Chapter 71
“What do you mean? Speak so I can understand.”
It was the orc who broke the uneasy silence. At that, the others—and even the monsters—began to listen intently to the dwarf’s words.
The reason Deon had formed the Khan Alliance was, in a way, rooted in his personal history. I had always thought it strange that no race had openly questioned his sudden actions, but it seemed some rumors had already spread among them.
“They say the beast chosen as our leader this time fell for some human woman and created the Khan Alliance because of her. I dismissed it as nonsense, but… Beast King, why are you protecting a human woman in this situation?”
His sharp gaze, filled with both incomprehension and blind rage toward humans, bore into Deon and me. When the others’ eyes followed, Deon—who had kept silent all this time—finally sighed as if weary, his expression unchanged, and approached the dwarf.
“Tomorrow, at departure, I will send word to the head of the Ernmenst family. If they show willingness to negotiate, matters concerning the dwarves will be entrusted to you. If not, we’ll launch an immediate attack. As for the issue of dwarves turning into aberrations, the Empire’s saint will handle it. Emperor, do you agree?”
He shifted the topic so smoothly it was almost artful. When Deon asked, the emperor hesitated but then gave a reluctant nod.
“If it prevents war, naturally I will give my full support.”
“Then this meeting can end here. Pack your things, and as soon as dawn breaks tomorrow, we depart.”
Perhaps I should thank the dwarf for this. Issues and promises that might have required hours of heated discussion were resolved in less than a minute. The knights, dumbfounded, began giving orders to their attendants or left the chamber to prepare.
It seemed everyone considered resolving the immediate crisis far more urgent than dwelling on rumors about me and Deon.
“I understand your emotional outburst. But for tomorrow’s sake, get some rest tonight.”
The matter seemed to be closing peacefully—until,
“…Then take that human woman, Lemoni, with the vanguard.”
Deon froze mid-step.
“Why would we take a human woman who cannot even fight?”
The others shared his sentiment. The mention of my name, dragged into a dangerous mission that could turn into war, made not only the Empire’s knights frown but also Kai, who had been keeping a wary watch, stop what he was doing to glare at the dwarf.
“She knows about the aberrations.”
“I know about them as well. And so does the saint leading the vanguard.”
“True. But isn’t she also said to have been a prison guard in Dreyce? Shouldn’t that be reason enough to bring her along? A guard bears responsibility for the collapse of her prison—and more so for the problem of aberrations. Am I wrong? Trian, what say you?”
The dwarf clearly meant to drag me in. Rising to his feet, he turned to the orc, who scratched his nape awkwardly at being suddenly put on the spot.
“Well… the Beast King’s right, she doesn’t seem suited for war…”
“She was a prison guard. A woman who caged monsters, believing them guilty under human law. And such a woman isn’t suited for war?”
At his persuasion, the orc’s monstrous eyes turned to me. With a snap of his jaws, his fangs glinted before he shrugged.
“Fine, bring her then. As long as she doesn’t get in the way.”
Their unilateral decision made several knights frown, and even the emperor rolled his eyes, muttering nervously,
“We should at least hear the lady’s will, and also the Duchess Christina’s opinion…”
“No. The lady stays here.”
Deon’s low, sharp voice cut off the emperor’s dithering. His gaze locked on the dwarf, and the atmosphere immediately grew heavier. His face remained calm, but his brow twitched upward—the only sign his patience was fraying.
This was troublesome. With a single word from Deon, the other monsters—except the orc—were staring at me as if something was amiss. At this rate, the dwarf’s rumor might become accepted as truth. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t even a rumor.
“I created the Khan Alliance, which brings no benefit to my race, all because of you. For you alone.”
That was the truth.
“I’ll go too.”
It was better for me to speak for myself.
“No.”
“My lady.”
The rejection came instantly from two directions—Deon and another man, both snapping their heads toward me.
“If the negotiations fail, it’ll be war. You want me to take you there?”
Deon, especially, strode toward me, his voice low and his face twisted with barely contained emotion.
“I know how to shoot a gun.”
“There will be things far worse than guns there.”
“But as that dwarf said, I do bear some responsibility.”
“…Responsibility?”
Deon’s red eyes flared with rage, his face shadowed. His expression was angrier than when he had once hated me outright. Bending closer, he hissed,
“It isn’t you who bears responsibility, it’s ‘that woman.’ And the Khan Alliance—I created it on my own. It has nothing to do with you.”
“Then release the real Lemoni. If she returns to her original body, I’ll be safe. And whether she joins the vanguard or not, that won’t be my problem.”
“Kim Eun-ji.”
His jaw clenched hard. After a deep breath, as if swallowing his fury, his red eyes gleamed cold as he warned,
“Stop throwing tantrums.”
Tantrums. So when he acted on his own, it was right—but when I did, it was a tantrum?
“I already told you earlier. What you feel for me—it’s one-sided.”
The room was deathly still. I lowered my voice, fists trembling pale with strain.
“You acted as you pleased. Why shouldn’t I? Even if you try to stop me, I’m going.”
I wanted to push him aside and walk out, but seeing his body hard as stone, I knew it would be pointless.
“I’ll depart with the vanguard at dawn. That should clear up the misunderstanding, shouldn’t it?”
No sooner had I said this than the entire building seemed to tremble from the force of Deon storming out.
“You’ve just proven that rumor true,” someone clicked their tongue.
I only meant to resolve the situation, but Deon’s reaction made the dwarf decide the rumor was fact. He shot me a venomous glare before leaving as well, and soon only the Empire’s uneasy representatives remained.
“…Lady Lemoni. Since departure is tomorrow, I don’t think this is a decision you should make alone.”
I was too dazed from the whirlwind of events to respond, until the emperor approached with a sigh.
“Ah. I intend to send word to His Grace separately. Please don’t worry.”
What was I even doing in this world? Reality came crashing back. Forcing a smile at the emperor, who looked troubled, I excused myself and returned to the guest chambers prepared for me. My body felt heavy and damp, like soaked cotton.
I didn’t understand how things had escalated this way. The only reason I had come here was because Deon asked me to attend, for the Empire’s sake. Afterward, I had planned to return to reality immediately.
“My lady. Must you really go?”
The quiet reproach came from Kai, who had stood silently throughout. I thought I was finally alone, but he had followed me into the guest room, his presence only now becoming apparent.
“That’s why you’ll come with me, Kai.”
“I will follow wherever you go. That is not the issue.”
He was likely thinking of Duchess Christina. How would a father feel, after nearly losing his daughter once, to hear she meant to march into danger again?
I pressed my forehead, trying to imagine it, but with my parents long dead in an accident, I couldn’t truly understand. Besides, I wasn’t even his real daughter.
“…The Khan Alliance was, in truth, formed under conditions unfavorable to the monsters. If a war sparked by humans leads to me being protected again, this fragile alliance will collapse. Then the Empire will lose its strength.”
“Even weakened, the Empire is still an empire. And if the worst happens, the Duchess will see you safely to a free nation. That would be far safer than following monsters into whatever peril awaits.”
“But survival alone is meaningless.”
The helplessness I had felt before Deon had been more than enough proof of that.
“…That’s something even the aberrations can do.”
Perhaps my words surprised him. His dark eyes flickered faintly before he closed his mouth, whatever reply he had dying on his tongue.
“I’m not trying to do something noble. Just…”
Ah. Why was I even saying this to him?
