Book 5 Chapter 12

Chapter 114

“Rain, look at that! It’s a huge, enormous tree!”

Kasena shouted in an excited voice.

I didn’t know what was so exciting, but she was always so cheerful throughout the cold, long journey. I didn’t say anything because it was better than whining, but…

Wearing a sealskin coat given by the Beastfolk, Kasena sometimes looked as cute as a seal.

“Don’t go near it.”

Of course, it was Alakish’s job to restrain the clueless young lady every time.

This time, she threw a pebble that was rolling on the roadside towards the giant tree, and suddenly, the tree’s branches moved like snakes and coiled around the pebble.

At that, Kasena’s eyes, which had been sparkling, turned pale.

“That is called a Ghost-Wailing Tree (鬼哭木). It catches and devours any living creature that comes close.”

“Uh… I see.”

“Now you know.”

Perhaps living beings evolved that way because the land was so barren, or perhaps all life consumed by the Abyss (深淵) turned out like that.

‘The more I see, the more fascinating it is. If the situation hadn’t been like this, I would have wanted to research it.’

The gateway to the forbidden world, Shen Highlands, was a land of darkness.

The mountain peaks that surrounded the plateau blocked the light of the sun and moon (日月), so unless the sun or moon was directly overhead, the highlands were nothing but desolate darkness.

All the primitive creatures secluded here were cruelly hostile to humanity. There were even ancient monsters seen only in encyclopedias.

But it wasn't all disadvantages.

The vast, sprawling plains had thick ice layers and firm ground, allowing the formation to advance without obstruction.

Thanks to Alakish’s guidance and protection, we swiftly traveled south through Shen Highlands for half a month. By dawn today, we were said to have covered roughly two-thirds of the distance.

“Now, try to burn that.”

“Why?”

“Hmm, it’s a suitable opponent to test how much power you’ve managed to raise.”

Then, as if asking me to watch her, Kasena winked at me, took a deep breath, and began drawing runes in the air.

Most of the journey proceeded like this.

Alakish would lead the way and train Kasena in practical combat. She primarily learned about fire, and now she was also learning healing runes.

“This much isn’t bad.”

“Really?!”

“But it’s not to a satisfactory level, so don’t be too happy.”

Kasena received considerable favor from Alakish, and I wasn’t sure if it was because she liked Kasena’s pure personality or if she saw the shadow of her soon-to-hatch daughter in Kasena.

‘If I were to be reborn, I wish I had been born into the Page family.’

I couldn’t learn even if I wanted to.

I was dying of envy.

Just then, as I let out a listless sigh, Pipi, who had been circling the sky and looking at the distant horizon, descended quickly.

“Lin, Lin, Lin, people, people are there. Lots of corpses.”

Perhaps they had already smelled it, as the warriors, including Barzel, were baring their teeth and growling even before Pipi delivered the message.

“It’s the smell of our kin… But what is this again?”

“What’s wrong?”

“This intense stench of the Abyss is new. What is this?”

Suddenly, a cold gust of wind blew, and an indescribable stench stung my nostrils.

This smell, I know this smell…

This smell, which made unpleasant cold sweat freely dampen my palms, was the smell of the 'Old Ones', the Kings’ servants.

“Mr. Barzel, please protect the tribe members here!”

“What?”

“Alakish and I will go over there. The safety of the tribe should be your top priority.”

Barzel looked ready to charge immediately, but as if struck by the truth, he clenched his jaw in frustration. Then, he nodded.

“Be careful, hairless whelp.”

“Yes.”

To hear such words from Barzel… I forced a chuckle, but my lips trembled with tension.

Sensing the unusual energy, Alakish and Kasena had already joined us. Alakish had indeed precisely located the Abyss.

“You stay here, Kasena Page.”

“Why? I want to go too! I can fight too!”

“You cannot fight yet. Rain Ludwig, you follow Alakish.”

Alakish was so resolute that Kasena seemed unable to object.

Feeling a little worried and wanting to console her, I left Pipi by Kasena’s side and followed Alakish.

As I cautiously followed, Alakish took off the basket she always carried carefully on her back and handed it to me. It was heavier than I expected, and my balance faltered when I took it.

“If I, Alakish, determine that the opponent is insurmountable, you are to flee immediately.”

“…?”

“And I entrust my daughter to you.”

Saying that, Alakish gently placed her hand on my head as if she wouldn't hear any objections, and for some reason, she looked sad.

She was sad, she couldn't help but be sad.

I’d never had children, but I knew well what it felt like to have to leave someone behind and embark on a journey to an unknown destination.

‘But that won’t happen. I will fight with you, even if it means dying.’

I regulated my breathing and circulated the magic gathered in my core throughout my body.

How many times had the magic coursed through my veins like cold blood before Alakish finally stopped?

At that moment, what unfolded before my eyes, accompanied by chills, was madness (狂氣)… ground collapsed by impact, corpses of Beastfolk turned into blood clots, and ruined travel equipment like sleds.

“…!”

And the ancient spider with a hundred eyeballs, which had woken up after sleeping for a thousand years and crawled out… was also lying on the ground, brutally torn and punctured by something.

The moment I thought that, I saw a black shadow twitch and leap from above it, so I immediately constructed a magic circle on my palm.

But before the light of the magic circle could form a second layer, the shadow landed before us.

‘What in the world…!’

At the absurd speed, I tried to switch the magic I was about to use as a 3-star spell to a 2-star spell and cast it immediately, but Alakish raised a hand, as if to calm me down.

“It has been a truly long time, Lady Alakish.”

As if answering my momentary question, the figure addressed Alakish in a businesslike tone.

The helmet, emitting a strange light, made its voice sound like a machine.

It was roughly the same build as Serri, wearing an engineering suit of light armor where hundreds of gears rotated in orderly fashion at every joint.

‘An engineering suit on such a small stature, then…?’

The answer was obvious.

It was an Ain (兒人; Dwarf), a race that, while unable to wield magic, was at least a century ahead of other races in terms of technological prowess.

Clink, clink, clink… With the nervous whirring of gears, the figure looked our way.

“A human whelp, a White Wolf? Quite young. Hmph, where did you leave your uniform? Did you flee without time to grab it?”

“Excuse me?”

“I heard the expedition failed, so you’re a straggler, in a word. Heheheheheh, you didn’t forget to burn your dead comrades, did you?”

The expedition failed?

I didn’t know what he was talking about.

“I’m not from the White Wolf Corps… But is this your doing?”

The figure crooked its head as if unable to believe my answer that I wasn’t a White Wolf, but then sent back an odd reply.

“Ah, of course. It’s my work.”

Perhaps intending to enjoy my eyes widening then narrowing, the figure deliberately paused before adding an explanation.

“If you’re asking if I killed the ones that the hostility in your eyes should be directed at, then yes.”

“Then those Beastfolk were…!”

“They were already all dead when I arrived. Of course, if you had interfered with me, you would have suffered the same fate, heheheheh.”

Having not only defeated the Old Ones but also speaking in a way that showed a thorough knowledge of Harbadonia… What was this person?

“Alakish, who exactly is this person?”

Around that time, those who had been scattered here and there, collecting samples from the desecrated corpses, began to gather one by one.

Most of them wore engineering suits similar to that figure’s, and the oppressive aura each one exuded was no joke.

Each of them carried engineering weapons on their backs and wrists whose use was unknown. Were they self-made weapons?

“You don’t know me, hmph, I’m a little hurt. I’m at an age where I start caring about such things now.”

As the figure touched its helmet, countless streams of steam erupted, and the front part of the helmet detached.

And the face revealed was… a scarred girl with eyes like deep, hollow cavities that seemed to suck one in.

I knew that Ain typically stopped physical growth in their mid-to-late teens, but perhaps due to the fierce experience contrasting with her young body, I swallowed dryly.

“My name is Frisvia. I am called the number one Platinum-rank adventurer in the Alliance.”

I wondered what she meant. I gaped and looked back at Alakish, wondering if it was true.

Platinum-rank adventurers were a rank achieved only by the top 11 ranked adventurers among the many.

Even many from governmental bodies like the Imperial Palace's Hwangha Samuseong were selected from this Platinum rank, so was there any need to further explain their skill…? But number one there?

“Let’s stop the useless chatter there. Frisvia, what did you just say? The expedition failed?”

At Alakish’s question, Frisvia, looking more puzzled, tilted her head slightly with an inorganic expression.

“You really don’t know? It’s news from over 20 days ago.”

“I really don’t know.”

“Hmph, it seems you went quite deep and just returned. The White Wolf leader organized a large-scale expedition and went out beyond the Wall. That was about 50 days ago.”

The White Wolves? Why on earth? To hunt Beastfolk? In this current situation?

“But the detachments sent out successively went missing, and eventually, the main force also suffered severe damage, so only a few survivors are retreating to the Wall. Heheheh, it’s a pitiful sight.”

My hands and feet turned cold as ice due to tension.

Was it too late?

Had they already clashed with Griffion’s forces? Had the seeds of conflict already ignited…? Alakish asked, looking slightly surprised.

“Is it the work of the Beastfolk?”

“Hmph, it’s hard to say that. Even if the Beastfolk gathered, they are a disorganized rabble with no military discipline. An army is strong when united, so if they had faced off in a pitched battle (會戰), the Wolves would have devoured the Beastfolk. Heheheh.”

Frisvia smiled slyly, her intentions unreadable, and gestured with her chin towards the two Old One corpses lying behind her.

“I believe they were certainly caught by those things. They are several times more cunning and stronger than ignorant humans.”

“That’s impossible. The Old Ones have never left Shen Highlands.”

“That’s all ancient history. Ancient beings are waking up in droves… and now they’ve started moving systematically. Heheheh.”

“What exactly does that mean?”

Frisvia shot me a glance, as if displeased that I had interrupted the adults’ (though they didn’t look like it) conversation, but soon answered me relatively kindly (?).

“Until now, the Old Ones were nothing more than runaway beasts. Heheheh, they fought among themselves and died, those were good times for research.”

“…?”

“But not anymore. They move systematically to hunt. Hmph, so wouldn’t it be rational to assume that something capable of commanding them has awakened?”

A shock, like a sharp pain, ran through my heart. A higher being capable of controlling the Old Ones? I had never encountered such a thing even in my Lin days.

But if Frisvia’s conjecture was true and such a being had awakened… I could unequivocally say that all beings north of Seolyeongjangseong would die.

I quickly looked up at Alakish.

“We need to hurry. We’ll be too late.”

“I, Alakish, am of the same mind.”

As Alakish and I turned to quickly return to where the tribe was, Frisvia suddenly grabbed my wrist.

“Too late for what?”

It was truly formidable grip strength… Whether it was strength derived from equipment or not, the pain of heavy iron digging into my wrist bone shot through me.

“What happens if you’re too late?”

“Let go of me!”

“I answered all of your impertinent questions one by one, so I think I’m entitled to some reciprocation.”

Alakish glared threateningly at Frisvia, but Frisvia, far from being fazed by the threat, even offered a provocative smile.

“Or you’re welcome to test what happens if you’re too late, right here, right now.”

Since it seemed she would follow us to the end if I didn’t answer, I roughly explained our current objective.

“Reconcile the Beastfolk and the Wolves and open the gates of the Wall?”

Then, Frisvia’s mouth stretched into a frightfully wide, sinister grin as she let out a chuckle, and she leaned her face close to mine.

“Heheheheheh… How do you plan to reconcile beasts hungry for each other’s blood? Huh? By appealing with a whelp’s tears? Huh? Or by subjugating them with force? That would be the more realistic option.”

“I have a plan. No time to explain.”

The ghostly smile suddenly vanished from Frisvia’s face, and she let go of my wrist without a trace of regret.

“Is it because you’re still young, or is it the limit of the human race? It’s pathetic how incapable you are of rational judgment.”

Then, she reattached the detached front part of her helmet, and the sound of the helmet exhaling steam sounded very chilling.

“I offer you a prophecy and a bargain. You cannot unite those two. No matter what you do.”

“Why not?”

“As you can see for yourself, humans are creatures of emotion. Even in situations like this, they fail to make rational judgments and only fuel their hatred for each other.”

“We’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Hmph, and if you still want to bring the Beastfolk below the Wall even if the reconciliation fails, then come find me at the Battleship Base (兵船基地).”

The Battleship Base, she said…?

Then, she concluded, pointing at Alakish with a meaningful nod of her chin.

“Just don’t forget that you must come with Lady Alakish, heheheh.”