Chapter 49
The darkness dissipates, and light returns to my vision.
A humid and warm breeze envelops me. Sunlight filters through the leaves, dancing across my skin, while the faint crackling sounds of scorched twigs and pollen from the lightning flash reach my ears.
Before me sits Trian, perched on a rock, catching his breath.
Though he didn’t show it inside the dungeon, it seems even he found this expedition taxing.
“…Where’s Rex?”
“He’ll be out soon.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, a scarred Orc arm emerged from the pitch-black cave entrance.
Rex’s massive body slowly followed, starting with his arm, as he stepped onto the rotten twigs outside.
In his hands rested the Artifact I had gifted him.
‘The Horn Flute that summons them.’
The most coveted piece of Barbarian equipment, ranking among the top two essentials for any Barbarian.
Unlike the ‘Red Gem’ Artifact, which has relatively modest effects, this one could alter the flow of the battlefield with a single use—an Artifact renowned in the community as an indispensable accessory for Barbarians.
Clang.
…And there stood Rex, his first use of the Artifact not on the battlefield, but to transport a hoard of gold coins inside the mighty horn flute.
“You were looking to grab treasures even amidst all this, Rex? You’re more materialistic than I thought.”
Trian sighed deeply upon seeing Rex, who’d filled the horn flute vertically with gold coins using his prosthetic hand to seal the opening and prevent them from spilling.
With both hands occupied in safeguarding the gold, Rex tried to justify himself, though his actions only made him look like a greedy Orc who’d forgotten his own mortality.
Rex turned his eyes toward me, looking indignant.
“Hmm…”
He just didn’t get the hint this time—though nice people are often a bit dense, aren’t they?
“Rex, everyone loves gold. There’s nothing to feel ashamed about. The courage you’ve shown in the dungeon certainly deserves its fair reward in gold… I hope you can carry yourself more proudly.”
And, of course, teasing good-natured people is always amusing.
“Wh-What?! No, General!”
Rex’s eyes were filled with consternation. A man who confronted demons and giant spiders without losing his cool was now flustered by a mere jest—it was quite refreshing.
“When do we return?”
Just as I was about to smile and tease Rex further, Lir interrupted, gripping my robe.
Her gaze was fixated blankly at some point in the air, giving me the chills.
“Let’s return soon.”
What’s with her eyes?
“Well… Rex needs his wound tended to, so we should hurry…”
“Quickly! I need a pen and some paper.”
I thought she was worried about Rex’s injuries and poison, but the sudden demand for a pen and paper left me speechless.
…Did she really get struck by lightning?
Ziiing—
My head began to ring, and I reached my hand to cover it. However, my vision went dark, and my legs gave out.
Right, five minutes.
The last thing I remember is gravity taking over, and hitting the ground with a thud.
—
—
“…Ah.”
The sun had already set. Above me was the familiar, almost monotonous ceiling of a military carriage, while the sound of Dwarf soldiers working continued to echo in my ears.
“Hey! We’re short on timber! When will you guys send it over?!…”
“Aww, Blue Anvil! Your iron reinforcements aren’t straight? If you delay and mess up the finishing, you’ll be the one responsible for tearing it down and rebuilding it!…”
The Dwarves were bustling around, finishing up the construction of weapon warehouses and barracks. Lost in the sounds, I turned my gaze and saw Squad Leader Black Hammer Belua sitting at the entrance of the carriage.
“Are you awake?”
Belua turned toward me with his signature hearty smile, illuminated by the moonlight behind him.
I’m surprised he’s here instead of Lir, who usually greets me when I regain consciousness.
“…How’s the work progressing? Were there any incidents?”
“Well… The Marauders sent out a few reconnaissance mutants mid-way, but they didn’t escalate beyond scouting. It’s probably because they’ve noticed we have a high-ranking Mage like Alter-sama with us, so they’re keeping their distance.”
“Where’s Rex?”
“His wounds were quite deep. We’ve performed emergency treatment, but he needs proper care from a skilled Cleric in the capital, so I’ve already sent him back.”
It’s unfortunate he couldn’t say goodbye, but we’ll meet again soon, I’m sure.
Maybe I should just visit the capital and personally invite him for tea sometime.
“He’s tough, don’t worry. He may have deep injuries, but he’ll be fine.”
“Rex’s resilience isn’t in question. But where are Trian and Lir? I planned to visit Daljin tomorrow…”
BOOM!
A sudden flash of lightning pierced the starry black sky. The thunder shook the carriage, and the Dwarves who dropped their screws muttered curses under their breath.
“…”
“…”
The Black Hammer and I stared at each other in silence.
“…Could that be?”
“Yeah… Right after welcoming you back, she took the pen and paper and disappeared somewhere, obsessively experimenting ever since.”
…If she’s going to practice magic, shouldn’t she at least move somewhere far away? This is causing problems for the workers every time she unleashes her thunder magic.
Is this how it feels when your clumsy daughter causes disturbances in public?
I sighed in embarrassment and apologized softly to Belua.
“…She’s usually not like this, I’m sorry.”
“Haha! Strange antics from Mages? It’s nothing new! If anything, it feels more Mage-like to see behavior like that!”
Black Hammer laughed heartily as he stepped out of the carriage.
“Still, it’s getting late! Even if she’s practicing, it’s better to fetch her soon, don’t you think?”
“…Me?”
I turned to Belua with a clear expression of irritation. Asking a patient who just woke up from a coma to fetch someone… wasn’t that pushing it?
“Lir-sama is expecting you to.”
Belua momentarily looked at me with a disapproving stare before lowering his tone. “She tends to be uncomfortable if someone unfamiliar comes to fetch her.”
Ah, good point. Given Lir’s personality, she might indeed feel uneasy if a stranger comes.
“Who’d have thought you had such a delicate side?”
“As you might not know, I also manage the household’s womenfolk. If you ever have any issues regarding your relationship with Lir-sama, please don’t hesitate to confide in me; I will do my best to assist.”
Household womenfolk?
And how exactly does Belua’s marriage status relate to Lir’s personality?
What sort of complications could possibly arise in my relationship with Lir?
…Did this Dwarf drink before coming here? Half of what he’s saying feels like nonsense.
“…Alright.”
Though I couldn’t outright dismiss someone offering to help, I awkwardly smiled and threw off the blanket to stand. The moment my feet touched the ground, my calves screamed in pain, causing me to wobble.
I took a deep breath to endure the excruciating pain radiating through every joint, then looked at Belua.
“…What about Alter-sama?”
“He just went to sleep. He stayed up guarding us for about 50 hours straight until Bin-sama returned, so don’t think of passing this responsibility to him.”
“But I seriously can’t walk…”
“Of course, this involves effort and suffering. Do you think earning someone’s heart is easy?”
Wait, what exactly has this Dwarf been rambling on about since the beginning?
“Haa… Alright, I get it.”
Pushed by the persistent Belua, I began this perilous journey, my legs unsteady like those of a baby deer.
BOOM!
BOOM!
Even from less than 100 meters away, the massive streaks of lightning illuminated the dark sky in cascades of blue, white, and purple hues.
“Ah, stop it already!”
Through the thunder, Lir’s cries of pain could be heard.
I forced my heavy body to move toward the source of the sound.
Through the fallen trees, Lir came into view.
Surrounding trees had been repeatedly struck by lightning and had turned into fine ash, scattering into the air. Lir’s pale face was smeared with soot and sweat.
Her fingers, tightly gripping her staff, were blistered and bleeding, yet she seemed oblivious to the pain.
The moonlight revealed scattered quills and parchments, drenched and rewritten multiple times.
“Unqualified. Unqualified? No, not that….”
With quivering hands, Lir frantically scribbled on the parchment, crossing things out only to correct and rewrite them again.
She appeared so engrossed that she didn’t even notice my approach.
I watched her repeat the actions of picking up and discarding parchments, feeling an inexplicable sense of resonance.
“…I used to do this too when inspiration struck.”
Her state reminded me of myself in intense creative flow, when I would shout in frustration in my studio apartment, scattering crumpled paper all around, and even receive warnings from the landlord.
And that itch, that maddening urge when you feel like you’re so close to something monumental, yet can’t quite pinpoint where or what it is—it’s something only I understand fully.
After all, I was an artist in my past life, composing music.
…Well, more accurately, someone who aspired to be one.
In any case, this kind of frustration isn’t something anyone can help with.
Under the moonlight, I silently watched Lir in her trance, unable to tear herself away from her pursuit.
Though I felt sorry for Belua, who wanted me to fetch her due to the late hour, I couldn’t interrupt such a crucial moment. No one knows how impactful this might be for Lir’s future.
And besides, watching a usually reserved Lir unleash this chaotic side was oddly entertaining.
—
