Chapter 219
Recently, Anutara's mood had not been good.
He didn't know the details, but it had been that way since Yesung, Anutara's teacher, visited him.
Yesung visiting Anutara wasn't particularly unusual,
But it was strange that Yesung came out of Anutara's house as if chased away shortly after entering.
Anutara had always welcomed, respected, and treated his teacher specially,
But now he was driving him away instead?
After that, when Yesung was witnessed loitering in front of Anutara's house or calling out to him while knocking on the door, people's questions only amplified further.
What exactly had Yesung done to make Anutara so vehemently refuse to meet him?
But with Anutara having completely barricaded his door and Yesung only smiling when anyone asked, no one could guess the reason.
* "Going out into the desert alone. No wonder Anutara would be angry."
"I'm doing this thinking of that child. Wouldn't it be better for the Shambhala people if Yurik stayed here?"
On a cold desert night,
Three people gathered cozily in a warm house that blocked the chill.
Shan, Tika who claimed to be Shan's close friend, and Yesung.
Tika was watching the debate between Yesung and Shan with great interest.
To be precise, it was Shan giving an impassioned speech.
"I understand you're thinking of us. But try saying that to Anutara. See if he gets angry or not."
"I already said that."
"That's probably why he's angry like this, isn't it? Why on earth did you do that?"
"No matter how I think about it, Yurik should stay in Shambhala. Thinking of you all, it can't be helped, can it? Didn't I essentially relieve Yurik of his worries?"
"Ah!"
Shan began hitting his own chest.
Yesung had barged into Shan's house before sunset, requesting counseling saying he didn't understand why Anutara was angry.
Shan had no particular reason to drive Yesung away, so he tried to listen,
But now he was regretting that decision bitterly.
"Yesung, think about it. What's the reason Shambhala people are in the desert? Because there are many scary things beyond the desert."
"I know that."
"You must also understand that the desert with Anutara and the Arahan is safety itself. From Anutara's perspective, what reason could there possibly be to send only you to a dangerous place? Abandoning such a safe place."
At Shan's question, Yesung briefly moved his lips, but soon answered firmly.
"That's due to necessity. Yurik agreed to this part too. But Yurik, Anutara, cannot leave Shambhala."
"Why do you think that?"
"Since he created Shambhala, he must take corresponding responsibility."
"Then if Shambhala lasts forever, must Anutara stay here forever? Isn't that too cruel?"
"If he wants to, he could leave Shambhala through discussion with you all. What I'm saying now is that I can't stand by and watch Yurik leave Shambhala because of me alone."
Yesung calmly countered.
"He has responsibility to you all, and I have a duty to ensure Yurik doesn't abandon Shambhala and leave."
"Are you saying we absolutely need Anutara?"
"Otherwise, you'll be in great trouble before long."
Shan felt anger rising at those words.
Yesung's words made the Shambhala people feel like mayflies.
He wanted to give Yesung a piece of his mind,
But for some reason, his mouth wouldn't open right away.
Come to think of it, Yesung's words might be right.
The land Anutara had found.
The spring Anutara had drawn up.
The Arahan Anutara had taught.
Shambhala had existed quietly in a corner of the desert, enjoying peace for a long time.
But from the beginning, Shambhala was a village whose very existence wouldn't have been possible without Anutara's mercy.
If Anutara truly left this city,
If he never returned again.
At that thought, Shan unconsciously rubbed his arms as goosebumps rose.
Tika, who had been lying on her side with her head propped on her hand and scratching her belly while watching, suddenly sat up.
"I have a question!"
"What is it?"
"Isn't Yesung scared to go outside the desert without Anutara?"
"Hmm, I don't particularly think it's scary."
"Then what's the reason Anutara can't let Yesung go alone?"
"Ah. That's."
Yesung thought for a moment, then answered in a gentle tone.
"Maybe it's because we met after a long time? If a friend from far away says they're leaving, you'd feel sad, right?"
"Would that be the reason!"
Shan shouted angrily.
"I was there when Anutara pulled Yesung out of the mud. You can say that because you didn't see Anutara's face right after he pulled Yesung out!"
"His face?"
"Come to think of it now, it's a bit strange. Why did Anutara take all the Arahan there? As if he had known where Yesung was located from long ago! Is that all? He went directly into that place saying it wasn't here and personally pulled Yesung up. Don't you know why?"
Next to the bewildered Yesung, Tika similarly rolled her eyes and asked.
"Why...?"
"Tika, you're famous for being oblivious, so it's fine for you to ask such questions. But if Yesung also says he doesn't know, that's problematic."
"I don't know either. Do I have problems?"
"Very many, very many! I won't provide any more counseling. Instead, I'll just say this one thing."
Shan looked at Yesung's intimidated face and spoke slowly, word by word.
"Give up on going into the desert without Anutara. Think about how specially Anutara regards you. Unless your eyes have degenerated as much as a desert scorpion's, anyone can notice that fact."
"But Yurik is."
"What about Anutara?"
Yesung opened his mouth as if to protest.
When Shan asked back with a terrifying expression, he flinched briefly, then muttered awkwardly.
"...He's someone who doesn't care about anyone except his own father. His obsession and affection are exceptional only toward his own father. Even if not now, he'll soon become like that. Probably, soon."
Ah, father?
Due to the character who appeared out of nowhere, Shan and Tika's mouths fell open.
Come to think of it, Anutara was also human, so naturally there would be someone who gave birth to him.
But the problem was,
"...Is, is Anutara's father still alive?"
"Probably alive. He just can't move around now."
At Yesung's matter-of-fact answer, Tika and Shan looked at each other.
How long must he have lived to find even movement difficult? Wasn't he in a state no different from a living corpse?
Tika felt sorry.
How hard it must be for Anutara to have such a father... no, wait a minute.
"Then what was Shan talking about earlier? That Anutara thinks specially of Yesung?"
"So I said that's temporary. Since I'm right next to him now, he's probably obsessing over me as someone to depend on. Yurik's father is, well, someone difficult to have conversations with."
"So in the end, for Anutara, Yesung as his teacher is being used as a substitute for his father?"
"That's about right."
"So if Yesung just leaves the desert for now, Anutara will grow independently?"
"Let's say that's the case. For now, he'll oppose it because he's scared of me leaving, but later, after time passes, he won't even know why he acted that way."
Yesung being treated as a substitute for his disciple's father,
Anutara being so obsessed with that substitute,
And Anutara's father who hadn't shown even his nose until now.
Tika and Shan felt like they were hearing such a complicated entangled problem for the first time.
But Yesung spoke logically to the two without any change in his feelings.
"From Yurik's perspective, wouldn't he have more affection for the Shambhala people who have watched over him for a long time, rather than me who briefly accompanied him long ago? I think even if I leave, he'll be fine again if he stays in the village."
"...That might be so. Yes, Yesung knows Anutara better than I do. I'll step out now."
Shan raised the white flag.
He didn't want to continue wasting energy on useless debate.
But Tika didn't stop there.
"But that's after Yesung leaves Shambhala, right? Yesung needs means to cross the desert. How will you solve that?"
"That's the problem. It's easy to lose direction in the desert, and various other problems will occur. If possible, it would be better to have someone helping."
As Yesung said this, his gaze reached Shan.
Uh. Uh oh oh oh.
"...It's not, right?"
"It is, though? It's good that you're quick-witted. You pass."
"I never asked to be passed in the first place."
"But even though you could cross the desert with the respected teacher of the respected Anutara if you pass now?"
"What I want is just a small plot of land where farming goes well. Anyway, it's not happening. Find someone else."
At Shan's firm refusal, Yesung felt a little disappointed and fiddled with his fingers,
This time his gaze turned toward Tika.
Uh, uh oh oh oh oh!
"Tika, what do you think about going with me?"
"Me? Me? Beyond the desert?"
"If dangerous things happen, I promise to throw myself to block them for you. There are many fascinating things beyond the desert, and things you can't see near Shambhala."
"Wow! I like it! How exciting!"
Shan was horrified.
Enchanted by the scenery beyond the desert, Tika accepted without giving Shan a chance to stop her and smiled brightly at Shan.
"You can't go beyond the desert? I'll see lots of fun things and come back, so suffer from jealousy to your heart's content while I'm gone!"
You fool, you fool!
This wasn't like sightseeing with Anutara!
Unaware that Shan was gasping inwardly, Tika and Yesung were happily holding each other's hands tightly in joy.
If these two people were sent into the desert alone, they might become bleached bones rolling on the sand in less than 30 minutes.
No, what was 30 minutes?
They might spill all their drinking water 10 minutes after entering the desert and go to strange places while crying and trying to find their way back to Shambhala.
Having thought that far, Shan grabbed Yesung's clothes with trembling hands.
"Huh?"
"...Wh, when are you going?"
Yesung and Tika smiled brightly.
Shan wanted to just collapse right there.
*
After the night when Shan and Tika made promises with Yesung,
Yesung asked them to find out a few things before leaving the desert.
Tika accepted happily, but Shan felt like he'd get a headache just from that.
There were many things needed and to prepare for crossing the desert.
And he had to do all that while fulfilling Yesung's requests without letting the surroundings catch on.
At this point, he didn't know whether he was a Shambhala resident or Yesung's lackey.
But now there was something more important than that.
"Tika, listen carefully. I'm only saying this once."
"Okay."
"I'll gather the information about the Arahan that Yesung mentioned. In the meantime, you stay put here."
"Why?"
"Because I'll attract less suspicion than you. If you suddenly go around asking about the Arahan, naturally people will suspect what you're trying to do, won't they?"
"Is that so? But that might not happen either. It's unfair to make only me sit alone."
"Huh."
Shan was dumbfounded.
He was doing all this for whose sake, and she couldn't stand being bored and was talking about unfairness.
With his mood soured, Shan crossed his arms and looked down at Tika crookedly.
"Then how were you planning to hear stories about the Arahan? Tell me once."
"How? You just do it."
"So how?"
"Hmm? Well."
Tika tilted her head, then spotted an Arahan passing by far behind Shan, jumped up and waved her hand.
"Arahan! I have something I'm curious about! What happens to become an Arahan?"
Cold sweat began flowing down Shan's back as he turned around.
Only the words 'big trouble' came to mind in his head,
Tika said triumphantly.
"Well, you do it like this."