* * *
Every divine beast I’ve met so far has been strange.
One lured us into a trap even though it was our first meeting.
Another tailed us from a distance, just watching.
Yet another attacked on sight without a second thought.
“Don’t go into the forest recklessly. We can’t guarantee your safety. It’s dangerous.”
Now I finally understood why people said that.
If this truth were honestly revealed as it is, maybe no one would ever come near.
“Do you know why that divine beast is attacking us?”
“Who knows. Maybe it thinks we’ve invaded its territory…”
Because I’m not the protagonist it was waiting for.
That, without a doubt, was the unembellished truth.
But it wasn’t one I could speak aloud.
So instead, I said the most plausible lie I could manage.
Thanks to running blindly, the yarn that Klen had painstakingly gathered was quickly being used up.
But could we really just follow the thread and run back to the entrance?
We were already its prey.
That Pegasus was bound to chase us outside the forest.
“Klen. What do you think would happen if we attacked that divine beast?”
“Most likely, every divine beast in this forest would become our enemy.”
“Haha… That feels a little unfair, don’t you think?”
Boom!
Right then, Pegasus once again shot past us and slammed into something nearby.
We didn’t even do anything, and yet we were the ones being attacked—taking the brunt of its anger.
And now you’re telling me that if we dare to fight back, we’ll make enemies of all the divine beasts? Isn’t that a bit much?
“But… if you look at it from their perspective…”
Unlike me, who was growing increasingly irritated, Klen seemed to be trying to understand.
“If you were the one who got bloodied after attacking someone, I probably wouldn’t be able to forgive them either.”
“….”
Well, I don’t go around lashing out at people just to vent.
Still, the fact that I understood what Klen meant was even more annoying.
If something like that ever happened, the moment I saw Klen hurt, I’d probably blow up too—regardless of the reason.
Twang—!
“Ugh!”
Suddenly, while running, I slammed into something and bounced backward lightly.
It felt like hitting the surface of a jiggly pudding—soft, but still jarring.
It didn’t hurt, but it was definitely surprising.
“Are you alright?”
“…Yeah.”
Right in front of us shimmered something that looked just like transparent pudding.
‘A barrier?!’
The word struck me like a bolt of lightning.
Why hadn’t I thought of it during our earlier conversation?
Was it because I never imagined we’d come here directly?
It’s not like this forest doesn’t have barriers.
There’s exactly one place that’s sealed off from the outside—
‘This place.’
A location protected by a powerful barrier no one can enter.
And the very same barrier the protagonist borrows Levatein to destroy.
‘If I break it now…’
Then there’d be no need to lend out Levatein.
But that’s supposed to be the protagonist’s role.
There’s a reason this barrier exists now, and a reason why it must be broken then.’
If I destroy it just to escape, who knows how the story might twist?
Whoooosh—
But thanks to this, our way out was blocked.
Pegasus had spread its wings wide, summoning wind.
After repeated charges, now it was turning to magic attacks.
The fact that we’d dodged all its strikes so far probably made it even more furious.
‘We can’t kill it.’
And not just because this is the Divine Beasts’ Forest.
That beast—despite appearances—will eventually become the protagonist’s most trusted partner, after clashing and reconciling with him.
It’s also a crucial key to saving the world.
But if it’s coming at us like it wants to kill, then we’ll have to be ready to injure it at least a little in self-defense.
I’m not about to sit here and die.
This isn’t where I’m supposed to die, anyway.
“…!”
Klen must have been thinking the same thing.
He let go of the thread and stepped forward.
“Wait.”
“You should stay back. If something goes wrong, I’ll take the forest’s wrath upon myself.”
“I can’t let you do that.”
If it comes to that, then I’d rather we bear it together.
Maybe just trimming its wing feathers would be enough to snap it out of it.
They’ll grow back soon enough.
By the time the protagonist shows up, it’ll be good as new.
“Adrian.”
“What if the one the divine beast attacks first is the one who takes responsibility?”
That would be a gamble.
Right now, there’s no telling which of us it’ll target first.
Would he really throw both of us onto a roulette wheel like that?
I know that’s not the kind of person Klen is.
But if he did accept that bet, he might provoke Pegasus in a way I’d never notice.
So before he could make that kind of decision, I quickly opened my mouth.
“In that case, it’s better we face it together. After all, we are married.”
“I forgot—my wife isn’t the type to run from something like this.”
A faint smile appeared on his face.
He wasn’t worried that I’d get hurt—he’d seen my skills firsthand.
What concerned him was how deeply the divine beasts might hold a grudge.
But since we’re married, it doesn’t matter who they curse. It’s all the same in the end.
‘Still… if I die here, what happens to our sacred vow?’
Does it still count as fulfilled?
Or do the other brothers have to marry again?
It bothered me a little.
I gently set the yarn on the ground, knowing it’d unravel during battle anyway.
Clink—
Then drew Levatein.
With our swords in hand, Klen and I met each other’s eyes.
There was no time to plan.
All we could do was watch, read, and adjust to each other’s movements.
And yet, I didn’t think we’d lose.
First, we moved away from the yarn so it wouldn’t get caught up in the fight.
If we lost it, we could end up wandering this forest until the day we died.
The gust Pegasus had been gathering suddenly launched toward us—
Almost as if it had politely waited for us to move before attacking.
‘Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—!’
The wind flew toward us, only to hit a series of branches and lose its momentum.
By the time it reached us, it had lost both force and size, making it easier to dodge than expected.
Klen and I leapt in opposite directions, avoiding the magic.
Pegasus, realizing wind attacks weren’t effective here, landed back on the ground.
And that—was our chance.
The moment its hooves touched the forest floor, I charged forward.
‘Vwoom—’
It noticed the blade flying toward it and quickly stepped back, letting my sword slice through the air.
But there was a trap waiting in the direction it escaped—
Slash—!
Matching my movement, Klen’s sword struck the beast as it passed.
Our goal wasn’t to kill Pegasus.
We were careful not to injure it too seriously—measuring our strength.
In the end, his blade only grazed a wing, sending a few feathers fluttering through the air.
Still, that seemed to be just the thing to set it off.
—Grrrrr…!
It let out a low growl, like a wild beast.
“You’re the one who started this.”
If anyone should be angry, shouldn’t it be me?
But whether he heard my words or not, he crouched down, then sprung forward, dashing toward Klen at lightning speed.
Thud!
He moved faster than the wind. Klen narrowly dodged the attack, quickly regaining his stance.
The Pegasus crashed into another tree.
This time, the impact was even faster, even more threatening.
The whole tree shook violently, as if its roots might rip out of the ground.
‘Isn’t he the one destroying the forest?’
* * *
