Absolute Regression

Episode 246 No more in that narrow and stuffy place.

“I want to play more.”

Mabul nodded at Geommugeuk’s words.

“The Nose.”

Mabul placed all his hopes on changing Geommugeuk’s mind.

“Instead, let’s get out of here. “Because I don’t want to wander around a place full of poisonous insects without the poison king.”

“Of course.”

Geommugeuk and Mabul went back the way they came.

After the poison king left, Mabul looked much more at ease. It seems that Mabul was also uncomfortable with the poison king.

“thank you.”

“what?”

“You came all the way here to look for me, right?”

“I thought you were having a hard time these days.”

“It’s been a while since I swam and walked. I feel much better. How are you, Mabul?”

“I liked it too.”

But Mabul’s mood was not so good. When even the King of Dogs revealed that he supported sword dance, his feelings became even more urgent. Now there was only one way left. Changing the mind of the person involved, Geommugeuk.

“I tried to have fun with Mabul today because he said he was playing, but that wasn’t easy either.”

Mabul responded to Geommugeuk’s honest words.

“You know, when you’re young, you have to do things to feel like you’re having fun, but when you get older, resting is what you’re having fun with.”

Mabul stopped for a moment and looked up at the sky.

“It’s been a long time since I rested like this.”

It could be seen from this brief look at the sky that Mabul was a person who always lived in a state of tension. Because it looked like it had come up from the deep sea and was taking a moment to breathe. When he was spitting out evil words next to his brother, he just seemed like a vicious Magon…

“Thomas always talks to me. “If you’re tired, take a break.”

Mabul looked at the sword dance and asked.

“Do I look tired?”

Then an unexpected answer came out.

“Whenever I see Mabul, I think he worked harder than anyone else.”

It wasn’t flattering, it was sincere.

“Thank you for your hard work so far.”

Mabul would consider it flattery.

This is what sword dance theater is trying to maintain these days.

If you have something to say to someone, say it without delay.

Mabul also wants someone to truly understand his hardships, so Geommugeuk expressed it this way.

Mabul, you are going through a lot of hardships.

Mabul felt it. The sincerity in Geommugeuk’s eyes is real.

Mabul tried hard not to show his emotions, but passion flashed through his eyes.

‘shit!’

How can someone so young look at someone with such deep eyes?

Mabul took the first step, and Geomugeuk walked quietly behind him.

The two walked in silence for a while and stopped at a place with a nice view.

“Let’s rest here for a little while.”

“That’s right.”

I dipped my feet into the clear stream where sword dance was flowing.

“It’s so cool and nice. Mabul, please try soaking your feet too.”

“Aren’t you scared?”

“What?”

“Isn’t there all kinds of poisonous substances in Cheondokrim? “Did you know there was some kind of poison in that stream?”

“I heard it from the King of Poison before. He said that there is no poison in the flowing stream. welcome.”

“I’m done.”

“When was the last time you dipped your toes in the stream?”

Mabul couldn’t even remember. Other than when you were very young, when did you first get your feet wet? Surely it never happened?

“It’s my wish! “Let’s soak it together just once.”

“Is there really nothing to wish for?”

“I do it so I can brag about it later. When I was growing up, Mabul and I would soak our feet in the stream, go for walks, and make bets about finding poisonous plants. “I’m done.”

Mabul laughed with an expression of bewilderment.

“It’s a place where blood flows or a foot that splashes, but sometimes you have to do things like this.”

When Geommugeuk forcibly pulled him away, he pretended not to be able to resist and took off his shoes and soaked his feet. It was a small, shiny foot.

“You’ve done all kinds of things in your life.”

It was the same for the Poison King. The King of Poison said it was a special event among special events.

“It’s cool, isn’t it?”

Mabul stared at the sword dance.

“Why do you look at me like that?”

“At times like this, I don’t think I’m young.”

“It’s because I grew up only observing my father’s opinions from a young age. You know, right? “What kind of person is my father?”

“He is not easy.”

Father is a panacea. If it’s difficult to explain, you can make an excuse for your father and he will understand to some extent.

“Mabul, when did you enjoy the most in your life?”

Mabul was lost in thought for a moment in response to Geommugeuk’s question.

When was it?

In Mabul’s mind, the past years flowed like a stream in which he dipped his feet. But I couldn’t remember any happy memories. It must have been there.

Instead of answering, Mabul asked Geomugeuk back.

“What about you?”

“I’ve been there several times recently. As you know, I went through a lot of trouble. “If I had to choose just one, it would be when I went hunting with my father.”

Was that the only time you had fun? However, I did not tell Mabul about what happened with the Mazons.

“What did the leader say when you went hunting?”

“Whenever I talk to you, you laugh at me. “You know, right?”

The sword dance imitated his father’s laugh. Then Mabul nodded.

“It’s similar.”

“I’ve been bullied so much that I’m now good at imitating.”

Mabul still couldn’t recall his own happy moments, so Geomukgeuk came up with other joys.

“It was fun when I left school and pretended to be someone else. Oh, my right-hand man is Inspector Seo. It’s also fun to make fun of that person. Why are there people like that? A person who accepts everything you tease. A person who accepts someone not because they are stupid, but because they have a big heart. Oh, there’s another one. I have the prettiest subordinate in Jungwon named Ian. Not only does she have a pretty face, but she is also smart and kind-hearted. Just thinking about that friend makes me happy. Also… I enjoy it when I’m alone and quiet.”

Meanwhile, Mabul couldn’t think of anything.

“What about Mabul?”

“I’m done.”

“No matter how happy you are, if you don’t remember it, it just passes by, right? It’s such a waste, isn’t it? So, let’s think about just one little thing.”

The sword dance was persistent.

“If it were me, I would answer just about anything, even if it’s annoying.”

It was right then. Mabul blurted out.

“cave.”

Mabul recalled his childhood a long time ago.

“There was a mountain behind me that I often climbed when I was young. There was a small cave there. “I felt good when I was in that cave.”

Mabul’s eyes deepened.

He was small from an early age and was different from other children. I could even tolerate teasing and bullying from my friends. However, the fact that even his parents and siblings treated him no differently than others left a deep wound in Mabul’s heart.

The day I first discovered the cave was the first time I was met by my younger brother. Because his body was so small, he was no match for his strength even with his younger brother who was several years younger than him. What was more infuriating and unfair than being beaten was that the older brothers who were watching did not stop him.

I wandered the mountain alone, crying.

Then I discovered that cave. I was able to fit in because it was small. The entrance was so narrow that even children had trouble getting in, but Mabul was able to get in. After passing through the narrow entrance, there was a small space inside where young Mabul could sit. And there was a gap so I could see outside.

Being there made me feel at ease and at ease.

From that day on, that place became Mabul’s hideout.

“I remember feeling good when I was in that cave.”

I felt sorry for the sword dance. When I asked about the fun moments, did I have to go all the way back to my childhood?

“Could you explain the cave and the surrounding scenery in detail?”

“Why is that?”

“Just like that.”

After Mabul gave a rough explanation, Geommugeuk asked and asked again to hear more details. I stopped asking questions only after I had listened enough to draw a picture.

“Why on earth did you ask?”

“Don’t be surprised.”

Perfect!

The moment Geomgeuk snapped his fingers, the two were standing in front of the cave.

Mabul was surprised. It was the cave from my childhood. It was his own sanctuary where he could crawl into and hide from the world.

“Is it an illusion?”

Mabul’s voice trembled. I knew that the martial arts skills of sword dance were excellent, but I had no idea that he could even use illusions.

“It’s a martial art called space-time anomaly.”

When Geommugeuk answered honestly, Mabul asked with a trembling voice.

“Is it by any chance a martial art from the Pungcheon Cult?”

“That’s right.”

“ah!”

Since he was once the closest to the leader of the Pungcheon Church, he also knew about martial arts.

“He passed this on to you?”

“Yes, only one Mazon other than the leader of the Pungcheon Sect knows that I learned phantom magic. “It’s a secret that even my father doesn’t know.”

“!”

Mabul was surprised.

“Why are you telling me this secret?”

“If I want to bring Mabul to this cave, I have to tell him.”

Then Mabul stood up suddenly, taking his feet out of the stream.

“Gongja Lee!”

He was really angry.

“This is what I’m worried about. How emotional you are! “This spontaneous feeling of yours revealing this secret to me, my enemy!”

Geommugeuk said, still staring at the stream.

“Why is Mabul your enemy?”

“!”

“Mabul will be my Majon. “Like other mazon.”

Geommugeuk’s gaze slowly turned towards Mabul.

The gazes of the two people intertwined in midair. The eye level of him sitting and standing was similar.

So Mabul could see clearly. Geommugeuk’s eyes are more resolute and intense than ever. The sword dance that joked around was gone, and there was a sword dance that was trying to become the next Cheonma.

“Please be my Majon.”

The moment Mabul heard those words, his heart swelled. Overwhelming emotions and feelings of denying those words were mixed.

Geommugeuk continued speaking calmly.

“you’re right. There are some Mazons I like better. These are people who are followed like parents or teachers and considered like older brothers or friends. Just like the Poison King from earlier, he was someone I would have liked to turn into a dog and bark together.”

“Yes, but why? Even if I wasn’t an enemy as you said, I would be the last in line among the mazons you care about. “Why did you tell me the secret?”

Geommugeuk’s eyes turned again to the two feet submerged in the stream.

Chambang Chambang.

Geommugeuk, who was playing with his feet as if splashing water, spoke calmly.

“To be honest, I don’t know. “Do I have to say to Mabul in a nice way, ‘This is my winning strategy!’ Is it just a spontaneous feeling like Mabul said, or is it a respect for Mabul’s loyalty to my brother?”

The sword dance performance stopped.

“Or maybe it’s just the cheap sentimentality my father said. “I don’t know either.”

Mabul said softly.

“Someday, these feelings will make me make a big mistake.”

“Then Mabul, please stop me then.”

“!”

“I am also working hard to have that kind of relationship with Mabul. I told you that I cleaned the King of Poison’s residence. Did you tell me to do it separately? No, even if I become a Heavenly Demon, I will clean the rooms of the Mazons if necessary. I will become that kind of heavenly devil. Please stop me from being next to such an emotional Heavenly Demon. You can’t do that, you emotional devil! “I do.”

After a while, Mabul refused.

“I don’t like it.”

He was still single-mindedly loyal to the Grand Duke.

The two were silent for a moment.

At that time, Mabul suddenly spoke.

“Please make the cave entrance bigger. Let’s go in. Oh, and there was a small gap in front of the cave, so I could see the village below.”

Geommugeuk changed the cave as Mabul said.

Mabul crawled into it.

“Do you like it?”

“It’s not good. “It’s so narrow and stuffy that I can’t breathe.”

What was so good about this stuffy cave that I came here every day?

I stood there for a moment and looked at the village. The sword dance performance was made so carefully that smoke from cooking rice was rising in the distance.

After doing this, I left the cave and looked down at the road leading up here from where the sword dance is now standing. I had a slight expectation that my mom or older brother might come visit me for food. Of course, those expectations were never met.

Then one day, instead of going down the mountain, he went down in the opposite direction and left his hometown. I haven’t been to my hometown since.

Mabul looked at the sword dance through a narrow gap. Geommugeuk was sitting back and looking down at the village.

“If you think about it, there must have been many happy times. Wouldn’t it be nice to have these old memories the best? Like the first time I learned martial arts or the day I became a Majon. There must have been a day when someone really recognized Mabul. There must have been many happier days that I can’t remember now. How was your day? “Didn’t you enjoy it?”

Golden light emanated from a narrow gap in the cave.

“Who are you?”

Geommugeuk said, still with his back turned.

“This is the person who will be your Heavenly Demon. So now, get out of that narrow, stuffy place.”

There was a possibility that something starting with ‘Ekki!’ would come out, but Mabul came out of there without saying a word. Then they sat side by side next to the sword dance.

The two looked down at the village in the distance for a moment. Then I looked up at the sky and saw a bird flying.

“That’s the bird back then. “You bastard, I’m not jealous at all anymore!”

This thought occurred to Mabul as he heard Geommugeuk’s shout. I really think I need to find something to express myself other than being crazy.

Geommugeuk lay flat on his back.

“I’m going to lie down for a bit.”

A large cloud was passing by in the blue sky.

“Look at those clouds. I made this, but isn’t it really awesome? “Oh, that’s good.”

I’ve looked up at the sky several times recently with Mabul, and right now is when I felt the most relaxed. I felt like the tension in Mabul, which always felt tight, was loosening.

Okay, this is enough. That looseness was all that was needed.

Geommugeuk did not do this to become the successor. Mabul also cherishes the person who will become his Mazon.

I just hope that my feelings like this are conveyed to him.

It was right then.

Mabul also slowly laid back down.

I lay down, supporting my head with both arms, and looked up at the sky.

Then I closed my eyes.

I remembered the moment when I was young, lying here and looking up at the sky. The feel of the grass that tickled my back, the sound of the birds and the sound of the stream that I heard then. Ants tickling my feet. Those memories came back vividly as they merged with my current sensations.

Geommugeuk, who was watching a faint smile form on Mabul’s lips, closed his eyes in comfort.

A cool breeze blew and I fell asleep easily.