Translator: yun

Hernan quickly explained how he managed to save me in the Crown Princes Palace. Castor had made that oath under his gods name so he could never break it.

He never mentioned what the price of breaking it was. I suddenly recalled something. Didnt Hernan say that he couldnt tell me what happened because it was a secret? Because of his gag order? Sure enough, while he talked, a dark red light started blooming from his neck in the dark. The blurry lights were shaped like thorns. The thorn tree glowed ominously in gold, making him look like a pained sinner.

Wh-Why are you doing this.

He grabbed my trembling hands.

Listen to me carefully. We dont have time. You dont have to endure those hellish times anymore.

Hernan.

Ive told you this before but though I may have given him my loyalty, for you, Im willing to give my life.

On the first day I met him, he had smiled affectionately at me before helping to tuck my cascading hair behind my shoulders.

I think its time to keep that promise.

Without realising it, I reached out for his hand. I didnt know what he was planning on doing but I knew instinctively that he was going to be making a difficult decision. Even if I didnt want to know what he was going to do, he was forcing me to realise it. Wasnt he scared? I shook my head. With half his body already morphed into a beasts, he smiled as if he was happy enough just holding my hand.

Just then, the dark red light began bursting from the shadows around his neck. The gag order. Dark red blood began pouring out of him as flowers of red blossoming on his white clothes. He became drenched in blood.

I promised you that I will protect you with my life was what he let out without hesitation as he gasped for breath due to the gag spell.

What Im trying to do from now will not bring you any harm so you dont need to be afraid. My oath with him will protect you from the threat that is Castor.

He spoke as if he was about to cry before hesitating. My eyes widened. The streaks of tears across his cheeks made him look even more vulnerable like a rowboat wading dangerously in the open sea.

I believe everything youve said and I worship you as much as the sacred texts. Im sorry I couldnt prevent your deaths. It might sound like an excuse but I really didnt know anything. I hate myself for being so foolish but all I can do now is regret my past actions. Even back when you never knew me, I had only been looking at you. You might think Im being selfish for still liking you even though I dont remember anything. You might think thats harsh.

While sounding both tortured and happy, Hernan laughed.

Im just glad that you remembered me again. You might hate me for being like this but I like it more when you look straight at me than when youve lost your memories. I wanted to spend more time with you and I enjoyed every time you looked at me. Someday, I want to keep my promise and see you smile. And I

He sighed before speaking in a daze.

I didnt think this was love.

He lowered his back.

I believed that it couldnt have been love.

While looking like a half-beast, the man smiled calmly.

But youve already taken over me and taken my everything.

Not knowing what to do with all the blood gushing out of him, I stared blankly at him as I wrapped my hand around his cheek.

I love you, princess.

I pressed my lips together as I noticed something that looked like a complicated spell being drawn below our feet. The words were written in the ancient language and the only word I recognised was [Contract].

With his whispers and his glowing white hair that was fluttering wildly under the moonlight, Hernan smiled.

So, for the rest of your life, please forget about my love.

13.5 Hernandez Durgel

A man walked along a dark alley. While he might have been staggering at first, he gradually managed to start walking properly. His wound was healing. When he took a glance down, he noticed how half of his ruined arm was now regenerating. His frighteningly fast healing properties was one of the abilities he gained from the beast.

Gradually, the white fur began receding from his arms as pale skin took their place. From a beasts, his arm morphed back to a humans. He clenched and released his fist. He had no problems moving his hand. Then, he turned his head. In his arms was a girl who had fallen asleep in his embrace a little while ago.

When he noticed the girl moaning in her sleep, he hugged her tighter. She was small. And she was warm. She was too slender to endure the harsh winds.

Princess.

Hernan looked up. For a while now, he could feel stares pricking his skin. Sure enough, he spotted Ray not too far away. His dark navy hair and his navy eyes that looked almost black. He had sensed Rays footsteps a few minutes ago but he pretended not to sense his presence. He wanted to be with the girl a little longer. Since this would be the last time.

Ray Aquita.

He handed the girl to her knight before he slowly spoke. Hernans soft monotonous voice made it sound like he was about to cry.

Please take good care of the princess.

At his unusually gloomy tone, the man glanced at Hernan before calmly speaking.

You dont have to tell me that.

It was faint but he could sense Ray Aquita holding back his boiling anger.

Because thats my duty.

Hernan smirked. Now, Ray Aquita had something he wanted to know and Hernan had to answer him. Ray turned his back around before harping on the same string.

The next time we see each other, well be enemies.

Youre saying that as if we werent before.

Hernan laughed again at Rays wariness.

If you still consider me as someone who had once been your friend, you should stab me without any hesitation.

Hernan paused mid-chatter which caused Ray to stop in his tracks as well. But he never turned his back to face him.

No, itll be better if you just try to kill me with all your might now. Because I wont be myself anymore after this.

Ray seemed to have a lot to say. However, Hernans parted lips couldnt form any words as the other man continued to grow further away. His silence as he walked away seemed to be his answer to Hernan.

Seriously

Hernan burst into laughter. Ray had always been so straightforward.

He was the only man left standing in an alley as silent as death which even Ray managed to escape. Hernans hometown. The silence reminded him a lot of the end of the City of Beasts. Now that everyone had left for the festival, this area was like the deserted ruins. At least, that was the case for Hernan.

Hernan lowered his head at the dim memories pouring into his mind. Before he knew it, Hernan was standing in his hometown again. His memories were spilling into the deserted city, a city where everyone had been killed and ruined. As he travelled along the river, Hernan leaned back, tilted his head and closed his eyes. He didnt want to see the moon in the sky because now, his world had no moon.

Princess. No, my [Companion].

He was going to be saying goodbye to himself today.

Round and round his head spun as he recalled the very first memory he had after the birth of his world.

***

The City of Beasts, Brutum. (1)

Even though it wasnt very far from the capital, it was a barren city. All that was left was devastated lands, huge rocky cliffs and barren forests, deterring many people from living there. However, the lack of people and the large amount of land was perfect for the Templars of Beasts. Because they tend to break the things around them when their instincts take over.

Back in ancient times, the Lord of the Gods cherished a huge beast so much they brought it to the heavens with them. They then made the demigod the God of Beasts. A demigod was a being that was half god and half mortal. Perhaps it was because of that fact, the powers that its templars inherit from the God of the Beasts was unstable.

Because their powers were so unstable, the god relied on the existence of a [Companion] to act as a stabiliser for the templars to equalise their human and beast identities. The god made it so that the templars could live as a full human being with their [Companions] in stability.

It had definitely been like that at first but the purpose of their [Companions] gradually deteriorated.

Hernan von Durgel Develo had been born as the son of a duke who was also a Templar of Beasts. His father, Yusnan, was the Head Templar of the Temple of Beasts and his mother, Chrisha, was Yusnans [Companion]. As a child born between a Templar of Beasts and his [Companion], he had beast-like qualities. And because of that, he became the Templar of Beasts.

As his title suggested, he was born as a beast. He was born with the instincts to destroy and slaughter, along with power several times that of ordinary humans. That was why he could never overcome his instincts and caused all sorts of incidents, big and small. That was why he was imprisoned in the same land he was born in.

In the dark cellar, a faint beam of light leaked through the ajar door. The light gradually spilled into the space before gushing out of the wide open door. The man who sauntered in paused in front of the bars. At the sound of a key clicking into the lock, the gate in the middle of the bars swung open.

Yusnan thought that the best way to deal with Templars of Beasts was to treat them like wandering dogs. The children of beasts needed to be isolated because they were born with primitivity and explosive instincts they couldnt control. The way he and his ancestors chose to deal with these beasts that could not speak like humans and only desired for food was to give some discipline and the rest was dealt with physical punishments.

Slap.

Didnt I say to not eat with your hand?

He thought this had been the best way since that was the same way he was raised. Being the Head Templar of the Temple of Beasts and the duke, he educated his son, the young beast strictly.

Not every Templar of Beasts needed to be raised with such harsh punishments. Yusnan was not unusually harsh for no reason. He had no choice but to do so to curb Hernans instincts. Even as a child, Hernan was so powerful that he could overwhelm even Yusnan and that was Hernans misfortune.

Come out.

And after several years of such an education, Hernan became fit for society. Now, Yusnan was planning on letting Hernan out of the cellar. Of course, this was only going to be a short outing. But this was the very first time Hernan had ever witnessed the outside world. He walked under the dazzlingly bright sunlight and met countless people.

This boy is the candidate for the Head Templar position.

The Templars of Beasts greeted their young successor warmly. Since the Templars of Beasts did not know when they would die because of their instincts, their bond to one another was special. It might also be because their temples had been boasting such small numbers of templars ever since the birth of the Empire. They greeted the young beasts who appeared in the barren city with a smile.

Flowers will bloom on the day your [Companion] is born.

What are flowers?

Youll find out when the day comes.

The much older Senior Templar told him. He had told the young Hernan amazing things.

Whether it be flowers or stars, Hernan had never seen either before. In the barren land of beasts, flowers were nonexistent and at night, he was stuck in a cellar without windows so he never got to see any stars. But he thought it would look as amazing as the sunlight he was seeing now.

Once Hernan was free to walk outside, his mother begged the Head Templar.

Honey, please bring Hernan to a room with windows. Hes still just a child. Please?

Because of his mother, Hernan was moved to a slightly bigger room on probation as his mother had always felt sorry for her son who was living in the basement. He was still living in the basement but there was now a small window. He could see the sky through the bars. And that night. Hernan witnessed a night sky for the first time. As he stared at the round silver sphere, he asked his mother what it was.

Thats the moon. Isnt it beautiful?

Stars filled the black drapes over their heads. This was the night. Those were stars.

If you make a wish on a night with falling stars, the God of Stars will grant your wish.

Her mother, Chrisha, was a woman who had the qualities of a templar but could never become a templar. Because the god she believed in didnt accept women as templars.

That was until she was discovered by Yusnan and sold to him as his [Companion]. That was how she got married here.

However, it was not the fated romantic relationship that the public knew them for. She loved her son but she couldnt bring herself to love her husband. Perhaps it was because of her distant husband, she said those words to Hernan.

I dont want you to live as a templar.

Even if you find your [Companion] one day, I dont want you to think that its love. All that person does is suppress your instincts and will not arouse any emotions in you. Ultimately, love means nothing.

Once Hernan learned to suppress his instincts by himself, the day did not take long to come.

T/N:

(1): I dont remember what I named this before but I remember it being something ridiculous HAHA but this is the final name for it.