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Chapter 57

Charlotte, who had been following beside him with a sluggish expression, turned her head. Javier\'s face, clutching a magic stone necklace, looked troubled. His eyes were sharp, in contrast to his mouth, which seemed to force a smile.

It was the unique smile he showed when things didn\'t go as planned. After holding the necklace and closing his eyes for a moment, he signaled to one of the guild\'s employees. The ten-member tracking team wasn\'t just following the trail left by Kyle and Kenneth. Pairs of employees had been gathering information from the surroundings. But the busy ones were only them. To Charlotte, it was just a continuous and tedious march.

"...Go with that. Make the preparations." After whispering, Javier spoke, and the nodded employees turned their horses and dashed off.

Realizing that they were heading in a different direction than originally planned, Charlotte finally spoke up, darting her tongue in and out, "Is there a problem?"

"Yes... Kyle and Kenneth have been taken care of," said Javier.

Charlotte\'s eyes widened in surprise. The laziness in her posture vanished as she straightened up.

Oleg, another direct guard on the opposite side of the carriage, spoke up, "Was it the work of that so-called master swordsman?"

"If there isn\'t another in this frontier capable of killing them both, then probably. It seems the king\'s words were not entirely unfounded. My misjudgment has led to additional losses...." There was no trace of mourning or sorrow in Javier\'s voice, only regret over the loss incurred.

Oleg and Charlotte\'s reactions were no different. They were bound by employment to the same employer, not tied by camaraderie. On Charlotte\'s face, instead, excitement spread. The prey that was taken away from her had returned.

"It\'s my turn to step in," said Charlotte, releasing her breath accompanied by a purr.

Javier glanced at her excitedly raised tail and shook his head as he spoke, "No. We\'re heading to Naslan now."

Charlotte\'s tail lost its vigor. Naslan was a city nearby, a place they hadn\'t planned to visit originally. Only then did she realize that the earlier employees were heading to Naslan.

"Underestimating the opponent is enough with one mistake. Even if it was a fluke, there\'s no rule saying it won\'t happen again."

"I won\'t end up like them." Charlotte coldly retorted.

"I know your skills well, Charlotte. And yours too, Oleg. I trust you both. But a merchant never bets everything on trust alone. Knowing our opponent is not just a puppy, we can\'t overlook even the slightest risk." Javier nodded.

"What do you plan to do?" Oleg asked.

"There are other hounds already chasing them, aren\'t there? We need to release stronger hounds to hunt until the prey is exhausted. It turns out... there are such hounds in Naslan. Foolish ones, immobilized by their poor choices." Javier shrugged.

Javier smiled subtly, a smile that invoked an instinctive disgust in Charlotte, a merchant\'s smile. Thanks to keeping his subordinates busy, Javier knew the situation in the neighboring territories as if he were looking at the palm of his hand. It was a precautionary measure in case the prey fell into the hands of a random person. If that happened, they would have to snatch it back from them.

The news of the knights dispatched by the king, the information he had gathered in the process, was the result of this. The fools, infuriated by losing track of Lucia Riurel, had scattered bounties and hired mercenaries in every town they passed.

Eventually, they were detained by the command of a lord who smelled money. Having crossed the border, they had no ground to resist. They ended up in Naslan, waiting for one of Bel Ronde\'s lords to bring Lucia Riurel. Even then, they would be used as a messenger to negotiate the ransom. They have no choice but to accept Javier\'s offer of help, as it would be the only way to redeem their shame and disgrace.

"In the end... it\'s a round-up hunt," said Charlotte.

"That\'s the most reliable method. Even the dumbest creatures can be useful if led by a proper master," said Ian.

"I don\'t wish for the prey to die by the hounds\' bite," said Charlotte.

"Don\'t worry. That won\'t happen." Javier gazed at the city starting to come into view.

"The honor of ending the prey and claiming the spoils will be yours. Isn\'t this a satisfactory deal for everyone?" said Javier.

That\'s not to my taste. Like you. Though she muttered inwardly, Charlotte refrained from voicing her discontent further. The chance to unleash her suppressed wildness once more was worth a bit more patience.

***

Despite swapping horses, the pace of the party didn\'t seem to have increased much. The magic engraved in the barding was functioning properly, but as the horses ran, the consumption of magic power exponentially increased. A trial run showed that the magic stones lost their light in less than half a day.

It appeared that at least three different magics were engraved on them. The remaining magic stones in the saddlebags would only last for about three days of travel. It was clear that the pursuers sent by the guild had been using magic stones extravagantly to follow them. Thus, Ian decided to extend their travel time rather than speed, realizing that having the means to escape faster and farther in a pinch was valuable enough.

Miguel added a suggestion, "We\'ve bought some time and can travel longer, so let\'s take a detour here."

"How much of a detour?" Ian asked.

"If I remember correctly, cutting northeast would require passing near a lord\'s castle. It\'d be fine if nothing happens, but if it does, it\'ll be chaos. So, let\'s go around. Using the time we\'ve gained, it should be enough," said Miguel.

"And if we\'re discovered, we run away crossing territories?" Ian asked.

"Exactly. Now we can shake them off if necessary. You can\'t fight forever, after all. It\'s better to avoid trouble when we can. Once we\'re past here, it\'s abandoned land. It\'s full of desolate places, which should be safer... though I\'m not sure \'safe\' is the right word," said Miguel.

"You\'ve finally realized humans can be scarier than monsters." Ian chuckled and nodded.

He too needed time to recover his strength and magic power. And so, a quiet advancement began again, with no end in sight.

Miguel, at the reins, was not getting tired of handling the empire-made crossbow, while Lucy, leaning back, was constantly fidgeting with the dagger. Ian, in a corner, was crafting a handle with a leather strap for a gray, shell-like spike. It was the Venomous Fang of the Cave Spider Queen. It was a weapon identifiable by information confirmation, containing a Level four Paralyzing Venom. Level four was potent enough to paralyze Ian momentarily.

Though it could be used a maximum of five times without replenishing the poison, it would be excellent insurance against formidable foes. After finishing the dagger, Ian stored the Venomous Fang in his spatial storage and turned to pack food, bandages, and candles into a small backpack. Lucy, having quietly observed his enigmatic actions, eventually turned to look at the driver\'s seat.

"Miguel,” said Lucy.

"Huh?" Miguel looked at her.

"What will you do after the mission ends?" Lucy asked.

"Whoa! Spit it out! Quick!" Miguel abruptly shouted and then spit outside, following his own advice.

Lucy, puzzled but mimicking the action, turned back to him.

"It\'s a kind of way of warding off bad luck. If you say something unlucky, you have to spit quickly." Miguel licked his lips.

"Why do that?" Lucy asked.

"Listen, Lucy. Among mercenaries, there are things you should never say or answer during a mission. Just saying or answering them can bring bad luck, and in severe cases, lead to death," said Miguel.

"Isn\'t that called a curse?" Lucy asked again.

"Pretty much. Some may dismiss it as superstition, but believe me, those who ignored it all ended up dead," Miguel answered.

"So my question was like that?" said Lucy.

"Yes. What I\'m going to do when this mission is over, is what you asked right? The moment I answer that question it’s like I’m stepping halfway into the grave. Similar phrases include \'I\'ll return home\', \'I have someone promised in marriage\', and \'My children are waiting\'," said Miguel.

Miguel then looked seriously at Lucy as he continued, "Such words are only spoken after a mission is over... Actually, you shouldn\'t even need to know this."

"You seem to know a lot, especially about superstitions," said Lucy.

"As you think you\'re cursed, I believe I am too," said Miguel.

"But my curse is real. So far, only three people, including my sister, have managed to avoid it," said Lucy.

"Ian and me? What about Philip?" Miguel asked.

"Philip... isn’t that much," said Lucy.

Miguel burst into laughter and nodded, "Right. Anyway, that\'s my point. I don\'t do things that bring misfortune. That\'s why I\'m still alive."

"...I understand," said Lucy.

Lucy nodded and then slumped down, resting her chin on the backrest, then continued, "I was just, just wondering if you could stay with me if you had nowhere to go after you dropped me off at the Temple of Brazier.”

"Eh...? To the Temple of the Brazier?"

"I heard they have employees there. I thought maybe Miguel and Ian could stay if I asked. And maybe when I go back into the world, we could leave that place together. Miguel is an excellent guide, after all." Lucy looked up at Miguel\'s profile.

"Hmm... Well... I don\'t really have a specific place to go." Miguel stroked his chin, his lips curling slightly.

"Ian probably won\'t stay, but if you really want me to, I might consider staying...?" said Miguel.

"Talking about misfortune. Isn\'t that practically answering?" Ian, who had finished his preparations and was leaning against a wall, interjected.

Miguel glared back, shaking his head as he spoke, "I trailed off. It\'s not a direct answer... So, what do you think?"

"I\'ll be leaving, of course. Nothing\'s going to change that even if you look at me like that Lucy,” said Ian.

"...Where will you go?" Lucy asked, pressing her lips together.

"Who knows... anywhere." Ian\'s expression darkened

“...”

"Don\'t dwell on it. It’s not your business. Practice instead. Since that day, you haven\'t even managed to make a spark, have you?" said Ian.

"...Okay." Lucy nodded, her gaze falling to her palms, looking disheartened.

Miguel muttered softly, "Hey, you could\'ve sugarcoated that... You\'re making the kid feel uneasy..."

"Need me to sugarcoat you?" said Ian.

"...I’m just thinking out loud. Just to myself," said Miguel.

Ian, having just snorted at the back of Miguel\'s head, promptly lay down at an angle.

"I’m going to meditate. Don\'t wake me unless it\'s for a fight," said Ian.

"Got it," Miguel replied.

Ian absorbed the twilight sky for a moment before activating his meditation. The surrounding noise faded away as his consciousness sank inward, pondering his destination. Where to go after this commission was something he hadn\'t decided yet, especially since his journey had diverged significantly from the game\'s narrative.

Previously, he had traveled through Bel Ronde and Lu Sard to the north, crossing mountain ranges and desolate lands before arriving at the Temple of Brazier. Now, the entire sequence was jumbled.

What if I move in reverse...?

Ian visualized a map in his mind. From the Temple of Brazier through the abandoned lands to the mountain ranges, then toward Lu Sard—a faint line connecting these dots emerged. It seemed plausible, yet uncertainties abounded.

The abandoned lands and mountain regions, difficult to navigate and prone to deadly blizzards, were areas he often skipped quests in due to their difficulty. Now, armed with knowledge from strategy guides, he knew better than to bypass them, and this meant facing situations he had never encountered firsthand.

...I\'ll have to brace myself and move cautiously, remembering everything I can, thought Ian.

If he could survive the journey, by the time he entered the empire, he\'d be significantly stronger than at any point in the game.

If I can manage to reach Lu Sard without spending any skill points...?

Suddenly, Ian\'s train of thought halted. His senses, independent of his will, were reviving.

Whoosh.

A sound like a whistling wind faintly reached his ears and his vision gradually brightened. A vast expanse of white snow stretched endlessly into the darkness beyond, with bare, stark white trees.

What\'s this now...?