Chapter 119
“You can look more if you want.”
“No, I apologize for my rudeness.”
“No need to apologize. A Master who keeps distance from his guardian—there’s still a long way to go. Well, getting closer gradually isn’t bad either.”
“… I’d appreciate it if you avoided such titles.”
“What titles? Oh, you mean ‘Master’? But it’s the truth. Our contract is one of dependency.”
Do I even have a choice in this? I didn’t know what criteria determined the formation of such contracts, but he seemed to accept this one-sided contract too easily. As I frowned with unease, he continued.
“Don’t worry. You are dependent on me too. It means I am your Master as well.”
“…”
“It means you can call me ‘Master’ if you want to.”
Doesn’t that mean we are essentially equals?
“Why don’t we just avoid using those titles altogether?”
“No, I refuse. This way is more fun.”
“…”
It seems that he and I are not particularly compatible. Others seemed to get along well with their Guardians, but that doesn’t seem to be the case with us.
As I sighed, he laughed heartily, seemingly amused. Trying to change the topic, my eyes fell on his attire. He wore a completely plain, dark black outfit from head to toe with no decorations. It seemed similar in style to the attire of Dongryeong, like Heona’s, but the material looked thin. Suddenly, I remembered something he had mentioned earlier.
“Now that I think about it, did you say it’s summer?”
He smiled and, instead of answering, led me to the window. The view that greeted me left me momentarily breathless. Everywhere I looked was a lush green forest. Judging by the vibrant green leaves and the flowers in full bloom, it certainly didn’t look like winter.
“What in the world…”
I had heard that Dongryeong also experienced seasonal changes in the same order as Seoryeong. Given that I lost consciousness in early winter, it meant I had been asleep for nearly half a year. Though I expected a lengthy recovery due to my previous sprouting, witnessing the full change of seasons felt surreal. It was almost as if I were dreaming.
“Unfortunately, it’s not a dream; it’s reality.”
“… Could you please stop reading my thoughts?”
“Sorry, but I can’t help that. I just hear them.”
—Like how you can hear my thoughts right now.
Startled by the clear voice, I flinched. It felt as if the sound resonated directly in my mind rather than through my ears. It was similar to our conversation in my dream.
‘Even though you’re my Guardian, isn’t this a complete invasion of privacy?’
—Not entirely. I can’t read every fleeting thought of yours. That’s fortunate, isn’t it? Otherwise, it would be too noisy.
‘… Yes, that is indeed fortunate.’
At least I understood that most of my thoughts were being communicated to him. The idea of continuing like this made me sigh deeply. Maybe it would have been easier if he were in animal form. His human appearance felt all the more burdensome.
“So, would you prefer I return to my true form? It might be troublesome here, though. My true size is quite large, and it might destroy the house.”
“… No, it’s fine.”
Large enough to destroy the house? He didn’t sound hypothetical but certain. Was he something as big as an elephant? I tried to imagine a giant animal like one from an illustrated guide, but having never seen one in real life, I couldn’t gauge the scale. Knowing that he had a true, non-human form did put me somewhat at ease, though.
“Come to think of it, I’ve yet to thank you properly. I heard you brought everyone back safely. Thank you for your help.”
“There’s no need to be so formal between us. Still, as you said, I made a promise, so it was my duty to keep it. I couldn’t let down the trust you placed in me.”
“… I apologize for my behavior back then. I was in a desperate situation….”
“No, I admired your firm demand. Feel free to request anything in the future. You’re the only one who has the right to make demands from me.”
“Are all Guardians naturally capable of saying such embarrassing things without batting an eye?”
As I rubbed my neck, feeling slightly awkward, the sound of commotion came from outside. Looking out the window, I saw people—presumably Hwains—arranging large tables outdoors. It seemed like they were preparing for a banquet, and it didn’t appear to be just my imagination. This suspicion was immediately confirmed.
“It looks like news of your awakening has spread. They’re preparing a celebratory banquet.”
“……”
“They’re doing it because they’re happy. Why are you so burdened by it?”
Damn this shared thought nonsense.
I barely managed to keep my face from grimacing. I wasn’t sure if I would ever get used to this.
“It’s not like I recovered from an illness; it was just sprouting. Having a banquet seems too much.”
A smile reached his eyes as he looked back at me.
“Nothing you say makes sense. It’s not excessive, and it wasn’t just sprouting. It was an Awakening.”
“What?”
“And shouldn’t you start remembering that your birthday is around this time? To be precise, it was just the day before yesterday. So, you are now twenty years old.”
My mind froze at the unexpected revelation. Now that I thought about it, the passing of winter also meant a new year had begun.
“Usually, Clonne Aesangs complete all their sprouting at this point and fully blossom into mature Clonnes. Just like you are now.”
At that moment, a dazzling array of lights unfolded before my eyes. The sight reminded me of the fireworks that adorned the sky on the final night of festivals back in the capital. Though, I had never properly watched them myself.
As I watched in a daze, the man who had created this spectacle with a mere gesture smiled brightly.
“Congratulations on becoming an adult, Master.”
* * *
In the mirror was a face both familiar and unfamiliar.
The shape of the features or the structure of the bones hadn’t changed. It was merely the colors that had shifted in one or two places, yet even that was enough to make it feel like a face I no longer recognized.
‘Is this really me?’
My hair, which fell just to cover my neck, was pure white, like fresh snow. But on closer inspection, it wasn’t entirely white. Near the roots, close to the scalp, there was a faint green tint, and the ends shimmered with a soft pink hue. It was a color combination that seemed impossible to replicate, even with deliberate effort.
Obviously, it couldn’t be compared to something as simple as bleaching with barley ale. If I wandered through the capital with this appearance, even Camille might fail to recognize me.
My eye color had turned a vivid purple, but the irises glowed like red wine poured into a glass, and even the pupils were so dark they bordered on crimson. Now, no one could dispute that I had red eyes—not even me, who had so firmly believed they were brown all this time.
‘… I can’t get used to this.’
Such a sudden Awakening. It didn’t seem real, but looking at this appearance, I couldn’t deny it. It was too far from my original look. Although I had anticipated silver hair and red eyes, seeing the actual transformation felt completely different. It felt like I was inhabiting someone else’s body.
“To me, it doesn’t look that different. But you seem quite uncomfortable.”
The man, watching me from behind, laughed softly as I stood there staring at the mirror. He seemed sincere, not something you’d expect from a superficial compliment. Of course, that couldn’t be true.
“It looks vastly different to me. Don’t you think it stands out too much?”
“No, it suits you. Personally, I prefer this. Black is just so ordinary.”
“… That’s quite a statement from someone dressed in black from head to toe.”
“You don’t understand. That’s exactly why I can say that—because I’m surrounded by it all the time. It’s a color I’ve grown tired of.”
“…”
“Anyway, this is also temporary, so enjoy it while you can. The colors are lasting longer due to the awakening, but usually, they change according to the seasons. It will start changing soon.”
Oh, right, it changes with the seasons. While my hair had turned multicolored right after sprouting, I still couldn’t quite grasp it.
“Well, you’re all set.”
The man who had been working laid down the dagger he was holding. After removing the cloth draped over my body, my neatly trimmed hair was revealed. It was now as short as it originally was. I had planned to cut it myself, but he insisted on doing it, claiming that’s what a Guardian was for.
‘Though I doubt a Guardian’s purpose is to do such things.’
Still, it was certainly more convenient than doing it myself. And with his skillful hands, the result seemed better.
“How is it? Worth trusting me?”
“Yes, I’m pleased with it. Thank you.”
“Glad to hear you’re satisfied. Although, it’s a bit of a shame. Growing it out wouldn’t have been so bad.”
“I don’t prefer long hair. It’s cumbersome.”
“Once you get used to it, it’s not as bad as you might think. And you wouldn’t need to trim it often.”
I turned my gaze toward his long hair as he spoke. He had initially worn it loose, but while cutting mine, it seemed the falling strands had annoyed him. Now it was tied back into a single bundle. He raised both hands and chuckled.
“Alright, fair enough. Short hair is definitely more convenient. It was just my preference.”
“…”
In my dream, he seemed more serious, but in reality, his personality appeared more frivolous. Thanks to that, the awkwardness I initially felt had lessened a bit. I even began to hope that we might get to know each other better over time.
“By the way, just to be sure—you haven’t forgotten my name, have you?”
“… Of course, I remember, Epethes.”
“Good. You remembered. I was wondering when you’d stop referring to me by gender and start using my name.”
… It’s just this side of him that’s a bit annoying.