Chapter. 15. Can someone who has seen the end of the world plant an apple tree? (11)
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The night in the desert is beautiful.
The dry earth created a clear sky without a single cloud, and looking at the Milky Way, revealing its true nature without anything blocking it, I could feel why the ancient people counted the stars and wrote down legends.
The oasis that raised grass, trees, and people on this barren land shined smoothly without a single ripple, completely embracing the beautiful sky and placing it on the ground.
“Don’t you remember the old days?”
“In the old days…”
“You mean Tobrun? You… became a fierce and scary monster and destroyed the magic tower, causing a flood in the city. I… along with my family, let go of the wealth that was stored up there for people who could put it to better use. Walking with you like this, amidst the setting sun and the smell of water, it reminds me of the old days, right? Come to think of it, that person over there. Aren’t you the wizard swinging from the tower back then? The name is… Otman? Ottoman Baudelaire?”
“It’s a memory from a time ago….”
“Hehe. Even if I ask that person, I don’t know if he’ll say it’s just a memory. Ah, hello. Wave your hand. naturally?”
The professor was walking through a desert oasis with a Rakshasha clinging to his arm. People gathered at bonfires here and there glanced at the two reflected in the moonlight, those who appeared to be sailors whistled and applauded, and Otman, who only exposed his head in the water like a fishman, smiled and waved. With a blessing, the old wizard split the moonlight from the water’s surface and made it bloom into a fountain, and the elf sitting on a palm tree was drawing this scene with a peaceful smile.
An extremely peaceful and romantic situation.
In the eyes of those around him, it was a natural thing. From their first meeting, the two men and women introduce themselves as lovers they haven’t seen in a long time, and after going into a tent alone for a while and coming out, they take a walk together looking closer than before. To people who didn’t know what happened in the tent, it seemed like a fait accompli.
Of course, it was a pleasant inconvenience for the professor who had been wasting his time.
“That… Rakshasha. Wouldn’t it be better to fall a little bit?”
“Um, I don’t like it. Is it convenient for you because your body temperature is high? “Because the desert night is cold.”
“But what I said and did in the tent are quite different-”
“Shh. Lower your voice. I told you, right? Because we never know who or where might be listening to us. First of all, pretending to be a couple and sticking close together will help you talk about important things. “We should focus on our work, right?”
“Ummmm….”
The Rakshasha whispered and clung to his arm.
After sorting out the relationship to some extent in the tent, I planned to take a walk and talk about the purpose of coming to the desert…
‘Is it important?’
‘In many ways. There is also something about the support of desert countries and about the trends of the entire desert-‘
‘Shhh. If that’s the case, why should I make a fuss like this? ‘Now come here.’
‘Oh uhuhuh-‘
The Rakshasha’s eyes lit up as he listened to the content, and even acted like this, leading him to a dark place with few people.
The professor was drawn into her touch, awkwardly scratching at the kiss mark the Rakshasha had left on his neck.
After a while.
The Rakshasha came to the border of the sandy sea lined with desert boats, took off her veil, spread it on the floor, sat down on it, and patted the seat as if asking her to sit next to her.
Passyuk-
“That’s…?”
“It’s ash butterfly wing powder. “It’s warm because it contains the heat of the day, and it’s also effective in preventing various spells that originate at night, right?”
….Snap
[If you need to talk secretly, you can use message magic.]
[Don’t underestimate the magic of the desert. The magic that has been passed down since ancient times has a very different system from the modern mysteries, so there are many things that are secretly delved into regardless of the level of power?]
“So… even if it is a little uncomfortable. This means that it is safer to go out to a quiet place like this and talk lower.”
“Safety…”
The professor’s senses were heightened as he watched the Rakshasha rub something that looked like red paper into a small glass bottle with his hands and bury it under the seat where the two were sitting.
‘….surely. There’s something there.’
[This is so strange. Is it really a person? My pulse is barely beating. Isn’t there someone who buries himself in the sand and dies?]
‘For something like that, it moves slowly. ‘He seems very interested in this area.’
I felt something very vaguely. The feeling is not that the ground is wet with the groundwater of an oasis, but that liquid with a different texture is gathered under the sand. I couldn’t feel any breathing or pulse, but this familiar texture and consistency was clearly fresh human blood, so the ‘danger’ the Rakshasha was talking about was probably those people.
“….professor? I’m just saying this just in case. “You can’t kill me~?”
“Did you know?”
“Because you know, you must have created an environment where you could come out and talk about it like this, right? The leader of Moon Shadow enjoys a secret relationship with a suspicious man from a foreign country. Even up to this point, there are more than one guy who will rush at you with their mouths watering, so if it is rumored that you have something to hide, even if you hunt down and kill the person who has been hiding thoroughly, you will suffer from being followed several times more than you are now. “Guys like that are a daily occurrence in the desert, so it’s best to learn to ignore them, right?”
“It’s everyday life… Is it like the desert is at war?”
If so, this is not very good news for me, who came here to provide military support.
“yes.”
“huh? really?”
Rakshasha smiled bitterly and nodded at my inadvertently asked question.
“As you said, the desert is at war. “Hundreds of years after the fall of the great desert kingdom that had once enjoyed a golden age.”
“…I’m sorry, Professor. “The desert kingdom you were targeting was destroyed hundreds of years ago.”
“…There is no desert kingdom.”
Nod.
“then. “Is it also a lie that Moon Shadow is an intelligence group belonging to a desert kingdom?”
Softly, softly –
what is it then?
The professor scratched his head as he watched the Rakshasha’s veil swaying from side to side like waves, expressing denial in response to my question.
Let’s see… there’s something amazing in the desert.
Mute is hiding somewhere and dreaming.
I was thinking of receiving support with a large bag of cults, but even the mention of the name of the cult in a village where people are fried in the desert, and even a
Rakshasha who says that they are in a war that lasts hundreds of years and that the tailing that was barely discovered with the senses of a water magician, despite the anti-mute sense of Professor Park, is a daily routine.
“…I guess we have a lot to talk about.”
“It’s okay, right? “The night is long, and so-and-so is so unfortunate – because the only thing to do during the long night is talk?”
[Gasp!]
The sound of Hyde falling into the abyss again was heard as he barely came to his senses when the Rakshasha quietly leaned on his shoulder smiled.
Actually, Rakshasha… was too strong a stimulus for the consciousness of a one-year-old.
Of course, to Professor Park, who is 25 years old.
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A long time ago. A time when even the same desert was much better to live in than it is now, there were more oases, and people could walk on the sand.
There was a desert kingdom that ruled all the deserts together.
Unlike the inland regions, in the desert, the distance between villages and oases was very long, and it was not easy to travel between them. In fact, the oasis villages were an independent territory, ruled by the village chief like a tribal chief.
It was the charisma of the king of the desert kingdom, called the ‘Sun King’, that bound together these dozens and hundreds of local feudal lords. You can guess how great that power is.
But the king became drunk with that power and became conceited.
The king who called himself the sun ended up coveting the desert moon.
Because of his brutality, the sacred moon of the night fell and sank beneath the surface of the water, never to rise again.
The sun, having lost its mate, lost its strength and threw his body on the Sun King’s head in anger.
therefore. The great desert kingdom that seemed to enjoy power for a thousand years suddenly fell into ruins. Due to the curse of the angry sun, the desert became a land of boiling heat. As 80% of the oasis dried up and disappeared, everything became scarce, and the Tohos, who lost their focus, fought endlessly to take over the surviving oases.
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“…is this a legend handed down in the desert?”
“The destruction of the desert kingdom and the sun and moon losing their power… Then. What is that thing floating in the sky right now? fake?”
“well? Since this is a legend that is only passed down orally, shouldn’t we compare it to actual facts? “The sun and the moon… are they symbols of something?”
The professor pondered as the voice of a rakshasa approached like a song.
The situation in the desert kingdom. This can be inferred quickly.
A society where exchanges in an extreme environment infested with monsters are suppressed.
It was easy to picture it in my head when I thought of the wasteland where each person established their own forces centered on their survival area.
In an extreme environment, the central point is not simply symbolic, but acts as a coordinator that coordinates survival supplies in each remote area and creates rules and environments appropriate for the situation. In the wasteland, the system exchange and drones created by Gedroitz were partly responsible for this coordination.
When that disappears, Toho, who has plenty of water but lacks food, attacks the oasis, which is rich in food. Oases that are dry due to lack of salt are plundering areas surrounded by salt flats. The Spring and Autumn Warring States period has arrived.
‘It’s so smooth up to this point…’
The so-called Sun King and the two gods from legend. sun and moon. From here, we enter the realm of infinite speculation.
The real sun and moon have fallen… It must be hard to see, right? Even if it was hundreds of years ago, there is no way the sun and moon could have been created just in the space of a few hundred years. It would be better to think of it as a symbol of something.
The king of the desert, who wanted the moon, dropped the moon from the lofty sky. I don’t know what the hell he was talking about, but it must mean that the king reduced some higher being to the same level as a human crawling across the desert. And then the counterpart being fell to Set and used a suicide attack, turning the kingdom and king into grains of desert sand… This is it.
The Sun King and the Sun. Two desert suns fought? A parable about two princes falling in love after a fight for the throne? ….no. Then the desert kingdom would have continued in some way. Since it was a town where there were many local monarchs who would take their place, only the dynasty changed and the desert kingdom continued. So, first of all, keep your distance from realistic stories like this.
[You guessed that there was something in the desert, right? Wouldn’t that be considered the aftermath of a legendary event?]
‘…I guess that’s true. taboo. An absolute rule in the desert that catches anyone who breaks it.’
Putting aside what it is, and assuming that the legendary tale is based on fact… we can say that the current taboo is a by-product of the great incident in which the sun and moon fell at that time.
It also roughly explains what that Falcatus guy is up to in this neighborhood. The remains of a fallen god. Isn’t this material that dead mutes would drool over? It is said to be a legend that most people in the desert have heard of, so it would not have been difficult for Mute, who spreads parasites everywhere, to obtain this legend.
“A legend… a legend… then. “What does the Moon Shadow group that belongs to a desert kingdom that no longer exists do?”
“Um… this is very sensitive and confidential. I can’t tell you unless you’re an ‘official’… Do you want to know? If you want to know… you have to be a ‘relationship’ person… Shall we go back? If we hurry a little, before the sun rises…”
“Over there?”
“Ah, I think I’m going to be addicted. How about reacting a little indifferently? “If you keep acting like that, I want to torment you endlessly…?”
Wow, I’m shaking. This woman is really…!
The Rakshasha turned his head and laughed under his breath, wondering what was so funny, and continued speaking while wiping away the tears that had formed from laughing.
“The desert kingdom disappeared, but its successor survived. The moon shadow is a being that protects and serves him and protects the royal blood. “Are you a group with a long history that has been passed down since the days of the desert kingdom?”
oh. Be the successor. Wouldn’t it be useful if I had a friend like Gainax? If it is an old group that has been around since the days of the kingdom… The power of the moon shadow may be greater than I thought.
The professor, who had long since given up on supporting troops after hearing that the war had lasted for hundreds of years, felt a little hope revived by Rakshasha’s words.
“The forces. How many pro-king forces are there? “How many oases do you control?”
“no.”
“….huh?”
“no. “Not one?”
The Rakshasha spoke those words without moving, with a half-moon-like smile in his eyes.
“Royal blood. Only we, Moon Shadow, serve this person called the ‘Heart of the Desert’. Although the tales of the desert kingdom passed down along with the taboo instilled respect for royal blood in ordinary desert people, the rulers of the oasis do not think so. For the descendants of the current royal family, the crown is given to the strongest ruler in the desert. A means to claim the succession of the desert kingdom and gain recognition from the desert people. “That’s just about it.”
“Then the moon shadow…”
“Like him, it is just a trace of a decaying ancient world. Rulers who want to be the loser kidnap him and kill him if they can’t get their hands on the king’s blood. To protect him, we entrust ourselves to the strongest ruler in the desert and carry out assassinations and espionage for that ruler. “It’s barely maintaining its existence as a desert.”
Seeing the Rakshasha slowly choosing her words as if hesitating, which was uncharacteristic of her, the professor focused even more on the stalker who was secretly approaching.
‘…There is no separate Three Kingdoms. In an environment close to the Warring States Period. It is a royal blood that is treated as a symbolic object….’
It is an environment that reminds me of the young prince who was played by Dong Zhuo Xisangshi in Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It seems like they are treated not as humans, but as something similar to a royal seal. Considering the special location of the moon shadow, it seemed natural that it would be followed.
As she said, isn’t this important information that should not be easily disclosed to outsiders? Even though the Rakshasa had secret feelings for me, she was not a woman who did not know how to distinguish between public and private life. Bringing up this topic probably means that it will lead to other conversations related to it.
As I waited in silence, the Rakshasha smiled once more as if thanking me for waiting, then took a small breath and opened his mouth.
“Recently… there has been a bit of a problem with the health of Kauladi, the ‘Lord of the Twelve Steps’, to whom the Heart of the Desert has entrusted his body.”
“Is he dead?”
“It would have been easier if I had died. “Perhaps his desire for conquest has suddenly burned, and he has been accelerating his preparations for war, saying he will prove that he, the greatest power in the desert, is the heir to the desert kingdom.”
“…Does it look like we have no chance of winning?”
“very? So far, many heroes and strongmen have raised the flag to conquer the desert, but none have succeeded? Kauladi’s condition was also strange. Although he was a bit pushy, he was a person who never let go of rational thinking. “Recently, your temper has been temperamental, and you’ve been going on a rampage, saying you’ve gained the true power of the desert and that the time is right.”
“If we remain silent like this, we will be labeled as being on the side of the invaders and it will be a threat to the well-being of those we serve, so it seems like we should leave the place we belong and seek protection from another Toho. Bringing this up in front of me means-”
“Didn’t you just ask for help? Although it has no real power, the symbolism of the ‘Heart of the Desert’ has great meaning in the desert where taboos and legends live, right? In return for your help, we can represent your cause. “With the request of the King’s Blood, who is respected by the entire desert, and your words of great achievements in battle… won’t we be able to get enough reinforcements?”
at last. The conversation was for this last word.
There’s no way the guy with twelve steps or twelve toes would just let me go with the crown called ‘Heart of the Desert’, so please help me get out. The price is a request made directly to the ruler by a descendant of an ancient royal family loved by all desert people. As a bonus, a reason to join the battle in the desert as an outsider.
“…If it is discovered that I am a saint, there will be an uproar, right?”
“Isn’t that why you rushed in like this? “To hide you under our moonshadow tent before the other sezaks dig up your heels?”
oh my god.
“You said earlier that you ran without looking back because you missed me?”
“It is important to distinguish between public and private matters. Nothing would be better than having construction work in the same location, right? “Are you the one I miss and the great warrior I saw with my own eyes before his fame spread throughout the world?”
….She’s definitely not an ordinary woman.
The professor, who had been thinking about the Rakshasha’s words and doing calculations, was able to find a loophole in her proposal without much difficulty.
“… I’m not digging into the desert just for the issue of reinforcements, but since that’s what I’m saying… Even with reinforcements, isn’t it impossible to support such a large army? “Even if we win the war, defeat that Kauladi guy, and the side I side with comes out on top, I don’t think we’ll be able to hand over our combat personnel easily in that environment.”
“Oh, that’s okay. It is certainly difficult to support a large army. The ruler of the place we are currently enlisting in has a lot of good talent. Do you know those who deal with a substance called desert blood? In this place where there is no water, the essence of the black desert that does not mix with water-”
“Okay deal!”
Without a second thought, the professor grabbed the Moonshadow leader’s hand and shook it after hearing the words that came from the Rakshasha’s mouth.
The best of the best NPCs that can be hired in the desert. A wizard who controls sand and oil! Among earth wizards, most of them are multi-classes, such as earth, water, earth, and fire, who handle very special powers!
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– Heungan Dumplings: It’s an oil law!
– Jokass: Traditional oil power! Oil wizard! When we meet, no matter if we win or lose, the battlefield is a mess! The number one floor master!
– takealook: They are desert men to their core, so they won’t come out of the desert no matter what you say, but they are actually crazy about the desert, so if it’s the favor of the ancient desert royal family… they’ll be able to overcome that hurdle! They are idiots who are impossible to control in the first place, so the people who are with them will probably be cooperating with each other! If you give me just a little justification, I can kidnap you!
-Goldman SUCKS: Oil field exploded.
———
‘The final battle of World 3 is a battle in permafrost. Considering environmental factors, this is a profitable business even if the local oilmen maintain a constant fire along our route! ‘You can build a road that won’t freeze in permafrost!’
The professor nodded without hesitation, thinking that even if he only brought ten or five people, he would be able to make a profit. He stuck his right hand into the sandy ground and plucked out the follower who came very close.
Phuoc!
“…. …. ! …..!!!”
“An assassin with his tongue cut out. It’s not the one Kauladi sent… Farax? Dumakalo? I guess there was a rumor that the Heart of the Desert wanted to move? What if you see another ruler’s minions following you?”
Tduduk-
“Oh my.”
“If you kill me. You said there was a rumor going around that I joined hands with you, right? “It’s perfect in place of a contract.” “Oh my, it’s so powerful.”
The Rakshasha lifted the awl in the hand of the follower with a broken neck, lightly licked the end, and tilted his head. If you think about it, since Wanghyeol’s last guardian is a Rakshasha, killing her will make kidnapping Wanghyeol much easier. She must have suffered as much from the assassin as the royal blood.
“Then we will hide the saint’s identity from us. You’ll need a new ID… Do you have anything else to prove your ID? Anything newly made can easily be exposed to witchcraft. If you have something that has been in your hands for a long time, it is better to touch it only slightly…”
“It’s an identification card. Something like that…”
Ah. There is.
The professor rummaged through his pockets and handed the Rakshasha a shabby wooden board that was lying at the edge of his inventory.
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Mercenary Card
F-Class Mercenary – Trapper – Professor
Indicates that the owner of this seal has been certified as a [F]-Class mercenary.
– Waldorf Topric, leader of the Silvercry Mercenary Guild in Turancy –
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“….Forgery?”
“It’s really mine.”
“An F-class mercenary who mainly uses traps and crossbows…. The monster who destroyed the magic tower with his bare hands, and the saint who was the winner of the Haunuman Arena and who personally destroyed the disaster that was brought upon the empire…. They are the same person…. ..song?”
“How can this not work?”
The Rakshasha, who was looking at me and the mercenary group alternately with surprised rabbit-like eyes, turned his head and began to tremble. As I listened, I heard something that sounded like a whimper holding back laughter.
“Really… you always surprise me?”
Also, the Rakshasha wipes the dew from his eyes and carefully examines the mercenary badge of [F-class mercenary professor].
“It’s more than you think. Since he has a real identity card, he just needs to change his name and… let’s say he’s someone hired by Moon Shadow who left the desert a long time ago and lived as a mercenary. There are also scars entangled in the sand. “As for my skin… I’m a person who can get a little damaged, so if I work hard in the sun, I think it will soon become similar.”
“There is no need to be a desert person…”
“There is. Moonshadows are descendants of an ancient group of guardians who have served the royal family for generations. “Everyone will be suspicious if you say you hired mercenaries who are not your relatives.”
“Ah yes….”
“The name is…. name. “Your name is… that’s all there is to it.”
The Rakshasha drew various patterns on the mercenary badge, tied them together like weaving thread, and overlaid the professor’s name.
[F-Class Mercenary – Trapper – Saladin]
“Saladin?”
“yes. Saladin. Is that the name you will use from now on as a mercenary of Moon Shadow in the desert?”
What was so good about it was that the Rakshasha had a smile on his face.
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