Chapter 29
When the answer was delayed, Kakantir glanced back at Ian. Ian lowered his head slightly and replied.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Was the question because they were a tribe that worshipped the sky? Or did Kakantir already know that another Ian dwelled within him? Winchen licked his lips thoughtfully, as if savoring Ian’s concise response.
“So, you truly are born of Derga Bratz’s blood?”
“Absolutely.”
“Does your very existence mean peace?”
“I swear, peace is the sole reason I exist.”
A faint smile curved Winchen’s lips. Kakantir nodded and silently signaled to his attendants, who gently laid Winchen back down on his bedding.
“Then we shall take our leave.”
“Rest well, chief. The desert storms have been fierce lately. The sky grows hotter by the day.”
Only the old man’s weak murmurs lingered in the tent. As Ian stepped outside, the tense, stiffened Cheollyeo clan members watched Kakantir’s expression closely.
“Give the tent to Ian Bratz and his party.”
It was a roundabout way of announcing that Ian was indeed a child of the Bratz family. It also meant that the arduous peace negotiations were officially concluded.
Suga sighed in relief and called Ian over.
“Ian. This way.”
“What about me? Am I staying in the same tent?”
“Why would you get your own room? You’re not some precious guest.”
Suga snapped, and Beric whispered to Ian.
“He’s way too narrow-minded for a warrior. I don’t get why he’s only like that with me. Come to think of it, weren’t you the one who started the mockery that day?”
“Well, Beric, you were the one who threw the first punch.”
“Oh? Trying to back out now?”
The tent assigned to Ian was better than expected. Not exactly luxurious, but there was no sense of disdain as if he were some sacrificial offering from an enemy nation.
‘That’s strange. Didn’t they say the relationship turned icy after Derga’s older brother crossed the border and died?’
Of course, the current Kakantir was a different leader from the one back then. Given how quickly leadership changed, that person might have been a figure from long ago.
If so, shouldn’t their perceptions and relationships have evolved? They weren’t as ruthless as Ian had heard from the Bratz mansion.
‘Cold, but not heartless. Free, but not barbaric.’
That was Ian’s assessment. Beric unpacked their sand-covered gear and asked,
“So, what’s the plan now?”
“First, I need to wash up.”
“Besides that. You’re not planning to live here forever, right?”
True enough.
But for Ian to return to Bariel, the Molin had to lead the inspectors to the center and behead Derga first.
By now, they were probably just arriving at the center. It would take about two weeks to a month to descend and carry out the operation.
“Think of it as a trip. This place is full of people you can’t beat. Even if you fought one a day, a year would fly by.”
“A year? You’re kidding.”
“Just joking. Two weeks, maybe a month at most.”
Beric spat curses with his eyes and flopped onto the bed. A wandering life was fine as long as there was a bed, but the desert heat was unbearable.
“Ian.”
Shhhk—
Suga entered, folding back the tent flap. She laid out some clothes and simple food, scanning the room to see if anything was missing.
“Eat first. Everyone’s busy shaking off their fatigue. There’ll be a return ceremony after sunset, so I’ll come get you again. Oh, and—”
She hesitated as she was about to leave, then turned back.
“Jangyaroong said the storm was really fierce. The biggest and most threatening he’s ever seen. Since he broke through it barehanded, nothing was blown away, but if your group had met it, it would have been trouble.”
“I see.”
Was she trying to say thank you? Ian smiled and gave credit to Kakantir.
“The chief’s judgment was truly wise.”
Suga’s face brightened at the praise for their leader, then she slipped out of the tent. Beric, watching her leave, muttered irritably.
“…He really is only like that with me.”
“Feeling hurt?”
“Enough already!”
Beric waved his hands and collapsed onto the bed. Covered in sand, he immediately fell into a deep sleep after days spent exposed to the wind. Ian, after some thought, also drifted off without realizing it.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The sound of drums woke Ian.
Outside, it was dark. Night had fallen. The only light in the room came from the milky glow of the Milky Way. Just as Ian reached to shake Beric awake, Suga entered again.
“Ian? Beric?”
“Mm…”
“Come on, get up. Everyone’s waiting.”
Still groggy as if half in a dream, Ian and Beric staggered after Suga. Inside the camp stood a white building. When Suga opened the door, an unbelievable sight greeted them.
“Ahahaha!”
“One more time! Hey, don’t quit so soon!”
“I told you before, right? I was right!”
The Cheollyeo people, adorned with red pigments and gold, danced and celebrated. Mountains of meat and alcohol were piled between them. The air was thick with smoke, probably from burning incense.
Dancers brushed past laughing, and the musicians played faster and faster.
“Wow.”
Ian had never seen or heard of a feast like this. Under the orange lantern light, everything seemed free and unrestrained. Beric rubbed his cheeks as if fully awake now.
“Ian. Beric.”
Kakantir, seated at the head of the gathering, called them over. A dry leaf was clenched between his lips, burning like a torch beneath the firelight.
‘That’s gulut leaf.’
Realizing this, Ian took a deep breath. The scent was very similar to what he’d smelled in Winchen’s tent. It wasn’t cinnamon after all, but gulut leaf.
“Ah. Why do I feel like this?”
“How so?”
“…I just want to beat the hell out of everyone.”
“Keep your mouth shut.”
They whispered as they approached Kakantir. Nearby, Nersarn and other high-ranking tribe members enjoyed the revelry.
“Have you shaken off your fatigue?”
“Thanks to the chief’s kindness, yes.”
“Good. Sit down then.”
Ian felt all eyes on him. But only briefly. The crowd soon returned to their laughter and indulgence. Kakantir poured wine into Ian’s cup.
“By any chance, does anyone in the Bratz family, including the count, know about the map you gave?”
“No. The teacher secretly handed it to me. He left Bratz immediately and headed to Blaster through the northern country.”
Kakantir smiled with satisfaction and, with a very friendly gesture, offered Ian some meat. It seemed his subordinates had reported on the storm.
“Everything you have was given by Bratz for the Cheollyeo. May I use this map for the tribe’s benefit as well?”
“Please do.”
When Ian returned to Bratz, the Cheollyeo would accompany him. After that, there’d be no need to cross the great desert, so the map wouldn’t be much help. It was better to give up a small thing and play the bigger game.
“Count Derga raised at least one son well.”
“His father would be truly pleased to hear that.”
The conversation stopped as the music grew louder. While pondering the gulut leaf, Ian sensed a strange gaze.
‘Hmm?’
A man sitting second farthest from Nersarn was staring intently at Ian. When their eyes met, the man curled his lips slightly, sending some kind of signal.
“Suga, who is that?”
When the crowd briefly distracted, Ian nodded toward the man and asked. Suga sipped her wine and answered.
“Bumat? He’s family to Nersarn. Cousin to the second stepmother. He’s the chief of food supply management.”
Ian didn’t fully understand, but apparently, by their standards, they were family. Judging by his seat near the head, he held a high position. But why did he keep staring at Ian?
‘Unsettling.’
Ian deliberately shook off the gaze and asked Suga, trying to sound as innocent as possible, as if only curious.
“So, everyone’s chewing gulut leaf?”
Suga nodded. Ian was about to ask if he could try smelling it too, but Kakantir cut the conversation short, holding out his cup.
“Ian, there are a few rules you must follow to stay safe here.”
“Please tell me.”
“One of them is to show no interest whatsoever in the gulut leaf. No questions allowed. The smoke is unavoidable in daily life, but anything beyond that is forbidden.”
That meant there was a big difference between inhaling the smoke and actually chewing the leaf.
The once fiery atmosphere of the feast cooled slightly. Hearing Kakantir’s words, the people around them instinctively raised their guard.
“I will remember.”
Ian nodded in response. Beric, meanwhile, was too busy stuffing meat into his mouth to care about anything else.
“Then enjoy yourselves. To our safe return.”
“Yes, Chief Kakantir.”
Right. This was a return ceremony—not a welcome for outsiders. Ian roughly grasped the overall mood and prepared to wrap things up.
But then…
“Chief!”
One of the clan members hurried over and whispered something into Kakantir’s ear. Without hesitation, he set down what he was eating and gave Nersarn a subtle nod. The revelers were so drunk they didn’t even notice their leaders slipping away.
“What’s going on?” Su murmured, staring quietly at the floor.
“Looks like Chief Winchen had another seizure. I think the healer just followed him out,” someone replied.
“Really? His condition must be getting worse.”
“The chief wanted to keep it from everyone else, so he’s handling it quietly.”
“Is there no cure?”
Su gave a faint smile and shrugged. Everything was in the hands of the gods—even the healers couldn’t change fate. All they could hope for was that Winchen wouldn’t suffer too much.
“Berik, we should be going too.”
“Huh? Why? I still want to eat more…”
“Come on.”
If something happened to Winchen, it would be less awkward if they weren’t around. The capital wouldn’t be able to look after them then. You have to know when to enjoy yourself and when to step back. After all, they weren’t the hosts here. This was enough.
Crackling flames.
And that judgment proved to be right.
At dawn, Ian’s eyes snapped open to the ruckus outside. It felt like a war had broken out.
“Winchen’s completely unconscious?”
“Yeah… oh no. What are we going to do?”
“What about the chief? What’s his plan?”
“He said he’ll send for someone else. The illness is too advanced now; there’s no other choice.”
Send for someone? Ian guessed they were trying to do something to cure Winchen’s sickness. He leaned back against the window and closed his eyes. On the edge of sleep, his mind drifted hazily.
“They’re looking for Silask, right?”
“The others who went before haven’t come back yet…”
“Is there such a thing as a flower that blooms forever? I doubt it even exists.”
At that moment, Ian’s eyes snapped open.
What did they just say? A flower that blooms forever? Silask?
—That must be the potted plant I bought at the park.
—It’s a strange flower. It stays in full bloom for a long time.
—Do the people at the mansion not know what it is?
—No, everyone says it’s a plant they’ve never seen before. We were worried it might be poisonous, but thankfully it’s not.
Ian recalled the conversation he’d overheard at the mansion after the gathering. He took out the carefully wrapped pot from the box and tore off the paper. The red flower had never wilted since he got it at the park.
“…Huh?”
No way. It can’t be.
He gently set the pot down on the floor. And instinctively, he understood why he had been reborn as Ian, the illegitimate son. Everything was unfolding according to the gods’ plan.