I’m Hunting My Enemy - Chapter 42

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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42. Moon, Wine, and Pebbles (3)

 

Seeing storm clouds rush across Ryuie’s face like a tempest, wiping away her previous joy, the knight carefully chose his words.

 

“It seems that ring was the cause of His Highness the Crown Prince’s ghost appearing.”

 

Ryuie only glared silently at the ring and the monster. Looking like she might grab and tear apart the remains with her bare hands, the knights carefully moved the monster’s corpse away from Ryuie.

 

The investigators, nobles, and even Glem who had arrived late couldn’t take their eyes off the ring.

 

Glem in particular showed clear signs of great agitation.

 

‘Why did it have to be there!’

 

His dismayed gaze fixed on the ring.

 

So the reason he couldn’t find it despite scouring the swamp bottom was because it was inside the monster’s mouth!

 

In fact, the reason there was no cargo loaded in the carriage that had been in the swamp was because Glem had already found and recovered everything within his capabilities.

 

Thanks to that, he had perfectly learned the geography of the swamp, but ended up handing over the important ring to Ryuie!

 

‘Damn it!’

 

Glem couldn’t stop his gaze from being drawn to the ring like an irresistible force.

 

‘…How do I steal that?’

 

Without a moment’s delay, Glem changed his expression.

 

He couldn’t simply ask Ryuie to give it to him.

 

Not only would she not give it easily, but it would only increase the risk of stimulating unnecessary interest.

 

There was no way Ryuie, who had come all the way here looking only for the Crown Prince, would hand over the Crown Prince’s ring.

 

‘If she keeps it on her body like the portrait, never letting it out of her sight.’

 

Glem anxiously racked his brain.

 

This wasn’t the time to be picky about means and methods.

 

“We should have it investigated.”

 

Glem spoke, thinking that getting it out of Ryuie’s hands was the urgent priority.

 

“Even if the Crown Prince’s phantom appears because of the ring, what you need isn’t a phantom.”

 

Ryuie slowly turned to look at Glem.

 

Dawn sliding across a well-sharpened blade would be much softer than the light in his eyes.

 

Glem ignored his conscience trying to hold him back and said:

 

“Put the ring down. You can take it after we confirm there’s no curse on it.”

 

“Are you worried about me?”

 

“Right now you look like a crazy person to anyone watching.”

 

Ryuie looked around as if asking whether that was really true.

 

The metaphor about looking crazy despite having calm eyes seemed to be fact.

 

Everyone who met Ryuie’s gaze couldn’t maintain eye contact for long and looked away.

 

“Right. It’s not time to get angry yet.”

 

Glem anxiously watched Ryuie’s actions.

 

Fortunately, Ryuie regained her composure and dropped the ring into the knight’s hand.

 

“Handle it with care.”

 

“Yes. Understood.”

 

The knight received the ring as if it were precious as life itself.

 

The other nobles looked like they wanted to take it themselves, but with Ryuie glaring fiercely, they didn’t dare open their mouths.

 

Ryuie walked straight over to Glem.

 

“Why were you escorting the merchants?”

 

“What?”

 

Glem, who had been relieved that Ryuie had entrusted the ring to someone else, was flustered by Ryuie’s attention turning back to him.

 

“Tell me what business merchants had coming to this filthy land.”

 

“…They came to borrow the power of the sacred relic that sank in this swamp.”

 

“What kind of power is that?”

 

Glem hesitated for a moment.

 

But thinking that even if he didn’t say it, Ohen or another priest would tell her anyway, he readily answered.

 

“The power to avoid the price of an oath.”

 

Murmur.

 

As soon as the identity of the sacred relic was revealed, agitation arose.

 

Rkultu’s oaths required sacrifices when broken.

 

No matter how simple the oath, the level of sacrifice demanded was enormous, so most people suffered side effects.

 

This was because strong curses were placed from the beginning to prevent the casual misuse of oaths.

 

But to think there was a sacred relic that could overcome the prohibition set by the god himself.

 

If there really was a sacred relic imbued with such power, it would be a treasure everyone would covet.

 

Especially since the biggest victim of an oath was right here.

 

“It lets you avoid the price?”

 

Ryuie’s expression became completely twisted.

 

This was the complete opposite of the others who were filled with subtle anticipation.

 

‘So you were planning this, Yosua?’

 

Rather than hope that she could escape from her oath, betrayal and vengeance flared up first.

 

It was natural. To think that the fiancé she had been searching for so desperately was actually after the sacred relic to escape from his oath.

 

Didn’t this mean the Crown Prince had moved to break their engagement before Ryuie even tried?

 

‘How dare he.’

 

Ryuie bit her lip to contain her rising fury.

 

‘If anyone’s going to destroy the engagement, it’ll be me. Who does he think he is.’

 

While the others were distracted by interest in the sacred relic, Glem was watching Ryuie.

 

Seeing Ryuie’s eyes growing turbid, Glem felt an inexplicable anxiety wash over him.

 

“Ryuie.”

 

“Benito also said he didn’t know what the sacred relic that sank in the swamp was.”

 

As if responding to Glem’s call, Ryuie immediately cut him off.

 

Watching Ryuie, from whom all traces of emotion vanished like a lie, Glem realized this was no longer the time to worry about him.

 

Ryuie snapped:

 

“If you, who aren’t even a priest of this place, know what sacred relic it is, should I assume your purpose is also the sacred relic?”

 

Glem hesitated and moved his lips slightly.

 

For now. It was better to let her believe his goal was the sacred relic, not the ring.

 

“That’s right.”

 

“I’ll listen to what oath you’re trying to break later.”

 

Ryuie warned as if she would never forget.

 

“Let’s go back.”

 

As if she no longer wanted to be in this place, Ryuie left with contempt.

 

* * *

 

Ohen sat in his study listening to the sound of carriage wheels rolling.

 

He also heard the noise of nobles who had slept in while Ryuie’s party went to the swamp, now busily eating and chattering.

 

He felt like he was caught in a whirlpool he could no longer control.

 

Ohen slowly clasped his hands together.

 

There was once a time when this village and swamp moved like his own limbs.

 

There was also a time when he believed he could restore all the humans who had turned into monsters.

 

But now faith only pointed the way like dim starlight, and the remaining empty sky was filled entirely with his anguish.

 

“Ohen Priest.”

 

A priest entered without even knocking and spoke.

 

“Ryuie’s party has returned.”

 

Recognizing who it was by the voice, Ohen Priest’s praying hands trembled slightly.

 

“Benito.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Hearing the priest’s clear response, Ohen put strength into his clasped hands once more.

 

There weren’t many warnings he could give.

 

“You must not meet with Ryuie behind my back anymore.”

 

Ohen couldn’t see, but Benito simply tilted his head.

 

“Yeongae needs help.”

 

“You must not help her.”

 

“I thought all priests had sworn to help humans.”

 

“Stop!”

 

“Ohen.”

 

With a loud thud, angry footsteps walked toward the desk.

 

Having heard those footsteps once before, Ohen immediately recognized that it was Ryuie.

 

‘Did he hear? From where?’

 

Cold sweat broke out down Ohen’s spine.

 

Benito would never care when Ryuie had appeared.

 

Fortunately, Ryuie wasn’t the type to eavesdrop in corridors and had a clear presence, so the timing of his appearance was obvious.

 

Guessing that he had only barely heard his shouting, Ohen finally calmed his heart.

 

Besides, Ryuie was the one who was more angry anyway.

 

“Was it nice keeping your mouth perfectly shut?”

 

“….”

 

“Without even the backbone to protect the temple’s treasure, you completely gave away the sacred object’s location to the Crown Prince?”

 

Only able to hear his voice, Ohen thought Ryuie was still in a calm state based on his composed tone.

 

Ohen corrected his misunderstanding when something blunt was driven down between his fingers.

 

Ryuie was speaking with a sword planted there.

 

“You knew from the beginning what purpose the Crown Prince had in gathering the villagers, and that this entire swampland was cursed because of his oath.”

 

Until now, Ryuie hadn’t blamed Ohen for keeping quiet despite knowing.

 

He had thought it proper for others to keep secrets that the Crown Prince wanted kept secret.

 

He had even viewed it favorably, considering it loyalty.

 

But now that the Crown Prince’s ring had been found and he had heard about the sacred object’s power, he couldn’t possibly be that generous.

 

‘How cold.’

 

Ohen fumbled to touch the blade.

 

Though he was being threatened, the cold metal’s touch made him feel much calmer. Ohen said quietly.

 

“How could I have told you first.”

 

“What do you mean.”

 

The sword tilted a bit more toward his fingers.

 

When threats were added to the emotions he had been secretly anxious about, Ohen finally burst out with suppressed words.

 

“How could I be the first to tell you with my own mouth that I had seen the Crown Prince here.”

 

Ohen’s empty eyes cruelly spoke the truth.

 

“If the Crown Prince had already escaped his oath using the swamp’s sacred object. If you alone were suffering because of the engagement oath. You would never have been happy.”

 

“….”

 

Ohen willingly welcomed and accepted the long, invisible silence.

 

Even with his sensitive ears, he could no longer catch even Yeongae’s breathing.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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