Chapter 49
The method for summoning the sacred beast using this gem was simple.
The Heart of Cardina would only respond to the ‘noble’ blood of Transis, and Hyun already knew how to use it thanks to Isaac’s memories.
Just as the real Isaac had done when summoning him here, Hyun pressed his wrist against Cardina’s heart and made a cut. The moment crimson blood soaked the gem, he felt a vivid sense of his consciousness linking with the being that awoke in the distance.
“Urgh.”
Suppressing the wave of nausea, Hyun led the sacred beast toward the monsters’ stronghold. At first, he’d thought they would be easy to subdue, but whatever the Crown Prince had done, the monsters appeared endlessly no matter how many were killed. It was as if someone had decided not to leave a single human alive in Quillan.
‘At this rate, everyone will die and this land will become a wasteland. Are they really fine with rendering it unusable forever?’
Gritting his teeth, Hyun watched the villagers cheering and bowing every time the sacred beast soared overhead. Just a little longer, just hold on a bit more. But in the end, numbers won out.
Surrounded by an endless horde of monsters, Hyun collapsed to the ground, writhing in indescribable agony.
“Kh…”
It was a pain as sharp and vivid as being torn apart by insects. The agony was so overwhelming he couldn’t even control his fingertips, and with his whole body trembling,
Hyun desperately prayed for the torture to end. Dying would have been easier. When he’d closed his eyes in the real world, would it have hurt this much if he could have felt his whole body?
Now, as monsters gnawed at his flesh, Hyun coughed up blood, experiencing every sensation in excruciating detail.
“Keuk, kuk, ugh…”
At this moment, being alive felt like a punishment, as if his limbs were being ripped to pieces. Please, just let me rest. I tried my best to protect the people of Quillan in Isaac’s place. If this was the price for the brief peace I was granted, then so be it. Just as Hyun thought he might as well end his own life, all pain vanished at once and his body went limp.
‘It’s all right now. It’s all over…’
Hyun closed his eyes, feeling someone’s gentle warmth. The tender comfort, like wounded beasts sharing their warmth, made him feel as if he might cry.
* * *
How much time had passed since the core of the monster was destroyed? Mikhail opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by the villagers he had saved earlier.
“……??!!”
Startled, Mikhail sat up, causing the people around him to step back.
“Oh my, youth really is wonderful. He woke up quickly, even after breathing in so much miasma.”
With a bewildered expression, Mikhail looked up at Marcel, who shrugged and answered,
“We just said we were traveling heroes passing through. I’ve made sure everyone keeps quiet about what happened yesterday, so you don’t need to worry. And in case you were wondering, thankfully the monsters didn’t reach the place of exile, so that area is safe. If you’d like to check for yourself, should we rest a bit more before heading out? Or…?”
As Marcel checked for the prince’s wishes just in case, Mikhail immediately jumped to his feet and asked,
“The sacred beast…?! Wasn’t it lying beside me?”
But Marcel just shrugged as if he knew nothing.
“I wouldn’t know. We only went out to search after the fog cleared and found you passed out.”
Did it fly off safely? If the sacred beast was truly connected to the duke through some magical means, he could only hope that was the case.
As much as Mikhail wanted to run straight to the Ice Lake that very moment, there was no time. The plan had gone off track, so his brother would soon move to carry out another scheme. He had to stop him before that happened.
“To the palace. We leave right now.”
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