* * *
This much was an undeniable fact.
The real issue was where the core was located.
According to what was commonly known, the core always had to exist within the monster’s body.
Although the exact location of the core varied, the fact that it was inside the body never changed.
That’s why I knew what I was about to say might not sound very convincing.
Even I had lingering doubts about it. I understood if Sehir would be skeptical.
Yet, no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the Mother’s core was in his egg.
Even after reasoning through it logically, the conclusion remained the same.
So I decided to trust my instinct.
“But from what I observed, the Mother didn’t have a core. To be precise, it wasn’t in his body.”
“I agree with that. It didn’t seem like he had one to me either.”
As I calmly spoke, Owen suddenly chimed in.
Wiping off the dirt from his hands with a towel, he came over to my side.
When he moved from his spot, the faintly glowing green magnetic field that blocked the entrance of the cave came into view.
The transparent, rippling barrier felt warm, much like the light Owen emitted whenever he healed.
Just looking at it gave me a comforting sense of peace.
I suppose he’s using it to hide our tracks.
It was reassuring to think that, within the magnetic field, the Mother wouldn’t be able to track us.
It meant we had bought enough time to make plans for what lay ahead.
Though it was unclear how long the magnetic field would continue to disrupt the Mother’s senses, for now, it seemed safe.
Shifting my attention away from the magnetic field, I began explaining the reasoning and thought process that led me to believe the Mother’s core might be in the egg.
I emphasized the fact that, before his death, the Mother would fertilize herself and lay just one offspring.
Unlike other high-ranked monsters, he protected that offspring with his life.
Considering that monsters only acted on hunger, greed, or survival instincts, it seemed suspicious that humans would call this behavior “maternal love.”
“So, it feels off to say she’s simply protecting his egg out of maternal instinct. But if we substitute that with a survival instinct, it all makes sense.”
After I finished my lengthy explanation, Sehir let out a low hum.
The confusion was gone, and his expression now showed he was rationally considering the validity of my argument.
Compared to before, there was much less emotional turmoil on his face.
“So, you think the Mother’s core is in the egg?”
“Yes.”
“It’s not impossible, but I’ve never heard of a monster keeping its core outside its body. I’ve never seen it either.”
“I haven’t either.”
“Then?”
“But just because we know something doesn’t mean it’s always right.”
I smiled as I repeated my own words: Just because we know something doesn’t mean it’s always right.
Realizing one’s mistakes is difficult, but admitting them is even harder.
Especially for me, since I had always believed that my worth was solely in my knowledge.
It had taken me a long time to say those words so calmly.
But now, things were different.
Kaindel’s advice, that instead of wasting time berating myself when my information was wrong, I should focus on finding a solution, echoed in my mind.
Thanks to that, I could now view unexpected variables as something unavoidable, and the weight on my shoulders didn’t feel as crushing as before.
Besides, since the problem had been caused by my inaccurate information today, I had done my best to figure out where the Mother’s core could be.
That was enough.
But before I could relax, there was something I needed to do. I wasn’t the only one affected by today’s mishap.
Though Kaindel and Owen seemed fine with it, I couldn’t predict how the others would react to my mistake.
More importantly, if I wanted them to trust my belief that the core was in the egg, I couldn’t just gloss over my error.
Once I made up my mind, I bowed.
“I’m sorry.”
I could feel the curious gazes sweeping over me.
It must have been puzzling for them to see me apologize all of a sudden while talking about the Mother.
“The reason things went awry today was because of my faulty information. I’m truly sorry. I can’t blame anyone for not trusting me after this.”
After delivering my sincere apology, I straightened up.
As I looked around, my eyes suddenly met Kaindel’s.
For some reason, I thought I caught a glimpse of a smile on his lips, though I couldn’t think of anything I’d said that would amuse him.
Staring into his green eyes, I moved my lips slowly.
Even after swallowing, the thirst in my throat wasn’t quenched.
“But I hope… that you’ll trust me just one more time.”
As I strained to force the words out, Ruen scratched his head, then rubbed the back of his neck.
His expression wasn’t annoyed but more bewildered, as if he didn’t quite know what to make of the situation.
“This is really ridiculous.”
“What?”
“What did you do so wrong that you had to bow?”
He muttered, frowning briefly before returning his face to its usual state.
At the same time, Sehir suddenly strode over to me.
Grinning, he placed his hands on both sides of my face and smiled warmly.
“Yeah, Isa. This wasn’t your fault. And even if it were, there’s no need to lower yourself in front of us. We’re comrades, aren’t we?”
It seemed Sehir wasn’t too fond of me apologizing like I had been taught at the restaurant.
“Don’t bow next time,” he added with a soft smile, his eyes narrowing into warm crescents.
Had things worked out after all?
Just as I blinked, surprised by the sudden shift in the atmosphere, Daniel, who had been silently observing, murmured to himself.
“If the core…”
He paused, taking a breath, and then continued.
“If the core is really in the egg, then that’s dangerous. If we don’t know the location of the nest, there’s no way for us to kill the Mother.”
“Ah, speaking of the nest…”
Hearing Daniel’s concern, Kaindel suddenly spoke, as if something had come to mind.
Then, he tapped the ground with his finger, brushing off the dark soil that had clung to his skin.
“Ruen, earlier you saw the Mother with your eyes, right?”
“During the day?”
“Yes, during the day.”
“I did. But why are you asking all of a sudden?”
“Why, you ask?”
Kaindel stretched out his legs, glancing sideways at Ruen, who was asking cluelessly.
Crossing his long legs, he threw in a playful reprimand, as if wondering how Ruen didn’t get it.
“If the Mother was just far away, you wouldn’t have seen him. Your eyes aren’t just some simple form of clairvoyance.”
Ruen’s eyes?
I looked back and forth between Kaindel and Ruen as he added that detail.
I had only thought Ruen had good vision because he could see both the goblins in the thick fog and the Mother in the distance.
I hadn’t had time to think deeply about it but had naturally assumed it was just the ability to see far.
I didn’t know what clairvoyance exactly was, but I had a feeling I knew what Kaindel was hinting at.
Ruen didn’t just have the simple ability to see faraway things.
So what is it? Does his ability have more to it? Or are there limitations?
As my curiosity grew, I heard a slight movement nearby.
Turning toward the sound, I realized Sehir was beside me, so I looked at him as if asking for an answer.
Then, Sehir spoke.
“It’s magic.”
“Ruen’s eyes?”
“Yeah, but it doesn’t mean Ruen is a mage. It’s magic passed down through his family of sailors. What was it called again? I think it’s a spell that lets you see through illusions and reveal the truth. Something like that.”
He added, as if recalling a distant memory.
“When you sail, you encounter all sorts of situations. Storms and heavy rain are common, but sometimes there are fake illusions created by mages or shamans. To avoid being fooled and making wrong decisions, sailors learn this magic of true sight.”
“Then he can’t see faraway things?”
I asked again, and Sehir rolled his eyes as he answered.
“Well, Ruen was a ship captain, so his eyesight is probably good.”
It was a vague confirmation. Saying his eyesight was good didn’t necessarily mean it had anything to do with his magic ability.
This made it clear to me that Ruen’s power wasn’t simply about seeing distant objects, just as Kaindel had said.
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