The Second Coming of Gluttony Chapter 133:
Chapter 133 . At Least
The Salt Desert — where white pearl crumbs ripened under the scorching sun, was filled with ferns and long tropical trees that resembled palm trees .
There, a human figure dropped from the sky .
Splash!
The splashing and the subsequent sinking noise were unusually loud . Kazuki, who had finished setting up a campsite, was resting under his tent when his gaze was forced towards the lake . The white pillar of water that shot up from the middle sprayed in all directions .
As the head and back of a youth appeared on the water, Kazuki realized Stage 3 had ended .
He expected it to take a few days at the very least, but it seemed to have ended rather quickly .
“Seol!”
He called Seol Jihu’s name out loud, but the youth didn’t budge . He only floated around with his head in the water .
Only then did he realize that something was off .
He immediately began running before coming to a halt . This was because Chohong, who had been fooling around in the middle of the oasis, had suddenly jumped in .
“Wake up!”
When Seol Jihu didn’t react to her close screaming, she quickly dragged him out of the water .
“Heeeeeeey!”
Worried that he was dead, Chohong shook his body crazily, and Seol Jihu’s body fluttered like a flag during a storm .
“What are you doing!? Are you retarded!?”
Maria ran over in a hurry and kicked Chohong’s **** hard . This was because it was a taboo to thoughtlessly manhandle an unconscious person, whose injuries were unknown .
Seol Jihu’s eyes were half-open . But his dazed state clearly showed that his consciousness was jaded .
“I don’t notice any outside injuries . ”
Kazuki murmured after quickly scanning Seol Jihu’s body . Maria chanted a healing spell, but when it didn’t seem all that effective, she clicked her tongue .
“You’re right . It is his mind, not his body, that is injured . ”
“Can you treat him?”
“Mental treatment can only be given by an extreme minority of High Ranked Priests . If a Magician were here, they could help calm him down a bit, but… . ”
Kazuki looked around the oasis . But he couldn’t find the Priest, who must have followed Seol Jihu to Stage 3 .
“Wait just a bit . ”
Maria smacked her lips .
“His eyes are in focus, so he must be conscious . If he’s like this because of exhaustion from overburdening his mind, just resting will help him recover . ”
Hearing this, Kazuki nodded his head calmly . However, he was boiling on the inside .
‘Just what the **** happened?’
Kazuki knew how strong Seol Jihu’s mental endurance was . After all, back in the Huge Stone Rocky Mountain, when his mind and body were on the verge of breaking down, he had endured with nothing but his willpower .
‘Did he meet a **** or something…?’
Not knowing that his frustrated thought was spot on, Kazuki began to take off Seol Jihu’s jacket and armor .
When Sakamoto Jun handed him a healing potion, Kazuki supported Seol Jihu’s neck and slightly tilted the bottle .
Thankfully, his throat drew gentle gulps . Seeing how he was recognizing and accepting the liquid flowing inside, he didn’t seem to be unconscious .
Then, after about ten minutes, Seol Jihu spat out a short breath . Seeing the youth blinking his eyes, Kazuki opened his mouth .
“Did you recover your senses?”
Seol Jihu rolled his eyes side to side .
Kazuki spoke .
“We are at the oasis, the place we entered Stage 1 from . You’re back in Paradise . ”
“… . ”
“It hasn’t been that long . About an hour or two since I returned from Stage 2 . ”
Seol Jihu gave a small nod before letting out another short breath .
“Seol, there’s something I want to ask . ”
Seeing that the youth had regained his calm, Kazuki neared Seol Jihu’s face and whispered .
“She went to Stage 3 too, right?”
Seol Jihu realized that he was referring to the Priest .
“Do you know what happened to her? This is a matter of critical importance . ”
Kazuki looked quite desperate, and Seol Jihu felt like he knew why .
This was because one of the Seven Gods had revealed the Priest’s identity .
Seol Jihu closed his eyes gently .
Ira’s voice rang out and dyed his vision white . She must have created a portal underneath him and sent him back as soon as she rewarded him .
In a way, she was being generous .
It seemed that he didn’t need to worry about the others . Since the remaining four members passed Stage 3 as well, they had the right to receive the rewards they deserved .
Once they woke up and received their Harmonious Wish, they should return to Paradise as well .
Then suddenly, as if to prove that his thinking was correct, another splash rang out . Everyone’s attention turned to the lake .
The Priest must have regained her consciousness as she tilted her head as soon as she rose to the surface of the lake . As a result, her wet hood fell back, and her long hair flowed down .
The jet-black hair glistened brightly under the sunlight .
Chohong’s eyes widened in shock, and Maria dropped her jaw with a loud gulp .
Kazuki quickly tried to cover their eyes, but it was impossible to block multiple pairs of eyes .
The woman went ‘Ah’ and touched her head . But she must have realized it was too late as she turned and faced the six pairs of eyes staring at her fixedly .
She slowly put her arm down .
She was the Daughter of Luxuria — Seo Yuhui .
“Vitale Resurgens . ”
A fist-sized orb formed on Seo Yuhui’s palm and radiated a green light . Maria covered her eyes with the back of her hand and muttered .
“Holy f… an Ancient Spell… . ”
Although Seo Yuhui was wearing a wide and flabby robe, her twin peaks protruded out . Hugo, who was swallowing his saliva while looking at her chest, quietly asked .
“What’s an Ancient Spell?”
“A hella rare spell . ”
“Is it good?”
“Shut up . This is the first time I’m seeing one . ”
Maria couldn’t take her eyes off Seo Yuhui and spat back at Hugo as if he was a bother .
The green orb quickly shot down and was absorbed into Seol Jihu’s nose . His pale complexion slowly regained color and his dazed eyes recovered their clarity .
As vitality began to surge out from the inside, Seol Jihu could quickly raise his body .
“Thank you . ”
When he bowed and expressed his thanks, Seo Yuhui returned a serene smile .
“Also… . ”
Seol Jihu hesitated before continuing with difficulty .
“I’m sorry . ”
Seo Yuhui’s eyes widened at his sudden apology, and she tilted her head . Then, she realized why he apologized and sent him an odd look .
“…You’re the same as ever, apologizing for something meaningless . ”
“Pardon?”
“No, it’s nothing . ”
Seo Yuhui shook her hand as she covered her mouth .
“I meant you had nothing to apologize for . ”
“But because of me, you—”
“No . ”
Seo Yuhui gave a somewhat alluring smile .
“It might be the opposite . ”
Seol Jihu blinked his eyes at the whispering voice .
Didn’t the Seven Gods force Seo Yuhui to participate in the Banquet as his guard?
Seol Jihu was tilting his head, while Seo Yuhui was smiling brightly .
“I didn’t realize at all!”
Sensing a strange current of air flowing between the two, Chohong suddenly exclaimed out loud . She seemed somewhat displeased .
“Why did you hide your identity?”
“Chohong!”
Kazuki gave her a warning, but Chohong didn’t stop .
“Am I wrong? She’s an Executor! If she had stepped up during Stage 2—”
“Manners, Chohong! Watch your mouth . ”
Kazuki cut her off sharply .
“She said she had a reason, didn’t she?”
“What did you just say? Watch my mouth?”
Chohong’s fuse was lit . Kazuki also became icy like a blade .
When the two High Rankers seemed ready to fight, Seo Yuhui stepped between them modestly .
“Those who passed Stage 3 cannot participate in the Banquet again . ”
When Chohong met her pure eyes, she flinched .
“I’ve cleared the Banquet in the past, so participating this year was a special case among special cases . Because of it, a restriction was placed on my abilities and in revealing my identity . ”
Her refined, gentle voice rang out like the twilight’s sunlight gently embracing one’s ears . Hearing this, Chohong subconsciously calmed down .
“I can’t reveal the reason because it is personal, but I had to participate . ”
“No—”
When the woman who was known as the Daughter of Luxuria politely asked for an understanding, Chohong became embarrassed and could only scratch her head .
Now that she knew her circumstance, there wasn’t much she could say . Especially since she performed more than her fair share of work .
“I just meant… it would have been nice… if you said something… . ”
She must have really been flustered as Chohong suddenly explained politely before hiding behind Seol Jihu .
Kazuki clicked his tongue .
“…My apologies . ”
“Don’t be . It’s my fault . ”
Seo Yuhui gave a refreshing smile .
“But—”
Kazuki wanted to say something, but he shut his mouth when Seo Yuhui shook her head . He then pushed his hair up before letting out a long sigh .
“…Let’s go back . To Haramark . ”
*
Although they took a carriage on the way there, they had to walk on the way back .
The atmosphere of the Alliance team was rather quiet . But that couldn’t be helped .
Walking along with them wasn’t just someone famous . She was an Executor, one of the strongest Earthlings in Paradise and one who had created countless legends with a man named Sung Shihyun .
Because of this, everyone was rather careful around her . After all, even Kazuki found it difficult to interact with her .
However, while Seo Yuhui might appear aloof, she wasn’t a woman who enjoyed loneliness by nature .
In fact, it wouldn’t be strange for someone of her position to see herself as special and privileged . Not only was she exalted among humans, but even the Parasites acknowledged her existence as special . In the first place, the Daughter of Luxuria was a privileged class .
Despite all this, Seo Yuhui didn’t act haughty . In fact, she acted just like any other Earthling .
Because she always treated others with affection and gentleness, she merged into the team in only one or two days .
For dinner, she personally volunteered herself to be the chef . And even with simple ingredients, she made dishes that brought out deep flavors and aroma . Her skill was truly at a masterclass level .
“Keu! To think I would get to taste the food handmade by Luxuria’s daughter!”
Sakamoto Jun was deeply moved and made a big fuss . Seo Yuhui returned a gentle smile .
“Eat as much as you want . ”
“Ah, can I get more!?”
“Me too! Me too!”
Hugo shouted as if he didn’t want to lose out . When he shoved his plate out competitively, Seo Yuhui refilled his soup with a wry smile .
The two of them combined had already finished over ten plates, but as the cook, Seo Yuhui couldn’t help but feel happy .
“Mm… . ”
Seo Yuhui was slowly stirring the soup ladle when she caught sight of a youth .
Seol Jihu was eating quietly . Although he was moving his spoon mechanically, there were times when he paused and blankly stared into the air .
After silently watching him for a while, Seo Yuhui carefully opened her mouth .
“Um… . ”
“… . ”
“Is it not to your taste?”
It was rare for Seo Yuhui to take interest in someone first . Naturally, everyone’s attention became focused on them . Seol Jihu was still staring at the air below him with a blank look .
Only when Kazuki nudged him with his elbow did he respond .
“?”
When Seol Jihu raised his dazed face, he saw Seo Yuhui who looked a bit embarrassed .
“You looked like you weren’t enjoying the soup… . ”
“Ah . ”
That wasn’t the case . It was just that… .
“It’s good . ”
Seol Jihu forced a smile and began to take one spoonful of soup after the other . However, Seo Yuhui’s worried gaze didn’t leave him so easily .
She wasn’t the only one who was worried .
After the dinner ended, Sakamoto Jun and Hugo finished setting up their tent and went to chat with Seol Jihu .
“Seol! You’re pretty good! I learned a thing or two from ya!”
“Learned what?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know! ‘Even if you’re an amazing woman, I’m different~’ Weren’t you trying to attract attention by acting aloof?”
“… . ”
“Is it that? The bad guy trope . ”
Hugo giggled as he whispered into Seol Jihu’s ear . However, Seol Jihu only stared at him quietly .
Taken aback, Hugo continued .
“Anyways, you can look forward to tonight . ”
“Look forward… to what?”
“Jun and I only set one tent . And we threw the rest away . ”
“Why?”
“Isn’t that obvious? We can sleep in the same tent as the Daughter of Luxuria! We’ll be sharing a bed!!”
Hugo shouted excitedly, then crossed his arms triumphantly .
“For the record, I’m taking the middle . That’s decided . No matter what . ”
“…Go ahead . ”
Seol Jihu nodded his head, signaling that he didn’t care . Seeing this, Hugo blinked his eyes and spoke awkwardly .
“Um… Seol . ”
“Yes?”
“Are you worried about something? Or did something happen?”
“No, I just have a lot to think about . It’s nothing, really . ”
Hugo smacked his lips . With Seol Jihu saying it was nothing, he could only accept his words at face value .
On the entire way back home, Seol Jihu barely said a word . He spent most of his time staring dazedly into the air, and his expression didn’t change much either .
Although he immediately responded when someone initiated a conversation, there was a huge difference compared to when he would smile brightly and make jokes or pull pranks .
One could say that the atmosphere around him changed .
“Sorry for making you worry . I’m really fine . ”
Although he put it in a nice way, he was essentially shooing them away, saying he wanted to be alone . Even Hugo was able to take the hint .
“Mmm… . ”
Hugo turned around with a disappointed face .
Time passed and the camp out began .
As there were seven members in the group, one person had to stand as a night watch alone . While everyone wanted to become paired up with Seo Yuhui, Seol Jihu volunteered to stand watch alone .
One benefit was being the first to stand watch, but the bigger reason was that he wanted to think without disturbance .
Silent night .
Seol Jihu stared fixedly into the air again . Although he might look this way to an outsider, in truth, he was staring at his Status Window .
To be exact, he was thinking about his Nine Eyes .
[Your Innate Ability, ‘Nine Eyes’, is evolving . ]
[The right direction (1) of your Innate Ability – Nine Eyes, Blue color: Destiny Selection, has been unlocked . ]
The first direction of the right side – Destiny Selection .
He couldn’t grasp what it meant at all . No, the meaning was too ambiguous .
Looking back, it was the same when the Golden Commandment was unlocked .
Although he could directly look into it just as he had always done… .
[You . Never forget . ]
[The decision you made today…!]
Ira’s voice was still echoing in his ears .
It wasn’t just anyone who said these words . When spoken by a god, the word ‘never’ carried a much heavier weight .
He couldn’t help but think there was some greater meaning behind the advice to not take the right direction lightly .
And when he remembered Gula saying ‘he isn’t ready’ and vehemently trying to stop Ira, he became convinced .
It wasn’t as if he wasn’t given any hint .
Of course, it was only a theory, one that he currently had no way of proving . But the same thought had crossed his mind when he went to provoke the Medusa in Arden Valley .
That the Nine Eyes were related to the Future Vision in some way .
[Your Innate Ability, ‘Future Vision’, responds to the awakening of a new ability!]
Otherwise, this message wouldn’t have appeared during the first awakening of the Nine Eyes .
Furthermore, through the Banquet, he experienced what he could consider the evidence . This was what he could deduce so far .
Just like how the left and lower directions were connected, the right direction’s Destiny Selection and the upper direction’s Golden Commandment were related . The left and right sides were also related to ‘choice’ . There were simply too many questions he didn’t have the answers to .
But what could he do? The Nine Eyes, as an ability, was extremely unkind as it didn’t give detailed explanations .
When Seol Jihu flicked his cigarette away, sparks of ember swayed in the air . Seol Jihu pulled his legs in . Wrapping his arms around them, he stared at the campfire endlessly .
As the fire burned vigorously, Oh Rahee’s face suddenly popped up in his mind . Then, Lara Wolff, the white headband girl, the burly man, Audrey Basler, and Slick Hair flashed by .
The same went for the man and woman duo .
Seol Jihu stared at the duo’s contorted faces inside the wavering flames .
“Why did you have to kill?”
His subdued voice… .
“Why couldn’t you just go to the portal? You wouldn’t have been summoned to Stage 3 . ”
…was frighteningly calm .
Not a single emotion could be felt .
“Was it really worth it…?”
Even though he knew he was seeing a hallucination, he continued to talk .
All the way until the duo’s faces disappeared .
Glaring at the campfire, Seol Jihu took out a new cigarette . His gaze slowly fell down and stopped at his hand that was searching for the lighter .
Until the Banquet, he had never killed a human being . There were times when he had left people to die when he could have saved them . But he had never killed anyone personally .
And in Stage 3, he experienced his first murder .
Seol Jihu looked at his hand with an indifferent look .
The hand didn’t look any different than usual . It wasn’t shaking, he wasn’t paying attention to it subconsciously, and he wasn’t having nightmares either .
He had killed them because they did something to deserve it . Besides, this was something Seol Jihu expected to experience eventually .
Even if he tried to imbue some sort of meaning into this experience, this was all felt . And that was what made him feel uncomfortable .
It didn’t make sense from a common sense standpoint .
A twenty-six-year-old who didn’t even know the ‘mur’ from ‘murder’ was fine after killing two people?
The feeling of slicing the woman’s neck was still vivid in his mind . The same went for piercing the struggling man’s stomach and skewering him to the wall .
Yet, he really was fine .
A sudden thought popped up in his head .
Seol Jihu had thought that the future was changing, even by a little, insignificant amount . He still believed this now .
But what about ‘me’?
Was I also changing along with the changing future?
Or was I moving toward the same direction Future Vision showed me?
He couldn’t make a hasty conclusion . But if he treated this uncomfortableness as something insignificant, he felt it would be the latter .
The moment he acknowledged and accepted this numbness, he felt like he would become the monster he saw in his dream— the one who rampaged in battlefields like a demon and enjoyed drenching himself in blood .
If he were to change like that, should he be happy? Or should he be wary?
Seol Jihu closed his eyes in deep thought .
That was his ‘first’ murder .
He had even killed two people .
They must have had their own lives . Perhaps, they had made that extreme decision due to being unable to overcome a wall they were facing .
“… . ”
Seol Jihu buried his face between his knees .
He had really hoped… that he would at least feel a tinge of guilt .
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