Chapter 23
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Helio City (2)
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Kim Tae-jin imagined a lavish lord's castle straight out of the movies as he trailed behind the soldiers.
The castle would have suits of gleaming armor lined up along the walls, portraits of past lords hanging everywhere.
The drawing room would surely feature at least one stuffed reindeer head, and the bedrooms might even have roaring fireplaces piled high with firewood.
His mood was already lifting. He was about to trade the straw-stuffed inn bed for something soft and plush.
The lord's castle came into view soon enough. It was smaller than he'd pictured, but every wall was thick and sturdy.
Even a layman could tell it had been built to last.
'The neighboring Kaiso Kingdom may be a small nation, but this is the border, so they built the fortress solid.'
Just as the castle was smaller than expected on the outside, the interior was modest too—no shiny armor in sight.
People bustled about inside, but the chill of the stone structure made it cooler than outdoors.
Trailing a neatly dressed butler didn't take long before they reached the drawing room.
Of course, since the group had already eaten at the inn, no one was shuttled straight to their bedrooms.
A simple spread of refreshments sat on the table, and a man with a neatly trimmed mustache was seated there.
"Greetings, Mage. I am the lord of Helio City, Viscount Helio."
The viscount bowed excessively toward old man Richer—whether out of the war mage's fame or his high status, Tae-jin couldn't tell.
Richer, meanwhile, accepted the greeting with practiced ease.
"Greetings. We're sorry to impose on you so suddenly."
"Not at all. It's an honor to host you. I've heard much of your renown."
After some polite small talk that went nowhere, Richer cut to the chase.
"Did you summon us for some special reason?"
"No, no. When I heard a war mage would be staying at the inn, I simply thought I should invite you to my humble castle. Please, rest comfortably."
Whatever the two were discussing, it held no interest for Pavilion or Tae-jin.
The pair simply sat quietly, sampling the pastries on the table. They had a nice texture but hardly any sweetness. When Tae-jin paused after a couple of bites, a knock came from the door.
"Who is it?"
"Troff."
"Come in."
The man who entered was the butler who had just guided them to the drawing room.
"My apologies, my lord. I knew you had guests, but this is rather urgent."
"What is it?"
Their exchange was brief, but the awkwardness was plain as day—like amateur actors fumbling through a scene without rehearsal.
The three companions sat still, ears perked to catch every word.
"It seems the mercenaries we sent to slay the monster have failed."
"Did they lose their lives?"
"No. They froze up in a daze again, same as before."
"Good lord... What are we to do?"
They didn't even whisper. It was as if they wanted everyone to hear.
Tae-jin debated whether to chuckle or chime in sympathetically, but Richer opted for the latter.
"Is something amiss in Helio City?"
The viscount launched into his tale as if he'd been waiting for the cue.
"A monster has appeared near the city lately."
"A monster? What kind?"
"We don't know its identity. No one's laid eyes on it."
A monster no one had seen. It sounded intriguing. Tae-jin had spotted wild animals and small monsters before, but nothing worthy of the term "monster."
"If no one's seen it, why call it a monster?"
"It's holed up in the forest, harming passersby. It can't be human."
"Harming how?"
"People heading into the woods suddenly freeze, standing there in a stupor, minds blank."
"Good lord. Do they die like that?"
"No. If we lasso them from afar and pull them out, they come to after half a day. Thankfully, no fatalities yet."
Richer let out a soft groan, hearing this for the first time.
That explained the soldier's eager look upon seeing Richer's credentials at the gate, and the viscount's swift invitation.
A war mage from the Empire might just resolve their impasse—a faint hope.
"But the citizens are terrified. The thing's staying put in the forest for now, but it could expand its territory or venture out anytime."
"Have you requested aid from the capital? The Volterio Kingdom has plenty of priests and mages."
"Of course. But with the eastern conflicts, they replied they have no one to spare at present."
Richer stroked his unkempt, prickly beard as he spoke.
"I can't promise a solution, but I suppose we should investigate."
The viscount beamed, making no effort to hide his intentions.
"Really? If you would, we'd be eternally grateful."
"It's late today, so we'll head out tomorrow."
"Thank you! Thank you!"
Joy lit the viscount's face. Even through his theatrical flair, a genuine desire to ease his people's worries shone through.
"Then, you must be tired. Allow me to show you to your rooms."
The trio followed the butler through the castle. Being a small fortress, guest rooms were scarce, so Pavilion and Tae-jin had to share one.
But it was no issue. The bed was spacious, and a roomy sofa sat beside it.
Pavilion spoke up.
"Looks like I've gotten roped into tagging along somehow. Feels awkward to bail now."
As Pavilion said, the viscount seemed to mistake him for a companion of Richer's.
Tae-jin could guess why, though. Pavilion's face screamed seasoned swordsman—especially the vertical scar running from under his left eye to his jaw.
Anyone pegging that mug as a merchant's would be the odd one out.
"I doubt the viscount will force you. Why not just say you're a merchant?"
Pavilion thought it over, then shook his head.
"Nah, forget it. I've been thinking of getting back to mercenary work after this trade run anyway. Might as well use this as a re-entry gig. With Richer around, things shouldn't go south."
"You trust the old man too much."
"Isn't it obvious? You oddly underrate him, but there aren't many mages stronger than Richer. Clearing a lord's request alongside a top-tier mage? That's solid cred for any sellsword."
"Hmm."
Tae-jin nodded once and started toward the bathroom, then paused.
This was the perfect moment to quiz Pavilion.
"Pavilion. I've got a question."
"Shoot."
"What's a female rabbit beastkin look like? Never seen one."
"They're pretty rare. And yeah, they look quite different from the males."
Quite different? His heart raced.
"How? Describe her."
"Hard to put into words. Oh, paper and quill over there. Want me to sketch?"
Tae-jin nodded eagerly. If it matched his tastes, he'd buy the drawing outright.
Pavilion dipped the quill in ink and got to work without hesitation. Contrary to his rough look, he had skill—whipping up a fine sketch in seconds.
But skill aside, the result was a letdown. Just a standard rabbit beastkin, covered head to toe in fur.
"You said they're way different from males."
"They are! Curvier figure, shorter ears, smaller feet."
Pavilion grumbled a bit. 'Why can't he see the difference?'
Disappointment flooded Tae-jin, but one possibility flickered in his mind. What about a human-rabbit beastkin hybrid?
"Pavilion. Are there hybrids between rabbit beastkin and humans?"
"Sure. My daughter's one. Ex-wife's human."
Tae-jin dropped flat on the spot, bowing to Pavilion.
"Father-in-law...!"
"What the hell?"
Tae-jin realized he'd jumped the gun. No point bowing without knowing what a hybrid looked like.
"Uh, do you have a portrait of your daughter? Or a picture?"
"Got an old sketch. Wanna see?"
Pavilion rummaged in his bag and pulled out a metal case stuffed with odds and ends—metal scraps, odd coins, memo papers. At the bottom lay a crumpled yellow sheet. Tae-jin's heart pounded.
Pavilion unfolded it, revealing the sketch. Unlike the quick female rabbit beastkin he'd drawn earlier, this one was meticulously detailed.
But Tae-jin could only despair. The woman was a full-on rabbit beastkin—fluffy fur everywhere, not just human-shaped with bunny ears.
"Hybrid? She looks like a straight rabbit beastkin."
"What? Well... You didn't spot the difference in the female sketch either. No wonder."
Pavilion explained the subtle distinctions between hybrid and pure female beastkin, but it meant nothing. Toe splits? Irrelevant.
The one standout difference: human-like legs instead of the beastkin's reverse-jointed ones.
Tae-jin, on the verge of tears, grabbed the paper and sketched his own.
Crude and crooked unlike Pavilion's, but unmistakable. Raw desire oozed from the rough lines.
"Any chance of a hybrid like this? Please. Even a quarter if not half!"
Pavilion stared at the drawing like it'd crawled from a nightmare.
"What is this? Just a human with beastkin ears on top? Never seen such a freakish race."
"Freakish? Don't blaspheme the bunny girl!"
"Think logically. Your sketch only has beastkin ears on a human head. Flip it—"
Pavilion snatched the quill and sketched away.
The figure was a full-furred female rabbit beastkin—minus the long ears on top. Instead, human ears stuck out by her temples.
Tae-jin stared in horror, speechless. The worst of both worlds mashed together.
"What is this?!"
He conjured a flame with magic and torched the sketch. A shape unfit even for nightmares.
"See? Your drawing and mine are the same. Human with beastkin ears, or beastkin with human ears. What's the difference?"
"This cruel truth... I can't accept it!"
"Face reality. No such grotesque, suspicious race exists. It's an insult to rabbit beastkin."
That night, Tae-jin huddled under the covers and wept quietly.
It was the biggest psychological blow since realizing he was trapped beyond the Gate.