The World’s Greatest is Dead

It was an event from a childhood memory.

Honestly, it was a time she didn’t want to remember.

Her orabeoni who collapsed in front of her.

His face, distorted in agony, crying as he looked at her.

The gazes she felt from all directions.

Even the blood on her hands.

The day she ran away from the emotions she felt back then.

That day, she hid in the forest through the rain.

Fortunately, the heavy downpour from the sky concealed her tears.

Even as she shivered from her soaked body, the fever from her emotions made her unaware of the cold.

Suddenly, there was a shadow that shaded over her.

‘There you are.’

‘……!’

At the sound of the voice, Tang Yelan tried to move hastily, but she had to stop when she saw the face.

The old man who found her was smiling.

‘Yelan.’

‘Grandpa…….’

‘Aren’t you cold? Come with grandpa.’

‘But…….’

‘Don’t worry. We won’t go to where those people are.’

Then, where were they going? Young Tang Yelan looked at him curiously, and the old man reached out his hand as he spoke.

‘It’s a secret place only grandpa knows. I’ll tell you about it, but you must keep it a secret, alright?’

A secret place. At those words, Tang Yelan cautiously took the old man’s hand.

*Creak-!*

The door opened.

Tang Yelan walked inside through the open gap.

“…… Ugh, the dust.”

How could there be so much dust?

Perhaps it was because it hadn’t been visited for a while; it seemed like it would need some cleaning later.

“Hmmm.”

Tang Yelan walked slowly through the passage.

It was now a familiar space to her.

She hadn’t come recently, but it was a place she had visited a lot over the past few years.

‘Come here whenever you feel sad.’

As if following his words.

Tang Yelan came here whenever she felt down.

And this time, too.

A place where no one, absolutely no one, could find her.

That’s why Tang Yelan had come here so many times.

*Creak.*

She descended the stairs for quite a while.

After walking for a bit longer, she finally reached her destination.

A small door came into view.

Tang Yelan naturally grabbed the door and opened it.

As the door opened fully, Tang Yelan stepped inside, and the space revealed itself.

A dimly lit area.

Being underground, there weren’t any windows.

It was just dark, but Tang Yelan didn’t mind.

She had been here countless times. Lack of light was meaningless to her.

She naturally walked through the darkness and sat down somewhere.

Even though she couldn’t see an inch ahead, Tang Yelan was familiar with it.

So naturally, she sat somewhere and softly swung her legs that were floating in the air.

And then, “You know, grandpa.”

As if someone was listening, she began to speak.

It was an old habit of Tang Yelan’s.

“I failed again today.”

A monologue directed at someone who might be listening.

“What could have been the problem? I don’t really know.”

Tang Yelan casually talked about what she had experienced, throwing her words into the void.

“I tried this and that…… but it’s just not easy at all. I even thought about quitting, but then grandpa would be disappointed, right?”

Tang Yelan laughed awkwardly. Her laughter softly echoed in the space.

“Then, I need to try harder…… but I wonder if I can do well……. Honestly, I even thought of just getting married as the family says.”

She knew that would be more beneficial for her family.

From that day long ago.

Her role within the family had been decided since then.

“…… Ah.”

Thinking about that, Tang Yelan remembered something and spoke.

“Speaking of marriage, I confessed this time.”

She recalled proposing to a young man who seemed to be of the same age, perhaps even younger than she was.

“He’s really handsome. Honestly, I was quite surprised.”

It was the first time she had seen someone so good-looking.

He had somewhat sleepy-looking eyes and a clear disinterest in being involved with others.

Despite all that, his handsome face stood out.

Half of her proposal was influenced by his appearance.

Moreover, “I wanted to give my father a little surprise.”

The father who had turned his eyes away from her.

Moreover, he disapproved of what she wanted to do.

She was curious about how he would react if she became involved with that young man.

He was said to be her mother’s first love’s son.

If it had worked out, it would have been fun.

Yes, just fun.

That’s all Tang Yelan was hoping for from that young man.

At least, that was what she had thought.

“…… It seems a bit messed up now.”

Tang Yelan gave a troubled smile and scratched her cheek.

“It really has become troublesome.”

This shouldn’t happen.

It made her a bit concerned.

“…… Isn’t it really absurd?”

It was ridiculous, even in her own thoughts.

How many days had it been?

Though his face suited her taste, this wasn’t it. They exchanged only a few words and had no emotional connection. Yet, she couldn’t get him off my mind.

“This is troublesome. Why is this happening?”

Was it because he seemed to recognize her value? Or was it because he was more upright than she had expected, given his appearance? Or maybe…

‘There’s something about him that keeps making me curious… Oh, dear.’

As she thought about it, Tang Yelan rubbed her face.

‘What in the world? Every reason I come up with just turns into an excuse.’

Feeling genuinely troubled, she shook her head vigorously.

“No, no… it can’t be.”

Everything seemed like enough of a reason, but ultimately, that’s not what it was about.

The real issue was.

“He looks like grandpa.”

She saw someone else in that person. Someone Tang Yelan herself missed dearly. Someone who reminded her of him.

It was amusing.

‘They don’t actually resemble each other at all.’

Their appearances were entirely different. In fact, it was fair to say they were opposites.

Yet, there was something similar.

Maybe the resemblance wasn’t physical.

‘Is it the feeling?’

The feeling he carried.

The sense that he was looking at her completely.

And, ‘…he appears when I need him.’

Whenever she felt extremely tired and exhausted. When she felt like giving up. He appeared.

Even though they had only met a few times, that was the feeling she got.

However, “I’ll just think of it as a coincidence.”

Everything was a coincidence.

It was just that she had been more observant lately because of her fatigue. She decided to think of it that way.

“Phew.”

Having said everything she wanted to say, Tang Yelan rose from her seat.

That was enough lamenting. She had poured out all the words she had held back, and that was sufficient.

Maybe because she had expressed her feelings?

She felt refreshed and amused.

Thinking back on the words she had spoken, she thought.

‘What resemblance?’

Even she found it ridiculous after saying it out loud.

How could that young man from the Bang family resemble her grandfather?

“I must have been really out of sorts.”

What had she said again?

Was it problematic that he appeared every time she needed him?

‘That’s just a coincidence too.’

A real coincidence.

“I can’t focus on this any longer.”

Knowing that delving into such feelings would lead to a bad situation, Tang Yelan quickly shook her head.

Yes, it was a coincidence.

But, ‘What if it’s not a coincidence?’

What if he really was someone who appeared when she was struggling, just like her grandfather?

‘Would he appear even now?’

Would he appear when she felt utterly exhausted?

Having thought of that, Tang Yelan stood still and looked around her surroundings.

Then she chuckled.

“As if.”

How could he appear in this sealed room—

*Creak.*

*Thunk!*

“… Huh?”

As she tensed up from the sudden noise.

*Clank. Rumble.*

The wall in front of her opened.

“… What?”

“… Ah?”

Bang Sung-Yun appeared.

Tang Yelan heard a sound once again.

*Thud.*

The loud noise of something massive dropping.

That was probably the sound of her heart pounding.

* * *

We locked eyes suddenly. Just as I was wearing a dumbfounded expression at the unexpected encounter.

“Young master Bang…?”

I barely gathered my wits at the feminine voice that reached my ears.

“… Young lady Tang?”

The woman was indeed Tang Yelan.

Unless I was seeing things, it surely was her.

‘Is this not an illusion but reality?’

If it wasn’t reality, that would be more of a problem.

Why on earth is she here?

This should be a place where we could never run into each other…?

As I stared at Tang Yelan, unable to understand, “… Young master Bang, how are you here…?” Tang Yelan seemed equally bewildered, her eyes widening as she looked at me.

Trying to collect myself, I spoke to Tang Yelan.

“… That’s what I want to ask you, Young lady Tang. How is it that you are here?”

“What…? How am I here? That’s…”

Tang Yelan halted mid-sentence.

Seeing her expression, it seemed she knew something about this place.

Moreover, ‘… Why is that old man here too?’

I noticed Poison Sovereign behind Tang Yelan. I had wondered where he had gone, and it turned out he was here.

But, ‘… Why is he glaring at me like that?’

Poison Sovereign’s gaze was intense.

His already terrifying eyes glared at me as if he genuinely intended to kill me.

‘What’s going on?’

‘Why was he behaving that way?’

I briefly considered that maybe I was simply mistaken and he was just looking in my direction.

‘… No, it’s real.’

No matter how I looked at it, he was definitely glaring at me.

What did I do wrong? It didn’t seem like I had done anything in particular.

No matter how much I pondered, I couldn’t figure it out.

While ignoring his gaze, I looked at Tang Yelan.

“Young lady Tang.”

“… Oh my…!”

Startled by the voice that came suddenly from right beside me, I unconsciously let out a yelp.

It was the Poison King.

The Poison King had appeared beside me and addressed Tang Yelan.

“What is going on here?”

“… Family head…? How come you are here…!”

Tang Yelan, upon facing the Poison King, hurriedly paid her respects after briefly stammering.

“I greet the Family head….”

“Answer my question. How did you come to be in this place?”

“….”

“Young lady Tang.”

As Tang Yelan couldn’t respond, the Poison King asked again.

There was a dense aura of inner qi in his second question, so dark and intense that it made my knees feel weak.

Tang Yelan, her mouth moving slightly at the Poison King’s question, confessed to him.

“This place… grandfather told me about this place.”

“What?”

The Poison King narrowed his eyes at Tang Yelan’s words.

“… He told you about this place?”

“… Yes.”

“Then why have you not reported this until now?”

『This insolent child!』

The gaze that had been directed at me shifted towards the Poison King.

『Why would my room’s existence be told to you! You disrespectful brat…!』

“…”

The Poison Sovereign spoke fiercely, seemingly discontented with the Poison King’s behavior.

“… I am sorry. I kept it a secret because I wanted to use this place as a sanctuary whenever I felt mentally exhausted….”

Tang Yelan explained her reason to the Poison King without any excuses.

‘… A sanctuary?’

When did the Poison Sovereign die again?

It had been at least five years, so she must have been frequenting this place even before then.

How was that possible?

‘… This doesn’t require much thought.’

I knew there was not just one secret passage.

There were places accessible even at guest quarters.

It wouldn’t be strange if there were other paths.

“That….”

The Poison King started to say something in response to Tang Yelan but did not finish his sentence.

“… We will discuss this matter further at a later time. For now, move aside as there is work to be done.”

“Family head…!”

Tang Yelan tried to say something, but the Poison King passed by her and entered the room.

Tang Yelan watched the Poison King with trembling eyes.

‘Interesting.’

I cleared my throat in the sudden situation.

Who would have thought that Tang Yelan would appear here?

At least, I didn’t expect to meet her at this place.

‘… I didn’t expect the Poison Sovereign to have told Tang Yelan about this.’

But was this really how it happened by chance?

It indeed was a peculiar situation.

Feeling this strange mood, I glanced at Tang Yelan.

“…!”

When I looked at her, Tang Yelan flinched.

Why was she acting like that?

She had her head hanging low, avoiding eye contact.

What on earth?

“Young lady Tang.”

“Eh… yes?”

Her response became even stranger when I called her.

“… What are you looking at?”

Despite my call, Tang Yelan kept looking at the ground.

Also, her ears seemed to be turning red.

“Why are you like this…? Did I do something wrong?”

“… No…? No. You did nothing wrong.”

“Then why…?”

“I was just a bit surprised. I never expected to see you here….”

“Aah, that’s true, but….”

Did she really need to react like that?

Oh, perhaps.

‘Is she still worried about being scolded earlier?’

If the reason she was upset was that she had been reprimanded by the Poison King, it made sense.

In that case, should I look away for a while?

Convinced, I turned my head. Just as I was about to look at Yu Chun-gil to silently ask what we should do next.

‘Hmm?’

Something caught my eye when I turned around.

In the distance.

The people the Poison King had brought.

The machinist and the formation expert were making eye contact, doing something together.

Glances, hand signals, and occasionally visible mouth movements.

“….”

I couldn’t fully make it out, but one thing was certain.

‘What is that suspicious smell?’

A suspicious atmosphere lingered.

Sensing something off, I tried to focus more intently.

『Turn your head. You’ll get caught.』

“….”

At Yu Chun-gil’s voice, I immediately looked elsewhere.

As soon as I turned my head, I felt someone watching me like a ghost.

『Don’t look at them anymore, lest you arouse suspicion.』

“…”

I didn’t reply, just swallowed dryly.

Upon hearing his words, I was convinced.

‘This means….’

Something surely was happening.

TL’s Corner:
Broken Heaven Palace is making a move???