Chapter 298
Chapter 298
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 298
Chapter Title: Chapter 7. The Land of Blazing Heat
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#Setting 13. 「The Land of Blazing Heat」
The Land of Blazing Heat.
The Land of Blazing Heat, the only desert on the first continent, was just a hundred years ago a vibrant land brimming with flowers and trees, abundant in food—a fertile paradise coveted by many nations.
But at the time, it was ruled by the Dragonians, a race descended from the dragon tribe. With their formidable magical power and subjugation abilities, they commanded those dismissed as mere monsters: orcs and trolls.
Under the Dragonians' influence, orcs and trolls gained high intelligence and unwavering loyalty, becoming exemplary subjects. To escape the encroaching might of humanity, elves, fairies, dwarves, and beastkin flocked to the Dragonians for protection.
In truth, the Dragonians repelled assaults from the Byron Empire not once, but twice. They even launched a counteroffensive deep into imperial territory, dealing devastating blows. Had their population been larger, had they mustered more soldiers, they might have toppled the empire entirely. Perhaps the bitterly rival Byron and Baekje Empires would have been forced to ally against them, or the Dragonians might have claimed hegemony over the entire first continent through sheer dominance.
Yet fate, alas, was not kind to them. A bolt from the blue.
At the zenith of their power—territories expanded, national strength rivaling the empires—they met their doom from a fragment cast down by Perlnirn.
That fragment was the sixth: Requiem of the End. True to its name, it utterly annihilated the Dragonian nation in the Land of Blazing Heat.
It didn't happen instantly upon impact, of course. The Requiem, infused with Perlnirn's magic, struck the royal palace dead-on. Days later, an colossal surge of mana erupted from the site. Some time after that, an inferno of unimaginable scale burst forth, engulfing vast swaths of land in flames.
Those mana-laced flames were inextinguishable and spread with ferocious speed, incinerating anything they touched. Even Dragonians couldn't endure them for long. Countless lives were lost, and the dazzling civilization they had labored to build crumbled to ash.
Much time passed thereafter. Once empires and kingdoms learned of the fragment's power, they dispatched armies to reclaim the one that fell in the Land of Blazing Heat.
No one has found it.
Not even traces of their capital—the heart of their brilliant advancement—remain. Adventurers whisper that even those remnants lie buried deep beneath the desert sands, forever beyond reach.
Many seekers head for the fragment rumored to have fallen near Serenia Castle.
None venture into the Land of Blazing Heat.
That said, the heteroraces who now scrape by in the desertified wastes claim the Dragonian capital appears like a mirage somewhere amid the dunes. It could be the key to locating the fragment.
If you dare brave the sands in search of it...
Well, good luck. You'll need it.
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Yuda's party filled up on packed lunches and pressed on without pause. They'd taken a brief rest, but planned to trek until sunset. Just yesterday, they'd been deep in the dank, fetid maze of blackened earth. Mere hours ago, they'd witnessed knights and soldiers spilling their lifeblood in death throes. Now, threading through canyons blanketed in lush greenery and breathtaking vistas, it felt like a balm for the soul. This must be what they mean by healing. They walked on in silence.
Eyes on the distant sunset, they found a suitable campsite. Byron pursuers might show, but no signs appeared. Just to be sure, Yuda activated Shadow Deployment before checking his . No red dots—just scattered monsters.
"Can I start a fire? I'd love to cook something."
Yuda nodded readily to Lime's question. Fine by him. A warm night and good food? That was plenty.
No one cared if the flames drew pursuers.
Lime wasted no time, opening his subspace with a merry hum. He stacked firewood like a kid at play.
"Need a hand?"
"No, sir—rest easy. You earned it today. I'll whip up something special. Anticipate the feast."
Lime grinned.
Yuda didn't protest. Truth be told, repeating that grueling cycle three times had worn him down mentally. The day had dragged on forever.
'...No, but seriously—not exaggeration. A ton happened.'
No wonder it felt endless. Physically fine, but his head throbbed. Recognizing the fatigue made it crash over him. He sat by the crackling campfire, soaking in the warmth, eyes shut.
Someone settled beside him.
"......"
A peek revealed Iris. She held out her notepad, words scrawled across it. He blinked, then read.
[How did the Byron Empire know to come after us?]
Jeanne sprang to mind. She alone had seen him enter the maze. Her Blue Lance Knights wouldn't bypass their commander for a secret report. Still, with Organ, the Saintess, and the Holy Knights exiting alongside them...
Metatron's handiwork, no doubt.
"They spotted the Saintess and Apostle with us... Looks like the Holy King's taken a dislike."
[Why?]
"Guessing he doesn't like me collecting fragments."
He gave a wry smile.
Iris scribbled more.
[Come to think of it, I had no idea you were a fragment bearer.]
"Wasn't hiding it on purpose. And I sure wasn't scheming to exploit you."
[I know.]
She smiled softly.
Arhil leaned in, curious. "What's that about?"
Iris showed her the notepad, unreserved. Arhil read, then fell quiet, watching their exchange.
[This subjugation bond—it's a fragment power too, right?]
"Yes."
[So if I asked you to release me now... you could?]
"Yes. Of course."
Yuda answered without hesitation.
Ideally, he'd keep things friendly, like their game days. Her talents were top-tier—mastery over fragments, trustworthy if earned. Plenty there. Someday, far off, he might need hers. But not yet.
"Want me to undo it?"
Iris paused, then shook her head.
[No, not yet. Just had to ask. Wondered if you planned to treat me like a thrall... or if that offer back then was sincere.]
Even if she'd hated it, subjugation left her powerless against him. In a game, NPC feelings didn't matter. Here, with sentience? He'd figured the knowledge alone would chafe—prompt a release plea.
She hadn't.
"Lime's really into this cooking thing."
Utterly out of place in these canyons: fancy tools, flamboyant flair. He splashed liquor into the dish—flames roared high. Clearly well-trained.
Yuda, Iris, and Arhil watched wordlessly.
Done, he ladled servings into empty bowls.
Yuda took a bite and lit up.
"Whoa, way better than maze rations."
Not buttering him up—genuinely delicious.
Lime beamed, chuckling deeply.
"Probably the fresh air, unlike that stifling dungeon. Great vibe too—stars sparkling overhead, fire dancing bright.
Glad you think so. Feels rewarding."
He'd made plenty. Dig in.
Yuda and Iris obliged.
"But seriously—why'd Byron come at us? And that Apostle in the maze... why?"
Lime echoed Iris's earlier talk.
Answering was simple.
Yet he hungered for more details.
Yuda eyed his [Status Window]. Trust: 55. Solid, but brittle.
Actions so far? No betrayal vibes.
Too late for that anyway.
A moment's thought, then Yuda laid much bare. He'd guessed plenty already.
Lime listened rapt, face slack with shock. Slow nod. Incredulous, yet it tracked.
"So... this trip to the Land of Blazing Heat?"
"Yeah. Hunting the fragment there."
"...Oh ho. Haha. Uh... incredible."
Lost for words, he chuckled dryly, nodding furiously.
"But you knew the maze fragment's intel—how'll you track this one? Serenia's eluded seekers for a century. A desert that reshapes daily with the winds? Tough sell."
Fair concern.
But Lime didn't know everything.
Yuda had shared much.
Not all.
His fragment count.
Possessing Carpediem—the Serenia phantom none found.
That he was this world's creator—the "god" mortals revere.
Game-maker perks: rough locations, acquisition methods.
Plenty unspoken.
Yuda shrugged off the worry.
"Don't sweat it. One month tops—I'll have it."
"...One month?"
Lime rubbed his chin—stubbly from days unshaven.
"And if not?"
"Go free. Double the promised pay. No scroll to Langritsa Mage Tower? I'll escort you safe."
"Pretty cocky."
"Pretty sure."
Lime studied him, then grinned and nodded.
"Fair enough. Fragment hunt means danger—prime booze tale material for life. Count me in. What's the worst? Death?"
========== Afterword ==========
1) Wild dreams tonight.
First one: weirdly, I'm in America when bugs start pouring out of my body—nightmare fuel. Hospital's backed up, no surgery slot. Hop a plane to Korea...
Woke up.
Second: sucked into a zombie game. Some fate glitch—zombies closing in, kid can't flee. Others shove, yank—he just sobs in place. I go lift him: skinny, under 50kg easy... nope, heavy as a boulder. Me and two others haul him...
In-dream: "Holy shit, this real?" Woke up: total bullshit dream. Yeah, dogshit.