STM 148

“You want to find the door that leads to the Forest of the Crimson Tide?”

In a corner of the Montaine family’s library, Hoiga questioned Kilu, who had come to see him.

“Yes. A door, or whatever it is. I want to find the path the Montaine divine beast uses to travel back and forth. That way, we can prepare.”

The word ‘prepare’ immediately made Hoiga think of Borhumi. Because the Borhumi divine beast was trapped, its power weakened and the Crystal Lake dried up. Consequently, the hidden rift reappeared.

“But the rift in Montaine doesn’t have any problems yet.”

“Yes, as I said, it’s for preparation. It would be a disaster if wicked dark mages targeted the Montaine divine beast.”

Kilu smiled as he spoke. That smile felt unpleasant to Hoiga. However, he completely agreed with the statement.

At least from an outside perspective, Kilu’s heart in following his sister, who used the divine beast’s power, was sincere. On the other hand, he treated the second Montaine brother, Bilge, like a ghost since people called him a scoundrel. However, strangely enough, he provided all the money Bilge wanted and cleaned up after his accidents.

“The door connects to the divine beast. So, even if humans can’t see the beast, that location is perfect for an attack if you know where it is.”

Ah, so that’s how the dark mage could trap the Borhumi divine beast. Hoiga was surprised that Kilu knew information he didn’t even know himself, but he swallowed his curiosity and focused on the words.

“But, unlike Borhumi, Montaine has no places related to the divine beast. Even if you look at past records…”

Kilu tapped the ancient document Hoiga was reading with his fingertips.

“The locations identified as important for the Montaine divine beast are all different. It’s as if the door’s location moves constantly.”

It moves? Hoiga tilted his head in confusion.

“That’s surprising. The Sarne divine beast’s door only appears in one place, just like Borhumi.”

For a moment, Kilu’s eyes gleamed, but Hoiga didn’t notice because he was looking at the document.

“Do you know the location of the Sarne divine beast’s door?”

“Um, only the approximate location.”

“Where is it?”

Hoiga hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should speak, but Kilu smiled and spoke first.

“Is it the Mungken Valley?”

“Ah…”

“Don’t be surprised. I heard Sarne recently sent a large number of soldiers there to search under the pretext of hunting monsters. So I just suspected it. But perhaps Salvation gave Sarne the information.”

“I only interpreted a bit of the Sarne ancient documents.”

Hoiga emphasized the word ‘bit’ on purpose, fearing Kilu might ask for more details. Actually, he knew the hint to find that place within the Mungken Valley, but he was reluctant to reveal Sarne’s secret.

Fortunately, Kilu didn’t ask further, though his eyes watching Hoiga shone like blades. However, when Hoiga looked up, the gaze changed back to a soft smile as if nothing happened.

“As I expected, you have great abilities.”

“It’s nothing much.”

“I have faith that you’ll find the Montaine divine beast’s door too. I believe the answer lies right in this document.”

It was a compliment, but it felt more like pressure. Hoiga sighed and looked down at the document again. The door’s location keeps moving? Curiosity piqued his interest, and he muttered without realizing it.

“Then does the Kun divine beast’s door move too?”

“No.”

Hoiga looked up in surprise at the certain answer. Kilu laughed at his expression.

“You must not know yet. They say the door the Kun divine beast uses is beneath Kun’s main castle. It’s the same as Borhumi.”

“But Kun’s main castle is currently under a curse… ah.”

Hoiga took a deep breath as he realized something.

“The curse on Kun might not be out of a grudge against Kun, but simply to block the door. So even if the Kun divine beast didn’t perish, it can’t act in Tubain again…”

“Yes.”

Kilu nodded, one corner of his mouth turning up.

“Therefore, the curse on Kun must never be broken. For Montaine’s sake.”

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A key that fits perfectly in my hand. I held the last piece of the crystal lake hanging around my neck in my hand and looked down. Ah, I should have noticed it the moment it fits my hand perfectly.

The key the Spirit of Poison gave me fit the hole in that floor perfectly, so the door opened. Of course, it was a key, so it would fit. But even after realizing this, I couldn’t help but sigh.

“Haah.”

What? So, the Borhumi divine beast has to pass through me to get here? Is it going to burst out of my stomach like an alien?

It gave me goosebumps. Of course, since it had no form, my body wouldn’t actually split open, but the thought of something coming out of me wasn’t pleasant.

“Am I really the Borhumi divine beast’s door?”

The bear raised both arms and put them next to its head twice.

‘Yes.’

Oh, damn it. I really never dreamed I’d stand at the center of such a complicated situation when I came to Tubain.

“The fact that I decide when the Borhumi divine beast comes here… doesn’t mean I have to open the door, right?”

I asked anxiously, but unfortunately, the bear’s answer wasn’t what I wanted.

[Correct.]

“I don’t know how to open it. No matter how much I hold this key, nothing happens. What am I supposed to do?”

I waved the key in my hand as a protest. The beat expressed the answer with its eyes again. It looked at me with eyes full of disappointment. Then it pointed at me again with its claw.

Oh, shit, it’s telling me to figure it out myself again! It really never answers the important things. Frustrated, I ran my hand through my bangs.

If I can’t open the door, Tairok won’t be able to use the divine beast’s power. I cursed, but then the bear’s body floated into the air.

“Huh? Where are you going?!”

I still have so many questions!

The bear pointed out the window with its hand. It was toward the Acorn Forest. It seemed to say it was going to Black Bear.

Then it turned away heartlessly, so I hurriedly asked the last question. I had to prepare a backup plan in case I couldn’t bring the Borhumi divine beast.

“Where is the Kun divine beast now?”

I was nervous that the answer might be ‘nowhere.’ Fortunately, the first consonant wasn’t ‘ㅇ.’ (No)

The bear sat on its side, slowly stretching both arms forward, one lower, the other higher. Then, it lowered its head.

The head was too big for the effect to work well, but I only needed to see the shape of the arms and legs. It was a ‘T.’ And the following sounds ended with five letters.

[Tubain.]

…Eh?

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I couldn’t sleep a wink all night. Was my conversation with the beat shocking? Not at all. What the bear told me was surprising, but not enough to keep me awake.

The real problem was different. As I tried to sleep under the covers, I suddenly realized an important schedule I missed.

Fuck, the contract!!

That’s right. Tairok finally said he’d write the contract with his own mouth, but I didn’t get it yesterday. So, even before the sun rose, I dressed and stood restlessly in front of Tairok’s office.

Because he wasn’t in his room. However, he wasn’t here either. Did he run away because he didn’t want to write the contract? Just when I was starting to get really suspicious, the butler reported his whereabouts.

“He stayed at the training ground all night. You woke up so early because you were worried about the Grand Duke.”

Not at all; my only worry was the contract. However, the butler misunderstood my impatience and offered comfort.

“The Grand Duke often stays up all night training. But don’t worry. The Grand Duke has great stamina, so he’s someone who can still share his body with Master Lu all day even after training.”

To be honest, of all the people I met in Tubain, next to Lu, the butler was the most messed up.

“In that regard, the Grand Duke needs to refill his energy through sex, so I’ll bring him right away…”

“No!”

I interrupted the butler and stepped back.

“Don’t ever disturb the Grand Duke.”

He needs to focus only on training so he doesn’t even have the strength to lift a finger. I spoke firmly and stepped back again, but something blocked me. And before I could turn around, Tairok’s whisper reached my ear.

“What if I want you to disturb me?”