Chapter 50

The Treasure of the Harin Clan (2)

In the silent stillness, the High Mage of Sainthea alternated his gaze between Guanglang and me.

There was no trace of the ease he had shown just moments ago.

Why is the Fifth Sovereign here?

It seemed that he was just as confused by the situation as I was. The confusion, tension, and frustration on his face were evident.

'Really, where did you come from?'

I sighed inwardly and gazed at her.

No matter what was happening, it seemed that the immediate crisis had passed.

Even if she was practically a stranger, Guanglang was still an ally in the same camp. Now, the one cornered was the High Mage, not me.

"Are you planning to fight, Fifth Sovereign?"

He spoke in a low, grave voice.

His tone felt more like resignation than a warning or threat.

No matter how powerful the High Mage of Sainthea's royal court might be, the Sovereign of Caldric was a being of a higher caliber. There was a difference of four levels alone.

If Guanglang intended to kill the High Mage, there would be no way for him to survive here.

However, she shook her head.

"Quite the opposite, you fool. After all the trouble I went through to help you, you don’t even show gratitude."

"…What do you mean?"

"Do you even know who you’re facing right now?"

Guanglang tilted her head and asked me.

"By the way, what were you doing in the First Sovereign’s territory, Seventh Sovereign? Did you come here to go fishing?"

At her words, the High Mage turned to me with a look of shock.

I met Guanglang’s gaze without a word.

"…A new Seventh Sovereign? The one who killed Quan Sheng?"

I heard him mutter.

Did he know?

After all, the death of one of the Five Sages was a huge event in Sainthea.

Initially, I was a prisoner on a transport ship, and the timing of the ship’s attack coincided with the birth of a new Sovereign in Caldric.

Unless one was a fool, the Sainthea side would have roughly figured out who the killer of Quan Sheng was through the situation and investigations.

Of course, even if it was revealed, it wouldn’t matter much.

Even though Sainthea and Caldric had formed a temporary alliance against the massive enemy, the Ma Clan, it was only on the surface. Behind the scenes, countless conflicts still occurred.

Unless he was killed outright, even with evidence and suspicion, it would be impossible to turn it into a political issue.

And what the High Mage should be concerned about now was his own safety.

'…So, you helped him?'

I looked at Guanglang, lost in thought.

From her words, it seemed she had no intention of fighting the High Mage, but I couldn’t understand why.

She encountered a significant force from Sainthea in Caldric’s territory.

Especially for someone who enjoyed combat, there was no reason for her to let them go easily.

"That guy is the High Mage of Sainthea’s royal court, Seventh Sovereign. Are you going to kill him?"

Guanglang asked me.

I pondered how to respond.

Since she didn’t seem to want to get involved in the fight, it was awkward to agree. But it was also awkward to say no.

In such situations, the best response is to maintain a dignified silence. The other party will interpret it as they see fit.

Guanglang seemed to interpret my silence as a positive response.

She scratched her head and said with a strange expression.

"Listen, Seventh Sovereign. I don’t know what’s going on, but can you let this one slide?"

From her words, I understood why she didn’t want to fight the High Mage.

"I owe that mage a favor from the past. If you try to kill him, I can’t just stand by and watch."

…A favor?

It seemed they knew each other. Perhaps there was a connection between Guanglang and the High Mage, something not mentioned in the game.

I narrowed my eyes and spoke.

"If you won’t let him go?"

Guanglang clicked her tongue and replied.

"Didn’t I say? I won’t just stand by and watch."

"…"

I glanced back.

I saw the chief lying on the ground, pale, and Anne, who was holding him and crying.

His pulse, which I could sense with my heightened senses, was weak and about to fade.

"Please, try to stay with us…!"

Honestly, the situation was turning out well.

If I just let her words go, the High Mage would escape.

Then I wouldn’t have to face any danger, and the Harin clan would be safe. But…

'…Why does this feel so wrong?'

The chief’s situation was tragic, but there was nothing much I could do.

If I insisted on pursuing the High Mage, it would be a meaningless and foolish act that would only worsen the situation.

But perhaps due to the spirit of the emperor, or the occasional conflict between my rationality and my words, I spoke again.

"Are you going to die with him, Fifth Sovereign?"

"…"

At my words, Guanglang’s pupils dilated vertically like a predator’s.

She twisted her lips and slowly reached for the hilt of the greatsword on her back.

"…I don’t have to."

At that moment, the chief’s weak voice broke the tense atmosphere.

The tribal members, who had been watching the situation in silence, finally gathered around the chief.

"Grandfather…"

I stared at Guanglang and then turned around.

The chief coughed and continued speaking with difficulty.

"Ron, I’m sorry, but… can I ask you one last favor?"

It seemed he sensed the end and was leaving his final words.

"Please protect the tribe from that human mage… until everyone is safe in the lake. That’s all I ask."

Since the High Mage had no choice but to retreat, it was a promise that would naturally be kept.

I sighed and replied.

"Don’t worry."

"…Thank you. And Anne."

She lifted her head weakly, sobbing.

"Looks like this place will be my grave."

"…"

"Even if you think of revenge, don’t. My life was already short. I couldn’t return to my homeland sea, but… it’s fine. There’s no need for anyone to be angry or sad."

"Ugh…"

"If I die, bury my body in the earth and release the crystal into the lake. Let it flow with the river to the sea…"

His voice, which had been intermittent, gradually faded, and he stopped speaking.

The tribal members, who had been listening to his final words, closed their eyes one by one in silent mourning. Anne shed tears endlessly with a hopeless look.

Crack.

After a short while, the chief’s chest split open, and a blue gemstone appeared inside.

Anne reached out and slowly picked it up.

The High Mage, who had been watching, widened his eyes.

"Magic crystal…"

A gemstone formed from a lifetime of accumulated magic power. The essence of pure magic.

To mages, it was a priceless treasure that could not be artificially created.

Anne, who had turned to him, glared fiercely.

"Just for this piece of stone!"

She screamed in a torn voice.

"Half of the land already belongs to you humans! You’ve conquered and occupied all the land and resources!"

"…"

"When will you be satisfied?! How much more do you need to take to be content?!"

"That is a treasure of no use to you."

The High Mage narrowed his eyes and spoke.

"And what a foolish thing to say, Harin clan. It was we humans who ultimately protected this continent through the long war. The hero beheaded the Demon King and repelled the evil Ma Clan’s invasion. Who do you think has maintained the peace of this land? Yet you…"

"High Mage."

I interrupted.

"Take your chance to leave."

He looked at me with a grimace.

I felt dirty and taunted him further.

"And it wasn’t just humans who repelled the Ma Clan’s invasion. What a shameless thing to say."

"…Ultimately, the one who sealed the Demon King was—"

"Right, the hero. But was it your doing? It was the hero’s achievement, not the empire’s or humanity’s."

"That hero is the guardian of our Sainthea."

"The guardian of an empire that hunts and massacres innocent races. You know that, don’t you? The hero despises your emperor and royal court."

The only reason the hero has tolerated the royal court’s secret atrocities is because she truly cares for the continent’s peace.

And the emperor, like a rat, has been carefully balancing the line, using his children as shields.

I cut off his attempt to protest.

"Leave now. If we meet again, I will kill you, no matter the circumstances."

Guanglang, who had been standing with her arms crossed, nodded.

"Go. This pays off the debt. If you show up in Caldric again, I’ll kill you."

The High Mage bit his lip, rose into the air, and disappeared into the distance in an instant.

The situation was temporarily resolved.

Guanglang, who had been looking at the sky, turned her gaze to me. She then pointed to her neck and asked.

"Did you really intend to kill me?"

"…"

"Killing a Sovereign could lead to unpredictable actions from the Grand Sovereign. But you seem to not care about that, just like me…"

"What were you doing here?"

She tapped her sword and answered.

"I wasn’t doing anything. I was just on my way back from giving my sword to Agor."

…The First Sovereign’s retirement?

It seemed her appearance here was purely coincidental.

"So, what were you doing in this lake? Who are those people?"

"None of your business."

Guanglang laughed and turned around.

"You’re so cold. I have nothing else to do, so I’m leaving. See you at the next meeting."

As I watched her disappear into the bushes, I sighed softly.

"…Ron."

Anne, who had been staring at the crystal, called my name.

There was no further conversation.

Some of the tribal members who had stood up wrapped their arms around her.

I looked down at the chief’s body and silently wished him peace.

Although he had died, the rest had survived, so his death was not meaningless.

***

I stayed with them until dawn.

They buried the chief behind the cave where they had been staying and held a long ceremony, which seemed to be a tribal funeral.

After the sun rose, they left the cave and lined up in front of the lake.

Anne stepped forward and released the crystal into the lake.

The crystal emitted a bright light and slowly dissolved in the water.

The magic crystal of the Harin clan dissolves in water, a fact I already knew.

And as I see now, it is also a way for the Harin clan to honor their dead.

When the crystal had completely dissolved, Anne stood up and said.

"Grandfather said that this crystal is made from the magic power we absorb from the water throughout our lives. By releasing it back into the water, we continue the cycle."

"…"

"Thank you, Ron. At least the final funeral was done properly."

I asked her, who was looking at the lake with a dazed expression.

"Are you planning to leave now?"

"Yeah, I have to. I’ll head straight to the sea without stopping."

The river that originates from Lake Gaytan and flows to the northern sea of the continent.

It seemed they planned to follow it back to their homeland.

Splash!

After thanking me, they one by one jumped into the lake.

I told Anne, who was the last to stay:

"Sometime, after I finish all my tasks, I’ll visit your homeland."

"…What?"

"I hope we can meet again and smile. Take care."

She looked at me blankly, then slightly smiled and jumped into the lake.

I stood there for a while, looking at the lake’s surface, then turned around and left.