Episode 115 Great Love (6)
Set Les Baskervilles. He had been talking to Vikir in a warm and kind manner since earlier.
“How about coming home after a long time? Isn’t it difficult to adapt? Will my brother help me?”
“Your father and older brother are a bit cold-hearted, aren’t they? But that’s how they treat you very gently. You’re young and talented. To someone like me who doesn’t have the ability, uh… they’re like ice cubes.”
“Try this, too. This is a dish my favorite chef has put a lot of effort into. How is it? Delicious? Sturgeon roe topped with cream and baked!
” .I’m weak, so I’m always in the medical center or in the closed training ward. Oh, my training dong is also very close to Underdog City, where you were the deputy consul!”
“Come to think of it, the city of Underdog has become much more peaceful thanks to you? It’s a good thing. Originally, I should have been there as a consul… I’m really weak and my talent is low, so it’s a burden to sit in an important seat. .”
“It would be nice if a competent younger brother like you could help me with the housework. Haha-”
Set constantly talking to Bikir, fearing that it would be awkward.
He even asks regards to each of the servants who bring him food.
A typical Banh hound would have been thrilled with Set’s kindness and kindness.
It was the same with Bikir before the return.
but.
Bikir after the return is different.
“…”
Bikir looked into the face of Set, who spoke kindly in front of him.
From a long time ago, Set was uncharacteristically a member of the Baskerville family and had a good heart and took good care of the people around him.
Because of that, Hugo and Osiris didn’t listen to him very well, and because of that, he always lived with a sad expression on his face.
Bikir, who was young before returning, had a crush on him.
……but.
Vikir, who had gone through the age of destruction and became a veteran iron-blooded hound, was now looking at Set with a slightly different perspective.
‘Cetre Baskerville’ is presumed to be non-human.
Vikir recalled the intelligence sent by Sindi Wendy last night.
In fact, I didn’t even have to think about it.
It was because from earlier on, Seth’s mouth had been emitting a stench that made him vomit.
Bad breath that even Bikir, who has a good stomach, can’t manage his facial expressions.
But the other people around didn’t notice the smell emanating from the set.
Vikir saw through the true nature of this stench.
‘It must be the smell of demons.’
Only hounds who have passed through the age of destruction can smell this intense stench, which seems to be a mixture of the smell of boiling intestines and the smell of rotting corpses.
Before returning, I was insensitive because the smell came from all over the world.
Parr…
The disgusting smell that even Baalzebub hiding in the blood vessels inside the artery would go wild.
‘Why does Seth’s body smell like this?’
Bikir quickly regained his composure.
Before long, Bikir tilted his glass.
On the surface of the reddish liquor, the images of Hugo and the Osiris set were captured.
but.
Surprisingly, only two figures were reflected in the glass.
Hugo and Osiris. Seth’s figure was not reflected in the glass.
‘Look at this?’
Bikir thought hard.
monsters. Beings who belong to the demon realm.
They are generally divided into demons and demons.
The two are slightly different in that demons refer to high-ranking demons with spirituality, and demons refer to monsters.
This is similar to the criterion for distinguishing humans from animals.
It is said that it is reflected in a normal demonic mirror and also in water… but it is said that this is not the case with demons.
They cannot be reflected in mirrors or water unless they use special magic to intentionally hide their appearance.
When the era of destruction comes, everyone will know (even though they will pay expensive tuition), but no one knows as of now.
……Except for Bikir.
‘I was careless, Set.’
Bikir thought after emptying his glass.
Set became arrogant enough to be wary of a drinking glass.
Although he is now wearing the shell of the second son, Set, there was a high possibility that the inside was a completely different being.
Bikir recalled the testimonies of people around him about Set.
‘Are you Set? You are a good person. When I was young, I was blunt and cold like the rest of the Baskervilles… But after ‘The Unsavory Incident’, my personality changed a lot. Should I say that he has become gentle?’
‘yes? An unfortunate incident? Ahhh, I’m only talking to Bikir-nim… Actually, Set-nim once tried to commit suicide. Stop on the night I was severely reprimanded by the family head for not having talent…’ ‘
Fortunately, I was able to find it early and save my life. But it must have been a big shock, since then his personality has completely changed to be kind and affectionate. Maybe he had a great feeling at the crossroads of life and death…’
In the past, Vikir had caused a small fire in the Baskerville family’s library.
When the servants got restless, Bikir hid it for them, and since then, most of the servants have been friendly to Bikir.
Bikir made inferences based on the information he got from the servants.
‘The real Set probably died that day… and the devil seems to have taken the empty shell instead.’
Suddenly, another thought comes to mind.
In general, the blood of human children is treated as a medicine for demons.
As a result of Sindi Wendy’s investigation, the large-scale kidnapping incident in Underdog was not simply focused on kidnapping.
Orphans have disappeared from numerous orphanages and child care foundations.
They were adopted here and there through official or unofficial routes, and they were all lost after that.
It was only alive on paper.
And Sindi Wendy released money and informants to track the whereabouts of the missing children.
The last place the children appeared in common was the training wing where Set les Baskervilles were practicing in the closed hall.
It is an area not far from Underdog City.
‘After taking over a childcare foundation, I researched adoption routes for children under the pretext of donations, and it came out. I finally found this through illegal investigations~’
The scene of Xindi Wendy’s condescension is clear in my mind.
Vikir listened to this very carefully, for that is also the reason that Vikir was executed before returning.
Demons suck the blood of children.
Bikir, who was serving Set at the time, was accused of colluding with the demons because a large number of bones stained with the blood of children were found in the basement near his room.
and execution. Regressed.
‘Maybe… Really, maybe Hugo is innocent.’
The likelihood of that was low, but it wasn’t impossible.
Hugo, who knows nothing, may have executed Vikir with a single-minded judgment.
I was deceived by the conspiracy of the second son, Set.
Bikir thought hard.
‘The key is how far Set’s soul has been eroded.’
The fact that the stench is so strong means that it is almost 100% eaten.
Before Seth died, he must have had a lot of resentment, hatred, inferiority, lack of affection, and self-destructive feelings toward his father and older brother.
Bikir rubbed his chin once.
Even though he found out that the only owner he followed before returning was actually the main culprit of the Tosagupaeng (兎死狗烹), he does not feel much agitation.
Rather, it felt like the blood in my whole body was cold.
Set, who had no way of knowing Vikir’s intentions, continued to talk to him in a friendly way.
“Brother, which of the knights do you like the most? I think wolfhounds look the best. Well, I like pit bulls and mastiffs, but personally, when I was little, I liked the Doberman knights the most. Their uniforms are cool!”
“…”
“Now that you’re back home, what are you going to do? Is it also admission to the academy? Actually, Osiris-nim did the same. Or do you plan to continue working as a sub-consul at the underdog? Citizens you like are permanently reappointed. You said you had to protest? Later, when I return to the post of consul, we can work together!”
Set talked about this and that while Bikir poked pieces of meat with his fork.
Just as Bikir was about to frown at the stench coming from Set’s mouth.
“Do it in moderation.”
Osiris stopped Set from speaking.
When Set shut his mouth, Osiris continued in a cold tone.
“The meal isn’t over, but you’re really talkative.”
“…”
“Don’t interrupt your brother’s meal with petty chatter, and finish your meal.”
At those words, Set shut his mouth and bowed his head.
Only then did Bikir be freed from the stench of demons coming from Set’s mouth.
‘Looking at it like this, it feels different.’
Bikir looked at Osiris and Set’s relationship from a little distance.
If you were a young Bikir before returning, you would have understood the situation just now as Osiris persecuting Set.
Because in the scene just now, anyone could see that the cold and arrogant firstborn was separating the other middle sons.
In fact, the surrounding servants were eyeing Osiris too much.
I sympathize with Set, who lowered his head with a sullen look.
But Vikir was finally able to see the relationship between Osiris and Set.
Osiris felt an indescribable displeasure and distance from Set, and because of this, he tried to separate his other brothers from Set.
It was for this reason that when Set opened his mouth, he frowned as if he smelled the stench.
In other words, Osiris’s genius instinct and sense unconsciously hate Set’s demonic nature.
It was the same with Hugo.
‘…So, I must have had the chin to look good after being loyal under Seth before returning.’
Vikir turned her gaze to Osiris.
Although he is cold and cold, he has a poor sense of humanity.
Compared to Hugo, he was much more human.
In addition, Osiris was taking care of this and that in his own way toward Bikir, who was new to Taiwanese feast.
Even if it was in my own way.
“Bikir. You must not hold the number 3 knife with that hand.”
“Til the plate the other way. Don’t make a scratching sound.”
“You’ll need to re-study the dining etiquette of the nobles. Napkins aren’t folded that way.”
It seems like he is giving high-handed criticism, but in fact, he is keeping an eye on his younger brother in advance so that he does not make mistakes in front of his father or other adults in the family, and then points out things that may make mistakes in advance.
And since he was pointing out only the things that were actually lacking, and he only picked the right words, there was no reason to be offended.
If there was something lacking, it was just a matter of fixing it, and Osiris didn’t really say anything about the improvement.
Of course, if they were normal children, they would feel scared and cower.
‘It’s a little bit silly, but… He doesn’t seem like a bad person.’
Not for Bikir.
After being nagged three times, Bikir showed great dining etiquette so that he didn’t have to listen to any more nagging.
It was only then that Osiris, too, seemed satisfied with a faint smile on his lips.
“Yeah. You look a little like a nobleman now.”
The clumsy warmth gets a little thicker.
* * *
Eventually, the long meal ended.
The Baskerville family’s large banquet takes two hours just for the appetizer, and the entire meal takes about five hours.
It was almost midnight when the great banquet was over.
When Bikir is about to leave the banquet hall.
“……for a moment.”
Hugo called such Bikir and stood him up.
“I have something else to say, son.”
“Yes, Father.”
Bikir stood upright in front of Hugo.
Hugo looked at Bikir blankly and then said a word.
“No. It’s late today, so come see me tomorrow morning.”
“Do you have any additional appointments after midnight?”
“No. It’s just that you’re tired.”
Bikir was surprised again.
Even though I don’t have a schedule after that, I’m afraid I’ll be tired, so I’ll wait until tomorrow morning?
That Hugo who knows nothing but his own time?
He was a man who would turn on the lights in the entire castle at any time, whether it was midnight or early morning, and wake up all the humans to summon them.
That such a person puts off what he has to say until tomorrow morning, fearing that his son will be tired.
The servants draw the curtains on the west window early, not the east window. Because tomorrow the sun might rise in the west.
Bikir also stuck out his tongue inwardly.
“…”
He lowered his head with a deliberately nonchalant expression.
Soon after, Hugo left the banquet hall, leaving only the two butlers, Bikir and Barrymore.
Deacon Barrymore said to Bikir with a smile on his face.
“Perhaps the head of the household is calling for admission to the academy. Congratulations in advance, son.”
“How do you know that?”
When Bikir asked, Deacon Barrymore said in a tone full of confidence, as if he had definitely known this would happen.
“Last night, an official notice for new student recruitment came from the academy.”
