Chapter 436
Chapter 436
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 436
>Chapter Title: Grassland of Frequent Reunions
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"For a while, it'll just be endless plains."
At Jian's words, Sindio asked,
"You seem to know the non-governed zone pretty well."
"This is my homeland. Ever heard of Gurtjant? I mentioned it to Kang Seol once."
"Gurtjant? You're from there? It fell to monsters, didn't it?"
"Yeah, the mines shut down... and most of the people who stayed there died."
Jian grinned.
"Heh heh... But I survived."
"...You're something else. I just hope our time together doesn't drag on too long."
"I kinda like you, though."
"W-What are you talking about!"
"Not as a woman—as a comrade."
"Of course! I wasn't misunderstanding or anything!"
Sindio's face flushed bright red as she snapped back indignantly.
- Kang Seol: (picking his nose) What the hell are these guys doing right now?
- Shooting a romcom? You two?
- That cocky bastard from before?
- No way, that unlucky king?
Kang Seol asked Jian,
"Then you know where we are now."
"Sure do. Tamas Plains. Also known as the Grassland of Frequent Reunions."
Grassland of Frequent Reunions.
The name rang a bell.
"Why's it called that?"
"Wanna know, little miss?"
"Yeah!"
Jian explained the place to her as if he were her uncle sharing new knowledge with his niece.
"The terrain here's all uneven. Slopes everywhere, you could say. Or think of it as full of pits in every direction."
"So what happens then?"
"Watch closely."
Fwaaaah—!
Jian dashed off to a spot a short distance away.
Sindio shouted,
"Grab him! He's trying to escape...."
"That's not it."
Kang Seol cut her off seriously, and she pouted her lips, watching the situation unfold.
"How about it, kid? Can you find me?"
"Wh-Where'd you go? I hear you, but I can't see you!"
Jian had vanished in the blink of an eye. Then he reappeared.
"Ta-da! Right here!"
"Woooow! Amazing! You appeared again!"
"It's a visual trap. If you end up fighting locals, you gotta avoid this terrain at all costs."
It wasn't just the terrain, though.
The frequent fog made it hard to get a clear view of the surroundings, which played a big part too.
Pak pak pak pak pak—!
"Ahahaha! This is fun!"
Tansia scampered around the nearby terrain at an astonishing speed with her cute little steps.
"Have your fun while you can, kid. Once we get past the plains, it'll be tundra for a stretch."
"It's fine! It's warm!"
"Good enough."
Tansia was bundled up like a puffy ball. When Karen and Karuna mentioned heading north, they'd overprepared in case she caught a cold in the chilly winds.
"Kahahahat! Tansia! Don't go too far!"
"The kid's full of energy. Heh heh... Toughen up once we hit the polar ice zone. You can't even light a fire at night in that cold."
"Huh? But you need fire... Why can't you light one?"
Tansia tilted her head in confusion.
Kang Seol felt the same puzzlement and asked Jian,
"The locals in the non-governed zone are prickly, sure, but I don't recall them being savage enough to attack travelers for no reason. Am I wrong?"
"You're right. That held true until a few years ago."
"...Something happened?"
Jian stretched and walked over.
"Lately, native hunters have been on a rampage."
"Slave traders' doing?"
"Probably. Now every tribe's flying into a rage, killing any intruders they spot. Long story short, strolling casually through the non-governed zone right now makes you a perfect target."
Crumple...
Tansia tugged at Jian's clothes and asked,
"What happens if the locals catch you...?"
"If they catch you? A kid like you? They'd eat you alive, of course. Grrrraaah—!"
"Eeeeek!"
Tansia's teeth chattered loudly.
"Ahahahaha! Kid, your reactions are too good—I can't stop teasing you. Scared? Are you scared? Wanna know what's really scary?"
"No! I'm covering my ears! I won't listen!"
As Tansia plugged her ears, Jian muttered softly.
"The locals fight to survive. But the non-governed zone's crawling with things way more dangerous than them."
And so, the sun set.
Maybe because he'd run around so wildly during the day, Jian sprawled out and fell asleep right away. What a fearless guy.
"Haa... That man's worrying. Who knows when he'll cause trouble."
"...We should focus more on the non-governed zone situation than on Jian."
"I'll try to get some intel if the expedition catches up. Anyway, for tonight's watch..."
"I'll take it."
Karuna volunteered, and Sindio nodded.
"Then I'll take tomorrow. We'll rotate."
They couldn't light a fire, so the surroundings were pitch dark.
Wriggle...
A small sleeping bag crawled over to Kang Seol's like a caterpillar.
"...Tansia?"
"Sleep together... Scary."
"...Come here."
Kang Seol stroked Tansia's head for a while before drifting off.
And the next day.
"Catch it! It's heading that way!"
"Kyaaah! Why's it coming this, this way...."
"Grab the horns!"
A mountain goat racing across the plains.
Jian told Sindio to catch it, but she panicked immediately.
Splat—!
"Ah... I missed!"
Now the goat veered dangerously toward Tansia.
"It's coming my way! What do I do!"
"Kid! Just kill it or stop it!"
"It looks so nice! I can't kill it!"
"Then I'll kill it—just grab it!"
Tansia flinched and froze.
Boing—!
The goat leaped over her head—way higher than her height—like it was mocking her, then vanished from sight.
"......"
Jian approached Tansia with a blank expression.
"Sorry, I let it go, Tansia."
"Kid..."
Jian's unique presence made the air grow heavy in an instant.
"No need to blame yourself every time."
"...Huh?"
"It got lucky. Guess it was fated to survive today."
"Right? Yeah?"
"Chances to catch one don't come just once. It looked like a stray from the herd—should show up again soon. Missing it won't cause immediate problems, right? Skipping dinner's special? We can tough it out."
Jian placed a hand on Tansia's head.
And stroked it gently.
"But... but you know."
Sreeeak...
He crouched down to her eye level with a sinister smile.
"Moments come when you have to make tough calls. Put it off today, it'll hit tomorrow. Put it off tomorrow, and it's too late. Some things in this world you just have to do. To move forward, at least. ...You won't hesitate next time, right, little miss?"
Kang Seol and Sindio both stared at Jian in surprise.
It was pretty solid advice.
It eased her guilt.
Without going soft.
He'd given her grown-up counsel.
"Well, it's just some bad uncle talking, so no need to take it as life's wisdom. Still, it's for your sake, so think it over once."
Tansia nodded.
Right then.
"Hurururu... Haaat!"
Everyone's heads snapped around.
"No one missed that, right? Locals. And they're closing in fast."
"What sound was that?"
"Hunting signal. More precisely, they've spotted prey."
"Where's the prey? That goat we missed earlier?"
"The goat went the opposite way."
"Then... it's us?"
Crackle...
Sindio gathered lightning in her hand.
"Stop, woman. You trying to dig our graves in the non-governed zone?"
"Then what? We fight back!"
"Fight back, and the locals will never accept us—forever. Even if we beat them. Only choice is to run."
"That's... so unfair!"
"Unfair? You mean the federation bastards who drove them into this monster-infested non-governed zone?"
"...Got it! Let's run!"
Fwaaaah—!
Kang Seol, with Tansia on his back, shot forward first. Sindio and Jian followed, while Karen and Karuna brought up the rear.
Pssshhh...
"Arrows! They're shooting!"
Tansia whimpered at the incoming arrows, and Jian yelled,
"As long as they miss! Ehehehehe! Run!"
The arrows flying their way.
They were definitely targeting them.
Whoooong...
[Karuna's Flowing Moon Sword Wave persists.]
[All projectiles below a certain destructive power are blocked.]
"Hururu! Ha!"
"Wh-What do we do? They sound more excited than before...."
"It's fine. We're pulling away. Find a good spot to hide. Even the best eyes lose prey in these plains."
Kang Seol felt the distance growing too. Normal hunters rode something out, and these seemed the type, but his group was faster.
'Good. Safe now....'
In that instant, something pierced his senses sharply.
'...What?'
A dangerous projectile appeared out of thin air.
Whoooong...
Zzzzt—!
It pierced even Karuna's sword wave—the spear aimed straight at Jian.
"Damn it...."
Swish—!
Kang Seol launched himself and kicked it down.
Kwachigigig—!
Kang Seol shattered the spear's core perfectly.
It splintered and scattered everywhere.
"Huff... That was close."
"...Alien power."
"I know. Keshi tribe. Jin followers. Real pains in the ass."
Jin Ryeo from the East, who'd traveled with him, was Keshi tribe too. Users who borrowed Jin's power.
"Thanks to you, we're good. Probably their last shot. Speaking of, kicking away Jin's power with pure physicals... I knew, but you're one hell of a monster."
They seemed to have shaken them, but the group kept moving. After a long trek, dusk began to fall.
"We need a place to crash tonight. Sun's setting."
"Ah, how about that place over there, in that sense?"
"...Not bad."
A single lit house sat alone at the base of a hill.
* * *
The house was fairly large.
A two-story wooden home.
If locals lived there, it could be a chance for a peaceful talk. If not, a comfy spot to sleep tonight.
The group hurried toward it.
Thud... Thud...
"...Who are you?"
"Traveling merchants. Night's late—mind if we impose for one? We'll pay, of course."
"You're armed, and we're...."
Then Jian hoisted Tansia up high.
"Haha! We get it. We're fine, but we're worried about our little girl shivering out in the cold...."
Jian spun whatever yarn fit, and it all sounded plausible.
"...We have a daughter too."
"Perfect! Let our kid hang out with yours overnight—might hit it off?"
"...With a child in your group, you don't seem dangerous. Come in."
Creaaaak...
"Pardon the intrusion."
"Waaaah!"
A little girl came running and hugged Tansia tight.
"Ugh... Smelly...."
Tansia pinched her nose, and the girl looked flustered.
"S-Sorry... Haven't bathed yet...."
The moment they entered, the group's expressions shifted slightly.
"We already ate dinner... so we'll turn in early. Hope the rooms being short is okay?"
"It's fine."
"Then... ladies this way...."
As they split off neatly, Kang Seol quietly scanned the house.
Slide...
A family photo in plain sight.
A man piggybacking his beaming daughter, smiling brightly, with his loving wife beside him.
Kang Seol rubbed his chin, gazing at it briefly before looking elsewhere.
The house was nicely furnished.
Outside the non-governed zone, it'd fetch a good price.
The wife took Sindio's outerwear.
"You're soaked in sweat. Rough travels?"
"A bit of trouble."
"Did you run into locals by chance?"
"Something like that...."
"Nasty bunch... always pointing arrows at anyone."
The wife said she'd prepare bathwater since they must be tired, then stepped away.
And so, their rest began.
Tansia got a room with the house's child; Kang Seol, Karuna, and Jian shared one; Karen and Sindio took the last.
They turned in early, chatting for just 30 minutes before saying they'd talk tomorrow and heading to their rooms.
Kang Seol lay down on the comfy bed.
Time passed.
"...The men's definitely asleep. Good thing I lit that incense."
"Can tell from their breathing. Not a single hitch."
"What'd I say? They'd crash fast."
And that was Jian's voice.
This conversation was just among them.
Why was Jian holding a secret talk with these strangers he'd just met?
In this night when all slept.
"......"
Kang Seol lay staring at the ceiling, eyes wide open.