Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Farewell
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That day, during lunchtime, the five of them gathered in Sage's cabin for the first time since arriving and sat down together for a meal. Yesterday, Saf had slept the whole day, and at breakfast this morning, Sage had been making clothes while Merald prepared for the journey, so they hadn't been able to join.
"Even if you don't have much appetite, make sure to eat well. Stamina recovers by eating in the end."
Sage ladled out steaming hot soup herself and served it to everyone.
Jade still had a fever and blood lingering in his body, so he couldn't really taste it. His arm was almost healed, but it wasn't quite at the point where he could freely wield a spoon. Still, considering it normally would have required a splint for a month, it was nothing short of a miracle.
Seeing Jade stuff food into his mouth as she instructed, Merald said,
"Your mouth probably feels rough, so it tastes bad, right? Don't worry, it really doesn't taste like anything."
"If you're going to eat like that, don't eat at all. It's good for your body!"
Sage got angry and served the last bowl of soup to Ruby.
Ruby, her shackles clinking, downed the soup in one go. Then she shoved the empty bowl at Sage.
"Give me something tasty instead of something good for the body! Anyway, give me more."
"Can't you loosen that thing at least while eating?"
Sage asked.
"I'm getting used to it. It feels weird without it still."
Ruby refused.
Merald asked,
"Where'd you get it? It's a material I've never seen before."
"Doesn't it look great? Not giving it."
"I didn't ask for it!"
"Umparuton. It's the angels' metal."
"Angels' metal? Who made it?"
"Probably dwarves?"
"Hmm, that makes sense. They can make anything."
Merald nodded, and Jade suddenly asked,
"By any chance, do the dwarves live in Elf Forest?"
"I'm not sure if you'd call it living in Elf Forest."
"Why?"
Merald pointed downward with his finger.
"It's in Elf Forest location-wise, but they live underground. I hear their numbers have dwindled a lot now. I don't know details since I don't interact with them."
"Merald's indifferent to anything not related to Darkwood Forest."
Sage teased.
Saf asked,
"Then besides elves and dwarves, do other races live in Elf Forest?"
"You could say it's mostly just those two. Humans like you pass through Darkwood Forest sometimes, but they're just passing through, not residents."
"Orcs live there too. You."
Ruby sharply pointed out the odd part.
Suddenly, silence fell over the table. Jade had wanted to ask about that too but hadn't due to the atmosphere that made it impossible until now.
Ruby, sensing the mood, asked,
"Did I ask something I shouldn't? Or does 'races' not count since only one lives there? Give me more soup."
Sage ladled soup for her, easing the tension again.
Saf asked,
"Then someday we might meet dwarves too?"
Merald replied,
"You can see them easily just by going to the city of Maimmei. If you're heading east anyway, you'll pass through, so I'll draw you a map later."
"That's great, Ruby. If we meet a dwarf technician, we can get that shackle off your neck."
At Saf's words, Jade was momentarily startled.
'I forgot. She always hides the shackle around her neck transparently...'
Ruby, who had been munching on her third piece of bread, asked Merald,
"What? You're just drawing a map? Not coming with?"
"I'll go with you as far as the Swamp Ruins. I've already agreed on that with Jade."
Merald said in a firm voice.
Jade had discussed the future journey with Merald that morning.
Merald and Jade had agreed to go to the Swamp Ruins and fight Kauking together, and to join forces to destroy the Hellgate.
Jade said,
"Sorry for deciding without you. I was going to tell you after eating..."
Ruby, chewing bread, asked,
"You're going with Merald to take out Kauking, right? I figured that, so it's fine. So what after that?"
Merald also chewed bread and tilted his head.
"What next?"
"We're not going together to the eastern kingdom to find the Holy Grail?"
Ruby blurted out.
"Holy Grail?"
Merald turned to Jade.
Jade turned to Ruby.
Ruby looked at Sage then back to Jade.
Jade and Ruby stared at each other, blinking for a long while.
Ruby spoke first.
"Was it a secret? Just say it."
"I wasn't planning to hide it now, but I wasn't going to blurt it out here either."
At Jade's words, Merald shook his head.
"I don't know what the Holy Grail is, but I'm the guardian of Darkwood Forest. I won't get involved in that, and I won't leave Darkwood Forest."
Silence hung over the table briefly after his words.
Just then, footsteps of Campion approached the cabin.
"A guest has arrived. Keep eating."
Sage went out of the cabin.
In that gap, Jade quickly spoke up.
"I was about to say earlier, Merald. Actually, even without your help, we planned to go take out Kauking. And you would've fought Kauking even without our help. So that part wasn't something one side asks the other or trades for."
"You're right. It's like an alliance of sorts. So?"
"If that goes well, I have a favor to ask."
"Speak."
"Will you guide us to a port where we can go to the eastern kingdom? Not just draw a map, but personally."
Merald seemed to ponder briefly, then said,
"Past the Swamp Ruins and through Maimmei is Sunrise Valley. Crossing the giant vine forest from there leads to the western coast, which is the Mediterranean you mentioned. Among them, the place with lots of ships to the eastern continent is Taim Harbor."
Merald paused. Jade waited for the rest.
"I'll guide you that far."
At Merald's words, Jade sighed in relief, patting his chest.
"Thanks."
"As per your assumption, 'if this one thing goes well,' it's no big deal really."
Merald nodded slightly.
Sage returned to the table and said,
"It's an envoy from Taymon. Ologran from Taymon invites us to the party. Of course, you weren't invited, Merald."
"I wouldn't go even if invited."
Merald replied in a voice showing no hurt.
"You all?"
Sage asked Jade.
"We've already prepared to depart on our journey."
Jade said, and Saf agreed.
Ruby, whom he'd thought wouldn't care, surprisingly wanted to go.
"They'll probably have tastier food than this soup."
Jade glared and asked,
"So you're going even alone?"
"If I want to go, will you let me?"
"If I say don't go, will you not?"
"I won't."
"Then don't go."
"Then I won't."
"You were going to do that from the start."
Jade summarized to Sage,
"We won't go."
"I figured, so I declined."
Sage laughed and sat at the table.
Merald grumbled,
"If that's the case, why ask?"
"To tease you."
"Huh?"
Merald looked puzzled, but Sage changed the subject.
"More good news, though. The Komora we captured yesterday died on their own. The timing was when Buffalord vanished."
Sage looked at Jade with a sly smile.
"Jade. You saved Taymon."
Jade forced a smile as if happy. But something still bothered him, preventing full joy.
'The soul seemed absorbed into Merald's dagger, but it did vanish anyway. That should be fine, right?'
Jade glanced at Merald. It seemed Merald hadn't told Sage about the dagger.
That evening, Jade, Ruby, Saf, and Merald left the cabin together.
Sage saw them off only to the spot leaving the cabin.
"If I went along, things would be easier, but I need to fix up the house here."
"Leave it, old lady. I'll fix it when I get back soon."
Merald said.
"I'm not so old I can't fix my own house, Merald. You do your job. Be careful. Fighting the Hell Lords won't be as easy as dealing with Buffalord. Oh, here. Honey candy."
Sage held out a jar of candy.
"Didn't you say it was all gone?"
"One jar left."
"You lied."
"You hid it away cherishing it like a lie, and now it's okay to just give it away?"
Even as he spoke, Merald carefully took the jar with both hands.
"It's not just giving. I thought hard and had no choice. So share it with everyone. Don't eat it alone."
"What? Am I a kid?"
"When it comes to candy."
Then Sage looked at Ruby and advised,
"Be careful not to get covered in poison again. Your body's tough, but not invincible."
"Hmph, I won't fall for the same thing twice."
Ruby showed strong confidence.
Sage looked at her fondly but spoke harshly.
"You got cocky like that and got locked up five hundred years ago, didn't you?"
"Who told you? Jade?"
"Why would he? I know everything."
Ruby's face flushed red and pale, but she couldn't retort.
"Merald, I won't say much since you'll do well, but be as careful as the mage."
Merald asked seriously,
"You're mentioning it specifically, so Kauking has a great mage subordinate? Makes sense, since the magic that made Heldra was that advanced."
"It's not the mage who made Heldra I'm worried about. According to the envoy from Toroshimo, there's a mage who uses nature magic stronger than mine."
"Stronger than you, old lady? Ah! That mage?"
Merald seemed to recall something but simply replied,
"I'll be careful. But shouldn't we consult the dragons about this? You could reach them."
"I tried, but no luck. As always, they're busy with their own affairs."
Sage said sarcastically.
"D-dragons? You can contact dragons?"
Jade asked in surprise.
"Yes. Our relations aren't great, but... given the situation, I tried. No reply. So act like it's not possible. Even if contactable, they rarely help, so don't expect it."
Sage took Jade's hand in one and Saf's in the other.
"You don't need dragon power or mine. Relying on each other, you can do greater things. You've had Ruby until now, and now Merald too."
Sage smiled gently and sent them off.
"Farewell. See you again."
"Then take care until we meet again."
Jade also bid farewell and departed.
It was a cabin they'd stayed in for barely three days, yet leaving felt like leaving a beloved hometown. And Sage's farewell seemed warm like a grandmother's send-off, yet lonely.
♦
Merald walked a bit with Jade's group, then remembered something left behind and turned back.
He strode angrily toward Sage. She walked slowly to the cabin as if expecting him.
"What do you mean?"
Merald asked as he caught up.
"Hmm? What did I say?"
Sage played innocent.
"Your words earlier were weird, old lady. You said fighting the 'Hell Lords' won't be easy? You should've said fighting Kauking won't be easy! Because when Antebas vanished, you said there was only one Hell Lord in Elf Forest, Kauking!"
Sage said nothing, so Merald interrogated,
"Slip of the tongue, or do you want me to go with Jade on the journey?"
"I won't say."
"Why give me the candy? The whole jar!"
Merald shoved the jar in front of Sage's face.
"Don't read into it. It's for eating. Saf especially looked like he loves it."
"Fine. I'll be back soon. So don't touch the cabin and hold out a few days."
Merald shouted irritably and turned.
"No farewell either. Because I'll be back soon."
"Then bring Maimmei candy when you come. Cinnamon flavor."
"How many jars?"
"Two."
"I'll bring three!"
Merald glanced back at Sage one last time and vanished into the tree shadows.
Sage watched with a smile until the end, then quickly turned away. Tears welled up.
"Almost cried in front of you. Good thing I held it in."
Sage wiped her tears, took a deep breath, and steadied herself.
"Wall repairs start tomorrow. It's late tonight. Honestly, mine's better than yours, Merald."
She muttered looking at the broken cabin wall.
"So take your time coming back. I can wait years, decades. Just come back alive."