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Chapter 67: Milayna Akasha (1)
Elene asked cautiously, “Are you leaving now?”
“There is no reason for me to stay any longer,” Ketal replied. “The rest is up to you.”
It would be Elene and Barbosa’s decision whether to attempt diplomacy with the Lutein Kingdom or to confront them with force. For Ketal, his mission had been clear: escort Elene to the Denian Kingdom.
Now that he had accomplished that and received his token of identification from the king, his task was complete.
“If you request my assistance in the future, I might accept the job. But for now, there’s nothing left for me to do. From here on, the decisions are yours,” he added.
“I see,” Elene murmured, lowering her head.
Ketal observed her briefly before shifting the topic. “What is Aron doing?” “He’s locked himself in his room,” Elene replied. “He hasn’t been eating, and he won’t respond to anyone. From what I can tell, though, he seems fine.”
Elene let out a faint laugh, though her words carried a bitter edge. “Maybe he tried to end his life, only to come back to life again... Sorry, that was inappropriate.”
“There’s no need to apologize,” Ketal replied.
Elene hesitated before speaking, “Do you remember when I said I would personally reward you for your help?”
The mission had been more than just an escort. Because of her, the entire Lutein Kingdom had become Ketal’s enemy. Elene had resolved to give Ketal anything he wanted in return for his assistance, even if that meant offering herself.
However, she felt a wave of self-loathing at the thought. She believed that no one would want someone like her—a monster. She bit her lip, lost in her thoughts.
“You seem troubled,” Ketal said, breaking her silence.
“Barbosa said that Parman, Aron, and I... we’re all human,” Elene began. She paused, her voice faltering. “Yet, I...”
Elene’s words trailed off as if she couldn’t bring herself to finish. After a long silence, she finally asked, “What am I?”
She wondered if she was truly a human, or if she was an unfeeling monster incapable of understanding death.
“You believe yourself to be human,” Ketal said plainly.
“But Adamant called me one of his kind. He wasn’t wrong, was he?” Elene asked.
“Why does it matter? If you think of yourself as human, then you are,” he replied.
His tone wasn’t one of comfort—it was as if he genuinely couldn’t understand why she was agonizing over the question. Startled, Elene looked up to him.
“Do you remember the Ship of Theseus?” Ketal asked.
“Yes, I do.”
“What do you think the answer is to that paradox?”
“Well, if the ship has been stripped down, it’s not the Ship of Theseus anymore,” Elene replied. She believed that someone replaced piece by piece couldn’t retain its original identity—it merely carried the name.
“No, it’s a paradox. There is no definitive answer. What matters is how the person hearing the story interprets it,” Ketal said, shaking his head. He spoke as though the matter was simple. “As I said before, I didn’t know the Elene from before. I only know the Elene standing in front of me now. To me, you are Elene. Whether you are human or not is a secondary matter.”
“I see,” Elene said softly.
“I’ve spent a long time in a hellish place, but I still think of myself as human,” he said.
Elene’s eyes widened in surprise. “You’ve experienced something similar?”
Ketal nodded. The White Snowfield had tested him like nothing else. During his time there, it had been difficult to hold on to his values as a human being. He had even considered giving up and becoming just like the other barbarians to make life easier.
However, Ketal had chosen to remain human, preserving his modern sensibilities despite everything.
“If you can’t find an answer, then set a goal,” Ketal suggested. “You promised to reward me, didn’t you? But you have nothing to give right now. So, it’s simple—survive and become successful enough to give me a proper reward.”
“How could a monster like me do that?” Elene asked, her voice trembling.
“You can use that thing inside you.”
“What?”
“You’re a human taken over by the Anomaly. I’d say that’s pretty unique. There is value in making use of that.”
Elene couldn’t hide her shock at how matter-of-factly he spoke. “E-excuse me?”
“There’s no single answer. You can live as a human. Or you can embrace the Anomaly that consumed your kingdom and become their princess. It’s your choice,” Ketal said calmly.
Becoming the princess of the Anomalies could be another path for her. She stared blankly at Ketal, stunned by his suggestion. She had never even considered using her transformed self.
After a final farewell, Ketal left. Elene remained where she was, motionless as if frozen in time.
“I am...” Her voice trailed off as she spoke again. “I am...”
She couldn’t finish her sentence. Her eyes, however, stopped wavering. They grew calm, as though she had finally made up her mind. With newfound resolve, Elene stood up.
***
The room was simple and unadorned. There were no extravagant decorations, jewels, or embellishments. However, the quality and polish of the furniture spoke of refinement.
The bookshelf was crafted from solid wood, and every book on its shelves was bound in high-quality leather. In one corner of the room stood an expensive full-length mirror, its frame intricately carved.
A woman, who appeared to be the owner of the room, sat in a chair. Her blue hair swayed slightly as she shifted. Her dark eyes, tinged with weariness, glanced over the documents spread out on the table. She rubbed her temple as if trying to stave off a headache.
“So, the conclusion is that you don’t have the money to repay your debts?” she asked.
“That’s correct,” the man standing in front of her replied with a firm nod.
His confidence was unshaken. There was not a trace of shame or regret in his demeanor, and the woman found herself smiling involuntarily.
“How can you act so confidently when you can’t repay what you owe?” she asked, her voice tinged with amusement.
“I am the head of the great Diablos family. I will not debase myself over mere money,” the man declared.
A typical noble might have admired his confidence and looked at him with respect, but the woman only smirked.
“And yet, it’s because of this mere money that your family is on the brink of collapse, isn’t it?”
The man’s brow twitched in irritation. “You’re being quite rude.”
“That’s a sentiment I should be expressing,” she replied, her tone unbothered as she flipped through the documents in front of her.
The papers detailed the catastrophic state of the man’s finances.
“The Diablos family.” she began, her voice calm and measured. “Incurred insurmountable debts from lavish banquets and extravagant spending. And to save your crumbling house, you borrowed a substantial sum of money. Yet, here we are—where did all that money go?”
“We attempted to rebuild the family’s fortunes, but our efforts failed,” the man admitted.
“For someone speaking of failure, you don’t seem particularly embarrassed,” she said dryly.
“I am not someone who feels shame over failure,” he said, his tone proud.
It was certainly a noble’s way of thinking, and perhaps his mindset was commendable in theory. However, the woman neither admired nor respected him for it.
“Failure, you say?” she continued. “Well, gambling and squandering your fortune to revive your family could be considered an attempt, albeit a disastrous one. I’ve even heard that when your servants tried to stop you, you beat them and drove them out.”
“You—!” The man’s face flushed red with anger, and he jabbed a finger at her. “How dare you insult me!”
“Insults are reserved for those who are worthy of them,” she replied coldly.
“I am the head of the Diablos family!”
“A family on the verge of bankruptcy. Honor stems from wealth, power, and character—none of which you possess,” she said, setting the documents down as though the conversation no longer interested her.
“The repayment deadline is one month. If you cannot repay the debt by then, the Diablos family will be forfeited to us. After that, you will no longer have the right to use the name Diablos. Keep that in mind,” she concluded.
“What?!” The man’s eyes widened, his expression one of disbelief.
The woman let out a small laugh. “This was part of the contract from the beginning. You offered your family’s name as collateral. Why are you acting so surprised now?”
She rang a bell, and the door opened to admit several guards.
“Now, please do your best to preserve your honorable family name,” she said dismissively.
“You—you wench! Do you think such tyranny will go unpunished?” he spat, his face contorted in rage.
“I am merely acting in accordance with the will of the kingdom. If anyone here is guilty of tyranny, it is you—for failing to repay your debts,” she replied without flinching.
“You madwoman!” The man lunged at her, but the guards restrained him before he could get close. He struggled, but their well-trained strength kept him firmly in place.
“Milayna Akasha!” he bellowed, his face twisted with fury. “You’re nothing more than a disgrace to the Akasha family! A defiler of honor who has sullied it with money! It’s no wonder you abandoned your parents, your siblings, and even the retainers who followed you into the Demon Realm!”
Even as he hurled insults at her, Milayna’s expression didn’t change. The man continued to rant, but he was soon dragged out of the room.
One of the guards returned shortly after and asked cautiously, “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” Milayna replied calmly, picking up the documents on her desk. “What’s the next item on the schedule?”
“You need to inspect the property that was offered as collateral. It’s about a twenty-minute walk from here,” the guard replied.
“Let’s handle it immediately. Lead the way,” she said, rising from her seat.
Her expression remained composed and unchanging from beginning to end.
***
The wide boulevard buzzed with activity.
As a barbarian walked through it, the crowd reacted instinctively. People flinched and stepped aside, widening the distance between themselves and the imposing figure. Most avoided meeting his gaze, some lowering their heads as if afraid to draw his attention.
The result was a large, empty circle forming around the barbarian in the middle—Ketal.
“Oh, it’s so spacious,” Ketal remarked, marveling at the space he had inadvertently created.
This is the capital, huh, he thought to himself.
The streets were remarkably clean, and compared to the citizens of the Barcan Estate, the people here wore much neater and more orderly clothing. The buildings, too, were a step above—larger and more varied in design. Merchants on the streets displayed a dazzling array of goods, many of which seemed exotic and unusual.
Not bad, he mused.
The Barcan Estate was certainly impressive, but much of it still operated in a rough, unorganized manner. It felt more like a larger village than a proper city.
This place, however, was different. It was a well-planned city that functioned systematically, much like a modern metropolis back on Earth.
Yet, it didn’t lose its distinct fantasy charm—it was a blend of structured order and fantastical atmosphere.
Although the Barcan Estate’s rugged, fantasy-esque vibe had its appeal, this city’s unique flavor was satisfying in its own way. Ketal wandered through the streets, taking in the sights with a sense of delight.
“Hey, you!”
His exploration was interrupted by a voice. Turning, he saw a group of guards approaching him. Clad in armor and armed with spears, they wore expressions of wariness.
“Do you have any form of identification?” one of them asked.
“This makes the third time already,” Ketal said with a chuckle, pulling out the token he had received from King Barbosa.
In just twenty minutes of walking through the capital, he had already been stopped by guards three times. Though it could have been annoying, Ketal found it amusing. After all, it confirmed that the capital wasn’t as chaotic or lawless as he might have expected in a fantasy world.
He handed over the token, and the guard’s eyes widened as he examined it. “W-what?”
“Is everything in order?” Ketal asked casually.
“Yes, it’s been verified, but...” The guard’s gaze flicked back and forth between the token and Ketal. The barbarian’s presence was enough to make most uneasy, but the token seemed to elicit a different kind of tension.
After a long pause, the guard handed the token back, his hands trembling.
“Here you go...,” he stammered before hurrying away.
Ketal looked at the token in his hand, his curiosity piqued. Why does everyone react like that when they see this?
Initially, the guards would approach him with tense, cautious expressions. But after seeing the token, their wariness shifted into a different kind of nervousness, accompanied by a noticeable shift to polite deference.
Whatever the reason, Ketal was certain of one thing: as long as he had this token, he could move around freely.
Feeling pleased, he continued down the street. It wasn’t long before he spotted something remarkable—a massive building standing on the outskirts of the main boulevard.
“Impressive,” Ketal muttered.
The building was at least twice the size of the surrounding structures.
That must be the Akasha family’s main building, he thought. It seems she has truly found success since our last encounter.
He had heard rumors about the Akasha family’s influence, but seeing the building in person was an entirely different experience. It felt surreal that the expressive, impulsive woman he had met in the White Snowfield now presided over such an imposing structure.
Ketal approached the entrance of the building and stopped before the gates.
“Hey! Barbarian!” The voice of a guard rang out, sharp and alarmed. The guard raised his spear, his posture defensive. “Leave immediately! This is the Akasha family estate! Barbarians are not allowed to set foot here!”
“I am a guest, invited by the owner,” Ketal said, anticipating the hostility and answering calmly.
The guard’s eyes widened in surprise. “Invited? By whom?”
“By Milayna Akasha,” Ketal replied. “She told me to drop by if I was ever in the capital.”
The mention of Milayna’s name caused a dramatic shift in the guard’s demeanor—not one of relaxation, but heightened vigilance. His grip on his spear tightened as his stance grew even more rigid.
“All units, over here! We have an intruder!” the guard shouted, his voice ringing through the air.
