Ranker Who Lives Twice

『…』

Valdebich remained silent for a moment, glaring at Yeon-woo. It seemed he knew who Yeon-woo was.

'His personality is different from the diary.'

The Valdebich Jeong-woo remembered was always simple and kind. Sometimes in battles, he did go mad and run forward without looking back, which was how he got his nickname Sword Yaksha, but he normally had a timid personality, not able to say anything mean to others. It was why he was constantly teased by his companions, and it was also the reason why he'd been deceived by Bayluk in the end.

However, the Valdebich in front of Yeon-woo was nothing like that. His eyes were blazing, and he looked unyielding. On top of that, the scars filling his entire body showed how rough the battlefields he'd been fighting in were.

The madness that exploded whenever he grabbed his sword had also been quelled to a fierce fighting spirit. He looked like a warrior who fought numerous battles. But his slow pronunciation was ever the same.

Valdebich didn't speak out loud, but used Open Speaking instead, probably because he could deliver his thoughts faster this way.

『You're… ###, right?』

Yeon-woo's name was blurred out again because it was still marked as confidential data. But Valdebich had said the word "Cha Yeon-woo" directly, meaning he knew exactly who he was.

"Did Jeong-woo tell you my name too?"

『In passing.』

"He must've muttered by name when he was drunk."

『You're spot-on.』

Valdebich wordlessly looked Yeon-woo up and down again. Many emotions flashed through his eyes at that moment. Since he was looking at the exact same face his old friend had, he was probably having mixed feelings. It was understandable since they had started together from the Tutorial and stayed good friends.

Then, Valdebich forced his complicated emotions aside and sighed.

『Haa! I couldn't say for sure… but you really came all the way here?』

He narrowed his eyes at Yeon-woo.

『And the way you cause trouble is like your little brother. How can brothers be so similar?』

"No."

Yeon-woo snorted.

"I'm way better than him. Face-wise and personality-wise."

『…』

Valdebich looked at Yeon-woo with a flabbergasted expression, like he was wondering what kind of nonsense he was listening to. He clicked his tongue.

『Your narcissism is also the same. Only the way you speak is different. Don't your other companions complain about that?』

"I'm only speaking the truth. What would they complain about?"

『…You really are brothers.』

Valdebich shook his head while Yeon-woo brushed it off.

"Before that, there's something I want to ask."

『What is it?』

"This place is inside of the Tower, but why are there so many otherworld gods?"

Kroooo.

Valdebich was about to reply when the crying of the otherworld gods rang in the sky again. The stage shook once more. The sky trembled as if it was about to come down. The gods began to fight with each other, still angry that they had lost their target.

Valdebich watched the scene and slowly stood up.

『I don't think it'll be easy to continue speaking here. Let's move first. Follow me.』

He didn't wait for Yeon-woo's response before he began moving. The barrier moved along with him. He seemed used to the situation.

Yeon-woo also used Wind Path to step after Valdebich.

* * *

The place he led him to was far off from where Yeon-woo had first arrived at. Multiple barriers were layered over a large plain. When Yeon-woo entered it, he could see a mass grave with countless gravestones lined up.

The cabin Valdebich was staying in was located behind the graves.

"That grave is…"

『Why do you ask when you already know? Their graves of my dead race. Although I wasn't able to bury them properly. Come in.』

Valdebich's tone was a bit sharp. Yeon-woo could feel the exhaustion dripping from his words.

A half-giant who chose to be a gravekeeper… it seemed Valdebich was retrieving the remains of the giants and marking these gravestones one by one.

He was doing what no one had asked him to do in solitude. It would be strange if he wasn't sharp since he was keeping at his job in the midst of the dangers from the otherworld gods.

The cabin he was staying in was quite large. Since he had a hefty size, it couldn't help but seem big to Yeon-woo's standards. The interior was only filled with the bare necessities, displaying his personality.

'It's the same.'

The layout was the exact same as the structure of his room still in the clan house. Valdebich was also unable to escape from the ghosts of the past.

『This is the only thing I have to give, so take it without complaint.』

The teacup he roughly placed in front of Yeon-woo so big Yeon-woo didn't know what it was at first.

'Is this a washbasin?'

He could barely tell it was a teacup because of the designs Valdebich had added to it.

'Looks like he's still bad with his hands.'

He must've brewed coffee at some point because black water filled the wash basin-like teacup.

'My stomach will explode if I drink this.'

It was the first time Yeon-woo had received so much coffee at once, so he wondered when he'd be able to drink it all. The handle of the cup was so thick that he had to drink it with two hands. It reminded him of when his friends poured him a large batch of drinks when he had his first vacation off from enlistment.

He gave his impression after a few sips.

"Bitter."

It wasn't just bitter; it was extremely bitter.

Valdebich frowned.

『It's an item from your home planet though.』

Despite giving the coffee in a standoffish attitude, Valdebich had been watching how Yeon-woo would react to the coffee.

There weren't many coffee beans in his backyard, so he was trying to be as generous as possible to his visitor. He couldn't help but be irritated that Yeon-woo complained about the coffee after drinking his helping.

But Yeon-woo ignored Valdebich and asked in an expressionless face.

"You made this in the recipe Jeong-woo gave you, didn't you?"

『…How?』

Valdebich's frowning face shifted a bit.

"It's obvious. That bastard can't even drink coffee. He thinks the bitter the better. Have you been drinking that bitter stuff all this time?"

『…A-At first it was hard for me as well, but after drinking it over time the taste grew on me…』

"People on Earth enjoy espressos, but most of them savor it slowly, not gulp it down like they're drinking beer."

『…』

"Even if the taste cells of the giant race are different from humans there should still be some similarities since you're a half-giant."

『…』

"You thought this bitter coffee fit this weary place, didn't you?"

『…』

"How can you think exactly like Jeong-woo?"

『…』

Yeon-woo, frustrated, stopping drinking the coffee and stood up.

"Do you have a kitchen?"

『Over… there. But why?』

"I'll change that strange tongue of yours. I'll use the kitchen for a bit."

『…』

Yeon-woo didn't wait for his permission and entered the kitchen his and Valdebich's coffee cup. Valdebich stared blankly at Yeon-woo's back.

Why had he stuttered and excused himself? The way Yeon-woo led the atmosphere and made others speechless seemed different from Jeong-woo.

It was a visitor who was similar to Jeong-woo but not quite and had Jeong-woo's face.

Valdebich closed his mouth and was silent for a while.

* * *

"Try this."

A moment later, Yeon-woo put a new cup of coffee in front of Valdebich. It was a brown milk. Valdebich looked between the alien object and Yeon-woo doubtfully.

『Did you mix coffee with milk?』

It was impossible to understand with his line of reasoning, as he'd only been gulping down bitter espressos all this time.

"It's a caramel macchiato."

『C-Cara… what?』

Looking at Valdebich being flustered because he couldn't repeat the pronunciation, Yeon-woo sighed again and rubbed his temples.

"Caramel macchiato. It's perfect for people who lost their sense of taste like you. I substituted the milk and caramel syrup from Earth with something else since we don't have it here, but it should taste alright."

It had already received positive reviews from the Head Elder and Brahm, so he wasn't concerned. He got a headache thinking of how he avoided the other One-horned members who came after him after hearing the news.

The ingredients were all in his subspace, so it wasn't that difficult to make it.

Valdebich looked at the coffee with a still doubtful face then took a sip with a grimace.

"Good. This!"

He spoke out loud before he knew it with his eyes wide.

『How did you make this?』

Yeon-woo lifted a corner of his mouth.

"Business secret."

Valdebich's face crumpled again.

『You're the same as Jeong-woo in this aspect.』

"Don't just drink it like that, but take it cold if you have ice too. You might like that better."

Valdebich drank the coffee as Yeon-woo taught him to and exclaimed in astonishment His mouth was joyful to drink coffee this sweet after drinking all that espresso.

Valdebich's bright smile was a change from the dark expression he had since Yeon-woo met him. Yeon-woo smiled along with him.

『…I'm full.』

"You foolishly drank over ten bowls, so it'd be weird if you weren't."

Yeon-woo clicked his tongue looking at the teacups that weren't teacups piled next to Valdebich. The dead Gluttony Emperor would be ashamed if he saw.

『Don't say I'm foolish.』

"Then let's say you have a large appetite."

『…』

"More importantly. I want to talk now if your stomach's full."

Valdebich clenched his fists because Yeon-woo didn't let him win a single argument. It was more annoying since he was saying all this with an emotionless face. Jeong-woo would've laughed at least.

But Yeon-woo's appearance was also unprecedented for him. He did think one of Jeong-woo's family members would enter the Tower after receiving the letter, but he felt strange now that it had really happened. He felt especially complicated because Yeon-woo had the exact same face as Jeong-woo.

"I've been searching for you all this time. You know why, right?"

Valdebich nodded heavily. He had sinned.

『I heard Jeong-woo appeared in the Tower and Arthia was resurrected. I guessed that one of Jeong-woo's family members was pretending to be Jeong-woo to take revenge. And… I've also been preparing since then.』

Valdebich hung his head.

『I'll willingly give you my head if you want to kill me. I have no excuse for myself. But I have one request. Please… just give me a little time. I have some unfinished business. After I'm done, I'll hand over my head myself, so please allow me some time.』

Yeon-woo opened his Draconic Eyes to look at Valdebich. Imperfections were clumping and dispersing next to him. He was speaking… the truth. He truly was prepared to die. Yeon-woo clicked his tongue and closed his eyes.

'I guess you weren't completely abandoned.'

Yeon-woo muttered to himself. From Leonhardt to Valdebich… Yeon-woo said he found it difficult to forgive them, but he found himself becoming less angry. They had buried their feelings for Jeong-woo in their hearts even after he was dead.

"I'm not interested in taking your head."

『…What?』

"I'm almost done with the revenge anyway, and all that's left in that bitch Vieira Dune. Your head makes no difference."

『…』

"But if you still want to apologize to Jeong-woo…"

『…?』

"Pay him back by living as my sword."

『…!』