## Chapter 133 – #29_Clean Up (3)
#131
1.
“Let me explain the three main things you’ll experience when you go to the mortal realm, Siwoo.”
“Yes.”
Three things?
Siwoo was slightly worried inside, but he listened to the countess.
“First, any witch will be curious about a man who bears a mark. It’s only natural, as an unprecedented case could lead to unprecedented academic progress.”
“Even if I could use magic without a mark, it would be similar, but now that I have a mark, the attention will be incomparable.”
“Can’t I just hide the fact that I have a mark?”
Is this something that needs to be discussed so formally?
He knew that much without needing to be told.
“It’s a problem if you’re so nonchalant about it.”
“Currently, you’ve naturally become a citizen of Gehenna as your slave certificate was revoked. Even if it becomes known that you can use magic, no one can harm you recklessly.
If anyone tries to harm you, our Gemena family, as well as Baron Merrygold, will impose strong sanctions, confiscating that witch’s citizenship and assets.”
“So, while I might get some annoying attention, my life won’t be in danger.”
Albiereo took a breath and continued.
“But the exiles are different. Didn’t you feel it when you met him? How cruel the exile, Ea Sadalmelik, was.”
“I know. But I was prepared for that.”
Deneb’s tone was like that of someone stopping a child from crawling into a well.
But he had the music box from Odile, and as long as he wasn’t caught, it didn’t matter.
It wasn’t enough to suppress Siwoo’s homing instinct.
“There are only a few truly vicious exiles, but still, be careful. Exiles don’t have the security of citizenship. They might harm you on a whim.”
Siwoo understood what the countess was saying.
He didn’t know if this was the right analogy, but right now, Siwoo was like a stunning beauty that any man would be drawn to, and going to the mortal realm was like being thrown into a world without CCTV or police.
Anyone might think of attacking him on a whim.
“That’s about all we can do for this part.”
Albiereo rummaged through her clothes and took out a ring, placing it on the table in front of Siwoo.
“It’s a ring that proves you’re a guest of our family. Touching someone wearing this ring is a sign that you’re ready to be at odds with Gemena.”
That’s when Siwoo understood.
Gemena had no intention of stopping Siwoo from going to the mortal realm.
Moreover, they were providing him with such convenience and safety.
For a moment, he felt foolish for worrying that they might be two-faced witches.
“Thank you so much.”
“How effective that ring will be outside… honestly, I can’t guarantee it. You must always be careful.”
“Yes, I will keep that in mind. What’s next?”
He felt he had been warned enough, so he moved on to the next topic.
“Second, homunculi.”
That was an unexpected answer, and he was momentarily stunned.
Homunculi? What about them?
“The number of active homunculi in the mortal realm is increasing dramatically. Compared to 100 years ago, it has increased almost tenfold.”
“What… does that have to do with me?”
“Homunculi basically target marks. You, Siwoo, who have newly acquired a mark, are also a target.”
“Of course, you seem to have received a music box from the twins, so if you carry it with you, there shouldn’t be any major problems. You can think of this part as just a precaution.”
“The music box… you knew about it.”
“Well, I am your guardian, after all.”
It seemed that the Countess of Gemena had noticed that Odile had given Siwoo the music box.
He had worried that they might see him as a snake who tricked the twins into giving him a precious artifact.
But from what she was saying, it seemed they were overlooking it, which was a relief.
“This is the most important issue.”
Albiereo took a sip of her beer and asked.
“Do you know how Gehenna brings in slaves?”
“No.”
“I thought so. Few witches know, and there’s no need to tell slaves.”
“There are two main types of mortals brought to Gehenna.”
Deneb held up two fingers.
She folded one of them as she spoke.
“One, death row inmates.”
“Excuse me?”
“There are secret trade relations between witches and high-ranking officials of various countries. There are many details, but let’s just talk about the slave extradition treaty.”
“Death row inmates who have been sentenced to death or are waiting for execution are brought here as slave laborers.”
“Gehenna benefits from the manpower, and the countries can get rid of useless death row inmates who are just a drain on taxes, so it’s a mutually beneficial contract.”
Siwoo, who had no idea about this, was dumbfounded.
So, were all the slaves in Border Town, who he thought were being experimented on or wasting their lives in vain labor due to the whims of witches, all death row inmates?
“Then, what am I?”
“Two, missing persons.”
Deneb folded her remaining finger.
“After a little investigation, it seems you, Shin Siwoo, were in a plane crash, right?”
The plane that had been staggering due to turbulence.
The oxygen masks that had been dangling down and the busy, urgent announcements from the pilot.
When he opened his eyes again, he was at the port of Border Town.
“That’s… right.”
“All humans move according to ‘fate.’ The ‘prophecy agency’ of the Tree of Sephirot determines that fate. And among the humans who are about to die according to their fate, they select those who seem ‘useful’ to Gehenna.”
“W-wait a minute. Are you saying I was already dead?”
He was in extreme confusion.
Siwoo had thought he was a victim of ruthless witches.
But was he actually rescued from death?
Was his life as a slave not just a lifetime of labor without compensation?
“No, I told you, they bring in humans who are about to die.”
The things he had believed in were crumbling again.
But Siwoo quickly composed himself.
Stay calm.
It didn’t matter anyway, since he was going to leave.
And when he thought that far.
Siwoo found a contradiction in the countess’s words.
“Huh?”
That was right.
How Siwoo was selected to come to Gehenna was not an important issue at this point.
Wasn’t Siwoo about to leave Gehenna?
An inexplicable chill ran down his spine.
His heart was pounding, sensing danger faster than ever.
“Why… are you telling me this?”
“Fate, and the easiest to identify is the ‘fate of death.’ If we talk about the cause of death, it could be illness, traffic accident, involvement in a murder… there are countless reasons, but the ‘fate of death’ has one strong characteristic.”
“What is it?”
Albiereo looked at Siwoo with a serious expression and said.
“Inevitability.”
“Once a fate of death is determined, it will be executed ‘no matter what,’ ‘no matter what happens.’”
“Even if someone who was supposed to die in a traffic accident survives by a very, very slim chance. The force of fate will act.”
“They might die of a heart attack the next day, or die in a gas explosion. The reasons are different, but they will die soon.”
Siwoo was silent for a moment.
“So… are you saying that if I leave, I will be affected by ‘inevitability’?”
If so, Siwoo’s determination to leave this place would be meaningless.
He had struggled for five years for the sake of death.
Just as he was about to lose strength from the futility, Deneb pointed out an error.
“No, the fate of missing persons selected as slaves is modified immediately after they cross the ‘gate’ of Border Town. If they were brought in as they were, they would die soon anyway.”
She held up two fingers to make scissors and pretended to cut something.
“It’s cutting off their fate in the mortal realm.”
Albiereo and Deneb closed their mouths at the same time, even though Siwoo hadn’t said a word.
Was it his imagination that they looked like doctors giving a countdown to a terminal cancer patient?
It was as if they were telling him to prepare himself.
“However, we can’t just select and cut off the ‘fate of death.’ That’s why we cut off all ‘connections’ to the mortal realm. Just like when homunculi often eat humans.”
“What… does that mean?”
“It means that all the connections, achievements, accomplishments, memories, and even fate that you, Siwoo, have built up in the mortal realm have become ‘nonexistent’ and your existence itself has been extinguished.”
“Ah…”
To be honest, it was hard to grasp even when he heard it.
Cutting off connections.
Connections, achievements, accomplishments, memories, and fate all becoming nonexistent.
Witches had a way of making things difficult.
Who could understand if they spoke so difficultly?
His escapist thoughts ran rampant.
His fingertips were tingling.
“That’s not all.”
“Wait a minute, can you give me a moment?”
“It’s better to hear this out and then think…”
“I’m sorry. It’ll only be a moment.”
As Siwoo sat there in despair, Albiereo handed him a bottle of beer.
Without even thanking her, Siwoo quenched his parched throat with the beer.
He was dumbfounded.
Honestly, he didn’t even know what emotions he should be feeling.
“I’m ready now.”
“Are you okay? If it’s too hard, I can give you more time.”
“No, I’ll listen now.”
After all, according to the Countess of Gemena, he had survived a fate of death.
If he had died in that plane crash, he wouldn’t have felt this anguish and deprivation, would he?
The important thing was that he was still alive.
In front of Siwoo, who had a determined expression, Deneb opened her mouth after a long hesitation.
“A connection that has been cut off from one ‘world’… there is currently no way to restore it. Simply cutting off a connection and completely rewriting fate are completely different levels of difficulty.”
“What does that mean?”
“Even if you go back, Siwoo, there will be a ‘reset’ every week at the longest, or every three or four days at the shortest.”
“Please explain it simply.”
“It means that even if you do something in the mortal realm, it will soon be ‘undone.’ The only ‘connection’ you have now is with the other world, Gehenna, which is completely separate from the mortal realm.”
Let’s try to summarize.
No, he couldn’t think straight.
Siwoo could only mutter what he felt.
“I’m becoming a ghost.”
No action would remain in the memories of others, and he wouldn’t leave any trace.
He would just become an existence that wandered and floated.
Even at Siwoo’s clear summary, the Countess of Gemena didn’t say anything.
Deneb only added, as if she felt sorry for him.
“The power of the Gemena family is strong enough in the mortal realm, so you will be given sufficient support.
Since it’s meaningless to do it in your name, we will provide you with a residence and a car in our name, and a compensation of about 10 billion won every five years is also planned. Apart from that, if you say you want to stay in Gehenna, we have the option of treating you as a guest of our family.”
Siwoo clasped his hands together and pondered for a while.
His wish to return to the mortal realm was almost his life’s goal.
He had chased the end of the rainbow and ran to death, but the place he finally reached was actually a cliff.
“…Does Amelia know about this?”
“If it’s the baroness, probably.”
Why hadn’t she told him?
Could it be that she was too clumsy to tell him?
Had she stopped his escape because she was worried that he would be heartbroken by the cruel truth?
Siwoo shook his head, finding himself instinctively interpreting Amelia in a positive light.
Was it even meaningful to think about this now?
It didn’t matter what it was.
“I’ll give you enough time to think.”
“Deneb.”
“Yes?”
“Can you go back first? I still have something to say.”
Deneb looked at Albiereo with wide eyes, as if asking what she meant, and then nodded.
“Okay, you have to tell me what it is later.”
Deneb left first, and Siwoo was left alone with Albiereo.
Albiereo waited for a moment, then met Siwoo’s eyes as he looked up.
“It may be confusing, but I have more to say.”
“What is it…”
Siwoo, with his slumped shoulders, looked pitiful at a glance, but she was always busy with work and magic research.
Albiereo didn’t have much time.
“I want you to go back to the mortal realm.”
Therefore.
She didn’t waste time and went straight to the point.
