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It was the day before Greed’s Bicentennial Memory Presentation Party that he discovered the world.
He tilted his head, his golden eyes looking at the familiar-looking planet made primarily of blue waters and dotted with a motley of large continents.
It wasn’t the strangest-looking world in the First Source. Greed indeed had seen weirder ones – one filled with goosebump-enducing tentacled creatures and another that can be described as a chunk of land floating in space.
It wasn’t unique either; Greed was pretty sure his own home planet was very similar to this one, hence, the familiarity.
Very very similar, in fact, that in this newly discovered world, he sensed–
Himself.
Huh?
He looked down on his form, counting his ten nimble fingers and toes. He ran his fingers through his short dark hair, pinched his pierced ears, and checked each of his teeth with his tongue. He lifted his dark-blue pajama shirt and checked his organs; he found them all still inside him. The long golden chain wrapped loosely around his wrists and draped over his shoulders and head rattled as he continued checking himself over.
A frown pinched his brows; he wasn’t missing anything. So why was he sensing something of himself on that planet?
Hmm.
Surely, it couldn’t hurt to take a quick look?
Go back home! Greed could hear Flame’s voice urging him, serving as his rational side.
But what if there’s something entertaining down there? On the other side, Greed had Chain’s voice pulling him towards mischief. The chains lazily lounging atop his head patted his hair as if in agreement.
As a compromise, maybe he should call one of his family members over to explore with him?
They were all busy preparing for the party though – the one party Greed wasn’t allowed to help with because “This day is all about you, how can we let the celebrant help with the preparations!?”
Greed would have to wait for days before being allowed to come back here. And all the while, this world with a sense of himself would be the only thing on his mind.
All right. Just a quick look. I’ll come back before the others even know I’m gone.
Besides, Greed might be the weakest Transcendent among them but surely no mortal in this world could hurt him. Not fatally, anyway. Well, probably.
As a planet created by the First Source, its barrier against Transcendents was weak. With a Transcendent of miniscule power like Greed, the barrier barely even registered him as an invader of the world. Greed took a moment to feel offended at that.
As he landed barefooted on a dark alleyway with clinking of chains, he wrapped his essence even further into himself, ensuring he feels as mortal as the rest of the creatures here.
He peered out of the alleyway and took in the city before him with wide golden eyes. The creatures were like him and his family, bipedal with ten fingers and ten toes and hair! The buildings and artifacts and transportation equipment also induced a sense of familiarity within him. Greed’s home world must have had these things as well.
He padded out of the alleyway and into the streets, head turning left and right, not wanting to miss anything – the enormous lights flickering with colorful moving pictures, the rushing people with eyes glued to their communication devices, the smell of grilled and smoky food.
Droplet told him they left their home planet more than three thousand years ago. If they come back to it now, it would be nothing like they left it. The scenes before Greed sparked embers of memories long gone, and he knew their home planet was like this when they lived there.
But how could this be?
Now that Greed was inside the world, he sensed that this world was newly born from the First Source, not even three days old! The civilization seemed fully formed and, judging by the various advertisements about Awakening Centers, dungeons and awakeners had already infiltrated this world.
The First World had been slowing down its world consumption in the past hundred years, so there was no way dungeons could appear on such a newly formed world. Had something gone wrong?
Unease creeped through Greed. Maybe he should leave?
He shook his head; no, he was already here. And he was a Transcendent, more powerful than anyone on this planet. No reason to worry.
Greed mentally noted his questions and planned to ask Elder Chaos later.
For now, he decided to focus on his original goal – which was to find the piece of himself in this world. Just a quick look, and then he would leave promptly.
He walked down the streets, following the tug that directed him to where his piece could be.
Whispers accompanied him in his wake.
“...the hell? Pajamas?”
“Some sort of cosplay?”
“With those chains? What a brave soul.”
“Is it really okay to go barefoot like that?”
“He looks familiar…”
“S-SF!”
“SF!?”
“It’s him!”
“But the eyes–?”
“It can’t be him.”
Greed couldn’t help but let his eyes wander, taking in the familiar sights he had no memories of. He complied with the mortals’ customs, pausing in the sidewalk and waiting until the blinking signage turned green. Then, he trudged along with the other mortals to cross the white-striped area of the street, his steps light and without sound.
Several minutes into his journey and just a small distance away from the location of a presence similar to him, a hand grasped his shoulder.
Startled, Greed turned around to face the owner of said hand. He met the equally startled gaze of a mortal with the exact same features as —
“Eclipse?” Greed blurted out in surprise to see a family member here.
Except, wait, it wasn’t him. Greed squinted, leaning closer; he didn’t feel Eclipse’s presence in this mortal.
The Eclipse-looking mortal flinched away as if Greed had slapped him. Then, the mortal, dressed in a dark suit, scrutinized Greed with a severe frown. The mortal’s dark eyes flitted to Greed’s golden ones.
“Han Yoojin-ssi?” the mortal asked, wariness vibrating from his countenance.
Greed blinked rapidly. The name sparked embers in his brain but no solid memories came forth to explain. “I am called Greed,” he said instead.
The mortal’s frown deepened but he replied, “I am Song Taewon, Chief of the Awakening Management Office.” He pursed his lips in a thin line. “Am I correct in assuming you are a Transcendent?”
Greed’s mouth dropped open. This world knew about Transcendents? A world three days old? He supposed it made sense, seeing as dungeons and Awakeners were already common knowledge.
Greed nodded in a daze. “I am.”
“Why have you possessed Director Han Yoojin?” Song Taewon continued questioning. “What is your aim?”
Possessed? Before Greed could clarify, the steps of another mortal approached purposely.
“My, my, what happened to my partner?”
Greed snapped his head up at the familiar voice. Striding over was a man with faded hair in a beige overcoat and dark dress shirt. Greed also realized that the streets around him were nearly deserted, with barely any mortals around.
Golden eyes met golden eyes of the exact same shade.
“Chain?” Greed blurted out. Except, it wasn’t him. Chain didn’t have golden eyes. Their features might be exactly the same but Greed can sense no presence of Chain within this man as well.
What was going on? One family member may be a coincidence but two?
The flaxen-haired mortal tilted his head at the address. His golden eyes traced the chains wrapped protectively around Greed with a curious glint.
Suddenly, the man summoned his own set of golden chain links and aimed them at Greed. Song Taewon grasped the attacking chain links before it could reach Greed.
“Please cease this, Sung Hyunjae-ssi. This body is still Han Yoojin-ssi’s,” Song Taewon told the Chain-looking mortal.
The blond mortal called Sung Hyunjae smiled. “Is it? I just had a call with the Hayeon Guildmaster and confirmed Han Yoojin-gun is currently inside the Dodam Breeding Facility building.” His golden eyes returned to Greed.
“Does this Han Yoojin look like me?” Greed asked. If Greed was being mistaken for the aforementioned mortal, then it was likely he was the piece Greed was looking for.
Song Taewon once again pursed his lips before releasing Sung Hyunjae’s chain links. Unexpectedly, the golden-eyed man’s chains headed for Greed again; this time, electricity crackled along the length of the metal.
Greed’s chains voided the current with a simple twist and swatted it away with barely any force. Greed’s chains then returned peacefully to their places around his shoulders and atop his hair.
“Why are you attacking me?” Greed questioned with an indignant frown. He didn’t think he had done anything rude enough to warrant it.
Something akin to surprise flitted by the eyes of Sung Hyunjae. For now, he paused his attacks. “Apologies. I was just curious about your chains.” Again, he smiled that smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
Greed had seen that exact expression on Chain thousands of times, and he wasn’t fooled by it. “You’re not sorry at all. You could’ve just asked.” Greed rubbed the portion of chain links slithered around his right wrist. “It’s a gift from a family member so be careful with it.” He unwrapped the chains around him and held it out to the curious mortal.
The air stilled around the three of them. Then, slowly, the mortal called Sung Hyunjae took the chains from Greed’s hands. Those golden eyes remained on Greed’s face all the while.
“I must say; I’m surprised you easily handed them to me.” Sung Hyunjae grasped the chain links but did little else to observe them.
Greed tilted his head. “You said you were curious. Forge said we should encourage mortals’ curiosity.”
“Oh. Mortal, huh.” Sung Hyunjae handed back the chains with an amused smile.
Greed accepted it with a frown; this Sung Hyunjae barely even looked at it. Was he really curious? Greed’s chain duly wrapped around him once more, settling calmly and without fuss.
“Greed-ssi,” Song Taewon started cautiously, drawing Greed’s attention back to him. “May I ask what is your purpose here?”
“I think I lost something in this world,” Greed confessed. “I believe the mortal who looks like me has it. Can you take me to him?” It would be faster than trying to find the piece through his senses.
Song Taewon’s expression darkened.
Sung Hyunjae lifted a brow, delight evident in his tone. “You want us to lead you, an unknown man with suspicious motives, to our beloved Han Yoojin-gun?”
Greed ran over the sentence in his mind and found nothing wrong with it. “Yes,” he replied with a nod.
Ah, Transcendents were supposed to exchange something when they ask for favors.
Forge told him an equivalent reward must always be given, no more, no less. Greed thought he might have done similar exchanges in the past with other mortals but those memories were out of his grasp for now.
Greed searched in his subspace. He brought forth the two portions of blueberry pudding Chain made for him just this morning. He was saving it for later but he could always ask Chain to make him more.
He presented the pudding to both mortals, feeling slightly awkward. “I’ll give this to you if you take me to him.” To entice them further, Greed added, “It’s made with mana sugar. It’s healthy.”
Song Taewon began, “We cannot–”
Sung Hyunjae took both the proffered pudding, his fingers brushing against Greed’s. “How could we refuse such a tempting offer?”
~O~
The mortal called Song Taewon didn’t seem to want Greed anywhere near the one named Han Yoojin. As Sung Hyunjae led the way to somewhere called ‘Dodam Breeding Facility’, Song Taewon attempted to stop him and failed.
The actions truly reminded Greed of Chain and Eclipse’s interactions. If Song Taewon had been Eclipse, Greed would have scolded Chain and forced him not to give Eclipse undue stress. As it was, Greed obediently followed behind Sung Hyunjae.
“Hunter Sung Hyunjae, please cease this.”
“Chief Taewon, don’t worry.” Sung Hyunjae happily took another spoonful of the blueberry pudding. “I’m sure Greed-gun doesn't mean any harm to anyone in Dodam.”
Oh, was that what Song Taewon was worried about?
Greed nodded rapidly. “I mean no harm to anyone in this world.”
Song Taewon didn’t look convinced. “What of the avatar you’re currently using?”
“Avatar?” Greed looked down on himself and dusted off a leaf clinging to his pajamas. “I’m not using an avatar.”
Before Greed could clarify further, Sung Hyunje slammed a door open and called out, “Han Yoojin-gun, we’ve brought a very special guest~.”
“What the hell!?” was what greeted Greed as he entered a dome building claiming to be the ‘Dodam Breeding Facility’
A mortal, supposedly Han Yoojin, pointed a finger at Greed, jaw dropped and eyes wide. This Han Yoojin has Greed’s stature, hair, mouth, body – all the same as Greed’s except for his eyes which were dark obsidian compared to Greed’s golden ones.
“Who the hell is he, and why did you bring him here?” the man screeched at Sung Hyunjae, his arms cradling a horned flame lion. “And you didn’t even give him shoes!?”
On the mortal’s left stood a figure similar to Flame. On his right, meanwhile, another man with Angel’s features frowned and readied his stance. Greed was endlessly fascinated to see people looking so much like his family members but not quite. What on earth is this world?
“Please understand, Han Yoojin-gun. They offered me pudding if I brought them here. I couldn’t refuse,” Sung Hyunjae said before taking another spoonful of said pudding.
“Apologies, Han Yoojin-ssi. I wasn’t able to give you ample warning.” Song Taewon stepped in front of Greed, blocking Greed’s view and path.
Flame’s twin glanced between Greed and Han Yoojin. Confusion furrowed his brows. “Hyung…He feels like you.”
“What?”
Han Yoojin squinted at Greed. Greed blinked back, observing him over Song Taewon’s shoulder.
This mortal was truly a piece of him. Of course they would have the same presence.
“My family calls me Greed,” Greed introduced himself.
Well, not quite. Memories weren’t quite Greed’s forte. He was pretty sure his family called him a different name but ‘Greed’ was the easiest thing for him to remember so he always referred to himself as such.
“Greed…?” Han Yoojin repeated.
Greed scratched his cheek, heat running through the back of his neck in mortification before revealing his epithet, “King of Endless Greed. Guardian of Sacrifice and Flame’s Only World.”
Aghh, so embarrassing. Greed lamented that his title was the only thing that would stick to his memory.
“You’re a Transcendent!?” Han Yoojin exclaimed, clutching the horned flame lion in his arms tightly.
The mortals with Flame’s and Angel’s features stepped forward to shield him.
“Greed-gun had promised he meant no harm,” Sung Hyunjae said with a bright smile before finishing off his pudding. He discarded the spoon and container into his inventory with a flick of his fingers.
“Yes,” Greed admitted easily. “One of the puddings is for your companion, by the way.” Greed couldn’t help but remind him.
Sung Hyunjae sighed in disappointment before fetching the untouched pudding from his inventory and handing it to Song Taewon. Helpless, Song Taewon could do nothing but accept it and awkwardly hold it.
Greed nodded and continued, “I sensed a presence similar to mine in this world so I just wanted to check.”
“You mentioned you weren’t using an avatar.” Sung Hyunjae placed his hands in his pockets. “Did you give up your Transcendent abilities just ‘to check?’” He asked with a not-smile.
“Give up…? No. Why would I give that up?” Greed couldn’t help but shoot the man an indignant look. Greed might be weak but giving up his Transcendence meant he wouldn’t live as long as his family. “This is my real form.”
“But how could you – the barrier should have prevented you from breaking through!” Han Yoojin appeared to be in the midst of hyperventilating. Greed had those moments as well but not recently; was that the piece of himself that split off? “Did you destroy the barrier of our world!?”
Greed slowed his speech to calm the mortal down. “Worlds in the First Source always had weak barriers so we could always enter these worlds in our real forms. But don’t worry, my family and I guard the worlds in the First Source so no other Transcendents would invade or disrupt your world.”
Greed then realized he did invade their world. “Um. I mean no harm. I just really wanted to check why I had a presence here. Then, I’ll leave.” Oh god, Elder Chaos is going to pinch his ears red for this.
“You’re saying we’re in the First Source?” Han Yoojin frowned. “But Newbie said we’re in the Fifth Source.”
Flame’s twin warily asked, “What are you planning to do?
“I told you; I just want to check.” Greed gestured at the mortal who bore his face. “I don’t feel incomplete but it’s undeniable he is a part of me. I want to check which one.”
“And are you planning to take it back?” Sung Hyunjae asked, still maintaining that not-smile.
Greed considered that for a long moment. He glances at everyone in the room, at the familiar faces showing familiar concern. Greed suddenly inexplicably missed his own family.
“I guess I can let you keep it. Until you pass away naturally,” Greed said, unable to do otherwise. How could he steal from such a united and harmonious family? It’s blatantly clear his piece in this world was well-loved.
However, he had to keep this a secret from his own family. If this piece was important to his well-being, they might do something drastic to bring it back to him.
“So can I check?” It’s better if he found out if it’s trivial or not for himself.
Han Yoojin stared at him with scrutinizing black eyes. Then, hesitantly, he relented, “All right. But in exchange, you’ll answer some questions for us.”
“Hyung!”
“Yoojin-ssi!”
“Kyaaang!”
The horned flame lion in the mortal’s arms also voiced out its protest.
“Enough, enough, I have you guys here. What do I have to worry about?” Han Yoojin declared confidently. “But just in case…” He fished out his communication device. He shot Greed a challenging look. “I’m sure you wouldn’t mind if I call a couple more people over?”
~O~
Han Yoojin handed him slippers.
“Who goes around barefoot – Hey, you should wash – Huh? Your feet’s not dirty.”
Greed slipped on the fluffy pink footwear with bunny ears, deciding to follow this world’s customs. “Why would my feet be dirty?”
Han Yoojin sighed. “Of course. You’re a Transcendent after all. Why are you in pajamas?”
“They’re comfortable.”
“...Well, I can’t deny that.”
Han Yoojin and the others led him to a room containing a long table and benches. Eventually, Greed found himself seated on one side of a long table.
He watched as mortals with familiar faces but not familiar presences filter in one-by-one in the room. He stared at them, wide-eyed and not a little bit shocked. What on earth of this world with just not a copy of him but also most of his family members?
Sung Hyunjae summoned a plate of cookies and a glass of milk from somewhere and placed them in front of Greed.
“...What the hell are you doing, Sung Hyunjae?” Han Yoojin gave the other mortal an incredulous look.
“It’s rude not to at least present our guest with snacks,” Sung Hyunjae replied with a disarming smile.
Greed nibbled on one of the cookies and thought, Not as good as Forge’s cookies.
“And you’re just eating it!?” Han Yoojin screamed at Greed with an accusing tone. “What if he poisoned those cookies?”
Greed paused. He frowned at Sung Hyunjae. “Did you?”
“Of course not. That would be rather rude, wouldn’t it?” Sung Hyunjae denied it easily.
“It would be.” Greed continued chomping on the cookie, reassured.
“What kind of Transcendent are you…” Han Yoojin murmured with a note of disbelief.
Greed didn’t think it was such a big deal. He was reassured precisely because he was a Transcendent. There was no mortal potion or poison that could harm him.
Eventually, all the mortals who needed to come had arrived. The door closed behind the last mortal with a click.
Greed found himself alone on one side of the table while the rest stood and seated themselves on the other side. Greed found this treatment unfair but he supposed he did kind of enter their world without permission so they had the right to group up against him.
The chain links around his shoulders slithered slowly in a comforting gesture. Greed patted it before fetching another cookie. Just because it didn’t taste as good as Forge’s cookies didn’t mean he should waste it.
Every eye in the room sharply honed in to the chain’s movements.
“Uh, what’s with the chain around you anyway?” Han Yoojin asked, looking uncomfortable.
“It’s a gift from a family member,” Greed repeated.
“And you just wrap that around you like that…?”
Greed blinked at him. “What else am I supposed to do with it?”
Han Yoojin looked perplexed at his response.
“Chain gifted it to you?” Sung Hyunjae prodded after setting down the teacup he was sipping from. “One who looks like me.”
Greed was somewhat amazed at his insight and showed it. This mortal was really just like Chain. “That’s right. You do look like him, except your eyes.”
“My eyes?” Golden eyes curved into crescents.
“Wait, a guy named Chain gave you chains?” The mortal who looked like a very young Droplet wheezed out a laugh.
“Yerim,” Han Yoojin scolded.
“Yerim,” Greed repeated slowly, the name familiar on his tongue.
Everyone bristled as he did so, as if he had punched someone innocent in the face in front of them. Greed finished his second cookie and reached for a third. Flame was going to nag him for eating too many snacks but luckily, Flame wouldn’t ever know.
“Uh, yeah, that’s my name, ahjussi,” Droplet’s counterpart, Yerim, eventually responded after a long silence. “You’re called Greed, right?”
“Yes. I call Chain exactly that because he gave me these chains,” Greed answered Yerim’s earlier question. “I don’t remember his actual name.”
“Uh, I thought he was a family member, ahjussi?”
Greed dipped his third cookie into the milk and took a bite. “I don’t have a good memory.”
“Mayhap his name is also the same as mine?” Sung Hyunjae suggested casually.
Greed wrinkled his nose at that but – “Sung Hyunjae.” He tested it out loud. Surprisingly, the name did sound familiar. So, it must be the name of a family member. “It does seem right.”
“Oh?” Interests piqued, Sung Hyunjae asked, “By any chance, would your real name be Han Yoojin?”
Greed looked at the mortal named Han Yoojin. Except for the black eyes, the mortal did really look like him; could they also share the same name?
Greed furrowed his brows. “Han Yoojin,” he repeated out loud. Then, he shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t really remember.”
“And that doesn’t bother you?” Han Yoojin asked, sounding exasperated. “That you don’t even know your own name?”
“My family doesn’t mind,” Greed said. His family members continuously assured him that forgetting their name and his own wasn’t a concern at all. So Greed chose not dwell on it.
“I’ll remember tomorrow anyway,” Greed continued. “We hold a Memory Presentation Party every two hundred years. They give me memory orbs so I can recall the important stuff.”
The mortals looked at Greed with utmost disbelief, as if the idea of such a party was too ridiculous to comprehend. Well, mortals really wouldn’t fully understand how it was to be a Transcendent.
“They hold your memories hostage?” the mortal who shared Forge’s features asked, his gaze slightly pitying.
“No,” Greed denied, offended on his family’s behalf. “I’ve lived for around three thousand years now. Droplet told me my mind can’t handle so many years of memories so I forget some things. Forge said it’s because my stats were still too low when I became a Transcendent so my brain couldn’t hold much.”
“Droplet?” Han Yoojin sat up, alert. The horned flame lion on his lap mewed out a protest. “Park Yerim?”
Greed blinked rapidly. “Yes. I think that’s her name.”
“Forge – Yoo Myungwoo,” Forge’s twin stated as a fact, pointing to himself.
Greed glanced at them. “Do you know my family?”
None of his family members ever mentioned this strange world in the First Source. Unless they did, and Greed just forgot. But this world was just three days old; Greed’s memory wasn’t that bad.
Han Yoojin ran a hand through his hair. “What the hell is this? Your family are all Transcendents?”
Greed smiled at the fox-shaped cookie in the pile. “Of course they are.” He bit off one of the ears.
They seemed pretty stunned at the revelation.
Han Yoojin pointed at the man who looked like Flame. “Do you have a little brother that looks like him?”
Greed nodded. “Flame.”
“And your title is ‘Flame’s Only World’.” Flame’s counterpart appeared utterly pleased by that.
Greed recalled Flame being just as pleased whenever Greed’s epithet is mentioned.
Han Yoojin slapped his brother's shoulder, embarrassment flushing his cheeks. “Yoohyun-ah, arggh.”
“Hyung, it’s not embarrassing,” Flame’s twin, Yoohyun, coaxed.
Angel’s counterpart asked for what Greed called him.
When Greed said, “Angel,” the mortal blushed.
“Awww, Noah-ssi,” Yerim teased. “What about Chief Taewon?”
“Eclipse.”
At Greed’s words, the atmosphere suddenly plummeted. Greed took the chance to take another cookie.
“Why–Why do you call me that?” the mortal called Chief Taewon asked.
Greed looked up in thought, trying to recall. “The Failed Eclipse. The Seed of Protection and Selflessness. King Trapped in Service and Sacrifice.”
“The Failed Eclipse,” Han Yoojin breathed out. “What happened to Sung Hyunjae then? And Crescent Moon?”
“Chain’s preparing for my party,” Greed answered.
Judging by the incredulous shot his way, it wasn’t the answer they wanted. Greed didn’t know what else he could say. Chain was the main chef so he couldn’t be doing anything else.
“Crescent Moon’s domain is in the Fifth Source. We don’t meet much.”
“You said we’re in the First Source,” Han Yoojin says cautiously. “But a Transcendent called Newbie said we’re in the Fifth Source.”
Greed shrugged. “I don’t know any Transcendent named Newbie. You couldn’t be in the Fifth Source – no new worlds have been created there since Bin-ie was born.”
Greed went for his fifth cookie. Or he would have if chains didn’t tighten around his wrist, rendering it immobile. Greed murmured, “Just one more couldn’t hurt.” The chain didn’t relent so Greed sadly sat back in his chair, pitifully looking at the cookies.
“That chain is sentient?” the red-haired woman leaning against the wall spoke for the first time. “What about me, what do you call me?”
“Chains can’t be sentient.” Or are there sentient chains in this world? Greed glanced at Sung Hyunjae in askance before replying to the red-haired woman, “I don’t know you.”
The red-haired woman’s brows lifted. “I’m Moon Hyunah. There’s no Transcendent equivalent to me?”
Greed shook his head. Moon Hyunah let out a contemplative hum.
“Ahjussi, who’s Bin-ie?”
Greed sipped his glass of milk, trying to recall. “My son, I think.”
Han Yoojin sputtered. “Your son?”
“Sometimes daughter. They switch genders from time to time.”
Yerim excitedly asked, “Who’s the mother?”
Greed wrinkled his nose. “No one.”
“What about Han Gyeol?” Han Yoojin interjected hurriedly.
Greed scratched his cheek. “He’s asleep.” He was supposed to be playing with Gyeol while the others were preparing. Then, Gyeol fell asleep; Greed got bored, and decided to sneak out.
Han Yoojin sighed in relief. “So he became a Transcendent too…”
“How old is our world?” Sung Hyunjae suddenly asked.
“Three days old.”
Everyone inhaled sharply at the information. After that, a tense and solemn silence reigned between the mortals. Greed finished drinking his milk, thirsty after answering their questions.
“...I lost contact with Newbie three days ago,” the mortal called Yoo Myungwoo said with a somber tone.
Sung Hyunjae, sipping his tea, revealed, “My contract with Crescent Moon also inexplicably burned three days ago.”
The mortals shared more information among themselves, offering up memories of more than three days ago.
Han Yoojin blew out a heavy sigh. “Are we monsters in a dungeon?” This time, the solemn question was directed to Greed.
Greed shook his head. “You’re a newly born world in the First Source.”
“So we got worldified .. .Why are you revealing all this anyway?” A note of suspicion colored Han Yoojin’s tone.
Greed slowly blinked at him. “You said I have to answer your questions.”
“Right. You’re surprisingly…trusting for a Transcendent.”
Greed’s golden eyes widened with shock. “Did you lie to me?”
“No, no!” Han Yoojin hurriedly denied. He held out a hand. “Here, check all you want. Thanks for all the information.” He muttered. “Honestly, you’re like a naive kid, nothing like me.”
Greed took the offered hand between his. Sending out tiny tendrils of mana, Greed probed the mortal. Han Yoojin flinched, feeling the mana running through his veins.
Abruptly, the flow of mana reversed. Han Yoojin’s essence sprinted to his hands and slithered to Greed through their point of contact.
Greed pulled his hand back as if burned. Han Yoojin staggered in his seat before Yoohyun grasped his shoulders to steady him.
“Hyung!”
“Ahjussi!”
“Wha–” Han Yoojin clutched his head.
“Sorry. I nearly absorbed you.” Greed rubbed the back of his head, guilt thumping his chest. He massaged his temples, feeling an uncharacteristic headache building up.
The other mortals gathered around Han Yoojin, evidently worried.
“You’re a memory,” Greed said, closing his eyes amidst the suddenly bright lights in the room. “One of my memory orbs.” One that Greed was meant to absorb at tomorrow’s party. If Greed didn’t pull back, he truly would have entirely absorbed Han Yoojin. “How are you–”
Thunder rumbled in the skies, loud enough to pierce through the ceiling of the facilities. Greed’s eyes snapped open. The mortals looked up at the skies, startled.
“Oh.” Greed was so screwed. “I need – I have to go.”
All mortals in the room eyed him warily as he rose to his feet.
“Wait–” Han Yoojin tried to stop him.
“My, my, and where do you think you’ll go?” Sung Hyunjae asked with a teasing lilt.
Except it wasn’t him. Every gaze swivelled to the now open door.
Chain, dressed in maroon overcoat and a simple white dress shirt, casually leaned against the door frame. His black eyes were curved into crescents and his lips were pulled into an amiable smile. Oh, Chain was so so angry.
“I-I was just gone for a little while,” Greed reasoned. “This world was just so strange. I was curious.”
Chain approached with the same not-smile. As he did, the mortals on the other side of the room bristled. They had their weapons in their hands, gripping them with white knuckles. The horned flame lion transformed into its fully-grown form and growled menacingly. Only Sung Hyunjae’s eyes seemed to be lighting up at the situation.
“You have to wrap your essence more firmly,” Greed scolded as Chain’s aura forced most of the mortals to bow down under its weight. “You’re going to scare them.”
Chain patted his head, and the resting chain links clinked. “Oh?” His dark eyes flitted to the empty glass of milk and then drifted to the mortal who shared his features. “Perhaps they deserve to be scared.”
Sung Hyunjae’s head bowed without his permission, his teacup shattering to the floor. All the while, his smile never faltered.
“Oh my, I apologize. I knew the potion wouldn’t work. Nevertheless, I wanted to try it out,” Sung Hyunjae said, his smile harmless and guileless.
“You drugged the milk!?” Han Yoojin screeched, barely able to breathe against the onslaught of the Transcendent’s aura.
Greed’s eyes widened. “You are rude,” he accused the blond mortal.
“We apologize, Greed-ssi.” Song Taewon managed to get out. “We had no idea Sung Hyunjae-ssi would do such a horrific thing.”
“It’s a party gift to you, Yoojin-ie,” Chain said, his aura still unrestrained.
Oh, so Greed’s name really was Yoojin.
Chain ignored any of the mortal’s attempts to speak to them. “Yeon-ie and Bin-ie guided the First Source to create a world using one of your memory orbs.”
Everything fell into place – why this world already had a fully formed civilization when it was only three days old. “Were we supposed to celebrate here?”
“No. You are going to fully absorb the Han Yoojin here, and then swallow this world completely.”
Strangled gasps escaped from the mortals’ side.
Chain’s smile grew wider as he pulled Greed closer by a hand around his waist. “If you swallow this world, your power will grow. You won’t have to forget anything. Wouldn’t that be wonderful, Yoojin-ie?”
Greed blinked back at him, his head titled upwards. “Yeon-ie and Bin-ie would never do that. And the others won’t even agree to it.”
Chain pouted. “You’re no fun.” Finally, he restrained his aura.
The mortals choked out breaths of respite. Chain’s cold eyes ran through their gasping forms as he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the milk residue from Greed’s lips.
“You mentioned missing authentic Korean food so Yeon-ie and Bin-ie helped create this world.”
“Oh.” Greed did recall that. He also remembered, “I also wanted to celebrate Flame’s birthday like before. With the Christmas decorations and atmosphere.” He smiled, reminiscing. The children were so thoughtful.
Chain unsummoned the handkerchief and draped his overcoat around Greed’s shoulders. “Sung-Han Gyeol has been crying his eyes out, feeling guilty that he lost you.”
“Don’t call him that,” both Greed and Han Yoojin said simultaneously.
Greed shuffled his feet, guilty that he made Gyeol worried. “We should get back then.”
He removed the bunny slippers. “I’ll visit again with my family tomorrow.”
“Uh. Is that a good idea?” Yerim looked for answers, glancing at the other mortals’ expressions.
“Is there even anything we can do to stop them?” Moon Hyunah sighed, ruffling her hair, still rattled from the aura Chain had released.
“There’s a good Korean restaurant a few blocks away from Sesung Guild Headquarters,” Sung Hyunjae offered with a bright grin. “I can reserve the whole restaurant for your family.”
The other mortals shot Sung Hyunjae glares that could burn him where he sat.
Greed accepted the offer with a gracious nod. “That’s the least you can do for trying to poison me.”
“Oh my. It was merely a slight sedative but I suppose you’re right.”
“I would like to have hunters stationed around the area,” Song Taewon declared solemnly.
Greed furrowed his brows. “Are you planning to attack us?”
“No. Not unless the Transcendents try to harm civilians.”
Greed supposed this was their world so precautions were necessary and expected. “Do what you think is necessary but I hope you won’t disturb our celebration.”
Song Taewon vowed that they would be as discreet as possible.
Greed waved goodbye to the mortals. The cookies and milk were good enough, although Sung Hyunjae was really very rude. But Greed reckoned he should expect no less from a mortal that looked like Chain.
All along, Chain barely spared the mortals a glance and spoke not a word to them. He wrapped an arm around Greed’s shoulders and lifted them both out of the world.
In the space just outside the world, his family members immediately surrounded him.
“Dad!” Gyeol cried out and almost tackled Greed to the ground.
Byeol followed her older sibling’s hug, and Seol reluctantly patted Greed on the back.
“Hyung! Why would you sneak out like that?”
“Ahjussi, I told you to always tell us if you want to go somewhere!”
“Ahjussi, this was supposed to be our surprise for you! Bin and I spent so long preparing it…”
“Yoojin-ssi, even as a Transcendent, there are still many dangers lurking around that could harm you.”
Greed accepted their scolding with an embarrassed but pleased flush. Even though the world below had copies of his family members, it really was more wonderful to bask in his family’s presence.
~O~
“...Our world was created for Korean food…?”
“And Christmas!”
“I guess it beats getting swallowed by a Transcendent.”
~O~