STM 65
by NiluZav thought nothing went right that day. Because of Tairok, he was so angry that he tormented the slaves all night, and even then his anger didn’t calm down.
He even called Dorgo to check if there was a problem with the divine beast, but the only answer he heard was always the same. Wait, endure for a few months, and you’ll gain great power.
But he had been hearing that since the end of last year. They said the divine beast’s resting period was longer than expected, but now he started to doubt it.
Could he really draw great power from the divine beast? Could he trust that?
But the problem was that it was too late to turn back now. From the moment he met Dorgo and imprisoned the divine beast, the direction was already set. He had given Dorgo everything he wanted, and now what? Go to the lake and train?
Even hearing the word “lake” made him sick.
That was the place where, after the divine beast’s power manifested in his childhood, his mother had taken him.
When he first went to the lake, his heart had pounded. But that excitement lasted only for a moment.
From the moment they arrived, it was hell. He didn’t even know how much he suffered there under the name of training. And now he was told to do that again?
Because of the humiliation from Tairok and his anger toward training itself, Zav couldn’t sleep a single moment that night. But when the sun rose, nothing got better. It only made him sink deeper.
“…Baron Owick’s family collapsed?”
Yes. The subordinate who gave the report added in a nervous tone. While clearing the ruins of the house in Adeye to find survivors, they couldn’t find Adeye Lu. After saying that, the subordinate hesitated.
“This is a cooperation request sent from Adeye.”
Cooperation? Zav took the letter the subordinate handed over and tore it open roughly.
‘We wish for the eternal prosperity of the Borhumi family.
Regarding the abduction and disappearance of Adeye Lu that occurred in Baron Owick’s estate, we request the following cooperation from His Grace, the Grand Duke of Borhumi.
We need all information about Ottma, captain of the Borhumi guards, who is the main culprit of the abduction. To investigate Ottma’s background, please allow Adeye’s investigation team to stay in Borhumi Castle. The search area for the missing Adeye Lu will be expanded to the entire Tubain continent. We request a special permit to allow free search activity within Borhumi territory.
We are concerned that His Grace the Grand Duke of Borhumi may be misunderstood as being behind Ottma’s actions. However, if Your Grace actively participates in the search for Adeye Lu and the pursuit of the culprit, everyone across the continent will understand Your Grace’s innocence and praise Your Grace’s righteousness.’
“What the… what kind of dogshit is this!”
Zav crumpled the letter in his hand and shouted. They were searching for him, out of nowhere? Background investigation? These arrogant bastards, how dare they?!
He was furious, but something else bothered him more. A familiar name written in the letter. Why Ottma?
“Don’t tell me Ottma got caught? And she blabbered something useless?”
“Captain Ottma,”
The subordinate spoke the name with difficulty and reported in a heavy voice.
“She was found dead under the Owick manor.”
“Ott… ma? Ottma is dead?”
Zav was shocked. The captain who had protected him since childhood was dead.
And who was she? A skilled sword expert, yet crushed to death by a building? That made no sense. What kind of person was Ottma?
Zav stood blankly for a moment and realized the situation wasn’t good.
“But how did Adeye know Ottma was the kidnapper?”
“They say there was a survivor. Owick’s partner, Torida, survived…”
“Damn, that fat pig!”
Thud, crash!
Enraged, Zav started throwing anything he could grab around him. The subordinate and the guards stepped back and ducked to avoid being hit. Zav’s rampage went on for a while, and when he finally exhausted himself, he stopped, panting.
“Block the news from spreading.”
But the subordinate couldn’t answer easily.
“Your Grace, that might be difficult.”
“Difficult? Don’t tell me everything that happened last night already spread before sunrise?”
“That seems to be the case. Adeye sent official cooperation requests across the entire Tubain continent, announcing the details of Lu’s disappearance.”
Zav froze with his mouth open, he was unable to believe it. They did all that just to find Adeye Lu?
I thought I had experienced every kind of conflict since taking the position of team leader in the volunteer army. Because our team was made of civilians, not soldiers, no one was used to strict orders or discipline. That often led to fights, and I had a hard time mediating them.
But now I realized that the quarrels I had dealt with before weren’t real conflicts at all. At least those were fights between adults with reason. Compared to the two standing before me now, they were nothing.
“So the being that can be seen is the divine beast? That debtor?”
Tairok, who had come to his senses thanks to the divine beast’s power, jumped up and asked with disgust. The power inside him must have felt awful, because the man who always smiled now rarely did, and his face turned grim.
“Then why did that divine beast bastard give me power?”
The moment Tairok finished speaking, the snake on my wrist quickly moved its tail and shaped letters.
[Kun, you son of a bitch.]
What? What did it say? I doubted my own ears.
‘Isn’t there, maybe, some other interpretation?’
[Kun, bead flower.]
…Yeah, definitely not a flower. I decided to convince the one who could at least understand words first.
“The Grand Duke was on the verge of dying, so he received help. But you’re saying that’s really the divine beast’s power? Are you sure?”
Tairok frowned.
“Unfortunately, I’m sure.”
I turned quickly toward the dragon snake. But why was it so small?
“Tell me. Is the divine beast right in front of you?”
“Yes…kind of.”
I couldn’t believe this situation, so I sighed and asked him.
“Anyway, since it’s like this, it’d be better if you endure using the divine beast’s power for now…”
“I don’t want to.”
[I don’t want to either.]
The divine beast moved its tail in a flashy way, refusing to back down. Were they kids? I held back the urge to say something and gripped Tairok’s wrist tightly.
“Then do you want to die here for nothing? Do you really want to put Kun’s name on Borhumi’s grave?”
Tairok’s golden eyes burned with anger. But he didn’t shake off my hand. Instead, he clenched his teeth and demanded.
“Fine, so let go. That disgusting power keeps flowing into me.”
“How’s your body?”
“……”
He didn’t answer and turned his eyes away. He looked annoyed that his body was fine thanks to the divine beast’s power.
[Kun, unlucky jerk.]
“Ah, seriously.”
I murmured, unable to hold back, and Tairok immediately turned his piercing gaze to me.
“What did that divine beast bastard say?”
[Kun bastard.]
“…Nothing special. And what kind of way of talking is that toward the divine beast?”
Tairok stared at me as if he couldn’t understand.
“This isn’t Kun’s divine beast power. The divine beast clan can only use the power of the divine beast they’re contracted with. Other power…”
Tairok stopped talking and clenched his fist.
“It feels instinctively repulsive. It feels absolutely disgusting.”
[Kun, sludge.]
…Excuse me? Tairok was the one openly showing emotion, but the divine beast somehow felt more offended. While I stared at it speechlessly, Tairok asked.
“Is the divine beast on your arm?”
“It’s wrapped around my arm.”
After I briefly explained what it looked like, Tairok immediately let out a scornful laugh.
“A small snake no longer than a forearm? Ah, that fits Borhumi perfectly.”
[Let’s kill Kun.]
“No.”
I quickly stopped the divine beast and warned Tairok.
“Watch your words.”
“I don’t want to.”
[Kun, bald head.]
Was he a kid? They were both pathetic. One was a duke descended from the royal line, the other a divine being revered as a god, yet this was what they were like. No one would believe they were arguing like this.
“Since you’re capable of arguing like that, you must not be in pain?”
“…Yeah.”
“Then endure it.”
I said and looked down at the dragon snake. Even now, it was busy shaping letters with its tail.
[Kun, mutt, idiot, fool.]
Seeing a being so devoted to spelling childish insults made me doubt for a moment. …Maybe it wasn’t actually a divine beast?
“Are you really a divine beast?”
[Yeah yeah.]
Well… it said divine beast, not saint. Guess there are divine beasts like this too.
[Kun, son of a bitch.]
“Ah, you can’t use that kind of language!”
“Did that divine beast bastard curse me?”