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152. Engagement – Myth

The boy and girl were born with the sun in their eyes. Their golden, brilliantly shining pupils proved they were no ordinary children, and their birth process was equally remarkable.

The boy was born earlier than scheduled. In the freezing winter, he cut his own umbilical cord and announced his arrival to the world with a cry free of whimpering.

Meanwhile, the second twin refused to emerge from the womb. Unlike her hasty older brother, she crawled out of the uterus only after several weeks of sufficient growth, and she didn’t cry. Instead, she smiled brightly, comforting the mother who had endured two painful labors because of her.

The siblings grew up robustly.

Showered with the love of ordinary parents and surrounded by the village’s attention, they blossomed into beautiful boy and girl.

One day, the boy set foot on a rocky mountain. While searching for firewood, he discovered a hidden slope between the rocks, and as he climbed the eerily chilling path, he spotted an animal tied to a rock.

With round horns, could it be a sheep? Yet, with its scaly four legs and tail, it resembled a lizard. It was a peculiarly-shaped creature.

“Why are you tied up here?”

Leonel asked. The animal replied.

“I don’t know. I was born in the swirling darkness. But someone caught me and tied me up, then left! Don’t just stand there, set me free.”

However, the rope that bound the creature could not be untied. After much effort to no avail, Leonel promised to return.

He kept his promise. Despite being frightened of the ominous slope, he ascended the rocky mountain, pondering how he could untie the knot.

“Are you an idiot? Can’t you even untie this?”

Maybe because of the hard nuts the boy had provided, the animal grew quickly. What was once small was now as big as a rock, and scared, the boy said,

“I’m not sure if I should set you free now. I don’t think I’ll come back for you again.”

“You’re a liar. Do as you please. I’ll be tied here forever, grieving over your lies for a lifetime.”

“What do you want me to do? The knot won’t come undone, and you look way too scary.”

The tearful creature smiled.

“Then let’s do this. Don’t set me free. Instead, let’s make another promise? Give me your name. And don’t forget me. I’m tied up here so I won’t turn you into a liar.”

“Fine.”

The boy taught the creature his name and descended the rocky mountain. He never sought that chilling slope again.

Strange things began to happen afterward. The village people kept their distance from him.

No one approached, not even his father and mother, who avoided his gaze.

His sister, Leisia, pointed out.

“Brother, you seem a bit scary.”

The boy who had lost his name became displeased. He didn’t like his sister, who bravely approached to give him advice. He wanted to tear her only outfit into shreds to make her fear him.

That sounded quite delightful.

“Aah!”

Horrified by his own thought, he hurriedly climbed the rocky mountain again. He approached the now much larger creature, despite not having brought any nuts, and shouted.

“I’d rather become a liar! Give me back my name!”

The animal refused.

“No. If you want your name back, you need to untie this knot. Don’t worry. You’ll be able to do it now. I’ll help you ‘from within.’ I’ve grown a lot too, you know?”

“…Fine. Is that a promise?”

The creature nodded, and the boy untied the knot. No matter how much he pulled, the knot had been impossible to untie until the creature, who had claimed it would help him from the inside, simply sat still, and it easily came undone.

“Is it done now? Give me back my name.”

“It was a lie. I won’t give it back. You broke the promise first.”

Crack! Stretching, the creature smiled, looking at the boy with terrifyingly round eyes.

“But I like you. I’m only telling you this, but strangely, I want you. I want to torment you. Then your sister will come too. You and your sister are tied together after all…”

The boy ran away. “You’re already one with me. You can’t escape.” He tried to flee from the whispering creature, but soon found himself pinned beneath its scaled hooves.

“What… what do you want?”

“I want everything you were born with.”

The creature’s sheepish mouth bit into the boy’s neck. That grotesque creature vanished like a mirage, and the boy suddenly realized it flowed through his veins.

– Now go back. Show me your sister. Oh?

The boy did not heed.

In stark contrast, he began climbing the mountain as the creature asked.

– 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, yet he stood at the edge of the sheer cliff and looked down.

A flat expanse spread out. The village was visible in the distance. The rocky mountain towering alone in the plains was steep, and fierce winds threatened to shake the boy’s body.

It was frightening. But taking the monster to his sister was even scarier.

Defying the monster’s command, the boy threw himself off. The moment the boy turned into a monster shouted, “No!” in horror,

A majestic being reached out. It caught the plummeting boy and spoke in a warm resonance.

= Leonel. We have been watching over you.

A dazzlingly radiant, enormous woman. She wore a crown with protruding thorns, and while she seemed to be in pain, she did not lose her noble smile.

= We will continue to watch over you. This is my gift.

The goddess kissed the boy’s forehead. As Leonel was set down beneath the rocky mountain, he felt his body had changed, and the monster was nowhere to be seen.

*

“Leonel grew into a great warrior. He wielded two swords like lightning and defeated all sorts of monsters, hailed as humanity’s hero.”

Bahatar continued his tale.

Lena, blissfully devouring her food, wrapped her arms around her knees, listening intently.

“His sister, Leisia, supported him. She wisely governed the towns that had pledged loyalty and established fair rules for everyone. It’s said that these rules later became the foundation of the ‘Akaya Code.’”

Leo, crossing his arms, listened as he pushed the scattered bowls aside.

“But their glory didn’t last long. Ahem. Now, from here, it’s something the Cross Church wouldn’t tell, so pay close attention.”

Bahatar cleared his throat and emphasized. The story that followed was decidedly different from what Leo had known.

Having defeated various races in the central continent alongside his sister, Leonel established the Akaya Kingdom. Everyone expected the hero’s next move, but he remained still.

He grew arrogant after building a splendid royal palace in the capital he named Oberg.

He referred to himself as ‘Todler Akiunen’ and secluded himself in the palace, completely disregarding the outside.

Leisia’s actions were also unusual.

Immediately after establishing the kingdom, she formalized the solar calendar to assist agriculture and devised tools to aid in water management, actively participating in various endeavors. But she too locked herself in the palace.

She began writing poetry, all of which sang of love.

Though they were beautiful works with lovely melodies and were praised, soon the entire kingdom was shocked.

Unmarried Leisia gave birth to a son. And the father of that child was none other than…

= Leonel! You brat!

As the sky opened, Lachar, the god of battles and honor, wielding a sword and shield, burst forth.

“So? What happened next?”

Lena Ainar asked, munching on the dessert Leo had offered beside her.

“The god of warriors, Lachar, took Leisia away. He scolded King Leonel to repent and left, but he did not repent. He turned to tyrannical rule, instilling fear into the kingdom’s people, then fled abruptly to the north. Coming to this place, where Lachar’s temple is located, he began a slaughter…”

Bahatar turned his back as he pointed to the dozens of white canyons that spread out below the low mountain they were on.

“Earlier, you asked why the stones were white, right? That’s because of the god’s blood. After the battle of eight days, Leonel stabbed Lachar with a sword, and twenty-four drops of blood fell to the ground. Eventually, though Lachar claimed victory, he did sustain injuries from the attack by a human. That’s why Leonel is called a demigod. Of course, the Cross Church denies all of this, claiming it’s better to assert that Todler Akiunen has no relation to the divine than to admit that a god has been wounded.”

Lena questioned skeptically.

“Well, it makes sense. Who would believe it? That a god bled from a human’s sword.”

“Hahaha! I knew you’d say that. But there’s proof. See those stones? The white stuff on them is ‘Manubium.’ It’s a miraculous mineral that wards off all magic and amplifies divine power.”

“Hmmm…”

Lena flipped the stone she had picked up earlier and rubbed the white surface with her thumb, but nothing came off.

Lena wore a slightly dubious expression as she pondered, and when she quieted down, Bahatar spoke again.

“Lachar intended to kill Todler Akiunen. At that moment, ‘Banun Raono’ pleaded for him. The first noble of humanity and Todler Akiunen’s first vassal had arrived at the temple before Todler himself. He asked for the king and queen’s sins to be forgiven, offering his own life in return. Then Lachar spoke.”

= The human heart is truly unpredictable. To take your life for the brother of the king and the woman who became his wife… Very well. I shall grant you forgiveness. But you must pay the price of my shed blood.

“After that, Todler Akiunen and Leisia vanished. Fortunately, the son Leisia bore became a great king and excellently ruled the kingdom, and the tyranny of Todler Akiunen was forgotten. How about that? Isn’t it different from what the Cross Church teaches?”

Bahatar grinned. Lena rolled her eyes, expressing dissatisfaction, not because of Bahatar’s grandstanding, but because she didn’t enjoy the way he prided himself.

Yet, recognizing the truth, Lena bowed her head.

“Thanks… I learned the legend of Todler Akiunen because of you.”

“Hahaha! You won’t hear these stories anywhere else. They’re only passed down in our ‘Albasete Tribe.’”

“Come on, that’s just bragging.”

“How did you figure that out? Hahaha. It’s just a slight exaggeration. Most tribes in the north know. But only I can convey it in such vivid detail.”

“Sure, sure. As if.”

“What’s that? Having fun until now and now you’re throwing shade?”

While Lena and Bahatar bickered, Leo Dexter was lost in thought.

He wanted to inquire immediately about the ‘Albasete Tribe,’ but something else weighed heavier on his mind.

“Leisia.”

He quietly called Lena. Upon meeting her gaze and uttering that name…

“Hmm? What about Leisia? Why did you suddenly stop talking?”

Lena merely turned her head in confusion. “Leonel.” muttered Leo Dexter, who immediately nodded awkwardly.

That was a stupid move.

Leo raised his head. He had intended to ask about the Albasete Tribe, but the five warriors, including Bahatar, were not present in their seats. They were all over there, beginning to marvel at the azure crescent moon that had just started to rise.

“Leo. Let’s go see too. The scenery is stunning.”

Lena grabbed his hand and pulled him up, roaring along with the men “Wowww!” as they boldly howled towards the canyon.

Anyway, those barbarian warriors…

Leo looked at them, who seemed indomitable in their loud ruckus, and failed to notice his swords, laid out around the campfire, trembling with a soft hum.