Tiendavis - For Perfect Salvation - Chapter 37

Sion hated astrologers.

Though the astrologer had broken Sion’s curse and revealed all secrets to him, the only emotions Sion felt towards him were displeasure and unease.

“…Why are you here?”

Immediately after waking from the curse, having barely suppressed his confusion, Sion asked the astrologer.

In fact, it was more of an interrogation than a question, and the astrologer smiled faintly at his fierce attitude.

The shock must have been considerable, but as soon as he came to his senses, he growled like a lion – truly befitting of Sion Laurel.

“I have a favor to ask. It’s surely important to you as well.”

“A favor?”

“Protect Ibi.”

Sion frowned at the unfamiliar name.

So the astrologer explained who Ibi was, and Sion became even more disgusted with the situation.

“You came all this way just for that?”

Sion asked incredulously.

How would a king in crisis feel if told the unexpected help he received was to entrust someone with a single cat?

Should he be relieved to have survived regardless of the reason, or feel humiliated by how he was treated?

This was exactly how Sion perceived the situation. And his choice was naturally the latter.

“Just for one woman…”

As Sion gritted his teeth in anger, the astrologer smiled slightly.

“Watch your words.”

In that moment, an invisible pressure slammed down on Sion.

“It’s not just one. Don’t say it like that.”

The astrologer’s warning was calm and gentle.

But in that brief moment, Sion clearly realized.

That behind that shallow smile, this person’s true nature was as ferocious as a mad dragon.

And the fact that he felt fear because of it.

Fear. Sion didn’t want to admit that he had been scared, even for a moment. So he deliberately ignored the astrologer’s warning.

“If not just one, then what? Are women that scarce?”

The astrologer smiled at Sion’s provocation.

The next moment, Sion was beaten like a dog.

The astrologer who had been pretending to be a mild-mannered gentleman in plain robes revealed his true nature without restraint and beat Sion as if he were truly beating a dog.

At this time, Sion was a boy and an injured person, but he was beaten one-sidedly without any consideration for such factors.

Of course, with his personality, he didn’t just take the beating quietly.

But Sion, who was only nineteen years old, couldn’t handle the astrologer who had lived at least 10 years longer than him.

“Is this your first time? Being put in your place.”

The astrologer looked down at Sion and asked in a gentle voice. Then he added with a laugh.

“Actually, I’ve never experienced it either.”

Sion, sprawled on the floor, got goosebumps.

What on earth was this calm lunatic?

Seeing that Sion’s eyes were still blazing, the astrologer kicked him. So Sion fell back again, coughing dryly.

“You crazy bastard…”

Sion spat out blood-tinged saliva, grinding his teeth.

But the astrologer didn’t get angry, and this made Sion even more furious.

He doesn’t mind when insulted himself, but won’t even let the expression “just one” be used for that woman.

Sion felt nauseous at this blind affection, like a fanatic’s faith.

He didn’t want to be part of it at all.

So when Sion looked at him with disgust, the astrologer calmly said,

“If you can’t understand, just think of it as a debt. If you really need a reason to act.”

Of course, the astrologer knew how to move Sion.

Sure enough, at the dry expression of “debt,” Sion’s aversion barely subsided.

The astrologer approached the proud boy and lowered himself. Then he once again recited what Sion needed to know.

“…So this time, make sure to protect her until the end.”

The astrologer made his final request.

He added important words in between, but Sion, filled with anger, treated it all as nonsense.

So he cleared everything from his mind except for the debt he was forcibly saddled with.

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.

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Six years after being beaten for the first time in his life.

Sion Laurel, who had grown admirably twisted using that bitter past as nourishment, was coldly glaring at the surrounding scenery that contrasted with his temperament.

On a bright morning, the Wisteria Festival was in full swing at the flower garden south of Lake Tienda.

That garden, managed by the Tuha family, was famous for its beauty even in Tienda.

Especially in the center of that garden, next to the Tuha family’s villa, was the largest wisteria tree in Tienda.

In spring, that tree bloomed in purple, and the wisteria flowers that spread out like a palace ceiling under the widely sprawling vines created a marvelous spectacle, covering the sky in layers like clouds.

That wisteria was one of the most magnificent sights in Tienda.

So when spring came, the nobles waited for an invitation from the Tuha family, and today, the long-awaited Wisteria Festival finally opened.

But the nobles couldn’t enjoy the flower viewing comfortably.

The reason being a certain great noble who had settled in the middle of this bright social gathering.

Sion was sitting next to the wisteria trunk in the most honored seat of the Wisteria Festival.

He was dressed in light outdoor clothing, befitting someone who came for flower viewing.

But the only thing he had prepared as a festival participant was his attire; his attitude, expression, and behavior fitting for the festival were all clearly discarded somewhere.

First of all, he was sitting with his legs crossed, wearing a very cold expression. And behind him, the vice commander of the guard and watchers in uniform were assisting him.

In this state, the nobles were slightly confused whether this was a flower viewing venue or the grim audience hall of the Tardes Palace.

This alone had already ruined half of the festival atmosphere, but Sion didn’t stop there.

Occupying the honored seat alone, he showed no interest in the flowers.

Instead, there was something that caught his attention more than the flowers, and as if to prove this fact, at the end of Sion’s gaze was always a girl in a jade green dress.

Tienda’s precious saint candidate, Ibi Ariate.

Ibi, who had been at the center of controversy, finally returned to social circles.

Ibi, who appeared after a long time, seemed conscious of the attention she would attract, looking even more lovely and pure than usual.

Appearing with the escort of her friend, the young master of Arco, Ibi was wearing a light outdoor dress.

The jade green dress Ibi wore was minimally decorated, with soft pleats making only the skirt voluminous.

So compared to the ladies densely adorned with embroidery and lace, it looked quite plain, but the moment she stood among the splendid wisteria flowers, that simplicity created perfect harmony with the background.

While the abundant flowers and intricate embroidery tired the eyes of viewers, Ibi’s softly flowing skirt comfortably led tired eyes. Moreover, when that fresh jade color met the light purple of the wisteria, it became the most eye-catching color in the world.

This alone drew attention as if monopolizing the light, but Ibi had her hair tied up, revealing her white nape, and below the skirt that fell to the middle of her calves, she showed her handful-sized ankles and shoes just over a span long.

So the nobles felt a kind of unease as they looked at Ibi’s demure yet not-so-demure appearance.

Ah, does that innocent bluebird really know? That the lion sitting in the flower shade is still eyeing her greedily.

Today too, Ibi was pretty enough to satisfy the nobles in her modesty, so the nobles were too busy enjoying the subtle atmosphere between Ibi and the glaring Count to pay attention to the wisteria flowers.

And Sion was honestly in a foul mood.

Being made a spectacle, being treated like a man fallen into lust, and being used by Ibi Ariate.

So Sion glared at Ibi even more sharply.

But Ibi, though clearly aware of it, absolutely refused to look back.

Even though everyone around was glancing and watching the situation.

It felt like he was being played, but there was nothing he could do.

A promise was a promise.

Three days before Ibi and Sion appeared together at the Wisteria Festival.

Ibi and Sion, who had agreed to help each other once, were now engaged in more serious plotting in that peaceful two-story house.

“The arena?”

“Yes, the night clan is imprisoned in that arena. That’s why a great curse has fallen on this village.”

As Sion muttered with furrowed brows, Yubia quickly answered.

Ibi was startled by Yubia’s informal speech, but Sion didn’t mind. Instead, he glared at the innocent Ibi.

“I wondered what made you so confident…”

So this was why she talked about protecting and whatnot.

Realizing he had been fooled again, Sion looked at her, and Ibi smiled brightly. Of course, this sight made Sion bristle once more.

In fact, Sion was just annoyed at the investigation team leader who called him a spectacle, but he had no major objections to the relocation order itself.

He could feel that the curse of the new moon visiting this village was getting worse. Moreover, during the last new moon, several people had nearly died.

So Sion rather agreed with the relocation and thought to wash his hands of this village by providing appropriate relocation funds to clear his sense of debt.

But if there was a separate cause for the anomaly, that changed things.

“It must cost a lot to keep the night clan imprisoned.”

“You mean the salt cost, right?”

As Sion muttered to himself, Ibi interjected, and Sion nodded silently.

To imprison not one, but three of the night clan, a large amount of salt is needed. And in Bis, purification salt is more expensive than the same weight in gold.

“That means the arena must be making that much money, right?”

“With that much, even the lord couldn’t be unaware.”

Sion murmured lowly, recalling the report he had found on the investigation team leader’s desk last night.

Curious about what was written, he had briefly skimmed it while using the team leader as a footstool.

Sure enough, the report was full of fabrications, so Sion had briefly wondered if this guy was truly lazy or hiding something.

But it seems he was both. A lazy guy full of schemes but unable to hide them well.

Whether in Tienda or Bis, things seemed to be going poorly, and Sion clicked his tongue.

“So Dies and Yubia decided to investigate the arena.”

Ibi said, pointing to her butler and rabbit, to the Count whose expression wasn’t very good.

In that arena are night clan members affecting Sion’s village, and one of them is the one who cursed Ibi.

This alone was reason enough for the two to join hands, so Sion nodded without objection.

“And I plan to go to Tienda in the meantime to find the person who cursed me.”

“In that state, you’re going to have a hard time searching.”

Sion said indifferently, as if talking about someone else.

This time Ibi bristled, so she deliberately smiled brightly towards Sion.

“It’s fine, because the Count will go with me.”

This time, Sion’s expression unmistakably hardened.

Knowing the Count would hate it, Ibi asked with wide eyes.

“We promised, didn’t we? To take turns doing what’s needed.”

“We agreed to take turns, but not that you’d go first.”

“Are you going to be petty about the order?”

“I’d say I’m being fair about the order.”

Even after forming an alliance, Sion was still not kind.

So Ibi glared at this stubborn man, then suppressed her anger and smiled.

“Count, I already removed the Bayen flag this morning. As you wished. So now I think it would be fair if I did what I want…”

At Ibi’s words, Sion looked at her with a face that said “oh no”.

It seemed he had completely forgotten about the morning’s events until Ibi mentioned it.

With this logic, it looked like Sion would immediately agree if she demanded, but Ibi found this Count utterly vexing and deliberately spoke in a sad voice.

“Surely the Count isn’t a despicable person who doesn’t keep his word and only looks for ways to escape?”

The attack was effective.

The Count’s confidence dropped significantly, cracking his sky-high pride, and he was put in a situation where he had to do anything to restore his honor.

This guy really only cares about himself…

Ibi thought the Count was truly troublesome to deal with and inwardly clicked her tongue.

The one fortunate thing was that Ibi was gradually learning how to move Sion.