Chapter 88
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: Guard Dog 2
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88
Guard Dog 2
Brick tenderly caressed the fang I'd given him, his eyes welling up with tears.
He was in no condition to be inspecting anyone, so I plucked some random grass, told him it was good for his stamina, and had him rest in a corner.
Perhaps due to rumors of the quarantine and the recent vampire incident, there were fewer visitors than usual.
“Isn't there any way around this quarantine? As you know, for wagon drivers like us, time is money.”
A wagon driver with a large pimple on his nose asked, discreetly slipping me another silver coin.
“A way… I wonder…”
I pocketed the silver and groaned as if deep in serious thought.
“Come on, friend. Don't you know I faint at the mere smell of blood? I'll come out of there half-dead.”
I knew this fellow wasn't a vampire, but arbitrarily changing the inspection procedure was a bit tricky. It had the potential to become a nuisance.
“Hmm… As you know, this is the Lord's command. I’m just a humble Jojang who follows orders from above.”
“Hey now! Aron, who doesn't know you're the cornerstone of Casedic! Even an outsider like me knows that! And I, too, in my love for Casedic, have rushed here in a single bound with a cart stacked high with necessary goods!”
The driver boomed, slapping the side of his fully loaded wagon. It was filled with decorative items, far from being daily necessities. As my gaze lingered, he slyly handed me another silver.
“That is true. It doesn't seem right to hold up a diligent merchant like yourself for days on end.”
I nodded and patted the man’s shoulder.
He flinched every time my hand touched him before smoothing his expression, which I found amusing enough to do a few more times.
“Right! That's our Aron. You’re the most reasonable one around.”
I knew he wasn't a vampire, but letting him through in defiance of the directive felt wrong. So, I put two silvers' worth of thought into it.
“Even so, it’s the Lord’s order, so I can’t just let you in… You have clients you do business with, right? Give me their names, and I’ll summon them here.”
Most of these wagon drivers had regular customers.
…*Ugh*.
This time, the groan came from the driver.
“But I brought a lot of wool on this trip. I need to sell this separately…”
“I’ll find people who need wool, too.”
At my continued proposal, the man nodded with a reluctant face.
I called over some kids who were running around, gave them some money for snacks, and told them to fetch the people the man named. I also told them to look for anyone who needed wool.
I paid them the best rates in the industry for a child's errand, so the kids grinned brightly and sprinted off.
I even introduced an incentive system, promising an extra copper for each person they brought, which made them run as if their lives depended on it.
A quick calculation showed I'd spent about half a silver.
‘Not bad.’
It was an improvised idea, but the return was decent.
The wagon driver grimaced at the coppers he had to press into the children's hands, but when his eyes met mine, he beamed and opened up his cart.
It was an excellent transaction that left the driver satisfied, the children satisfied, and even me satisfied.
“Alright, next!”
I energetically received the next wagon driver.
No one in their right mind would want to spend three days in a quarantine room reeking of blood.
The number of drivers was small, but the silvers piled up nicely.
After a while of this, a small market had formed in front of the gate.
Among the merchants were two of the three stooges from Hana's place.
They were selling meat pies and cold beer.
Thanks to them, I could supervise the checkpoint while sipping an ice-cold beer.
With the wagon drivers gathered, residents started to trickle out. Those who were initially hesitant were soon hawking their wares at the top of their lungs.
Just then, a driver approached, exuding a familiar yet bizarre stench.
“Could you call Masha for me?”
The driver said curtly, handing me a silver coin.
And then I realized what that smell was.
“You, pull back that tarp.”
“…Hm? Alright.”
The cart was filled with salted fish, letting out a terrible olfactory scream. The hellish stench, somewhere between rotten and fermented, wafted from it.
‘So it was this bastard.’
My fists trembled.
“Agh! What was that for?!”
“Revenge for my tongue.”
Still not satisfied, I punched him again before telling a waiting kid to go get Masha.
A line of local children now sat beside me, like a taxi stand.
Masha arrived, and with her was Charlotte.
In contrast to the emaciated Brick, Charlotte was more vibrant than ever. It was as if Brick's vitality had flowed into her.
After a brief greeting to me, Charlotte looked around as if searching for something. Brick, who had been at the gate until a moment ago, was gone.
Charlotte clicked her tongue, then took the cart loaded with fish from Masha and went back inside. Just then, Brick slid down from the top of the gate wall.
‘…How did he get up there?’
Once again standing before the gate, Brick fondly stroked the fang at his waist.
A short while later, the replacement shift arrived.
“Everyone pack it up and head in. Business hours are over.”
I sent the residents inside and had the wagon drivers close up shop.
“Suffer well.”
“Just go already! How can you not miss a single day…”
After a heartwarming conversation with my replacement, I reported to the Daejang and then headed to Hana’s tavern.
The tavern was more crowded than usual.
From what I heard, the new doll-pulling business was proving to be quite popular.
Quite a few people had complained about the stone's ridiculous weight. At Hana’s request for a demonstration, I casually pulled out the stone and swung it around.
The onlookers cheered, amazed by my strength and the gold coins lying beneath the stone.
I had deliberately strained to lift it in one go, so all complaints and doubts vanished in an instant.
Seeing me lift it so easily, a new opinion began to circulate: ‘It looks lighter than I thought.’
I had intentionally set it at an angle to make it easier to lift up to a certain point, so even those who had tried and failed before gave it another shot.
The entry fee was very cheap, so it didn't make much money on its own, but Hana was banking on the beer sales from the spectators.
After the brief demonstration, I entered the main hall, where Bermunt spoke to me.
“I received a message from the Star. They’re looking for me.”
I had expected it, but it had taken them much longer than I thought. It gave me a sense of just how much of an outcast Bermunt had become among them.
“At this point, didn't they just forget about you? Even if a regular soldier went missing, it wouldn’t take this long. Aren’t they just going through the motions as a professional courtesy? So you don’t get your feelings hurt?”
“Ahem… It’s not like that. The First Star scattered those who opposed his opinion across the continent, so it just took a while. …Professional courtesy, indeed.”
Bermunt replied with a dry cough.
‘Scattered across the continent… But wasn’t he a major power himself?’
Now he just looked like a big, old member of the guard, but his sharp, piercing gaze was impossible to hide, naturally reminding me of the old days.
‘…A few of them might come looking.’
I nodded, recalling the men who had been particularly loyal to him.
“But seeing as you’re still here, you must have refused.”
“What choice do I have? I am indebted to a single soul. I can’t move without my master’s permission.”
He wasn't wrong, but it wasn't pleasant to hear.
Bermunt's sly smile irked me for some reason. Still, he was doing a sufficient job as a guard dog.
“In any case, they’ll start making their move now. You know the First Star’s personality, don’t you?”
“He’s a child. A damn child.”
“Haha! Yes, a child. The kind of child who gets angry if someone else picks up a toy he threw away.”
After a brief laugh, Bermunt’s expression turned serious.
“But you can’t think of him as the child he once was. He has, after all, become the First Star, and even a Marquis. His tantrums will be on a much grander scale.”
Bermunt’s words brought the face of a youthful boy to my mind.
He was large in stature, and his talent was such that the word ‘genius’ felt inadequate, but his eyes were unfittingly clear.
‘Making that promise… has become a real pain.’
He was a prime example proving that it was far better to kill someone and suffer nightmares than to let them live and become a nuisance.
“If you wish it, I will rejoin them. That way, their attention won’t be drawn here.”
Bermunt’s next words broke me from my thoughts.
He spoke dispassionately, as if it were someone else’s problem.
There was no way he’d be welcomed back with open arms by that grudge-holding brat. And besides…
“No. We’re of one soul, aren’t we? Since we’re tied together, it would leave a bad taste in my mouth if something happened to you.”
Bermunt chuckled, a sound like a dry cough, and nodded.
“In that case, I recommend you get another guard dog. He hates you more than you think.”
[I will open the door for you. In return, will you help me become the First Star?]
‘…Why does he hate me? I’m the one who ended up with nothing.’
I scratched my head.
I understood that he had the right to feel that way, but I couldn't help but feel it was unfair.
***
‘Aron! Aron! Aron!!’
Knight Adela muttered neurotically, wrinkling her nose. Now, even the fact that he had taken the stone was being brought up in meetings.
Everyone was clearly being played by his schemes.
Even the woman named Nova, who always maintained her composure, had raised her voice.
‘If I let this continue, it will only get worse. But how…’
To be told to just stand by and report while a mere Jojang did as he pleased… Even the Lord had already fallen for his tricks.
Adela felt a tightness in her chest and pressed her fingers against her solar plexus.
‘How can everyone but me fail to notice? He even looks like a devil.’
It was incomprehensible.
“Sir Adela, you look troubled. Are you alright?”
Just then, someone spoke from beside her. Adela scowled when she saw it was Gerel.
“I’m fine.”
With that curt reply, Adela walked away.
Gerel called out something from behind, but she ignored him.
“I hear that at a tavern called ‘Cute Aron’s Rabbit,’ they’re holding an event where whoever opens the safe gets the gold coins inside.”
“Kuh! Doesn’t that sound like a perfect event for Namaiyad? The image of the hero Deokgu tearing the devil’s minion apart with his bare hands is still fresh in my mind.”
In the corridor, two newly arrived knights were conversing. The word ‘Aron’ in their conversation caught Adela’s attention.
“Did you just say Aron?”
“Sir Adela.”
“Kuh!”
Adela’s brow furrowed at the foolish salute. But since Adolf was her senior by Imperial Knight class, Adela offered a small salute in return.
The moment she had failed to become an Imperial Knight, all ties were severed except for the oath, but knights still cared about class seniority.
“Kuh! You must. Kuh!”
“…Kuh.”
“Right. Ah, you asked about Aron.”
“Yes.”
“At a tavern called Cute Aron’s Rabbit, they’re holding an event where whoever opens the safe gets all the gold coins inside.”
‘He owns a tavern, too?’
As Adela rarely left the inner castle, this was the first she was hearing of it.
“But they say there are ten gold coins in that safe.”
Knight Delpran whispered, making a circle with his fingers.
‘A Jojang with ten gold coins.’
Even she, a knight, didn't have ten gold coins to her name. It was an impossible sum. This was clearly a scam.
“They say the safe door is so heavy that only he can open it.”
“…No matter how strong he is, he can’t use Aura. How strong can he be?”
Adela retorted reflexively.
“That’s true. Still, it sounds interesting. It’s also a chance to show others the will of Deokgu.”
The two knights, whispering amongst themselves, decided to go check it out after their duties were done.
“I’ll go with you.”
At Adela’s words, the two of them widened their eyes.
It was unexpected, as Adela had kept her distance from them until now.
“It wouldn’t be right to leave the inner castle empty… I’ll stay behind. You two go on ahead. I’ll go separately later.”
Delpran, being the lowest in rank, tactfully bowed out.
After her shift, Adela left the inner castle with Adolf.
Adolf exchanged “Kuh!” salutes with everyone they passed.
They arrived at a shabby tavern. It was an unremarkable, ordinary place, but it was filled with large-bodied men.
When Adela entered, the patrons were startled, quickly moving aside and bowing their heads. Adela nonchalantly headed toward the crowded backyard.
A large crowd was gathered in the backyard. People stood in a circle, watching, while shirtless men were gathered in the center.
When Adela and Adolf entered, the people were startled and bowed their heads. Glancing around, Adela scowled upon realizing that the man named Aron was not there.
“My, my, what brings the esteemed knights all the way out here? We are a place that holds integrity and honesty as our family motto, so we do not engage in anything illegal! Not at all!”
A man who looked like he specialized in illegal activities said, rubbing his palms together.
“We didn't come for anything like that, so don't worry. Isn't this Squad Leader Kanna's base of operations? We heard there was an interesting event and came to watch.”
“Ah, so you wish to challenge ‘The Opportunity of a Lifetime! A Man Can Only Trust His Fists! Prove Your Strength!’ The participation fee is 10 coppers!”
The sleazy man, as if he had never been afraid, held out his palm. It was a paltry sum, so the two of them paid without a second thought.
The sleazy man pretended to put the coins into a large pouch while slyly slipping 2 coppers into his own pocket.
“Since you are knights, you don’t have to wait in line. This way, please. Hey! You lot, move aside! These are knights!”
The sleazy man, now puffed up with importance, waved his hands and shouted. Pleased with the appropriate treatment, Adela lifted the corners of her mouth and followed him.
In the middle of the backyard, a stone of a size perfect for gripping with two hands protruded from the ground.
The sleazy man pointed at it.
“The rules are simple. Grab this and pull it out, and you can have all the gold coins inside! As a special consideration for our knights, there is no time limit! However, please note that the use of Aura is forbidden.”
The sleazy man explained without hesitation. His vile voice seemed to whisper that the gold coins inside were already theirs.
“Then I’ll go first.”
Adolf stepped forward, rotating his arms.
The spectators who had backed away crept forward again, murmuring with anticipation. Perhaps a knight could do it.
Adolf spread his feet wide, squatted down, and gripped the stone with both hands. And then—.
“Nnggghh…”
With a strange grunt, Adolf’s body began to tremble. Then, the stone began to come out. The surrounding spectators cheered loudly in encouragement.
The stone rose by the length of a human palm, but that was its limit. After holding on for a while longer, Adolf set the stone down and stepped back.
“This thing is really heavy. Is it even possible to pull it out?”
Adolf asked, wiping the sweat from his brow, his face flushed and veins popping.
“Yes, because it’s a safe. If it couldn’t be opened, it would be a tomb, not a safe. Hehe.”
“Hmm…”
Adolf hummed with a doubtful look and moved to the side.
‘Not even using Aura… Pathetic.’
The knight Adolf never showed his face at the training grounds, too busy with his strange organization’s activities. He clearly didn’t know how to discreetly channel his Aura.
The heated gazes of the crowd.
Feeling the focused attention for the first time in a while, Adela squared her shoulders and walked forward confidently.
The reason she became a knight.
Like all other knights, she had no grand reason.
As the fifth of eight siblings, she had craved attention since childhood. But with so many children, it was hard to get noticed even when she was sick.
Then, her third sister, who had always hogged the attention with her outstanding talent, declared she would become a knight to change the unjust world. Out of jealousy for her sister, whose dream was also magnificent, Adela too began to dream of becoming a knight.
But the third sister failed, and she passed. She monopolized the family’s attention as she had always wanted, and her sister was sold off to a suitable nobleman.
In the capital, Adela was just an average knight among knights, so she headed to the frontier. A castle with only two knights. It was the perfect place for Adela.
‘Until he showed up.’
Adela took a deep breath and glared at the stone below.
It was time to show that man what a knight truly was.
***
‘Hmm… the fire is moving.’
I offered a brief commentary as I watched the flickering flame before me.
The fact that the fire had taken shape was surprising and pitiful enough, but now that fire was moving.
Kanna, sweating profusely, extended her hand. Behind her, Kkwabarou was cheering, “This is the crystallization of magic!”
On Kanna’s palm, a fire in my likeness, about the size of two hands put together, was waving.
‘It’s hot, and bizarre.’
Despite the lack of detail, it was strange and grotesque how the fire clearly resembled me. The fireball slowly waved its right arm. If a fire spirit existed, it would surely look like this.
I tried to think of something else, but I couldn't shake the growing anxiety in my chest. …A fire that looked like me was waving its right hand.
‘Hmm…’
I looked at Kanna's focused eyes and considered it seriously.
Perhaps this was the last chance to tell Kanna she was heading in the wrong direction. Even if it made her a little sad, shouldn't I tell her? What would come next…
Seeing my lack of reaction, Kanna must have thought something was wrong, because she let out a small cry of exertion and…
‘…Now it’s waving its left hand, too.’
I let out a hollow laugh as I watched the fire finally begin to perform a mask dance.
I just laughed because it was funny.
“My goodness! To control the wind in two different directions!!”
Kkwabarou cheered, applauding enthusiastically.
‘I need to change her tutor, but there are no mages in this backwater…’
Sweat trickled down Kanna's round forehead.
The moment I resolved to tell her she was on the wrong path.
“Boss! Boss!! We have a huge problem! Huge!!”
Dylan the weasel burst in, screaming.
“What is it?”
“The female knight is causing a scene, calling it a scam!”
‘The female knight? Adela?’
My brow furrowed at the weasel’s explanation.
‘…Why did the knights come to do that?’
I had my doubts, but the situation seemed serious, so I got up from my seat.
“Good… job. That’s our Kanna.”
For now, I patted Kanna’s round head.
It seemed best to talk about her second job class advancement later.
Terrified people were fleeing the tavern as if their lives depended on it.
I pushed through them and headed to the backyard.
“This is a scam! A scam! To create something that can’t be pulled out and use it to extort money from people! As a knight, I cannot stand by and watch such a fraudulent act!”
Knight Adela was in the center, screaming at the top of her lungs. Her face was red enough to burst, and she had even drawn her sword.
“I clearly told her Aura was not allowed, but she ignored that, used her Aura, failed, and now she’s… throwing a fit.”
Dylan the weasel tattled from behind me.
‘A real troublemaker.’
And the worst kind of troublemaker at that—one with a sword.
Waving a sword and causing a scene in a legitimate place of business just because things didn't go her way.
She was a perfectly ordinary medieval knight.
“Sir Adela! Calm down! What is this disgraceful behavior!”
The knight who had introduced himself as Adolf shouted, his face flustered.
“Shut up! You don't know anything!”
“S-Sir Adela?”
Adolf’s eyes went wide, and he stammered as Adela suddenly floored the accelerator.
Adela’s complaint was that ‘this is a scam designed so no one can pull it out.’ The solution was simple. I just had to show her.
The problem was…
‘Will she back down quietly if I show her?’
The fact that she was holding her sword but not swinging it suggested she had a shred of reason left.
‘If she doesn’t back down…’
I habitually touched the hilt of my sword, assessing the situation.
Considering what happened with Constant, a prolonged fight with an Aura user was not a good idea. The repulsive force was difficult to handle even with the technique the old man had taught me.
‘But… maybe now I can?’
I hadn't crossed swords with a knight since my physical strength had increased.
I discreetly glanced at Adolf, gauging what might happen if things went south. It was best not to get entangled with knights, but the situation had already unfolded.
First, I needed to clear out the spectators.
“Let’s close up for today.”
“Huh? Yes! Everyone get out! What are you staring at?!”
At my short command, the weasel swung his sword around, chasing away the onlookers. With a knight throwing a tantrum and the weasel also causing a ruckus, everyone scattered and fled.
“There you are! You swindler!!”
Adela pointed her sword at me.
A knight and a mere Jojang.
The difference in status was so great that she didn't even need a pretext, but she couldn't just lop off my head on a whim.
‘I’m an honorary monk and an honorary scribe, after all.’
Even with the word ‘honorary’ attached, it would still make me a tricky person to strike down recklessly.
“What is all this about?”
I put on a deliberately wronged expression.
“Ha! What is this about?! You’re quite bold for someone who’s swindling the residents!”
“Sir Adela! What is wrong with you! It’s just a game. A game!”
“Silence, Sir Adolf! You may be my senior in class, but I have been in this domain longer!”
“Wh-what does that…”
Adolf’s eyes widened as he backed away from Adela’s harsh retort.
“So you’re saying this safe is a scam?”
I said, clearing my throat as if I were slightly intimidated.
“That’s right! Are you scared now?!”
“This is too much! I may not be a knight, but I have my own honor. How could I, a guardian of the castle, swindle the residents?”
“Shameless to the end! You truly are a man who won’t come to his senses until you see blood!!”
‘So hot-headed, just like a knight.’
I thought about provoking her a little more, but seeing her fly into a rage, I decided it was best to stop here.
I touched the hilt of my sword and walked toward the safe.
Adela, who was standing next to it, suddenly thrust her sword at my neck.
I had stopped just outside her range, so the blade didn’t touch me. However, I glanced at Adolf and pretended to be frightened.
“Why are you threatening a resident! Do you call yourself a knight!”
Adolf, his face serious after catching my glance, took a step forward.
“He is a bug eating away at this castle! As a knight serving the Pulpuchu family, I am doing my duty!”
Adela shouted, her voice full of conviction.
‘This is why knights are…’
They were so arrogant, thinking Aura was everything. Of course, it worked most of the time, but…
‘That’s only when they’re holding a sword.’
For instance, even if they used Aura in a dice game, they couldn't beat me. And opening a safe was closer to a dice game than swordplay.
I grabbed the handle of the safe and paused for a moment.
Just then, Adolf threw out the perfect line.
“You, if you act so recklessly and turn out to be wrong, what will you do then!”
Adela, her sword pointed at me, opened her mouth.
“I stake my honor on the fact that this is a scam!”
“Your honor? How can you wager something as precious as a knight’s life so easily…”
I nodded along with Adolf’s despairing murmur.
I didn't know what had happened to Adela, but this was the first time in my life I'd seen a knight wager their honor so readily.
‘Honor, huh.’
While others judged a knight by their ability to use Aura, knights themselves considered honor to be extremely important. It was similar to how the upper class had their own standards.
Of course, that ‘honor’ was a very broad and imprecise concept, varying from person to person, making them little more than polite thugs, but…
‘It’s a different story when they say it out loud like that.’
Especially with another knight present as a witness.
She could try to brazen it out, but for a young knight with a promising future, it was safe to say she had wagered her everything.
I didn't know why she had suddenly escalated things to the point of staking her honor, but it was an opportunity to get a new guard dog.
“In return, if I fail to open it, your life is…”
Honor was the biggest bet a knight could make, so I didn't listen to the rest of Adela's words and straightened my back.
*Crrrk.*
The sound of stone scraping, and then a sticking point.
From here, I had to twist it slightly to the left.
Pretending to use all my strength, I twisted my torso, changing the direction.
The stone came up a little more, and then another sticking point.
This time, I twisted my torso to the right.
After doing that twice more, the massive stone popped out with a satisfying *thunk*.
‘It’s too much of a hassle to take out every time to be called a safe.’
I set the stone aside and checked inside.
The number of gold coins was the same as before.
…*Hic*.
A hiccup made me turn my head. Adela was making a bizarre expression I had never seen before in my life.
It was the kind of face one might make after being liquidated on a coin, only to discover that their arranged marriage partner was the one who created and sold that coin before running off.
A medieval-style destruction of evidence could have followed, so I tensed up slightly, but.
“You… you! Your strength is truly incredible!! Have you any thought of becoming an advisor for our Namaiyad? Your build, your strength… now that I see you, you would be a perfect fit with the hero Deokgu!”
The excited Adolf latched onto me and started rambling. Adela, with a dazed expression, hesitated, her hand twitching over her sword hilt a few times, before quietly slipping away.
‘Should I name this one Bori? Or Koko?’
I watched Adela’s retreating back and pondered a name for my new guard dog.
“If you join now, you get one Deokgu statue for free! And for just 2 silver more, you also get Deokgu and Kanna statues…”
‘Wait, what the hell are these guys selling?’
My fists clenched as I watched Adolf, spittle flying from his mouth as he passionately explained.
***
A space filled with parchment and dust.
It was so poorly cleaned that cobwebs adorned the corners of the ceiling, though no spiders were in sight.
In the middle of it all, amidst the parchments, an old man lay on his back, snoring with his belly exposed.
His red nose and flushed cheeks suggested he had been drinking heavily.
Anyone would have taken him for a beggar, but the brilliant gray necklace around his neck hinted at his status.
*Clatter. Clatter.*
With a small noise, a door at the far end of the parchments opened.
Through it stepped a handsome young man wrapped in a gray cloak. His face was full of smiles, giving him an instantly likable impression. His left side, however, was empty, swaying in the wind.
“Ugh! The dust. I told you to clean up a bit.”
“Mmm… Hans?”
At the young man’s muttering, the old man rubbed his eyes and sat up.
The old man made a light gesture, and the parchments clumped together, transforming into various objects.
He was now sitting on a large chair made of parchment, drinking ink that flowed from a parchment cup filled from a parchment source.
“I told you ink is bad for you. Anyway, the matter in the north has been concluded successfully. The seed has bloomed properly as well.”
“Yes. I’m sure you did well.”
“And I told you to air the place out.”
The young man smiled brightly and snapped his fingers. A gust of wind swirled through the room before exiting through a newly formed window.
“A letter came for you.”
“A letter? I wasn't expecting one.”
A single envelope from behind flew to a stop in front of the young man. The envelope opened automatically, and the paper inside crawled out on its own, stretching as if waking up.
The young man read the paper while standing in place.
“The White Magic Tower has attached itself to the seed in the far east.”
The young man said with a light gesture. The paper then tore itself to shreds.
“Isn’t the east the place you were in charge of?”
“Yes, hmm… It’s still a bit early… It seems the Empire leaked it.”
The young man closed his mouth as if in thought, and the old man took a sip of his ink coffee.
“What’s there to worry about? Just go and take care of it.”
“I’m in no position to go there… I’ll have to send someone else.”
“Right, I’m sure you’ll handle it.”
The young man looked down at the old man sipping his ink, then shook his head and turned to leave.
“For the end.”
As the young man left the room, the old man’s low murmur followed him.
‘The end.’
The young man’s face, now that he was out of the room, was twisted into a cold scowl.
But two steps later, he was smiling again.
‘I wonder if my seed is growing well.’
The young man muttered, stroking his empty left side, and snapped his fingers.