episode_0058

I sheathed my sword, and the Vermilion Bird withdrew its flames.

As the flames that had heated the surroundings disappeared, the air on the 15th floor cooled rapidly, and I felt a chilling coldness.

Having somehow confirmed that the situation had calmed down, the Flame Emperor opened his mouth, revealing his courtesy and composure.

“Vermilion Bird, I ask you. What covenant did you make with the first Flame Emperor that you were trapped in such a place? Also, you said that the time has come to fulfill the covenant, but what does the first Flame Emperor want me to do?”

“That is….”

A glance.

Once again, the Vermilion Bird’s gaze turns to me.

No, seriously, why do you keep looking at me? If you have something to say, just say it.

The Flame Emperor naturally noticed the Vermilion Bird’s gaze and looked at me.

Then, after a moment of contemplation, he smiled and said.

“Could you excuse us for a moment? It seems this covenant is something I should hear alone.”

“Are you sure? If I’m not here, there will be no way to prepare for an emergency.”

“It’ll be alright.”

It’s not just going to end with “it’ll be alright,” you know. If you die, I die, got it?

To be precise, I won’t die, but it’ll be incredibly troublesome. The entire Flame Country will come after me, trying to kill me for letting their king die.

If things go wrong, the entire Flame Country might invade the Central Continent.

Noticing my concern, he smiled and took something out of his pocket and placed it in my hand.

“What’s this?”

‘It’s the Jade Seal of the Flame Emperor. One of the items symbolizing the Flame Emperor.’

“Why are you giving this to me….”

“If I can’t get out of this place, show this to my royal guard or other vassals. Then they won’t bother you.”

Seeing him speak as if he were prepared, I couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh.

“Come back alive. You’re the linchpin for the preparations to strike the Beastmen Alliance, and if you’re gone, nothing will work.”

“Haha, I’ll keep that in mind.”

After receiving the jade seal from the Flame Emperor, I went up the stairs to the 14th floor.

Now that things have turned out this way, I should grab some things from the 14th floor and get out.

I saw some elixirs like the Hwandan when I glanced at it before coming down. My stamina was drained while fighting the Vermilion Bird, so I should stock up for later.

* * *

“So he’s gone. Now that there’s no one to hear about the covenant that the first Flame Emperor made, would you please tell me? Why have you been here all this time, and what does the covenant I must fulfill mean?”

“Hmm…, yes. I should.”

The Vermilion Bird nodded at the Flame Emperor’s words.

However, he only nodded and didn’t open his mouth. Until a little while ago, when he fought Leon, he was the divine beast himself, dignified and noble, but now his face was red and he was reacting like a shy woman.

But realizing that he couldn’t keep doing this forever, the Vermilion Bird closed his eyes tightly and said.

“Ahem…, so…, you must bear my child.”

“Indeed, is that so?”

“….?”

The Flame Emperor nodded lightly at the Vermilion Bird’s words.

Was it because it was a completely different reaction from what he expected? The Vermilion Bird tilted his head and looked at the Flame Emperor.

“Did you hear me correctly? Or did something go wrong with your hearing or cognitive organs because of the aftereffects of the fight earlier?”

“I think I heard you correctly…, so according to what you said, you and I must have a child, but is there something else I’m missing? Or is there something else I don’t know?”

“Ah, no. There’s nothing like that. You heard me correctly…, but why aren’t you surprised?”

“Should I be surprised?”

At the Flame Emperor’s words, which were more like a question in return, the Vermilion Bird looked at the Flame Emperor with an even more incomprehensible expression.

“Rather than that, could you tell me more about the covenant? Why must you have a child with me, a human?”

“Hmm…, that goes back to when the first Flame Emperor came to borrow my power.”

In an era when human influence was still weak compared to now.

At the same time, in those days when humans were fiercely fighting each other for their territories, when the land was stained with blood, the first Flame Emperor decided to unite the Flame Country by borrowing the power beyond humans, the power of the divine beast, as a way to end this tiresome war.

Thus, the first Flame Emperor chose the power of the divine beast Vermilion Bird, who was staying in the Flame Country at the time.

‘Divine beast, Vermilion Bird. I beg you to lend me your power!’

‘I refuse.’

But of course, the Vermilion Bird refused.

The Four Divine Beasts basically refrained from directly intervening with their power unless there were special circumstances.

‘So, are divine beasts not allowed to use their power for humans?’

‘Using power for personal greed other than for self-defense is prohibited.’

‘What is included in self-defense?’

‘Of course, it includes cases where your life is in danger.’

The first Flame Emperor kept asking questions.

At that time, the Vermilion Bird didn’t know. The first Flame Emperor, he was a very persistent and annoying type of human.

The first Flame Emperor, who had learned the oath that he had made as a Four Divine Beasts,

‘So, Vermilion Bird. You’re saying you can’t die easily.’

‘?’

‘Never mind. I’ll come again.’

The Vermilion Bird didn’t know at that time that he would come endlessly until he received something similar to help.

‘Vermilion Bird! Lend me your power!’

‘The story is over. Go back!’

Morning,

‘Vermilion Bird! The scent of this tea is very good. So, lend me your power!’

‘I refuse. So, human, give up and find another way.!!’

Lunch,

‘Vermilion Bird! I will treat you to the Flame family’s cuisine. So, lend me your power!’

‘I told you to go back!!’

The next day,

‘Vermilion Bird!!’

‘Go back!!!’

The day after that. The next day after that. The next day after that.

The first Flame Emperor kept visiting the Vermilion Bird. Leaving the words that he would like him to lend his power.

Eventually, the Vermilion Bird was mentally exhausted and collapsed due to the first Flame Emperor’s abnormal obsession. Now that he was so used to the Flame Emperor coming that it had become a part of his life, the Vermilion Bird asked the first Flame Emperor.

‘Why do you want my help so much?’

‘Because I think your power is the key to ending this war.’

‘There are various kinds of power in the world. Even the power that you humans call sorcery can be used to walk the right path depending on the user’s will and purpose, and even those who shout for justice can be used as the vanguard of evil for wrongdoings.’

The Vermilion Bird spoke in a calm and gentle voice, as if trying to soothe a child.

‘So, the power to achieve your purpose must exist elsewhere. Why do you ask for my help even though there is no reason to be obsessed with me?’

‘….You may not know, but I have seen you in the past. I only saw you from a distance, as if passing by, but I definitely saw you.’

The first Flame Emperor said.

‘Your flames were very beautiful.’

So, the first Flame Emperor thought.

‘Flames like the sun that leads everyone and shines forever as a symbol of peace. I am convinced that only Vermilion Bird, your flames, can do that.’

So, the first Flame Emperor said once again.

‘Lend me your power. Vermilion Bird. Your power, your flames. Even for the sake of the weak people on this land.’

‘….’

The Vermilion Bird should not directly help.

That was a rule set by all the Four Divine Beasts, including the Black Tortoise.

But there was one exception.

‘A White Tiger resides on a small peninsula not far from this land.’

‘White Tiger, you mean one of the Four Divine Beasts?’

‘Yes. White Tiger, she lent her power according to a contract with the humans of the peninsula.’

‘Her power?’

“Could it be that?….”

“Yes. As you expected, it was to pass on her blood, that is, to create descendants to inherit her power. But that was a method that took too long, and I agreed with that as well. So…, I went to see Lord Black Tortoise and made an oath.”

As collateral for his power, so that the covenant between the first Flame Emperor and himself could be fulfilled.

Therefore, the Vermilion Bird was able to lend his power to the first Flame Emperor in exchange for half of his power.

He handed over the Flame Heaven Great Art, a power that had been modified so that his power could be used in a human body.

“The Flame Heaven Great Art…, was a power that originated from the Vermilion Bird’s power?”

“Yes.”

“….But you said that the time has come to fulfill the covenant. That means….”

“Yes. He did not keep the covenant.”

Instead of keeping the covenant, the first Flame Emperor built this Hellfire Jade.

And he sealed the Vermilion Bird in the lowest level and passed the covenant on to his descendants instead.

The Vermilion Bird doesn’t know why he made that choice.

The person in question died hundreds of years ago, so he can’t even ask.

“I understand the situation. Then I want to ask you, Vermilion Bird. Do you want to have a child with me?”

“The covenant must be fulfilled. Whether I like it or not is irrelevant.”

“No, your heart is important.”

“….?”

What is this again?

“I think I know why the first Flame Emperor said your flames were beautiful. Your flames are…, so beautiful. Even I, who thought I had been killing myself for the Flame Country all my life, want to think that I want to have you, Vermilion Bird, as much as I want to.”

“Wh, what are you saying!….”

“So, I will not fulfill the covenant.”

“?!”

The Flame Emperor smiled.

“Not as a covenant, but as a man, Vermilion Bird. When I can be recognized by you, I will take you.”