Chapter 203
Chapter 203
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 203
Chapter Title: Land of Ashes (3)
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Of course, the path to the Land of Ashes was anything but smooth.
The Land of Ashes was a dead land.
It was called a barren wasteland because it could no longer nurture life after everything had died, and a death trap because venturing too close meant steeling yourself for death.
That was why the Land of Ashes had another name: the Land of Death.
Some called it the tainted land.
The Land of Death, or the tainted land.
There was no way the road to a place with such a name would be normal. The paths were severed, and no one dared approach the Land of Ashes.
"You're heading to the Land of Ashes?"
"Customer, have you lost your mind?"
Even carriages refused to go anywhere near it.
"A road to the Land of Ashes?"
"Why's a fine young man with a bright future ahead trying to die so soon? Such a handsome lad... tsk tsk..."
Asking for directions usually got you treated like a madman.
"Everyone treats us the same way."
"That's why I told you. Walking will be the fastest."
Four days into the journey toward the Land of Ashes—Arcadia.
Raniel returned to the inn from the nearest village, shoulders slumped after inquiring around. Cardi clicked his tongue at the sight.
"We could take a carriage to nearby villages, but the wasteland leading to the Land of Ashes? We'll have to go on foot."
"That's at least three days."
"Walk fast, and we can make it in two."
"Tch..."
Raniel smacked her lips for no reason.
The wasteland they had to cross to reach the Land of Ashes was clearly visible through the inn window. Stretching to the horizon, it evoked the eerie landscape of a demonic realm.
'...Reminds me of all those endless marches.'
It wasn't a fond memory.
Raniel let out a long sigh. Cardi stared at her obvious disappointment with disbelief.
"...Didn't you say you've been there before?"
"I did go on an expedition back when I was the Next Mage Tower Lord. And we crossed the wasteland by carriage then. Carriage drivers were clamoring to take us..."
"They must've been thrilled to snag some suckers."
There were always those who gambled their lives for money, no matter where you went. And for the Next Mage Tower Lord of a prestigious tower with a touch of allure... well, the fame made it a tempting gamble.
"...Should we just throw money at them?"
"Just walk. Two days isn't much."
"This is why elves..."
Raniel shook her head.
"To humans, every day is precious, right? If we can shave off even a minute or second, spending a fortune is worth it..."
With that, Raniel launched into a speech about the value of time. The temperature in Cardi's gaze dropped instantly as he watched her.
"Hah..."
Cardi let out a hollow chuckle and muttered.
"The guy who cares so much about saving time wrestled with me over a robe for nearly an hour?"
"......"
Raniel fell silent.
Cardi sighed deeply as she averted her eyes without a word. His mind replayed the memory of tussling with her.
"Ah, I'll shut up until we get there! Really, just a bit! Just a little...!"
The image of Raniel desperately refusing to hand over the robe lingered before his eyes. He'd finally snatched it after an hour-long struggle, but paid for it with a full day of her grumbling.
"So stingy about the robe."
"Too sneaky, I ain't wearing it."
"It won't wear out if you wear it a bit? I said just a little."
It was slyness reminiscent of Glerea.
And Cardi had learned a valuable lesson from his travels with Glerea in the past: better to give in than endure days of torment.
"...Just wear it yourself?"
"...For real?"
So he just gave it to her.
The journey had been smooth as a result... but now, watching her rant about the preciousness of time, he could only laugh.
"And it's better not to hire a coachman. There are mechanisms we need to tamper with starting from the wasteland."
"What? That's what it was?"
"Yeah. Walking will be more convenient anyway."
Saying that, Cardi beckoned Raniel.
"Got all the stuff?"
"Windweed, nightsky flowers, wyvern claws, and whatever else... I bought everything you asked for. Fine for camping, but what's with these mystery ingredients?"
"Alchemy materials. You'll see later."
Cardi took the bag of items and stood up. Preparations were complete—it was time to go.
"Hold on a sec."
Before departing, Raniel stood before the mirror.
The mirror in the corner of the inn. She twisted this way and that, adjusting her clothes. Cardi watched indifferently—it was a habit she'd picked up lately.
Twirl.
Finally, she spun in place, straightening her robe, and beamed happily. She clearly loved the robe she was wearing.
'...No getting that back.'
The robe's actual owner was Cardi, but by now, he'd half-given up on reclaiming it. Seeing her like that, it seemed impossible anyway.
"Jeez..."
What an oddball.
Cardi shook his head with that thought.
2.
The wasteland near the Land of Ashes was brutally harsh for ordinary humans. It lacked demonic energy, but the environment itself was no different from a demonic realm.
Temperatures swung wildly between night and day.
Deserts coexisted with sheer canyons.
It was as if various terrains had tangled together. Cardi explained it was literally twisted—over a dozen nearby territories had been swept up entirely. I just nodded along.
And so, Cardi and I crossed the wasteland.
It was harsh for ordinary folk, but neither of us qualified as "ordinary."
"Y'know, it's kinda weird when you think about it."
"What is?"
"I'm a Sage, right?"
"Hard to believe, but... yeah, that's the rumor."
"What the fuck?"
I was a mage once called Sage on the battlefield.
"Anyway, you're an Archsage. One who traveled with the first Hero, no less."
"I was called that once."
Cardi was a mage known as Archsage.
"So we're a Sage party, huh? Two mages make us invincible, right?"
"Sounds like a cheap name."
"It's true though."
"Yeah. You do look cheap sometimes."
"Not that."
Whatever the banter, Sages and Archsages weren't ordinary... so we crossed the wasteland without much trouble.
"You're walking better than I expected."
"My mana may be gone, but not my physical abilities. Back in my prime, I matched Ganikalt's pace. Even carried Glerea early on in our travels. Heavier than he looked."
"Ooh..."
Walking was easy, but the wasteland was vast, and the Land of Ashes still far off. So we trudged along with idle chit-chat.
"Come to think of it, you said your party had an elf and a saintess."
Were they really "comrades"?
I made a subtle face and replied.
"Well... yeah, they were."
"What were they like? From your stories, they don't sound like great comrades."
"Before good comrades, I question if they were comrades at all..."
Sara and Remia.
I pictured the two with zero good memories. Just thinking of that pink-haired bitch and the blonde made my fists clench.
"Hard to put into words... but they were some utterly shitty bitches."
"That bad?"
"That bad."
"Not speaking as an elf, but elves don't usually have such personality issues."
Elves without personality problems?
I let out a hollow laugh.
"You say that 'cause you haven't met Remia, that fucking bitch."
"The Divine Archer elf?"
"Yeah. Nine-tenths of my elf hatred comes from that decade-old hag. Hypocrite, whiner, selective nature lover, and..."
"Got it. Calm down."
Cardi recoiled in horror, stepping back a few paces.
I smiled almost serenely at his appalled expression.
"Won't happen, but if you meet her, you'll think:"
What?
Cardi asked, and I answered.
"How the hell is a person like that? Don't pointy-ears count as people, you fuck?"
"...That's some severe racial discrimination."
"My 'pointy-ear bitch' for Remia refers only to her, not elves."
Something neither elf nor human.
The Remia I remembered was truly that— a personality so astonishing it was worth studying in itself.
"Ugh, just thinking about her gives me chills."
I shuddered.
"Really, never wanna see her again. Hate her face. For real. Might puke if I do."
3.
"We have to go to the Land of Ashes, right?"
Remia spoke as she picked up her scattered clothes. Golden hair cascaded over her pale skin.
"I heard roughly, so can we detour to the City of Night for a month? I wanna see the parade."
Her voice dripped with reluctance.
Even though they were already en route to the Land of Ashes, Remia looked ready to turn back any second.
"Do we have to go? Kyle?"
At her question, Kyle—brushing aside the sleeping Sara's hair—replied softly.
"It's a request from the Knight Commander."
"There are other heroes."
"They all failed."
"The pathetic wimp, fine, but that Gallahal? No hope then."
"Gallahal lacks starlight."
Kyle exhaled briefly.
He hated explaining at length. Kyle never shared serious concerns with Remia or Sara—they weren't helpful anyway.
"Anyway, it's our job."
"Isn't it dangerous?"
"With blessings, crossing is no issue, they say. Sara was thrilled. Said the First Holy Church must be full of holy relics."
Kyle changed the subject.
Remia's eyes narrowed at it. Combing her hair at the vanity, she turned to him with intrigued eyes.
"...Holy relics are treasures, right?"
"Probably."
"Can we take them?"
"No one else can reach it."
Remia stood.
She approached Kyle. Her shadow flickered in the candlelight.
"Ancient treasures do sound tempting."
Her elf skin glowed red yet white in the firelight. A body like artwork, but Kyle's expression barely changed.
『A meeting with the forgotten, and the missed.』
Only the stars' whisper lingered in Kyle's mind.
The stars whispered of two meetings awaiting there. Kyle didn't know who, but he trusted.
The stars' whispers were always right.
Thus, the stars were perfect.
Perfect, beyond doubt.
If Raniel were here, she'd advise more caution, but he was gone. Kyle closed his eyes.
"...Night's deep."
"Sleep won't come anyway."
Night was deep, but elf and hero stayed awake.
Their shadows tangled wildly in the tent as starlight turned elsewhere.
"Achoo."
In the wasteland's heart, deep into the night.
Raniel, squatting and poking the kindling, sneezed. She sniffled and muttered.
"Man, this brings back old memories."
Just lob a fireball back then.
Her voice echoed across the wasteland.