STM 62

Salvation? Ah, the legendary being said to communicate with the divine beast and know the future. But could that being increase the divine beast’s power? While I was still confused, I heard Dorgo’s explanation.

“There are several legends about Salvation. One of them says Salvation can summon a divine beast at will. Who knows? Perhaps Salvation might summon another divine beast for you, Lord Zav.”

Zav let out a short, incredulous laugh.

“Ha, a legend? The one where Salvation rode the clouds and crossed the continent in an instant? That’s not all, right? There’s also the one where he climbed onto the shoulders of a great mountain to aid a divine beast family.”

It seemed that Salvation was simply another exaggerated heroic myth in this world. No wonder Zav hated hearing the name.

“Stop with that absurd nonsense and tell me something that can actually be done, damn it.”

“I only mentioned it because you wished for an immediate path to power. Either train, or seek Salvation.”

Zav’s body trembled, and though he clenched his jaw, he had nothing more to say.

“It’s easy for you to talk when you’re not doing anything.”

“Yes, all I’ve done is imprison the divine beast for your sake, Lord Zav.”

Zav answered in a mocking voice.

“How humble of you. Oh, right. Come to think of it, you did do something. Aren’t you the one who cast that terrible curse on the Kun family?”

Zav muttered as if he was talking to himself, and Dorgo remained silent.

The curse on the Kun family?

I held my breath, waiting for what would come next.

“I did ask you to deal with Kun, but to think you’d resort to something like that. You’re the one who made the Kun family trap themselves inside that massive castle. You should be proud of your accomplishment.”

…What? As I froze in shock, I heard a harsh dragging from behind me.

Screech

I turned quickly, then froze in place.

Tairok was dragging his massive sword along the ground, forcing himself to take a step closer. Even as sweat ran down down his face, his eyes burned with fury.

Ah, he heard Zav’s words.

“Who’s there?!”

Zav’s loud shout echoed through the space. If Tairok faced him in his current condition, he’d be killed.

I understood how he felt, but please, calm down.

I signaled with my eyes for Tairok not to make a sound, but he didn’t even look at me.

His cold, furious gaze was fixed solely on the plaza below. He kept walking, sword scraping against the floor. This was going to be bad…

“Lord Zav, I don’t hear anything. Perhaps you imagined it?”

“Quiet. I definitely heard something.”

Screech

The sound of the sword dragging was clear to my ears. And then…

Thud.

Tairok knelt on the floor with a heavy sound. He didn’t fall completely since his sword was holding him steady, but his ragged breathing echoed loudly through the hall.

Now there was no doubt. We were going to be discovered.

It was now certain that we had been exposed.

But Zav’s reaction was strange.

“That’s strange. I definitely heard something.”

Can’t he hear it?

I froze, even forgetting to swallow. Zav tilted his head in confusion, listening more closely, but when no further sound followed, he frowned slightly. Dorgo spoke calmly beside him to reassure him.

“This place cannot be entered unless one is a direct descendant of Borhumi. No one can enter, and no one can leave.”

“I know that, but…”

Zav looked around the interior again, feeling uneasy about something.

“This place always feels unpleasant.”

“But it’s a place where a divine beast resides.”

Still seeing nothing, he finally turned toward the door. But before he opened it, I heard him murmur irritably.

“This place feels dirty.. It feels like there’s a secret that I don’t know.”

A moment later, with a heavy sound, the door closed, and the two of them disappeared.

I couldn’t move until then, but when I finally did, I went to Tairok and helped him up.

I couldn’t scold him for suddenly standing and making noise.

Sweating was running down his face, his teeth clenched so tightly I couldn’t tell if it was from pain or anger.

I couldn’t find words of comfort. He had just witnessed, right in front of his eyes, the man responsible for cursing his family, and had to let him walk away. He must have felt furious.

Fortunately, I had something to do. Sitting near him, I stared ahead. I didn’t know how much time passed before Tairok spoke first.

“You’re not going to ask anything?”

“May I?”

“Yes.”

“How is your condition? Do you need a healer?”

He looked at me strangely. Why? He said I could ask.

“Aren’t you curious about what Zav said?”

“It’s not something I need to know right this moment. What about you, Grand Duke? How’s your body?”

He stared at me for a moment, then said only, “I’m fine.”

Fine? He was hardly fine. He was still breathing like each breath was a struggle. Yet he was struggling to speak again, explaining what I hadn’t even asked.

“The curse on Kun castle began after Kun’s divine beast disappeared. We suspected another divine beast family, but there was no proof. And there was someone even more suspicious.”

Someone more suspicious?

“Who was it?”

“The former emperor.”

…Great. The former emperor, the last ruler of the Kun line, and Tairok’s own father.

I had no idea how to respond. While I sat still, Tairok grew calm, as if his anger had already burned out.

“So it was orchestrated by Borhumi. That coward, I never thought he’d have the nerve to do something like this. I didn’t expect him to have such a cunning schemer at his side.”

“The old man next to him? The one they called Dorgo.”

“Yes.”

Who was that man…? No, this wasn’t the time to dig into that.

“Dorgo seems to have done a lot for Zav. Even imprisoning Borhumi’s divine beast. I don’t understand it.”

“Neither do I. Divine beasts sometimes…”

Tairok stopped for a moment, suppressing the pain, then continued.

“I heard they were going back to their homeland.”

Homeland, that was a familiar word. Dia, or rather, the rock, had longed for its homeland too.

“Is the Forest of Crimson Waves their homeland?”

“Probably.”

“But they still dared to imprison a divine beast… do you think that’s connected to what they said earlier, about gaining great power after a few months? Maybe resting somehow strengthens a divine beast’s power?”

“I’ve never heard of it. It’s quite the opposite.”

It seemed even Tairok had no idea. He paused again, too tired to continue.

“I’ve heard that all non-human beings, including divine beasts, must return to their homeland at least once.”

“Wouldn’t Zav know that?”

“Of course he would.”

Tairok closed his eyes briefly, then forced out one word.

“He’s greedy.”

The universal answer. Greed, yes, that’s always the problem. Once you’re tempted by the promise of greater power, your judgment starts to blur. When you hand control over to greed, reason stops working.

“Even a five-year-old would be more cautious than Zav.”

Tairok smiled faintly. It was a smile like sunlight. Now I understood why people were drawn to him.

“Zav does act like a child.”

He joked, but I couldn’t smile. Moments ago, he’d been ready to kill his enemy, despite his injuries, even though it would have exposed us.

And now he was smiling as if nothing had happened. There was no way that came from a light heart. Somehow it felt pitiful, and I quickly turned my gaze away.

Who are you pitying?

I pulled myself together and agreed with his words.

“It’s fortunate the enemy has so many weaknesses. But we need to get out of here quickly. It doesn’t look easy. According to Dorgo, no one can enter or leave this place without Borhumi blood.”

Looks like this place might really become our tomb. I grumbled inwardly as I glanced around, and then I heard him calmly reply.

“There’s no need to rush.”

“Yes, there is.”

What? He raised his eyebrows. My frustration made me speak faster.

“The problem isn’t just how to get out. You’re not well. Even if we somehow escape, this is Borhumi’s castle. Moving without being seen will take time. And even if we wanted to teleport, finding a mage strong enough for that won’t be easy. If we don’t make it before the capital’s hunting tournament…”

“Then we just don’t attend.”

“No!”

I shouted before I could stop myself.

You have to attend! That’s when the traitor shows up! The traitor’s waiting for that exact event! If you don’t go, I’ll never find out who it is!

Exclamation marks filled my head, but I couldn’t speak not a single one aloud.

Especially when Tairok was looking at me with those serious eyes, as if he could see straight through me.

“Is there some reason you must attend the tournament?”

“…It’s fun.”

“You hate hunting.”

Ah, right. Me? I really don’t get along with this damn Lu.