149.
“Such things are not forgotten.”
The words uttered softly seemed to be Greyardin’s own experience. Indeed, how could one completely forget a horrific experience? Such memories tend to remain settled like sediment somewhere in the heart, even if one tries to forget. Yu Jin unknowingly sympathized with Greyardin’s emotions. And Greyardin keenly noticed this. He moved his lips as if wanting to say something, but ultimately didn’t voice it. A moment of silence passed between them.
Yu Jin remained quiet, seeing Greyardin’s expression sink as if lost in thought. Greyardin was the one to break the silence first.
“It’s time now.”
Greyardin extended his hand to Yu Jin.
“Let’s go.”
Though Yu Jin wanted to slap the hand away, he knew he couldn’t. If he stalled any longer, Greyardin would become suspicious. Yu Jin hid his disappointment and stood up. As he faced Greyardin, a sound came from the shadowy side of the room. It was a slow, dragging footstep sound, similar to when the magicians on standby in the mansion walked. Because of this, Greyardin, who had his back turned, showed no signs of caution.
Only Yu Jin, who witnessed the source of the sound, was surprised. A familiar face he hadn’t seen in a long time was walking towards them. It was someone who usually walked confidently, but now moved in a completely different manner. Knowing this was to deceive Greyardin, Yu Jin lowered his head.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m just, just too sad.”
Uttering words haphazardly, Yu Jin diverted Greyardin’s attention to himself.
“Are you throwing a tantrum? I can’t grant your request this time.”
How many times had he granted requests to say such things? Greyardin, the leader of Leviathan, thought he was being merciful to Yu Jin even in trivial matters.
“I know. I know, but!”
The moment Yu Jin raised his voice, Jinhyeon, who had approached right behind, swung his sword silently. Greyardin, who belatedly noticed the killing intent, turned around, but it was too late.
Slash.
Greyardin, with his back deeply cut, staggered backward.
“Why, why are you here!”
To Greyardin’s shout, Jinhyeon replied with a blank expression.
“Indeed, why am I here?”
In a brief moment, Greyardin regained his composure. He clicked his tongue and drew the sword at his waist.
“Is Rector dead?”
“Yes.”
“Aksen too?”
“He’s probably with Lady Freena by now.”
Having grasped the situation, Greyardin didn’t ask about Tenya. If the other two were dead or captured, Tenya would likely be in a similar situation. Usually, Tenya would have fled in an unfavorable situation, but not this time. After all, he had always been very fond of Diana.
‘Emotions are troublesome.’
Emotions shake people and make them take the wrong path without hesitation.
“What a pity.”
In an instant, he had lost most of his subordinates. But Greyardin’s sorrow didn’t last long. For him, people were just passing existences anyway. The unusually long lifespan of a half-elf had made him accustomed to being alone.
“So what do you plan to do now? Are you going to kill me?”
“Why don’t you guess?”
Meanwhile, Yu Jin had dragged Gee to a corner, panting. Normally, moving Gee would have been difficult, but the urgent situation seemed to have given him strength. Of course, he collapsed right after moving, but it was admirable that he managed to escape.
After checking on him, Jinhyeon immediately attacked Greyardin. When he blocked the downward strike of the sword, his wrist rang with pain.
“Brute.”
Afterwards, Greyardin started deflecting Jinhyeon’s sword. He tried to win on the technical side, but it wasn’t much help. This was because Jinhyeon’s technique was also nearing perfection. Not only that, but Jinhyeon was also advancing one step further based on Greyardin’s techniques.
Clang!
A sharp metallic sound rang out. As Yu Jin watched Jinhyeon and Greyardin fight, he picked up a candlestick from the table. As he kept watch of the surroundings, Gee opened his eyes with difficulty.
“Ugh. Will, will that be of any help?”
Gee reached out his hand, saying he’d rather hold the candlestick himself, but he didn’t look very reliable either.
“You’re a patient.”
“Sometimes a patient might be better.”
Gee’s mouth seemed to have recovered as he talked back consistently.
“I’ve learned some swordsmanship too.”
“Candlestick swordsmanship?”
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
Gee finally snatched the candlestick from Yu Jin’s hand. Then he stood up, leaning against the wall, and moved Yu Jin behind him. Seeing the back damp with sweat, Yu Jin was exasperated, but Gee didn’t budge. My goodness, being protected by a dying patient. It was disheartening to be in this situation just because of a lack of combat ability. Just as he was thinking this, another person barged in.
Bang!
The man who kicked down the closed door quickly scanned the room as soon as he entered. Then he joined Jinhyeon and started driving Greyardin into a corner.
“Lord Iven.”
While Jinhyeon and Iven were cornering Greyardin, a small figure that had approached burst into tears.
“Gee!”
“San? Are you crazy? Why are you here!”
Gee hugged San, who came running, in shock. Yu Jin took this chance to snatch back the candlestick. But this time, it wasn’t taken back. Gee’s attention was focused on San.
Even as Gee and San were having their joyful reunion, the battle continued. It was difficult enough with just Jinhyeon, but with Iven joining in, Greyardin could no longer hold out. Greyardin’s thigh was cut by Jinhyeon’s sword and his arm was stabbed by Iven. Fortunately, it wasn’t his dominant side, but it threw off his body’s balance. Staggering, Greyardin fell helplessly to the floor.
“Ugh.”
Seeing him fall, Iven quickly approached, but Greyardin swung his weapon widely and shouted,
“Get away!”
Then he reached into his clothes and pulled out a scroll. Usually, swordsmen only used swords, and magicians only used magic, but Greyardin had mastered both. This was possible because he also had elven blood.
“Ignite!”
At Greyardin’s shout, a large flame burst from the parchment that had fallen to the floor. The erupted flame quickly spread across the floor, engulfing the mansion.
“Urgh!”
Startled, Gee forgot he was a patient and lifted San in his arms. Then Jinhyeon approached Yu Jin and embraced him. Only Iven, left alone, tried to chase after Greyardin, but the flames were unusually strong.
“That damn bastard!”
Finally, a curse escaped Iven’s lips.
Whether he was a damn bastard or not, what did it matter? Greyardin limped towards the door. Iven was chasing him, but he was confident he wouldn’t be caught. How had he survived all this time only to die at the hands of such a youngster? He gritted his teeth and grabbed the nearest doorknob. Beyond this was a corridor, and at its end was a door leading outside.
“Haha.”
Somehow, everything felt like a dream. The time spent building up Leviathan was by no means short. Yet it all crumbled like a bubble in an instant.
‘No, no.’
Aksen wasn’t dead yet. Though he lacked talent in combat, there were still the remaining Zodiac Twelve. Using the countless powers created in the darkness, they could grow even bigger than now. Of course, all of this was premised on Greyardin, on his survival. He walked down the corridor that felt unusually long. He wanted to run, but the nerves in his legs seemed dead and didn’t respond properly. Moreover, the amount of blood flowing out was not normal.
It seemed a blood vessel had been severed somewhere. Jinhyeon, if left alone, would probably become someone like a hero later. But Greyardin had no intention of letting that happen. This time, he would use Yu Jin to kill Jinhyeon. Or he could use Jinhyeon to kill Yu Jin. Though he was a descendant he liked, he wasn’t more precious than his own life.
Before long, the corridor ended. Greyardin reached out and pushed the final door. As light seeped into the darkness, his vision brightened. And he laughed at the sight revealed.
“Hahaha.”
Freena was waiting there for Greyardin.
“What brings you here?”
As he asked the question, Freena shrugged and approached.
“What else? I came to kill you.”
“Is that the will of Lucid? Or the will of the Imperial family?”
“I only follow Lucid. But this.”
Freena paused for a moment before continuing.
“The desire to kill you is my own will.”
“I heard you captured Aksen. He’s a man with lies on his tongue, so you’ll need someone to cross-verify.”
Thinking rationally, Greyardin’s words were correct. No matter how evil the leader of an organization was, killing him immediately would bring more harm than benefit. But that’s why Freena was standing here without anyone else’s help.
“From my experience so far. When you spare a villain for a reason, trouble always follows.”
“It doesn’t have to be that way.”
“Maybe. But that’s not my concern.”
Freena stopped talking to Greyardin and swung her sword. He managed to dodge the first strike by throwing himself aside, having been prepared for it, but the second sword plunged into his chest.
“Kuk!”
With a searing pain, his vision went black. Though his sight returned soon after, a terrible dizziness followed.
“You’re crazy. Did you use poison?”
It was a poison strong enough to make even Greyardin’s hands tremble, despite his immunity to poisons.
“I did. Isn’t it better to be certain?”
Right now, Freena had cast aside even a knight’s honor.
“…I thought you only hated Aksen.”
“In the end, you were the one who handled him.”
With another sword strike, Greyardin’s ankle was cut off. Then, after putting his wrist in a similar state, Freena searched Greyardin’s body and pulled out everything he had. She seemed anxious that he might try something else.
“Oh?”
And Jinhyeon and Yu Jin discovered them in this state. It seemed they had somehow escaped through the same door as Greyardin.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
