Chapter 226

〈 Chapter 226 〉 Part 1, Chapter 10, Section 29

I lost consciousness.

To be precise, someone summoned my consciousness. Just before entering Hydra’s belly, I went dark like a fuse-blown electronic device.

“So, where am I-”

“……?”

The view is different. Unlike Phoenix’s humanoid form, the eye level feels similar to when I’m in monster form.

‘Hmm.’

Is this inside Hydra’s stomach? It’s way too fancy for that. There’s a red carpet beneath my feet, and at its end sits a golden throne.

“Hohoho.”

Seated on that throne isn’t a king… but a god. Unlike my usual priest robes, I’m dressed in a slightly see-through white dress with gold accessories.

At the end of the throne…

Chang-yeom was waiting for me.

“Is it okay to call you here at this moment? …Hmm?”

Without realizing it, I touched my mouth. A strange voice unfamiliar to me came out.

“Eh, um, um…?”

“…….”

Chang-yeom’s smiling lips slowly drooped. The fingers resting on the armrest began scratching nervously, clearly showing signs of agitation. I took one step forward.

Whoosh.

The statues of eagles flanking both sides raised their torches towards the sky. As soon as I passed them, blue flames erupted from the torches.

I was certain.

Chang-yeom had pulled my consciousness here, right when I was about to launch a counterattack.

“Sorry, but…”

I raised my voice toward Chang-yeam far away.

“I’ve got prior engagements with three others. Let me finish pounding them into oblivion, then I’ll come back.”

I immediately turned around and started walking back along the red carpet. Whether this was a temple or a throne room, I felt like the opposite side where Chang-yeom sat might lead to an exit.

‘Who says I’d come just because they called?’

Whoosh.

Empty doors were now blocked by blue flames. The eagle-masked statues flew over and sealed the windows, blocking my path.

“Alright, fine. I get it. Let’s go, then.”

“Hohoho.”

Though it seemed pointless for her to laugh so loudly from afar, I still needed to address this first.

“Hey!”

“Uh… hey?”

“Why did you pull the switch when I was winning? Is that good?”

“…”

Chang-yeom looked away. I quickly approached her, wagging my finger as I shouted.

“Send me back outside right now! I’ll return immediately, blast off those officers’ heads!”

“You were utterly destroying them!”

“But I didn’t! I was just about to strike when you interfered, making me fall into Hydra’s stomach! By now, I might already be buried underground!”

“They can’t even touch your body with their strength! Who lets someone else abuse your body like that?!”

“I fought in monster form!”

“That’s still my body! I only lent it to you!”

Before we could even greet each other, our faces flushed as we bickered. Whether my external body was crushed into concrete or not, I still needed to clear things up.

“At least show some understanding when I fight in monster form! Hey, I was planning to transform into monster form inside Hydra’s stomach and tear it apart dramatically while escaping!”

“Are you insane? Who wants to make people throw up? Hydra isn’t the heroine, you know? Do you really want to rip open the heroine’s belly and have such bad manners?”

“Bad manners?! If I don’t do that, I lose! And if I lose, it’s the same as you losing, you idiot!”

“Idiot? Who are you calling an idiot?! You’re always so annoying, like a cracker that makes people’s stomachs churn!”

“Cracker? Are you dissing crackers now? When I get back in control of my body, I’ll eat ten crackers without water!”

“Strawberries, more like! Damn it, stop talking nonsense! Do you think I brought you here for this?”

Chang-yeom struck the throne with her fist in frustration. Seeing her growling like this, I sighed deeply and raised both hands.

“Alright. Even though you ignored my calls before, you invited me here personally. Why did you bring me here?”

“Must you nag so much? Why are you being so rigid all of a sudden? You used to say you loved me so much you couldn’t live without me.”

“That’s true. That part is true, but…”

I extended three fingers toward Chang-yeom, palm facing her.

“Considering what you’ve done to me, there’s something I need to talk about first.”

“Fine. I’ll listen generously.”

Chang-yeom leaned back on the throne, arms wide open.

“First question. Why did you awaken the Dragon Spirit and then pull a bait-and-switch with the Cube?”

“……Didn’t I already give it back?”

“What?”

“Your enhancement.”

“Is this…?”

This voice, which doesn’t sound male or female, is supposed to be my original voice?

“So, does that mean I can use my real voice outside now?”

“No. Only here. This place, my ‘domain’ where I invited you, is the only place you can.”

“So it’s useless. Once we settle things, send me back outside immediately. Beat those three officers first, then let’s discuss turning them into spirits. How’s that?”

“No. You can’t leave whenever you want. Coming in was your choice, but leaving isn’t.”

“Did I come? You called me.”

“You barged into my body uninvited from the start.”

She’s right, and I can’t argue. Chang-yeom countered every word I said, growing angrier. Since continuing to nitpick would prevent any conversation, I backed down first.

“So why did you pull a bait-and-switch?”

I still haven’t received an answer to my question. Chang-yeom snorted and mocked me.

“How can I talk to someone who openly declares they want something?”

“The person who read all my memories should know worse than anyone else.”

“Shut up.”

“Fine. Admitting I ran away because I was embarrassed. So what?”

Chang-yeom seemed upset, but it was true. If she didn’t like it, she shouldn’t have asked such questions.

“Next question.”

I folded my thumb. Two fingers remained extended. I waved them to catch Chang-yeom’s attention.

“Why did you summon me at the perfect moment when I was winning?”

“Wouldn’t ‘because I missed you’ work?”

This time, Chang-yeom retaliated. But I had the upper hand in this kind of argument.

“In that case, there’s nothing I can do. Hydra? Penril? Azidahaka? Tell them all to scram. So, you finally want to dive into mythology with me?”

“No. Unless I die and come back to life, I don’t feel like doing that now.”

“Now? So maybe someday you will?”

“Based on what you’ve done. Of course.”

Chang-yeom held up two fingers mockingly.

“At that time, you’ll have two choices. Hohoho.”

“Then we’ll see when that day comes. Back to the question: why did you summon me?”

“Didn’t I say? Because I missed you. Need a specific reason?”

“You wouldn’t just summon me for no reason, would you?”

“Need a reason… Fine.”

Chang-yeom held up three fingers.

“One is your voice. Only I can hear it now, but when the ‘time’ comes, you’ll be able to use your own voice.”

“Next.”

“……The other reason is that I thought you’d lose. Your reckless fighting style is ugly. Even if healing is possible, please don’t abuse your body recklessly.”

“Alright. Next.”

“Hey.”

Chang-yeom spoke casually, pointing a finger at me.

“Why do you keep rambling while I have to answer your next question immediately…?”

“You can speak casually if you want. It’s refreshing.”

“Shut up… please.”

Switching to extreme politeness. Definitely sulking.

“Hmph. Look here. While I deflect your questions with strange answers, why must I answer yours straightforwardly?”

“Last reason?”

“Ahhh. Seriously. Must you keep asking?”

“This is fun. Hohoho.”

I deliberately mimicked Chang-yeom’s laugh. She almost stood up from the throne in anger but managed to sit back down after barely controlling herself.

I hadn’t approached the throne yet. The heat from the flame-lit statues still had a long way to go.

“Fine. Let me just tell you. Third reason. It’s a secret.”

“Alright then.”

“Not curious?”

“There’s something else I’m more curious about.”

I folded my index finger. Now only the middle finger remained extended, palm facing Chang-yeom. She finally noticed my hand and frowned.

“What a pain.”

“What I’m truly curious about is something else entirely.”

I extended my thumb and pointed behind me.

“What exactly did you stir up twenty years ago?”

“…A secret. Women usually have a few secrets tucked away, don’t they? There’s no need to tell everything now, right? Don’t you agree?”

“Making a deal then? Alright, is the target of this deal a spirit or the cube?”

It seems Chang-yeom definitely took some measures before falling asleep twenty years ago.

“Did you predict I’d possess someone and prepare accordingly? Or were you waiting for someone else? Or maybe… ‘Oh dear protagonist, you’re such a mess!’ and prepared precautions?”

“Do you really want to die? Why are you being so nitpicky today?”

“Hey, since you read my memories, you understand my situation, right?”

I pointed to the door leading outside.

“It’s like being in the middle of a promotion battle, and my beloved wife turns off the PC. What? Do I look calm right now?”

“Anyway, there’ll be another chance after the promotion battle, and who’s my wife? Did we file a marriage certificate? Did we share pancakes in the original story? We were just flirting, weren’t we?”

“Will you write it?”

“Don’t push your luck. Fine. That’s not important right now.”

Chang-yeom gestured for me to come closer with her hand. Reluctantly, I stepped forward and stood in front of her.

“No matter what I say, you’ll do as you wish. After all, this is entirely ‘your space.'”

“Yes. The only remaining 1% of the 100% mental space. This is my home, untouched by you.”

“You decorated your home quite extravagantly. Is this some kind of shrine?”

“Of course. A goddess, remember?”

“Yeah, yeah. Understood. Goddess, I shall pray.”

I clasped my hands together and bowed.

“Please send me out of this shrine immediately so I can beat up the other officers and capture Seongju.”

“Ugh. Why are you so impatient?”

“Hey, you foolish goddess. We can meet anytime with the cube, but they can’t, right? Frankly speaking.”

I straightened up and took a deep breath.

“If Hydra hides in the Earth’s core, what will you do? If Penril flies around the atmosphere, what then? If Azidahaka keeps spinning daily and only moves at night, what then? They need to be caught before they escape.”

“So you tried to trap Penril by burning mint chocolate on the clock tower? Honestly, if I possessed someone else, I’d probably light strawberry cake instead?”

“What nonsense. Would I do that if I were sane?”

“Because you’re insane, you’re saying this.”

“Alright. I’m insane. Fine. Now tell me what you want to say.”

Thud.

My final step lit the last statue’s flame. I stopped ten steps away from Chang-yeom, looking up at her from the bottom of the stairs.

“I’ll listen until I’m tired. So, why did you bring me here in this situation?”

“Though I have a lot to say, since it’s your first visit here, let me put it this way.”

Chang-yeom cleared her throat and stretched out her hand toward me with a solemn expression.

“Welcome to the Temple of Chang-yeom, mortal. I am the eternal sun shining across the heavens, Chang-yeom.”

“…”

“Um, wasn’t this something I really wanted to say…? Did I misread your memories? Was the line wrong?”

“…Hey.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at Chang-yeom’s expression.

“Were you serious about calling me here just for that?”

“…”

Chang-yeom subtly turned her head away.

“Ho, ho, ho, ho.”

It seems I’ll need to have a little ‘chat’ with her.