Chapter 238

Chapter 238

***

A forest can heal the mind and body with its unique clear air and freshness, but on the other hand, it was also a space holding eerie secrets and dangers.

In general perception, the Forest of Demonic Beasts was infinitely closer to the latter. However, looking past its danger, possibilities and opportunities abounded.

Somewhere far removed from the 'Graveyard of Dragons', white smoke was rising in the forest. Though not always the case, smoke usually meant there was something artificial.

Like someone lit a fire.

"Are you sure it's completely dry?"

"How can I dry it more than this?"

"No, because if you don't dry it enough and it has no efficacy it's a bit bad. Since it's precious."

"Honestly, I don't really know what mana is."

Roy and Maters conversed without even looking at each other. Both their gazes were directed at the water just starting to boil in the small tin kettle. And in Maters's hand was the dried Ginseng wrapped in paper.

It seemed they intended to brew tea and drink it, but since they didn't know the exact method well they were wondering if this was right.

Malcolm, who was warming up with his colleagues by the fire lit a bit away, said half-heartedly tossing his words.

"Brewing it in an earthenware bowl for a long time is the best, but brewing it as tea and drinking it is fine too. However, you can't use it for long. If you're not going to drink it, how about rather selling it? It will fetch a high price when you return later. Even here you can get a quite big sum."

At that, Maters clenched his hand holding the Ginseng as if giving up on brewing it as tea.

But after thinking for a moment, he opened his hand again.

"What's the point of saving it. Enjoying luxury right then and there is the best."

"I think so too. Don't you think you and I connect subtly?"

Roy said. Maters nodded with a sour expression. Eventually the dried Ginseng was plunged splash into the boiling kettle. Shortly a yellowish color spread out, and its unique deep and fragrant scent rose.

Because the two people didn't really enjoy things like tea, smelling the Ginseng scent they made ecstatic expressions exactly as if hypnotized.

"Boiling is done now, leave it until it cools down. It would be better if you drink it mixed with honey."

Saying that, Malcolm tossed something like a small medicine bottle. Roy caught it lightly tap with one hand. And they waited for the Ginseng to brew and the tea to cool down.

Naturally, gazes turned to Rickart, and Rickart was just leaning his back against a tree looking up at the sky. A blue sky visible between thick branches.

He looked bored, yet somehow seemed lost in thought, or just seemed to enjoy the silence.

"You'll have a cup too, right, Master?"

"No."

Seeming he hadn't been lost in thought, an answer was heard right away.

"Why? Even if you have no interest in swordsmanship or mana, having a cup is fine isn't it."

"Just for you to drink a lot. You said it's precious."

"Mmm...... Will you drink a cup if I beg?"

"Sure......"

"By the way passing over that, since we became enemies with the Shadow of the King, it's a lost cause obtaining information from them. In the first place, I wonder if deliberately seeking the God King's remains isn't damaging his sacredness."

Malcolm said. Actually he had been constantly pondering how to strike up a conversation with Rickart all this time, and that's why he showed favor that wasn't exactly favor to Roy and Maters.

Rickart fully felt his somewhat, how should I say, cute intentions. But since it wasn't a bad thing, he just quietly smiled.

"Because he's not sacred to me."

"Are you not disrespecting him? Do you, sir, deeply believe in the faith of Westerners?"

Malcolm and his party had many questions about Rickart. Unsurprisingly so, since he was the person who reached the highest realm among the realms they categorized.

So it wasn't that he asked because he felt bad, but it was closer to asking because he was truly curious.

"To me, he's closer to being familiar rather than sacred, you see."

"Familiar, you say?"

"Caldebert, Caldebert...... He was someone closer to a scholar than a knight. A delicate body, yet his soul was full of courage. His extraordinary brain had no equal to follow. However, he had a sadness. A sadness no one recognized. Someone should have recognized it......"

As Rickart spoke as if he actually knew the God King, meaning Caldebert, those listening tilted their heads. They wondered what he meant, or if it was some metaphor or analogy.

"What kind of sadness?"

Roy asked.

"Sadness about humans. To me, the reason he left the territory was because of that. Ultimately, as a prince practically discarded from the royal family, achieving self-made success was the goal, but once he achieved that goal he realized it wasn't what was important to him. It must have remained as remorse in his heart throughout his life in the territory. It would also be a feeling of apology towards a friend. Towards the Steel Reaper, that is."

"Are you that certain?"

"Probably if I do something weird you will understand me, Roy. It's similar to that. Actually I stopped by Caldebern last time and saw the family records. I thought based on that."

"......"

Roy frowned and tilted his head as if thinking that doesn't seem quite right. Rickart just smiled faintly.

"An historical approach rather than as a god is interesting, but it sounds a bit impious to us. However, it is a fresh perspective as well. Anyway, do you absolutely wish to find his remains?"

"Not absolutely. Let's try going to the mausoleum that they say is in Tel Urano first. Even just being able to honor his soul is fortunate."

"By the way passing over that, the tea seems to have cooled down quite a bit now."

Maters, who had been looking only at the smoke rising from the tea the whole time, said. He made eye contact with Roy once, tilted the kettle and started pouring a cup each into wooden cups.

And first handed it to Rickart. Though not the official leader of the party, it was because he was practically the leader of the party.

Rickart received the cup and slightly raised it showing gratitude, then brought it to his mouth. Naturally, before drinking, the aroma reached his nose first. And simultaneously something else touched the cup.

HWING! PAGAK!

A hidden weapon flying from somewhere pierced the bottom of the teacup and headed for Rickart's face. However, the hidden weapon struck deep into the tree Rickart was leaning on, not his face.

Jumping up, Rickart grabbed the scabbard at his waist. And spread his basic five senses plus his sixth sense widely around. It was a sensory realm capable of capturing the movement of even a single bug.

No one can escape from that sensory realm. However, nothing hostile was caught at all.

Since he couldn't know the opponent's location, number, or state, the sword wasn't drawn. Was it someone skilled enough to be free from Rickart's senses, or was it a sniper from even further away?

In a very short time as Rickart tried to judge between the two, it was neither.

While everyone got up in surprise, a very bizarre thing happened. A blade swung suddenly emerged from an empty space where there was nothing, harming one of Malcolm's comrades.

HWIK! PEOK!

"Ack!"

Surprised, Malcolm swung his sword reflexively, but the blade just disappeared exactly like it wasn't there originally. Surrounding comrades hurriedly grabbed the injured comrade and stuck close to the tree.

"What is this, magic?"

Roy, who had his axe in hand before he knew it, said with wide eyes. Because it was Rickart and Roy, they saw the sword emerging from the air in that brief moment; others didn't even know why Malcolm's comrade got hurt.

Perhaps the essence of fear was fear of the incomprehensible. But then, if that incomprehensible thing targets my life, there's nothing more to say.

Nevertheless, Rickart judged quickly. First, he urgently called Roy and Maters.

"Roy! Maters!"

Though he himself might somehow dodge or counterattack with his monster-like reflexes, that strike which couldn't be seen and couldn't even be felt by other senses was impossible for an ordinary level.

Though he just called their names, Roy understood the meaning, grabbed Maters and tried to stick close to Rickart's side.

At that moment, a weapon appeared from the air again aiming for Roy, and as Roy reflexively twisted his body to dodge, Maters was exposed exactly as he was.

Rickart moved like light and swung his sword at the empty air, but nothing was caught. Maters, without even knowing he was being attacked by the weapon, took a blow to the side of his head.

KAANG!

But was this sound right? Maters's head snapped back whoosh and he staggered as if about to fall, and a terrified Roy hastily grabbed him and raised him up.

In his head he thought at least Maters's cheek and tongue could have been cut and his teeth broken. In severe cases......

But turning his head back, Maters was completely fine. Strictly speaking, exactly like when he drank the dragon's precious blood two days ago, his cheeks were red-hot like heated iron and turned translucent. His tongue and teeth inside his mouth were visible.

"Eh? Are you okay?"

"Did you hit me?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Dodge for now!"

Rickart grabbed Roy and Maters, who were staring blankly at each other bewildered, and evacuated them to where a huge old tree was. By the way passing over that, he definitely got hit in the face with a sword though?

CHAENG!

A metallic sound was heard again. The direction the sound came from was where Malcolm was, and turning around to look, Malcolm had struck the enemy's weapon appearing from the air.

However, three of his party of five were already injured and bleeding by the enemy.

"It would be better to leave this place for now."

Rickart made that judgment.

It seemed there were multiple enemies, but he couldn't know their precise number, and if so they could have attacked all at once but they didn't. They seemed impossible to track with senses at first glance, but they also seemed to have some limitations.

Though it was unknown what that limitation was, the guess was that unless they were ghosts they couldn't just roam around anywhere like that.

As always, Rickart's deduction and judgment were quick, and provided a clue for victory and counterattack.

As soon as they heard Rickart's words, Roy and Maters stuck close to Malcolm's party and hoisted the injured on their shoulders. One was already dead instantly. Malcolm and one comrade guarded them.

"Aeueuk, euk......"

The injured person whose life looked critical even though he survived, gasped and groaned. Roy, carrying an injured person, kept a sharp lookout on the surroundings, but Rickart who actually gave the order, just stood vacantly holding his sword.

"Master!"

Though wondering what he was doing, seeing the golden flames burning along the blade, he also thought he was going to did something.

At Roy's shout the party leaving the scene looked back at Rickart, and suddenly three blades appearing from front, back, and side aimed at him. In accordance, Rickart's sword became lightning itself and drew a straight line of a thunderbolt.

It flashed flash, to the extent of leaving an afterimage in the eyes, but it didn't just end with an afterimage; it truly cut spacetime.

Then an inexplicable bizarre sight occurred. The place Rickart's sword passed through, the space distorted and reflected the surroundings exactly like a mirror, and also reflected the sky or things far away as if they were close.

While everyone looked with serious expressions wondering what this was, blood burst out gulp from there, and suddenly three naked people appeared and collapsed on the ground.

Then the distorted space quickly returned to its original state, leaving only three corpses.

The three corpses, exactly like the guys called Shadow of the King seen previously, were completely covered in tattoos exactly like doctrines engraved all over their bodies.

Rickart stared blankly down at them, and then left the dangerous area for now.

"How did you do it?"

Roy asked. It wasn't 'were you hurt' or 'were you okay', but 'how did you did it' that was his first question.

"I just followed the murderous intent reflected in a brief moment. Because they couldn't hide that."

"By the way passing over that, I know those bastards are taking revenge, but what on earth is all this?"

Maters asked. However there was no one to answer. Because they didn't know. However, Malcolm seemed to have a guess.

"I also only heard through legends, I didn't know they would actually exist. They say the reason the Shadow of the King is called shadow is because they do not belong to this world but belong to the shadow world."

"To say that, the corpses seem to belong to reality."

"That's why that's the part I don't understand."

Malcolm looked at Rickart with a gaze containing both respect and fear, exactly like looking at a monster. Reaching the Realm of Sun, ddid he even sever reality? Then what was there in the world he cannot cut?

"Let's treat the injured first."

Rickart said.

"It's poison. They won't make it."

Roy, putting down the injured and examining the details, said dryly. The one Maters carried had already stopped breathing, and the other one was gasping with still some consciousness. The wound area had already rotted black.

Seeing that, Maters repeatedly touched his cheek and looked down at his hand.

While Malcolm kneeled on one knee and looked at him quietly, the injured person leaning against a tree also looked at Malcolm.

Actually Malcolm's comrades were all people who trained swords sharing joys and sorrows in the same family. And whether close or distant, they were relatives.

That meant they truly lived like family for a long time, but the look in Malcolm's eyes watching the death of a comrade, family, or friend was extremely calm.

Then suddenly as the bleeding comrade nodded his head, Malcolm recited something like a prayer with a voice as calm as his eyes.

"The most important thing in training the sword is living with the knowledge that one can die anytime. We do not turn our eyes from that truth, and because we have already accepted death, life for us is not fleeting, but living vigorously enough that it's fine even if we die right now. According to the God King's teachings, looking at the brightest star, here, Stevart of the Anustella family accepts death. The third son of the Anustella family, Malcolm, sees him off."

While doing so, he took out a dagger from his bosom, and with one hand covering the injured person's eyes, he stabbed his neck with the dagger and killed him.

There was only one comrade who survived completely fine, a woman, and she closed her eyes and bowed her head in silent tribute. She didn't shed tears, didn't sob, and was merely solemn.

Rickart, Roy, and Maters just stood still and watched. It was strange. Even in the Empire there were often cases of ending breaths to ease pain if there's no chance for comrades to live, but this felt exactly like fulfilling an established rule.

Whether Shadow of the King, water carriers, or people seen in Solarium, they were somewhat strange. Though it was unknown whether to call it bad or good, it was equally strange regarding Malcolm's attitude towards death.

Malcolm took his hand off the man named Stevart, and closed his eyes for him. And standing up he said.

"Let's go."

"Aren't you recovering the corpses?"

"We do not merely devote ourselves only to sword training. We also heavily value the way of living as one who trains the sword. Also how to handle death. If there is a funeral we cremate them, or merely record when they died in the genealogy."

"He who crosses this boundary ceases to be human."

Maters said. Other than that, it was the phrase engraved on the ancient stone statue they saw previously.

Rickart and Roy, Malcolm and his comrade looked back at Maters.

"I feel like that saying might be understandable now...... Not that I said it with any particular meaning."

"Seeing you perfectly fine even after getting hit with a poisoned knife, it seems so."

Roy said. Then Maters inadvertently touched his cheek again and examined his hand. Not a single drop of blood came out.

Rickart looked back at the three corpses. Since they were completely naked, there was naturally nothing to rob.

And no matter how good the words were, having them engraved as tattoos on the body like that was honestly unsightly.

But looking differently, that was those people's belief. I felt that if sometimes one saw people with different beliefs, they couldn't help but look like monsters to each other.

Humans live by beliefs. Even atheists have things they believe in. Whether they believe in money, pleasure, reason and logic, or instincts and impulses.

If there was one belief the world would be truly simple, but if God dies someday, beliefs will be torn into a thousand, ten thousand branches. How much of a monster people will look like to each other then.

Coming to the Eastern Frontier after 100 years, Rickart vaguely understood what Caldebert was trying to did. He tried to give people faith, and seemed to have thought that was the way to end the long war.

Though there were results in its own way, it didn't seem perfect. Even so, he couldn't criticize him for it.

Just, Rickart thought if there was something he could did here. If he intended to did something, how much of a monster would he look like to them. It was unknown.