Chapter 624: An Earnest Request
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 624: An Earnest Request
"What do you mean by that?"
"Sister Sinar is over four hundred years old."
"That old?"
"Yeah."
"We should probably be calling her 'Grandmother' instead of 'Big Sister.'"
"She’ll get mad."
"Ah."
A gentleman never teased a woman about her age. Krang nodded solemnly. That nod carried his silent resolve never to bring it up again, even if they crossed paths once more.
"What are you going to do when you get there?"
"I’m going to ask her."
"Ask what?"
"Whether fulfilling that duty—or whatever it was—was what she truly wanted."
Someone out there might truly desire a life dedicated to duty. But Encrid wanted to hear it from her own lips before making that assumption. If anyone asked why...
It’s a gut feeling.
Sinar’s past words and actions flashed through his mind. In particular, the words she had spoken the day before she left carried a bitter regret as thick as over-steeped tea. At the time, he had thought she was simply being indifferent, but looking back, that very indifference was a sign.
"It was fun."
It meant she had enjoyed herself up until now. And, by extension, she wouldn't enjoy what came next.
So, I will ask. I must go and ask.
That was Encrid’s resolve.
"Do as you wish," Krang said, crossing his legs. He didn't fully understand Sinar’s inner thoughts either.
"Where is the elven city?"
"I don't know either."
"I see."
Encrid nodded. After sharing some small talk, he spent the next day asking around about the location of the elven city. First, he went to Krais.
"I’ve had the information guild on it ever since Sinar disappeared, but they say it’s hidden somewhere deep in the mountains. Apparently, there’s a barrier, making it nearly impossible to find."
Krais spoke with a furrowed brow. He had tried his best to look into it, but he had come up empty-handed. Next, Encrid asked the rest of the group.
"Do I look like I’d know?" Rem snapped. He was out.
"My knowledge does not extend that far, Brother. Come back to me once your Will has matured. We must move on to the next step." Audin didn't know either.
Surprisingly, Ragna acted as if he had the answer.
"The elven city? I’ve seen some folks wearing clothes woven from grass and twigs before. Shall I lead the way?"
Naturally, Encrid declined. If he let Ragna guide him, they might end up in a dwarven city instead of an elven one—or it might take years just to arrive.
"That would be great if you were planning a trip to another dimension," Rem chimed in from nearby. The two immediately began bickering.
Encrid turned his gaze to Sachsen, who only shook his head.
"The elves aren't a single tribe. You have to find the specific city where Sinar’s people reside."
Listening to Sachsen, it was clear that simply finding the location would be no small feat. Indeed, if it were easy, Krais would have already found it through his guild.
"But why were you looking for Sinar’s destination in the first place?" Encrid asked Krais, curious.
"Uh, no particular reason."
Was it instinct, or just a reflexive urge to gather information?
"I figured if the Boss looked for her later, I should at least be able to say, 'She’s over there.' If I had to give a reason, that would be it. Though it’s a bit embarrassing that I couldn't actually find it."
They say a wise man looks to the future, and Encrid saw that this was truly the case. When Encrid said as much, Krais reacted as if he had no idea what he was talking about.
"I just poke my nose into everything. Sometimes I happen to get it right. Besides, I get anxious if I don't."
That was all he said. Perhaps his chronic anxiety was what fueled Krais’s obsession with information. Rather than looking to the future and preparing, he made countless preparations and reacted when something finally hit. But Encrid believed that making those preparations in the first place was the very definition of wisdom.
Did Sinar make such preparations too? What did she need to resolve her curse, her duty, and all the rest?
"I don't know. Elven cities do not welcome visitors." Luagarne didn't know either; truly, no one seemed to have a clue.
"I’ve lived in the wilderness my whole life, and now I live here. My talent is strictly limited to swordsmanship, not pathfinding," Pel added.
"I told you, I’m great at finding paths, so let me guide you!" Ragna chimed in once more.
"No, you’re fine," Encrid gently turned him down. Ragna probably wasn't lying; he wasn't the type to lie about something like this. Still, it was a deep mystery how someone could get so lost that they accidentally stumbled into an elven city.
"Why am I getting angry?" Ragna muttered.
Rem, who had been grinding his teeth after being slightly pushed back in their spar yesterday, cut in. "Teaching you how to find a path would be slower than teaching a ghoul table manners."
"Huh? I can't hear you over the sound of the dumbass who struck his own shin while swinging an axe."
During yesterday’s fight, Rem had indeed struck his own shin with his axe handle, but that had been a deliberate move to use the recoil. Ragna, however, seized on it. The two began bickering again. Come to think of it, Ragna’s tongue had gotten quite sharp lately.
Watching them from the side, Ropode chewed over their exchange, repeating the insults to himself.
"What are you doing?"
"During a fight a while back, I fell for a provocation and lost a war of words. It was so frustrating that it still appears in my dreams."
He was referring to his encounter with the crusaders. Encrid’s eyes spoke for him: Isn't falling for a provocation just a normal thing?
"...Boss, you wouldn't understand this feeling."
At Ropode’s words, Encrid wanted to object. How could he not understand, when Sinar had teased him endlessly with her elven jokes? Being showered with ridiculous jokes was a rare experience for him, and it had been incredibly hard to fire back.
Even as he spent his days asking around, Encrid never neglected his duties. His time was spent training, eating, washing, and maintaining his weapons. He was currently wiping down his Truesilver sword with flaxseed oil, following Eitri’s advice.
Unlike in summer, the sun dipped early, casting a premature sunset. Amidst the rustling of leaves tapping against the ground in the wind, footsteps approached. Soon, a shadow drew near, blocking the long rays of sunlight and overlapping with Encrid’s own.
"You’re looking for the elven city?"
Was it just his imagination, or was there a distinct chill in her voice?
Encrid looked up. Even in the dead of winter, she wore only a single enchanted robe. She was an extraordinary beauty, with blue eyes peering through long black hair, pale skin, and red lips. It was Esther, the witch known as the Black Flower.
"To be precise, I’m looking for where Sinar went," Encrid replied.
If Esther asked why, Encrid was planning to use the joke he had made to Krang—the one about how his big sister might be waiting for him. But Esther didn't ask. Her lips parted, devoid of any trace of a smile.
"Yes. You should ask."
"Hmm?"
"When someone leaves, they have a reason. And when they leave without even mentioning that reason, doesn't that mean the reason is significant? That’s what I think."
"Mmh?"
"So, you must ask. Why she had to leave. Why she left."
Saying so, Esther raised her hand and placed it on Encrid’s forehead. Encrid didn't flinch. Her hand was as cold as ice.
"Lower your barrier for a moment."
"What?"
"If your mental defense barrier is too thick, I cannot transmit it to you."
"Transmit what, exactly?"
"You’ll know once you receive it."
The chill wasn't his imagination; it was very real. Esther’s hand was freezing, no breath came from her mouth, and as she drew close, the cold seeped right through Encrid’s clothes. It didn't seem like she was in the mood for another hug, but rather like she had just finished practicing some high-level spells.
Encrid closed his eyes, pondering what a mental defense barrier was. Then, he drew a picture in his mind. This process was surprisingly easy, thanks to the time he had spent with the Ferryman.
Imagine a wall, and make a door. Then, open the door.
He executed the thought. As he visualized it in his mindscape, what Esther spoke of began to seep into his head. It was a map leading to a certain place. Moreover, it wasn't just a map showing directions and coordinates; it was annotated with detailed guides.
"Before Sinar left, I heard about her tribe. That is where the elf lives."
Esther was a witch, and building a cabin in the woods was a rite of passage every witch went through. It was only natural, as the forest was teeming with ingredients for various reagents. A cabin in the woods was essential for efficient magical experimentation. It wasn't done out of some vain desire to look mysterious.
And she wasn't the only one who coveted places where reagents and herbs gathered. It was quite common to find elves or druid tribes living nearby. Based on what Sinar had told her before leaving, finding her home was not a difficult task for Esther. Sinar hadn't gone into detail, but it was more than enough for the witch to figure it out.
Though Sinar probably hadn't expected this.
"Do you want to go together?" Encrid opened his eyes and asked.
Esther pulled her hand back, a faint smile playing on her lips. "I’m busy."
"Ah, right."
Encrid asked the others a similar question.
"My bad. It breaks my heart to turn you down when you’re begging me so earnestly. But something urgent came up, you see? I need to split open a certain directionally challenged bastard’s skull, but I’ve been slacking off for a few days, so my form is off. How about I catch up with you in a few days?"
Encrid listened intently to Rem before asking, "When did I ever beg you earnestly?"
He had only asked a single question: Do you want to go together?
"Look, even if you cling to my pant legs like that, it’s a bit difficult right now. I’ll catch up later if I have time."
Fine, I’m not going with you anyway.
It seemed Ragna had gotten the upper hand over Rem in their recent spars. Because of that, Rem wanted to invest his time in training. And who was slacking off? From a certain point, far from resting, Rem had been dividing his days down to the minute. In fact, everyone in the Order of Madness had ended up that way. It was Encrid’s influence.
"Sister Teresa is approaching a crucial moment, and I am currently laying the foundation for Sister Seiki. Still, if you request it so earnestly, Brother, I suppose I must go."
"I only asked a single question. You stay here too."
At some point, Audin seemed to have been slightly influenced by Rem. And everyone knew that influence was far from wholesome.
"Do you really need a guide after all?"
Encrid rejected Ragna before he could even finish. Above all, Rem wouldn't let it slide.
"Running away? Scared?"
"Did your brain break from getting beaten too much?"
"I’ve never been hit in the head, you directionally challenged bastard."
Right, let’s just leave those two alone.
It seemed their skills had improved significantly through their recent spars. Though Encrid was the only one who didn't know, almost everyone else understood why those two were so fired up. It was because of what Encrid had shown in his spar with Rem.
Even though it was just a spar, he had shown skills that didn't fall short. Beyond just holding his ground, his sword—which condensed and loaded Will into a single strike—was downright lethal. Seeing that, they couldn't afford to be complacent.
On top of that, Audin subtly looking down on the two of them was another reason. Having awakened his divine power, Audin could be said to be slightly ahead of the other two. And there was no way Rem and Ragna didn't know that.
"It might be lonely going by yourself, but I can't make it. I have a date."
Sachsen also declined. In the end, Encrid decided to set off with Luagarne. Pel joined them as well.
"Let’s spar on the way."
He hadn't been like this before, but now, respect and admiration shone in Pel’s eyes. Naturally, that respect was reflected in his tone as well.
"Let’s do that."
"It’s a shame I cannot accompany you."
Ropode expressed his regret. Still, he couldn't just abandon the training of the small sword squad that Ragna had neglected. It seemed they were facing a crucial turning point. Even putting that aside, Ropode was actually one of the busiest people in the Order of Madness.
"Well then."
Without waiting any longer, Encrid abruptly departed.
Krang, who had come over and stayed for a few days, realized that Encrid had left without saying a word to him. He grabbed Krais and asked, "He didn't forget about me, did he?"
"...Uh, surely not."
Krais spoke, but it was hard to find any credibility in his words. It seemed Encrid had indeed forgotten about Krang and just left.