198. North Road (4)
#198
Accompanying Caravel Sangdan was a better decision than expected. The upper level which had grown significantly over the course of two years provided mercenaries with better bedding and meals than most inns.
Even the Rundalians. In other words safety was guaranteed as long as the road connected by the system continued so each day was comfortable enough to be considered a sightseeing trip.
It was the afternoon of the fourth day since the journey began. Even though it was summer the air was getting cooler. Ronan frowned at the sight of meat skewers cooking in front of a bonfire.
“Wow who cut the meat into such large pieces? “Am I a lion?”
“It’s okay as long as it tastes good. And instead of slicing it it was torn by hand and put together.”
“Anyway if I really like strength….”
Ronan shook his head. The meat dumplings which were as big as an adult’s fist seemed like a dish made for beastmen like Varen and Jaipa rather than humans.
When Marya was on duty dishes like this were always served. Handling the muscular boar meat like it was clay with her bare hands was something only she could do among these. Marja picked up one of her skewers and held it out to Ronan.
“Be loud and open your mouth. Ah~”
“anyhow.”
Ronan grumbled but eventually opened his mouth and took a bite of the meat. It was physically impossible to put it in one bite so I had to bite into it little by little like an apple. Ronan who had been muttering quietly nodded his head.
“…It’s delicious.”
“Isn’t that so?”
It was unexpectedly soft and the seasoning was excellent. Smirking Marja slapped her Ronan on the shoulder. Her behavior was so natural that I thought she was already in a relationship. Her Adeshan bit her lower lip as she sat still and watched.
“Uuuh….”
Adeshan had been painfully aware of his childhood friend’s strategic advantage that Eri had explained over the past few days. Even though the psychological distance was close it was too close. Sometimes I wonder if they’re doing it on purpose. Suddenly Marya’s eyes met hers and she opened her mouth.
“That’s right you eat it too.”
“I am fine. “I’m not really hungry right now.”
Ade Shan she waved her hand. Maybe it was because my stomach was sore but I couldn’t think about food much. Then Ronan pulled out one of the skewers in front of her and held it out to her.
“Don’t do that just eat it. “This is quite delicious.”
“Ro Ronan?”
Ade Shan’s eyes widened. A piece of meat the size of her apple remained before her eyes. It was an action whose meaning was self-evident.
“Okay then… just one bite.”
Squeezing her eyes shut she bit into her meat. Ronan held her stick until she removed her mouth. Adeshan covered her mouth in admiration at the taste which was better than expected. Ronan giggled after seeing the childlike reaction.
“It’s delicious right?”
“huh. delicious.”
Adeshan laughed bitterly. It seemed as if the pain accumulated over the nine days was melting away. Because events like this sometimes occur I was able to avoid having a nervous breakdown or going crazy. Suddenly Ronan’s shiny mouth caught her eye.
“Oh there’s oil on it. “Wait a moment.”
“What?”
Adeshan suddenly approached him and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. Ronan paused for a moment as her face got closer. The eyes between the dark eyelashes were a beautiful gray color.
‘Oh sir. ‘Why am I like this?’
Ronan feeling strange about her avoided her gaze. It was a symptom that developed recently. Ade Shan removed her face only after thoroughly wiping away the grease.
She was used to being taken care of by her so she didn’t realize that this was as drastic an action as putting food in her mouth. Marya who was looking at the two people in turn smiled meaningfully.
“Oh my…”
Anyway the journey continued. Every time the carriage wheels rolled north the surrounding landscape became more and more desolate. Ronan and Adeshan were sitting facing each other admiring the slowly moving scenery outside. Ronan stretched out her arm and pointed to the snowy mountain rising in the distance.
“Going beyond that is the Tukan Plateau. It’s very very close to the home of the damn wild werewolves. “You have to be careful because they tear and eat people and animals alike.”
It was also where Rundalian the destination at the top was located. Adeshan tilted his head.
“Ugh. thank you. “But how did you know that?”
“I’ve been rolling there for almost a year. “At the command of someone who looks just like my senior.”
“…huh?”
“I’m kidding.”
Ronan laughed as he reflected on her past life. The place where I first received orders from Adeshan who was a colonel at the time and where I first met Marya who was Count Armalen was also at the Tukan Plateau.
His mission to develop mines and expand the empire was in retrospect a truly miserable experience. She came covered in werewolf blood and had to roll around in the snow because there was no water to wash herself. It was a place where many of the comrades of the punitive forces died.
‘I hope I can get through it without a hitch this time.’
I just hoped it wouldn’t be as intense as it was then. Since this was a long time in the past the power of those furry creatures would not be as strong as before.
On the night of the third day the upper part of Caravel crossed Astan the starting point of winter. The land where the snow had not yet melted greeted them. The howling of wolves every night when the moon rose showed them that they were heading in the right direction.
***
The sun has set. No stars or moon could be found in the cloud-filled night sky. The procession at the top stopped with the sound of a bell at the head. Duon’s voice rang out loud.
“We’ll camp here today!”
A plain covered with snow stretched out towards my son-in-law. In the distance the Rundalian lights shimmered like stars on the ground. This was the Tukan Plateau that I entered five days after leaving Astan.
The drivers tugged on the reins as if they were waiting for those words. Twelve wagons formed a circle and prepared to camp. When the carriage came to a complete stop the merchants and mercenaries stretched and got off the carriage.
“Ahaaaaam…will it arrive tomorrow?”
“As long as the ice dragon doesn’t suddenly come and freeze the entire top. “I wish things would just go on like they are now.”
“Damn they sell beer at least in Rundalian right? “Even furries drink alcohol.”
All of them had fatigue on their faces. Even though there was nothing to do and the welfare was good guarding the top was arduous in many ways. I had to be on guard as I went around and there was a very high chance that the enemy I would face would not be human.
“What?”
Ronan who had been wary of his surroundings until the very end jumped off the roof of the carriage. As she took a deep breath a cold wind filled with snow swept through her lungs. He said looking back at Adeshan.
“It’s finally tomorrow.”
“Yeah… you had a hard time.”
Dark shadows were cast over the faces of the two people. They knew better than anyone else how dangerous beasts that harbor hostility toward humans were.
The biggest thing that happened during the five days was when a golden eagle mistook the bald mercenary’s head for a rock and dropped a rabbit on it but Ronan and Adeshan did not let go of their tension. Marya wiped her eyes and hugged the two.
“It’s a good thing I brought you two. “Thank you so much.”
“Let go. “It’s suffocating.”
“Ahaha… we are actually indebted to you.”
Despite their resistance Marya did not let them go. I didn’t expect him to work this hard. She spoke in a somewhat watery voice.
“I will definitely repay this favor. This is my promise as the next leader of Caravel Sangdan. “Okay I’ll pay all the costs of going to the blacksmith shop this time.”
“What favor are you returning? “It was something we did for the best.”
“It’s loud and you just get what you give.”
Marja gave a slight squeeze to her right arm. Ronan strangled squeaked. The Caravel ship was scheduled to arrive in Rundalian by tomorrow day. It was a turning point where we each went our separate ways. Marya said.
“You two get some sleep now. “Today I will be on watch for our carriage from start to finish.”
“It’s okay Marya. “Wake me up as much as you want.”
“He said he would suffer so leave him alone. “Okay let’s suck some honey too.”
Ronan chuckled and headed into the carriage. Adeshan who hesitated also followed him. Looking back I haven’t had a chance to sleep properly since moving abroad.
The two sat against the wall facing each other. The moment my butt touched the floor I felt tired. The two people made eye contact and smiled at each other.
“thank you for your effort. senior.”
“Ronan…you too.”
Adeshan couldn’t help but doze off. The half-opened eyes were quite cute. No it’s cute. I guess I’m quite sleepy too. Ronan brushed away his bangs and opened his mouth.
“I’m going to Heiran tomorrow. Is that okay? “I won’t be able to live comfortably like I do now.”
“Of course… that’s what I heard from the beginning.”
“Then I’m glad. Let’s do well together again.”
“Hehe…yeah. “I’m still happy but it was more…”
Adeshan unable to finish speaking lowered his head. Soon the sound of grunting breathing began to spread throughout the carriage. Ronan’s eyelids which had been getting heavier finally closed.
“….”
Silence fell. It was a moonless night so the inside of the wagon was covered in complete darkness. The only sound coming from beyond the wooden wall was the howling of the wind.
In the dream world that unfolded before his eyes Ronan saw his father’s face covered in shadows and Ade Shan wiping his mouth.
I punched my father in the face and I don’t remember how I reacted to Adeshan. I felt time passing like sand. Ronan suddenly opened his eyes and opened his mouth.
“senior.”
“huh. “Forty-three people.”
Adeshan was already awake. She answered without a moment of hesitation. Ronan shook his head as if he was tired of her specific numbers.
“Damn…there were so many people coming.”
“Why aren’t you still sleeping?”
Marya hearing her thrust her face into her carriage. Unlike the other two she could not sense anything. Ronan silently placed her hand on the hilt of her sword.
“It’s an attack. They are also quite skilled. It’s not easy to kill someone like this. “Is there even a wizard?”
“…what?”
Marya’s face hardened. Suddenly Ronan stabbed her sword into the ceiling of the wagon. Sigh! As the tip of her sword gently pierced the wood a tearing scream rang out.
“Kuhuhuhhh!”
It wasn’t a human voice. The La Mancha that was pulled out immediately was stained a rich red. Dark red blood poured out of the hole in the ceiling. The bloodshed that unfolded without any foreshadowing caught Marja in her tracks.
“What on earth is this…!”
“It’s a surprise attack! Everyone wake up!!”
Instead of answering her question Ronan shouted loudly. Before long her entire top started to bustle.
bang! He kicked the door apart and leapt onto the roof. A werewolf dressed in leather collapsed clutching his chest. It looked like he was still breathing as he was struggling and making phlegm boiling noises. The werewolf glared at Ronan with bloodshot eyes.
“Crrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! human being…!”
“Fuck you.”
Somehow I wondered if things would work out well. Ronan wordlessly tugged at the hilt of her sword. Suddenly! As soon as a neat arc was drawn the werewolf’s head was separated from the body. His head which had been rolling around fell out of the carriage. He turned his sword around and looked around. Fortunately there were no other werewolves in sight.
‘I guess they were scouts. No matter how much you choose the most nimble person….’
It was incredible hiding skills. Ronan soon found what he was looking for on the western side of the plateau. Dozens of pairs of eye lights were shining in the darkness. I counted them roughly and just as Adeshan said there seemed to be about forty of them. Marya who followed him up to the roof asked in surprise.
“What is all that?”
“A bunch of thieves.”
Forty pairs of eye lights were running toward the top dragging their long tails. Dang-! Dang-! Dang-! A belated bell rang. The mercenaries woke up and ran out in confusion.
Crash. The sound of Adeshan loading his crossbow could be heard from below the roof. Ronan staring into the middle of the darkness grabbed the hilt of his sword.
Grumble! A bright scarlet color dyed the sword body. In a dark plain where not a single point of light could be found the rays of La Mancha stood out like a lighthouse. As the son-in-law became brighter beastmen wearing clothes made of bone and leather appeared.
“Kaaaa!”
“Keuung!”
When exposed to the light they growled in disgust as if they were vampires. Most of them were werewolves but there were also one or two wearfoxes and werebears. Looking at the patterns on the clothes it seemed like a tribe I had never met in my previous life. Ronan said.
“It’s been a while.”
“Crrrrrrrrr!”
The beastmen’s attention was focused on Ronan. The teeth that caught the light were flashing eerily. He probably knew how to talk but seeing as he didn’t it seemed like there was no room for conversation this time either. He raised one corner of his mouth and muttered softly.
“Good. “Before I sharpen the sword I need to give it some blood.”
“Kuhuhuh-!!”
A roar filled with murderous intent rang out under the night sky. Forty wild beasts rushed at me like a roar. Ronan who was calmly measuring the gap pulled the hilt of the sword.
