The Awakeners showed similar reactions to that strange phenomenon. However, now that the monsters had hesitated, this was their chance. The Awakeners who quickly regained their senses began rapidly killing off the monsters. But in that situation, there was one person acting in complete opposition.
‘He’s watching.’
Choi Jaeheon, Ian’s hyung. Even as monsters surged toward him, he had no intention of attacking and was simply keeping his eyes fixed on Ian. Fortunately, other nearby Awakeners blocked the monsters, but it was still an extremely dangerous action.
Ian gave up on ignoring Jaeheon’s piercing gaze. Instead, he raised his hand high and waved it.
“Hyung, behind you! Behind!”
Only then did Jaeheon turn his head to look at the monsters. At the same moment, as if a giant hand had struck down, dozens of rushing monsters were crushed flat. Monsters that ran over the flattened corpses newly filled their places, but the situation didn’t change. Kill, kill, and kill again.
Before long, the area in front of Jaeheon was completely empty. The moment Ian registered that fact, a shadow fell over him. When he slowly raised his head, he saw a familiar yet somehow unfamiliar face. Until now, Ian had never seen his hyung this angry.
He wasn’t openly expressing his fury, but it was easy enough to tell. Just how angry Jaeheon was right now. Ian slowly swallowed and squeezed out his voice.
“First of all.”
How much had hyung seen? Surely he didn’t see the kiss, right? What if he did? All kinds of thoughts swirled chaotically in his head.
“It’s a misunderstanding.”
Those were the only words he could think of. First of all, it’s a misunderstanding. Whatever he’s thinking, it’s all a misunderstanding. No matter what Jaeheon said, Ian planned to insist on that. Then, Jaeheon let out a short sigh.
“Choi Ian.”
Ian involuntarily straightened his back.
“Yes.”
“You insisted you wouldn’t evacuate—was it because you wanted to do this?”
Jaeheon twisted his face as if in pain. I didn’t want to see hyung’s sad face. The emotions he was feeling were so vivid it was as if Ian could grasp them in his hands, and he froze in place.
“Do you like that bastard?”
At the following question, Ian clenched his hands, slippery with sweat, and shook his head.
“No, I hate him! I really hate him!”
When he shouted loudly, it seemed Vermouth heard those words. He turned around briefly to look at Ian, then made a sullen expression. But no matter what face he made, Ian, who knew all about that bastard’s perverted nature, didn’t budge an inch.
“Then why did you do that?”
Jaeheon asked calmly.
“That.”
Ian raised his finger and pointed at the sky. The hand that had emerged from the gate up to its elbow was flailing about.
“That thing.”
“What about it.”
Jaeheon didn’t raise his voice. Yet why did it feel so frightening?
“It’s a demon.”
“A demon?”
Jaeheon raised his head to look at the sky. Well, in a world overrun with monsters, demons could appear too.
“Demons are weak to holy power.”
“If it’s not holy power, you can’t damage them at all?”
“That’s not it.”
“Then that bastard isn’t absolutely necessary?”
Jaeheon didn’t hide his hostility toward Vermouth. Ian quickly shook his head, worried that the two might fight.
“Demons are really, really strong, you know? So for dealing with those things, Holy Knights or priests are the best. They take less damage and can deal more damage.”
When he’d said that much, a voice came from in front of Ian.
“Oh, so that’s why you kissed that bastard?”
It was Hong Seoyoon. No, why is this hyung here again? While Ian was flustered, Yoon Taegyeom also chimed in.
“I’m against it.”
“Against what?”
“That bastard has a terrible personality. So I’m strongly against him becoming anything more than someone who briefly passed through your life.”
He couldn’t let a guy who makes a fuss over a single pea like a D*sney princess stay near his precious dongsaeng. Ian’s expression became strange after hearing Yoon Taegyeom’s additional explanation.
“But he sleeps anywhere just fine?”
It’s true. He often camped out while searching for demons who liked to hide away in remote mountain areas. Each time, Vermouth slept on the ground without any complaints and stood night watch. He also calmly ate stew made with grain flour and rock-hard dried meat.
“That bastard?”
Yoon Taegyeom pushed up his glasses with his middle finger as if astounded.
“Is he a fucking liar?”
“Why are you cursing when that’s not like you?”
Hong Seoyoon gave Yoon Taegyeom a light smack. With the two of them intervening like that, the atmosphere improved considerably, but Jaeheon was still filled with anger.
“Oh my.”
Vermouth looked at the three men standing beside Ian and widened his eyes. He didn’t like the fact that others were attached to his Saint at all. That’s why, using the excuse that it was inconvenient to travel, they often went around just the two of them.
Let’s see. One was family, so what were the remaining two? While casually cutting down monsters, he’d already arrived right in front of the giant. The giant looked down and roared.
“KRAAAAAAAH!”
At the loud sound, some covered their ears and collapsed on the spot. On the other hand, there were also those who burned with even more determination. Humans are weak yet strong. Vermouth didn’t dislike such humans. If he had hated humans, he wouldn’t have answered the goddess’s call and become a Holy Knight.
Vermouth’s sword began to burn white. The flames gradually grew larger until they became longer than an adult man’s height. If people from Lancia had seen it, their eyes would have widened in surprise. Just wrapping holy power around a sword was impressive, but Vermouth had far surpassed that level.
When he swung the holy power shaped like a sword, aiming for the giant’s neck, the giant quickly covered its neck and head with its hands. But if he couldn’t break through that much, he’d have to return the epithet of Giant Slayer.
Cutting through the tough hide and hard bone, the holy power reached the giant’s neck. Although it didn’t sever everything in one go, because it dug in halfway, blood dripped steadily from the wound.
The giant screamed again, but only a wheezing sound could be heard.
“A-aaah!”
The fallen blood poured down onto the monsters on the ground. Some of it also splattered on Awakeners who were killing monsters. The giant struggled and tried to push its body back inside the dungeon, but it didn’t seem to be going well.
The giant roared silently. It was rage, someone’s name, and also a curse. But the person actually hearing it was unfazed. He calmly sheathed his sword while watching the giant die.
Some of the monsters that had been rushing madly turned and tried to flee the moment the giant was struck down. But there was nowhere to escape to.
Before long, the giant went completely limp. And as if something was pulling it, it was slowly dragged back inside the gate. After that, the gate stopped spewing out monsters and gradually shrank until it disappeared.
“Gate cleared!”
The readings measuring the gate’s energy also stabilized.
“WAAAAH!”
Laughter spread among the vigorous shouts. It had clearly been predicted to be a dangerous gate, yet there was strangely little damage. And everyone knew who was responsible for that.
Vermouth.
Naturally, looks of respect poured toward him, but the person in question wasn’t interested in that. He simply turned around and headed toward Ian. The closer Vermouth got, the sharper Jaeheon’s nerves became.
“Saint-nim.”
Vermouth called out to Ian with a smile.
“Don’t call me Saint here.”
Ian sighed wearily and ran his hand through his hair.
“Yes, Ian-nim.”
Vermouth obediently answered and knelt on one knee in front of Ian. He pressed his right hand to his chest and his left hand to the ground, bowing his head respectfully.
“I have killed the giant as you wished.”
“Mmm. That’s right.”
When they were in Lancia, there was a procedure they always performed after battle. It was to help restore the expended power. Sometimes it was a light kiss, and sometimes it was an act that went further than that. But he couldn’t do that in front of hyung.
Ian awkwardly patted Vermouth’s shoulder.
“Good job.”
“Ian-nim?”
“I said good job.”
He absolutely couldn’t show hyung something like that. Vermouth tilted his head as if puzzled. It was as if asking, is this all? Ian ground his teeth and looked away from him.
“Hyung.”
Ian quickly attached himself to Jaeheon’s side and linked arms with him. Ever since childhood, whenever it seemed like Jaeheon would get angry, he’d act spoiled like this. Then Jaeheon would always quickly let go of his anger and smile. It was the same now.
Even while still angry, Jaeheon smiled slightly. And Vermouth was watching that scene expressionlessly.
