Chapter 262: Departure
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 262: Departure
Five days had passed since the successful escape.
Jin walked alone through the forests of the Jhan Kingdom’s southern border. Murakan had dropped him off here two days ago before returning to Tikan.
The entire world was frantic to capture him. The Jhan Kingdom, in particular, was close to the Huphester Alliance; if his location were exposed, Runcandel’s Guardian Knights would descend upon him immediately.
Of course, there was no way Jin would be caught by ordinary travelers or border guards, but he was being cautious. Encountering them would force him to subdue innocent people, a hassle he’d rather avoid.
I’m a bit turned around. Was it this way?
Wandering through the forest paths was tedious work.
Jin was searching his memory for the secret passage used by the Water Tail beastmen. Since he couldn't use the main roads and wasn't intimately familiar with the local geography, getting lost was inevitable.
However, he wasn't anxious. Small streams flowed throughout the forest, ensuring he never lacked drinking water, and wildlife was abundant, so he didn't worry about food.
It was early the next morning when the scent of grilled fish brought a smile to Jin’s face. In a remote wilderness like this, there was only one group of people who would be grilling fish for a meal.
As he approached stealthily, a charming scene unfolded before him, looking like something out of a fairy tale.
Babbling water… crackle, pop… soft murmuring.
Five or six Water Tail beastmen were by the water, grilling fish they had just caught. They were humming songs and enjoying themselves, completely unaware that Jin had drawn near.
"Hey there."
The moment Jin spoke, the Water Tail beastmen froze in unison.
Naturally, they thought he was a hunter. Although strictly forbidden by international law, unscrupulous humans still traded Water Tail taxidermy at high prices.
"Sorry for startling you. Is there anyone among you… Ah, there you are."
Jin intentionally raised both hands and lowered himself to their eye level. Luckily, there was a familiar face in the group.
"It’s been a while, Dark Flame."
"Ah, Jin Runcandel. Again. We meet. Surprised. Startled."
As Dark Flame accepted the greeting, the other Water Tail beastmen let out sighs of relief.
Among them were not only Dark Flame but also others who had received Jin's help when they were being extorted by the Red Tiger Tribe.
Combined with that incident, the recent revelation that ‘Barmul’—the one who had humiliated Kinzelo—was actually Jin had made him a hero to the Water Tail Tribe.
Furthermore, the fact that Runcandel and Zipple had placed a combined bounty of 400 million gold on his head was a hot topic even among the beastmen.
"Doing well? More importantly, are you okay? You… 400 million gold coins."
Dark Flame approached Jin with a worried expression.
"I'm fine. And I'm sorry to ask, but could I get some help again? I was actually looking for you all."
"No way. Going again? To the Great Desert?"
"Circumstances are what they are."
Dark Flame, the leader of the group, readily decided to help Jin.
"I feel like I'm always in your debt."
"No. Back then, you gave jewels. We still have plenty."
The fee Jin had given the Water Tail Tribe when he first headed to Laprarosa was more wealth than their entire village could have earned in years, and they were still putting it to good use.
"And, helped Big Nose, Big Eyes against Red Tiger Tribe. You returned money. No reason not to help."
The beastmen called Big Nose and Big Eyes gave him a big thumbs-up.
Jin laughed awkwardly, feeling a little bashful, and shared the grilled fish with them.
After finishing their meal, he followed the Water Tail beastmen toward their secret cave.
The cave, said to have been built by the Catfolk, still felt like a mysterious labyrinth. When they reached the end, he once again saw the Water Tail and Gold Snow Tribes gathered together, taking naps.
"Hey, Water Tail! How could you bring someone like that here—oh, wait. Isn't that Jin Runcandel?"
"What? Jin Runcandel?"
The lounging beastmen all bolted upright, their eyes wide with surprise.
However, despite the appearance of a super-high-profile wanted criminal, the atmosphere wasn't hostile. They simply surrounded Jin as if a fascinating new creature had appeared.
"Since you've been marked by Runcandel and Zipple, your prospects for survival must be bleak…" a Gold Snow beastman clicked his tongue in worry.
His name was Top, the Gold Snow dyer who had dyed Jin’s hair during the compass theft operation. Jin met his eyes.
"Top, I have a deal for you—one that you Gold Snow folk will really like."
"You're not asking to live here, are you? That would require consulting the tribal representatives. While most of us like you, I think it would be difficult. If you're discovered, the great clans might kill us all…"
Jin shrugged as he watched Top ramble on.
"No, I have no intention of asking for that. It's simple. Disguise me."
"A disguise?"
"I'm going to the Great Desert. But since many beastmen will recognize me, I need a proper disguise."
"Why the Great Desert? You've been a bit strange since last time. Why do you keep visiting that barren land everyone else avoids? Are you finally planning to settle there for the rest of your life?"
"Is it possible?"
"Hmm, it's not a difficult task. But if you get caught and it's revealed that we disguised you, won't Runcandel massacre us…?"
Jin could have promised that such a thing would never happen.
However, that was something only he himself could believe.
Jin reached for his waist as if to draw his sword.
"Eek!"
"Aah! Why are you doing this! We'll—we'll do it!"
"U-uh!"
In an instant, the small beastmen's faces turned pale.
But in the next moment, instead of drawing his blade, Jin unfastened one of the two swords tied to his waist and set it on the ground.
"Y-you scared us! We thought you were going to threaten us!"
"Terrified us, you did."
"Ah, well. Sorry for startling you. The payment for the disguise is this sword."
The sword Jin had set down was Bradamante.
"...You're giving us this?"
The eyes of the Gold Snow beastmen sparkled as they drew the sword to inspect it. Bradamante was a magnificent object even to those who knew nothing of swords. It was only natural for the mouths of the money-obsessed Gold Snow folk to hang open.
"Once rumors start circulating that I'm dead, contact Runcandel and hand over this sword. You'll receive a reward beyond your imagination. It's one of the finest blades in my family. Tell them you found it in the wilderness of the southern Jhan Kingdom."
"Will Runcandel believe that?"
"They will. Even if they don't, they won't harm you. From the family's perspective, they'll be grateful just to have the sword back. If they don't offer a massive reward, the family will lose face. They might even protect you."
"No way. Really?"
"Of course. But in exchange, you must never negotiate with any other family to try and haggle for a better price. The moment it's discovered you negotiated elsewhere, forget the reward—you'll all be dead."
Top and the Gold Snow beastmen seemed hesitant.
They were receiving an incredible item as payment for a simple disguise, but they were worried that Runcandel might violently interrogate them later.
Jin understood their fear perfectly. If they refused, he would just have to head to the Great Desert as he was.
"It's tempting, but since it's an item that might put our lives on the line… Huh?"
"Wh-what?"
"Oh!?"
The small beastmen suddenly looked toward a certain spot in surprise.
Jin turned his head to follow their gaze and saw a beastman he had never seen before. It was a small creature, barely reaching Jin’s waist, much like the Water Tail and Gold Snow folk.
It had a face resembling a cat, mysterious violet eyes, and snow-white fur.
A member of the Catfolk. It was unclear how long it had been standing there, but the Catfolk was now nodding as it looked between Jin and the other beastmen.
"...As someone just living here on sufferance, I can't refuse if the masters of this cave themselves insist. Hah, seriously. I guess you're just destined not to die. For a human to receive the blessing of the Catfolk… Good grief, what am I seeing? Is the 400-million-gold man really that special?"
"Blessing? It just nodded."
"Humans might not know, but among us small beastmen, the rule is unconditional hospitality for anyone who has gained the favor of the Catfolk, regardless of their race or the reason. We'll take it—that deal."
Jin was just as intrigued by the sudden appearance of the Catfolk.
Whatever its reason for helping him, he felt he should at least say thank you.
However, in the blink of an eye, the Catfolk had vanished. Even when he searched with his Mind's Eye, not a trace of its presence remained.
How strange.
For some reason, he felt good, as if everything was going to work out.
"And split the reward half-and-half with the Water Tail Tribe."
At that, Top thought for a moment before replying.
"No way. Eighty-twenty."
"Fifty-fifty."
"Seventy-thirty."
"Sixty-forty. That's still plenty for you, so stop being greedy."
"Hmph, fine! When should we do the disguise?"
"Right now."
"Then wait a moment. I'll go prepare the necessary items."
Top and a few Gold Snow beastmen scurried off.
When they returned, their hands were filled with dyes, wigs, and all sorts of bizarre items of unknown purpose.
"I'll make sure no one recognizes you on your way to the Great Desert!"
They began their work immediately.
When the disguise was finished about an hour later, Jin looked in the mirror and couldn't help but chuckle. The mirror didn't reflect his own face, but that of an old man.
"There's nothing Gold Snow makeup can't do. Don't touch your face just because it looks fascinating; you'll ruin it. I've disguised you as a retired high-ranking mercenary on a journey."
"I like it. Once I become a Flagbearer of Runcandel, let's talk about some serious business. It was good to see you all, and thank you. I'm off."
"Ah, going already!? Be, be careful. Yourself!"
As Jin gave a short farewell and exited through the secret passage leading to the Yuka Yuka Market, the remaining beastmen looked at each other and shrugged.
"Man, thinking about it again, it's really strange. For the Catfolk to step in."
"Do agree."
Since ancient times, there were only two cases where the Catfolk showed favor to a human.
Either the human had contracted with the 'Cat God,' or the Catfolk's unique intuition pointed to him as 'the human who would look after the small beastmen.'
Naturally, Jin was the latter.
"Anyway, the fact that the Catfolk blessed Jin Runcandel means we're safe, too… We hit the jackpot! What should we do when we get the reward money, guys!?"
As Top shouted, the Gold Snow and Water Tail beastmen embraced each other and burst into laughter.
*
Is there really such a thing as the blessing of the Catfolk? I've been spotted by patrolling Red Tiger beastmen more than five times, but I haven't been stopped for questioning once.
After leaving the Yuka Yuka Market, Jin reached the Mitra Great Desert safely, without getting into any trouble.
The ivory desert stretched out absurdly, and the sun blazed fiercely, as if determined to wither everything to death.
Unlike his first visit, Jin didn't feel overwhelmed by the desolate landscape at all. Instead, it felt familiar and welcoming.
It felt as if he had come to his hometown, to his own land.
True to that feeling, the desert showed Jin favor, as if welcoming a child who had returned after a long time.
Instead of terrible mirages, an unusually cool breeze blew along every path Jin took, and at night, soft moonlight draped his tent.
"You've come, Brother Jin."
After four days, Tantel appeared, just as he had the first time.
"Brother Tantel."
"Everyone has been waiting for you with bated breath. So, did you bring some interesting stories? Laprarosa is going to be busy for the first time in a while!"
Tantel swung his sword to open the gate to Laprarosa and handed over some Jewel Liquor.
Then, he added, "Brother Jin, you're prepared, right? If you heard the plans the Fighting God Brothers and Fighting King Brothers have made for how ruthlessly they're going to train you, you might not want to go in."
"This time, I'll be the one to make the brothers sick of it first."
Jin grinned as he gulped down the Jewel Liquor.
Six months later, when the Gold Snow Tribe brought Bradamante to Runcandel and received their reward, the world was filled with nothing but thick rumors that Jin Runcandel was dead.