I’m Hunting My Enemy - Chapter 63

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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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63. The Annulment Ceremony (1)

 

“It’s not a bad deed.”

 

Ryuie summarized simply.

 

Ryuie, who had paused briefly upon seeing the orchid flowers placed around Yosua, touched the still-fresh petals.

 

The bird-like elongated stems with white flowers resembled Yosua.

 

‘It suits him well.’

 

Ryuie calmly dropped the flower onto Yosua’s hand. Glem couldn’t shake off his suspicious expression throughout.

 

“I don’t know what the intention is. It feels unsettling. It’s not something that needed to be done at dawn.”

 

“You also encountered it at that dawn, didn’t you?”

 

Ryuie looked at Glem sideways.

 

“You probably had the same thought. Mr. Mercenary with many sins.”

 

“I’d rather understand if you were just jealous of me. But why the Crown Prince?”

 

“Or maybe it’s their own prayer hoping for my betrothal annulment ceremony to succeed?”

 

This is originally a prayer hall anyway.

 

Ryuie didn’t think much of it.

 

Glem had already checked all the flowers before Ryuie arrived.

 

They weren’t particularly magical or cursed objects, but.

 

‘That kid has no reason to sympathize with the Crown Prince.’

 

They’re not someone overflowing with loyalty enough to come offer flowers.

 

Though it felt unsettling, Glem decided to focus on the bigger problem.

 

“What about investigating Benito like I asked?”

 

“I’m doing it.”

 

Ryuie touched the petals one last time and stood up.

 

“It was clean. Really nothing came up. No place he lived, no people he knew. I’ve sent people to search nearby regions too.”

 

“I told you we should lock up the person in question.”

 

“Don’t worry. Once the ceremony is over, I’ll tie him up with Ohen and confine them together.”

 

Only then did Glem notice the prayer hall scenery, more splendid than before.

 

The dust-covered lamps were all polished to a brilliant shine, and cleanly starched tapestries hung on the walls.

 

A thousand candles were prepared for the ceremony. There were even twelve silver trays filled with clear oil.

 

“Was it already today?”

 

“It’s today.”

 

As if unable to contain herself, Ryuie spread both arms wide on the stairs.

 

“I’m going to be free today!”

 

‘Should I clap now?’

 

Glem pondered.

 

For a long time, both he and Ryuie had been waiting only for the moment of betrothal annulment, yet unexpected bitterness touched the base of his tongue.

 

Was it because he couldn’t grasp the reality now that it was actually happening?

 

Or was it somewhat painful to see Ryuie feeling such great joy at casting him off?

 

‘I should think it will succeed.’

 

Glem kept thinking.

 

Conversely, he kept having a premonition that it would fail.

 

The reason he hadn’t gone to Ryuie to break the betrothal ceremony when he was Yosua was because the risk of it turning into a wedding instead of an annulment ceremony was too great.

 

If the promised two people walked into the temple together, the god Rkultu would immediately bind them together forever.

 

In that incomplete state of being Yosua’s body yet not being him, perhaps only the betrothal vow would be safely broken.

 

‘Benito also said we should marry when my mind and body become one.’

 

‘So the annulment ceremony might really succeed.’

 

Glem crossed his arms unsteadily.

 

As the ceremony day approached, Ryuie increasingly couldn’t sleep and stayed awake for longer periods.

 

It was due to excitement.

 

If Glem hadn’t been constantly by her side to soothe her, she really wouldn’t have slept a wink.

 

“Let’s go back now. You need to prepare too.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Ryuie answered well but didn’t move from that spot.

 

Ryuie’s profile as she looked down at Yosua with wide-open eyes was somehow frightening.

 

When Glem had no choice but to try to lift Ryuie and carry her down.

 

Knock knock, the door was tapped.

 

“Miss.”

 

Catsy poked her head slightly through the door crack.

 

“All preparations for the ceremony are complete.”

 

“Good.”

 

Ryuie turned her head with blazing eyes.

 

“Good. Good. Good.”

 

Ryuie went down the stairs as if running quickly.

 

Though Glem was extending his hand, Ryuie passed by without noticing in her haste.

 

Glem clenched his empty hands into fists and hid them out of sight.

 

‘…Why do I feel regretful.’

 

The image of Ryuie running off on her own remained like an afterimage.

 

Just before completely disappearing, Ryuie turned back as if finally remembering.

 

“You must attend too, Glem.”

 

Ryuie, who smiled with her eyes, closed the prayer hall door like drawing a curtain.

 

Thud.

 

Left alone in the quiet stillness, Glem hesitated.

 

‘Is it okay for me to come watch?’

 

Actually, his own heart was drawn before Ryuie’s request.

 

That he must see this moment with his own eyes.

 

* * *

 

Drip.

 

The sound of clear water droplets rolling and falling echoed.

 

The priests who had dipped clean white cloth in holy water all tied them over their eyes like blindfolds.

 

The priests wearing ceremonial robes were divided between those originally belonging to the temple and those brought by the nobles.

 

Though the colors were different, they all had complex patterns drawn on them.

 

Only Ohen Priest didn’t wear a blindfold, but he had been blind from the beginning.

 

Ohen, standing between Yosua and the prayer hall floor, lifted a small silver bell.

 

“Oh Rkultu. We report to you.”

 

When he rang the bell, all the priests lined up from the stairs knelt down.

 

The entrance to the prayer hall was wide open.

 

Beyond the priests lined up all the way to the door, nobles in equally solemn attire stood.

 

However, one wide path was opened between them.

 

This was because red silk was laid from outside all the way to the stairs for walking.

 

“Oh Rkultu. We report to you.”

 

Ding.

 

When the clear bell sound rang once more, the priests’ prayers began.

 

It was a song to drive out all impure things and make the ceremonial place sacred.

 

Under their bowed heads, holy water that had pooled in the cloth like tears fell to the floor.

 

“Oh Rkultu. We report to you.”

 

Among the crowd, Glem, who had finally decided to attend, briefly leaned forward.

 

Benito was not visible among the other prostrated priests.

 

As he had wondered, it seemed he was absent from this ceremony.

 

‘…That’s rather good.’

 

Glem didn’t want anything to go wrong.

 

At a ceremony attended by Ryuie, such a thing could not happen.

 

Ohen, who had finished the three calls, set down the bell.

 

He slowly knelt and prostrated himself, raising both hands toward the sky.

 

“We dare to untie with human hands the sacred knot of union between two people who promised eternity.”

 

And a bride wearing a black veil appeared at the ceremony.

 

The belladonna-colored dress symbolized death from its very color.

 

The fabric of the dress, pleated to flow down from her sides, fit Ryuie’s body perfectly but contrasted with the lace veil that dragged to the floor.

 

In her hands, instead of flowers, she held a dagger with a black blade.

 

It was a ceremonial dagger made of obsidian.

 

‘Right. She couldn’t carry a bouquet.’

 

This wasn’t a wedding ceremony but an annulment ceremony.

 

Even understanding this, Glem found it difficult to take his eyes off Ryuie.

 

Ryuie’s figure walking forward step by step was heavy and slow, as if she were walking while carrying an enemy’s severed head.

 

Meanwhile, Yosua still lay there with his eyes closed like a pitiful sacrifice.

 

The nobles held their breath at the sight of Ryuie, who looked like a witch offering the Crown Prince as a sacrifice.

 

“Are we really okay to proceed like this?”

 

“Shh.”

 

No one could speak properly for fear of bringing bad luck.

 

In the stirring atmosphere, the priests’ prayers grew louder and louder. Since it was originally a prayer hall, their chanting filled the cavity and rang in people’s ears.

 

Even the timing of the ceremony was perfect.

 

The dark blue dawn just before daybreak.

 

To hold a ceremony with the Crown Prince, who had been missing for ten years, lying there at a time when something was bound to awaken and arrive.

 

Even without the ceremony, it felt like something was bound to happen.

 

“Now our humble ceremony separates each from the other.”

 

Ohen untied the string that bound the sack like pulling a condemned man’s noose.

 

Then gold and silver treasures poured out from the sack the size of an adult and rolled on the floor like blood.

 

Most people swallowed their saliva at the sight of the treasure.

 

Even for Ryuie, it must have been difficult to prepare such wealth.

 

Her determination to spend it all to break this engagement was enviable.

 

Ohen continued the ceremony without being dazzled by the golden light.

 

“Yosua Albenheim. Your name has been denied by the vow.”

 

The priests’ prayers began to grow even louder.

 

“Ryuie Greatone. Your name has been denied by the vow.”

 

Crunch.

 

A gold coin that had rolled from the pile of offerings was stepped on under the sole of Ryuie’s shoe as she walked.

 

As if that was a signal, thin and long forms began to rise beside the red silk.

 

“What is that?”

 

“Plants?”

 

“Is this part of the original ceremony too?”

 

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen an annulment ceremony…”

 

The watching people began to murmur.

 

Black auras that appeared from nowhere were wrapping around Ryuie’s ankles.

 

Immediately, all of Glem’s nerves stood on end.

 

‘Whatever that is, it can’t be good!’

 

Moreover, thinking of what would happen to Ryuie when the betrothal vow changed to a marriage vow, it wasn’t too late to follow his instincts.

 

“Excuse me!”

 

Glem roughly pushed the person in front of him.

 

Without any disturbance, Ryuie continued forward, crushing the forms with her shoe heels.

 

However, the continuously springing black auras only increased in number.

 

Unable to watch any longer, Glem drew his own sword and began attacking the forms heading toward Ryuie.

 

“Hey, what are you doing!”

 

“Are you trying to ruin the ceremony!”

 

Several nobles stopped Glem. To them, he suddenly causing a disturbance looked like nothing but a troublemaker.

 

“Are you crazy? Don’t you know it would be good for you too if Yeongae breaks the vow?”

 

“What do you think this is, a wedding?”

 

“Get lost!”

 

Glem pushed them away as if striking them down with his fists. Meanwhile, Ohen was completely focused on the prayer as if he couldn’t hear the commotion around him.

 

“As corruption climbs the vow and rots the roots, the promised blade shall split the union of blood and innocence.”

 

The gold that had been piled as offerings under Yosua began to melt with a sizzling sound.

 

The god Rkultu was accepting the offerings, melting and swallowing the gold and silver treasures.

 

“Stop the ceremony!”

 

Glem shouted.

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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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