Chapter 55

(3)

5.

It was quite a while later that Ulan came to his senses after fainting.

To be exact, it was thanks to the inspector who came to wake him up with dinner. The inspector looked at Ulan with a baffled face.

“Why on earth are you sleeping on the floor when there’s a perfectly good bed…?”

It was probably because he wanted to know why Ulan was on the ground instead of in bed.

Sensing the follow-up question, Ulan replied nonchalantly, “I fell asleep while reading a book.”

“…on the floor?”

“That’s right.”

The inspector had a peculiar expression on his face.

But he quickly understood. Since Ulan was from the barbarian tribes, he might be more accustomed to the floor than a desk.

After clearing up a significant misunderstanding.

He looked at Ulan again.

“I’ve properly conveyed your statement to the higher-ups.”

While Ulan was out cold, the inspector had completed his job. He handed over all the collected materials to Dean Berge and set the date for the committee meeting.

“The committee will meet in two days. I’ll minimize your punishment as much as possible, so just stay quiet until then. Don’t cause any trouble.”

“Understood.”

Ulan nodded obediently.

Unlike when they first met, Ulan had been quite compliant lately. Thus, the inspector trusted him and turned to leave.

“Then rest. I’ll see you in the morning.”

After bidding farewell.

The inspector left the room. Following that, Ulan devoured the meal the inspector brought like a Geth.

He left no crumbs behind.

He drank every last drop of water, yet Ulan wore a somehow dissatisfied expression.

The reason was simple.

“…It’s not enough.”

The food portion was ridiculously small.

Of course, it wasn’t the inspector’s fault.

He had brought enough food for two persons, after all. The catch was that Ulan usually ate more than five servings.

Maybe that’s why?

Growl!

His stomach protested, demanding more food.

Ulan licked his lips with regret.

“I wish there was something else to eat.”

Ideally, he wanted to head to the dining hall and grab more food, but that wasn’t an option.

Doing so would violate the restriction of not leaving the dormitory and not encountering others.

“But staying here…”

It was problematic. If he was hungry, his concentration would wane, and more importantly, it would be hard to fall asleep. While he was deep in thought.

Saaaaah!

A cool breeze swept in through the window.

Along with it came the scent of the forest.

“Ah.”

Ulan instinctively lifted his head.

His gaze was drawn outside the window, to the vast forest stretching behind the dormitory. The moment he saw that view, a sudden memory popped into his mind.

“Right, come to think of it…”

A fact he learned during an earlier walk.

There were many trees deep inside that forest bearing fruit in abundance. And some of those were fruits that Ulan particularly liked.

Just a big bite would burst forth with sweet aromas and refreshing juice. Remembering this made his mouth water.

“Should I go fill my stomach a bit?”

Ulan stood up.

For a moment, he wondered if it was against the rules, but it wasn’t. The forest was right next to the dormitory. So it could be reasonably considered part of the surrounding area.

And there was no worry about encountering anyone.

It was currently 7 PM.

The professors had already left for the day, and other students would be busy in the dormitory, dining hall, or library. There was no way anyone would be wandering through the dark, sparsely populated forest.

After coming to that conclusion.

Ulan smiled contentedly.

“I can slip out for a bit.”

Just as he finished crafting his miraculous logic.

He threw the window wide open.

The wind, rich with the scent of the forest. Inhaling deeply, Ulan leaped out the window.

Wham! Bam!

However, he didn’t just drop to the ground.

If he had, someone might come running to check what the noise was. So he clung to the wall and quickly descended to the ground.

Once he reached the ground.

Ulan swiftly disappeared into the woods.

His destination was deep within the forest.

Right inside the ‘Eastern Forest.’

6.

Around the same time.

Noa headed to the library.

Her initial plan was to stop by and check in on Ulan, but that fell flat.

Currently, Ulan was under suspension.

‘Then I won’t get to see him for a while.’

The suspension period was a full 30 days.

Perhaps it was the thought of not being able to see Ulan for a whole month that made Noa feel a bit empty.

But that feeling was short-lived.

Upon arriving at her destination, she shook off her distractions. She then nodded respectfully at the librarian, Ervan, sitting on the first floor.

“Hello, Mr. Librarian.”

“Ah, it’s you, Noa.”

The librarian in charge of the new students’ section.

Ervan welcomed Noa with a smile.

Naturally, he would. Noa had made a point of visiting the library every day for the past few days to leave a good impression.

And she always greeted him politely.

A stark contrast to other students who often ignored librarians. It was no wonder that Ervan had grown fond of her.

“You just missed it. The materials you were looking for last time have just arrived.”

“Wow, really?”

Noa’s face lit up.

Four days ago.

Noa had visited the library to research one specific topic: the connection between Silfi Rudrik and Kazan Rudrik.

‘But it wasn’t here.’

So, she placed a request for materials at the Central Library, the biggest one at the academy. And today, on the fourth day, it looked like the requested book had just arrived.

Meanwhile, Ervan rummaging through the shelves pulled out a book and handed it to Noa.

A somewhat old and tattered book.

The title quickly caught Noa’s eye.

【The Biography of Kazan Rudrik】

Instantly, her eyes sparkled.

While it might not provide exactly what she needed, any record about Kazan could give her some clues.

Just as she was about to grasp the book.

Suddenly, Ervan spoke up.

“It’s okay in the library, but if you intend to borrow it, you might want to put it in your bag. All books related to the Desert Kingdom have been deemed forbidden by the Empire.”

She immediately understood what that meant.

It implied that those from the Empire or the Holy Nation might cast a disapproving gaze her way.

Noa nodded quickly.

“Thank you for your concern.”

“No problem. Then study hard.”

With a warm send-off.

Noa made her way to the second-floor reading room. Actually, borrowing and heading back to her dorm would have been more convenient, but today, she really didn’t want to return.

It was because her roommate, Velkina Rudishant, was being exceptionally difficult today. Just thinking of Velkina made Noa’s brow furrow.

‘Ugh, I really want to switch rooms.’

She would rather share a room with Ulan.

At least Ulan wouldn’t be picky or meddle in her business. Grumbling internally, Noa soon settled into a suitable seat.

‘Alright, now…’

Time to read the biography of Kazan Rudrik.

With curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

Noa opened the book right away.

7.

Kazan Rudrik.

A hero representing the ancient Desert Kingdom.

Born with a blessed physique, he possessed not only fighting skills but also the ability to communicate with beasts.

Thus, he formed a legion composed of animals and was even called the King of Beasts. After reading this, Noa had a slightly surprised look on her face.

‘Wait, was he a hybrid character?’

Kazan was a great hero and a formidable warrior.

Naturally, she had assumed he was a pure warrior like Ulan, but who would’ve thought he was a mix between a druid and warrior.

Quite unexpected. Noa read on with fascination.

Mastery in combat beyond the realm of a master.

On top of that, the power to command beasts.

Kazan roamed the desert with his legion, uniting scattered tribes into a kingdom.

And as a result.

The Desert Kingdom grew to the largest scale since its founding in just three years. It was comparable to the Empire of the time.

However, the era of glory was short-lived.

For suddenly, the desert faced the “Seven Days of Calamity.” At this part, Noa’s gaze grew somber.

‘One of the major incidents in the continent.’

The “Seven Days of Calamity.” This event was one of the biggest mysteries in the original story.

It occurred throughout the ancient desert, and according to records, there was night for seven days, and morning never came.

‘…But that’s all the records say.’

There were no other descriptions explaining the “Seven Days of Calamity.” In other words, no one knows what happened during that time.

Noa calmly focused back on the book with scrutinizing eyes. Maybe this place held a clue about the “Seven Days of Calamity.”

However, there were no detailed records in the text either. The only thing written was that after the calamity ended, more than half of the Desert Kingdom vanished entirely.

Following that, the Desert Kingdom fell into decline.

The once-thriving civilization, which had been as prosperous as the Empire, declined in just a week, and the population decreased by over half.

To make matters worse, a horrific plague spread after the calamity. Along with drought and attacks from immortals.

It was truly adding insult to injury.

The fallen kingdom splintered back into tribal units. And from this point, Kazan began to change little by little as well.

The great hero of the Desert Kingdom, Kazan.

He left the vanished kingdom and wandered the desert. He avoided human contact as much as possible, only communicating with beasts.

A long time passed.

When Kazan reemerged into the world, he was no longer followed by the ancient beasts. Instead, bizarre monsters clad in magic power.

They were the demon beasts (魔獸).

‘Huh? Why are demon beasts showing up out of nowhere?’

Noa looked puzzled.

Of course, it was odd. Demon beasts were entirely different from ordinary animals in both kind and nature.

They possessed no self-awareness, their magic power rampaging, and existed solely to destroy everything around them.

That is the common knowledge to this day.

But Kazan managed to tame these demon beasts.

Not only that, but he controlled them perfectly. Just this fact alone was astonishing, but there was something even more remarkable.

“…Huh?”

Noa suddenly doubted her eyes.

It was the next line that followed: “He turned beasts into demon beasts.”

Of course, that’s a possible method.

By pouring a tremendous amount of magic power into an animal and letting it rampage, a demon beast would be born.

However, what surprised Noa was not so much the method of turning a beast into a demon beast, but the act itself.

Because this was…

‘Isn’t that just what the cultists do?’

The cultists from the southern region of the Empire.

They claimed to be the descendants of the Desert Kingdom and were persecuted by the Empire and the Holy Nation.

Not just because their religion was different, but because their doctrines and purposes posed a threat to humanity. Connecting that thought, Noa recalled the cultists’ goal.

‘To turn all beasts into demon beasts.’

She didn’t know the reason.

But the cultists had lived solely for this purpose and had plans to turn the beasts living beyond the Empire into demon beasts.

Was this their motive?

The cultists in the southern desert were also described as a wicked group in the original.

‘Then does this mean that Kazan Rudrik has some connection to the cultists?’

With this new question in mind.

Noa continued reading, but there wasn’t much more content.

Kazan, who had wandered the desert with his army of demon beasts for five long years, only left behind the words “It’s time” before vanishing like smoke.

That was all that was in the book.

Noa’s expression was oddly unsettled.

It was only natural.

Not only did she fail to find the connection she’d originally sought with Silfi Rudrik, but she also gained a host of new questions instead.

Just then.

“Noa, student?”

A sudden voice calling her name.

It was the librarian Ervan. He placed a thick book on Noa’s desk and said.

“This was returned today, and somehow I thought it might be related to your research.”

Listening to Ervan’s explanation.

Noa instinctively turned to the book. In that moment, her eyes went wide. It felt like she had found a treasure she hadn’t anticipated.

“I thought it might help, so I brought it.”

As she listened to his continuing words.

A smile crept onto Noa’s lips. Moments later, she respectfully bowed her head to Ervan.

“Thank you, Mr. Librarian.”

A heartfelt expression of gratitude.

Noa turned her attention back to the book.

The cover looked quite new and was labeled with the following title.

【The Cultists of the Desert, Bloodline of Rudrik】

It felt like she had found the answer to an unresolved issue.

Noa beamed and said.

“This is really the book I was looking for.”

After expressing her gratitude multiple times.

Noa immediately opened the book. With curiosity and expectation shining in her eyes.

8.

Meanwhile, at that moment.

While Noa was deep in reading.

Ulan was currently climbing a tree.

More accurately, he was using a rope made from vines to swing between trees and pick fruit, but it was easier to say he was climbing.

Thud! Plop!

With skilled hands, Ulan picked the fruit.

After quite some time.

He had gathered a considerable amount of fruit. A satchel made from tangled vines was filled with the fruits.

“This should be enough.”

Ulan smiled with satisfaction.

He then settled in and sat atop a tree that reached several dozen meters high. It might have felt precarious, but he looked remarkably comfortable.

And then he began to feast.

Nom! Slurp!

Juices flowed down his chin from the rich fruits.

The perfectly ripened flesh sweetened Ulan’s mouth. The taste and quantity were just ideal to fill his growling stomach.

“Brings back memories.”

Back when he hadn’t taken the Trial of the Warrior yet.

Ulan used to climb trees like this, often picking and eating fruit.

“At that time, I thought everyone could do it.”

Later, he would discover that wasn’t the case.

Among the warriors, no one could climb trees better than Ulan. As he reminisced about those old days while munching through the fruits.

He gradually felt satisfied.

That should be enough. Ulan finished the last of the fruit he hadn’t eaten and called it a day.

“I still have some fruit left.”

Of course, he didn’t have a lot left.

At most just three or four pieces.

But he didn’t want to waste them, so he decided to take them along. If he got hungry later, he could eat them, or give them as a gift to the inspector who would visit the next day.

Ulan turned his body.

Having achieved his objective, he was ready to head back to the dormitory. However, in that moment, he stopped dead in his tracks. A strange presence emerged from deep within the forest.

‘A presence?’

Could someone else be around?

With that thought, he activated his spirit. Extending his senses to their fullest, he soon detected the distinct sounds of footsteps and breathing.

The presence sharpened.

As realization struck, curiosity sparked within him.

Who on earth could be wandering so deep into the woods at this late hour?

‘Could it be…’

Ulan narrowed his eyes.

A plausible theory crossed his mind. A moment later, he nodded earnestly.

‘Could it be that someone else came here to gather fruit, just like me?’

The presence felt deep in the forest.

That area was filled with trees laden with fruit. If someone was there, it probably meant they had a similar goal as Ulan.

‘I shouldn’t encounter others, but…’

Peeking from a distance should be fine.

Ulan changed his direction, feeling a strange kinship and a sense of excitement.

As he hopped from tree to tree in search of the source of the presence.

At last, he spotted the owner of the presence. Simultaneously, his eyes widened slightly.

‘Huh? Isn’t that…’

A familiar back.

Yet the shadows of the forest obscured the person’s face. Just then, the moon broke through the clouds, illuminating the area and revealing the girl’s face.

It was a girl with a delicate frame, pale skin, and gray hair fluttering in the wind. An adorable figure that was firmly tucked away in Ulan’s memory.

“Silfi?”

The companion he had passed the trial with last time.

The girl was none other than ‘Silfi Rudina.’