Chapter 296: Cactus (3)
…The desert. I looked at Delric’s map, contrasting the coordinates of our progress with our destination. It seemed that we had already reached our destination. Not the one I was thinking of, though.
“It seems to be here.”
I spoke to the person next to me.
“Here?”
Sophien. She, who had been following me, looked around n.o.bly. There was nothing around here except a single wooden hut. It was the only wooden structure visible in the vast desert. It looked suspicious no matter who saw it.
“A hut.”
Sophien narrowed her eyes. The knights by her side held their backs straight as they glanced at her.
“Who is the source of this information?”
Sophien asked angrily. I answered.
“I am.”
“…”
Sophien, who was about to say something, shut her mouth for a moment. Now, I was used to telling her lies. Sophien clenched her teeth.
“I already know that you got the report.”
“Yes. But it was me who considered it a viable source.”
“…”
“A person is in charge because they bear responsibility. We do not hold the others responsible.”
The air around us grew stiff. Sophien looked at me with narrowed eyes, causing the knights near us to back away.
“Also, who knows what will be in this.”
“Then. f.u.c.k off, all of you.”
Sophien generated mana and pushed away the knights.
“Only Deculein and I will go in.”
“Y-Your Majesty-“
Bewildered, Delric tried to stop her, but I intervened.
“Yes. Let’s do that.”
And I opened the door to the hut. The smell of wood permeated the ordinary interior. Sophien looked a bit lost as I pointed inside.
“Go.”
“…Professor! There was a slayer attack just now. Who knows what might be inside-“
Delric called me by my old t.i.tle, desperate to stop me.
“Enough.”
Sophien pushed away Delric and then stepped straight into the hut.
“Come in.”
She looked at me from over the threshold. Her gloved hands reached out.
“Yes.”
I accepted her hand and entered.
Slam–!
As soon as I did, the door closed behind us. We were plunged into darkness.
“It’s fine,”
I said. Sophien answered.
“I know. Is there an access code?”
“Yes.”
When I looked at the darkness with Vision, I could see a magic circle.
“It’s a pa.s.sage.”
I understood in an instant. This was a pa.s.sage leading underground. If I disa.s.sembled and a.n.a.lyzed this magic, I could find the pa.s.sword. Sophien asked.
“And, so, what’s the pa.s.sword?”
“…It’s ‘desert night’.”
Whoooosh-!
The hut sank into the sand.
* * *
Bang-!
“…”
The moment we arrived, Sophien reopened her eyes. Although it was still inside the hut, the noise outside was different. I heard people’s voices; they were not speaking the imperial language but a certain tribal one.
“…I guess your information was right, huh?”
Sophien looked back at Deculein and cleared her throat as if she was a bit embarra.s.sed.
“Yes. Let’s go in.”
Deculein opened the door to the hut.
“…”
Several people were coming and going through this underground s.p.a.ce, and there were shops, schools, and other things built all around. It was a hiding place for the tribes in the desert to escape from the Empire, but the distinction between residential and commercial areas was so stark that even Sophien was perplexed.
“…You’ve come.”
Someone wearing a turban approached the two.
“Idnik.”
Sophien frowned, and Deculein asked.
“It wasn’t that the information was leaked, but that you called us?”
“Yes. I asked for a conversation… but I didn’t think Your Majesty was coming.”
Idnik pointed to the hut again.
“Let’s talk inside.”
Sophien warmed up her mana, but Deculein grabbed her wrist.
“…Stop.”
“What?”
“There is no reason to fight. It’s still impossible to determine who is Demon Blood. Also, the odds of success are slim.”
Idnik nodded.
“That’s right. Our odds are slim too. Because we have a common enemy.”
“The demon of the desert?”
“Yes.”
Idnik glanced at Sophien.
“Your Majesty, have you ever heard the legend of the desert demon?”
“…”
Sophien didn’t respond.
“Yeah. Anyway, it’s a demon. It is a demon that was sealed in the past, but the seal has been loosened these days due to the Imperial army entering the desert. This hideout contains the old ashes that were used to seal it.”
Saying so, Idnik walked into the hut.
“Come inside. There will be a commotion out there.”
Deculein and Sophien followed her a second later.
“…”
Sophien scanned the hut’s interior and sat down near the dining table, almost instinctively. If she could sit, she would sit. That fit her position as an emperor.
Sophien spoke.
“Deculein.”
Her crimson pupils rose sharply.
“Yes.”
“Why did you come here?”
Deculein sat facing her.
“There is absolutely no way you would go out in a campaign without any doubt.”
That was correct. Deculein trusted a map that was nothing more than a piece of paper. It had no review, no reconnaissance.
“…Deculein. You knew.”
He watched Sophien quietly.
Tick-tock-
The cabin creaked around them, and sand gently fell from the ceiling.
“…If so.”
Sophien’s face hardened. Her jaw twitched.
“Did you disobey my orders and communicate secretly with the enemy? How far are you planning to disappoint me?”
Her voice was low and dry.
“It’s for Your Majesty.”
“For me?”
“Would you like to hear me out first?”
Idnik said so and put down a few teacups. In the next moment, she went down on one knee. Sophien paid her no attention.
“I am Idnik, a disciple of Demakan and representative of the desert.”
“…”
Sophien is still focused on Deculein. Idnik put a doc.u.ment on the table, not shaken.
“It is a request for surrender signed by a minority tribe in the desert. The desert will not harm the Empire. I swear on my blood.”
Sophien still didn’t answer. Idnik continued to explain.
“The desert has nothing to do with Annihilation or the Altar. We’re all being fooled by them playing one side against the other. So-“
“This is the land of Rohakan, who killed my mother.”
Sophien spoke to Deculein. Idnik clicked her tongue inwardly.
“Deculein, you are telling me to negotiate with such a person. Is this your loyalty?”
Sophien stared at him. Her anger was so intense that he could see it with Vision. Then, Idnik spoke.
“This desert is imprinted with the magic of self-destruction.”
“…”
This time, Sophien showed a reaction. Her eyebrows furrowed.
“If activated, the entire desert will be destroyed. Everyone setting foot in the desert will die.”
This was the huge magic circle that Deculein left to Idnik, and she had successfully installed it.
“The desert risks its life. Highest supreme and n.o.ble Majesty of the Empire. Please do not detonate this mine to catch a single earthworm.”
“…”
“Let us remain as earthworms.”
Only then did Sophien turn to Idnik. Idnik lowered her head softly.
“I don’t want to.”
It was a very simple refusal; her hate was that strong. Idnik stood as if she had expected it.
“At a later date, I will send another envoy.”
Idnik left like that. Sophien continued to glare at Deculein as if to kill.
“Your Majesty. I hope Your Majesty doesn’t risk yourself in the desert. My loyalty is this.”
“Loyalty? Your loyalty-“
“Your Majesty is now going astray.”
“…”
Sophien’s expression darkened.
“The tribes of the desert are being slaughtered without remorse. However, they are not Demon Blood, and therefore, there is no justification or principle for slaughtering them. War without cause will only endanger Your Majesty.”
Sophien closed her eyes for a moment as Deculein spoke softly.
“My loyalty is to protecting Your Majesty, and this is the way to do so. I can’t let Your Majesty waste your body in the desert.”
“…Ha.”
Sophien responded with a sneer.
“Deculein. I will put you in prison.”
* * *
Meanwhile, in the Sanctuary of Time, not far from the desert.
“It’s dooooooone-!”
A loud cry surprised Julie while she was sleeping. Epherene had finished her cylinder.
“…Epherene.”
“Julie! Come and see!”
She grabbed Julie’s arm and dragged her over. She finished a barrel large enough for three or four people to lie down and rest. Nearby were scattered theoretical doc.u.ments and scientific books.
“Can you see the line on top of this barrel? This is where I will inject my time energy.”
Epherene explained with excitement.
“I’m going to put all your mana here too.”
A meteorite-like mana stone weighing approximately 227 kg was set to the side. Before the time transfer, to prevent an immune reaction, all of Julie’s mana must be stored inside.
“And this is the condensed liquid of the Lunar Gra.s.s.”
It was stored in a connected syringe. As the time transfer progressed, it would continue to be infused into her body.
“Also, most importantly.”
Epherene pulled out a diary.
“The diary of what you must remember.”
Julie looked at it and nodded.
“Yes.”
“Good. We’ll be starting soon, then…”
Stomp-
Allen appeared with Idnik. Idnik strode over and sat down. Julie asked.
“Idnik. How did it go?”
“Not well. Well, I expected it. I knew it wouldn’t work on the first attempt.”
“What about the Professor?”
This time Epherene asked. Julie’s ears perked up as Idnik shrugged.
“He seems reluctant to kill anything other than a Demon Blood. There are many innocent tribes in the desert, and it consumes many resources.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. He expressed his opinion to the Emperor.”
Epherene’s eyes widened. As expected from the Professor. As a principled rule follower, he was more fair and equitable than anyone else when it came to such matters.
“Then what is the Professor doing now?”
“He got himself imprisoned.”
“…What?”
* * *
Due to his mission failure, Deculein was locked in his own office, and General Bell, who took full control of the expedition, marched their forces savagely. He destroyed eleven tribes in just one week. He beheaded thousands of Demon Bloods.
“…I told you, why did you go in such a hurry?”
Lia asked Deculein.
“Where is the Count who thoroughly a.n.a.lyzes even the smallest things?”
“It’s none of your business.”
There was a small curtain between them. If Deculein left his area, an alarm would sound immediately, and an immediate judgment would arrive — execution.
“Still.”
“Are those handcuffs?”
Deculein pointed to the object Lia held.
“Yes. Her Majesty told me to put them on you.”
“Okay. Give it to me.”
Lia put the handcuffs through the magical membrane.
Clink—!
Deculein handcuffed himself. He looked strangely relaxed.
“…Are you okay?”
Lia asked.
“It’s just a part of the process.”
“Process?”
Was being locked up like this part of his plan?
“Is Her Majesty okay?”
“Yes? Oh, yes. I think she’s fine.”
“That’s fortunate.”
“Hmm… then I’ll just go.”
Lia bowed down and left the office, running to another person waiting for her.
…
“…Is it?”
Sophien’s face changed as Lia conveyed Deculein’s actions. She let out a low sigh and looked up at the ceiling.
“And then, he asked if Your Majesty was okay.”
Sophien lowered her face again. Had Deculein’s worries melted her?
Lia quickly followed up.
“He seems to think that Your Majesty wouldn’t be at ease….”
“You don’t have to tell me that.”
“…Yes.”
She carefully glanced at Sophien. Now, between them was a piece of thin ice. What the h.e.l.l happened on that campaign?
“But why did you… the Count.”
Lia paused for a moment.
“…”
Sophien looked down at Lia silently.
“…”
“…”
“Why did I imprison the Count?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know.”
Sophien shook her head and rested her chin on her hand.
“The Professor gave up on the desert. He said it’s a march with no benefit.”
“…Oh.”
“I know that too.”
A smirk crept across Sophien’s lips. As if she were ridiculing herself, not Deculein.
“There is no change to come from killing the desert or annihilating the Demon Blood. It is not for the benefit of the Empire, and it’s not something that will help me.”
As Sophien had no choice but to admit, she hated the Demon Bloods. She didn’t know where that feeling came from, but it was an intolerable wave beating and burning her heart. Even though she knew that the desert expedition was of no benefit to herself or the Empire, even though she knew it was bulls.h.i.t with no reason…
“It made me angry when I heard him.”
“Made you… angry?”
“Yes. I couldn’t stand it.”
There was no justification or principle for this ma.s.sacre.
“I wanted to kill Deculein.”
“…”
Sophien ruffled her hair.
“Maybe I mistook Deculein for someone like me.”
She thought he hated Demon Bloods and the desert just like herself.
“Maybe that’s why I felt betrayed and arrested him.”
“…Then even now-“
“No.”
Sophien shook her head.
“Deculein will remain locked up like this. Until the desert expedition is over.”
Her response was resolute.
“The reason…”
Lia glanced at her and asked. Sophien laughed.
“It’s a secret.”
…
“…She said that the reason for locking you up is a secret. Still, you’re not completely hated. That’s fortunate.”
Lia, who returned to Deculein again, reported leaning against the office wall.
“How many times are you going to go back and forth?”
Deculein asked bluntly.
‘This guy I’m helping…’
“I received something, so I’m helping too.”
“There’s no need to.”
Rustle— Rustle—
She heard the sound of pages flipping. Lia looked through the window at his delicate appearance.
“Count.”
Deculein didn’t answer. She threw a stone at him as he calmly read his book.
“You must have loved your former fiancée a lot.”
“…”
The sound of turning the pages stopped momentarily. Did he even tear a paper out by surprise? Lia scratched the back of her neck and continued.
“Everyone looks at me and says things like that. I resemble your dead old fiancée; that’s why the Count is teaching me. Because I resemble your old fiancée—”
“That’s wrong.”
“Really? I don’t know; I don’t think so.”
At that moment, Deculein threw a wrench into the gears of her heart.
“…Yuli.”
At that moment, Lia felt her heart might explode.
“She is not dead.”
“…What?”
Lia, who couldn’t breathe for a moment, asked.
“She’s alive.”
“…?”
What was he saying? Yuli was alive? There was no way he knew who she was-
“She left me because she was afraid of me.”
One day, Sylvia told Deculein that Yuli’s soul was living and breathing somewhere, and thus she left him, pretending to be dead. She had said that.
“She must have hated me enough to pretend she was dead.”
“…”
“So you don’t have to worry. I’m not looking for Yuli from someone like you.”
Lia was convinced. So that was what Deculein was thinking. That Yuli didn’t die but left him. That was understandable.
Lia closed her eyes for a moment.
“No way. I don’t think it’s that.”
She slowly shook her head. Deculein twisted his lips.
“What do you know?”
“I heard we have similar personalities.”
“…Did Delric tell you that?”
A vein popped up across Deculein’s temple.
“I can’t remember who… anyway. If it were me.”
She sank into thought, and the reason she broke up with Kim Woojin. No, the reason she couldn’t catch him when he broke up with her…
“If it were me…”
Woojin had no parents. He was abandoned, and the only family he had was his little sister. A little sister with a connection deeper than blood, that pitiful child who pa.s.sed away at an early age.
“I would think I would be of no help.”
So, she wanted to be part of his family. She wanted to make him happy. Having children together, seeing their grandchildren, and warming the hole in Woojin’s chest… such a harmonious family you see only in fairy tales.
Then live happily ever after.
“I would’ve thought that you wouldn’t be happy if you were with me.”
However, she found out too late that she couldn’t be happy herself.
“I think she could’ve left… because of that.”
So, she couldn’t catch him. She didn’t catch him.
“… Well, if it were my personality. Hmm.”
She finished cheerfully and shook her head to chase away depressing thoughts.
“…”
Deculein said nothing. Then, he turned to a new page.
“It could be. With her personality.”
“…”
His words were a little painful for Lia. Even though Deculein wasn’t Kim Woojin…
“However, it isn’t.”
“Mh? Isn’t what?”
“What you said.”
He closed the book he was reading.
“That I wouldn’t be happy.”
At that moment, Lia clenched her fists. It felt like her throat was being squeezed.
“I would have been happier than anyone else.”
“…I see.”
‘I’m glad I can’t see his face.’
With that thought in mind, Lia turned away.
“Then I’ll be going!”
“…”
She left behind the silent Deculein. She went to report his words to Sophien.
“…Kim Woojin.”
Kim Woojin. Not Deculein, but Kim Woojin. She missed him so much right now. Saying that Lia looked to the gates of the Imperial Palace.
“Kim Woojin.”
Knock, knock—
“Sorry.”
Creek-
And, the door to the room opened slowly. Beyond that portal was the perfect existence, Sophien. She was sitting in a chair and looking at Lia.
“Who is Kim Woojin?”
“…Eh?”
* * *
…This was a pretty old memory. No, it was close to the beginning.
“Fufu. Did you not feel it while doing the modeling? You look alike.”
I approached Woojin, who was working overtime, and said that Deculein’s character used him as a model for no reason-
“What?”
Woojin grabbed at his hair as if it was unfair.
“I just had two meetings with the writer.”
“I think he saw you while pa.s.sing by the company. Anyway, look. You have similar personalities.”
“…Similar personalities?”
“It is similar.”
“Tsk… that’s why you were dumped by me.”
My expression stiffened a little. Those words hurt a bit, but anyway, I was dumped.
“By the way.”
Kim Woojin smiled and pointed out the window. A shiny foreign car was parked near the entrance.
“Isn’t that person even worse than me?”
“…”
His att.i.tude, behavior, and face were too relaxed. Was this guy okay now? Then, should I pretend I’m okay too? I gave him a small smile.
“…Yes. He’s a good person in a different way than you.”
He was a good person in a different way because no one was better than you in this world.
“Really? That’s a relief.”
Woojin said he was relieved, but I felt my heart aching for some reason. Strange, like the sensation of scratching my chest with nails.
“Yes… but, and… you know…”
I was restless about what to say, or should I not say it at all? Should I try to catch him even now? I was pondering over it like a fool.
“Yoo Ara. We first met each other three years ago, right? What are you trying to say?”
Our office romance was a secret. We dated before joining the company, but it was kept secret because it became a company relationship. It was just in case since I didn’t want my name to follow you. I didn’t want to hear that you got in the company because of me.
“…Yeah. What was I trying to say…”
Tick, tock, tick.
The sound of the second hand was annoyingly loud.
…I was always the first to talk at such awkward moments. Because Woojin couldn’t say that we should stop.
“Well then, Woojin. I’ll be going.”
Kim Woojin answered with a smile.
“Okay. Take a rest.”
“Yes. Woojin, you too.”
Leaving Woojin behind, I left the office. A person was waiting outside the building.
“Did you talk?”
The man who asked that question was the team leader of the partner company. We met by chance on business, and at work, people gossiped that we had something going on between us, but…
“Yes.”
I nodded and took off my necklace.
“And this. It’s too uncomfortable to accept. It’s expensive.”
“…”
The man took it without saying anything.
“Indeed.”
And then, he nodded.
“…Kim Woojin. He’s a nice guy indeed. Good reputation, good skills.”
“…”
Kim Woojin thought I was having an affair with this man. This man thought that I wanted to date Woojin again.
“Thanks for the compliments.”
Still, since he complimented Woojin, it felt like he was praising me. The man grinned and shook his head.
“My rival was a very nice person after all. What a shame.”
“…Woojin? But he doesn’t have a Benz.”
“What’s the difference?”
The man glanced at Kim Woojin’s office.
“His face and heart are a Benz.”
“…Really?”
“Especially the face.”
His appearance was enough to be the model for Deculein.
“I feel like his heart is more like a Benz.”
“Anyway, I’ll leave. You said there was still work to be done.”
The man responded as he put the necklace away.
“Yes. I’m going to do a quick check upstairs.”
“Okay. Bye. Don’t act all awkward if we meet again later.”
“Absolutely.”
“Haha-“
Laughing like that, the man left, and she sneaked a look into the office again.
—At least you aren’t a sore loser.
While watching Kim Woojin doing something strange while muttering in his chair, she was about to return to her office…
RUMBLE-!
A lightning bolt streaked down. A swarm of lights engulfed the office, darkening her vision, and thunder pounded in her ear a moment later.
…When she opened her eyes, she was Lia.