A cool breeze disheveled Rowena’s hair. Kiss, who had been quietly watching Rowena’s slender neck revealed as her hair fluttered, wore a faint smile. He thought she was a woman with quite a bold personality for someone with a neck that seemed like it would break easily with just a little force.
“I’ve heard of it, but I think it’s nonsense from conspiracy theorists. Livestock couldn’t possibly have such abilities.”
It was a cold answer that didn’t match his gentle voice. Rowena, who had been looking at Kiss with a hardened expression, continued in an unwavering voice.
“Various studies have already emerged in foreign academic circles. According to the hypothesis of some scholars, ancient humans had the ability to purify Dark Magic, and with that ability, they purified beasts tainted by Dark Magic. Those beasts purified of Dark Magic evolved into the current beastmen.”
“…”
“Among them, a human clan called the ‘Larin Tribe’ had exceptionally good purification abilities… In ancient texts, the ability they possessed was called the ‘Primordial Ability.'”
Kiss let out a sigh. He felt it was a waste of time having listened just to hear such nonsense. Kiss’s clear voice, devoid of amusement, cut through the air.
“What’s the evidence that the Larin Tribe actually existed?”
“Well, as I mentioned earlier, all the history has been erased…”
“You’re asking me to view a simple hypothesis with no evidence as established theory. Unfortunately, I cannot do that.”
At Kiss’s rebuttal full of derision, Rowena shot back with a choked expression.
“The moment the Larin Tribe’s existence is proven, it would prove that beastmen aren’t superior beings but merely mutants due to Dark Magic. The imperial family wouldn’t leave records proving such things intact.”
Their gazes clashed fiercely in the air. Kiss, who had been silent, smiled and answered.
“You seem to be forgetting that I too am a member of the royal family, Lady Rowena.”
“But Kilius-nim. If the Larin Tribe actually exists… we could save more imperial citizens than now. Is there any belief in this world heavier than life?”
Rowena’s statement right now was clearly politically dangerous. If things went wrong, she could be brought to trial under charges of lese-majesty. Kiss, who had been quietly looking down at Rowena, let out a small sigh.
‘That’s why she could teach Ash to read without prejudice in the first place.’
Normally, he would have held her accountable for that statement and had her severely punished. The one reason he couldn’t was that those clear, bright eyes definitely resembled someone Kiss knew. Rowena, who had been looking at Kiss with puzzlement at him not reproaching her contrary to expectations, opened her mouth.
“If the Larin Tribe’s existence is discovered, what do you plan to do?”
“…I won’t eliminate them immediately. The Guardians’ influence will grow stronger in the future, and the Dark Magic they release will harm not only mercenaries but also civilian homes. If purifying Dark Magic is possible, we should use it.”
“…”
“However, that doesn’t mean we can let them live when they deny the nobility of the imperial family.”
Use those with usefulness, and discard those who’ve become useless without hesitation. That was definitely one of Kiss’s long-standing principles. Kiss, whose eyes met Rowena’s, showed a benevolent smile.
“The established theory would be to use them only until they’re drained dry.”
* * *
Thump, thump.
Drumbeats that seemed to pound directly on blood vessels echoed. The giant dome-shaped altar with an empty center was reminiscent of a colosseum. Narsheh, who approached me waiting for my turn below the altar, whispered. Before the full queen ant enthronement ceremony began, Narikeh held a specific ritual every time.
“A ritual?”
“Well…”
Narsheh, who had been hesitating, bowed her head deeply. Just as I was making a puzzled expression, cheers from the ant clan densely filling the bottom of the altar echoed. Narikeh, who appeared at the edge of the altar, spread both arms as if enjoying the applause and cheers. Then he shouted with an expression full of madness.
“Bring all the remaining members of the former leader’s family!”
Soldiers who had been below the altar came up bringing two bound elderly people and several young children. Seeing they wore clothes with more splendid patterns than other ants, they were probably the leader’s family who had previously ruled the ant clan.
Narikeh, who had been watching them kneeling in a row on the altar as if pleased, opened his mouth.
“When I first arrived here, I couldn’t understand at all. Why our great ant clan had to hide and live underground like this until now.”
The audience went wild at Narikeh’s showmanship of shaking his clenched fist in the air. It was like the fervor of a cult leader and his followers’ gathering. Narikeh, who brought his fist shaking in the air to his chest, made a tearful face.
“I don’t think you are lacking or insufficient. Our ant clan moves according to the leader’s orders. So if this great clan hasn’t prospered, it’s all…”
Narikeh, who grabbed the neck of the elderly man whose hair was sparsely cut, grinned. Then he spat on the face of the elderly man who was gasping with his feet off the ground. The ruffian who tossed aside the elderly man gestured as if inducing cheers. Then he pointed at the elderly man trembling while curled up.
“Isn’t it all because of this senile and incompetent leader!”
Waaaah!
The audience cheered once more. I was at a loss for words at the terrible scene devoid of any humanity. At the sight of the elderly man crawling on the ground coughing up blood, I eventually squeezed my eyes shut and turned my head.
“Narikeh-nim… publicly executes criminals at every assembly.”
“…”
“Among the leader’s family, most of the young people have been executed, and all that remains are elderly and children like that. Probably after the enthronement ceremony ends, the elderly and children will ultimately be executed too.”
Resignation along with guilt settled in Narsheh’s eyes. She seemed to lament her own situation of being unable to do anything despite seeing this absurd situation. I quietly watched Narsheh then opened my mouth.
“What do you think? Do you think that’s right?”
Narsheh, who had flinched, made eye contact. Then she stammered in a trembling voice.
“N-Narikeh-nim said. Women, elderly, and children should disappear because they don’t help the community. That they’re completely useless lives who can’t do their part.”
“That’s Narikeh’s position, I’m curious about your position.”
In the original work, Narsheh appeared to acquiesce to violence her entire life, but in the end, she ultimately provided very important information to Kiss. It was because inside Narsheh’s thin, small body burned justice she couldn’t give up even if she took her own life out of fear.
At my question, Narsheh, who had been blinking slowly, bit her lips. Then she spoke in a voice small enough that only I could hear.
“I… think it’s not right.”
“That’s enough.”
“…”
“Later, when you can protect yourself, you can uphold your justice then.”
I smiled faintly toward Narsheh, who was looking at me with surprised eyes. With the trumpet sound signaling the start of the enthronement ceremony, soldiers approached. I took a deep breath while holding the wedding clothes dragging on the floor.
“For now, I’ll protect you.”
I went up to the altar together with the soldiers escorting me. I’d heard a rough explanation from Narsheh about how the ritual proceeded, but now that I was actually coming up, I suddenly felt scared.
‘I felt it when reading the novel too, but it’s really a bizarre space.’
A mysterious large hole placed in the center of the donut-shaped stage caught my eye. Looking at the pitch-black interior like a black hole, even without going in, I could tell it was an incredibly deep hole.
‘In the original work, they said it was a hole for disposing of corpses. Should I just pray not to go in there?’
When I finally arrived in front of the altar with the soldiers’ help, Narikeh, who had been waiting for me, lifted the cloth covering my face. Narikeh, who had been staring intently at my face, spoke with a satisfied smile.
“After we share drinks, you will form a lifelong marital bond with me. Although until the moment your life force runs out, you’ll have to devote yourself only to reproducing descendants with me inside this ant nest…”
“…”
“Just fulfill your assigned duties well. Instead, I’ll grant you anything you want within here.”
Two wine cups were placed side by side in front of Narikeh and me. According to the order of ceremony, I picked up the wine cup first. Just before drinking the wine, I opened the glass vial I’d hidden in my sleeve. Then I turned my body and secretly dropped the blood droplets I’d prepared into my wine cup while pretending to drink. The transparent wine soon turned red.
‘If I mixed it in Narikeh’s wine cup, I’d be caught immediately, so this is the only method.’
I put in my mouth the wine that had turned red as the blood droplets spread. Then, the moment Narikeh was about to pick up his own wine cup, I approached closely, tightly embraced his neck, and kissed him suddenly as I had before.
When I naturally mixed our tongues, the wine I’d been holding in my mouth slowly passed into Narikeh’s mouth. Narikeh, whose eyes met mine, smiled wickedly. He seemed to think this was also part of confirmation. Rather, he tightly embraced my waist and kissed me more deeply.
Only after confirming Narikeh’s Adam’s apple moving did I pull my lips away. Narikeh, who looked fine for having consumed fatal poison, whispered with a brazen face.
“You’re quite proactive for a virgin.”
Crash!
At that moment, along with a sudden roar, single screams poured out from here and there. Black hyenas that appeared from somewhere rushed out from everywhere and bit the ant clan members who had been watching the ceremony. Narikeh, who had been looking around with an irritated expression, shouted while tightly gripping my wrist.
“What’s happening!”
Just as I was calmly assessing the situation, my body froze involuntarily at the murderous intent felt from behind. The moment I slowly turned my head, my heart dropped.
Deus, covered in unidentifiable blood all over his body, was striding toward us. Even with a menacing expression I’d never seen before.
Deus, who had taken off the robe he’d been wearing and thrown it aside irritably, drew closer and closer. Even though he was definitely an ally, my breath caught at the intimidating pressure that somehow felt like an enemy.
‘He saw it.’
Now I could tell just by looking at Deus’s atmosphere. That was definitely the atmosphere of him having witnessed me kissing Narikeh. Otherwise, there was no way he’d be approaching so murderously with the atmosphere of a married man who’d caught his wife’s adultery scene. Deus, whose eyes met mine, muttered with veins bulging in his neck.
“Has this bastard really lost his mind…”
