80
“S-Set? Set? They said you were definitely in the outer fortress. So why are you in the inner fortress…”
It was hard to believe that Set, who seemed to be quite far away according to what people were saying earlier, was now right in front of him. However, Yeon Ji-ho quickly assessed the situation and shook his head to clear his thoughts.
“That’s not important right now, Set. Baal has escaped.”
“Ji-ho.”
“He’s fighting with the knights. And since they say Lord Reckless or whoever has returned, surely…”
“Ji-ho.”
Thump.
Set grabbed the shoulders of Yeon Ji-ho, who was busy rattling off the whole story. Suddenly coming to his senses, Yeon Ji-ho’s eyes met Set’s odd eyes. Set spoke with an unwavering gaze.
“You are more important than them, Ji-ho. Your condition. Are you alright?”
Only then did Yeon Ji-ho see that Set’s odd eyes were tinged with worry. What he wanted to know now wasn’t news about Baal or Apophis. His eyes wanted to know, more than anything, if Yeon Ji-ho was okay.
Seeing eyes so worried about him… Yeon Ji-ho felt a sting in the tip of his nose for some reason.
He wanted to tell this man who was so worried about him the secret he was keeping right away. That in fact, it seemed he was carrying his child. That maybe they had made a mistake. But that they should definitely raise it together.
“…Of course I’m fine.”
But he knew that wasn’t what was important at this moment. Set had things he needed to do. It wouldn’t be too late to talk about it after they returned… He didn’t want to confuse him.
“Ji-ho. Listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”
Set’s even breath came out long. Chronos was checking the situation, looking around from the side.
“We’re going to leave this place as soon as we rescue Baal.”
“…Leave?”
“Yes. To your world, Korea, where you came from.”
“W-what about Isquis?”
Yeon Ji-ho looked around Set, but only Chronos was there; neither Shango, who had left together, nor Isquis was in sight. When he asked about this, puzzled, Set blinked and answered.
“Shango has already taken Isquis. I told him to find Apophis, so he should manage well on his own.”
“But Apophis was also captured by people who looked like knights…”
“Ji-ho. Didn’t I tell you? There’s no need to worry about them. Apophis was known as the most outstanding magician in this world. He will surely survive on his own.”
At Set’s words, a faint sense of relief filled Yeon Ji-ho’s eyes. In fact, when Yeon Ji-ho was teleported here alone, he had worried about Apophis’s safety more than anything.
“Once Shango meets Apophis, they’ll prepare for the move immediately.”
“Is it possible… to move right now?”
Yeon Ji-ho, who knew better than anyone that Apophis’s mana was limited, asked again. However, Set nodded without changing his expression.
“We’ll use the gate in the imperial palace.”
“…!”
“It doesn’t require Apophis’s mana because it accumulates the mana of magicians. We’ll leave this place using that.”
The gate in the imperial palace.
The moment he heard those words, Yeon Ji-ho felt a strange sense of déjà vu. It was because this gate often appeared in ‘The Star of Hadad’ novel.
Star. His star.
Hadad had always been searching for it. Because his dead mother had said that Hadad’s star would be sleeping in the imperial palace, Hadad would sometimes imagine himself working in the imperial palace.
Without knowing what power that star held.
The star of Hadad, which he and Gliese had searched for so desperately, was hidden in none other than the imperial palace gate. His star with vast power, if only he had that, the beasts of Gorgon would be…
The place where Hadad’s star was hidden, which was found in the last chapter of the novel.
That place was the gate of the imperial palace. How surprised they were to find out that the most important treasure was hidden in a place that the imperial family normally used as an ordinary gate.
“That gate… it’s deep inside the imperial palace, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
Originally, they would have chosen to wait for Apophis’s mana to recover after rescuing Baal and Isquis, and then return leisurely. However, the urgent situation made that impossible.
It would take at least ten days for Apophis’s mana to recover, and since becoming emperor, Hadad had been pouring all his efforts into chasing Set, postponing all the politics and governance he had planned. In such a situation, there was no way they could wait for ten days.
“Until the gate is activated, I will draw Hadad’s attention.”
“…!”
“Your Excellency…!”
Chronos, who had been listening quietly from the side, exclaimed with a surprised face. Although Set had said earlier that he was going to capture Hadad, Chronos didn’t know it would be him alone.
Yeon Ji-ho immediately tried to stop Set. The idea of him dealing with Hadad alone, not all together, was too dangerous.
However, before Yeon Ji-ho and Chronos could say anything, Set spoke first, adding:
“Don’t worry, Ji-ho. I promised, didn’t I? That I would return with you.”
“Then we should go together!”
“I’m just buying time. My goal is not to capture Hadad. It’s to catch his attention.”
Set was a man who knew better than anyone how strong Hadad was, and he knew that escaping all at once from this imperial palace, which was in the palm of Hadad’s hand, was nearly impossible.
So he decided that he, being the strongest, would stay behind to draw attention.
“I’m not saying I’ll stay here alone.”
“…”
“Ji-ho, a life without you no longer holds any meaning for me.”
Yeon Ji-ho clenched his fist so tightly that his nails dug into his palm. He wouldn’t know how heartbreaking it was that he couldn’t be of any help in this situation.
Even when Set volunteered for the most dangerous role, all he could do was step aside so as not to get in his way. His eyes squeezed shut.
“You know, Set…”
“Yes, Ji-ho.”
“When we get back, I have something I must tell you.”
“What is it? I’d like to hear it now.”
Yeon Ji-ho’s lips trembled. I have to smile. I have to smile somehow. This is all I can do for him, isn’t it?
“Later, later… It’s not something I should say now.”
“Ji-ho, if you’re saying it like that, it must be quite an extraordinary story. Is it good news?”
“Of course.”
This time, Yeon Ji-ho replied firmly.
“Maybe you’ll cry like me when you hear it.”
Although it might have been a mistake, although it wasn’t planned. Even though he was anxious and scared, he never thought he disliked it. He had been nervous about how Set would react when he told him, but he never regretted it.
“I see… Then I must return with you, if only to hear that story.”
As Set finished speaking, Chronos, who had been standing back, approached. It meant they should move now, as many presences were being felt around them.
“Your Excellency, first we need to go get Baal as Ji-ho said. Shango should have met Apophis by now, so to match the timing, we should hurry…”
“Understood. Ji-ho, where did you say you saw Baal?”
Yeon Ji-ho composed his emotions and started to retrace his steps. Not knowing how long Baal could hold out, Yeon Ji-ho’s steps kept getting faster.
“Right now, Baal is facing the knights alone.”
“Ji-ho, there’s no need to worry so much. To capture Baal, at least someone like Reckless would have to come out.”
At Set’s words, Yeon Ji-ho’s steps only became more hurried. It was because he had just heard the news of Reckless’s return from people earlier. Maybe by now, they might have met…
When the three of them reached the imperial palace garden where Yeon Ji-ho and Baal had been, that’s when they saw it. In the distance, Baal’s pole-like head was visible through the tall garden grass.
“Baal…!”
When Yeon Ji-ho called out unknowingly, Baal’s head in the distance turned towards them. And at that moment, there was someone who caught their eye even before Baal. Chronos, watching from the side, clicked his tongue briefly.
“Something even worse than Reckless has shown up.”
Hadad was looking this way with a gentle smile. With a bloodied Baal in front of him.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
I swear if that b*tch hadad doesn’t die… I’ll f*cking riot!