Chapter 257: Carnivorous Plant’s Tantrum

The carnivorous plant seemed to stare, as if asking, “What’s the deal?” Deon glanced down at the creature for a moment, then gave a light shrug.

“…What can I do? It throws a tantrum if I leave it behind.”

“Kkyiaek.”

“You are shameless, you little bastard.”

“Kkyiggyiggyaek.”

Green vines tightened around his waist. It wasn’t painful or suffocating, so Deon chuckled, grabbed the flower bud with his thumb and index finger, and shook it.

“You’ve achieved your goal, why the pettiness?”

“Kkyiaek!”

“Alright, alright, I’ll take you to the battlefield without fail.”

It was around the time they were almost here. The carnivorous plant had been quiet, perhaps asleep, so he had entrusted it to someone else. When they arrived, he had jumped straight into battle and had no time to pay attention to it.

Who would have known that would become such a problem?

What awaited Deon when he returned after the fray was not a demon’s or human’s welcome, but strange cries and wildly stretching green vines.

[Kkyiaek! Kkyiaek-aek!!]

[What? What’s wrong?]

A demon soldier holding the flowerpot looked flustered. Dan’s voice, mixed with irritation and bewilderment, was a bonus.

Had the carnivorous plant finally revealed its true nature, as befitting its name? Deon paused, observed the situation, interpreted the cries, and wore a strange expression.

‘Is it…’

Is it shouting that it will follow even if it’s late?

[Kkyiaek-aaaae!! Kkyiggyaek-aek! Kkyiae!!]

[To abandon me and leave, may you get sick feet before going even ten miles…?]

Where did it even learn such words?

As if it heard his quiet murmur, the flower bud turned sharply towards him. ‘Kkyiaee-ae-aek!!’ Startled by the menacingly approaching vines, Deon flinched, but soon raised his arm slightly and readily surrendered his body.

The carnivorous plant immediately wrapped around his waist and made a scolding cry.

[Don’t ever leave me behind to fight again…?]

[Kkyiaek!]

[…Why?]

[Kkyiaek-aaaae!!]

[Okay… I get it, so calm down.]

[Kkulg.]

[……]

This bastard, it was just waiting for me to say yes…? The way it calmed down as soon as it got my affirmation.

A hollow laugh escaped him at the absurdity.

However, if the plant had misunderstood anything, it was that when he asked ‘why,’ it wasn’t about ‘why should I take you,’ but ‘why would you want to come to the battlefield of all places’.

‘What good is there for you on a battlefield?’

Of course, it didn’t seem like it would answer, and he had no intention of asking twice, so he let it slide without correcting it. Who knows when he’d get an answer.

Returning to reality, he gently stroked the flowerpot before pulling it off with both hands. He met the carnivorous plant’s dissatisfied gaze directly and opened his mouth. It might look a bit silly, but no one in this space cared.

“Still, don’t forget that the promise we made before coming here hasn’t changed.”

He could take it, but it couldn’t step forward.

“Kkulg……”

As if sensing the unwavering firmness in his words, it reluctantly showed its agreement.

In the meantime, Dan, who had tidied up the bedding, took the flowerpot from Deon’s hands, placed it on the table, and turned to him.

“Making siege weapons or digging to divert the water flow will obviously take a considerable amount of time, so please get some sleep for now.”

“…You’re getting slapped on the back of your hand right now.”

“Don’t change the subject.”

Dan brushed off the green vine slapping his hand as if it were a nuisance. As if offended, the vine seemed to lash out more fiercely, but it failed to reach its target and froze mid-air.

Where the flower bud’s gaze reached, Deon was gesturing for the carnivorous plant to stay still, as if annoyed.

“Kkyiaek……”

The plant drooped powerlessly.

Of course, no one cared. Dan’s voice cut through the carnivorous plant’s cries and lashed out at Deon.

“I’ve never seen you sleep properly. At first, I thought you were at least getting some shut-eye, but coming here, I don’t think that’s the case. When was the last time you slept properly?”

“Hmm…”

When was it?

Ever since the flower that was presumed to be sent by Hyung, which he had placed in his room, withered, he had been mostly awake without sleeping deeply…

Nightmares weren’t scary, but he hated seeing himself gasping for breath when he woke up, so he avoided sleeping even more.

“…No, never mind. You don’t have to answer.”

“…?”

“Looking at you now, I can roughly guess how bad it is.”

Even though he hadn’t answered yet, Dan sighed deeply, as if that was enough.

Taking a stride forward, he slipped his foot behind Deon’s heel and nudged his shoulder. With no hostility or killing intent, and not seeming dangerous, Deon was easily pushed and plopped onto the neatly arranged cot.

Red eyes, filled with a question of ‘what are you doing?’, turned to Dan.

“It’s only because you’re a Hero that you’re still okay. If an ordinary person didn’t sleep that much, they would have gone crazy or collapsed without enduring this long.”

“…”

“Sleep is important. If you don’t sleep, even a sane person starts thinking bad thoughts. Especially since Master is…”

Dan paused there.

Why, are you going to say I’m not in my right mind? Deon looked up at him silently, a faint sneer on his lips.

“…Anyway, get some sleep, even if just a little. We have plenty of time.”

“…No…”

“If you keep refusing, I’ll call the Lofty Knights.”

“Alright.”

Loud fuss and lullabies that didn’t suit his age were not welcome. Deon pulled the blanket up to his chin and turned his body away.

Dan chuckled silently at the action that clearly showed his discomfort.

“Then, good night.”

“Piss off.”

“Yes, yes.”

Feeling the presence moving away, Deon nervously squeezed his eyes shut. That bastard, he left a light on.

It could be seen as consideration, but this meant he was going to monitor me with his shadow from outside. If I get up right now, he’ll know it like a ghost. I’ll just kill some time like this and get up when it’s appropriate.

…Or so I thought.

“Shit.”

I must have been tired. To fall asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

In the dark space, facing the nightmare, he let out a hollow laugh.

***

The nightmare wasn’t much.

Just ghosts grabbing at his ankles and pulling him down. Of course, it had been a while, so quite a few faces showed up, and he couldn’t help but stiffen every time he saw a familiar face, but that was all.

They shed tears of blood and asked why he killed them. They asked why he was still alive. Some even asked if they had to die.

Judging by the unfamiliar faces, they were probably people who had died in the war. Deon smiled bitterly at the resentful questions of those who had died unjustly.

“No.”

– Then why!!

A black hand choked his neck.

Since it was just a dream, and he wouldn’t die, he obediently offered his neck. If it was just this, he was going to let it push him around until he woke up…

‘Why are you here…?’

Deon froze.

One of the owners of the hands choking his neck, shedding tears of blood, particularly caught his eye. It was Sir Lien, who had died upholding his knightly duty until the very end.

‘…Ridiculous. There’s no way she would be like this.’

He chuckled and laboriously raised his hand to grab the opponent’s wrist. The flustered ghost hurriedly tried to pull his arm away, but the more he tried, the more Deon tightened his grip, refusing to let go.

“Everything else is fine, but…”

– What…!

“Let’s not tarnish the noble knight’s sacrifice, shall we?”

He didn’t even remotely think that she wouldn’t resent him. Honestly, that would be too presumptuous.

However, he was also certain that she wasn’t so pathetic and ugly as to come as a ghost and torment him.

He chuckled, recalling former Emperor Eudoard, who had once appeared in his nightmare.

[Do not dare manifest Us in your delusions for such a paltry reason. We clearly stated at the end that We do not regret it. It means We have no lingering attachments. Yet you have manifested Us like this, so in your eyes, We appeared as a petty person who goes back on their word?]

Judging by the way he said ‘Us,’ it seemed to be another delusion he had created, but befitting of an emperor, he was truly scathing.

He had said that he wasn’t so pathetic as to come back as a ghost. Rather, if he were alive, he said he would welcome ghosts as guests. Even so, he also said he had no intention of acting shamelessly.

He stared silently up at the still flustered ghost, then chuckled.

“…It’s a situation where me saying anything is more ridiculous.”

After all, even you in front of me are something I created.

At that time, he had briefly wondered why the Emperor, not Cruel, had appeared if they could have a conversation in such a composed manner and attitude. The answer the Emperor, who quickly caught on, gave was a bit shocking.

[You should know better about that.]

[…?]

[Have you not placed Hyung in the realm of the inviolable? So that no one can dare to imitate him unless it’s ‘real’.]

Unconsciously, so that even ghosts cannot manifest him.

[Perhaps, it was shortly after you retrieved Hyung’s body.]

Only then did he realize. That was what he had done. It was something he had done unconsciously, but still, it was something he had done.

So, he just needed to elevate Sir Lien in front of him to a realm that cannot be imitated. It was his first time consciously controlling it, but he had to hope for success. Right now, this was something he couldn’t not do for her honor.

“I never expected to have more things to be sorry to Sir Lien for.”

He chuckled and focused his concentration.

At that moment, the flustered opponent suddenly changed his expression and glared at him. In that fleeting moment of being taken aback by the chilling expression.

– If so…!

Something popped out from behind her back.

Uh… so… this is…

“…Tentacles?”

Oh, shit.

The barely suppressed curse burst out involuntarily.

Now that he saw it, it seemed to be something mixed with a magical beast, not a ghost. He hurriedly tried to let go and step back, but tentacles, which he didn’t know when they had extended, wrapped around his wrist in reverse. A different kind of chilling sensation ran down his spine.

“Ge… Get…”

***

“Get lost, you son of a bitch!!”

“Kkyiaek…!”

The sensation of his wrist still clearly constricted, the scene having only changed, Deon, judging it was still a dream, blurted out a curse. A soft cry sounded, as if telling him to calm down.

Sensing the scent of grass amidst the stench of blood, he slowly focused his hazy eyes.

“Hah… Hah… What, was it you?”

“Kkyiaek.”

“Why are you grabbing my wrist?”

“Kkyi…”

“No, before that, let’s let go of this first.”

He could tell at a glance. This plant must have grabbed him with its vine, and that’s how he suddenly transitioned into that dream.

Shaking off his wrist, which still felt vividly touched, he resolved.

‘Okay, if there’s no justifiable reason, I’m fighting back.’

…But contrary to his thoughts, the carnivorous plant’s actions were justifiable.

Deon sat on the bed, legs crossed, and fiddled with his lips. A subdued voice spread softly within the barracks.

“So… you’re saying you untangled me because I was choking myself? And even after untangling me, I kept trying to choke myself, so you held onto me?”

“Kkyiaek.”

“…Well, thanks.”

He was speechless. Deon wiped his face with a weary expression.

Then, a green vine patted his back, making him inwardly flinch and subtly move aside.

Perhaps it noticed, the wounded gaze of the green plant stung him.

“…By the way.”

Pretending not to notice, he changed the subject to divert the mood.

“If you can wander around this freely, you don’t need the flowerpot at all, do you?”

Even now, the plant that was originally on the table was on the bed.

He had once seen it walking around while holding the flowerpot with its vines, using them as legs. Quite a… bizarre sight.

As expected of a simple creature, it seemed to have completely fallen for the change of subject and gave a small denial, ‘Kkulg.’

“Nutrients are lacking?”

“Kkyiaek.”

“Weren’t you saying you didn’t need to eat? What do you eat?”

“Kkyiaek, kkyiaek, kkyiaek.”

“It doesn’t hinder living if you don’t eat, but you eat general food like meat, magical beasts, demons, humans… Demons and humans aren’t general food, are they…?”

“Kkyiaek.”

Yeah… what does it matter? Let’s just move on.