Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Parting Ways
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[Chapter 72 - Farewell]
For several days, the journey across the plains was quite peaceful.
Thanks to Karik, who was familiar with the local environment from frequent travels here, the group easily avoided dangerous areas and found good spots to camp.
Any magic beasts that appeared were sniped from afar with magic arrows by Marun, and if they survived, the soldiers drew their attention up front while the knights stepped in to finish them off.
The magic beasts they caught like this became their daily rations, and Karik's judgment on which ones tasted good and which were hard to eat helped minimize trial and error.
After sunset, the group set up camp and lit a fire.
Lighting a fire in the middle of the open plains was risky, but they had five knights with them.
With even one of them, who could see through the darkness, keeping watch, there was no worry of ambushes.
During mealtime, Bazkal blew on his food to cool it down and said,
“This is really delicious! Everyone, give it a try!”
What Bazkal was eating was the magic beast they'd caught for lunch that day. If one had to describe its form, calling it a giant crab with a spider-like lower body was most fitting.
Its attacks, bursting from the ground and swinging its pincers, were quite threatening, but careful observation revealed its hiding spots, so it wasn't that dangerous.
Its name was the Scissor Spider, one of the most common magic beasts in these plains and also a food that Mana'r people enjoyed.
Watching him eat it with relish, Karik said admiringly,
“You eat well. Most people not from Mana'r can't stomach it. Even Huran tried to run when I told him to try it before.”
Sure enough, everyone except Bazkal looked like they might throw up at any moment.
Even the rugged hunters from Narvik.
To them, the Scissor Spider looked no different from a giant insect.
Arsen felt much the same. Even knowing spiders were classified as arachnids, not insects, how many people would eat a spider the size of a person's lower body?
“No way... you're really eating that...?”
Anun's horrified words spoke for everyone's feelings.
Bazkal didn't mind and greedily stripped the tender meat from each leg while chatting away.
“It's good, though. Sir Anun, have a bite?”
“No thanks!”
Anun waved him off in horror.
Arsen hesitated a bit before tearing off one leg, splitting the shell with a small knife, scraping out the meat, and putting it in his mouth.
Bazkal wasn't exaggerating.
The Scissor Spider meat reminded him of firmer, chewier crab meat, though grilling made it a bit tough. Was this spider meat flavor, or giant crab?
‘I'd know if I'd ever tried spider meat before.’
As he pondered pointlessly while eating, Rino bravely tore off a leg from the side.
He couldn't complain about the food when the boss was eating it, so he followed suit, putting a chunk of meat in his mouth and grimacing.
“Does it taste good?”
“Yes, very... delicious.”
Seeing Rino eat with a face like he might cry, Arsen shook his head and ordered,
“That's enough. We have plenty of other food. Eat that instead.”
“Understood...”
At Arsen's command, Rino reached for the Sheep Horn Wolf ribs roasting across the campfire.
Watching Arsen tear off and eat another spider leg, Eloise cautiously approached and asked,
“Are you eating it because it's really tasty?”
“Yeah. Want to try? I'll shell it for you.”
“No, just give me the leg.”
Arsen handed her the leg and knife, but Eloise said no to the knife and deftly melted the shell with magic.
Watching her, Arsen thought it was a skill any crab lover would covet.
After shaking off the shell that melted away like water, Eloise carefully sliced off a piece as if licking it and put it in her mouth.
She chewed it thoroughly, then said softly,
“It really is tasty.”
“Yeah? I was worried it wouldn't suit you, but good thing.”
Not just polite words—she took another bite. Impressed, Arsen reached out and stroked her head.
Watching this, Karik cleared his throat and said,
“It's nice to see you two so affectionate.”
Flustered by Karik's words, Eloise quickly pulled away.
Arsen turned to Karik and asked,
“You'll head back tomorrow, then.”
“Probably. Once we see the forest, we just go straight southwest. Even better if we run into a patrol.”
“I hope we can meet again someday, Sir Karik.”
Anun said with a regretful expression.
After weeks of traveling together since the subjugation, he'd grown quite close to this considerate middle-aged knight.
Karik smiled and replied,
“You'll have to return from the ruins city anyway. Stop by Mana'r then. As long as you don't bring mages, it's worth visiting.”
Chuckling heartily, he glanced at Eloise and the mages seated by another campfire and said,
“It's truly... strange. In my forty years of life, I never knew mages were human, capable of joy and sorrow like us. I lived believing they were sinners deserving death, demons. Even now, my instincts scream at me nonstop. Kill the mages before your eyes.”
Mages probably still felt utterly repulsive to Karik even now. Unable to feel the same, Arsen couldn't empathize.
“Regretful...”
“Everyone acts on what they've been taught. Now that you've changed your view, isn't that enough?”
Karik shook his head at Arsen's words.
“Does that erase the past? In my youth, I once ordered the death of a young mage. Killing a newborn baby felt wrong deep down, so I didn't dirty my own hands. Looking back now, it's utterly vile. Maybe my son and subordinates died as retribution for that sin.”
Arsen had no reply for his self-mocking words and silently stared into the campfire.
As the blazing heat warmed his face, Eloise—who rarely spoke to others—opened her mouth.
“The past doesn't change, right? Can't change it, so why not change the future?”
“Hm?”
“You said you have some influence in Mana'r, so try working to change views on mages going forward. Whether it works or not.”
Since leaving the estate, Arsen had never heard Eloise speak so much to anyone else.
Staring at her for a moment, Karik smiled and said,
“I'll give it my best. Definitely.”
His words carried heavy weight.
As everyone listened silently to the crackling fire, Bazkal broke the silence with a question.
“By the way, Sir Karik, what's your position in Mana'r? Like captain of the knights?”
Arsen had been curious too but hadn't asked.
The estate lord couldn't break laws on mages, yet someone who could smooth over traveling with mages? It didn't seem like an ordinary knight could.
But seeing Karik reluctant, he hadn't pried.
Unexpectedly, Karik answered Bazkal's question straightforwardly.
“The current Mana'r estate lord is my younger brother.”
The shocking revelation drew gasps from everyone present.
Anun recovered first and asked,
“Then why go through all this hardship? I mean... sorry if that's rude.”
“You're wondering why my brother is lord instead of me?”
“Yes.”
Karik patted his weapon and said,
“I've loved wielding weapons and fighting since I was young. Honed my martial skills, sneaked off on hunts, caught magic beasts, and somehow became a knight. But as lord, I couldn't properly leave the estate or show off my skills... After arguing with Father, this is how it ended. Still, my brother and I get along well.”
His hearty laugh made him look nothing like estate lord kin—just a simple wandering knight.
Then again, dressed in worn travel clothes with a black robe thrown over, Eloise was estate lord blood too.
“When I return this time, I'll talk seriously with the lord. Mana'r traditions can't be changed lightly even by him, but if change starts from the top... maybe something shifts someday. At least not to the point of killing passing mages or all born ones. I've lived wandering my whole life, but from now on, I'll devote my remaining days to it.”
Watching Karik stroke his metal cup with resolve, Arsen bowed his head in respect.
The others stayed silent too, leaving only the crackle of the fire echoing into the dark sky.
Breaking the silence was Marun's voice, atop Jin scouting for approaching enemies.
His characteristically light, thin voice rang out.
“Bandits spotted! Bandits coming! About twenty!”
Arsen and the knights stood simultaneously.
Already armored, they just needed weapons to be battle-ready.
Night had fallen, so only Arsen with Jin could ride mounts, but in darkness, knights with night vision held overwhelming advantage.
Bazkal grinned and hefted his greatsword.
“Perfect, just ate. Time to digest!”
Moments later, the armed knights left the bright campfire and plunged into the dark. Their eyes gleaming with blue light that pierced any shadow.
The grassland swallowed the bandits' blood and screams.
* * *
Days later, at the end of the coppery plains, a sea of enormous trees greeted the group, soaring into the sky. The smallest were three or four men tall, the largest rivaling skyscrapers.
Surprisingly, the forest consisted not of the twisted shapes typical outside, but intact trees only seen in purified estate or fortress zones.
“Whoa, so that's...”
Bazkal exclaimed at the sky-high trees.
The other soldiers were awed too, but Eloise, Marun, and the mages looked uneasy.
Arsen understood why.
“Gives me chills just looking...”
Arsen agreed with Eloise.
He'd donned the magic helm before the forest came into view, so he saw what the mages saw: from the plains-forest border, rippling magic in a fantastical yet ominous display.
‘The whole forest is under magic.’
When the group finally reached the forest edge, Karik left with final motherly concern.
“Last time, truly last: unless you absolutely must, never enter the forest.”
“Understood, Sir Karik.”
Arsen had already seen the bizarre magic flow over the entire forest.
Whatever it was, with people entering and not returning, it was hard to call it friendly.
Blindly entering a dangerously unknown place wasn't courage—it was recklessness.
Relieved by the firm reply, Karik finally turned southwest.
He rode the mountain goat mount from Exekia.
“To you who saved my life and redeemed my child's and comrades' souls, eternal gratitude. I won't forget.”
“Hope we meet again under happy circumstances.”
“Me too.”
Bazkal and Rino sighed in regret, Anun teary with emotion.
Arsen too regretted parting with this knight reminiscent of his mentor Palato.
With a final high wave goodbye, Karik set off for Mana'r.
As Arsen's group walked west along the forest and Karik's distance grew, he finally vanished beyond the horizon.
Watching, Eloise asked forlornly,
“Will we meet again?”
“Probably, someday.”