CHAPTER 8:
Beyond Recorded History
They were dismissed.
The four of them left the Grand Hall together, but none of them were in a good mood. The air around them felt heavy, as if an invisible pressure was pressing down on their shoulders.
As they walked through the long palace corridor, Luka finally spoke:
"You're going to the Mortal World?"
he asked, his voice carrying a hint of concern.
"Yeah," Arata replied calmly.
"With whom?" Loki asked.
Before Arata could answer, Balder spoke instead:
"Alone."
Luka and Loki looked at him.
Balder continued, "It's Aoba we're talking about. If too many people move, he'll know immediately that someone is looking for him."
He glanced at Arata.
"It's best not to take any risks."
Arata did not deny it.
Which meant Balder was right.
This mission—
Was never meant to be a group mission.
It was a hunt.
And hunts like this…
Were always done alone.
After parting ways with the others, Arata returned straight to his residence. He was so exhausted that he did not even bother to change properly. He only removed his boots and outer robe before lying down on the bed. The moment his head touched the pillow, he fell into a deep sleep.
Some time in the middle of the night, a faint scratching sound came from the window.
Arata's eyes opened instantly.
He sat up, his gaze turning sharp as he looked toward the source of the sound. The scratching came again — light, but persistent.
He stood up and walked to the window. Without hesitation, he grabbed the handles and pushed the window open with a bang.
A small figure fell from the window frame with a soft thud onto the ground.
It was a small wolf cub.
The little wolf had probably been clinging to the window and lost its balance when Arata suddenly opened it. It lay on the ground for a moment, stunned. Seeing that the person at the window did not react at all, the cub slowly lifted its head and looked at Arata.
Its eyes seemed to clearly say one thing:
Idiot.
Then it got up, shook its fur, and ran away into the darkness.
Arata: "..."
He stood there in silence for a long time.
After that, Arata no longer felt sleepy.
He changed his clothes, then walked out into the courtyard alone.
A full moon hung high in the night sky, surrounded by countless stars. The night air was cold and clear. A gentle wind passed through the courtyard, making his long hair sway slightly and his robes flutter softly.
Arata stood there quietly under the moonlight, his expression calm, his eyes deep in thought.
No one knew what he was thinking.
The next morning, Arata woke up with a sore back.
He had fallen asleep in the courtyard.
Arata yawned softly and rubbed his eyes. He was still sleepy.
Even so, he went to take a bath.
Last night he had been too tired and had fallen asleep without washing. After bathing, he changed into a fresh set of clothes and prepared for the day.
His long, void-like black hair was left loosely open behind his back. His eyes — deep crimson, like dark blood — were as cold and sharp as ever. His upper and lower eyelids were naturally thick, making his eyes look as if they had been outlined with a heavy brush, giving his gaze a naturally dark and intimidating look.
Today, he wore a set of full black robes, along with his usual black vambraces. The overall aura around him was cold, distant, and difficult to approach.
Then, there was a knock on the door.
Arata rarely had visitors. Aside from people sent by the Emperor, almost no one came to his residence.
And it was still early morning — too early for official matters.
His brows furrowed slightly in annoyance.
He walked to the door and opened it.
Standing outside were three familiar figures.
Luka. Loki. Balder.
Arata looked at them silently for a moment, then stepped aside and let them in. As he closed the door, he said in a flat voice:
"First thing in the morning, I'm forced to see the faces of people I do not want to see."
Balder immediately touched his face and frowned.
"What's wrong with my face?" he said. "Trust me, you won't find another face as handsome as mine anywhere."
Loki lowered his eyes, looking as calm and elegant as ever, but the corner of his mouth moved slightly.
"Your confidence is truly admirable."
Luka raised his hand slightly.
"Alright, that's enough. Don't start a fight this early in the morning,"
he said, glancing between Arata and Balder. "We came here to tell you something before the Emperor sends you to the Mortal Realm."
Arata did not speak. He simply looked at them, waiting.
Luka continued, "Balder found something. I wouldn't call it a clue… it's more like a twist in the plot."
As he spoke, Luka gestured for Balder to continue.
Balder had not told anyone about this yet — not Luka, not Loki. He had deliberately waited. He wanted to see their reactions at the same time.
And Arata, who knew Balder's personality very well, had already guessed that much.
Balder took out a folded piece of paper from his robe, slowly opened it, then looked at the three of them.
"Do you know what Elmeray is?" he asked.
Luka frowned slightly.
"Our world."
Loki nodded.
"Yes. Our planet."
Arata's brows furrowed slightly in impatience.
"What's the point of these questions? Stop wasting time and get to the point."
Balder did not get angry. Instead, he leaned back slightly and said,
"Don't rush. First tell me — how much do you know about the history of Elmeray?"
This time, Arata answered first.
"Doesn't it have something to do with demons?"
Luka tapped his fan lightly against his palm as he tried to recall.
"I remember reading that demons once lived here before the current races."
Loki added calmly,
"Not just lived. If I remember correctly… this world was once ruled by demons."
Balder looked at them one by one, then slowly said:
"You're all half right."
He placed the paper on the table.
"The history records we know… are incomplete."
The room became quiet.
Balder's voice lowered.
"According to what I found, Elmeray was not originally a human world… nor a demon world."
He paused for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts, then continued,
"It is said that Elmeray was once a separate realm. A complete world on its own."
He glanced at the three of them and continued slowly,
"We all know that within Elmeray, there are several realms — the Immortal Realm, the Mortal Realm, and the Ghost Realm. These are the realms recorded in history and recognized by everyone."
He tapped the paper lightly with his finger.
"But… there is another realm."
Luka's fan stopped mid-air.
Loki's eyes narrowed slightly.
Arata said nothing, but his gaze turned colder.
Balder continued in a quieter voice,
"A hidden realm."