Volume 3 Chapter 209 Sending Fire
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Equipped in his gleaming Silver Ice armor, with the Windsong Blade at his hip and the Misty Magic Sword strapped to his back, Kian departed from Ramsey’s castle. His backpack was stocked with a few Elixirs and blast bombs, just in case. The letter from Owl had requested a private conversation—but Kian couldn’t be sure if that was truly all it would be. Even if Owl had no intention of ambushing him, external factors could still lead to confrontation. And so, he approached the meeting place fully armed, without a hint of relaxation.
Suppressing his presence, Kian moved like a shadow through the castle’s backyard, vaulting over the fence in a single leap. Since he wasn’t wearing the stealth-focused Nightshade armor, the quiet clinking of metal accompanied his movements. After landing, he scanned his surroundings for any signs of pursuit. There were no approaching footsteps. It seemed that neither Linca—whom he had just parted from—nor Sarah, Natra, or Rufna had noticed him slipping out of bed. For the time being, he had successfully escaped.
The appointed meeting place was Flower Mountain, located outside the merchant city of Ramsey, near the fortress to the north-northwest. The mountain earned its name from the heavily scented flowers that blanketed its slopes, scattering their petals across the area. In summer, they bloomed in profusion, transforming the landscape into an ethereal dreamscape. But tonight, with the moon absent, the mountain would be enshrouded in darkness. It would not be a romantic rendezvous.
To avoid being spotted by the city gatekeeper, Kian opted to use the waterway that cut through Ramsey’s castle wall. Jumping into the pitch-black channel while wearing armor would be tantamount to suicide for an ordinary person—but Kian trusted in his superhuman physical abilities and the extraordinary performance of Silver Ice. Activating the armor’s heat magic, he created a thick slab of ice on the water’s surface, then lay flat atop it, allowing the current to carry him forward.
Emerging from the waterway on the southern side, Kian discarded the ice and crossed into a wheat field. The route was slightly longer, but he sprinted north-northwest, skirting the city wall. He had set out just before ten in the evening, and by the time he approached the fortress, it was nearing midnight.
The promised meeting time was 2 a.m.—he still had time to spare.
Casting a glance at the fortress where Eleonora was stationed, Kian turned off the narrow street and stepped onto a path descending into the valley. There, the road would wind upward once more, leading to the peak of Flower Mountain. At this pace, he could reach the summit in less than half an hour.
As he made his way toward the valley, the faint aroma of beast-repellent incense mixed with Eleonora’s familiar scent drifted on the wind. A moment later, he confirmed the presence of her magic power and the steady rhythm of her heartbeat. Since she had introduced him to Owl, stealth was unnecessary. To avoid alarming her, Kian deliberately allowed his footsteps—and the clinking of his armor—to ring clearly in the air.
”…Lord Kian, is it?” Eleonora asked.
”Good evening, Lady Eleonora,” Kian replied with a gentle smile.
She stood stiffly at the fork in the road that connected the valley to the mountain path. His smile was an effort to ease the tension between them, but as usual, Eleonora appeared terrified of him—her body as rigid as steel.
”Good. The beast-repellent incense was just about to wear off,” she murmured. “I was thinking of heading back… that unpleasant screeching sound has been echoing, like iron files scraping together.”
”That screeching is from a Cain-type monster,” Kian explained. “Thanks to Lord Owl’s spell, the Bloodsucking Kind are all subdued—but even so, dangerous things remain dangerous. Don’t place too much faith in the incense. It’s not infallible.”
”Y-Yes…”
”Here,” he said, rummaging through his backpack before producing a small pouch.
Eleonora peeked out from beneath her pitch-black hood. “What is that?”
”It’s a monster-repellent incense made from wisteria flowers. Use it on your way back if the other incense runs out.”
(T/N: Wisteria flowers are traditionally believed to repel supernatural creatures in Japanese folklore.)
”…Did you concoct the Elixir yourself?”
”Sometimes I make it myself. Other times, my companions do, or I receive it from others. That one, though… I think I got it from Ms. Priscilla the other day.”
”You have connections with the head witch of Châtillon, then?”
”Well, yes. Though I’m not sure connections is the right word.”
Kian offered a wry smile. Eleonora, in turn, only regarded him more warily.
”And this, too.”
”What is that letter?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.
”It’s a letter to Her Excellency.”
”To Her Excellency? Are you asking me to deliver it?”
”I’ll leave that decision to you,” Kian said flatly.
”What do you mean?”
Eleonora frowned, looking down at the letter now in her hand. Kian continued.
”Actually, I received a letter from Her Excellency instructing me to appear at the Izerland government office. But my Head Magician said the meeting wouldn’t just be about the war’s rewards.”
”……”
”I’ve been thinking about why Her Excellency summoned me. My conclusion is that perhaps it was a roundabout way to impose the position of Defense Minister on me.”
”Why do you think that?”
”Based on the context of our last conversation,” Kian replied. “Of course, this is just speculation. You could write it off as the ramblings of an adventurer who knows nothing about politics.”
”No… I don’t think it’s mere ramblings. You are… truly an impressive person. Terrifyingly so. So—what does that have to do with the letter?”
Kian’s expression grew serious as he met her gaze. Eleonora was a vital asset to Maribel, now bereft of her key supporters. This time, misfortune had led to Eleonora being sent back to her homeland—but originally, she had been someone meant to serve as Defense Minister and support Maribel. Before returning the castle’s seal, Kian had wondered if there was anything he could do. The letter was his answer.
”I’m not suited to be Defense Minister,” he said. “That letter is a request to Her Excellency, asking for Lady Eleonora to be reinstated. That’s all I can do. If you still wish to support Her Excellency, please deliver it. It’s not sealed—just tied with string. You may read it if you like.”
”Such a rude thing is out of the question,” Eleonora said, shaking her head. “But I understand. I’ll gratefully make use of your feelings. I… may not be fit to be Defense Minister, but I have a duty to protect the Sunlightland Knights.”
”If that letter confirms that I nominated you, then it may help,” Kian said.
”I believe it will. Owl is already waiting at the summit of Flower Mountain. You should go quickly.”
”Yes.”
Kian nodded, then walked past Eleonora and began ascending the gentle slope. From ahead, he caught the faint scent of Owl—after several days apart, it was unmistakable. The familiar aroma of Azrael’s perfume drifted in the air.
It was a bit too strong.
Glancing back once, he saw Eleonora briskly turning around and heading toward the valley’s entrance. Even as a mediator, she had come this far to see him off. That alone was admirable.
(Well… I hope it doesn’t come to killing Owl.)
Resolving himself, Kian picked up his pace.
A field of red flowers blanketed the mountaintop. He didn’t know the name of the flower. Their sweet scent, reminiscent of roses, filled the air as he made his way across the gently sloping summit.
”Good evening, Kian.”
A sinister silhouette loomed in the darkened flower field beneath the overcast sky. It was Owl.
As always, he wore a wide-brimmed hat, dark glasses, and a voluminous coat fashioned from owl feathers. After cautiously surveying his surroundings, Kian approached Owl, mentally prepared to draw the Windsong Blade at a moment’s notice.
”Good evening, Mr. Owl. What brings you here?” he asked quietly.
”I called you out tonight to say goodbye,” Owl replied with a solemn expression. “And to apologize. I should have come to visit you myself, but it seems I am wanted by the Adventurer Guild.”
Kian narrowed his eyes. “Not to mention, you are treated as a monster by all the citizens of Ramsey. The Inquisition of the Western Church has also caught wind of your existence. You should not expect to live in peace from now on.”
”Ho ho ho,” Owl chuckled dryly. “That is only if I were to continue living among humans, right? I have no lingering attachments to human society anymore. The only regret I have is not being able to fulfill my promise to Maribel… but judging by her actions since I left Ramsey, it seems she no longer needs me.”
”The Knight Order has also taken the opportunity to seize your assets,” Kian noted grimly.
”I think I will quietly live deep in the mountains, where civilization cannot reach,” Owl said, his gaze distant. “I do not know how long your lifespan is, Kian, but it is more likely that we will not meet again. Even if we do, it may be hundreds of years later, when civilization has gradually encroached… By then, I might have completely forgotten human language and ethics.”
”────”
Even if Owl were to retreat into the mountains, would he still continue to suck the lifeblood of humans? Kian could not bring himself to ask. Owl would likely affirm it. There was no reason for a beast to refrain from eating. Following instinct, taking what one desires—that is what it means to return to the wild.
If he were to let him go, many more victims would surely follow. However, Kian was not a guardian of humanity. He only wanted to see Owl off as a friend.
”Kian,” Owl said quietly, “I apologize for my rudeness in Ramsey. I let my temper get the better of me and acted in such a reckless manner.”
”It was truly a reckless act,” Kian replied, his voice stern but understanding. “I understand your feelings, but you should have recognized your own position and restrained yourself. However… we are creatures with emotions. Sometimes, impulse overpowers reason. It’s already done──let’s both let it go.”
”Thank you, my friend.”
Owl offered a faint smile and pulled a bottle of liquor from his pocket. From the scent, it was just ordinary grape wine.
”Would you like a little drink?” he offered.
”I’m sorry,” Kian declined with a shake of his head. “I came here quietly without telling my comrades, and since Lady Eleonora might sell my information to someone, I can’t stay long.”
”I see… It’s sad, but you are being pursued. I don’t wish to involve Kian either,” Owl murmured. “Well then, if you like, take this.”
”A key, is it?” Kian asked, taking the object from Owl’s sharp-clawed fingers. It was a rectangular metal key with a wooden handle, engraved with: ‘Franz Kingdom Central Bank Vault No. 296.’
”If you dislike being suspected of a connection with me, discard it,” Owl advised. “Though I think it’s safe──guardians of the central bank keep silent even before church forces or state powers.”
”I had thought it was something the princess had confiscated,” Kian said, studying the key.
”Before that happened, I left legal documents stating that the contents of my vault are to be transferred to the key’s holder,” Owl explained. “If too much time passes, the vault’s contents will either become the bank’s property, or—if the Franz Kingdom collapses—the central bank will vanish too. Then it would be impossible to withdraw anything. So, if you want the money, act quickly.”
”Just how many years into the future are you talking about delaying?” Kian muttered.
Owl chuckled lowly and extended his right hand.
”It was brief, but meeting you was good. Not only did I find a comrade, but I learned and discovered much from you. In the end, I was even moved. Kian, you were also a faithful servant of the goddess.”
”Goddess?” Kian blinked. “What do you mean by goddess?”
It was then that Kian asked. Suddenly, the red floral carpet beneath them seemed to swell all at once.
A dazzling light and tremendous heat exploded outward.
* * *
In a single leap, neither Kian nor Owl understood what had happened.
Owl’s face, frozen in the moment of being swallowed by the light, was distorted into a rather foolish expression.
A roaring sound.
Heat.
Vision turned pure white.
Instinctively, Kian unleashed the full power of Silver Ice and covered his mouth with his arm, curling his body.
”Ughyaaahhh!? Ah, ah, aaaaahhh!?”
The light stopped, and the flower field was stained crimson.
No—it had once been a flower field. Burned by overwhelming heat, the land had transformed. Kian sensed Owl’s presence—charred black yet regenerating before his very eyes.
”Ah, ah, aaaaaah!”
Words failed him.
There was no fresh air.
Wings began to sprout from Owl’s back—but were reduced to ash in an instant.
(“A blast without a smell…!”) Kian realized.
It was the secret technique of the unparalleled strategist Umar Vahid.
Kian had also learned it in the monastery—a method for the weak to kill the strong.
The explosives had been densely packed beneath the ground of this flower field.
Who on earth──?
The answer came almost instantly.
Eleonora of Sunlightland.
She had chosen the meeting place for Kian and Owl.
Moreover, it would have been easy to bury the blast beneath the “mountain of flowers,” since her fortress in the northwest was nearby. No one would notice.
Furthermore, before being betrayed by Umar, she had negotiated with the Beastmen at the ancient temple. There must have been some influence from Umar’s side during that time.
Was it Umar who did this to her──?
Though Kian arrived at that conclusion, he knew what he had to do first.
Help Owl.
Kian had Silver Ice, and with Talia’s magic sword, escape was certainly possible. But Owl was different. Once the limit of regeneration was reached, he would return to dust.
So he must help him first.
With burning legs, Kian gathered his strength and forcefully tackled Owl—who was dancing in flames. It was likely a blow that shattered most of his bones, but with Owl’s regeneration, survival was still possible—if he could just escape this fiery hell.
Owl’s scorched and strangely light body collided with Kian’s and soared high into the sky. He flapped his outstretched wings desperately, gliding away from the inferno—tattered, but alive.
(Good. Now all that’s left…)
”──What a shame. I won’t let you!”
”──!?”
A dizzying whirl of flames and the darkness of night.
His vision and sense of smell completely disoriented, a figure in light blue magical armor loomed large before Kian.
By the time he realized it, an ice magic sword glowing faint blue had already pierced deeply into his right inner thigh.
”Katyusha…!” he gasped.
In the absence of air, he wasn’t sure if he pronounced it correctly.
Standing before him, around his groin level, was a female warrior monk who resembled a black panther—much like Arminus and Fraus.
Katyusha.
She had once fought Kian in the arena of Châtillon, and though she had been defeated, her life was spared out of mercy.
Afterward, while her master Abbas Shakerdoust and colleague Zayn were captured by Guy and the Châtillon forces, she somehow escaped—and now stood as a guest commander under Umar.
She had lived with Kian for a time in the ancient temple. A specialist who had honed the black panther tribe’s unique ability to conceal presence, her assassination skills had been sharpened to their utmost in the monastery.
It was likely that even after Umar headed south, she had remained in this land, patiently waiting for a chance to fulfill his orders.
”Foolish person!” she hissed. “You should have killed me in the arena. Because you kindly spared me, you will die!”
”Ugh…” Kian groaned.
Why?
What is the purpose?
He shouted in his heart.
His right leg had been deeply gouged. He lost balance. The sound of flesh burning and searing pain filled the air.
Before him, Katyusha was burning as well.
The only reason they weren’t dead yet was because they both wore powerful magical armors.
”With this, I can get Sir Abbas’s ransom paid,” she declared.
”──────!”
”Umar promised!” she said, eyes glinting.
”How foolish. You are being used!” Kian shouted.
”I told you! I live for Shakerdoust, bear children for him, and die for him!”
A mad smile twisted Katyusha’s face—a mass of malice.
It was a face that distilled all the grotesque nature of humanity Kian had confronted over the past fifteen years.
”Die, Kian Vahid! In this world, those who believe are the fools! You, the soft-hearted, will die here! Ahahahahahaha──────!”
Kian struck Katyusha’s head with his fist.
Her skull shattered like brittle glass. The pitiful black panther female warrior monk’s head exploded. Her body, now without its upper jaw, swayed and began to char—melting into the flames.
Kian gritted his teeth and pierced through from thigh to ankle, gripping the hilt of the magic sword that had formed ice-like crystals across the scorched earth.
”Will I make it in time?” Kian muttered under his breath.
After drawing the magic sword… could he fly?
Talia wasn’t here.
If the activation of the blood technique armor failed, he would die.
Suddenly, the image of the Windsong Blade flashed through his mind.
At the same time, Kian activated his spatial awareness ability, scanning the surrounding space, desperately searching for even the slightest hope of survival.
(There it is.)
The space was wavering.
He didn’t know what it was. But rather than jumping into the sky or gambling on the blood technique armor’s success, it was better to leap into the spatial distortion just a few meters ahead.
(Push through, push through, push through…!)
Half of his body vanished.
Why was he still alive?
Probably thanks to ‘Silver Ice.’
He was glad he’d worn it as a precaution. If he’d foolishly worn ‘Nightshade’ instead, he would already be dead.
(Pull, pull, pullllllll!!)
Just then, someone burst through the flames and leapt in.
A white haori (T/N: traditional Japanese jacket worn over a kimono).
A black and gold Eastern-style dress.
Glossy black hair and long, snow-white legs.
(Linca…!)
She was using ‘Penetration’ to charge toward him.
Her hand reached for Kian, and with a single powerful leap—her right arm engulfed in flames—she forcibly yanked Kian’s limp body off the ground. There was no pain in his legs; he’d long since lost all feeling.
She had activated ‘Penetration’ on Kian’s body as well. However, full ‘Penetration’ couldn’t be performed on him. Even if Linca escaped, Kian would die at this rate.
”……”
Without speaking, she pointed toward the distortion in space.
Linca’s eyes widened as she spotted it, then nodded resolutely.
The two of them dove through the flaming battlefield and into the spatial distortion just ahead.
Linca had come with him.
Together, they hurled themselves into a gate with no known destination.
Kian and Linca, locked in a desperate embrace, vanished into the blaze—sucked into the rift in space beyond.
* * *
”Lady Eleonora, ‘Flower Mountain’ is ablaze. Lord Kian and Lord Owl were at the summit just before. It appears they were both caught in the explosion,” reported a trembling knight lieutenant.
They stood atop the north-northwest tower of the fort.
He held a long-distance magic tool up to Eleonora’s eyes, his voice shaking with dread.
Senior members of the Sunlightland Knights were gathered around her.
Their faces had turned pale, overcome with the weight of the sin they had just committed.
”The hero who saved Ramsey is dead…”
”We… we killed him…”
”Lord Kian… I’m sorry…”
”What have we… done…”
”Everyone, this is my fault,” Eleonora declared in a firm voice, her gaze fixed on the summit of the burning ‘Flower Mountain.’
”You are not to blame.”
(Kian Vahid… You are dangerous. You can easily slay dragons and wipe out three thousand enemy soldiers. Your political instincts are razor sharp. And on top of that, you’ve stolen the princess’s heart.)
If someone like him became the Defense Minister, the Izerland government would fall under his thumb. Maribel, and all the vipers in the salon, wouldn’t be able to stop it.
Soon, Azrael’s politicians and military officers under his sway would be appointed to key positions, and Maribel’s administration would be overtaken from within.
Just like with Oswald.
Back then, she had been powerless to act.
But not this time.
Eleonora had been burdened by missteps lately, but now, at last, she had taken a decisive action that would benefit both Maribel and the future of Izerland.
(Lord Kian, I will not apologize. This was for the peace of Izerland. A man with bloodlust like yours had to be eliminated here.)
This operation had not been directed by Umar.
It was Eleonora’s own judgment.
When they had been fortifying the northwest fortress, Katyusha—a warrior monk from the Black Panther Tribe—had come forward with Umar’s “odorless blast bomb” and a plan to assassinate Kian.
She had seen an opportunity.
Eleonora’s words no longer reached Maribel.
Given the state of things, even if she had to become the villain, she would cut away the infection festering at the frontier.
She had borrowed four thousand Gold Coins, but killing Kian and the harmful Owl for Maribel’s sake had been worth it.
This debt would strain Sunlightland’s finances, yes—but it was for the sake of the realm and its people.
”…Lady Eleonora, what will you do from here on?” the knight lieutenant asked, his face ashen.
”We’ve been holed up in the northwest fortress this whole time. I think… we’ll be the prime suspects behind the blast bomb.”
”We’ll place the blame on Katyusha, the Branch Family ‘Storm Herd,’ and Owl. Umar as well.”
”────!”
”Here. Look at this.” Eleonora held up a letter. “A message from Lord Kian, urging Her Excellency to make me the Defense Minister.”
She gave a thin smile.
”To think he didn’t even realize he’d be killed. Foolish man. I will gratefully take advantage of his kindness. We had no motive to assassinate Lord Kian. On the other hand, Katyusha, the actual perpetrators, and Umar—the mastermind—had every reason to.”
”The blast bomb also belongs to Umar.”
”If we all get our stories straight…” another knight began.
”Yes. And after that, we’ll kill Umar. There will be no one left to speak of it.”
”────”
”As I’ve said before, Lord Kian was a danger. You all understood that, didn’t you?”
”That’s…”
”────”
”I’ll say it again: if this comes to light, tell them you were following my orders. The fault lies with me alone. You don’t need to face punishment.”
”No. If the truth comes out, I’ll take responsibility too.”
”Me as well.”
”I will too, Lady Eleonora.”
”Even if we killed Lord Kian, a lowborn Azraelian like him, it won’t amount to much punishment as long as we had reason. Let us bear the burden. Lady Eleonora, please remain innocent—for Sunlightland’s sake.”
”…Everyone… thank you,” Eleonora whispered, tears gathering in her eyes.
Quietly, she embraced the knights surrounding her.
Behind them, the ‘Mountain of Flowers’ continued to burn.
To Eleonora, that light and heat seemed like the sun of justice she had once lost.
* * *
”Sir Kian! Sir Kian, hold on!”
A dull ache throbbed through his bones, mingling with the faint, sweet scent of incense. Something soft was brushing his cheek—no, someone was gently slapping him.
Kian’s consciousness surged back.
His eyes flew open.
His vision was dim. Hovering above him was a curved, elegant silhouette cloaked in black Eastern robes, and a beautiful face peered down at him.
It was Linca.
”Sir Kian!” she cried, and with tears in her eyes, she threw her arms around him. “I’m so glad, I’m so glad…”
Her voice trembled with profound relief.
”…Where am I? What happened to me…?” Kian murmured groggily.
His memories, at least, remained intact.
The Mountain of Flowers had burned to ash. He and Owl had tried to escape, only for Katyusha to ambush them. Just when all hope seemed lost, Linca had rushed in, yanked him free, and together they’d leapt into a mysterious gate that had opened nearby.
”You idiot!” Linca shouted suddenly, her voice choked and furious. A sharp slap rang out as she struck his cheek.
”Why did you leave the castle alone?! Did you think you could meet Owl by yourself?! The threat from Umar wasn’t over yet!”
”I’m sorry,” he muttered.
He had done it for his bond with Owl. He hadn’t been able to flatly refuse Eleonora’s reckless plan, and in hindsight, it had clearly been a mistake.
(Owl didn’t know the full story. The real conspirators were Eleonora and Katyusha. The one pulling the strings from behind the curtain was Umar. …And maybe Talia.)
Talia had made it impossible for him to consult with Linca or the others about meeting Owl, practically forcing his hand. Given his relationship with Owl—and his own tendencies—it wasn’t surprising that he’d chosen to go alone.
(Talia has always been on my side. I want to believe that. But… did she betray me?)
A deep pain tore through his chest. Not a physical wound—just his heart, aching.
Katyusha’s final words still echoed in his mind. Eleonora’s face lingered, impossible to forget. By now, Katyusha was probably laughing at him from beyond the grave, and Eleonora was surely mocking him from her fortress in the northwest.
He had trusted them.
And been betrayed.
It had been the same for the last fifteen years, and yet, here he was again—caught in the same web.
He could only trust himself. Trusting others was for fools.
In a grotesque world crawling with vile humans, love was nothing more than a fantasy. It simply could not exist.
Kian slowly lifted his body off Linca’s lap, where she sat sobbing like a child, and surveyed his surroundings.
It was pitch-black… perhaps a farm road. Thick thickets of thorns lined both sides. Yet the space where they rested was strangely untouched, the ground dotted with red and yellow mushrooms glowing faintly in the dark.
A butterfly, emitting a soft blue light, fluttered its wings atop one of the mushrooms.
”Do you know where this is?” he asked.
’Silver Ice’ remained strapped to his back. The Windsong Blade was in his right hand. The Misty Magic Sword lay at Linca’s feet, suggesting she’d been holding it.
Neither of them bore any injuries or burns. Linca’s white cloak, her Eastern dress, and her boots were all intact. Though the cloak should have burned, it was made from a special material known as spirit thread (T/N: a rare fabric that regenerates by consuming the user’s magic), and had likely restored itself by draining her mana.
”I… I don’t know,” she said, her voice trembling.
”It’s a creepy place,” Kian admitted, staring at the luminous mushrooms beside him. “But it’s also beautiful.”
Linca wiped at her eyes with the ball of her thumb. “If Sir Kian had died, I’d be all alone in a place like this…”
”I’m sorry to make you worry. But I’m fine, as you can see. Thanks to you.”
”…”
Linca sniffled. Once he confirmed there were no enemies nearby, Kian turned toward her.
”I’ll explain what happened. Actually—”
He explained everything, starting from the moment he received Owl’s letter. It didn’t take long—only about five minutes to lay out the facts.
”…I see,” Linca murmured. Though she still hiccupped occasionally, she seemed calmer now.
”It seems we fell right into the schemes of Umar, Eleonora, and Katyusha. And… there’s a chance Ms. Talia betrayed us as well, right?”
”I can’t use my blood technique armaments,” Kian replied, flexing his right hand. “I can’t even see the shadow of the magic sword. Maybe it’s because we were transported into this alternate space, or maybe Talia restricted them.”
”Is there a chance Owl’s involved in all this too?” Linca asked, scanning the thorny surroundings. Her voice steadied as his calm demeanor began to ground her.
”He was caught in the fire with us.”
”Even so… if I’m right, we’re in Count Cain’s territory—the one destroyed by the Thorn Spirit, right? Then how did a gate open here unless it was linked to the Mountain of Flowers? Since Owl brought the crystallized Silverwooloo from the ancient temple, he might’ve created the gate.”
”He never showed any sign of that… Did he deceive me too?” Kian muttered bitterly. “If so, I really am just a fool. I keep getting tricked—over and over. Maybe it’s my own fault.”
”────”
Linca frowned, then suddenly forced her voice into a cheerier tone. “Negative thinking is strictly prohibited!”
”…Yeah. Sorry. You must be just as anxious. ──For now, shall we try moving? No one who’s entered Count Cain’s territory has ever returned. Staying here will just lead to starvation.”
”Well, we do have enough food for six months, just for the two of us,” Linca replied, summoning a shikigami gate (T/N: a spiritual summoning spell or portal) and pulling out the head of a white snake.
”Thanks to Mizuchi (T/N: a water spirit or dragon), we have an endless supply of water. We could hole up here and wait for help.”
”Is help really coming?”
”…The gate’s closed, huh…”
Linca glanced behind them, where only a towering wall of pitch-black thorns remained.
”If Ms. Sarah and the others notice we’ve vanished, they might detect the remnants of the gate’s magic.”
”And if Owl is alive, he might reopen the gate from his side.”
”…We should explore, after all. Relying on others won’t work.”
”I agree. We might run into the Wolfmen or Umar’s subordinates who got lost before us. Besides—”
”Besides what?”
”Looking back on it all… If Talia betrayed me, then this is all her doing.”
”Hah…”
”Isn’t she waiting for me at the end of this thorny maze? At the very least, her corpse and the Thorn Spirit Erynys should be sealed somewhere in this world. Meeting them might open a new path.”
”Or it could mean instant death.”
”When people die, they die. If I’m going to die, I want to struggle until the very end.”
”I don’t want to die… To be honest, I’m scared out of my mind. I want to pitch a tent and hide here forever.”
”Then I’ll carry you along with the tent. You’ve got the food and water, after all.”
”I can’t believe you’d joke about that, Sir Kian…”
”Well, we’ll manage. Somehow. It’ll be fine.”
”…Honestly, you really are something…”
With a sigh, Linca stood up and brushed the damp soil from her bare knees.
”I’ll go too. I can’t let you be a snail by yourself.”
”Then let’s go.”
”Yes.”
Linca handed him the Misty Magic Sword. But since the holder on her back had burned away, carrying both the Windsong Blade and the Misty Magic Sword would be impractical. In the end, Kian had her hold onto the Misty Magic Sword instead.
”By the way, why did you come to the Mountain of Flowers?” he asked as they prepared to move.
Linca placed her hands on her hips, her black Eastern dress swaying as she pouted.
”Because you were acting strange. Fixing your hair like you were meeting someone. I thought maybe you were sneaking off to have an affair, so I went to your room to check. It was empty. I figured you might’ve thrown down your resignation in front of Mr. Kian and left, so I used a shikigami to track you.”
”That was reckless… but thank you. You saved my life.”
”No need for thanks. I’m just glad you’re safe.”
She turned her face away with a huff. Her frustration over Kian’s suspected romantic escapades clearly hadn’t faded. For now, though, they were in this together—and he knew better than to provoke her.
Kian offered a vague smile and started walking. Linca followed behind… no, more like she trailed just half a step back, using his body as a shield.
At that moment, the blue butterfly that had rested atop the glowing mushroom fluttered into the air, scattering particles of light as it passed before Kian’s eyes.
Then—a voice.
A clear, melodious voice of a young girl echoed through the darkness.
”Welcome, new ruler of the world, and your attendant. We welcome you.”
”…What is this?” Linca asked, frozen in place.
The blue butterfly fluttered before them.
”I am here. This butterfly is me.”
”This voice… Talia?”
”Eh?! Ms. Talia had a voice like this?!”
”Yes. A voice like this. But overall, her atmosphere and speech… she kept saying ‘no ja, no ja’ like some old sage.”
”My image of Ms. Talia is shattered!”
”I am not ‘Talia,’” the butterfly declared, flitting around Kian’s head.
”I am the Rose Garden Keeper.”
”Rose Garden Keeper?” Linca echoed, confused.
The butterfly gave what felt like a nod.
”I will guide you to the holy domain. Follow me.”
Notes:
• Mag – The wolfwoman under Yelmar—the one who was caught by Kian’s group earlier.
• Linca – Jibril’s favorite girl. High-ranking warrior monk woman from Shin, with strong abilities like ignoring attacks and poisons.
• Katyusha – A female warrior monk of the black panther race and a follower of Abbas Hashmalik Shakerdoust.
• Arminus – Male. Leader of the Black Panther Tribe. Possesses extraordinary physical abilities, enhanced by the tribe’s unique technique that repels energy and magic attacks. His speed and strength surpass those of High Warlord Isthbaran. Wields the magic sword Balmung, capable of cleaving through an ice dragon with a single strike. His black fur provides camouflage in low visibility, making him nearly undetectable. Relationship: Leader of the Beastmen Alliance’s delegation.
• Fraus – Male. Son of Arminus. Member of the Black Panther Tribe. Shares his father’s enhanced physical abilities and combat prowess. Relationship: Subordinate and family to Arminus.
• Abbas – The heir of the Shakerdoust family, a prominent clan within the Twelve Divine Generals.
• Count Cain – Talia’s father.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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