In the garden where flas danced beautifully, a black-haired girl leaned close to Hwarang, her pink eyes sparkling.
"Did you finish replying to your friend's ssage?"
"Ah, yes. Thank you for giving permission—"
"Oh my, there's no need to ask permission for sothing like that."
Feeling awkward, Hwarang scratched his head.
She was so gentle and polite that it was hard to believe she was one of the Ten Family Heads… and maybe that was exactly why she felt even more difficult to deal with. Sohow, it made him more nervous.
Unbothered by his thoughts, Yeon Hana clasped her hands together with the enthusiasm of a girl in love. She had heard about the blue flas from Hwarang.
"Still, it's truly amazing! A fla that protects everything—how romantic!"
"The Family Head outside has already awakened theirs. Compared to that, my fla is nothing."
"Oh, don't say that. What matters is that you ignited a fla I couldn't even perceive back when I was a D-rank Regular, isn't it?"
"Have more confidence."
Hana even raised her fists in a little cheering pose to encourage him.
Confidence, huh.
He did feel pride in that fla. To be honest, he'd never heard of anyone other than himself wielding such a fire. That alone was reason enough to be confident.
But—
Reading his expression perfectly, Hana smiled softly and asked,
"Is there soone you wish to protect?"
"Of course."
Hwarang answered imdiately, without even a second of hesitation.
Hana seed slightly surprised by the instant reply, but quickly regained her composure and took the final sip from her teacup.
"As expected. A fla that protects can only bloom when there is soone you wish to protect."
Hwarang nodded.
The ones he wanted to protect were undoubtedly his teammates—but among them, there was one who stood out above the rest.
Seeing that there was still tea left in his cup, Hwarang drank it and fell into thought.
Friend. Comrade. Benefactor.
Which word could possibly describe that person?
Soone who taught him joy when he felt no attachnt to life.
Soone who saved his life.
Soone who even resolved the complicated problems tying him down—against an entire branch of the Yeon Family.
Words aren't enough.
How could gratitude like that ever be conveyed through sothing as limited as language?
He was the type who had to repay any kindness tenfold to feel satisfied. And yet, he was still only receiving, never giving back.
Hwarang let out a bitter smile.
"Even with a fla ant to protect… I'm the one being protected instead."
"Hehe."
Pat… pat…
"…?"
Suddenly, Hana reached out and gently patted his head.
"The one you wish to protect must be soone close to you… and if we narrow it down further, it seems to be that extraordinary friend of yours."
When Hwarang confird it with his gaze, Hana continued,
"A sardine can't swim alongside a shark. And a sardine trying to protect a shark would look quite ridiculous, wouldn't it?"
Just as Hwarang was about to reply, Hana raised a finger and gently pressed it against his lips.
"However—Hwarang, you are not a sardine. You may not be a shark, but you're at least dozens of tis larger than a sardine—a proper deep-sea fish. And at that level… depending on the situation, you might even be able to help the shark."
By the ti she finished speaking, Hwarang's expression had noticeably softened.
Seeing this, Hana smiled faintly and ordered the butterflies to bring fresh tea.
"Now then, Hwarang. It's your turn to ask sothing. What are you curious about?"
"Uh—"
BOOM!
Just as Hwarang was about to speak, the maze burst apart as soone appeared.
Animal-like ears, green hair, green clothes—a boy who clearly wasn't a normal human.
"Hana! A new divine sea creature! I tad a new baby!"
"Oh my, Traurei. Were there still undiscovered divine sea creatures on the Hidden Floor?"
"Hahaha! Right?! Look at this—so cute, isn't it? Adorable! Tiny!"
"Waaah… it's so cute…"
While Hana's heart lted at the appearance of the tiny divine sea creature, the green-haired, animal-eared boy—carrying a tank—finally noticed Hwarang.
"Anyway, now I can finally go through the mirror—huh? Who are you?"
Amid the chaos, Hwarang barely managed to answer.
Animal ears, obsessed with divine sea creatures… then this must be—
"Yeon Ilarde's son, Yeon Hwarang. And you are Lo Po Bia—"
"Doesn't matter who you are. Look at our baby too! Isn't it adorable?"
"Uh… y-yes."
…It is cute.
After proudly showing off for a while, the Lo Po Bia Family Head's data carefully set the tank down and shared so recent gossip with Hana.
"Oh right. Hana, I heard sothing—apparently Hon removed soone from the family registry?"
"...Excuse ?"
Just what kind of rumor did you hear…?
....
The Palace of Red and Black
Even beneath a crimson sky, the sun still rises.
Because of that, dawn looks like sunset—but the sight is breathtaking all the sa.
This is why traveling through the Tower is worth it.
And why I deliberately visit every Family Head's stage.
New places are always fun.
As sunlight gradually illuminated the black land, it reached the roof of the palace where I was sitting.
While I was lost in thought, sothing ca flying toward . It was moving fast, so I quickly caught it.
"…You awake?"
Maschenny approached from behind.
Opening my hand, I saw what she had thrown at —chunks of stone from the palace I'd destroyed.
Ugh. PTSD-inducing much?
As I casually tossed the stones back down, Maschenny sat beside .
"Hoaquin."
"Yeah?"
"Did you et your sworn enemy?"
"I did. You."
"…You too, huh."
Too, she says—so she must have t as well.
Well… maybe I was her sworn enemy. From her perspective, I was the only opponent who gave her real trouble.
I didn't really have sworn enemy.
This ti, I spoke first.
"Maschenny. After registering your data, what do you think you'll be doing?"
I already knew the answer. Staying at the Palace of Spears with Khun Eduan—just like in the original story. I was just asking.
"I'll stay with Father at the Palace of Spears."
"Figured."
Then what about my data?
Probably waiting. Passing ti. Eventually eting Urek or Bam.
Thinking about how my data won't ever see Vicente, Albelda, or Ana… that's kind of sad. At least there are photos in my pocket. I'll et them myself soon anyway.
Haha. I was already separating myself from my data.
But seriously—what would my data do for thousands, maybe tens of thousands of years?
While lost in thought, Maschenny poked .
Poke. Poke.
"Why aren't you answering?"
"Huh? What did you say?"
She glared at briefly, then spoke clearly.
"You said I tried to kill myself when I went to eat the Thunder Pill."
"I never said that."
"..."
I guess we really are neses—even our copied personalities.
And saying it like that makes sound like a terrible person for letting sworn enemy Maschenny disappear.
I felt bad too, you know.
Anyway.
With the fully risen red sun at my back, I stood and headed back into the palace.
The Palace of Red and Black—entered through a collapsed section. Restoration was already underway.
Descending the stairs, the first thing I saw was—
Arie Hon, waiting for .
"Good morning, Lord Arie Hon."
"…How many tis do I have to apologize?"
"Haha. I'm joking, Father."
After he'd barged into my room last night and dumped gifts on nonstop, I decided to wrap up the whole "family registry" joke before he started bowing too.
"Leaving today?"
I nodded, and Hon asked which stage I planned to visit.
Either Lighthouse Island, where Luf and Hwarang were, or the Garden of Beautiful Flas.
They hadn't contacted yet, which sohow made even more uneasy.
I'd already sent ssages, though…
Then—
A sound echoed from outside.
It was getting closer—
BOOM!
PZZZT—!
"Ghh… damn it—!"
Eduan burst through the wall, electricity crackling over his body, clothes covered in dust.
He pushed himself up, brushed himself off, and froze when he noticed us.
"Oh. Hon's son. Wait a mont."
PZZZT—
Lightning enveloped Eduan as he shot back outside through the broken wall.
Looking through the hole, we saw Yurin and Eduan beating the hell out of each other.
They seed fine last night—why are they fighting again?
"You punched a hole through my palace wall?!"
"You're the one who sent flying that far!"
Blue spears rained down. Red shockwaves exploded outward.
Hon watched with a click of his tongue.
Maschenny stared, eyes blazing with fascination.
Unaware we were watching, Yurin and Eduan continued firing shinsu blasts at each other.
Haha. What a peaceful, ordinary morning.
Next ti I visit other Family Heads' stages, I should leave one of them behind.
Or maybe both.
Ding—
While enjoying the duel like it was a movie, my morality gauge pinged.
Soone replied to my ssage.
Hwarang? Luf?
It's okay.
Go where you want to go.
Both replied.
If they're both fine, then sure.
I pulled up the list of hidden stages.
Excluding Lighthouse Island, the Garden of Beautiful Flas, the Sweet Castle and Altar of Swords, and the Palace of Red and Black…
Remaining stages:
Sky Library
Bedroom
Pet Café
Sky Castle of the Cloud Giant
Peaceful Mountain
Five total.
Eduan said Tperie and Bloodmadder already vanished into the mirror.
So the Cloud Giant's Sky Castle is out.
That leaves four—
…Wait.
Tperie's gone, so why is Luf still around?
My eyes drifted to the icon labeled Lighthouse Island.
Hmm. Might be worth che—
KWA-RUUNG!
CRASH!
Eduan smashed through the wall again, sliding right next to and frantically flipping through the stage list.
"Before Yurin gets here—let's go!"
"H-Hold on—!"
"EDUAAAN!!!"
A chilling roar echoed as a crimson shinsu blast flew toward us.
Eduan's hands moved faster.
"Here! This one!"
FLASH—!
The instant he selected a stage, light erupted—and one second before Yurin's attack hit us, we were teleported sowhere else entirely.
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