CH 79

Jackal said to him seriously.

“As you may know, the Kelpie clan has a story of serving only one master. I have chosen her as my king, and I will become her companion.”

He clarified that he would become her companion, not take her as his own.

The village chief, Horak, narrowed his eyes but soon burst into a hearty laugh. Sosa watched him with a guarded expression, wondering why he was acting that way.

Although the chief stopped laughing, he still had a smile on his lips as he spoke.

“So, you’ve also fallen in love. Well, it’s about time for you to get married. Time really flies, doesn’t it…..”

Jackal blushed with shame.

Horak, the village chief, had been the oldest adult in the village and had watched Jackal grow from a newborn.

When Jackal blushed without denying it, the village chief looked at him with mischievous eyes.

“If you had given any other reason, I would have been suspicious. But saying it’s because of love makes you look honest and trustworthy.”

The Kelpie clan was known for being cautious when choosing companions. Once someone became their companion, they would do their best for them for a lifetime.

Jackal deliberately spoke in a cold tone to hide his embarrassment.

“What do you mean?”

“We have different ultimate goals, but we’re walking the same path. My goal is the survival of my people, and your goal is your love for the butterfly. You must have anticipated that the current emperor’s demise is necessary to achieve that.”

Sosa was surprised. Horak was openly revealing his evil intentions to murder the emperor.

Although Jackal didn’t show any emotions on the surface, his heart was pounding inside.

The village chief asked, tapping his finger.

“So, I’ll ask again. I probably asked you the same question before you left the village.”

Jackal guessed what he was about to say and his gaze sank.

The village chief looked straight into his eyes and asked.

“Are you prepared to sacrifice yourself as a guardian for this village?”

Jackal looked straight into those meaningful eyes and asked.

“I have one question as well. Are you instructing me to assassinate the emperor?”

The village chief raised a corner of his mouth.

“Yes, I am.”

Sosa was taken aback and looked at Jackal’s profile.

The betrayal of a man called Cylon….. It must have been the village chief’s order all along.

He was originally supposed to assassinate Karaf. That was his given mission.

Looking back now, he didn’t even know if his approach to Karaf as a close friend was intentional for a specific reason.

However, he wondered if he had unintentionally developed feelings and become emotionally attached to Karaf during their close friendship.

In the end, he failed to kill Karaf and instead was left with an unknown curse on his chest.

The village chief’s displeasure when he brought up Cylon’s story was probably due to the unexpected event.

Jackal’s face turned dark.

After Cylon died cursing him, Karaf’s rage reached its peak, resulting in a nationwide arrest warrant for ethnic minorities.

As a result, many ethnic minorities were captured, and the Kelpie clan, including his parents, fought to protect the villagers and were ultimately massacred.

Cylon’s betrayal was the cause of all these incidents. 

Jackal’s objective was not to assassinate Karaf but rather to stabilize the empire by bringing about Karaf’s enlightenment, which was contrary to the village chief’s goal.

However, upon hearing the phrase ‘love with a butterfly’, the village chief hastily concluded that Jackal intended to bring back the butterfly from the emperor by any means necessary.

The fact that Jackal left the village and returned on his own two feet only reinforced this belief. Nevertheless, it was fortunate that the village chief misunderstood them.

Looking straight at him, Jackal spoke.

“It appears that the fox is still employing tricks and benefiting from them behind the scenes. Before I answer, I have one more question to ask. What would you do if I don’t accept your proposal?”

“What do you mean?”

The village chief asked, perplexed. Jackal replied expressionlessly.

“It’s been bothering me since earlier, but I think people are watching from outside.”

The officers surrounding the village chief’s house were startled by his words.

The village chief’s sharp gaze briefly turned towards the window, whether he knew about it or not.

“…… They were just trying to protect me. I’m sorry, but we cannot fully trust you either. If you have come only for information, then you can stay put.”

He raised a hand as if to dismiss the officers.

Sosa couldn’t help but swallow hard at the thought that the village chief may have actually tried to kill them.

The village chief spoke expressionlessly.

“Cylon, he was a traitor. He failed to perform his duties properly. And you, too, have a history of leaving our village. Show us that we can trust you again through your actions. Will you become the guardian of our village as the last successor of the Kelpie clan?”

Jackal stared at him fiercely before finally responding.

“Yes, I accept your offer.”

Sosa looked at him in even greater surprise.

Without looking at Sosa, Jackal conveyed his thoughts.

[This is actually good. We deceive the village chief, and we’ll get the information we want. These minorities will pay the price of betrayal.]

Sosa quickly came to his senses and started acting.

“Captain, this is not what we had in mind! We came here to overthrow the emperor by joining forces with the minority village, not for you to assassinate him alone.”

The village chief watched the two of them with interest.

Jackal replied without changing his expression.

“I just decided I could handle it myself.”

“But what if you die? You know that two assassins were caught and killed in the palace last time. That was also ordered by the chief!”

When Sosa looked at the village chief, his expression also became a bit confused.

“They received some training, but they weren’t great spies. Yes, I admit that. We need great warriors like the Kelpies. Cylon can use the power of the spirits, he was capable enough to kill the emperor. But…..”

The village chief let out a sigh, seeming regretful that he had missed a great opportunity to get rid of the emperor.

Sosa and Jackal’s ears perked up at the new information.

“The power of the spirits”

“Yes. He was able to use the power of water by making a contract with a water spirit.”

While Cylon was not part of the Kelpie clan, who were known for their affinity with water, he had made a contract with a water spirit.

Sometimes, spirits chose their contract partners based on their own criteria. 

Moreover, he was said to have the most innate abilities of the Ayla clan, who were protected by the moon.

The chief had considered him a suitable candidate to assassinate Karaf, who was the crown prince at the time.

Hearing his story, the two were quietly surprised.

Among minority groups, it was extremely rare to find someone who could use the power of spirits.

It could often lead to one’s rise to becoming the village chief, surpassing even clan succession.

And currently, Horak, a member of the Eshe clan, was one such individual who possessed this ability.

The village chief said with a significant expression.

“I have been trained to use the power of the fire spirit from a very young age. I assume that you have received similar training from your clan.”

Jackal did not bother to answer.

The Eshe clan’s symbol was fire, whereas the Kelpie clan’s symbol was water.

Jackal had also undergone rigorous training to be a warrior from a young age, to be able to make a contract with a water spirit, but ultimately failed.

Jackal asked quietly.

“If I were able to use the power of the water spirit like Cylon, do you believe there would be a possibility for me to assassinate the emperor?”

“Of course. It’s not just a possibility, but I believe you could definitely achieve it. Cylon wasn’t from the Kelpie clan, but as a direct descendant, you inherited even greater potential.”

Unwanted memories flooded Jackal’s mind.

It must have been shortly after Cylon betrayed the Emperor and a warrant was issued for the arrest of minority groups.

On the day Jackal learned of the Kelpie clan’s demise while defending the village, he collapsed at the entrance of the village, his legs giving out as tears streamed down his face. 

The image of his parents waving goodbye on their horseback and the people he knew well were still vivid in his mind.

Tears streamed down his face as he thought of his parents, who had smiled and waved their last goodbyes to him as they rode away, and the people he had been close to. Their faces were still fresh in his mind.

His parents had tried to prevent him from going to war before he reached adulthood, even arguing with the village chief.

After that day, Jackal abandoned his training and became a recluse, never leaving home.

But before the shock had even subsided, the village chief had come to him with his parents’ heirloom and handed him a dagger, urging him to become the leader of the Kelpie clan and fight for the village.　

For the first time, Jackal raised his voice and argued with the village chief.

The chief said something he shouldn’t have.

He told Jackal that the entire clan was annihilated because he didn’t fulfill his duties as the heir.

Jackal left the village. 

As if trying to persuade him, the village chief said once again.

“There’s no one else but you who’s capable of taking on this mission. You have great potential, and strong motives for it. Shouldn’t you rescue the butterfly from the tyrant and welcome her as a companion?”

Hearing the chief’s offer, similar to what he had heard before, Jackal clenched his trembling fist and made a different decision inside.

This time it will be different.

Even in his past life and in the previous battle, he was captured by the Cactus Knights without putting up much of a fight, but he would not remain a weak leader like that anymore.

He wanted to become stronger to protect Aisha.

No, I had to become stronger.

“I will undergo awakening training.”

The village chief’s lips rose at Jackal’s answer.

“I will support you with everything you need. Stay in this village for a while and train.”

* * * * *

As soon as Karaf gave his permission, Asha headed straight to the Temple.

The high priest personally greeted her at the entrance when he heard the news that Lady Vanessa had made her way to the Temple.

A gray-haired old man politely put his hands together and bowed his head.

“Greetings, Lady Vanessa.”

“Nice to meet you, High Priest.”

The high priest smiled gently at Asha and led her to the reception room.

Butterflies and the Temple had a deep and inseparable relationship.

Since everyone in the Temple worshiped the Etzheim god, they were more friendly towards butterflies than anyone else.

He served the tea himself without asking the priests.

“We have lotus flower tea made from lotus flowers grown directly at our Temple. It has a good aroma, would you like to try it?”

A large white lotus flower was in full bloom in the glass kettle. 

Asha cautiously brought the teacup to her lips, took a sip, and her eyes widened in surprise.

“The tea aroma is really unique and strong!”

The High Priest smiled and replied.

“Yes. Lotus flowers have a unique and captivating fragrance that many people overlook due to their plain appearance.”

Those words reminded Asha of the pure white man she had seen before.