They are in the second district of Ridav, Buya. The four of them stayed at an inn. Lobin, Faier and Han shared the same room. Lily was alone in her room and the reason was obvious. She intended to take Arete but she saw how tightly Han was holding the girl's body.
It's like he won't allow anyone to touch Arete. She sighed and went to her room. She took off the other accessories she often wore when not in her knight uniform. Apparently charms for protection.
Since she had been with Han and the others, she had done nothing but be an intel on what they needed to know. She's doubting her worth as a companion in this mission. Arete and Han are all around. Lobin is the same but he doesn't show it. Faier is a spirit so if someone needs to be a medium between living and dead, Faier is the answer.
She cleans her sword and scabbard to get rid of negative opinions about herself.
There was a knock on her window and she was about to throw her sword when she saw Lobin sitting there, leaning his back against the frame.
"Lobin! You might fall there!" She immediately stood up and pulled Lobin into her room.
"I'm not going to fall." The man answered simply.
"Why are you here huh? It's almost night."
"Come with me."
"Hmm?"
"We'll investigate the unusual activities here on our own."
"Huh? Does Han know you're taking me?"
"No. He's been transferring his spiritual energy to Arete. He's making it sure that Arete will wake up."
"... Will it affect him?"
"Of course. It can take away his life force."
Lily grabbed his shoulders, "Why don't you stop him?!"
"I tried commanding him as his.... You don't need to know that part. I tried my best, but he's losing control if someone tells him what to do."
"So you're just going to let him go?! Even if he's immortal, I know it's hard to lose a source of strength!"
"I'll revive him. Don't worry." He turns away, "Let's go and investigate the unusual phenomena." He reaches for her hand.
".... I'll carry my sword. Is that alright with you?"
"Yes."
She accepted his hand, "Okay. Lead the way."
Unlike Han who made an invisible path that lights up when you step on it, Lobin simply flies in the air. He held Lily by her waist. Of course, it's unexpected and caught her off guard, but she saw how serious the man was towards his goal so she didn't complain.
Now that they're close to each other, she noticed how tall and fit the man is.
"Uh... Lobin?"
"Hmm?"
".... Never mind."
"Speak what's on your mind. I don't mind listening."
".... Will Arete wake up these days?"
"... Honestly, her spirit is in between living and dead."
"... Huh?"
"Do you remember when I took her from Han to keep her safe, she was crying blood?"
"... Yes." She answered nervously.
"She used blood manipulation to activate the liquefaction I did with my weapon. Blood manipulation will exhaust you because you need a constant supply of blood when summoning and supporting another type of magic. Even though Han gave her enough magic to fight against Leruji, she put all of it in the blood manipulation. It's sucking her spirit, causing her flow of energy to explode."
"That's...!"
"Horrible I know. That girl is self-sacrificing. Suicidal and twisted, to be honest. When Han is much younger, they're almost the same. That's why, I also can't stop Han from transferring his energy to Arete. "
"But... It will hurt them both if it's too much, right?"
"Yes. Don't worry about Han. He's an expert."
"...."
"Lily, do you believe in Gods?"
She nodded, "Why do you ask?"
"If a God turns their back on their people, will they be called a traitor?"
"... Yes."
"Why so?"
"A God... Must be considerate to mortal affairs. Minor or the creator himself must guide humanity or they will be prosperous as well. We were brought into this world to be the guardians of the Gods' creations. The Gods knew how things work... So I think if they leave mankind on its own, it will be in shambles." She explained in a straightforward manner.
"Is that so?" He smiled a little, 'Looks like I'm really a traitor.'
"Why did you ask me that, Lobin?"
"I just want to know other people's point of view."
"You can ask Faier and Han. Why me?"
"Han will make me feel better. Faier is just a child. He didn't know a lot of things. Besides, I think you're unbiased towards your words."
"Oh... Thank you."
Lobin stopped and looked down at the location, "we're here. Hold on tight."
"Huh—"
Lobin brought her close to his body. Now she was facing the man's chest. She felt a hand of Lobin and it was on her head, he’s caressing it to calm her down. Automatically, she held his sleeves tighter.
"HERE WE GO!" She heard Lobin laugh and they went straight down to the ground at an alarming speed.
"LOBIN! SLOWLY! SLOWLY!"
"WOOH! FRESH AIR AT LAST!"
"ARE YOU LISTENING TO WHAT I'M SAYING?!"
When they hit the ground, the ground split apart and houses were destroyed.
"Are you okay? Didn't anything hit you?" Lobin looks down on her.
She shakes her head, "I feel a little bit dizzy."
"Why so? I made sure you wouldn't feel anything when we're going down."
"It's because it's unexpected." She pulls out from his hold then looks at him, "your hair's a mess." She leans closer and fixes the tangled mess in his ponytail, "You have beautiful hair, Lobin. Pink like a flower."
"What flower?" His eyes softened.
"A... A rose." She looks away, "So... Did you sense something in this area of Buya?" She changes the subject.
Lobin smiles and laughs, "Yes. I sensed something here. I already can tell where the other masterminds are in this city."
"THAT FAST?! THEN WHY DID YOU ASK FOR MY ASSISTANCE?" She wasn't mad or anything. Just shocked.
"Believe me, girl, once I open my sixth sense, no one can escape my grasp." He grinned and put his hands on his pocket, starting to walk away.
"Hey! Wait for me!"
The two of them were walking peacefully in a public market. Lily wondered why they ended up there.
"Isn't that the orphan young lady?"
"I heard that she is now a knight after her brother died."
"I pity her so much. Should we pray for her?"
"I heard her parents are corrupt officials and were demoted as civilians. They totally ripped their titles off. The lord of our city didn't give them a second chance."
"I bet she's trying to get revenge because of it."
Lobin glanced at Lily. Her eyes were wide enough that her eyes were almost bulging. She's trembling so badly. He sighs as he realizes it's Lily who they were talking about.
'Haa... I'm bad at comforting mortals.' He puts his hand on her wrist and pulls her closer to him, "Don't listen to some mortals."
She gasped at his action and words, "It's... It's not about me. I don't really care. I can protect myself."
"I'm comforting you. Be thankful that I'm in the mood to be genuine."
She rolled her eyes, "I should have struck you in the throat."
"It will take millennia before you can do that."
"So overbearing."
"But you didn't move away." He teases. He glared at those people and automatically burned their heads. He's a God after all.
"... Thank you." She looks at him, "well, you're not good with words but I can feel your sincerity in your actions."
"Mn. Any time."
She will look back at those people because of screaming and people running when Lobin covers her ears. His hands made her body move to his front. He's pushing her to walk.
"Lobin? What is it?"
"Fo-cus." He mouthed.
Back in the inn, Faier is panicking because they can't find Lobin and Lily.
"WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO, HAN?!"
"They'll be back."
"What if something happens to the two of them?! We need to move as a team!"
"If I made a puppet and made it realistic like the human body, would you take it as your body?"
Faier stopped panicking, "... Huh?"
"I'll experiment with some materials I will gather in the near future. Can you wait for it?"
".... Han, what are you saying? But..."
"You're a wandering spirit. You have no regrets and sins like me. Something is happening in those places. I'm sure the Gods and creator wouldn't mind if I give you a body."
"But it's against the law of the creator!"
"I've done unimaginable things, Faier. Trust me on this." Han looked determined, "I'll give you a body. It may not be as realistic as my body, but it will help you to wander the physical world."
"....Han..."
"I did this several times now, Faier. I was just thinking if I could do that in the past, why not help you?"
".... We're going against nature's laws."
"....."
"But... I would like to have a body... If the creator isn't against it and destroys my body, I will accept that body, Han." The boy smiled.
Han's face lightened, "Faier..."
"... About Arete... Will she wake up now?"
".... Her condition is stable but it's like an empty shell. Her soul isn't in her body."
"WHAT?! THEN IF IT'S OUTSIDE, THEN I CAN SEE HER?!"
"I was thinking the same thing, but there's no familiar aura for the past two weeks."
"... Then... Where is she?"
".... I don't know. All we can do is wait for her spirit to go back since I fix the flow of it and some bruises." Han holds Arete's hand, "She'll wake up."
"Han..."
Somewhere in Buya, Lobin and Lily eat in an inn again. Lobin drank a few bottles while he was getting information from the owner of that inn.
Lily was on her defense, observing people who might be a danger to them. Lily has also forgotten what the people who recognized her at the public market said.
Lobin, "So there are also missing people here?"
The owner nods his head, "Cases like this are scattered all over the world. They hear a lullaby from the exploded world. The Iryankka."
Lobin, ".... Do tell more, mister. I'm willing to listen."
"But you've had a lot to drink, Lobin. Can you take it?" Lily turned to him.
"My alcohol tolerance is high." He then looked at the owner, "continue. I mean, repeat. The whole thing."
"O-Oh." The man coughs as he fixes himself, "The city of Ridav is ruled by two generals and a nobleman. The way they rule is the reason why Ridav is prosperous. But in the past five years, the two generals died when they went to a district of Ridav to catch the leaders who were taking people's money for illegal trading in other countries."
Lily, "They died fighting?"
"Yes. They were ambushed by the enemies who invaded that district. After that happened, the corrupt politicians and noblemen of each district gradually died. It is said that this is the punishment of the two generals who became revengeful ghosts."
Lobin, "How are they connected to the recent case of missing people?"
"Actually.... That case is not recent, sir." The owner replied, "The new leaders of each district have decided to hire ten people to be sacrificed to keep the two generals quiet."
Lobin, "How? What kind of sacrifice?"
"Uh..."
Lobin raises his drink, "I need to know all of it."
".... They were playing a lullaby. It came from one of Iryankka's powerful magicians."
Lily raised her eyebrow, "But you said that sacrificial rituals are happening around the world. How did you know about such a thing?"
"I mentioned to you that the leaders of each district decided to sacrifice the people. The civilians. An organization appeared. They had a shrine priest with them and they gathered all the leaders and the main head of Ridav to state their business and proposals. After that organization left, that's when people were sacrificed."
Lily, "... They're killing people after they gather them?”
"Worse... First they will build a statue of unknown Gods who are believed to be from the underworld to absorb the souls of people. Then they will separate every part of the human body. Only bones will be left here and it will be used as a protection charm of the officials in case the generals sow terror again."
Suddenly, each noise made inside the inn frightened Lily. Her eyes are twitching, she can feel herself sweating. Her heart beat faster. She felt like she couldn't breathe properly.
Lobin held her hand but the man was still staring at the owner of the inn.
"How many years has this been going on, mister?" Lobin asked.
"Almost four years, sir."
"When they do that ritual, they sing the lullaby that the Iryankka magician made, right?"
"That's right, sir."
"Bastards... They're using Jayen's song that long... I will kill them." He gritted his teeth. Lily was staring at him, still scared at the hallucination she's having when the owner described the situation just now.
Lobin smiled and held out a large pouch, "these are gold coins, mister. You can close this inn and run away from Ridav."
"... Huh? Why so, sir? Am I in danger?"
"I can see that you were part of that madness but turned your back because it was eating your conscience."
The owner looks down, "I was blinded by power. With the money I had then. I thought that would be the solution to escape my problem but every time I sleep, I see the people we killed... If only there was a God. .. I hope I can be forgiven for what I have done."
"....." Lobin fell silent and with his index and middle finger, he motioned it to the side to throw people out of the inn.
"W-What's going on?!" The owner shouted.
"Lily, can you close your eyes? Cover your ears too." He said with a smile.
"... What are you going to do, Lobin? Are you going to punish the owner?" She said trembling but she did what Lobin said.
Lobin, "What's your name, mister?"
"Jowan."
Suddenly there was a fire around the inn, water couldn't put it out and Lily and Jowan didn't burn.
"Jowan..." Lobin revealed his true form, a man sitting in a lotus position with three faces and hands in one body. Holding different kinds of fire and weapons that humanity can't interpret, "In the name of the God of Fire and violence, Koryn, I forgive you for the sins you have committed. May you use this opportunity to prove to the creator that you deserve to be in the paradise he made for all living things. "
"You... You're Koryn...?!" Jowan knelt in front of Lobin, "great God of fire... Please forgive me for what I had done in the past... I... I did inhumane things to satisfy my thirst for power. I... I pushed my family and comrades away in the process... I deserve punishment!"
"I just said—"
"Please God Koryn! I don't want to live unpunished! I want to suffer! Innocent children lost their families because of us!"
"..... I love humanity, Jowan."
"But... You're the God of violence..."
"I'll act violently when it's needed."
"And it is! Right now! I'm sinful!"
"You regret your actions."
"In the past, I laughed at people who were manipulated. I... I did worse than this!"
".... Is this what you want? Do you really want to suffer for the rest of your life?"
Jowan stood up from kneeling and looked at Lobin, "Yes."
"Jowan... Now that you are in front of Koryn... I am punishing you that you will dance in the fire with the underworld creatures until they eat you and there is nothing left of you. Even if you become a soul you will experience hardship and pain you inflicted on your victims."
".... Thank you for the fair judgment, my great God."
Soon a portal appeared next to where Jowan was standing. A creature called a hellhound came out. These creatures act as guardians of the underworld. Jowan's foot was immediately bitten and swept under.
"Goodbye, Jowan." Lobin slowly returned to his human form and a tear fell from his eye, "even... Even if I wanted to resent mankind... I can't do it."
