RHH | Chapter 1.5

His reaction was instinctive. Leehwan came to his senses only after smacking Absalom’s hand away. The red mark on the white back of his hand was stark. Leehwan struggled to open his stiff mouth to apologize.

“I’m sorry.”

“…No, it’s my fault for getting too close suddenly.”

Absalom’s eyes twisted as if he was about to cry. Leehwan forcibly swallowed the hatred that surged up suddenly.

Absalom had confessed last winter. Since he had said he liked him since last year, he must be in the midst of pretending to have an unrequited love.

From when and to what extent had it been planned? Leehwan wanted to beat up his past self who had spouted things like, ‘I don’t want to lose you as a friend.’

Leehwan took the handkerchief from Absalom and wiped his hand. When Absalom reached out his hand to take it back, Leehwan calmed his mind and carefully folded the handkerchief and placed it in his pocket.

“I’ll wash it and return it next time we meet.”

“Alright.”

Absalom narrowed his eyes. He had the look of someone seeing something dazzling. Afraid he might throw the beer mug in front of him if he kept looking, Leehwan looked down.

Unaware of his feelings, Absalom, with his delicate face and gentle tone, kept talking.

“What brings you here, Leehwan? Where are you staying? May I ask how long you plan to be here? I’m leaving for Marslin tomorrow morning. Are you headed in a similar direction?”

Leehwan gave non-committal answers until the one-sided questions subsided, then finally looked up. When their eyes met, Absalom smiled gently. Leehwan deliberately met his gaze, and Absalom blinked shyly, his silver lashes fluttering elegantly.

“What’s on your mind?”

“There’s something I’d like to know.”

Tension flickered across Absalom’s face for a moment. Leehwan pretended not to notice and continued.

“The location of at least five relics.”

Relics are objects touched by the hand of God. Leehwan recalled information he had once obtained.

Dimensions can only be opened with divine power. However, since humans cannot possess such power, they must find a substitute. The informant had told Leehwan that relics could act as a substitute for divine power.

Five relics are needed to open a dimension. There aren’t many relics with correct information available. But Leehwan was certain that Absalom would provide the right answers.

“Why… would you ask about that?”

“I need them to go somewhere. Why? Is it impossible?”

Leehwan twisted his lips into a smile. It was surely a bizarre expression, but Absalom persisted, seemingly unfazed.

“Where do you want to go?”

Leehwan had chosen to live in this world because he loved Lucien. Even after obtaining a means to return, he had not thought of going back. But his feelings had been treated like trash.

At that time, he hadn’t thought of anything. But now was different.

The title Leehwan carried was very important for propaganda. His existence assured humans of victory, which led to hope.

It was not just that. Many boys who admired Leehwan volunteered as knights. Merchants who lost trade routes due to monsters declared their support through the imperial court. Numerous civil engineering works were carried out under the name of Alexander, and the imperial citizens, mobilized for forced labor, zealously carried stones, believing it was the will of God.

Leehwan, who was a good student, knew well that all these actions strengthened imperial power. He also understood the risks if these situations failed.

Just try managing without me.

“Home.”

It had been nine years since he came to this world. He could no longer remember his family’s faces. The chances of adapting back in his society were slim.

But staying would mean walking the same path again. That was out of the question. So, Leehwan decided to step towards an untraveled path.

“…I’ll find out.”

Absalom hesitated for a moment, then answered slowly. His expression was peculiar.

Yes, it must feel strange. It’s not every day your natural enemy willingly walks away. That’s why Leehwan was sure of Absalom’s answer.

After all, he was the last enemy, the only dragon in this world.

𓂃 ོ☼𓂃

Leehwan parted with Absalom only after the darkness had deepened. Not wanting to encounter anyone, he slipped into the barracks as if hiding.

The uniform he had carelessly taken off before leaving was neatly folded on a makeshift chair. Duku must have done it. For a moment, Leehwan forcefully suppressed the anger and violence that surged up inside him.

Leehwan opened his bag and plunged his hand among the clothes to pull out a sizable bundle. It was something he had received before departing from the Imperial Palace. He had never opened it due to being preoccupied until now.

The package was meticulously wrapped with oil-soaked paper and leather straps for waterproofing. Unwrapping it, he found flint, emergency medicine, and a map.

Leehwan unfolded the map. It featured terrain drawn in black lines with red and blue lines drawn over it. His gaze stopped at one point. His lips, dry and cracked, twisted into a wry smile.

“Absalom…”

The destination marked clearly in red was Marslin. Unknowingly clenching his teeth, Leehwan relaxed his jaw.

He had already known. It had been barely a week since he had felt the betrayal. There was neither the ability nor the desire to forget.

Absalom had been one of the two anchors that firmly held Leehwan’s heart, which had been drifting like a tumbleweed in a suddenly alien world. That very person had pushed a frustrated and betrayed Leehwan over the cliff by Lucien. Leehwan had chosen to fall, but it was Absalom who had removed the ground beneath his feet.

Leehwan shook his head to drive Absalom out of his mind. Now was not the time to dwell on memories.

He had been distracted the past few days, so much so that he had even forgotten why he was heading to Marslin now. But he could guess; the tasks given to Leehwan always involved combat.

In retrospect, he had acted foolishly. He had fallen for the few words of the royalty and obediently taken up arms to fight as they wished. He had naively trusted and fallen in love with Lucien when suspicions had just begun to arise. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he had been blind.

Even now, they probably thought they could manipulate Leehwan to their liking. Regaining control over his quickened breath, he weighed several options in his mind.

What would happen if he deserted the knights as is? It was the most enticing option for the current Leehwan. However, he was no ordinary knight. If he disappeared without any plan, numerous trackers would surely follow him.

Leehwan recalled several major incidents. Rather than disguising himself poorly, it was better to wait for an opportunity. And there was indeed an appropriate event coming up.

Back when he had been injured on his back, Leehwan had almost died. However, he had survived. It had been for the powerless Fifth Prince, Lucien, who would be nothing without Leehwan.

At that time, everyone thought Leehwan had died, so they didn’t even bother to look for him—it was the perfect opportunity to escape. The timing couldn’t have been better.

Just a little longer. Leehwan lay down on the makeshift bed, soothing himself.

𓂃 ོ☼𓂃

A dark cloak enveloped the wide road. Embroidered on the cloak with golden thread was the symbol of Iella, a hand clutching an olive branch. Only members of the Phoenix Knights, specially selected to combat monsters, could don such cloaks.

People who recognized the knights’ identities and purpose made way for them. It was a time when everyone united against the common enemy, the monsters. The path of the knights in those cloaks should not be obstructed under any circumstances. This allowed them to save time.

Marslin was a fairly large castle situated in the middle of a plain. The knights’ squadron stopped on a nearby hill, sent a messenger ahead, and surveyed the situation.

Arrows were scattered here and there across the plain. Beyond the range of the arrows, there was a group of Minotaurs. They had not yet noticed the knights and were calm.

Soon, the messenger arrived. The message was about sending someone to the watchtower to signal them. Moments later, a small light flashed from the top of the tower.

“Now!”

Leehwan kicked his horse’s flank and shouted lowly. The blindfolded steed stomped the ground fiercely.

Leehwan led thirty-two knights who galloped down the hill at breakneck speed, each holding a weapon. Simultaneously, the gates of the castle opened, and soldiers poured out.

As the horses’ hooves hit the plain, the monsters began to move. Leehwan was the first to close in on a Minotaur and slashed down with his sword. A graceful crescent blade swept across the giant Minotaur’s head in an instant.

The sound of slicing flesh was followed by the Minotaur staggering as its head and neck were diagonally severed. However, monsters did not die just from their heads and necks being separated. Leehwan turned his sword upside down and stabbed into the left chest of the Minotaur.

His blade split the thick trapezius muscle of the half-man, half-beast, breaking through the clavicle and ribs, and plunged into the chest. Where a human’s heart would be, a fist-sized core appeared.

Leehwan exerted force in his arm. The hard core cracked. He moved his sword tip to pry open the cracks, and the core shattered into pieces, emitting black smoke.

Leehwan then plunged back into the fray among the Minotaurs. He briefly made eye contact with another knight but turned his eyes away, pretending not to recognize him.

“Aaagh!”

The death cry of that knight rang out behind him.

The number of Minotaurs quickly dwindled, thanks to the battle-hardened Phoenix Knights. The Minotaurs, ambushed from both front and back, panicked, making them easier to handle.

With Leehwan’s sword destroying the last Minotaur’s core, the battle came to an end. As soldiers from the castle cleared the Minotaurs’ carcasses, Leehwan dismounted and surveyed the knights. Including him, twenty-nine knights had entered the castle.

Leehwan thought of the knight he had made eye contact with earlier. Gustav Maritim. Leehwan knew him as an older man than he currently appeared.

Perhaps Gustav was fated to be saved by Leehwan today. Leehwan wiped his cheek. Though he wore a helmet, it was designed to protect only the top of the head, not preventing blood from splattering on his face. Rubbing a nagging spot on his face, his fingers came away with dark red blood.

Leehwan clenched his fist. The sensation of slicing through flesh and snuffing out life still tingled in his palm. If all this were merely a dream, how cruel would reality be?

“Sir Alexander?”

Duku approached, finding Leehwan’s stillness odd. Leehwan turned away from him.

“Check the condition of the knights. I’ll go ahead.”

“What?”

Regardless of Duku’s confusion, Leehwan exchanged brief greetings with the lord who had come out to meet him and then headed for the guest quarters. Duku called out to him, but Leehwan pretended not to hear.

The young man who seemed to be a servant led the way. His shoulders were noticeably tense—a common reaction people had in Leehwan’s presence.

Leehwan had been hurt by such attitudes in the past. He had struggled to blend into this world, but to these people, he was merely a foreign object.