Voyage to the Garam Archipelago
"You're back!!"
Adel instantly knew who the voice belonged to as the tent flap of the barracks was pulled aside.
"Harun, long time no see."
"Yeah, tell me about it. What the hell took you so long? I figured a couple months would be plenty."
Adel could tell Harun had changed quite a bit during the time he'd been away from the desert. His build had already been solidly muscled, but now his movements carried a newfound fluidity.
"Had a lot of investigating to do here and there. Took longer than I thought. You finished learning Nueulsi?"
"Of course. I couldn't just sit around playing. But that's not all—I've got another technique to show you."
"Oh yeah? Seeing as you're being upfront about it, looks like you've finally stopped wasting energy hiding your competitive spirit."
Adel grinned at Harun. He had always wanted to fix Harun's habit of holding back and avoiding rivalry. He knew Harun's talent outshone any trainee in the nest.
"Whatever. I still can't match you anyway. I was just going along with the vibe."
"The vibe?"
"Don't get me started. The nest has completely changed. And it's all because of you."
"Me? Why?"
"After you took down that necromancer, the trainees were fired up. And once they found out you're contracted with Garon? Total chaos."
Adel gave a wry smile at his words.
"But you wrapped it up fine, right? Seeing as you're back in one piece. The weight on your shoulders for missions is totally different from ours."
In sibling rivalries, even a minor slip could drastically alter evaluations—like how Syrin's rating tanked after last year's Kargon incident.
"Yeah. Mission accomplished."
Adel nodded at Harun's question.
"Good to hear. Though it'd be weirder if you'd failed after taking down a real dragon."
"Like I said before, it was just drake-level monster. Hunting and missions are separate things."
"But a hunter's mission boils down to hunting in the end."
Adel turned at the woman's voice.
"Kasla."
"Good work out there. Heard from Dad—you're heading straight to the strait after getting back?"
"That's the plan. The wrist daggers you gave me came in handy. Made things a lot smoother."
"Really?"
Kasla's lips twitched upward in pleasure at Adel's words.
"I figured we'd train together once you got back... You're not even graduated from the nest yet. Though I guess someone like you doesn't need nest classes anymore."
"Don't worry about that. Looks like we can do it together this time."
"...Huh? What do you mean?"
"Heading to the strait, right?"
Adel gave them a faint smile.
"Come on, quit messing around."
Harun eyed his expression for a moment, hesitated, then waved it off awkwardly.
"Not messing around."
"..."
But at Adel's firm reply, he shut his mouth, at a loss for words.
"Adel. You serious? You want us to come to the strait with you?"
Kasla seemed as surprised as Harun; apparently Nazan hadn't told her much either.
"Yeah. I need your help."
Especially you, Harun.
The moment the strait voyage was decided, Adel had made one request of Yong-a: they'd need rowers for the sea journey.
It was an obvious excuse anyone could see through, but Yong-a hadn't objected. He'd probably already guessed who Adel wanted to bring.
To get to Andal Strait, we have to pass through the Garam Archipelago.
Harun Serpent. Yong-a must have known he was the bastard son of the Serpent family, which dominated the Garam Archipelago's cluster of islands large and small.
"...I'm not going."
Harun's face soured the instant he heard the proposal.
"Why? Sounds fun. But unlike him, Kasla eyed Adel with intrigued interest."
She wants to rack up some achievements.
Adel could read her thoughts. Kasla had already proven her exceptional talent among nest trainees by passing the Desert's Grace and wielding Garon's blessing. But after the Forgotten Ones incident, with Adel taking solo missions, she was inwardly ambitious for her own.
"Andal Strait's a no-wind zone, right? No blessings work there, so it'll be different from the desert. Just pure physical prowess."
"You think you can beat me without blessings?"
"Obviously. You're Gal Black Crow's daughter, after all."
"Heh... Looking forward to it."
"I haven't been slacking while you were on your mission."
As she spoke, she rolled up her sleeve, revealing a gauntlet strapped to her inner wrist. Its unique shape marked it instantly as the small crossbows used by the Gal Black Crows.
But unlike standard ones, the bow arm on her wrist gleamed with luster despite its deep black hue, even in stillness.
"That..."
"Put a lot of work into it. Dad gave it to me. Said he used it before becoming chief of the Gal Black Crows."
"Nice gift."
Adel knew exactly what that crossbow was.
She's inherited Maesal. Nazan giving her that bow... He's pretty serious about it.
Maesal was an artifact bow engraved with a blessing, just like Nazan's old Yoyeon from his youth.
"It's engraved with the blessing of Kirundel, mid god of the hunt. Pretty useful—deals double damage to the first target."
"A permanence blessing."
"Right. Activates naturally without summoning. Super handy for anyone already contracted with a god's blessing."
Adel now understood her confidence for the strait voyage.
"Guess that bow works even in no-wind zones? Explains the cockiness."
"Something like that?"
"No gaps in your game."
"Heh."
"Hey, you two sane? Whether blessings work or not isn't the point. You know what Andal Strait is? It's Garam Archipelago territory!!"
Unlike the two with sparkling eyes, Harun yelled, pale-faced.
Garam Archipelago. Chains of rocky islands, each ruled by families forming their own "kingdoms"—but not like continental ones.
"You know the islanders are pirates, right? They'll come at us like wolves on prey."
"Harun, I already said—a hunter's mission is hunting. If they come, we just kill 'em faster."
"Hah, just the three of us? In a no-wind zone where blessings don't work, against hundreds, thousands of pirates? You think the archipelago bosses will sit still if we show up?"
Harun shook his head at Kasla's words.
"Especially with Rania building a base there and fighting for control."
He wasn't wrong. Archipelago families hunted monsters but mostly pirated for profit.
"Heard the latest? Red Feather's Avar got his head chopped off by Rania. They're probably eyeing us right now."
"Harun, why so worked up? Not like you."
"I'm worried we'll step into the archipelago clueless and something happens. Those guys don't play by rules."
"Rules? Since when do hunters talk their way out? What'd they even teach you in the nest?"
"Hah..."
Even at Kasla's sharp words, he just sighed deeply, clearly dreading the islands for real.
Makes sense. The Red Feathers and most archipelago pirates get tech support from the Serpent family. Without them, the pirates would've been wiped out ages ago.
As the family's bastard son, going back home would chafe him, no doubt.
That's why I'm bringing you.
Adel held back the words. He wasn't dragging Harun along to cozy up to the archipelago.
He had no intention of using him that way—no need to mention it. Quite the opposite, in fact.
You're the talent I need. So you need to break free. I'll cut those archipelago chains binding you.
Adel wanted him shooting arrows without hesitation.
"Don't worry, Harun. What you're afraid of won't happen. I'll handle prep. And we won't take a tribal ship."
"Then?"
"Look forward to it. It'll be fun."
Adel smiled faintly at the worried young man.
* * *
"You've arrived."
In the predawn gloom, Adel shed his cloak and nodded to the man before him. It had been a week since his return to the desert.
"Good work."
The man in the mist gave a light bow of greeting.
"No need. Whose orders was it?"
The man removed his hat. A jagged scar ran from forehead to crown, like a blade's work, and his smile revealed missing teeth in a grotesque grin.
"Prep's done. Even the archipelago bosses won't rush us once they see the sail emblem."
The ship he pointed to bore a dagger emblem.
The man was none other than Pei, ruler of Dagger Harbor in western Ruinxen.
"War? Just say the word. If you're clashing with the archipelago, I'll bring every ship from Dagger Harbor."
Pei spoke with eager eyes.
"Not yet. But I might need your help. Be ready to move the second I call."
"Wouldn't have it any other way. Crew's all veterans—rest easy."
"Mm."
Adel nodded, satisfied.
"Wh-what the hell is all this?"
"Whoa..."
Unlike his calm, Kasla and Harun gawked speechlessly at the coastline.
"Just borrowed a ship for the islands."
"...'Just a ship?"
No wonder they were stunned. The vessel docked at the shore was massive, warship-class. Dozens of crew already aboard, supplies stocked plentifully.
"Look—over thirty gunports. Prepping for war?"
"...What the hell happened while he was gone?"
They stared at Adel in awe—he'd just gone on a mission and come back with this.
"Can't go empty-handed. Gotta prep a gift for Rania before we get there."
"...Gift?"
Adel walked toward the ship, voice slightly excited with amusement.
"White Shark's base is on the archipelago's left side, right? Still scrapping with other pirates. Who runs things there again?"
"Left side—besides Red Feathers, it's Yepel Pirates and Dein Pirates with real pull."
"No way..."
Kasla caught his intent instantly.
"Yeah. Let's chop those two first."