Chapter 135

Chapter 135

Under the intense sun rays, piercing through the hazy and stuffy sand dust, Rickart and Hashim walked toward that unreachable, blazing horizon.

Aslaf kept his promise. While passing through his kingdom, Rickart never encountered horse bandits or any other attacks.

However, as soon as they left his country, what welcomed Rickart was an uninhabited, absolutely uninhabitable wasteland desert.

"At this rate, the horses will collapse before the people do."

Rickart, with a cloth wrapped completely around his head to avoid the sunlight, said. Indeed, the horses carrying the baggage were puffing heavy breaths and foaming at the mouth. Even the red horse was having a hard time.

"We have already passed more than half. We cannot turn back now. Remember it. A thousand years ago, the Sword of God Halid crossed this desert to continue his war of conquest."

"An army crossed a place like this? Hard to believe."

"Of course, because of that, the Amirs and Sultanates beyond this desert strictly speaking have nothing to do with the Empire. Because it has been hundreds of years since they walked an independent path."

The fate of an empire that occupying a vast territory was for the domain to split. Since there was such a harsh desert in between, it was natural that exerting continuous dominance was difficult.

But while Rickart and Hashim were talking, one of the draft horses slumped down with a thud. Its strength had run out.

However, when one slumped, the other horses slumped down as well. Even the red horse acting as the boss of the horses didn't threaten those horses right now.

"It can't be helped. Let us kill them and at least drink their blood. As for the treasures, only take what we can carry......"

As Hashim was giving realistic advice, Rickart silently unloaded the heavy baggage the horse was carrying and started to stack them neatly on the ground.

"What are you doing?"

"Help me out a bit. Tie this up please."

Rickart piled up the baggage, tied it with a rope, and tried to hoist it on his own back and stand up.

Hashim knew Rickart was eccentric and extraordinary, but wondered if this wasn't going too far. A person shouldn't collapse after all.

"I understand your noble heart, but no matter how much, a person cannot sacrifice themselves in place of beasts."

"Oh geez, it's not like that......"

Rickart hoisted the baggage several times larger than his own body size, stood up, and then, completely bending his upper body, only turned his head to say.

"I do it because I can. If it truly becomes hard to endure later, let's make a judgment again then."

Then under this scorching sun, taking one step, another step on the sizzling burning ground, he began to walk. Hashim blinked his eyes in dumbfoundment.

Whether the horses knew their master was suffering on their behalf, they raised their much lighter bodies after sitting slumped.

Like that, the human carried the heavy baggage, and the horses merely walked.

If it were an ordinary person they would have collapsed hundreds of times, but Rickart just silently walked with the thought of holding out only until night came. Hashim walked beside him worriedly.

However, after walking for several hours without resting, he saw someone standing around that blazing horizon.

Is it a mirage, or is the demon of the wasteland watching them? At first, he thought it was something like a rock, but it was definitely a person.

Then he raised his hand and pointed in the direction Rickart was in. It seemed he turned his head and was talking to someone.

Thinking it might miraculously be a band of horse bandits, Hashim hurriedly stopped Rickart.

"Hey there, hey there, Ricky, it's horse bandits."

"What? You're saying there are horse bandits here? Amazing! Banditry in a place like this!"

Rickart set the baggage down for now, held his scabbard in his hand, and looked around. His whole face and body were damp with sweat.

"Where, where? Ah, over there."

Rickart also discovered someone standing around the horizon. He kept staring this way, then walked approaching them.

After walking for a long time past the haze, his figure was gradually revealed; he was a cute-looking little kid with black skin. Not merely tanned by the sun, but his skin was really black in color.

Wrapped in a shabby gunny sack, it was surprising that he walked barefoot in this hot desert at that. His limbs were extremely skinny, but he didn't seem to have a disease or anything like that.

The boy trudged, swaying his body playfully as if he was out for a neighborhood stroll, and then smiled brightly and said.

"Are you misters idiots?"

"......What?"

"There's an oasis over there, if you go that way. It's my first time seeing a person carrying baggage instead of beasts."

Saying that, he giggled at what was so funny. At the boy's innocent attitude, Rickart wondered if he was a messenger sent by God. And it was his first time seeing a person with black skin too.

Hashim looked at the boy and asked.

"Little kid, which tribe are you from?"

"We are the Azure Tribe. Descendants of the Imperial people."

"......"

Was everyone and their dog Imperial people these days? What kind of incident or backstory happened at what point in history for this fascinating boy to claiming to be a descendant of the Empire was unknown.

Only, currently being in the midst of hardship and exhaustion, Rickart was just bewildered. Even Hashim, who was knowledgeable about the world, was the same.

He had heard and knew that beings known as black people existed, but it was his first time seeing one directly.

"I am called Auku. And you misters?"

"I am Hashmid Abhazid. This side is Rickart."

"The pronunciation is difficult. Can I just call you Hashim and Ricky?"

Huh? Does he have some supernatural power?

Perhaps it was just an encounter between strangers, but being in such an exceptionally special situation and with coincidences overlapping, Rickart and Hashim felt bizarre. The boy before their eyes felt truly like a messenger of God.

"Sure, I suppose......"

"Follow me, Hashim, Ricky."

Auku swung his arms widely and said cheerfully. The boy's smile was the only refreshing thing in this sweltering place.

The two were bewildered, but followed Auku for now.

Turning left from the direction they were going and following Auku, they hadn't gone very far at all when a real oasis appeared. They had suffered like that without knowing it was right next to them.

Around the oasis grew grass and palm trees, and there were several tents made of leather cloth. People with black skin like Auku were living in the tents.

Auku ran to them, pointed at the two, and muttered something. Then, certainly, the adults looked at Rickart and Hashim with slightly wary gazes. Or observing them.

When different ethnic groups meet for the first time, they invariably look at the other side's appearance and attire first.

In Rickart's eyes, the Azure Tribe had something independent about them while also being somewhat similar to the clothing style of the Salaman people. Because it was a hot region, the clothes were thin and loose-fitting.

It looked a bit like priest's clothing, and also like major merchants' clothing.

Auku approached again and said.

"The Chief asks you to come over."

Rickart and Hashim followed the little kid into a wide, cone-shaped tent.

As soon as they entered, a familiar scent was strongly felt. It was agarwood. But not only agarwood, spicy and stimulating smells were also mixed together.

On one side, incense was emitting smoke, and an old man with finely wrinkled skin was sitting. When he opened his mouth and spoke, an unintelligible language flowed out.

Making Hal-reul, Hak, Hak sounds, they wondered if he was sick somewhere, or trying to spit phlegm, but that was a language.

Fortunately, Auku served as an interpreter.

"Since the oasis has no owner, he says you can drink the water. Instead, they cannot welcome you, and just as beasts have a temporary truce in the oasis, we can do the same, he says."

"Truce?"

"People who fight each other stopping for a while."

"No, I know what that means. But we didn't come as enemies to begin with. Please definitely convey that. We are not enemies. Just that we were passing by on our way."

Through Auku, Rickart conveyed to the Chief of the Azure Tribe that they had absolutely no intention to fight.

Then he listened quietly to the story, tilted his head as if unable to understand, and mumbled something again.

"The Steel people are so warlike they even kill people of their own tribe, so he asks how can he believe you?"

"Steel people?"

"People like you mister. People who have white skin and wrap their whole bodies in steel."

There was a slight misunderstanding. From their perspective, they thought all people with white skin were of the same tribe, but they were shocked seeing them killing each other whether in a war or whatever.

They absolutely couldn't understand killing people of their own tribe.

"I'm not a Steel person though?"

Hashim asked.

"You are called Golden people. Steel people are warlike, and Golden people betray easily."

"Golden people?"

"They are called Golden people because they are people who eat gold. You guys go crazy whenever you see gold."

It was an appellation originating from a misunderstanding, but subtly pierced through the essence. The fact that Franken people were warlike, and Salaman people were crazy about money.

Rickart pondered deeply before speaking.

"Anyway, I understand what you are saying. We will quench our thirst, stock up our stamina, and leave immediately. We will never do anything to harm the Azure Tribe. I promise on the honor of my family. Please convey it like that."

Auku conveyed Rickart's words. Then the Chief nodded his head, and said something.

As Rickart looked at Auku, without needing to wait, the boy immediately interpreted.

"He says he understands what you mean. However, he says he could believe you if a transaction takes place? He says he wants to buy some horses for now."

"Without horses, we cannot move our baggage."

"You won't be able to reach the next oasis. Instead, I will guide the way for you. How about trading the baggage together?"

The baggage Rickart was carrying wasn't just any baggage. They were the treasures Sultan Aslaf had gifted.

Silk and pottery, gold goblets, silver candlesticks, and silver tableware; it was hard to imagine they would have the money to pay for them.

"Trade them with spices. That would be better than carrying these heavy things right now."

Hashim said. Rickart also knew spices were expensive. It wasn't an exaggeration to say spices were more expensive than gold of the same weight; it was actually true.

"By the way, are you doing the haggling?"

Rickart asked Auku.

"Where do you think I learned the Imperial language?"

Auku deliberately raised his chin and spoke boastfully. He was a bold, lively, and curious boy.

There are always eccentric people wherever you go, and among them, the boy seemed to be that kind. Rickart didn't dislike the boy.

"Good. Let's see the goods."

Rickart also answered pleasantly.

Before that, while not quite a welcoming ceremony, in the meaning of keeping promises to each other, Rickart and Hashim shared a few cups of liquor with the Tribal Chief. It was an incredibly sweet yet strong liquor.

Then they took turns taking puffs from a cigarette until it was completely burned out. Having done so, the Tribal Chief smiled slyly.

In an instant, a tipsy feeling rose, but it wasn't poison, because the Chief was also tipsy and giggled. Hashim's eyes lost focus hazily as he kept smoking next to the Chief.

Rickart stood up staggering. Stepping outside, the world spun round and round. The sky and the earth seemed to flip. In the midst of that, he felt good.

First of all, he gave the horses plenty of water to drink, and generously gave them hay too. After that, he unpacked the baggage and separated what to sell and what to keep carrying.

He decided to sell most of the silver items, but decided not to sell the things that truly looked like treasures with delicate engravings.

Then, not even knowing how he traded, Rickart blinked out and fell asleep.

When he opened his eyes, he was inside the leather tent, and felt a bit chilly. The temperature difference in the desert was severe, so it was truly cold when night fell.

By the way, how long had it been, he felt he had slept really deliciously. He was incredibly refreshed and his body was overflowing with strength.

He first raised his upper body, and Hashim was completely dead to the world next to him.

"Hashim, Hashim. Wake up. Wake up. Hurry."

"Ughmm...... Mm? When did I fall asleep?"

Hashim also woke up hurriedly. His eyes were clear, perhaps having slept well too.

"Were we subjected to something?"

"To say that, we weren't harmed, we borrowed a tent, and didn't we sleep too well?"

"Hmm...... But what is that?"

Hashim pointed to a corner of the tent and said. A single leather bundle was placed there.

When Rickart opened it, inside the bundle were several small pouches. They contained things like saffron, cloves, cinnamon, pepper, ginger, and chili finely ground into powder.

And there were also a few bottles of oil squeezed from oil palms. Compared to before, the baggage had drastically reduced.

"Did the trade go well?"

"Well, I don't remember what we sold."

"They are people who are only half-honest indeed."

Going outside, the other tents couldn't be seen. Did they pack up their tents and leave in the meantime? Or did I travel to a strange world and come back?

Besides the red horse, three horses were chewing on hay near the oasis. The two horses couldn't be seen, it seemed they were sold.

Just then, from behind, Auku tugged on Rickart's hem and said.

"Let's go."

"Huh? You didn't leave? Go where?"

"You said you wouldn't sell the white silk, so when I asked to sell it in exchange for me teaching you the location where treasure is, you sold it. You should keep your promise."

"Did I? I don't remember. By the way, you intentionally fed us liquor right? To make the trade easy."

"It's the opposite. It's for an honest trade. Hashishi tobacco makes people honest, you see."

"So did you smoke it too? You didn't."

"I am honest. Look, wasn't I waiting to keep the promise? And mister, you're lucky. If not for this time of the year, you can't get crystal flowers."

"Crystal flowers?"

"A flower that blooms only exactly one day a year, only at night. If you pluck it when it's blooming, it never withers. If you boil and drink it, you can meet dead people, and even if not, it has many uses. Like regaining lost memories."

Although it was a story hard to believe readily, at the words that one could regain lost memories, Rickart reflexively looked back at Hashim.

However, Hashim seemed deeply lost in thought, and surprisingly didn't have an expression of being that happy.

"And since Ricky mister is a Steel person, you wouldn't be afraid of demons either, right?"

"Well, I don't deny fear."

"I know the place where the old Emperor's tomb is. The place with the treasure I mentioned is there. Only if you can defeat the demon, you'll be able to possess immense treasure. It's not far from here."

Rickart looked back at Hashim once again. He said.

"Let us go. I have never seen that either. Coming all the way here, I will regret it for life if we leave without seeing such a thing. When will we ever come here again?"

"That is true. Let's go, Auku."

Rickart said. He grabbed only his Thunderbolt, and together with Hashim, followed the young guide to walk the cold desert.