STM 90

On the morning the White Branch meeting was held, a newspaper delivered astonishing news.

‘Is This Truly Salvation? One Who Predicts the Future Has Appeared. Prophesies That at the Hour When the Sun Rises Highest, the Sky Will Turn to Night and Hail Will Pour Down.’

“Wow.”

I couldn’t suppress my pounding heart as I read the article. So the traitor had finally decided to reveal themselves publicly. If this wasn’t proof, what was?

The information Doctor Kim received from Montaine’s informant also supported this speculation.

“Montaine is making an important announcement at today’s meeting. They said they’d present evidence that Montaine is suited for the imperial throne.”

“They can’t have found the Sword of Silence.”

I cut myself off and tapped the newspaper.

“Are they going to announce that the legendary Salvation supports Montaine?”

“I wonder. Support alone wouldn’t be enough. At the very least, they’d need to be bound by an unbreakable oath.”

“A companion’s oath? But Grand Duke Montaine already has a companion.”

“Right. But the Grand Duke’s younger brother isn’t married. If the traitor becomes his companion, they can secure a promise not to betray Montaine.”

Wait, Grand Duke Montaine’s younger brother… I immediately frowned.

“That sexual predator Bilge?”

“No, not that Bilge bastard. He’s the second son, there’s also a third. Grand Duke Montaine’s right hand. Quite capable. Not as much as Tairok, but popular for his looks too. To my eyes, he’s also a piece of shit though.”

“Then that’s strange. If he’s a worse piece of shit than Tairok, the traitor wouldn’t side with Montaine.”

“Right. But seeing how hard Montaine is pushing this, it means they’re pressuring them.”

The two of us exchanged glances for a moment, then smiled simultaneously.

“That’s good.”

“Very good.”

“If they separate from Tairok first, it’s like blowing our nose without using our hands.”

“Is that all? If we take this opportunity to seduce the abandoned Tairok and secure an oath, we’ll kill two birds with one stone.”

“Right. Eat the duck egg and eat the pheasant… What? Seduce?”

As soon as I questioned it, I became serious.

“Plan X is absolutely not happening. There’s no such thing as X in my plan!”

I crossed both arms to make an X, but this time Doctor Kim wouldn’t back down either.

“But now that the traitor has fallen away, we need to nail Tairok down. For that, what’s better than a companion’s oath? Huh? If Tairok makes an oath to close the Eye of Hell, game over.”

“My chastity would also be over.”

“Just give up that chastity. What are you, from the Joseon Dynasty?”

“That” chastity? I bristled and jumped up from my seat, but Doctor Kim hit my weak spot.

“Don’t tell me your chastity is more precious than Earth?”

…Damn it. As soon as I plopped back down in my seat, I heard more nonsense.

“And Tairok seems interested in you too, so if you make his heart yours as well, we can solve Earth’s salvation in one fell swoop.”

“What interest does he have in me?”

“If he wasn’t interested in you, he wouldn’t have stepped up when I asked him to rescue you when you were trapped in the Owick’s manor.”

Doctor Kim nodded confidently, but to me she looked like a victim of gaslighting. I knew the symptoms were serious when she mistook a one-line letter for a love letter. Tsk tsk.

“He probably did it to check what Zav’s subordinate was doing at Baron Owick’s manor.”

“That’s one thing. Plus, you went through life and death together in Borhumi. Was there nothing then?”

“There was. He seemed determined to take me to a pig pen if I went to his place.”

“Why?”

“Apparently he usually throws enemies as pig food.”

“…Ruthless bastard.”

Doctor Kim finally removed her gaslighting rose-colored glasses and frowned.

“Just because I tormented him a little bit.”

Didn’t you do that “little bit” about a thousand times? I was about to ask but held back since the answer was obvious.

“So give it up. Even Doctor Kim still feels repulsed by the Kun name. How many years have you hated them?”

Perhaps I hit the nail on the head, as Doctor Kim couldn’t respond. I quickly pushed into the gap.

“So instead of Plan X, something else…”

“No, Plan X is a plan tailored for Lu. There’s nothing more suitable.”

Doctor Kim, as if determined today, now stubbornly insisted with twisted logic.

“Actually, if there’s anyone in Tubain who can accept Tairok’s enormous thing without difficulty, it’s definitely Lu. Who is Lu? Someone who rose to the throne of promiscuity through relentless effort even in promiscuous Tubain.”

It was even more absurd that she was saying nonsense in a serious voice.

“Only Lu’s flexible and sturdy asshole can maintain a happy sex life with Tairok. In that sense, you’re a match made in heaven.”

My distorting expression reached its peak at the asshole compliment.

“Ah, please stop.”

When I got irritated, Doctor Kim clicked her tongue.

“Stubborn fool.”

“It’s not Doctor Kim’s asshole, so you can speak easily! If you want the companion’s oath so badly, why don’t you marry Tairok instead, Doctor Kim?”

After saying it, I straightened my posture because it was actually quite a good idea.

“How about it? If you and Tairok…“

“I can’t because my body is weak. I’m in a state where it wouldn’t be strange if I died tomorrow, so there’s no guarantee I’ll be alive a year from now.”

“……”

“Shouldn’t I watch with my own eyes until the end as you, who’ll live healthier and longer than me, keep the oath by Tairok’s side?”

I ruffled my hair with my hand to hide my gloomy mood. Just as Doctor Kim wanted to save me, I wanted to save Doctor Kim too. For a long, healthy life.

“Well, you’ll live to a hundred anyway.”

I grumbled pointlessly and stood up, attempting one last rebellion.

“There must be other ways to persuade Tairok besides a companion’s oath. If not, we’ll find a weakness or something.”

But I couldn’t refute the sigh-mixed sound I heard from behind.

“If grabbing and shaking Tairok’s weakness were effective, I would have done it long ago.”

‎

‎

‎

Clunk.

The carriage shook briefly and came to a complete stop. I thought an ownerless imperial palace would look abandoned, but it was clean and well-maintained.

“The temple is managing it.”

Ah, they do all sorts of things, I was thinking when I heard cold mockery.

“Under the pretext of protecting the palace, they’re also extorting money from other divine beast families.”

I see, I nodded and asked Solongo playfully.

“Did your family get extorted for money by the temple?”

“Yes.”

“…Oh.”

“Please wear this before getting out.”

Solongo held out a brooch. Like the one she’d given me before, it had a simple design, but as soon as I saw the gemstone, I intuited it. Ah, it’s a defensive artifact.

Then this one must also be worth three mansions? My hand trembled again as I pinned on the brooch.

“I’ll try to make sure there’s no need to use this.”

When I showed my firm resolve, Solongo nodded.

“Since all four divine beast families are gathering, there shouldn’t be any unpleasant incidents.”

“Really? I thought with everyone gathered, they’d fight more.”

“They all care about appearances, after all. Besides, today’s most important person isn’t coming. Grand Duke Montaine is absent. I just received word a moment ago.”

“Why is she absent? She’s today’s main character.”

“She went to help deal with the Borhumi demons.”

Suddenly? Of all times? At my expression, Solongo gave me an understanding look.

“It’s obviously hypocritical behavior. Today’s actions mean nothing other than ‘elect me emperor in my absence.”

She shook her head in disgust. But to me, it was very familiar. This is exactly the kind of performative good deed politicians do well. As expected, the world is similar everywhere.

“So Montaine’s third son, Duke Montaine Kilu, came.”

Ah, that younger brother who’s the Grand Duke’s right hand.

“Among those three siblings, Duke Kilu is the craftiest, so there’s a high possibility he orchestrated today’s scene.”

“Bilge looked stupid though.”

“Yes, quite so.”

“But the brothers must get along well. If the stupid second son only caused trouble, they’d lock him in the house or something, but they just let him do whatever he wants.”

I’d heard quite a few times about the things Bilge had done during my time here. Compared to him, Lu was innocent. But Solongo was looking out the window with serious eyes and didn’t hear me.

What’s outside?

I also turned my eyes and discovered the suddenly darkened sky. Dark clouds had gathered thickly. As if it would pour rain any moment. But it might not be rain.

‘At the hour when the sun rises highest, the sky will turn to night and hail will pour down.’

Everyone had mocked the sudden forecast as nonsense. Hail in this warm weather? But because the word “Salvation” was attached to it, everyone had been waiting for this moment.

Perhaps that’s why we weren’t the only ones looking at the sky. Not only those who were walking, but also those guarding the castle gate, those getting out of carriages, everyone looked up at the sky.

Rumble.

Thunder like the sky’s crying sounded, and shortly after, white ice fragments began falling. It was hail. Someone outside shouted.

“Sa-Salvation’s prophecy is true!”

The expressions of people watching the hail were mixed with astonishment and joy.