The Saint Wants to Rest - vanish into fiction

“Why the swearing? It’s not like you.”

Hong Seo-yun gave Yoon Tae-gyeom a light nudge. With the two of them jumping in, the atmosphere lightened considerably, but Choi Jae-heon remained filled with rage.

“My, my.”

Vermouth curved his eyes into circles as he looked at the three men standing by Ian’s side. He disliked the very idea of anyone else being attached to his Saint. For that reason, he had often made excuses that it was inconvenient to travel in large groups so they could be alone together.

Let’s see. One said he was family, so what were the other two? While casually cleaving through monsters, he soon arrived within reach of the Giant. The Giant looked down and let out a roar.

“Kuaaaaaaaakh!”

At the massive sound, several people covered their ears and collapsed on the spot. On the other hand, there were those whose motivation only burned brighter. Humans are weak yet strong. Vermouth did not dislike such humans. If he had hated humanity, he would not have responded to the Goddess’s call and become a Holy Knight.

Vermouth’s sword began to glow with a white heat. That light gradually increased in size until it became longer than the height of an adult man. If someone from Lancia had seen this, their eyes would have widened in shock. Simply shrouding a sword in holy power was impressive, but Vermouth had leapt far beyond that level.

As he swung the holy power shaped like a blade toward the Giant’s neck, the Giant quickly covered its neck and head with its hands. However, if he couldn’t even pierce through that, he would have to return his title as the Giant Slayer.

Slicing through the tough hide and hard bone, the holy power reached the Giant’s neck. He didn’t manage to cut it all the way through in one go, but because it had bitten halfway in, blood began to drip steadily from the wound.

The Giant let out another cry, but only the sound of leaking wind could be heard.

“A—aakh!”

The falling blood poured over the monsters on the ground. Some of it even splashed onto the Awakened who were killing the monsters. The Giant struggled, trying to push its body back inside the dungeon, but it didn’t seem easy.

The Giant roared silently. It was rage, it was someone’s name, and it was a curse. However, the person who was the target of it remained composed. He watched the Giant dying and nonchalantly sheathed his sword.

Among the monsters that had been rushing in like madmen, some tried to turn and flee the moment the Giant was struck down. But there was nowhere to run.

Before long, the Giant went completely limp. Then, as if something were pulling it, it was slowly dragged back into the Gate. Afterward, the Gate stopped spitting out monsters, grew smaller and smaller, and then vanished.

“Gate cleared!”

The numerical values measuring the Gate’s energy also returned to stability.

“Wooooooo!”

Laughter spread through the vigorous cheering. It was a Gate that had been predicted to be dangerous, but there was a bizarre lack of casualties. And everyone knew exactly who to thank for that.

Vermouth.

Naturally, gazes of respect poured toward him, but the man himself had no interest in them. He turned around and headed straight for Ian. As Vermouth drew closer, Choi Jae-heon’s nerves stood sharply on edge.

“Saint.”

Vermouth smiled and called out to Ian.

“Don’t call me Saint here.”

Ian let out a tired sigh and brushed his hair back.

“Yes, Mr. Ian.”

Answering obediently, Vermouth knelt on one knee before Ian. He bowed his head politely, placing his right hand over his chest and his left hand on the ground.

“I have killed the Giant as you wished.”

“Mmh. Right.”

When they were in Lancia, there was a procedure they always went through after a battle. It was to restore the consumed power. Sometimes it was a light kiss, and at other times, it was acts that went further than that. But he couldn’t do that in front of his brother.

Ian awkwardly patted Vermouth on the shoulder.

“Good job.”

“Mr. Ian?”

“I said, good job.”

He absolutely could not show his brother such a sight. Vermouth tilted his head as if puzzled. It was as if he were asking if this was really all. Ian grit his teeth and ignored him.

“Hyung.”

Ian quickly stuck to Choi Jae-heon’s side and linked arms with him. Since they were young, whenever it seemed like Choi Jae-heon was about to get angry, Ian would act spoiled like this. Then, Choi Jae-heon would always let go of his anger and smile. It was the same now.

Choi Jae-heon let out a small smile even though his anger hadn’t fully dissipated. And Vermouth was watching that scene with an expressionless face.