The Second Coming of Gluttony Chapter 373:
Chapter 373 . Penance (4)
Unsurprisingly, Phi Sora received a positive reply from the Eva Royal Palace .
The Federation would even come out to the border region to greet them .
While forming a contract with a Spirit would be entirely up to Yi Seol-Ah, the Federation said they would provide as much help as they could during the process .
And so with the Federation guiding them, Yi Seol-Ah and Marcel Ghionea arrived at their destination .
“Wow…”
Yi Seol-Ah couldn’t close her mouth .
The magnificence of Tigol Fortress was one thing, but the giant ash tree in the center of the fortress, holding up the sky like a pillar, was indescribably majestic .
“Most people who see the World Tree for the first time have the same reaction . ”
A clear voice rang out .
Yi Seol-Ah saw a sharp-eared beauty walking toward her with light steps .
The Sky Fairy looked at Marcel Ghionea and smiled .
“Nice to meet you . My name is Taihi Ingraria, the commander of the Sky Fairies . ”
“I’m Marcel Ghionea . ”
“Yes, I’ve heard . And this must be…”
When Yi Seol-Ah met the Sky Fairy’s eyes, she hurriedly lowered her head and greeted her .
Taihi scanned her from top to bottom, then flashed her eyes .
“…It really is true . A human with spirit affinity… I didn’t think it was possible . ”
“She could understand Little Chick, I mean, the Arcus Spirit . ”
“That’s understandable . Let’s see . It’s not fire or earth . Water and wind are a bit weak, but I can definitely smell the scent of air . ”
“Does that mean she can contract an Air Spirit?”
“I’m not sure . ”
Taihi shrugged .
“By any chance, is one of your ancestors a Fairy?”
“I don’t think so . We’re from a different world . ”
“Then I really can’t be certain whether a Spirit will take a liking to her… But don’t worry too much . ”
Taihi looked back at the World Tree with a smile .
“World Tree-nim? Can you send these two to the Spirit Realm?”
As if in reply to Taihi’s request, a branch came down from the sky .
It poked Marcel Ghionea and Yi Seol-Ah before curling and forming a question mark .
“No, he’s not here today . I’ve heard he’s busy . ”
The branch drooped down .
Taihi laughed elegantly, then continued .
“But he asked us to do him this favor . Can you take these two to Lord Ea?”
Ssss . The branches of the World Tree shook .
Next, two branches came down and wrapped around Marcel Ghionea and Yi Seol-Ah’s body .
“Great . Looks like World Tree-nim will send you to the Spirit Realm right away . Are you ready?”
“Yes . ”
“Have a safe trip . Normally, you would have to wander around the Spirit Realm for a few days and look for a Spirit to form a contract with, but there’s a chance Lord Ea might help you with it . ”
“Thank you . ”
Yi Seol-Ah examined her body in a fluster, but Marcel Ghionea was calm from having experienced the sensation once before .
Soon, the two disappeared with a flash of light .
*
When Yi Seol-Ah opened her eyes, an entirely new world was spread out before her .
[You’re here . ]
A silvery voice rang out from the blue sky in which neither a sun nor a moon could be seen .
A beautiful goddess with sky-colored, short hair was lying down in midair .
It was the Spirit King of air, Ea .
She seemed to be made of air, just like her name suggested, and was lacking in facial features . She gave off a coy charm the way she had her eyes closed and her chin resting on the back of her hand while lying belly-side down .
[World Tree-nim let me know . That child wants to form a contract with a Spirit?]
“Yes . The general of the Sky Fairies said that the scent of air is strongest . ”
[Hmm . ]
Ea opened one eye . Yi Seol-Ah tensed up when her cold gaze fell on her .
[Indeed… I can feel a lot of energy for someone who’s from Earth . ]
“Then—”
[But it’s not as exceptional as I expected . ]
Ea spoke .
[It’s uncommon for humans to form contracts with Spirits in the first place . Though it might be possible to communicate, that is usually as far as it goes . ]
“You mean it’s not possible for her to form a contract?”
Ea shook her head at Marcel Ghionea’s question .
[You must be misunderstanding something . Spirit affinity is only the minimum requirement to form a contract with a Spirit . It is entirely up to the Spirits to decide whether they want to form a contract with an eligible human . ]
Marcel Ghionea thought in depth before asking .
“I understand what you mean . Can we meet the Air Spirits then?”
[There should be no problem since World Tree-nim invited you . The question is whether any of them will be attracted to that child…]
Yi Seol-Ah’s heart sank .
She thought she had finally found her way .
Although she had no plans to back off now, she couldn’t help but feel uneasy with the Spirit King talking negatively .
[To be completely honest with you, the chance is close to zero . Even if I lower my standards to the bare minimum, I don’t find her all that attractive . But—]
Ea said calmly before fully opening both eyes .
[Because the one who revived World Tree-nim personally came and our savior personally asked us for this favor, it doesn’t feel right to just let her return empty-handed . ]
Ea snapped her fingers .
[Aura?]
An unusual ripple formed in the air as if to respond to the queen’s call .
A deep sky-colored Spirit materialized in the air .
A beautiful goddess resembling Ea appeared .
[Did you call me, my queen?]
[Yes . Aura, please form a contract with this human . ]
[Excuse me?]
Aura’s eyes widened when Ea pointed at Yi Seol-Ah . She muttered in a fluster .
[B-But Lord Ea, that human is…]
[This is his request . ]
[?]
[The man who received World Tree-nim’s blessing . If you form a contract with her, you will be able to help him more closely than any other Spirit . ]
[Ah!]
[This is a very honorable thing . Of course, I won’t force you if you’re uninterested . ]
[No! I’ll do it! Let me do it, please!]
Aura’s attitude took a complete turn . She seemed reluctant at first, but when Seol Jihu was mentioned, she was begging to do it .
[Lala, lalala~]
Soon, Aura slowly flew up to Yi Seol-Ah while humming .
After stopping right in front of her nose, she looked into Yi Seol-Ah’s eyes and smiled .
“Ah!”
A yelp escaped the nervous Yi Seol-Ah’s mouth . Although Aura hadn’t said anything, Yi Seol-Ah could feel the Spirit’s voice directly entering her head .
Aura just said to her, ‘Grab this hand if you want to form a contract with me . ’
In the next moment, Yi Seol-Ah closed her eyes and held the Spirit’s hands as though she was entranced .
Aura’s smile thickened .
The Spirit also closed her eyes, tightly grabbing Yi Seol-Ah’s hands and flying closer to her face .
As their foreheads touched, Aura’s lips opened slightly .
[Ego, Contrahere, Vobiscum… . ]
Whoosh! Yi Seol-Ah felt a puff of air entering her body and reflexively took a deep breath .
‘W-What a strange feeling…’
Her body swayed side to side as if to dance .
The air seemed to be melting inside of her .
She trembled at the indescribable feeling of resonance and plopped down on the ground .
This state lasted about 10 minutes . When she opened her eyes again, Aura was no longer in front of her . However, she could clearly feel another being co-existing in her body .
“I… formed the contract…”
Yi Seol-Ah panted .
[Aura is a child I value very much . ]
Ea said in a monotonous voice .
[If she can devote herself to helping our savior alongside you, I will be able to step down from my position with ease . She is the prime candidate for succeeding me, so please take care of her . ]
Yi Seol-Ah nodded her head multiple times .
Actually, she was in a daze from the strange feeling swirling inside her body .
Marcel Ghionea looked up at Ea after helping Yi Seol-Ah up .
“I have another request . ”
[What is it?]
“Can I take a look around Spirit Realm? It’s fine even if it’s for a little bit . I want to go back to that place . ”
[By that place, you mean…]
Ea nodded her head heavily as if she had a place in mind .
[I suppose it’s fine . You can ask Aura when you want to go back . ]
Ea closed her eyes .
Marcel Ghionea bowed and then turned around and started walking .
Yi Seol-Ah also chased after him .
She felt like she was dreaming . Going to the Federation and arriving at the Spirit Realm was already hard to believe, but she had even succeeded in forming a contract with a powerful Spirit .
“Ack . ”
Just as she came to her senses after getting used to the new sensation, she felt a soft impact on her face .
Marcel Ghionea had stopped before she noticed .
“S-Sorry . ”
[Fufu . ]
Aura’s giggling rang out .
Marcel Ghionea didn’t say anything . He had his hands in his pocket as he stared blankly at an empty lot .
“…It’s here . ”
Then, he spoke after a long period of silence .
“What’s here?”
“This is the place we fought Raging Temperance and Twisted Kindness . ”
Hearing this, Yi Seol-Ah looked around her surroundings .
She didn’t see anything of note, perhaps because the land had been restored to its original state .
However, Marcel Ghionea got down to his knee and scooped up a handful of dirt .
“The smell of blood was also left in Tigol Fortress… and it’s the same here . ”
He rubbed the dirt between his fingers while showing a bitter expression .
“…It would be wrong to call what happened a fierce battle . What it really was, was a one-sided assault . We were barely holding on, and if not for the lucky coincidence, we would not have come out victorious . ”
Yi Seol-Ah became lost for words .
She became solemn as this was the first time she was seeing the usually cold Marcel Ghionea being so self-deprecating .
She guessed that a battle surpassing her wildest imaginations must have taken place here .
“…Thank you…”
Not knowing what to say, she thanked him .
Shortly afterward, Marcel Ghionea said while still kneeling down .
“As you know, the Federation was, for the most part, antagonistic toward humanity . ”
He turned his head and looked up at Yi Seol-Ah .
“That sentiment hasn’t disappeared completely . Normally, humans would not even dream of having the World Tree take them to the Spirit Realm . ”
Marcel Ghionea continued .
“Despite that, we were able to enter the Spirit Realm without any difficulties, and you were even able to form a contract with a Spirit . It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that this was all thanks to Representative Seol . ”
It was true that Yi Seol-Ah felt an inexplicable awkwardness throughout the journey . Whether it be the Federation or the Spirit Realm, they were something that seemed so far out of reach that they seemed like something from the land of the stars .
She knew that they existed, but she never thought she would go there personally .
But the moment Seol Jihu’s name was brought out, the situation took a complete turn .
The Federation welcomed them to the point of sending people to greet them, and a Spirit King had even introduced a high-ranking Spirit to her despite not finding her attractive .
‘Come to think of it…’
Recalling the series of events one by one, Yi Seol-Ah suddenly felt embarrassed .
If there was one thing she learned from her previous expedition, it was that not all Earthlings lived well in Paradise .
Even a decently skilled team had trouble making their ends meet . Because they usually had their hands full with just buying equipment, they lived in inns without ever thinking of owning their own place .
But what about her?
Frankly speaking, she had never starved a single day since the day she entered Paradise, and people that most Earthlings would beg to have on their team were all around her .
That wasn’t all . She had entered the Spirit Realm and formed a contract with a powerful Air Spirit with ease .
Everything was handed to her on a platter .
All because she was from Valhalla and a companion of Seol Jihu .
‘I… . ’
Once her thoughts reached this point, Yi Seol-Ah gently bit down on her lower lip .
Right, she had not been neglected . If she wanted to eat, she could have eaten however much she wanted .
She simply didn’t .
It wasn’t that she couldn’t, but that she didn’t . She wasted her time, using her mother as an excuse to go back and forth between Earth and Paradise .
‘What did I do until now…?’
As long as one entered an organization, they were expected to take care of their own problems .
Only now did those words truly reach her heart .
“Get stronger . ”
Marcel Ghionea spoke .
“If you’re really grateful, get stronger no matter what you have to do . Then next time something happens, participate . ”
He was right . It wasn’t that Seol Jihu didn’t take her along on expeditions . She just couldn’t participate . If she had improved herself to even the bare minimum standard, Seol Jihu would have allowed her to go without a doubt .
“I’m not telling you to fight an Army Commander . Nobody is expecting that much . But you need to get stronger to at least hold their feet . If you can do that…”
Marcel Ghionea stood up at last and then said to the dazedly standing Yi Seol-Ah .
“Both Representative Seol and I will feel that putting off our training and bringing you here was worth it . ”
*
Marcel Ghionea and Yi Seol-Ah returned to Tigol Fortress .
When Taihi, who was waiting under the World Tree, saw Yi Seol-Ah, she expressed both shock and envy .
“To contract Aura among the countless Air Spirits… And she is even the most likely successor to Lord Ea…!”
Supposedly, Aura was a fully-evolved, pinnacle-rank Spirit, of which there were only a few among the five Spirit types . It seemed Aura was even more special in that Ea designated her as her prime successor candidate .
Although Ea said it nonchalantly, she had actually put great trust in leaving Aura to Yi Seol-Ah’s care .
“We will be leaving now . ”
Marcel Ghionea bid farewell as he bowed to the shocked Taihi .
“Ah, you’re already leaving?”
“Yes, we finished what we came here for . I will be sure to let Representative Seol know that you helped us out greatly today . ”
“Ah, yes… I’m a Sky Fairy . Just make sure you don’t say I’m a Cave Fairy by mistake . ”
After saying goodbye, Marcel Ghionea turned around and began to walk down the fortress . Yi Seol-Ah silently followed after him .
During the walk down, neither side said a single word . The Archer of Steel was normally the silent type, and Yi Seol-Ah had been in deep thought even before leaving the Spirit Realm .
“…Wait . ”
Then, she suddenly stopped and called out .
“What is it?”
“I-It won’t take long . Can I go to see the World Tree real quick?”
“The World Tree?”
Marcel Ghionea tilted his head, but he didn’t say no . He nodded his head as if to say, go ahead .
Yi Seol-Ah raced up the path she had walked down .
Taihi was lying down beneath the World Tree . She was holding her stomach and tossing and turning, yelling, ‘Aigoo, my stomach!’
“Taihi-nim!”
When Yi Seol-Ah called out to her, she shot up in a hurry .
She dusted off the dirt on her hands and made an elegant expression .
“Oh my, didn’t you go back?”
“If it’s okay with you… I want to ask you for a favor . ”
“Y-Yes?”
“I formed a contract with Aura, but I don’t know anything about Spirits . Nothing at all . ”
“Well…”
Taihi rolled her eyes in the middle of talking . She had a feeling she knew what the girl was going to ask her .
However, that wasn’t the end .
“And I heard Fairies are excellent, natural-born Archers . ”
“That’s true . ”
Taihi said proudly .
Yi Seol-Ah spoke with more eagerness and desperation than ever before .
“So if it’s possible… I want to remain here . ”
“So you’re saying…”
Taihi replied with a sweet smile .
“You want to stay here and learn how to become an Archer that can wield her Spirit properly . ”
“I won’t make it **** you . I’ll take care of my meals, and if there are any rules I need to follow, I will make sure I do . I’ll be quiet, so please let me stay . ”
“Sure . You contracted a pinnacle-rank Spirit, so I don’t see why not . ”
Taihi agreed rather easily .
“I applaud your enthusiasm, but don’t try to do everything alone . You’re a complete beginner without any knowledge of Spirits . There is a limit to self-study . Given what our benefactor asked us to do, I would be more than willing to introduce an excellent master to you . ”
She rubbed her chin and glanced sideways .
“But it won’t be easy to emulate a Fairy’s art with a human body… And you would have to wield a Spirit on top of that . Are you sure you can do both?”
“Yes . ”
Yi Seol-Ah answered right away .
She had already made up her mind . She didn’t care about being criticized for leeching off Valhalla and Seol Jihu’s achievements .
What mattered was getting stronger .
There was no need for her to walk the same path as her brother . She had to find her own path to walk .
And now that she came this far, she decided to eat up everything she can get her hands on .
“If you’re going to introduce me to a master…”
And so, Yi Seol-Ah said the same words that a certain someone once said .
“I’d like you to introduce the most skillful and rigorous master there is . ”
In that instant, Taihi’s eyes lit up .
If she was looking at a lucky girl before, now her eyes were slightly more hopeful .
“…Ever since the Parasites appeared on this land, we Sky Fairies have adopted a new tradition . ”
After a short silence, Taihi spoke in a quiet voice .
“No matter what you learn from whom, there is no better teacher than real-life experience . Every Sky Fairy who undergoes their coming-of-age ceremony immediately joins a patrol team and patrols the border region . Although the region is safer now because the war just ended, small-scale battles were frequent in the past . ”
With that, Taihi asked furtively .
“Of course, the Federation is also recovering from the war, so we have many open slots in our patrol teams… What do you think?”
Patrolling the border region . This wasn’t the region between the Federation and humanity, but the region between the Federation and the Parasites .
Just imagining it gave Yi Seol-Ah the chills .
Moreover, the border region must be the Hiral Mountain Range . Just patrolling the area while constantly being on the lookout would likely sap her energy .
However, Yi Seol-Ah didn’t avoid it .
“Yes!”
Her comrades had fought the Army Commanders and even the Parasite Queen herself . How could she be afraid of mere corpses and parasites?
“Please let me . ”
“I guess I have no choice . ”
Taihi smiled brightly .
“I appreciate your help . But, the patrol team that I am in charge of goes to the deepest, most dangerous area of Hiral Mountain Range, so please keep that in mind . ”
After talking with Taihi, Yi Seol-Ah went back down . Although she decided on her own, she still needed to get permission .
After listening to her explanation, Marcel Ghionea silently passed the communication crystal . Yi Seol-Ah personally explained the circumstance .
—Oho .
Phi Sora chuckled .
It was a surprised laugh rather than a mocking one .
—Look at you . I’m surprised… Alright, go ahead . But let me advise you, don’t go at it half-heartedly . The Parasites aren’t such easy targets .
“I’ll put my life on the line . ”
—Don’t you know what middle ground is? Don’t die . What am I gonna say to the representative if you die?
Phi Sora grumbled .
—Anyway, good luck . Since you’re going that far, I’ll look forward to meeting you again .
Phi Sora hung up .
Yi Seol-Ah handed the communication crystal back to Marcel Ghionea and then bowed politely .
“Thank you for bringing me here . ”
“…This is the first time you’re doing something praiseworthy . ”
Marcel Ghionea murmured quietly .
“It’s the same with your brother . Looks like I’ll have one less thing to worry about now . I’m sure Representative Seol will be happy too . ”
“Ah, we have to tell Orabeo-nim too…”
“Well, that’s if he comes back before you . But he said he would be gone for a long time…”
“Where did he go…?”
“I don’t know . Only the team leaders know the specifics . He didn’t say anything to us . ”
Marcel Ghionea smacked his lips once Seol Jihu’s name was mentioned .
“But I can take a guess . He probably thought the same thing I did . ”
Looking up at the sky…
“Maybe…”
He heaved out a light sigh .
“He might be in greater pain than anything he experienced during the last war… . ”
*
Same time .
As a boulder rolled down the mountain with a thundering noise, a gruesome scream echoed out .
Black Seol Jihu stared with his chin on his palm before taking the tree branch in his hand and completing the counting character (正) on the ground . [1]
Looking at the innumerable counting characters drawn on the ground, he smiled bitterly .
“2,475th try . Also a fail . ”
1 . This (正) character is used to keep count . Each completed symbol represents five because it needs five strokes to draw it .
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