Chapter 115: Retreat (2)
I once came across a saying in passing:
Happiness in marriage is not about how well you match, but how you overcome differences.
To some, it might seem like a jilted lover was overindulging in wishful thinking. For a person not even in a relationship, quoting sayings about marriage might appear ridiculous. Yet from another angle, the sentence could be seen as:
If you and your partner match too well, with seemingly no differences, thats a cause for suspicion.
Was my partner being too accommodating? Was I acting spoiled towards her? She clearly felt an excessive responsibility, particularly as the elder in the relationship, which made me wonder.
Try this one.
Lee Seyeong, offering brand-name snacks from abroad, clearly wasnt in her usual spirits. The dark circles under her eyes spoke volumes about her stress. Working tirelessly, yet still finding the time to visit me, must have been tough.
It was touching, and I was grateful. But why had she bought so many snacks? She mentioned shed buy them for work and set one aside for me whenever I crossed her mind. I couldnt refuse because the gesture was too sweet, even when I wasnt hungry.
How about this pine needle flavor?
I cant even pretend it tastes good.
Really?
Lee Seyeong, who had yet to try it, popped a small green cookie into her mouth and winced at the strange taste. Pine needle cookies were an acquired taste even for someone undiscerning like me. She giggled, teasing me, and kept bringing more cookies to my lips. Finishing them was my responsibility.
But as I continue eating, theyre not bad?
Humans adapt. I gradually became accustomed to the flavor. Pine needle drinks werent unpleasant either, once I got used to them. Some people might dislike them, but others find them refreshingly unique. I wouldnt go out of my way to buy them, but if they were in the fridge, I usually wouldnt hesitate to have one.
As I worked through the pile of snacks on the table, I felt a warm gaze from beside me. I felt like a squirrel in a zoo, captivated and cared for by Lee Seyeong.
Why are you looking at me like that?
Just thinking how cute you are. I imagine this is what itd be like to have a child.
She dropped a hint, casually joking and laughing. Normally, Lee Seyeong would step back jokingly in such a situation, but her response made it hard to reply. Such a pleasant dilemma. Lately, her affectionate actions have noticeably increased. Sometimes, I wondered. Could it be? A mix of hope and anxiety bloomed within me.
Did it stop?
What did?
The most chilling phrase in a young couples relationship: I missed my period. Lee Seyeong looked puzzled, then blushed and smacked my shoulder when she understood.
What are you talking about! Is that all you think about?
No, just, you mentioned a child, so I wondered.
We had had a few conversations before. One of them confirmed that she was taking precautions against pregnancy. Ironically, the most guarded phrase for a young working man was very similar to her words.
Im safe today.
In the moment, how enticing that phrase sounded. Variations included: You trust me, right? Just this once. Ill do it outside.
I trusted her, but just in case, the thought lingered.
And what if it stopped? Wont you take responsibility?
Her open expression showed she felt uneasy about my doubt. Of course, my intention had already been decided.
Who says I wont take responsibility? Of course, I have to.
Thats all you have to say?
Of course, I should whisk you away immediately. You are the number one bride-to-be, after all.
Dont just talk big.
A little exaggeration mixed with the truth got my nose pinched. But my desperate charm seemed to work, as she appeared quite pleased. Lee Seyeong, puckering her lips, exuded a youthful aura, belying her age. Her beauty was in full bloom. Even when compared to the twenty-year-olds, she stood outin fact, she surpassed them.
After all, it seems shes been putting up with a lot.
The more I understood Lee Seyeongs heart, the deeper my internal struggles grew. I had only one experience with dating, but from that, I knew how drastically a woman in love can change.
The Lee Seyeong I knew, if compared to the world I lived in, was precisely that sort. A woman living together with her boyfriend in a studio apartment, never missing a day to express her love, with kiss marks that never fadeda couple living such a lifestyle. Honestly, it was too much, considering she lived away yet was so devotedly supportive.
This aspect was similar to Cheondo. Whenever I had questions and called, she patiently explained. Unknowingly, I became reliant on her kindness, feeling uplifted by her presence. Hence, unknowingly, I took for granted the many sacrifices she made due to familiarity.
I did realize her kindness and was only pondering how to reciprocate.
Although it would be okay to ask outright in our relationship with Lee Seyeong, it would end with, Thats enough; lets have a drink! I discreetly changed the subject so she wouldnt notice.
Where is this retreat going to be?
Shikoku in Japan.
Lee Seyeong kindly answered my question.
A place where the World Tree of Time once took root. Well its dead now.
Lee Seyeong nodded in response to my blunt question.
The World Trees, along with holy spirits, saints, and thousands of elders, lost the war and the Tree Spirit King vanished.
They couldnt even kill him. His power was unfathomable. Who would have won if he had faced Cheonma, who emerged later?
But the ideology persisted. Even after the Tree Spirit King vanished, the movement carried on. Over time, the rigid class system began to fall apart.
While Korea still had a class system, some nations had abandoned it entirely. These were the places deeply influenced by the Tree Spirit King. It was rather remarkable.
Anyway, the Tree Spirit King is an unforgettable figure in todays society.
The death of World Trees. The release of their almost magical energy into the world led to strange phenomena.
Dungeons and monsters. These remain unsolved mysteries to this day.
So, that means blaming everything in the world on the Tree Spirit King is half right?
Correct.
That was why this world couldnt forget the Tree Spirit King. From the perspective of humans, it was understandable that he was interpreted as a hero.
Now you understand?
Yes.
Thats why I worry about you.
The gods of this world, the world itself.
They feared the emergence of another Tree Spirit King.
Gods could die. That had been proven.
Now I understood why World Trees were so skeptical about my existence.
Humans with excessive talent are dangerous.
It wasnt an inherent trait, but I had powers close to the Tree Spirit King from early in his life. The World Trees I had encountered must have known this. But nothing was certain yet. Currently, World Trees arent deeply involved in reality.
When the World Tree of Resentment went out of its way to target me, why didnt the other World Trees make a move?
Perhaps my death would be more beneficial for them. Theyre just biding their time.
The pattern is clear.
A fact everyone knew except me. Lee Seyeong and Cheondo must have already known and acted accordingly.
Turning my head to look at her face, Lee Seyeong, as if she had read my thoughts, poked my cheek and then rested her head on my shoulder.
Now you understand a bit about the inside story?
I wish you had told me sooner. It would have been a hundred times better.
Anyway dont panic if something happens later.
If they really fear the existence of the Tree Spirit King, its possible that one day, the World Trees might suddenly target me and try to kill me.
If I became a religious villain,
Maybe someone I know might also turn against me with a sword.
Jung Siwoo was also a husband candidate for a World Tree. Most of the tree people and humans in this world worshipped the World Trees as gods. Even if it had faded, the essence remained unchanged. This fact felt somewhat bitter.
Hey.
Had I shown too much emotion? Lee Seyeong, still resting her head, poked my chest with her fingernail and, with just one word, lightened my mood.
Ill be on your side for life, you jerk.
Her attempt to hide her embarrassment by mixing in a curse made me smile involuntarily. I reached out and pulled Lee Seyeongs shoulder closer.
Just being together made the time fly by quickly.
The warm sensation from her hand and body, the certainty that she would never leavethat was a feeling I never wanted to lose.
-Um!
My ears buzzed for a moment. Lee Seyeong, seemingly exhausted from the previous events, had already fallen asleep leaning against me.
Shell have to wake up soon anyway.
It wouldnt hurt to let her sleep for about five minutes. Turning my head to look out the window, the scenery prompted an exclamation of awe.
The smallest of Japans four beautiful islands, adorned with white oaks, a place with a history where the World Tree of Time had gloriously perished.
We had finally arrived.
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