Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: Umpa Umpa Tribe (3)
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Chapter 100
Chapter 100 Umpa Umpa Tribe (3)
The chief inhaled deeply, as if savoring the air, before beginning his tale.
“This is a story about our homeland. A story about the island of the gods where our ancestors lived. I know it only from the tales passed down through generations.”
He swallowed dryly once and continued.
“But most of the stories have been forgotten by us as well. As they were handed down through generations, we forgot most of them. It’s the blessing of oblivion we gained as the price for learning the world’s secrets. That’s why this forgetfulness proves I’m a true Umpa Umpa tribesman. These days, even the young ones have lost that forgetfulness.”
I listened silently to his story, even though I wasn’t particularly curious. I was afraid he’d forget again if I interrupted.
“The City of Immortality refers to the civilization on that island. I only recovered those forgotten memories after seeing this book. Yes, this place where the world’s beginning and end are decided—truly the true immortality!”
His eyes blazed with surging emotion.
“But how did you obtain this book? I’d only heard of its existence through word of mouth. We’ve been clinging to the ancient tongue all this time to decipher it someday! Right, that’s how it was!”
As he spoke to us, it seemed like he was gradually recovering his forgotten memories.
“Where on earth did you get this?”
“From one who does not die.”
“Does not die?!”
His eyes went wide.
“Yes. Is it related to the City of Immortality by any chance?”
“No, not that, but... immortality sure is enviable.”
What’s with this old geezer...
I held back my irritation and asked again.
“So how do we get to that City of Immortality?”
“Hmm. The City of Immortality... That island is shrouded in thick fog. You can’t reach it with an ordinary compass.”
He fell silent for a moment, humming thoughtfully.
“Anyway, this is a story about our homeland. A story about the island of the gods where our ancestors lived. I know it only from the tales passed down through generations.”
The chief continued in a solemn tone.
“But most of the stories have been forgotten by us as well. As they were handed down through generations, we forgot most of them. It’s the blessing of oblivion we gained as the price for learning the world’s—”
“...You’ve already said that part.”
The chief was repeating his words verbatim.
A vein throbbed at my temple without me realizing.
Sensing our darkening mood, the chief soon burst into hearty laughter.
“Just a light joke. Haha.”
Didn’t feel like a joke.
“So how do we get there?”
When I emphasized my words, he wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, looking embarrassed, and continued.
“There’s no way to get there. Our ancestors left the island but forgot how to return, so they settled here. But we still remember the island’s name.”
The reason for settling here was absurd, but watching the chief, it seemed plenty believable.
Half-giving up on getting a straight answer from him, I asked.
“What’s the name of that island?”
“The name of the island is, well...”
He scratched his head, pausing, then suddenly trembled as if something had come to him.
“Right, yes! That was it.”
He finally remembered.
“Imotep! The island’s name is Imotep!”
Imotep?
I’d heard the name somewhere before.
Nederman, who had been silent, chimed in.
“Isn’t it Imotel?”
“Yes, exactly! Imotel! That’s it!”
Nederman and I exchanged glances.
The City of Immortality and Imotel Island, where the dead crown prince headed.
Surprisingly, they seemed to be the same place.
I’d suspected as much since both pointed toward the Small Sea, but I hadn’t expected it to unfold like this.
“Nothing else comes to mind?”
At Nederman’s question, the chief shook his head firmly.
“Nothing. I don’t know the details.”
Just moments ago he’d claimed to know it all without even deciphering.
“You didn’t forget?”
Offended by my words, he snapped.
“Of course not! What do you take me for! I didn’t forget!”
This time, he spoke with unwavering certainty.
“I really don’t know.”
* * *
“No helping it. We’ll wait for the translation while searching for an island shrouded in fog.”
Nederman said, downing some rum.
After entrusting the translation to the chief, we were grilling and eating fish while gazing at the blue sea.
Rum was essential, of course.
“How’s the taste?”
I nodded at his question.
“Savory and delicious.”
“See? I told you it’d be good.”
“Whatever.”
“Trying to take credit, huh. Anyway, he won’t forget to make the translation, right?”
At Nederman’s reasonable concern, I shook my head.
“We paid the black-hearted bastard, so if he doesn’t, we’ll beat him senseless.”
While asking the chief for the translation, I’d also requested that Joki, who’d guided us, keep an eye on things.
He said it’d take about a week to translate, and I was worried he’d forget midway.
Until the translation was done, we could handle rescuing Als, Allen’s friend.
For the fog-shrouded island, I’d instructed the Porsen Port branch of the winding strait to look into it.
But I wasn’t expecting much.
No way we’d find it with that little info.
Still, since the City of Immortality and Imotel Island seemed the same, the translation should give us more precise details.
What the chief said was mostly useless anyway.
The chief wasn’t reliable, but at least the translation should be accurate.
“Halent’s probably there too, right?”
Nederman said, tearing into his fish.
“Likely.”
“Taking the crown prince there means there’s something special about the place.”
I thought the same.
There had to be a reason Halent took the crown prince to that island.
“Nothing else from the fake Halent?”
“Nope.”
We hadn’t exchanged any meaningful words with him.
Nothing to deduce from.
What Halent was plotting.
“We’ll find out when we get there.”
After a simple meal on the shore, we boarded the ship we’d come on and headed back to Porsen Port.
The long horizon stretched before us.
It would take a full day to return.
.
.
.
A day later, we arrived at the inn.
We ran into Allen and Iriel and were catching up on events.
Iriel looked at the unharmed Nederman and said.
“You came back alive, so you must’ve met the Umpa Umpa Tribe after all.”
“We nearly died from the locals’ lame jokes, but we survived. It was a chilling experience.”
Nederman rubbed his neck, and Allen chuckled.
“Sounds like quite the entertaining trip.”
“You bet. I’ve got some intriguing stories you might enjoy. Not sure if the chief was telling the truth, but that tribe was a riot.”
“Really? What happened?”
Allen immediately showed interest in Nederman’s tale.
Nederman recounted the anecdotes from the Umpa Umpa village and the City of Immortality.
Soon after, having heard everything, Allen nodded.
“...So Imotel Island and the City of Immortality are the same place.”
Iriel said.
“But settling on a remote island because they forgot the way back? Even for forgetful people, that’s ridiculous.”
“You don’t get it until you see it yourself, but it makes sense once you do.”
Nederman chuckled to himself, shoulders shaking, as he recalled the chief.
“Frustrating at the time, but pretty funny now. Hard to believe it’s their real origin story, though.”
“Anyway, we need that translation to make any progress.”
At Allen’s words, Nederman nodded.
“What about you? Found where that Als guy went?”
“No. Didn’t want to go in alone, so we just confirmed their headquarters’ location.”
I finally spoke up after staying quiet.
“Close?”
“Yes, in Porsen City. Since those bastards definitely took Als—”
Allen’s eyes turned icy.
“We just need to wipe them out.”
* * *
The fishy-smelling docks.
We walked side by side down the long alley leading inward.
It was a pitch-black night, even the moonlight obscured by thick gray clouds.
Our steps halted in front of a two-story building with a small courtyard.
The signboard on the outer wall of the main gate boldly read ‘Warm Brokerage.’
We easily vaulted the gate and landed in the courtyard.
Finding where the boss was holed up was simple.
Even late at night, light leaked from one window.
“Umhahhaha.”
“Kyahat.”
A man’s laughter mixed with a woman’s flirtatious voice from inside.
From the sounds, he seemed deep into a drunken revelry with a woman.
“Enviable.”
Nederman said.
Iriel glared at him like he was a bug.
Nederman shrugged innocently.
“What? Just from the laughter, they sound so happy. Wonder what’s so funny.”
Iriel opened her mouth with a murderous glare.
“It’ll turn into a hell of screams soon enough, so what’s the point.”
“Right, right. Those types don’t deserve happiness. Count me in.”
I explained the simple plan to them as they steeled themselves.
“You all know we need info from them. We’ll gather them without killing first. More mouths mean more info. So.”
A chill wind rose with my cold voice.
“Kill only half.”