Ch.236About Those Strange Companions (4)

Can humans fly?

The Sacred Host, chosen as the monumental first test subject to resolve humanity’s age-old question, swallowed tears of emotion. Of course, whether those tears were truly from emotion or from the pitiful nature of her situation would require deeper discussion.

“Damn it! I’ll curse you all!”

The Sacred Host cried out tearfully.

However, her cry didn’t last long, as it was drowned out by the wailing of hundreds of thousands of whales. The Sacred Host’s shoulders trembled.

Uh, uhhh…

What entered her vision were whales surging up all at once. Hundreds of thousands of whales approaching with their enormous mouths wide open. No matter how transcendent she might be, it was difficult to maintain composure in the face of such an avant-garde spectacle.

“Uh, uhhhhh…”

She opened her mouth.

“AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!”

A scream. And then a “kehup” sound as she gasped for breath.

SWOOOOOSH!

Thanks to Juel pulling the rope at the perfect moment, the Sacred Host was able to narrowly avoid the whales. However, there were still hundreds of thousands of whales targeting her, and the tug-of-war was far from over.

Her vision flipped repeatedly. From up to down, down to sideways, sideways back to up…

The Sacred Host’s eyeballs spun. As an icon of the Order, she couldn’t commit the rudeness of spewing vomit in mid-air, so she desperately tried to hold it in.

“UWEEEEECK.”

She couldn’t hold it for long. The fortunate thing was that the distance between sky and ground was quite far, so her vomiting couldn’t be seen from below.

“Amazing.”

Juel, who was running while pulling the rope, marveled.

“Indeed, it’s an astonishingly effective strategy. To think we could break through the Star of Heaven’s territory this way? I couldn’t have imagined it.”

He seemed genuinely impressed.

Juel gave Najin a thumbs up.

“Excellent.”

“You’re not being sarcastic?”

“I don’t engage in such sinister and gloomy behavior. I always speak only the truth. Because truth is a virtue.”

“Didn’t you lie before? About how I promised a duel to the death…”

“That never happened.”

He lies so smoothly without even changing his expression.

Anyway, the two ran hard. Occasionally screams seemed to come from the sky above, but that must have been imagination. Probably just an auditory hallucination created by the whales’ cries.

“Ah, the altitude is dropping.”

Penetration.

“If we could move sharply to the side a bit, that would be good. Can you do it, Najin?”

“Will this angle work?”

“Good. Yes, shoot just like that.”

Penetration.

“I don’t hear any screaming. She must have fainted.”

“Should we wake her?”

“At this rate, the light seems to be dimming. That would prevent her from fulfilling her role as bait. Yes, let’s wake her.”

“Hmm, at that position…”

“Ah, I’ll do it.”

SCREEEEEECH!

As soon as Juel’s blood-curdling sword cry rang out, the Sacred Host shuddered and opened her eyes. Blinking as if she had just had a long nightmare, she sighed with relief thinking, ‘Ah, it was just a dream.’

“Ah.”

Then, upon seeing a whale charging toward her, she screamed again with the thought, ‘Shit, it wasn’t a dream.’

Similar events repeated.

“Najin. Do you know about canaries in coal mines?”

“No? What’s that?”

“To explain briefly, it refers to beings that scream and die first when danger approaches.”

“Ah, so the Sacred Host is a canary?”

“Similar. Even more so in the sense that she screams.”

Najin suddenly looked up at the sky. He expressed gratitude toward the screaming Sacred Host. Thanks to your sacrifice, we can move forward, and we will not forget your sacrifice…

“I can see the end. We just need to increase the altitude one last time. Najin?”

“I was already preparing.”

Penetration. As the storm lashed at the Sacred Host’s body, Najin and Juel escaped the territory of the Star of Heaven.

2.

“I’m not doing this.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m not doing it. I’m going back. You expect me to accompany you after being treated like this? I’m sorry! I’m not that good-natured.”

The Sacred Host was thoroughly upset. Brushing back her disheveled hair, she turned her head away sharply. As if she didn’t even want to make eye contact. As the Sacred Host stomped away, Najin called Juel aside.

“Najin, it seems our whipping was too severe. We need a carrot.”

“I agree. Do you know of any good carrots?”

“Well, I know of whips that coil well.”

Crouching down, Najin and Juel exchanged private words.

“Ah, come to think of it, I’ve heard rumors that the Sacred Host loves jewels and fine cuisine. The financial state of the Sacred Host Order isn’t very good, so not often, but occasionally, about once a quarter, she enjoys luxury in the imperial capital…”

Jewels and fine cuisine, in other words, luxury.

Najin let out a short sigh of “Ah.”

“Sacred Host?”

“What? Don’t stop me. If that crazy murderer threatens me, I might have no choice but to accompany you, but don’t expect my cooperation. You may force my body to kneel, but you cannot conquer my spirit, which is as high as the heavens…”

“Do you know Dieta Company?”

Flinch. The Sacred Host’s tightly folded arms loosened a bit. She glanced at Najin.

“I know it. It’s the massive company that has a grip on the Empire’s logistics. Why?”

“I’m quite close with their chairman.”

“…The Dieta chairman?”

Najin pulled out an emblem from his chest. It was an emblem granted only to the most distinguished VIPs of Dieta Company. The Sacred Host’s eyes widened.

“How did you get that?”

“I’m the promotional model for Dieta Company. Anyway, if you’re interested, would you like me to introduce you to the chairman?”

“…”

The Sacred Host’s arms unfolded. Najin whispered to her about the benefits she could gain with his introduction, and the exceptional hospitality she would receive.

‘I never thought I’d use negotiation skills learned from Dieta like this.’

After finishing his explanation, Najin observed the Sacred Host’s reaction. Despite her words, the Sacred Host probably didn’t really intend to go back. After all, this was a request for cooperation directly from the Empire’s First Star—the aftermath of breaking it off wouldn’t be easy.

A signal to pick a date.

A signal to respect me and provide appropriate compensation.

How could he not understand such obvious signals? Najin might not be an excellent merchant, but he was quite skilled at reading people.

“…Really?”

“Yes, really.”

The Sacred Host’s expression softened. After fidgeting with her lips, she extended her hand to Najin for a handshake. Negotiation complete. Najin took her hand and shook it lightly.

“But promise me one thing.”

The Sacred Host glared at Najin and Juel.

“Respect me, this body. I have the right to maintain a minimum level of dignity. This is an obligation! I will not allow any further actions that diminish my dignity as the icon of the Sacred Host Order.”

Understood? the Sacred Host shouted.

After making her unilateral announcement without waiting for a response, the Sacred Host walked ahead, huffing. Najin and Juel quietly exchanged glances.

I didn’t answer, Najin.

What a coincidence. Neither did I.

The two nodded quietly and followed behind the Sacred Host.

3.

La Mancha, the road to heaven.

That path was more treacherous than Najin had imagined. The Star of Heaven was just the beginning, and there were all sorts of annoying traps and overlapping territories of constellations known for their nasty temperaments.

Each time, Najin and Juel devised ingenious strategies.

“Sacred Host?”

“What? What’s with those eyes?”

“Let’s go.”

“What?”

Sometimes ridiculous operations.

“You promised! That you wouldn’t do this!”

“I never agreed.”

“Neither did I.”

“What? But clearly earlier…”

“Here they come. Let’s talk after we clear these things out.”

Sometimes brave battles.

“What’s that thing that looks like a windmill?”

“How about we throw the Sacred Host first?”

“Shall we?”

“You two, what exactly do you take me for?”

“I’m joking. First, let’s contain it…”

And sometimes battles with strange enemies.

“Hey, executioner. Can you do something about that sound?”

“Pardon? What sound are you talking about?”

“That sound when you draw your sword, like a scream! It makes my body tremble every time I hear it!”

“I see.”

SCREEEEEECH!

“AAAAAAHHH! Do something about that!”

“It can’t be helped. My sword cry has been like this since I first drew it over 200 years ago. It’s been this way since before you were born, so it’s difficult to change it now.”

“The sword! Why is the sword tip pointing at me! Move it away, talk with it pointed elsewhere!”

“Ah, excuse me.”

Cooperation with companions as strange as the strange enemies.

“Sacred Host.”

“…Again?”

“Yes. Let’s go.”

“At this point, I’m confused whether I’m the Sacred Host or just bait? Why must it be me? Are you planning to throw me into that crowd of the dead?”

“Bait? What a hurtful thing to say. You’re a splendid hero sacrificing for your allies. Be proud of yourself. The great warrior of the Sacred Blood Order, I, Juel Lazian, will remember your final moments.”

With various tactics, wit, and ingenious ideas, the three advanced toward La Mancha.

Tap. Tap-tap-tap.

As they rested on what might have been their umpteenth night, Najin suddenly stared at the blazing campfire. He had sensed something odd. The journey itself was going smoothly. Smoothly, but something was strange.

“Something is odd.”

At Najin’s casual remark, Juel and the Sacred Host turned to look at him. They both tilted their heads.

“What do you mean?”

“What do you mean?”

How should he express this sense of incongruity? Najin stroked his chin and lowered his gaze. There, as always, was his guide.

‘Merlin knows, right?’

-I do know?

She nodded calmly. It seemed she had known from the beginning but hadn’t told him. And if Merlin reacted this way, it wasn’t a bad sign.

If it had been truly dangerous.

Or if this direction had been wrong.

Merlin would have clearly told him. That this wasn’t the right path. That what you’re walking on now is the wrong path. So, the fact that Merlin hadn’t said anything meant that what they were doing now was correct.

‘But at the same time, she didn’t deny the sense of incongruity.’

It meant there was something suspicious, and that Najin’s feeling of incongruity wasn’t wrong. There is something. Then what is it?

“…”

Najin’s gaze moved from himself to Juel, and finally to the Sacred Host. As he confirmed the Sacred Host’s seemingly shabby face, lightning struck in Najin’s mind.

“Ah.”

Najin let out an “Ah” of realization.

“When you think about it, isn’t it strange?”

“What? That murderer’s mental state?”

“That was always strange, so it’s not worth pointing out now. Not that.”

Najin pointed at the Sacred Host.

“From the Star of Heaven until now, we’ve used you as bait. About 7 times.”

“I was keeping count. So, what about it?”

“And all those operations were presented in ridiculous, comical ways. Think about it. When you were first thrown as bait to the whales of the Star of Heaven… didn’t you vomit in mid-air, kick and struggle, and cause a scene?”

What? You saw that?

The Sacred Host’s face contorted with shame, but this wasn’t the time to be considerate. Najin continued speaking about how much she had been broken down and how a series of ridiculous situations had occurred.

“Are you trying to mock me? If that’s your intention, say so. I’ll formally raise an objection.”

“That’s not it.”

Najin’s expression was serious.

“Have you ever heard of a transcendent vomiting?”

“…Huh?”

“Ah.”

Finally, the Sacred Host and Juel sighed in realization.

They too began to notice the incongruity.

“There might have been better methods. But somehow, throughout our journey here, we naturally thought of ridiculous and comical methods first. And all those tactics worked brilliantly.”

That was the incongruity Najin felt.

“You act exaggeratedly, like an actor on stage. You get indignant, break down, and scream.”

His finger pointed at the Sacred Host.

“I don’t know if that’s your original personality…”

“Ah, the Sacred Host is originally like that.”

“…I suspect there’s some exaggeration.”

Juel nodded.

Indeed, there seemed to be some exaggeration.

“We’re all like that. I don’t know if we all had these aspects to begin with, but throughout our journey, I can’t shake the feeling that these aspects have been overly emphasized.”

Najin frowned.

“Like clowns.”

If this story had a genre.

If there existed some form.

The sensation that it had suddenly changed to comedy.

That was the nature of the incongruity Najin felt.