My Strange Savior - Chapter 127
Chapter 127
The high-ranking officials, dressed in black attire, who had arrived first, meticulously examined the Galicion’s body.
“It seems as though it died with just a single attack.”
“Just one?”
“Yes. She cleanly killed him it a swift strike to the vital point.”
A man, astonished by the extraordinary combat prowess, clicked his tongue. Even if all the Imperial Knights fought together under the Emperor’s command, they couldn’t imagine killing something so neatly.
The knight, who had been chasing Gia under the Emperor’s orders, expressed admiration.
“The fur is also impeccably clean without a single blemish.”
“When you saw her, did you have any estimate of her skill?”
“If she can kill Galicion with a single blow like this.”
Lowering his gaze, he pondered deeply.
“Perhaps she wouldn’t be inferior even if she faced all of us.”
“Is that so?”
The Emperor, unexpectedly verifying Gia’s abilities, let out a dry laugh. He had intended to release the ogre, put her in a predicament, and obtain clear evidence by inflicting wounds on her body. However, instead of causing harm, she might be able to escape the danger.
‘What should I do?’
Blatantly exposing her now seemed like a lowly option. Especially with opposing forces already scrutinizing him.
Attacking Gia would not only result in no gain but also escalate unnecessary suspicions and precautions.
Taking the reins and swinging his leg over the saddle, the Emperor’s familiar servant smoothly flattened himself next to him like a stepping stone.
Casually stepping on the person’s back and dismounting, the Emperor stood next to the lifeless Galicion with his tongue out.
“Hmm….”
The remaining individuals tensed up at the Emperor’s sigh. It was no easy task to grasp the unpredictable mood of the Emperor.
“It’s evident that she’s a remarkably skillful individual. It was a good decision to invite her to the hunting competition.”
The Emperor, with a hint of laughter, nudged the Galicion with his toe. There was a strong curiosity surrounding Gia, who had subdued such a formidable beast in a single blow.
“What about the plan? Shall we proceed?”
In response to the chancellor’s question, the Emperor pondered in silence for a long while.
“Let’s proceed. We’ve confirmed her skill, but there are still lingering questions that need answers.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Do we know in which direction she went?”
“It seems she headed toward the cliffs.”
Since Gia hadn’t deliberately concealed her tracks, the direction she took was clear.
“Move out.”
“Yes, understood.”
The black-clad group quickly vanished from sight. The Emperor straightened his bent back and surveyed the vast forest.
“Is there a place nearby to rest?”
“Yes, I will arrange it.”
The Emperor, who hadn’t mounted his horse again, slowly strolled forward. His steps, like a stroll, were remarkably light.
“I come here once a year, but I’ve never ventured this deep before.”
Bushes and undergrowth were neatly cleared by numerous servants to avoid obstructing the Emperor’s footsteps.
A well-arranged path led the Emperor comfortably through the forest. A splendid tent was quickly erected in front of him, and even the material of the tent hinted at its luxurious nature, signaling it belonged to the Emperor.
Despite the elaborately prepared feast in front of him, the Emperor’s appetite didn’t seem to awaken. Indifferent due to illness, he entered the tent without much interest.
“I’ll take a short nap. Don’t disturb me until you’ve located that woman.”
“Yes, understood.”
Under the Emperor’s command, the chancellor efficiently organized the inside of the tent and then stepped back. Lying on the soft bedding, the Emperor, as he gazed at the tent, began to toss and turn before quickly succumbing to sleep.
How long had he been asleep?
Sharp eyes, like a knock on the door, caused the Emperor’s drooping eyelids to flutter.
“Uh, hm.”
The awakened Emperor barely had time to fully regain consciousness when a low voice reached his ears.
“Are you the Emperor?”
At the sound of the voice, the Emperor quickly snapped to attention. A harsh metallic sound echoed nearby, and he opened his mouth to call for his subordinates, but no scream came out.
The eyes he met were intense, and the iris and sclera were indistinguishable. The Emperor instinctively felt that if he made a sound, he would die on the spot.
Keeping his lips tightly sealed, he scrutinized the person in front of him.
“Stay silent, or you die.”
The hand covered in black veins writhed threateningly. Cold sweat dampened the Emperor’s back.
Rolling his eyes, he calmly suppressed his fear to comprehend the situation.
A disturbing premonition flashed through his mind—stirring up trouble here might result in his immediate demise. As always, such feelings tended to be accurate.
Red veins surfaced in the Emperor’s eyes. He forcibly swallowed the rising terror. Gulp. As the dry mouth retained the shallow saliva, his throat felt sticky.
Against his will, the trembling Emperor tightly clenched his shaking hand, attempting to guess the identity of the person before him.
Human yet not entirely human.
A passage from Oscar’s report suddenly came to mind. The subsequent description followed:
[White membrane covering the iris and pupil. Cloudy eyes, missing hair. Estimated to be in mid-40s. Black veins protrude, and blood is bright blue.]
Seeing Morrison, who appeared just like the report described, the Emperor’s pupils dilated, and sweat trickled down his temples.
“Are you Morrison?”
“Not as foolish as I thought.”
Morrison chuckled slyly, gazing at the aged and feeble Emperor who seemed to have lost his strength.
The more Morrison’s smile deepened, the more the Emperor felt fear spreading from that side. The helplessness of being thrown in front of a wild beast without any defense weighed heavily on his shoulders.
“How did you come here… I heard you were in the mountains.”
“You wouldn’t know that. What I want to know is…”
Morrison wiped his bald head and looked down at the Emperor with glaring eyes.
“Ha.”
Then, he grinned as if he had figured everything out.
“You’re the one who’s about to die.”
“T-That…”
Surprised by the Emperor’s expression, Morrison contorted his face as if he had smiled all along.
“The stench of a decaying corpse emanates from your body.”
Sniffing the air as Morrison spoke, the Emperor lifted his sleeve to catch a whiff, but nothing reached his senses. Morrison’s face twisted in mockery.
“No matter how much you cover yourself with fragrance, you can’t deceive my nose. Smelling the scent of someone about to die is easier than breathing.”
Morrison dragged a chair from the side and sat in front of the Emperor.
“Do you want to live?”
Morrison, who had originally planned to threaten the Emperor to find the dragon’s location, adjusted his plan slightly. He was well aware that Gia and her group had arrived here.
Engaging in a confrontation with Gia was almost impossible in his current physical state.
Fighting against Gia and her followers would be futile, and he would likely face a gruesome death without utilizing his strength properly.
Recalling the large man who had followed Gia, Morrison thought of the one with black hair and red eyes. He seemed suitable for experimentation, possessing considerable skill.
Morrison, bringing back memories of that time, narrowed his eyes, staring at the Emperor sitting before him.
Considering how to best use the Emperor in front of him, Morrison rolled his head.
“Answer me. Do you want to live?”
The Emperor’s body visibly trembled at Morrison’s question.
“I’m asking because you seem to cling to life, holding on to your title. If not, stay quiet.”
Morrison’s playful words made the Emperor’s face contort.
“This might be your last chance.”
Morrison leaned forward strangely, sharpening his teeth.
“Think carefully and answer. I’m probably the only one who can spare your life.”
“That’s absurd.”
The Emperor stood tall, exuding his dignity as he looked at Morrison. His trembling hands were well hidden within his sleeves.
“Oh, really? Well, can’t be helped then.”
With that response, Morrison, devoid of hesitation, rose and swiftly seized the Emperor’s thin neck.
“Kuk, kugh… No one…”
“Hush.”
Morrison’s actions, warning the Emperor to stay silent, halted the Emperor’s attempt to call for help.
“If you make a bigger noise there, I might inadvertently put more force into it. My control over strength hasn’t been great lately.”
The Emperor held his breath at Morrison’s casual remark.
“Whether you like it or not, I’ve found myself willing to share my life with you. It seemed like an easier way.”
Still in the experimental phase. Morrison, perhaps leaving his fate to chance, inserted his finger into the Emperor’s wide-open mouth.
“When I roam around eating people, I realized something.”
“Guk, gguck.”
As the Emperor’s wheezing breath sounded unpleasant, Morrison added two more fingers to shove them into the Emperor’s mouth.
“I consider myself fortunate. To have you as my experiment subject.”
Morrison, seemingly reveling in the glory, closed his eyes and focused. He felt the zombie cells rapidly gathering at his fingertips. The fingers he had pushed into the Emperor’s mouth swelled and pulsated, reminiscent of when he had transformed his fingers into sharp blades.
Like a lizard cutting off its tail, Morrison’s three fingers fell out of the Emperor’s mouth.
“Swallow.”
“Kuk, kukeok. No, I don’t want to… kukeok.”
The firm resistance seemed like the struggles of a small child.
Morrison, who had effortlessly subdued him, increased the pressure on the neck he held, making the Emperor’s face flush. As if his breath might be cut off at any moment, the Emperor gasped in succession.
“If you don’t want to die, swallow.”
“Kkeok.”
The Emperor’s desperate attempts to breathe sounded like a whimper. Although he didn’t know what he was being fed, something thick and ominous flowed down his throat.
The process repeated several times, and the Emperor, powerless, had no choice but to swallow whatever Morrison offered.
“Kak, kaek. What, what did you feed me? Kuk.”
Morrison casually wiped his hand when he let go, and the Emperor, with a face full of rage, ground his teeth.
When Morrison raised his right hand as if to show it off, there was nothing left in the place where a hand should be. Morrison’s wrist was as clean-cut as if a blade had sliced through it.
“My right hand.”
“Kaek. Kak. Kkuuk.”
The Emperor’s face swelled as if he were about to vomit with all his might at Morrison’s response.
“It’s already too late.”
“He, hhek. Kkuuk. You… you!”
The Emperor, lying on the floor, tried to grab Morrison’s foot by reaching out with his hand, but he caught nothing.
“Your Majesty, what is happening? I will go inside.”
The familiar voice of the attendant made Morrison take a few steps back.
“I’ll come back soon.”
Leaving only those words, Morrison disappeared without a trace. The Emperor, writhing on the rug on the floor, groaned in agony, scratching his neck.
“Your Majesty!”
“Summon the royal physician immediately!”
With the attendant’s shout, the surroundings of the tent became noisy.
* * *
The news of the Emperor’s injury disrupted the hunting competition.
Although some people whispered with relief, no one was unaware of the Emperor’s critical condition. The hunting competition, scheduled to take place over two days, was unexpectedly suspended.
A gloomy atmosphere pervaded the hunting grounds that were once filled with nobles.
“I will personally go in search of her.”
“Wait.”
The Duke, who had calmed down Kalion, who seemed about to jump into the forest, pressed his lips.
“Alright. Wait. We sent the return signal; she should be on her way back. Don’t just assume she’s taking a different route for no reason.”
“Brother.”
Kalion, wanting to argue, ultimately sighed and sat down after a deep breath. Although the return signal had been sent several times, there was still no news from Gia.
Could something unexpected have happened?
Kalion, unable to contain his anxiety, glanced towards the direction of the forest.
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