67
Again.
Once more, the word “protagonist” came from Hadad’s mouth. The sense of déjà vu deeply embedded in Yeon Ji-ho’s mind rang out again. He had mentioned the protagonist before.
‘Ji-ho, why don’t you love me? Don’t you feel attraction towards me?’
‘I’m the protagonist.’
The attitude that it was natural for someone to be attracted to him and fall in love with him. The confidence that he could accomplish anything. Hadad was always bold and full of certainty, no matter when or where.
At that moment, a streak of hypothesis flashed through Ji-ho’s mind.
Perhaps he knows that he’s the protagonist of this novel.
If that’s the case, does he also know… who the villain of this novel is?
The thought couldn’t continue further. Hadad’s movements had changed. He moved his fingers to give some order to the magician boy beside him.
“Damn it, □□□□□…!”
Simultaneously, incomprehensible words flowed from Apophis, who was a little distance away. The exchange between the two magicians continued.
Sparkles like fireworks adorned the night sky, bursting repeatedly before Ji-ho’s eyes. While his attention was caught by this, Set began to slowly retreat backward, holding Ji-ho close.
“Ji-ho, listen carefully. We’re going to escape from here first.”
“J-just the two of us?”
“It’s certain now that Hadad’s target is you. So first…”
That’s when it happened. A loud noise erupted from where Hadad was floating in the air.
Looking up, Ji-ho saw Shango, who had somehow gotten behind Hadad, swinging his axe down at him. It seemed he had jumped from a nearby tree.
However, Hadad didn’t dodge it. The moment Shango’s axe struck, a shield surrounding Hadad’s entire body flickered with a strange light.
“For a clumsy bear, you sure sneak around like a mouse.”
“…”
Shango, failing to land his attack, tumbled down. Fortunately, Shango landed safely and gripped his axe, ready to leap again. But Hadad had long since focused on something else.
“Poor Set, you don’t need to flee so hastily. I truly don’t intend to take Ji-ho away today.”
“…”
“I’ve just made a decision.”
Hadad’s eyes gleamed with madness. He slowly caressed the scabbard at his waist as he spoke.
“This time, I’ll rehabilitate all of Gorgon’s beasts. So that they can be reborn as proper humans.”
Rehabilitation. It was an incredibly arrogant word. He looked down at Apophis and Shango as if he had become a god himself.
“I’ll break the horns of the raging buffalo, pluck the wings of the struggling bird, and cut out the tongue of the vicious snake. I’ll punish all those evildoers.”
“…”
“How should I deal with that black bear? Ah, I’ll just peel off all of his ugly skin.”
He spoke as if he absolutely had to do this. As if he could only become the protagonist by punishing them all with his own hands.
“And then, I’ll have Ji-ho.”
With those words, a blue-black sword bloomed in Set’s hand. Hadad’s face broke into a grin at the sword energy that seemed ready to burst forth at any moment. He seemed pleased by Set’s angry reaction.
“Ji-ho, just hold on a little longer. Soon…”
Before Hadad could finish speaking, a massive sword energy from Set’s hand rushed towards him. The energy that seemed to tear everything around it flew towards him.
At the same time, Hadad and the magician boy’s forms disappeared from the air. The sword energy that futilely swept through where they had been mercilessly tore through the forest and rocks behind.
“…”
“…”
After Hadad disappeared, a warlike atmosphere hung over the caravan. It was probably because everyone had heard Hadad’s unfinished last words.
‘Soon, I’ll come to save you.’
***
“We must go to Hwangseong.”
In front of the caravan with almost all windows wide open. Those gathered around the circular camping table were engaged in conversation. Apophis, who had spread out a map in the center, was the first to speak.
“This is an urgent matter. If Isquis’s wings have truly been torn off, I don’t know how long he’ll last until I can personally treat him.”
Apophis bit his lower lip deeply after finishing his words. It was he who had performed the wing surgery on young Isquis, and it was also he who couldn’t remove them because separating them would endanger his life. He always felt a strange guilt about Isquis.
Apophis looked at Set with desperate eyes. However, the answer came from a different direction instead of Set, who remained silent.
“That’s probably what the prince wants most.”
It was Chronos, who was sitting half-perched on the makeshift steps attached to the caravan. He looked at Apophis with cold eyes.
“You can tell just by the fact that he came all this way and left without doing anything. He’s confident. Confident that we’ll come looking for him.”
“Are you saying we should just let Isquis die like this?!”
Apophis’s indignant voice pierced the air. At their feet lay Isquis’s torn-off wing that Hadad had thrown down earlier.
The warmth of the wing had not yet cooled. Looking at the wing dripping with blood, one could imagine how horrific the scene must have been when it was ripped out.
“…Be quiet, Apophis.”
It was Shango who mediated the situation. When Shango, who had been silent all along, spoke briefly, Apophis also took a deep breath and stopped speaking. However, his anger hadn’t subsided, as evidenced by his clenched teeth.
Seeing this, Chronos also sighed. After hearing Apophis’s words, it seemed like they were just having an unnecessary emotional argument over a problem without a solution.
“Your Excellency…”
Shango, who had mediated the situation, quietly called out to Set. When their eyes met, Shango silently bowed his head deeply.
This was Shango’s own language, indicating that he would follow whatever order Set gave. Whether it was to go rescue Isquis as Apophis suggested, or to flee as Hadad wanted, to prevent his wishes from coming true.
Set looked around at everyone in turn, including Shango. Finally, his eyes met with Yeon Ji-ho, who was sitting next to him.
Set opened his mouth.
“Our first destination is Asterra, the capital.”
“Your Excellency!”
“Your Excellency…”
Chronos and Apophis had contrasting reactions. Asterra, the capital, was where Hwangseong, where Hadad was, existed.
Apophis was pleased with Set’s decision to go to Hwangseong, but also looked at Ji-ho with worried eyes. Noticing this concern, Set continued speaking.
“We’ll drop Ji-ho off at a hideout, then head to Hwangseong.”
“By hideout, you mean…”
“We’ll have to use the information guild. Find people who’ll do anything for money. And… Apophis, you’ll stay there with Ji-ho.”
“…!”
Apophis’s mouth fell open. He hadn’t expected that he would be the one to protect Ji-ho.
Apophis, the only magician among the beasts, might have slightly lower absolute attack power, but he had the most balanced offense and defense. Because of this, he was often deployed in more wars than even Baal, who was considered the strongest.
However, Apophis bowed his head and accepted the order. Hadad’s target was none other than Ji-ho, so this might turn out to be the most dangerous mission.
“…Understood.”
“We’ll leave the carriage before entering the capital. Prepare a new one.”
“Yes!”
As the immediate plans were being finalized, only Chronos’s expression remained unfavorable. Even after Apophis and Shango left to prepare for departure, Chronos didn’t leave his seat.
Chronos called Set when only the three of them remained.
“Your Excellency.”
“What is it, Chronos?”
“…I have a bad feeling about this.”
Chronos, an ordinary small-folk warrior, had no special abilities. Nevertheless, he was able to become one of Gorgon’s beasts because of his exceptional intuition.
Although he didn’t receive prophecies like Gliese, most of Chronos’s hunches usually came true. Chronos described this ability of his as mere intuition, but it was an extraordinary skill.
Now, this Chronos was expressing uneasiness about this plan. It was unlike Chronos, who had always plunged into battles without hesitation even when he sensed defeat in all previous wars.
“I keep feeling… like we’re making the wrong choices. Is this just my anxiety?”
“We might be wrong.”
“Ji-ho! Can I have a word with you?”
Just then, Apophis called out to Ji-ho. It seemed he had something to say to him regarding Set’s order to hide Ji-ho in a safehouse.
As Set nodded, Ji-ho stood up and went towards Apophis. Watching Ji-ho’s retreating figure, Set spoke briefly to Chronos.
“But it doesn’t matter. As long as Ji-ho is safe, that’s all that matters to me.”
“You mean…”
“Even if I have to give up an arm, even if I can no longer walk, it’s fine.”
Set’s odd eyes shone with determination. Even after sending Ji-ho away, his gaze remained fixed solely on Ji-ho’s retreating figure.
“We’re going back. To where we’re supposed to be.”
