29
“Wow, my bag!”
Yeon Ji-ho, wrapped in Set’s robe, brightened at the sight of his bag being handed over by Apophis. As Set had instructed, the bag was intact without a single tear.
Yeon Ji-ho took out new clothes from the bag to change and disappeared towards the cave. In the meantime, Apophis conveyed news to Set.
“Your Excellency, the movements from Hadad’s side have changed. They seem to be closing in.”
“It’s earlier than expected, but it’s what I anticipated. We will gather the scattered beasts beyond the Regium Mountains as planned.”
Apophis bowed his head briefly. The one who added a question was Isquis.
“Your Excellency, what happens next?”
“Isquis.”
“……Why aren’t you telling us the plan after gathering the beasts?”
Apophis called out to Isquis as a warning, but Isquis did not stop. Set gazed at Isquis and spoke.
“We are going to rescue the remaining beasts captured in the imperial palace.”
“……And then?”
The beasts of Gorgon numbered eleven in total. Three of them had fallen in battle, and the remaining one was executed alongside Set when he was sentenced to death. Now only seven beasts remained.
“Of course, you will be going to strike Hadad, right?”
Isquis looked at Set with anxious eyes, who remained silent. Isquis shouted with a trembling voice.
“Don’t we have to take revenge for those who have died!”
“Listen well, Isquis.”
Among the Gorgon beasts, who would follow Set’s orders even to the death, Isquis was a unique presence. He was brought directly by Set during the war.
Unlike the other beasts who had been part of the Gorgon Knights since before Set became a duke, Isquis was younger. Thus, he was the one who cared for Set the most sincerely, but at the same time, he was the only one who could argue against Set’s words.
“I now have a place to return to.”
At Set’s short declaration, Isquis closed his mouth, which had been open.
“If your intentions differ from mine, then our journey together ends here.”
Isquis’s chest swelled as he inhaled sharply. Apophis remained expressionless, bowing to Set. Isquis alternated his gaze between Apophis, who seemed to already know, and Set, who remained unmoved.
“……Then, why did you come back alive?”
“Isquis, do not cross the line!”
“We agreed to stay together until everyone dies.”
Isquis’s eyes welled up in an instant.
Having been abandoned by his family, the boy soldier Isquis had always admired Set. Even though he too had no family, Set always stood like the strongest pillar.
Isquis thought of Set as no different from his family. All the Gorgon beasts serving him felt the same. They were all beings without families.
“Your Excellency, are you saying you will abandon us… our beasts?”
The end of Isquis’s words trembled. Set quietly watched Isquis’s anxious eyes. Just that was enough for Isquis to act as if he had received an answer.
“Why on earth!”
It was then that Yeon Ji-ho, who had gone into the cave to change clothes, emerged. As Yeon Ji-ho approached the group, he halted at the grim atmosphere and Isquis’s malicious voice.
Isquis’s head snapped around. His bloodshot eyes fixed on Yeon Ji-ho.
“Is it just because of that man?”
“Isquis.”
“I cannot accept this.”
Isquis clenched his trembling hands into fists. And at that moment, with a flutter, black wings spread behind Isquis. He soared into the air in an instant.
“Did you say our journey ends here if our intentions differ? Your Excellency, listen well.”
Set’s eyebrows twitched. Just as he sensed something, Isquis moved first. In an instant, Isquis snatched Yeon Ji-ho and flew into the air.
“Ji-ho!”
“To us, born as beasts, the only god is you, Your Excellency.”
Suspended in mid-air, Yeon Ji-ho was startled and flailed about. Isquis tightened his grip, seemingly annoyed by Yeon Ji-ho’s movements. A soft groan escaped.
“If the god is going to abandon us, then I will make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Remember, always.
Our only god is you.
***
Thus, Yeon Ji-ho was kidnapped. It seemed Apophis was trying to use magic to capture him, but perhaps he had used quite a bit of mana while escaping, as the magic didn’t seem to work smoothly.
Before Set could climb the tree, Isquis had already shot straight up and disappeared with the sun. As a result, Yeon Ji-ho, caught in his arms, could only sigh heavily.
Of course, the sighing wasn’t just because he had been kidnapped or was floating in the air.
“Ugh. Hah.”
“……Can you stop crying? Can’t we go down now?”
As soon as Isquis escaped from Set, he started to cry profusely, now clinging to Yeon Ji-ho and wailing. It was somewhat amusing that he was still flying low in the air.
“Your Excellency is abandoning us, huh. Ugh.”
“……The Gorgon beasts I read about in books were all so majestic, surely.”
Majestic, indeed. They all possessed tremendous combat power, thanks to being the main adversaries of Hadad, the protagonist. As far as Yeon Ji-ho knew, Isquis was the fourth strongest among the Gorgon.
Yet here he was, crying like a child in front of him.
“So why is Set abandoning you?”
“B-because of you. Ugh.”
“……Me? What did I do?”
Yeon Ji-ho placed a hand on his chest with a puzzled expression. Isquis suddenly stopped. Coming down to the ground, he gently set Yeon Ji-ho down and glared at him.
“Didn’t you say Your Excellency has a place to return to?”
“Really? Where is that?”
“You.”
Set was also one of the Gorgon beasts. He was just the leader. All beasts ultimately wandered aimlessly.
For him to have a place to return to meant he didn’t intend to live as a Gorgon beast anymore. The departure of the leader was akin to the destruction of the pack.
“Ah, me……”
Yeon Ji-ho replied with a frown. After all, he was in a position to return, and if Set was to accompany him, he would naturally have to leave this place as well.
In front of the still-crying Isquis, Yeon Ji-ho gathered his thoughts. ……What if we went together?
“If, if Isquis would follow if Set asked him to go with him?”
“Of course! Why would you even ask? If Your Excellency goes to hell, I’ll go with him!”
“Then let’s go together.”
Yeon Ji-ho said in a voice as if suggesting a picnic.
“Let’s go to my world together.”
“……Huh?”
“Of course, only for those who want to migrate. It’s a completely different world, so it will take time to adapt. Some might even prefer it here.”
In truth, Yeon Ji-ho didn’t know the details of Set and the Gorgon beasts’ situation until now. He had only learned recently that they were being hunted. Their story wasn’t the focus of the novel “Star of Hadad.”
However, if he wanted to survive together, bringing them to his world might be one way. ……Thinking about giving them identities back home made his head ache a bit. Should he apply for refugee status?
“So how about we go back?”
“……Where to?”
“To Set. Isn’t this enough to solve your worries?”
Just a few minutes into the conversation with Isquis, Yeon Ji-ho had already found a solution to his dilemma and grabbed his arm. Set was probably looking for him, and there was much to do, so he couldn’t just linger here forever.
“I’ll talk to Set. If all the Gorgon beasts agree, we’ll go together.”
“Really?”
“We’ll stay at my pension…… no, inn. I can accommodate about ten people.”
Isquis’s mouth twitched. It seemed the very fact that he could be with Set was a good thing. Yeon Ji-ho scratched his head and said.
“Then we can go back now, right?”
“Yes!”
Isquis lifted Yeon Ji-ho up as if he were a sack. It wasn’t a gentle embrace like Set’s; it was more like lifting him by the back of his knees. Just as Yeon Ji-ho lost his balance and leaned on Isquis’s shoulder.
“……Found you.”
It was Yeon Ji-ho who saw the other first, not Isquis. Hanging onto Isquis’s shoulder, Yeon Ji-ho looked at the person whose eyes met his and thought.
“The fastest wings of Gorgon.”
Finding him so easily, isn’t that a protagonist buff?
“And…… did you say Ji-ho?”
Hadad looked over with a friendly smile. At his smile, Yeon Ji-ho felt a chill rather than warmth. No, he was clearly a kind and righteous character in the novel…….
“Come with me.”
Why did he give off such an ominous feeling?
