DSB 31

“I’ve wanted to ask you for a long time, do you dislike moving around?”

“I dislike it.”

“……”

“It’s because I got used to not moving.”

He offered what he thought was an excuse, and Yutis became serious.

He didn’t think he’d said anything strange.

“Have you ever left the palace?”

“I have.”

Yutis felt relieved that he didn’t seem to have been locked up, but Lebel spoke again.

“I went to meet the Emperor. The day after you arrived. The palace where he lives hurts the eyes.”

“Before that… no, never mind.”

“……?”

It was clear that he had lived a life no different from confinement. And he didn’t find it strange at all.

He didn’t know if he was still because that life felt natural to him or because his body grew weak and he began to dislike moving even a little.

Either way, it would be a problem if he thought of going out once every three years as a special event. Yutis decided he would make sure to take him out for a walk at least once every two days.

Lebel said he was fine, but when Yutis remembered how he had staggered, maybe because his legs hurt, he still felt nervous.

If he followed his heart, he wanted to carry him anywhere he wished to go, but if he didn’t move on his own, his health would worsen.

“More than that, there’s something I want to ask.”

“Yes. Please speak.”

“Is that a temple?”

Lebel pointed toward the temple that rose high into the sky. Thanks to being on Shati’s back, it was easy to see.

“Would you like to go there too?”

“The temple?”

A demon like me?

“It’s not as grand as the capital’s, but it’s nicely built. It’s up the mountain, so we can ride Shati there.”

Should I not have said that?

He didn’t want to get close to it.

The idea that demons can’t enter temples or that temples cause demons pain because of holy power wasn’t true.

He simply disliked approaching it because he felt a very familiar aura from that temple.

But since it shone with golden light like a proper temple, he was curious enough to look around. And he also wanted to see if Yutis would be fine there.

When one went to a place filled with opposing energy, the body naturally felt uncomfortable, like how angels disliked demons.

‘A temple in a land ruled by a person who has demonic energy.’

In the end, the two rode Shati to the temple. When they arrived, a priest recognized Yutis.

“Isn’t that the Young Master? What brings you here? Do you need medicine…?”

“No. Today is the day I show my wife the domain. May we look around the temple?”

“Ah, I see. Of course. Please feel free to look around.”

Lebel looked at Yutis. The word ‘medicine’ the priest mentioned caught his attention.

Why would a priest bring up medicine if he wasn’t a physician? Lebel watched Yutis. Yutis had already stepped inside the temple, and he didn’t look uncomfortable.

“Yutis, how do you feel?”

“Sorry? How I feel? Are you perhaps not feeling well?”

“No.”

“If my selfishness made you tired, please tell me. We can go out another time.”

Yutis looked at Lebel with concern.

It seemed he misunderstood the question.

“I’m fine. I spoke meaninglessly. I just meant, well, I took up your time because you wanted to show me the domain.”

“What are you saying? I like being with you.”

Yutis smiled. Lebel scrutinized him. Unlike his smiling face, his demonic energy was gradually calming.

It was small, but the demonic energy did react. Was that a good sign? A human body should only contain as much demonic energy as it can handle.

‘Does he know that he holds demonic energy inside him?’

He considered asking but didn’t, since Yutis didn’t seem fond of the fact that he carried a demon’s blood.

He already guessed that the reason he turned into a monster during his rut was because of that demonic blood.

At that moment, the priest who had been watching them carefully spoke.

“If you don’t mind, may I guide you around?”

“As you wish.”

The two followed the priest. The inside of the temple was as splendid as its exterior. The shining structure reminded Lebel of what he’d seen in the Celestial Realm.

‘The taste of angels.’

Lebel shook his head at their unchanged preferences, yet since it was pleasant to look at, he enjoyed the sight in peace.

“Do you like shiny things?”

“Hmm?”

“I noticed earlier that your eyes lingered on the sparkling ones.”

“Ah. I like to look at them. But I don’t like seeing them too often. They hurt my eyes.”

“So you do like shiny things after all.”

The priest introduced the inside of the building, and then he showed them the garden prepared deeper inside.

“This is the garden. It’s an open space so that the believers who visit can also look around. There are no blooming flowers because it’s winter, but doesn’t the scent of the fresh grass feel pleasant?”

“Well, I suppose.”

At that moment, Lebel felt like he had smelled that scent somewhere before.

It seemed exactly like this fragrance.

Lebel recalled Yutis’s pheromones scent.

“Do you like this garden?”

“It’s not bad.”

After hearing Lebel’s words, Yutis decided that he would build a splendid and shining garden inside the castle.

He thought that at least there had to be something to look at so that Lebel would walk and move his body while taking strolls. Lebel was looking around inside the garden when he noticed a large statue of an angel.

The moment he saw that huge statue, he recognized who it was and frowned.

No wonder the aura felt familiar.

“…Do they worship Michael here?”

In the Middle Realm, angels were treated as gods. And as there were many kinds of angels, the gods people believed in also varied.

But an angel holding a sword and a shield was rare.

Especially one with those many pairs of wings and that face, it looked convincing enough that someone might have sculpted it after seeing Michael in person.

At Lebel’s words, the eyes of the priest guiding them shone too brightly.

“Does Your Highness also believe in the god Michael?!”

“…Hmm.”

They called Michael a god. Lebel reluctantly smiled. Though he hadn’t seen him for a long time, he vividly remembered that angry expression.

“Lord Michael is a wonderful being. He fights against evil creatures and watches over us who are threatened by the demonic beasts. That’s why he’s both compassionate and called the god of war. Among the gods, he’s the only one who holds a sword and a shield!”

A god worthy of belief in a land full of demonic beasts, perhaps.

As the priest said, Michael’s martial strength was outstanding. Among angels, there was none who could defeat him in combat, and he always stood at the front.

This land would become Yutis’s territory. Meaning, it would also become his. Worshipping him would be better than some other strange angel.

“But how did they know that Michael holds a sword and a shield?”

It was common for humans to receive oracles from angels, but it should be difficult to see their form directly. The statue resembled Michael enough that Lebel had immediately recognized it.

“Ah, that’s because here…”

At that moment, they heard someone running from afar. Yutis quickly turned his head.

“Why is there a smell of blood…”

A man appeared. His clothes were stained with blood.

As soon as he saw Yutis, he looked relieved and shouted solemnly.

“Young Master! It’s a demonic beast! A demonic beast appeared in the village!”

Yutis’s eyes widened, and then he placed his hand on Lebel’s shoulder with a firm expression.

“Stay here. Don’t move from this spot.”

Before Lebel could catch him, Yutis rushed out of the temple. Lebel dryly laughed.

He’s going off to fight alone when no one is by his side?

“Young Master will be fine. Young Madam, we will…”

The priest was also startled by the sudden appearance of the demonic beast, but he tried to reassure Lebel with a gentle smile. Lebel ignored him and pushed past the priest to go outside.

“Young Madam? Where are you going?”

“Then should I leave that man alone? I also have a weapon, so I can fight.”

Lebel pulled out the dagger he had hidden in his clothes. He could feel the presence of the demonic beast not far away.

The energy was strong, but it was only one beast.

This small dagger might not help much, but he was once known across battlefields. Even with a human body, he could still do something.

If things got dire, he could just drive it away with a spell. He wasn’t sure if it would work, since the beast’s aura was immense.

“It’s a demonic beast! That’s not something we can handle!”

The man shouted, feeling that Lebel’s calm words showed no grasp of reality.

“Why do you get to decide that?”

“Sorry?”

Lebel walked past the startled man.

“Enough. Move aside.”

“W-wait. I’ll come with you! If a demonic beast appeared, there will be injured people. My power will be needed.”

The man who brought news of the demonic beast was receiving healing from the priest. The power given to humans by angels was holy power, the power to heal, so it would be useful.

“That’s true. Let’s go together.”