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Chapter 18

She seemed relieved that Ian hadn\'t outright refused and continued, "As the matter is serious and dangerous, I promise a suitable reward. If you wish, even a title of nobility—"

"What\'s important now is not the conditions," Ian interjected. He continued, "First, you need to reconsider the contents of the contract."

"The contents? Why?" Mev looked perplexed, not immediately grasping his point.

Ian shrugged and explained, "If your next goal is to uncover and eliminate the traitors, continuing to travel together won\'t lead to success."

"...There must be a reason for you to say that," Mev hesitated momentarily.

"Well, you\'re too conspicuous for starters. You know that, don\'t you?"

A knight in full plate armor was a rare sight in Agel Lan, attracting attention wherever she went, just like when she entered this village.

"So, we can\'t avoid the traitors\' eyes," Mev finally murmured.

"Moreover, you need to go straight to the castle. Setting aside the waste of time, once you enter the castle, it may not be easy to leave. I am a witness who can prove the existence of the dark mage, and the king is preparing for war," said Ian.

"In such circumstances, would the king—"

"Do you think the king would give up on war even if he knew about the dark mage and the traitors involved?"

Mev closed her mouth, unable to argue. She could not be certain of the king\'s decisions either.

"So, if I accept a new contract, we\'ll need to divide our roles. You inside, me outside." Ian spoke leisurely, meeting Mev\'s gaze. "That way, we can uncover more traitors."

While the reasoning sounded plausible, in essence, Ian was saying he preferred to work alone. After all, most of the quests he needed to solve were closely related to the corrupted ones of Agel Lan. Simply by pursuing his original tasks, he could also complete her request and the linked quest. Moreover, it would prevent Mev from falling prey to the corrupt nobles\' manipulation. At least she would have someone reliable to trust.

Unaware of Ian\'s inner thoughts, Mev pondered for a moment.

"...Your argument makes sense, Ian." Finally, Mev spoke. "However, as you said, we still need an external witness to prove the existence of the dark mage."

"Well, I\'m not the only mercenary in our party now, am I?"

"Right... Miguel is there." Mev\'s eyes widened in realization.

Despite his actual character, Miguel, at least outwardly, seemed like a veteran mercenary who had experienced many battles. He was a fitting witness. Unbeknownst to Miguel himself, his fate was being decided at that moment.

"Take your time to think about what\'s best. There\'s still time." Ian spoke leisurely, confident that Mev would accept his proposal. Throughout their time together, she had proven no match for Ian in such matters.

"Alright, I will." Mev nodded, then looked at Ian and said, "You\'re really hard to read. I thought you would first ask what you could gain from this."

There\'s an order to everything. Ian murmured to himself and smirked.

"So, that\'s why you mentioned the title?" Ian asked.

"It wasn\'t just because of that. I thought you could play a significant role in the kingdom."

"Regrettably, I must decline that offer. Perhaps if it were more money."

"Land and wealth will come eventually if you gain a territory."

"But that would mean I couldn’t leave. I\'d have to serve the king."

"That might be better than continuing a nomadic life."

"There\'s a reason for that," Ian\'s voice deepened.

He needed to see the end of this world and find out who brought him here and why. Even if it was god, Ian wanted an answer. And if he couldn\'t get one, at least he\'d strike back.

Helping a potential mad avenger like Mev, continuing quests to slay the madness of the black wall, or those enthralled by darkness, were all steps toward his ultimate goal.

"Right, you must have your reasons," Mev murmured, seeming to understand.

"Shall we head back? I\'ve been wanting to bathe since a while ago." Ian picked up the lantern from the rock.

"Yes, that\'s a good idea." As Mev nodded, Ian turned as if he had been waiting for this moment.

Mev, who had leaned against the rock, suddenly staggered, but it was only for a moment. She quickly caught up to Ian as if nothing had happened.

It was right after that Ian spoke, "By the way, you were right."

"About what?" Mev asked.”

"The God was really watching over me.”

“...!” Mev\'s eyes widened in shock.

***

The next day, the party left the village just past noon. New bags filled with provisions, including food, hung heavily on each side of their freshly purchased horses, as there were no more villages to pass through on the way to the Tomb Forest. It meant they couldn\'t afford to return. However, the silence among the group wasn\'t due to this solemn realization. Mev, pondering over the topic Ian had brought up, remained silent with the visor of her helmet lowered.

“...”

“...”

Philip and Miguel, avoiding eye contact since the previous night, were too busy gauging Ian’s mood to speak. Essentially, Ian was the center of all the silence.

“Hmm...”

As usual, Ian wasn\'t particularly interested in the underlying dynamics of the group. Instead, he was satisfied with the rare tranquility, focusing on the sensation in his grasp. Unfurling his fingers, he revealed a translucent white orb. The dense mist of magic within the orb swirled like a thick fog.

It was one of the two essence beads of magic power purified at the temple, an object far more valuable than any magic stone. While a magic stone was merely a battery of magic power, these essence beads could amplify magic, enabling Ian, with only intermediate magic skills, to exhibit the firepower of a grand mage.

It’s a pity that it\'s a consumable item..., thought Ian.

At least for as long as the essence bead served its purpose, there would be no match for him in Agel Lan. Ian’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he clenched his fist around the orb.

It would be good to have a chance to see if it works properly. Ian murmured to himself.

As usual, the opportunity presented itself soon enough.

The party completely turned onto the side path Miguel had mentioned. Contrary to its name, it was a region near the Red Canyon that was almost entirely ash-gray. It was a narrow path with steep inclines and declines, known only to those familiar with it. However, the party faced an entirely different obstacle.

"What\'s this? We can\'t even ride our horses." Philip, who had dismounted to walk, expressed his frustration.

The grass and trees became increasingly dense until, at some point, branches sprouting at their own will hindered the riders\' path. Eventually, everyone had to dismount and proceed in single file, holding the reins in hand.

"My lords are having a hard time. If a horse sprains a leg, we\'ll be in serious trouble." Being right behind Miguel allowed Philip to start voicing his complaints.

"That\'s true, but... Damn, it\'s weird. I don\'t remember it being like this." Miguel scratched his neck, perplexed.

"When was the last time you were here?" Philip\'s frown deepened.

"Let\'s see... About three, maybe four years ago? Definitely not more than five. I took this path to Valk City,” said Miguel.

"What? You were so confident in leading us on a path you haven\'t traveled in years?" Philip asked.

"Still, there\'s a path, isn\'t there?" Miguel replied.

Here they go again.

Ian, walking at the back, clicked his tongue, listening to their exchange. He didn\'t silence them, as their conversation contained useful information.

It feels oddly unsettling, thought Ian.

Despite their size, the surroundings were gloomy, with wilted, lifeless-looking grass and trees. And yet, it all seemed strangely familiar.

"Keep the path clear. If you mess up, it\'s a big problem," Philip continued to chide Miguel. It seemed like a payback for the previous night\'s incident.

"Ah, stop nagging. I\'m doing the best I can. I told you it was a dangerous path before we even started. So what if it\'s gotten a bit rougher?" said Miguel.

"Now it\'s not only dangerous but also rough," Philip replied.

"Still, it doesn\'t seem as dangerous as before. When I came here last time, this place was swarming with goblins and gremlins. Unless they\'ve all left, there\'s no way the underbrush could have grown this thick,” said Miguel.

"Goblins and gremlins, you say?" Ian interjected.

"Yes, this used to be their den," Miguel quickly responded.

"How could monsters live here when there\'s a valley fortress just a day\'s journey away?" Philip\'s voice followed.

"Border areas might be different, but around here, soldiers don\'t just go around hunting monsters randomly. Who would bear the loss if they get hurt or killed?" said Miguel.

Miguel added with a snort, "Unless they cause enough damage to concern the lords or attack first, no one bothers about them being there or not. That\'s how mercenaries like me make a living."

"If there are any of them hiding in between, it would be troublesome, thanks to you," said Philip.

"If they were here, this underbrush wouldn\'t exist. They eat everything, like locusts, even the grass. That\'s why in forests where they lived, only bare trees remain. You should know what you\'re talking about. Tsk,” said Miguel.

"It might be in an inedible state," Ian concluded softly.

Ian already looking around, narrowing his eyes.

I thought it looked familiar, is this path the path that leads to the contaminated forest...?. Thought Ian.

"What do you mean by ‘inedible state’, Sir?" Philip asked, sensing something ominous in Ian\'s tone.

"Exactly as I said. You must have experienced it too. Things that move while dead,” said Ian.

"Ghouls...? Are you saying monsters can become ghouls?" Philip asked.

"Usually not, but if the forest itself is eroded by contaminated magic, anything can happen, just like the forest in the swamp,” Ian replied.

"You\'ve been into that accursed jungle? Not just the swamp?" Philip remarked.

"Yes," said Ian.

It was a truly shitty place. Ian swallowed the rest of his words. It was a story from when he didn\'t dare to fight the swamp drake. Instead, he ventured into the jungle, blindly pushing forward.

Facing all sorts of animals that had turned into ghouls, moving trees, and mad fairies. Although they weren\'t particularly strong, the endless numbers and the limitless forest were the real challenges. Ian eventually fled after a few days and never stepped into any jungle around the swamp again. Of course, this place was a bit different from that jungle. From what he had experienced in the game, the madness of the Black Wall was the cause.

How this madness seeped into a remote forest was unknown. When Ian received the quest in the game, the contamination had progressed to a point beyond the Governor’s control. And to Ian, this place seemed very close to the source of the contamination.

"Passing through here before nightfall seems impossible, doesn\'t it?"

"We have at most an hour or two before sunset. There\'s no chance with that time," Miguel answered with a troubled voice to Ian\'s question.

"...Then we should prepare for a fight,” said Ian.

"There\'s another cursed forest besides the Tomb Forest? And it\'s this forest, just a day\'s distance from the fortress?" Philip asked incredulously.

"It hasn\'t been long since the contamination started. This is a nearly deserted forest, so it\'ll take time for rumors to spread." Ian gave a bitter smile.

After at least dozens of people have been eaten by carnivorous plants. It was indeed a curious thing. The contaminated forest was connected to the side path leading to the Tomb Forest. He hadn\'t thought deeply about the connection when he was in the game, but now, in reality, it felt significant.

It seems like it\'s blocking the way into the Tomb Forest. ...So that\'s why I didn\'t know this path.

With that thought, Ian spoke up. "So be careful from now on. The plants might have mutated too."

"...Are you saying the grass and trees have turned into monsters?" Philip asked.

"Yes, you can usually tell them apart easily, so don\'t touch them," Ian replied.

The plants tainted by the madness of the Black Wall mutated in various ways into monsters. The majority were carnivorous trees, functioning like booby traps. They featured eye-catching fruits or leaves and attacked reflexively when touched. This had made many areas impassable, covered with these flesh-eating trees. Even after Ian had dealt with the source of the curse, these plants did not revert to their original state.

If the contamination started around here... Ian mused.

It meant that even if this was earlier than before, they could encounter it at any time.

"Is that... what you\'re talking about?" Miguel asked in a cold voice.

The group halted and looked in the direction Miguel pointed. A conspicuously dense tree stood beside the path, overshadowing other trees with its height and completely blocking the view of the sky above. This particular tree stood out due to its abundant red fruits, seemingly inviting anyone to taste it.

"It looks like it." Ian nodded and added, "We should avoid going directly in front of that tree."

"Damn... Definitely a tree I\'ve never seen before. It\'s not normal for a tree to grow this much in a few years." Miguel sighed.

"You led us to this abnormal forest, Miguel." Philip\'s sharp comment made Miguel swallow his words.

"How was I to know this mess had happened since then?" said Miguel.

"Keep talking and you might get a firsthand experience of what kind of monster that is." Ian\'s stern remark finally silenced Miguel and Philip.

After a brief silence, Ian urged them on. "What are you waiting for? Let\'s go."

"...Well, damn it. As long as we don\'t touch it, it should be fine." Miguel, pale and swallowing dryly, started walking.

Miguel began to walk with trembling legs and a wary expression toward the tree, but he did not stop. Philip, without making a sound, and Mev, with a calm step, followed him. Both held the reins tightly in their grasp.

It\'s still not fully grown. Does this turn into the form I have seen when it matures? Ian questioned himself.

Observing calmly, Ian was the last to pass in front of the carnivorous tree. Though he didn\'t say it, the tall trees around them were of the same kind, just not mature enough to bear fruit yet. If other carnivorous trees were at this stage, passing through this path seemed like it might still be possible.

"As long as we continue to be careful not to touch them...." Ian concluded as he pulled the reins of his horse, which refused to follow him.

Swoosh!

The leaves of the tree they had just passed suddenly quivered together.

Whip!

Immediately afterward, something black fell like a whip behind Ian.

"...!"

Turning his head, Ian saw a Venus flytrap-like maw with ashen bark, gripping tightly around a horse\'s head. It was like a Venus flytrap but with ashen and a saw-like bark. It was much smaller than Ian remembered. The horse, its head caught, couldn\'t even scream in its final moments.

Crunch!

The maw crushed the horse\'s head as quickly as it had appeared and sprang up, disappearing into the dense foliage.

Splash!

Ian\'s horse, now missing its head above the neck, collapsed, spraying blood. Caught in the crossfire, Ian was splattered with blood droplets.

"Damn... what the fuck...?"