#198

Cullen had never considered himself a merciful person. He had intervened in matters he couldn’t ignore, but he had rarely forgiven those involved in revenge. He had few memories of letting those who tried to kill him live.

Junon’s apology, in that sense, did not impress Cullen greatly. Cullen calmly examined Junon’s green eyes, which were gazing at him. Her expression was as unreadable as his own, so he couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

“I have no intention of forgiving you. You, Lasano, your circumstances may be tragic, but that doesn’t justify killing innocent people.”

Junon listened to his words silently.

“I heard you saved Ulli’s life. That is the reason I am letting you live. Ulli may forgive you, but I will not.”

Cullen had no reason or bond to forgive her. He didn’t believe she, who had killed people without feeling guilt, would have changed easily. After he finished speaking, Junon nodded and parted her lips.

“I didn’t say it to be forgiven. To be honest, if I could go back in time, I would have done the same thing for Yuri-nim.”

Cullen furrowed his brow. Despite his sharpened demeanor, Junon calmly stated her words.

“I was human, but I am also what you call a Demonic Beast. Do you feel guilt when you kill Demonic Beasts? To me, Demonic Beasts were comrades. Especially among the Demonic Beasts who crossed from Dark Island, there were those who had been human. That was the feeling I had when I killed people, that was the rage.”

“What is your intention in saying that now?”

Cullen subtly gripped the hilt of his dagger, but Junon did not assume a defensive posture. Instead, she continued speaking.

“I am telling you the reason for my actions. You too, have you not experienced doing anything to protect someone precious to you?”

“I have never killed an innocent life.”

Then Junon wore a cynical expression.

“But you killed Demonic Beasts.”

“Don’t Demonic Beasts kill innocent lives?”

“Humans kill animals to survive, don’t they? Many also hunt for sport. So, are all those humans meant to die? In the end, what’s the difference between Demonic Beasts and humans?”

Cullen, who had been answering without wavering, scowled at Junon’s last remark. As a human, he had never had the chance to consider the circumstances of Demonic Beasts.

“For Demonic Beasts, humans are just beings to be eaten. They don’t just kill humans; they kill animals too. Isn’t it the same?”

He had never thought that way. Cullen felt there was at least a tiny bit of food for thought in Junon’s words. However, it couldn’t be an excuse for Junon’s actions.

“But you didn’t kill humans to survive.”

Junon faltered at Cullen’s chilling voice.

“It was a one-sided massacre, not a matter of direct survival. While the perspective on Demonic Beasts is new, it doesn’t justify what you did. Furthermore, if we were to let the Demonic Beasts live as you intended……”

Cullen recalled the battle from the day before yesterday. If they hadn’t been there, those beasts would have headed for the village on the mountainside, and they would have killed everyone there in an instant. Even he, with his experience, had found them difficult to handle, and Kiyen had suffered a serious injury.

“There would be too many unnecessary casualties. If creatures that can only survive by killing so many lives proliferate, who will be left on this land? In the end, this continent will become no different from Dark Island. Do you want to live in a world like that?”

“That’s…!”

Just as Junon was about to retort, Ulli emerged, parting the tent flap. Her face was full of fatigue from a hangover, her hair disheveled. She looked like she had just woken up.

“Junon, that’s not an apology.”

As if she had been listening to their conversation, Ulli started with those words. A crack appeared in Junon’s impassive expression.

“But Ulli, I did as you told me.”

“If you add excuses, it’s not an apology. A sincere apology shouldn’t make Cullen feel worse. I’ve told you this many times.”

Saying this, Ulli looked at Cullen with an apologetic face.

“I’m sorry. Beyond seeking forgiveness, I told you to sincerely apologize whenever you meet the victims, but I guess I’m also emotionally… immature, just like the Dragon.”

Junon didn’t argue with Ulli. Come to think of it, Junon had also been blindly loyal to Yurisis. Perhaps that’s how he acted towards those he cared about.

“It’s not your place to apologize. I don’t want an apology from him either. I don’t have time for someone who doesn’t genuinely repent.”

Since she had said she wouldn’t kill him for Ulli’s sake, Cullen decided not to engage with Junon further.

“This apology isn’t for my peace of mind. Ulli just told me that an apology is the first step to seeking forgiveness.”

Junon spoke to Cullen as he was trying to end the conversation. His face, no longer impassive, showed confusion.

“I don’t know what to do, but I’ll do something to at least offset what I’ve done.”

Having said that, Junon nodded at Ulli and turned away as if to leave. Cullen glanced at Junon, who was walking away with his rapier on, then shifted his gaze. His words just now, rather than Junon’s apology, lingered in his mind.

The thought of acting to show his intentions suddenly brought Kiyen to mind. He recalled Kiyen’s actions, the only way he could express himself, clumsy as he was. He thought of Kiyen, who had disappeared after yesterday’s events.

“Are you okay?”

Ulli asked him, perhaps noticing the expression on his face.

“…Yes. I’m fine. Rather, I have something to ask you.”

“Yes, I figured you would. You’re curious why I’m here, aren’t you?”

She understood without him saying anything, and it struck Cullen anew that she was his friend. He nodded with a gentle expression. Meanwhile, he saw mercenaries passing by, glancing at them and whispering. Listening closely, he heard them saying things like they made a good couple.

Ulli made a troubled expression, then suddenly grabbed Cullen’s arm.

“Let’s go inside and talk.”

That was fine with him, but seeing Ulli’s disheveled state, Cullen asked cautiously.

“You look like you just woke up, so I’ll come back later.”

Ulli then furrowed her brow. She looked offended.

“Hey, I already washed up! I even greeted Lasano after waking up. We can all talk together. Come on in.”

Pulled by a hand that seemed to hold a hint of personal feeling, Cullen was easily led along.

As they entered the tent, Lasano was already sitting at a small wooden table. Ulli’s tent was larger than the others, which felt poignant, as if it represented her status. Cullen felt relieved, thinking she seemed to have regained her place.

“Ah, the two lovebirds of the hour have arrived.”

Lasano was back to his usual cheeky self, as if the day before had never happened. At the mention of “lovebirds,” Cullen stared at him expressionlessly, while Ulli looked embarrassed.

“Lasano, are you joining in the nonsense too?”

“I’ve only heard such rumors since morning, so it’s hard to pretend I don’t know.”

Confused by the conversation, Cullen asked again.

“What do you mean?”

“You didn’t know? Ulli, did you trick the naive Cullen!”

“N-no, I didn’t!”

Ulli sat down opposite Lasano and sprinkled tea leaves on him. Lasano dodged them, feigning pain. Ulli huffed and said to Cullen.

“It’s probably because we drank together yesterday, so everyone misunderstood. It’s also because I don’t keep men around me. They’ve never seen me drunk, so maybe that’s why.”

“When a tall, handsome man enters the Lord’s tent in the middle of the night, stories tend to arise, even if they weren’t there before.”

Was that it? Cullen finally understood the behavior of the mercenary who had greeted him with excessive enthusiasm. It wasn’t a pleasant rumor.

Moreover, the moment he heard it, Kiyen came to mind, making him feel even more uneasy. Kiyen had reacted sensitively when Cullen had said he would go down to see Ulli. If such rumors spread, surely…

Cullen fell silent, thinking that far. They were not a couple. Kiyen had finally admitted he didn’t love Cullen and had disappeared. Therefore, he didn’t need to worry about him.

Despite that, Kiyen, who had cried silently, kept coming to mind, and Cullen’s head was in a turmoil. He had never expected Kiyen to actually disappear from his sight, and he kept worrying about it.

“Don’t worry about it!”

Ulli waved her hand dismissively, and Lasano added slyly.

“That’s right. Cullen already has three children, so once everyone finds out, the rumors will die down.”

“But who on earth gave birth to those children?”

“Ulli’s human-centric way of thinking……”

Cullen let out a low cough, uncomfortable with the recurring topic related to Kiyen. Both of them then fell silent and looked at him.

“If it’s alright, I’d like to talk about something else. Ulli, why are you encamped here?”

“Ah, yes. I came here because of what Junon and Kihelene said.”

Come to think of it, he had heard about Kihelene several times already, but he hadn’t seen her. Before he could ask, Ulli continued.

“As you probably sensed, the number of Demonic Beasts has increased exponentially, including the ones you encountered. The strong Demonic Beasts that didn’t exist on the continent are from Dark Island. The problem is, how did they get here?”

Ulli then looked at Lasano. Lasano continued.

“Although I helped Zarkas, I don’t know the important details. However, I do know that Iris is skilled in ancient curse magic using Akesis’s power. The giant Demonic Beasts we encountered were actually a species that existed before the Dragons perished, but the rest……”

Something Lasano said struck Cullen as odd. He frowned and asked.

“Did you say ‘before the Dragons perished’?”

The unfamiliar expression bothered him. Kiyen, the sole Dragon on the continent, was clearly alive. The fact that he wasn’t immortal flickered at the edge of his consciousness, but to Cullen, Kiyen was still the first Dragon.

“Didn’t Kiyen tell you?”

Ulli looked surprised by Cullen’s question. Lasano said quietly.

“As you know, Kiyen isn’t one to open up easily… He probably didn’t tell you.”

“Please explain properly.”

Seeing Cullen’s firm resolve to get to the point, Lasano shrugged. He looked troubled but eventually spoke cautiously.

“That day… the day Larshiel fell, there was a white night. After the light piercing the sky disappeared and the white night ended, the goddess delivered her final revelation. She said the Dragon’s trial was over, and now, along with a new Dragon, dormant traces would return. After that, we, along with Kihelene, searched the Great Temple and the fallen Imperial Palace, interpreting the revelation. And we learned the secret the Larkan Dynasty guarded.”

Ulli cautiously observed Cullen’s stiffening expression and added.

“We don’t know the exact details either. But it seems the Larkan bloodline was actually tasked with monitoring Dragons. It’s something we couldn’t have guessed from the past behavior of the royalty. So, Kiyen might actually be the last Dragon, not the first.”

“…Did you say the last Dragon?”

Cullen blinked at the unexpected fact. He knew his death was the key to Kiyen’s liberation, but he had forgotten the cruel moment he was pushed into that process.

There was so much Kiyen hadn’t told him. He thought he knew him well, but he realized he knew nothing about the circumstances surrounding him.

“Yes. I don’t know what the other Dragons of the past did, but Kiyen seems to have been the one to bear that judgment in their stead.”

“Did Kiyen… know that?”

“I don’t know.”

Both Ulli and Lasano wore troubled expressions. Cullen replayed the unbelievable story he had just heard and, for a moment, thought of the Young Dragons.

Seeing the Young Dragons, who were full of emotion, capable of empathy, and followed him, Cullen often wondered if Kiyen had also had such a childhood. Especially when he saw Cat, who resembled Kiyen, he would unconsciously overlap their images.

But Kiyen had always said he was alone.

Thinking of him, who must have been alone from the very beginning in his small, young form, made his stomach churn. A nagging pain rose in his chest. That a Dragon who grew up alone, without kin or even any creature to care for him, had his first trusted being be his judge.

And to these beings, Kiyen, who had been endlessly betrayed… perhaps, like him, didn’t want to feel emotions?

A thought that flashed through his mind brought confusion, and Cullen shook his head. He had felt something was off. Despite thinking it was better to distance himself from Kiyen, he found himself thinking about him when he was gone, and it was strange to still care about him after cutting him off so painfully.

Forcing the thoughts away, Cullen steered the conversation back to the main topic.

“…I’ve been talking about unnecessary things. Please continue what you were saying earlier.”

Ulli looked at Cullen, who was changing the subject, with a peculiar expression. Lasano also looked displeased, but he continued his explanation.

“If you wish… I understand. Anyway, unlike the Demonic Beasts we encountered in the past, the ones lurking everywhere now are from Dark Island.”

Ulli picked up where Lasano left off.

“After Lasano left, Junon and Kihelene began searching for Iris’s traces to find out how the Demonic Beasts were crossing over. Due to Yurisis’s death, some bond formed between them, and they worked tirelessly to find a way to undo what she had done. And recently, Kihelene sent a letter.”

Ulli picked up a piece of parchment from the table and handed it to Cullen. Cullen quietly accepted it. He saw Kihelene’s neat handwriting.

“Iris must have created a passage somewhere on the continent to move the Demonic Beasts here.”

As Ulli explained, Cullen slowly unfolded the creased parchment. On it, written in hurried, flowing script, was a single sentence.

Come to the central region. There is a passage there.