Chapter 72

From her silent nose, blackened dead blood vessels flowed out.

It was a kind of overload symptom that came when she used her precognitive ability within the group.

“Arietta.”

“…Yes, Auntie.”

“Step outside for a moment. We two have something to discuss.”

After sending Arietta out like that, Woonyeon wiped the blood from her face and spoke to me as if she found it absurd.

“It truly was a tremendous fluctuation of fate. I’ve only felt something like this once before, from a man. No, I’m starting to think you might be even more severe than him.”

“……”

“Just what are you planning to do in the future?”

While not entirely unexpected, her reaction was more intense than I had anticipated.

It meant that the hardships I would have to endure were countless.

“What did you see in my future?”

“Impatient temperament, just like that old man. I haven’t been able to properly observe the detailed contents yet.”

However.

“Before that, I think I should also set a condition. With a Thread of Fate of this magnitude, the personal toll is significant. No matter how much it’s Myeongyool’s request, it doesn’t balance the scales.”

“…What do you want?””If you agree to the condition, I’ll tell you then.”

Clearly an action taken knowing I couldn’t refuse. She was indeed a formidable character, for better or worse.

“If it’s something within my power to help with, I’ll gladly lend my strength.”

“Good. In that case, I should bring up this side’s story first.”

What Woonyeon uttered was none other than about Myeongyool and Arietta.

“…That old man is going to die soon. This is a future I foresaw a very long time ago. And it is an inviolable Prophecy.”

Inviolable Prophecy.

A term referring to a nearly fixed future that cannot be changed no matter what one does.

Of course, according to the settings revealed in later works, even that wasn’t absolute, but at least compared to other prophecies, it was clearly extremely difficult to interfere with.

“The details themselves kept changing, but the result remained the same. In any form, the old man cannot avoid death.”

“…Is that so?”

“At the same time, the child he cherishes will also fall into a path of misfortune.”

That was about Arietta.

Woonyeon let out a deep sigh for a moment, then finally brought out words she had long kept buried.

“I clearly told Myeongyool countless times. If he takes in that child, there will surely be nothing but ruin in the end. Yet he ultimately didn’t listen.”

“……”

“And I too, living together, came to care for that child.”

Though I don’t know the detailed circumstances, Woonyeon clearly cares for both of them. So it must have been even more distressing for her.

“But when I saw Myeongyool recently, there was a slight change in that future. It was definitely a different form from before.”

“You mean the future of the inviolable Prophecy changed?”

“To be precise, it’s still in the process of reversing even now. The result has become something even I can no longer know.”

And Woonyeon glanced at me and continued.

“Now I think I know the reason. It must be because you met the two of them.”

“……”

“Those who possess a powerful Thread of Fate tend to reverse the fate of those around them as well. Even if it is an inviolable Prophecy.”

Hearing those words, I was inwardly shocked.

The line that the protagonist of series 4 had once heard from the observer Tir—Woonyeon was now uttering it verbatim to me.

“To be honest, an ordinary human couldn’t be born with such a massive Thread of Fate. It must be some kind of causality.”

There were several places I could guess, but ultimately, wasn’t it because I was an outsider to this world and knew all of that lengthy future?

‘…Strictly speaking, I’m also a developer of the sequels. It would actually be strange if my influence were minimal.’

After explaining everything, Woonyeon soon conveyed the condition of the prophecy to me.

“Promise that at the moment when the fates of the old man and that child pass the branching point, you will help them with all your might.”

“What if I’m not by their side at that moment?”

“No, you will definitely be there. Somehow, I feel that way.”

At Woonyeon’s earnest request, I eventually nodded.

“I’ll do what I can.”

“…Good. That’s enough.”

Since a promise was made, it was now my turn to receive the price.

Woonyeon placed her hand on my head again and began to gather her power even more seriously this time.

“You probably won’t be able to see much. Don’t expect too much.”

“Yes. I don’t mind even that much.”

Whoosh.

Soon, blackened dead blood vessels began to flow from Woonyeon’s mouth and ears as she stopped speaking.

After several minutes had passed like that, Woonyeon finally removed her hand, exhaled wearily, and opened her mouth.

“…Now I’m convinced. You possess a Thread of Fate larger than anyone I’ve ever met.”

“Did you see something?”

“Sorry, but it was beyond my capability. The images were too unstable. However, I did see one thing clearly. And that too is……”

“An inviolable Prophecy.”

“For now, yes.”

After a brief pause, Woonyeon spoke with difficulty, as if truly troubled.

“…However, I’m not sure if I should convey this to you.”

“It’s fine. Whatever it is, if it’s a result I don’t like, I’ll change it.”

“Then I’ll tell you.”

The prophecy Woonyeon conveyed was exactly as follows:

“You will, in the future, meet true death at the hands of someone you love.”

After sharing all the stories, Arietta and I descended from Myeongrim Mountain, where Woonyeon’s dwelling was, and returned to the Academy.

‘…If I come to love someone, that person kills me?’

Of course, I have the Phantom Body Trait’s Phase 2. But Woonyeon’s choice of words, “true death,” is quite significant.

‘If it were a situation I could escape using the Trait’s power, she wouldn’t have used such an expression.’

I also asked exactly who that person was, but Woonyeon said she didn’t know that either. It’s something that can’t help but be quite concerning.

“First of all, ‘loving someone’.”

That part itself is quite bothersome. Honestly, as I am now, there isn’t a single person I harbor genuine romantic feelings for.

‘Who on earth?’

Of course, there are many attractive people around me.

Each of them possesses their own abilities, and they are people anyone of the opposite sex would find appealing.

They are, after all, the very ones who raised the popularity of the once-unknown Exorcism Academy Series to the heavens, so how could they not be?

However, for me, the feeling is still a bit different.

I actually participated in the production of the sequels, and as I said, I had opportunities to handle the characters from the first installment through side stories and other planning.

‘It feels more like looking at someone I usually care for rather than a romantic interest.’

It was hard to easily imagine someone like me loving someone here.

‘Well, prophecies aren’t always meant to be interpreted literally.’

Perhaps there’s a hidden meaning rather than a direct expression. It’s not good to get too caught up in worry already.

I deliberately pushed it to the back of my mind and welcomed a new week.

“Now, there are only two days left until the exam. I trust everyone is preparing well?”

According to the announced notice, due to incidents like the Yeongwoldo Incident and Yoo Hyeyeon’s attack happening in succession, this time all exams would be conducted within the Academy.

Naturally, the contents were unknown; they would likely only be revealed on the day itself again.

In any case, with two days left, the exam was essentially imminent, so the cadets were each busy with their preparations.

“Starting this week, we’ll have to reduce our meetings for a while.”

At Adrian’s words, I nodded.

No matter what, I couldn’t ask for help with personal history studies even during the exam period.

The place I headed after parting with Adrian was precisely Seo Jian’s residence near the Academy.

“Come in.”

“Is your exam preparation going well?”

“Honestly, I haven’t been able to pay much attention to it. There are just too many things to sort out.”

Well, I heard Seo Jian was extremely busy managing the forces of the eldest daughter she absorbed from the last confrontation.

Of course, the Academy’s exam is important to her too, but it probably isn’t as much as the company’s affairs.

“Any notable movements from the second son’s side?”

“Nope. Having seen what happened to my sister, he probably can’t act recklessly. Even if he decides to attack, it will only be at the last moment. Considering the alliance with the eldest brother, it’s essentially 2 against 1.”

“…Is there any chance that eldest brother might betray you?”

At my words, Seo Jian answered with certainty.

“He can’t do that. The eldest brother also knows. The person we’re targeting is absolutely not someone he can overcome alone.”

Here, “that person” undoubtedly refers to Seo Jian’s father and the owner of Daejin Industries, Seo Taehoo.

Curiosity piqued, I couldn’t help but ask Seo Jian again, even while aware it might be a sensitive topic.

“Is he that great?”

“I really dislike him as a person, but I can’t deny the scale of his vessel. And, maybe it’s just a feeling, but I think he’s still hiding some big secret.”

The fact that Seo Jian, who has a good eye for people, gave such an assessment proves that Seo Taehoo is truly no ordinary figure.

However, that only makes it more puzzling for me.

‘Seo Taehoo never appeared in the story at all.’

Not only in the first installment, but he isn’t even mentioned in the subsequent series.

I remember there was a story set against the backdrop of Daejin Industries in series 2, but Seo Taehoo was already not at Daejin Industries by then.

‘There must be some backstory here too.’

Just as Arietta, who originally appeared as an enemy of Yoo Haon’s group in the main story, is enrolled at the Academy, there might exist separate stories that didn’t appear on the surface of the narrative.

I noted down the name of Seo Taehoo, the representative of Daejin Industries, on the mental checklist in my head.

“Is there anything new you need?”

“Nah. I probably won’t have anything to request for a while.”

While more Shikigami are better, there’s no need to hoard too many.

Even I, with my Phantom Body Trait granting superior Shikigami maintenance capacity, feel quite drained managing several powerful entities like Kongsam and Sorisoe.

Having more than this would just make it hard to use them freely.

“Whenever you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“I’ll do that.”

“Then, since you’re here, want to have a meal before you go?”

At those words, I tilted my head curiously. Could Seo Jian, practically a rich young lady, cook too?

As if sensing my thoughts, Seo Jian looked at Yoo Ain, who was examining documents in the back, and continued as if to say it wasn’t her.

“Yoo Ain will make it.”

“…Huh? Miss? Me?”

“It’s just one more person. It’s about dinner time anyway.”

“……”

And so, I spent a peaceful time eating Yoo Ain’s cooking with Seo Jian.

For reference, the food was quite tasty, more than I expected.