DEB 84

Could it be that he was driven mad by some sort of psychic attack at the temple?

Huiyun looked at his disciples, wondering if that could be the case. It took them less than a second to shake their heads in unison, dismissing his concern.

He remembered something Ash had said once: “Given their terrible personalities, it seems Yasha has a particular taste.” 

Now, Huiyun could agree with that statement.

“…Verita.”

“Yes, Yasha.”

“My memories are incomplete, so I don’t have much to say to you.”

He could feel his eyebrows droop. 

Despite his concern that Verita might be saddened by this, Verita looked at him and smiled brightly.

“Do not worry, Yasha. The Lord has told me that your memories will return if you place your hand upon me. Come, lay your hand upon me!”

Instead of being disappointed, Verita’s clear eyes sparkled with anticipation as he bowed his head. 

Huiyun, feeling skeptical but willing to try, reached out and placed his hand on Verita’s head.

As soon as his palm touched the silky smooth hair, his vision turned white.

Sssssss-.

The sound of wind brushed his ears as memories of Verita unfolded in his mind.

Their first encounter was when a White Dragon, considered sacred even among dragons, visited the lair where Huiyun and his disciples lived.

“Yasha! Verita, the servant of the Lord, has come to follow the revelation and become your disciple!”

Boom, boom, boom!

A white-haired man in immaculate priest robes banged his head against the lair’s barrier, shouting loudly enough to shake the mountains.

“Damn it, that scared me. What’s with this rudeness while dragons are sleeping?”

“Calm down and watch your language, Zenith.”

“Yasha, should I handle this?”

“First the dragon shelter, now this servant… Yasha, this is exhausting.”

He was a sudden and insane presence in their peaceful lives. Yasha calmed his excited disciples and went out to meet Verita. 

Introducing himself as the Lord’s servant, Verita didn’t care about his dirty clothes as he prostrated himself on the ground.

“Yasha! The Lord has said that following you will bring light to the world!”

“…The Lord said that?”

“Yes, Yasha.”

Yasha was taken aback by the reverent bow, forehead touching the ground. 

Ash, who had quickly followed, recalled something and gasped.

“Come to think of it, there’s said to be a holy dragon in the east who hears the Lord’s voice. Could it be…?”

“…It’s not impossible.”

Whispering to his disciple, Yasha looked at Verita with troubled eyes. 

As someone connected to the divine, Yasha had received part of an omniscient and omnipotent power but had never heard the Lord’s voice, except in ancient times. 

He had always thought that what he came to know was the Lord’s will.

But now, this dragon claimed to hear the Lord’s voice. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t disheartened.

“…Do you really hear the Lord’s voice?”

“Yes, Yasha. As a servant devoted to the Lord, I wish to serve you, the Lord’s proxy.”

“This is crazy. Who does he think he is, telling you to accept or reject him?”

“Yasha, I object. You already have too many disciples.”

“Yasha, I don’t like this either.”

“Me too, Yasha.”

It seemed to have become a custom for Yasha’s current disciples to object whenever he considered taking on a new disciple. Unlike the others, who were vehemently against it, Zenith remained calm and asked for permission to speak. 

With Yasha’s nod, she stepped forward and extended her hand towards Verita.

“My name is Zenith. Why have you come to seek Yasha?”

“Oh, what a splendid name. I was born in the temple, bathed in light, and became a servant of the Lord through lifelong prayer. The Lord told me to go to the far west and find His proxy, to kiss his feet and serve him, so I have come to follow that command.”

His voice was filled with sincerity. Zenith confirmed this by asking again.

“How can we trust your words?”

“I pledge my heart.”

Without hesitation, Verita cut open his chest and pulled out his heart. Both the disciples and Yasha were stunned by the bold and dangerous act. Unfazed, Verita placed his heart on a scale he produced from his robes.

“This scale will reveal the truth of my words. If I am lying, it will tip. If not, it will remain balanced.”

The empty side of the scale stayed perfectly level. Verita, looking slightly pale, watched the scale and declared that everything he had said was true. 

The scale did not move.

“Yasha, the scale of truth has spoken. Now I seek your answer.”

“Wait, Verita. While your words may be true, that alone does not make you Yasha’s disciple.”

“Why not?”

“You follow Yasha not out of personal devotion but to fulfill the Lord’s will. Becoming a disciple for such a purpose is a deception to those of us who are already his disciples.”

“Indeed. Just because you’ve pulled out your heart doesn’t mean it holds genuine devotion. We’ve already given Yasha our bodies and hearts entirely.”

“Ash, your statement could be easily misunderstood.”

Embarrassed by his disciple’s bold words, Yasha calmed the agitated Ash and Zenith, and lightly tapped the head of Moot, who was casting a curse, causing him to faint. 

Vita and Vina, seeing this, quickly returned to their gentle expressions, agreeing to follow Yasha’s decision.

Yasha understood his disciples’ concerns.

“Verita. If you become my disciple and the Lord commands you to kill me, would you do it?”

“Yasha!”

“Yasha!”

Ash and Zenith, horrified, grabbed Yasha. Telling Ash to calm down, Yasha looked at Verita with a steady expression, waiting for his answer. Verita, his sharp eyes focused on Yasha, answered.

“You would give your life before I could do that.”

“This damn lizard!”

“Calm down, Vita.”

“Yasha, you must draw the line! How dare he speak so arrogantly…! Damn it!”

“Vita!”

Zenith held back the snarling Vita. Vina, standing nearby, remained silent but his gaze was icy. Sighing, Yasha pushed his disciples behind him and looked at Verita.

“Why do you think that?”

“Because you are the Lord incarnate. The Lord’s will is your will.”

Yasha smiled wryly.

“You speak logically. Then Verita, if the Lord’s voice didn’t exist, would you still become my disciple?”

“If I knew you were the Lord’s proxy, yes.”

Even while they exchanged these words, the scale did not tip. Yasha, staring at the perfectly balanced scale, asked one last question.

“Then, child. Will you serve me as a god or as a master?”

Verita stopped his bow and kneel on one knee, head lowered.

“Yasha. I will serve you as my master.”

It was a clever answer that avoided being caught in a trap. But there was no malice in it, so Yasha relaxed his expression and smiled.

“My disciples doubt your loyalty. How will you ease their fears?”

“I will offer one of my hearts to you and swear to die with you.”

Verita gave the heart from the scale to Yasha. The disciples could no longer doubt Verita’s sincerity. Though they were displeased, they could not argue. Seeing this, Yasha accepted the heart before the oath was sealed.

“Even if I die of old age, it is foolish for you to die with me. If I die of my own will or the Lord’s will, this oath will be broken, and you will live your life. I will take you as my disciple under this promise.”

“Yasha. I, Verita, servant of the Lord, pledge my body and soul to you forever.”

Light blossomed as Verita’s heart melted into Yasha’s skin. 

The heavens confirmed their oath.

Thus, Verita became Yasha’s sixth disciple. The process was unique compared to the other disciples, so he remained an outsider for a long time, but after a hundred years, even that changed. 

Verita’s cheerful personality, laughing off any remark, eventually made the other disciples accept him.

Additionally, once Verita began serving Yasha, he treated the other disciples as family, using his life force to bless them. 

Given his sincere devotion, ignoring him any longer would have been impossible.

“Damn it. Why did I end up stuck with this guy as a fellow disciple…? The life of a dragon is insane.”

“Oh, Vita! Even as you speak, I know you’re happy to have gained another sibling!”

“Damn it! Someone get rid of this guy!”

“…….”

“…….”

“Oh, Vita! Everyone wants me to talk to you!”

“Useless guy! Why is it always me? Yasha, Yasha!”

“Hahahaha!”

Though it was noisy, Verita eventually fit in with the disciples. 

The remembered scene ended there. 

Huiyun accepted all the memories and looked at Verita again.

Verita, sensing that his master’s memories had returned, smiled. He lowered his head even further.

“…Verita. I am no longer the Lord’s proxy and have been born in a human body. Do you still wish to follow me?”

Verita’s eyes shone as he grabbed Yasha’s hand and kissed it.

“Yasha. The oath I made with my soul lasts until my soul is extinguished. Even if you became an insect, I would still serve you, and my soul would still recognize you as the executor of the Lord’s will. How could I not follow you?”

His words were unwavering. When Huiyun instinctively realized the truth in those words, the Education Book responded.

[Congratulations! You have recalled forgotten memories. The Education Book for Reincarnator has been updated!]

Education Book for Reincarnator Registered Disciples:

Ash (Hong Juan): Respect 45%

Vina (Kwon Jiwook): Respect 20%

Moot (Nameless): Respect 20%

Vita: Respect 45%

Zenith: Respect 45%

Verita: Respect 80%

[Training]

Command: Kneel (Vina), Bow Down (Moot) 

Punishment 

Praise

[Relationship and Status]

Ash (Hong Juan): Affection 50%

Moved by the fact that everyone is finally gathered ㅎvㅎ | Joy, Happiness, Nostalgia

Vina (Kwon Jiwook): Affection 20%

Annoyed by the arrival of a disliked disciple ㅍ_ㅍ | Boredom, Annoyance, Nostalgia

Moot (Nameless): Affection 20%

Recalling old memories with the master ㅇㅅㅇ | Joy, Nostalgia, Peace

Vita: Affection 60%

Dislikes Verita but is happy to be with everyone ^ㅁ^ | Joy, Happiness, Nostalgia

Zenith: Affection 60%

Overwhelmed by reuniting with long-time friends 🙂 | Joy, Nostalgia, Sadness

Verita: Affection 80%

Thinks of the master as a god *u.u* | Joy, Excitement, Reverence