STM 196

Why? This was the only question that crossed my mind as I looked at the person in front of me. Why would he close the Eye of Hell? I knew that what Tairok had said to Erdette was by no means an empty promise.

Yes, he had made a promise, so he would keep it. However, it felt different from doing something obligatorily because of a contract. He looked so determined, as if there were some other reason why he absolutely had to close it.

“…Why?”

The question slipped out before I could even think. Tairok, who had been sitting across from me about to drink tea, looked up indifferently and asked back.

“Don’t you like it?”

What? I gazed at him, then looked down at the table he was pointing to. He had poured tea himself and pushed the plates of refreshments toward me.

On the plates were cakes and cookies, and next to them, something resembling sugar cubes was stacked like a pyramid. But it was the exact opposite of sugar. It was pickled radish.

This was a problem too. It was a combination that would normally have made me shudder, but my mind was so full of other thoughts that I missed the timing.

“No, it’s not because of this… huh?!”

I muttered seriously, then was genuinely startled. Tairok was chewing on a piece of pickled radish while drinking tea. Then he looked at me, who was frozen with my mouth open, and commented.

“Not very good.”

Of course not! Who eats pickled radish while drinking tea!

But I couldn’t bring myself to shout. He was laughing so happily. It wasn’t a look meant to tease me for being surprised. It looked like he wanted me to stop worrying.

And this became the answer to the question I was about to ask just moments ago. To him, closing the Eye of Hell might be similar to eating pickled radish?

“Lu, ask me anything you’re curious about. I can answer anything.”

“…Your Grace, don’t you have any questions for me?”

“Tairok.”

Now that he had relinquished his title as Grand Duke, he corrected his address to his name. Then he raised his teacup to his lips. In truth, this was not the time to be indulging in the leisure of drinking tea face-to-face with him.

Monsters were emerging ceaselessly from Montaine, and he had gone out of his way to come all the way to the castle at a time when he should have been resting. It turned out he had no particular business.

Just to have tea with me. He had came all the way here for this moment. He took a sip of tea, stared at me, and then spoke.

“Why wouldn’t there be?”

“Then ask me. I can’t answer just anything, though.”

He chuckled and set down his teacup. Just as I was thinking how elegant his movements were, perhaps because he was a noble, he asked a lighthearted question.

“Do you know what lies beyond the dimensional rift opened by the divine beast?”

“…….”

I froze for a moment, then slowly raised my head. I was unable to hide my surprise, but he calmly waited for my answer. That single question brought forth hundreds of suspicions.

Did he sense something about my existence? No, does he know? Since when, exactly? But when I looked into his stern eyes, I ultimately could not bring myself to say anything. Instead, I answered in a barely audible voice.

“I know.”

He stared at me for a moment, then nodded.

“I see.”

That was all. There were no questions about my identity. Instead, he took another sip of tea and announced.

“That is the reason I must close the rift that the divine beast opened.”

“What do you mean?”

I was ensnared by his golden eyes.

“I mean I cannot let anyone return through that place.”

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Doctor Kim still greeted me in her bed, but her complexion had improved compared to before. That alone made me overjoyed, but since the news I had to convey was not something to simply laugh about, I lowered my voice. Besides, Doctor Kim was still asleep.

After talking about the situation that had unfolded for quite some time, I found myself sharing my thoughts.

“I feel strange. Even if, by some slim chance, Tairok and Grand Duke Montaine were to face off and whoever won, my mission would ultimately be accomplished.”

I could say that my purpose for coming here has been achieved at this very moment. So, while this situation should have been pleasing to me, it actually made me uncomfortable.

I felt like a traitor using both Tairok’s love and the disaster of Tubain. I felt like I had become Hoiga, the very person I used to curse so much. However, even though I was confessing to someone who was asleep, I couldn’t reveal this part.

Instead, I rested my forehead on her bed and closed my eyes for a moment. Just then, a hand brushed against my head. Startled, I looked up to find Doctor Kim blinking with her eyes half-open.

“So, in the end.”

Her voice was rough and hoarse like a withered tree from waking up, but to me, it was the most welcome voice in the world. However, the content was anything but.

“Plan D succeeded?”

This instantly made me feel irritated.

“I told you that was Plan X! And there was no D.”

“I did have one. You sacrificing your body to seduce Tairok and succeed.”

“Wasn’t that Plan B?”

“Plan B is an ending where you barely manage to marry Tairok, but you are still hated and mistreated by him. Plan D is a situation where Tairok knows everything but loses his mind for you and gives you his liver and gallbladder.”

I couldn’t bring myself to curse at someone who was suffering, so I glared at her with a serious expression.

“He’s not out of his mind for me.”

“Would a sane man compete with Grand Duke Montaine to close the ‘Eye of Hell’? And what, are you taking Tairok’s side?”

No, I’m not taking his side… …I felt awkward and looked away.

“But you did something tremendous for Kun.”

Everything I did was just a stroke of luck. I couldn’t bring myself to reply, but then I heard Doctor Kim’s voice.

“You gave up your gallbladder, so let’s just call it even.”

Ha. I couldn’t help but laugh. I had only exchanged a brief conversation with Doctor Kim, but a serious problem had turned into something trivial.

If she had comforted me by saying it was okay, the heaviness might still have weighed down on me. As my laughter subsided, Doctor Kim calmly asked for the purpose of my visit.

“So, why did you go out of your way to come see me while I was asleep?”

I told you she’s quick-witted.

“In Kun, instead of looking for Grand Duke Montaine, we decided to wait at her destination.”

“Where the Eye of Hell is?”

Yes. I nodded and explained my plan.

“I’m leaving for there too.”

“When?”

“Right now.”

Doctor Kim’s eyes widened.

I knew. That place was the most dangerous in a situation where Grand Duke Montaine might appear.

So, although everyone opposed it, they eventually granted my wishes. I felt more certain than ever before. The ‘time’ had come. I had to go there now.

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A desolate land devoid of a single blade of grass. There, an oval-shaped black dimensional rift stood. Because of its vertically elongated tip, it resembled the eye of a demon.

Since it floated in the void, it seemed to be looking down at its prey from there. However, the reaction of the Tubain people who saw it was different.

“It is marvelous.”

At the knight’s remark, I turned my head away from the Eye of Hell. Instead, I looked around at the surroundings, which consisted of nothing but dust and rocks. They said that in the past, this place was filled with greenery more than anywhere else in Tubain.

But they said it had turned into a land of death since this greatest monster rift opened. And now, countless people had gathered on that land to face a colossal enemy.

“Lord Lu, your resting tent is ready.”

I started to walk away at Enya’s words, but turned back to her at the brief report that followed.

“Grand Duke Montaine has begun to move.”

“How did you find her?”

“They say the monsters are gathering in one place.”

Ah, so she knows we’re waiting here. The final battle is about to take place.

“Where is she now?”

I didn’t hear the answer immediately. Finding it strange, I turned around to see her speak.

“I wish Lord Lu would leave this place and move to a safe location.”

I paused.

“She’s already close?”

“Lord Tairok has ordered all the soldiers. He told them to prepare for battle tonight.”

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Not yet. Tairok isn’t ready yet. In my impatience, I clutched the divine beast egg in my hand, and went to find a reliable ally. The one who had arrived here just moments ago and joined the camp looked the same as when I first saw her, holding a great sword.

“Lord Lu.”

As soon as Black Bear saw me, she knelt on one knee and bowed her head. Startled, I quickly helped her to her feet.

“Please don’t do that. Now is not the time for formalities.”

“No. Even if monsters were to invade, I cannot skip expressing my gratitude to Lord Lu. It is all thanks to you that I have acquired this power.”

“I merely guided you. You are the one who risked your life walking that treacherous path yourself, Mrs. Black Bear.”

I wanted to comfort her a little more for her hardships, but I had no room to do so. She had only rushed to the tent to pay her respects once she heard I was here. So, I asked her directly.

“You can fully utilize the power of the divine beast, right?”

She hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

“Yes.”

I felt relieved to have it confirmed directly. However, while I felt relieved, I was also concerned. Why isn’t the bear here? No matter where I looked around her, the bear was nowhere to be seen. Why?

I should have dug deeper into this question. After all, I knew the worst-case scenario where a divine beast might fail to reveal itself. However, that question only came to mind belatedly, after I had already faced the problem.

Immediately after the midnight battle began, Enya and Haas rushed in to inform me as I waited anxiously in the tent.

“Lord Lu, Haas is about to open a portal. Please head to a safe place!”

Did they really fail to stop Grand Duke Montaine even with two people possessing the power of divine beasts? As I stood there in shock, Enya delivered shocking news.

“The situation is deteriorating because Black Bear is suddenly unable to properly use the power of the Sarne divine beast.”

Unable to use the power properly? Why? It’s not like the divine beast is trapped… … Ah, damn it.