Ch.235Three Clans (2)

Llewellyn had confidence in himself.

He had the mindset to use the charm he had acquired since he couldn’t turn it off or get rid of it anyway. Even without that, it was wise to use whatever could be used.

Llewellyn had lived as a blood bag for a year. The time he spent as a blood bag was longer than the time he wasn’t one.

So even if he were to use the Blood Kin, guilt was…

‘…I do feel a bit of it, I guess.’

That was Llewellyn’s weakness. Finding it difficult to be harsh to people who liked him.

He wasn’t someone who could clearly draw the line. So Llewellyn looked at those whose way of thinking was gradually changing due to the influence of charm with mixed feelings.

And it wasn’t just Llewellyn. Beside him, Lorian wore the same complicated expression.

“I said I would guide you to the Court Count… but he is currently absent, so you might have to wait a bit.”

The Blood Kin bowed obsequiously with a pitiful expression as if their heart was melting. Instead of confronting them about why their attitude had changed so much, Llewellyn quietly nodded.

“I’ll guide you to a place where you can rest while waiting. This way.”

Dozens of Blood Kin with androgynous appearances stared intently at the path Llewellyn was walking. Even though the Empress was quietly following behind, no one spared her a glance.

Everyone was looking directly at Llewellyn. Was it because Llewellyn had spread his barely recovered divinity?

When they realized he was like a father figure through his divinity, the wariness in their attitude disappeared, and charm quickly filled the void left by that wariness.

This was the result. Amidst his complicated feelings, Llewellyn thought it was convenient, and wondered if even this convenience was intended by “Father.”

When he looked up, all he could see was a universe darker and gloomier than the night sky. “Father” existed somewhere beyond that, but he didn’t know how or why.

Though staring at it wouldn’t make it visible no matter how much he pondered, Llewellyn raised his head high to divert his eyes from the guilt of deceiving those who were charmed by him.

The ceiling was murky. It was the kind of thing one might see without thinking before jumping down, but wouldn’t remember afterward.

Who would have expected that beyond that lay the universe—a black, cold universe teeming with suspicious beings called transcendents?

Llewellyn let out a hollow laugh, realizing that the world of Grim Darker was a place with even less hope than he had thought.

“Um… are you alright?”

“…Yes, I’m fine. It’s just….”

Should he say it? Llewellyn hesitated.

How many beings loomed beyond this ceiling, over the world.

And how hungry they were.

That they would willingly rush in for a mere morsel, not even a handful, to tear apart all humans and fill their bellies for just a moment’s pleasure.

Should he reveal such things?

Llewellyn hesitated as if it were only natural. The person before him was a Blood Kin. Not an ordinary human. They had transcended humanity, and their mind was vastly different from humans.

But even so, it didn’t seem like they could easily recover from such a shock.

Moreover, the fact that the world was destined for destruction, that if nothing was done, those transcendents would surely invade this world…

It was too much information even for a non-ordinary being. So Llewellyn hesitated, and…

Sensing his hesitation, the Blood Kin quietly bowed their head, indicating that he didn’t need to speak.

They were a perceptive Blood Kin. They said they had lived their whole life as a seed for Blood Knights.

They were also acquainted with Lorian. They knew each other. More precisely, they were a familiar face from when Lorian had confidently jumped down to capture Llewellyn, when she had a more muscular body.

She said she hadn’t seen them since returning. Because it was shameful, because she had failed.

She said she was too ashamed to face them, so she avoided them. In Llewellyn’s language, she had been avoiding them out of embarrassment.

‘And now?’

When Llewellyn looked at Lorian, sure enough, her face was slightly flushed.

It was in contrast to the other Blood Kin who, despite showing changes in expression, had no color in their faces.

Was it because she had become a “woman” while still being a Blood Kin? The curse deeply engraved in Lorian’s body seemed to make her both human and Blood Kin.

Despite such embarrassment, she walked beside Llewellyn without showing it, and Llewellyn was proud of her.

Indeed, Lorian was reliable. She was one of the few beings who could be called Llewellyn’s friend.

Whether she thought of herself that way was another matter entirely.

“Shall I prepare two rooms for you?”

Before Llewellyn could answer, Lorian spoke up.

“One is enough. As a knight, it is my duty to assist my master.”

She said proudly. To Llewellyn, it sounded somewhat like an excuse, but not to the Blood Kin.

Or perhaps they were so deeply charmed that they easily forgot what they had noticed.

He bowed his head and guided Llewellyn and Lorian.

Llewellyn could see the fortress from which he had once escaped and destroyed everything.

The place where he had first mourned after seeing the death of the blood bag he had mistaken for his sister.

Thus becoming a mourner, fighting with Lorian, and fleeing.

Jumping down and starting the entire journey.

Llewellyn stopped several times as they passed through particularly familiar paths.

“What’s wrong? Is something bothering you…?”

Llewellyn quietly shook his head and followed.

What would have happened if he hadn’t escaped then?

Would he have wasted time until the world ended, and then the world would have truly ended?

Or would Netel have done something to buy time?

What would have happened to his sister and Melody, and what about Isla?

He couldn’t know. But he wasn’t curious either.

Llewellyn believed that the choices he made and the results he reached were the best. Thinking that way made him feel at ease.

Because he had done his best at every moment to avoid regret.

That’s why he had reached this point. Llewellyn walked a route he hadn’t taken when escaping and eventually reached a room.

It was a spacious room. Anyone could tell it was a room meant for an “adult” of the Blood Kin.

The large room had all the necessary furniture, with a massive bed in the center.

What caught the eye was the bed’s position. The bed was surrounded by a structure that could rightfully be called a pavilion or a gazebo.

It was ornate and far from practical. It seemed like one could get hurt if they rolled off the bed.

Considering that the user was a Blood Kin, it probably wasn’t an issue. Llewellyn tried to hide his subtle distaste.

“How is it? This was once… Lord Hertol’s quarters.”

Of all places. Llewellyn tried not to voice his thoughts.

“It’s nice. Please come find me if the Court Count returns or if there’s any message.”

“Ah, yes… Of course! I will certainly do so.”

The Blood Kin smiled brightly and withdrew. Llewellyn stared at the spot where they had left before entering the room.

Due to the pavilion surrounding the bed, the room was shaped like a ㄷ.

The entrance was at the top of the ㄷ, which made it difficult to see the opposite side properly.

‘…A fireplace? For a race that doesn’t need to maintain body temperature?’

As could be seen from their fundamentalism, they placed great importance on formality. Even Llewellyn, who knew himself to be insensitive, noticed this, indicating their obsession was at a considerable level.

But it wasn’t bad. Llewellyn entered the room, and the Empress was already gone.

“…Did you see where the Empress went?”

“She said she had to give some instructions to the Shapeshifters and briefly left.”

“I see.”

He couldn’t help but feel uneasy. He wondered if she might be planning a “betrayal.”

It was a reasonable suspicion. It wouldn’t be strange if the Empress, finding this situation boring, decided to make it more interesting by leading the Shapeshifters to attack.

But there was no anxiety. The Empress herself was powerful, and though it wasn’t certain if he could defeat her yet…

He felt he could roast and boil all the Shapeshifters she brought along.

‘I’ve realized it. The core of incitement.’

Llewellyn had many means. Just his divinity alone granted irresistible charm and persuasiveness, and if combined with his father’s genes, qualifications, and Llewellyn’s knowledge…

It seemed there would be no issue in persuading the three clans. So Llewellyn entered the room without hesitation and surveyed his surroundings.

Not far from the entrance was a round table where one could dine, read books, converse, or drink tea.

There was a bookshelf, and on it were old books whose meanings appeared to Llewellyn as translations when he looked at them.

And turning his head to the opposite side, there were decorations like curtains or monster skeletons.

It was a part that hinted at the temperament of the Red Beast Hertol. Llewellyn felt bitter as he remembered the fact that he had to kill him, but he still walked around the room.

There were also various pieces of furniture that Llewellyn didn’t know well. Seeing furniture faithfully implemented despite being unnecessary for the Blood Kin, Llewellyn had many thoughts.

He thought that perhaps they were obsessed with humanity because they couldn’t possess it.

Maybe that’s why they called themselves Blood Knights, declaring themselves knights like humans, and why they called themselves Blood Kin even though it was ambiguous to say they were actually related by blood.

Llewellyn was curious about what kind of personality the one called Court Count would have, but he was also tense.

Wondering if he could persuade the Court Count well.

Passing by such a Llewellyn, Lorian walked around the room, unfastened her scabbard, and leaned it against the bed.

“That’s unusual, taking off your scabbard.”

Lorian’s face briefly turned toward Llewellyn. There was little emotion in her gaze.

A gaze that made Llewellyn unconsciously flinch, feeling something.

Llewellyn faced Lorian, who was looking at him, and smiled awkwardly.

“Well, since you always wear it… I thought maybe it feels good to be home…”

“That’s true. Even though we haven’t been gone that long, it feels like we’ve returned after a very long time.”

After saying that, Lorian sighed. She stroked her other arm with her prosthetic arm, and with her hands behind her back, she turned her head.

That emotionless and indifferent attitude.

And the cold, almost irritated attitude she had been showing recently.

After pondering, Llewellyn spoke.

“…Lorian. I have something serious to ask.”

Her exposed shoulder flinched. Lorian looked at Llewellyn with a face tinged with a slight redness.

Llewellyn swallowed hard and asked the knight who was looking at him like that.

“Are you still on your perio—”

Whack!

He grabbed his face and collapsed from the intense pain that followed.