PRKE 119

CHAPTER 119………………………….

“Hey! Just because I’m blind doesn’t mean I don’t drink!”

“Ah, I wouldn’t do something like that.”

She had been shouting, but she knew the “demon woman” wasn’t using any tricks. Still, her breath remained rough with irritation and wouldn’t calm down.

She had already drunk at least two large cups of alcohol, yet how could her voice be so steady?

No human should be able to do that.

Even Lichia herself felt dizzy.

After gulping down the alcohol—whose aroma she could no longer properly sense—Lichia finally gave up pushing herself further.

Thud!

She slammed the cup down as if throwing it.

“Spit it out. What do you want from me?”

“Pardon?”

“What is it you want from me!”

“You’ll listen?”

“If it’s reasonable, I’ll listen. So please just get lost, okay?”

By the end, her voice had turned almost pleading, as if begging.

Lichia felt a sting of self-loathing, but rationalized that it was better to keep this irritating pest far away.

“The Great Chieftain wants to speak with you, Shaman.”

At last hearing the real purpose, Lichia trembled. The alcohol had intensified her emotions.

“That insane old man. So you were acting on his orders.”

Only now did she realize the truth, and her scalp burned hot. Proof her anger had surged to her head.

“What conversation now? Tell him not to spout nonsense.”

“Can I ask something?”

“I won’t tell you.”

“Wow, you’re so childish.”

After provoking her, the girl calmly asked again.

“What’s your relationship with the Great Chieftain?”

She had said she wouldn’t explain—but curiosity inevitably dragged up fragments of the past.

It was a memory she could call nostalgic, but it belonged to a time long gone.

She answered coldly.

“We have no relationship.”

“You’re not lovers?”

“Lovers, my foot!”

“Oh, I see. Put the cane down—are you trying to smash someone’s head in?”

Thud.

Her swung cane was easily blocked, making Lichia cough awkwardly.

It didn’t even budge—the girl was strong.

Only then did Lichia realize this “demon” was as strong as a warrior.

She slowly lowered her cane. Fortunately, the girl didn’t push further.

Now that she had stopped drinking and stopped trying to smash heads, Lichia’s mind finally cooled.

“So the Great Chieftain sent you to bring me?”

What exactly was the relationship between the Great Chieftain and the Shaman?

I tilted my head as I purified the alcohol building up in my body.

Their reactions—especially the way they both scoffed at the idea of being lovers—were eerily similar.

And so were their complicated expressions.

‘What is this?’

Whether lovers or not, there was clearly something complicated between them.

“So the Great Chieftain sent you to bring me?”

“Yes.”

Because of the cloth covering her eyes, it was difficult to read Lichia’s expression.

“If I tell you the reason, will you stop this nonsense?”

“If I hear it, maybe.”

“Then I won’t tell you.”

“……”

“Promise you won’t bother me anymore.”

After a moment’s thought, I nodded. I needed to understand the situation first anyway.

“Fine.”

Even after my answer, Lichia remained silent for a long time.

Only after a while did she finally speak.

“That old man and I….”

The story was this:

Forty years ago, when she was still young, they had been close friends.

More precisely, friends with romantic feelings tangled in between.

Unlike other shamans who left for the Tower of Shamans upon reaching enlightenment, Lichia had remained in the imperial palace.

And the Great Chieftain had been the main reason.

A person with whom she shared something too precious to speak of.

A young and talented tribal leader, and an inexperienced shaman—carefully, they had grown closer.

Then a war between tribes broke out.

The Great Chieftain was already renowned for his strength since youth, but the opposing tribe was three times larger than his own.

It was not an easy war. He fought fiercely, but the situation worsened.

When Lichia heard he was struggling, she ignored everyone’s objections and left the palace to help him. In that battle, she was caught in a firestorm and lost her sight.

Believing it was his fault, the Great Chieftain suffered deeply and even proposed marriage.

“Oh, so he was quite responsible. Did you accept?”

“Of course not! Do you think I’d accept such a ridiculous proposal? That man had lost his mind!”

But the proposal had wounded her pride.

“And by then, I no longer had any feelings for him.”

The fire that had taken her sight also strengthened her magical power—but it burned away her love as well.

Lichia devoted herself to the Fire God Sala, leaving no room for the Great Chieftain in her heart.

Still, he did not give up.

Eventually, after endless persistence, Lichia struck him on the head with her staff—and only then did his long pursuit end.

Even that wasn’t truly his decision.

It was only because his father, the Chieftain, begged him to uphold the tribe’s future.

“He married a woman from the tribe. My connection with Ruhan ended there. I don’t know why he’s doing this now.”

Her calm tone proved she was telling the truth.

“So if this is why he keeps bothering me, stop it.”

Her voice held no anger or irritation—but a steady finality that allowed no refusal.

“I will not meet Ruhan.”

“……”

“And if you continue to bother me, I’ll go directly to the Fifth Prince.”

Even blindfolded, I could feel her piercing gaze.

I sighed.

With things like this, how was I supposed to persuade her further?

‘So that’s why the Chieftain never told me anything.’

In short, he had chased her obsessively, been rejected harshly, and been cut off.

No wonder I felt embarrassed for pestering her earlier.

“Alright. I won’t bother you anymore. I still have more alcohol I brought, though.”

“If you drink more, you’ll die!”

She shouted, and I chuckled.

“I’ll just leave it as a gift. The taste was good, right?”

“……Yes. It wasn’t bad. Honestly, it was quite good. I’ve received many fine liquors, but this was the best.”

“I’m glad.”

Now, what should I tell the Chieftain?

Convincing Lichia had likely been both a personal request and a test for him.

Now another approach was needed.

‘Well, a shame, but it can’t be helped.’

I let go of expectations and handed her fresh, cold water from the well.

She took a sip and laughed softly.

But then—

“You’re not a bad person for a cursed human.”

The world seemed to shift in an instant because of that one phrase.

‘Cursed human?’

I slowly raised my eyes.

“Be grateful I didn’t smash your head long ago if you weren’t a sacred object. The Fifth Prince is impressive indeed—bringing in a sacred priest from the kingdom… there must be something to him.”

Every muttered word pierced clearly into my ears.

Slowly, I stood up.

Lichia frowned.

“What now?”

“……”

“Something feels different.”

I grabbed her neck.

“Ghk!”

Ignoring her struggling, I tightened my grip. The wrinkled, weathered skin of age pressed under my palm.

“Shaman. What did you just say?”

“Cough! W-what are you talking about!”

I looked down at her as if trapped in an ice cavern.

Cursed human.

I swear I had only ever heard that phrase from Leo and Tyrin.

And “sacred object” too.

A thought surfaced immediately—Tyrin’s mention of the traitor.

Not only the Water Tribe that directly betrayed the spirits…

But also the Fire Tribe, who once shared abundance from rivers and lakes.

The hidden betrayers among those who once called themselves guardians.

Then pain struck my shoulder. Lichia had hit me with her staff.

But my strength was not something an old woman could overcome.

Crunch.

My fingers bent. My grip locked onto her throat.

She struck again, but I didn’t let go.

Pain like this was nothing compared to a thousand years ago.

Screams of my fallen kin echoed in my ears.

Tyrin was shouting—urging me to punish her.

I closed my eyes, then opened them.

“You.”

My restrained anger slipped out.

“What do you know?”

If she was a traitor, I couldn’t let her go.

‘I’ll kill her here.’

Just as I prepared to tighten my grip—

“J-just… let me hear why you’re doing this…”

Lichia, struggling to breathe, forced out words.

Even as she suffered, I felt no pity.

This was part of my reason for coming to the desert—to eliminate any potential traitors.

Tyrin would laugh at pity for them.

“Why did you call me a cursed human?”

“Because….”

Her hesitant voice.

I tightened my grip again.

She clawed at my hand.

“Before I break your head…!”

“You’ll lose your breath before that.”

I murmured coldly.

“Speak. Or you die.”

She would die anyway if she were a traitor.

“Cough… cough… because… you are… born… a criminal…”

She wheezed through a strangled voice.

“Ungrateful… woman. I thought you… would be useful to this country…”

I looked down at her as she muttered “demon” again and again.

Then I raised my eyebrows slightly.

“Why do you say I’m wrong from birth?”