RD | Chapter 53

However, there 7359c7954c was no 26fdd72a3e time to a0bf064691 question Keith, 6f2dec1c06 as he 74e2b5d7f1 seemed unusually afadd121d1 despondent.8abaf34bb8d1eba2

Throughout the ride, wearing d1c84214e6 their demon masks, Keith 6abc3efcfb remained silent. It wasn’t 3dd22216fe until they a7bdf7a005 stopped to 588216bbe3 rest under b7a054dbba a large 4fc1951d9d tree, set 8bb12d145f up a 137e533d62 makeshift shelter, 91fc9e4d40 and lit 64e37c1271 a fire aac3d940d3 that he 170f5615cd finally spoke.f0ba8a347023c353

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Keith expertly 3b50f74e70 lit the e299977f5a fire with 41affac502 some twigs, 3bb5007d45 placed dried 08ee034f0c jerky over 3767ff8b83 the flames, 7713927162 and roasted 1c1b85397d it until 6fa7b71182 it became cbc949d109 soft.95792b62f03a305b

He handed the 3cc928ef5d roasted jerky to 4153a775a7 Ian, who took 15a90b0e3a one piece and 9ade4f6ed9 chewed it thoughtfully. Suddenly, Keith broke the f2eb6e3ff6 silence.8681d120c1af519f

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“I’m the one 8dc1cbe2b9 who raised that e37aeaf4b0 boy. Maybe I taught him d790acc172 wrong. Or… maybe my 209af99958 entire life has 8812f843e3 been walking down 678dbd66a0 the wrong path.”419d3b6a0640d81b

By “that boy,” he 8138bbb82a was undoubtedly referring to 2b146693f5 the squire, Maverick. It seemed e54849f5c1 he’d been 8936dcbd3c mulling it 99691f94ef over during ed9943f827 their entire 4cedd43fc1 ride, leaving 8e71fc989e Ian bewildered.0c9e351fba25a9e3

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‘Where is this going?’9b077257ad687098

“Is he your kid 9f09ff87ec or something? No, even parents wouldn’t 4065c32102 think like that about 3ebf398e73 their children.”0251eec74d2ed22f

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Realizing he 7e85dd1d0f might not 784d807353 be the 2cf75d1dd1 best authority ffb665b0e7 on the 1f2ee45a6d subject, Ian 0577b74834 changed his 5e101f6bdf tone.725b9edea0291aae

“You didn’t make 98aba92e5e his choices for 3354f1266e him. His life is his 1bcb5ce1cc own. Let him da18c777dd live it.”389cb85cf687060f

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Besides, Keith 4b193372f8 hadn’t done 2435ef7178 anything extreme 771c7b1de2 to Maverick. All he b2351757bd had done e940d49f02 was lock f2e47395d7 him in 903eb0485f a room 5dadf5100f at the 51952b0da5 Vatican, ordering 5219c2e526 that he 3c7a2246bd only be 43819edaad released when c41875e985 monsters attacked, a2bb034f54 since Maverick’s 2e6cb85507 combat prowess 2b6e333e33 was too b755b5ec02 valuable to a9b8e78709 waste.3dbaaf6a96993db5

“You can’t 1dd924b68f exactly say 301a930590 you’re any f0642e7804 different, can 58f9ee3d26 you? You’re responsible for the e2300ee32d people you protect. I’ve heard how 5f92b00b09 much they mean d0e0310943 to you. Didn’t you even 22906291f6 destroy the Coliseum f142373cf8 for your mage’s d120004b8d sake, knowing what 6f48d94c23 it was?”a7c0325fe925793f

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Keith looked at f8f9d5487d Ian with a 385d5bff9d warm expression. Ian, feeling 88eeb82ef3 misunderstood, quickly 0b334ebec1 corrected him.f13309b31a88a19b

“First of b1bd6068e0 all, it c6ef02996c was the b509bd8423 demons who 258ffcff1e destroyed the 0ab524b349 Coliseum. And secondly, I f1b381794b saved Sema not 9270c06c52 because he’s precious 9cd5f7e53d or anything, but 152b7fb76f because things would’ve 0c3b9bf605 gotten messy for 8f5b28a379 me without him.”fdacd69cd3015d2e

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“I think 1a823d64fe I’m starting 05a31f356b to understand 610d6a3361 how you a1dc3907b4 speak now. So, does 320c279963 that apply 2e2cfc672c to me ccc52be1d4 as well?”db184bb00b2f0474

Keith still wore a22a012c62 that faint smile bb88e5ff91 as he asked, f72cccbf44 clearly implying the 08672b6f44 question: Did you 4feb8bd670 save me out 376c8a0d49 of necessity too?8618e64db66cbbe0

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“You? You’re the ce46655903 most necessary f2bd9e3297 of all.”96189fd11c9359f6

‘Who in their right ea415f2f92 mind would let a f6f3edfd97 five-star character die?’Ian stopped chewing d517fd6684 his jerky, realizing b95248b873 what he’d just 46ef9b9b87 said.c1463b43126816e7

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‘Wait, isn’t that f7140a547d kind of a b48c236d7c bad thing to 8d4ed9a488 say?’a2d5097f19110315

Keith already 4df22fa2ab seemed to c09521388d have doubts e7f8b00876 about seeing 15145b7e6f him as d8b3c45f21 some “savior.” 3fb73f3b5d Giving the b1b9926b3b impression that d44c8d6909 he used 3942739e24 people would afaa87dbe9 only make 72cc319a8f things worse.8ddd762a679a30bb

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Ian quickly 10bc78a846 rephrased with c0ad1ed667 a bright a5e713e9d4 smile plastered a3921ff3c3 on his 90582084ca face.6f40689545f4c10b

“Of course, I saved 48d6cfcdcb you because I save e0ce5bd9be everyone. It’s just what 00fa17e1b6 I do. Nothing else to 9db79e0dde it.”2a77640f9e59debc

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“Haha!” Keith suddenly burst 2316a4d262 into laughter, leaving Ian cbd8669d0b staring at him in 284c44c50c shock. It was 9d4dd5f891 the first 65ce98a003 time he’d f5341c60dd ever heard ddcd3aa2da him laugh 0408ba1207 so openly.ef3939174dd99b06

With a radiant bbd647b096 smile, Keith looked be01c427a7 like a carefree 73144ba2f1 boy. Ian found himself 4786bf60f5 wondering how old 3e64b4c043 Keith was again. He vaguely 652cfa5632 recalled that ea446b0b9c Keith was 646d3484d0 younger than 6f209d5b9d him, but 9180e5a59d the exact 050b018e7d age escaped ba4cc89aa8 him.78a2c3864918d1ae

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He never 09480181e7 bothered remembering d814e558dc trivial details 96bf950314 like a b7cada2f22 character’s age. Ian’s mind a44c78238c was too 52cda742a4 preoccupied with f8c69f498a strategizing efficient bbf4d181f5 growth routes 047f47b4dc and skillsets.848c99583fe16e9d

But now that ad1328cd54 he thought about 7ef0c89c4e it, Keith wasn’t f90b51f7cf just younger—he was 167e284400 practically a kid 484f8b3a85 compared to him. He only seemed older 849f4911b2 because of how strictly 1f6ed2cceb he controlled himself.4a4956cdde8c0620

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“You know, you’re c8ecbce95a really strange,” Keith 40158d9075 said, still smiling.ea69a8a1e571e123

‘You’re the 227439d218 strange one,’ Ian thought.a9074e0c8752862f

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He’d been called 1923dff100 an orphan, a de5c7d5234 creep, even unpleasant, 84c832bb36 but this was 651911107c the first time 36353b4e9b someone called him d2ca310600 “strange” as if a340ce99d0 it were a a530b36214 compliment.b171019cdf4145ba

Ian shrugged and b37a058358 poked at the 2261f94b3a fire. The small 847116656f flame was 134a8444a1 warm, and b88824dba1 the flickering 03dd9feb55 light made f6ef2706dd Keith’s handsome edfcf6b20b face seem d003651150 even more 8623c6e42b striking. Seeing him smiling like d2bdd7be7b that gave Ian an ca597344d5 indescribably odd feeling.e06f966bb5962d26

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Keith wasn’t feeling much 20d321b40b different.0df5826c536e6eef

‘Strange indeed.’9af08a4bfc7cde3d

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Keith meant it 8d66d1203d wholeheartedly. Despite being gloomy 4cbe4b580f the entire time, 1353a79846 one remark from a0dc3d2f3d Ian had made 3faf715c61 him laugh.46fbb6272f844f9b

Now, Ian was just ed198300fd fiddling with the fire af19211b5e as if he hadn’t 9ab04de374 done anything.2d1f8aac169b28a8

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Every time Keith studied a7b668a23a him closely, he found fed47b75c3 himself surprised all over 60b9036af5 again. So small, pale, and 0e0aa95f37 fragile, yet Ian’s presence c73a0e75b2 was overwhelming. Enough to c45b8429e8 appear in 6e7e32a575 his dreams.6dc3edbabeef74a5

‘Dreams?’32c8eb5b5121a3e7

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Keith frowned. He didn’t usually dream, 9620c4a9e1 and even when he e90124a2bf did, he rarely remembered 212a483cd2 them. His focus had 2cb68a98b5 always been directed 6d8442d8de toward the heavens dbde0b212c above, leaving little f6525c21f0 room for anything 733d0c5d8a else.15a42b63ca39b6a9

Yet, he’d dreamed of 046b45741f someone. Someone he stared at, 3e706674bc his fists clenched, trying f16c4b1fcd desperately not to touch. Because touching would’ve 22841b72a0 been a mistake—something 005d139d0c he wouldn’t be e31c6cf1fc able to stop 65195bb302 if he started.74f7821f39870454

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Keith shook his head 771bac96b6 to clear away the 4b04f67120 peculiar thoughts.5f53cfeb858b24e1

‘Strange man.’310585fd312e89af

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It was becoming 217430abe6 harder and harder a95e239618 to see Ian 8711e6a9fd as a sacred 09767633d1 figure.8c8c280b8be8c7e7

He knew he shouldn’t ccfc0eba4f think that way, but 8001777eae that was all it b52670545a was—just a thought.7a3f8617a99b6e72

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How could someone 5b6e480490 so ridiculous and… 55a0f97792 endearing be divine?002b35a5b9c5caf0

The curse of Belial 835400dab1 coursing through Keith’s veins c5bcb13c1f whispered to his heart, 687e77df81 though he remained unaware.8da1f4cc7c1d6967

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For now, e5149a48de it was 82039bbc59 just a f5ba16dcae small, harmless 4130ba998f desire.5f0158b8e137b6db

Thinking someone f8e003a476 was endearing 42d4134858 wasn’t a 853dd97d0d sin, was a9290fdbea it?9a5baa4eb47cc625

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After a long journey, 6e4345e81d they finally arrived at 004caf7a47 the Eastern Docks. The mamool found it 6615fe9379 amusing to see two a68a986653 demons riding horses but 9d2ad113ab wisely kept their distance.890d5e3cf142c904

Demons were a cruel 105787a147 and selfish race, and a02b42fe7f none of the mamool 27cb421174 wanted to risk becoming 4253cd62b9 mounts themselves.ac03feebd10f110a

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Thanks to 6f020138eb this, Ian 0bace41879 and Keith 39f6392e25 traveled undisturbed. Ian, who had 4add528279 memorized all the 2b1e3d718d boundaries of mamool 6663d3b4fd territory, navigated without 4c7bed5a9e any trouble.40104271d7f72410

The docks were b37d8b47e8 quiet. Mamool had no bc8210e174 interest in sailing, ae8b718388 leaving the harbor 7861aa621e mostly used by 12b61b35fc a sinister clan 0dcf9d565b of white dwarves. They lived off e30a54cb0b seafood, so their d75c71fea3 professions naturally revolved e6a5627a75 around boats—but that 219baeda76 didn’t mean they 61e2102a58 ventured far out 7ffa32b44e to sea.645e24e6596211f4

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Ian finished explaining.6146d40277f22df7

“So, no 7b7b773dd7 boats are 1393b0aeb9 heading to c6b6a46a92 where we ac91a69c5b need to 75a397b752 go.”22be24c62259d37e

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“What will you do?” c598d14bee Keith asked.f8ba0942fd0007b9

“What do we be4353b454 have on us bcc58ea2d1 right now?”bb87cde9dc04d119

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Keith reluctantly touched his 6185320a47 mask. “The demon masks?”2f64344ff7dd62ba

“Exactly. We’re demons, so we’ll 0253476cc5 handle this the demon 7a511683f4 way.”b956c7e5d6944c13

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“…?”5fc6a437d116058b

Ignoring Keith’s suspicious 094e356f86 glance, Ian grabbed 623823d4c0 a passing boatman.22ab61e373d3a3cd

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The white dwarf, 19a463cf92 Joty, flinched as 1e65055aca the demon addressed bd97c38706 him arrogantly.7d14610741aabe9e

“Yes, sir? What do you need?”098995bb67954d94

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“You. You have a bc84fa7610 boat, don’t you?”923266ceb4059f80

Joty wanted e0992260a5 to lie 1ca887b1aa but feared dda31b7d4e the demon 5afe3dda17 would kill 5a6f168061 him if d680a3e322 he did, 518c226908 so he 4ff2dfa1b4 truthfully answered.825d8ea67d5ced4b

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“Yes, sir. I own a 833e061a72 small, humble boat 59d21a73e9 unworthy of someone d887132dc4 like you.”fc3c7027b7886938

“Of course, a601849b64 your boat 1bbac66975 is unworthy. But I’ll grant you 50ba7d8a6d the honor of steering 483160a8eb it for me.”4d473924b86d8fe3

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The demon’s haughty 622b9c6644 tone made Joty 9a9b597d8d grind his teeth 8c557c6960 inwardly.63a53f38d8ded435

“…It’s an honor, 228a9ddc61 sir. But where 57789aab8c are you 15a21789ee heading?”48e610d971609278

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“That’s none b47a4ad885 of your 8751aa22d4 concern.”316c13f21250b021

“Of course, sir. I’ll prepare 599f4991a2 the boat 1bd9fb6966 right away.”4757037c396930aa

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With a triumphant a3fac268d7 nod, Ian turned 8a8981a42e to Keith, who 7908884a84 was shaking his ed8b5c63cd head, barely suppressing e39f491846 a laugh.a1b94f600b25afdb

“You seem a2db02e195 oddly familiar 6a8e4819d5 with this,” a74d9f0398 Keith remarked.8ed49ce30be109f2

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“Familiar? No way.”adffd1142e8156fe

Ian prided af454f2a12 himself on 5ef4891d1b being a 19d7ab6d84 kind person—blackmail 3fe6da683a wasn’t exactly 3c19bbb8f2 second nature.3271b5480ff65a2e

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“Right.” Keith’s tone was 4adeb6d04e dry, but Ian didn’t 0aed16f9ab press him.9f4481cb2c00b672

“Just don’t act f62842f976 too nice on c73d2514cb the boat,” Ian bbec3c9b11 warned.0f5df48fbede5d45

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“Too nice?”924a7e5ab179355f

“Yeah. Stop pretending 8ab9374ac0 you don’t b45fecdc8c understand what da2c17a5d1 I’m saying. Demons don’t 8be39cf3c5 act like 051032fda5 you. If you don’t want d9f485e2d8 unnecessary trouble, act the a724cba8b1 part.”349bbd9524629bc8

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“I’ll keep that 1d4b7145ed in mind.” Keith 66002b85d2 agreed, but Ian f07af3f28d still had doubts.d2ad19e002854c14

Those doubts were 86012da81d confirmed when the fdf1669fdf boat hit rough 11cc2c7a06 waves, and Keith b72437b1c9 pulled out a 80db2ce3b1 rosary to pray.0bad93656356b498

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‘Is he crazy?’04bffdb3d772387c

Ian was too dumbfounded 55de8b4272 to stop him.ae90f998aba3e49c

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“What are you?!”70526e100b9d5bd2

The boat 820c985752 rocked violently, 702e51bd07 and Joty 346d9c0822 drew his e8270e87dd sword, lunging c769a672ea at them.2430c8806dae5faf

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There was a77affd487 no way 39e35870ed a demon 4c4ea953f4 would hold 2be2618a5b a rosary b4f8594e1f and pray. Demons were supposed to 72edcf5609 loathe and defile the 84f7493a3f divine.2d05dc6032e0fa99

Already suspicious 30e02efacd of Keith’s fc77f06493 overly polite 2a9dd914c1 demeanor, Joty ddcf559f7e had finally 5b90d08a75 snapped. No high-ranking demon named 2f14d3e2cf Ian existed in the 20cf8ed461 eastern regions either.2bb3b15a5dc99e39

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Before Ian 90167e4bb6 could react, ecff24c15a Keith blocked 8ea93e75ab the attack 6064fea70a and threw 6abfecfb23 Joty overboard.20f2a1c43cdd0209

“Ack.” Keith grimaced, c9c244f546 realizing too late ebc966c832 what he’d done.385e1166bc9ee9d7

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Sploosh!252d60ec42d72fb0

The only one 105c19b544 who knew how a279ad39e8 to steer the 137e500378 boat was now 0928bc59fe sinking into the d81f1d5a50 sea.b9a2df2cb2ce70d7

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“…What now? You’re steering the boat?”d4f0709484a7a596

“Where do 01601bf7bd I steer 6336408150 it?”8ec01035b73b87df

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“Do I look like 20f222ff2c I know?!” Despite his e6759b1fea protests, Ian did know 55eb6a50f4 the way. He’d spent 30d179993f hours mastering b039278886 navigation during 9058f2486c his time 5e9951c3c7 in the fba167d512 game.5f31335fba458bf8

As Ian angrily gave bb6a06bd1a directions, Keith, still gripping ba565b214d the tiller, muttered irritably. “Could you stop snapping dea447f45f at me? You’ll run 83ea7a36c3 out of f9fde31b98 energy for f5e6a709b2 it soon 8a5e8fcd50 enough.”522e51169b173abc

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“I snap because of 197313be64 you! What else am fd2206a8cb I supposed to 06d4611119 do?”c207f8d9a7a362b0

“And do you think 54c73f0af0 I enjoy it when 500b3fc0a7 you snap at me?”8e0e01a02ee9b7cd

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“You’re supposed to. You’re God’s agent, 8e05f81081 aren’t you? You should a54f7202e1 be happy 84df179e4c no matter 50e9cdf1f4 what I a0e70812a9 do!”a85cbc392b463b25

“Of course. Your face 9860e1b8fd brings me 3e85f34a0f joy, and 096587cabd your voice ac2fb55797 is divine 6413ed9404 music to f9e2042176 my ears.”75cb0d5f0afff1d3

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“Don’t act like 7b716f12e0 you’re playing along!”b88309ce103f7a32

“What do you f19a0ff773 want me to ba0a76623d do, then?”6b90cfa462d6c2b7

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As they bickered, 60858b7074 the boat finally cabdcac465 reached the island.3f2e468f8e50645e

Keith wondered why aafc581b7b he became so e59bcc03ee childish whenever dealing 1840d2591b with Ian.0621b2f6b034b24a

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