Chapter 174 : Chapter 174

Chapter 174: The Meaning of the Warning

While ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍El and Ran’s exchange continued, Ratel and Ria stood before the ash-gray mist.

The ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍black mist that Ran had shattered into and mixed with was merely pooled in the center without any major movement.

But ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍change always came without warning.

The ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍black mist suddenly began gathering in one place.

Startled ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍by the unexpected movement, Ria drew closer to the mist.

The ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍black floating particles were clumping back together.

They had said an orc would be born there.

If a new orc was born from that place that had swallowed both Jing and Ran, didn’t that mean the two of them had been used as materials?

Then had Ran failed?

Ominous assumptions ravaged Ria’s mind.

It was painful to have the curse right in front of her and be able to do nothing but think.

Especially when, despite that, she could not come up with any sharp solution.

She envied Ran, who quickly found a breakthrough in urgent situations.

How had Ran thought of using the holy object so quickly?

Wait, the holy object?

When her thoughts reached that point, Ria realized that she had briefly forgotten the existence of the holy object.

The holy object. Where is the holy object?

Ran had temporarily stopped the curse with his blood.

The orc’s blood had not worked, but could human blood perhaps work?

Like when the sword had eaten Jing.

She did not know what was what, but at the very least, it seemed better than standing around with her hands tied.

Then where did the holy object go?

As Ria looked around, she was able to find the holy object without difficulty.

The problem was that the sharp blade of that holy object was on the verge of cutting Ratel’s hand.

Ria wiped away the tears obstructing her vision with her hand and sprang to her feet.

Even after looking again, it was clear that he was trying to repeat Ran’s action.

“Ratel!!”

Calling Ratel’s name like a scream, Ria rushed in.

Ratel’s hand was pushed back for a moment as he avoided Ria, who had thrown herself toward the sword.

Ria felt relieved for a moment, thinking that at least a single thread of reason remained in him, but then she realized from the cold eyes looking down at her that Ratel had not the slightest intention of changing his mind.

Only then did Ria feel as if she understood the meaning of the last words Ran had left before disappearing.

What she had to endure was not sadness or pain, nor the unexpected progress of the curse, but Ratel, who did not listen to anyone’s words even in passing.

***

The reason that excited voice sounded unsettling was not simply because I was worrying too much.

I knew that this bastard, who had lived for a thousand years and had half lost his mind, had his priorities completely messed up as well.

His joy depended entirely on whether Ratel could perform his role or not.

And right now, I did not think Ratel being able to perform his role well was a “good thing.”

“Did you not hear me? I said the moon has risen outside.”

When I showed no particular reaction, the squirrel seemed frustrated and struck his chest as he urged me.

What about the moon rising?

When I glared at him with that question in my eyes, he looked back at me with a gaze full of pathetic disbelief, as if asking whether I did not even know that.

“Surely you have not forgotten what the moon means in this world.”

What does the moon mean?

What came to mind immediately was this world’s mythology.

The story of Sierra Abalan, the root of all this, and the monsters.

Now it was nothing but a rag patched together with boasts, and I could no longer tell where the truth began and where the lies ended.

Thanks to that, I had been made to drink water several times just because I shared blood with that bastard.

“What do I care about some story left behind by a crazy religious bastard?”

El’s eyes rounded at my impression, and soon he burst into laughter.

“Hahahaha! Religious bastard, you say! That is the first time I have heard such a thing!”

I did not have the leisure to wait until the bastard’s loud laughter stopped.

“Kkwek. I’ll let you hear it often from now on, so stop laughing and answer me. Kkwek. Are you saying I can use the fact that your great first emperor locked the monsters in the moon?”

El, with laughter still on his face, nodded.

“Yes. With that, you can obtain three things. In exchange, you will have to give up one thing. Are you prepared for that?”

“Kkwek. Anyone listening would think I have a choice.”

“Judging that you have no choice is also a choice you made.”

“......”

Whether the bastard had oiled his mouth, or whether glue had been stuck to mine without my knowing, I could not properly retort to his words today.

And perhaps my silence was a sufficient answer, because the bastard climbed up my body without hesitation.

“Do not worry too much. When have I ever done anything bad to you?”

Countless times.

At my gaze, which hoped he would find his lost conscience, El coughed a few times and subtly avoided my eyes.

“Well, I am telling you not to be tense. First, we must resolve the matter before us. What do you think the difference is between monsters and humans?”

His change of subject was extremely blatant, but since I had decided to follow his words, it was right to work my head properly for now.

The difference between monsters and humans.

It was a question that made me hesitate over what to pick first, as if having too many choices made it impossible to choose.

The first-dimensional thing that came to mind was something like emotions.

When I first dragged the leader and the half-wit around with me, I felt the difference between the emotions they had and mine.

I had thought it was probably a difference that arose because, from the moment they were first created until now, they had lived different lives with intelligence and perspectives different from humans.

But by the time the journey reached its end, in other words, right before I left Ratel and Ria behind, I had to admit that this assumption was wrong.

I knew the two bastards were special cases, but either way, I could not completely separate them from myself.

If I had not projected humans onto the two of them in the first place, I would not have hesitated to kill the orcs.

If they had been creatures that, unlike humans, could not feel any emotions and simply could not restrain their slaughter, then there would have been no need for me to feel guilt.

For beings born from evil gathered together, the half-wit and the leader shared emotions quite similar to humans.

So if I had to pick the difference between them and humans, well.

“Kkwek. Intelligence?”

Perhaps my simple answer amused him, because El mocked me to his heart’s content.

“Among monsters, there are plenty of species as intelligent as humans, no, more intelligent than humans.”

Since I rarely asked the bastard questions, his desire to enjoy this moment was far too transparent.

“Kkwek. If Jing disappears from the world, that won’t be good for you either. Kkwek. Stop spouting nonsense and answer properly.”

Perhaps Jing’s death and Ratel’s reaction afterward bothered him, because the bastard quickly opened his mouth.

“The difference between humans and monsters is death.”

“Kkwek. What does that mean? What is more equal to all living things than death?”

El nodded as if he understood my words.

“They are the same in that they cannot return after dying. But what happens after death is different. You know the legend of Abalan too, do you not?”

There were probably few people in the Abalan Empire who did not know that.

“Kkwek. You mean how they go to the sky world ruled by Sierra Abalan? Kkwek. And how the insolent things that don’t listen to the Imperial Family are sent to Hodie, where monsters and filthy things mix?”

Mockery entered my voice without me realizing it.

Because there was probably no religion more tailored to the Imperial Family’s tastes than this one.

“You seem not to believe it in the slightest.”

“Kkwek. If those bastards are really gods, then the world should end.”

It already is ending, come to think of it.

“Not believing that the Imperial Family are gods and not believing in a world that continues after death are different things. You must keep in mind that the world you lived in and this place are different.”

El corrected my words.

“Kkwek. Whether something like that exists or not, kkwek, that’s not a problem humans living their own lives need to care about.”

Perhaps my answer was quite firm, because El’s expression changed strangely.

Thinking about it, the bastard seemed to have pride in the fact that he himself was of the Divine Race.

That did not mean I wanted to withdraw my words out of consideration for his pride, so I continued speaking.

“Kkwek. So, what are you trying to say? That monsters and humans go to different places after they die?”

El accepted the change of subject without any particular question and answered.

“Yes. I am saying that if you are human, you cannot go to the same place as the monsters.”

The unspoken rule between the bastard and me, that we would not ask each other deep questions, was maintained, but the answer that came back was so ridiculous that I had no room to be pleased.

“Kkwek. So in order to return to normal, I have to die once?”

Because it sounded like he was saying the one thing I had to give up was my life.

***

Ria felt as if she was dying.

She had barely managed to hold back Ratel, who looked as if he would swing the holy object and cut his own body at any moment, but Ria knew he was not using all his strength.

She also knew that this was probably the greatest mercy he could show her.

“Let go of this. Waiting any longer is a waste of time.”

“Wait, Ratel. Ran clearly told us to wait.”

Ria had meant to persuade him to take just a little more time, but instead, her words stimulated Ratel’s anxiety.

“Damn it, do you still not know that bastard? He tricked us again and left.”

“You’re not even sure anything will be solved if you do this right now, Ratel!”

When the flustered Ria argued back, Ratel pointed the tip of the sword at the half-wit orc.

“We can’t keep waiting while trusting the words of that bastard who is so eager to die.”

He intended to try doing exactly what that damned bastard had done.

If anything could stop this damned curse, he could try anything.

Ria felt a sense of wrongness at that sight for a moment, but she came back to her senses and blocked Ratel again.

“The situation could get worse! I know you want to try anything, but if something goes wrong with you too, there won’t be anyone left who can save the two of them!”

Ratel looked down at Ria, who was clinging to his arm, with ominous eyes.

“That bastard was prepared to give up his life from the beginning. Do you still not understand? If we just sit here and wait with our hands tied, we’ll end up getting that crazy bastard’s corpse back.”

At the same time that Ria was startled by Ratel’s fierce reaction, which she had never seen before, a question began raising its head in a corner of her mind.

Prepared to give up his life? What has he been talking about since earlier?

As far as Ria knew, Ran was a person with a fairly strong attachment to life.

It seemed more like he had a stronger desire to survive no matter what than to think about how he would live, but still.

Either way, it meant he did not seem like someone who would so easily choose death.

If anything, he looked almost obsessively attached to surviving.

But since earlier, Ratel had been speaking as if Ran was someone...... eager to die.

Ratel’s words, which had something strangely misaligned about them, continued while Ria searched for the starting point of that crack.

“I should never have trusted that bastard from the beginning. Even after being deceived so many times, I was deceived again.”

Ratel’s muttering eyes turned toward the black mist.

After confirming that it was wriggling and taking shape, Ratel approached the leader and the half-wit as if there was nothing left to wait for.

Horrified, Ria grabbed Ratel’s arm again, but it was like a cat trying to drag a water buffalo.

“I’m saying we should wait just a little longer. Surely if it’s Ran......”

“If it’s that bastard, what? Why should I listen to a bastard who went off to die just so he could feel better by himself?”

At that moment, Ria, who had been helplessly dragged along by Ratel, finally realized the source of the wrongness.

“Ratel, are you sure we’re talking about the same person right now?”

And though Ria had not intended it, this stopped Ratel’s movement more effectively than clinging to his clothes.

Ria, surprised by the change in Ratel as he abruptly stopped walking, raised her head and looked at him.

The moment she found his wavering golden eyes, Ria realized that, whatever it was, she had touched some part of Ratel he did not want to reveal.

The time Ria spent thinking, and the time she stopped Ratel, was more valuable than she herself realized.

Because it bought time for the black mist Ratel had been about to stop to find its movement.

Ria, who had been staring blankly at Ratel, discovered the black thing that had somehow taken on a complete human shape slowly emerging from the center, and screamed.

“Ratel! Look over there!”

Before Ria even spoke, Ratel, who had come back to his senses and noticed its existence, gritted his teeth and gripped the sword.

If it was a threat, he would cut it down, and if not, he intended to put it back where it belonged.

As if it had eyes, the black thing slowly drew closer and closer to where the group stood.

At last, it stood before Ratel and Ria.

Ria’s conviction that nothing could surprise her anymore was mercilessly shattered by the sight of that black thing shedding the black mist as if shedding a husk.

The person who appeared from within, after bringing fear to everyone, was also far beyond her expectations.

“I didn’t know before, but human bodies really are as weak as tofu.”

At the voice of the person who calmly looked around while opening and closing his hand, Ratel’s eyes widened.

It was Ran.

Not an orc, but the black-haired 7th Prince.