Future Knight

Chapter 110

“I know the reason too.”

“W-what?”

“Why are you saying that… like you’re confessing your love?”

“You knew why I came here?”

“Yeah, I knew from the moment I first saw you.”

“H-how?”

“Anyone could tell just by seeing how extremely cautious you were of me back then. They’d think, ‘This guy has something shady going on.'”

“Shady?”

“Yeah, you were shady.”

At Zikyon’s words, Kang Chan really looked as if he was about to cry like a child who had wet their pants.

“Then why did you want to be friends with someone like me, who is so shady?”

Zikyon paused for a moment before answering. Seeing her hesitate, Kang Chan felt a bit hurt. It seemed like she was looking for an excuse.

However, her answer made him feel ashamed for thinking that way.

“What does being shady have to do with being friends?”

“That’s…”

“It doesn’t matter what your past was like. What matters is if you’re sincere now. Have you ever treated me with a lie while being with me? Were you just using me because I’m a dragon?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Yeah, I know that very well. That’s why I’ve been with you until now. You’ve treated me without any ulterior motives.”

“…”

Kang Chan felt sincerely grateful for Zikyon’s words.

But then, Zikyon narrowed her eyes and glared at Kang Chan as she spoke.

“But you know, recently I’ve noticed some ulterior motives in your eyes.”

“What?”

“I said, I’ve seen ulterior motives in your eyes.”

“No! Absolutely not! I will never go back to them!”

Startled by Kang Chan’s sudden outburst, Zikyon stuttered with wide eyes.

“N-no, I said that because you’ve been glancing at my body here and there recently. Why are you suddenly talking nonsense?”

“What nonsense are you talking about? When did I ever look at you like that? Don’t falsely accuse me.”

“No, since the topic came up, I’m saying it. You’ve been sneaking peeks at my chest and legs lately!”

“Hey, why would I look at you?”

The truth was that Kang Chan had indeed been frequently sneaking glances at Zikyon recently. He was hesitating about whether or not to tell her his story.

However, Zikyon had interpreted his behavior differently.

She thought his hesitant glances meant he was seeing her as a woman and showing interest in her.

As a result, Kang Chan’s strong denial only hurt her pride.

“Oh really? Fine, let’s settle this here today! Did you look or not?”

“Look at what? Even if you begged me to, I wouldn’t look at you!”

“Is that so?”

In an instant, Zikyon took off her top.

“Gasp!”

Kang Chan was so shocked by Zikyon’s sudden action that he quickly turned his gaze away.

“What-what are you doing?”

“You said you wouldn’t look even if I asked. Then why are you avoiding my gaze?”

“Hey! Just because I said that, doesn’t mean you should start taking off your clothes!”

“Why? You’ve seen it once before.”

“W-when did I ever see you like that?”

“Why? The day we first met, I showed you.”

When Zikyon, who was a man, transformed into a woman, she had shown Kang Chan her naked form.

Of course, Kang Chan still remembered that moment vividly but denied it vehemently.

“I don’t remember anything like that! Put your clothes on!”

Kang Chan’s face, turned away, was flushed red all the way to his neck.

“Well, that was then… Have you been sneaking looks at my body or not?”

“How many times do I have to say no?”

“Then we’re back to square one.”

“Back to square one? What do you mean?”

“I’ll stay like this until you tell the truth.”

“Stop it, Zikyon. I’m getting angry.”

“Why? You said you have no interest in my body, that you can’t stand to look at it. So why are you turning your head away? Why can’t you look at me confidently?”

“T-that’s…”

As Kang Chan stuttered without an answer, the impatient Zikyon shouted in frustration.

“Damn it! You’re so frustrating! Did you look or not? If you don’t say it, I’ll take off my skirt too!”

The threat of her taking off her skirt shocked Kang Chan into confessing the truth.

“Yeah, I looked! Whenever I got a chance, I stole glances sneakily! Are you satisfied now?”

Zikyon couldn’t help but burst into laughter at Kang Chan’s anguished shout. His expression of frustration was just too funny, a look that was rare to see.

“Puhahahaha! Oh my gosh, I’m dying here! My stomach hurts!”

If someone else had seen her laughing her head off with her shirt off in front of a man, they would surely think she was a madwoman and point fingers at her.

“Hey! Stop laughing and put your clothes back on!”

“Alright, alright. Oh, my stomach…”

Seeing Kang Chan so flustered over her taking off her clothes, Zikyon couldn’t understand why he was such a novice with women.

“You’re really the best. So entertaining!”

Zikyon gave Kang Chan a thumbs-up.

“Shut up!”

As she picked up her discarded top and put it back on, Zikyon, still holding her aching stomach from laughing so hard, said,

“Everything will be fine. So, don’t brood over things alone and let’s discuss them together.”

Kang Chan was infuriated by her unserious words and actions.

“If I discuss things with you again, I’m not a human!”

Kang Chan got up and returned to his tent. But with the sudden appearance of Earthlings, whose allegiance was unclear, he had to spend the night worrying alone.

The day after his quarrel with Zikyon, around lunchtime, Duke Sachsen came to see Kang Chan.

“How have you been?”

“Well, there haven’t been any battles, so I’ve been idling around.”

“Haha, I’ve been idling around too since there’s nothing to do these days.”

“But what brings you here?”

“Actually, I came to consult with you about something from before.”

“Then let’s sit and talk.”

“Ah, yes.”

Kang Chan handed a chair to Sachsen and perched himself on his bunk.

“So, what is it?”

“Well, it’s about the ogre you used to fight alongside.”

“You mean Loki?”

“Oh, is that ogre’s name Loki?”

For some reason, the name Loki seemed familiar to Sachsen.

‘Where have I heard that name before?’

“Yes, that’s correct. But why are you asking about Loki?”

“The thing is, the swordsmanship that ogre uses looks very familiar to me. Do you happen to know what style of swordsmanship it is?”

“No, I don’t know the name of the swordsmanship Loki uses.”

“Then, have you ever heard where he learned it from?”

“I heard he learned it from someone who raised him.”

“By any chance, do you know that person’s name…?”

Kang Chan, who never forgot anything once heard, immediately provided the name.

“I heard it was Kalitz Garman.”

Duke Sachsen was so surprised by the name Kalitz Garman that he unintentionally exhaled sharply.

“Gasp!”

“Is something wrong?”

“D-did you just say Kalitz Garman?”

“Yes, that’s what I heard.”

Duke Sachsen suddenly stood up and grabbed Kang Chan’s arm.

“D-do you know where that person is?”

“I heard he passed away.”

“He’s dead? That friend of mine?”

Kang Chan was also taken aback by Sachsen’s reaction.

“By friend, do you mean you knew each other?”

“Yes, we were friends since we were very young. But to hear that he is dead…”

Sachsen shook his head in disbelief at Garman’s death.

“Can you tell me why he died?”

“I don’t know well… Would you like to ask him yourself?”

“Ask him directly… Huh? Did you mean ask the ogre?”

“Yes.”

“How can I ask an ogre?”

“He speaks well.”

Sachsen was again shocked by Kang Chan’s statement that the ogre could talk.

“No way, an ogre that speaks? That’s a bit…”

Sachsen’s expression showed he couldn’t believe what Kang Chan was saying about the talking ogre.

Kang Chan judged it was better to show rather than explain, so he called for Loki.

“Just a moment, I’ll call him for you. Loki!”

When Kang Chan called out loudly for Loki, a melodious voice responded from the other side of the tent.

“Why?”

“Come over here for a bit.”

“Why?”

“There’s a guest here to see you.”

Loki was puzzled about who might have come to see him, as he had no connections in the human world.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“Hold on.”

As the ogre Loki responded to Kang Chan’s call with his beautiful voice, Duke Sachsen looked at Kang Chan in disbelief and asked,

“That voice just now, was that the ogre?”

“Yes.”

“But that doesn’t sound like an ogre’s voice, does it?”

“Loki is currently living in a human form thanks to Zikyon’s magic. He only returns to his original form when necessary.”

“Ah, Zikyon…”

Hearing Zikyon’s name, Sachsen’s face grew somber.

At that moment, Loki bounded into the tent with a bright smile. He was still wearing the cute girl’s clothes that Zikyon had designed.

“I’m here.”

Duke Sachsen’s jaw dropped upon seeing Loki.

‘Isn’t this the girl who was with Kang Chan before?’

Duke Sachsen had always thought Loki was a girl, given his girlish face and clothes.

“Say hello, this is Duke Sachsen. You’ve met him before, right?”

“Yes, I have.”

“This person was a friend of your father.”

“A friend of my father?”

At the mention of ‘father,’ Sachsen looked at Kang Chan and asked,

“Father?”

“He called him father. Loki’s last name is also Kalitz.”

“Then this child is his adopted daughter?”

“Since they share the same surname, it seems so. But he’s not an adopted daughter, he’s an adopted son.”

“Adopted son? Oh my, then this child is a boy?”

Kang Chan nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed since Loki was wearing girl’s clothes.

“But why is he dressed in girl’s clothes?”

“Well, there are… certain circumstances…”

“If there’s a reason… That aside, this is truly surprising.”

Sachsen was genuinely astonished as he looked at Loki.

He had expected a monstrous ogre, but instead, he met a boy with a cute appearance like a girl.

Moreover, since Loki was his friend’s adopted son, he wasn’t a stranger to Sachsen.

“To think he’s Garman’s adopted son. In that case, you should call me uncle.”

“Uncle?”

“Yes, your father and I were very close friends. We were like brothers.”

“Very close friends? Like Kang Chan and Zikyon?”

The sudden mention of Zikyon’s name made both Kang Chan and Duke Sachsen flinch.

For Kang Chan, it was because he had fought with Zikyon the night before, and for Duke Sachsen, it was because Zikyon held his life in her hands.

“Well… yes.”

Although it pricked his conscience a little, Kang Chan had no choice but to answer.

Duke Sachsen quickly changed the subject.

“Anyway, Loki, who taught you our language?”

“My father.”

“So, Garman himself taught you the language and swordsmanship?”

Loki nodded silently.

Finding Loki endearing, Duke Sachsen patted his head and asked,

“Then, Loki, where will you go after the war ends?”

“Hmm, after the war…”

Loki looked at Kang Chan without saying anything.

Loki had no one else and no place to go besides Kang Chan.

Understanding this well, Kang Chan spoke on Loki’s behalf.

“Actually, Loki was living alone deep in the Montana Mountain Range. We brought him out into the world. So, Loki has no one else to rely on except us.”