The Visitor (3)
Hadonan answered in a daze.
“...Who did you say you were looking for?”
“I said I was looking for the branch head of this place. I believe the name is Hisoral Mut.”
And right then, Hadonan truly wished he could leave his body behind and let his spirit flee the temple. Since no one could see a spirit running away, it wouldn't be rude to a guest. Of course, it would be a different story if his body started acting out of its mind.
'How can such insane things happen one after another?'
Hadonan let out a silent sigh. The glares from those around him were sharp. This stranger who had suddenly appeared had stirred up the atmosphere around the temple, which had been quiet since they had sealed their doors.
However, no matter how much they glanced at the stranger, no one dared to pick a fight. Because his silver hair and healthy, tanned skin belonged to that noble lineage—the Highsider.
There was no need for him to even state his name; that alone placed him in a position to be respected. Therefore, the issue at hand depended entirely on how Hadonan treated such a noble clansman.
“Ah, if he happens to be out, I can come back later. Shall I do that?”
“No, no. Please, come inside first.”
Hadonan didn’t want this mysterious stranger wandering around the village and inciting useless rumors, so he hurriedly urged him inside the temple.
'This is too harsh for the first guest I’ve received since unsealing the temple.'
Watching Hadonan quickly prepare tea and refreshments, Arnat guessed that this priest must be the core talent running this branch.
Depending on the capability of the priest who became the branch head, temples that hadn't been established for long usually had few members.
But as he drank his tea and heard the secret history behind this temple, Arnat realized belatedly that he was ‘truly’ the core talent of this place.
Arnat looked at Hadonan with a shocked expression.
“You are the branch head?”
“Yes. That is correct. The former branch head...”
Hadonan explained what could have been a long story as briefly as possible. Arnat held his forehead and let out a deep sigh.
“I feel... sorry about what happened to the former branch head. I’ve known Hisoral since back when he was at the Great Wind Temple.”
“Your words of comfort are appreciated. Even if the former branch head had a temper, I’m sure he had no regrets.”
At Hadonan’s calm and composed words, Arnat, who had been staring blankly at his face, slowly nodded.
“Hisoral has a good priest.”
Hadonan, wearing an awkward smile, clasped his hands together and bowed slightly.
“My introduction is late. My name is Hadonan.”
Arnat did not ask for his surname. He knew that many of those who devoted themselves to the temple were orphans. Instead, Arnat calmly stated his own name.
“I am Arnat Peanus.”
This time, it was Hadonan’s turn to be surprised. His eyes widened in astonishment.
“Peanus! Surely! Are you a member of the Gravekeeper family?”
“Yes. I have business, so I am investigating abroad.”
Hadonan clutched his dizzy heart and thought. He had expected someone from the Great Temple, as Lodi had said, but someone even more incredible had arrived at the temple.
“Ah, um. Well...”
“Speak comfortably. I don’t care about rank.”
“Ah, yes. If it’s not too rude, I’m curious as to why you visited our temple. Does it have anything to do with the investigation you mentioned?”
“That’s right. I couldn’t think of any other temple nearby. Many of the other temples are in remote areas, so they aren't quick to receive news.”
Hadonan nodded in understanding. Although Sobaran was at the edge of the border, it belonged to Cellabris. Moreover, since it was nestled among those who loved the flow of information, how fast would the news be?
“Since you value news, does that mean you want to relay this to all the temples?”
“That would be ideal, if possible.”
“Please wait a moment.”
Hadonan asked for his understanding, stood up, and brought out a small desk from the inner room of the temple. On it were a pen, ink, and paper neatly laid out.
“If there is content to be written, it’s better to save time, isn't it?”
“Hmm. Still, I’d like you to listen first before deciding.”
“Oh? Is it difficult content to write?”
“Listen and judge for yourself.”
Hadonan, who had been ready to write immediately, tilted his head and put down the pen he was holding. Arnat told Hadonan. However, it was not the complete truth. The escape of the prince during the National Soul Festival was unprecedented in Cellabris history, and living a life that respects such royal choices was the reason the desert people were respected.
It wasn't the kind of content he could fully confide in an outsider. Therefore, the thoughts Arnat could share here were very limited.
'Damn that Hamses.'
However, aside from the curse, it could be a very plausible explanation. Arnat slowly opened his mouth.
“I am looking for a young boy. He is a Cellabrisian, in his early teens.”
“Yes? A child?”
“Yes.”
Hadonan asked with a bewildered face.
“That’s strange. A Cellabrisian child—is there a reason a Gravekeeper has to go this far to find such a child?”
It was a valid question. To those who want to weigh the pros and cons according to authority and duty, anything can be a great answer.
“That child is the child of a servant who became a sacrifice for the National Soul Festival. However, he survived by using some sort of trick. He has fled abroad. I am out to catch that child.”
Therefore, when he used the excuse Hamses had created, it was only natural that Hadonan, unable to fathom the truth, fell into shock once again.
Only after a while did Hadonan regain his composure, pick up the pen, and dip the nib into the ink.
“I will write it down for now.”
Having received silent consent, Hadonan briefly wrote down the facts Arnat had told him and folded it thinly.
“Do you have a means of sending a message?”
“We have just one. It’s not a hawk, but a pigeon, but it’s not too bad for delivering news nearby.”
Arnat stroked his chin with a look of regret.
“Hmm. It would have been better if we had a hawk.”
Message delivery is generally divided into pigeons and hawks. If the distance is moderate, you use a pigeon; for longer distances, you use a hawk. Naturally, the price of sending a message by hawk is expensive. The reason is the safety of the message, as pigeons were occasionally hunted by large birds while passing through forests.
Therefore, letters used by people like lords who deal with important content were usually sent by hawk, even if it cost a bit more. That is why the castles of lords or monarchs possess these facilities separately. However, there are institutions that exist for merchants or civilians to use, and those are called Message Stations.
“I will pay a bit more. I would like you to send this letter.”
“Where are you sending it?”
“To the lord of the Hessno family.”
“Yes? The lord, you mean Dollen Hessno?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, but I am just a branch head. I wonder if he will even look at a message sent by me...”
“Don’t worry. If it’s the person I know, he will accept your letter. Any interest sent by the Wind Temple is an honor to the Hessno family.”
Those were words of an old promise. But to Hadonan, who had only enjoyed a peaceful daily life even during his time at the Great Temple, it had always felt like just a line from a poem in a book.
Yet, those words had flowed from the mouth of a member of the Gravekeeper family, who had no equal anywhere in the world.
Hadonan didn’t show a moved expression, but he felt a tug at his heart.
“Understood. I will send it. Oh, by the way...”
“What is it?”
“Actually, because of the matter I mentioned earlier, there was talk that the Hessno family would send someone here. Should I have told you about this first?”
Arnat, who seemed to be thinking for a moment, shook his head.
“No. It doesn’t matter. It’s not a matter that can be handled incidentally. But I can help you with your work.”
“Help, you say?”
Arnat, who nodded, asked.
“Was there any word on when that person from the Hessno family would arrive?”
“No. They only said they would arrive around the same time as the judge from Seplam.”
“Then take this.”
Arnat said that and took out what looked like a small piece from inside his clothes. Hadonan, who received the item, examined it closely. On a plate the size of a thumbprint, a snake was engraved, its curves growing larger from the tail downward.
“This is...”
“It’s engraved with the crest of the Gravekeeper family. If you have this, it will help in relieving the pressure placed on the temple.”
Hadonan couldn’t close his mouth. It was a gift from the Gravekeeper family. With this in front of them, who would dare pressure the temple? At least as far as Hadonan knew, there were almost no people who could do that.
“Th-this precious thing... Thank you. Arnat-nim.”
“Please just take care of the letter. You must be busy, so it’s better to handle it before the judge arrives. And if you happen to hear any news about the child, I would appreciate it if you could give me a hint.”
“How should I do that?”
“If you send it to the capital of the Hessno family, I will stop by from time to time to check, even if it’s not immediately.”
Hadonan nodded to Arnat, who had informed him of the method his brother had decided to use.
“Understood. Just leave it to me.”
Arnat stood up from his seat. He was just moving again because his work here was done.
“Are you leaving right away? Without even having a meal...”
“It’s fine. I can’t stay in one place for long. I hope this commotion regarding the former branch head is resolved well.”
Arnat left on his journey again, seen off by Hadonan. Hadonan bowed his head toward Arnat’s back as he left through the wide main street of Sobaran in front of the temple gate.
After hurriedly sending the message, Hadonan began to focus on the cleaning he hadn't been able to do today.
“There must be no room for criticism other than this unfortunate incident.”
It was three days later that the Seplam administration arrived. And the same was true for the arrival of the person from the Hessno family.
* * *
If you ask what is the hardest thing about living in the forest, it is undoubtedly winter. That was the same for Akasa. But Urnil calmly taught Akasa how to survive the winter. How to build a frame using thick, long branches, broad leaves, and vines. How to apply mud over it and harden it.
It was a bit of a struggle, but thanks to that, Akasa was able to find a cave of a suitable size and make it his home.
The entrance had a wall made of mud, and the door was built by overlapping branches like a raft and wrapping them firmly with the vines of water-oil grass. A fire burned inside, and the smoke flowed out through a small gap in the ceiling of the entrance.
By the time he was slowly getting used to the coziness of his new nest, Akasa was finding stability in his life. This was his new home.
And now. Akasa was outside his house, holding his staff.
The breath flowing out with his respiration was cold. The white mist scattered into the pure white world.
Watching that scene from the entrance of the cave, his new nest, Akasa put strength into his hands, which were itchy and stinging from the blood rising to the surface. The feeling of the staff in his hand was a slightly unfamiliar sensation.
[Now, try it once.]
At Urnil’s words, Akasa, who had steadied his breathing, slowly focused his mind. The Essence, not even a handful, moved according to his will, not by force. How could he express that thrilling joy? Akasa soon looked down at the staff in his hand with an emotional expression. The staff was imbued with Essence, holding a faint light.
It was a light visible only to Akasa’s eyes.
“It’s a success...! I did it! Urnil-nim!”
[Hey, congratulations. You can finally do it on your own!]
Akasa nodded vigorously in joy.
Firmo. A basic training method that moves and reinforces Essence within the range of physical contact. Until now, Urnil had used his own power to protect Akasa, but now Akasa had entered that realm.
However, that was not all Akasa had learned.
[The part where you truly grew is Moror.]
“Is that so?”
[I told you before about the importance of Moror, right? Essence gathered in your body thanks to that. Since you have the capacity to stay, you can now move. Just like you have to step on a wall and stand up to take your first steps.]
A smile hung on Akasa’s lips at the very human analogy.
“Heh, that’s an interesting analogy. But I don’t remember training properly for Moror?”
That was also true. Urnil had told Akasa about the importance of Moror, but he had made sure he didn't forget the concept of Moror through Firmo; he hadn't taught only Moror.
[You have moments where you say stupid things, too.]
“Yes?”
[Hey, you’ve been training Firmo all this time. Gathering and controlling more than a certain amount of Essence moved to the desired area. What else is that if not Moror?]
“Ah?”
Urnil’s words continued to the bewildered Akasa.
[In the first place, there is no separate training method for Moror. Controlling Essence moved within reach by Firmo for a long time, or controlling external Essence released by Aurio. By repeating those two, the capacity for Moror increases. What you are learning is still in the conceptual realm.]
“Oh, but. The training I did, if you count by time, it’s really nothing. And I don’t think I have such unparalleled talent.”
Urnil agreed easily with that.
[Well, you have to consider that some luck was involved. It seems to be because of the experiences where I used a large amount of Essence for your treatment.]
“Ah!”
Akasa had a look of realization. Although it hadn't happened many times, whenever Akasa was injured, Urnil had used a large amount of Essence to treat him.
“It was definitely when I was attacked by an eel in the river for the first time.”
[That’s right. After that, when it was Kizzel.]
He was talking about when his calf was bitten.
“Is the technique that restored my body at that time also Moror?”
[It’s a bit different, but you could say it’s an application. You could say that the healing arts performed by old healers are the work of utilizing Moror to the limit.]
“Oh, then if I learn healing arts, wouldn't I be able to train Moror more intensively?”
[The cause and effect are reversed. You have to be able to do Moror to be able to do healing arts.]
Akasa had a look of realization at the word ‘healers’.
They are people who make it their profession to plant abundance in land where Essence has not reached. They also treated the injured, but they mainly traveled around looking for desolate land to plant greenery.
However, Akasa was more interested in the former than the latter. This was because healers were people who existed in the Great Earth Temple in the distant past, and now it was a legal system whose lineage had been cut off.
Moreover, it hadn't been long since he lost people. It was natural for Asdin to react to the word ‘healer’.
“Umm. It’s difficult.”
[You just have to train exactly as I told you. The thing to worry about right now is Firmo. Aurio is still a long way off.]
“Yes. I will.”
The cold is severe. Maintaining Firmo was a great help in maintaining body temperature, but there was no need to voluntarily stay out in this freezing cold for a long time.
As Akasa was returning to the cave, he opened his mouth with a thought that suddenly occurred to him.
“Urnil-nim.”
[Yes?]
“Then, could I also treat people like Urnil-nim?”
[That’s right? Why, are you interested in medicine?]
“Something as difficult as medicine would be hard, but if there’s someone hurt, I want to treat them.”
[For someone like that, you were handling meat for jerky very naturally yesterday?]
“Th-that’s... because I have to eat to live.”
It was a poor excuse. Urnil laughed heartily, as if he liked the sight of Akasa being shy.