## C403
Cale lay in the hospital bed.
“Ahh.”
“Why are you sighing?”
Cale looked at Queen Tamahi, who had asked him the question.
Cale, lying neatly in bed with the blanket pulled up to his chest and bandages wrapped carefully, showed her bright eyes that reflected back at her. He seemed to be in a good mood.
—…I don’t know if this will be acceptable.
But she felt uneasy.
—It’s not like sleeping with the enemy.
Wanderer Cho and Ryeon.
She was uneasy about having to send those two along with Cale and Eruhaben.
—Yes! And what, isn’t it good?
However, Cale responded with an innocent smile. He really seemed excited.
—Aren’t you nervous?
—Not at all.
Cale had no reason to be nervous.
*If it really doesn’t go well, I’ll escape.*
He was sure he could escape without any problems. Especially if he was with the Ancient Dragon, with a thousand years of experience, nothing would scare him.
—Don’t worry.
Cale said, smiling widely, although the fake wounds and bandages made him look almost like a zombie.
—I’m going to fool them well. I’ll make the two forces clash in such a way that the sanctuary is completely destroyed. Ha, ha, ha!
Queen Tamahi, seeing his clear face, relaxed for a moment, but then spoke again with a stern face:
—Even though Wanderer Cho can be fooled, I doubt you can completely fool Ryeon. Besides, you have to make her face the Chaos as well.
Although she trusted the King’s words, the cautious Ryeon wondered: was she really going to face the Cult of the God of Chaos?
At that moment, Cale gave an enigmatic smile.
—Your Majesty —he said in a low voice—, don’t we have one last play?
Cale’s gaze moved to the side.
The Queen looked there too.
“……”
There, with his arms crossed and adopting a defiant posture —which, however, radiated the elegance of a masterpiece— stood the Ancient Dragon Eruhaben.
He tilted his head to the side.
—I will execute the final play. Do you think I will fail?
Wanderer Cho and Ryeon…
The final play to deceive them belonged to Eruhaben.
Queen Tamahi shook her head.
—No.
The Dragon before her didn’t seem like he was going to fail. In fact, Cale thought that both he and Eruhaben would be able to carry it out.
—Besides that, Ryeon seems to be a very cold person; I fear that even in the final play she won’t be able to maintain her composure.
—Well.
Cale shrugged.
—We must proceed according to the plan, without knowing what the outcome will be, but I have a feeling that the final play will go well.
—Mmm, I trust in that.
She decided to simply trust them.
*Knock, knock.*
From outside, the main servant’s voice was heard:
—It’s time.
—Your Majesty.
Cale asked the Queen:
—We’ll leave in about 10 minutes.
—Understood.
The Queen went out first to face the Wanderers.
Cale remained in this healing room, justifying himself by saying that he would heal and re-bandage before leaving for the Demon Kingdom.
—Do we send a message?
At Eruhaben’s question, Cale nodded.
The reason for those 10 minutes was to contact his companions.
* * *
—They’ve arrived.
In the center of the Seventh Evil, Cotton Castle,
at Rosalyn’s words, two people stood up:
Alberu and Heavenly Demon.
—Good luck! Later I’ll take Choi Han to follow you.
Raon, On, and Hong said goodbye to them.
Of course, there was also the little dragon Eden Miru.
Eden Miru sighed heavily, as Raon wouldn’t stop petting his head.
—I’ll take good care of Eden Miru! He, he!
At those words, Eden Miru couldn’t even sigh, turning his gaze away from Rosalyn, Alberu, and Heavenly Demon, who were smiling at him.
—But, I tell you…
Heavenly Demon got on the teleportation magic circle and asked Alberu:
—Isn’t teleportation supposed to be impossible inside the Demon Kingdom?
—Exactly. You have to travel to the border of the Demon Kingdom to be able to enter.
—What kind of place is that?
Alberu, instead of answering, turned to Rosalyn.
Rosalyn then answered Heavenly Demon:
—It’s the grave of the outcasts.
At that moment, Heavenly Demon’s face lit up enigmatically.
¡Paaat!
With a brilliant flash, the four headed towards the border of the Demon Kingdom.
There were four entrances to enter the Demon Kingdom, and they chose one.
* * *
—Are those two close friends?
—Yes.
The Queen answered the Wanderer Ryeon’s question politely:
“Where her gaze was directed, there was a bodyguard who had just crossed the threshold of the healing room.”
Eruhaben approached, carrying Cale on his back.
—I never imagined that, at my age, I would be carrying a brat like you.
Without having heard what Eruhaben said to Cale, Wanderer Ryeon asked again:
—Do you mean he’s simply a bodyguard, that is, a guard?
—Yes. That servant offered himself as a bodyguard when he entered the royal palace. He worked in the palace where Young Master Hinpa resided, and sometimes he served as a bodyguard for me in rotating shifts.
Queen Tamahi continued:
—The servant calmed down when he was with the bodyguards, so we had to assign him that task exclusively.
—…I understand.
—Yes.
Ryeon looked at Eruhaben with an enigmatic gaze.
He was a dark-haired man, wearing the ordinary uniform of a palace bodyguard.
*Strange.*
Although, immersed in reviewing the avalanche of information, he hadn’t noticed it before…
*That bodyguard…*
He was very strange.
Apart from having a very attractive face, the atmosphere he emanated and his way of walking were enigmatic.
—Mmm. She doesn’t seem to be lying.
Queen Tamahi didn’t seem to have lied about that bodyguard.
*There would be no reason for it.*
Would she dare to lie so blatantly?
Queen Tamahi would not be able to handle the consequences of such a lie, and he knew it well.
*Then…*
A peculiar light ignited in Ryeon’s eyes.
*There’s only one.*
If that man wasn’t really a bodyguard, but an infiltrated spy in the palace, his true identity would be unique:
*The Cult of the God of Chaos.*
It was very likely that he belonged to that cult.
*Will they simply disappear after doing something of such magnitude? That makes no sense.*
Ryeon’s gaze darkened.
The Cult of the God of Chaos, which had deceived the Five-Colored Family without a trace and was preparing for betrayal, did not fit the idea that, after committing such an act, they planned to simply disappear.
*Perhaps they have left some hidden clue to observe the proceedings of the Kingdom of Lan and our Five-Colored Family.*
For this, where would it be more appropriate for the Cult of the God of Chaos to have left that clue?
*The only point of support of the witness.*
Yes. That only witness, who shudders just remembering the God of Chaos. If his companion turns out to be that hidden clue, then, ultimately, he will meet the King of the Kingdom of Lan and the Wanderers, allowing him to assess the situation without difficulty.
—…Ryeon!
—Ah.
While Ryeon continued her thoughts, she stopped.
—What are you doing?
Cho’s expression betrayed irritation.
—Hmm.
Suddenly, the servant and the bodyguard arrived in front of both of them.
The Queen spoke to the bodyguard:
—Take good care of both of them, and your task is to take care of this boy.
—Yes, Your Majesty.
The bodyguard replied with a solemn expression.
Although the order was nothing special, his face was extremely determined, as if he had another assignment.
Ryeon’s eyes filled with suspicion at that moment.
—Ryeon! What the hell are you thinking?
At Cho’s words, she stopped immediately.
*Yes, it’s just a suspicion.*
You can’t let a doubt ruin everything.
*Because that bodyguard could simply be a common man.*
Ryeon, despite her suspicions, decided to follow the plan.
—Let’s go.
“Wu, wu, wu—”
On the teleportation magic circle, created by the Kingdom of Lan’s mage, Cho got on and pointed with his hand.
Already, the servant and the bodyguard were next to him.
—Well, let’s go.
Ryeon also got on the circle, following them.
She remembered the message she received after informing the Five-Colored Family:
Cult of the God of Chaos.
Being a force both of the greatest ally and a potential enemy, facing them required permission from superiors.
In the family, only three people could grant her such authorization. Three who possessed the singularity of the Five-Colored class/category.
—You and Cho possess powers of transparent level, but when joined they reach the Five-Colored level. If you two are together, you will be able to face almost any situation, even in the sanctuary of the god of Chaos.
Cho and Ryeon, despite being twins with opposite singularities, were said to reach the Five-Colored level when joined.
—Ryeon, you are a sensible girl; prevent Cho from making hasty decisions. I trust your judgment, so act freely.
The superiors had authorized her to go to the sanctuary, and, in addition, she was given responsibility for all decisions.
*Well, let’s act prudently.*
When Ryeon made her decision, she felt the magic circle activate with a brilliant glow.
In addition, she heard her brother Cho leave a few last words to the King.
—Hey, King!
Wanderer Cho, who normally wouldn’t dare challenge the King in this way, on this occasion showed not the slightest deference.
He warned:
—I’ll be watching in the future.
The King’s face turned somber. Even under the glow of the circle, that look that made him want to slam a door on Cho’s neck was noticeable.
He laughed lightly.
—How amusing.
With those words, his gaze turned towards the southwest, towards the Demon Kingdom.
* * *
Demon Kingdom.
That was the name given to the region that grouped jungles, deserts, and all kinds of rugged terrain.
*Deserts, jungles, underground, labyrinths. There’s everything.*
Alberu explained to Cale about the Demon Kingdom:
“Each zone has its own leader and there are countless forces.
The peculiarity of the Demon Kingdom is that, according to the rules of the game, it is not possible to teleport within it.
Also, being a dangerous terrain, mobility is extremely difficult.
If the Eight Evils, because they are at too low a level and are fearsome, are difficult to approach, the Demon Kingdom, on the other hand, is not frequented by many either.
First, because traveling is complicated.
Second, because it is not very useful.
Also, it is an area where almost no missions are given.
It was the place where outcasts in the New World went: rejected races, people with various stories that forced them to leave their homeland, and sometimes even criminals.
Really, all kinds of people gathered there, which generated numerous incidents and turned the area into a high-crime area.
So, unless you were a veteran, the Demon Kingdom was not a place you dared to enter.
Furthermore, the Demon Kingdom rejects outsiders and sometimes attacks them.
It was considered an extremely hostile region.”
¡Paaat!
With a brilliant flash, Cale arrived at the border of the Demon Kingdom.
Of the four entrances, the one the Wanderers chose was…
—Bah, there are too many bugs and weeds here; I don’t like it.
It was a jungle.
A low, rough wire fence marked the border, and beyond it stretched the jungle, easily passable.
—There’s no other option. This path is the fastest.
As Ryeon said, the route to the primordial sanctuary was the fastest if you took the path through the jungle.
Cale buried his face in Eruhaben’s back and smiled.
Surely Alberu has already entered the Demon Kingdom from this side too.
—I know the location more or less; let’s go that way.
Ryeon, leading the group, turned to look back.
—Stay in the middle.
—Yes.
Following her instructions, Eruhaben positioned himself between Cho and Ryeon.
—Don’t do anything stupid, and even better, follow me without making a sound.
—Yes.
Eruhaben nodded servilely.
—Ryeon, why are you doing this even?
—Ryeon, we have to hurry!
—Understood.
She asked Eruhaben:
—Being a palace bodyguard, I think you have the agility to move quickly. Will you be able to follow us if we increase the speed?
—I’ll do my best.
—Good.
Ryeon stepped firmly and launched forward. Her speed increased…
*Ssssss—*
Although it was a jungle, there was a path near the entrance, so traveling wasn’t that difficult.
Of course, branches, leaves, vines, weeds, insects, and other things obstructed their path.
¡Crac!
Everything froze.
¡Chas!
Branches broke while frozen.
Meanwhile, Ryeon took a furtive glance back.
“……”
The bodyguard, out of breath, was struggling to keep up.
So far, he didn’t seem to be using internal techniques, but simply relying on his physical strength.
—Ryeon, this guy moves well, so don’t worry and hurry; if not, I’ll take these two with me too!
Ryeon nodded and turned her gaze back to the front. Of course, she gave the bodyguard one last look, a cold and menacing one, like a warning.
“……”
Eruhaben lowered his head and ran with determination.
Ryeon’s gaze drifted; however, she could feel Cho’s gaze behind her.
—Cale, you’re getting dark.
Eruhaben looked around.
Demon Kingdom.
The jungle was a dangerous terrain because, as you go deeper, the path disappears, and all kinds of natural formations get in the way, plus insects, poisonous herbs, beasts, and monsters lurk.
The jungle was full of huge trees that were several times taller than humans, and the deeper you went, the darker the area became. It wasn’t as dark as at night, but even in broad daylight there were many places where sunlight didn’t penetrate.
—Cale, when the time comes, send me a signal.
When Cale, who was on his back, sent Eruhaben the first signal,
¡Grrrrr----!
The roar of a beast echoed in the deep darkness of the jungle.
¡Crack! ¡Crack!
An entity, crushing trees, emerged from the shadows.
“¡Krrr, jaja!”
The immense creature, showing a renewed appetite, was not a beast.
Wanderer Ryeon murmured softly:
“…They’re Beast People.”
They were Beast People, one of the factions established in the Demon Kingdom’s jungle.
Actually, the Beast People were not a rejected race in the New World, but these were different.
The Beast People who had settled in the Demon Kingdom did not abide by the conventions of the New World, but chose to live according to their own instincts.
¡Grrrrr---!
A tiger Beast Person.
Ryeon’s eyes dimmed at the sight of the huge beast blocking the path.
—Hehe—
And the tiger Beast Person, as if he had seen prey, licked his lips.
¡Paf!
At that moment, a crow that was perched on a branch rose into the sky and vanished.
Cale, seeing the signal vanish, fixed his gaze ahead.
¡Grrrr---!
Our majestic tiger chief of the Beast People, Gashan, had unleashed himself, sporting a fierce look as he hadn’t for a long time.
In that place, Cale’s companions were four in total:
Alberu, Rozalin, Heavenly Demon, and Gashan.
—The prey has arrived! Ha, ha, ha!
Chief Gashan, acting in front of the two Wanderers, thought:
*Will that “rabbit” be crushed to dust when Eruhaben attacks?*
With so many years of experience, Gashan also knew well how to escape.
Then, it was at that moment:
—What?! This damn beast!
Cho, passing Cale, moved forward, clearly annoyed.
Smiling slyly, Cale smiled.
—Cho, I’ll take care of it. You, stay put.
At the same time,
*tap-tap*,
Cale sent the signal to Eruhaben.
It took a moment: in that brief moment, when one of the Beast People appeared, which the Wanderers underestimated, was enough.
Cale noticed a flash of platinum dust in their eyes.
Damn. Cale wasn't kidding. Eruhaben's performance is Oscar worthy for sure. Pretty clear that that's their intention in the 1st place, making out Eruhaben as an agent of Chaos.. 😂
ReplyDelete