73
“Um… Nen, Apophis wasn’t attacking me, he was trying to hand me the dagger.”
When Yeon Ji-ho spoke as if to explain to Nen, Nen tilted his head repeatedly with a face that didn’t understand. He didn’t seem particularly interested in understanding the situation.
“Ugh, my back…”
Apophis, who had fallen after being hit by Nen, got up clutching his back. When Yeon Ji-ho carefully approached to help him up, Apophis shook his head, saying he was fine.
“They usually don’t act this agile during missions… Anyway, I’m fine. Please continue what you were doing, Mr. Ji-ho.”
Reassured by Apophis’s words, Yeon Ji-ho gripped the knife handle tightly. Then he brought the blade to the tip of his finger.
Having never deliberately cut his own hand before, it was a strangely tense moment. Both Nen and Apophis’s gazes were fixed on Yeon Ji-ho’s fingertip.
The moment the sharp blade touched his fingertip, a drop of blood burst out.
At the same time, Yeon Ji-ho quickly dipped his finger into the potion before the blood could drip down. He must have pricked it quite deeply, as red droplets quickly dispersed into the potion.
“Ah.”
“…Huh.”
“…”
And the blood droplets, which were clearly red at first, seemed to merge with the potion at some point and turned blue. Soon after, the transparent potion turned completely blue.
“Haa…”
Yeon Ji-ho was the first to react. As what he had thought impossible became reality, his head started to ache. When he touched his head, it was hot from overload.
“M-Mr. Ji-ho… Really…”
Yeon Ji-ho wasn’t the only one surprised. Apophis, who had been watching from the side, opened his eyes wide in shock when the potion actually turned blue.
However, Yeon Ji-ho wasn’t in a state to say anything to Apophis. It was quite different when something you thought “might happen” actually became reality.
What should I do now?
That overwhelming feeling hit him first. But he didn’t have any particular plan in mind. The only thought was, “I’m pregnant.”
Then suddenly, Yeon Ji-ho missed Set. Even though seeing him right now wouldn’t solve anything. The bridge of his nose ached severely.
“…Baby?”
At that moment, an unfamiliar voice pierced Yeon Ji-ho’s ears. Forgetting that he was about to cry, he quickly turned his head and met Nen’s gaze, who was blinking at him.
Towards Nen, who kept staring at him, Yeon Ji-ho unconsciously muttered:
“Uh… I thought you didn’t speak…”
“What? Did you just talk?”
At Apophis’s question, Nen shut his mouth as if he had never spoken. But his gaze remained fixed on Yeon Ji-ho.
Then he walked over and firmly grasped Yeon Ji-ho’s wrist. Before Yeon Ji-ho could react, Nen pulled him to the bed and made him sit down. Then he looked down at Yeon Ji-ho quietly, his eyes seeming to hold concern.
“No, that, well… Um. Apophis, in this situation…”
“It seems that kid has taken quite a liking to you, Mr. Ji-ho.”
…Is it the power of chocolate?
Thinking of how Nen had been munching earlier, it was quite a convincing explanation. Anyway, as Yeon Ji-ho sat on the bed, Apophis poured water into a glass and brought it to him.
“…You must have been very surprised.”
“Well… I had some expectations, but I was still shocked.”
Apophis seemed to have calmed his surprised mind by then. In fact, the very idea that Yeon Ji-ho was from another world was truly unbelievable. Hesitating, Apophis spoke softly:
“…His Excellency will be overjoyed when he hears this.”
“You think so?”
“If he heard it now, he might turn back immediately from wherever he’s gone.”
“Haha, I thought so too, that’s why I felt I should keep it a secret for now.”
Apophis knew better than anyone how much Set had longed for a family. Occasionally, when they went out hunting on horseback and happened to see a happy family passing by, Set couldn’t take his eyes off them.
Recalling those times, Apophis suddenly sniffled. He quickly raised his arm to wipe his face.
“I never thought… His Excellency would have a day like this.”
“Oh, oh. Apophis, don’t cry.”
“I’m sorry… It’s just so unbelievable.”
The Set Gorgon that Apophis knew never thought he would have children, let alone someone to love him. He always thought he would die alone and go to hell.
Even if it had to be that way, his sins were countless, and there were innumerable people in this world who resented Set. Set was the one who lived hearing all the despair and condemnation that existed in the world.
Just as there is always darkness where there is light, Set’s role was always limited to darkness.
“When Set returns this time, I’ll tell him myself.”
“Please do. If you tell him directly, Mr. Ji-ho… Haha, I can’t even imagine His Excellency’s face.”
How happy he’ll be. He’ll probably be dazed with disbelief at first, then tightly hug Yeon Ji-ho. Then he’ll worry if he used too much strength and pull away in surprise.
A gentle smile appeared on Apophis’s lips as he imagined this scene.
Really, perhaps they might become happy after all this is over. That thought began to fill Apophis’s mind. If they could leave this place and start anew somewhere else, as if reborn…
That’s when it happened.
“…Nen?”
Nen, who had been quietly standing by, suddenly bared his teeth. As he started to growl, the smile on Apophis’s face instantly disappeared.
“…Mr. Ji-ho, this way.”
“What’s going on?”
Apophis lifted Yeon Ji-ho, who had been sitting on the bed, and brought him close. Then he cautiously looked in the direction Nen was staring at.
Nen was looking up above his head, not at the wall they had entered through.
“Why is everyone…”
Thud, thud.
Yeon Ji-ho’s words were cut off. A loud sound, as if something was being pounded, came from beyond the wall that served as the entrance.
At that moment, something began to be drawn in the air as if stars were being embroidered. As a handful of strange light came and went, someone’s figure appeared.
“Ah, hello…?”
Yeon Ji-ho’s eyes widened. It was a face he knew as well.
The magician boy who had been with Hadad last time. The one Hadad had called Merdin. Floating in the air, he looked down at the three of them and apologized briefly.
“…I’m sorry. I found you first.”
Nen leaping towards the boy and the well-sealed door being torn open happened simultaneously. Knights in shining silver armor jumped in, filling the small room. The situation turned urgent.
“Capture everyone in here!”
As the owner of the golden armor, who seemed to be commanding the knights, shouted, the knights who had been pointing their swords began to move. At the same time, Apophis firmly grasped Yeon Ji-ho’s wrist. He spoke softly through gritted teeth:
“Mr. Ji-ho, from now on, you’ll move alone. You must remember my words well.”
“…What?”
“Please find His Excellency. ☐☐☐☐☐☐.”
Apophis’s voice distorted. Through Yeon Ji-ho’s wide-open eyes, he saw Nen being grabbed by the nape by a knight and Apophis’s face being seized in one hand.
And that was the end.
“…! Apophis?!”
When Yeon Ji-ho closed and opened his eyes once, he was in a different place. As if being trapped in that small room had been a dream.
Before his eyes stretched an endless green field. He couldn’t tell where this was, whether it was still the capital Asterra.
“Did I… teleport?”
Overwhelmed by everything that had happened in the blink of an eye, Yeon Ji-ho flexed and stretched his fingers. He knew Apophis was a magician, but he hadn’t expected him to be capable of such a simple teleportation spell.
He had suddenly become a lone stranger dropped in unfamiliar territory.
Where should he go? No, shouldn’t he first figure out where this place is?
As he was pondering, he heard someone’s voice. Yeon Ji-ho instinctively crouched and hid in the bushes.
“His Majesty seems to be in a bad mood.”
“I know, why is he so fixated on that strange part…”
“Forget it. Let’s just focus on our guard duty. It’s not good to stand out at times like this.”
His Majesty? Guard duty?
Yeon Ji-ho’s mouth opened slightly as he hid. No way, surely not. It was an unbelievable story, but…
“What’s the point of guarding the Empress’s garden when there’s no owner? Ah, I’m dying of boredom.”
“Still, judging by the atmosphere, soon the Empress will…”
The voices of the two chattering people faded away. Yeon Ji-ho’s heart was still pounding heavily.
So this place is… the imperial palace.
In other words, it was Set’s destination.
