Chapter 33

# Chapter 33: <Just Who Are You?>

No one questioned when Kale suddenly said he was heading out. Ron, the attendant, was nowhere to be seen. Only Hans asked where he was going.

“Where are you going, Young Master?”

“None of your business.”

“Yes! But since it’s your first day in the capital, wouldn’t it be better to bring a bottle of wine and not break it?”

“...Are you suggesting I go out?”

“Absolutely not. Please be careful, Young Master.”

Kale, who was in the carriage, pondered how to deal with Hans, who seemed increasingly reckless. When the carriage stopped, he got up from his seat.

“I’m getting out.”

“Yes.”

Since getting into the carriage, or rather since leaving Kale’s room, Chaihan had not spoken another word. He seemed to have a lot on his mind.

Kale only knew Chaihan’s personality up to Volume 5 of 'The Birth of a Hero.' But he knew one thing: Chaihan was good, but not blindly so, and he was smart.

‘If he tries to make an unbelievable excuse, I might believe it at first, but eventually I’ll doubt him.’

Chaihan had lived alone for decades and had experienced much loneliness, but he was smart and persistent enough to endure it.

Now, Chaihan follows me and seems to trust me, but as shown in Volume 5 of 'The Birth of a Hero,' this guy ultimately wants to be the leader. He lives for the justice he believes in.

“...It’s too white.”

When Kale got out of the carriage, the Temple of the God of Death was overwhelmingly white. He had heard that because death is associated with white, the temple is cleaned daily to ensure not a speck of dust or a stain remains.

‘What a strange place.’

At night, when most people are afraid, the Temple of the God of Death wanted to show that it was different. They opened the temple to believers and outsiders as the sun began to set.

‘During the day, the priests are all sleeping, right?’

Kale found this truly strange. At the temple entrance, he encountered two priests greeting him.

“May peaceful rest be with you!”

“May peaceful rest be with you!”

Most of the priests of the God of Death were full of energy. While one might think that a place of death would be quiet, this sect embraced the active life leading to death.

“Priest.”

Kale slowly approached the priest. The priest looked at Kale with a peculiar expression. He was dressed like a well-off noble or a wealthy merchant, and behind him was a man in rags, but he seemed quite strong, carrying a sword.

“Why is that?”

“Is there an empty Chamber of Death?”

The expressions of the two priests at the entrance stiffened. The priest Kale had spoken to looked at Chaihan and Kale alternately before speaking.

“Whose death are you offering?”

While saying this, the priest kept glancing at Chaihan. His ragged clothes, the impression of not having eaten properly for a day or two, and his seemingly naive and trustworthy appearance made the priest uneasy.

The priest then turned his gaze to the man who looked wealthy. With his bright red hair and handsome face, he was the kind of person who stood out wherever he went. Moreover, he was smiling.

Smiling, the man slightly raised his hand to the priest.

“It’s me.”

“Yes?”

Kale smiled at the priest’s blank question.

“I’m offering my own death.”

At that moment, Chaihan placed his hand on Kale’s shoulder.

“Young Master.”

“Why?”

When Kale turned around, Chaihan, who had a stiff expression, looked somewhat anxious.

“You don’t have to go this far. I believe you.”

Kale’s smile took on a strange light. He spoke softly.

“You wouldn’t believe me, would you?”

Chaihan couldn’t help but doubt him.

Kale had no intention of saying anything. That’s why he put his life and the truth on the line.

‘Why tell everything? It would only get you involved.’

There was no need to get so entangled with Chaihan. His principle for a happy life included not getting involved. Look at him now. Didn’t he bring the wolf children?

‘He’s the one who will ride a whale controlled by the whale people and fight mermaids.’

In a human-centric world, Chaihan’s position changed to someone who embraced both humans and non-humans. The turning point was the whale people. The whale people in Volume 5 were truly terrifying.

‘The worst predators.’

The whale people were the strongest and the most beautiful of the merfolk. While mermaids had two legs and a fish tail, the whale people were beautiful with black, gray, and pink skin.

‘But they have a stubborn nature, even to dragons.’

They were terrifying. With a small population, they had the strength to crush a human head with a single punch. Even Lac couldn’t breathe in front of them.

‘They have a fierce temper.’

In any case, he was a guy who got involved in all sorts of people and incidents. Kale didn’t want to get entangled any further.

“Priest, do you have a room?”

“Yes, I’ll prepare it for you. Please go downstairs.”

“Yes.”

Kale followed the priest. Chaihan, with a less-than-pleased expression, followed behind. Sensing his movement, Kale walked calmly to the innermost part of the temple. After a while, they saw several doors on one wall. The priest opened one of them and descended the stairs leading to the underground.

“At the bottom, death awaits.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

The priest looked at Kale, who calmly descended, with curiosity.

In the Temple of the God of Death, 'death' also carries the meaning of 'oath.'

Death, which will inevitably come one day, is something that cannot be avoided. The sect accepted this as a destiny or an oath that comes with life. Therefore, breaking an oath meant facing death, which was the sect’s duty.

Thus, those heading to the Chamber of Death or the Chamber of Oath were usually solemn and serious. That’s why the priest found it strange to see this calm and wealthy-looking man.

‘Priest Kaji comes to mind.’

Kaji, who always spoke casually about the sect but was loved by the god, flashed through the priest’s mind, but he quickly dismissed her. However, at that moment, Kaji was getting annoyed by hearing the god’s voice again.

The priest, having dismissed thoughts of Kaji, fully descended the stairs and turned the doorknob of the door in front of him, speaking to Kale and Chaihan.

“Please wait a moment. I’ll prepare it.”

With that, the priest entered the room alone. Kale, looking at the closed door, spoke.

“If your heart is truly set on this, let me tell you one thing. How about it?”

Chaihan immediately replied.

“Yes, please tell me. I believe you.”

“Do you?”

Kale stroked his chin with one hand and said casually.

“The first of two.”

His eyes turned to Chaihan.

“I don’t know the identity or purpose of the secret organization.”

“...What do you mean-”

Chaihan’s eyes wavered. At that moment, the door handle clicked, and the priest came out.

“You can enter now. When you enter, just raise your hand to the priest.”

“Yes, I understand.”

While Kale answered calmly, Chaihan looked deeply troubled and confused. The priest, noticing this, frowned but left the area, as it was not his concern.

Kale turned the doorknob and looked back at Chaihan.

“Hard to believe, isn’t it?”

“No, it’s just...”

Chaihan, looking somewhat flustered or disbelieving, started to ramble, which was rare for him. He said he believed everything, but he couldn’t believe Kale’s words. Not knowing? Does that even make sense? At that moment, a calm voice reached Chaihan’s ears.

“I understand.”

Chaihan looked at Kale, whose usually calm face now seemed mature. That face said,

“Let’s go in.”

Chaihan followed Kale into the white room beyond the door. As expected, the room, decorated in white, had everything from the table to the chairs and walls in white. In the room, a priest with a different color stood, covering his mouth and ears.

A deaf priest. While Kale didn’t like the term, these priests were respected and sought after by nobles and royals for contracts or secret discussions that should not be overheard.

Kale bowed silently and then raised his hand. The priest nodded and pointed to chairs at the table for both of them.

Kale sat on the right, and Chaihan sat opposite on the left. The priest, sitting at the head of the table, extended a piece of paper.

[To the one offering death. The one accompanying you will also be touched by the hand of the God of Death. When you enter, just raise your hand to the priest. If you break the oath, the one offering death will face death.]

What a harsh message.

After confirming that Chaihan had read it, Kale returned the paper to the priest. The priest, like with Kaji, extended his arms slightly forward. At that moment,

Rumble—Rumble—

The white room began to vibrate. With the vibration, black smoke started to rise around the priest. The black smoke soon enveloped Kale and Chaihan, forming a single line.

“...Is this the power of the god?”

“Yes.”

Kale, feeling the black line enveloping his body, remembered that the god’s power was something that was recognized in the mind without trying to understand it. Just like with Kaji, he felt the two oaths being embedded in his body.

‘If I break the oath, I will die.’

Chaihan must have felt the same. That’s why his expression stiffened. Feeling the god’s touch, Kale began his oath.

“The priest in front of me cannot hear, and if he lies, he will face death.”

This was a customary phrase used with deaf priests.

“Furthermore, I, Kale Hennitus, will tell the truth to Chaihan before the God of Eternal Rest. If even a part of my words is false, I will face death here and now. Is that clear?”

“Yes.”

Chaihan, who had been deeply troubled, finally smiled. He looked relieved. Seeing this, Kale thought,

‘Will I ever know their identity?’

To know their identity, he would have to follow the same path Chaihan had taken. That would be insane. Once out of the capital and the Kingdom of Rowen, he would face all sorts of heroes and non-humans. Terrifying.

“Is that it?”

“Yes.”

Kale raised his hand and struck the table. The table vibrated slightly, and the priest, opening his eyes, nodded. The room vibrated again.

Rumble—

The black smoke seeped into their bodies. It was a bit different from when he made an oath with Kaji. Kale felt the two oaths being embedded in his body and pulled out a piece of paper from his inner pocket.

A ten million gellon check. Placing the money in front of the solemnly seated priest, Kale got up and left the room. Chaihan, alternating his gaze between the money and Kale, followed and closed the door, looking puzzled. Kale said casually,

“Nothing in this world is free.”

“I see.”

Kale returned to the ground floor. The priest at the entrance, seeing the living Kale, greeted him.

“May you continue to live.”

It was a wish for him not to die from breaking the oath but to continue living. How harsh.

“Thank you, Priest.”

Kale smiled and thanked the priest. The priest, finding his smile and calm voice strange, watched as Kale passed by and left the temple.

Kale got into the carriage, and as it slowly moved, he said to Chaihan,

“By the way, the crazy mage who drinks blood is leading the incident in the capital.”

“...Can I kill him if I see him?”

“Why ask the obvious? Do as you please.”

Whether he kills or doesn’t kill, the mage is a top-tier mage and a specialist in movement, so Chaihan couldn’t kill him whenever they met.

“Yes, I will definitely kill him.”

Seeing Chaihan, who had a kind face but was filled with hatred and obsession, Kale turned his gaze away. It was too intense for him to handle.

And there was one more person Kale found hard to handle.

“Young Master.”

“Ron.”

After arriving at the mansion and intending to rest in his bedroom, the kind-faced assassin Ron found Kale.