Only Wisdom Awakened-Chapter 167: Bitter

"…Who are you?"

The woman was confused by Hans’s words, and it could be clearly seen by the expression on her face.

"Who am I?

Isn’t it me who shouldn’t know who you are?"

’This… does indeed make sense’

Thought Hans.

"Then, allow me to introduce myself.

Hans not only had no intention of revealing his identity, but he also doubted the woman would have been able to understand his introduction since just like when talking with Caelan, he understood what the woman was saying but not the words she spoke.

"I am… the master of this place"

Said Hans.

The woman’s reaction was even more shocked than before.

She didn’t let out a sound, and her face didn’t change much, but her eyes widened, and just that was enough to tell Hans she didn’t have any intention of investigating any further.

"I… understand"

The woman bowed on one knee, paying her respects to Hans.

’I am dead, the only one who dares to declare himself as the master of the realm of the dead…

It must be him:

Yan.

The king of the underworld’

"What have you called this humble one here for?"

Asked the woman with her head still facing the ground.

’This… it seems like she really is from a different world, do they greet people they don’t know like this or is it something else?’

Hans had no idea about what was happening, but he took the chance to ask about what he wanted to know.

"Tell me about it, your memories, your pain, your joy, I have to see it all"

"It is my honor for Your Majesty to gaze upon this humble soul’s life, please."

’Uh? Shouldn’t she start showing her memories? Caelan did it as soon as I asked.

Maybe she can’t do it, do I have to do it myself? But… how?’

Hans was thinking about how to watch the woman’s memories, but after a couple of seconds, even without doing anything, he once again found himself as a spectator of someone else’s story.

That time, it did not start among the cold blizzards and the violent breezes, but instead inside a warm house, lit by a couple of candles standing on a wooden table.

"It’s almost done!"

"Cone on! One last struggle and it will be out!"

Screamed a fairly old woman dressed in a rough-looking cotton dress.

In front of her, a woman was lying on the bed with her eyes facing the ceiling.

She was by no means old, but she had already lost the privilege of being called young.

Her face was disfigured by the pain, as the most awaited moment of her life was about to come.

She was giving birth.

It took almost another half an hour before she settled down, and her breath stabilized, replacing the screams that previously resounded throughout the whole house.

A little baby was handed over to her, and she hugged him firmly between her warm arms.

Soon after, came rushing through the door a man, with a joyous appearance, he sat beside the woman to comfort her and hugged both her and their son.

The man then left the room to his exhausted wife and proceeded to talk with the middle-aged woman who had assisted with the birth of the baby.

She whispered something to the man’s ear, and in just a few seconds, his smile faded and his face was filled with an incredible rage.

The man slammed open the door of the woman’s resting room, and quickly walked inside it, causing his wife to look at him with fearful eyes.

"Honey! What’s happening?!"

The man walked up to her and took the child up into his arms.

"Wait! Honey!"

His angry and disgusted expression crossed the wife’s gaze, making her realize what was going on.

"Another one…"

He whispered.

"Another one… you are telling me that for the second time in a row… we got a girl"

The man rushed to the woman who had given him the information, and grabbing her by her shoulder, he told her:

"Today…

The child died!"

"Wha- what are you talking about"

"I am telling you that today our child died before coming out of the womb!"

"What? But I made sure she was-"

"There is no such thing as she.

Me and my wife did not have a second daughter…

Understood?!"

The man pressed down onto the old woman’s body, as she gasped for air.

"I- I understand, please let this poor old woman go"

Halting his movement, the man released the grip, and the lady walked away as fast as she could.

"Honey?! What is happening?!"

Asked his wife from the other room.

"Stay here and rest, I will have to take care of the burden"

"What?! What are you trying to do? Honey? Please come back"

A few seconds later, she heard the door close and fell asleep exhausted.

Appearing beside Hans, who was watching the scene without any presence, was the woman with the same face as the one lying on the bed.

"If just… I had birthed a son that day.

Maybe my life wouldn’t have turned out as pitiful and sinful as it has been."

After that incident, it happened once again, for the third time… I birthed a girl.

And for the second time, she disappeared the same day she came to this world.

My firstborn always asked me for a sibling, and all I could do was say her mother was not good enough to make her one.

How could I ever tell her?

How could I ever say that two of her sisters were probably lying underground?

I was cursed with the inability to make a son, and a few years passed by before my husband found someone to replace me.

I was left without a husband, and even my only daughter had been taken away from me.

Her father had filled her head with lies, and her heart with hatred.

I was forgotten by everyone, destined to grow old and die in the muddy streets.

After a long life of struggles and challenges, my sick body was resting on a rock, just beside the streets.

I didn’t know how, I didn’t know why.

But someone found me.

My daughter found me, I couldn’t see her anymore, but I heard her beautiful voice.

"Someone like this is… my mom?"

Hans watched the scene as the faceless young lady took out a sword from the sheath hanging on her waist before cutting the old woman’s head off.

"I deserved it, I deserved to be killed, but not by my child.

Knowing that I passed on while she held such deep resentment towards me pains me even here.

I hope, my child will be able to live happily, without being controlled by anyone.’

The memories disappeared, and the space around them became dark once again.

"Could you grant me one last minute? I want to see my daughter’s face for one last minute.

I beg of you."

What he had just seen was anything but heartwarming.

He asked himself how was it possible for such a person to maintain the love she held for his daughter even if she put an end to her life.

As a sign of respect, Hans let the woman’s best memories with her daughter flash before her eyes, while he observed silently.

"It is time for me to go.

Please, Your Majesty, grant me the gift of eternal rest.

My thoughts have lingered in this soul for far too long."

Hans didn’t know if doing so would’ve helped the woman, but out of pity, he left the place, returning to the main plain, where all the other silhouettes stood still.

Hans was so shocked by what he had just witnessed that he did not have the heart to continue.

He returned back to reality, where waiting for him was Ember, who had fallen asleep on top of his hair.

"Sigh"

’This little pest’

Not much time had passed, and when he woke up, the plane was about to take off.

Instead of resting, he decided to meditate, since even the slightest bit of change in his stats would count towards his growth, but he was hindered by the bitter feeling left after listening to the woman’s story.

This content is taken from freёnovelkiss.com.

A few hours later, the plane’s wheel touched the LA airport runway.

Hans got up and thanked his pilots before getting inside the car previously waiting for him right outside the vehicle.

By the time the sun came up, Hans had already returned to the academy.

It felt strange to see the place so deserted.

The first thing he did was get back to his apartment and take a shower, and he then reached the dean in her office to discuss something.

"Knock knock"

"Come in"

Hans entered the dean’s office, and she greeted him like someone looking at his golden goose.

"You’ve finally gotten back, was the work in Greenland too easy for you?"

"I don’t know about me, I’m sure you would’ve died tough"

"Huh? You started to react to my provocations, did you get softer?"

"Cut that out, I’m the same as always"

"More than that, I’m curious to know why you’ve called me here"

"You didn’t read the email right?"

"No? What email?"

"It’s about all the kids and the instructors, we will need to change the teaching method."

"What? Why?"

"Something happened Hans,

something none of our guys are ready for"