Aslan had left his seat, and even though the inn where the traveling party had gathered to talk was still occupied by everyone except Aslan.
The sound and smell of logs burning in the stove filled the air, and an ominous wind from outside tapped against the windows on this night.
Stew made from some salted meat Lumel had procured was growing cold and hardening, yet the party remained seated.
Richard was still lost in confusion, pondering deeply.
Lumel and Phey were eerily calm, but beneath that calm demeanor lay faint traces of madness or obsession.
The contrast between Lumel, who stared vacantly at the floor, and Phey, who continued to gaze unwaveringly at the door Aslan had exited through, sent a chill down the spines of those who saw it.
Perhaps it was due to the wind blowing from outside.
Even without being explicitly asked to wait, the party waited on their own accord.
Their waiting stemmed from shock and promise.
The story Aslan told about himself was so shocking that they couldn’t leave their seats while reflecting, and because he had promised to return, they stayed put.
Thus, silence occasionally fell, and soon enough, someone broke the silence.
“How… do you think? Can we trust him?”
The question. It wasn’t clear who it was directed at, but the gazes of most, save for two, converged on one person.
Richard, having spoken, slightly hunched his shoulders under the weight of those stares.
Was he regretting speaking up? For a while, his mouth remained closed.
But no one pressed further. The meaning was obvious even without words.
While everyone was sizing each other up, Tiamat, who already knew the news, spoke up.
“Is there any reason not to believe him?”
The tone reprimanding as if to say, “Do you not believe?”
At least to Richard, it sounded accusatory, prompting him to laugh defensively.
“Of course I want to believe, but it’s such an unbelievable story… don’t you agree?”
The heir to a ducal family sought agreement from the others defensively. Though lacking authority, fortunately, the rest of the party agreed.
There is another world.
Aslan came from that other world.
The entity that brought Aslan here wields the Abyss, which rivals the Veil of Mercy in power, with ease, like a beast.
This series of information was extremely stimulating and shocking.
There was no time to judge due to the lack of relevant knowledge. If anyone had such knowledge, it would be Ereta.
Yet even Ereta found it immeasurably vast.
Because of this, the woman wore a blank expression, and Richard, expecting her to respond inwardly, fretted when she remained silent.
Instead of Ereta, Tiamat spoke.
“Then do you think he was born and raised in this world?”
When the group’s somewhat vacant gazes turned toward her, Tiamat continued.
“Someone with such thoughts… and combat abilities. A figure drawing the attention of all sorts of evil deities. Whether he was born and grew up normally or extraordinarily in this world, he couldn’t possibly have become this.”
“That’s true, but…”
Richard once again groaned, running his fingers through his hair. His words were followed by a pleasant-sounding voice.
“When you think about it, it’s not that strange.”
It was the elven girl, who had been gazing vacantly at the door. When the group glanced at her, the girl placed her hands on the table and chattered.
“All the evil deities crossed over from another world. The Abyss itself is another world entirely. If even gods can cross over, humans certainly could too.”
The girl seemed unconcerned about where Aslan was born and raised.
She evidently thought it unreasonable for Aslan’s uniqueness to fade merely for such a reason.
And the rest of the group couldn’t help but agree with her.
After all, it’s easier for a human to cross over than a god.
Though humans lack the power to do so themselves, if an entity akin to a god forcibly pulled them, it was plausible.
Still, there were ambiguous parts.
The part about bringing countless humans like Aslan, turning them into heroes, and devouring them was one such point.
Aslan wouldn’t have said such things lightly, and despite being someone who concealed truths rather than lied outright, he had done so.
There were more than just one or two perplexing aspects.
Having deeply internalized Aslan’s nature through the death of Aslan, the group suspected there were explanations missing or intentional omissions.
“…We’ll ask him when he comes back.”
For some reason, Angie’s sudden statement was met with general agreement from the group.
Following this agreement was silence. It was a silence based on the group’s belief that talking now wouldn’t serve much purpose.
They waited until one log completely burned out.
“…Isn’t Aslan taking too long to come back?”
By the time this question was posed, Lumel finally spoke.
His face was full of worry, quickly assuming the worst and furrowing his brow noticeably.
It hadn’t been long since the group had regained Aslan after losing him.
In response to Lumel’s words, the members either frowned or tapped the table, each recalling a certain presence.
A woman who had emerged from the Abyss.
The Black Witch, Lewena.
The woman who had unraveled illusions in Belus Ma’kel, causing calamity.
An illusion master whom even Aslan barely managed to stop, and a high priestess of the Abyss.
Naturally, unease grew.
Driven by that mounting anxiety, Ereta suddenly stood up.
“I guess I should go look for him.”
Lumel also rose, either emboldened by Ereta’s action or thinking he couldn’t fall behind.
As these two women successively stood up and headed toward the inn’s main door,
Thump, thump-thump, thump.
Footsteps were heard.
At the sound, Ereta, who had been approaching the door, stopped, and Lumel widened her eyes.
Tiamat frowned behind her blindfold.
“There are two people. Aslan and… who else?”
A foreboding feeling swept over Ereta, and upon instinctively gripping the double-handed axe at her back, the door opened.
Through the open door stood Aslan.
Before the group could greet or speak to him, Aslan slightly moved aside to reveal the person behind him.
Flowing black hair, tattered clothes, and wounds couldn’t hide her delicate beauty.
A rare beauty with a composed expression.
The Black Witch, Lewena.
Ereta scowled deeply.
“You…”
Lewena, perhaps recognizing Ereta as the first face she saw, slightly twitched the corner of her eye in apparent irritation.
Without exchanging pleasantries, Aslan and the group remained silent amidst the tension and coldness.
Any questions or anger the group intended to show Lewena were buried silently on the floor.
*
Aslan made this decision partly out of emotion.
Certainly, there was rationality involved. Aslan’s decision was indeed based on rationality.
Lewena had been driven out by the Abyss. She still seemed capable of handling the Abyss, but not with great power.
She had been abandoned by the Dark Ram.
And tortured by Valerie.
Although there was a possibility that all of this was a ruse, Aslan judged rationally that there were ways to use her.
Even if everything familiar about Lewena—her character, their shared memories—were merely stepping stones for a single reversal, Aslan believed the situation wouldn’t change now.
Whether her intention was to deceive or not.
Lewena was outside the Abyss.
And regardless of what the Dark Ram plotted behind the scenes, Aslan needed to destroy the Abyss. At the very least, the possessors consumed by the Abyss.
In achieving that goal, Lewena was the most troublesome opponent.
Spreading illusions that physical force couldn’t counteract, exposing warriors to their most critical moments through intricate illusions—she was a master of illusions.
If there were veterans in different schools, she was undoubtedly a veteran of illusions.
Her exclusion from battle was possible.
Moreover, if everything Lewena claimed was true, a valuable source of information and judgment would be gained.
Therefore, Aslan released Lewena.
He needed to keep her close in case he had to end her later.
It was better than risking failure by locking her up in the fortress’s prison, so Aslan brought Lewena before the group, persuading the fortress commander using Budonggong’s authority and persuasion.
And Aslan hadn’t anticipated this situation unfolding when he severed the shackles and handcuffs with purity.
“Aslan.”
“Hyunwoo.”
Two women called out names. The vivid scene revealed itself as Aslan regained his senses.
Ereta wielding her axe at Lewena’s neck. Lewena staring at Aslan despite the threat.
Lewena looked at Aslan with seemingly detached but heartrending eyes, and Aslan recalled the voice he’d heard when cutting the chains with purity.
“Why…?”
Lewena murmured painfully, and Aslan replied simply.
“Hyunwoo said he needed me.”
Yes, just like that.
Her tone felt like she was echoing his own words, prompting Ereta to frown and glare at Aslan.
“Playboy.”
There was nothing more to say. After Aslan fell silent, Lewena addressed Ereta.
“Hyunwoo said he needed me, and I agreed with Hyunwoo’s thoughts.”
Ereta glared at Lewena in response, and Lewena met her gaze expressionlessly.
The other members’ situations were not much different from Aslan’s.
Most didn’t seem to understand the sudden confrontation.
They simply observed the situation, trying to grasp what was happening.
Only Aslan knew this confrontation extended from that night.
Amidst this, Lewena’s words boiled down to this:
Since Aslan said so, what can you do about it?
Ereta understood this and, holding her axe firmly, stated:
“Submissiveness isn’t loyalty; it’s inequality. I want an equal relationship. If I think something is wrong, I must question it.”
Lewena emitted a soft grunt.
To Lewena, it was probably a good story.
Ereta narrowed her eyes at this almost indifferent snort.
“Aslan, I don’t trust this woman. She might as well be walking Abyss. If she wishes, the Abyss could open here anytime.”
That was true. The tragedy witnessed in Beryl proved it, leaving Aslan quiet.
Instead, Richard belatedly regained his senses.
“Then… isn’t it dangerous? If it breaks out here, can we really stop it…?”
“On the contrary, Aslan wouldn’t be unaware of such a thing.”
Meanwhile, Phey was relaxed. Perhaps because as long as Aslan was safe, anything else was fine.
Tiamat quietly observed the situation, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.
Only Lumel showed a peculiar reaction.
Lumel, who had been biting her thumbnail, gripped her spear tightly, perhaps envisioning some grim scenario upon hearing about the Abyss opening.
“Then, dealing with her here would prevent future problems.”
With that, she raised her spear, but her impulsive thought was halted by Angie.
Tsk, Angie grabbing the spear.
When her spear was caught, Lumel turned her expressionless gaze to Angie, who slightly narrowed her eyes before nodding toward Aslan.
Only then did the group refocus on Aslan.
Calmly standing there, observing the group’s reactions, Aslan had been carefully monitoring them, anticipating the possibility that this was an illusion created by Lewena.
Detecting no magical interference, Aslan received the group’s gazes and spoke.
“It’s natural for you to distrust her. I don’t trust her either.”
Lewena, instead of appearing hurt by this statement, smiled faintly as if acknowledging it was necessary.
“But there’s a reason I brought Lewena here.”
“Reason…?”
When Ereta questioned curiously, Aslan nodded.
“Whether we trust Lewena or not, whether she plans to betray us or not… it doesn’t matter. I have a plan.”
Aslan’s plan, which had never failed thus far.
As the group focused on Aslan, he added casually,
“If you have something to say now, hear me out first. You can object afterward.”
Then, if you oppose, we’ll create a new plan together.
This addition was unexpected from Aslan, forcing the group to listen quietly to his plan.
Fortunately, the plan that flowed from his lips wasn’t bad.
There was no opposition.
