SSS-Class Suicide Hunter-Novel

Chapter 238. <Death King’s Family (2)>

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3.

Swoosh-

Black water raged around the Lady of Golden Silk. Perhaps it wasn’t water, but shadows.

Whether it was the water that first touched her at birth, or the shadows that accompanied her until death, they were the best suited to announcing her new birth.

[The Earth Bone Dragon’s Box has been activated.]

The water… the shadows… the water-shadows completely enveloped the Lady of Golden Silk. The sound of the water-shadows whirling continued to be heard from the cocoon.

Then, it started to shrink.

The cocoon surrounding the Lady of Golden silk became smaller and smaller until it finally became the size of a child’s toy bell. In my palm sat a dark bead that was mushy like water and pitch black like a shadow.

“…”

This small thing was the existence of Sylvia Evanail.

Holding the bead in one hand, I slowly, politely, opened my mouth— Tuk, and dropped it in. Like putting the cherry from atop a cake into my mouth.

“…”

Everyone in the yard looked at me nervously.

In their eyes, I was no longer just the companion of Ivansia, or the Young Master of the Demonic Cult. I was someone with the power of a Demigod.

As they watched the Demigod’s miracle unfold, I, just chewed.

Softly.

I chewed the bead. Naturally, the taste of the bead was different from cherries. Cherries were sweet. Sometimes with a sour aftertaste. However, this bead, the existence of Sylvia Evanail, the more I chewed it. The more I bit… the more it tasted like sad rainwater.

Fragmented memories.

Every time I chewed, bursts of memories popped out like popcorn.

“Mm.”

With a gulp, I swallowed the memories of the Lady of Golden Silk that I had broken into small pieces. Then, with a gulp, I swallowed again. The lifetime of a human was too big or too muddy to swallow in one go.

[The Earth Bone Dragon’s Box has been completed.]

Then.

“Huuuu…”

I slowly exhaled. The breath I exhaled had mass. It had weight. It even had color, being black as if it was poisonous smoke.

[The Apostle of ‘The Ox that Harvests Ruins’ has manifested!]

The Tower called her two eyes by their old name.

However, it echoed too loosely to cover her now.

“Sylvia Evanail.”

“…”

The one who had regained a form that could breathe.

It was too exaggerated to call it reincarnation, and too grand to be called a transformation, so to speak, it was a metamorphosis. The one who once died had changed and was now kneeling before me.

“Is there a new name you’d like to have?”

“…there isn’t. I want to live as I lived and be called as I was called. More than that… I… how should I address you?”

The Lady of Golden Silk’s face was filled with reverence.

That was natural.

From her perspective, I’d brought her back from the dead.

Taking the memories of the Hundred Ghosts stored in the [Hundred Ghosts Reincarnation], I compressed those memories into the box like [Earth Bone Dragon’s Box*] before transferring them into my body. I could now revive the Lady of Golden Silk whenever I want. (*: Think this should be ‘skull’ xD)

Regardless of if it was someone who frolicked among magic or gods, this was clearly the realm of miracles.

“Re-, resurrection is true proof of divinity. I don’t think it is right to just call you the Wife of Ivansia like before…”

“Family Head.”

“Huh?”

“You can call me Family Head going forward. At least in public. In private, I don’t mind if you call me Kim Gong-ja, Mr. Gong-ja, Sir Gong-ja, or whatever you want. However, if there is a war or battle, call me Family Head.”

“…”

I slowly got up.

It was simply straightening my bent waist, but I felt like a beast stretching itself after a long hibernation. If I felt that way, the people watching me probably felt the same.

“Listen.”

I infused aura into my voice as I murmured.

“Family* has two meanings. The first is family clan*, and the second is family*. Raviel and I have a unique family clan. Making every being that I bring to this world my family… that, is my ideal.” (*: Kinda hard to translate/explain… in the end, they’re all ‘family’ in english. I tried to explain at the end of the chapter.)

If I could love someone else like I loved Raviel.

If there was a chance to make the impossible possible.

“Estelle.”

“Ah, yes, my Lor-… Father.”

Hearing my call, Estelle immediately ran over and got down on one knee. Seeing this, I smiled slightly and stroked her head.

“This is what I mean.”

“…huh?”

“Just because she calls me father, and I call her daughter, that doesn’t magically make us [family] from now on. Look, Estelle. Why would a daughter kneel to her father?”

“Ah,”

Estelle was confused.

“This, that, even if it’s between parent and child, if the parent has the position of King, their children need to carry out the duties not just of their children but also their subjects, that’s why I have no choice but to…!”

“It’s fine.”

I smiled.

“It’s because we haven’t gotten close enough to each other yet.”

“…Father?”

“I’m inexperienced at being a father. Estelle has also never been a daughter, so you don’t know what it’s like. That’s why we haven’t yet reached the stage of being a family. We don’t know what kind of father and what kind of daughter we’ll become.”

The night breeze blew.

More than a decade ago, a similar breeze had blown in front of an orphanage outside the Tower.

It blew.

“There is still a lot we don’t know.”

The kind of existence we would be to each other was not known.

“We aren’t family yet.”

We were barely at the starting line.

“If we were to ignore it and think [we are family] or [we are close like family], then one day, that thought would become shackles that hold us back. [Even though we’re family, we don’t know anything about each other]. [If we’re family, why can’t we do this much?]. Such anguish will definitely follow.”

It was beautiful when the heart went forward.

However, the heart was more beautiful when it supported actions from behind.

The Director had said those words in front of us orphans.

“We…”

I recited what he’d said with a tired expression on his face.

“Let’s understand each other, understand as much as we want to understand, and understand the reason why we don’t understand what we don’t understand. What we desire. What our habits are. What the one thing we would want to say to the world as we breathed our last is. Why we love the sunset…”

I slowly recited the signs of love.

“Until we all know that, until we get to know each other, we are not [family] yet.”

One by one, I looked at the Devil King who tried to destroy the world, the cult members from the eternal winter, and the noble young miss who cursed people.

“We are people who will try to be each other’s family.”

The Director.

“Family is not completed or ends just at being family. Family is a relationship. It is the limit of relationships. It’s an oath to work hard for each other. It’s hard to care for another, and even harder to work hard for them, but how could a family be so easy to make?”

Right.

“It’ll take a lot of hard work.”

A lot of fighting.

We can do it.

“Until then— when we can cover for each other’s flaws as family, let’s be a [family clan].”

At my declaration, Estelle, whose head I was stroking, reacted.

Her ears twitched.

“Fath…er. What do you mean by family clan…?”

“Everyone will have their own position in the family clan. The Grand Chamberlain will be responsible for the family clan’s hygiene and welfare, and they will cook for the family clan members when they are hungry.”

Just like the Director gave us our roles.

In the end, people could only do what they learned, and they could try to improve.

Looking at Estelle, I spoke seriously.

“Usually, the eldest daughter is the heir. They receive training to become the heir, and when the Family Head is unable to serve guests, it is the duty of the eldest daughter to take charge of balls and other social gatherings. Estelle, you are the eldest daughter of our family clan, and you will be in charge of many things in the future.”

“…”

“On the other hand, it is the duty of the warriors to protect the safety of the family clan members. They will protect the family clan members from being kidnapped by wicked people, and if any force dares try to destroy our family clan, they will go out and fight.”

The night sky.

The cult members, who were dear to me, blended into the darkness of night. Warriors sitting on the wall, below the wall, in the courtyard, and in the main hall, were all looking at me.

“I will try to become your family.”

Not one of them was related by blood.

“Until that day comes, let’s be a family clan.”

We would be able to take care of each other better than anyone else.

Those who had been hurt more than anyone else, who hated humans more than anyone else, who had been betrayed by the world, and who had witnessed its destruction. And yet, had somehow arrived here, had met me.

I opened my mouth.

“Four Demon Lords.”

“Yes!”

In the dark corners of the residence, one of them in each direction, the most elite members of the Demonic Cult rose to their feet.

The most senior among them, the Blood Demon, opened his mouth.

“Please speak, Young Ma…”

The Blood Demon’s handsome forehead became wrinkled. To put it simply, he was a man of principles. To put it bluntly, he was inflexible, a bodyguard who protected my Master from the nearest place and ensured the discipline of the cult members. Although he was a tall, handsome man, he was old fashioned.

“…Family Head.”

“Mm.”

“You can just use us as tools. The Young Master… no, the Family Head is kind hearted. Even if you were to use us as tools, we wouldn’t feel ashamed or regretful even for a single day. We will be your sharp blade, it would be enough even if you were to give us your admiration.”

“Master was like a mother to me.”

“…”

“To you, Master must have been even more than a mother.”

“…”

“Blood Demon.”

Leaning over, I covered the Blood Demon’s cupped fists with my hands.

“We lost the person who was like a mother to all of us. Isn’t that so?”

“…yes, that’s right.”

“So we are brothers.”

I said.

“People aren’t molded by what they have, but what they lost. That is the doctrine of our Cult of the Infernal Heaven. So we are clearly a sad few who lost their Master.”

“…”

“We should talk more, understand each other more, learn each other’s boundaries, and get on each other’s nerves, so that…”

More than now.

Much more than now.

“We will be much more beautiful and happy.”

“…”

“Until that day comes, I will be the Head of the Family Clan.”

The Blood Demon opened his dry lips.

“Yes, Family Head.”

“I will leave the family clan’s military matters to the Blood Demon. Your post will be Deputy Warrior Commander. Soon, I will appoint someone else as the Warrior Commander, so please assist the Warrior Commander as their deputy.”

“Yes! Family Head!”

I turned my head.

“Uburka!”

“Hmm.”

Thud.

When Uburka got up and stepped out of the main hall, the courtyard shook. All this while, Uburka had been using his aura to control his sheer weight. Now that I’d called him, Uburka released the momentum he’d been hiding until now.

“You called. Daddy.”

Gasps of fear came from all over.

The Demonic Cult members. Those who had become the warriors of my family clan had measured the level Uburka had reached.

Uburka was a monster.

A martial artist who had been able to reach the stage of body and mind as one at a young age, and the rejuvenating body stage in his old age. The greatest martial art talent in the history of the goblin race. If he was given the chance, after a while, he might even get a glimpse of the level Master had been on. Noticing this, the warriors of my family clan became nervous.

While all the warriors were on their toes, I smiled.

“You are my son.”

“Ugor. That’s right.”

“It seems like these days your brain has turned to mush since you seem to fall in love with everyone you see and try to confess…”

“You seem to have forgotten my Constellation Name, Daddy. Do you want to get beat up?”

[The Constellation ‘The Musclehead Who Dreams of Sinning Against Heaven’ threatens you.]

Ahaha.

I let out a chuckle.

“It’s fine. Even in puberty, my son is cool. Dad has only been in love once, but didn’t I marry the best thing in existence in one go? In terms of effectiveness, I can be called the King of Dating. You can always come talk to Daddy.”

“Daddy’s case is special, dirtily special, so I don’t think it can be used as a reference at all… Ugo. If I have anything to talk about, I’ll tell you.”

“Right. You are my eldest son.”

I nodded.

“The strongest warrior I know.”

“…”

Uburka looked at me.

“How many times have I challenged Daddy and lost?”

“I lost to Estelle hundreds of times before winning once. The number of defeats are nothing more than a decoration that enhances the victory.”

“Will I also defeat Daddy someday?”

“I believe in your talent, your effort, and your indomitable spirit. You are the most perfect warrior in this world.”

“…”

“Become my family clan’s Warrior Commander.”

I placed my palm on the back of Uburka’s large hand.

“When we have to fight, lead us from the very front. You have learned the Infernal Heavens Demonic Art. Not only did you learn it, you comprehended it. The level of your demonic art is second only to me, and the warriors of the family clan will willingly obey your command.”

The sound of the warriors’ breathing became a bit quieter.

This was probably less because of fear and more because of anticipation.

“I created the Infernal Heavens Formation by modifying the Infernal Heavens Demonic Art so that it would not just be the blade of one person, but the songs and dances of hundreds. Learn it. Learn it well. Learn it and teach the warriors. Teach them well.”

“…”

“My undeserved son.”

Tup.

Uburka raised his hand and covered the back of my hand.

Who, despite being a giant, still looked young, nodded.

“I will be Daddy’s Warrior Commander.”

Then, he vowed.

“I will not forgive anyone who dares to try to destroy our family clan. I will protect Daddy and those who are precious to Daddy, and I will try my best to make them precious to me as well. As long as Daddy loves me, I will also love the world.”

I smiled.

Thanks.

Despite me being born an orphan and you being born an albino, I was now surrounded by people I love, and you no longer knew why you hated the sun.

In the distant future, we would become something different.

We would prove something to this world.

“…”

I then remembered the name of a Hundred Ghost who hadn’t yet been summoned.

That person’s scent, hair, eyes. I remembered the existence of a hint wandering in that person’s scent, the traces of wounds hidden beneath their strands of hair, and the past buried in their expressionless deep blue eyes.

“Come out.”

I called the one floating in my mind.

[Skill activated.]

The shadows pulsated.

From the bubbling shadows, hands stretched out, soon followed by hair, a face, and a body. The Hundred Ghost took a small breath.

“Huu.”

A being with the scent, hair and eyes that I’d just imagined.

As Raviel’s distant ancestor, he looked like Raviel, and it was very easy to think of someone who looked like Raviel.

“You called.”

I nodded.

Then I called that person’s name.

“Kim Yul.”

You would also mean a bit more to me.

(TL: To explain the use of ‘family’ and ‘family clan’ in this chapter(including the chapter name).

The word used when mentioning the relationship between Raviel and Gong-ja, and that Gong-ja proposed they be in the interim is 가문(Gamun), which I— was forced— to translate as ‘family clan’ to avoid confusion. It is usually used to describe those who share the same last name/bloodline. This is also the word used in the title, but I’ll leave that as ‘family’.

The word used to describe Gong-ja’s ideal relationship with the others is 가족(Gajok), which usually refers to close family members and is what’s used more commonly, but it can also be used for those you ‘adopt’ into your family, like a close friends.

But as I mentioned before, in the end, it’s all ‘family’.)