The journey through Akatsuki no Yona

Wrong impressions

"Someone's... watching us." Shin-ah spoke. "From over there, I think." Shin-ah pointed at a silhouette in the distance. The person tried to run away, but Jae-ha jumped up and landed near them, cutting their escape route. Kija ran after Jae-ha and made his hand grow, pointing his claws at the strangers.

"Oh? Looks like we have a bigger audience gathered than I realized. Look at them, gazing at us so passionately!" Jae-ha sounded amused.

"Who are you all?!" Kija yelled.

I unsheathed my sword. A masked man stepped out from the shadows. "We have come from the country of Xing. Are you the monsters of Kouka Kingdom?" How does he know who we are?

"First you appear without warning, then you ask us if we are monsters? That's pretty rude if you ask me. After all, look how beautiful and good-looking we are!"

"Jae-ha, you have no shame..." I murmured.

"Are you the beautiful monsters from Kouka?" The masked man corrected himself.

Jae-ha was practically sparkling. "You asking for me?"

I face palmed. "Why am I even surprised."

"You're a pushover, Droopy Eyes."

Jae-ha ignored us. "Even if we were these beautiful monsters you speak of..."

"What business do you have with us?!" Kija finished.

More people showed up. They were also wearing masks. I tightened the grip on my sword. Hak and Shin-ah were prepared to fight, as well. The men looked at us for a while and then bowed so deep that their foreheads touched the ground. "We surrender!"

"What?"

"Eh?"

"Wait a second." Hak stepped forward. The men shouted 'surrender' again. "No, really. Even if you tell us that you're surrendering without a fight..."

"Raise the white flag!" A man with a mole under his eye, shouted.

"We get it already! Geez, what's with you guys?!" Hak lost his patience.

The man with the mole raised his head. "Apologies for our rudeness... My name is Vold, and I'm the servant of the second princess of Xing, princess Tao."

"A princess of Xing?!" Yoon shouted. "That's an incredibly high-ranking person!"

"I don't think we can trust people who hide their faces!" I sweat dropped. Not that we have a blue dragon whose face is covered by a mask...

"Eek! It's the real thing!" The masked men pointed at a very confused Kija. "It's like the rumors say! The monsters of Kouka Kingdom really do exist!"

"So it's true, Kouka Kingdom is the land where monsters live!"

"Wait a moment!" I turned their whole attention on me. "We've never been in Xing. How do you know such things?"

"Citizens of our country were also taken and enslaved by the country of Sei. They were also at the construction of the forts. Everyone who returned told the stories." Well, it seems convincing. "They said that Kouka Kingdom had a white-haired monster who could violently swing about his giant claw, and also a monster who could fly in the sky, and had green grass growing out of his head."

I started laughing. "G-green grass." I clutched my sides. That was hilarious.

"Was there a monster like that?" Kija stared at his hand.

"They are talking about you, Kija." Jae-ha sent him a closed-eye smile.

"And you too, flying monster." Hak deadpanned.