…The cold desert night.
Sophien watched the conversation between Deculein and Lia with the magic eye she crafted with runes.
—Yuli.
Deculein was talking about his ex-fiancée.
—She isn’t dead. She’s alive.
It caused a certain ripple through Sophien’s chest, and she unwittingly straightened herself up. Beads of sweat were forming on the back of her hands, and her head was slightly dizzy.
—She left because she was afraid of me.
His next words evoked an even more bizarre sentiment.
—Enough to pretend to be dead.
A confession of his past. Deculein was hurting himself. Sophien quietly leaned back in her chair and lowered her eyes.
—So you don’t have to worry. I’m not looking for Yuli from someone like you.
She exhaled a low breath at Deculein’s words. It hurt to hear that someone left the person she wanted and listen to him confess his sorrow.
Sophien was sad. A feeling she had never experienced even when she slaughtered Demon Blood and covered her heart like a lake mist.
“…Hmph.”
Sophien put her hand to her temple and shook her head. She took her eyes off Deculein for a moment and tried to figure out her feelings.
…A small realization suddenly arrived.
“I think I know a bit.”
‘I think I know now. I don’t need to know.’
“Unknown emotions remain unknown.”
Sometimes, just act as one’s body and mind say so. There is no need to try to find out.
“…”
Too small, too trivial, too late a discovery. As she stretched her body out drowsily, feeling a new sense of emptiness and fatigue, she suddenly heard Lia mutter-
—Kim Woojin. I’m sorry.
Knock, knock-
The door opened, and the moment Lia looked at her…
“Who is Kim Woojin?”
Sophien asked so. It was out of pure curiosity.
* * *
“My former boyfriend.”
Lia answered so. Sophien’s brow twitched slightly, but she could see it wasn’t a lie.
“…Kim Woojin. But why did you suddenly mumble his name?”
“I suddenly thought about him.”
Sophien only raised an eyebrow. Indeed, she didn’t need to know this kid’s love story. It wasn’t important.
“Then you are better than me. You actually tried loving.”
“…Oh.”
Lia scratched the back of her ear. It seemed she forgot for a while, but Sophien had never dated anyone. She lived in an environment where that was unavoidable.
“Okay. How is Deculein now?”
However, the reason wasn’t that Sophien was the emperor, or her status was too noble. Even embracing the feeling that she liked someone was dangerous for Sophien. No, Sophien was dangerous.
Lia never forgot that setting, even for a moment. She knew too much about Sophien’s trigger.
“…He seems to be fine still.”
If Sophien had loved someone, he would have been killed at the start. The person in the greatest danger in this desert right now was probably not the Demon Blood or the other tribes, but Professor Deculein.
“By the way, what is that?”
Lia pointed to a flowerpot on Sophien’s table.
“This is the flowerpot given to me by a Malia child.”
“Flowerpot… oh.”
Flower. She wanted to grow flowers.
Sophien grinned.
“Now that I think about it, it certainly seems right to listen to you. No one around me has ever been in a relationship.”
Sophien glanced at the statue on the wall with squinted eyes. Keiron had never been in a relationship. He was the epitome of a curt and inflexible knight, after all. Ahan would be coming soon, but she was the same.
“Anyway, I wanted to make flowers bloom. However, it can’t be through mana. Not even magic. The Malia tribe were given this task… some kid gave me this flowerpot.”
It held sand and thorns.
“Is that a cactus?”
“Yes. But it is impossible to tell whether cactus flowers bloom in this desert.”
Sophien looked at the flowerpot with serious eyes, contemplating.
“Even if it blooms, if it doesn’t grow beautifully, I will have to throw it away.”
Lia asked.
“Why?”
As if she was frustrated. Sophien frowned.
“Why? Isn’t it obvious? What good is a flower that is not beautiful?”
“Your Majesty. Think about the professor’s personality.”
“Personality?”
“Yes.”
“…”
Now Lia was acting rather cheeky, but this kid was more expert than herself regarding relationships.
“…Considering that guy’s personality, it’s rather easy. I think I have to keep it most beautifully. So it is a concern.”
Sophien said that it was rather easy, but Lia grew frustrated.
“Nope.”
“…”
Sophien looked at Lia and asked.
“Why not?”
“Why not?”
With today’s conversation, Lia found out Deculein, who took Woojin as a model, had a side of Woojin. And if it were Kim Woojin, he wouldn’t care whether the flowers were beautiful or not. She knew it because he was a painter.
“Not only the most beautiful flowers are on a canvas.”
Woojin would be pleased even if it wasn’t beautiful.
-Did you raise it? Wait. I’ll draw it. I can’t just say thank you in words, right?
‘He was the kind of guy who gave me back all the gifts I gave him, every single one of them painted with his own hands.’
He was such a thoughtful guy.
“…From my point of view, you don’t seem to know Deculein very well.”
Sophien responded bluntly.
“Did you say canvas? Okay. It is not only the beautiful flowers that are put on canvas. But he is a professor who draws only the most beautiful things most beautifully.”
Lia snorted before she could stop herself.
“I guess Your Majesty doesn’t know.”
“…”
Sophien bit her lip. Lia was stunned by herself.
“…But that’s how people who have never been in a relationship are like.”
Sophien’s eyes narrowed. She seemed to have made it worse.
“Rather than that, giving flowers while confined like this now would have the opposite effect….”
Lia quickly changed the subject.
“After releasing him first—”
“He is already under Bell’s jurisdiction.”
“…Yes?”
She asked blankly. General Bell’s jurisdiction? But Bell was Deculein’s political opponent.
“Bell’s jurisdiction…”
“I have entrusted Deculein’s liberation to Bell.”
“If you take him out now….”
“I never go back on my decision. And now, I have a very strong grudge against Deculein.”
If he weren’t Deculein, he would have been executed when he communicated with the enemy.
“Y-you can’t do thaaaat! He will be imprisoned forever at this rate-“
“Hmph. Whatever.”
Sophien snorted and shook her head.
“Get out. I’ve never been in a relationship, so I have many things to learn. About what you said and about my feelings.”
“I mean, geez, seriously. Ah…”
Lia squinted at Sophien and backed out of the room.
* * *
Desert glamping was taking place outside the main building. The special products confiscated by the desert tribes, such as wine, whiskey, and meat, were released by General Bell. Only for his faction, of course.
“This is so good. Everyone thinks the same?”
Bell was in a very good mood these days. He turned his life around in the south of the Empire, managing other ethnic groups. It was enchanting to walk the path of success in this desert, but above all was Deculein’s downfall. He was so proud that he had won the Emperor’s favor by pressing Yukline’s Deculein. So proud.
“Yes! That’s right!”
“Haha.”
He gave a relaxed smile to his subordinates and cut into his steak. The lieutenant next to him said.
“No one would have ever imagined that Deculein would become like this.”
“Haha. Well. I think differently.”
“Oh. Is that so?”
“That arrogant bastard has climbed way too high. I knew that one day he would be hated by Her Majesty. Now all that’s left to him is to fall!”
Everyone nodded at Bell’s words. Loud laughter echoed under the desert night to warn the opposing faction to those poor bastards who still held onto the rotten rope called Deculein.
“…Also, isn’t Deculein’s liberation entirely up to General Bell?”
Bell smiled slyly at the lieutenant’s words.
“Yes – it is proof that Her Majesty trusts in my abilities and is willing to use me.”
“Huh?”
At that time, the guard, who was cooking, looked around with wide eyes. The lieutenant looked at him, dissatisfied.
“What’s going on?”
“I can’t see the Roahawk that I was grilling.”
“…What? The Roahawk?”
“Yes. I was grilling a big one…”
Did a beast take it? The lieutenant approached him as he muttered stupidly.
—It’s an attack!
A fierce cry rang out. At the same time, emergency sirens went off in the main building.
Weeeeeeeee-!
The intoxicating drunkenness dispersed instantly, and a member of the guards who were on patrol at night rushed in.
“This is terrible! General Bell!”
“What’s going on?!”
“A-A body… come here!”
Everyone, including Bell, followed the imperial guard. Thinking that it was a desert tribe or the Demon Blood’s doing, with anticipation this would start their next campaign-
“It’s here!”
However, when they arrived…
“…”
“…”
They were speechless.
“…Oh, my.”
There was a body. There were several of them. Dozens of guards were lying still across the sand. That far, it was something they could understand.
But.
“What is this…”
The condition of the bodies was bizarre.
“They were… ripped apart.”
Shredded skin and muscles. Organs spilled out of the bodies. Brain matter slicking the ground. Shattered bone. It was as if they were the leftovers of a meal.
“…Could it have been a beast?”
“No.”
One knight approached. Bell turned to him and frowned. It was Delric, Deculein’s henchman.
“…This is dark energy.”
Dark energy. Bell’s shoulders trembled.
“Then it could be a djinn, right?”
“It’s too thick and too deep. Djinn cannot leave such traces. No, there is no djinn in this desert strong enough to eat dozens of imperial guard members in an instant. Even if there were, we would know about it.”
Delric knelt to examine the remains. Then he shook his head and sighed.
“…There is certainly only one being that these pieces of evidence point to.”
Only one. It was in everyone’s head right now, but no one dared to utter it.
Until Delric said it.
“Demon. And a very strong one.”
Silence descended over them. The cold wind of the desert brushed past, causing goosebumps.
“F-For now.”
General Bell stroked his shoulders as he spoke.
“Don’t tell Her Majesty? I’m afraid she’ll be confused.”
“I can’t. Look at the traces left behind by this blood. This demon is still around here. This means he didn’t leave.”
Delric stood and shook his head.
“Listen! There is no benefit if you tell her.”
“You mean you’re going to pretend that you didn’t see this?”
“It’s not that I’ll pretend I didn’t see it! We’re not even sure it’s a demon!”
“We are sure. Can’t you see?”
Bell clenched his teeth at Delric’s words.
“S-Still, no!”
“Are you doing this because you don’t want to release the Count?”
“…”
Delric hit the mark. Deculein from Yukline is the only family on this continent capable of striking fear in a Demon’s heart.
“General Bell. I am familiar with the names of you and your troops. The strength to catch a tiger alone and the strength to fight against these tribes. However, a demon is different.”
Delric looked around Bell’s lieutenants.
“The demon is not a tiger and not a djinn. There is even an ancient legend in this desert. If this demon is that one, we are no match for him.”
Ancient demon. A legend that made them tremble just by hearing it.
“However, not Yukline. Yukline is a demon hunter from ancient times. They are a special family with power imprinted in their veins.”
“…”
“Leave it to the Count. The Count will gladly accept this task.”
Bell clenched his fists. Delric asked, waving at Bell’s henchmen.
“Or are you going to sacrifice the members of the Imperial guard? And those lieutenants with you?”
“Shut up!”
Whoooosh…
Bell ruffled his hair.
“I won’t tell Her Majesty – we can do it. Without Deculein’s help… everyone, follow me!”
Delric watched with pity as he dragged his faction away and left.
* * *
…I was exercising. Although I was in a situation where I might be exiled, I didn’t skip physical training. Rather, thanks to this freedom from politics and work, I exercised more than ever before—
“A demon appeared last night.”
Lia delivered the news. I opened my eyes.
“…You felt it, right?”
I nodded. Lia pointed to my handcuffs.
“I guess you can feel it even if you can’t use your mana, huh?”
“It’s instinct.”
These handcuffs inhibited the wearer’s mana circulation. I knew its performance better than anyone.
Lia grinned.
“Those handcuffs are really good, right.”
“Yes. It certainly works. I made these handcuffs myself.”
“…Oh.”
Handcuffs I crafted with Decalane’s Artifact Magic and endowed with Midas’ Hand. It was an ultra-high-performance artifact that could bind anyone except Adrienne or Zeit. No, even if it were those two, it would work for half a day.
“Aha… but do you think you know the identity of that demon?”
Without a word, I pulled out a book from the shelf and handed it to her.
“…This is a book about the legends of the desert. Here, he’s known as Cannibal.”
“…”
“He’s pretty antiquated.”
Cannibal. Lia’s face hardened as if she already knew.
“The more humans he eats, the stronger he becomes. He can’t be killed, so he was sealed.”
“Isn’t it terrible?”
Lia asked in a serious voice.
“Not really.”
I shook my head. Lia puffed out her cheeks.
“…Why? I think it’s a big deal. An ancient demon…”
“Lia. Who do you think I am?”
“…”
“Tell me.”
Lia looked a little suspicious, but biting her lip, she said.
“…Yukline.”
“Yes. I’m a Yukline.”
The Snowflake Obsidian planted in my heart, and the magic circle of Psychokinesis engraved into the body of the Iron Man. The blood of the Yukline flows in these veins.
“A demon can’t beat Yukline. But the problem is.”
So, if there was a real threat, it must be another force trying to take advantage of this demon.
“The Altar may attack.”
Weeeeeeeeeee-!
The siren went off. Lia looked out the window, and I said.
“Go.”
“…Yes. It looks like the Altar has invaded.”
The sight of her running hard was surprisingly reliable. It was a talent I developed well, so she’d be good without me.
“…”
However, a wizard in a hood suddenly appeared from the corridor Lia ran down.
“…You are in great shape.”
My lips moved a little strangely when I saw her speaking cheekily. I felt a bit angry.
Why did she come to such a dangerous place alone and leave Julie behind?
“You’re all locked up like this.”
I took a step closer to her.
“Where do you think you are?”
“Hmph!”
She twisted her lips and snorted, her lips glistening with pork fat as if she ate some meat along the way.
“Where is this? I just came to see you imprisoned.”
Epherene.
