surroundings searching for the Heavenly Demon.

“Where could she be?”

I didn’t know where this place was, so I needed to find out where the Heavenly Demon was.

Swoosh—.

The wind blew. The breeze carried the scent of leaves nearby, wafting toward me. A familiar scent lingered in the air.

It was an ordinary fragrance; something I had always smelled.

I flinched.

As soon as I detected it, I felt a slight flutter in my stomach.

This state persisted. This minute feeling struck me as soon as I arrived.

Something I had always felt. Or perhaps something I longed for.

‘No matter how I look at it.’

It felt like I had visited this place before.

“…Huh.”

Exhaling, I pulled myself together. No matter what, I had to find the Heavenly Demon first.

I heightened my Qi Perception to search for the Heavenly Demon.

Her presence was already faint. As if she were like Wi Seol-Ah.

So I focused all my efforts to locate her.

‘Hmm?’

There was no need for that. As soon as I heightened my Qi Perception, I sensed something. It was quite baffling.

‘There it is.’

It wasn’t very far away. With that thought in mind, I stepped forward.

Moving quickly, I headed toward the place where the Heavenly Demon was.

Weaving through the trees, I arrived at my destination in an instant. I frowned as I stepped onto the grass.

The center of a thicket of trees was left wide open. It didn’t look like a natural formation.

It was closer to a garden that someone had tended to and decorated beautifully.

Drrr-! Plop!

The sound of a waterwheel reached my ears.

Set up around a connected pond, it seemed to be functioning nicely.

I could see some carp swimming in the pond. Various colors and sizes gliding around.

It felt peaceful.

That was all I could think about when I saw the scene.

Just peaceful and beautiful.

The richness and warmth from the well-tended garden enveloped me.

It was fascinating that such a space lay behind the purple dimension. Furthermore.

‘Did she call this home?’

The Heavenly Demon referred to this place as home.

That alone intrigued me, and I found myself examining the surroundings. Why had she created a place like this?

Did the Heavenly Demon make this?

But that doesn’t seem right.

‘This place too.’

The residence felt familiar. It wasn’t very large. Made of wood and seemed somewhat old, but it clearly felt like it had been lovingly maintained.

Its appearance may have seemed common enough that it wouldn’t be strange to have seen it somewhere before.

‘No, it’s not that kind of familiarity.’

It wasn’t merely because it resembled something from the Central Plains or because I had seen this shape somewhere before.

It wasn’t just a familiarity borne of recognition.

It was primal.

I had definitely seen this place before.

Not as if it was similar, but I had seen this very place somewhere.

It was as if it had been whispering to me from the depths of my mind.

Thump—!

My heart raced.

As I gazed at the residence, took in the scent, and observed the scenery, my heart continued to pound uncontrollably.

My eyes trembled.

I was speechless, merely staring at the residence.

For a long time, I remained just like that.

“Here.”

A voice suddenly broke the silence. At the sound, I turned my head.

Across the pond, perched on the balcony of the residence, the Heavenly Demon sat. With her black hair and the sound of the waterwheel rolling beside her.

She squinted against the light pouring from the sunset.

The Heavenly Demon created a shadow with her hand and looked in my direction.

Her violet eyes, which seemed somewhat dull, fixed on me.

“This way.”

Tap, tap.

She gestured beside her on the balcony.

As if to say, “Come here and sit.”

The moment I saw that.

-Come sit here.

I heard a voice in my ear.

It was the Heavenly Demon’s voice, but she hadn’t spoken.

Without even realizing it, I found myself walking over and sitting beside her.

 

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