“Is that the appearance you chose?”
The Queen of Aranthia, whom Tanya was meeting for the first time with Tailed, asked with a smile. It was a mature smile, but there was a childlike curiosity on one side of it.
If you stared for a long time, it became hazy. To ordinary people, Queen Sanadiel just looked beautiful, but to sorcerors, she was like a dangerous hallucinogen.
Tanya replied politely,
“It’s not exactly something I chose, but it turned out this way.”
“That’s too bad. I enjoy seeing pretty girls, but I won’t get to see that.”
Sanadiel spoke as if she was truly disappointed, not joking.
Tanya asked as if interrogating,
“Does Your Majesty judge a woman by their appearance?”
“Look at my maids. Aren’t they all pretty? People sometimes joke that I choose maids based on their looks, but it’s not a joke, it’s true.”
Judging by Tailed’s giggling laughter, it was clearly a joke, but it was hard to tell at what timing it was a joke. Tanya maintained an awkward expression.
Later, she found out that only women who passed a test as strict and difficult as the Wolf Knights’ exam were chosen as maids. And while living in the castle and following the Queen, they naturally gained maturity and naturally earned the praise of being beautiful.
“Please don’t concern yourself with my appearance.”
Tanya said in annoyance.
As if happy to have succeeded in annoying Tanya, Sanadiel asked,
“Why? Will your past disappear if you keep your face like that?”
Sanadiel asked.
Tanya blushed and gritted her teeth.
“It’s my resolution.”
“It’s a poor resolution. If you really want to make a resolution, you should reveal your true face! Whether you take revenge or forgive, it will only feel empty if you do it while hiding behind a mask.”
Before she knew it, light poured out of Tanya’s eyes and her magic was revealed.
“Don’t test me!”
“Oh my, are you threatening me now?”
Like a child, Sanadiel also didn’t back down.
“I am threatening you. If you don’t apologize, I won’t hold back my magic.”
Tailed just leisurely watched the two women’s fight.
With a mischievous face, Sanadiel said,
“I won’t apologize. Instead, I’ll prophesy what will happen because of the appearance you hid to forcibly forget the pain of the past. You will voluntarily reveal your true form to the person who will become your lover.”
“What?”
Tanya frowned. She even considered actually using magic.
“However!”
At that moment, there was an illusion of the Queen’s voice being heard in multiple layers, and the surroundings darkened. The space between Tanya and the maids standing around stretched, and the space between Tanya and Sanadiel shrank. Only Tailed remained fixed in his place. And he did not interfere with this strange phenomenon at all.
Holding the surprised and retreating Tanya with her gaze, Sanadiel continued,
“The man who will become your lover will be covered in evil blood symbolizing darkness, and he won’t even look at your true appearance, but rather will aim a terrifying weapon at you that can kill anything. Nevertheless, you will be unable to resist his temptation and voluntarily pull his filthy body into your embrace.”
Only after the space returned to normal did Tanya let out the breath she had been holding. Sanadiel had a smile that was not just sinister, but evil.
Instead of the dumbfounded Tanya, Tailed spoke,
“Wow, it’s rare for you to make such a specific prophecy.”
One of Sanadiel’s well-shaped eyebrows arched up.
“Tailed, you rascal. I deliberately blocked your space-time to talk only with Tanya, but you couldn’t wait and had to interrupt? Tsk tsk, the so-called Grand Master of Lutia has so little patience…”
“No, when you’re prophesying my beloved disciple’s lover, should I just stay still? Then don’t make the prophecy in front of me.”
“Hoho, you can’t say a word to the woman you really like, but you’re good at talking back to me.”
Sanadiel laughed heartily like a man. Tailed made a ‘gasp’ sound and was flustered.
Unable to join the jovial conversation between the two, Tanya shouted,
“If such a terrible man appears in front of me, I’ll burn him with fire and freeze him with ice first.”
“Will you be able to do that?”
“I will.”
“Then do that.”
Looking at Sanadiel’s narrowed eyes, it felt more like a curse than a prophecy.
☆ ☆ ☆
As soon as Tanya opened her eyes, she tried to create light in the orb first. However, the orb was not on her chest, and when she felt around her body, her clothes were also removed. A clumsily wrapped bandage was covering her chest instead of clothes. Following the bandage, she touched her back and let out a short scream. Unable to make a loud sound in the darkness, she swallowed the pain.
Not far away, the sound of flowing water could be heard. There was also a splashing sound of washing hands in that water, but no figure was visible at all.
There was no light here for the eyes to get accustomed to the darkness.
“Kassel?”
Tanya called him in a small voice.
Not far away, Kassel’s voice returned.
“I’m over here. I’ll come to you.”
There was another splashing sound, followed by an ‘ouch’ cry and a splash of water. Soon, his presence got closer with the sound of dripping water drops.
Kassel’s shivering voice was heard.
“Tanya, could you please make a sound?”
“I’m here.”
Tanya said.
Hearing that sound, Kassel approached.
“What was that sound just now?”
Tanya asked.
“I slipped and fell while washing a handkerchief by the stream. I can’t see anything at all…”
“Where’s my orb?”
“Feel around near where you were lying. I put it there with your clothes.”
Reaching out, a familiar sensation was felt. She touched it to create light. Kassel’s face, soaked up to his head, came into view.
“Don’t make light. I think the Kagua is nearby.”
Kassel quickly said.
Tanya turned off the light and whispered,
“It followed us here?”
“Yes.”
The sound of water dripping on the floor continued, as if wringing out clothes or hair.
“I remember the moment we fell, but after that, I also fainted. I don’t know how long I was unconscious, but when I woke up again, I was lying on top of you, Tanya. Then suddenly, there was a tremendous sound from above. As if an earthquake had occurred…”
“It was the sound of the Kagua coming down, right?”
“I didn’t know what it was at the time. I just carried you and ran anywhere in a hurry, and the sound stopped, so I stayed here. Only then did I think that it might have been the sound of the Kagua falling here with us.”
“Considering the time difference, it probably didn’t fall vertically like us but slowly slid down while hanging on the cliff.”
“Anyway, I hid without making a sound. Then, the creature’s pupils, which looked like two torches lit in pairs, searched here and there, and fortunately moved to the opposite side. But it’s still wandering around nearby. It walked well without even hitting the walls. Can that thing see ahead?”
“To a real dragon, this kind of darkness wouldn’t be a problem. Although I don’t know if you can call a wingless monster by the sacred name of dragon.”
Tanya brought the hand she had placed on the orb to her eyes. A cold energy enveloped her pupils, and the surroundings appeared blue. It wasn’t comparable to a dragon’s magic, but Tanya could also do that much.
She could see Kassel groping and wringing out his own clothes using only his senses. His wet hair sticking out in all directions looked funny.
‘I must look quite ridiculous too.’
When Tanya moved her body, the improperly tied bandage came loose, revealing her wet breasts. She rewrapped the bandage and asked,
“Where did the bandage come from?”
“When we divided the backpacks between us yesterday, the bag with bandages and medicine came to me. Remember? We were lucky. In Lemif terms, we should say the ‘Gider guided us.'”
Kassel laughed and then fake coughed.
“Don’t worry, I couldn’t see anything when I was wrapping the bandage. I tried not to touch, so don’t be suspicious.”
“It seems so. Seeing how you couldn’t even tie the knot properly while trying not to touch. At times like this, you should do it properly even if you have to grope around.”
Tanya rewrapped the bandage and tried to put on her clothes but gave up. As Kassel said, she didn’t want to put the bloodstained clothes back on her body. Fortunately, the air was quite warm, so she could endure without wearing clothes. It was rather close to being a little hot.
‘A place this deep where light doesn’t reach should be cold, right? Or maybe the bottom of the Hup is a volcanic area.’
Tanya said,
“Since the Kagua is nearby, we can’t stay in one place. Let’s move.”
“Can you move?”
Kassel asked worriedly.
“I’m fine.”
She wasn’t fine at all, but Tanya forcibly got up and said,
“Give me your hand, Kassel. I’ll guide you.”
Tanya tightly grasped Kassel’s outstretched hand and walked.
In the thick darkness, Tanya’s back hurt unbearably with every step she took. She concentrated almost all of her barely gathered magic on her back, but that didn’t reduce the pain. In the end, Tanya stopped before even walking for 10 minutes.
Kassel said,
“This won’t do. Let’s rest a little more before going.”
“No. Our work isn’t finished yet.”
“But Lofin will come to save us. It will be better to wait here than to move without knowing the way.”
Kassel spoke with strong faith.
‘Right. Lofin will definitely come to save us.’
Tanya also believed that.
‘Seeing how Rai can break through the trees and fly up, he can sufficiently fly down here with Lofin. But if we come down that way, they’ll cross paths with the Kagua who came down first. Lofin didn’t want to fight the Kagua. So he’ll probably find another way. Yes, even if he finds another way, he absolutely won’t give up.’
He was someone she had to rely on at times like this, even though she disliked him. It was safer to wait for them as Kassel said. But a sorceror’s instinct kept urging her to walk.
“I don’t know if that the Kagua has wisdom, but it’s not good to stay in the same spot. And…”
Tanya clenched and opened her fist as if to confirm.
“If I can just recover my strength, I might be able to defeat the Kagua.”
“Y-you can defeat a dragon?”
“The Kagua is not a dragon. It had no wings and was smaller than Guanil. It’s just a beast that resembles a dragon. It’s on a different level from fighting a dragon. If Lofin had made up his mind to fight, he could have killed that thing.”
“But he retreated.”
“He couldn’t use that sword. I’m not sure, but that sword seemed like a magic sword that disappears after being used once and achieving its purpose. He couldn’t waste it on this monster when it exists to kill Guanil.”
“I see. Then what do we do?”
Kassel asked with wavering eyes. It was time to make a choice. With a power that couldn’t even defeat the Lemif sorceror, she couldn’t defeat the Kagua, and with a power that couldn’t even stop the Kagua’s steps, she couldn’t even dream of facing Guanil.
Now was the time to release the power to kill dragons.
“Carry me on your back.”
Swallowing the saliva pooled in her mouth from enduring the pain, Tanya continued,
“I will put all my effort into recovering my magic. Lofin will never give up on us, but anyway, at this moment, it’s just the two of us. So the two of us have to fight.”
“What… are you trying to do?”
“I’ll release the seal on my body.”
Reminded of Sanadiel’s prophecy, Tanya added,
“I won’t harm you.”
“Harm? Does something like fire come out the moment the seal is released?”
Kassel asked in puzzlement.
‘A prophecy is just a prophecy. It was something Queen Sanadiel said to tease me when I was young. And now’s not the time to worry about such prophecies!’
Tanya resented Sanadiel for no reason.
‘And it’s dark now. Kassel won’t see my face.’
Shaking her head, Tanya said to Kassel,
“I’ll tell you later. For now, just do as I ask.”
“Okay.”
Tanya climbed onto the back Kassel offered. The moment she was carried, it felt like bones were protruding from the open wound. She bit her lip hard.
“Is this okay?”
Kassel said carefully.
“Go in the direction I tell you.”
Tanya instructed the direction in a small voice close to Kassel’s ear. Kassel moved his feet cautiously.
Only Kassel’s footsteps faintly echoed in the darkness. Tanya wanted to erase even this sound. Exhaling quietly, Kassel said,
“You’re right. I also have an ominous feeling that we have to keep moving.”
“If you become too fatigue, it will be harder to move next time. Tell me when you get tired to a certain extent. We have to rest while going.”
Kassel replied while readjusting her on his back.
“Still, it’s fortunate. I always got carried by you, and now for the first time, I get to carry you.”
“You’re a strange man.”
“I heard that a lot. Especially from women.”
“What I said probably didn’t have that meaning, but I’m curious in what sense other women said that to Kassel.”
“Things like sitting under a tree shade and reading a book on a day with weather so sunny that you can’t bear it without going outside, or being the worst at fighting despite being the most enthusiastic about sword training, or not being able to talk back to peers but fighting tooth and nail with adults… I heard I was strange a lot at those times.”
“I didn’t mean it that way, but that is indeed strange.”
“I thought so.”
“But that’s the same as me.”
“Is that so?”
“I also like spending time reading alone and fought better with adults. Though I didn’t grab collars.”
Tanya laughed to herself and added,
“But I think I’m a little different. There were no peers around me at all. I didn’t socialize with them, but when I came to my senses, there were only grandfathers around me. So I talked with them and fought with them. Outside, they are respected masters of Lutia, but when you’re always with them, they just look like grandfathers.”
“Me too. Is it because of my father? My father always had me sit next to him when he talked with the village elders. So I didn’t have much reluctance to talk with adults.”
“The stories you tell about your father are really interesting. You seem to have a really good relationship.”
“It seems good? If you see me and my father together for just one day, you won’t be able to say that. He’s even the one who drove me to the battlefield. If my father hadn’t said strange things, I wouldn’t have gone to the battlefield, and by now…”
“By now?”
“…I would be farming. But now I’m carrying a master of Lutia on my back. This is a tremendous promotion. But it’s not the kind of promotion my father intended, so I don’t have to be particularly grateful, right?”
“Ah, turn a little to the right. The path got twisted while talking. By the way, what was your mother like?”
Tanya asked while directing the path as Kassel’s eyes.
“I don’t really remember. My very first memory is of my mother, but I can’t recall it at all. So I don’t miss her either. What about you, Tanya? You never talk about your family.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
Tanya said. But she soon changed her words.
“I spoke harshly again. It’s because it’s too painful to talk about. I mean I don’t want to talk about it in a place like this. Don’t misunderstand.”
“It’s okay. I’m sorry for asking.”
“I’ll tell you later.”
Tanya regretted the words she blurted out again.
‘Later? I just made a promise I can’t keep.’
Wiping the sweat on Kassel’s forehead, Tanya said,
“We’ll have to rest a bit here if we want to keep going. Go to the left. You’re too off course. Yes, like this… Stop here.”
Kassel gently put Tanya down so she wouldn’t be in pain and sat down. He leaned against the wall and took a deep breath.
“We should stop talking while I’m carrying you.”
Kassel said seriously.
The pain in her back didn’t improve at all. However, not wanting to worry Kassel, she tightened her stomach and didn’t make a sound.
‘It’s a matter of efficiency. If I make a sound, Kassel will worry and be more careful when carrying me in the future. Then Kassel will have a harder time, the speed will be slower, and it will be more difficult to escape from the Kagua. Yes, it’s a matter of efficiency. Don’t make any sound, Tanya.’
However, a thin groan leaked out of her clenched mouth. She tried biting her lip until tears came out, but she couldn’t stop the sound coming from deep in her throat.
‘It hurts too much. I can’t stand it.’
Kassel carefully reached out his hand in Tanya’s direction, then just folded it. He didn’t comfort Tanya. He also guessed what thoughts Tanya was enduring the pain with. Comforting her now would only make both of their hearts ache, so he chose silence instead.
That silence gave her more strength than anything else.
☆ ☆ ☆
After some time passed, the pain finally subsided. Tanya sighed and asked,
“How much time has passed?”
Kassel replied uncertainly,
“I’m not hungry, so it might be barely noon…, but since we were unconscious for a long time, it could be evening.”
“I hope too much time hasn’t passed. Okay, let’s go.”
“Will you be alright?”
“Yes. Carry me.”
Tanya said. Kassel turned his back to the invisible darkness, and Tanya placed both hands on his back.
‘So this is when a man’s back looks wide.’
Tanya slowly climbed onto Kassel’s back. As he started moving, the pain in her back returned.
“We’re moving with a destination in mind, right?”
Kassel asked, trying not to shake.
“Yes. It’s gradually getting steeper. It will be hard, but we have to go this way.”
“Yes, I hope this path leads upward.”
‘Or at least in a direction away from the Kagua.’
Tanya looked back and listened. She couldn’t see or hear anything.
Kassel silently moved his heavy footsteps. The damp sweat on Kassel’s back soaked the bandage in contact with Tanya’s chest.
Tanya looked down at the ground. Huge beast footprints were visible. Even though she gained vision that could see in the dark, it was just a temporary measure, so it was impossible to obtain detailed information.
‘Are they the Kagua’s footprints?’
There were two types of footprints. She wondered if she was seeing wrong, but the footprints of the huge beast the size of a dragon indeed had different shapes.
‘Two Kaguas? Yes, it’s possible. The one that appeared in front of us was one, but it wouldn’t be strange even if there were three or four more of them. After we fell, it might have brought its companions.’
Tanya looked up at the ceiling that she hadn’t been able to pay attention to. There was a ceiling since she came to her senses next to Kassel. And even now, there was a ceiling above the head of the gentle uphill path.
Tanya tried to picture the structure of the bottom of the Hup in her mind.
Kassel hid from the Kagua through a crack somewhere on the cliff. Walking through that crack, the place they came out to was a cave leading upwards. And it was a wide space where it was difficult to distinguish between left and right, up and down.
Tanya’s vision was only blue now, so she couldn’t distinguish colors. The floor was rock where sand had hardened, and some of the numerous footprints imprinted on it were very old. There were deep scratches on the walls as if something had clawed them.
‘Could this be the place Rai mentioned? Where the High Lord of the Sky Mountains lives? Could these traces also be…’
Tanya soon shook her head. Rai clearly said the dragon was at the top of the mountain. He didn’t mention the bottom of the Hup.
‘It might not be a dragon or the Kagua. The Sky Mountains have all kinds of monsters. If it’s such a deep place, a huge unknown monster could inhabit it.’
The uphill slope became steeper. Kassel stopped to readjust Tanya on his back and walked again.
Looking more closely, there were three types of footprints. Tanya regretted not being able to brighten her vision any further.
To conclude, one was the Kagua chasing the two, another was a different dragon that left recent footprints but not the Kagua, and the last one was an even larger creature that left footprints a very long time ago, whether a dragon or not.
‘Let’s ignore the third footprint. This is a trace from so long ago that it’s fine to say it was made before this sand became rock. Whoever left the footprint, it probably died about a thousand years ago. Finding out who left the second footprint is more urgent. Another Kagua? Guanil? A dragon we don’t know? What the hell lives in this deep underground?’
The anxiety in her heart made her dizzier than the wound on her back.
‘What’s happening on the cliff above right now? Where is Lofin?’
Tanya desperately sought help. But she changed her mind again. Even if Lofin was here now, nothing would change. Rai was also an outstanding warrior, but he couldn’t face a dragon. The only ones who could face a dragon were sorcerors.
And it had to be a sorceror with an immense power comparable to Lutia’s Grand Master!
“Kassel.”
Tanya ended her hesitation.
Kassel barely answered because he was struggling.
“Yes.”
“I won’t apologize for being carried.”
“Yes.”
“So don’t apologize no matter what happens from now on.”
It took some time, but Kassel answered.
“Yes.”
“Also, even if my voice changes, don’t mind it. When I mobilize all my magic power for wound healing, my voice and appearance may change a little, so even if you see a different face than the one you’ve been seeing, just think of it as me.”
Kassel faithfully answered.
“Yes.”
“Kassel, I might lose consciousness for a while now. But keep going straight. And if the path is blocked, stand there for a bit. Don’t move hastily… Even if it’s hard, just keep carrying me. No matter what happens behind, you must not look back.”
“I won’t look back.”
Tanya closed her eyes. And she put strong force into the orb she was holding.
‘Don’t look back, Kassel. I don’t believe in Queen Sanadiel’s prophecy, but that prophecy is like a disaster for you. I don’t want you to suffer such a terrible thing.’
As the orb shattered, it emitted light briefly like a flash. She pulled that light towards her chest. A faint mass of light seeped into her chest.
After a while, a loud sound like something breaking rang in her head.
“Ugh!”
Forgetting the pain in her back, Tanya inhaled deeply and arched her back. Kassel, who was carrying her, staggered back for a moment. He gritted his teeth, regained balance, and tightly grasped her thighs.
Tanya also barely regained balance and tightly gripped Kassel’s shoulders. A faint light swirled around her entire body. Afraid that her body would fly out again, Tanya tightly hugged Kassel’s neck and buried her face in the nape of his neck.
Her whole body trembled. The light leaking out of Tanya’s body through the darkness created shadows of the two. It felt refreshingly like something was escaping, as if the ropes tying her arms and legs had been cut. However, as the pain in her back combined with the exploding pain inside her body, Tanya sobbed with indescribable agony.
“Ugh…, ugh, ugh.”
Blood gushed out of her mouth and soaked the back of Kassel’s head. Startled, Kassel tried to look back, but stopped halfway as promised.
“Tanya, what are you trying to do?”
The terrified Kassel asked.
Tanya couldn’t answer.
It might have been easier to break the seal without being carried. However, Tanya didn’t want to show her face to Kassel due to the light emanating from her body.
“Wa, walk, Kassel. Ke, keep…”
Tanya squeezed out her voice one last time and spoke. And she let out another low scream.
“Ugh.”
Tanya’s nails dug into Kassel’s shoulders, drawing blood. The muscles in her legs were tightly stretched, and the joints all over her body twisted. The wound on her back that had been healing reopened, and blood flowed down her waist and legs. However, Tanya did not stop the process of breaking the seal.
No, she could no longer stop now.
The power of the seal will forcibly bind your body.
If you want to revive the strength of that body,
You must transform into a different form.
A wolf would be good.
As long as the seal exists,
Your magical power will not be able to pour out to its limit.
The source of your magic is life.
It is a well that is sufficiently filled but not refilled.
Until you obtain the pulley to manage that water,
Keep this power hidden inside you.
The day you release that seal yourself,
Lutia will gain another Grand Master.
Tanya’s vision turned white. The invisible thread tying her fingers snapped. However, she didn’t feel refreshed at all like before. Rather, it felt like her fingernails were being pulled out.
The invisible curtain covering her pupils shattered outward. It hurt as if her eyeballs were being pulled out. A roar that only Tanya could hear rang out. It felt like her eardrums were being torn.
Her ears felt like they were being torn. The maddening pain that only Tanya could hear rang out.
Something ambiguous that had always been in her mind disappeared. Some force had always suppressed Tanya when using magic. That was now gone. Then, as if empty, her head went blank, and then it felt painful as if someone had put their hand in and directly twisted her brain.
Tanya spewed out uneven breaths, and each time, blood mixed with saliva fell onto Kassel’s back. She lowered her face onto the blood she had vomited. The blood flowing down her legs reminded her of the terror she felt when she first had her period.
Tanya went back in time to that moment when she was twelve and shared her sister’s pain.
‘It hurts. Stop.’
The hands of the man who had forced himself on her resisting sister were ravaging her body.
‘Was it this agonizing? No. I didn’t share my sister’s pain. I just imagined I did.’
Standing alone on a cliff, looking down at the surging sea, Tanya spread her arms in unbearable loneliness.
‘I can fly.’
No, she knew she couldn’t fly.
She just wanted to smear the fear with imagination because she was scared of dying.
‘It’s not dying. Just flying.’
Tanya jumped off the cliff.
This time, Tailed didn’t appear. Her body fell endlessly below the cliff and crashed into the sea that looked like black marble. The hazy eyes of her dying family members took turns appearing one by one in the white foam.
A rough scream burst out of Tanya’s mouth. The fear that felt like reality tore down the wall that still remained in her mind.
‘Don’t panic. This is the fear I created. It’s fake. It’s a fear I can endure if I bear it.’
Old memories began to gnaw at her mind.
‘Endure it, Tanya.’
The blood that had been regurgitating from her throat pooled in her mouth. Unable to breathe, she vomited blood with coughs.
‘I was told to release the seal when I turned twenty, but did I neglect it for too long?’
The blood pooled inside her body flowed out through her nose.
‘Something’s wrong. No. It shouldn’t be like this!’
Tailed hadn’t mentioned there would be this much pain when the seal was released. If the pain was this severe, he would have warned her in advance. Just when she thought it was over, all the processes of pain were repeated from the beginning.
“Aaargh!”
Tanya screamed and then went limp, her strength drained. She instinctively knew that if she lost consciousness now, she would never wake up again. But she couldn’t maintain awareness. A heavy force that made her think this was how it would feel to die if stepped on by the Kagua’s foot pressed down on her entire body.
‘I’m going to die. The seal wasn’t released. I’m dying like this from the aftereffects.’
Tanya could no longer breathe. She couldn’t lift her arms. She couldn’t grip Kassel’s shoulders. She just hung there like a corpse and waited for death.
‘I’d rather die. If only this pain would disappear, I’d be fine dying like this.’
That’s when Kassel spoke.
“Tanya, you told me not to look back, so I won’t look back.”
There was a hint of tears in his voice.
“Whatever you’re doing, I believe in you.”
Kassel didn’t stop his heavy steps.
He was climbing the slope step by step.
“You said not to apologize no matter what happens, so I won’t apologize. So no matter what happens to you, I won’t leave your side either. Tanya, whatever you’re doing right now… Don’t give up!”
Suddenly, her mind cleared. Only then did she regain the sensation of Kassel tightly gripping her thighs. The warm body heat from her chest pressed against his back was felt. She also felt the nape of his neck touching her cheek. His trembling breath was heard.
‘He’s worried about me.’
For a moment, Kassel’s heart was directly conveyed to Tanya.
‘He’s with me.’
An emotion so intense that it overflowed soaked Tanya’s body.
‘Whether he has the strength or not, he’ll protect me.’
Tanya slowly lifted her limp body and embraced Kassel’s neck again. This time, it wasn’t a trembling touch from being overcome with pain, but a gentle embrace.
Tanya rested her face on Kassel’s back, where her vomited blood flowed, and exhaled evenly.
Tanya said,
“It’s over, Kassel.”
Kassel said in surprise,
“Are you okay?”
“Not perfect yet. Go a little further. There’s a place where we can sit and stretch our legs. Let’s rest for a bit.”
Tanya was now looking at the pitch-black cave as if it were daytime. Everything was so clear that it hurt her eyes.
‘If I find him, the first thing I’ll do is slap my masters face. He should have told me it would hurt this much!’
The pain that had suddenly come suddenly receded.
All the pain that had engulfed her for a moment disappeared as if it were a lie.
It was obvious, but in the perfect darkness, Kassel still hadn’t seen Tanya’s face. However, he seemed to have clearly noticed that her voice had changed.
“It seems there are two Kaguas in this cave right now. No matter how lucky we are, we’ll encounter one of the two, and with the current strength, it’s impossible to face them. So I released the seal on my body.”
Tanya gave a brief explanation, omitting the details.
Kassel shook his head.
“If such a painful process was necessary, you shouldn’t have done it. And wasn’t Tanya already a strong enough sorceress without doing that?”
“Thank you for seeing me that way, but the Kagua is not a being to be taken lightly. In terms of magical aspects, it may be weaker than a dragon, but in terms of physical strength, it is stronger than a dragon. For example, even the four guardian dragons of Carnelock could all be devoured by the one Kagua that followed us.”
“To that extent?”
‘Was that an unnecessary comparison?’
Kassel wasn’t surprisingly shocked. He just scratched the back of his head and wiped the blood Tanya had vomited with his hand.
Embarrassed, Tanya wiped the blood on her mouth and face. She thought it was fortunate in many ways that Kassel couldn’t see through the darkness.
Tanya fake coughed and said,
“Vomiting blood… was inevitable. Since we agreed not to apologize to each other, I’ll not apologize for that either.”
“This is something you can apologize for though…”
Kassel deliberately grumbled, and Tanya burst into laughter.
Kassel asked,
“You said your voice would change, but was it changing in a good way?”
“I’m not sure.”
Tanya asked with a chuckle.
“Really. Your way of speaking is the same, but somehow, maybe because of your voice, it feels more familiar.”
“In other words, my previous voice wasn’t good?”
“Maybe. I was often startled when I first heard it.”
Kassel laughed as he wiped the back of his neck with a handkerchief. Although invisible, he smiled softly at Tanya as if he could see.
“Anyway, you overcame it, Tanya.”
“Yes.”
“But don’t do that again.”
“As I said, there are two the Kaguas, and…”
“That’s not what I mean. When there’s someone next to you who believes in you, don’t try to solve it alone with your own strength. Only do that when there’s no one around. It’s not the case now, is it? Let me see your hand.”
Tanya reflexively gave her hand, and Kassel grinned.
“See? This time, you held it out without hesitation when I asked.”
“Well, this isn’t the first time we’ve held hands, is it?”
“It’s the timing. You just held it out without any hesitation.”
Tanya flinched for a moment.
‘Damn, I wanted to be the one to hold hands first…’
Kassel said,
“It means you trust me, Tanya. Thank you. So from now on, whatever you do… do it with me, Tanya.”
Kassel spoke in a slightly excited voice, but with all his heart.
“Whatever it is, we can do it together.”
She already knew he meant it because she had read his emotions. But the moment he said it out loud, she felt so good that her heart ached. At the same time, it hurt. Now she barely felt the pain in her back, but strangely, tears welled up again.
‘Your friends follow you because of that smile and confidence. I want to be with you too. I always have, but I only realize I wanted to after you said it. I like you. That’s why I have to leave you after this adventure. Because I’m sure I won’t be able to bear the pain whenever you get hurt and that smile fades.’
Tanya thought of Lutia, which would be in despair. If Ruskin was the traitor as Lofin speculated, she would have to return to Lutia and catch Ruskin, and Kassel would have to return to Aranthia to inform the Wolf Knights of the current danger and prepare for the crisis.
‘That’s it. Let’s go back to Lutia and return to my old face. I don’t need to seal the magic, just create a fake face. So that Sanadiel’s prophecy doesn’t apply to anyone. And I will continue my life as a Lutian master, reminiscing about the arduous journey in this cave as a memory.’
When Tanya didn’t say anything, sinking into melancholy, silence fell. At times like this, Kassel always chose to speak first.
“It’s a bit pathetic to say this, taking advantage of the darkness where I can’t see your face, but if not now, I won’t be able to say it again.”
Kassel rolled his eyes as if the words he had prepared didn’t come out well. Tanya couldn’t open her mouth while he spoke because her chest felt stuffy.
“Ah, I started wrong. I ruined the long introduction I prepared. I’ll just… I’ll just say it.”
Kassel swallowed his saliva and said,
“I like you, Tanya. Even though you’re a master of Lutia and I’m a man with nothing, I wanted to tell you my feelings.”
Kassel smiled awkwardly, and Tanya couldn’t smile.
‘No. I lied to myself again.’
Tanya thought leaving Kassel and returning to Lutia, never seeing him again, was consideration for him. She believed it was an excellent and rational choice. But it wasn’t. Only after hearing Kassel’s honest heart did she realize she hadn’t been honest.
‘I don’t want to leave Kassel. I want to be with him. Now, afterwards, and in the future!’
Tanya shouted inwardly. But the words lingering in her mouth spilled out strangely.
“I’m sorry, Kassel.”
Kassel smiled brightly as if he had received the expected answer and leaned his back.
“Now, let’s move again. If we rest too much, we’ll get lazy. I still want to carry you, so don’t tell me your body has fully recovered.”
Tanya placed her hand on the back he offered. What could she say against this back still soaked with her blood?
‘I have to say it. I have to tell him my true feelings! If I don’t say it now, I’ll never be able to say it in my life!’
However, Tanya couldn’t say what she wanted to say. While the two were talking, a huge monster had approached without any sign and raised its head to the level of her face.
It was the Kagua.
“Watch out!”
Tanya grabbed Kassel’s neck, who still couldn’t see the situation, and threw him backward. The Kagua’s descending front foot shattered the rocky floor where Kassel had been standing a moment ago. But as if predicting the evasion, the Kagua immediately spewed out the black flames it had gathered in its mouth.
Having thrown Kassel behind, Tanya couldn’t dodge. It was the same situation as when she first encountered Guanil in the Sky Mountains. The Kagua’s flames were so powerful that it was almost impossible to distinguish the strength from Guanil’s. If she dodged, Kassel would be hit.
‘Now I can deflect it in the desired direction!’
Tanya stretched out both hands forward. A white light spread out in front of her palms. The flames infused with the power of darkness collided there and scattered in all directions. It didn’t push towards where Kassel was, but the force was stronger than expected, and Tanya’s body slid backward helplessly.
Tanya realized her mistake in an instant. Her magic with the seal released blocked the Kagua’s flames even when not fully prepared. However, her physical strength couldn’t endure it. Her legs weren’t properly stretched from being carried by Kassel all this time.
Tanya couldn’t fully withstand the flames.
The flames stopped, and Tanya collapsed on the spot. She should have gotten up right away and either counterattacked immediately or prepared to block the Kagua’s next attack, but her mind was eager while her body didn’t cooperate. Her burnt palms hurt too much to touch.
The Kagua picked up a rock from the ground and threw it. It was an attack that was all too obvious to Tanya’s eyes.
‘Just move one step to the side and it won’t hit. Just move one step. That thing is just a mindless monster with unnecessary strength.’
Tanya couldn’t dodge the rock flying straight at her. Her legs wouldn’t move. She gritted her teeth and used magic to shatter the rock. With an ear-splitting noise, the rock fragments scattered in all directions.
Tanya spread both arms while sitting and blocked all the fragments flying towards Kassel. The rest of the large and small sharp rocks fell above Tanya’s head. The skin on her face tore and rocks pierced her shoulders. In the meantime, the Kagua, having recovered its strength, spewed flames once again.
‘Too fast.’
Tanya gritted her teeth hard enough to draw blood and stretched out both hands. The shield of light she created collided with the black flames. Light and darkness caused intense ripples in the vast cave. The vibrating air shook every rock around. Cracks formed on the ceiling and dirt poured down, and the settled air swirled, stirring up dust that had gently settled for hundreds of years.
The Kagua could no longer use flames. But Tanya also couldn’t use magic anymore. However, the Kagua could approach Tanya by taking two steps, and Tanya still couldn’t stand up with her legs going limp. She just stared at the approaching monster’s huge teeth.
Now her arms were also paralyzed and wouldn’t rise.
‘I should have released the seal earlier, but I was worried about a shoddy prophecy and now I’m going to die without even fighting properly. Did Kassel run away? My last words to him were an apology, didn’t I say I wouldn’t say that?’
Tanya gave up and closed her eyes.
That’s when Kassel fumbled for Tanya’s shoulder, leaned on it, and said,
“Is it in front of us?”
Tanya almost screamed,
“What are you doing…! Run away.”
Kassel drew his sword and pointed it in front of Tanya.
“It’s okay if I’m not a true hero, just grant me a miracle one more time, Ztokh Worg. Oh, sword of Aranthia!”
Kassel continued in a voice too small to be heard,
“If my life can still lead your Gider, give me light.”
As if waiting for an order, white light poured out of the sword. With the light illuminating the entire immeasurably vast underground cave, the Kagua flinched and turned its head to the side as if the light hurt its eyes.
Even Tanya, who could see the darkness like day, had to turn her face because the sudden light hurt her eyes.
“Kagua, follower of Guanil and monster of the Sky Mountains that should not have existed. Hear the voice of the Worg.”
Kassel stood in front of Tanya, holding up the light-emitting sword. And with unwavering steps, he approached the monster more than ten times larger than himself.
Tanya turned off her magical vision and looked straight ahead with the naked eye. The Kagua, touched by the white light, looked like a statue carved from black iron scales. It was retreating because of the sword’s light or because of Kassel’s voice.
“Even without wings, you have ears to hear the voice of Nadiuren, the goddess of the Sky Mountains. I will command on her behalf. Kneel before me. I am ‘Ladu Worg’ who stands here with the oracle of the dragon.”
When Kassel swung the sword once, the Kagua staggered back as if whipped and shook its head from side to side nervously. It tried to lunge with its teeth and front legs, but it couldn’t put its hand into the area where the sword emitted light.
“Kneel before the Queen of Aranthia, the ruler of life under the Sky Mountains. In the name of Her Majesty, Ztokh Worg commands. Bow your head before me.”
Tanya wasn’t the only one injured by the rock fragments that had exploded earlier. Kassel’s forehead was also torn and bleeding.
The shoulder soaked with Tanya’s vomited blood was turning red with blood again. Looking closely, a large piece of rock was lodged in Kassel’s left forearm. He hid his injured hand behind his back and shivered pale.
Looking closely, Kassel was limping. As if he couldn’t avoid the falling rock fragments, his instep was broken and staining with blood with every step he took. Still, Kassel’s voice was dignified and echoed majestically in the wide cave.
“Step back. Abandon your evil will before the power of Aranthia. I am Kassel, captain of the Wolf Knights! Only the White Wolves can survive seeing my fangs! Retreat at once.”
In the end, Kassel couldn’t take another step. Ten steps were the limit of his stamina.
The sword gradually lost its light.
‘Move. I have to move.’
Tanya was also gradually recovering her strength, but it wasn’t enough to stand up yet.
‘Move! Move! Move!’
Tanya shouted at her unmoving limbs.
The Kagua, which couldn’t penetrate the sword’s light, slowly turned its head forward as the light dimmed. It took heavy steps toward Kassel.
“Kassel…, run away.”
Tanya gritted her teeth, put her hand on her knee, and said. Kassel completely lowered the sword to the ground and slowly turned around.
“Where are you, Tanya?”
It was strange. Although the sword’s light had dimmed a lot, it was still bright enough to see the surroundings. But Kassel was looking in the wrong direction.
“Did the sword… give off light?”
Kassel asked.
Tanya’s eyes widened. Blood was flowing from Kassel’s closed eyes. The shattered rock fragments hadn’t only pierced his arms and legs.
Kassel had lost both eyes.
“Your eyes…”
‘Didn’t you see?’
Tanya closed her mouth. Kassel hadn’t approached the Kagua as much as the sword’s light had pushed it back. He had just advanced without seeing! The Kagua had retreated in surprise at that reckless charge.
Kassel nodded with a sad smile.
“Run away. Tanya. I wanted to keep being together, but it seems this is the end for me. Leave me and run.”
As if to avenge the humiliation of retreating until now, the Kagua raised its front foot with its claws out.
Kassel wiped his bleeding eyes with the back of his hand. But he still couldn’t open his eyes.
“I wanted to see you one last time…”
Kassel said. And the Kagua’s front foot fell above his head.
‘The prophecy didn’t matter. I make the choice! There was no reason to seek out or avoid the being in the prophecy. I like Kassel. That’s all that matters. Even if he rejects me, my feelings won’t change.’
Tanya raised her right arm, which had been paralyzed from blocking the Kagua’s flames. And she concentrated the water drawn from the well of life all at once on her right hand.
‘Sanadiel, I reject your prophecy!’
That light, which had only been the length of a dagger, instantly turned into a spear longer than a person. However, everything was too late. There wasn’t enough time to recover to use magic again, and it was too late to attack the Kagua.
Tanya sensed that she would attack the Kagua only after Kassel’s head was shattered.
A few seconds were lacking. A terrible result awaited. Tanya squeezed her eyes shut and opened them. But the terrible thing didn’t happen.
The Kagua’s front foot with its claws out was stopped less than 1 meter from Kassel’s head.
Surprised, Tanya couldn’t throw the magic spear she had pulled behind her shoulder. The Kagua’s arm was forcibly blocked and trembling.
An arm covered in red scales was gripping the wrist of its arm glistening with black scales.
Right behind the Kagua was another dragon. It had a huge build, one head taller, and the red scales emitted a brilliant light on their own. The red dragon’s bright yellow eyes were looking down not at the Kagua, who was looking up at it in fear, but at Kassel, who had weakly lowered his head under the Kagua.
In a voice that made one feel holiness just by listening, the red dragon spoke in Lemif language,
“Some foolish Ugeh was talking nonsense to a beast that doesn’t understand words.”
There was laughter in the dragon’s voice.
“But it was quite an interesting speech to hear from the side that understands the language. Moreover, to drive away such a monster with momentum. It was very amusing. It even bought me time to come close.”
The Kagua growled and bared its teeth. Saliva flowed to the floor like water. The red dragon looked down at the Kagua and said,
“For the crime of Guanil’s filthy subordinate wandering in my cave, I will execute you in the name of ‘Sa-Knadil’. But I’ll give you one chance to defend yourself. Try it.”
The Kagua twisted its body, bit the red dragon’s neck, and shook its head like a crocodile. However, the fixed red neck didn’t budge at all.
After letting the Kagua bite its neck for a while, the red dragon said,
“If that’s your defense, I reject it.”
The red dragon removed its hand from the Kagua’s wrist, which had stopped above Kassel’s head, and stabbed its belly with it. The stabbed spot burned red.
Regardless of the Kagua’s screams, the red dragon lifted its huge body with its hand still stabbing the belly. And it bit the Kagua’s spine. A loud sound of bones breaking rang out, and the Kagua’s body bent grotesquely.
As if that wasn’t enough, the red dragon tore the bent, tenacious body of the Kagua in two.
Dark red entrails spilled onto the floor, and black blood overflowed like a wave. The blind Kassel couldn’t avoid it and was hit like a downpour. Kassel staggered and barely lifted his head. With his eyes closed, he asked,
“K, Knadil… High Lord of the dragons… is it you?”
The dragon threw the two halves of the Kagua’s body to the left and right. Sticky blood and flesh splattered on the walls and flowed down.
Even speaking in human language, the dragon’s voice was majestic.
“That is my name, young Ugeh.”
“My name is Kassel. The one over there is Tanya, a master of Lutia. M, may I ask for permission for the two of us to set foot here?”
Kassel said with difficulty.
The dragon tilted its head and answered,
“I allow it.”
“Thank you.”
Kassel barely bowed his head and said, and the dragon slightly nodded back, then said to Tanya,
“Master from Lutia. Withdraw your power. It’s a brutal magic. Are you going to kill me? Come and take care of your friend.”
Only then did Tanya retract the magic spear she had created in her hand. The moment it disappeared, she realized how tremendous the magic she had been about to use was.
‘If I had used this, I would have fainted on the spot.’
Tanya bowed her head to the dragon.
“I apologize.”
The dragon slightly nodded its head in acceptance of the apology.
Tanya immediately ran towards Kassel, who was in front of the dragon.
“Are you oka…”
Tanya couldn’t finish her words. Kassel, drenched in the Kagua’s blood, turned his closed eyes towards Tanya. He spoke in a barely audible voice,
“We survived, Tanya… We did it.”
Tanya covered her mouth when she saw Kassel holding Aranthia’s sword.
‘Your Majesty…’
You will voluntarily reveal your true form to the person who will become your lover.
However, he will be covered in evil blood symbolizing darkness, and he won’t even look at your true appearance, but rather will aim a terrifying weapon at you that can kill anything.
Nevertheless, you will be unable to resist his temptation and voluntarily pull his filthy body into your embrace.
Tanya reached out her trembling hand to Kassel, who was holding out Aranthia’s sword. He finally dropped the sword and collapsed forward, and Tanya ran and embraced him. She hugged his head, drenched in the Kagua’s hot blood, and sank to the floor. Kassel passed out like that.
‘This is too much, Your Majesty. How can you call this purity a temptation? Why did you prophesy a temptation I cannot resist?’
Tanya released the power she had hidden deep inside her body, shedding tears.
White light enveloped Kassel and Tanya, and the sacred power of healing brightly illuminated the cave.
–TL Notes–
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/MattReading
Join my Discord! https://discord.gg/jB26ePk9