episode_0143

Braham was a place where nothing much happened other than Lucia facing her past. Therefore, Siron could not boast that he had complete knowledge of Braham.

Of course, the man named Asad that he encountered in the mausoleum, of which he had a vague memory, was not someone Siron knew.

Siron was wary of him. Being wary of people you don’t know is like an instinct, but the Assad I encountered was too extreme.

Although his face is exposed, his body is hidden behind a black hood. That’s why the easily approachable smiling expression feels somewhat mechanical.

“I would like to take you to a suitable place for conversation. Is it okay?”

“…Let’s do that.”

Nevertheless,

Siron decided to respond to Assad’s proposal. This is because I was very concerned about the words ‘revelation of the Lord’ that suddenly came out of his mouth.

‘If it is a revelation… is it perhaps someone sent by Latera?’

Since Latera vaguely asked me to come to this sacred place, I thought that maybe she had given Assad a revelation.

A transcendent being encountered in an all-white room was enough for anyone who was immersed in religion to consider it a revelation from God.

‘No… maybe.’

Siron also considered the possibility that the subject of the revelation Assad received was someone other than Latera.

Asad seems to be a resident of Braham, so he is basically a believer in the right god who is treated as the only god, but there are many religions in this world, and there are many gods who are worshiped accordingly.

What’s more, aren’t evil gods and demons who must be killed also exist as enemies? Siron spoke softly to Lucia, who was standing next to him.

“Let’s follow along.”

“…uh.”

Lucia answered while staring at the back of Assad, who was ahead. She didn’t like Assad, who suddenly appeared and pretended to be friendly, but like Siron, she was interested in the word ‘revelation’.

*

The two followed Assad for quite some time.

I don’t know where the appropriate place would be to have a conversation, but Siron had the feeling that he was going in circles on purpose.

‘What are we going to do?’

Just to get from the mausoleum to here, there are three places you had to stop by.

A back alley with few people.

A pension district with acrid smoke coming from all over the place.

There is also a fountain where clear water gushes out continuously.

When I set foot in the back alleys or the pension district, I thought they were luring me into a trap, but nothing happened.

When we saw the fountain with water gushing out without the help of magic, Assad smiled sincerely and started talking as if he were a tour guide.

‘Are we going the right way?’

‘You can rest assured that we are taking the most efficient route.’

Lucia spoke as if she was going round and round, but Assad ignored Lucia’s stinging gaze without any thought and persuaded her.

Shiron… didn’t say anything to Assad.

In the game, the later you enter the area called Braham, the probability of being attacked by enemies decreases exponentially.

Siron wouldn’t know it if he were alone, but he would have seen Lucia’s strength through the eyes of a lion, so he wouldn’t do anything foolish.

And the place we finally arrived at was a restaurant.

It’s not too flashy, but has a moderate atmosphere, and there are quite a few people, so it’s not an appropriate place to talk about secrets.

“Have you eaten?”

Assad walked into the building without hesitation, looked back and said. Siron spoke with a grave expression towards the smiling face.

“Is this an appropriate place to have a conversation?”

“Yes. Isn’t there something empty about simply having a conversation? The pigeon dish here is also delicious.”

After saying that, Assad found a seat by the window and sat down. Then, don’t you just calmly pick up the menu and start looking through it?

Papdeuk-

Was it then? A nervous grinding sound could be heard from below.

“What on earth is that bastard? Did you walk for a long time in the hot sun just to eat pigeon?”

Lucia spoke in a low mutter. Because I had so little information and was unfamiliar with the foreign country, I tried to avoid taking drastic actions, but when I thought that I had been fooled by someone I had no knowledge of, my head started to heat up.

“Let’s wait a little longer.”

Siron calmed down Lucia, who wanted to run away right away. Meanwhile, Assad finished ordering food from the waiter and gestured towards him.

“Please don’t stand still and sit down. You must be tired from looking around so many places.”

“…”

Siron did not answer and sat down.

“I ordered a dish that wasn’t much different from what I ordered. It’ll be okay, right?”

“Is that the end of what you want to say?”

“…I will try to get the answer you want after the food is served. I ask that you decide on my treatment after hearing the whole story.”

Assad spoke as if admonishing and had a smile on his face. Siron, who was glaring at him, looked around.

It was a night when the sun had set, and there were many customers in the restaurant.

Perhaps because I wasn’t wearing Braham’s uniform, my eyes were drawn to this direction, but it was only a moment, so I didn’t think this was a trap.

‘Looking at the way you treated me, I don’t think you’re playing around. ‘I have no idea what we’re supposed to do.’

At Kylie’s mausoleum, I couldn’t find any clues other than Yura’s traces, so I wondered if I should look elsewhere. At that time, the situation was so good that I thought it was fate that the man in front of me spoke to me.

Is the man in front of me an ally or an enemy? That doesn’t matter. I just hope that this unexpected meeting isn’t a meaningless effort.

“The food you ordered has arrived.”

While I was thinking, food was brought to the table where the three of us were seated. The smell of exotic spices filled my nose, and my appetite was whetted.

“There is one thing I would like to ask.”

As if the arrival of the dish was a signal, Assad opened his mouth that had been kept tightly closed.

“What do you think of the scenery you saw today?”

“…In the end, is the story you were trying to tell a trivial sightseeing tour?”

“It’s not like poetry. I can tell you that there is absolutely nothing that happened today that was not necessary.”

Assad looked intently into Siron’s black eyes with his blue-gray eyes.

“The place and scenery I showed you today were all meaningful processes.”

“Is there something you want to hear?”

“No, that’s not true. All you have to do is tell us what you think.”

“Putting aside the feeling that I was fooled by you, it was a good city.”

Siron closed his eyes and recalled the scenery he saw today.

“Tell me the reason.”

“There were no vagrants in the alleys where few people passed by, and the main streets were also filled with tourists and merchants, although they may have come for pilgrimage purposes.”

“Please tell me more.”

“…The street where the alchemists who stopped by for a while were gathered was quite large. Children were playing in a fountain with clean water gushing out, which is surprising as it is a desert where water is rare. It is difficult to see scenes like this even in Lien, which is said to be the strongest national power on the continent.”

“Yes. You saw it straight and right.”

Assad smiled brightly and nodded, perhaps because the answer was satisfactory. Then he tore the pigeon dish in front of him with his hands and put it in his mouth.

“Not only that. Oh, it’s you.”

The movement of the jaw to crush food. There was no sound, but it seemed like the chewing was so exaggerated that the sound was made.

“Although it is provided only to citizens of Braham, all groceries and food, including this pigeon dish, are free.”

“Is this restaurant run with your money? What are the salaries of waiters and chefs? Also, what is your willingness to work?”

Lucia asked Assad as she bit into a pigeon’s leg. The pigeon dish I just ate was an overwhelmingly higher level of gourmet food than the expensive chickpea soup and barley bread.

“The waiters and chefs are not Braham people. They are all service personnel hired from foreign countries. All of this is maintained by the enormous wealth poured in by pilgrims.”

Assad smiled and finished his plate. Then he took out a cigar from his pocket and put it in his mouth.

“Is that all there is? Invasion from the outside by neighboring countries, eager to devour this country…”

Hwareuk-

A sacred flame was created from Assad’s fingertips, and the end of the cigar was lit.

“Thanks to this holy power, we were able to defeat them all.”

“…”

“It’s all thanks to the warrior Kylie. The great man who saved the world 500 years ago provided us 500 years later with an inexhaustible fountain of milk and honey.”

“What do you want to say?”

“I am trying to persuade you.”

“…persuasion?”

Lucia flicked the handle of her knife and opened her mouth.

“Not a threat?”

“Persuasion. I did this troublesome thing in order to resolve the matter peacefully after hearing the revelation that there are people who are trying to destroy this paradise.”

Assad recalled the dream he had this morning.

Even as my head pounded, it felt like it was gently caressing my head, and I repeatedly reminded myself that the group in front of me would lead to Braham’s downfall.

The young man in front of him grabs the sun that was shining down on Braham from the sky and runs away. Braham, overshadowed by darkness, no longer flows with milk and honey, and gradually falls into ruin, crumbling to pieces.

“That’s why I’m asking you this.”

He took a deep breath on his cigar and blew out smoke on the ceiling as if he was spewing out his troubled thoughts.

“I don’t know specifically what you are trying to do, but the only result is the downfall of our paradise.”

“…”

“So, while you are staying here, please do not do anything that might make you feel uncomfortable. If you just keep quiet, you will be able to maintain hundreds of thousands of people.”

“What if you don’t like it?”

It was not Shiron who answered. Lucia, who had already finished her plate, said with her arms crossed.

“Are you going to force them out?”

“…Haha. You sound interesting.”

Assad lowered his head and started laughing. Lucia was on high alert, preparing for an attack that might come at any time.

However, the words that came out of his mouth were unexpected.

“Then there is nothing we can do.”

“…What?”

“There is nothing we can do about it. Did you find it too difficult to speak? If you really want to do it, you can do it.”

Asad washed his face repeatedly and made a sad face.

“Instead, the city of Braham will dry up and die.”