I Became a Barbarian's Bride - Chapter 173
“I believe I’ve heard that somewhere before.”
She vaguely remembered hearing that the people of Xieman had red eyes because they carried the blood of demons.
Kagan nodded and continued.
“Adin was a demon god, and the first beings he created were the demon race. But over the course of countless ages, their blood mingled with that of humans, slowly thinning, and the people born from that lineage are what we now call the Xiemanese.”
“…Ah.”
“And long ago, there was one person who served Adin with true devotion. You could say he was something like a high priest.”
Nisha nodded slightly at his words.
“That man prayed to Adin every day, for Xieman was a harsh and barren land.”
As Kagan’s voice grew heavier, Nisha gently placed her hand over the back of his.
He gave a faint chuckle, turned his hand to clasp hers, and interlaced their fingers firmly together.
“In the end, he even threw himself into the volcano’s crater, offering his life as a sacrifice.”
“…What?”
She hadn’t heard that part before. It made no sense, what could have driven someone to believe so completely that they’d give up their life like that?
While Nisha blinked in confusion, Kagan let out a quiet laugh.
“And the following year, the first oracle descended. The birth of the first Tun.”
At Kagan’s words, Nisha’s eyes widened.
“No one knows what he saw, whether he truly spoke with Adin, or why he threw himself into the crater. But it’s certain that from that day on, the existence called Tun came to be.”
“…I see.”
“That’s how it is. In truth, no one really knows what kind of god Adin is, what he thinks, or what he desires.”
Kagan shrugged as he spoke.
He added that even after spending so many years in Xieman, he still didn’t know. Then he pressed a light kiss to the side of her neck.
“There isn’t much passed down about Adin either. I’ve only heard that he sometimes reveals himself to those chosen as Tun.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. They say he often takes the form of a child.”
“Of a child?”
“It seems his figure isn’t clearly visible. They describe him as something that looks like a messy scribble rather than a defined form.”
Kagan answered with a casual expression, giving a small shrug.
“My mother said the same. She saw him once or twice, but never clearly enough to know what expression he wore or what he truly looked like.”
Had she seen him in her dreams? That would make sense, since she hadn’t been able to see before.
Nisha thought for a moment and nodded.
“What’s certain is that Adin showing himself isn’t a good sign. There was only one time a Tun clearly described him as a child, and that was just before she died.”
Nisha nodded slowly.
To her, it had also been the form of a child, a boy with the shape of a demon, just as people often described.
“So, why did you suddenly become curious about Adin?”
“Oh, I think I might have seen him.”
“You saw Adin? Come to think of it, you said something similar before. You’re not feeling unwell, are you?”
“No. It’s just that sometimes I see him standing on top of the volcano, looking this way.”
“The volcano’s peak?”
She gave a small nod before speaking.
“He stands at the edge of the crater, looking down.”
“Then he must be looking down upon us.”
Kagan’s tone was slightly curt as he shrugged his shoulders.
Nisha let out a quiet laugh.
“If you feel anything strange with your body, tell me right away.”
“All right.”
Nisha nodded lightly and glanced up at Kagan.
She knew she needed to bring up the matter of replenishing her life force soon, but it was hard to say it while watching him, looking so content with his face buried against her.
