#073

As they were transported from the broken castle walls towards the city, sparse signs of life began to appear, and then more and more people. What was peculiar was the large number of tents that resembled temporary shelters.

One more thing, the people who had set up the tents were not human. They seemed to be descendants of Elves, who had now retreated deep inside and were barely visible.

The continent, largely populated by humans, had quite a few Elves during the era when Kiyen was born. However, after the Empire, centered around humans, was established, Elves, due to their peculiar appearance, were viewed with suspicion by humans. Their long, pointed ears, unusually large eyes, and bluish skin were their distinct markings.

Cullen had seen a few of them, who lived relatively more in Tesnia, and like those who loved nature, they disliked fighting. He knew they were also timid and avoided contact with humans. It was surprising that they lived in the Duke’s territory.

Hollow eyes, bluish skin, and expressions tinged with fear. Cullen easily recognized them as the weakest beings in this land.

“I thought places like Duke’s territories were all well-off, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. The capital is like that, isn’t it? Only nobles and merchants live there.”

Ulli whispered beside Cullen. Cullen nodded, meeting the vacant gazes that followed their retreating backs.

“Well, it seems they are the only ones living miserably.”

Lasano said in a calm voice as he looked around. Glancing beside him, he was smiling as always.

“Because beings who look different are discriminated against. Neither beasts nor humans show mercy to those who are different from me.”

“Does someone like the High Priest know that? He must have been raised in privilege.”

Ulli asked doubtfully. She had somehow figured out Lasano’s identity without him ever mentioning it.

Since he had been hiding it all this time, she must have realized it during the gust of wind earlier. The High Priest is a being second only to Dragons in renown, so those who had received education could recognize him.

“Humans are very complex.”

Lasano gave only a vague answer. As they were talking, a knight stopped them.

“Hey, be quiet!”

“Yes, yes.”

Lasano replied nonchalantly. Cullen observed him closely.

Come to think of it, Lasano had been strange from the beginning. Strictly speaking, High Priests, who were above nobles and below the Emperor, were considered blessings from birth, and their parents personally took them to the temple.

Thus, raised in the temple, they were accustomed to being revered without knowing the ways of the world. Although they valued humility, they were undeniably powerful beings.

However, Lasano had no complaints about the arduous journey, even sleeping rough. He might complain or say frivolous things, but Cullen knew it was just talk. If he couldn’t endure it, it would have shown long ago. What kind of life had he lived to be like this?

The moment the question arose, Cullen stopped thinking. It was because, following the lingering thought about Helen, he disliked himself for wanting to know more about Lasano.

Confused by his own gradual withdrawal, like shedding skin, Cullen decided to focus on one certain thing. So, he fixed his gaze on Kiyen’s straight back.

He didn’t know what Kiyen was thinking, but he was surrounded by knights and followed them obediently without saying a word. Seeing his unwavering, elegant back, his anxiety subsided as if it were a lie. Instead, only a precious excitement filled him.

After riding for nearly thirty minutes at a moderate pace, the Duke’s castle and the city came into view. The towering white walls and blue roofs presented a picturesque landscape.

The city, unlike the scenery near the castle walls, was bustling with activity. While the scene they had just witnessed had indeed unsettled the residents, life continued to flow.

The group, entering the grand castle, which was less common than the Imperial Palace, was led directly to the hall where the Young Duke was.

It seemed a banquet was in progress, as the interior was lavishly decorated, and servants were cleaning the hall. Seeing the man seated in the most prominent seat, Cullen could guess who he was without explanation. His features, reminiscent of Duke Refellon in his youth, revealed his lineage.

“Young Duke, as ordered, we have brought the Sorcerer. It was as you said.”

Sorcerer?

Cullen frowned at the unexpected word, while a knight pushed Kiyen towards the Young Duke. Or rather, he tried to push him. But it seemed that amount of force wasn’t enough, and only after several knights rushed in did Kiyen deign to move.

“Kneel!”

They dared to order Kiyen to kneel before the Young Duke. Their objective was to get this far, so there was no need to hold back any longer. It was time to act.

“Lasano, it would be best for you to step forward.”

“You only call for me when it’s like this, Cullen. This Lasano is lonely.”

Ulli looked at him with bewilderment at Lasano’s feigned pitiful words. As Arne and Cullen ignored his words as if nothing had happened, she whispered.

“Is he always like this?”

Arne, who had been silent as a mouse the entire way, surrounded by knights, finally spoke. Perhaps afraid of the current situation, her face was pale.

As if not expecting an answer, Lasano untied the cloth he had been wearing around his head the whole time. Although not the black robes of a High Priest, his silver hair, unseen in the common world, cascaded down, and the knights nearby widened their eyes. Soon, his red eyes were revealed.

“Greetings, Young Duke. I am Lasano, a humble servant of the Goddess, the High Priest. It seems there has been some misunderstanding.”

With a bright smile, Lasano walked towards Kiyen. Perhaps recognizing him, the knights hesitated for a moment and let him pass.

The Young Duke, who had been leaning back in his seat, slowly bent his upper body forward. Resting his arms on his knees, he stared intently at Lasano and then chuckled. It was an obvious sneer.

“As Yuri said. He said you were traveling with a fraud pretending to be royalty or a High Priest, and he was absolutely right.”

Lasano raised one eyebrow slightly and glanced at Cullen. As if asking whether he should reveal his abilities, Cullen nodded.

“Will you not believe me even now?”

Silver flames erupted on Lasano’s palm. Most humans are intimidated even by the flames Lasano conjures in his hand. This had worked in the Exion Territory as well. In fact, the knights seemed convinced as soon as they saw the flames, showing signs of embarrassment.

The Young Duke stared blankly at the silver flames. He peered intently at Lasano’s hand and then, after a short while, burst into laughter.

“I’ve seen such trivial flames at banquets! Do you think you can deceive me with some pathetic trick?”

The Young Duke, sweeping back his half-combed ash-grey hair, shot up from his seat. He approached Lasano, reaching out to grasp fire with his hand, as if to dispel an illusion.

Lasano stepped back, perhaps not having thought that far. With his hands behind his back, he gestured with his eyes, asking Cullen.

As Lasano turned his head, the Young Duke also looked at Cullen for a moment. He glared at Cullen with narrowed eyes, then flinched slightly when their eyes met. For a few seconds, as his vivid purple eyes met his blue ones, he scowled more and more before averting his gaze. Then he spoke.

“You’ve come with the intention to deceive! To the point of faking your eye color. Is this also the magic of a Sorcerer?”

He seemed to have recognized my purple eyes, as someone of the Young Duke’s standing would, but he dismissed it as another trick.

‘Shall I kill him?’

The Young Duke certainly seemed strange. Considering Yuri, and the hint Helen had given through Kiyen, suspicion arose. Such an attitude, so certain that everything was a deception. Had he completely fallen for the schemes of those who framed Kiyen?

Killing him would be easy enough, but the aftermath would be problematic. Unlike the situation with the Marquess’s territory, Duke’s Castle would be filled with many knights. Killing the Young Duke carelessly would lead to considerable trouble.

Cullen was not keen on killing all the knights, let alone just a few. More importantly, the real issue was not him, but the Demonic Beast that had appeared earlier. Even if it had vanished for now, as Kiyen said, it could reappear at any moment.

He quietly shook his head, and Lasano extinguished the fire. The Young Duke approached, waved his hand over Lasano’s palm, and upon feeling nothing, scoffed.

“Look at this. How audacious. Take them all and kill them. The disaster that endangered the territory all comes from the Sorcerer leading them. Wait, where is the Sorcerer?”

The knights exchanged glances. Hesitation flickered in their gazes. However, they seemed to have decided to follow the orders of the master they had obeyed their entire lives.

“The one standing right next to him is the Sorcerer.”

As the knights pointed to Lasano’s side, the Young Duke spun around. With an unsteady movement, he approached Kiyen.

“How dare you stand there so brazenly. Let me see that face…!”

Perhaps the fact that Kiyen did not kneel angered him, as he yanked Kiyen’s head covering. At the same time, his long blonde hair cascaded down, scattering. The room instantly felt brighter as the neat golden strands were revealed, and soon Kiyen’s pale face appeared.

The Young Duke, still holding the head covering, stared blankly up at Kiyen’s face. He was of a similar height to Cullen, and he seemed lost in thought, forgetting that he had even raised his head. The knights also looked at Kiyen with surprised eyes.

“……I didn’t know you were a woman.”

The Young Duke muttered in a low, husky voice. At the mention of being a woman, Arne coughed from behind. Cullen’s expression hardened, and he looked at the Young Duke with disdain. After gazing at Kiyen’s face for a long moment, he spoke.

“Did you summon that Demonic Beast?”

Kiyen glanced at Cullen, then replied calmly.

“Yes.”

All eyes turned to Kiyen. It was impossible to know exactly what he was thinking at that moment.

“You speak informally. I am the Young Duke. The one who holds your life in his hands right now. Speak more respectfully.”

The Young Duke said this, but he didn’t seem angry. Instead, he smiled faintly and grabbed Kiyen’s chin. The moment his hand touched Kiyen, Cullen’s hand instinctively moved towards his sword hilt. Arne gently held him back from behind.

‘Cullen-nim, it’s dangerous.’

Killing everyone in here wouldn’t be a problem. But hearing those words, he realized that Ulli or Arne, not himself, might be incidentally harmed. Just a moment. Just endure for a moment.

“I am a Sorcerer. Don’t you think I could kill you right here, right now? Those knights behind you would be no match.”

As the threat was issued, the knights quickly formed ranks. The Young Duke’s smile widened.

“You have as many thorns as you have a beautiful appearance!”

‘He’s insane,’ Ulli’s direct whisper could be heard. Arne looked at Cullen with a troubled expression.

Cullen glared at the Young Duke with a chillingly cold face. It was natural for Kiyen to be beautiful. But he had a feeling. This Young Duke wasn’t just admiring him; he seemed to be regarding Kiyen strangely. Cullen couldn’t stand it.

“You are right. However, I also know your weakness.”

Weakness?

At the unexpected words, Cullen narrowed his eyes, and the Young Duke gestured towards him. Then, all the knights accompanying him pointed their sword tips at Cullen.

“That man with black hair is your weakness, isn’t he? If you don’t want to see him die, cooperate with me, Sorcerer. I need your power.”

The hand holding Kiyen’s chin slowly moved up to his cheek. Kiyen’s eyebrow twitched, but surprisingly, Kiyen listened to his nonsensical words. An ecstatic expression soon appeared on the Young Duke’s face.

“I’ve never seen anyone as beautiful as you. It would be enjoyable to keep you by my side. What do you say, Sorcerer? If you don’t follow me willingly, I will kill him right now.”

The sword tips gleamed sharply, as if ready to pierce Cullen at any moment. Cullen tightened his grip on his sword hilt.

He decided to step forward. The Young Duke, with a purpose, dared to try and manipulate Kiyen. This was enough of an excuse to tell Duke Ruffellon why he had killed his heir. Just as Cullen finished his judgment and was about to draw his sword.

‘Stay still. I have a plan.’

Kiyen, who had been silent all along, finally spoke into his mind. Cullen’s hand paused. The knights, sensing sharp killing intent, watched Cullen with tense eyes. The atmosphere, which had felt on the verge of a bloody fight, calmed considerably as Cullen slowly sheathed his sword.

Should I have just told Lasano to kill him earlier? Then that dirty hand wouldn’t have touched Kiyen.

However, instead of cutting down the knights, Cullen decided to follow Kiyen’s words. If Kiyen wanted something, it was Cullen’s job to grant it. He could accept anything Kiyen said.

And then, an unexpected answer came.

“Alright. I will cooperate with you.”

As Kiyen said this, he wore a beautiful smile, as if determined to charm the other.