Chapter 63
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: Plan (2)
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Learning magic was much like memorizing a picture painted according to complex principles.
Tae-jin had far more colors at his disposal than most, and he could intuitively fill in any gaps to approximate the original image.
That alone was talent beyond imagination. It meant he could lightly skip over one or two of the processes that other mages invested the most time in.
But Tae-jin couldn't accomplish everything with his talent alone. Mastering all aspects of magic would make one omnipotent, a realm forbidden to humans.
In the end, Tae-jin had to suffer through memorizing books, over and over. Unfortunately, he wasn't a genius like Richer.
Richer, who knew this fact better than anyone, passed by Tae-jin's side at every opportunity, needling him relentlessly.
"What, you've been memorizing that this whole time? Really? Hmm... Hmmm... Hmmmm... Does that even make sense? Power? Mine?"
Richer knew all too well how to be a master no one respected. With that kind of tone, constantly prodding, how could anyone possibly revere him?
But Tae-jin had no way to argue back. He was the one who needed the information in the books, the one who had to memorize them, and it was also true that he wasn't as smart as Richer.
Tae-jin simply buried his head deeper in the book. He'd have to clutch it during travels too, studying whenever there was a spare moment.
Of course, while Tae-jin studied, Richer wasn't just idling about.
He had fetched a rather crude map and was plotting their route with Garam and Pavilion. Apparently, precise maps weren't available outside the imperial archives.
Garam spoke first, drawing small circles on the map—one to the east, one to the south.
"Mossgravel Tribe and Moonlight Claw Tribe. These two spots have the highest chance of shamans."
Garam spoke casually to Richer, who was far his senior, as if it were the most natural thing. He wasn't one to stand on ceremony with anyone.
"Why do you think those two tribes have shamans?"
"For one, they're larger than most other troll tribes."
The simple reason drew a simple rebuttal.
"There are tribes with even wider territories."
"True enough. But these two are settled in orc-heavy regions."
"Isn't that because they're big enough to hold out against orcs?"
"No. If that were the case, they'd have fought orcs plenty of times. But from what I've heard, there's almost no conflict between orcs and these tribes. The shamans are why the orcs don't attack."
Richer nodded in agreement, but Pavilion threw in a question.
"Why wouldn't orcs attack if there's a shaman? Don't they charge harder at strong foes?"
The answer came not from Garam, but from Richer.
"Dying isn't the issue—it's dying pathetically. If they get cursed, thrash around helplessly, and get skewered on spears, their warrior gods won't bother looking after them."
"Ah."
Pavilion easily understood, having once wandered lost under Garam's curse himself.
"So, we're heading south or east?"
"Yeah. There are other leads, but they're too far."
Richer checked the documents from Hilario and drew a few small diamonds in black ink on the map.
"East and south both have promising spots. There's an active gate in the south leading from the jungles to the northern snowfields, and records of an old spatial mage's lab nearby."
As the group seemed headed east or south, Pavilion perked up. Werewolves were thickest in the cold north, thinning out toward the warm south.
Beastkin were the opposite—plentiful in the south, scarce in the north. It was an eternal truth that prey thrived where predators were few. Heading south raised the odds of Pavilion and Renata finding a settlement spot.
The main discussion flowed between Garam and Richer. Garam had a clear destination, and Richer had a firm goal of chasing spatial magic and gate clues with Tae-jin in tow.
Pavilion and Renata, by contrast, just needed enough money to find a decent place to live. Getting accepted in a rabbit beastkin village would be ideal. South or east didn't matter much—as long as stable life was possible.
Garam kicked things off again.
"Isn't the closest gate right east of the capital?"
"It is. Leads to the western desert, but it's tough to use freely. Not many leads out west anyway."
"Why's it tough?"
"You need to prove your identity to use gates. If Tae-jin tries, they'll stop him on sight."
If the Empire had issued a warrant, obviously. Even without one, they wouldn't let an otherworlder like Tae-jin pass unchallenged.
Garam fiddled with his protruding tusks as he spoke.
"Then starting from the east sounds better?"
"East's tricky. Kaiso Kingdom's pushing south—we might run into them. What if they recapture Tae-jin?"
"That's exactly why we should hit the east before Kaiso moves further. Once they swallow it up, scouting the east gets harder. I can roam anywhere, Empire or Kaiso Kingdom, no issue."
Richer pondered Garam's words, then nodded—they held water.
"Fair point. Let's head east first. Close to the front lines, so if trouble brews, the Empire won't follow easily. East, then south."
Old man Richer clapped and stood. Night was deep—sleep now, slip out tomorrow before Ariete noticed.
Wherever she was hiding, dodging the Empire's intel agents too would be a bonus.
Richer rose and peeked through the curtain at the front yard. Checking Mila's headstone before bed, as always.
Of course, the stone had no legs to run off, but glancing over to greet his wife before sleep wasn't hard.
Tonight, it stood straight amid white flowers. Richer drew the curtain with wistful eyes. Or tried to.
Something odd caught his eye.
A woman dozed on the small chair by the roadside tree. Head bowed, face hidden, but the faint red hair and silhouette in the dark were unmistakable. Ariete. Richer stared, troubled.
Tae-jin, restless, wandered into the living room and spotted Richer peering out.
"What're you doing, old man?"
Richer silently pointed outside. Tae-jin saw the sleeping Ariete and paled.
"Didn't you say you drugged her with sleeping pills earlier?"
"I did. No idea how she woke up, but now she's out there sleeping."
Overcoming sleeping pills through sheer obsession to stay near Richer. He grimaced, head aching.
"We need to shake Ariete and go, but how with her right there?"
Tae-jin pondered too.
It was no easy puzzle. Tae-jin and Richer could invisibility-spell themselves easily enough. But cloaking others was trickier, and quick movement impossible.
Invisible folks couldn't see each other to avoid drifting apart or tripping over tangled legs.
Most critically, a mage of Ariete's caliber could pierce invisibility magic.
Just going out and bumping into her? Who knew what chaos. Traveling together meant constant paranoia over when she'd kill them.
Proudly refusing to travel with her? Risky too. She wouldn't let Richer go easily.
Using invisibility and getting caught? Excited Ariete might attack. No, she definitely would.
He could already predict her reaction. "Master! You really were going to abandon me!" Something like that.
In the end, Tae-jin and Richer found no good solution. If lethal force were okay, fine—but neither could attack Ariete. Friendship aside, she was an active War Mage. Harm her, and they'd be wanted instantly.
Tae-jin scanned the room. The rabbit father and daughter were preparing beds.
He eyed them thoughtfully. Pavilion overpowering Ariete? A long shot. Combat aside, he found her creepy—didn't even want to approach.
'What about Renata?'
Tae-jin pictured it: Renata innocently approaching Ariete, then a rabbit punch to the jaw. Having blacked out from one himself, he figured it feasible.
'But can't put a kid in danger. Pavilion wouldn't allow it.'
That left Garam. Tae-jin felt a strange certainty. That guy could pull some shady trick to ditch her.
"Hey, Garam."
Not even a full sentence, but Garam stuck out his hand.
"Two gold."
"Out of nowhere?"
"Obvious. You want me to deal with Ariete."
"Yeah, but..."
"Labor demands pay. Learned that fighting my old boss for unpaid wages."
"Fine, but isn't two gold steep? We're travel buddies."
"Closer the ties, stricter the accounts. Plus, part goes to my dream farm fund."
Tae-jin grumbled but handed over two gold coins.
"Got the coin—spill. How're you taking down Ariete?"
Garam crossed his arms.
"With old man Richer's help, easy enough."