The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 339

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Heavenly Supreme Has Died – Episode 339
-Is it really that delicious?
I eat frantically, desperate to fill my starving belly, but only for a moment.
At the sound of his voice, my hand freezes.
Is he telling me not to eat? Anxiety creeps in unbidden, and the young girl wearing a boy’s disguise glances toward him.
There sat a beautiful young man with the most weary eyes in the world, watching me intently.
-Why did you stop? Eat more.
With permission granted, I swallow the food as if I’d been waiting for this moment.
Throughout this, the young man continued speaking to me.
-I’m glad you’re enjoying it, though I didn’t put much in. I was just curious since you’re eating so well. Is it delicious?
I nod my head even as I swallow the broth.
It was delicious. Compared to what I ate in the past, it was incomparably superior.
-Hehehehe.
Unable to answer and barely managing to nod, the young man laughs at the sight.
-One more bowl, please.
At his words, I hear an acknowledgment from the kitchen.
-Eat slowly. No one’s going to take it away from you.
I ate with such fervor. Truly with all my might.
In the midst of this, I observe my mother before me.
She too was eating thin noodles with trembling hands.
Then.
-This is absurd.
The beautiful young girl before me speaks to the young man as if something displeases her.
-You tell me to leave quickly when I arrive, yet why are you being so kind?
-What do you mean.
-Food too! You don’t even give me food often!
Her flushed face is tinged with raw disappointment.
At her words, the young man clicks his tongue.
-You eat well everywhere you go. A well-off child getting jealous of strange things?
-It’s not jealousy!
-Fine. I’ll give you more too. Eat more. You eat other things besides thin noodles just fine, yet you’re being petty.
-That’s not what I mean…!!
She reacts as if wronged, but the young man seems indifferent.
-One more bowl, please. This time, put quite a bit in. Our family’s benefactor says they’re hungry.
Hearing the “Yes!” the young girl springs to her feet.
-That’s not what I mean!! What do you think I am!?
-Either you mean it or you don’t. Why are you shouting? Just eat your food.
-You…!!
Their bickering was amusing. So the young girl lets out a small laugh.
Pfft.
A brief sound echoes through the space, and the surroundings fall silent.
The Young Girl (female) noticed the awkwardness. She shouldn’t have laughed.
-Ah… no…
Just as I was about to offer a clumsy excuse that wasn’t really an excuse.
-See? She’s laughing too. I told you something’s wrong with you?
-What are you talking about? What’s wrong with me! Am I weird?
-Ah… no… no…
-Why do you keep bothering the child like that? It’s because you’re doing it that she’s acting this way!
-So what exactly is “that”? Speak clearly.
-There is something. Don’t try to figure it out, it’ll only make things worse.
-If you don’t tell me, you’re the one getting hurt right now.
-Ugh.
The Young Man (male) who was eating suddenly springs to his feet.
-Where are you going?
The Young Girl (female) asks with fire in her eyes, and the Young Man (male) quickly grabs his bowl and moves away.
-Father called for me.
-Don’t lie. Why would the Lord of the Clan call for you?
-Because I’m his son in this household?
-The Lord of the Clan doesn’t even care about his son.
-…Why are you subtly criticizing our father?
-Enough. Come here. If you come now, I’ll let you live.
-Your nose moves when you lie.
-Oh really?
The Young Girl (female) smiles brightly and covers her nose.
-Caught.
With those words, she quickly lunges at the Young Man (male).
-You brat.
The Young Man (male) sees this and starts running like a madman.
-…
Watching this, I find myself laughing without realizing it.
-Ahaha.
The Mother (female) in front of me widens her eyes at this.
The child who hadn’t laughed in years was laughing.
The child who, unaware of the karma burdening me, ignorant of what kind of being I truly am, had endured all manner of hardship.
Laughing at something as simple as this.
I don’t know what kind of life awaits me ahead.
But I understood one thing.
The year I would spend in this place.
Would hold immense meaning for me.
It took only a few days before I would come to realize this truth.
Could I ever find happiness? As such thoughts began to fill my mind.
[Happiness?]
-…!
The Young Girl hesitated and turned around. Something was there.
A Black Entity that looked exactly like her.
It spoke as it gazed upon her.
[Do not hope.]
Something invaded the Young Girl’s mind.
[All of this. And that too. You will destroy and erase everything with your own hands.]
Chills ran down her spine. She should have protested, but no words came.
It felt as though a lock had been placed around her throat. When such a thought crossed her mind.
[So. Give up. This doesn’t suit you.]
The Black Entity approached and suddenly seized her throat.
-Gack…!!
It was strong. For a moment, she wondered if her neck might break.
-Ugh… gack…!
[Do not cling to regrets.]
The Black Entity’s crimson eyes met the Young Girl’s gaze.
[You must know what you are meant to do. You do not belong here. So give up.]
Do not be happy.
The Black Entity spoke thus.
[Look. This is all because of you, isn’t it?]
Hearing these words, the Young Girl’s eyes widened. She looked down at the ground.
-Ugh… ahhhhh!!!
The scene changed. Pure white snow. Blood staining its surface.
My Mother, dead. Corpses desecrated and torn apart.
And.
[Look at your hands.]
-…!!!
The blood staining my own hands.
A sight most abhorrent filled my vision.
[You.]
The crimson eyes continued to whisper coaxingly in her ear.
[This is what suits you.]
To choose one’s clothes carefully.
How could one dare speak of happiness?
After burning everything with your own hands, what could you possibly dream of?
[Stop this. Now take my hand.]
Give up and come to me.
If you do not, those dear to you will continue to die.
It was both an enticement and a threat.
[Don’t you see? Even your master, who stood by your side, ended up like that.]
My gaze follows the direction of the pointing finger.
I can see Seongheon lying motionless in the distance, as if dead.
[It’s because of you.]
My breath catches as if I’m drowning in water.
[Because you exist. So leave. That’s all it takes. Everything can return to how it was.]
I turn my trembling head to look at the Black Entity again.
The hand that had been gripping my throat was gone. Instead, it was extending toward me.
Asking me to take it.
[Take my hand.]
Then.
[I’ll make sure you don’t hurt anymore.]
-….
I won’t hurt anymore.
Those around me will.
At those words, the Young Girl.
Yoo Yeon’s hand gradually reached out. To grasp that hand.
[Hehe.]
The Black Entity laughed upon seeing my action. A response as if everything was going as desired.
And just as our fingertips were about to touch.
“How pathetic.”
Crack!
[Kugh!?]
“…!!”
A white hand suddenly appears and seizes the Black Entity’s arm.
“What nonsense are you spouting?”
And then.
Crack—!!
[Kyaaaaaaagh!!]
I grab the Black Entity’s head and tear it clean off.
Something resembling myself—its neck is ripped away.
Seeing this, Yoo Yeon’s eyes widen like lanterns.
“Hey.”
At the familiar voice in this incomprehensible situation, Yoo Yeon flinches.
“Why are you listening to something like that?”
The Young Man with blue eyes, Bangseong-yeon, speaks to her with a tone of exasperation.
“Get a grip.”
-…..
“You’re too dense for your own good. Just ignore nonsense and live your life.”
Deep sighs escaped me, each one piercing straight through Yoo Yeon’s chest.
“…It’s really suffocating.”
Tap.
Bangseong-yeon flicked her forehead with the tip of his finger.
And then.
“It’s not because of you.”
-….
He spoke the words I most wanted to hear.
“Not hollow comfort. It’s really not because of you. So snap out of it. Understood?”
-….
It was always like this.
Bangseong-yeon always said what I wanted to hear.
As if he knew everything all along.
-If it gets hard, you can come again.
-You’re hungry, right? Want some thin noodles?
-I’ll pretend not to see, so if you’re going to cry, just cry your heart out.
-You’re leaving? Take care. Oh, but.
-If you want to come, you can come again.
Those words surfaced in my mind.
Whenever I felt suffocated, I repeated what my master had told me.
-You must endure. Only through endurance can you protect those who matter to you.
I endured through every moment of pain.
I thought that was right.
But then.
“Don’t pointlessly hold back. Just do what you want.”
Bangseong-yeon spoke differently to me.
“If you want to, get angry. Living while holding everything in will ruin your health. But if you still feel uncertain or afraid,”
Tap tap.
His finger, which had been touching my forehead, tapped a couple more times.
“Just trust me and go for it. I’ll handle whatever comes.”
He would handle it himself.
Strangely, those inexplicable words brought me peace.
“Got it.”
At my response, Bangseong-yeon chuckled softly.
“Now get up.”
Hearing his words, Yoo Yeon finally opened her eyes.

* * *
“…!!”
My eyes snapped open as I jolted upright.
Someone reacted to my sudden movement.
“Goodness, you startled me…!”
It was Bangseong-yeon. The white-haired man with blue eyes was looking at me.
“Hey. You should give some warning before you get up like that! You scared me half to death.”
“….”
I gathered my scattered thoughts as I looked at him.
What was that just now? A dream? Still dazed, I glanced around. I was in a room. My master lay beside me.
“The doctor said there’s nothing seriously wrong with your body. Just anemia, he said. You need to eat better. It’s not good for you to fall ill just because Jang Moonin is sick.”
“….”
I nodded in acknowledgment.
It was true—I hadn’t eaten in several days.
“And.”
Bangseong-yeon pointed at something. The sword beside me.
It was the object I had received earlier. A worn, shabby blade. I had fought him while wielding it…. And.
“…!”
I flinched. The memory had returned. During that fight, I had ultimately exerted force on something I shouldn’t have.
What happened? Anxiety welled up inside me.
Had another problem erupted? I hurriedly examined Bangseong-yeon.
I could see he was alive before my eyes, but still, I felt uneasy.
Then.
“Why are you staring? I’m not injured.”
“….”
Bangseong-yeon spoke with a sigh mixed in.
Not injured?
Really?
“What’s with that distrustful look?”
“….”
Bangseong-yeon chuckled softly.
“Why? Did you want me to be injured?”
I turned my head away roughly—an absolute denial.
“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t be injured by something like that. It’s nothing.”
Yet I had clearly been swallowed by that Black Entity. Was it really as if nothing had happened?
I lost?
Me?
How could that be possible?
“Why? Does it bother you that I won?”
“….”
Yoo Yeon did not answer. Bangseong-yeon’s words barely registered in her ears.
“I’m naturally quite capable. I’m more impressive than I appear.”
Even if covered by the Black Entity, I can break free.
What comes to mind is something from a dream.
“Just trust me and go ahead. I’ll handle whatever comes.”
Not a prohibition, but permission to act if she wished.
Whatever happened, he would resolve it for her.
Those words continued to echo in her mind.
Would that really be alright?
“….”
As Yoo Yeon maintained her silence.
Gurgle.
A sound rumbled from her stomach.
“Sigh.”
“….”
Yoo Yeon’s face flushed crimson in an instant.
She gripped the blanket tightly with her hands. Then.
“Hey.”
Bangseong-yeon called out to her.
She startled and her body tensed.
“Should I make you something to eat?”
“….”
At his words, Yoo Yeon looked at Bangseong-yeon.
“I’ll make it for you. Wait.”
Bangseong-yeon moved before waiting for her response. He had no need to hear her answer.
Watching him, Yoo Yeon recalled something.
As always.
He gave her the answer she desired.
Whether she could speak.
Or when she could not, it was the same.
Yoo Yeon gazed at Seongheon lying there.
“Find your spring.”
I have found mine.
You too must find your spring.
At the end of this long winter, long for spring.
Hearing those words, Yoo Yeon looked toward where Bangseong-yeon had gone.
Spring.
Perhaps her spring was not the sunlight that would end winter.
But rather the moon that quietly shone its light beside her.
Strangely, such a thought crossed her mind.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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