#057

Over the past three days, Cullen had discovered several things. First, he had mapped out the entire cave structure, avoiding the eyes of the Sorcerer and mercenaries. The place, with its winding structure like an ant colony, was likely created by Demonic Beasts. Its width was just enough for his torso to pass through, and its shape suggested it.

There were five sectors divided into prisons and manufacturing areas, two caves where brainwashed mercenaries resided, a large cavern that was the habitat of Demonic Beasts, and the rest were places for Cadmium cultivation or storage of Cadmium powder.

The escape route leading to the surface, which Lana had mentioned, was the Sorcerer’s residence, and it was constantly guarded by mercenaries. Dealing with them wouldn’t be difficult. The problem was that one of them was Gael.

If he had to face Gael, Cullen alone couldn’t get the victims out safely. Furthermore, the mercenaries were also victims of Magic, so he was reluctant to kill them indiscriminately.

If it were Cullen from the past five years, he would have already escaped alone. He wouldn’t have gotten involved in such a problem in the first place. But the situation had changed. Cullen couldn’t just leave this place as it was.

Therefore, the right course of action was to deal with the Sorcerer, dispel the Magic, and then escape together. Kiyen was still searching for this place, so it would be fine to use Magic afterward. Cullen had been looking for a way to do this for three days.

In the process, Ulli breaking her own brainwashing was something he hadn’t even expected. The surprise didn’t end there. At the word “Dark Island” that came from Ulli’s lips, Cullen frowned.

“Dark Island?”

Arne had mentioned Dark Island while speaking of the god Akesis. It was undoubtedly the same place. Ulli continued hesitantly.

“Don’t ask for details. What I can tell you is that the Sorcerer bears that mark. Weapons from Dark Island grant power in exchange for the contractor’s life force. The part where the mark appears varies, and the Sorcerer had such a tattoo below his neck.”

It was a story he had never heard before. Several questions arose. Where on earth did she learn such things, and had she ever been to that place called Dark Island?

“How on earth do you know such things?”

“I told you not to ask for details. If you keep asking, I won’t tell you.”

Seeing her defensive attitude, Cullen decided not to press her. The important thing, as she herself had said, was to get out of here first.

“…Understood. Are all those weapons shaped like that?”

“No. They’re all different. But what’s certain is that the Sorcerer’s mark is very deep. That level suggests he’s using quite a bit of power…”

Ulli pondered for a moment and then said.

“If the Sorcerer uses his power to its limit, the weapon will eventually consume the contractor. I want to kill him with my own hands… but it seems only possible if we deal with the Demonic Beast.”

Cullen fell silent for a moment. His mind was complicated, but revising the plan came first. Now that Ulli had regained her senses, it was manageable.

Late at night, they would attempt an escape while all the mercenaries were asleep. While Cullen dealt with the few mercenaries guarding the Sorcerer’s room, Ulli would be responsible for the escape of the prisoners.

The best scenario would be if the Sorcerer was away all day. Even if not, it would be ideal to approach and kill him first somehow, but that was difficult to guarantee.

Moreover, if he faced him, as Ulli said, they would inevitably have to deal with the Demonic Beast. There was no guarantee that the Demonic Beast wouldn’t destroy this space then.

“I’m glad you’ve regained your senses, Ulli. I don’t know how you did it…”

Cullen stood up. It was almost time for the Sorcerer to return.

“Thanks to you, it’s become easier. Now, I will share the plan I’ve made so far, so listen carefully.”

She slowly nodded, looking at Cullen with wary eyes. Her short, cropped blonde hair fluttered, reminding him of Cecil. Although she had tried to kill him and their personalities differed, Ulli clearly resembled Cecil, Cullen’s former comrade.

Her delicate and beautiful face contrasted with the calluses on her hands and her inability to abandon those in trouble.

Cullen believed Ulli had regained her senses to save Arin. He felt that certainty even though she hadn’t confessed it. She didn’t feel threatening, even though she had tried to kill him. It wasn’t just because he was confident he could subdue her, but rather…

“Tomorrow, we will escape at the time when the moon shines brightest.”

Ulli didn’t just resemble Cecil. Cullen felt a similar loneliness from her.

Cullen and Ulli acted as if they were still brainwashed and informed the prisoners and women of the plan. Regardless of whether the Sorcerer was away or not, the mercenaries followed a set routine at specific times. Deep at night, they too would fall asleep. Only the few mercenaries guarding the Sorcerer’s residence and two patrolling the prison were the entire force.

While Cullen subdued the two patrolling mercenaries, Ulli would use that opportunity to release the prisoners locked up as food and the people inside the cells. The children would be carried by their mothers or helped by the released prisoners. Cullen would handle the mercenaries and the Sorcerer, and his plan was to get as many people out as possible before the Demonic Beast arrived.

Inevitably, the Sorcerer would summon the Demonic Beast, so speed was crucial. Since he wasn’t sure if he could kill the Demonic Beast, Cullen decided to ask for Kiyen’s help then.

“Your plan always has some strange aspect to it.”

The golden lizard Cullen summoned struck the floor with its tail. Ulli, standing beside Cullen, widened her eyes and pointed at the lizard.

“What is this? Is it Magic?”

“Please wait a moment.”

It was more important to converse with Kiyen than to answer Ulli’s question. Kiyen’s voice was unusual.

‘Are you angry?’

Cullen now knew Kiyen’s voice when he was displeased.

“What do you think when my contractor is begging me to kill again?”

“It’s not a particularly dangerous plan. Kiyen-nim just needs to use his power once the people are out.”

“I suspect you’re more likely to die before that.”

“I’ll just buy time.”

“Yeah, right.”

Kiyen didn’t seem to believe him. The golden hue of the half-transparent lizard deepened. Like the shifting gold in his eyes when Kiyen was emotionally agitated.

“Can I touch it?”

Ulli, while wary, kept eyeing the lizard with fascination. Before Cullen could stop her, Ulli touched the lizard. The lizard then opened its small, black eyes sharply.

“Tell that human woman to take her hand off immediately.”

Whether she could hear the voice or feel it from being touched, Kiyen was incensed. Even when angry, he was still a lizard, which made Cullen chuckle inwardly.

‘Ulli is on my side for now.’

“Looks like you’ve already found yourself a lover.”

He paused at that remark. Arne’s words suddenly flashed through his mind. The nonsensical nonsense that he seemed upset because his lover was receiving unwanted attention.

But it was true that Kiyen hadn’t liked Ulli from the start. This was just like… jealousy.

Cullen dismissed the thought. It was impossible. Kiyen had always made their distance clear. It had only been recently that he said he wouldn’t worry about Larkan’s bloodline.

“Ulli, please take your hand off.”

“Why? Nothing’s happening.”

“Kiyen-nim dislikes it.”

“Is the lizard’s name Kiyen?”

“It’s cute,” Ulli said, laughing. It was the first time he’d seen her smile. Her long, teal eyes folded into slits, and a lovely smile bloomed on her face. If she showed her face like this, she certainly couldn’t pass as a man. It would be troublesome to travel alone.

Ulli had gradually let her guard down over the day they’d made the plan. Seeing how friendly she was with the women in the prison, she seemed to be kind to women by nature. Lana had mentioned that whenever they stopped in Rodiak, she always tended to the women by the ever-burning lights.

“Fine. I’ll disappear.”

The lizard grew increasingly transparent. Clearly displeased, Cullen quickly grabbed him.

‘Kiyen-nim, please don’t go.’

He hadn’t seen Kiyen’s face in three days. Having been together every day, the absence felt strangely significant.

He wanted to hear his actual voice, not just in his head. He wanted to see his soft, long hair, his expressionless white face, and his beautifully shining blue eyes. He didn’t know why simply existing in the same space was so comforting.

He missed him.

After only three days.

‘I haven’t seen you in three days.’

Reluctant to let him go so easily, Cullen unintentionally blurted out his thoughts. The lizard, about to disappear, flicked its tail.

“If you hadn’t pushed me away, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“I won’t do that again.”

“You better not.”

Kiyen continued.

“I’ve almost found your location. If the Sorcerer and the Demonic Beasts use their power according to your plan, I’ll know exactly where you are…”

The lizard began to become opaque again.

“I’ll see your face tonight.”

Without giving Cullen a chance to reply, the lizard vanished. Ulli, who had been petting the lizard, let out a disappointed sigh.

“Where did Kiyen go?”

“He got angry because you touched him.”

Cullen unfairly blamed Ulli. She gave him a bewildered look.

“What did I do?”

“You shouldn’t touch animals carelessly. They dislike being handled by humans.”

“That’s funny. Lizards aren’t animals, they’re something else?”

Cullen ignored Ulli’s reasonable rebuttal. As he was about to savor Kiyen’s words about seeing his face tonight like candy in his mouth, a scream echoed from afar.

“I think the Sorcerer has arrived.”

Hiding while they took shifts, they glanced outside at the screams echoing through the corridor. The ground vibrated, as if the Demonic Beasts were moving.

“It seems they’ve brought new sacrifices.”

“The number of people to be taken has increased.”

It was a daunting task for just the two of them, but they had to do it. Cullen nodded.

“Conserve your energy well. It’s going to be a long night.”

“You too.”

“You seem to have forgotten how easily you were subdued.”

“My weapon isn’t a bow!?”

Ulli, seemingly provoked, drew her greatsword. Though she didn’t say it, Cullen was certain that the greatsword was no ordinary weapon.

Perhaps that greatsword was a weapon from Dark Island.

He wasn’t sure, but knowing about the Sorcerer’s weapons, it was clear. The way she swung the greatsword with one hand as if it were nothing.

However, he hadn’t seen anything special yet. Cullen turned his gaze from the greatsword and nodded.

“I’ll see you tonight.”

“Alright.”

The two of them simultaneously slipped out from behind the wall and returned with impassive faces. As they scattered in opposite directions, Cullen began to time them.

Night arrived slowly. In the cave without a sky, time passed more slowly than on the surface.

The Sorcerer seemed to be in a good mood today. Because of that, three of the mercenaries brought along became sacrifices. He had increased the food for the Demonic Beasts as if giving them a reward.

Volgmek, with its multiple heads, tore into people alive, competing with each other. Cullen, who was supposed to handle the Demonic Beasts today, had to watch the scene without any change in his expression.

And finally, night fell. The change of the mercenaries signaled its beginning. Two of Gael’s mercenary squad were assigned to night patrol, and the Sorcerer, after putting the Demonic Beasts to sleep, disappeared into his quarters.

As soon as the shift began, Cullen quietly slipped out of the dark lodging. The only one here with the skill to detect his presence was Gael, who was guarding the Sorcerer’s quarters.

“You’re here?”

Ulli, who had come out earlier, whispered and greeted him. It seemed he had gotten out safely.

“Here’s the key.”

Cullen handed the prison key he had stolen on his way out to Ulli. The key was managed by Gael and his subordinate, Tulan. Fortunately, Tulan was a heavy sleeper.

“Got it. Let’s go.”

Cullen responded with action instead of words. Hearing footsteps approaching their direction, Cullen pushed himself up.