novelraw Chapter 121
Chapter 121
Chapter 121
Led by the native warriors, Terrien and Hastings were invited as guests to the village of the southern natives.
Though the natives seemed like they would immediately interrogate them in every possible way, they merely offered Terrien and Hastings lodging and food, without attempting any further contact.
Two days passed amid that subtle tension.
“It’s already been two days, but we haven’t heard a thing. Isn’t that a bit strange? Are we… captured, by any chance?”
“Well, looking at the situation, it’s not exactly wrong to think that way, but… let’s wait a little longer. Perhaps they’re just being cautious since we’re outsiders.”
“I hope that’s all it is. Hm….”
Knock, knock, knock—
Just then, as if on cue, a visitor came to their quarters.
“…!”
“….”
Terrien and Hastings exchanged glances. A voice spoke from beyond the door, asking permission to enter.
“May I come in?”
It was clear Imperial speech—unlike the broken dialect of Sparrow, the half-competent interpreter they’d met before. Terrien and Hastings composed themselves and invited the visitor in.
“Please, come in.”
Creak—
The tightly shut door opened, and at last, a proper meeting between the native tribe and Hastings’s group took place.
“I have kept my guests waiting far too long. My apologies. I am the one who leads this village—the Song of the Wise Wolf… though, you may call me Herran. I suppose an Imperial name would be easier for you.”
The chief of the native village, Herran, made his appearance.
He appeared to be in his late fifties or early sixties, with a sturdy build that defied his age, sharp features, thick brows, and eyes that held a calm yet powerful gleam.
His skin, barely covered by the natives’ sparse clothing, revealed firm, youthful muscles—and the many scars beneath them attested to a life of hardship.
At the strange aura Herran exuded, both Terrien and Hastings inwardly clicked their tongues in admiration.
‘This man… he’s strong…! Compared to him, the warriors we met before are nothing but children.’
‘The Great Jungle… just what kind of place is this? Beasts are one thing, but even the people here are monsters.’
Dominance! The old man’s presence alone overwhelmed the two young men at once.
“Ah…! It’s an honor to meet you, Chief. I am Terrien Calmodet from the Empire, and this is…”
“Hastings Bartlett.”
Terrien and Hastings greeted the chieftain in unison. Herran, who had introduced himself, extended his hand with ease, showing he was familiar with Imperial etiquette.
“I truly apologize for making you wait. The Great Jungle has been a little noisy since your arrival, so introductions were delayed. I ask for your understanding.”
“N-no, not at all. You saved our lives. We’re grateful enough that you’ve welcomed us so warmly.”
For a few minutes, the three exchanged polite words. Then, Terrien soon got to the point.
“…Thanks to you, our lives were spared, Chief. Forgive me for being direct, but may I ask why you’ve invited us here?”
Terrien and Hastings had duties to fulfill—to serve their prince, or rather, the rightful heir to Emperor Aphahiel’s throne, Yuwon.
Though they were now securing their safety as per Yuwon’s last command, they couldn’t remain idle forever.
“Straight to the point… good. As expected of men from the Empire. I like that. I didn’t send for you merely out of kindness. I had my men rescue you because there is something I wish to ask of you.”
At last, the conversation began to align. Terrien and Hastings leaned in to listen.
“We’d like to hear what it is you seek from us. We can’t put a price on a life, but we’ll do everything in our power to repay your kindness.”
“What we desire from our guests is information.”
“Information…?”
“Yes. As you’ve seen, the Great Jungle is not a place suited for human life. And yet, it is our precious homeland. However…”
Herran’s expression darkened as he continued.
“…for some reason, it’s becoming increasingly uninhabitable. In truth, only a century ago, there were many more tribes here besides ours. Now, they are all dead or scattered—those who remain have become our family. We wish to hear of the Empire… no, of the Continent.”
From Herran’s tone and words, Terrien understood his true intent.
“…You wish to go to the Continent?”
“Yes. The jungle has sheltered us for many years, but it is no longer a place for people to live. This old man’s final wish is to give the children of my tribe a new home. Will you help us?”
For Terrien and his companion, this was an unexpectedly simple request. It was so straightforward that Terrien couldn’t help but ask again.
“If it’s that easy to repay the debt of our lives, then we’ll gladly share all we know. But… is that truly all you wish for?”
“That will be enough. Of course, we don’t intend to simply receive your help. We shall aid you as well—to ensure you achieve what you seek in the Great Jungle and leave safely.”
At Herran’s words, Terrien and Hastings’s eyes gleamed. Once again, Terrien spoke on their behalf.
“We’re already indebted to you for saving our lives, and yet you’re offering us help in return. There’s no reason to refuse. May we ask how you plan to assist us?”
The elder’s steady black eyes turned toward them.
“What we can offer you… is also information.”
“Information, again…”
“Information is power, after all. We will teach you how to wield that power.”
Terrien and Hastings had already sensed that Herran was no ordinary man. His proposal intrigued them greatly.
“The power that has allowed our tribe to survive in this land of countless beasts—the Great Jungle. I will teach you the art of honing your senses.”
Continental expansion. To fulfill Chief Herran’s long-cherished wish, the help of Terrien and Hastings was essential.
Southern region of the Aphahiel Empire, within the Valaris County.
One day, a small bird flew in without warning, carrying news to the Count of Valaris. It bore a letter from Yuwon.
“This is…!”
The Count immediately sensed that the letter had come from Yuwon himself. Glancing cautiously around to ensure no one was watching, he untied the small note from the bird’s leg.
The tiny scrap of paper was far too small to contain all that needed to be said, so both its content and phrasing were brief.
The Count read it several times over, pondering if there might be hidden meaning between the lines.
‘…This letter. None of it makes sense. His Highness couldn’t have gone north. Is it all false? Or… could it all be true? Where does truth end and lies begin?’
It was the message he had long awaited from Yuwon, and yet upon receiving it, his mind only grew more troubled.
“…Go and bring my daughter.”
After much deliberation, the Count finally called for his daughter—Renania Valaris, the only daughter of the Valaris family, who had once shared a certain closeness with Yuwon. She came running at her father’s call.
“Father, you asked for me?”
“Yes, come here. Take a look at this.”
The Count handed the small note he had been holding tightly to Renania.
“What is this…?”
“A letter from His Highness.”
“…! You mean Prince Yurion Aphahiel?”
The Count nodded silently in reply.
“Indeed. But I can’t quite discern what His Highness intended by sending such a letter. I can’t even be sure of the message itself. I suspect His Highness may have left us a riddle. I’d like to hear what you think. You have known His Highness longer than I.”
“I understand, Father. Then, allow me to take a closer look.”
After carefully examining the letter, Renania shook her head.
“I can’t be certain from the handwriting alone. This is definitely not His Highness’s handwriting as I know it. However…”
“However?”
“I’m certain His Highness could easily alter his handwriting if he wished to.”
Her answer was firm. The Count nodded slowly and continued.
“And? Is there nothing else you’ve noticed?”
“What does Father think of this letter? Is it all true, all false, or perhaps a mixture of both?”
“I believe… it is all true. It’s a bit strange that he went north, but the rest aligns closely with what I expected of His Highness’s movements.”
“I think otherwise. This letter should be understood in complete reverse.”
When Renania boldly voiced her opposing view, the Count’s brows twitched as he asked,
“What makes you think that?”
“His Highness isn’t someone who would ever prioritize a war that would shed the blood of the people. From what I know, even now, His Highness would be putting the safety of the people before all else. There’s no way such a man would order preparations for war.”
“So… he means only those who deserve to bleed shall bleed. Yes, that sounds like him.”
If Yuwon were to return now and unite the southern forces, he could amass enough strength to threaten the usurpers of the Empire. Among the five princes, only Yuwon, who was deeply respected, could achieve such a feat.
But doing so would inevitably lead to a great war—and that was not Yuwon’s way. He was merciless toward his enemies but endlessly compassionate toward his people. He sought to be an emperor who ruled above all yet led from the front.
“Perhaps what His Highness truly means is this—he’s recuperating somewhere in the South and doesn’t plan to appear before us for some time. Rather than preparing for war, he wishes for us to remain still, to observe those in power, and to protect the people quietly.”
“…And what about the part about contacting the other princes?”
“That…”
Renania hesitated for a moment at her father’s question. Seeing that, the Count answered for her.
“That part about contacting the princes must be a trap. His Highness likely anticipated that this letter might fall into their hands. I see now. This helps. But… why did you assume every word in the letter was false? That part still escapes me.”
“I realized it when I saw who sent it.”
“The sender?”
The Count’s gaze shifted back to the letter Yuwon had sent.
“His Highness’s secret guardian knight… do you mean that man?”
At the Count’s question, something clicked in Renania’s mind. Her fair face brightened with a soft smile.
“Yes, that’s right. From what I know, that guardian knight is someone who always lies.”
Around the same time, Terrien, Hastings, and Bernid also received Yuwon’s letter.
Unlike the one sent south, theirs contained nothing but the truth.
“…I’m relieved to hear His Highness is safe.”
“Indeed. But this part is a bit unexpected—‘Do your best where you are.’”
“Perhaps His Highness has a plan in mind?”
“Of course, but… hmm. In that case, maybe instead of leaving with just information as payment for our lives, we should seriously consider accepting Herran’s proposal.”
Upon reading Yuwon’s letter, Bernid couldn’t hide his astonishment. Judging from its contents, Yuwon clearly knew of Bernid’s current situation.
“Yurion, that rascal… how did he know about my circumstances? Remarkable as ever.”
‘Still, he says to do my best under this madman’s thumb… I’d hoped he’d swoop in and rescue me, but I suppose that’s not happening.’
Realizing that Yuwon wouldn’t be coming to rescue him anytime soon, Bernid quickly accepted his reality.
‘If Yurion says so, then I’ll do it. With my current skill, there’s no way I can escape that old man’s grasp anyway…’
Rustle—
As if clearing his thoughts, Bernid crumpled the letter tightly in his hand.
Fwoosh—!
In an instant, flames flared from Bernid’s hand, burning the letter to ash. His gaze shifted toward the tent where Kahaad resided.
‘Well, since things are like this, I’ll take whatever I can from him while I have the chance. If he’s offering to teach, there’s no reason to refuse.’
At that same moment, inside the tent, Kahaad, who had been quietly meditating, suddenly opened his eyes. He had already seen straight through Bernid.
‘Heh, looks like he’s finally ready to learn. So, the one Bernid serves was caught by him, huh? But for that one to personally act…’
At the thought of that person, a flicker of pain crossed Kahaad’s unfocused eyes. But soon, that pain turned into a chilling aura—and a grim smile spread across his face.
“Well, I’m doing things I never used to do, so why shouldn’t he? This will be quite the interesting contest. We’ll see who comes out stronger—my Bernid or the one he’s raising… This time, I won’t lose. Bernid will be the one to reach the pinnacle of the Demonic Path.”
At the same time, on the far side of the Great Jungle where the shamans’ group resided, the mysterious man who had joined forces with Yuwon also chuckled faintly.
‘So, that Kahaad has gotten swept up in his pointless rivalry again. His aura leaks all the way here… Were two eyes not enough for him?’
Sensing a strange disturbance, Yuwon turned his head.
“I felt something just now… Did something happen?”
“No, nothing at all. Keep your focus. At this rate, you’ll sense it soon.”
Reassuring Yuwon, the man swallowed a laugh and turned his gaze toward the distant direction where Kahaad’s aura lingered.
‘Impressive. Kahaad’s energy is vast, yet for him to notice it in just a day or two… Well then, it seems I’ve won again, Kahaad.’
A new rivalry was beginning between the two predators of the Great Jungle, bound by their fateful ties.
His Highness is recuperating in the North.
He is in contact with the other princes.
Unite your strength if possible.
He will return to the South soon.
The South should prepare for war.
This message has been delivered by His Highness’s secret guardian knight.