Chapter 12
‘W-what’s happening?’
Suji froze as the embrace shifted into something more intimate, leaving her utterly flustered. When she impulsively hugged him, it was only meant to express gratitude. She had been overwhelmed by his kind gesture, the way he acknowledged her efforts and soothed her fears with a gentle pat on the head.
But now, he had drawn her even closer, his presence consuming her senses entirely.
‘Maybe it’s because he recognized my struggle,’ she thought, a strange mix of appreciation and embarrassment swirling within her. She had fought so hard, even in fear, refusing to give up until the very end, and he had noticed. That simple acknowledgment made her heart swell.
But his response—a tender yet commanding hold—left her at a loss. It wasn’t like before. The way he pressed against her, the way his warmth seeped through… Suji felt herself flush, the intensity of the moment completely disarming her.
When she tilted her head back, flustered, she found him staring down at her with a calm yet unreadable expression. He met her gaze, his dark eyes unwavering, and with a trace of amusement, he murmured, “I wasn’t sure how to respond to your hug. Should I handle this my way?”
“W-what do you mean?” she stammered, her voice trembling as she noticed his arms tightening around her waist.
His low, smooth voice dropped to a whisper as he leaned closer, lips brushing against her ear. “I mean,” he began, his words dripping with a velvety softness that made her shiver, “that I want to comfort you.”
The sensuality in his tone sent a jolt through Suji’s body. She trembled in his arms, completely unprepared for the raw intensity of his presence. His usual cold, emotionless demeanor was replaced by an undeniable vibrance, a liveliness that lit up his gaze. For a fleeting moment, she wondered if he liked her, truly liked her—but quickly dismissed the thought as absurd.
Before the atmosphere could thicken further, a sudden thud shook the barn.
Rex instinctively shifted, shielding her with his arm as debris and straw fell from above. Though it was nothing more than dust, the sound signaled an intruder. He moved Suji behind him protectively, his sharp gaze fixed on the source of the disturbance.
Suji’s eyes widened as she spotted the monstrous creature at the barn entrance. It was like something out of a nightmare—a grotesque amalgamation of a lion and a lizard, its hulking form towering over them. Its drenched body shimmered in the dim light, its tail swaying like a deadly whip.
In its clawed grasp was the village chief, his body mangled and bloodied. The man struggled weakly, his voice a pitiful whimper. “P-please… help…”
Suji gasped in horror, shrinking back at the terrifying sight, but Rex remained calm, his stance steady. The lion-headed beast turned its glowing eyes toward Suji, growling low and deep before shifting its focus to Rex.
A tense silence filled the barn, broken only by the creature’s guttural snarls.
The beast seemed to recognize Rex, its aggressive posture faltering as it recalled their previous encounter. This man—it knew him. He had spared its life before but had also demolished its den, leaving it seething with rage. Yet, despite its fury, it understood one thing: it couldn’t win against this adversary.
The creature’s survival instincts outweighed its anger. It snorted, releasing the chief’s lifeless body onto the ground before slinking away, its movements slow and deliberate.
‘Is… is it leaving?’
Suji watched in disbelief as the monstrous lizard-lion retreated. Her gaze darted to the carnage left in its wake—the blood-streaked ground, the destroyed village structures, and the battered bodies scattered around.
‘Did it come from there?’
Her eyes wandered to the shattered boulder near a glistening blue lake. Water trailed in the creature’s path, confirming it had emerged from the depths. Its den had been destroyed—likely provoking its wrath. But who could have done such a thing?
Her thoughts immediately landed on Rex.
Turning to look at him, she found him bathed in the fading sunlight. The rays highlighted his pale skin and cast shadows across his sharp features, giving him an almost ethereal quality. Yet, the chilling emptiness in his eyes, coupled with the faintest smirk on his lips, reminded her of something far more ominous. He looked less like a man and more like a harbinger of doom.
Suji swallowed hard, her heart racing. Despite the fear his presence inspired, there was a strange tenderness in her chest, a yearning to understand him, to comfort him.
‘Am I weak to this type of man?’
Her thoughts were interrupted when Rex’s piercing gaze shifted to her. Without a word, he reached for her arm, his hand brushing over a shallow cut she hadn’t noticed until now.
“You’re hurt,” he said simply, his tone firm yet gentle. “It’ll heal on its own, but still…”
He didn’t finish his sentence, instead focusing on tending to her wound, his touch surprisingly careful.
“Will it hurt less to treat it?” Rex began to speak but stopped as Suji, who had been quietly staring at her own wounds, suddenly pulled her hand free from his grasp and dashed off somewhere. With a frown, he followed her, already guessing where she was headed. It was something he had seen but paid little attention to—a caged human among the animal pens.
‘There it is!’
Suji came to a stop in front of the pen she had passed earlier. Inside, bound to the wooden bars, was a boy. Without hesitation, she hurried to untie him and help him out of the cage. The boy immediately burst into a torrent of gratitude.
“Thank you! Thank you!”
Though he spoke in the native tongue of the swamp people, his emotions were unmistakable. His appearance was a mess—covered in mud and grime, barely distinguishable from the livestock around him. Yet, Suji could see the spark of intelligence in his bright blue eyes that set him apart from the beasts.
The boy spoke quickly, tears welling in his eyes as he recounted his ordeal. “I thought I was going to die! If I had stayed here any longer, I would have! They kept feeding me things I couldn’t eat! My village doesn’t even know I’m here—they never would have come for me. They said I stole their fruit and that I had to live in this pen for the rest of my life! They gave me rotten food and never let me out, no matter how much I begged!”
Though Suji couldn’t understand his words, she could sense his sorrow and desperation. The boy’s ragged appearance and trembling voice tugged at her heart. She gently patted his shoulder, offering what little comfort she could. The boy managed a faint smile, his gratitude shining through his dirt-streaked face.
“Thank you,” he said again, holding something out to her. “This is for you. If you ever visit my village, everyone will recognize it.”
Suji hesitated but accepted the gift—a beautiful feather that shimmered with hues of blue, silver, and gold depending on the light.
‘Is this from a bird’s tail? It’s so pretty.’
The boy noticed her admiration and felt a surge of happiness. He had been right—she was a kind person, someone he could trust. But when his gaze shifted to the man standing silently beside her…
“Hik!”
The boy flinched, shrinking back instinctively. Rex’s piercing black eyes met his, their cold, lifeless depths sending a chill down his spine.
‘He’s not alive… is he?’
The boy—Ronan, a member of the mysterious blue bird clan native to the swamp—shuddered. Such eyes were familiar only on the dead, devoid of vitality, capturing the world solely in shades of death.
Turning back to Suji, Ronan couldn’t help but marvel at the stark contrast between her vibrant presence and Rex’s oppressive aura. It was as if life and death were walking side by side, a union as bizarre as it was fascinating.
‘It’s almost like her energy softens his,’ Ronan thought. Suji’s bright, lively spirit seemed to neutralize the dark energy emanating from Rex, creating a strange harmony between them.
The longer Ronan observed, the more he felt the need to leave. Rex’s presence was too overwhelming, too dangerous. Ronan knew what this man was capable of—unleashing the swamp’s monster, razing a village without hesitation or remorse.
Ronan turned to Suji with a wave. “I’ll be going now!”
Suji waved back, her smile warm and sincere. Ronan beamed and darted into the forest, his steps light and swift. Suji watched him go, concern flickering in her eyes as she wondered if the boy could find his way home alone in such a treacherous place.
But Rex showed no such concern. He knew the boy’s true nature. His gaze followed a small, brilliant blue bird that emerged from the nearby woods and soared into the sky.
