Chapter 236

Chapter 236

***

Rickart woke up from his sleep feeling the soft touch of fur. The morning sunlight penetrating the curtain was comfortable, and so even opening his eyes there was no frowning due to glare.

It was just spreading straw without even a bed and covering it with fur, but somehow he felt exactly like he slept more soundly than sleeping in a royal castle bedroom.

Living noises were heard from outside. Among them the laughter of children giggle exactly melted down landing on his ears. It wasn't grating at all.

Around him Roy sprawled around still sleeping and Maters who was awake whether he stood the last night watch were seen. Equipment like swords, armor, belts, shoes and luggage were also placed nearby.

It looked exactly like a barn rather than an inn room, but surprisingly this was an inn room.

Though excessively shabby it was far better than inns with rats, strange bugs, and dirty bedding where it was impossible to know when it was last washed.

Both the rug and the cover were fur, and though it was impossible to know what fur it was it was very soft like marten fur. Soft touch, appropriate warmth.

To obtain this level of high-grade leather in Adelorn one had to pay an expensive price, but it seemed common here.

Maters was crouching and sitting seeming to carve something. Because the sound of crunch, crunch was heard. He held it in his hand, and was carving something with his hook prosthesis.

Rickart watched his back without any exact thought, just watched. Then he grabbed what he was carving, blew on it haha brushing off the debris, and turned it around this way and that.

What he was carving was a distorted human face. Was it due to lacking skill, or was it intentionally carved like that.

Feeling the gaze Maters suddenly turned his head.

"Did you wake up?"

"Mmm."

"Malcolm came and went."

"Why?"

"Said he was going to draw water. Because originally it was a quarry, he said one must go far to draw water. He said it's not buying it with money or someone treating you."

"I see...... By the way what is that?"

"What? Ah, you mean this? It's my face."

"It's not a face distorted to that extent though."

"Because I've never seen my face properly. Other than reflecting on water."

Because the thing called a mirror, and a clean and straight mirror at that was a precious object ordinary people rarely properly knew their faces.

"When I was in the mine, I often soothed my boredom and fatigue with this. I created it exactly carving stone back then but carving with wood is far easier."

"Mmm...... you possess good dexterity."

At Rickart's implicitly tossed joke Maters smiled softly. Because Maters didn't possess a left hand.

Whether he was right-handed, or left-handed was unknown, but anyway him possessing good skill was true. Hearing that it also seemed like his appearance reflected on ripples. But then wouldn't that be far more difficult than just carving a face?

"What will you do? Just continuing resting like this would also be good."

"Thirst arises but without water nerves tend to become sharp for no reason. It would be best to move when it's somewhat less."

Rickart completely woke up from his seat and spoke putting on his clothes. Since it was a place where water was precious it seemed even wash water wasn't provided.

Though there was no need for it as one of the actions he always did, Rickart secretly drew his own sword and after checking put it in again. After doing so he shook Roy waking him up.

"Hey, hey, wake up. Roy."

Wondering how the world would return a master and a King woke up his disciple and servant. Maters watched that sight pleasantly like the light joke he heard earlier.

"Eumm......"

"Did you sleep well? How about getting up now? If I constantly wake you your sin will merely grow greater."

Even despite Rickart's warning Roy randomly blinked his eyes and couldn't get up immediately. Then what he said was quite something.

"I can understand now why father wanted to go to the Eastern Frontier so much. A sweet sleep here is no different from salvation."

"Your father couldn't come here."

Rickart pointed out. Because though the fact was true it was words that could become a scar somewhat, Roy instead smiled faintly snicker. Because this was right his King and master.

Rather than unnecessarily being careful of words that could become a scar, Roy preferred speaking so indifferent like this.

"Let's go draw water. They say in here one can't buy water or it is naturally provided."

Rickart said. Then Roy answered raising his body and putting on clothes.

"It's rather heartless. Sleep is salvation, but water is not salvation."

"Is salvation something you attach for your convenience."

"That's true."

Roy answered half-heartedly packing his axe and bag. Feeling somehow the inside of his mouth was dry and his throat felt thirsty, he needed water even without it.

Wearing his cloak DUREUGO, he packed his travel items which if simple were simple, and if heavy were heavy, and went outside. For now this was the weight of life for Rickart's party. Then wasn't it light?

Coming out a spring day's sunlight beat down widely rip, and he felt a bit hot too.

Above all because it was a village or a city within the quarry, dry dirt dust flew around lots escalating thirst even more it felt.

Because the surroundings were entirely stone the buildings were all built with bricks, and largely built loosely sporadically without things like narrow alleys or large streets like any city.

And, the remains of dragons were everywhere. Ribs larger than human heights were arranged on both sides sometimes, and a truly house-sized skull was largely lying down alone sometimes. The material felt like entirely stone not bone when touched.

Because his eyes were entirely snatched by such wondrous and magnificent things he failed to realize, but apart from that another unusual thing was the look of people.

As words meant all sorts of colors all sorts of people walking around, so because it was unlike Solarium Rickart's party's level wasn't even an eye-catching existence.

It seemed there were few staying as fixtures sticking here for long, and mostly the existence of those stopping by briefly and leaving. It purely didn't mean there weren't natives basically entirely though, children were running around playing in the surroundings.

"Where is Malcolm?"

Rickart specifically asked as if talking to himself. At that time children precisely ran across right in front, and dry dirt dust rose literally thickly so Rickart literally waved his hand.

Without words Maters walked toward the building diagonally opposite where Rickart stayed. After asking something there he returned right away to say.

"It seems he left first."

"Where? To draw water?"

Since Rickart didn't wake up it seemed he left first.

"Yes."

"Where is the water?"

Then this time Roy grabbed the arm of one young child running across in front of them and asked.

"Hey, kid. Where is water here?"

Then the young child looked up at Roy with big eyes, rolled his eyes like a rolling ball to look at Rickart and Maters once each and said.

The children playing and laughing giggle looked back this way with serious expressions because their friend was caught.

"There, that way."

The direction the child pointed was above the quarry on the right. Though he wanted him to teach a bit more specifically Roy let go of his arm.

But suddenly the child who seemed about to run away stood in place and stared blankly at the three people.

"Are you misters swordsmen? Doesn't look like you're water carriers."

"Just travelers."

Rickart answered as dryly as the dry dirt dust.

"Where did you come from?"

"The West closer than expected."

"First time here?"

"Yes."

"Then you shouldn't recklessly draw water. You must drink the water the water carrier draws. Spring water is not just water, but the dragon's precious blood. If you carelessly draw and drink it you will die."

Rickart naturally didn't believe it. He merely thought it was a very uncomfortable belief. Still he was thankful for the warning out of concern.

"You're kind."

Leaving those words behind, Rickart's party walked in the direction the child pointed. Before long the sound of children running and playing again was heard from behind.

Going up the uphill path of the quarry, it was a forest. There was a path leading inside the forest, but it was just formed by people's footsteps and wasn't organized.

Following that path, people carrying water in large leather pouches or jars on cows or donkeys could be seen. Rickart, Roy, and Maters crossed past them and walked.

Walking for a few minutes, there was a place where people were gathered. They seemed to be waiting for something, and many were looking up at the cliff directly in front.

There was a hole in the middle of the cliff, and those carrying water buckets on both sides could be seen coming out of that hole. They were bare-chested and had thin but sturdy physiques.

Without even a handrail, they precariously came down the uneven and dangerous path and put down their water carriers on the ground. Then, deep calluses stuck near the back of their necks could be seen even from afar.

The people receiving water bowed their waists deeply with hands clasped together showing gratitude.

It seemed the people fetching water were the 'water carriers' the little kid mentioned, and they immediately climbed the cliff path without even a moment to rest.

It was just fetching water, but an unknown solemnity could be felt. It seemed religious belief was embedded in this series of actions.

"What are they doing?"

When Roy expressed his question, Malcolm, who must have been nearby, approached and answered.

"Water carriers. In the graveyard of dragons, only they can fetch spring water from inside the cave."

"Is it a kind of asceticism?"

Rickart asked.

"Something like that. Water carriers take an oath of water deprivation, they cannot drink water until they die. Because that is the condition, curse, or blessing to fetch the dragon's precious blood. Thanks to their sacrifice, other people can drink water."

"It's uncomfortable because there's such a story for no reason, but honestly wouldn't it be fine to just drink it?"

Roy, who was somewhat skeptical of worldly affairs resembling his master, said.

"Is the water free?"

Maters asked. Malcolm silently nodded. That meant they were people doing asceticism, fetching only water for others until they died.

Wherever you go in the world, there were customs according to the region. Regardless of whether it's reasonable or completely absurd, Rickart and Roy just accepted it as it was.

But conversely, Maters felt a strong attraction to that seemingly meaningless asceticism.

Perhaps it was because it was similar to his time in the mine where he constantly just smashed and moved rocks. But they were doing that hard work voluntarily. Even so, it was accepted after embracing a slow but certain death.

However, since this was the only way to get drinking or daily water, perhaps there weren't many people settling in the dragon's graveyard.

"It is the duty of swordsmen to guard the surroundings while they fetch water. It's not a law or rule, and of course there is no compensation. They just do it."

Rickart looked around. The people waiting for water under the cliff were waiting for their turn, and around them were armed people guarding the forest.

Whether it should be said to be strange, solemn, or because of the mixed atmosphere of the two, the peculiar discomfort emitted by the Forest of Demonic Beasts seemed not to dare invade this place. An unknown sacredness seemed to spread around the cliff.

He felt an exotic landscape, exotic customs, and an exotic feeling in an exotic place. Nevertheless, he might have been traveling because there were parts that were connected, knowingly or unknowingly.

The solemn and strange, and thus sacred act of the water carriers was permeated with a desperate desire for salvation.

However, there were always those who fail to connect with the exotic, to see universality. To them, water carriers were merely heretics.

There were about five or six people who arrived here later than Rickart's party, they had accessories pierced on their faces and complex tattoos engraved on their exposed skin. Looking closely, it was religious doctrines or scriptures engraved.

And instead of clothes, they had thick iron plates wrapped around their bodies, and obviously looking heavy they didn't seem to be very efficient armor.

Their gait was like an alpha beast walking, so their presence was distinct.

"Shadow of the King...... They are the Shadow of the King."

Malcolm said. Then Rickart and Roy's eyes didn't shine, but rather became a bored expression. It wasn't because they were bored, but because they seemed less impressive than expected.

People naturally cleared the way, and Rickart's party and Malcolm's party were originally a bit apart, so they stood in place and watched. The newly appeared ones didn't wait their turn, nor did they guard the surroundings.

They stepped in front of the people, and a specifically large person spoke. His voice was as thick as his thick neck.

"It seems you can't understand words with just killing. Must we skin you and hang you on poles for you to stop this heretical behavior?"

And then he abruptly grabbed the shoulder of a water carrier who had just fetched water and came down the cliff path. Gripped very tightly, the water carrier's face distorted in pain.

But surprisingly, there was no fear in his eyes. The thick-necked man full of tattoos said to the water carrier.

"This foolish act makes people's minds sick and turns them into barbarians. The God King unfolded his will and gave teachings, yet you still do this? It's a completely meaningless action. If it's undrinkable water then don't drink it, if it's drinkable water then let's fetch it together."

It wasn't some robber but words driving the water carriers as heretics. And he seemed truly unable to tolerate it.

He pushed the water carrier to the ground, and the water carrier fell powerlessly to the ground. But he quickly got up, shouldered the water carrier, and tried to go up the cliff path again.

At that quiet and unwavering resistance, the man reached out his hand again. But before it touched the water carrier, Rickart called out.

"Hey."

The man and his colleagues turned to look at Rickart.

"If you don't believe it, go up and drink the water yourself. And among the people here, the ones who look the most heretical and barbaric are you. Do you not know that?"

"......You, can you take responsibility for those words?"

"In my whole life, I've never said words I couldn't take responsibility for."

"I assume you've never taken responsibility with death."

"I've been resolved for it many times. It's just that I won them all."

"Hmph, a duel? That's not taking responsibility. It's a shallow trick."

"So?"

"You called us heretics and barbarians. Then we must definitely kill you. It's not something to be judged by a mere duel."

"If you're going to do that anyway, why did you ask if I could take responsibility?"

"Because it's been a long time."

"What is?"

"A human opposing us."

Rickart turned his head as if it was ridiculous and faintly smiled. Because it was the funniest among the jokes he recently heard.

Rickart looked at the man again and said.

"I'll tell you one more time, barbarian. I assure you, Caldebert would never have taken in humans like you. It seems people who should be in some skull tower over there are going around completely fine and alive."

The opponent's words didn't threaten Rickart at all and sounded like a joke, but conversely Rickart's words delivered the greatest humiliation to the opponent.

The man gritting his teeth tightly enough to make a crunch sound was the proof.