Chapter 430,
Chapter 124. Crisis Elders (4)
Smarion Proch.
Jin didn’t know much about him. However, as anyone with even the slightest interest in the history of the uninhabited knows, he knew that he was close to a mutant.
Smarion was born into an ordinary peasant family.
However, since childhood, he has been good at harming humans, and the first thing he killed was his parents.
Eventually, a mythical figure who destroyed the ‘Seigarga’, who had ruled over the ghosts for hundreds of years, and planted the flag of Proch in Guigoksaeseong.
That was Smarion, the father of Lata and Fay.
‘I think Smarion died around the time Lata entered her childhood.’
It was difficult to understand the fact that the owner of this demon was Smarion.
“…what do you mean by that?”
“My father is a human who has been a demon since birth. He killed my parents himself and tried countless times to kill me and Fay as children.”
However, Smarion’s attempt to kill the Prochi siblings was an act for ‘education’, just like other assassin families or harsh shamans.
Although they don’t want to admit it, Lata and Fay didn’t know that it made them stronger. That is to say, Smarion has always been a madman with some consequences in mind.
“However, the elders who were close to me said before they died that they became the material for this seal, and at some point, something like a line completely disappeared. It really made me mad.”
Lata continued to explain.
According to the experiences of the elders of the time, it was when Ratta was about ten years old that Smarion began to ‘give a whiff’.
Smarion was originally famous as a crazy murderer, but unlike the previous ghost captain, he was famous for terribly caring for his subordinates.
That’s why the ghost crew showed infinite loyalty to Smarion, and Smarion always gave them trust.
After the ‘change’ started, the behavior gradually changed.
“They used all kinds of bizarre methods that are hard to imagine, torturing and killing the crew members and their families.”
“I’ve never heard of such bad rumors going around about the previous generation’s ghost captain.”
“Because the deceased elders thoroughly prevented any records or stories of that time from being known to the outside world. It wasn’t even that he acted viciously only with his subordinates. He said he was horribly self-injurious.”
“If the former captain of ghosts really showed signs of abnormality like that, it wouldn’t have ended just to the point of backlash.”
“It is said that there were several rebellions. Each time, it was only suppressed by my father’s overwhelming inaction. Perhaps your lord doesn’t even know that my father ever had a fight with Lord Shiron.”
“My father and the former ghost captain…?”
Jin didn’t know that there was such a secret affair between Runkandel and the Ghost Corps.
In fact, the record was not even stored as a document in Guigoksaeseong, and Runkandel remained a top secret that only the head of the household could confirm.
“I couldn’t even see it myself. It was before I was even born. However, the fight continued for a full day, and in the end the victory belonged to Lord Shiron, but for some reason he did not take my father’s head.”
Shiron doesn’t take the head of the loser.
Jin couldn’t easily imagine such a scene, but he thought it would be possible because Shiron was also young at the time.
“Since then, Sir Shiron has often visited this hometown. I would work on a masterpiece with my father or talk about this and that.”
“…Is that true?”
“I don’t know about the fight that lasted all day, but Fay and I saw Lord Shiron and my father drinking alcohol several times.”
Chiron is talking with someone, giving and receiving a drink.
It was also a difficult figure for Jin to draw.
“At that time, even that crazy man became a pretty benevolent father. I laughed a lot while sitting my brother and sister on my lap.”
“It will be a good memory for you.”
“Now that I think about it, it seems that my father wanted to look good for Sir Shiron.”
“Do you remember what the two of you usually talked about?”
What happened between her father Shiron Runkandel and Smarion Froch? In the midst of a terrible ghost piercing his whole body, intense curiosity arose.
“I was too young, so I remember very little. but.”
Lata continued talking while looking at the red seal.
“There is one scene that I remember very clearly. I was sitting next to Fay and eating sweets for the first time in a long time, and Sir Shiron watched me for a while and then asked my father this question.”
-Smarion. Is it okay these days?
“that…?”
“And to that, my father replied:”
– There’s no way it’ll be okay, Shiron. As you know, I don’t have much time left.
“When my father finally became a complete monster like that, when the elders who cared for me became the material for the seal. Abby was madly resentful. Still, somehow, that scene came to mind. That’s the look of my father who said that there isn’t much time left.”
At that point, the sense of déjà vu soared.
On the day he returned from Lapla Rosa and became a jockey, Jin also heard the same thing from Shiron.
‘I don’t have much time. What does that mean…?’
At the time, I didn’t pay much attention to that.
To be precise, instead of worrying about why Shiron didn’t have much time left, he put more importance on the meaning contained in the words.
He focused on the conclusion that he had to become a head of household before the time for poetry theory ran out.
Smarion. Is it okay these days?
that.
I suddenly thought that ‘it’ might be the link between Shiron and Smarion.
‘What if Smarion became a monster due to something his father called it, and his father also has the same problem…?’
Perhaps that’s why Chiron and Smarion often interacted.
As I thought about it, a frightening and terrible assumption came to mind.
‘Father… can be a monster. Like the Smarion Proch beyond this seal.’
I couldn’t shake off that assumption all the more because of the part where Smarion said ‘you know’. I usually only say that when I know the other person is going through it too.
My heart was pounding with both bats and my blood vessels were accelerating.
“Haven’t you heard what Sir Ratha’s father said?”
“Unfortunately, no. I’ve asked the dead elders a few times, but they didn’t know either. Only Sir Shiron would know.”
Black Sea.
It has something to do with that dark land.
I was so sure. It must be deeply related to the reason why Shiron is so obsessed with the Black Sea.
‘The reason why my father is obsessed with the Black Sea and what he is looking for there can only be heard when Sister Luna returns.’
And the monster beyond this red seal could also be a clue. Of course, it’s the biggest weakness of the ghost squad before the possibility of being a clue.
Jin organized his thoughts and met Lata’s eyes.
“I can’t ask my father right now, so we need to find out what it is.”
“Yes sir.”
“But more urgent than that are the elders who ran away. They not only hold information about this seal, but they also know that Sir and I are blood allies.”
If possible, Jin did not want to announce to the world that the Ghost Corps had become his power for the time being.
It wouldn’t be too bad to know, but it was because I wanted to reveal how much ‘Jin Runkandel’s power’ was after I grew up a little more.
In particular, it was necessary to keep the window of exchange with external forces open while pretending to be neutral.
“That’s right.”
“The problem is bigger than expected. There’s a good chance you’ve already surrendered… but let’s hope you haven’t yet. From Zipline Kinzelo to the Imperial Family or Runcandel. If even one of them breaks this seal and invades Guigoksaeseong, there is no answer.”
“You have no face, my lord.”
“I will go back immediately and sow people. Hand over the map showing the expected flight route and all information about the traitors.”
“All right.”
“And Sir Lata.”
“Tell me, lord.”
Jin smiled and spoke behind his back.
“I wish you well in the future.”
“I am.”
* * *
Meanwhile, while Jin received an oath of allegiance to Lata and the Ghost Corps at Guigoksaeseong.
The elders of Runkandel were holding another somber meeting. The light fell on the instep. You have fallen into a situation where such a proverb fits.
“I didn’t know that the acting head of household would come out like that.”
“You cannot do this. How much blood have we shed for the acting head?”
“To prove the significance and value of the Heo Elders’ Association… What more do we have to do!”
Squeak!
The door opened as the elders spat out words one by one in frustration.
“Are you here, Chief Elder!”
“Chief Elder!”
“Chief, did you hear what happened…”
The newcomer was Chief Jorden Runcandel. The elders were eagerly awaiting his arrival.
It was because he believed that Jorden would somehow overcome this situation.
Had it not been for the recent series of events centered on Jin.
Jorden must have been very satisfied with the sight of these old ghosts waiting for him like baby birds. In the meantime, I couldn’t make a proper judgment because I was drunk with the sweet desire for recognition they filled.
But not anymore.
‘Because
they look like these pathetic bastards.
Since when?
Since when did the sharpest swords in Runkandel come to this point… It felt as if all the bones in my chest were being shattered by the piercing doubts and remorse.
In my mind, I want to cut down all these rotten cuts right now.
Jorden never forgot that they were the biggest support base he had left. And the fact that he, too, had been steeped in inertia from some moment, although not as much as them.
‘Me and you guys. Renovate and become part of Runkandel again!’
Otherwise, the time has come when ascending to the throne and even surviving in the Garden of Swords is uncertain.
“I cannot help but be disappointed in you and myself.”
“Chief Elder…?”
Jorden changed his eyes and looked at the elders.
“I think the time has come to recover lost wildness and spirit. At this rate, we will be weeded out and disappear. As of today, the Senate will never have a safe fight, so let those who are afraid fall in advance.”
