Chapter 124
The clothing of Dongryeong was quite different in both style and the way it was worn and removed. While the attire of Seoryeong had many buttons, Dongryeong’s garments mostly relied on ties and straps. The fabric was softer, and the fit was wider and longer, giving an overall flowing appearance.
With Kalph’s help, I changed into the outfit and put on the sturdy hat. Looking in the mirror, my reflection was unfamiliar; even people who knew me would likely not recognize me.
“That should do it.”
Kalph nodded with satisfaction after tying the strings of the hat himself.
“I’d like to guide you, but I’m still not supposed to go out. However, Epethes knows this area well, so you should be fine. I’ll contact the others just in case.”
The others he referred to were the remaining two Knights. I mentioned it wasn’t necessary, but he replied that it was a matter of procedure and not to worry. Normally, an Acacia, even if not the King, always had to be accompanied by at least one Knight.
“Even with a Guardian, you never know what might happen.”
I could easily guess what he was thinking about. The incidents that befell the King would have had even more tragic outcomes without the knights.
Considering this was a particularly sensitive time, it was very considerate of him to allow me to go out at all. Realizing this, my instinctive resistance subsided. There would be many things I’d need to adapt to.
“Are you ready to head out?”
Epethes, who had been leaning against the doorframe waiting for me to get ready, straightened up. He was also dressed for an outing, wearing a hat similar to mine, though everything he wore was still black, even the hat.
“Have a good time. Don’t go too far. It would be best if you returned before sunset.”
“Yes, I will.”
“And especially, avoid going to the ‘outskirts’ of the territory. It’s outside the barrier and dangerous. Epethes knows the boundaries.”
“Yes.”
Nodding at Kalph’s emphatic warnings, I stepped out. Though I didn’t show it, I felt a slight pang of guilt. The very purpose of my outing was to head to those outskirts.
“Mischief is always more fun when done secretly.”
I chuckled at Epethes who gave me a playful wink. If Kalph found out, he’d likely have us both by the scruff of our necks, but I felt a bit like a mischievous child sneaking out for an adventure.
* * *
I learned about the ‘outskirts’ through conversations between Kalph and the elders. It was the names that popped up in their discussions that piqued my interest.
“Is this really the right direction?”
“Yes, it is.”
Taking a moment to cool off, I looked around slowly. Just a short distance from the bustling area, the view was nothing but dense forest. The atmosphere here was quite different from Seoryeong, likely due to the different types of trees. The leaves’ colors, the size and shape of the rocks, and even the hue of the sky seemed different. The commonality was that it didn’t feel like a place where people would live comfortably.
Having already left the safe ‘inner’ area, we were now in the complete wilderness. This region was home to monsters and beasts, and it was possible for other races to pass through.
Of course, there was no defined path, and the terrain was very rugged. Without Epethes’s help, I would have given up long ago.
Finally, when I found a cave nestled between rocks, I felt a mixture of emotions. Instead of feeling relief at having arrived, I was more perplexed by the sight that didn’t meet my expectations.
“… Is this really the place?”
“Regrettably, yes.”
His curt response made me sigh. It was a narrow, dirty cave at first glance. The entrance was littered with old ropes and paper scraps, which made it look even more eerie.
Upon closer inspection, the papers had strange, red symbols drawn on them. Epethes, examining the drawings with curiosity, muttered to himself.
“This is sacred magic.”
“Sacred? Like a religious ritual?”
“It’s similar. Looks like its purpose is to seal or purify something malignant. Though it’s a bit crude, so it doesn’t seem particularly effective.”
“… Trying to keep something from entering?”
“Or from leaving.”
His playful response didn’t elicit a smile. Just then, someone suddenly emerged from inside the cave. It was a familiar face.
“Damn it, they hung these things up again.”
He immediately started removing the papers and ropes from the entrance. He was so quick and thorough that he seemed quite practiced at it, tearing everything down with ease.
“Huh? Who the hell are you guys?”
He only noticed us once the entrance was somewhat cleared and frowned. Before we could even respond, he threw the rope he was holding in our direction.
“Did you do this?”
“…”
“Give me a break. Aren’t you guys tired of coming all the way here to do this crap every day? How much free time do you have to waste on such pointless acts? What do you even get out of this?”
His expression and tone were ones I’d never seen before. It made me wonder if I had mistaken him for someone else. His hair color was slightly different due to the lingering color of flowers, leading me to momentarily entertain the thought. But no matter how many times I looked, he was unmistakably the same person. Swallowing hard, I calmly called his name.
“Irei.”
“Yeah, I’m Irei. The guy you’re all desperately looking for isn’t interested in dealing with your kind, so just get the hell out of here.”
It really was him. He still hadn’t recognized my voice, maintaining his harsh demeanor. Watching him irritably wave his hand, I tried again.
“Irei, it’s…”
“Didn’t you hear me say get lost? Just leave peacefully before I have to draw my sword.”
“Um, Irei, it’s me.”
“Ha, like anyone would fall for…”
His voice trailed off as he finally looked at me more closely. The realization dawned on him, and he halted his tirade, his aggressive posture slightly deflated.
In that moment, the sarcastic reply he was about to give was halted. He seemed to have finally recognized the familiarity in my voice, the excitement and confusion evident on his face. I untied the string holding my hat in place and removed it, watching his eyes widen in shock.
“Wh-What? Oh my…”
“It’s been a while. How have you been?”
“This… this is crazy!”
Without thinking, he quickly covered his mouth as if trying to catch the words that had escaped. He then scrutinized me closely with disbelief still lingering in his eyes.
“Sei? Is it really you, Sei?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
As I answered, he slapped his own cheeks with both hands. Startled, I watched as he rubbed his now red cheeks, mumbling incoherently.
“It hurts, so this isn’t a dream… Wait, no! Sei, why are you here? No, no! I’m not saying I’m unhappy to see you! It’s just that, I heard you woke up! And your hair! Wow, I… Oh, my god. I don’t even know what to say. My mind feels completely empty.”
—This is the most dramatic reaction I’ve ever seen.
I couldn’t help but laugh at the comment echoing in my head. Honestly, I couldn’t deny having similar thoughts. Seeing me laugh only seemed to fluster Irei more.
“No, I didn’t mean it that way at all!”
“It’s fine. You’re amazed that I’m really Acacia. It’s okay. Everyone reacted similarly.”
“Oh, uh, well…”
“And there’s no need to change how you address me or your attitude. Just treat me as you always did. Everyone else has agreed to do the same.”
He swallowed hard, perhaps caught off guard by my words. Clearly, he had contemplated changing his speech. After a moment of awkward hesitation, he gave an uneasy laugh.
“It’s really been a long time, Sei. Congratulations on your Awakening, even if it’s late. Seeing you become an adult safely makes me very happy.”
“Thank you. Are you feeling well?”
“As you can see, I’m fine. Luckily, I’ve been fortunate. But how did you get here? This is outside the territory’s barrier, so they shouldn’t have let you leave.”
As he spoke, Irei glanced nervously at Epethes standing behind me. It seemed even for him, my Guardian was an intimidating presence.
“I just came. I heard that you two were here.”
“What? So you specifically came to find us?”
“Yes. Oh, and I should clarify, we didn’t put up those ropes.”
“Ugh, I figured as much. I’m the one who should apologize for jumping to conclusions and getting angry. But who told you about this place…”
“Irei, what are you doing over there?”
Another familiar face appeared from the cave’s depths. This time, it was Talis.
“I’ve told you, no need to engage everyone who comes by… What the…”
Because I had my hat off, we managed to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings this time. Recognizing me instantly, Talis trailed off, his mouth agape.
“This is crazy—is that really you, Sei? Am I dreaming?”
His reaction—slapping his own cheek—was a déjà vu moment. Irey awkwardly averted his gaze from mine.
“I already did that. This is reality, and yes, it’s really Sei.”
“Oh, okay… you could’ve told me sooner.”
“You slapped yourself before I could say anything. What are you even talking about?”
Rubbing his stinging cheek briefly, Talis began to approach me with a pleased look but stopped abruptly, now cautiously checking my reaction.
“Um, so why are you here, Sei…? This isn’t somewhere you’d just stumble upon.”
“He came to see us.”
“Really? … Hmm, so does he know everything?”
His voice lost all energy. Irei, too, hesitated, unable to readily reply. I took a moment to observe both of them. In Seoryeong, they were some of the liveliest people. Even in the desperate, final moments filled with grief, their eyes had not lost their intense spark.
But now, the vibrant energy that once defined them seemed absent. Though alive, they appeared withered, much like the harsh surroundings enveloping them.