However, we were only halfway there. With half the journey still remaining, there was no room for complacency. I opened my mouth and spoke in a quiet voice.
"It's a bit difficult to explain in detail, but… to put it simply, the angels only know about it. The angel assigned to me was strongly opposed to me using and accepting this power at the time."
"Then how on earth did you even obtain that power…?"
Jung Ha-Yeong started to say something but then shut her mouth. She seemed quite curious about how I had acquired a power that even the angels opposed. However, since the truth had already been confirmed through the Crystal of Truth, and I had made it seem as though I had obtained it through legitimate means, there was no reason for her to dig any deeper.
Jung Ha-Yeong's lips were dry and parched. She moistened them with her own saliva before parting them to speak again.
"Then… may I ask why the angels were against it? If it was a power you obtained fairly, there must be a reason they opposed it. After all, angels are supposed to guide players onto the right path within Hall Plain."
A sharp question. Now it begins.
"That's… n-not really a big deal."
At that moment, the crystal orb I was holding flared up for the first time, its glow intensifying. Noticing the change in the Crystal of Truth, everyone in the group turned to stare at me with puzzled expressions. I avoided Jung Ha-Yeong's gaze, keeping my eyes fixed on the ground—but this, too, was all part of the plan.
Of course, I could have said something like, 'Honestly, this isn't something I want to discuss in front of everyone,' or 'I'd rather not answer.' But even then, there was a chance the Crystal of Truth would react. Since I had deliberately led Jung Ha-Yeong to ask this question, any refusal to answer could be judged as a lie.
As expected, Jung Ha-Yeong's eyes narrowed even further. Like a fisherman watching their almost-caught prey, I could sense the anticipation in her gaze, making my heart pound.
"The Crystal of Truth has changed. That means you lied."
"…I have my reasons."
"You allowed me to ask this question in the first place. If you hadn't, that would be one thing—but now that you have, you need to answer. Please, don't disappoint me any further. Otherwise…"
"...."
Silence.
Seeing my expression, Jung Ha-Yeong bit her lip and fell quiet.
"I can never forget the kindness you showed us on the first day, Su-Hyeon. How could I forget the person who saved my life? After that, seeing the way you treated the others and how you led the caravan—you were, quite literally, the ideal leader. You said the Golden Lion Clan made you an offer, right? They did the same for me. And I left.
But watching you and the others… It shook me.
Yes. It felt like something you could never find in Hall Plain. It felt like… a family."
Her way of addressing me had changed again—from Player Kim Su-Hyeon to you, and now back to Su-Hyeon. I silently waited for her next words.
"I envied that. And, at the same time… I felt this excitement, this sense of hope. But… was that hope just mine alone? Was it just a foolish expectation on my part?"
Jung Ha-Yeong was now almost pleading with me.
But I chose to hesitate once more.
"This power…"
I parted my lips slightly—then closed them again.
I took a moment to gather my thoughts.
The power of Hwajung undeniably carried immense risks. That was an undeniable fact. At this moment, doubt crept into my mind. I could endure for now, but if situations like this kept piling up, how long could I hold out?
I knew.
I knew that the wisest choice would be to invest all my remaining points into Vitality.
But I couldn't let go of 101 stat points.
Throughout the ten years I spent in Hall Plain, only two players had ever reached 101 in a single stat.
And both of them had become legends.
If I invested 8 points, I could raise both Agility and Magic Power to 101.
But the stronger my abilities became, the harsher the backlash on my body.
Logic told me to invest in Vitality. But my emotions pulled me toward Agility and Magic Power.
A sudden frustration welled up inside me, and I let out a deep sigh.
I shook my head hard.
What the hell was I even thinking about in a moment like this?
When I finally lifted my gaze, I was met with Jung Ha-Yeong's face, clouded with disappointment.
She must have misunderstood my hesitation and sigh as rejection.
"…So it really was just my own expectation," She murmured. "Fine. You remove your hand from the Crystal of Truth—"
Before she could finish, I immediately spoke.
"This power is so powerful… that no human should be able to bear it."
My words cut her off.
She froze.
And in that instant, an unnatural silence fell over the room, as if even the sound of breathing had vanished.
Jung Ha-Yeong tilted her head slightly, as though turning my words over in her mind.
"That doesn't make any sense. If it's a power humans can't control, then… ah…?"
"But it's also true that this power is currently lying dormant inside me."
Her gaze naturally shifted toward the Crystal of Truth.
In that moment, I saw pure shock spread across her face.
"…No way…!"
"…Sigh. That's right. This power was never meant for humans to wield."
Her eyes widened, and her mouth slowly fell open. She raised her right hand, covering her lips—as if trying to suppress the overwhelming shock surging through her.
As expected, she was quick-witted. She had already pieced together what my words would lead to.
I really didn't want to say this.
But I had no choice.
"Yes. The power currently dormant in my body… is a double-edged sword. When I activate it, I gain immense strength. But with that strength comes incredible risk.
You must have noticed when you found me—the state I was in.
Each time I draw upon this power, my body suffers severe backlash.
The shock alone was enough to knock me unconscious."
Everyone around me was staring in absolute disbelief.
But this wasn't over yet.
I had to lead the conversation even further.
"My guardian angel opposed this power because they believed it would one day cost me my life. But I… I had no choice but to accept it. I had my reasons."
Of course, that reason was the Duke of Hell.
To stand against the Infernal Hellfire that he wielded, there was no flame greater than Hwajung.
Jung Ha-Yeong stared at me, dazed, before lowering her gaze once more to the Crystal of Truth.
Inside, the once-bright flames had now settled back into a soft, muted glow.
And at that moment, I smiled inwardly.
I glanced at Jung Ha-Yeong and the others, carefully reading their expressions.
The bait had been taken—firmly.
Now, all that was left was to time my next move perfectly and reel them in.
I could hear the others murmuring beside me, but I ignored them.
My focus was solely on Jung Ha-Yeong.
She refused to meet my gaze, doing everything she could to avoid it.
It was the first time I'd seen her shaken like this since our expedition.
My words had definitely struck deep.
Just then, I felt a gentle tug on my sleeve.
I had no choice but to turn my head.
"…Orabeoni."
Before I knew it, Sol had crawled over to me, her lips trembling as she stared up at me.
Behind her, the others—including Vivienne—stood frozen, looking completely lost.
Even Shin Sang-Yong was just standing there like an idiot, his mouth hanging open.
Seeing their faces, I felt the slightest urge to tease them. So, with a sorrowful smile, I nodded as if to reassure them that everything was fine. And in that moment, I saw tears welling up in Sol's big, round eyes. I panicked and immediately dropped the act.
Damn, is she really so scared she can't even speak?
"Ha…"
A small sigh snapped my attention back to the front.
Jung Ha-Yeong was clutching her face in both hands, looking utterly overwhelmed. She must have been struggling to process everything.
She probably wanted to say, 'I can't believe this.'
But the Crystal of Truth had already proven that my words were real.
"…I see… but… how… ah… if that's true, no—it is true, but…"
Her thoughts were in complete disarray. She mumbled half-finished sentences, lost in her own head.
Come to think of it… she said she left the Golden Lion Clan. What exactly happened back then?
A flicker of curiosity sparked in me.
She was way more shaken than I had expected. But I pushed the thought aside for now. Right now, every moment was critical. Realizing she had lost her composure, Jung Ha-Yeong slowly lowered her hands and rested her chin in her palm.
Her eyes were closed, her lips pressed into a firm line. She was deep in thought, likely trying to piece together my words and organize her own swirling emotions.
Time continued to pass.
Yet, no one in the group dared to speak carelessly.
That was perfectly fine with me.
And then—after a little more time had passed—I saw Jung Ha-Yeong slowly open her eyes.
Her hand, which had been propping up her chin, slipped limply to the ground.
Her face now carried a distinct weariness, far different from before.
For a moment, she held my gaze.
Then, in a sorrowful voice, she finally spoke. But unlike before, her tone no longer carried its usual firmness.
"…If it's not too rude, I have something I'd like to ask."
"Pulling out the Crystal of Truth in the first place was already plenty rude. And since it's still active, I'd say a few more offenses won't make much of a difference."
I shot back coldly, my expression openly displeased.
Jung Ha-Yeong's face stiffened instantly. But everything I said was true. Besides, she now held some of my personal information.
If she failed to offer appropriate compensation for what she had learned…
Then, at the very least, I would have a justifiable reason to eliminate her.
"…You're right. Everything you've said so far was the truth. I doubted you without knowing what was truly in your heart… and for that, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."
"Words that have already been spoken can never be taken back."
"That's right. The water has already been spilled. I still have many questions… but I probably don't have the right to know the answers. Still… even if I can't ask those, there's one thing I'm really curious about. You could say it's both a public question and a personal one. I know it's shameless and selfish of me to ask, but please—just this once, allow me to ask. And if you answer me, I'll break the Crystal of Truth myself."
A question that's both public and personal…
That meant it was unlikely to be about Jung Ji-Yeong. Keeping my expression indifferent, I gave a slight nod.
"Go ahead. I'll listen."
The moment I granted permission, Jung Ha-Yeong spoke without hesitation.
"Su-Hyeon…Why do you keep sacrificing yourself like this?"
"...!"
For a split second, Kim Han-Byeol's face overlapped with hers.
Memories of our conversation in the cabin resurfaced in my mind.
"Stop it. Oppa, why do you keep doing this? And why do you go out of your way to hide it? So… are you saying you're someone I can trust?"
Kim Han-Byeol had said those words before walking away.
And if my guess was right…
I was about to hear a very similar question.
Jung Ha-Yeong wasn't done yet.
She continued speaking, her voice carrying both frustration and concern.
"You said this power destroys your body the more you use it. That means you shouldn't be abusing it. That demon just now… sure, you took care of it alone. But if that was the case, why didn't you fight alongside us? Did you really have to use that power—risking your own life—all by yourself?"
"That's…"
"I understand that it was a selfless act, that it came from a good place. But this is the Hall Plain we're talking about. You know exactly what kind of place this is. You're someone who's always been able to take care of yourself. So what are you trying to achieve by doing this? What do you expect from the others—from us—when you act this way? What's your real intention? What's your goal?
Why do you keep choosing to sacrifice yourself…?
Please… answer me."
Her desperate tone made me let out a quiet sigh. But deep inside, I couldn't help but smile just a little.
Finally.
I had her right where I wanted. Relief spread through my entire body. The question Jung Ha-Yeong had just asked…
Was exactly the one I had been waiting for.
Everyone was staring at me now, their eyes burning with emotion. Savoring their gazes, I slowly parted my lips to speak.
.
.
.
.
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