IWS Chapter 29

Episode 29

“Why are you laughing?”

Yuriel tilted her head, confused.

There wasn’t anything funny—at least not to her.

But Akron chuckled softly, still amused.

“Because you said I’d catch a cold?”

It was true—he had rushed over and hadn’t dried off properly.

But he never expected anyone to say such kind words to him.

No one had ever worried about him like that.

A small smile tugged at his lips again.

Yuriel pouted slightly and muttered,

“Don’t laugh…”

As she continued to dry his hair, she remembered—Akron never caught a cold.

He wasn’t the type to get sick.

But still…

She had just wanted to do something for him.

This man, who fought monsters in lifeless lands to protect their territory, simply wanted to hold him.

“Were you worried about me?”

He asked gently, brushing her cheek with his hand.

In the bath earlier, all he could think about was Yuriel.

He could still feel her small, soft hand wiping blood off his face.

That dark, tormenting voice in his head?

It had disappeared.

Akron felt like a young boy experiencing emotions he’d never known before.

He couldn’t hide how excited he felt now.

His eyes sparkled.

“…Yes. I was worried.”

“Because you don’t trust me?”

He teased, but Yuriel shook her head quickly.

“No, not at all…”

She hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

“Just… as your wife, I’m allowed to worry about you.”

She looked down, a little shy.

It felt strange to say out loud—“as your wife.”

She wasn’t sure if she had the right to worry like this.

But she just wanted to be honest.

She wasn’t thinking about the Grand Duke of the West…

She was just worried about him, as a person.

“…That’s strange.”

“What is?”

She looked up, surprised by his words.

But Akron just smiled at her instead of answering.

His smile felt different today—so warm and real that it startled her.

She didn’t understand all of his reactions, but he didn’t seem upset.

He seemed… happy.

“I thought you’d be asleep by the time I returned.”

Akron gently sat her on the bed and joined her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

His hand stroked her back slowly, comfortingly.

Yuriel wanted to ask why he had left without a word.

But now, held like this… the question didn’t matter anymore.

“Did you get hurt?”

She asked softly, examining him.

His face was clean now, the black blood gone.

But what if he was injured somewhere she couldn’t see?

“Of course not. I can even show you.”

“…That’s okay.”

He grinned and pulled slightly at the sash of his robe, teasing.

Yuriel quickly turned away, guessing he might not be wearing anything underneath.

Laughing quietly, Akron buried his face against her neck.

One of his large hands moved to rest over her stomach.

Warmth spread from his touch, and Yuriel felt completely relaxed.

More than the warmth, it was the fact that Akron was still himself that gave her peace.

“I’m so relieved. Really.”

That was all she could say.

Her body melted into his arms.

“If you keep worrying like this every time, you’ll wear yourself out.”

Akron gently laid her back on the bed, stroking her hair.

He was the one who should be tired—but strangely, it was Yuriel who felt sleepy.

Today was full of feelings and moments she couldn’t explain.

“Yuriel.”

Just as her eyes were closing, she heard him call her name.

Her eyelids fluttered, but she was too sleepy to open them.

Her body, relaxed and safe, was pulling her into deep sleep.

“…Do you not find me disgusting?”

His voice was low and hesitant.

It was a question full of fear and doubt, something he’d never said aloud before.

He both wanted and feared the answer.

Yuriel was too sleepy to think deeply about it.

But just before she fell asleep, her lips moved slightly.

And she whispered—

“Not at all.”

Akron’s eyes widened, then slowly closed.

He looked down at her sleeping face, peaceful and soft.

Her gentle breathing filled the quiet night.

Only Akron knew just how much that tiny sentence meant.

It touched a deep place in his heart.

And in the night, when not even the moon or stars shone, her words became his first light.

Meanwhile, elsewhere…

“Drive them back!”

“Don’t let them escape!”

The shouts of knights echoed across the harsh wasteland.

They had surrounded a massive black sphere, the size of a carriage.

Around it floated smaller spheres—like minions guarding their master.

In the empire’s capital, people imagined monsters as huge beasts or demons.

But that was just fantasy.

Real monsters didn’t have clear forms.

They were floating spheres with a core, and their size determined their power.

Stronger ones led the smaller ones in packs.

Though they floated in the air, when cut, they bleed black blood, and their bodies tore like flesh.

Scholars still debated whether monsters were thoughts made real or true life forms.

But one thing was certain: they were unpredictable, soulless, and born on cursed black land.

They existed only to consume life.

“Watch out!”

“Aaagh!”

A knight screamed too late.

A black tentacle from a lower-class monster had already pulled his companion from his horse.

It dragged the knight across the ground and threw him before a mid-level monster.

—Grkk.

The large sphere cracked open like a cross, revealing hundreds of sharp teeth.

With a creepy, slurping sound, a flat tongue-like tentacle shot out and wrapped around the knight.

“Cut the tentacle!”

“No! You’ll hit the others!”

They tried to help, but the lower monsters blocked the way.

These black tentacles didn’t just grip—they could stab through a person like a spear.

A mistake meant instant, gruesome death.

“Damn it!”

The knights sliced the tentacles with their swords, swords glowing with a mysterious aura.

Ordinary weapons were useless.

Even the sharpest blade would melt upon touching a monster.

Only swords wielded with aura—the energy of a master—could cut them.

That’s why only aura knights could join these missions.

“You cursed thing!”

The trapped knight fought to break free, but his sword was knocked away by another tentacle.

If swallowed by a monster, not even a body would remain.

The teeth would grind everything to pulp, and the acid inside would dissolve the rest.

“Move aside!”

“My lord!”

The knights cheered—their commander had arrived.

Akron, finished with a different hunt, had returned with his men to assist.

He drew his sword and stepped toward the mid-level monster.

Black tentacles flew at him from all sides.

“Filthy worms.”

Just before they could reach him, a white flame erupted from his sword.

The flames spread up the tentacles, burning all the lower monsters instantly.

—Screeeech!

Painful screams filled the air.

Only a master’s aura could kill monsters.

But there was another power too—

Akron held the power of dragons—

A pure flame of light and fire, the complete opposite of the monsters’ darkness.

And that flame burned them all.