STM 177

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁣⁣⁣⁠⁣⁣⁠⁠⁣⁠⁠⁠⁠⁣⁣⁣⁣⁠⁠⁣⁠⁣⁣ ⁣⁠⁣⁣⁠⁠⁠⁠⁣⁠⁣⁠⁠⁣⁠⁣⁠⁣⁠⁣⁣⁣⁠⁣⁣⁣⁠⁠⁣⁣⁣⁠… …Did I raise him too harshly without realizing it? In an attempt to maintain objectivity, I ended up taking a hard blow to the pit of my stomach. It sometimes feels like he’s scolding me. Feeling a little hurt, I watched the door in front of me open.

Through the widening gap, Tairok’s golden eyes, which had been fixed on his subordinate, turned toward me. I felt that the moment he recognized me, his gaze grew as hot as the sun. While I was mesmerized by that light, he approached me without a moment’s hesitation.

“Lu.”

Just hearing him call my name in that low voice made my face burn. It wasn’t that he’d said anything embarrassing; it was simply that his attitude and the heat in his voice came across like a passionate confession. As if that weren’t enough, he took my hand and kissed it.

“Did you come to give me some energy?”

His husky, low voice was charming, but when the implication was “Did you come here to have sex?”, I couldn’t help but come back to reality.

“You seem to have more energy and be in better shape than I do.”

I tried to pour cold water on his sleaziness with a stern voice. But the Tubain man, who was charging ahead without looking back after confessing his feelings, didn’t bat an eye.

“Exactly. Now that I look at you, you look like you’re about to collapse from pain. You’ll need my energy. I’ll push it in slowly, for a long time.”

Crazy. He didn’t back down, pouring out his sleaziness like a waterfall. Even as I was flabbergasted, I almost laughed. But my rational mind managed to stop the corners of my mouth from rising.

Because I’m a Korean who’s crazy about feeling refreshed. It’s not just food, suggestive situations give me hives too. This was an automatic reaction, separate from my actual feelings. Plus, there were still people around watching.

I quickly glanced around, feeling like I’d done something wrong. As expected, the Tubain people, who were crazy about romance, didn’t bat an eye. They looked like they’d treat it as nothing more than a high-five even if Tairok stripped down and rushed at me. Poisonous bunch. No wonder chili pepper doesn’t grow here.

TN: A person with a 독한 성질 (dokhan seongjil) , a “poisonous nature.” This viciousness emanates outward, affecting living things, particularly sensitive plants like chili peppers.

“A handshake is enough. My energy is already full and overflowing.”

“Then we can just release that overflowing energy together.”

He smiled and licked the tip of my finger. I flinched and tried to pull my hand away in shock, but as if he’d expected it, he held it tight. Not only that, but my reaction seemed to fuel him further, his eyes burned with desire. Do I have to eliminate this guy for chili pepper to grow in Tubain?

“You’re busy and have a lot on your plate, where would you find time for anything else?”

“I’m not busy. I’m free.”

“Bullsh… You must be too busy to judge the facts correctly. And anyway, I am busy. Very busy. Actually, I came here because I have a favor to ask regarding that matter.”

His eyes narrowed slightly, and he ordered the people around him to step outside.

“Is there a problem with the Montaine divine beast?”

“Yes, the Montaine divine… how did you know that?!”

What? I wasn’t the only one who could communicate with the serpent divine beast? He seemed to enjoy my surprise. Like he found it all exciting and amusing whenever I lost even a shred of my composure. When I started to get annoyed, he explained with a smile.

“Since the serpent divine beast is giving me power, it must be fine, and the bear divine beast is probably by Black Bear’s side, so there’s only one left, right?”

“Only one? There’s also Kun divine beast.”

I immediately objected, but I knew deep down that this was a stretch. Perhaps he knew it too, because he just stared at me. Fuck. Fine, you’re so smart.

“Of course, if anything changes with Kun divine beast, you’d know better than anyone.”

As I grumbled, a smile appeared on his face. But soon, he asked seriously.

“Why Montaine divine beast?”

It was just a hunch, but I trusted him and shared my thoughts. Then, I made a sincere request.

“That’s why I plan to go to Montaine Castle. I need your permission, Your Grace.”

“That’s surprising. You’re the type who’d act without my permission.”

“Of course, I’ll do as I please when it comes to moving around. But I need your help to enter Montaine Castle. You must have a way, Your Grace. Since you prepared a portal passage in advance to raid Borhumi Castle, I assume it’s the same for Montaine.”

I stated my guess as if it were a fact and shamelessly requested.

“Please let me use it.”

It was likely a passage created through long, arduous effort, so this wasn’t a matter to be asked so casually. I knew how unreasonable the request was. That’s why I was speaking so confidently, but my pupils were shaking. Yet, though I’d expected him to get a little angry, he couldn’t hold back a smile.

“Are you that serious about it?”

“It is a serious matter.”

“It’s not serious enough to put our work on hold.”

Contrary to his soft voice, he grabbed my arm firmly. His arms around me, his hand brushing against my body, even his gaze. My heart wavered for a moment at those familiar signals. I desperately pleaded with Mo for help.

‘Mo, stop me.’

[Once it starts, it’ll take at least three nights and four days. In the worst-case scenario, by the time you come to your senses, the divine beast will have already vanished, and Tubain will be overrun by monsters, facing imminent destruction.]

It sounded like an absurd worst-case scenario, but it helped me regain my sanity.

“We have to postpone this. If the divine beast vanishes while we’re fooling around, it’ll be too late to do anything even if we want to. And if a rift opens for the monsters, it’ll be a disaster.”

“Are you worried about Tubain?”

“Of course. How could I not be worried….”

I had my own reason. I was trying to close the Eye of Hell. I shut my mouth when I belatedly realized the contradiction. Did the panic mixed with guilt show in my eyes? His hand gently brushed my hair aside.

“I understand your concern for Tubain.”

“It’s not exactly just for Tubain.”

Feeling like a hypocrite, I muttered and added one more reason.

“I owe a debt to the Montaine divine beast, and I have to repay it.”

During the wine party, when I fought Bilge, that divine beast had blocked his magical attack against me.

“May I enter Montaine Castle?”

“Yes.”

He answered readily, but he set a condition.

“If you bring Tubain’s best guard.”

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“That’s why Lord Lu is going to Montaine Castle himself. I’ve already contacted our Montaine informant to assist him. Since the informant is a powerful figure within Montaine, I believe they’ll be helpful in obtaining the necessary information.”

Solongo quietly relayed Lu’s situation to the person lying on the bed. Then, after a moment’s hesitation, she voiced her concern.

“However, as is always the case with this informant draw a line. They are the type of person who will back out and pretend they know nothing if they or their family are in danger, so it will be difficult to count on their help if danger strikes from within.”

At this point, the Adeye matriarch would have reassured Solongo by demonstrating the remarkable insight needed to dispel such worries. But there was no sound. She simply lay there, eyes closed, sleeping as if dead.

Solongo sighed as she watched her, who had not woken for two days. She pulled her blanket up tighter and gave herself a pep talk.

“But it’s Lord Lu. I believe he is Salvation. He is the one with the power to save the world.”

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Just as I suspected, Tairok had set up a portal entrance that could be used to secretly raid Montaine Castle. Given the castle’s size, it would be impossible to inspect every corner, but they said that the ability to create such a passage was all thanks to Haas’s exceptional skills.

However, I was frustrated that the entrance happened to be a shabby warehouse used to store horse tack. The fact that the warehouse was smelly and dirty wasn’t the problem. The problem was that the door was locked from the outside.

Rattle, rattle.

No matter how many times I shook it, it didn’t budge, it must have been locked tight. I wanted to keep shaking it, but I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, afraid someone outside might notice. The person behind me reacted.

“Oh no, we’re trapped.”

It was clearly meant to be a sympathetic remark, but the voice sounded amused. As if being locked in was the happiest thing ever. I turned around and glared at him.

Because along with those words, a sinister hand slid down my waist. That’s right, the guy who’d followed me, claiming to be Tubain’s best guard, was Tairok. And yet, he pulled this stunt the moment we arrived.

“We’ll have to find a way out.”

I was determined to dig my way out even if I had to use a spoon, but it had little effect.

“Do you want to get caught the moment we arrive by making a commotion? It’d be better to wait until nightfall when things quiet down and then make our escape. That time will pass quickly, so you won’t get bored. It’ll be thrilling.”

His hand moved seductively over my body once more. My rational mind was furious at this trickery, but my body responded to his touch, and a tingling electric current ran through me.

Reason won out. I’m not the kind of person who’d lose my mind enough to have sex in enemy territory. But my opponent was a madman willing to throw himself into a moment’s pleasure.

It suddenly dawned on me. The biggest obstacle on this covert mission wasn’t Montaine, but my closest guard.

“Exciting? Shall we get that thrill right now?”

I took a step back and called out the name of my real guard for the first time in a long while.

“Club.”

In an instant, a weapon was in my hand, and I smashed it against the door. Alright, let’s start with a heart-pounding escape.