Side Story 1: So, Who Is Kelian Ail?

In the Kassaus Empire, Marquess Rockenson Ail had ten illegitimate children.

Kelian Ail was the third youngest among them, born from the Marquess and the young lady of Count Agnes’ household, his second wife.

On the day Kelian was born, he did not cry—not even once. That same day, an unusually large sun blazed over the empire, and rainbows appeared across the capital, Rilka, despite not a single drop of rain falling.

As he grew, Kelian’s extraordinary nature became more apparent.

He picked up a sword at the age of four. By thirteen, he had surpassed his master. At fifteen, he began securing first clears in various dungeons, and by eighteen, people had started calling him a hero.

Though Kelian never revealed his exact level, those who had witnessed his prowess estimated it to be well over 80.

The aristocracy adored their breathtakingly beautiful hero, but one flaw always stood out—his unyielding, icy demeanor.

Kelian Ail is as cold as ice and devoid of mercy.

Rumors spread throughout the capital, fueled by his relentless rejection of those who approached him.

He refused marriage proposals from the imperial family with a single stroke of his sword.

He dismissed the flood of betrothal letters from foreign nations with curt replies.

And he ignored the Ail House knights’ pleas for his guidance.

It was inevitable that dissatisfaction toward Kelian would spread through the capital. He had no lover, no close friends, and didn’t even allow his own father, Marquess Ail, near him.

Yet, even as rumors painted him in an unflattering light, Kelian never bothered to correct them. In truth, he saw no need to.

After all, he genuinely preferred to keep people at a distance.

A father who had sired children left and right, only to suddenly act the part when Kelian’s fame grew.

A mother who had passed away before he could even speak.

People who approached on a whim, only to leave disappointed when he failed to meet their imagined expectations.

Suitors who refused to take ‘no’ for an answer.

He was sick of it all.

By nature, Kelian was indifferent—but he wasn’t as coldhearted as people claimed. And over time, the weight of constant pursuit wore him down.

Clearing dungeons became an escape.

Fighting monsters was one of the few times he didn’t feel tested by the world. That was how he became a hero.

He never obsessed over first clears, but simply by seeking out the most difficult dungeons, he naturally accumulated them. And so, many people pursued him, eager to join his party.

But Kelian rejected them all, continuing to tackle dungeons alone.

Until one day, he encountered Seiris Lyn—someone just like him.

Seiris was more experienced in dungeon strategy and wielded magic, something Kelian lacked. Meanwhile, Kelian’s physical combat abilities and clear speed surpassed hers.

When they first crossed paths inside a dungeon, neither spoke a word, silently assessing each other’s strengths as they fought.

Only after they defeated the boss did they finally exchange words.

“Invite me to your party.”

“…Alright.”

Seiris had ordered the party invitation like a command, and Kelian had responded just as bluntly. That was their first conversation.

Naturally, they became comrades.

Occasionally, Seiris did things Kelian found baffling—raising her flashy staff for no reason or even throwing it outright—but when it came to dungeon clearing, they worked well together. Their conversations, however, remained minimal.

Since Seiris was also a renowned hero in the empire, some mistook their partnership for romance. But those who had seen them up close quickly dismissed the rumor. No lovers could possibly look at each other with such indifference.

Their duo, an odd combination to outsiders, soon expanded.

Jenin Izabeth, Dain Parion, and Barkrud—each flamboyant in their own way—joined their party. Many others sought to be part of the group, but they rarely accepted new members.

Kelian was the leader.

He had initially rejected the role, believing he wasn’t suited for it. But in the end, he accepted—mostly because, among them, he was the best fit.

Seiris had no patience for troublesome duties.
Jenin was too softhearted.
Dain was hot-tempered but listened to Kelian.
Barkrud was used to following orders, not giving them.

Thus, Kelian became the leader.

Yet, he only gave commands when absolutely necessary. He wasn’t exactly a meticulous leader, but considering his naturally detached nature, the fact that he made an effort at all was significant. And since the others had practically forced the role upon him, none of them had any complaints.

They were a well-functioning party.

Arguments happened, but never escalated into serious conflicts. They respected each other, refrained from meddling too much, and cooperated efficiently in dungeons.

They were comrades—and perhaps even friends.

But even among them, cracks existed.

He would rather die. Or kill.

Watching the King of Philique paint him as a heartless would-be murderer made those thoughts creep into Kelian’s mind. And the fact that he even entertained such thoughts was unbearable. He forcibly tore his gaze away.

Unfortunately, that action made it look as if he was openly ignoring the king. The courtiers murmured in shock, and the princess—staggering for dramatic effect—collapsed as if she had fainted.

“…She’s not even trying to make it believable.”

Dain clicked his tongue, muttering under his breath. Though meant as a private comment, his voice was loud enough for everyone to hear. The princess, being helped up by her attendants, flushed red with embarrassment.

The king, enraged, shot up from his throne, his voice thundering through the hall.

“Do you truly call yourself a hero? A hero is duty-bound to aid a princess afflicted with a rare curse!”

“Well said, Your Majesty!”

“A true hero would never abandon someone in distress, no matter the circumstances!”

The courtiers flattered their ruler, wagging their tongues in agreement.

Kelian shot them a look, and they immediately flinched into silence.

The Philique royal family’s argument was simple: the princess had been cursed with an A-rank rare affliction, and Kelian—known as the strongest hero with the greatest divine power—was duty-bound to purify her.

And the method of purification?

Without question, it was through intercourse.

The people cursed with rare afflictions that Kelian’s party had encountered before never appeared as normal as the princess. Anyone afflicted with at least a B-rank rare curse could not even stand properly and had no color in their face.

In contrast, the princess had a healthy complexion. She seemed to stagger, but upon closer inspection, she steadied herself before the attendants could even touch her. Her eyes continuously darted between her father, King Philic, and Kelian.

The most decisive factor was her intense rejection of Seiris’ offer to verify with magic whether she truly had an A-rank rare curse. Her extreme anger at the suggestion, accusing them of disregarding the priests who had confirmed the curse, made it hard to believe it was real.

Honestly, it didn’t matter whether the curse was real or not. Kelian shook his head at the cruel impulse rising within him once again. His head felt dizzy, and a headache crept in. A heartless would-be murderer… In a different sense, that might not be wrong.

“I shouldn’t have come. Sorry, Kelian.”

Jenin sighed in exasperation as she glanced back and forth between King Philic, the princess, and their retainers. After all, she had been the one who suggested accepting the invitation from the Philic royal family.

The invitation stated that there was a B-rank rare dungeon within the royal castle, and they wished to offer the hero and his party the opportunity to clear it. However, upon arriving, they had not even caught a glimpse of the dungeon and were instead forcibly dragged into King Philic’s grand banquet. This had been their plan from the beginning.

“No, it’s not your fault.”

Hadn’t people like them appeared in his life more than once? There were too many to even count. The Philic royal family was not the first to use the excuse of a rare curse to approach him.

“Let’s go. I’m hungry.”

Barkrud’s voice snapped him out of his sinking thoughts. Kelian had no desire to listen to any more meaningless conversations either, so he moved to leave the hall with his party.

The argument, which could have ended peacefully, turned violent the moment the royal knights drew their swords.

“We cannot stand by and let you kill the princess.”

King Philic’s voice was firm. It was an absurd accusation. Whether the princess lived or died from her supposed rare curse had nothing to do with Kelian and his party. In fact, there was a high probability that she wasn’t cursed at all.

At that moment, Seiris raised his staff high. A stream of blue light shot from the staff and precisely landed on the princess standing among the attendants. Her body began to glow blue.

“W-What are you doing?!”

Unlike the anxious-looking king, the princess gazed down at the light surrounding her body with a puzzled expression. It clung to her but caused no harm. Before long, the light gradually faded.

Seiris’ voice, cold as ice, rang through the hall.

“There is no rare curse on the princess.”

“……”

“Not A-rank, not B-rank, not even C-rank. I detect nothing at all.”

As if irritated that they had been troubled for something so trivial, Seiris shot them a sharp glare. They had expected this, but even so, it was frustrating to have their suspicions confirmed.

“…Stop them!”

Even as the knights drew their swords, the party continued walking away without a care.

The royal knights hesitated, unsure if they should really try to stop the hero’s party by force—or if they even could. But they were loyal soldiers, and if ordered, they would not hesitate to raise their blades.

“I will not let those who mocked the Philic royal family go unpunished. Capture the hero!”

And so, the moment the king’s command rang out, the knights lunged at the hero’s party. Even if they suspected they might not stand a chance, the king had spoken.

Perhaps they weren’t entirely serious. Maybe they only intended to grab the hero’s arm and drag him before the king. But the problem arose when Kelian, seeing the swords flying toward him, momentarily lost himself.

He was sick of it.

He wanted to kill and be killed. He wanted to destroy everything.

When the suppressed impulse reared its head once more, Kelian drew his sword in an instant and cut down the royal knights. It happened in mere seconds. Four knights collapsed to the ground, their bodies severed.

“Gasp… T-The hero killed the knights!”

Screams erupted from all corners of the grand hall. Kelian stood still, gripping his sword, which was barely stained with blood. He was no longer just a would-be murderer ignoring the princess’s supposed curse—he had now truly become a killer, having slain the royal knights. This would undoubtedly become a nuisance in a different way, but he didn’t care. Slowly, he turned his gaze toward the king.

“…….”

King Philic trembled, his shoulders shaking in shock. The intimidating authority he had exuded moments ago had completely vanished. It seemed unlikely that anyone would try to stop them from leaving the castle now. Kelian found himself genuinely relieved—if this had continued any longer, even he wasn’t sure how he would have reacted.

Brushing past the frozen royal knights, he exited the hall with his party. Behind them, chaos ensued, voices rising in a storm of accusations. He didn’t need to hear them to know what they were saying. A monstrous hero, an arrogant imperial warrior who disrespected the royal family…

Kelian had never asked to be called a hero. And when he refused to play the role they wanted, these were the words he always heard.

“Kelian, are you okay?”

Jenin asked as she pressed a hand to her forehead and let out a deep breath. Only then did Kelian glance at his companions and nod.

“I’m just a little tired.”

“Tired, huh? I mean, it’s laughable that we fell for that dungeon bait in the first place, but that king? Trying to lure you in just to make you his son-in-law? He’s completely out of his mind!”

As Dain shouted loud enough for the entire castle to hear, hurried footsteps echoed behind them. Turning around, they saw the princess—the one King Philic had tried to marry off to Kelian. She was panting from running, but there was still no trace of a rare curse anywhere on her.

“Hero… I…”

“Is there still something left to discuss?”

His voice was indifferent, yet it sounded all the more merciless because of it. The princess hesitated for a moment at his cold demeanor but then gathered her courage and took a step closer.

Then, she held out a handkerchief to Kelian.

Though not as prosperous as the empire, the Philic royal family had a high number of powerful individuals and held an advantage in trade with neighboring nations. Their princess’s handkerchief was naturally of the finest quality. The smooth fabric was embroidered with a golden dragon, the crest of the royal family.

“I saw you by chance five years ago when I visited the capital of the Kassaus Empire. I fell in love with you then. You won the swordsmanship tournament that year. I still can’t forget how you looked that day, and every night, I dream of you. This handkerchief carries my sincere feelings, so please accept it, Hero.”

Beside them, Dain scoffed, muttering about how she wasn’t even pretending to be cursed anymore, but the princess paid him no mind. She only had eyes for Kelian.

To her, he was the most beautiful and courageous man in the world—an invincible warrior who would never harm the weak. Sure, there had been a minor misunderstanding due to her little lie about the rare curse and her father’s temper, but such trivial things could surely be overcome with love.

If only he understood her feelings, there was no way he could refuse her.

“…….”

As Kelian’s blue gaze met hers, she felt a wave of exhilaration. Her desire to have him only grew stronger. What would he say?

Her expectant eyes soon froze as if doused in cold water.

The handkerchief she had offered was shredded into pieces midair, torn apart by Kelian’s hands before fluttering to the ground.

“This is how I feel.”

“…….”

“I should have never entered that tournament.”

Kelian turned away from the frozen princess and kept walking. Seiris, who had been treating the princess as if she were invisible, followed him. Jenin, Dain, and Barkrud, though not as shocked as the princess, blinked in quiet surprise before hastening their steps to catch up.

“Uh…”

Jenin, despite her dislike for the princess, felt uneasy watching someone be rejected so brutally right in front of her. She hesitated before speaking.

“Wasn’t that a bit too harsh? You could’ve just taken it and tossed it later.”

It was just a handkerchief, after all. But before Kelian could respond, Dain scoffed and shot back instead.

“Who was the one who ignored someone else’s feelings first? That princess and her damn royal family—they faked a rare curse, tried to guilt-trip Kelian, and even threatened us.”

Despite his sharp words, Dain, too, cast a quick glance at Kelian, as if gauging his reaction. Barkrud wordlessly patted Kelian’s shoulder with his large hand.

They weren’t just good companions. Objectively, they were good people. And among them, Kelian felt like the only monster.

Suppressing the sinking weight in his chest, he followed his comrades as they made their way back to the empire.

Tl/N: Hey guys sorry I had to delete the old chapters. Im currently in the process of redoing them all and saw some gaps that needed to be filled. Also this was supposed to be a part of chapter 4 but I decided to make it a different chapter sorry guys