TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 102

Blake also took a step back, putting an extremely safe distance between the two of them.

Hearing that a reply had arrived, Blake instinctively looked up at the sky, but he saw no messenger hawk.

He turned toward Sutanlai and noticed him fiddling with a wide bracelet on his wrist. Apparently, that was what he meant by “replying to a message.”

Some kind of magical artifact? Blake guessed.

Items capable of using magic were known as magical artifacts. They were usually rare and expensive, required magical power to operate, and both of his companions, Lina and Arthur, owned such artifacts as well.

As Sutanlai replied to the message, the cold, stern expression on his face softened in an instant, leaving Blake somewhat stunned.

The person on the other end of the bracelet must be someone very important—important enough that Sutanlai could not wait even a moment and was willing to interrupt a battle because of them.

Blake felt a flicker of curiosity, but he and Sutanlai were hardly acquaintances, and the thought quickly left his mind.

A little while later, Sutanlai finished replying.

However, after that brief interruption, both of their fighting spirits had faded somewhat, and neither could immediately return to peak form.

The two resumed their duel, gradually rekindling their battle intent.

Fixing his gaze on the young man before him, Sutanlai demanded sharply,

“Which rebel faction sent you to assassinate me? Lord Ryan? Lord Figgs? Or the priests of the Temple of Thunder?”

A trace of mockery entered his voice.

“What exactly do you oppose about me? What do you hope to gain? Do you also wish to become a slave to those nobles? A slave to the gods?”

Blake answered loudly,

“No. I’m not part of the rebels.”

A flash of surprise crossed Sutanlai’s eyes.

The clash of blades rang out between them as Blake continued:

“I don’t like those people.”

He had never had much affection for nobles, and he liked even less those who still kept and exploited slaves.

He thought that if Little White were still alive, he would certainly hate them too.

No matter how many sweet words the rebels spoke, Blake found it difficult to trust them.

But that did not mean he supported Sutanlai either. He had no interest whatsoever in the struggle between corrupt, stubborn nobles and priests on one side and a brutal, tyrannical ruler on the other.

Sutanlai raised an eyebrow.

“Then why have you come before me?”

“For revenge.”

Blake’s gaze was unwavering.

“I need information from you.”

After his battle with Gold, he had been rescued from the collapsing castle by his companions. Before losing consciousness, while being carried on someone’s shoulder, he had caught sight of a familiar piece of clothing.

A white robe lined with crimson.

The fabric was of a quality ordinary people could never afford, and the oppressive sensation that left him unable to move had felt all too familiar.

There was no mistake—it was that person!

Moreover, attached to the robe was a golden compass rose ornament. Only recently had he learned that it was the symbol of the Apostles of White.

That figure had passed almost shoulder-to-shoulder with them, but Blake had blacked out before he could seize the opportunity.

When he later awoke, he rushed back to the castle to search for the person, but they had vanished without a trace. Gold’s corpse had disappeared as well.

Without question, that individual was connected to Gold and to the Apostles of White. Blake was determined to uncover their identity.

After encountering the rebels, he learned a great deal about Sutanlai from them.

Besides his infamous reputation, he heard rumors that Sutanlai was half demon. On the battlefield, Sutanlai had reportedly taken on the form of a demonic lion, which was one of the primary reasons the rebels opposed him so fiercely.

Using that fact, the rebels had recruited many people whose loved ones had been killed by monsters.

Blake disliked the rebel leaders, but he got along fairly well with those fellow seekers of revenge.

When they learned he was investigating the Apostles of White, they gave him a crucial piece of information.

Sutanlai was the Sixth Apostle—the Lord of Wrath.

That was why Blake had come to face him.

And Sutanlai had openly admitted that he knew exactly who Blake was searching for. The condition was simple: Blake had to defeat him first.

“Revenge, huh…”

The way Sutanlai looked at the black-haired youth changed slightly.

He too had once pursued revenge at any cost.

A trace of admiration appeared in his eyes, and his fighting spirit surged anew.

“Then show me the depth of your resolve!”

Their battle became fiercer and more relentless.

Sutanlai pressed forward aggressively, while Blake only grew stronger as the fight continued. Once again, they entered a deadlock of white-hot intensity.

This time, nothing interrupted them.

To defeat Sutanlai, Blake entered a demonic transformation. Fierce light flashed within his black cross-shaped pupils.

“Half demon?”

Gold had never mentioned such a thing to Sutanlai, but the revelation only intensified his battle lust.

His aura changed abruptly.

“Excellent timing!”

His voice shifted as well as he assumed the form of a mighty lion, his eyes burning with passion and hunger for combat.

When the Shadow Wolf struck with lightning speed, the lion roared. The thunderous sound shook the air and repelled the attack.

A murderous atmosphere filled the surroundings.

Transformed into monsters, both warriors radiated wildness and power as they clashed again and again, evenly matched.

The battle dragged on for a long time.

At the very beginning, Sutanlai had deliberately lured Blake away from the city. Thus, it was only after the tremendous commotion of their battle spread that Blake’s companions and the rebel forces finally arrived.

By then, the fight was already over.

From above, the canyon below was a complete wreck, scarred everywhere by the aftermath of their struggle.

Sutanlai and Blake both lay on the ground, barely alive.

Yet Blake still stubbornly struggled to stand.

“You win…”

Sutanlai’s voice no longer carried its former strength. Exhaustion filled his expression, as though he were on the verge of entering an eternal sleep.

Like Gold before him, he had never imagined he would lose to a young upstart.

Honoring their wager, he gave Blake the answer he sought.

“The person you seek is the First Apostle—the Lord of Pride.”

“The First…”

Blake murmured the words.

He remembered that Sutanlai was only the Sixth Apostle.

“That’s right. His strength far surpasses mine. Even though he was gravely wounded in a battle against the Night God not long ago, your current strength is nowhere near enough to defeat him.”

Sutanlai looked at him seriously.

“Will you still pursue your revenge?”

Blake staggered to his feet.

“Of course!”

Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, his figure seemed almost radiant.

For a moment, Sutanlai thought he was looking at his younger self.

At that moment, the voices of Blake’s companions echoed down from above the canyon.

After hearing them, Sutanlai said:

“Kill me.”

Blake stared at him in shock.

Sutanlai’s tone was grave.

“I cannot die at the hands of those people. Rather than letting those rebels desecrate my corpse, I would rather you kill me and destroy my body.”

He admired the young man and was willing to entrust his final affairs to him.

Blake swallowed hard.

Gripping his broken sword, he walked toward Sutanlai, but he could not bring himself to strike.

“Why won’t you do it?”

Even now, Sutanlai questioned him with the dignity of a king.

“There’s someone important waiting for you… the person who sent you that message.”

Blake sheathed his broken sword and struggled to lift Sutanlai onto his shoulder.

Sutanlai froze.

A white-haired figure appeared in his mind.

He had promised to have afternoon tea with Albin.

Sutanlai lowered his eyes.

By then, Blake’s companions and the rebels had already descended into the canyon one after another.

Suddenly, Sutanlai shoved Blake away and slammed his back against a massive boulder.

The rebels immediately moved to protect Blake and advanced on Sutanlai with drawn swords, their faces filled with anger and vigilance.

“Damn tyrant! Your day has finally come!”

But before they could attack, Arthur suddenly shouted from behind them:

“A monster!”

Everyone frantically searched for the threat until they finally spotted what Arthur was pointing at—

A small emerald-green snake wearing a pale yellow scarf.

Within its beady eyes glimmered black cross-shaped pupils. If one did not look carefully, it was easy to miss.

“Hmph. Such a weak little monster.”

One rebel sneered and swung his sword.

In the next instant, however, the tiny snake suddenly expanded into a gigantic python.

The rebel’s blade struck its scales and shattered into pieces.

With a single sweep of its tail, the python sent the rebel flying into the canyon wall, knocking him unconscious.

In an instant, the only people still standing were Blake, his companions, and the dying Sutanlai.

The python’s terrifying eyes examined Blake. Lowering its head, it flicked out its tongue and sniffed at him, putting everyone on edge.

“Jade…”

Sutanlai called out.

“Why are you here? This time, I lost…”

Hearing this, the python turned toward him and hissed something in reply.

Only then did Blake and the others, grateful to have survived, notice that the scarf around the giant snake’s neck bore the same compass rose emblem.

The symbol of the Apostles of White.

Before anyone could speculate further, the giant python suddenly opened its enormous jaws and swallowed Sutanlai whole.

Everyone was stunned.

Weren’t those two supposed to be allies?

Remembering information they had obtained from the rebels, Lina said gravely,

“I heard that the Third Apostle—the Lord of Gluttony—takes the form of a python.”

The Third Apostle!

In other words, this was a monster even more powerful than Sutanlai!

Could it be that simply because Sutanlai had lost, the Apostles of White had chosen to execute him in this manner?

To treat even a companion so ruthlessly—how cruel!

Blake suddenly realized that perhaps Gold’s corpse had not been rescued at all. Perhaps, just like this, he had been “executed.”

The Apostles of White…

He clenched his fists.

Sensing that the situation was turning dangerous—after all, once the python finished with Sutanlai, they might be next—Arthur, the beast tamer, hurriedly blew his magical whistle.

A powerful wind suddenly swept through the canyon.

Accompanied by the shrill cry of a great bird, a giant eagle covered in tough feathers descended from the sky, its wings kicking up clouds of dust.

The group grabbed hold of the eagle’s talons and were immediately carried away from the canyon.

Watching them leave, Jade scratched his head with the tip of his tail in confusion.

I’m not even going to eat them. Why are they so scared?

He shrank back into his small, delicate snake form and slithered away.

[Zeman—!]

he called out as he arrived beside the white-haired man.

[I brought Sutanlai back.]

“Good work.”

Zeman patted Jade’s head—the one that had recently expanded into a giant python.

Jade opened his mouth wide.

Blegh.

With a disgusting retching sound, he spat out a cocoon that reeked of blood.

Without a word, Zeman withdrew his hand and washed it clean with water magic.

He cut open the membrane surrounding Sutanlai and cast healing magic on him.

Being forcibly dragged back from the brink of death left Sutanlai in poor condition.

Opening his eyes, he grumbled unhappily,

“I thought you were going to eat me.”

Damn it. Why hadn’t he managed to die again?

For once he had found a worthy opponent and enjoyed a truly satisfying battle, only for his hopes to be dashed once more.

The moment he heard that tone, Zeman knew it was the Lion currently controlling the body.

Jade protested indignantly:

[I would never eat my companions.]

On that point, he and the Lion held completely opposite views.

The Lion believed that consuming a fallen companion was a way of preserving their dignity.

Still, since Jade had saved him, the Lion did not argue. He blinked once, and control of the body returned to Sutanlai.

“I lost to that kid,” Sutanlai admitted openly. “I underestimated him. He’s much stronger than I expected.”

Zeman was not particularly surprised.

“After all, he was chosen by the Sun God.”

He had no intention of doubting the Sun God’s judgment when it came to selecting hosts.

“But I already told him everything you wanted me to.”

Zeman nodded.

“Thank you. Leave the rest to me.”

After treating Sutanlai for a while, Zeman asked,

“My carriage is nearby. Shall I send you back to the royal palace?”

Sutanlai was silent for a moment before replying,

“Not yet. Since this opportunity has presented itself, I intend to use it and lure all the rebels out in one sweep.”

---

“Dad! Sutanlai! And Jade too! Everyone’s here!”

Albin enthusiastically greeted the arrivals stepping down from the carriage.

“Wow, this is the first time I’ve seen you leave the Tulip Kingdom, Sutanlai. Is everything okay?”

Sutanlai’s gaze softened.

All the sharpness and menace around him vanished completely.

“It’s fine. I came to honor my promise to have afternoon tea with you. Am I welcome?”

“Of course you are! I’ve been saying for ages that you should take a proper break!”

Hooking one arm through each of theirs, Albin led them toward the castle in Thorn City.

“I personally prepared rooms for everyone! You’ll have to tell me if you like them.”

He proudly showed off every modification he had made.

Listening to Albin’s cheerful voice, Sutanlai finally felt truly alive again.

A warmth spread through his heart—soft and sweet like cake.

When Albin turned around and noticed him staring, he flashed him a bright smile.

“Just look at you. You definitely haven’t been resting properly lately. You look exhausted. Since this is such a rare chance, make sure you relax!”

“Alright.”

Sutanlai obediently followed the deity’s command.

As they chatted while walking, Albin curiously asked Zeman,

“Dad, did you come to take me back to the Holy Nation this time? My businesses here are mostly taken care of now, and Gold said he’ll be leaving soon too.”

He had already spent quite a long time in Thorn City.

“No,” Zeman replied. “Stay in Thorn City for the time being. Since Gold is leaving, Jade will stay with you from now on.”

Albin looked puzzled.

Zeman offered only vague excuses, which made Albin even more suspicious.

“Well, okay. I’ll stay. But you don’t have to keep leaving people behind to watch over me. I know all of you are busy too.”

He puffed out his cheeks.

“I’m not a little kid anymore. I’m pretty strong now!”

Although he appreciated everyone’s concern and enjoyed being protected, he felt they were being overly cautious—as if they expected him to encounter villains on the level of the Sea God every time he stepped outside.

“In my eyes, you’ll always be a child.”

Zeman ruffled his hair and gently rejected his request.

Pouting, Albin bumped his head against Zeman’s hand like a lamb trying to butt someone with its horns.

But before long he was happily calling out “Dad” again.

He knew how busy his father was.

A visit like this was probably one of his rare moments of leisure, and Albin wanted him to enjoy himself. Even their little disagreements should not spoil his mood.

In his own way, he tried to take care of them too.

---

After staying in Thorn City for some time, both Sutanlai and Zeman eventually departed.

With little left to do, Albin suddenly found himself with plenty of free time.

As usual, he spent it reading comics.

The story had now reached the aftermath of Blake’s battle with Sutanlai.

When he saw Sutanlai reveal information about Zeman—

Albin: ?

Lord of Pride? What Lord of Pride? Since when?

And why does the protagonist want information about my dad?

The plot was still implying that Blake had some kind of grudge against his father.

How is that even possible?

Then he read the part about Zeman being severely wounded after a battle with the Night God.

Albin: ??

Who? My brother injured my dad?

My brother would never do something like that!

Then he reached the scene where Jade swallowed Sutanlai.

Albin: ???

Jade would never eat a companion!

Unable to hold back any longer, he complained:

“What kind of nonsense plot is this?!”

The comic’s author clearly knew a great deal about the Apostles of White.

But how had they managed to misunderstand everything so badly?

Albin fell into thought.

Whoever the author was, why had the ideal of peaceful coexistence between humans and monsters become twisted into something like this?

Could the events in the comic have real-world inspirations?

Simply pondering these questions would get him nowhere.

Albin decided to investigate personally and learn how ordinary people viewed the actions of the Apostles of White.

To avoid being recognized, he continued using his false identity.

Although he grumbled about not wanting to be treated like a child, he still brought Jade along to keep his family from worrying.

Of course, whenever Jade was sleeping at the inn, Albin would sneak off and interview people about their opinions on monsters and humans.

“Hmm? It looks like someone’s collapsed over there.”

Spotting a black-clad figure lying unconscious in the distance, Albin hurried over to help.

The person was a black-haired young man.

His injuries were severe, and blood had soaked the earth a dark reddish-brown.

Albin quickly turned him over to inspect his wounds.

Then he froze.

The face staring back at him was astonishingly familiar.

Albin’s mind went completely blank.

“Blake?”

Why was someone from the comic standing right in front of him?

Feel free to buy me a coffee/show your support on ko-fi! Thank you ❤