Chapter 62
Thump, thump—her heart beat irregularly. She had the courage to face the beast, but she felt there was no way she could handle its ruthless claws. She didn’t even want to think about the agony of flesh being torn apart if something went wrong.
“Kyaak!”
“Kyaaak!”
Even the crippled beast instinctively sensed danger. At a speed Luna couldn’t react to, it shot out multiple corrupted, tentacle-like masses.
Death shadowed Luna’s eyes. It felt as if her breath had stopped.
“Woah!”
At that moment—
In the blink of an eye, a silver-furred beast appeared before her as if by magic. The wolf’s front paws pinned the black tentacles to the ground, and its sharp teeth bit through the waist of one, severing it.
“Kyaek!”
The beast writhed in pain at the sudden attack, rolling on the ground, yet it was fearless.
“Wolsoon!”
Luna recognized the wolf she had met in the temple and shouted. She didn’t know how it had arrived here, but thanks to it, she escaped the crisis.
Unfortunately, it seemed the wolf couldn’t block all the tentacles. The wolf acting as a shield limped on one leg, blood dripping from the pierced area.
“Wolsoon, what should we do? You’re hurt.”
“Kiiing.”
While the beast approached Luna as the corrupted creature thrashed, it nuzzled her cheek and wagged its tail as if wanting to check on her. Then something extraordinary happened.
When the wolf touched Luna, the purification magic resonated, and the hidden wolf emblem on its forehead shone vividly. Soon, the entire body of the wolf was coated in a white aura, as if it were clad in armor, enveloped by the purification magic Luna emitted.
“Aoow!”
The wolf turned its back to Luna and howled bravely at the beast. Mystically, every movement it made was connected to the thin, white purification energy flowing from Luna.
The valiant silver wolf charged at the beast with explosive force. Despite bleeding from its wound, it bit the beast’s arms and face wherever it could.
Because of Luna’s purification magic, the beast’s touch alone caused its flesh to melt and chunks of its black skin to tear off.
Together, Luna and the wolf cornered the beast, driving it to the brink of death.
“Kyaaak!”
Outnumbered, the beast’s crimson eyes blazed. It suddenly unleashed a condensed magic sphere from its red eyes, aiming to kill the wasp-like wolf.
“Kkaek, kkaekk!”
“No!!”
Luna could faintly feel the wolf’s pain through their resonance and screamed. In her vision, the trembling, bleeding wolf was imprinted in her mind.
The pounding of her heartbeat thudded endlessly in her ears.
“No… no…”
Reaching for the wolf pinned like a spear was utterly meaningless.
Crash!
The beast, as if frustrated at wasting energy on something it couldn’t consume, hurled the wolf near a window.
“Ah…”
Time slowed for Luna as she followed the wolf with her shaking gaze.
Blood droplets scattered from the gaping wound on its silver body. Perhaps some had splashed onto her cheek, the metallic scent stinging her nose. The window frame broke, and the glass shattered into pieces.
“Keoong.”
Among the scattered shards, the wolf let out a pained groan, its head tilted back. The wolf that had saved her had been thrown outside like trash.
Swoosh—
The rain drowned out all other sounds. The white light that had connected the wolf and Luna faded and eventually disappeared.
Ssssh!
A shiver ran through her entire body. The beast swung its tattered arms as if trying to kill her. Her body had long been frozen in helplessness.
Chaaaeeng!
“Kyaeeek!”
In an instant, a sword moved at incredible speed, cutting between Luna and the beast. Its claws were cleanly severed, and black arms fell to the floor.
The fierce blade’s power didn’t diminish—it pierced through nearby bookshelves and embedded itself in the library wall before stopping.
The beast thrashed on the brink of death, oozing black blood and exuding a foul stench from the severed areas.
Luna was overwhelmed by anxiety; her heart felt crushed, and her vision wavered.
“Hah… haa… ha… ha.”
Her half-open mouth exhaled ragged breaths. As she gasped, a black cloak settled over her shoulders, and the faint scent of a rain-soaked dawn forest enveloped her.
Her eyelids and lips trembled simultaneously. She clenched her fists until the bones stood out, trying not to cry from the relief washing over her.
“Your Highness…”
Kalid carefully lifted Luna, raindrops dripping endlessly from his hair, jaw, and uniform.
“Hast.”
“Yes.”
“Take care of it.”
“Yes!”
His deep, commanding voice carried an authority that made the order clear.
Hast drew his sword and walked calmly toward the beast to retrieve his master’s weapon.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
Finally hearing a reassuring voice, Luna lifted her pale face. The man before her was soaked, yet his serious gaze was focused on her.
His dark, furrowed eyebrows, intermittently shimmering eyes, sharp nose, and restless lips—the sight of him, disheveled yet commanding, was so unfamiliar that she couldn’t even scold him for being late.
Kyaek! Clang! Kyaeeek! Kyaak!
“…!”
The eerie sounds pierced her ears. Luna clutched Kalid’s collar tightly.
Her eyes lost focus, and her whole body trembled like a small mountain creature. She bit her lips until they bled.
When Kalid touched her mouth, she pushed his hand away and buried her face into his broad chest.
“….”
Warmth and moisture spread through his thick chest. Despite saying she was fine, Luna was far from okay.
Kalid placed his large hand on the back of her head and patted her gently, like calming a baby, as they descended the library stairs. Her Adam’s apple moved heavily up and down as she tried not to speak, still too shaken to relax.
“Kalid… should I check on my wife?”
Camilla, waiting on the first floor, spoke anxiously to Luna and Kalid. Kalid passed by silently, mindful of the wife in his arms.
Camilla’s heart sank further. Nothing was more despairing than being permanently out of his sight.
“I’ll check on her. Right now. She must be too shocked to think straight, okay?”
Camilla, her amber eyes blinking rapidly, tried to stop him but had no choice but to remain silent.
When the ruler of Bahir exuded genuine killing intent, time seemed to freeze around him. Every step radiated a chilling aura of death.
“I already know that. Another priest will suffice, so return now.”
Kalid brushed past Camilla, his voice low and commanding.
“The only reason I spare you is for one thing: as a contingency in case something happens to my wife. So deal with that suspicious, smelly thing under the dress properly. If it’s a Shadow Flower, I’m sure you’re disgusted by now.”
“…!”
Kalid stopped suddenly near the exit, turning to Camilla, who was still frozen in place.
“And don’t die without my permission, Camilla. If you do, I’ll use dark magic to bring you back and hold you accountable.”
Even after cursing the beast that had turned to ash in the library and the woman who caused this to his wife, Kalid’s fiery anger did not subside.
His wife, still trembling like a leaf, clutched his coat collar and refused to let go.
“Wife, if you don’t want to catch a cold, stop washing now.”
Luna shook her head silently.
Kalid clicked his tongue in exasperation. The fact that her face and dress were stained with wolf blood didn’t matter. The real issue was that she had hugged his drenched body just as soaked as she was.
“If you don’t let go, we’ll both end up in the bath together. And you know I hate awkwardness.”
He whispered into her ear, his head buried near hers like he had a plan.
The frightened spring rabbit reacted instantly. She flinched and slowly lifted her head, still teary-eyed, giving him a resentful look.
“If you soak in warm water, you’ll feel better.”
Kalid’s gentle words finally persuaded her to release her grip on his collar.
Bang! Rumble! Crash!
Thunder and lightning struck, flashing through the surrounding space.
Luna’s eyes widened, and she buried her head in his chest again. She seemed persuaded—but it didn’t last.
“….”
Kalid lightly smoothed her pale pink hair. He didn’t understand why she reacted so intensely to such ordinary bad weather.
Tsutsutss.
He twitched his eyebrows irritably. On top of that, the aura of the curse flared around his body.
“Gerard.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Kalid looked down at Luna and spoke bluntly:
“Prepare and summon the servants to remove her clothes properly. Looks like I won’t be able to let go myself.”
