Cromwell Staviana (1)
Cromwell Staviana (1)
“You’ve drawn your sword.”
A dry voice sank low.
Hakain quickly shoved his sword back into its sheath, startled.
He raised both hands.
“I had no choice, haha. You understand too, right?”
Hakain had drawn his sword to protect Johan.
If Johan got hurt, disaster would surely follow.
Hakain had no other choice.
Illea stared at him with a cold gaze.
“I understand, but I can’t go back on my word. You’ll pay with your life.”
Deep blue mana stirred around her.
Hakain flinched.
“Hey, are you serious?”
“Yes. You’re going to die. Right here.”
Her voice was firm and calm.
Johan found it odd. He whispered to Illea.
“You’re not usually this fired up. What’s gotten into you?”
“He needs to be punished for running his mouth.”
“Just let it go. Stirring up trouble won’t help us.”
“But…”
“I said, let it go.”
Illea’s mask curled slightly. She was biting her lip.
‘What’s gotten into her that she’s acting so emotional?’
It was unlike her.
Hakain spoke.
“Looks like I made some mistake I didn’t realize. I sincerely apologize. But if you’re really set on killing me, I won’t go down quietly. You’d better be ready to lose a hand.”
Illea stared at him, then took a deep breath.
“I’ll back down for now, with the patience of a saint. Let’s settle this another time.”
The surging mana disappeared completely.
Hakain wiped cold sweat from his forehead.
“I don’t plan on seeing you again.”
“You never know with people.”
Johan and Illea began walking away.
Hakain muttered as he watched their backs.
“Is he her precious student or something? Whatever it is, I lost ten years of my life.”
***
The city of Beldana was still full of life. The streets bustled with people, and the marketplace was in chaos.
Merchant ships surged in like waves through the canals.
What happened in the Dead Shadow had no impact on Beldana.
The shadows and the light were separate worlds.
Most of the people in the light lived unaware of the shadow’s very existence.
Thanks to that, Johan and Illea were able to leave the city without trouble.
Deep in the mountain foothills, Illea pulled down her mask and spoke.
“It must’ve been stifling, right? There’s no one tailing us, so you can take off your hood.”
Johan threw off his hood.
“What about you?”
Illea still wore hers.
“I’m not wearing anything underneath.”
Now that he thought about it, she’d given her clothes to a woman at the entrance of the Dead Shadow.
So she was naked beneath the hood.
Johan spoke with a blank expression.
“You’ve been showing a lot of new sides these past few days.”
She had helped a woman she didn’t even know, one who had been abused by a mage.
Probably out of pity.
But such emotions didn’t suit a witch.
“I think I’m going through a growth phase. You know, they say people get confused trying to find their identity when they hit their late teens.”
Johan smirked.
“That phase is called adolescence. I guess witches go through puberty too.”
His younger siblings at the orphanage had acted similarly around Illea’s age.
Johan was used to it.
“Adolescence, huh. Never heard of it.”
“That emotional outburst earlier—you being unlike yourself—must’ve been because of puberty.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about what happened with Hakain.”
Illea immediately shook her head.
“That’s a bit different. Hakain touched my reverse scale. Puberty has nothing to do with it—I had no choice but to get angry.”
Johan looked puzzled.
“Reverse scale?”
“You, Johan. Hakain threatened your life, didn’t he?”
Hakain had tried to use Johan to get to Illea.
Naturally, it was infuriating for her.
Johan fell into brief thought.
He was trying to understand her reasoning.
Then he said,
“…I suppose that would be upsetting. My life is directly tied to yours.”
If Johan died, Illea would die too.
Johan was definitely her reverse scale.
Illea stared into his eyes.
“Johan, you’re usually good at picking up on things, aren’t you?”
“Well, no one’s ever called me clueless.”
“This time’s different. If someone else heard our conversation, they’d say you’re totally clueless.”
Johan furrowed his brows slightly.
“What are you saying?”
“Nothing at all.”
She sounded like she was pouting for no reason.
Even that reminded him of his younger siblings.
Without thinking, Johan ruffled Illea’s hair.
“You really are going through puberty.”
Illea stiffened slightly. Her cheeks flushed a little.
“W-what are you doing, all of a sudden?”
Johan’s hand paused.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
He took a few steps back.
A shadow passed over his face.
It was because of the hallucination of Belzarak.
───Oppa, can you stop touching me already? It honestly disgusts me. I’m scared I won’t awaken because of you. Please, just disappear from my life. I’m begging you.
He knew it had been a hallucination, but those words were still embedded deep in his chest.
As Johan’s expression darkened, Illea looked at him with concern.
“Johan, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“It’s nothing.”
Illea gazed at him quietly, then smiled with her eyes.
“Then please continue. I liked it.”
She grabbed his hand and placed it on her head.
Her small hand guided his fingers through her silver hair.
She smiled contentedly.
Johan cleared his throat and pulled his hand away.
“The sun’s about to set.”
“What’s with the sudden talk about the sun?”
“It means it’s time to move. We need to hurry back to the territory.”
They were waiting for nightfall.
Flying in his demon form was much faster than riding on horseback during the day.
Thanks to the authority of Chimya, their presence wouldn’t be detected.
Illea spoke in a tired voice.
“That’s a shame.”
Even before she finished speaking, the sun vanished completely.
A pitch-black demon appeared. He spread his wings and said,
“I’ll stroke your hair as much as you want later. For now, let’s go back.”
He could gladly handle small bits of affection.
Because she had given him so much.
Illea beamed.
“You have to keep that promise.”
She climbed onto her broom.
The two of them soared into the night sky.
***
Second floor of the Dead Shadow—The mood was practically a funeral.
Everyone gathered there was either sighing or swallowing their nerves.
Their heads were filled with questions and worries.
First, the Apostle. None of them knew where the descended Mapheltan had gone.
They didn’t even know why the Apostle had appeared in the first place.
What reason did it have to answer the summoning?
Until they could uncover that, the Hyungshin Society couldn’t determine its next course of action.
If they could serve Mapheltan as a god, betraying the Count wouldn’t matter much.
They held no true loyalty to the Count’s family.
The two forces were bound together only by mutual interest.
Of course, they couldn’t betray the Count just yet.
They didn’t know the Apostle’s relationship with the Count.
They didn’t even know what had happened in the third-floor chamber.
What had gone on in there?
Everything was a mystery from beginning to end.
At this point, they couldn’t even confirm if the Count was alive.
There was no way to enter the chamber.
No one here could deal with Belzarak.
Only an elder from the Hyungshin Society’s main branch might be able to resist Belzarak for a short while.
They had already sent word to the main branch.
It would take at least a full day for an elder to arrive.
Until then, everyone in the Dead Shadow could do nothing but twiddle their thumbs.
Hakain collapsed into a chair.
“We’ll just have to wait. No other choice.”
He fell into deep thought.
If the Count were to fall, Hakain would have to secure a separate path for survival.
At the very least, he’d need to leave Beldana.
Maybe it would be better to act now.
He was seriously considering fleeing when someone shouted,
“M-My Lord! Are you alright?!”
The Count was slowly walking out of the chamber.
He looked as refined as ever.
His clothes were immaculate, and his expression was calm.
There was no trace of emotional turmoil.
Hakain rose and slowly clapped his hands.
“As expected of Your Lordship. You faced the Apostle and came out unscathed.”
The Count brushed back his white hair and said,
“There was no Apostle.”
A few members of the Hyungshin Society showed puzzled expressions.
Hakain spoke.
“That can’t be. There were reports of an Apostle entering the third floor.”
“I heard that too. But all I saw was a boy and a girl. Belzarak had vanished as well.”
Murmurs spread through the believers.
Hakain asked,
“…Did you happen to see their faces? Especially the mage?”
“If I did?”
“I’d like to know their description.”
Hakain needed to avoid that mage for the rest of his life.
“You’ll see them with your own eyes.”
“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”
“We’re going to meet them right now. You’ll be coming with me.”
Hakain forced a smile.
“Ha… I’m sorry, but I won’t be much help.”
“I’ll decide that, not you.”
“T-There are some circumstances…”
“No excuses. Just come along.”
The Count planned to visit the Miyatro Territory, with only Hakain as escort.
Hakain was enough for that role.
The Count began walking immediately.
Hakain followed with the face of a man heading to the slaughterhouse.
‘I'm completely screwed.’
The mage’s words echoed in his mind.
───I’ll back down with the patience of a saint. Let’s settle this another time.
He hadn’t expected that “next time” to come so soon.
A sharp headache pulsed through his skull.
***
For the time being, there was nothing to do.
He could probably rest for a few days.
Johan planned to sleep all day.
He desperately needed it.
He lay on the bed for the first time in ages.
As soon as he closed his eyes, sleep overtook him.
Just as he was drifting off, someone flung open the door.
Johan shot an annoyed glance toward the entrance.
“Couldn’t you at least knock?”
Gaf replied.
“I knocked a bunch. You just didn’t wake up.”
He must’ve fallen asleep already.
Johan sighed.
“So, what is it? If it’s not urgent, come back later.”
“The Count is here.”
Johan’s face showed a flicker of surprise.
‘Already?’
It hadn’t even been two days since he arrived at the Miyatro Territory.
It made no sense for the Count to be here already—unless he’d flown like Johan.
Johan let out a dry laugh.
“This makes no sense. Are you sure?”
“He’s waiting in the reception room. Go see for yourself.”
Johan stared at the ceiling for a moment.
It felt like someone was deliberately pushing him to the edge.
‘This is getting ridiculous.’
He sat up.
“…Alright. Let’s go.”
Rest was a luxury he couldn’t afford.
Johan headed straight to the reception room.
Illea and the Count were already sharing tea.
The moment the Count saw him, he spoke.
“I’ll accept all your conditions. In return, I just ask for one favor.”