Chapter 392

The morning was all about theory classes, but starting in the afternoon, the desert crossing kicked off.

When I say “desert crossing,” it’s really just a set route, using the roads typically used for trade, so there shouldn’t be any major issues.

But everyone had no doubt this would still be a challenging journey. First off, the weather was a problem.

Murderous heat and a sun hotter than fire. And as night fell, the fierce cold would come, as if it hadn’t been hot at all.

With extreme conditions and a severe lack of food, it was likely going to be a tough trek all around.

“I can’t help but think it’s way too hot.”

“Well, at least it’s not humid, right?”

“If it were humid, I’d have collapsed ages ago.”

Grace nodded calmly at Luna’s not-really-a-complaint.

The weather in Tartar was murderous, but it was close to just ‘hot’; it wasn’t really uncomfortable.

The temperature might be high, but the low humidity made it manageable. Had it been humid, it would be a jungle, not a desert.

“Luna.”

“Yes?”

“Aren’t you worried? We’re in a desert after all.”

“Hmm…”

At Grace’s question, Luna looked around. Maybe due to the heat, she noticed students getting tired just sitting still.

The desert crossing was expected to take about 3 to 4 days. No one knew what kind of incidents might happen in that time.

“Nothing really worries me.”

“Why is that?”

“I just have that feeling.”

Grace stared at her with a blank expression.

After a moment, she blurted out, “Isn’t that just because you’re not thinking at all?”

“How did you know?”

Luna was slightly surprised; she truly hadn’t been thinking at all.

The weather was horrifically hot, and talking wouldn’t do any good.

The brutal heat of Tartar had even made Luna keep her mouth shut.

“How’d you know? It’s clear just from looking at your face that you’re not thinking at all.”

“…”

Luna touched her face, wondering if it was that obvious.

Grace chuckled softly at her silly reaction and turned her gaze elsewhere.

In that direction, Karas and Danyerin were chatting away happily.

Both of them were also partaking in this desert crossing.

“Those two are impressive. Have they already acclimated to this heat or what?”

“Who knows? Maybe they’re just complaining about the heat.”

Grace shot a glare at Luna. Luna was oblivious to it.

But interestingly enough, Luna’s words were true. Both Karas and Danyerin were indeed complaining about the oppressive weather.

“I wonder what will happen if they collapse.”

“Are you thinking of collapsing?”

“Well, I don’t really know about that. Don’t they say that in the Eastern Empire, people get sick from the heat?”

“Usually, that’s referring to heat stroke. If you’re not sweating, that’s a symptom to be concerned about.”

“Hmm, right.”

Even the high-ranking folks aren’t any different when they’re grumbling. They just use more refined language.

Danyerin noticed something odd while talking with Karas.

Karas also turned his head to follow her gaze, his face suddenly showing curiosity.

“What’s that…”

“Looks like a camel.”

It was a camel, a creature with a distinctive hump on its back, known for being used for transporting goods and a favorite among locals.

Camels are referred to as the ‘ships of the desert’ for a good reason; they hold a significant position in desert life, much like horses in other countries.

Especially with their unique appearance, they were fascinating creatures for the duo who’d only ever seen them in books.

“Can you ride a horse?”

“I learned a long time ago. Do you use horseback riding techniques when riding a camel too?”

“Well… huh?”

Karas widened his eyes slightly, showing his confusion. Danyerin had a similar reaction.

The reason they looked confused was simple: they spotted someone sneaking up towards the camel.

At this point, they didn’t even need to think hard to know exactly who it was.

“Oh. A camel.”

It was Sivar. He approached slowly, wearing an expression like a child who just found a new toy.

He’d seen camels in videos but had never encountered one in real life, so he was extra cautious.

‘Shouldn’t I ask for permission?’

He hadn’t spoken yet, so it was probably okay to touch it.

No, even if he hadn’t spoken, basic manners dictate he shouldn’t touch it.

As these thoughts clashed in his head, a local, presumably the camel’s owner, came over.

“Uh? What are you doing here?”

“Me? Oh, just fascinated by it.”

“What about it? The camel?”

“Yes, it’s my first time seeing such an animal.”

“That makes sense. By the way, your Tartar is really good.”

That reaction was getting familiar. Sivar glanced at the local’s waist.

Given that the person had a curved sword at his hip, it looked like he was with some security detail.

The local then alternated glances between the camel and Sivar and soon broke into a warm smile.

“Want to try riding it?”

“Really?”

“Of course. There’s no reason not to.”

With the local’s cheerful invitation, Sivar’s face lit up. The local also chuckled heartily.

But who was Sivar? He was treated like a ticking time bomb at the Academy.

Everyone pretended not to, but they were glancing at Sivar with a mix of worry and excitement. Could he really get through this unscathed?

-Tap, tap

When the local patted the camel’s side, the camel folded its legs, lowering itself to a more comfortable height.

Sivar glanced around, then cautiously climbed onto the camel. It seemed like the intelligent animal understood, as it unfolded its legs as soon as Sivar sat down.

“Oh. Ohhhh!”

Sivar was over the moon like a child, making the local beam with joy as well.

After a moment, the local led the camel around, creating a hands-on experience.

But tragically, this time was short-lived, not because of the approaching desert crossing.

“My butt hurts.”

“Haha. If you haven’t ridden before, that’s how it goes. Did you enjoy it?”

“Yeah.”

Sivar hadn’t had any previous riding experience. Ultimately, he couldn’t endure the discomfort and hopped down from the camel.

He graciously bowed to the local who had helped him.

The local seemed to take a liking to Sivar and even promised to let him ride again if he wanted.

“Do you know Tartar too?”

“I hear that Tartar is a tough language to learn.”

It was during this time that Sivar began gaining the favor of the Tartarians bit by bit.

After finishing his riding experience, two figures approached him: Karas and Danyerin.

They were impressed by Sivar’s ability to communicate fluently in Tartar. And why not? Tartar is a notoriously tricky language.

“Yeah. I learned it.”

“Who taught you? Princess Kara?”

“No, I learned it by myself.”

He learned it by himself. Essentially, that meant he was self-taught. Those words left a strange expression on Karas and Danyerin’s faces.

They were already aware that Sivar could understand the languages of all nations.

However, they had thought he couldn’t actually use them properly. They understood it that way.

“How long have you been learning Tartar?”

“About a month or two?”

“In just a month or two, you can converse with locals without a hitch?”

While Danyerin muttered in disbelief, Karas swiftly began to think.

“Are you thinking of learning Matran next?”

“Matran?”

“Right. Coincidentally, a lot of Academy students are from the Matra Empire, so it wouldn’t hurt.”

As soon as Danyerin heard that suggestion, she frowned and shot Karas a glare. Karas simply smiled quietly in response.

Sivar, facing forward, wore a charming smile, as usual, but that was not the case for Danyerin. She was beside him.

So, in her view, it was more like a sneer than a smile. Truly an irritating human.

‘Interpreters are invaluable resources for a country.’

There are various languages in the world, and the importance of interpreters cannot be overstated.

Sometimes, depending on an interpreter’s skills, they can even be granted diplomatic positions; they’re that valuable.

Moreover, if there’s powerful strength added to that? It could be a justification for granting a fitting ‘title.’

Sivar’s language skills surpassed even the category of ‘genius.’ If they were brought in, he could definitely be granted a title.

Karas wrapped up his calculations in a short amount of time. Hadn’t Sivar just said he’d gotten a handle on Tartar in just a month or two?

“That’s for later. Right now, I’m planning to learn the Eastern language.”

“What?”

“Our country?”

But Sivar’s response went beyond Karas’s expectations.

Not just a refusal; he mentioned learning Danyerin’s native tongue.

Danyerin felt a mix of surprise and joy but was also puzzled. Why was he interested in learning the Eastern language?

Also, even though it was called the Eastern language, it included not just the Hwan Empire but numerous allied countries as well. It’d be hard to learn.

“Yeah. We’re going to experience learning soon.”

“Is that really the only reason?”

“Well, is there even a reason to learn otherwise?”

Because they’re going to that country, he learns it. Such a simple-minded way of thinking.

And that was a perfectly justifiable reason. For the first time in a while, Karas was at a loss for words, clicking his tongue.

Meanwhile, Danyerin smiled brightly, clearly happy. Especially since she thought that she had ‘protected’ Sivar from that tasteless Prince.

“I see. Then if you need help, just call me. I’m always here to lend a hand.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

“Thanks? Hah.”

Danyerin maintained her gentle smile and turned to look at Karas.

In response to her gaze, Karas faced her with an unusually uncomfortable expression.

Slowly, Danyerin started to drop her smile, revealing a peculiar reaction.

“Pfft.”

“…”

An unmistakable sneer. There was no way one could mistake it for anything other than a laugh.

While the corners of Karas’s eyes twitched, Danyerin quietly slipped away.

Did they sense the ominous vibes? Sivar quietly inched away from him, feeling like he should run from the weird tension.

Better safe than sorry; that wilderness instinct kicked into gear.

‘Though, actually, Frozen takes priority.’

In truth, he was set to learn Frozenese first to help Reina with her dyslexia.

But saying he wanted to learn the Eastern language wasn’t entirely false. A month was more than enough for Frozen.

“In five minutes, we’ll depart! Make sure you’re all ready!”

As time passed, the desert crossing began.

“Ughhh… it’s too hot…”

“The Tartars were escorting the caravan in this weather…?”

“There must be a solid reason. It wouldn’t make sense otherwise.”

Respect for the Tartars rose high in the hearts of the students.

*****

The first day of the desert crossing passed without major incidents. It had started in the afternoon, and they were just at the beginning.

The night watch also went without issue. Locals and professors stood guard, while the students volunteered, more or less.

As the day rolled on and dawn approached, it was time to pack up the makeshift tents.

“Ugh…”

The first student to rise was Luna. The sleeping arrangements weren’t terrible, but she just found herself awake.

Not just her, other students began waking up one by one. In the desert, the start of the day came just before sunrise.

Once the sun rose, it became so swelteringly hot that it was hard to move. Hence, going to bed early and waking up early become the routine.

‘Still, it’s not too bad.’

At least that thought crossed her mind. She hadn’t yet encountered any dangerous animals like scorpions or snakes.

Luna half-heartedly tidied her makeshift tent and walked off to wash up. Showering was a luxury in this desert, so she could only wash her face.

As she trudged along with sleepy eyes, a figure entered her line of sight.

‘…Who is that?’

It was someone she hadn’t seen before. Only their back was visible, but black hair and brown skin indicated they were a local.

For some reason, that local was tidying up the students’ tents, even though it wasn’t their job.

“Hey…”

“?”

When Luna cautiously called out, the local turned around, allowing her to see his face directly.

He was handsome, but what stood out the most were those red eyes. Luna tilted her head at the sight of those red irises.

‘He looks a lot like Sivar… doesn’t he?’

They looked so much alike, aside from the fact that this one had brown skin instead of the usual pale.

Luna studied his face closely several times and then asked ambiguously, “Did someone originally live here?”

The local responded bluntly to her question.

“Me.”

“…?”

Luna tilted her head again, her confusion deepening.

“Are there doppelgangers in Tartar…?”

“…”

The doppelganger wore a face that clearly showed how ridiculous he thought that was and muttered in Tartar.

“Idiot.”

“Oh. So you are a local after all.”

“…”

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