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Episode 65
Rumbleeeee…!
The sudden shaking made Isaac jump to his feet.
Sleep meant nothing to him anyway, so he’d been killing time through another long, boring night when it happened.
He kicked off the ground and rushed outside.
Isaac realized his heart was pounding with a strange excitement.
He’d felt something like this before.
Right after Hazel visited—just before he lost consciousness back then, he’d felt this same sensation.
He noticed the light in his right eye was about to change again and quickly covered it with his hand.
Outside the lodge, the knights on night watch were clearly panicking.
“What the hell is going on?”
“Isaac, well….”
As the knight hesitated, one of the villagers who’d woken up clicked his tongue.
“Tsk tsk. Looks like someone broke the warning.”
“Warning? What do you mean?”
“Wasn’t it written at the village entrance?
‘Cherish even the smallest life.”
Now that he thought about it, there had been a sign like that.
But honestly, who pays attention to stuff like that?
It just sounded like a generic saying.
“You’ve awakened the earth god….”
Fear filled the old man’s eyes—or maybe it wasn’t fear, but reverence.
“When a god awakens, you must offer a sacrifice to put it back to sleep.
Lucky… or unlucky, I guess.
Looks like the ones who woke it up became the sacrifice themselves.”
Isaac didn’t fully understand what the old man was saying, but one thing was clear—something really bad was happening.
“What do you mean by sacrifice?”
The old man raised a trembling hand and pointed into the distance.
“Like that.
Before he could finish.
The peak of a nearby mountain split straight down the middle,
It then snapped shut in midair with a thunderous BOOM.
As if nothing had happened, it closed its “mouth” again.
The shockwave triggered another quake.
“…Like that.”
“The mountain…? What is that thing?”
“That’s not a mountain.”
The old man spoke in a chilling voice.
“It’s our guardian god.
The one who’s protected this village from outsiders.”
Isaac honestly wasn’t sure if he was still sane—or if he was hallucinating.
A monster so huge it could be mistaken for a mountain?
And it was this close to the village?
The villagers worshipped it as a god,
But to Isaac, it was just a monster.
That made it even more disturbing.
We need to leave. Now.
Tristan would think the same.
No sane person could sleep peacefully next to something like that.
Isaac spun around, searching for Tristan and Emily.
Most people were outside because of the commotion—but neither of them was anywhere to be seen.
“Sir Werner!”
Isaac grabbed Werner as he passed by.
“Have you seen His Highness? Or Emily?
With all this noise, they should be awake, but I can’t find them anywhere.
Sir Werner?”
Something was wrong.
Werner, pale as death, grabbed Isaac’s arm tightly.
“Sir Isaac. Listen carefully.”
“Yes?”
“His Highness and Lady Emily went out for a short walk late at night.”
…Who went with whom?
That bastard crown prince really was after my precious sister!
Damn it—of all people, he just had to have good taste!
Isaac was burning with rage when.
“And I just heard from a knight on the night watch…
They were headed toward that mountain.”
The heat drained from Isaac’s head instantly.
“…That mountain?”
“The one we just saw.”
Werner confirmed it mercilessly.
“The villagers never go near it at night.
Even during the day, they only walk carefully along the path.
They say if you even step on a wildflower wrong,
you’ll incur the god’s wrath.”
“This is just a guess, but…
the ones who woke that monster, and became the sacrifice…”
Werner swallowed hard.
“…are probably His Highness and Lady Emily.”
Isaac’s vision spun.
Emily…!
When I opened my eyes, I was inside a damp, cave-like space.
Glowing stones embedded in the walls barely lit the darkness.
It was surprisingly wide—but empty, hollow.
I sat up, and my coat slipped off my shoulders.
This is… a robe?
Gold thread was delicately embroidered into it, and the fabric was incredibly soft.
I immediately realized—it was Tristan’s.
“You’re awake.”
I stood up and turned around.
Tristan was walking toward me from behind.
And when I caught sight of his bare upper body in the dim light,
I quickly looked away.
He was definitely shirtless.
Okay, he was wearing pants, so it wasn’t that bad—but still!
“Ah. I guess it’s a bit much for you to see.”
…I mean.
It was impressive, though.
I silently handed him the robe I’d been holding.
He took it and quickly dressed.
“All set.”
I looked back.
Tristan stood there with the robe loosely tied.
“I’m used to being around knights all the time.
Didn’t think to be more considerate.”
I had heard from chatty palace maids that after sparring,
The knights often trained shirtless.
“No—it’s fine.
But… we fell really deep underground, didn’t we?
Where are we?”
“Inside the monster’s stomach.”
“…Excuse me?”
The walls were solid rock.
It looked exactly like a cave.
Hard to believe this was inside a living creature.
“The walls move from time to time.”
He tapped the wall lightly.
As he did, his robe slipped open a bit more.
I swear, I didn’t look on purpose.
But when something’s right there, it’s human instinct, okay?
…Even if I’m technically a necromancer, not a human.
And through that gap, I saw scars.
So many scars.
My mind went blank for a moment.
“There’s water dripping from the ceiling over there.
I collected some, but I don’t know if it’s safe to drink.”
“Your Highness… if this is inside a monster,
Can’t we just cut our way out with Samuel’s Sword?”
But Tristan acted like we’d be stuck here a while.
If he swung that sword, no matter how big the monster was, it would be over.
That much had already been proven—with Isaac.
“It’s not possible.”
Tristan answered flatly.
“My right arm is injured.”
“…What?”
I looked at his arm in shock.
He rolled up his sleeve.
I gasped.
The bone was clearly broken.
He’d splinted it with the sword sheath and torn fabric from his robe,
But it was still badly swollen.
“Samuel’s Sword holds holy power,
But unless it recognizes you as its master,
You can’t wield it properly.”
He grabbed the sword with his left hand.
Zap!
A spark flew, and his hand was knocked back.
The sword was rejecting him.
“So that’s the situation.”
“…I see.
Does your arm… hurt badly?”
“I can manage. Don’t worry about it.”
He sounded used to injuries like this.
I didn’t understand him at all.
I thought I knew Tristan well.
But the man in front of me felt like a mystery.
Assuming you know someone is the most dangerous mistake.
“How did you get hurt…?”
Even as I asked, I already knew.
I’d fallen from a huge height without a single bruise.
Tristan, meanwhile, showed up with a broken arm.
He stared at me, then said quietly.
“I got hurt when we fell. That’s all.”
This time, I knew for sure.
He was lying.
My emotions churned.
I wasn’t asking him to brag.
But why hide it?
“Anyway, we need another way out.
I think going up might work.”
He pointed above us.
It was pitch black.
“Maybe that’s the exit.”
“Maybe.”
“But it’s so high.
How would we even climb that?”
Before I finished.
Tristan untied his robe.
Before I could even shut my eyes, he handed me the robe and Samuel’s Sword.
“I’ll go.”
“What?! But your arm—!”
Ignoring me, he started climbing the cave wall with one arm.
Muscles and scars shifted with every movement.
I stared, speechless.
Then.
Hey! You! Look!
A voice shouted in my head.
Here! Right here! Can’t you see what’s right in front of you?!
It echoed inside my mind.
I hurriedly looked down at Samuel’s Sword, wrapped in the robe.
That’s it! Now you’re finally looking at me properly!
…The sword was talking to me.
