Chapter 119

The warm scene bathed in afternoon sunlight disappeared as if erased. Jet shivered as he watched frost begin to form on the floor.

He couldn't dare raise his head. A terrifying aura was emanating from the source of this cold.

'What in the world is happening!'

When Jet received word from Igni that the gatekeeper had been murdered, he was greatly shocked.

But even more shocking news followed. Many had reported seeing Kinaine's servant heading toward the bridge.

When he heard this, Jet thought he had made a terrible mistake. After all, he was the one who had recommended that servant to Kinaine.

Recently, realizing that Asad's interest in the human bride candidate was beyond normal levels, Jet had felt the need to keep close watch on Kinaine.

Of course, Asad had firmly stated he would never take a human as his mate, but...

Jet might have believed those words if Asad hadn't been visiting wherever Kinaine was every day, as if honey had been hidden there.

Those who served the dragon needed to understand their surroundings well. However, unlike other bride candidates, they couldn't know the background of Kinaine, who came from the human realm. Though they wanted to talk with him, it was impossible since the dragon prevented any alphas except himself from approaching. That's why they had attached a beta tailed tribe servant to assess the situation...

'That servant killed the gatekeeper?'

If those words were true, Kinaine couldn't be safe, which was why they had come running breathlessly.

But the situation seemed very strange. The servant who supposedly murdered the gatekeeper and fled to the human realm was in the dragon palace, while Kinaine was nowhere to be seen.

Jet swallowed hard.

'I have a very, very bad feeling about this...'

Thud!

Something was thrown to the floor then. It was the young servant who had been sleeping in the garden. Asad seemed to have moved him here from the garden.

Jet quickly ran over and shook the servant awake.

"Wake up!"

"Mmm."

However deeply asleep he was, the servant couldn't properly regain consciousness no matter how much they tried to wake him.

Jet's expression darkened. Falling into such a deep sleep suddenly was strange.

"I said wake up!"

Just as he shook the servant's shoulders again.

Splash!

Water poured over the servant's face.

"Huegh!"

The servant jerked upright.

"What is this..."

Looking around, the servant's face turned bluish. Before he could properly grasp the situation, he quickly knelt before Asad.

"L-Lord Asad!"

"Where did your master go?"

Asad's voice was cold as ice. The servant, face pale, couldn't give any answer.

The reason he had been able to become Kinaine's servant was not only because he worked well, but above all because he was quick-witted. Realizing what had happened from Asad's question and the fierce atmosphere surrounding him, the servant trembled.

"I-I'm truly sorry!"

"Are you just going to keep saying sorry? Quickly tell Lord Asad what happened!"

"Th-that, I'm not sure what happened either. When it was time, I told Lord Nine it would be good to return. But the moment Lord Nine's hand touched me, I strangely became very sleepy... I'm truly sorry!"

"His hand touched you, is that all? You didn't eat anything or smell anything strange?"

"No. I have a good nose, so I would have noticed immediately if something was in the food or if incense was burned."

"Was anyone else around?"

"No one. Since Lord Asad ordered not to let anyone else come near Lord Nine, I strictly followed that command."

"Then the bridge? Why did you go to the bridge?"

"What? The bridge? I was in the dragon palace all day. I haven't left the dragon palace at all recently! This is really unfair!"

The face brimming with tears didn't seem to be lying. Even to Jet, it didn't make sense time-wise for the servant to have gone between the bridge and dragon palace. Moreover, if he had killed the gatekeeper, he would never have returned out of fear of punishment.

...Then who was this servant others had seen?

Jet unconsciously glanced sideways at Asad. His beautiful face was expressionless, looking like a sculpture carved from ice. It was completely different from usual when he would rage furiously, breathing fire when angry, but one thing could be said for certain.

This was far more frightening.

The silent Asad opened his lips.

"Whether you're lying or not can be determined by reading your memories."

Jet was startled.

"L-Lord Asad! Then this child's mind won't remain intact! If we observe the situation a bit more..."

When a brain was ravaged by dragon magic, no ordinary spirit could survive unharmed. Though Asad was cold-hearted, he didn't act so cruelly toward innocent people. So Jet thought he might show mercy if persuaded.

But the moment their eyes met, Jet realized.

"This one must be hiding Nine and slandering him."

"N-no! I absolutely did not!"

"Then are you saying he left on his own?"

The dragon was not in his right mind now.

"That can't be. He clearly told me. That he would stay in the dragon palace. That he would stay by my side..."

Black energy rippled and disappeared repeatedly in his golden eyes. Like black lightning striking a golden sky.

Seemingly unaware of his own abnormality, Asad muttered.

"Nine has a chronic illness and is weak. His eyes can't see either, so I must find him quickly. If not..."

Just as Asad reached toward the servant, someone shouted from outside the door.

"Lord Asad, the leaders have come to visit!"

The hand about to touch the servant's head stopped in mid-air.

Swallowing a sigh of relief, Jet hurriedly spoke.

"Lord Igni seems to have come after assessing the situation! It would be good to hear what they have to say, as they might know Lord Nine's whereabouts!"

As soon as the words ended, the magical energy gathered around Asad emitted a sparkling light. He seemed about to use teleportation magic as usual. However, after a moment, slight confusion settled on Asad's face.

The magic had failed.

"L-Lord Asad?"

"...Never mind."

As if there was no time to be bewildered, Asad quickly went out the door. Following behind him with Targan and the servant, Jet wore a serious expression.

To a dragon, magic was no different from a part of their body. But the current Asad was in such an abnormal state that he failed even at such a simple thing.

With dragon magic, they should be able to search the entire world if needed. But Asad was so heartbroken over losing that human right now that he couldn't think rationally.

Yes, no matter how you looked at it, this was heartbreak.

Jet felt his speculation becoming certainty.

Indeed, to Lord Asad, that human was...

* * *

The leaders had gathered in the reception room. The atmosphere was more serious than ever.

Especially Igni was emanating such hot energy that it was difficult for anyone to approach. Thanks to this, the reception room was hot enough for sweat to pour down, but no one could say anything to her.

When Asad finally entered the reception room, Igni spoke immediately without greeting.

"Lord Asad, you must have heard, but the gatekeeper guarding the bridge was murdered. Blood was splattered across the bridge, and the door to the human realm was open."

Though her voice reporting the situation was calm, it wasn't difficult to detect the anger within.

"That child had guarded Solem's gate for over 300 years. Throughout that long time, he never once neglected his duty. He absolutely wasn't someone who deserved to die so miserably."

Igni's red eyes flashed fiercely.

"I will personally go to the human realm and hunt down that bastard. Please permit me."

Just then, the reception room door opened again and Jet, Targan, and the servant appeared. Igni's gaze shot like an arrow at the servant.

"That appearance... it's you!"

Seeing Igni take an attacking stance, Targan moved to block in front of the servant. Jet hurriedly spoke.

"Wait, Lady Igni! This servant is not the culprit!"

"Nonsense. There are more than one or two witnesses who saw that one near the bridge. Are you trying to deceive me?"

"Igni, calm down."

A composed voice cooled the heated atmosphere.

"As he says, the one who killed the gatekeeper wasn't the servant... because there is another culprit."

It was Shinsurial. However, his condition didn't look good. His blue hair that used to sparkle like sunlight on water no longer flowed with luster, and his eyes were clouded and lifeless.

"That I have awakened this early must surely be the gods' will to protect Solem."

Shinsurial quietly parted his lips while looking at Asad.

"Before coming here, I examined the gatekeeper's corpse. There were clear traces of demonic energy remaining on his body."

Igni couldn't help but ask.

"Demonic energy? Are you saying it was the work of a magical beast?"

"No. Magical beasts don't leave traces like that. This was undoubtedly the work of black magic."

Kor's gaze, who had been quietly standing with his back against the wall, followed Shinsurial. Not noticing that gaze, Shinsurial continued speaking.

"It's an evil method humans created to utilize demonic energy. A power too blasphemous to even call magic. Even the humans who created it feared its power and banned it, so it hasn't appeared in the world for hundreds of years - others besides myself probably don't know much about it."

"A power created by humans."

As if sensing something, Igni's gaze grew sharp. Shinsurial nodded.

"Several years ago... when I went down to the human realm to find Lord Asad, I heard stories of a human who used black magic appearing. They said this human killed countless of their own kind through cruel and evil methods. Besides that, they committed countless atrocities, and were eventually executed by their own kind... that's what I believed until this moment."

Shinsurial pulled out an old piece of paper from his chest.

"This is the wanted notice I brought back then. I checked thinking perhaps, and it was still there."

A familiar face was drawn on the paper.

It was then that Asad, who had been standing alone as if isolated without any reaction, moved.

He strode over and picked up the portrait.

"Lord Asad, that human's real name isn't Nine. Hasan, the evil black mage who committed numerous crimes and was executed. That is his true identity."