Eat The World Tree

Chapter 146: Three Peaches (6)

Uh.

Cheondo, pressing her forehead, let out a gloomy sound. I approached her from behind and placed the ion beverage I had prepared earlier on top of her head.

Ah, its cold!

Startled, Cheondos head popped up. She recognized me and sighed in relief. A hiccup-like sound of air escaping came from her mouth.

Whats the matter, Young Demon?

Youre the Young Demon.

Hearing my words, Cheondo was startled and jumped up from her spot. She hastily looked around, then, realizing there was no one else around, sighed in relief.

Dont call me that outside. But what is this?

Cheondo took the can I offered. A blue ion beverage. Nothing beats pulling one from a vending machine on a hot summer day when you are thirsty.

Its like a sample before officially importing it, try drinking it.

Sample? What do you mean by that?

Holding the can, Cheondo looked at me, unsure of what to do. She resembled a hamster clutching sunflower seeds.

I tapped the top of the can and flicked the tab with my fingernail.

-Click.

The sound of opening a can. Surprise filled Cheondos face.

Its fascinating. So, I just drink it?

I nodded.

Cheondo cautiously brought the drink to her lips. The sound of the beverage going down her throat was audible.

-Gulp, gulp.

As she drank the ion beverage, her eyes blinked repeatedly with each sip. A perfect compound created at the pinnacle of scientific advancement enveloped her tongue.

About 5 seconds later, Cheondo put the can down with a satisfied look on her face.

The water is cool and sweet

It was slightly frozen from the freezer, and being an ion beverage, it was quite sugary. Drinking it when tired and overheated provided a moment of bliss.

Do you want some?

No, I had some earlier.

I pulled a chair next to me and sat down. Cheondo, looking back and forth between the can and me, then pushed the cans opening to my lips.

We should share something like this.

Reluctantly, I took a sip.

My teeth felt cold.

Huhuhu. Its cool, isnt it?

Cheondos smile was bright, childlike.

Keke. So, why are you suddenly working?

I returned her smile, casually voicing my curiosity. A flicker of hesitation crossed Cheondos face. Swiftly, she adopted a cheerful expression, placed the can on the desk, and scratched her cheek with her index finger.

Well, its nothing. Ive just been watching too much anime lately, and I started wondering if it was okay to keep doing that.

With Cheonma increasingly absent, the disciples naturally found themselves with more free time. However, Cheondo was not one to waste her days idly. She devoted most of her time to personal training. If she were truly anxious about her current lifestyle, she would have increased her training time, so her excuse didnt quite add up.

Is that so?

So, its a lie.

I gazed intently into Cheondos eyes. Sometimes, silence could coax a more genuine response.

Cheondos gaze shifted, evasive. Seemingly thirsty, she reached for the can again.

-Gulp, gulp.

She quenched her thirst.

Eventually, Cheondo spoke.

How do you manage to handle these things so smoothly, Brother Dowon?

A single question. Cheondos lips formed a pout.

Why?

Because its fascinating. You suddenly appeared, became the Young Demon, and now everyone trusts you.

Youve reorganized everything, eradicated corruption, and advanced our lifestyle by almost a century. All this, in just one month. It was undoubtedly a good thing for Dowon.

Public safety has improved, and the number of starving people has drastically decreased. At the inn where I work, they really like Brother, calling him a savior.

Its something the people of Dowon should be grateful for.

But.

As if mocking herself, Cheondo gripped the can tighter.

I just havent been feeling great lately. I guess its jealousy. I cant do it like Brother.

The same Young Demon, always comparing abilities.

This comparison gave rise to an inferiority complex. Even if you tried not to be conscious of it, the sprout of emotion grew.

I want to be like Brother Dowon too.

Yet, the emotion in her voice was closer to admiration than jealousy.

-Cheondo.

-Yes, Master.

-That guy. Hes quite useful.

The master always talked about Brother.

What he did today. What he taught this time. We always talked in my room in the evening, but he seldom spoke about the training.

-Thats good.

The phrase I always repeated to the master whenever that person was mentioned.

Its a good thing. Its not something to be envious of when someone around me achieved something. Its something to be happy about.

Jealousy? I thought not.

Even if Im falling behind, lets try hard in my own way.

Always working hard. Taking everything seriously. And through effort and perseverance.

But the master always put me in the background, always trying to compare me and Brother. Sometimes, there were really blunt questions.

Why couldnt I do as much as him?

It really shouldnt be like this. It even made me feel unpleasant.

The tail of questions was full of sorrow. I tried to inherit the name Cheonma. Could it be that I would never become Cheonma? But I thought I couldnt stop now.

Until just before I heard that word from my masters mouth.

-So, how long will you stay in that position?

Just a week ago. Despite the lack of hostility in the masters words, my heart sank.

Ah, perhaps, after all. Maybe I didnt have the talent to satisfy my father.

How should I face Baekdo and Hwangdo? Yet, no tears came, probably because of the years of preparation to become Cheonma.

Its ironic. Becoming the Young Demon and not being able to cry. Cheonma must always uphold integrity and stand tall with pride.

Standing above everyone, tears were not allowed for such a great person.

In the past, the sight of even a single tear would result in a severe beating from the master. Now, that training pains my heart.

I want to be like Brother Dowon too.

How ridiculous I must look.

Instead of assisting Brother with his work, I only ended up causing more trouble. Now, the emotions I had been holding back were on the verge of bursting.

But truly, I aspired to be like Brother. It was a feeling I had never experienced before, except with my master. It seemed like too lofty a goal, likely unattainable in my lifetime.

Why do you want to be like me?

Because you do everything so well.

I deny its jealousy, yet my words betrayed a sentiment no different from jealousy. Shamefully, I was denying my own feelings.

Why did the emotions I had kept so tightly concealed around this man emerge so effortlessly? A considerable amount of time had passed since I began to ponder this.

I caressed the crumpled wrinkles of the can beverage given by Brother. At some point, sharing unfamiliar food and looking forward to watching cartoons became part of our reality.

I was jealous, but being together was also enjoyable.

Its easier to say anything, meaningful or not, to someone you just met on the road and had no relation to. The closer you were, the more you tended to hold back.

Was it because we had no relation that I could express my feelings so openly? No, I realized that being with Brother had become a constant part of my daily life, a segment of my day. Our relationship had long surpassed being unrelated.

Yet, he never revealed his real name, stubbornly using the name I gave him.

He drew a line in our relationship, yet annoyingly always showed consideration, made concessions, and brought fun things. This man was remarkably considerate.

This time was no exception.

Youll probably become stronger than me soon enough. To the point where you could easily look down on me.

He said things that didnt quite resonate with me. I appreciated the consideration, but I was all too aware of my limitations.

Brother was smarter, more competent, stronger, and carried the expectations of our master. He treated even me, potentially a rival, with such warmth.

The fault did not lie with him, but with me.

No, that probably wont happen.

It will.

With a natural expression, as if he knew everything, his gaze, though weve only spent a month together, felt like looking at someone who has shared numerous hardships with me.

His look reminded me of the gaze between a married couple at the inn where I worked, almost burdensome.

What does he know about me?

The thought momentarily nestled inside me. Frustrated and complicated feelings led to irritation.

What do you know about me to say that?

Perhaps thats why I ended up saying something that should not have been said.

Huh!

I was startled and covered my mouth. The annoyance was so unlike me that I hadnt expected it to come from my own lips.

Swallowed by a belated feeling of remorse, my heart pounded with guilt, and the beverage I had earlier seemed to rise back up my throat.

Sitting silently, I was overwhelmed by a sense of wrongdoing.

Brothers eyes were wide open, as if he couldnt believe I would say such a thing. My heart kept fluttering at his look.

I had no intention of saying such things. I tightly closed my eyes, wishing I could also shut my ears.

Wishing to disappear into a mouse hole, I stood up and grabbed my things.

Im sorry. I should go. You dont have to come at night anymore.

Run away.

I didnt deserve to face Brother right now. As I tried to leave the building as quickly as possible, I hadnt even taken a step when my shoulders were grabbed.

Brother came a step closer. The surprised expression was gone, replaced by a calm, gentle gaze.

Im sorry.

What I heard was an apology.

I didnt consider your feelings.

Brothers actions were never a nuisance. He performed miracles for everyone in Dowon. There were times I felt proud when people spoke highly of him.

In the midst of dizziness, I hurriedly continued speaking.

Why are you apologizing Its not something you should apologize for. No. Its just. Its because Im lacking. The problem is with a person who became the Young Demon being jealous.

Stumbling over my words, from a certain point, I wasnt sure if what I was saying was right, or even if the words I chose carried the correct meaning.

Its all my fault, from start to finish

Brother let all those words pass and offered just one sentence.

The mistake is, youve been doing well until now. Youll do well in the future too.

Praise. How long has it been since I heard such words from my master?

A lump formed in my throat, blocking it. I shook my head.

I cant do well.

Thats because youre still young.

Are you old, Brother?

I cant say Im old either.

Tears didnt come, but my shoulders shook. I hadnt felt such a strong surge of emotions in a long time. Brothers demeanor was always consistent. Even when he was as cold as ice at one point, he perfectly hid that emotion in front of me.

He was truly an inscrutable person. But I felt affection for him. Why?

Was it because of his puppy-like appearance that I wanted to embrace? Because he carelessly put his hand on my head without considering my feelings? Because he possessed talents that I didnt have?

I thought I could do everything. But Im losing confidence.

The deeper my doubts, the more my pride plummeted, and I couldnt help but let out a bitter laugh.

-Sniffles.

The fact that I couldnt cry even in this situation felt very like me.

Suddenly, my body was pulled forward. A warm comfort touched my cheek, and the person in front of me supported my body, preventing me from falling.

Well do well. Both you and I.

It was a vague statement. I hadnt been seeking comfort, nor did the words seem particularly comforting. If they were meant to be comforting, I found them quite clumsy.

Yet, the emotion conveyed through his voice, echoing in my ears, sent an unexpected shiver down my spine. It felt as though my frustration was dissolving.

It was like magic.

Brother is really amazing. How can you do so many things so effortlessly?

The man spoke in a still gentle voice. The consistency of his emotions, unwaveringly reaching out, truly felt like trust and consideration.

If I dont do well, it wont work.

Brothers hand tapped my back.

Because Im a disciple of my master.

Those words made my breath hitch.