Chapter 478 : Astarote (9)

When Seolrang received the admiration of the divine-bloods and gained an unseen enlightenment, far in the distance—

“Oh—”

—a ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍man was watching Seolrang and Alon, who had dealt with the Descender, with admiration.

“Wow~ ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍They really won in the end?”

“Hm~”

Compared ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍to the cheerful-looking man with long purple hair, the woman with a tattoo on the right side of her face stared at Seolrang as though she had no interest whatsoever.

At ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that, one of the Empire’s princes who had silently watched until now—Nataman, no, the 'Black Eye'—smiled so broadly it looked as though the corners of his mouth might split.

“See? I told you. They’d win.”

“For someone so certain, didn’t you come all the way here anyway?”

At the woman’s remark, Black Eye shook his head as though she understood nothing.

“Well, of course. I wanted to see Alon’s growth with my own eyes.”

“At the castle it’s Alon, here it’s Alon, over there it’s Alon. You’re completely obsessed with Alon.”

“Of course I am.”

“Don’t you ever get tired of it?”

“Is that even a question? I only rescued and brought you people here because of Alon in the first place.”

“......Ah, right. You said you wanted to become exactly like Alon.”

“Yeah. Because I want to become exactly like him.”

Watching Black Eye genuinely enjoying himself, the woman made a dumbfounded expression.

She had accepted his proposal even after hearing that goal from the beginning, but no matter how she looked at it, he still seemed insane in more ways than one.

So she looked at Black Eye with a somewhat tired expression, but only for a moment.

The woman casually shifted her gaze toward Alon and Seolrang.

A subtle emotion surfaced in her eyes.

“Hm.”

To be blunt, she could not understand why Black Eye paid such extraordinary attention to them—or rather, to Alon.

Of course, that did not mean Alon and Seolrang were weak.

They were strong.

Among them, the law that Black Eye was so interested in, Alon’s law, was certainly fascinating.

But that was all.

No matter how she thought about it, that alone did not seem sufficient to explain Black Eye’s fixation on Alon.

To begin with, the Black Eye she knew was not the sort of being who would care about something like that.

He—

The woman, who had been thinking that far, forcibly cut off her thoughts.

She had belatedly realized there was no point in pondering it.

She turned her gaze.

Black Eye, still wearing a cheerful smile, entered her sight.

“By the way, isn’t this a little dangerous?”

“Hm? What is?”

“You want that guy to survive until the very end, don’t you?”

“That’s right.”

“But considering that, don’t you think you’re leaving him far too free?”

The woman sincerely thought so.

It was a natural thought.

Alon was strong.

That did not mean his life would always be safe.

After all, far more monsters stronger than him would descend upon this world in the future.

“You think so?”

At the sudden sound of Black Eye’s voice, the woman asked back.

“Huh?”

“I asked if you really think so.”

“.....Well, yes? Honestly, doesn’t it look dangerous?”

Black Eye stared at her for a long moment.

“Mm~ well….yeah, I suppose it makes sense that you wouldn’t know yet, seeing as you were only rescued recently.”

Muttering as though he understood her,

he nodded to himself several times.

Soon, he let out a chuckle and pointed upward with a finger.

“?”

An action whose meaning she could not understand.

Just as a puzzled expression appeared on her face—

“Look up.”

Black Eye spoke with a grin.

“Up?”

The woman looked upward.

What she saw was a mass of black clouds.

Aside from that, in the distant sky, a beastman had split the clouds apart, allowing sunlight to shine through, but that was all.

Nothing unusual caught her eye, so she could only voice her confusion.

“Wouldn’t it be lame if I told you any more than that?”

Black Eye laughed as though he was thoroughly enjoying the situation.

Just as the woman’s confusion deepened further—

“Huh?”

She arrived at a realization.

The pitch-black clouds had been created.

“How?”

It was both admiration for those black clouds and admiration for Black Eye.

Even she, who specialized in analyzing things, had assumed the black clouds were ordinary clouds.

In other words, the created clouds were so perfect that they were virtually indistinguishable from natural ones.

Yet he had seen through their true nature from the very beginning.

The fact that they had been created.

So her admiration lasted only briefly before she began to question the clouds themselves.

The black clouds spread across a vast area.

As though they were covering the entire region.

Yet that was all they seemed to be doing.

After taking a closer look, she realized they possessed no effect whatsoever.

But only for a moment.

“......Huh?”

Frowning as she stared at the black clouds, she unconsciously let out a gasp.

She had realized it.

“Do you understand now?”

Black Eye’s voice reached her ears.

Just as he said.

Only now did she understand.

The black clouds had never possessed any meaning from the start.

They were merely a smokescreen created to hide something.

“..Ha.”

The woman let out a hollow laugh.

What her eyes saw after piercing through the black clouds was not the sky.

Nor was it the blue expanse.

Nor the sunlight.

Above the black clouds—

Wooooooong.

A giant figure was looking down upon the earth.

Emitting green light from its eyes.

From beyond the heavens.

Revealing only the faint outline of an invisible shadow.

Quietly.

And that was not all.

On the opposite side of that giant figure, in a place where darkness should not exist because it was still midday, a red moon hung in the sky.

After confirming even that, the woman stared blankly at the heavens with a horrified expression.

At her reaction, Black Eye giggled in delight before gesturing with his chin toward another direction.

“Amazing, right? In your weakened state, they’re at a level you couldn’t possibly deal with.”

The woman did not answer.

But Black Eye had never expected an answer in the first place.

“But that’s not all.”

He looked into the distance.

Far away, on the side opposite from where Alon and Seolrang stood—

“Look over there. The loyal hound came too, didn’t she?”

Black Eye stared directly at the woman with the pentagram-shaped eyes and smiled with ecstatic delight.

“Ah, as expected, you’re the best, Alon.”

Then, murmuring as though utterly enchanted, he turned around.

“Huh? Where are you going?”

At that, the man who had also been watching the woman with the pentagram-shaped eyes alongside Black Eye finally came to his senses and asked.

“It’s time to go.”

“Just like that?”

“Yeah. We’ve confirmed that Alon is safe.”

“....You tried to act otherwise, but you really did come all this way just to check if Alon was safe.”

“Ah, was I found out? Anyway~”

Black Eye turned his uniquely exhausted gaze toward Alon one last time.

“Let’s go, prisoners.”

With a deep smile, he turned away.

The hem of the black coat he wore—one similar to Alon’s—fluttered once.

Then they disappeared from that place.

As though no one had ever been there from the beginning.

***

In the end, the battle between the subjugation force and Astarote ended in victory for the subjugation force.

Seolrang had defeated the Descender, and Astarote no longer existed because the Descender had devoured it.

Yet despite the victory, none of the divine-bloods felt pure joy.

The losses they had suffered were simply too great.

Even Alon himself could not celebrate so easily.

The reason was simple.

Seolrang, who had defeated the Descender, collapsed immediately afterward.

Alon took care of the unconscious Seolrang and headed straight for the carriage.

“For now, it doesn’t seem to be a major problem.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I’m not qualified to examine her professionally, but after checking her overall condition, while there’s extensive muscle damage and many physical injuries, none of them appear life-threatening.”

She added that the right arm was in serious condition, but Penia had already treated it in advance.

Alon let out a deep sigh and leaned against the carriage.

Then he looked at Seolrang with a somewhat strange expression.

He remembered the look Seolrang had given him just before collapsing.

‘She definitely looked surprised, didn’t she?’

She had stared at Alon with wide-open eyes, as though shocked by something, before falling unconscious.

More precisely—

‘That look was definitely......?’

There had been longing in those eyes.

As Alon was beginning to question it—

“Lord Alon.”

“What is it?”

“Are you alright?”

At Penia’s question, Evan hurriedly added,

“? Did you suffer some injury that we couldn’t see?”

Evan began checking Alon all over in a rush.

At his fussing, Penia sighed and explained.

“That’s not it. I’m talking about his law.”

“......His law?”

“Yes. Even Lord Alon’s law—”

Penia stopped there and glanced at Alon before looking out the window.

What she saw were the divine-bloods slowly making their way here from afar.

Even after erecting several layers of barriers, she was still cautious about information leaking out.

Seeing that, Alon answered.

“It’s fine.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I haven’t suffered any damage. However—”

Alon’s law was simple.

By imposing a ‘restriction,’ he extracted a greater ‘price.’

However, even if he imposed a restriction, that was merely part of Alon’s law.

It was not the actual risk involved in using the law itself.

And the price Alon paid for using that law was the loss of his power.

That was right.

Whenever Alon used his law, he became an ordinary human who lost all power for roughly half a day.

That was the restriction attached to Alon’s law.

Of course, if he applied the law to himself, the benefits gained from the law could offset that restriction.

But when he used it on someone else like this, he entered a temporary state of complete vulnerability.

“It is a little worrying.”

As Alon turned his gaze toward the window, Penia let out a quiet sigh, understanding what he meant.

With Seolrang unconscious and Alon weakened after using his law, if the divine-bloods suddenly caused trouble, there would be no way to stop them.

Of course, many of the surviving divine-bloods belonged to the Star Root.

But that did little to reassure Alon.

Objectively speaking, he had not displayed the level of power they believed he possessed during this battle.

Alon was fully aware that the reason Star Root followed him was based on a misunderstanding.

And he also knew that misunderstanding greatly exaggerated his strength.

But in the current situation?

It would not be an exaggeration to say all of Alon’s cards had been revealed.

He had not shown anything particularly meaningful during this battle.

In other words, there was a real possibility the divine-bloods might start acting out.

After pondering the issue briefly—

“U-Um, Lord Alon? The divine-bloods are gathering here.”

“I’ll go out.”

Hearing that the divine-bloods were approaching the carriage, Alon began considering how to overcome the situation and stepped outside.

As soon as he emerged from the carriage, he saw the gathered divine-bloods.

Not only those from Star Root, but divine-bloods from other factions had gathered as well.

‘Do I have no choice but to use Seolrang?’

For that reason, Alon seriously considered lying and saying, “Seolrang just woke up.”

And at that exact moment—

[Please—accept me into Star Root as well!]

Alon saw a divine-blood suddenly step forward, bow deeply, and speak.

“?”

Caught completely off guard, Alon stared in confusion.

But before he could even process it—

[Please, accept me too!]

[I’ll devote myself completely!]

[I’ll follow the Star Eater to the very end!]

The divine-bloods began bowing one after another before Alon.

And Alon—

“??”

Behind his expressionless face, he could only stand there bewildered.

...This wasn’t how it was supposed to go, was the thought that crossed Alon’s mind.