Chapter 102: Return
<Lavilan>, the city west of Celaine Estate, next to the border of the Taran Kingdom.
It was a strategic landmark where many trades were conducted between Taran and it also worked as the main point of an attack when the need arose.
Within its inner city was a man training hard on the training ground. And there was a woman who approached the man.
“You look happy today, darling.”
“Yes, I’m not sure why.”
Kora-duum felt her heart warming up at sight of Rian smiling. He always looked lonely when he thought about his brother, whom she had never met, but Rian seemed okay today.
“That’s good. Has there been any trouble lately?”
“No. I just train and fight... there’s no trouble. How about you, darling?”
“It’s okay. I’ve become more close with... the ‘others'”
Kora-duum seemed awkward on what to say about the other wives and Rian smiled.
“Thank you. I really appreciate that. So, are there any problems?”
Kora-duum shook her head.
“It’s quiet. Taran doesn’t seem to have any intention to attack... I heard the north side has increased Harijan attacks.”
She spoke while looking concerned. Kora-duum, a daughter of a Dekon, had a unique skill that allowed her to see the truth. She even managed to look into the partial minds of the Harijans. All Harijans were similar.
<Ferocity, hunger, survival, reproduction>
The Harijans coming over the sky mountains had one more feeling.
<Fear>
They were coming over to Tian to search for food, but they were definitely scared of something. Their fear seemed to grow stronger toward the west, and near Gron-Pilah, even the strongest Harijans didn’t want to go near it.
However, when Kora-duum checked the north side while visiting her father, she felt the fear dissipating from those Harijans.
One didn’t even need to see through the minds of the Harijans. Even now, more Harijans were crossing the Sky Mountain to invade Tian. It seemed that the Harijans figured that it was easier to come over Sky Mountain than attacking the Great North Wall, so the number of Harijans coming over the mountain increased.
“Hm... that’s unsettling.”
Rian groaned. He heard that a Five-Horned Harijan had launched an attack lately. Swordmeister Kiraine and the other warriors managed to fend off the monster, but it was extremely dangerous. The capital knew this and kept sending supplies and weaponry, but they were lacking manpower. The students at Gron-Pilah needed more time to be dispatched in actual combat, and there would be a lot of time left once the Great North Wall expansion reached this region.
“I’m not sure if I can stay here in safety at such times,” Rian said, looking concerned. Kora-duum tried to comfort her husband.
“Don’t say that. Taran is staying back because you and your father are protecting this place. The King asked you to do that personally, remember?”
Taran border was protected by Count Roman, Rian, and Dragona.
“Yes... but I feel helpless here.”
“Don’t worry. My father is helping out also. You should go with me the next time I visit him.”
“Haha... yes, if he allows me to visit him, I definitely will.”
Rian smiled bitterly as he remembered what happened in the past.
<You thief! My daughter is just fourteen! I sent my daughter to study! Not to marry a teacher!>
Rian had to flee when his father-in-law came running after him with <Gaira>. Dekons matured much earlier than humans, but fourteen was still too young.
“He should be okay. He was okay the last time I visited him.”
Rian thought he probably wouldn’t be okay if he went there, but decided not to say it out loud.
“By the way... you said your friends are coming?”
“Yes, you know them too. Mirian and Ron.”
“Oh, them.”
Rian smiled as he thought about his wife’s friends. They were good students, but they always caused problems because of their inquisitive nature. Kora-duum noticed that her husband was worried and smiled.
“Don’t worry. It’s such a short distance. They won’t get into any trouble.”
“Haha, of course. Shall we go eat now?”
Rian escorted Kora-duum inside the house to have a meal with his other wives.
“You bastard! How dare you bully an innocent citizen!”
“Crazy b*tch! Kill her!”
Sian thought about what had led to this as he watched the chaos unfold in front of his eyes.
‘So... it was good until we went to rent the carriage in the city...’
It was right when they passed by the marketplace. There were some ruffians collecting fees from the merchants. Celaine Estate was peaceful compared to the other estates, but it wasn’t perfect. Besides, those ruffians usually worked to prevent other ruffians or beggars from invading the streets so it was usually left alone. Mirian, however, had different ideas about them.
<YOU! What do you think you are!>
<Huh? You don’t know what you’re talking about. Scoot or I will- UGH!>
<SHUT UP!>
Ruffians only had power over merchants as the streets were full of powerful warriors. They trod carefully and never tried to pick a fight with other people. Mirian didn’t care. The ruffians figured she must have some backup and wanted to avoid her, but Mirian smacked the first man’s head and started beating up the others.
“Hah...”
Sian sighed and Ron was holding his forehead in shame while counting the compensation and repair fees for all of destroyed merchant carts and pieces of furniture.
“Ron. Is this your first time traveling together?”
“Yes... Mirian isn’t like that... mostly. I think she got too excited since this is her first trip.”
Ron tried to defend his friend, but Sian figured out that Mirian did cause a lot of problems. He began thinking. It seemed Mirian would make everything inconvenient along the way and it didn’t bode well for the peace-loving Sian.
He would’ve chosen to have gone alone already under normal circumstances.
If they did go separate ways, there was no way for Mirian to arrive at <Lavilan> unharmed. Sian thought about what might happen.
<Sian! Long time no see... <Skipped.> I heard that you had a friend with you when you took the Ra-Shar-Roa. Where are they?>
<Oh, we went separate ways because they caused too much trouble. Oh, hello. You must be Kora-duum. Nice to meet you.>
<Sorry, I don’t feel like introducing myself. My friends, who you left behind, were found dead on the way.>
<Ugh...>
<Sian, was it that hard to bring two students? They were my wife’s friends!>
<It’s your fault!>
<...>
It was all his imagination, but there was the possibility of it becoming real.
“Ugh...”
Sian scratched his head as he watched the situation coming to an end. Sian then called Mirian, who looked satisfied, quietly.
“Uh... Mirian?”
Mirian then turned to Sian and spoke as if she was waiting.
“Hehe, I took care of everything before you did! I assumed it would be too petty for you to handle.”
“...”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be responsible for any troubles.”
“Hm...”
Sian couldn’t say anything as she had spoken first. It wasn’t like she did anything bad either. Sian didn’t want to become her teacher for just ten days, so he made a decision. He wasn’t good at any kind of teaching other than beating people up.
“Ron, Mirian. Can you come here?”
Mirian and Ron approached Sian curiously.
“What is it?”
“Let me ask you something.”
“Go on.”
“Are you afraid of heights? Or, do you throw up when your body is shaken violently...?” Sian asked apologetically, but Mirian scoffed.
“Haha, aren’t you underestimating us? Warriors can’t have something like that.”
“I see. That’s good.”
Sian then picked up Mirian and Ron at once and they became shocked and shouted.
“What are you doing!?”
“Put me down!”
“I’m not kidnapping you, so don’t worry. Just hold on tight.”
Sian then began running. He was running so fast that normal people couldn’t even make out what ran past them with their naked eyes. Mirian and Ron became confused, but they soon realized it and asked as they were being carried on Sian’s shoulders.
“Say... are you trying to run to Lavilan with us up on your shoulders?”
Sian then laughed.
“Haha, no way.”
“Then what...”
“Hahahaha.”
When Sian arrived at a hill where no one else was around, he glanced to check if there were any people around and tightly held onto the two people.
“Huh? What?”
“That will take too long. Shall we go then?”
“What are you- ARGGGHGHGH!”
Before Ron and Mirian could say anything, Sian jumped into the sky at an incredible speed. The ground that Sian kicked off was destroyed as if a bomb had exploded, and Sian flew toward Lavilan like a shooting star.