Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: The Wandering Stars
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Julius walked toward the inn with a satisfied stride.
‘Things went better than I expected.’
Using the knowledge from the novel, he had obtained the information more easily than he thought.
He had even considered forcibly extracting the information if things went wrong.
‘It’s a relief that it hasn't changed from the original story.’
Buying information through a deal was better than taking it by force, wasn't it?
If things had gone wrong, he would have spent a good deal of time disposing of a body.
And he might have been caught in Psyche's information network.
‘The price for the information was quite cheap, too.’
The Minima tribe and the Arachne tribe.
Non-human races that could only be found in the Great Desert, and natural-born guides of the sands.
Now that he had a map with their locations, he should be able to meet them soon.
‘They said they were near the city to get supplies, which is perfect.’
He just needed to stop by the inn, and they could leave with the others right away.
Anticipating their reactions to the news, Julius laughed heartily and pushed open the inn's wooden door.
“Brother, I've found a way—”
And then.
“—sir, huh?”
“Julius, you're back.”
He saw the non-humans sitting with Allen.
“Come, sit.”
A man with a scorpion's tail covered in thick carapace and a woman with two pairs of spider legs.
“Our guests have been waiting, haven't they?”
Julius asked back with a dumbfounded expression.
“...Excuse me?”
* * *
Julius, who had been standing there with a blank face, sat down with a look of disbelief when Allen called him again.
“Introduce yourself. These are the ones who will guide us to the academy.”
Julius bowed his head briefly, a bewildered look on his face.
Despite his dazed greeting, the man smiled gently and bowed politely, a stark contrast to his menacing tail.
“A pleasure to meet you. I am Alexius, a priest who serves the Wandering Stars and a descendant of them.”
“And I am Erini, a follower of different stars than his, and a child of them.”
After she followed him in finishing her introduction, Julius glanced at Allen before speaking.
“Um, I'm sorry to ask, but how did you end up with them, Brother...?”
Seeing his flustered state, Allen replied with a nonchalant expression.
“We needed a guide, didn't we? I ran into them on the street while I was worrying about it.”
“In the market district...?”
“Yes. I'd heard about them from a merchant and was planning to look for them... but then they happened to be walking right in front of me.”
Julius's expression turned strange.
He even snuck another glance at their faces.
“Why? Is there a problem?”
“Ah, no. So, what happened?”
Julius pretended to be unfazed by Allen's words, but he looked quite bitter that the information he'd acquired had become useless.
“So I invited them right away. Fortunately, they accepted the invitation, and when I told them my purpose, they readily agreed, with one condition.”
As if to confirm his words, Alexius and Erini didn't deny it.
“What is that condition?”
Just as Allen was about to answer Julius's question, Alexius cut in, brushing back his dull blond hair.
“Would it be all right if we explained from here?”
“If you wish.”
Once Allen gave his permission, Alexius bowed his head slightly and replied.
“To be direct, what we want is simple.”
He gestured to her with his eyes, and Erini continued his words.
“If you two young masters succeed in entering the academy, then just once, you will assist in the excavation of a ruin we designate, at our request.”
“That is all we ask.”
Julius's eyes briefly landed on Erini, a red-haired beauty whose hair complemented her brown skin.
“A condition like this won't be much of a burden for you young masters.”
Simply entering the academy was proof enough of one's connections or talent.
It was obvious that their skills would be a great help in excavating a ruin.
“Moving during the sandstorm season is a great risk for us as well, so we believe our condition is not excessive.”
Alexius finished his explanation, his face calm throughout.
They were right.
If he could secure their help in exchange for one favor, it was a reasonable price.
‘With my and Julius's strength combined, we should be able to handle it smoothly unless it's something extraordinary.’
It was a mutually beneficial deal.
Julius seemed to have made the same calculation, as he immediately nodded.
“If that's all... I accept.”
When Julius accepted the condition, they relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief.
Perhaps finding their reaction unexpected, Julius asked Allen with a questioning look.
“But if you had already accepted the deal, Brother, you didn't need to ask me. Why did you?”
“How could I decide alone when you had not agreed?”
“...Me too?”
Julius was speechless for a moment.
“You're a representative of our party, just like me. I can't proceed with things on my own.”
Julius felt the bitterness in his heart, caused by his now-useless information, instantly melt away.
Watching them, Vestla whispered softly.
「You know, you're quite insidious, aren't you?」
‘Be quiet.’ Allen tapped the hilt as if to silence her, and Vestla grumbled to herself before finally falling silent.
As Allen and Julius talked, Alexius and Erini watched the brotherly bond with warm eyes.
“Did you hear that? Young Master Allen said he wouldn't decide alone because his brother is also a representative of the party.”
“Such a rare bond between brothers.”
Their warm words helped Julius shake off the nasty thoughts that had been creeping into his heart.
‘I can't just threaten people like them by force, like Psyche would.’
Not while my brother is watching.
If I were alone, I don't know what I would have done.
“Well then, the deal is accepted and we're short on time, so let's get moving.”
“We're ready.”
When Allen instructed the rest of the party to pack their things, Inellia showed her thorough preparedness, as if she had already packed while they were talking.
“Our tribe is nearby, so we can move out quickly.”
As Alexius and Erini stood up, Allen turned his head to Julius.
“Julius, do you have any other business to attend to?”
“I've finished everything, so it's fine to leave now.”
“Is that so?”
Does that mean he's gotten everything he needed here?
“In that case, let's travel without rest as much as possible.”
There were roughly two weeks left until the academy's entrance exam began.
* * *
The party left the city and headed for the tribes that were camped nearby.
As they approached an area with large tents spread out, other non-humans like Alexius and Erini—with scorpion tails and spider legs—ran toward them.
The other members of the tribes didn't seem wary of the party, as if Alexius and Erini had sent word ahead.
“Lord Alexius!”
“Lady Erini!”
In an instant, they were surrounded by the other non-humans.
Allen watched them with an intrigued expression.
“To think there's only one gender per race...”
Even Allen, who had learned a great deal through the black book, couldn't hide his fascination.
The reason was simple.
The Minima tribe—the non-humans with scorpion tails—consisted only of men, while the Arachne tribe—those with spider legs—consisted only of women.
One interesting thing was their hair color.
‘I didn't notice it when they were with others at first.’
But looking at all the members of the two tribes, most of them had black hair. Few had blond or red hair like Alexius or Erini.
In fact, it was safe to say there were almost none.
‘Hmm, I suppose someone with the authority to make a decision on the spot wouldn't be ordinary.’
At this point, it was impossible not to know.
「Did you approach them knowing this on purpose?」
That their status was special.
‘No way.’
It was simply a coincidence.
I just met them on the street, and they just so happened to be the guides I needed to get to the academy, and the people I proposed a deal to just so happened to have the authority to make a decision on the spot.
It was all a ‘coincidence’.
‘A coincidence and nothing more.’
Allen's eyes briefly landed on the white book that was floating nonchalantly in the air.
Just then, Julius called out to him.
“Brother, what are you looking at?”
Allen naturally looked away from the book and gestured to the non-humans surrounding them.
“I've never seen a sight like this before.”
“Indeed... they say these people only live here.”
Allen spoke with a smile, but inwardly, he was quite startled.
‘I was too careless.’
He had almost made the same mistake Julius did.
Allen became more cautious. Just then, their conversation seemed to have ended, and Alexius approached with an apologetic look.
“We've kept our guests standing for too long. My apologies. The chieftain is waiting, please follow me.”
The chieftain was an old man with pale blond hair and a sturdy appearance.
“I've already heard the story. We'll accept the request, so do not worry.”
“We will be sure to keep our promise, so please don't worry.”
When Allen answered on their behalf, the old man gave a meaningful smile.
“I am not worried. Such is the arrangement of fate.”
“Do you still believe in fate?”
At Allen's question, the old man replied softly, his expression suggesting the answer was obvious.
“I am a priest, after all.”
“...I see.”
At those words, Allen could only nod.
Calling themselves priests of the stars and their descendants, it was clear that they had a religion.
Allen couldn't understand them, but he didn't comment further, as it was clear they wouldn't be able to understand him either.
‘Speaking of fate, I wonder what happened to Miss Francisca.’
She definitely spoke as if there was something more, but since she went to the Magic Tower after the chimera master incident, he had no way of hearing any news.
“It is late now, so we will begin moving tomorrow morning. Alexius will guide you to a place where you can stay.”
As Allen was about to leave the tent, his gaze suddenly fell upon a stone tablet next to the old man.
“...What's that?”
A carving of nine celestial bodies revolving around a sun.
Seeing his interest in the unusual carving on the tablet, Alexius readily explained.
“Ah, are you referring to that tablet? It is a tablet said to have been bestowed upon us by the Wandering Stars in ancient times.”
It was a carving that might have been unfamiliar to some, but not to Allen.
‘The dagger I obtained after killing the chimera master.’
It had the same symbol.
“But why do you ask?”
“...It's just that the academic consensus is that we are the only ones who revolve around the sun.”
Alexius nodded as if he were used to Allen's question.
“It is only natural that it is difficult for us to understand the true will of the stars. There is surely a meaning beyond our comprehension.”
Allen simply accepted his words without another response.
“Let's be on our way. The Arachne chieftain is waiting.”
The party left the tent and followed Erini to receive confirmation of the deal from the Arachne chieftain. Allen then discreetly posed a question to Alexius, who was guiding them.
He wanted to know about any connection to the black magic group, Estedore.
“By any chance, could you tell me about the carving I saw on the tablet earlier? If this question is rude, I ask for your forgiveness in advance.”
“The mages who sometimes visit our tribe ask the same question. It's quite all right.”
“As a mage, it's a topic I can't help but be interested in.”
Unfortunately, however, they didn't know much about it either.
That the tablet fell from the sky on the day the holy spirit they worship first appeared, before the Great Collapse. And additionally, that even now, a ‘prophecy’ descends once every few decades.
“I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help.”
“No, I'm grateful for what you've told me.”
After that, they spent a day in the tents provided by the tribe, finishing their final preparations before the sandstorm arrived.
“Even if we're delayed by the sandstorm, ten days should be enough.”
“I sincerely hope we arrive by then.”
And so, nine days passed, through gritty sandstorms, cold nights, and hot days.
“Young Master Allen! We've finally arrived at the academy!”
“...Yes, we've finally made it.”
They had arrived at Galshdin Academy.