#077

It was exactly the same way Kiyen spoke to him. At the words “Aksha’s child,” Cullen looked at Lasano first. He had stepped back slightly from the ground, his expression one of surprise.

“Can you hear it too?”

“Hear what?”

Lasano’s voice was full of questions, yet for some reason, Cullen found it difficult to believe him immediately. What dispelled Cullen’s doubt was the resonance that followed.

‘Only… you hear. My… words.’

At the same time, the ground vibrated. Despite the appearance of the being that had destroyed their home, the Elves’ faces showed only sadness, not anger.

“What is it, Lord Cullen?”

“One moment.”

Reaching out to stop Lasano, Cullen slowly drew his sword. Could he kill it now? The eyes were, after all, the vital point of any living creature.

‘No one… hears my… words.’

He tightened his grip on the longsword. The resonating voice clearly held deep sorrow and pain beyond that. But it didn’t stop Cullen. He didn’t think he would get another chance to face it this closely.

A brief hesitation passed. If the monster rampaged like this, people would be hurt again.

“Everyone, retreat, now!”

The Elves faltered. They looked back and forth between the monster and Cullen.

“Hurry!”

Seeing the Elves finally move at his stern voice, Cullen also spoke to Lasano.

“Lasano, you retreat with the Elves. That is an order.”

“But Lord Cullen…”

“I won’t say it a second time!”

While Cullen was shouting, the monster remained in place. Emitting only a low hum.

Lasano, his face losing its smile at the fierce aura, wore an unreadable expression. After a short silence, he retreated, following the Elves. As soon as he confirmed this, Cullen swung his longsword. Putting strength into both arms, he thrust the red stone with the intent to kill.

Clang!

The sound of stone and sword colliding echoed. His skill, which could shatter stone, was rendered useless as the sword snapped in two upon impact with the black stone. The stone was harder than imagined.

“Damn it!”

Frustrated by his immediate failure, he quickly retreated. However, the rampage Cullen had anticipated did not occur. The monster spoke to him again.

‘It’s no… use. This… way… I cannot… be freed.’

Its words felt like language made of sorrow. The word “freed” lodged in his mind. Cullen threw down his broken sword and scowled.

“Freed?”

He asked, not lowering his guard, and received an answer.

‘I… am alone. My friends… are gone. I don’t… want to wake up. Lonely… Alone…’

The Demonic Beast clearly conveyed its intentions, but not as fluently as Kiyen.

‘Why… did you wake me.’

“I did not wake you. Are you saying… you woke up against your will?”

The monster let out a low hum, vibrating the ground.

‘Let me… sleep. Aksha’s… child.’

It didn’t end there; the monster made a request. He hadn’t considered this. A monster that sought its own death. It was as unusual as a human who begged for death was rare.

“I am not Goddess Aksha’s child.”

Cullen decided to correct it, as it kept calling him Aksha’s child, despite him being an ordinary human.

‘All… humans are Aksha’s… children.’

The monster did not retreat.

‘You… more so.’

The red stone mass stared at Cullen. Looking down at the two red stones, Cullen ran a hand through his hair. The speech pattern was strange, but not difficult to understand. However, the last sentence remained uninterpreted.

“Speak clearly.”

‘You… can kill… me.’

The monster was now asking Cullen to kill it. The information poured out in a jumbled mess.

“How do I kill you?”

Cullen decided to follow the monster’s speech pattern.

‘When… I come out.’

“Many people will be hurt when you come out. Like the Elves around here. Did you intend to harm them?”

The monster’s voice diminished. It seemed to know the consequences of its actions.

‘I… am big. If I move… it cannot… be helped.’

His mind became complicated. The incoming voice and his thoughts mingled. Kiyen always made clear distinctions based on race. What the monster at his feet said had common ground with Kiyen’s words.

‘Aksha… dislikes me. I… dislike her too.’

“What does Aksha dislike?”

‘Let me… sleep.’

The monster seemed to only say what it wanted to say.

‘Tomorrow… if you come again… I will tell you.’

The red light began to fade. As if falling asleep, the red stones were sucked back into the earth, and with the sound of something immense sinking downwards, the monster disappeared. Soon, the surroundings became quiet, as if nothing had happened.

Only the voice that had heavily resonated in his mind remained as an afterimage in Cullen’s brain.

Avoiding the knights’ patrols, Cullen and Lasano returned to the Duke’s mansion just before dawn.

On their way back, they tested Kiyen’s item. The star cluster scattered and its light weakened the further they moved from the monster’s location. It clearly seemed to point to the monster. Then, as the red dawn arrived and the moon grew faint, its movement completely stopped.

Having learned much, an urgency to tell Kiyen as soon as possible arose. However, the opportunity did not come easily. The Duke’s mansion, with the sun high in the sky, was bustling with preparations. With many eyes watching, Cullen had to stay in the annex for the time being.

“What is happening at the Duke’s mansion?”

Moet visited Cullen around lunchtime. Since he could move freely under the guise of supervision, he brought Ulli and Arne with him. Arne was dressed like a servant, holding a tray.

“It looks like they’re having some kind of banquet.”

Ulli threw the broom she was holding onto the floor and perched on the windowsill. Moet seemed a little flustered, looking back and forth between her and Cullen. Cullen gestured, indicating not to worry.

“Um, Lord Cullen. Where should I put the meal?”

“…Are you serious?”

Cullen asked again at Arne’s actions, who was looking for a place to put the meal amidst all this.

“We have many good ingredients here, so I could make a variety of dishes for the first time in a while. Kiyen also liked it, so please try it.”

The mention of Kiyen liking it captivated Cullen. He was about to say they didn’t have time for a leisurely meal, but he quietly gestured towards the table. Arne, with a practiced hand after just one day, placed the food and set the cutlery.

“Arne, that seems to suit your aptitude.”

Arne smiled sheepishly as Ulli scoffed. Moet, watching them converse, cautiously opened his mouth.

“Um… as the lady said, a banquet will be held. It’s like a secret social gathering, and it wasn’t originally planned to be held here, but my brother insisted…”

“You’re holding a banquet in this situation?”

“As I said, my brother is not in his right mind.”

He must have felt the earthquake caused by the monster last night too. Not only were they unprepared, but they were holding a banquet without even resolving the issue of the city walls. It was an act that could only be done by someone intent on completely ruining the territory.

“When is the banquet?”

However, separately from that, Cullen recalled what Anan had said. She had mentioned seeing the Young Duke with people in black cloaks, so perhaps they might visit here.

“It’s in six days.”

“Did you attend that social gathering as well?”

“I used to. But then I saw the young lords and ladies gradually changing, so I withdrew.”

Ulli, who had been listening, interjected.

“Why are they changing?”

Ulli’s speech pattern seemed to confuse Moet. He glanced at Cullen, adjusted his glasses, and said,

“Everyone inhales some strange red powder. They mix it into drinks or food, or lick it directly. After that, they seem to laugh, cry, and see strange things, like heavily intoxicated people.”

“Red powder… could it be Cadmium?”

Arne seemed to recall the incident in Dadin.

“That seems to be the name.”

Moet confirmed.

Where did the Cadmium, obtained by Sorcerers exploiting the weak, end up…? If the people in black cloaks were involved in its distribution, and it flowed into aristocratic society…?

His mind raced. What was their objective? Was it merely for money? They would certainly gain immense wealth, but the process seemed too convoluted for that.

“Moet, the Young Duke is looking for you.”

At that moment, a knight called him from outside. Moet gestured to Arne and Ulli. Arne quickly gathered the tray and headed towards Moet. Ulli picked up her broom and, before leaving, paused briefly beside Cullen.

“Open the window in an hour. I told the blonde one to make an excuse and come out.”

Ulli seemed to have decided to refer to Kiyen as “the blonde one.”

“…Did you speak with Lord Kiyen?”

“Yes. I am his bodyguard, after all.”

Cullen’s expressionless, cold face slowly began to soften. Ulli looked up at Cullen’s eyes, which had softened considerably, though he wasn’t smiling. Glancing at Moet and Arne waiting for her, she blurted out.

“You must like them a lot.”

“……What?”

“That blonde hair.”

Ulli tapped the floor with her broom and turned around. Cullen quickly followed her and said.

“Why would you suddenly bring that up?”

“That blonde hair is a Dragon.”

Ulli said something, following her eye color, that ordinary people wouldn’t be able to know. He scowled.

“How did you know?”

“Where in the world is there a human who can use Magic like that? And they’re right next to royalty. That says it all.”

“Did your mother tell you that too? A mere maid?”

Ulli laughed at the words “mere maid.”

“My guess must have been right.”

“Ulli, how did you know?”

“I’ll tell you later. When we get closer to the east. What I want to say now is……”

With a calm face, half-smiling, she whispered.

“Don’t like beings who aren’t human too much. Especially since Dragons have killed countless humans. They are practically enemies of humanity. The more you like such beings, the more you will only get hurt.”

“That is none of your business.”

“Well, yes. It’s just the unsolicited advice of someone who saved my life and with whom I have a deal. I could tell just by looking at you for the past few days. The Dragon doesn’t care what you do. Even if you make a bed for them, groom their hair, or protect them……”

Ulli stopped speaking there, then let out an “Ah,” and ran her hands through her hair.

“Most importantly, aren’t you royalty? Why is royalty acting like a servant? Ah, I don’t know. Ignore what I said. Sorry!”

As if she herself was also disorganized, she cut off her words there. Ulli ran to where Moet and Arne were, waved her hand, and disappeared with them. Cullen stood there blankly, replaying her words.

The words “doesn’t care.”

It was a thought he had yesterday as well, but Cullen felt that his own actions and behavior were only making Kiyen uncomfortable.

His feelings weren’t changing. His emotions toward Kiyen were close to the driving force that sustained him now. Kiyen was a precious, precious being, so he wanted to make him happy and make him smile.

Yet, he had never succeeded. He couldn’t do what someone with no connection at all managed to do.

One of Ulli’s words had merit. Kiyen wouldn’t care what he did. Except if his life was in danger.

If that’s the case, would it be better for Kiyen to just watch him rather than making him go through the trouble of pleasing him…… He couldn’t think that way. Since Kiyen, who received unwanted emotions, had said he couldn’t understand Cullen’s actions, perhaps it was right.

Cullen looked out the window. In the Duke’s mansion’s backyard, untouched by the cold snap, bloomed purple moonflowers in profusion. Kiyen’s words about liking plants and animals came to mind. Cullen slowly walked to a spot where the flowers were more visible and gazed at them.

Let’s try one more time.

And if Kiyen finds it unpleasant…….

Cullen was willing to hide his feelings for the sake of Kiyen’s happiness.