Chapter 73
Chapter 73
Episode 73.
Fenrir released his beast transformation, reverting to human form.
He was a young man with black hair and blue eyes.
As expected of an Ain, he couldn't conceal his tail and ears. His apparent age seemed similar to Aiden's.
Over thirty minutes had already passed since Fenrir entered the annex.
Aiden was conversing with Karyemen in the backyard.
To summarize their exchange briefly—Aiden requested the high priest keep silent about his traveling with Fenrir.
In return, he promised not to publicly expose the imperial family's depraved history.
Truthfully, Aiden had no intention of undermining the imperial authority either.
The promise was merely a pretext to seal the priest's lips—the uncovered secrets were just political leverage to use against the princess.
The high priest had already accepted Aiden's proposal.
Karyemen spoke again.
"However, I remain curious. Why would the Sun's Emissary travel with the Beast King? Why did the Moon bestow such revelations upon you? And why, of all people, was the gumiho's lover destined to be the Hero? This old monk cannot comprehend any of it."
Lacking the leisure to explain every detail, Aiden simply gave a slight bow.
"You'll understand everything in due time."
The priest nodded while counting his prayer beads. His acceptance came surprisingly swift.
"Mortal lives are meant to be swept away by time. Hero, simply guide the people righteously."
Aiden couldn't be certain whether the path he walked was righteous.
He merely advanced in the direction that could save the most lives.
For now, he affirmed.
"Don't worry."
Just then, Fenrir in human form trudged out from the annex.
The coffins tied to his waist dragged noisily across the ground.
Aiden hadn't expected Fenrir to release his transformation.
Had he foreseen it, he would've secured the coffins separately later.
The wolf seemed utterly oblivious.
With a scoff, Fenrir spoke.
"Humans are truly incomprehensible creatures. Life would be simpler if the strongest ruled as king, yet they cling to meaningless values until everything becomes needlessly convoluted."
He seemed to have grasped Karyemen's divine authority.
Aiden met the wolf's gaze and replied.
"That's why you couldn't remember Saya."
"I understand now. And also—the human destined to die by my hand wasn't that old man, but you."
The annex housed the Moon's revelations and records of erasure.
Documents that vanished when removed from this temple. Saya's suicide must have been recorded there as well.
Having confirmed this, Fenrir couldn't help but harbor hostility toward Aiden.
To drive the gumiho to her death over something as trivial as love—the wolf wouldn't be satisfied until he tore Aiden apart.
He stepped closer, voice dripping with menace.
"I cannot acknowledge you."
"I don't care."
A pointless clash. Once Fenrir confirmed Saya's will—her refusal to form bonds with anyone but Aiden—those words would shrivel away.
The past was proof.
Just hours ago, the beast who'd demanded Aiden mate with Saya was none other than Fenrir himself.
The wolf growled, fury rising.
Aiden regarded him impassively.
"Enough. Return to your wolf form. Time is pressing."
Fenrir couldn't vent his frustration. Only Aiden knew how to resurrect the gumiho.
Aiden addressed the high priest.
"We must take our leave now."
Karyemen gave a slight bow.
"Hero, please honor our agreement."
Aiden had no intention of exposing the imperial family's disgrace either. With the royal authority diminished, the continent would lose its unifying force—an outcome he absolutely wanted to avoid.
"Understood."
With that, Aiden departed the grand temple.
About a week after Aiden's disappearance, the Imperial Army still maintained their northern front.
Though the war had ended, mountains of tasks remained—repairing collapsed barriers, treating the wounded, recovering the dead.
Rummaging through corpse piles occasionally revealed surviving Ain, leaving the soldiers no respite.
Late at night, Siron finished her duties and returned to the Execution Corps barracks.
Heading straight to her personal tent, she began arming herself—determined to search for Aiden personally. She wanted to trust and wait, but the prolonged silence had become unbearable.
There'd been no trace or word of him since his abrupt vanishing. Too much time had already passed.
She couldn't rely solely on the intelligence corps.
As the armed Siron moved to exit her tent, an arrow pierced through the fabric, embedding into a post.
She immediately approached to examine it—a tied note. Unfolding it, she recognized Aiden's handwriting.
Relief washed over her. Then, she exited the barracks to carry out his orders.
The Levana Grand Temple and northern front were separated by thousands of kilometers.
Fenrir had traversed that distance in under a week—his role proving indispensable. No other beast could match such capability.
Now Aiden tread the northern snowfields once more.
Their exact location was a high snowy mountain near the western barrier.
After briefly stopping at the military camp earlier, he'd returned here to conceal himself.
Being discovered by the Imperial Army would complicate matters—the military would demand explanations, and Aiden lacked the mental bandwidth to spare them time.
He wanted Saya resurrected as swiftly as possible.
The emotions he'd struggled to deny until recently—now he chose not to resist them.
Uncharacteristically anxious, Aiden waited for Siron.
After what felt like an eternity, numerous presences approached the mountain pass.
Aiden turned to Fenrir.
"Stay hidden here. Don't reveal yourself under any circumstances."
With those final words, he sprinted toward them.
Descending the slope like an arrow, dozens of coffins clattered noisily against each other and scraped the ground.
These coffins were destined for the Valenstahl family sanctuary—items too precious to neglect, no matter how urgent his mission. Gripping the ropes tightly, he ran.
Soon, he arrived at a large lakeshore midway up the mountain—the rendezvous point.
Siron and fifty executioners had already arrived, awaiting Aiden.
Yuriel paced restlessly along the water's edge where lake met land.
Pushing through the brush, Aiden emerged. The group rushed toward him immediately upon sight—Siron, unsurprisingly, the fastest.
She knelt on one knee at his feet.
"My lord, you're unharmed."
"Yes. Apologies for the concern."
Patting her shoulder once, Aiden turned his gaze toward the approaching Yuriel.
"Lord Aiden!"
Her face was drained of color.
Rushing over with tearful eyes, she stared at him wordlessly—simply unwrapping the white silk to reveal Aiden's severed elbow.
Preserved in holy water to prevent decay.
Aiden spoke.
"Saintess, before that—"
"No. Stay still."
Yuriel firmly rejected him before unraveling the cloth wrapped around his neck.
His upper arm, densely inscribed with Hangul. She couldn't fathom why he'd severed this part again.
But treatment came first.
Fortunately, the cold weather had prevented rot.
After reattaching elbow and upper arm, Yuriel channeled her divine power.
From each cross-section, blood vessels and muscles crawled forth, intertwining.
The bizarre sight attested to her unparalleled healing prowess—the Saintess chosen by gods could heal anyone short of the dead.
Suppressing her emotions, she spoke in a frosty tone.
"Bend down."
She resented Aiden—no one should treat their body so recklessly.
Aiden lowered his torso, showing her the torn shoulder joint.
With a deep sigh, Yuriel connected the recently reattached left arm to his shoulder.
Amid excruciating pain, the severed limb returned to its rightful place.
Yuriel gazed at Aiden with eyes brimming with unspoken emotions.
"You won't be able to move it yet. Normal mobility will take days to restore."
Aiden attempted to lift his left arm, but it remained unresponsive as she'd said.
"Now... explain yourself."
Yuriel demanded reasons for his physical state—along with implicit reproach.
She hadn't slept properly from sheer worry.
For Aiden, answering immediately proved difficult—psychological factors compounded the issue.
"My apologies. I'll explain everything gradually later. For now, urgent matters remain."
Aiden signaled Siron with a glance. She promptly understood and dismissed the executioners.
"Your grace, I require your divine power."
Unwrapping the cloth strapped to his back, Aiden carefully lifted Saya.
As he gently laid her on the ground, bewilderment flashed across Yuriel's face.
Being highly self-aware, she knew precisely how extraordinary her own beauty was—she'd never encountered a woman surpassing her. Not narcissism, but fact.
Yet now she realized that had been delusion.
The silver-haired girl's beauty defied all reason—a divine masterpiece sculpted around the theme of loveliness. No exaggeration.
Aiden spoke.
"Reviving this creature will end the war. Additionally, report to the Church that you resurrected Fenrir."
This would expend her carefully hoarded resurrection authority.
Unlike before, emotions heavily influenced this decision—but gains had to be secured.
He planned to combine this situation with establishing friendly ties with Fenrir in his report to the Church.
Of course, claiming he'd revived a divine beast was impossible—far too many taboos restricted proper explanation.
Persuading the Church and Empire using Fenrir was the simpler path.
Conflict flickered in Yuriel's eyes. Sensing her hesitation, Aiden continued.
"Remember this—you grieved the beasts' deaths too. Reviving this woman will end the conflict between humans and Ain."
If all went according to plan, Saya would become the Ain's sole deity—the cornerstone for uniting the continent's forces.
Yuriel intended to follow Aiden's lead. His conclusions were always right.
Yet she distinctly felt subtle foreboding—a woman's animal intuition reacting sharply.
Was that the only reason? The thought flickered briefly, but her hand slowly reached toward the gumiho regardless.
Before contact, she looked up at Aiden.
His expression remained typically impassive.
Suppressing inexplicable unease, Yuriel placed her hand on Saya's forehead.
The divine authority engraved on her wrist began glowing sea-blue. Soon, the lakeshore drowned in emerald hues.
Shailan, Goddess of the Sea—reminding all underworld deities of their pre-established agreement once more.
The surface gods had liberated the souls.
The moment ascended beings acknowledged Saya's resurrection, causality twisted.
Blue pupils stared at Aiden.