143.
The moment Jinhyeon realized this, he imitated Iven’s steps. Using qi to run, he could achieve a speed incomparable to just moments ago. Even the usually composed Iven couldn’t help but be surprised at this. After all, Jinhyeon had perfectly replicated something that would typically take a long time to learn properly in just an instant.
He couldn’t have known it originally. It would be foolish to hide one’s skills in such a situation. In Iven’s view, Jinhyeon wasn’t that foolish. If that was the case, this must be genuine talent. As this thought occurred to him, Iven began to covet Jinhyeon.
If Jinhyeon were to join the imperial family, wouldn’t that reduce the work Iven, had to do? Having seen how he was called here and there since Salamander’s retirement, he felt a strong temptation.
“You said your name was Jinhyeon?”
Asked while running, Jinhyeon momentarily furrowed his brow.
“Yes.”
Good heavens. He could even speak while running using qi. Someone like this absolutely had to come to the imperial family. Iven, too excited, momentarily forgot the situation.
“How about coming to the imperial family, if you’re willing?”
Jinhyeon didn’t respond to Iven’s question.
“If you come to the imperial family, I’ll support you to do whatever you want. You could definitely become an imperial knight.”
The more Iven talked, the colder Jinhyeon’s expression became.
“I don’t need it.”
Iven, belatedly realizing this, shut his mouth, but it was already too late. Still, it was fortunate that he hadn’t blurted out everything he was thinking. Originally, he had planned to advise that love is fleeting and not to get too attached, but if he had done so, the atmosphere would have become even more hostile.
Iven, reflecting on his actions, ran quietly. Finally, they arrived at a cabin deep in the forest. The small cabin looked like it might belong to an ordinary hunter. It was quiet around, as if no one was staying there.
Jinhyeon stepped forward and pulled open the cabin door. Unlike the exterior, the cozy interior had changed slightly compared to before they left. The cushions that had been gathered were scattered, and broken wood pieces were rolling on the floor. The rug in front was stained red with an unidentifiable liquid.
‘It’s blood.’
Jinhyeon crouched down and brushed the rug with his hand. The smell of blood from what stuck to his hand stung his nose. Iven, who had followed, also noticed this.
“Was the family head staying here? This looks like a broken wooden spoon. Wonder which side used it.”
Regardless of who used the spoon, the fact that someone had bled here remained unchanged. Iven looked at Jinhyeon, whose face had lost all expression, and added:
“It probably wasn’t the family head. No one in their right mind would harm the head of Lucid outright. They probably used other means for intimidation.”
Only then did Jinhyeon grasp his anger-boiling mind. Iven was right. Perhaps they had used someone else to drag Yu Jin away. If so, this would be the blood of someone from the back alleys. He stepped out of the cabin with a cooled head.
All of this was Jinhyeon’s fault for failing to protect Yu Jin from the enemy. Jinhyeon looked around, deeply blaming himself.
Haruna scolded Keith.
“What would you have done if I wasn’t here!”
Haruna, moving with the knights, had by chance found the scene where Keith was fighting Grey. Keith was fighting quite well, but his opponent was no pushover as a magician. Moreover, one side was injured, so the situation naturally turned unfavorable. It was fortunate that their distance was close, limiting the magician to only low-level spells that could be used quickly.
Thanks to this, Keith stubbornly survived, and Haruna, along with the knights, captured Grey.
“Let go!”
Grey twisted his body and shouted, but the knight holding him down didn’t budge. The knight captain, being quick-witted, realized that Grey was a member of Leviathan.
“He’s Aksen’s disciple.”
With Keith revealing his identity, the knight nodded and dragged Grey into the bushes. Keith followed as if it were natural. Haruna frowned at Keith’s behavior but didn’t stop him.
“Don’t do it yourself.”
Keith’s wounds, which someone had bandaged, had reopened. Since they had just been rebandaged, excessive movement wasn’t good.
“I got it.”
Keith, who had promised, watched as the knight tortured Grey. Grey, true to being Aksen’s disciple, acted cunningly. Realizing he couldn’t do anything, he started spitting out information. Of course, that didn’t mean it was helpful information. Each piece was far from the immediate information they needed. Finally, Keith, unable to bear it, stepped forward.
Seeing Keith step forward, Grey grinned even in this situation.
“Will you be okay?”
Grey looked at Keith and asked.
“What?”
“I may be Aksen’s disciple, but you’re Rector’s disciple too, aren’t you?”
Hearing this, the knight’s gaze turned to Keith.
“That’s right. I’m also Rector’s disciple.”
One of the several knights clinging to Grey stood up. But Keith had no intention of avoiding, so he stood still.
“Wait a moment!”
Haruna hastily opened her mouth.
“Even if they’re both disciples, their situations are different! Keith betrayed Rector. He didn’t even become a disciple willingly in the first place.”
At this, the approaching knight stopped in his tracks. And as if to confirm if this was true, he looked at Grey.
“Was he really not a willing disciple? And betrayal, you say?”
Grey seemed determined to drag Keith in. Haruna glared at him with vicious eyes, but his babbling mouth wouldn’t stop.
“After all he’s received until now! If you’re going to catch me, catch that guy too!”
“No. Keith has nothing to do with this incident. The family head knows this too.”
“The family head knows?”
“Yes! This incident was also planned by the family head and Keith. To eliminate Leviathan.”
The knight captain, hearing Haruna’s words, seemed to have organized his thoughts. The subtle hostility towards Keith disappeared. He seemed to want to put aside the time Keith had spent with Yu Jin for now.
“I’ll believe you. But just in case, please act in a way that we can trust you.”
It was suddenly telling them not to run away. Haruna nodded and tightly held Keith’s hand. This might not be restraint, but it was better than doing nothing.
“You really believe it? I’m asking if you really believe it! That guy is Leviathan too!”
Grey shouted loudly, but even that didn’t last long. The knights resumed their torture to make him spit out the information he knew. The information obtained this way was cross-verified with Keith’s information. However, even compiling information this way, they couldn’t immediately know where Yu Jin was.
Yu Jin woke up with a groan. In front of his eyes was an unfamiliar ceiling with elaborate and delicate carvings. It was an unfamiliar ceiling. He raised his heavy body and recalled his last memory. After the attack failed, Greyardin approached Yu Jin with a fierce voice.
Yu Jin, who had never experienced much physical pain before, tensed up. He was thinking of hitting him with the nearby cushion if necessary. At that moment, the cabin door opened and a man entered. Wearing a flowing robe, he looked like a magician.
“Lord Greyardin. I think it would be best if we left this place.”
“Already?”
“The pursuing knights have gotten quite close.”
“Your ‘quite’ is not as close as I thought.”
“Lord Greyardin.”
“You really worry too much.”
Despite saying this, Greyardin listened to the man, Aksen’s words.
“Then let’s move to the safe house we prepared in advance. You come along too.”
“Why should I!”
Yu Jin shouted while slowly backing away.
“Because your ally is in our hands right now.”
At those words, Aksen gestured outside. Then, a familiar man was dragged through the open door and thrown onto the floor.
“Gee?”
It was Gee, Blando’s friend whom he had seen in the back alleys. More than half of his body was stained with blood, but he seemed to be conscious as he occasionally groaned.
“We’re taking him too. Are you going to let him go alone?”
Greyardin asked in a mischievous tone. Yu Jin glared at Greyardin while biting his lips. It was annoying how he pretended to give a choice when he would drag him along regardless of the answer.
“I’ll go quietly. Just don’t harm Gee any further.”
“Shall we?”
At Greyardin’s words, Aksen bowed his head and replied.
“We won’t harm him anymore.”
“Good. It’s settled then. Now come here.”
Yu Jin moved his retreated body forward again. And when he got close enough to touch, Greyardin grabbed his arm.
“You’ll like the new place too.”
After that, Yu Jin lost consciousness. And when he woke up, he was in a new place. After getting up, he looked around the room. Despite the elaborate ceiling he had seen, the furniture in the room was simpler than expected. He thought there might be someone else, but there was no one inside. Just in case, he even opened the bathroom door.
After checking everything, he stood in front of the door leading outside. He thought it would naturally be locked, but it wasn’t. Yu Jin opened the door and went out, only then realizing that he was on the second floor. The interior wasn’t as big as he thought. From the outside, it probably looked like an ordinary two-story house.
Leaning on the railing and looking down, he saw an annoying head. If he threw something now, he could probably hit it. With that thought, he scanned the corridor, but there was nothing particularly suitable to throw. It was a pity.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
