Chapter 83
The snow in the valley wasn't as deep as expected. Thanks to the chains wrapped around the wheels, the carriage moved forward without slipping or getting stuck. The path, with its gentle declines and inclines, curving along the nearby mountain range, made it impossible to see what lay at the end of the valley.
It seems deliberately hidden from the outside.
This artificial feeling wasn't really new. After all, this world was once a game, filled with all sorts of contrived mechanisms. To question this was to question how a game could become a reality.
In the process of the land swelling, it's often the case that the front and back actually sink. So, the creation of these winding valleys and lowlands between mountains is not entirely forced...
...Where am I recalling this from?
Ian chuckled, shaking off the thought. Now, even from within the valley, the outside couldn't be seen. The mountainsides rising on either side seemed to indicate that beyond them was a space completely cut off from the outside world.
As they went on,
"...A forest." At the end of an incline, Charlotte noted the new scenery.
“Cool, it seems magical." Thesaya's exclamation followed.
The forest appeared suddenly, as if by magic, at the valley's end. Of course, Ian had no interest in the geographical features that made this possible. His focus was solely on the ashen forest that began where the valley ended.
We've found the right place.
The snow-covered ground and the stark, bare trees, along with an eerie silence, matched the forest seen in visions.
"...It really feels like a forest enchanted with magic, Ian. Something feels weird." Though Thesaya commented while staring at the forest, Ian didn't respond, silently agreeing with her sentiment.
"We'll have to leave the carriage here, Ian." Charlotte, assessing the spacing between the trees, made a suggestion.
Ian nodded in agreement.
"It can't be helped. We need to prepare before entering anyway. Start a fire in the meantime."
Between the forest and the valley lay a frozen creek, serving as a natural boundary. Charlotte stopped the carriage in front of it. Thesaya, who had run down to the valley to gather branches, soon shouted.
"Ian! There's something here!"
Ian, who was packing his bag, looked curiously at her gesture.
"Look here. There's a stone with something written on it."
Thesaya, as if showing off, cleared the snow under a tree, revealing a partially exposed stele. It appeared ancient but the inscription was legible.
Charlotte squinted at it, "What does it say? I've never seen these characters before."
"Do you recognize it, Ian?" Thesaya turned to him.
Ian, after a moment, said, "Sort of."
“I knew it. I knew Ian would be able to recognize it. I saw him understanding what Wraith Giant was saying. So, anyway, what does it say?” said Thesaya.
Charlotte looked at him curiously.
After a pause, Ian spoke, "It's a warning. Beyond here lies the domain of a dragon. There's a name, but... I don’t seem to recognize it."
"A dragon...?"
Charlotte's eyes widened, as did Thesaya's.
"A dragon in this forest? No wonder it felt ominous. Let's leave, Ian."
Charlotte looked at Thesaya, "You lost your memory, yet you know what a dragon is?"
"Right...? Just hearing it makes me think it's terrifying."
As Thesaya mumbled, Charlotte turned to Ian.
"Is our opponent, by any chance, a dragon? If so, it would be the most glorious battle of my life."
"Unfortunately, it's unlikely to be so."
Perhaps.
Ian held back further comment, scratching his chin. To his knowledge, there were only two dragons left on the continent, the rest having migrated beyond the Black Sea long ago. One of them had told him directly, and the situation wouldn’t have changed even now that the game had become a reality.
Besides, I've fought the other one, in its lair. Though it’s said that ancient dragons have multiple lairs...
Ian's gaze drifted to the desolate forest. It seemed unlikely that either of the two dragons would have chosen such a place for their lair.
"Is that all? The inscription seems longer than that."
"Roughly, it's a warning that those who enter without permission will not leave alive."
"Why roughly?"
"Because I couldn't read it all."
"...Ah."
"A considerate dragon, leaving a note for intruders."
Charlotte snorted, apparently disappointed they wouldn't be fighting a dragon. Although encountering a real dragon might change her mind.
"Maybe it hoped to scare off intruders before they ventured too far."
Ian's nonchalant remark, as he instructed Thesaya to gather firewood, showed his indifference.
As he unloaded the carriage, Thesaya returned, dumping the firewood and saying, "Are you really going in after seeing that? Whatever's in there, it's related to dragons."
"If there are treasures, that would be a bonus."
Thesaya's expression soured, "What good are treasures if you can't leave alive?"
"That's irrelevant to me. I was invited here. Besides, we've already stepped into that forest once."
"When?"
"In the abandoned lands."
Thesaya tilted her head in confusion as Ian glanced at Charlotte, busy unhitching the horses.
"The forest where we fought."
"Oh, that place. But..." Thesaya's brow furrowed.
"That's miles from here. Is this forest really that vast?"
"Probably."
Ian looked back at the ashen forest indifferently. Whatever lurked within, it was clear its power was confined to this domain. It had expanded the forest over time to draw in beings it needed.
'That creature or the Wraith Giant, they all spoke in riddles...
Ian didn't care for the details. What mattered was the experience points from whatever resided in the forest and the quest reward of skill points. That alone justified their venture.
"So, nothing I say will change your mind," Thesaya muttered resignedly.
After lighting the fire with a thrown fireball, Ian watched Charlotte and Thesaya alternate their gazes.
"I'm here to confront whatever summoned me. I might not be able to look out for you two in the process. So, prioritize protecting each other, as you've been doing."
"I'm not sure she’ll be of any help."
"She will be. Like before."
While snorting at Thesaya’s words, Charlotte took off the hat she was wearing on her head. As Ian suddenly looked at her head, Thesaya wore a peculiar smile.
"Oh. Your hair's grown long, kitty."
The fur, extending from the top of her head down her neck, was noticeably longer. Charlotte ran her hand through her hair.
"It's a mane. A sign of a beastfolk's superior constitution. My body is adapting to the cold."
Indeed, the fur around her neck and wrists had also grown thicker.
"It'll be nice to pet once it's fully grown. Is that common for beastfolk?" Thesaya added.
Charlotte shrugged, "Perhaps. But there's no way to confirm. I've only heard stories; this is my first time experiencing it."
"Let me pet it once it's grown."
"If you don't mind me cutting off your wrist afterward."
"Go ahead, I can just attach it back. I can endure pain. It's a promise, kitty."
Teasing, Thesaya stood up. Ian watched her add, "I'll look for some rabbits. Entering that forest feels too risky."
"With that body?"
"It's okay. Maybe because the sun's hidden, but I don't feel bad."
"Be back within an hour."
Thesaya nodded and vanished into the distance.
Hopefully, she wasn't planning to escape. Ian shrugged off the thought.
There weren't many places she could go from here, and eventually, she'd be caught by another adjudicator. Then, they might meet again in Lu Sard.
And then, without hesitation, I would be able to kill her.
That wasn't a bad ending either. Especially now that Ian was starting to get attached.
The sound of metal scraping continued nearby. Charlotte was sharpening her twin swords on a whetstone with a piece of jerky held in her mouth. Ian took a fresh look at her. The glamorous and neat appearance of the escort guard from the trading company she had when they first met was long gone.
Only the skilled beastfolk mercenary, who had been through many battles in the field, remained. The fact that her equipment had turned into rags also played a part in creating that atmosphere.
"Charlotte."
"Yes?"
"Is your magical armor still in a state that could perform magic?"
"The enchantments on my breastplate and boots are intact. But I lack magic stones."
Ian nodded and pulled a sealed container from his pocket dimension, tossing a magic stone he picked up from it to Charlotte.
"Use this. It's not fully charged, so use it sparingly."
"...I won't refuse."
Charlotte began to equip the magic stone. Ian had observed that she had weaknesses in defensive tactics and lacked methods to counter enemies immune to physical attacks. Her magical gear helped compensate for these weaknesses. Even if not as effective as before, it was better than nothing.
"Oh, right. There's also this." Ian then pulled out a grotesquely shaped sword with serrated edges.
Charlotte's expression changed, "That's... Kyle's Scale Sword."
"Yes, his legacy." Ian grasped part of the handle, and flames ran along the blade before dissipating.
"This is the only spell it can cast for now."
"...He was arrogant. Thought he was a master swordsman and neglected his training."
Her tone lacked any sense of mourning. She just shrugged.
"It's better off with you, Ian."
"You don't want to use it?"
"Not at all."
In that case.
Ian placed the Scale Sword back into his pocket dimension storage and began to pack essentials like preserved food, bandages, and a compact sleeping bag into the sealed container. Uncertain of what lay ahead, preparing for survival was necessary.
"...You've been carrying that around?" Thesaya's voice followed.
Holding a rabbit, she approached with a disgusted face.
"It's convenient for storing items," Ian answered calmly.
At Charlotte's look, he added, "It's the box she was trapped in. I rescued her from mercenaries."
"As I said then, I could have escaped. Those fools would have found some other trouble if they hadn't run into you."
It wasn't important anymore. After returning the sealed container to his pocket dimension, Ian turned to the horses that had been with them the longest.
"Would they survive if we let them go?"
"It's doubtful. Even if they leave the valley, they'd soon become prey to monsters."
"Then it's better to bring them with us. Even if they die inside, we can at least avenge."
Charlotte looked at Ian as if he had said something bizarre. The man who'd cut down both beast and man without hesitation, now talking of horses' revenge, must have seemed odd.
Mounting his horse, Ian looked back at her, "Mount up when you're ready. We're going in."
***
The forest was silent. Not the sound of animals, nor the rustle of wind. It felt like a space where everything was frozen solid.
Clip—clop, clip—clop—
The only sounds breaking the silence were the hoofbeats of their two warhorses and their frightened breathing.
"...This is strange," said Thesaya, riding behind Charlotte.
"We haven't been in long, but I can't see the way back."
Ian finally looked behind them. It was as she said. The valley they had entered from was no longer visible, only endless rows of towering trees. Marks resembling eyes carved into the trunks stared back at them.
"Why aren't either of you saying anything?"
After alternating glances between the stoic faces of Charlotte and Ian, Thesaya eventually asked.
Charlotte snorted, "What's there to change by talking?"
"...Aren't you curious? How is this possible? Ancient magic?"
"Perhaps at the beginning," Ian responded, looking forward again. "But now, this forest is a demonic realm."
"Mystic Realm...?"
"Yes. If it weren't for that, you wouldn't have become like this already.
Only then did Thesaya bring her hand to her face. As she briefly twitched her lips, fangs protruded between them.
"It's not even night yet, is it?" Her eyes, looking up at the cloud-filled sky, were also flickering red by now.
Ian spoke calmly, "This land is so corrupt that it twists the laws of the world. For a demon like you, it must be like heaven."
"No wonder. I suddenly felt energized." Murmuring, she picked up a rabbit hanging at her waist and bit into it in one go. It was unclear if she was preparing for battle or trying to quell a rising dark desire.
Whatever it is, it's clear that a creature here has fallen into corruption. Thinking this, Ian looked forward again.
Pondering, Ian gazed ahead once more. Although the forest lacked any signposts, he was certain he was moving in the right direction. The sigil in his grasp continued to pulse; its vibrations subsided when he veered off course. This too must be a manifestation of the game's system adapting to reality.
...Seeing this, it might have been a place inaccessible without a quest in the game.
Ian moved forward diligently, yet without complacency. The pulsing in his grip grew increasingly distinct. It was after several more hours that he felt a change beyond the mere pulsing.
"Hm...?"
The moment Ian looked down at his hand, the horses, previously whinnying in fear, abruptly came to a stop. The horse carrying Thesaya and Charlotte did the same, but Ian didn't need to lash the reins. The sigil in his hand was resonating powerfully.
Then, the ground began to rumble shortly thereafter.
“....”
Ian's eyes widened. A massive cave leading underground was rising from the earth.
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