Chapter 60: Human? (6)

“What are you doing?!” Aron was aghast. “What is the meaning of this?” “I told you. We should have an honest conversation with the knight,” Ketal replied casually.

“You want to talk to a monster like that?” Aron shouted.

“What’s the problem? Haven’t you already spoken plenty with them back at the palace? A little more won’t hurt,” Ketal said, shrugging. “These beings aren’t contagious like a virus. Being near them shouldn’t pose any issue.”

“That’s not what I’m saying! You’re suggesting we talk to a monster! Have you lost your mind?”

“Sir Aron? What are you talking about?” the knight exclaimed, his face a mix of shock and confusion.

Ignoring the knight, Ketal continued, “Regardless, this is something you need to do.”

“Do you truly believe talking to a monster is necessary?” “You’re heading to the Denian Kingdom to meet the king and seek his cooperation, aren’t you? Aren’t you trying to ask him to save you and your kingdom?”

“That’s correct,” Aron admitted.

“That means the Denian Kingdom may have to oppose the Lutain Kingdom. Is there a compelling reason for them to take on such a risk?”

“The Denian Kingdom has a close relationship with our kingdom. The princess even met their king during her childhood,” Aron argued.

“But she is not the queen—she is a princess,” Ketal pointed out.

Elene was not the ruling monarch of her kingdom.

“Why should they trust your words and risk opposing another nation?” Ketal asked.

Aron fell silent before finally replying. “Those things are not human. They’re monsters—a threat to humanity.”

“And where is the proof of that?” Ketal asked, his smile unwavering.

Aron’s response faltered, and he closed his mouth.

Ketal chuckled. “Even if you tell the king that those monsters do not fear death and resurrect after dying, do you think he will believe you?”

“But...”

“Of course, I believe you. But the king has no reason to do the same,” Ketal reasoned.

Evidence capable of earning the king’s trust was essential. However, that wasn’t the only reason why Ketal wanted to talk to the knight.

“Above all, you want revenge, don’t you?” Ketal asked.

Elene nodded. Her desire for vengeance against the unknown entities that had consumed her kingdom burned fiercely.

“To defeat your enemy, you must first understand them. How can you seek revenge against something you know nothing about?” Ketal said.

“I see...” Elene’s eyes widened. She knew Ketal was right.

The only thing she knew about these monsters was their characteristics. She had no idea what they wanted or why they had come to her kingdom.

The Tower Master smiled softly.

Did he plan all of this when he brought that knight here? Did he gain that kind of knowledge when he was in the White Snowfield?

This wasn’t just intelligence—it was an instinctive understanding of trade and value. Ketal grasped the concept of exchange not only for material goods but for information and knowledge as well. This wasn’t something he could have learned in the short time since leaving the White Snowfield. His actions were natural, as though he had practiced them countless times before.

The Tower Master’s curiosity swelled, nearly impossible to suppress.

Meanwhile, Ketal’s thoughts were far simpler.

They actually agreed to this?

He had spoken on a whim, mostly to satisfy his own curiosity. He simply wanted to observe the knight—something that mimicked humanity yet existed beyond his knowledge. The rationale he provided to Aron and Elene was something he came up with afterward.

Still, it seemed to have convinced them.

Maybe my luck improved after leaving the White Snowfield,

Ketal thought. Feeling unexpectedly pleased, he turned to the knight and asked Elene, “Do you know him?”

“Yes,” Elene replied.

The knight was the youngest member of the Blue Green Order. His name was Parman. Elene recalled occasionally watching him train. When their eyes met, he would blush and quickly look away–a behavior she had found endearing.

However, even he had been consumed by the monsters.

“It’s heartbreaking to think everyone I knew is gone...,” Elene murmured.

“I’m here, my lady! What do you mean by

gone

?” Parman exclaimed, visibly distraught.

“Be quiet,” Elene snapped, her voice sharp and cold. Her gaze toward the knight was filled with hostility. “Do not mimic him, monster. You make me want to kill you. Oh, but I suppose you can’t die, can you? Empty threats won’t work on you.”

“I am not a monster!” Parman shouted. “I remember everything, my lady! The hot summer day when you watched us train under the shade of a tree! You asked the commander if you could try wielding a sword, and when he said it was dangerous, you cried and begged him to let you! Not to mention the time you snuck into the kitchen late at night to eat an entire ham by yourself—”

“Be quiet!” Elene’s face turned red as she clenched her teeth. “You’re a monster that consumed him! You have no right to ruin my memories of him!”

“But I’m telling the truth!” Parman protested, looking as though he were on the verge of tears.

The Tower Master stroked his chin thoughtfully. He subtly released mana, letting it flow through the knight’s body to determine if he truly was an Anomaly.

After the examination, the Tower Master confirmed once again that the knight was human. The flow of Myst within his body—its pathways, vascular structure, and bone composition—was unmistakably human.

While bones and blood vessels could be imitated, the pathways of Myst could not. No matter how closely examined, the knight was undeniably human.

What is this?

the Tower Master pondered.

Elene murmured with a troubled expression. “Parman, do not worry. I will make sure your revenge is carried out.”

“No, I’m not a monster! I am perfectly fine!” Parman protested, his face twisted in frustration.

Elene glanced at him fiercely. “Then answer me this. How did you get here?”

“I just... came here,” Parman stammered.

“How?” “I don’t understand what you’re asking...” Parman looked genuinely baffled, which only fueled Elene’s growing anger.

To her, the knight standing before her was the embodiment of the monsters that had devoured her kingdom. He was her enemy, and it took all her strength to contain her emotions.

“How did the knights track me across such a vast distance? There were no signs of pursuit. That much has been confirmed,” Elene said.

“We are the Blue-Green Order—the knights of the royal family. It is our duty to know the princess’s whereabouts.”

“Spare me your hollow words!” Elene pulled out a dagger and pressed it to the knight’s throat.

“My lady?” Parman stammered, visibly alarmed. However, there was no fear of death in his eyes.

Elene curled her lips in disdain. “Even if I kill you here, you will just resurrect with the same body and the same clothes. Why can’t you die?”

“That’s not the point, my lady. We are not monsters! We are humans. You are mistaken,” Parman pleaded, repeating his claim like a broken record.

“Humans?” Elene spat the word with venom. “Do not look at me like I’m the crazy one! You’re the ones who are insane, not me!”

Elene took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “You think I don’t understand your plan? You consumed my father, my mother, and now you intend to take over me. You will turn me into one of your deathless monstrosities. Well, think again! I will never let that happen!”

Her fury surged, and Parman recoiled, pale as a ghost. “No, that’s not true! That won’t happen!”

Elene hesitated, surprised by his response.

Sensing an opening, Parman quickly continued, “You and Sir Aron do not wish for that, so it won’t happen! It’s not possible! You don’t have to worry about that!’

“What do you mean by that...?” Elene asked, narrowing her eyes.

“I mean it exactly like I said...”

“So, even though your kind has consumed the entire kingdom, you’re saying that Aron and I won’t be turned into monsters simply because we don’t want it?”

“Well, I don’t fully understand, but... I think so,” Parman replied hesitantly. “What nonsense is this?” Elene muttered, unable to grasp his words.

However, Ketal and the Tower Master exchanged glances, their expression subtly shifting.

The conversation continued for some time, but no definite answers emerged. Parman steadfastly maintained that he was human.

“It seems we’re no closer to a conclusion,” Elene sighed, her shoulders slumping in frustration.

Ketal spoke lightly. “Don’t worry too much. The knight himself is evidence. If we bring him to the Denian Kingdom, the king will know what to do.”

“Thank you so much, Ketal. We didn’t think of this on our own,” Elene said, looking at Ketal.

He was truly an extraordinary person. He had willingly stood against both monsters and the kingdom for her sake. To her, he appeared like a hero.

Her heart fluttered as she gazed at him. She couldn’t fully understand the feeling, but it was something close to love. Embarrassed by her thoughts, she lowered her head, her face flushed.

Meanwhile, Ketal was inspecting his axe. The weapon was immaculately clean, as if it had never been used in battle. Yet, Ketal vividly remembered how he had used it to cut down countless knights. He concluded that the blood that had stained the axe had vanished on its own.

He furrowed his brows and spoke. “I have a question>” “Yes?” Elene asked, lifting her head.

“Do you consider yourself human?”

“Of course, I do. Why would you even ask that?” Elene responded, her face puzzled. “If you’re worried that I have turned into one of them, you can rest assured. My clothes do not regenerate like theirs, and it was incredibly difficult for me to make it this far.

She shook her arm to emphasize her point. Her tattered clothing, which hadn’t been properly cleaned, hung in shreds.

“I am human. You don’t have to worry about that,” she declared firmly.

“I see,” Ketal murmured quietly, deep in thought.

***

They continued their journey and eventually reached the edge of the forest. A path began to emerge before them.

Elene’s eyes lit up with hope. “Finally.”

In just a few hours, they would reach the border. The realization filled her shaky legs with renewed strength.

“My lady,” Parman tied up and being dragged along by the group called out pleadingly. “Are you truly planning to cross the border? You are the First Princess of the Lutain Kingdom. For someone of your stature to cross into a foreign land... This is, this is...”

Elene didn’t respond. Her silence conveyed deliberate disregard, causing the knight to lower his head in dejection.

The group pressed onward. At this point, they expected knights to appear and block their path. However, no one came.

Elene frowned, puzzled by the lack of resistance. “Have they given up?” “I don’t think so,” Ketal replied, suddenly halting. He stared straight ahead, his gaze fixed on seemingly empty air. He called out, “Why don’t you come out?”

“There were no indications of invisibility magic,” the Tower Master remarked, his tone contemplative.

“Concealing oneself from sight is futile when nature reveals your presence,” Ketal said.

“Nature, you say?” A voice rang out from the emptiness, carrying a note of curiosity. “You are not just speaking about intuition, are you? It seems you figured it out by observing the flow of the wind.”

A faint crackling sound echoed, the illusion that had obscured the figure began to fade, revealing what lay hidden.

“I heard complaints about a barbarian causing trouble, so I gave them a good smack. It seems the trouble is justified,” the man said.

“So, that’s invisibility magic,” Ketal observed, his expression tinged with intrigue as he studied the scene before him.

It wasn’t a simple concealment of appearance. There had been no discernible presence at all. It wasn’t because of his intuition. Ketal had only noticed because the wind’s flow had been blocked, alerting him to something’s existence.

It was magic. It wasn't just ordinary magic—it was expertly crafted. The man’s attire confirmed Ketal’s suspicion.

Suppressing his excitement, Ketal spoke calmly. “You appear to be a mage. Would you mind introducing yourself?”

“There’s no harm in that,” the man said. He revealed himself to be an elderly man with a long, flowing beard. He wore a loose robe, a pointed hat atop his head, and carried a wooden staff in one hand. “I am Adamant Lagesh, a member of the School of Polychromatic Orb and the chief mage of the Lutain Kingdom. I have come to provide an explanation for everything.”