STM 95

Kilu had a big smile on his lips, but his eyes were fiercely glaring at Hoiga. Hoiga tried not to be intimidated, clenching his jaw as he stared at him.

“How fortunate to be of one mind with Your Grace. May I take those words to mean that Montaine will also actively help summon other families’ divine beasts? If so, it’s simple. Just let me decode Montaine’s ancient documents.”

Hoiga demanded, hoping Kilu would back down. Indeed, Kilu’s disguised smile momentarily disappeared. However, the words that came from him were different from Hoiga’s expectations.

“Of course. Isn’t the appearance of Salvation at this time when Tubain is in crisis the will of the gods? Naturally, I’ll provide all necessary information.”

Tap.

At the unexpected answer, Hoiga backed away with a stiff face. However, Duke Kilu quickly grabbed his wrist.

“But unfortunately, Montaine’s ancient documents can only be viewed by Montaine people. So there’s only one way.”

He lifted Hoiga’s hand and kissed the back of it.

“Ma Hoiga, will you become my companion?”

At the sudden proposal, the interior became as quiet as if cold water had been poured. And everyone looked only at Hoiga.

“I…”

Having barely opened his mouth, he took another step back. Kilu tightened his grip on his hand and asked as if just remembering.

“Oh, do you need permission from High Priest Cheki, who is like a master to you? Then let me tell you. High Priest Cheki already knows my heart and has given permission.”

At High Priest Cheki’s name, Hoiga’s face turned deathly pale. This was a threat disguised as a question. Accept his proposal.

Hoiga’s hand trembled finely. However, the words that came from his barely opened mouth were not the answer Kilu wanted.

“I-I’ll check later. Right now, I have something to ask Grand Duke Kun first. The Kun family, which has led the divine beast families for a long time, is highly likely to have the most important information.”

It was a roundabout way of speaking, but to anyone it was a refusal. As if that weren’t enough, when he tried to pull his hand away, Kilu’s eyebrows twitched.

“Duke.”

Hoiga called him, seemingly asking him to release his hand. Kilu glared at him and rather put more strength into his hand, but he had enough presence of mind left to notice people’s gazes.

Tap.

Kilu finally let go of the other’s hand and stepped back.

“You need Kun’s ancient documents… But aren’t they in Kun family’s main castle where no one can enter? I doubt whether Grand Duke Kun can help Salvation.”

He finally turned around and Hoiga could also barely face Tairok. And was overcome with an inexplicable anxiety.

His eyes contained no impatience, no greed, not even anger. He still looked like a spectator.

Why? I’m the only one who can break the curse.

Hoiga unknowingly stepped forward and asked.

“What if I can break the curse? Can you give me the ancient documents?”

Kilu frowned in displeasure. On the other hand, Tairok smirked and tilted his head slightly to the side.

“Kun’s ancient documents can also only be viewed by family. Just like Montaine.”

Though Tairok’s voice was not loud and slow, people focused even more on him. Relaxed posture, low voice, expression like a bystander. An appearance completely different from the other divine beast families definitely caught people’s attention.

“So no matter if you’re Salvation, you must become a member of the Kun family.”

When he stood up from his seat after speaking, the audience’s gaze followed him. During that brief motion, Hoiga couldn’t move a finger as if suffocating.

Conversely, his heart beat as if it would explode. It seemed the proposal he so desired would come from his mouth. His expectations swelled like a balloon.

He was so focused on Tairok that only he entered his vision, so he could see even his small movements. Like his gaze briefly heading elsewhere.

Huh? Where is he looking…

He tried to follow his gaze, but Tairok moved his eyes again. His golden were now looking at Hoiga. But it was strange.

Tairok hadn’t said anything yet, but the expectations that had risen to the top of Hoiga’s head drained out in an instant like an ebb tide. As if his instinct had anticipated the answer that would come from Tairok’s mouth.

He’s going to… reject me?

Hoiga’s heart sank as he took a deep breath.

N-no, that can’t be… Please.

A scream of fear erupted from within. At the moment he could only helplessly watch Tairok’s opening mouth, a new voice suddenly interrupted.

“I’ll gladly become that member. Because I’m the real Salvation!”

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I don’t think I’m an impulsive person. However, my ability to think on my feet has improved from fighting demons for a long time. When saving lives immediately is important, there’s no leisure to think about the aftermath.

Is it thanks to that? I wasn’t embarrassed at all by the nonsense I just blurted out. It was that much of an emergency situation for me. Even if dirt enters my eyes, I won’t see the traitor become Tairok’s companion. Hell no, not a chance.

Tap, tap.

As I quickly walked out to the center, people’s gazes followed. However, only one person was visible in my eyes.

What mattered to me was only what his expression was like. And I succeeded. There was a mixture of shock and disgust in Hoiga’s as he looked at me.

Ah, you really thought terribly of Lu normally.

I barely managed not to laugh out loud. Instead, I deliberately asked in pretend surprise.

“You’re Salvation too? My goodness, I’m Salvation too!”

“Lu, what on earth are you…”

“Who knew prophecy was a condition for Salvation. I can do prophecy too!“

I didn’t need Mo’s help to copy Lu’s vulgar way of speaking with the before my eyes. The spectators who belatedly came to their senses clicked their tongues. Irritation and criticism were heard from all directions.

‘Ha, it’s Adeye Lu.’

‘I heard he came to his senses, but he’s still the same. Wanting attention, not knowing his place, acting out where he doesn’t belong.’

One of them shouted at me.

“Do you know what place this is, to dare interrupt? Leave at once!”

The one who shouted was the Borhumi representative. I looked at him and grinned widely.

“Want to hear my prophecy? It’s about Borhumi’s divine beast.”

The Borhumi representative froze in surprise. Even if I looked out of my mind, once their divine beast was mentioned, it seemed he couldn’t just push me away as crazy.

“What do you…”

“Adeye Lu! This is not your place to interrupt. Get down from there at once!”

Someone from Sarne’s side shouted at me fiercely. I ignored him and informed the Borhumi representative.

“Borhumi’s divine beast will return. Because it didn’t perish.”

“No.”

The denial came from Hoiga, whose eyes still held disgust. That’s the answer I’ve been waiting for, I turned to him with a smile.

“No?”

“Right, no. Ha, I don’t know why you’re doing this, but if the divine beast didn’t perish, the rift couldn’t have reopened…”

“It’s possible if the divine beast abandons Borhumi.”

Hoiga’s eyes, which had regarded my words as pathetic, became somewhat serious.

“What are you talking about?”

“Borhumi’s divine beast ended the contract and went back. So the protection ended too. What, you’re Salvation and you didn’t know that?”

I laughed mockingly and unpleasantly. Perhaps because of my attitude, everyone frowned even while thinking ‘huh?’ about my words. It didn’t matter. I wasn’t asking them to believe.

My purpose was just for that traitor bastard to suffer. Whether it’s anger, frustration, or irritation. However, Hoiga asked seriously while not trusting me.

“Why would the divine beast end the contract?”

“Why indeed?”

I said one phrase and turned to the Borhumi side.

“Tricked by a dark mage into imprisoning the divine beast, ignoring the sacred lake, and meanwhile only complaining that the divine beast’s power is diminishing.”

I stopped speaking and brought up the real reason I had vaguely guessed.

Why did the divine beast appear before me then to announce the contract had ended? Probably at that moment, something that violated the contract came from Zav’s mouth. Those complaining words.

‘Damn it, all that training! If training was going to work, I wouldn’t have imprisoned the divine beast in the first place! I’m not training anymore. Do you understand?’

And now I know well what Borhumi’s divine beast likes.

Training. It seemed to want the human it gave power to to at least cherish that power. In a way, it’s a trivial, minimal condition.

“Why shouldn’t the divine beast abandon someone who stupidly doesn’t even train despite receiving tremendous divine beast power?”

The Borhumi side’s gaze toward me became fierce.

“Adeye Lu. Are you saying the divine beast didn’t perish, but won’t give power to Borhumi again? How do you know that?”

“Because I heard it from the divine beast.”

I blurted it out and turned back to Hoiga. Suddenly it became quiet all around, but soon absurd laughter spread among the people again. But only Hoiga didn’t laugh and looked at me.