Chapter 152. Engagement – Myth
The boy and girl were born with the sun in their eyes. Their golden, brilliantly shining pupils proved that they were not ordinary children, but their birth process was also extraordinary.
The boy was born prematurely. In the cold winter, he cut the umbilical cord himself and announced his arrival to the world with a cry that was not whimpering.
Meanwhile, his twin sister refused to leave the womb. Unlike her impatient brother, she crawled out of the uterus by herself weeks later when she was fully grown and did not cry. She smiled warmly and comforted the mother who had endured the painful labor twice due to her.
The siblings grew robustly.
Receiving abundant love from their ordinary father and mother, they grew into beautiful children under the watchful eyes of the entire village.
One day, the boy ventured to the rocky mountain. While searching for firewood, he discovered a hidden pathway among the rocks and, following the eerie path, he saw an animal tied to the rocks.
Should it be called a sheep because of its round horns, or should it be called a lizard because of its scaled legs and tail? It was a strangely shaped animal.
“Why are you tied up here?”
Leonel asked. The animal replied.
“I don’t know. I was born in the wavering darkness. But then someone captured me, tied me up, and left! Instead of just standing there, untie me.”
But the cord restraining the animal was impossible to untie. Despite his considerable effort, it wouldn’t come loose, so Leonel promised to return.
He kept his promise. Even though he feared the eerie path, he climbed the rocky mountain, thinking about how he could undo the knot.
“Idiot. Can’t even untie this?”
Was it because the animal was regularly eating the hard nuts the boy brought? The animal grew quickly. The once small creature had grown as large as the rocks, making the boy afraid.
“I don’t know if it’s good to untie you. I won’t come here anymore.”
“You’re a liar. Suit yourself. I will be tied here forever, saddened by your lie for the rest of my life.”
“What do you want me to do? The knot won’t come undone, and you look too scary.”
The crying animal smiled.
“Then let’s do this. Don’t untie me. Instead, make another promise. Give me your name and don’t forget me. I’m tied here so you won’t be marked as a liar.”
“Okay.”
The boy told the animal his name and descended the rocky mountain. He never sought the eerie path again.
After that, strange things began to happen. All the villagers avoided him.
No one approached, and even his father and mother avoided his gaze.
His sister, Leicia, pointed out.
“Brother, you somehow seem a bit scary.”
The boy, who had lost his name, became displeased. He didn’t like the brave sister who came close to give him advice. He wanted to tear her only clothes to shreds and make her fear him.
That would be very satisfying.
“Aagh!”
Horrified by his thoughts, he hurriedly climbed the rocky mountain. Despite not bringing nuts, he approached the now even bigger animal and yelled.
“I’d rather be a liar! Give me back my name!”
The animal refused.
“No. If you want your name back, untie this knot. Don’t worry. You can untie it now. I’ll help from ‘inside.’ I’ve grown a lot too, haven’t I?”
“…Okay. It’s a promise?”
The animal nodded, and the boy untied the knot. Remarkably, the knot that wouldn’t budge with all his pulling quickly unraveled despite the animal aiding from inside by just standing still.
“Is it done now? Give me back my name.”
“It was a lie. I won’t return it. You broke the promise first.”
The animal stretched and smiled. It looked at the boy with frighteningly round eyes.
“But I like you. Just between us, I somehow want to possess you. To torment you. Then your sister will come along too. You and your sister are bound as one…”
The boy fled. “You and I are already one. You cannot run away.” He tried to escape from the whispering animal but was soon caught and crushed under its scaled hooves.
“What do you want?”
“I want everything you were born with.”
The sheep’s muzzle bit the boy’s neck. The strange animal disappeared like a mirage, and the boy realized it was now flowing through his veins.
– Go back now. Show me your sister. Huh?
The boy didn’t listen. As he began to climb the mountain, the animal questioned him.
– Aren’t you afraid of me? Why aren’t you listening to me?
“…I’m scared.”
His legs trembled.
The fear flowing through his veins gnawed at him heavily, but he stood at the edge of a steep cliff, looking down.
The flat land stretched out below. He could see the village in the distance. The rocky mountain stood tall on the plain, steep and unforgiving, and the fierce wind threatened to throw his body off balance.
He was scared, but bringing this monster to his sister terrified him even more.
Defying the monster’s command, the boy threw himself off the cliff. The monster, now possessing the boy, screamed in a moment.
A majestic being stretched out his hand. He caught the plummeting boy and spoke with a warm resonance.
– Leonel. I have been watching over you.
It was a huge, brilliantly shining woman. Wearing a crown of thorns, she looked pained but did not lose her sublime smile.
– We shall continue to watch over you. This is my gift to you.
The goddess kissed the boy’s forehead. After being placed under the rocky mountain, Leo felt a change in his body, and the monster was gone.
* * *
“Leonel grew up to be a great warrior. He wielded two swords with lightning speed to slay all kinds of monsters and was revered as a hero of humanity.”
Bahaathar’s story continued.
Lena, having cleaned her plate of ochatz, listened while hugging her knees.
“His sister, Leicia, supported him. She wisely governed the villages that swore allegiance and set fair rules for everyone. Those rules later became the foundation of the ‘Achaian Code’.”
Leo, crossing his arms, listened and then stacked the empty dishes to the side.
“But their glory did not last long. Ahem. Listen carefully, for what comes next is something the Holy Church does not tell.”
Bahaathar cleared his throat and emphasized. The following story was very different from what Leo knew.
After defeating various races in the continent’s center, Leonel established the Kingdom of Achaean with his sister. While everyone anticipated the next steps of the hero, he did not act.
He built a splendid palace in the capital, Orville, and grew arrogant.
He called himself ‘Todler Akiunen’ and holed up in the palace with no intention of coming out.
Leicia’s actions were also odd.
Right after founding the kingdom, she established a solar calendar to aid in farming and invented equipment for water control, actively working. But then she, too, secluded herself in the palace.
She began writing poems, all of which sang of love.
Though praised as beautiful compositions with wonderful melodies, soon the entire kingdom was shocked.
Unmarried, Leicia bore a son. And the father was none other than…
– Leonel! You scoundrel!
The sky opened, and the god of battle and honor, Rachaar, appeared with a sword and shield.
“So then what? What happened next?”
Eating the dessert Leo handed her, Lena Einarr eagerly asked.
“The warrior god, Rachaar, took Leicia away. He rebuked King Leonel to repent and left, but Leonel did not repent. He tyrannized his subjects, instilling fear, then suddenly left for the north. Here, to the place where the temple of Rachaar resides, he came and started a massacre…”
Bahaatar turned his back. He pointed to the dozens of white canyons sprawling under the hill they stood on.
“Do you know why those rocks are white? It’s because god’s blood flowed here. After nine days of battle, Leonel stabbed Rachaar, and twenty-four drops of his blood fell to the ground. Though Rachaar emerged victorious, he was wounded by a human. That’s why Leonel is called a demigod. Of course, the Holy Church denies all of this. They assert that there is no connection between Todler Akiunen and the high god rather than admitting the god was wounded.”
Lena skeptically asked.
“Hard to believe, isn’t it? Who would believe that a god bled from a human’s blow?”
“Hahaha. I expected you to say that. But there is evidence. Look at those stones. The white traces on them are ‘Manubial’, a miraculous mineral that deflects all magic and amplifies divine power.”
“Hmm…”
Lena picked up a stone she had taken earlier and rubbed the white surface with her thumb. But nothing came off.
Lena wore a doubtful expression, contemplating. When she fell silent, Bahaathar began again.
“Rachaar sought to kill Todler Akiunen. At that moment, ‘Banoon Rauno’ pleaded. As humanity’s first noble and Todler Akiunen’s first vassal, he had arrived at the temple before Todler. He begged for leniency for the sins of the king and queen and offered his life instead. Rachaar then spoke.”
– The human heart is indeed unpredictable. To sacrifice your life for the sister and wife of the king you serve… very well. I shall forgive. But you must pay the price for the blood I shed.
“After that, Todler Akiunen and Leicia disappeared. Luckily, their son became a virtuous king and ruled the kingdom excellently, and Todler Akiunen’s tyranny was forgotten. So, how is it? Different from the story taught by the Holy Church, right?”
Bahaatar grinned. Lena clicked her tongue, looking disgruntled, not because of the story but because she didn’t like Bahaatar’s smug attitude.
Still, she nodded her head in acknowledgment.
“Well… thank you. I now know the legend of Todler Akiunen.”
“Hahaha. Yes, yes. You won’t hear this story anywhere else. It’s an oral tradition of our ‘Albacete’ tribe.”
“Ay- that’s just an exaggeration, isn’t it?”
“How did you know? Hahaha. I guess I did embellish it a bit. Most of the tribes in the north are aware of it. But I’m probably the only one who can share it so vividly.”
“Yes, yes. Of course, you would.”
“Hey! You’ve been enjoying the story all this time, and now you’re acting otherwise?”
While Lena and Bahaathar were chatting away, Leo Dexter was quietly deep in thought. He had questions about the ‘Albacete’ tribe, but something even more pressing was on his mind.
“Leicia.”
He softly called out to Lena. When he said the name while meeting her eyes…
“Huh? Leicia what? Why did you stop mid-sentence?”
Lena turned to him with a puzzled look. Leo Dexter then murmured quietly, “Leonel,” and sheepishly nodded his head.
He felt like an idiot.
Leo looked up. He was about to ask about the ‘Albacete’ tribe, but Bahaatar and the five warriors were gone. They were all over there, admiring the blue new moon that had just started to rise.
“Leo. Let’s go and take a look too. The view is amazing.”
Lena grabbed his hand. She pulled him up and, following the shouting men, yelled out, “Waaah!” as they boldly roared towards the canyon.
Those barbarian warriors, anyway…
Leo gazed at them, unable to suppress their loud cries. He didn’t notice his sword, placed near the campfire, faintly trembling with a hum.
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