It seemed the demonic creatures on the Floating Island and those on the surface were somewhat different beings. He’d thought the horned bat demonic creature was unusual, but if that was normal, then didn’t that mean his taming using mana wouldn’t work either?
He’d only been thinking of taming demonic creatures as a way to return to the Floating Island, but that plan was ruined.
Should he practice flight magic?
But it wasn’t something that would be finished in a day or two, so what about until then?
‘This kid doesn’t know the surface is scary.’
‘Well, let him do as he pleases. That’s how he’ll learn through experience.’
It was then that the sneering voices of the winged tribe men came to mind. Could that be what they meant? No, perhaps it even included the intense pain that rushed over him every time he used mana.
In any case, they knew everything.
“On the Floating Island it’s not like that. They’re good kids, even if they’re a bit big and aggressive…”
“There’s no such thing as a good demonic creature.”
“What?”
“There are no good demonic creatures.”
“…I understand. There aren’t.”
If he’d suffered from such demonic creatures all his life, it made sense he couldn’t believe there were gentle demonic creatures like Lafort. Kaniel decided not to push his opinion.
But since the situation had become like this, he needed to appeal his abilities to receive help going forward.
“I did demonic creature training on the Floating Island. Of course, I’m not saying I’d do it here. I don’t think I could tame demonic creatures like those.”
Demonic creature training required mana, but here there was also a problem with using mana. Kaniel swallowed the rest of his words and continued speaking.
“But the memories of studying demonic creature habits will definitely be helpful here too.”
“Well… will they?”
“The demonic creatures on the surface are much fiercer, but there are definitely habits that don’t change.”
Kaniel’s hands were trembling as he desperately insisted. Taeyon glanced at them and slowly tapped the ground with his fingertips. It was his habit when lost in deep thought.
Knowledge about demonic creatures. If he had that, couldn’t demonic creature hunting become a bit safer? Of course, he couldn’t believe those words at face value, so he’d need to go through some verification process.
For example, the process of confirming whether that knowledge actually worked while making rounds of the surrounding villages to subjugate demonic creatures.
“And, and I’m also a mage…”
“A mage who collapses from one small flame, you mean.”
“That’s, normally it’s not like that…”
Kaniel muttered in a passive voice.
“Maybe I can’t use magic on the surface…”
Taeyon stared intently at Kaniel, who was honestly confessing his weakness, then soon let out a short sigh. Hearing that, Kaniel flinched and raised his gaze cautiously.
“I’ll think about it.”
“Can I stay with you while you’re thinking about it?”
“For now.”
“I’m so relieved…”
Only then did he feel at ease.
“I hope you’ll take your time thinking about it.”
When Taeyon glanced at him at the remark that blatantly revealed his intentions, Kaniel hunched his shoulders and made an excuse.
“I’m scared the kidnappers might chase after me…”
“…Right.”
That meant he’d take the threat from the kidnappers into consideration, right? Completely reassured, Kaniel suddenly felt fatigue washing over him. He’d experienced things he’d never experienced in his life all day, and had even nearly been eaten by a demonic creature. Wasn’t it natural to be tired?
He blinked sleepily and lay down curled up on the floor.
“Sorry, but I’m going to sleep first…”
Kaniel lay down curled up next to Taeyon.
As soon as he closed his eyes like that, sleep rushed over him surprisingly quickly.
***
There were demonic creatures everywhere.
Between buildings, in the plaza, even in the air.
The knights of Oblyad Castle had all come out to defend the castle, but in the end, they couldn’t stop those things from pushing into the outer castle walls.
RUMBLE—with a sound like thunder, the assembly hall building in the central plaza collapsed. Though it was a sturdy stone building, it couldn’t withstand the giant demonic creature.
“Taeyon! Get ahold of yourself!”
At the hand grabbing his shoulder, Taeyon came to his senses with a start and turned his head to look up at his older brother. His brother Libellon, who had recently begun leading a knight order, was now the strongest beastkin in this Oblyad Castle.
Because just the day before yesterday, their father the castle lord and his strongest knights had departed to subjugate demonic creatures.
“While Father is gone, I’m the castle lord.”
“I know, hyung.”
He must be about to say to come to your senses and join the battle.
As he raised his sword as if to gladly do so, Libellon shook his head.
“And while I’m gone, you’re the castle lord.”
“What? What do you…”
“So you guard the castle.”
Libellon began running toward the demonic beast that was leisurely controlling demonic creatures outside the outer castle, leading his knight order.
“Hyung!”
That was what Taeyon had thought was his role. Having unwittingly had his position taken from him, Taeyon called out to Libellon with a distorted face, but he didn’t return.
Not that Taeyon could chase after Libellon either. Because there was a rule that one member of their bloodline absolutely had to remain in the castle. It was to protect the seal located in the secret underground beneath Oblyad Castle.
If the seal broke, something even more terrible than now would happen.
Libellon had gone out first knowing that Taeyon wouldn’t be able to throw away the responsibility of being the only Oblyad remaining in the castle. Even though as the successor, he himself should be the one to stay.
Though he knew it was from a heart worried about his younger brother, Taeyon was still angry. When hyung returned, he’d have to nag him thoroughly about the mindset the successor to the castle lord should have.
Taeyon made that resolution while following his brother’s retreating figure with his eyes.
And hyung didn’t return that day.
“…”
Taeyon, whose eyes snapped open, reflexively tried to get up and grab his sword but stopped when he felt a heavy sensation. When he turned his gaze, the human he’d met yesterday was sleeping while hugging his forearm.
‘A dream.’
Taeyon gently pushed Kaniel away, got up, and swept his disheveled hair back. His breathing was rough as if he’d been running, and cold sweat dripped down the nape of his neck.
Fatigue suddenly washed over him. Mental fatigue pressed heavily on his head, weighing him down.
Taeyon turned his palm upward and activated his ability. A small bolt of lightning bloomed with a crackle, emitting light bright enough to dazzle, then disappeared. Though he’d only used a pathetically weak amount of power, along with a pounding feeling, his nerves stood on edge to an abnormal degree.
The sound of an insect crawling across the top of the tent was vivid.
The wind rustled as it brushed past tree branches.
A snake slithered past in the grass beneath the tent.
Even the sound of earthworms digging through soil burrowed into his ears.
Taeyon tightly gripped the sword sheath he’d set aside. The impulse to immediately cut down all of it churned wildly. But he knew it would be useless. Unless he deleted everything in the world, sounds, presences, and smells wouldn’t disappear.
That’s when it happened. Kaniel, who had been sleeping, groped at the floor in his sleep and then grabbed Taeyon’s wrist.
“…”
And surprisingly, Taeyon wasn’t bothered by it.
In this state, all contact should be irritating.
That wasn’t all. Kaniel’s breathing, his presence, the sound of his clothes brushing, his body temperature—none of it felt unpleasant in the slightest.
“…What the hell is this?”
***
Kaniel opened his eyes at a rustling sound.
“Go over there and eat this.”
Holding what had been thrust into his hand, Kaniel crouched down toward the tree trunk the man pointed to with his hand and blinked with a blank face.
Who was that man again?
The moment he saw the man’s ears and tail, Kaniel came to his senses as if struck by lightning. Yesterday he was kidnapped from the Floating Island and fell to the surface.
He’d nearly died.
And he’d faced a world completely different from the common knowledge he knew.
A world full of unknowns, from the existence of four-legged beast beastkin to fierce and violent demonic creatures.
Here, that man, Taeyon, was like a lifeline to Kaniel. He’d saved him from demonic creatures, shared his tent to sleep in, and was even giving him food like this.
“Um, aren’t you eating, Taeyon?”
“I already ate.”
At the concise answer, Kaniel obediently nodded and put the baked lump of flour—whether it was a cookie or bread—into his mouth. As soon as he chewed and swallowed a bite, hunger suddenly rushed over him. Come to think of it, he’d been starving since last night.
While Kaniel hurriedly chewed through a lump of bread, Taeyon pulled up the tent that hung like a raincoat on the tree branch.
“Ah, I’ll help!”
Kaniel swallowed the remaining piece in one bite and stood up. However, before he could even take a step, Taeyon stopped him.
“No. Stay there.”
“I can help.”
The anxious feeling came from wanting to be of some help. Because right now he was nothing but a useless burden. That thought constricted his throat.
“Your stick-like arms won’t be helpful.”
Taeyon looked at Kaniel’s forearm as if checking, then said indifferently again.
“Sit and wait.”
“…Yes.”
As Kaniel glumly crouched back down, Taeyon glanced at him and continued in a low voice.
