NOVEL NEXT Chapter 68
Chapter 68
Veronica was busy trying to understand what was happening. Just as she stepped outside, Nahun instructed her to come in after less than five minutes.
When she entered, three out of the seven people who had been there moments ago had disappeared. And the room was filled with pieces of flesh and blood of an unknown origin.
“Um…”
“What?”
“Oh, never mind.”
Veronica instinctively realized that now was not the time to ask questions. She simply stayed close to Nahun. After glancing at her, Nahun wiped the blood off his cheek.
He then looked at the four Lords still seated at the table, who were effectively under Nahun’s control. He pointed to the Lord who had dissuaded Roselia moments ago and spoke.
“I hope you can guide us to where the progenitor is.”
“Y-Yes! I will guide you immediately! But… I need to prepare to meet the progenitor. Can I take a moment?”
“Sure.”
As Veronica observed the completely changed attitude of the Lords, she felt a slight chill. She could sense that something significant had happened because of Nahun.
“Um, sir…”
“Sir?”
As Nahun narrowed his eyes, Veronica flapped her hands in confusion.
“Oh, no! So, how should I address you?”
“Nahun.”
“Nahun-nim!”
“Yes.”
“I won’t ask for bread anymore.”
When Nahun looked at her as if to question what she was saying, Veronica took a small step back.
“Why are you running away?”
“Oh, no…”
“Are you afraid I might kill you?”
“…!”
Nahun sighed. He relaxed the stern look he had before. Seeing the scene he had caused, he understood what Veronica might be feeling. When he raised his hand, Veronica squeezed her eyes shut.
With a light pat on her head, he spoke.
“Don’t worry. You won’t end up like that.”
“Really?”
“Yes. As long as you remain loyal to Seere, it won’t happen.”
“But what happens if I’m not loyal…?”
“Before anything happens to me, you’d probably be killed by Seere.”
“Eek!”
When Veronica immediately flinched, Nahun chuckled lightly.
“So just act loyally. Then Seere won’t say anything extra.”
“Yes…”
“By the way, you’ve never met the progenitor, right?”
“Of course. There have been a few times they’ve awakened, but the progenitor could only meet the Lords.”
“I see.”
Nahun was about to ask what the progenitor looked like when Veronica, not knowing, spoke up.
“Hey.”
“Is that what you mean?”
“What’s your name?”
“It’s Nilbana!”
“Nilbana, let me ask you something. What does the progenitor look like?”
“Eh, you mean their appearance?”
“Yes.”
The reason for this question was simple. He wanted to know if the progenitor looked similar to what he saw in the game. Since there were several changes because of his involvement, the appearance and personality of the characters might have changed too.
Nilbana began to praise the progenitor’s appearance in detail.
“They have brilliant platinum hair like the moon with pure red eyes, flawless skin like jade, a sharp jawline, and shoulders that form a beautiful curve…”
“Okay, that’s enough. So basically, you’re saying the progenitor is a platinum-haired woman with red eyes?”
“…Yes.”
The appearance hadn’t changed much. It seemed that the only difference due to his involvement was in the story’s progression. Thus, it was highly likely that the personality hadn’t changed either.
“By the way, when will we be there?”
“Ah, the progenitor rests in a coffin usually kept in the Moonlit Lake. It will probably take some time to retrieve it.”
“So it hasn’t run away.”
“R-Run away? That’s absurd!”
Moments later, the door opened, and the Lord who had stepped out earlier returned.
“All preparations are complete…”
“Let’s go.”
“…Yes.”
Nahun and Veronica followed one of the vampire lords, Alberon, down towards the underground castle of their kin. On the way, they saw the Moonlit Lake, which Lord Nilbana had mentioned.
The coffin, which had originally been submerged in that lake, had been transferred to the underground area. The reason for keeping the coffin beneath the Moonlit Lake was to preserve the progenitor’s body in eternal slumber, though Nahun didn’t know the exact principle behind it. He just accepted it as such.
Nahun asked Alberon.
“Do I just feed the progenitor moon blood?”
“That’s correct. When the moon blood is broken, it will revert to its original form… that is, turn into blood. You just need to let it flow into the progenitor’s mouth.”
There wasn’t anything different from his previous knowledge. Nahun nodded and silently followed Alberon deeper into the underground.
“This is the area of the progenitor. Once you enter, you may feel a bit of pressure, but it’s not a problem; it’s simply the progenitor’s magic leaking out, so please understand.”
“I got it. Is it necessary for a Lord to be present when awakening the progenitor?”
“It’s not absolutely necessary, but it might be that the progenitor wouldn’t perceive you as ‘foes’ without my presence…”
“Then that would be better.”
Alberon explained all the precautions before grabbing the handle of the door.
“I will open it.”
As the sturdy doors opened, Veronica flinched and shuddered. A powerful pressure of magic from beyond the door reached them. There was a reason for Alberon’s warning to be cautious.
“…Nahun-nim.”
“Hmm?”
“Can’t I just not go in?”
“Why wouldn’t you want to see the progenitor?”
“Ugh…”
Veronica felt a conflict between her desire to see her progenitor at least once and her wish to escape the current pressure. As she hesitated, Nahun turned to Alberon for clarification.
“Alberon. When do you usually feel that pressure?”
“…Pardon?”
“You said it feels that way when you get close, right?”
“Right now… don’t you feel anything?”
Nahun tilted his head. Contrary to Alberon’s statement, he felt nothing at all. After checking Veronica’s expression, he became convinced that his reaction was abnormal.
‘This is what happens when the Great Demon is involved…’
Nahun avoided answering Alberon’s question.
“Let’s just enter.”
“Ah, yes…”
Following Alberon, Nahun entered the inner area, where he found a large coffin resting gently. Considering that the colors of most coffins are generally black or brown, the progenitor’s coffin was peculiar in its pure white color.
‘Just sleeping, indicating that she hasn’t died.’
Alberon carefully reached out and opened the white coffin. Upon seeing the progenitor lying peacefully with her eyes closed, Nahun and Veronica couldn’t help but marvel.
‘So that’s why Nilbana was so overly excited.’
With hair that resembled jewels of platinum, skin as white as snow, distinct facial features that highlighted her beauty, even someone like Nahun, who had seen many beautiful women, couldn’t help but admire her.
‘Like a work of art.’
It felt less like looking at a person and more like admiring a well-crafted sculpture. The lack of color might have enhanced that impression. Similar to how he felt upon meeting Seere for the first time, Nahun experienced a twinge of nostalgia.
While Nahun was lost in thought, Veronica spoke up.
“She’s incredibly beautiful…”
Nahun nodded in agreement, but he soon found himself dumbfounded by Veronica’s next words.
“That’s why I must be beautiful too.”
“What are you suddenly talking about…?”
“Eh, am I not pretty? Strange men have been telling me I’m pretty since forever.”
What kind of life had this child lived? Nahun felt a mix of incredulity and pity. What had those strangers implied when they complimented her? Luckily, she had not been harmed because she was a vampire…
‘…No matter where you go, there are always irredeemable wastes.’
Nahun let out a brief sigh and pushed aside his wandering thoughts. He had things to do first. As Alberon had instructed, Nahun proceeded.
Crack!
When Nahun broke the moon blood with his bare hands, the shards scattered and strangely began to transform into liquid. As the blood dripped from his hand onto the progenitor’s pale lips, it fell in droplets.
Once the blood stopped flowing from his hand, a transformation occurred. The previously pale lips and cheeks flushed with color, and the body, which had seemed lifeless, slowly began to stir. She started to breathe again.
‘This is fascinating.’
Isn’t this what a frozen human project looks like in movies? Nahun watched the process with intrigue, as if witnessing something miraculous.
As soon as clear breaths could be heard, the previously closed eyelids fluttered. When the progenitor slowly opened her eyes, Nahun and Veronica couldn’t help but gasp in awe once more.
“Wow…”
‘With her eyes open and color returning, she feels closer to a goddess than a mere work of art.’
She was that beautiful. One could argue she could compete with Seere. Nahun thought so. The progenitor, after briefly blinking, looked over Nahun, Veronica, and Alberon.
“Alberon.”
“Yes, great progenitor.”
“Are these guests?”
“That is correct.”
The progenitor opened her eyes fully and looked at Nahun. With a slightly stiff voice, she spoke to Alberon.
“Alberon, you really… surprise me every time.”
“Pardon?”
“I never expected you to bring someone like this.”
The progenitor arose from the coffin, smoothly gliding out. Although she had moved of her own accord, the action was so natural that everyone stood in awe.
“Hmm?”
She naturally stepped in front of Nahun, then knelt and bowed her head in greeting.
“Young lady, I meet a great being.”
Alberon was taken aback, and Veronica gasped in shock. The progenitor, whom they had thought to be the greatest of all, kneeled before Nahun.
As for Nahun himself…
“…Huh???”
He was utterly bewildered.