I couldn’t possibly walk, so I ran as fast as I could, but all I could do was hope my acting had been convincing.
Aren, which had been flying high in the sky, spotted me and descended straight toward me.
[Were you there?! Hurry! Your spouse is in danger!]
“What?!”
Apparently, I wasn’t so calm that I wouldn’t be surprised even if I expected it.
A chill instantly enveloped my body, as if all the blood had drained out.
‘Is it the curse from back then?!’
Klen, knowing Rodney had done something and having been told the curse was dangerous, wouldn’t have recklessly touched it.
Aren, who isn’t unaware of curses, also wouldn’t have let it activate.
Since we were guarding the entrance, it was certain he hadn’t been dragged into the forest.
It was certain that this wasn’t the worst-case scenario, but my chest churned.
It felt like my anxiety wouldn’t calm down until I confirmed Klen was safe with my own eyes.
Aren flew ahead, and I followed, running.
Despite the terrain being specialized with many trees, the creature’s speed was fast.
My eyes widened at how quickly it navigated between the branches as if performing acrobatics.
Given that it was making sure I didn’t lose it even while moving frantically, it could clearly fly faster.
I could confidently say it was fast.
Seeing this side of it, after only ever seeing its cute and vulnerable appearance, made it seem a little dependable.
‘My Divine Beast, after all…’
It wasn’t the time for it, but my lips curved up slightly.
As I kept running, a faint light appeared ahead.
Since Aren was flying straight toward it, that was clearly our destination.
Klen must be there too.
The light grew stronger as I approached.
This must be an artificial light, not one that occurred naturally.
The anxious feeling felt like a whip lashing my legs, allowing me to move at a faster pace than usual.
And finally, the source of that light was revealed before my eyes.
“Klen!”
The light was being emitted by a magical array.
The center of the circular array was glowing.
And Klen, standing a few steps away from it, seemed to be pouring his mana into the array.
The cold air was so pervasive that frost settled on the surroundings.
Klen’s face, deeply furrowed unlike normal, also showed a sharp sense of tension.
“What’s going on!”
“Adrian… Destroy this array.”
“…!”
Confused by the situation, I quickly grabbed Levatein.
And following his instruction, I ran toward the array.
[Be careful!]
Startled by the intense burst of energy suddenly emitted, I pulled my body back.
Thump!
“Ugh?!”
And then, a huge, gaping maw jutted out from the center of the array and violently snapped shut, as if trying to swallow prey.
The mouth churned wildly, but for some reason, it slowly disappeared back inside as if being pulled away.
What I glimpsed looked like the mouth of a reptile.
Its skin was pitch-black and rough-looking. Its appearance, like tightly interwoven armor, was completely different from the snake we had seen earlier in the day.
My trembling hand nearly dropped the sword.
[A, a terrifying presence… Don’t get too close.]
I didn’t know what was trying to emerge from within.
But even the brief glimpse was enough to confirm it was dangerous.
Klen must be trying to prevent it from coming out.
I calmly raised Levatein and struck down at the array.
Jjang-geurang!
A sharp sound struck all around, and the array broke. It was definitely broken.
Yet, the light didn’t disappear immediately.
Even if I swung the sword at the fading array, it no longer responded and was useless.
“Kugh.”
In the end, I headed for the center, where an eerie presence, enough to make even my fine hairs stand on end, was rising.
“Adrian, that side is dangerous!”
[D, didn’t I tell you not to go near?! Come here right now!]
But if I were going to obediently listen to that, I wouldn’t have moved in the first place.
I reached the center of the array faster than Klen could rush to me.
My throat tightened with tension.
Since the strange maw didn’t pop out this time, I quickly thrust Levatein inside.
“…!”
Levatein cut through something hard, not just the ground where the array was drawn.
A powerful impact, not a smooth penetration, was transmitted, but the tip of the sword was clearly stained with red blood.
—Kwaaa-ang!
“Ugh?!”
A roar, whether of rage or agony, rang out.
I immediately made eye contact with the something inside.
Sharp eyes filled with a ferocity incomparable to a snake, yet similar to it.
That thing, which instantly sent shivers down my entire body, was definitely fear.
My whole body trembled with the fear I felt for the first time.
And when I regained my senses, my body was already floating in the air, flying away.
I couldn’t even recall when it had started.
One moment I blinked, and the next I was airborne.
I quickly turned my head, and there was no array or light anymore.
And I saw Klen rushing toward me in a hurry.
“Adrian!”
He leaped from the ground and embraced me strongly, and a gentle wind wrapped around our bodies.
The wind slowed our speed of flight.
Thanks to the gradual decrease in speed, I was gently placed on the ground instead of being violently tossed onto the rough dirt.
Klen’s magic should have been the cold, ice-elemental type.
“Are you alright?”
“I am fine. This magic… Could it be Aren?”
[A, are you alright?! It would be dangerous to take that kind of energy head-on!]
“It seems Aren is indeed a Divine Beast.”
[What a ridiculous thing to state as obvious!]
Seeing that Klen was surprised too, it seemed the magic was indeed Aren’s.
It was a moment that confirmed the fact that it was truly a Divine Beast, not just a talking bird.
I placed my hand on the cheek in front of me.
Had his mana consumption been severe while stopping that strange array?
His cheek was so pale that my palm felt cold touching it.
“Your face is pale. Are you alright?”
“…I don’t think I am as pale as you are right now.”
But he was trying to give me warmth instead.
Seeing that his hand touching my cheek was excessively warm, my own complexion didn’t seem to be very good.
“Adrian!”
Just then, Brother suddenly appeared.
My shoulders twitched, and I first quickly looked around.
I was relieved that the traces of magic and the overflowing cold air had completely vanished.
“Are you two alright?”
I expected him to tease or joke, but Brother’s expression was surprisingly serious as he stood before us, frozen with our hands on each other’s cheeks.
He reached out and helped both Klen and me stand up.
‘Surely I don’t look so bad that he can’t even think of joking?’
I was utterly exhausted, as if my life force had been sucked out, even though I had only briefly encountered it.
Even if I wanted to ask what that thing was, I couldn’t bring it up in this location.
I deliberately changed the subject.
“But Brother, how did you get here…”
That roar must have shaken the vicinity.
The surrounding scenery, which I now noticed, was covered with thick fallen leaves from the impact, and the loud chirping of returning birds was deafening.
Although no proof remained, one could vaguely guess that something had happened.
But even if he heard the sound, the speed at which Brother rushed here was excessive. He wouldn’t have used a magic tool.
“Your expression wasn’t good. Wait, were you hiding that?”
“…”
That was strange.
My acting skills must have improved incomparably compared to before.
Yet, Brother Marcus noticed that my expression was different from usual and followed me.
‘Can I not deceive Brother?’
Perhaps rushing out in a hurry was a mistake.
However, if the same situation unfolded, I would definitely rush out without any hesitation.
