Chapter 478: Sightseeing, Temperament, Jokes, Alone
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 478: Sightseeing, Temperament, Jokes, Alone
Last night, Rem had confessed that Encrid’s attitude toward life—the very way he walked—had shown him the path he needed to take.
Ayul was grateful for that. Even if it was audacious of Rem to follow the man again, gratitude was still gratitude.
That was why Ayul wanted to show him the things that she, her family, her friends, and the West loved.
"I have something to show you," Ayul said, leading the way.
The two walked together, sidestepping ants, watching insects scurry by, and leaning into the headwind. They quickly left the settlement behind, Ayul’s steps devoid of hesitation.
In the West, monsters weren't as common as they were on the continent, but that didn't mean one could wander around carelessly. However, neither Encrid nor Ayul were the type to fall to a few stray beasts. While the tribe was settling in, they had cleared out several monster packs, leaving the immediate vicinity nearly empty.
At most, they might encounter a Copycat—wildcats that used mimicry to lure humans. These creatures were more of a nuisance than a true danger, subtly targeting a person's psychological weaknesses using sound. Because of this, "wildcat" was a common insult in the West.
Only then did Encrid realize why Sachsen was called a "sly wildcat." It was a slur. Though, even before he knew the context, it had certainly sounded like one.
Both maintained a brisk pace until Ayul climbed a small hill. Following behind her, Encrid looked up at the sky.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Ayul asked.
Encrid nodded.
It was as if a white ceiling had been laid across the heavens. Clouds covered the sky, low and wide, yet the world wasn't dark. They were thin, gossamer clouds. The sunlight filtered through them, illuminating the ground in a soft glow.
It was a wondrous sight.
"They are Sun-blocking Clouds," Ayul explained.
It was a phenomenon unique to the West. It was beautiful—the clouds, the filtered light, and the horizon stretching beyond.
Oara, who was like sunlight.
Naturally, Knight Oara came to mind. The sunlight reminded him of her smile—a light that neither scorched nor stung, but gently embraced.
It was vastly different from the light in the City of Oara. The light there was a piercing glare that broke through the darkness of the Demon Realm, shattering the fog and granting strength. The sunlight of the West didn't shatter anything; it swaddled the world in peaceful warmth.
Therefore, this sunlight resembled Knight Oara herself, not the city that bore her name. For though she fought at the forefront, she was, at her core, a person who embraced her city.
"Do you believe it is worth protecting?"
On some "today," the Ferryman had suddenly asked him that. Though the question lacked a direct object, his intention was obvious. He was asking if the things Encrid wished to protect had any value—if there was any reason to endure the pain and keep moving forward.
Encrid hadn't bothered to answer. The answer was already settled in his heart.
Value was something one decided for oneself. Just because a so-called sage spoke, did one have to follow their words? What others decided could never become his own standard. This was his life.
Therefore, value was completed by the perspective of the one viewing it.
The people of the West were exactly like that.
Ayul began to speak. In a way, it was an ordinary story; in another, it was a tale that seemed to embody the very spirit of the Westerners.
"On days when the sunlight is good, heat haze rises over there. Funnily enough, after such hot sunlight beats down, rain pours a few days later. We call that the Bear's Blessing."
To hear the full origin of the Bear's Blessing would likely require a long dive into mythology.
"We aren't wealthy. But we don't have many painful things, either."
What was there to protect? Ayul said she loved this West. She truly enjoyed protecting this land.
"I've never seen snow, but it must be similar to white gravel rain, right?"
"Gravel rain" referred to hail. One couldn't truly compare hard ice stones to snow.
"Snow is probably beautiful, too," Encrid replied.
Just because she loved the West didn't mean she looked down on other things. Of course, if one told a group of soldiers that "snow is beautiful," enough men would grab their weapons and charge to fill the training grounds twice over. But one couldn't deny its beauty.
There were days when he looked at snow-covered mountains. There were days when he saw forests dyed in the colors of autumn. In Encrid's hometown, two massive trees guarded the village entrance—trees too large to embrace even with outstretched arms. Those trees put forth bright red leaves in autumn, turned lush green in summer, and caught the falling snow on their bare branches in winter.
Encrid liked the look of those trees.
The value one wished to protect was decided by oneself. Ayul was the same. The Westerners were the same.
"We love this land," Ayul said.
Therefore, they did not covet the continent. If they lacked something, they simply lived with what they had. What had been handed down for generations was called tradition, and the tradition of the West was settled deep within their spirits.
On this day, Encrid saw the Sun-blocking Clouds, and he also saw a tower of clouds. Standing on a high hill, the horizon came into view, and beyond that line, white clouds descended like a pillar.
It was an afternoon spent returning from sightseeing the horizon, the sunlight, the wind, and the clouds.
*
Around sunset, Ayul came by again.
"Hira, you're okay, right?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
Although Encrid had become a ward doll—a human totem—he didn't necessarily have to stay inside the tent all day. Unless the Fortune-teller Tribe performed another collective ritual, the same curse couldn't strike again.
Hira knew that such a collective ritual was no easy feat. It could only have been accomplished through heavy sacrifice. To spread the Purple Majin's Curse—a name that sounded almost ridiculous—it would have been impossible to even attempt without an offering.
The Eldest Shaman had been forced to fight fire with fire. He had blocked the curse by sacrificing his own consciousness and lifespan. In other words, this kind of curse was something that could neither be cast nor blocked without a price.
This was also the reason why the Eldest Shaman had not yet woken up. What was offered as a sacrifice did not easily return. Rem occasionally dropped by to ask if the Eldest Shaman would wake, but even Hira did not know when that would be.
If not for him, the entire tribe would have collapsed under the curse.
Reducing the scale and buying time was what the Eldest Shaman had achieved. It sounded simple in words, but from a shamanic perspective, he had successfully pulled off several desperate gambles.
They were lucky. It was as if someone, somewhere, had taken the brunt of the misfortune for the tribe.
Hira thought only that far and didn't probe further. It was difficult enough to keep track of everything happening here. She merely did her work, sleeping in fragments. Her job was to erase the traces of the curse as quickly as possible.
Hira nodded as she heated short needles over the fire. It was her silent answer to Ayul's concern.
"Let's go."
Ayul led Encrid once more. This time, they were heading to a massive lake.
"You've never ridden one, have you?" she asked.
In her hand was a rein, and at the end of that rein was a Velopter. The creature observed Encrid with vertically slit eyes. Beside her followed Juol and the man who had been guarding the front of the tent. The man had short hair and a blade-like pattern drawn on his forehead; his expression was exceptionally fierce.
Ayul had brought four Velopters.
"Do you know where Rem is sleeping?" Encrid asked, since he hadn't seen him at all.
"He sleeps with me. Where else would he sleep?" the answer came immediately.
Had they reconciled already?
"It is only natural for a married couple to share the same house," Ayul added calmly.
What charm had Rem used to change Ayul's mind? Since Rem's only talent was swinging an axe, Encrid wondered if he had somehow subdued her by force. He resolved to give Rem a piece of his mind about treating his wife that way.
Juol merely smiled from the side. The man standing next to him was showing subtle hostility toward Encrid, and now Encrid thought he understood why. The man's eyes were darting back and forth between Encrid and the woman who had followed him.
"My benefactor."
It was Jiba's Mother. She had insisted on following despite being told she didn't have to. Even now, she was placing both hands on her knees, gesturing for him to step on them to mount the Velopter.
"Please, mount."
"I can get up on my own," Encrid said. He turned to the other side, lightly kicked off the ground, and vaulted onto the Velopter.
The beast was gentle; it didn't flinch even when his weight loaded onto its back. It merely bent its knees slightly to absorb the impact before standing back up. If it were a human, one would say it had excellent reflexes. It knew how to disperse the force.
This was the creature Rem had claimed was smarter and faster than a horse. Still, it probably wasn't smarter than Odd-Eye. Odd-Eye was not only intelligent but possessed a steadfast heart. Despite having the blood of a demonic beast, he even had the audacity to mount a mare without a care. Encrid had also heard that the fellow had spread his seed all around Greenpearl.
It was something Noir—Krais's lover and a former subordinate of the Greenpearl Battalion Commander—had told him. Why he was thinking of such things now, he didn't know. It must have come to mind because he was on a mount.
Encrid shook off the idle thoughts and gripped the Velopter's reins. He was told the beast would move in whichever direction the reins were pulled.
Luagarne had remained in the tent for a reason.
"I smell a strange scent," she had said as they finished preparing to move.
"I washed two days ago, though?" Dunchabel had spoken up, feeling guilty.
"It is not that kind of smell, child," Luagarne had chided gently, saying she would scout the area.
Encrid didn't particularly care. Though Frok were said to be dull, they were more sensitive than a beastman's sense of smell when it came to their own goals and desires. Something must have caught her attention.
"Let's go," Ayul said, taking the lead.
The Velopters began to run, their claws kicking off the ground. Encrid tensed his legs, holding on with sheer physical strength. Adapting to the Velopter was not easy; its gait was entirely different from a horse.
"Is it hard to ride?" Juol asked, helping him from the side. "It's better not to tense up; just let your legs hang loose. Velopters are very smart. If you just entrust your body to it, it will go on its own. This one is well-trained."
Listening to the Western dialect, Encrid did as he was told. Ayul slowed her pace slightly.
"Some talented kids ride well the moment they get on, but you're a bit slow, aren't you?"
It was a comment on innate physical talent. Still, after riding for a bit, he grew accustomed to it. His ability to control his own body had increased twofold compared to before.
The place they arrived at was a massive lake. It was so large that its ends could not be captured in a single glance.
"It's a big lake," Ayul said with a smile.
He had heard that a light fog, rare in the West, sometimes settled over it, but today the air was clear. Under the bright sky lay a lake reflecting the heavens. Fish played amidst the rippling waves. The white gravel field surrounding the water made it look even cleaner.
As they were admiring the view, the hostile Westerner spoke up.
"I want to ask what you plan to do with that woman."
Cutting straight to the point was very typical of a Westerner. There was no need to ask who he meant. This man had no intention of hiding his hostility. He was referring to Jiba's Mother.
"I have no interest in her, and I have no plans."
"Do not forget that Jiba is still young," the man warned.
Encrid calmly cleared up the misunderstanding. "Do you know how to fight?"
"...I am a warrior."
"Let's spar."
Explaining with words would take too long. They clashed and traded blows. The opponent used a broad falchion, and his skill was respectable. If he continued to train, he would easily surpass most Squires. He had talent.
"I'm not interested, so put your worries to rest. And I know Jiba is a child," Encrid said after tripping the man and striking him in the solar plexus.
The man, struggling for breath, turned pale. After coughing and wheezing, he managed a reply.
"Ugh... I know. It's just jealousy."
Indeed, the temperament of Westerners was such that they hid nothing. To Encrid, that was a virtue.
"How well does Geomnarae fight?"
"Are you talking about Geomnarae of the Narae Tribe? He is our chief warrior."
"A chief warrior means he's the best fighter in the tribe," Ayul chimed in.
He had already figured that much out.
*
They returned to the barracks, trained, and cracked jokes with the recovering warriors.
"I saw a wide river. On the other side, I saw my deceased father."
It was what one of the men said upon waking up.
"And?" Geomnarae asked, listening nearby.
The man lowered his voice. "I crossed the river. My father was calling me, after all."
Before they knew it, even Jiba had come over to listen. The man had a way with words. He cast his gaze into the distance, as if looking into empty space.
"When I crossed the river, the water came up to my waist. But the current wasn't strong. Dragging my wet pants with great effort, I crossed over and faced my father."
"And then?" Geomnarae prompted. Encrid, too, sat down to listen intently.
"I clocked him right in the jaw and came back! I told him it wasn't my time yet!"
Though he was still weak, the man slapped his left forearm with his right hand and thrust his left fist upward. He was saying he had punched his own father in the face, and the group burst out laughing.
Geomnarae roared, and when Jiba giggled like a child, her mother burst into laughter as well.
"So, is this where the Sky God resides? Or did the Earth Mother hold onto me? Seeing your face, Geomnarae, it seems we're still on our smelly land."
Cracking jokes like that not even half an hour after waking up was a talent in itself.
"Stranger, they told me to thank you without asking any questions once I woke up. Did you happen to catch Hira's weakness or something?"
The man was truly pleasant.
"Do I look like I did?" Encrid asked.
"Or did you seduce her with that face? I didn't think Hira was that kind of person." The man laughed heartily.
Later, after hearing that Encrid was the human totem who had saved them, he forced his body up and bowed his head.
"Thank you. It would have been a tragedy to die like this. Stranger, I will surely repay your devotion."
As more warriors woke, Encrid caught a glimpse of the Westerners' lives through Ayul and the people around her. He had seen the big lake, the Sun-blocking Clouds, the mother's sunset, and the long, continuous hills called Mir-oreum.
While he was lightly training inside the barracks, a sound erupted.
"HU-MAN!"
A roar like thunder erupted outside the tent, the voice so booming it threatened to rupture his eardrums. Encrid stood up and looked outside. The entrance of the tent was open.
Outside the entrance, a massive head and rolling eyes appeared. It was a size that shattered all sense of perspective.
It was a Giant.
From what he had heard, Encrid knew about the two Giants threatening the entire tribe—two monsters that surpassed the level of an Associate Knight.
Standing up, his eyes met Rem's, who was just entering the tent.
"I looked all over for you," Rem said.
Rem turned around, and Encrid followed. They stood before a flimsy fence made of cloth and wood.
"Bring out five humans! I am hun-gryyy!"
The Giant was acting recklessly, emboldened by its size. It wore a thick fur coat and held a black, mottled club large enough to crush an adult's body in a single blow. The club was black because the blood of its victims had congealed and hardened upon the wood. Every time the Giant moved, a fishy, metallic stench wafted over—a sharp scent reeking of blood and base desires.
"He is a formidable one," said Luagarne, who had appeared behind them. The Frok's gaze was measuring the Giant's strength.
Encrid could do the same. The Giant was an individual exceptional even among its kind, possessing immense innate strength. Just as not all humans were equal, not all Giants were the same.
Two of these formidable Giants were blocking the path, standing in a position that perfectly obscured the horizon Ayul had shown him.
As Rem gripped his axe and prepared to step forward, Encrid reached out and grabbed Rem's wrist.
"You want to do this together?" Rem asked.
"No."
Rem looked at him, confused. Encrid took a step forward.
"Just me."
Rem had eyes; he could see these were formidable opponents. And yet, he wanted to go alone?
Encrid didn't say it twice. He simply stepped forward.