Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Road to Dun
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“The road to Dun,”
the steward said. Silder closed his book and looked at him.
“They’re right on time, at least. What’s their condition?”
“Same as last time. Seems like they’ve lost their memories.”
“Still unstable, then. And yet, he never strays from the path. As if he’s truly riding some grand destiny.”
“He must have gained some power of his own while opening the Realm. A power we don’t know about.”
“It’s far too big a risk. He’s essential, but we can’t exactly keep him close. Fatalists always ruin things.”
Gaining unprecedented power was cause for joy, but the one providing it acting on whims was unacceptable.
That man always spoke of destiny. Life and death alike hung on the Grand Flow.
As someone pioneering a new era, nothing irked Silder quite like the man’s fatalism.
He believed in human strength. He trusted in will. He preferred the solid word “plan” over the shallow “fate.”
When things didn’t go as intended, it was the price of failing to control every variable—not some random product of destiny.
His way was to prepare for everything possible and humbly accept oversights. There was no room for fate in that framework.
“What of the mages’ intentions?”
“Two have promised to join us, but the other three are still holding off.”
“They want Master’s knowledge. Without showing them a clear path, persuasion will be tough.”
“They’re sharp calculators, so let’s watch a bit longer.”
“Very well.”
The device to open the Realm. If he could uncover its magical principles, even the Master underground would be unnecessary.
On the day he eliminated that biggest variable, he’d finally sleep without worry.
“And Dianne?”
“She’s resting after sparring with the 1st Knight Order.”
“How many injuries?”
“Seven.”
“I told her to go easy, but no surprise there.”
“You know how it is. The moment blades clash, an uncontrollable urge surges up. She’s much better now than at the start.”
“When she first gained the power, limbs flew off endlessly. I even thought severed heads might be fine.”
“Without Master’s words that death was certain, a few would’ve taken each other’s heads.”
He recalled the time he first gained the power.
His reborn body was frighteningly sensitive. Even people’s breathing, once unnoticeable, felt like a typhoon.
Every sensation flooding in was amplified, nearly driving him mad.
He lay bedridden like an invalid for days. When he finally rose, a new world awaited.
Overwhelmed by omnipotence filling him to the crown of his head, he couldn’t contain his excitement.
He ran around the estate on his two legs. His speed built and built.
With each step, the scenery shifted. That’s when he first realized how thick a wall air could become.
Pushing his strength to the limit, he leaped with all his might. The four-story estate lay beneath his feet. He felt like a bird.
Falling through the air, he laughed at full volume. A perfect body. Stronger and more harmonious than any other.
With this body, anything was possible. He decided to aid Master.
They reopened a stable Realm, and comrades who shared his will emerged with new bodies.
They all trembled in awe. He understood the feeling better than anyone.
He gathered those who’d adapted to their bodies and formed the 1st Knight Order. United, they all thirsted for battle.
Eager to test the limits of these bodies.
No reason to hesitate. The 1st Knight Order clashed in sparring. Iron swords instead of wooden ones, not halting at strikes but slashing through.
Even as limbs severed, they didn’t stop.
Lose a left foot? They laughed and tried balancing on the right. Right arm gone? Time to switch to left-handed swordplay.
To outsiders, it’d look insane. But to him and the 1st Knight Order, it was pure joy.
Pain whitened their minds, yet consciousness held. Each sharp agony honed their senses. It felt like tempering body and spirit to the extreme.
He sensed it instinctively. An invincible knight order had been born.
Immortal they weren’t, so after a round of sparring, days of treatment followed. Suturing severed parts and bandaging—that was the extent of it.
“The pain was like a drug.”
“When blades met, we forgot everything.”
“It’s always an astonishing body.”
Silder clenched his right fist hard. Explosive power surged.
When the new era dawned, all would gain such bodies.
Bodies that perfectly executed their aims, fearless of injury, enduring harsh environments.
Humanity would conquer the continent flawlessly with these new forms.
Glorious progress would follow, and the resulting resources would nurture all.
A world where the many could be happy. A child’s fantasy, but possible with these new flesh and like-minded comrades.
“And one more thing to report.”
“What is it?”
“They say they spotted Inevil.”
“Inevil? Is she on her way back too?”
“No. Still traveling with those two.”
“I half-expected Inevil to run off, but not that she’d stay away over ten days. That Lander must’ve really caught her fancy.”
“Master returns soon. We need him to open the Realm, and Inevil must cross it. Who knows how long he’ll stay once back, so shouldn’t we fetch her?”
“I’ll think on it.”
Master had joined hands with him, but wasn’t one to move at his whim.
He endorsed Silder’s plans yet skipped the schedules made for them.
No one knew how long a wanderlust-driven Master would remain at the estate, as the steward said.
“The report said their destination is Conne, right?”
“Yes.”
“Close to Bluenoton. Of all places.”
“It’s bothering you.”
“You know as well as I: a string of unexpected events is a warning of trouble.”
Accidents didn’t erupt from unforeseen points but from overlooked ones.
Scrutinize and prepare, and accidents wouldn’t happen—that was his belief.
“It might be her last trip, so I’d like to let her roam free, but I suppose we’ll have to bring her back.”
“I’ll send someone.”
“Who?”
“Anyone else, and Dianne will insist on going herself.”
“True enough. She dotes on the girl that much. Tell her myself: time to fetch the runaway foal.”
“Understood.”
The steward bowed and withdrew.
Silder picked up his book again.
Bluenoton. Where Master gained the knowledge to open the Realm.
The starting point of it all—and now Inevil was nearby.
Was this the fateful pull that man always prattled about?
“Humans steer fate anyway.”
Without human observers, what use was fate? Heaven’s will manifested only through people.
Even Master’s Grand Flow was meaningless without humans to perceive it—just empty data.
Did trees know fate? Could rocks choose it?
That vaunted fate was ultimately subject to humanity.
Human will, intent, indomitable spirit. Those were the rudders that turned fate’s course.
An autumn breeze slipped through the slightly open window. He leaned back in his chair and read.
* * *
“Oh, right.”
Inevil rummaged in her pocket and pulled out a wooden doll.
“You still have that?”
Guchi sighed.
“I meant to give it back. Forgot during dinner yesterday.”
Inevil examined the doll, tilting her head left. She stared down the roadside, then moved to toss it.
“What are you doing?”
He stopped her.
“Throwing it away.”
“That thing?”
“Yeah. Too awkward to go back now. We left Conne ages ago.”
“You’ll cause trouble. A deceased person’s belonging should return whence it came—that’s proper.”
“Uncle, you believe in that stuff?”
“Live long enough, and you start following such customs.”
He reined in his horse, slowing to ride beside Inevil.
“Give it to me instead.”
“This? What for?”
“I’ll keep it and leave it by the lakeside on the way back.”
“Then just toss it here.”
“Makes me uneasy. Hand it over.”
Inevil made a tired face and tossed the doll. He caught it and stowed it in his pack.
“Getting old makes you superstitious, huh?”
“Yeah. Like you said, age brings all sorts of trials, and you naturally start honoring these things.”
“That won’t make her grateful.”
“Don’t care. I told you—it bothers me. It’s for my peace of mind, so don’t worry about it.”
“Fine.”
He put distance between them and snapped the reins.
The sun was setting. By now, the village should appear.
“Is that it over there?”
Inevil said. Lights flickered in the distance. He glanced at Lander trailing behind.
They’d reached Bluenoton, the trip’s goal. What was the man feeling now?
“Let’s hurry. My butt’s getting sores. Long rides don’t suit me.”
Inevil spurred ahead. He slowed to match Lander.
“We’ve arrived. What do you think, seeing it firsthand?”
“Not sure. My wife said she spent her childhood here, but never detailed it.”
“Grew up in an orphanage, so probably not fond memories. Surprising, though—an orphanage in such a small village.”
“I was thinking the same. No cathedral here, so must’ve run on local donations.”
“We’ll learn the details once we visit.”
Guchi hoped his traveling companion found solace here. The living must live, after all.
Remembering the dead wasn’t wrong, but wandering lost like Lander was pitiful. Better to shake it off and laugh brightly.
“Hurry up!”
Inevil shouted from ahead.
The village greeted the trio with its watchmen.
Not wary, just curious why anyone’d bring horses to such a backwater.
“Should we greet the village head?”
Guchi stepped forward.
“No need. But what brings you here?”
“This friend’s wife hails from Bluenoton.”
Explanation enough, apparently—the watchmen pointed to the inn.
“Rare for outsiders, so the inn’s nothing special. Owner might be out too. If locked, knock on the house opposite.”
Luckily, lights shone inside. The innkeeper beamed at guests after so long.
“But nowhere good to tie the horses. Keep ’em under the eaves to dodge dew.”
“No stable?”
“Who owns horses here? We’ve got barns for cows and pigs.”
“I see.”
They tethered the horses under the eaves and entered. Lander, already inside, was talking to the innkeeper.
“I heard there’s an orphanage here. Know where?”