The downhill path gradually became more gentle. They were on the opposite side of the mountain. Ian and Charlotte gave the carriage to Mev and Philip, who were still tired, and followed behind on horseback. These were the two best horses from the banditsâ stables.
Mev and Philip had let their original horses go before attacking the bandit camp. It didnât seem like their first time switching horses like this.
In any case, the change wasnât only in the composition of the group.
âIâve been thinking, my lord.â
As Ian approached the carriage, Philip, sitting on the coachmanâs seat, spoke up. He sounded as if he had been waiting.
He was the new guide for the group. Charlotte handed over the role to him without a hint of reluctance, feeling rather relieved.
âI think it would be better to change our route a bit.â
Philip unfolded a large piece of paper for Ian to see. The paper, with clear creases, was a map of the border region. Although it seemed to have significant inaccuracies, it detailed various landmarks such as castles, villages, mountains, and rivers. Ian took in the black lines and various letters on it, noting their route and the summary of events and information they had gathered.
They have been doing their best.
Ian recalled last nightâs conversation. He didnât dismiss Philipâs conspiracy theory about the secretive networks of the corrupted as mere delusion.
Ian admired Philipâs intuition in finding connections among them, however vague. It seemed to Ian that the Round Table Parliament was behind many conspiracies, just as he had heard through Archeas.
What a fucking predictable bastard...
If that was indeed the case, Mev and Philip had unwittingly stepped to the edge of a vast darkness. Mev just wanted to find out the fundamental cause of her tragedy. Thatâs why she would not retreat but move toward the center, not knowing what awaited her.
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But itâs true that I donât know exactly either.
âSir? Are you listening?â Philipâs voice continued.
Ian calmly nodded. âAlright. How are we changing it?â
Philip pointed to their current location on the map. âFirst, we will proceed for a while and then veer off the main road. Like this.â
Philip moved his finger downwards.
âAnd?â
âArenât you curious why we are veering off?â
âNot really.â
âAh... but just to explain, the southern region of La Drin is particularly dangerous. Bolton has fallen to Bel Ronde, making it practically a border area. There was a big battle here recentlyâ-â
âI said Iâm not curious. Move on.â
Philip nodded without showing any signs of embarrassment and continued.
âThe fastest route to Lu Sard is to keep going southwest. Your route was also in that direction. But we will encounter many checkpoints and bandits along the way. Some might even hold grudges against you because, as you know, weâve caused some trouble.â
Philip grinned but quickly added as he saw Ianâs cold gaze.
âFurthermore, I heard the Kingdom of Lu Sard is strictly controlling border crossings. They have almost all their forces deployed in the northern border area.â
âFinally, some useful information. Do you know the reason?â
âAfter a failed expedition, they locked the borders down so that one can enter or leave.â
âHmmm...â
That must be the official reason.
Ian nodded, thinking they must be preparing for his visit by completely isolating their interior.
If itâs similar to the state in the game, then perhaps...
While Ianâs eyes narrowed, Philip continued, âSo I suggest we pass through the Empire briefly from Bel Ronde.â
Ianâs eyes narrowed further. âThe Empire?â
âYes. Like this. Since there wonât be any troops on the Empireâs border.â
Philip moved his finger past the southeastern border of Bel Ronde, through the Empireâs territory, and toward the eastern part of Lu Sard.
âBut the Empireâs border guards will be patrolling there.â Charlotte, sitting on her horse, spoke from the other side of the carriage.
She calmly added as Ian looked at her.
âBorder kingdoms may not place troops near the Empireâs border, but the Empire will. Theyâll be guarding against bandit gangs or fugitives. Identifying ourselves might not be a problem, butâ-â
âExcellent question, Charlotte.â Philip interrupted her, looking back with eyes that seemed eager to finally answer a worthy question.
Charlotte, frowning, clicked her tongue and smacked her lips.
Philip, undeterred, continued speaking. âEven the Empire canât guard every inch of its border. There are so-called mouse holesâhidden paths to cross the border.â
âMouse holes...?â
Thatâs not something a squire of a paladin should be saying, is it?
Ian thought as he glanced at Mev. Surprisingly, she just sat quietly. Sensing Ianâs gaze, Mev awkwardly turned her eyes and spoke in a low voice.
âWe once saved some refugees while passing through Bel Ronde. One of them was a smuggler who crossed the Empireâs border. He told us about it as a way of repaying us. We originally planned to cross the Empireâs border using that route...â
Ah, I see. You were accomplices from the beginning.
Ianâs mouth twisted into a wry smile. After all, she had shed most of the restrictions of her past as a Knight of Judgment when she became an Agent of Vengeance. While she gained different, more extreme restrictions, she had far more freedom in her actions and words than before.
âThank you for the kind explanation, my lord.â
Philip smiled and looked back at Ian.
âIf we take that route, it will take a few more days, but we can enter Lu Sard safely. Considering the troublesome and dangerous situations we might encounter otherwise, this might actually be quicker. Besides, those vampires wouldnât expect us to come through the east.â
Ian nodded. The element of surprise wasnât a major concern. He was confident in breaking through any obstacles head-on, regardless of what the vampires had prepared. But even if that wasnât the case, it was still a good plan.
âDidnât you say there was a place you needed to visit in Bel Ronde?â
âYes. I can handle that schedule. Unless some absurd variable arises, we can move as planned.â Philipâs tone was very composed. Surprisingly, it was also quite reassuring.
...I guess people do grow through hardship.
Ian laughed quietly and nodded. âProceed. From now on, youâre in charge of the route. Report only to Sir Riurel if you must.â
âYes, understood.â
Philip folded the map and looked at Ian with a subtle gaze.
âIt will be a long journey, my lord.â
âI suppose so.â
âNothing beats conversation to pass the time, donât you agree?â
Ianâs eyes narrowed slightly.
Here we go again.
âSo?â
âTell us about the North. Is it true that the ancient Giant Kingdomâs wraith army has covered the North?â
âI told you, itâs true.â
âAnd?â
âThatâs it.â
â....â
âWhat, got a problem?â
âOf course not.â
Realizing Ian didnât want to elaborate, Philip clicked his tongue briefly and looked away. He seemed unsurprised.
Heâs quick to give up now too. Ian smirked inwardly.
Ian wasnât particularly secretive about his experiences in the North, but the barrage of questions and awkward admiration that would follow was bothersome.
Philip then turned to the other side.
â...Why are you looking at me like that?â Charlotte squinted and asked.
Philip, with a subtle smile, spoke. âItâs fascinating. Ian rarely lets anyone close. You seem to have been with him for quite a while. You must be very capable.â
âI get what you want, but stop flattering me.â
âIâm just curious. How did you end up accompanying Ian?â
â...Itâs not a pleasant memory.â
âThatâs an interesting commonality. My first encounter with Ian wasnât pleasant either.â
So, youâve changed your strategy.
Ian snorted quietly. It was clear that Philipâs current approach was quite effective. Charlotte glanced at Ian, licking her lips. ÆreewebÉłovel.com
Philipâs voice continued. âIn that sense, how about we take turns sharing stories? From the beginning. After all, we have nothing else to do on this journey.â
âHmm....â Charlotte let out a low breath.
Ian slowed his horse, tearing at a piece of jerky. Taking this as permission, she moved beside the coachmanâs seat.
âItâs not a bad idea.â
âRight? Iâll start then. I heard about Ian by chance. In a small village we stopped at for a nightââ
Here we go. Ian listened to Philip with one ear and smacked his lips. It was better than being constantly bothered.
âWould you like to ride in the carriage, Ian?â Mevâs voice came from beside him.
When he looked back, she gently added. âIâve had enough rest.â
âLetâs take turns. You can ride the whole day today.â
âAlright... if thatâs what you want.â Mev nodded and looked ahead again, a faint smile forming on her lips.
Ian easily noticed it was because of Philipâs story. It seemed she was also reminiscing. Ian tightened his grip on the reins and put some distance between himself and the carriage. Before long, the desolate fields of southern La Drin stretched out before them.
***
The journey continued without pause even after they left the main road. They trudged through decaying leaves, pushed aside barren branches and weak grass, and crossed mossy streams and winding valleys.
These were the common scenes of the frontier, just outside civilized regions. The mountain peaks they used as landmarks slowly but steadily grew closer. And it wasnât just the journey that continued without stopping.
âA wave of flame strong enough to incinerate vampires... Iâm curious. Iâve never seen you use such powerful magic, Ian.â
âI didnât see it directly either. As I said, I was knocked out by that mosquitoâs trick. What I saw was much later.â
The exchange between Philip and Charlotte also continued.
Surprisingly, the two communicated quite well. Philipâs willingness to listen was a big part of it, but Charlotte also enjoyed hearing stories about Ian that she didnât know. She sometimes sparred with Philip, blindfolded each time.
Initially, Philipâs pride was hurt, but he learned to accept it after realizing he couldnât overpower Charlotte. Her strong yet flexible movements became a refreshing lesson not only for Philip but also for Mev.
âMuch later? When exactly are you talking about?â
âNot a story for now. Your turn.â
â...Youâre quite firm, just like Ian. I understand why you two travel together.â
Philip clicked his tongue and glanced back.
âMy lord, where was I?â
âYou stopped at the story of fighting the headless knight, Philip,â Mev answered.
Despite her calm tone, she couldnât hide her disappointment, just like Philip. She rarely joined the conversation, much like Ian, but she listened attentively to their talk. Especially Charlotteâs stories, she listened with bated breath. It was clear she was secretly curious about Ianâs journey.
âRight. So, Miguel joined us andâ-â
...Heâs really going to continue till the end.
Ian sighed as he chewed on his jerky, staring indifferently at the eerie forest shrouded in mist. He looked up eventually. A flock of birds crossed the sky like ripples, above the network of tree branches.
The thick clouds above were still and silent. It was hard to tell the direction or time. The further south they went, the more the distinction between day and night faded.
Is it just this area? Or⊠Is it getting worse as we move closer to the heart of the frontier?
The sound of water splashing followed. It was a rather wide river. The depth in the middle seemed to reach the horsesâ knees.
No wonder the mist was thick.
âOnce we cross here, weâll enter a mountain path. Weâll pass through the valley. Although itâs hard to see because of the mist.â Philip spoke, focusing on steering the carriage.
Ian nodded, then suddenly frowned.
â....â
His gaze was fixed on the foggy forest beyond the river.
Philip, looking back at him, continued calmly. âItâs a bit eerie. But itâs better to encounter monsters or bandits here than on the main road. This place is practically lawless. Whateverâs here wonât bother us much after a bitter experience.â
âWell....â As Ian muttered, the carriage crossed the river and entered the forest.
Philip glanced around, puzzled. Finally, his eyes narrowed.
â...Youâre not worried about bandits or monsters, are you?â