Chapter 564 – Turtles and History

000

The high official of the Eastern country, who introduced himself as Tenchi, guided Cleon and Amelia to an old room in the palace.

On the way to this place, even when meeting other servants of the palace, seeing that many people bowed down to greet Tenchi, it was clear that he was a person who sat in a considerable position.

Besides, seeing that most of them were smiling and showing respect, it was possible to see Tenchi’s place in his in the palace.

However, Cleon’s suspicion of him deepens.

If he was the one who moved the assassins to attack him and Amelia, it would be difficult unless he was a person with a solid foundation.

Cleon wanted to tell Amelia to go back to the lodging in advance due to the indescribable anxiety felt from him…

Based on her experience her so far, Amelia had never accepted Cleon’s words her and left, so for now, they had to act together.

If you say instead, it’s hard to say, but Schrödinger sneaked out and informed Lila and Sasha of the current situation, so that they could respond immediately if something happened.

The room that arrived in such a state was a little different compared to other rooms in the palace.

First of all, it will be high.

Since it is a place where the royal family who inherited the blood of giants live, most of the structures with fairly high ceilings were generally, but the ceilings here were not that high compared to normal buildings.

Even with Cleon’s height, the door had to bow a little to enter.

At this rate, Beauty Painter would not be able to enter this room.

The fact that he, the royal palace and the lord of the East, is not allowed to enter the room must have a reason.

Otherwise, there would be no reason to allow a place like this to exist.

There is no window, and the only entrance is a low-ceilinged door through which you have now passed.

Besides, there was nothing to light the inside, so I could hardly see inside except for the light coming in from outside while the door was open.

And what fills the inside of such a room are scrolls that fill several rows of bookshelves.

It was like a library, but some of the scrolls looked like they were hundreds of years old.

‘A place where something is kept… Is it?’

If Cleon is looking here and there to get information about the room-

“You don’t have to be so wary… As you can see, he’s a harmless man. He can’t even use magic… He’s just a turtle that’s been working in this palace for a long time… “

Tench chuckles as he adjusts his glasses.

It seemed as if he was laughing at Cleon’s vigilance of her, as if something was strange.

“Turtle…?”

At Tenchi’s words, Amelia tilts her head.

“Yes. Turtle… Ah, do you not know a turtle? A turtle is a creature that lives by the water with a shell.”

When he says that and pretends to be a tortoise by tucking his arms and necks in, Cleon puts his hands on his head and sighs in amazement.

Of course, Cleon knows at least what a tortoise is. He is not a person to be ignored.

Cleon, slightly frowning at being ignored, spits it out to Tench, who still smiles and waits for his answer.

“It’s definitely like a turtle. It’s such a fierce figure that hides its true face as a shell.”

“Hmm…? Ah, hehe, you’re good at joking, Lord Cleon.”

Tenchi laughs at Cleon’s point as if it were a funny joke.

Cleon glared at him as if he was fed up with the unfamiliar face.

“I didn’t come here to joke with you. Tell me. What is your relationship with the assassins who attacked me? How do you know about their attack that no one else can know?”

When I say that in a voice mixed with a little anger, Tenchi fixes his glasses his, arches his crooked back a little more, and raises the corners of his mouth as he speaks.

“Keuk… No one else knows… Is it?”

“…”

Tenchi repeats Cleon’s words with a somewhat disturbing smile.

In his mood his, while Amelia nervously swallows dry saliva and prepares for what might happen, Tench slowly moves and sits down on a small chair between the bookshelves.

“Really? Could it really be that no one else could have known?”

“What?”

“There are ‘eyes’ everywhere. And as many ears as there are eyes, there are ears. Prince Cleon.

“…You, too, are you one of the eyes watching over me?”

When Cleon’s gaze sharpened, he responded by adjusting his glasses as if it were a habit.

“To be exact, my friends are like that. I have a lot of friends as I have spent a long time in the East.”

“Are those assassins your friends too?”

At Cleon’s penetrating question, Tenchi shrugs his shoulders with a chuckle.

“They are assassins who have existed for a long time in the Eastern country called ‘Yeomma.’

Seeing Tench’s attitude of giving information about them more obediently than he thought, Cleon narrowed his eyes to read his intentions.

However, even if he receives Cleon’s gaze, he does not get agitated and speaks with his eyes shining.

“This, too, is just a story I heard from a friend of mine. I’m lucky to have many well-informed friends. How about it, Prince Cleon. Wouldn’t Prince Cleon be my friend too? If Prince Cleon would be my friend… If you help me. , I also intend to help Prince Cleon.”

“I don’t want to be friends with you, who has a friend who spies on others.”

Seeing Cleon’s aloof attitude, he fell silent for a moment.

And, silence falls between the two.

Amelia looks at the two with a tense expression, waiting for the conversation to begin again.

Then Tench opens his mouth, slowly bringing his hand to his glasses.

“Lord Cleon. Would you like to be friends with me?”

As if nothing had happened, Tenchi spoke to Cleon again while shining his glasses.

Seeing that the proposal he had just been rejected was immediately repeated on the spot, Cleon replied as if he was dumbfounded.

“No. I just refused…”

“…Why? I’m being kind to you like this…”

Tenchi speaks with a frown as if he really doesn’t understand.

“Yeah, it’s because I can’t trust you.”

“…”

At Cleon’s words her, Amelia nods her head as well.

It was said that it is not good to judge people by their appearance, but Tenchi’s demeanor, expression, and atmosphere of not knowing what he might be hiding made him easily distrustful.

“Sir, you can’t trust me…”

However, as if Cleon’s words and Amelia’s agreement were quite a shock to Tench, he bent down as if he were melting.

“…Yes?”

However, Cleon held his breath as he watched him begin to bend to the extent that a person could bend his waist to her.

Slowly, slowly, right in front of his eyes his – Tenchi’s body was changing.

From human to non-human.

The clothes worn by the vassals of the Eastern countries gradually changed in hardness and then changed into something like the shell of a creature.

His pointy nose and pointed chin, which, though suspicious, he felt somehow belonged to the good-looking class, slowly crumbled and then became blunt.

And, considering that his legs and arms his, instead of being shortened, became thicker, only Amelia’s waist his became-

Amelia clung close to Cleon’s body her, unable to shut her mouth at the starting transformation.

“…This, this…”

If Cleon is also looking at the change that happened in front of his eyes as if he can’t believe it-Tenchi finally finished the change-

No, it was to look at the ‘giant tortoise’ that had been Tench until just now.

The proof that he is Tenchi is only Tenchi’s glasses on his face.

He slowly moves his neck to look at Cleon, and then makes a sad voice.

“I, who cannot be trusted… Will shut myself up in my shell.”

Then, the limbs and head simultaneously shoot into the shell, leaving only the shell on the ground.

“No… What the hell are you? Wasn’t the turtle a metaphor?”

When Cleon is also confused and asks Tenchi about his identity his, Tenchi speaks from inside the shell.

“Didn’t I tell you… A turtle?”

“…No, of course I thought it was a metaphor. …Could it be that the tortoise is the real one, and was transformed earlier?”

Cleon’s question echoed throughout the room, and Tench, who had been silent for a while, spoke.

“I am the only species called ‘Hyeonmu’.”

“The only species…?”

When Cleon repeated the words at the first unfamiliar word, Amelia covered her mouth in surprise as she spoke.

“Unique species refers to life forms in which there is only one creature of that species. In other words, there are no relatives… So, it is extremely rare… Most of them are artificially created.”

“Either way… It lives longer than a normal turtle, can transform into a human and can speak human language, but that’s all. Oh, and being able to talk to spirits… “

In a voice that seemed to be self-deprecating, Cleon muttered, “No, that’s just outside the standard enough…” And then shook his head.

“So. Are you saying you’re not the one who sent Yeomma?”

“Why did I murder Prince Cleon? There is only one person in the East who would do such a thing.”

“…Who is it?”

When Cleon asks such a question, Tenchi sticks out his head and talks.

“…I cannot tell anyone who does not trust me.”

“No… That’s- I thought you were the one who sent the Yeomma… And the way you said it was so suspicious.”

Cleon is sorry for being sorry, but he thinks that there was no problem with his attitude his…

“…Sorry.”

I bow my head towards him and apologize.

Seeing this, Tench is quiet for a moment, then lets out a sigh and speaks as he pulls his four legs out of their shells.

“Huh, huhu… I can’t help it if you say that… I’ll forgive you.”

After that, Tench, who forgives Cleon quite lightly, may be simpler than Cleon and Amelia thought.

“I was given the special mission to protect Prince Cleon from Beauty Painter, and I was watching Prince Cleon’s every move.

“…”

No, it may be that he has an unbelievable personality.

Even though he thought that, when he heard that he had been asked by the American flamesmith, he thought that he would have to confirm it with the American flamesmith himself later.

Tench answers Cleon’s question as if he accepted Cleon’s silence as acceptance of his words.

“The one who moves the yin horse is the current head of an old noble family in the east country, Prince Enrai, who is a high-ranking official of the royal palace. His family has been using the yin horses since the dawn of the east country, and it is a hindrance to the peace of the east country. He has been secretly eliminating them. And- Prince Enrai is wide-footed enough to have connections with the kingdom’s nobles. No matter what anyone says, he’s a high- ranking official in charge of diplomacy with the kingdom.”

“…Enrai…”

If Cleon remembers and remembers that name, if he tells it to Beauty Painter, at least he will be able to catch the weightlifter who is trying to sell the East to the kingdom.

However, seeing Cleon’s expression like that, Tench shook his head with a dark face.

“Unfortunately, it’s impossible to dismiss him with just words. He’s a thoroughgoing man, and he doesn’t leave any evidence of his actions his. If you attack him in the absence of solid evidence, you’ll end up being counterattacked.”

At his words like that, Cleon looked at Tench even as he spat out curse words.

“Is there no other way?”

“Even Beauty Painter must have understood his intentions to his to some extent. That is why, if Enrai conclusively seizes evidence that he attacked you, his guest his –For example, by capturing Yeomma alive, and Enrai and Beauty Painter Blowing information in front of him would be enough to bring him down.”

He nodded at Tenchi’s words, then corrected his expression his as if he was hot and came to his senses his-

“But… How do you know that?”

Cleon asked while looking at Tenchi, who was spitting out information about the person named ‘Enrai’.

“As a Xuanwu, I can hear the voices of my friends, the spirits of the earth. The radius is wide enough to cover the entire eastern country. In this place, if I concentrate my mind, I can grasp everything about what is happening and where it is. There is.”

“Is that how you came to know about Yeomma?”

At Cleon’s point, Tench nodded and looked back at the papers piled up around him.

“The documents here are historical records that I have been writing for hundreds of years while serving as the scribe of this palace. Therefore, the ceiling was deliberately lowered so that successive kings of the East could not easily enter, so that there would be no order to delete it after seeing such things.”

Cleon opened his mouth as he hesitated at the secrets of this room that were revealed in his mouth his, at the words that bothered him even after nodding his head.

“…Wait, hundreds of years?”

“Ah. Yes. My oldest memory is hundreds of years ago. Even then, the Eastern countries already existed.”

Considering that turtles live a long time, maybe his longevity his was also expressed from such characteristics.

However, given that he has lived that long, Cleon reminds him that he has something to figure out for himself.

“──If you lived that long… Do you know about the Earth Dragon Gaios?”

When Cleon asked such a question, Tench shut his mouth for a moment, then raised the corner of his mouth to answer.

“In fact, the reason I wanted to appear before Prince Cleon and befriend you is because of that earth dragon, Gaius.”

“…?”

Cleon makes a strange expression, as if he doesn’t understand what he’s saying, and Amelia speaks quietly.

“Most unique species are created by dragons who want special kinship. And- if they have the ability to communicate with the earth spirit, which can be said to be a mass of the earth’s natural elements-“

“…That means you may have been a member of Gaios’ family.”

At Cleon’s words, Tench nodded his head.

There, Cleon noticed why his ring reacted to him.

As he expected, it was the reaction sent by the ring that sensed signs of being involved with the Earth Dragon, Gaios.

“However, I don’t have a single memory of Gaios-sama. No, it’s not just my memory, but even in the hundreds of years of history that exist in this room.”

As Tench said, he stretched out his neck to examine the scrolls in the room.

“It simply doesn’t exist.” No. It can only be said that it was tampered with by someone.”

“…What the hell, who? For what purpose…”

When Cleon asked such a question, Denji looked back at Cleon and spoke.

“You have to know that, but you should be able to follow the traces of Gaios the Earth Dragon.”

“…Right.”

Cleon nodded as if agreeing with his words his.

“Actually, I overheard the conversation with Mr. Painter earlier. Of course, Mr. Painter tolerated it. I couldn’t stay still when I heard everyone talking about Gaios, the Earth Dragon.”

Having said that, he stood up again.

Then, he returned from a turtle to a human form, slim and somewhat tired.

Then, with his short stature and crooked back, he talked while looking at Cleon with narrow eyes.

“So, please, Prince Cleon. Would you like to join forces with me to find the Earth Dragon Gaius? Please be my friend…!”

“…”

Cleon, who had heard the story so far, had no reason to refuse his offer.

So he nodded and said:

“…That’s right. If you have the power of intelligence, it’s sure to make collecting information a little easier in many ways.”

It was impossible for him to defeat the information warfare in the East if he was brought in as an ally.

Even aside from the Earth Dragon Gaios, it’s quite useful, but-

The reason why he chases the Earth Dragon is an act that is the same as chasing the existence that is the creator to him.

In other words, it is the act of chasing one’s roots.

For some reason, I couldn’t let it go.

Cleon himself, too, had risked his life to find himself like that.

Feeling that, and looking at his face again, surely he nodded as if he understood, considering that the strange smile from earlier was also a mask to erase his anxiety.

However, Tenchi, not knowing how Cleon felt for him, took out one of the scrolls nearby and spoke.

“Then, if you investigate right away, there is a place. Would you mind?”

“…Ah, tell me.”

Cleon nodded at his words, and Amelia let out a sigh of relief and wiped her heart, saying that she was fortunate to be able to finish the story without any conflict behind Cleon.

001

“Yes… He, did he have contact with the turtle?”

Then, while sitting on the other side of a tent set up in a room somewhere, he spoke to a man who was kneeling before his eyes.

“Then… You must have learned something about me.”

“…Are you all right?”

Hearing the subordinate’s question, the man snorts with excitement.

“Even if I take it and tell it to the Beauty Painter, they can’t do anything. Because they are afraid of spreading the secrets of this country that I have to the people.”

The kneeling man was silent for a moment, then lowered his head.

“Then, the next command.”

“Even if you use more demons, be sure to kill the dark demon clan and bring the girl clinging next to me. Do you understand?”

“…Johnny.”

After such a subordinate’s answer, he disappears as if melting into a shadow in an instant.

“Now then, let’s have a endurance fight. Turtle… Either I win or you win.”

He covers his mouth with a fan and laughs maniacally.

In the sound of his laughter, he seemed oblivious to the fact that he would be defeated.