#156

When Cullen’s gaze fell on her face, Ulli rubbed her eyes and was the first to climb the earthen wall of the underground passage, following Lasano. Using the handholds carved here and there, she climbed up, then helped Arne next, and finally Cullen ascended.

Lasano glanced at Arne, who was clearly on the verge of tears, then deliberately turned his head away.

The Imperial Palace, shrouded in a darkness deeper than outside, came into view. They had emerged from a deserted flower garden. Seeing the greenhouse nearby, Cullen knew where they were.

It was far from where the Imperial Palace library was located. The day he discovered Kihelene burying the bird.

That day, when he had opened his heart to Kihelene, flashed through his mind with a pang. He hadn’t known then. That he would return to the Imperial Palace like this, or that Kihelene would face such a situation again.

Much had changed in the Imperial Palace. There was no splendor, only darkness. Staring at the empty palace, devoid of guards and nobles, Cullen sank into a heavy emotion.

Was the current Kihelene unhappier than the Kihelene of that time? The thought crossed his mind.

He had certainly done a lot for him. Even things he hadn’t wanted, but at least Cullen had done what he could to set him free. It was almost done. If Lasano hadn’t betrayed him, if he hadn’t met Kia, perhaps Kihelene would have been free by now.

But Cullen also recalled that the reason these people and Kihelene were entangled was ultimately due to his own revenge.

He had taken him outside when he could have stayed in the palace, and by following Zarkas, he had ended up meeting Kia. All of this happened as they met and became entangled.

Was all of this predetermined? If so, was Cullen himself the predetermined cause of Kihelene’s misfortune?

Did he… become this way because he met me?

He found it difficult to escape the thoughts that overwhelmed him the moment he saw the desolate palace. The guilt and anxiety he had suppressed all the way to the capital surged. Reaching the place where he was, anxiety preceded joy. He was afraid of how Kihelene might have changed in his absence. It felt like his fault.

“Cullen, are you okay?”

As he stood blankly, looking at the greenhouse, Ulli asked. Arne also looked worried. Only when he realized that even Lasano was looking at him did Cullen snap out of it. Kihelene was just ahead. He just needed to quickly get the sword and go to him, without getting lost in useless thoughts.

“I had something to think about for a moment. I apologize.”

Lasano smiled with narrowed eyes and turned his gaze westward. It was the direction of the Emperor’s chambers.

“Then it would be best to part ways here. The three of you should go to the chambers…”

“No, we’re going with you.”

Cullen said expressionlessly. Lasano scowled.

“What do you mean, now?”

“I cannot be sure if you will return with the sword.”

Instead of saying he couldn’t leave him, Cullen said he couldn’t trust him. He thought it would give Lasano less reason to flee. He wanted Lasano to clearly understand his position as a traitor and receive treatment befitting it.

“My, you are thorough.”

Lasano shrugged and fell into thought. He shook his head.

“It’s impossible. There, under Yurisis’s command, are Zarkas, whom Iris raised. Though not as skilled as Junon, it’s too much for this group to handle four Zarkas. It’s impossible due to the power of the artifacts each of them possesses.”

Cullen calmly refuted his words.

“It seems more unreasonable for you to go alone to retrieve the sword from such a place.”

“Well, I am a Zarkas…”

“From what you’re saying, you don’t seem to be a close associate of Iris Jenix, and I doubt she would let you retrieve the sword.”

Cullen cut off Lasano’s retort and urged him on.

“You were the one who said there was no time. It makes more sense to go retrieve the sword quickly than to continue arguing here.”

Lasano let out a hollow laugh. Frowning, he swept his long black hair back and, with a sigh, gestured.

“I don’t know what your intentions are, but it’s true that time is short. For now… follow me.”

Having spoken, Lasano looked up at the sky once more with an anxious gaze. He began to lead the way again, his black robe fluttering.

Lasano headed towards the meeting hall where he had once delivered a prophecy. In the silence, they approached the meeting hall, muffling their footsteps. The door was closed. Hiding behind the wall and observing the meeting hall door, Lasano gave them a warning.

“To lower their guard, I must go in anyway. It would be best for you to attack while I distract them.”

“Are you sure it’s okay?”

“What Iris is wary of is not me taking the sword. She is wary of me helping Yurisis. It’s fine for me to stop by to look at the sword. Only I was close to the goddess, so she probably thinks I’ll find out something.”

Lasano stepped away from the wall without waiting for an answer. Wearing his robe, he quickened his pace and stood before the meeting hall door. He knocked on the door with his pale hand, and a heavy sound echoed. After a few seconds, another person, equally hooded, appeared.

“What is it?”

“I came to examine the sword. I have a hypothesis I thought of last night.”

At those words, the door opened halfway. Three more figures appeared through the opened door.

“Does Iris-nim know as well?”

“She will wake soon, so you may go and check for yourself. However, I would appreciate it if you could relay a message.”

The four exchanged glances as if looking at each other. It would have been fortunate if one had left their post, but that did not happen.

“She will come here when she wakes, so we will skip that. Please examine it quickly.”

Lasano entered with a leisurely demeanor. The moment they all turned their bodies to follow Lasano, Cullen signaled Ulli. To immediately capture their attention, it would be best for Ulli, who possessed overwhelming power, to subdue them quickly.

“Arne, hide here.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Arne spoke with a somber expression, as if the fact that he was not helpful to their strength was particularly painful today. However, he did not try to step forward. It was likely to avoid causing trouble by stepping forward unnecessarily.

As Cullen finished speaking, Ulli cut her arm with the rough blade of Pantel. As blood flowed, red patterns began to bloom on Pantel’s blade. Patterns also formed on Ulli’s arm.

“I’m going.”

After exchanging signals with Cullen, Ulli uttered a short phrase. Then she moved quickly. She ran to the meeting hall as quietly as possible and leaped up, holding Pantel. One of the Zarkas who was entering turned around sharply.

“Who is it!”

Sensing the presence, he shouted as he barely blocked the incoming Pantel. At his cry, the other three turned their heads. Seeing Ulli, they drew their weapons. They were varied. From weapons shaped like scythes to spears, twin swords, and chakrams.

“You don’t need to know!”

Ulli quickly retracted Pantel and swung it in a wide arc, cutting at him again. Her attack, which simultaneously enhanced her strength and agility, wounded the opponent first.

“It’s an intruder. Everyone attack!”

Ulli, having successfully focused their attention, lured them away. She retreated, drawing them as far away from the meeting hall as possible. Two followed her.

However, one of them sensed something was wrong and turned to look at Lasano. The moment he saw that, Cullen joined.

The three Zarkas who saw Cullen running tried to turn back, but Ulli blocked them.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Pantel scraped the floor. As the floor cracked and collapsed, the distance between Cullen and them widened, and Cullen entered the meeting hall where Lasano was.

The last Zarkas, quickly assessing the situation, swung his scythe widely at Cullen. The blade, which moved menacingly despite its heavy weight, swept towards his neck. Cullen dodged hastily and counterattacked. Though his weapon was threatening, if he didn’t immediately use the artifact’s other powers, Cullen had a significant advantage.

He lunged at the Zarkas, who had momentarily left an opening by swinging his scythe. Holding his sharp sword, Cullen aimed for his abdomen.

The Zarkas hastily retreated. Barely holding onto the scythe he almost dropped, he let out a sound like “Eugh,” and his eyes turned red. As a murky red, different from Lasano’s, appeared in his eyes, the scythe whirled and flew at him again. Cullen rolled to avoid the scythe, which flew as if to pierce him.

At that moment, a roar was heard from outside. Glancing back, he saw dust rising. The sounds of clashing metal and impacts, and the sound of the meeting hall building collapsing, echoed. Lasano, seeing it together, shouted.

“Lord Cullen, go ahead!”

He had already grasped the sword placed in the center of the long table in the meeting room. Seeing Lasano about to throw the sword, the Zarkas changed the direction of his scythe.

“You… I thought you were suspicious!”

He looked back and forth between Cullen and Lasano with indignation, then gripped the scythe with both hands. Then, a strange phenomenon occurred. The scythe split into two. One was shaped from a mass of red energy.

The red energy flew towards Cullen. With a speed incomparable to a physical scythe, Cullen could not completely avoid it. The scythe grazed his shoulder.

“Take this!”

At that moment, Lasano intervened. The vine-like red energy he had seen earlier extended and bound the Zarkas’s wrist. While his hands were momentarily tied, Cullen caught the sword Lasano threw. Despite its massive and heavy appearance, it felt light, just as he had felt before.

“I promised. Save Kihelene-nim.”

At Lasano’s words, Cullen shook his head. As Lasano scowled as if asking what he meant, the Zarkas, holding his scythe, counterattacked. Leaving his hands immobilized, he summoned the red energy that had attacked Cullen again. The weapon, aimed precisely at Cullen’s neck, returned and lunged at Lasano.

“Damn it,” Lasano cursed and rolled his body. His movements were not practiced. They were significantly slower compared to Cullen’s. Seeing that, the Zarkas decided it would be better to kill Lasano first and shifted his gaze.

And Cullen did not miss that opening. As Lasano said, the High Priest also dies if his neck is cut.

There was no difference for a Zarkas.

Cullen, still in a low stance from dodging the attack, drew his sword from bottom to top. The sword, drawn diagonally with great force, sliced halfway through the Zarkas’s torso. He had aimed for the neck, but since the Zarkas narrowly dodged it, his head was not severed.

“Gak…!”

Spitting blood, the Zarkas collapsed. The blood that gushed out flowed down his upper body in an instant. It was a fatal wound. His internal organs must have been cut.

As his intuition told him, the Zarkas fell forward, his body convulsing and trembling. After watching him for a few seconds, Cullen urgently called out to Lasano when the Zarkas stopped moving.

“I don’t care if you die later, but leave with me now. This is an order.”

At the word “order,” Lasano shook his head, but only for a moment. A roar from where Ulli was fighting made him turn his gaze.

“For now, it would be best to help Ulli-nim.”

Cullen agreed and turned his body towards her first. Lasano cut short his brief hesitation and followed Cullen.

As they exited the meeting hall and descended the stairs, Cullen felt a chilling sensation run down his spine. Instinctively, he turned around. His eyes met Lasano’s, and Cullen gazed past his back.

For a moment, everything slowed down. A giant scythe appeared in Cullen’s vision. The scythe, stained with his own blood, was descending precisely onto Lasano’s crown. It was just before that.

Cullen parted his lips. His vision blurred, and his body moved. He might have shouted “Lasano!” loudly.

But by the time Lasano turned around, it was a little too late. Before Cullen could pull him, the scythe swung.

“No!”

Someone screamed. His ears went numb. For a moment, his mind went blank. The few seconds it took to grasp what had happened felt like an eternity. The slowed-down scene instantly returned to normal. And then, an unthinkable, horrific scene…

It showed a scene that was utterly impossible.

Cullen lowered his gaze. Lasano was lying down. Someone was covering him. He saw a familiar back of the head. Short-cropped brown hair, round ears, a sturdy body that was large enough to cover Lasano…

Cullen turned his head. He shifted his gaze to where the person lying on the floor should have been. There was no one on the corridor wall. Arne, whom he had told to stand still, was not there, but here, covering Lasano’s body.

There… he was there.

“Arne—!”