Chapter 679: Bridle (13)

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All the superior beings looked up and stared at the black needle.

Their eyes moved after the tip.

‘It shouldn’t be rude to look at them right now.’

I looked at the superior beings over the line in the direction of the needle’s rotation.

I saw Yamaraja, a superior being wearing a flame crown, the god of death who rules the underworld Naraka.

Ixtab, the goddess with a rope around her neck, who leads the soul to paradise in Mayan mythology.

Neftis, a goddess wearing a basket-shaped headdress, the Egyptian goddess in charge of death.

Anubis, the guardian of death.

‘Czernobog, the god in the shape of a skull holding a sickle. Frey, Brisingamen, and… Who is that?’

As I was quickly guessing the identity of the superior beings, a goddess wearing only a veil that showed her mouth, smiled at me.

It was difficult to find out who she was because only the veil was distinct.

But a man wearing a similar veil next to her gave me a hint.

‘A couple related to death. That narrows it down.’

Before I could conclude, the needle turned.

Ten people wearing similar clothes caught my eye.

‘The Shiwang. The one in front is probably King Yeomra.’

The needle stopped then.

Kim Yeomra, who saw the tip of the needle, was the first to speak.

[What a shame. I’m in the same direction as the tail, not the tip.]

Lamentations flowed here and there.

Did they all want chairmanship?

I don’t know why they covet this position when it doesn’t seem like it provides authority and only obligations.

Pluto looked at the beings and I couldn’t understand their intentions.

[The presiding officer of this meeting has been selected.]

Pluto raised one hand and pointed in the direction of the new presiding officer.

I only saw it when I held my head high.

The being selected was in the back and I couldn’t see them at first.

[I yield the floor to Princess Sahee.]

Pluto withdrew from the center.

He headed to where other beings were who I presume to be Thanatos, Orcus, and Dispater.

As Pluto stood among the other beings, the bell began to ring.

Ring, ring.

Amid the gentle sound of bells, a woman with a fan walked out.

Princess Sahee, a god of Korean Mythology in charge of the underworld and death, leading dead souls to earth and heaven.

She was more commonly known as Princess Bari.

As Princess Sahee stood in the center of the hall, the sound of bells ringing stopped.

Then, a clear voice filled the hall.

[I wasn’t aiming for it, but this is inevitable. If so, let us proceed with the meeting.]

Princess Sahee smiled as she looked at me, perhaps glad to see a countryman.

Inevitable or not, Princess Sahee, the watchman, and I were all Korean.

Perhaps it’s because of earth power, but it could be coincidental.

[We have two items of business today. First is the guest who visited the underworld. The second is the crisis of the bridle.]

The first one was about me.

Though the Silver Hero came here before me and stayed longer.

‘Why did the superior beings gather to talk about me? Is the Silver Hero related?’

Maybe it’s a kind of scarring of superior beings.

The important thing is the second one.

It was encouraging to know that the superior beings knew of the crisis and were willing to solve it.

Perhaps I don’t even have to make a move.

With so many superior beings gathered, shouldn’t it be solved already?

However, it took some time to draw this conclusion.

‘If it were a problem to be solved with the bridle of reincarnation, there would’ve been no reason for the Silver Hero to send me here.’

I don’t think the Silver Hero sent me here to greet the watchman.

My thoughts were interrupted by Princess Sahee’s words.

[Let’s hear about the guest then. I will listen to Ereshkigal, the owner of the underworld where the guest stayed.]

[Alright.]

Is that Ereshkigal?

Looking in the direction where the voice was heard, the goddess with a veil who smiled at me earlier rose from her seat.

I didn’t recognize her since her whole body was covered when I saw her, but I recognized her voice.

That must mean the man next to her is Nergal, her second husband.

Ereshkigal looked at me over the line and smiled again.

[As you can see, the guest is a man who knows how to be polite and respects the laws of the underworld and death.]

The superior beings nodded to Ereshkigal’s words.

[This child kept his promise to me, not eating or sleeping for dozens of days in the dark and cold.]

I thought it was more than a hundred days.

Ereshkigal’s remarks continued.

[I thought he would resent me for giving him an ordeal for no reason, but the child paid respect and manners until the end. I was so proud that I gave him a candle and water as a gift.]

A candle and water!

Aren’t those the items that resurrected Ishtar from the anger of Ereshkigal?

‘Those are too powerful. I don’t know if I can use it.’

Using it on the living world could be poisonous.

No matter how powerful it is, it could be harmful.

Ereshkiga;’s remarks ended when I realized the weight of the gift.

[Let’s hear from the watchman then.]

“Yes!”

The watchman, who was kneeling, looked up and answered brightly.

There was a little sweat on his face that he couldn’t wipe, but he seemed to have adapted now.

“Euishin-ie, ah no, the guest was guided throughout the bridle and I made him stay in the clearest space. The place was passed clean without any dirt.”

The watchman doesn’t seem to be talking about regular cleanliness.

This place is deeply related to the soul, so a murky soul might leave stains.

When the watchman was finished, Princess Sahee asked me.

[You are next. Show us the treasure of the Tiger Clan you brought from the mortal land.]

They want me to show the Tiger Clan’s treasure?

I don’t know why, but I didn’t want to defy and there was nothing wrong with showing it.

I actualized the Tiger Clan’s treasure that I turned into a card.

Fwaat!

The incense burner carved with a tiger appeared before us.

It was just as I remembered it, but its energy was different.

‘It was different when Uma held it.’

The light surrounding the incense burner was now clear.

It has spiritual energy, so I thought it would smell very good if we used it.

Indeed, it gave an impression worthy of being called the treasure of the Tiger Clan.

[The Tiger Clan’s treasure was contaminated by earthly energy. However, the bad energy can’ be penetrated because it was far from the ground and there was no gap in its owner’s mind.]

So is this incense burner now purified?

That must be why the Silver Hero asked me to come here.

After the superior beings looked at the burner for a while, Princess Sahee asked.

[Did you all see it well?]

She seemed to be talking to the other superior beings.

No one spoke, implicitly expressing affirmation.

[Then let’s deal with the second matter.]

I thought they’d say something more, but we proceeded.

I was puzzled, but I was in no position to argue.

Hwik!

Princess Sahee waved a bell and cut the air wide with her fan.

Then, water began to flow.

The water rose into the air, circulating the spherical hall.

It soon shone something.

‘It must be the source of the shockwave.’

Princess Sahee went on to make several more blocks of water.

They all illuminated the remains of soot and destruction.

Princess Sahee then asked the watchman.

[Do you see clues left, watchman?]

“I’m sorry, I do not se anything.”

The watchman didn’t see Jin among the soot.

I could see something blurry even without the Glare skill, but the watchman didn’t seem to see it.

[You can’t see even if you use the power we gave you?]

Gooooo…

The watchman then raised his power.

He gathered it in his eyes, emitting a level of intense force that could burn skin.

He observed the water with all his strength, but he shook his head in the end.

“It’s no different from what I saw with my bare eyes. I do not see anything.”

Princess Sahee replied calmly.

[I see. You don’t have the power to solve this situation. I don’t think it will be any different even if you’re given more power.]

The watchman bowed his head.

Princess Sahee seemed to talk to me.

[We have given him power and body, but the watchman is dad. There is something invisible to the eyes of the dead. Something that they can’t feel.]

The watchman is not reincarnated, only powered by superior beings.

No matter how strong he is, there must be a limit to grasping the power of the living.

The Black Screen is precisely aiming for the watchman’s limitations.

[At this rate, the secrets of death will be leaked even more. The watchman who failed his duty will be extinguished, and the bridle of reincarnation will be broken.]

Aren’t the superior beings gathered here to prevent that?

I couldn’t see why they were only talking about negative predictions.

[However, we cannot withdraw our oath to not intervene in the bridle. When our oath loses its authority, the underworld we govern will be shaken. It would be safer to lose the bridle.]

Are they declaring that they are giving up on the bridle of reincarnation?

If these gods withdraw their firm pledge, their prestige will falter and it will affect the world that they rule.

They seem to be forced to choose between the lesser evil.

Princess Sahee gave the decision.

[We will not intervene directly.]

The watchman’s face clouded.

He bowed his head, hiding his collapsed expression.

I had to hide the burn in my heart too.

‘Can’t we expect help from the superior beings?’

As I thought so, Princess Sahee’s words continued.

[If there was no other way, we would’ve been able to handle it even if we lost the bridle and the watchman. But there’s another variable here now.]

Princess Sahee looked at me.

[All those who have power as much as you do are trying hard to get what they want from the underworld. But you did not come here for self-interest, and you never broke any law.]

Princess Sahee walked toward me.

The bell grew louder as the distance got closer.

[Although it is heavy to carry, no one here denies that you are a good and strong human being. Our will has hardened.]

The sound of bells suddenly stopped, only a step between Princess Sahee and me.

[The Tiger Clan also chose you. I hope you can capture our strength in those eyes.]

Princess Sahee picked up the bell and pointed it to my eyes.

The skill from the Tiger Clan, Glare.

[Jo Euishin, the bridle of reincarnation cannot be protected by the power of the dead alone. Will you accept our will for the sake of the existence of the underworld and the laws of death?]

My answer was determined.

That was the reason why I came here in the first place.

“Yes, I accept.”

As soon as I answered, all the light in the conference hall turned to my eyes.

With the energy waves gathering in my eyes, I heard a system notification.

The system notifications did not stop there.

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