Volume 3 Chapter 4 Quest： Dream Castle I
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
They would pass Kian on the town street, and while Rean would ignore him, Lyritisse would only stiffen her expression for a moment and avert her gaze.
Kian himself tried hard not to acknowledge them at all.
After all, he had been banished from the party.
He had been treated poorly, called a ‘garbage scavenger’ by those around him.
Rean’s response was the same as that of the other members of ‘Lion’s Companion.’
Lyritisse was the only one who reacted differently, but that only made Kian feel miserable, and he truly hated it.
Being dismissed as unnecessary, even though he wanted to prove himself, the gap only seemed to widen.
However, after their adventure at Izerland Fortress, it became clear that they were still just mere humans.
He wasn’t looking down on them, but after witnessing Oswald, Renaud, and Owl, he couldn’t help but make that objective judgment.
With that in mind, he felt he could interact with them more normally.
”…Anyway, I’m taking on that quest. They say a monster has wiped out a Rank 5 party. If no one else is willing to step up, I will defeat it.”
”It seems there’s no point in saying anything more.”
Friedrich sighed and turned to Kian.
”Rean and Lyritisse seem to want to join the quest. Is that alright with you, Kian?”
”That’s fine.”
”Alright, then──”
”Wait a moment. ──Lyr, you should go home.”
Rean said with a stern expression to the flaxen-haired lady.
Lyritisse momentarily stumbled over her words, then shot him a glare with furrowed brows.
”No, I’m not going back. I can’t send the leader into battle alone.”
”It’s an order from the captain. Go home. I’ll take the quest myself.”
”Why is that? I’m fine, so I’ll accompany you.”
”You’re trembling. You’re pushing yourself too hard. Return to the inn and rest.”
”I’m not going back! I will only return when Sir Rean gives up on the quest! I’m worried about you trying to waste a break we decided on as a party just to take on this quest!”
”It’s unnecessary.”
Rean said this matter-of-factly.
He met Lyritisse’s gaze directly as she seemed about to say something, repeating his words.
”There’s no need to worry. You should rest.”
”No… I won’t rest. Sir Rean is exhausted from the battle with the water-eating Alligator. I won’t let you overexert yourself.”
”I see. Then do as you wish.”
”…Alright.”
The amber-haired lady let out a sigh of relief.
Friedrich, who was watching from the side, raised an eyebrow.
”Both of you will be going with Kian, correct?”
”Yes.”
”Then set out immediately. We’ll support you with supplies here. I’m counting on you, Rean and Kian.”
* * *
Normally, when 2 or more parties join forces, they start with introductions and discussions to align strategies, but that wasn’t the case for Kian and Rean.
Rean, having received the mission request from Friedrich, swiftly borrowed a horse and set off, with Lyritisse hurriedly pursuing him.
Following behind them were Kian and the two others, riding at a leisurely pace.
However, since the horses were carrying supplies for both travel and stay, they couldn’t maintain an unending pace.
In particular, Rean’s horse, burdened by his dark full armor, was showing significant signs of fatigue, and after a while, it caught up with the two resting halfway along the journey.
They were on a path heading northeast, avoiding the Eastern Forest.
They took a break in an open plain, with snow-covered mountains visible in the distance.
”Lyritisse.”
He approached the amber-haired woman who was taking a break by the riverbank.
She was staring blankly at the leader.
The distance between them was quite far for members of the same party.
While Lyritisse rested nearby, Rean sat on a large rock upstream, munching on some dried meat.
Beside him, his horse was drinking water enthusiastically.
Upon hearing Kian’s voice, it seemed Lyritisse quickly regained her usual composure.
She stood up straight from the rock and turned to face Kian.
”…Yes, what is it, Kian?”
”Will we reach the village by today, or should we camp here and finish the remaining distance early tomorrow?”
”Sir Rean intends to enter the village today. We’ll leave as soon as his horse’s breathing settles.”
”Is that so?”
He was about to return to Natra and the others when he was stopped by Lyritisse, “Hey, you!”
”What is it?”
”…You’ve changed a lot in the last few months. Has something happened?”
”No, nothing in particular.”
”Those 2 over there don’t seem like ordinary people either. They’re far too experienced for low-level adventurers. To be honest, I’m very confused. It’s like I’m looking at a completely different Kian than I knew.”
”It’s the same person.”
Kian stopped himself from saying, “I still remember being kicked out of your party.”
It would sound too bitter.
This woman is incredibly sensitive to such (evil) intentions.
It’s best not to make a scene.
”I hope so. If you’ve made some kind of deal with a demonic entity to gain power, then destruction awaits you.”
”──”
She continued to stare intently at Kian and the others behind him──Natra and Rufna──but eventually lost interest.
She turned her back on Kian and began to stroke the horse drinking water.
Kian also turned his back on her.
…This is the kind of complicated relationship he has with Lyritisse and the others.
It’s not that he’s being verbally abused, (Rean is a little different, but) outwardly, they treat him with polite, adult courtesy.
However, they still see him as that former party member who was kicked out.
Considering that they won’t change their minds, it could be said that this is a relationship that will never heal, like an old wound.
Unless it’s all paranoia.
They look down on Kian deep down.
The most direct harm was losing his job once ten years ago.
He’s not someone you’d have much reason to hate.
He’s no different from most of the other adventurers in East End.
That’s why he has to maintain this subtle distance.
(I’m not a child anymore. I should be composed. Keep things strictly on the surface. It doesn’t matter what they think of me.)
”Master, what did they say?”
”It appears they plan to enter the village today.”
”Then let’s set off quickly. If it gets dark, we might not be allowed into the village. To the villagers, adventurers probably look no different from a band of bandits or mercenaries.”
Natra said this matter-of-factly as he tugged on the reins of his horse.
Kian and Rufna nodded and jumped onto their respective horses.
* * *
Due to their different weights, Kian and the others arrived at the village first.
They announced their visit to the magistrates who came out to receive them and were shown to the stone sleeping quarters for guests.
The village was a small community crossed by a single stream flowing down from the mountains, surrounded by brown fields and patches of green.
There was a grinding mill set up by the stream, and a safe house for visitors located nearby.
There were few children or young people; like many villages in the mountains, it wasn’t particularly prosperous.
Most villagers wore footwear that resembled slippers, while only a few sported sturdy boots specially made by a shoemaker to cover the entire foot.
The blacksmith was likely an amateur who had never apprenticed under a master.
It appeared that the hunter had met his end at the hands of a monster, just as reported, and was no longer in the village.
It wouldn’t have been surprising if the villagers banded together to rob them for their equipment, but as of now, they seemed to pose no threat to Kian and the others.
At least, they hoped that there would be no hostility until the Bloodsucking Kind that was attacking the village was dealt with.
By the time Rean and the others arrived, the area was completely dark, but the village magistrates had gathered in the safe house and shared the details of the incident.
”The first victim was the shoemaker. He vanished without a trace while working with cowhide. There had been reports of livestock going missing at night before that, and everyone thought it was the work of wolves. The village hunter had set traps, but they were all skillfully avoided.”
”The Guild’s quest mentioned an old Shield Cain.”
As Kian said this, one of the free men shrugged his shoulders.
”The hunter claimed that after examining the footprints, he deduced it. Though he’s already been killed.”
”May I inspect some of the sites? Additionally, I’d like to identify the type of monster from the tracks.”
Rean stated this clearly while looking around at everyone.
”Got it.”
The magistrate nodded and left the safe house.
As he moved along with the villagers carrying torches, Kian took out the ‘glasses’ tucked away in his pocket.
They were convenient for searching for any traces of evidence.
(After all, when it comes to incidents related to the Bloodsucking Kind, the ‘glasses’ should really shine. What on earth is she doing?)
The last time he saw her, coupled with the fact that she hadn’t spoken a word in over a month, made him wonder if she had truly disappeared from this world.
He quickly shook his head to dismiss the thought.
He had received so much help from her that he didn’t want her to disappear.
(Speaking of which)
He put on the ‘glasses’ and memories flooded his mind.
Recently, he hadn’t poured any magic power into the ‘glasses’ at all.
If he remembered correctly, whenever the ‘glasses’ had a will of her own, she always tried to draw magic power from Kian.
”――――.”
”Sir Kian?”
Natra, walking right beside him, noticed the change in his expression and looked at him curiously.
Kian pushed the bridge of the ‘glasses’ up and shook his head.
”It’s nothing.”
”Is that so?”
”Yeah.”
(There’s a mysterious resistance to pouring magic power into the ‘glasses.’ I’ve felt an ominous premonition about it in the ‘Labyrinth of Roses’… But I might as well try it. I still haven’t extracted all the locations of the ancient vampire equipment, and it would be a waste to lose the ability to communicate with it. …Alright.)
Justifying his decision to himself, Kian concentrated and gently poured magic power into the ‘glasses.’
Rufna’s ears perked up, but she remained silent and returned her gaze forward.
Confirming that no one seemed to care, Kian continued to funnel more and more magic power into the ‘glasses.’
While wearing the ‘glasses,’ he wouldn’t hold back in situations like this.
He kept feeding the ‘glasses’ with magic power, as if the fabric were soaking up water──relentlessly pouring it in.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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