#067

Kuss began to confess things that hadn’t even been asked.

“I only discovered people being dragged here recently. It was originally a cave that only I knew about, but when I returned from a trade route, a terrifying creature had taken up residence…! I came back again, wondering if there was anything else useful, and ended up hiding here for days. The hardship I endured…”

Cullen cut Kuss off there. Listening any longer, he felt like he might just cut off a limb. The fact that he watched people die without intervening, and that he was a con artist, spoke volumes about his character.

However, he was in front of Kiyen. Not wanting to show him a gruesome sight, Cullen struck Kuss on the back of the neck with his scabbard instead of his blade.

With a thud, he collapsed forward. Seeing him knocked unconscious in one blow, Arne cautiously asked.

“…He’s alive, right?”

“If I wanted to kill him, I would have done so already.”

Cullen said indifferently, then stepped over Kuss, who was face down in the dirt, and walked forward. Kiyen and Lasano looked at the unconscious Kuss for a moment, then stepped over him and followed Cullen.

Only Arne rushed to Kuss, looking flustered. He only came inside after confirming that Kuss was indeed breathing.

The space, which was barely a room with one wall collapsed, was noticeably cooler than the outside. The dry air, neither hot nor cold, was distinctly different from other parts of the underground where Cullen had been.

“Did you see this place when you were trapped?”

Lasano asked, and Cullen shook his head. He had patrolled and searched almost everywhere, but he had no memory of seeing such a room. Kiyen, quietly surveying the surroundings like a wary beast, provided the answer. Brushing his palm along the wall, he spoke.

“It’s a place hidden by primordial Magic. This human must have found another exit by chance. Since it collapsed, there’s no way to know the original structure…”

He traced the markings on the wall with his white finger. Looking closely at the wall, which was barely visible in the darkness, he saw a drawing. It felt familiar.

The mural, similar in style to the one seen in the Exion Territory cave, seemed to contain some story. On the dark wall, a burning sun was depicted, and a woman was walking towards it. The woman held something in her hand.

Cullen finally realized. The murals he had seen at the Imperial Palace and elsewhere were all in the same style.

It was now certain. The murals, which seemed to have been drawn a very long time ago, told a single story. The problem was that only fragmented scenes were shown, making it difficult to understand.

“It doesn’t seem to be a temple of the goddess.”

Lasano murmured, scanning the mural with a peculiar expression. Arne nodded in agreement.

“Perhaps it refers to Akesis-nim.”

“Are you sure?”

Cullen asked again, and Arne, with an uncertain expression, continued his explanation.

“Although the place where Akesis-nim is trapped is called Dark Island… I heard that he is a god who originally symbolized the sun. And Aksha-nim is the moon itself, so doesn’t that make sense?”

Among them, only Arne knew about Akesis’s existence, and his explanation had a certain logic. Lasano, who had been listening quietly, chuckled softly.

“Did the priest who taught you tell you everything? I’m curious about your background. Are there any other facts you’re hiding?”

“I’m suspicious of that too,”

Kiyen chimed in, and Arne looked at Cullen with a frightened expression. He looked as desperate as someone facing death, so Cullen intervened.

“If he had intended to deceive us, he wouldn’t have told us anything at all. With Arne’s fortitude, he couldn’t deceive Kiyen-nim.”

It was almost an insult, but Arne quickly agreed.

“That’s right. I was also curious about my teacher, but he never talked about himself… All I know is that he was a Common Priest, and he wasn’t born in the Exion Territory.”

Lasano remained suspicious of the teacher and continued to ask.

“Someone who knows that much might have crossed paths with one of us. What does he look like?”

“He had a kind face.”

Kiyen glared, and Arne quickly added.

“He had white hair and a very ordinary face, so there was no particular feature. Ah! Come to think of it, his eyes were a bit strange. Something… artificial, I guess. He always looked straight ahead, so I thought he was ill.”

Not a distinctive feature. While the existence of a new god might be surprising to Lasano, the High Priest, Cullen decided to focus on the facts before him. He scanned the surroundings for any further parts of the mural but found nothing. The artifact Kuss mentioned was also nowhere to be seen.

The goddess must have given the oracle because Akesis, a god, was involved.

The direction was gradually becoming clearer. In the cave where the mural was found, there were related items. In the case of the Exion Territory, it was a sword, and in this place, it was the item Kiyen bought.

Gael had said that the Sorcerer seemed to have gained power by trading with those wearing black robes. They were clearly acting with knowledge. His mother had been murdered, somehow involved in their affairs.

“Kiyen-nim, what is the use of the item bought from the merchant? You said you felt the goddess’s power… so it’s unlikely to be related to a curse.”

“It’s because I can touch it, that’s why.”

Kiyen bent his upper body and examined the mural closely. After staring at the mural for a long time, he opened his lips.

“It seems to be a directional tool.”

Saying so, Kiyen took out a round, golden object from his robe pocket. Placing it on his palm and opening the lid, he revealed a rather peculiar shape.

Inside were stars drawn in gold. In the center was a single long metal needle, which was stationary.

“To me, it just looks like a strange object.”

Lasano, having stopped questioning Arne, remarked.

“Look closely at the mural. The woman’s hand holds something similar to this, and the woman is heading towards the temple. I don’t know the exact usage, but this is the most plausible explanation.”

Relieved to have escaped danger, Arne diligently examined the mural, trying his best to please Kiyen.

“You’re right…! How on earth do you use it? Since the sun is drawn, should we try something during the day?”

“We’ll know if we try.”

At Kiyen’s cool response, Arne quickly nodded. Cullen, observing the woman, asked Kiyen.

“Is this woman also Carias-nim, like the previous mural?”

“No, her appearance is different. The length of her hair is the same, but her face is not like that.”

The mural was old and faded, but the facial features were depicted quite clearly. However, naturally, it was impossible to tell who it was.

When one puzzle is solved, another arises.

Despite having learned much more than when he was wandering alone, his heart felt heavy. The more he learned, the more he felt like he was encountering unfathomable circumstances. Even though he was moving non-stop, he felt even more so because he thought he was one step behind the opponent.

“Cullen.”

Just as the guilt that always coiled around his heart threatened to overwhelm him, Kiyen called him. When he turned his head, he saw eyes that had returned to looking like human pupils. The beautifully shimmering blue light brought a strange sense of relief.

“It seems our business here is done. Let’s go back.”

Cullen glanced around the room and nodded. The sun was setting. The desert night was as chaotic as his heart, so they had to return before it got any later.

The group returned to Dadin with the unconscious Kuss. As soon as they returned to the city, the sun had completely set, and lanterns were lit throughout the streets. Clouds drifted like waves across the purple sky.

They passed through streets with a noticeably subdued atmosphere compared to the day they first entered and arrived at Gael’s residence. The interior was as bustling as it had been during the day. A mercenary, who quickly recognized the group, approached and spoke to them.

“Ah, Cullen-nim! Gael-nim is out. It’s a relief that you returned safely. Did you have any success?”

“Only this merchant is alive.”

Cullen said, placing the unconscious Kuss down with a cynical expression, and added.

“It turns out he’s been running scams, so it would be good to interrogate him thoroughly.”

“Understood. You’ve worked hard. Would you like to rest? There are… many empty rooms now.”

The mercenary’s voice suddenly became lonely. Gael’s mercenary corps had also suffered casualties, and the mercenary added that they had decided to hold a ceremony to comfort the souls of the deceased together tomorrow.

“We have our own lodging, so we’re fine.”

“Is that so? I’m sorry there’s not much I can do for you. I should do something… Ah, speaking of which, there’s one more thing to tell you. That woman named Ulli has woken up. She still looks weak, but she ate dinner earlier and should be able to converse.”

This was the news they had been waiting for. Cullen nodded immediately and then turned to Arne and Lasano.

“If you’re tired, you can go back and rest.”

Arne and Lasano, who always complained about the grueling pace, shook their heads. They seemed greatly interested in Ulli and Cullen’s story.

“We can’t miss this kind of spectacle.”

“That’s right. Ah, I wonder if Kiyen-nim is alright…?”

As Arne openly observed him, Kiyen looked back at him. Though his face was hidden by the headscarf he had re-wrapped on the way back from the desert, his expression was surely displeased.

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

“You don’t need to ask.”

Cullen quickly denied it. Then, unconsciously, he lightly tugged Kiyen’s robe. Lasano, who didn’t miss the gesture, spoke in a voice full of amusement.

“This situation is getting very interesting! It feels like a reward for today’s hard work.”

“I’ve always loved love stories.”

Ignoring Arne and Lasano, who were getting along too well, Cullen let go of the robe slightly. Kiyen, glancing at the robe, silently ascended the stairs.

Upon reaching the third floor, they saw an open door. Lana, who was just coming out of the room with a wooden tray, greeted them with a welcoming expression.

“Cullen, welcome. Ulli just woke up. Your timing is good.”

“Is Ulli alright?”

“Yes, she’s not in pain, just tired. Hurry and go. She was looking for Cullen.”

Lasano chuckled softly from behind. Cullen, swallowing his displeasure behind his impassive expression, stepped inside. Then, Ulli, sitting on the bed, waved.

“You’re here?”

Unlike her energetic appearance in the cave, she looked very exhausted.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, it’s just a side effect. I should be better by tomorrow. By the way… are the people behind you your companions?”

Arne seemed surprised by Ulli speaking casually to Cullen. Kiyen’s reaction made him uneasy, but Cullen decided to resolve the pressing matter first. If he kept letting his gaze drift to Kiyen out of habit, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.

At the word “companions,” Cullen hesitated for a moment. He had bound them, after all… but hearing it now felt strange. Companions.

“Yes. For now, they are.”

“People who travel with royalty must all be extraordinary, wouldn’t you say?”

At Ulli’s words, Lasano looked at Cullen. Lasano, his smiling face slightly gone, whispered in Cullen’s ear.

“How does that woman know that?”

“I’ll explain later.”

While they were whispering, Ulli observed Kiyen. His wings had disappeared on the way back from the desert, so they were no longer visible, but Ulli seemed to recognize him. With an inscrutable expression, she looked at him and said calmly.

“You don’t have to say it if it’s troublesome. So, what are you going to do now? Did you bring me here to kill me?”

Cullen remained silent. By rights, he should kill Ulli. She had tried to kill him, and their collaboration had only been temporary, lasting only during their time in the cave.

But the Ulli he had seen over the past three days was not someone who killed carelessly. The process of breaking her brainwashing, her concern for others, her willingness to sacrifice herself…

And the loneliness, which felt so similar to Cullen’s own.

That weighed on him. It had been a long time since he felt so unsure of what to do. Cullen pushed that thought aside and decided to ask something else first.

“I kept you here to ask about the Dark Island.”

“I told you, that’s a secret.”

Kiyen, who had been listening to their conversation, spoke up.

“That woman knows about the Dark Island?”

“Yes.”

Ulli’s gaze fixed on Kiyen. She observed him as if watching something novel, then slowly opened her mouth.

“You’re quite strong, aren’t you?”

“You know that, yet you remain defiant. If you don’t answer my question, aren’t you afraid of what might happen?”

“What’s the worst that could happen? Death? I’m not afraid of that.”

Her calm voice spoke the truth. Just as Cullen seemed to have no attachment to his own life, Ulli appeared to be the same.

Ulli, who had playfully parried Kiyen’s words, turned her eyes back to Cullen. Seeing his pale complexion, she could tell he was still very tired.

“So, I want to make a deal.”

“What is it?”

A faint smile finally returned to Ulli’s face.

“Help me with my revenge. Then I’ll tell you everything about the Dark Island.”