WNC 362

I watched the first sunrise of the new year on Makrir’s back. It was thanks to the Sun God, who offered to take us as far as he could.

He said the black magicians’ stronghold was in the Indus Canyon, southeast of the Shatun Desert. The canyon, which separated the desert from Biban and Yulan, was made up of high and low mountains and strange rock formations.

The giant Makrir carrying us headed east, stepping onto the hardest ground of the desert where endless red plains stretched out.

The Ninth God seemed to be watching the Sun God, who was by our side. The zombies that had swarmed us right after we left the Sanctuary of the Sun were now only seen sporadically from afar after a few scorching encounters, no longer desperately trying to attack us.

It was a peaceful and comfortable time, even with what lay ahead.

Watching the sun rise from a very low place while being in a very high place was a special experience. My back was dark, and my front was blue, but a red line first drew a straight line across the horizon before the bright sun popped up as if pushed. Even with my eyes narrowed against the glare, no one looked away.

The sound of birdsong drifted from afar. Life still remained in the desert that the dead had swept through. For some reason, my chest felt warm. I didn’t know if it was the premature emotion, or the child nuzzling against my chest, burying their cheek against me.

“May the new year be filled with only joyful things.”

“Joyful things? Like, going to meet the zombies’ dad?”

“Oh, it’s a day for saying things like that. Hurry.”

Marianne’s bickering with Hugh Benson could be heard nearby. The child, clutching Makrir’s thorns one by one and stamping their feet, was cute. Those watching also began exchanging New Year’s greetings one by one.

“Have a happy new year,” “May you achieve everything you wish for this year,” “You’ve worked hard this year.”

Amidst the voices sharing and adding, Ruben’s voice added tenderness.

“In the new year… I hope everything you wish for comes true, Mika.”

“What I wish for?”

“What I wish for, too.”

Then, a soft breath touched my cheek.

I felt like a waterskin that had downed five jars of liquor in one gulp. A warm energy rose in my belly, sloshing with Makrir’s steps. The day I flinched from the lips that briefly touched and pulled away was long past.

I glanced at the backs of the many people chattering away in the sunlight, then lowered my gaze. Ruben was looking up at me with expectant eyes.

Unable to hold back any longer, I briefly pressed my lips to the child’s temple and pulled away.

Our clasped hands were slick with sweat, and the sound of my pounding heart was loud. Had Ruben smiled again? My cheeks were burning so much that I didn’t have the courage to look at his face any longer.

I sat like that all day, my heart in turmoil.

* * *

After three days’ journey from the Sanctuary of the Sun, we had to walk on foot.

The Sun God, having set us down, hovered anxiously, as if sending a child on an errand. At first, he had spoken as if entrusting us with a feat only our group could accomplish, or as if it were something our group could easily handle, but his current worried demeanor was displeasing.

According to the god’s explanation, the Origin Proclamation could not be easily revoked. He explained that because it had not yet been five years since the Origin Proclamation, it was certain that the black magicians’ hideout was hidden within the Indus Canyon.

[From this point on, it is his territory, and my power cannot reach. Of course, he has a head on his shoulders, so he won’t try to kill you immediately…]

We, all Sword Masters or possessing a soul of similar magnitude, would be coveted prey. Even if not killed immediately, we didn’t know what would happen if we were captured.

[I will share a fragment of my power with you. Be careful, as you never know what that madman might do if cornered.]

I accepted what was offered without refusal. The smooth gold pieces were similar in size to the gold coins of the Sierran Empire. The back had no pattern, and the front was engraved with a single petal, which, at first glance, resembled an arrow.

Marianne, who had been interrupting the sylphs’ games, asked affectionately,

“Can’t we bring the sylphs?”

[Because the master of this domain has not permitted it. Instead, this petal will show you the way.]

“Didn’t you say you didn’t know where the black magicians were?”

[This… is not to show you the way to them. It points the direction back to me. If you get lost… follow the direction this petal indicates and return to me.]

As I looked at the faces of my companions, overcome with emotion, a question I couldn’t hold back burst out from within me.

“Why are you going this far?”

[… ]

I thought this question wouldn’t be taken as an accusation by a god. Yet, the fact that there was no immediate answer made me worried.

Just as I was regretting speaking unnecessarily, yellow pollen rose like a cloud from high above. Did I say something funny? I felt sick.

[It is because you are a complete outsider, Mikael. These children here… do not doubt my words. But you are different.]

“…”

[Most of the souls who crossed over with you have already mixed with the beings of this land and become one. But because you have not forgotten yourself… you can still distrust me, and I trust such you.]

“…”

[Go.]

…There was no way to refuse those words.

The God of Oasis called me Jeongyeon, and the Sun God called me Mikael. However, to them, I was still an outsider. I had to gain the favor of the land’s owner to survive here.

I simply looked ahead and walked.

At some point, a black night, devoid of stars or moon, covered my head.

We were seasoned at pushing forward through zombies. The Sun God had been very worried when he set us down, but for some reason, there were fewer zombies than when we were heading towards the Sanctuary.

Occasionally, we dug into the ground and buried magic stones deep. It was an effort not to retrace our steps. Each time, a part of the ground glowed purplish. Thinking about retracing our steps later, following Marianne’s mana traces, gave me a strange feeling.

Giselle, who had just finished patting the ground where the magic stones were buried to help the child, made a casual joke.

“Still, it feels like we’re on a special adventure.”

“Adventure?”

“It does. There’s Your Highness, and knights, and many mercenaries…”

When I decided to embark on this long journey, I had worried most about Giselle. Giselle didn’t have the responsibility of entrusting the future of the Sierran Empire. She didn’t have the bond with the lost like Leon, nor the sense of mission to follow God’s command like John.

She had only come to guide our party and ended up coming this far by chance, yet she had a surprisingly smiling face. Marianne, who walked beside her, quickly linked arms with Giselle and nuzzled her cheek against her shoulder, acting spoiled.

“What about me?”

“There’s a beautiful wizard like this, too.”

“So you’re happy?”

“Yes. It feels rewarding for how hard it is… It’s strange. Anyway, something like this…”

She chose her words carefully for a moment before gripping her sword properly. She finished her sentence, preparing for the next shift.

“It’s not a common occurrence. It makes me feel like I’ve become someone special.”

“The Sun God says he only gives trials one can handle. If, by some slim chance… we were to lose our lives, he personally guaranteed he would be watching from behind, so my heart is light.”

“Die? What do you mean?”

“We received the Sun Flower.”

Seeing my bewilderment, Ruben interjected with an awkward smile.

“It’s a myth. The Sun God is famous for personally guiding the path of souls he cherishes. It’s said that those with special faith sometimes have a Sun Coin, which wasn’t even placed in their coffins.”

“…Like the one we received?”

“Yes. A faithful gold coin with a sun flower engraved on it.”

“The part about getting lost, then?”

“…Probably.”

It meant that if we got lost, we should walk in the indicated direction to come out, and if we died, he would take us in.

After a moment of shock, a feeling of indignation arose. I felt deceived, even though no one had intended to deceive me. It was wrong to have let my guard down, especially after being disgusted by their inhuman actions just the other day.

As if I seemed overly surprised, laughter rippled among the mercenaries.

“Well, would he really send us to our deaths? He said that because he’s worried.”

“It’s true that this coin shows the direction of the Sanctuary of the Sun. Look, when I hold it like this, the petal always points in the same direction.”

“Of course, it should.”

“Believing in a god is not much different from believing in a peaceful afterlife. Still, the Sun God tends to arrange things so that one can do as much as possible during their lifetime. If possible, I want to return alive and see his smiling face one more time.”

“…”

Is it because I am an outsider that I cannot be fully moved by John’s words?

As I was contemplating, Hugh Benson, with a stoic expression, spoke.

“Still, it doesn’t seem like it’s much further now.”

“Yes?”

“No matter how vast the Indus Canyon is, the Sun God isn’t brainless. He would have placed us somewhere that looks closer to him. The terrain is quite rough. While blood corpses might climb, there aren’t many paths suitable for steel corpses.”

“…”

“It looks like there’s something down there, past that hill we can see. Let’s go. And…”

Awooo. The howl of wolves could be heard from afar.

“I think dying in the name of God is just as shitty.”

“Haha, I agree.”

Ruben replied immediately, glancing at my face.

Only then did I realize I had been narrowing my brow without realizing it. Still, it was a relief that the child had no intention of dying. Perhaps I was confused by meeting those who seemed to skip through time.

I wanted to protect Ruben’s present. There was no need to consider the afterlife right now. I steeled my resolve.