Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Trap
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The Proxy of the Southern Duke, who had led the first expedition to victory, set out to scout the Tomb without even a moment to recover from the fatigue of battle. It was an action that served as an example to all the knights and retainers, but the talk about Lena, the outsider, naturally flowed more toward the sensational rather than the positive. And conveniently, there was juicy material attached. The Proxy of the Southern Duke had scouted the Tomb every day for the past four days, and each time, the Eastern Duke, who guarded the rift, had followed behind. Rumors still lingered that the Eastern Duke treated women like dogs, so the nobles interpreted his actions as thoroughly impure. Then they chattered at every opportunity about the potential mishaps between the Proxy of the Southern Duke and the Eastern Duke.
Quite a stimulating rumor circulated, but the parties involved paid it no mind. In fact, Lena and Lin had intended it. The two, who had formed an alliance, had even settled on an engagement for mutual benefit, and to create fitting circumstances, they were deliberately stirring up scandal. They hadn't originally planned to go to such lengths, but for the sake of the Southern Duke, who was glaring with eyes wide open, they meant to create a suitable pretext. So for four days, Lena and Lin entered the Tomb alone, as if they were lovers. And the two were spending time far hotter than people imagined.
***
"Your clothes burned off nicely."
Lena grumbled as she brushed off the pile of ash that had once been her cloak and sleeves.
"Any injuries?"
"None. Just the clothes."
"Good..."
Lin started to say it was a relief but ended up biting his tongue. Lena had stripped off her completely burned cloak and jacket. Of course, there was still a layer of tunic under her shirt. But the tunic was very thin and sleeveless, looking almost like underwear. As Lin panicked and stepped back, Lena turned to him with puzzled eyes.
"Why?"
"Well..."
Lin hesitated and averted his gaze, but Lena silently waited for an answer. Knowing she wouldn't let it slide in such a situation, Lin finally opened his mouth reluctantly.
"Shall I give you my clothes?"
At Lin's cautious offer, Lena glanced down at her own chest. Then she smiled gently and replied.
"Isn't it sexier to clumsily cover up with big clothes?"
At Lena's bold remark, Lin froze solid, then muttered under his breath in a barely audible voice with a stiff face.
"Shameless..."
"You can't say that to a lady."
"Ladies don't strip anywhere."
"Prejudice."
Lin agonized over Lena's words, and Lena burst out laughing at his face. The place where Lena and Lin were playfully bantering like this was the Tomb. Under a red sky where giant vermin flew about, amid acrid smoke and blazing flames lurking everywhere, this was the domain of the King of Burning and Smoldering, Hiems Grasha.
Lena and Lin had begun exploring the Tomb together four days ago. But that was only by outside time; in reality, the time they had spent in the Tomb was nearly a fortnight. It was natural that the two, who had roamed the Tomb together for a fortnight, had grown much closer than before. But they remained at the level of friends exchanging jokes, neither advancing further nor breaching the distance. Because Lena wanted it that way.
"From now on, I'll tell you what I know about the Tomb. But promise you won't ask how I know it."
On the first day of exploration, Lena had extracted that promise from Lin at the Tomb's entrance. It was a stern warning not to cross the line. Lin had no choice but to accept the condition, and afterward, Lena told him truly a great deal.
"This place is different from the world we lived in. It's not a fixed world, so it can change in the blink of an eye."
"You can't kill beings that are already dead. So avoiding fights with the Wraiths is best."
"The King Who Swallowed the First Cry was relatively docile. But the other kings are entirely different."
Lena shared such crucial information without reserve. Lin was curious how she knew all this, but bound by the prior promise, he asked nothing. Instead, he subtly wondered if it was really okay to reveal so much, and if this might constitute betrayal of the Southern Duke. To that, Lena smiled sweetly and said.
"I'm telling you because you can handle it."
At the utterly Lena Rubel-like response, Lin decided to accept what she offered with peace of mind. Afterward, they searched the Tomb for the "King of Burning and Smoldering" that Clavis had named as the next target, and finally reached his castle. By outside time, four days; by Tomb time, a fortnight.
The King of Burning and Smoldering possessed territory befitting his name. The castle towering in the distance was sealed on all sides, just like the castle of the King Who Swallowed the First Cry. And Wraiths in the form of giant vermin flew swiftly around it, patrolling the surroundings. In Nihil's chronicles, they were called "Those Who Carry the Ashes." The Ash Carriers looked like a mix of flies and locusts, with even fireflies' embers on their wings like moths brushing past torches. It was because of a clash with them that Lena's uniform had burned away.
"If we go back like this, it'll be noisy in all sorts of ways."
Lena didn't admit her tunic was shameless, but she readily acknowledged that the palace gossips would go wild over this sight.
"But if I wear your clothes, it'll be even noisier, right?"
"Good opportunity."
"Sure, but if Gramps collapses, it'll be a big problem."
Lin, who had smiled faintly at "Gramps," lost his smile. The Gramps Lena meant was the Southern Duke, and lately Lin had found the Southern Duke oddly burdensome. They hadn't met separately since the victory celebration. He began feeling a vague pressure after learning Lena called the Southern Duke "Gramps." He'd thought it was just a lord-vassal relationship, but Lena treated him casually, making Lin start to see him as family elder. Consequently, moments when he'd clashed with him grew increasingly regrettable, leaving him deeply awkward. This time too, Lin fell abruptly silent at the mention of the Southern Duke. Sensing the awkwardness, Lena asked calmly.
"You don't like His Highness the Southern Duke much, do you, Lin?"
"...Not particularly that I dislike him."
"Really?"
"No ill feelings. It was just circumstantial."
Lena was a bit surprised by Lin's meek answer. She'd assumed they hated each other given how much the Southern Duke loathed him, but apparently only the Southern Duke harbored such emotions.
"Then you don't dislike anyone?"
"I do."
"Who?"
"Rubid Plenus."
"Ah..."
Lin answered without hesitation, and it hit home so much that Lena nodded deeply. Come to think of it, that young master hadn't been seen lately.
'I heard he's recuperating.'
But Rubid had been fine even after the expedition ended.
'Is he really recuperating? Better to see it as confined to quarters...'
Lena recalled the North's failure and gazed back at the distant castle.
"Have you ever dealt with Ash Carriers, Lin?"
"No. In the East, it was dragons and snakes."
"Right. But since you've come this far, you know. They identify enemies visually and attack in swarms. And they blindly burn anything alive."
"Bringing an army would be suicide."
"Yes, even if they swarm, it'll just amplify the damage like what happened to the North last time."
"So it has to be resolved by individual prowess?"
Lin pondered how to deal with those swift fireballs, stroking his chin. Then he absentmindedly turned to Lena standing beside him. Tall Lin was used to looking down at others. Lena was no exception, and especially when standing this close, he had to tilt his head. So Lin tilted his chin sideways as usual. But today the situation was unfavorable. Lena wore a thin tunic, and the light fabric lifted slightly along her body's curves. And from above, his gaze slipped through the gap, glimpsing what wouldn't normally be visible. At the unexpected sight, Lin hurriedly turned his head. But Lena, still gazing at the distant castle, continued unaware of his plight.
"Probably the North would have the advantage against them individually. Slashes can hit flying foes too. So, about your Authority, Lin... ...Are you uncomfortable somewhere?"
"No..."
Lin tried to answer calmly, but Lena didn't withdraw her puzzled gaze. So Lin made a lame excuse.
"It's hot."
"Then take off your outer clothes."
"No."
Lin firmly refused Lena's suggestion and instead clutched his collar tight. Then he hurriedly changed the subject.
"We've been here quite a while; maybe we should head back..."
They were in the middle of an important talk, and now he wanted to leave. Lena tilted her head wondering what was up, then noticed his face was redder than usual. It was too pronounced to chalk up to mere heat, so Lena looked down at her own attire again and let out a sigh-like laugh. To react so conservatively to this. If it were another man, she'd politely demand why they strutted around shamelessly while making such a big deal of it with her. But since it was Lin, she'd let it slide. Partly due to personal affection, and partly because of his special circumstances.
"Alright. We don't want to burn more here."
More you than me. Lena swallowed the afterthought and smiled. Lin couldn't bear to meet her eyes and cast his gaze to the distant sky. Meanwhile, Lena turned first. Lin moved to follow, but stopped abruptly upon noticing something.
"Lena."
"Yes?"
Lena turned at Lin's call. But Lin was staring not at her, but at a distant point in the sky.
"Over there."
Lin pointed to one corner of the sky, and Lena followed his fingertip, wondering what it was. Then, like him, her eyes widened. Above the vast sky swarming with fireflies, a golden curtain cascaded down like a waterfall. The Tomb was already full of unreal things, but the sight of an immeasurable carpet overlaying the red sky was overwhelmingly more surreal. As they gazed at it vacantly, an unfamiliar voice echoed in their ears.
―Found you.
―My bride.
More precisely, it was unfamiliar only to Lin. Lena's eyes flew wide at the familiar, utterly unwelcome voice. Meanwhile, the golden curtain had completely dominated the sky, and the world's fires went out.
"Lin, are you here?"
In pitch darkness where not even an inch ahead was visible, Lena searched for Lin. Until just before, flames blazed everywhere, but now it was pitch black like falling into a pit. The heat was gone too, and a strange fragrance teased her nose. Though the world had flipped suddenly, Lena neither startled nor panicked. Instead, she bit her lower lip, piecing together the all-too-obvious clues.
'How did he exert influence here? That was Hiems's domain earlier.'
Lena knew who was behind this. She couldn't not know. The golden curtain, the heady fragrance, and the brazenness of calling her his bride—they were all his symbols. So instead of flailing in surprise, Lena calmly searched for Lin. At that moment, the blackness before her eyes gradually lifted, revealing a dazzling scene. Thick greenery spread, colorful flowers bloomed. In the midst of that tropical garden hung a golden canopy. Beneath the canopy's cozy shade, a carpet embroidered with gold thread and ample cushions created a fairly comfortable space. Lena stared at it incredulously, then spotted the huddled figure beside it. It was Lin.
"Lin!"
"Don't come!"
Lin was on his knees on the ground, enduring something like a man stabbed by a blade. So Lena rushed over, but he yelled to block her approach. Startled by the first shout she'd heard from him, Lena froze. But only briefly; seeing him grit his teeth, she approached cautiously again.
"Are you okay? Did you get hurt somewh—"
Lena reached for his back. Then Lin suddenly straightened and seized her hand, yanking her toward him.
"Urk!"
Caught by unexpected strength, Lena was helplessly pulled in. And as she drew close, she realized Lin's eyes were stained red.
"Lin..."
That faint call went unfinished. For Lin gripped her neck and devoured her mouth as if to swallow it whole.