All the knights who had ingested the seed were confined within the Holy City. The seeds once stored in the annex had been retrieved long ago. Consequently, the abrupt manifestation of the seed’s energy outside the sanctuary was deeply perplexing.
The Fourth King is outside the Holy City… Sang-je mused for a moment before a memory surfaced. Several months prior, a single seed had been purloined, and despite exhaustive efforts, it remained unrecovered.
At the time, they had intensified scrutiny, meticulously examining every oil merchant, but their endeavors were fruitless. Since then, the seed’s energy had not been detected again, and the matter had faded into obscurity amidst more pressing concerns.
Now, a chilling realization dawned upon him. Jin. You took it, didn’t you? Sang-je’s expression contorted with anger. After all the clemency I extended, you betray me like this?
Sang-je’s ire soon transformed into apprehension. If the seed had fallen into the King’s possession, the situation was dire.
The seeds were never intended to be accessible. In the past, they were guarded with far stricter protocols, but over time, as incidents involving the annex-stored seeds ceased, vigilance had waned.
Aside from Anika, only knights and priests had access to the annex, and those who dared to defile the seeds without authorization were few. Occasional thefts driven by curiosity were swiftly addressed. Yet now, regret was futile.
Why? What did Jin know that compelled her to take the seed? Sang-je pondered aloud. Did she already possess knowledge of the seed’s nature back then? If so, the only conceivable source of information was Mara. This implied that Jin had cultivated a close relationship with Mara prior to her arrival in the city.
I should not have wed Jin to the Fourth King. A wave of regret washed over him as he reflected on the past. It seemed that the unraveling of events had originated from that fateful decision.
If the Fourth King possesses the seed, what are his intentions? How much does he know? Sang-je began to reassess the plan to evacuate the Holy City. Perhaps it would be more prudent to remain within the city and allow time to pass. After all, the Kings were incapable of entering.
A sudden shout from outside startled Sang-je, causing him to hastily close his eyes. Ignoring the protocol of seeking permission, a knight burst into the audience chamber.
“What is the cause of this commotion?” Sang-je demanded.
“Your Holiness, a swarm of larks is advancing towards the Holy City!” the knight reported breathlessly. Initially, while on duty atop the city walls, he had mistaken the approaching mass for a herd of wild animals. The buffer zone, typically devoid of larks, was inhabited by a variety of herbivores. Occasionally, they would witness migratory herds of water buffalo or wild horses.
At first, the spectacle did not arouse suspicion, but as the colossal horde drew nearer to the city, a sense of unease began to permeate the knight. Despite the indistinct forms of the creatures, their sheer numbers were undeniably overwhelming.
From that moment onward, the knight remained transfixed. As the creatures approached within discernible range, he heard a fellow soldier murmur, “Oh, my God.” The knight felt an identical surge of disbelief.
They were not water buffalo or wild horses. Instead, they were monstrous creatures, or perhaps insects, of a size far exceeding any natural beast. A mass of black, adorned with glowing red eyes, surged forward—creatures that defied the laws of nature. The knight, a lifelong resident of the Holy City, had never encountered a lark, yet he instinctively recognized their true form. Without hesitation, he abandoned his post atop the wall and raced towards the palace.
As the terrified knight recounted his ordeal, Sang-je furrowed his brow. “Larks? You claim that larks have appeared in the buffer zone and are visible to the naked eye? Moreover, it is still the dry season?”
“Yes, Your Holiness. I witnessed them with my own eyes, and I was not alone! Their number was incalculable.”
Sang-je secretly questioned the knight’s sanity, wondering if he had succumbed to a dreamlike state. Such a scenario was inconceivable. Larks were the ultimate embodiment of survival of the fittest. There was no conceivable reason for these creatures to invade the territory of the most powerful lark in existence—himself. It would be akin to offering themselves as prey to their predator.
“Your Holiness!” Another individual burst into the chamber.
“Your Holiness, larks have been sighted. They are swarming towards the Holy City!” The intruder was followed by a wave of knights and soldiers, each having been on patrol along the city walls. All had independently observed the larks and rushed to report their findings. This implied that larks were advancing from all directions, encircling the Holy City.
Initially, they spoke in turns, but soon their voices merged into a chaotic cacophony.
“Calm yourselves,” Sang-je commanded, silencing the uproar. Despite the absurdity of the situation, the multitude of reports left no room for doubt.
“Have you all forgotten your location? This is the Holy City. The divine fortress will shield you from harm,” he asserted, offering reassurance. The crowd nodded in agreement, their earlier panic subsiding as they felt a renewed sense of security. Then, a voice broke the silence.
“Your Holiness, could this be the prophesied chaos unleashed by the forces of evil?”
Exclamations erupted from the assembly.
“Ah, the prophecy is being fulfilled. Without Your Holiness, the Holy City would have been overrun by demons.”
“The mere thought is terrifying.”
Sang-je maintained a facade of agreement while inwardly experiencing profound unease. A holy war? The resurgence of evil? These were mere fabrications to justify the isolation of the Holy City. Gods and demons were nonexistent in this world. If such entities truly existed, he could not have maintained the position of God’s representative for such an extended period.
‘I must dismiss these foolish individuals to focus on unraveling the truth,’ he thought.
“Return to your posts and continue monitoring the situation outside the Holy City. Report to me at regular intervals,” he ordered.
“Yes, Your Holiness,” the now composed crowd responded in unison.
