#072

The swirling dust storm finally subsided after a long while. The grass on the once peaceful field lay flattened and in disarray. Some horses had escaped because their reins had been dropped. They spat out the dry stone dust that had entered their noses and mouths. As soon as his vision cleared, Cullen immediately looked for Kiyen.

“Kiyen-nim!”

There was no immediate answer. Though his mind told him Kiyen would be fine, his heart pounded rapidly. Alertness flowed through his dilated blood vessels. As Cullen was about to speak again in his haste, his wrist was grabbed.

“Are you alright?”

With a strong pull, his body was turned. Amidst the drab, colored background, only bright golden hair was visible. Unlike the disheveled Cullen, Kiyen stood there, his clothes and hair untouched.

“Yes, are you alright, Kiyen-nim?”

“You ask the obvious.”

Kiyen looked down as if he couldn’t understand, yet he pulled Cullen closer. His white hand gripped Cullen’s chin. His cheek and forehead stung, as if scratched.

“You’re the one who’s injured.”

But what stung more was the chin Kiyen was holding. Cullen momentarily forgot to reply and paused. His senses returned a few seconds later. This was not the time to react like this.

“This is not a serious injury.”

Kiyen didn’t listen to his words.

“Lasano!”

His voice, which seemed to have been called calmly, echoed clearly across the plain. It felt as if it was etched into the air, just like when he spoke in Cullen’s mind. As the call echoed, a reply came from a little distance away.

“I’m alive! So you probably weren’t looking for me!”

“I’m fine too!”

“Me too!”

Hearing the voices echoing in succession, it seemed everyone was alright. Cullen slowly pulled his chin from Kiyen’s hand. Unconsciously, as Kiyen moved, he looked down. Their eyes met.

“I’m truly fine. More importantly, do you know what happened?”

An unreadable gaze swept over Cullen’s chin. Just as Cullen was about to follow the gaze that briefly settled and disappeared, Kiyen spoke.

“Look over there.”

Following his chin gesture, Cullen turned his head. He saw a scene so extraordinary that it was strange he hadn’t noticed it sooner. The city wall, from which the gray smoke that had been scattering like clouds had vanished, was terribly crumbled, and something enormous was standing upon it.

Cullen had never seen anything so large in his life.

He had seen and killed countless Demonic Beasts, but he had never imagined something so massive. It was made of stone, easily three times the size of Volgmek, whom he had defeated not long ago.

A head and a torso made of stone. He had never heard of such a Demonic Beast.

The things he had encountered on this journey were the most bizarre and unfamiliar in his not-so-short life. The fact that he was facing things that wouldn’t be strange if he had died long ago without Kiyen struck him anew. Cullen raised his head to look at the Demonic Beast’s head.

Its eyes, made of black stones that looked as hard as iron, glowed red. The red clouds in the sky also seemed to emanate from it, and red smoke billowed from its back. But that wasn’t the only peculiar thing. The Demonic Beast took a step.

THUD!

As the sound echoed, another section of the wall crumbled. As the Demonic Beast’s foot landed, the stones forming its foot shattered and then reformed into one. The entire body seemed to be like that.

“That… that is….”

Arne, who had joined them at some point, stared blankly at the Demonic Beast and said. It was an overwhelming sight. Cullen habitually scanned for the Demonic Beast’s weakness but found no immediate solution. No one but Kiyen.

“Has anyone seen anything like this before?”

Ulli also joined them. A look of shock filled her face as she brushed stone dust from her hair.

“No.”

“Me neither. What in the world is happening to the world…”

Cullen, watching Ulli nod in agreement, spotted Lasano. He, unusually quiet, spoke as he watched the giant shadow move.

“It’s cold.”

Cullen watched his profile. A smile, which Lasano always wore, slowly formed on his face, which had lost its trace of laughter. As their eyes met, he added.

“Like winter.”

Those words were true. No sooner had Lasano finished speaking than it began to snow. White crystals settled on Kiyen’s golden hair.

At the same time, the Demonic Beast’s head turned, and it stared intently in Cullen’s direction, its gaze burning. Its red eyes gleamed strangely.

Did it make eye contact? The moment that thought crossed his mind, the Demonic Beast suddenly began to move towards the group. Thump, thump, thump, thump, its footsteps shook the very ground. Arne, unable to keep her balance, stumbled. She drew her resonating greatsword.

Cullen instinctively took a step forward, as if to protect Kiyen. He drew his sharp longsword and assumed a stance.

Nothing is immortal. Everything except Kiyen will die, so there must be a way to deal with that thing too. But where? Where should I attack first? For the first time in a while, tension constricted his entire body.

As the monster drew closer, the snowflakes grew larger. The monster’s speed increased, and with each heavy step, its body repeatedly scattered like dust before reforming. The moment it approached a truly dangerous distance, the blizzard raged.

The stone giant’s mouth gaped open. As a deafening roar, enough to tear one’s ears, echoed, the giant scattered snow and began to sink into the ground. As if sinking into mud and returning to the earth.

The Demonic Beast, which had sprayed cold sleet onto the group, crumbled and seeped into the ground as if it had never existed in the first place.

“It’s cold!”

Ulli exclaimed as soon as they reached the ruined castle wall. Following the collapse of the wall, the blizzard created by the Demonic Beast had caused all the horses to flee. Cullen managed to hold onto the last remaining horse and loaded their luggage, and then they walked through the snowfield. Having just emerged from the desert, they were wearing thin clothes, and their boots were wet and frozen.

Contrary to their original plan, they now had to stop by the Lefellon Territory. Having seen it, they couldn’t just pass by, especially with the feeling that this incident was part of the strange events foretold by the oracle.

Normally, to enter a Duke’s territory, one had to pass the knights’ inspection at the castle gate. However, the recent commotion had created a new entrance to the Duke’s territory. As they stepped onto the large, cut stones and climbed up, only an inappropriate silence greeted them.

“It’s not dead. Instead, it went very deep. There’s no other way than to blow up the castle like this, or for it to come out on its own.”

Kiyen meticulously examined the ground where the Demonic Beast had disappeared and concluded.

“Is it alright to use your power again?”

Cullen asked softly. Kiyen had said that every time he overexerted himself, his true form was revealed, and the power of his clone in the palace weakened. For some reason, that fact kept bothering him.

“It will be similar to last time. The conditions are the same.”

“In that case, it would be best for you, Kiyen, to refrain from getting involved as much as possible. I will find a way.”

“I told you, don’t risk your life unnecessarily again.”

Cullen quickly replied to the displeased, lowered voice.

“I will try my best.”

Since he couldn’t lie, he stated what he could. Just as Kiyen, who hadn’t erased his displeased expression, was about to speak, Ulli interjected. She approached Cullen and said.

“This place is strange. There’s no one here. Shouldn’t a Duke’s territory be bustling everywhere you go?”

That was something Cullen also found odd. He had rushed, expecting significant casualties, but there was no sign of anyone injured. It was as if it had been empty from the start.

Furthermore, it was even stranger that the knights hadn’t been mobilized. Cullen was puzzled not only by the empty village but also by the fact that the Duke’s elite forces had not appeared despite such a commotion.

It had been more than enough time for them to have rushed to the defense of their territory, which had been attacked.

“Aren’t you going to contact the Duke?”

Lasano, who had been surveying the surroundings with Arne, returned and said. Cullen pondered. It was necessary to inform the lord of the territory, but he had not forgotten what Ruffellon had done to him.

However, this was ultimately the affair of the territory’s inhabitants. The subjects were not related to the object of his anger. The damage should not fall upon them. If the problem arose due to the absence of the lord, it was better to summon the lord.

Having made his decision, Cullen looked at Ulli. Their eyes met. Ulli, with a mischievous smile, patted Cullen’s shoulder.

“What, are you being cautious? I already know you’re royalty. My life is on the line, so don’t worry about me.”

“……Understood.”

Still, feeling uneasy about Kiyen’s eyes changing, Cullen stood shielding Kiyen from Ulli’s gaze. He whispered, “I’m counting on you,” and Kiyen closed his eyes. As he had felt before, the surrounding air grew tense.

A moment later, Kiyen opened his eyes. His eyes were filled with gold, just like when he had wings.

“Sculpture created by my will, illuminate the Princess for me.”

With those words, Kiyen fell silent. As his eyes stared into the void, Cullen wondered what he was seeing, when Kiyen spoke.

“Helen, send Duke Refellon back to his territory. An unprecedented Demonic Beast has appeared in his domain.”

Cullen knew Kiyen didn’t know anything beyond the name Helen, but hearing that word after so long made him feel down.

Kiyen remained silent for a while after those words. Then, looking at Cullen, he said.

“Helen says to tell you that since the prophecy, there have been various incidents in each territory, and most nobles have been sent back. Duke Refellon is also already on his way to his territory.”

Was the Imperial Palace almost empty then? He didn’t particularly cherish Helen, but the fact that Kiyen’s clone was weakening, coupled with this, weighed on his mind. It hadn’t been long since the former Emperor’s death, let alone the matter of his fiancée, Silfir.

Thinking that far, Cullen felt a lingering, unpleasant feeling, as if something was stuck in his heart. It was a bothersome feeling, like leaving something behind in the Imperial Palace. Helen, who had waved goodbye telling him to return safely, felt like she had grabbed his clothes.

“Did you hear anything about the Lefellon Territory, Helen?”

Kiyen asked, his golden eyes fixed on Cullen.

“They say spring hasn’t come to the territory. And… there seems to be a problem with the Duke’s children. She said you might find it troublesome.”

With that, Kiyen’s golden eyes scattered. It was slightly different from last time. The color of his pupils, which had returned with precision, instantly turned blue.

“I should stop here before I waste the clone’s power.”

“I hope you won’t overdo it.”

Kiyen paused, then frowned and turned his head. Cullen saw his profile, looking displeasedly down at Ulli.

“It’s not something you need to hear. It’s best to keep your distance.”

“Should I?”

Ulli asked Cullen instead of answering Kiyen directly. There was a strange sense of confrontation.

“Please give me a moment.”

She made a humming sound, observed Cullen and Kiyen, then shrugged. Kiyen, staring intently at Ulli as she stepped back, opened his mouth.

“According to Helen, the Duke’s children have recently become addicted to strange things. They are unable to fulfill their duties, so they might not recognize you…”

His words stopped there. The excessively quiet surroundings became chaotic, and the sound of dozens of horses’ hooves was heard.

Compared to the sound of the Demonic Beast’s footsteps, it felt relatively small, but it carried an oppressive aura. Looking around, knights in armor, formed in formation, charged towards Cullen and his group.

“The knights are finally here. If we ask them for directions…”

Lasano stepped forward, speaking as if he had been waiting. However, contrary to his expectations, the knights charged with terrifying speed, brandishing their swords and spears. In an instant, the knights formed a formation, trapping the group, and one of them spoke.

“It’s him! Just as the Young Duke described. He must be the one who summoned the monster!”

A knight wearing a cloak pointed his sword at Kiyen. At the tip of the sword, aimed at Kiyen and no one else, Arne asked back with a terrified expression.

“What?”

To appear so late, and to point a sword at Kiyen of all people. Cullen’s face turned cold.

Did the Young Duke see Kiyen before? That made even less sense. Who would dare to toy with the Empire’s Guardian Dragon?

“Take them away. The Young Duke is waiting!”

“Understood.”

Before they could protest, the knights approached. Ulli whispered.

“Are we going to be dragged away like this?”

Cullen exchanged glances with Kiyen. To his surprise, Kiyen watched them with a calm expression. If Kiyen had been displeased, he would have subdued them immediately, but since he didn’t take any particular stance, Cullen decided to use the situation for now.

“That would be for the best.”

Since they had to go to the Duke’s mansion anyway, Cullen decided to follow the knights’ orders for now.

He had felt it in the Exion Territory as well, but people rarely believed in their identities until they witnessed their power. This was probably because what represented people was not the people themselves, but their wealth or power.

Therefore, this method might be easier. Rather than the cumbersome process of proving Lasano’s identity.

Having made his decision, Cullen cooperated with the knights who approached to take his sword. A sword wasn’t necessary to subdue people, so he could overlook this for a moment.

Cullen was bound by the knights as he looked at the freezing ground. For now, he would let it slide, but he had no intention of letting it go if he met the Young Duke.

To dare to accuse Kiyen, of all people, as the mastermind.