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Chapter 60

Beyond the winding, gentle valleys and ridges, a pale blue light peeked out from behind the mountain base.

"That river marks the border. If we follow this path all the way down and across that bridge... Huh," Miguel\'s brow furrowed as he shifted his gaze, speaking.

Lucy, who had been looking at the scenery, turned to him. "What\'s wrong?"

"Well, the land beyond is supposed to be abandoned. But it seems different from what I remember."

Miguel stroked his bearded cheek, adding, "In my memory, there was a road along the riverbank, and wasteland stretched beside it. The forest was beyond that wasteland. ...But now, there\'s a forest directly across the river."

Lucy squinted at the landscape across the river. Faintly, she could see patches of barren land and trees.

"Could the trees have... grown?" said Lucy.

"In just about 10 years?" said Miguel.

"It\'s forsaken land, after all," Ian interjected.

"Anything can happen there. And from what I see..." His voice trailed off, his gaze darkening.

"From what you see, what?" Miguel asked.

"...Nothing. It wouldn\'t do you any good to know." Ian leaned back, dismissing the subject.

Miguel sighed, "Well, whatever. Ignorance is bliss. We\'ve come this far; it\'s not like we can turn back now because it\'s ominous."

Lucy gazed at Miguel\'s profile. Despite his rugged, bearded appearance, which masked it well, his face had grown thinner and more haggard compared to when they first met. She hadn\'t voiced it, but Lucy knew he was thoroughly exhausted. Ian was no different. Despite appearing unchanged, the constant leading and pathfinding had taken its toll on him. Even she, doing nothing but sitting or lying down, felt drained; how much more so for them?

In the end, it\'s all because of me. Lucy arrived at the same conclusion again. That she was nothing but a burden.

That reality increasingly weighed on her. Being young and weak was no excuse. Ian and Miguel would likely disagree, but that made her even more determined to be of some help to them. Yet, she didn\'t voice this desire, knowing it would sound like the petulance of a child.

So, Lucy simply looked down at her hands. Hands that couldn\'t even spark a tiny flame, let alone hurl a fireball. The helplessness turned from resentment to outright bitterness.

I\'ll do it. I can do it. As Lucy gritted her teeth, focusing all her determination,

"Just in case I need to say this." Ian, resting his head against the back of the seat, suddenly spoke up. "If I fall behind for any reason, keep going. Don\'t stop."

"...Why bring up such an ominous thing now?" Miguel scowled.

Ian added nonchalantly, "I have a bad feeling. It\'s been too quiet these past few days. Usually, that means something big is coming."

"Please, my brother... Ah...." Miguel closed his eyes tightly.

It was a natural reaction, considering Ian seemed to be picking the most ominous things to say.

"The ones following us probably have a decent idea about us by now. So, someone will surely think they can catch Lucy if I\'m gone," said Ian.

"...."

"So, if something happens and I fall out of the picture, don\'t stop. Keep going. Even if the carriage is smashed to pieces...." Ian grabbed a backpack beside him and tossed it to Miguel.

"Take Lucy, mount a horse, and run. What\'s in here should last you a few days."

Only then did Miguel understand the purpose of the backpack Ian had prepared, raising an eyebrow in acknowledgment.

"So... what about you?" Miguel asked.

"Don\'t use that kind of voice as if I\'m planning to die," said Ian.

"Oh, is that so?" said Miguel.

"I\'ll finish whatever\'s coming our way and catch up. So, run however you can. And if it really comes down to life or death... use what\'s in your boot."

Miguel, who had momentarily held his breath, finally spoke up, "You knew?"

"How could I not? You go for your ankles first in any trouble," said Ian.

Ian chuckled and continued, "Whatever happens, they won\'t harm Lucy. But you\'re not the same. So, if you have no other choice, use it and make your way to the Temple of the Brazier."

"But, what about Lucy?" Miguel asked.

"I\'ll get her back. In that sense, the longer you manage to evade them, the easier my job. Better if you\'re not caught at all," replied Ian.

"...."

"I\'m talking about the worst-case scenario here. It\'s better to be prepared. It might not even happen," said Ian.

Miguel let out a resigned chuckle, "Whenever you say something like that, it always happens."

"Just remember it then. It\'s a way to ensure no one dies," said Ian.

"But... it\'ll be tough on Lucy."

"She\'ll handle it better than you think. She\'s stronger than she looks."

In the worst-case scenario, sacrifices are somewhat inevitable. Though Ian\'s words might seem cold, they were grounded in his faith in Lucy, prompting Miguel to nod silently without protest. A brief silence ensued, only to be broken not by a voice, but by another phenomenon.

Whoosh—

"...!"

A small flame sprouted from Lucy\'s clenched fist. Her eyes widened in shock, as did Ian\'s and Miguel\'s, who immediately turned to look at her hand.

"I... I did it...! I managed it...!" Lucy, unable to hide the tremble in her eyes, turned to them.

"Well, I knew you\'d manage, so I\'m not surprised. Congratulations, kid." Despite his words, Miguel wore a broad grin, while Ian simply nodded.

"So, how did you do it?" Miguel asked.

"Somehow... it just happened. I was feeling so frustrated and angry, and then suddenly, it felt like it could work."

Fwoosh—

The flame died down right after Lucy finished speaking.

Ian chuckled as she stared at her hand, disheartened, "It seems to be influenced by your emotions."

"Em.. emotions?" asked Lucy.

"It’s just a guess. It\'s still unstable. Not feeling dizzy, are you?" Ian asked.

"No. I felt that way before... but not now. Not at all," replied Lucy.

"Hmm..." Ian marveled once more.

He hadn\'t felt any magic power from Lucy, not even while she was producing the flame. Her pupils lacked the shimmer of magical power even as the fire blazed.

Is she drawing magical power straight from the atmosphere and burning it? Envy naturally welled up in him. How she managed it was beyond him.

...This is why I should have opted for an Elemental Affinity or a Magical Bloodline, thought Ian.

As he tousled Lucy\'s hair, Ian\'s hand eventually stilled. He glanced back toward the shallow valley behind the carriage, a bitter smile forming on his lips.

"Seems like I had to say it now for a reason," said Ian,

Was intuition also a useful trait in this sense? thought Ian.

Miguel looked at him, "...You don\'t mean?"

"Yes. Speed up the carriage, Miguel. And prepare the magical stones," said Ian.

"Umm.. we only have enough for one more use," said Miguel.

"That\'ll be enough. This will all be settled in half a day." Ian stood up as a group of riders appeared on the distant ridge. Sensing his gaze, they started to charge.

***

"Be careful not to fall off your horses! There\'s nothing more pathetic than collapsing at the very end!"

"Move aside, knights, make way!"

Over forty riders sped away at a furious pace. Charlotte, watching them from behind, shifted uneasily in her saddle. Only knights of Agel Lan and their following mercenaries had been charged. She, along with the Libra Trading Company, remained near Javier\'s carriage, still waiting.

"...."

Charlotte glanced at Oleg and Javier. Javier\'s expression was calm. Though he had been so passionate during the pursuit, he now seemed almost indifferent as the situation unfolded. It was likely a merchant\'s habit.

"Don\'t forget it was them who killed Kyle and Kenneth. Don\'t rush in excitedly; use the hounds to properly assess their strength. I don\'t want to see any more losses if possible," said Javier.

"...Yes."

"Understood."

Charlotte and Oleg responded.

"I hope they haven\'t crossed the river yet. Of course, I have no intention of stepping foot into that cursed land myself," said Javier.

"There shouldn\'t be a need for that. But don\'t worry, just wait here."

Oleg casually stated, exchanging a glance with Charlotte before adding, "We will definitely retrieve the target."

"Try to return before nightfall." Javier’s gaze finally settled as they nearly caught up to the carriage.

"It\'s about to start. Let\'s join in."

Charlotte, as if she had been waiting for this moment, grabbed the reins.

It was then that Javier added, "Charlotte. Don\'t forget what our goal is."

Not our goal, your goal, she thought, merely nodding before she dashed off. Half of the guards followed her and Oleg.

"Oleg," Once Javier\'s carriage was a fair distance away, Charlotte spoke.

Oleg looked back at her as if he wasn\'t surprised at all, "The master swordsman?"

"Yes. He\'s mine. So, you take the girl," said Charlotte.

"It doesn’t matter to me. Do you have a plan?"

"We\'ll see how it goes. I\'ll lure him out. Until then, don\'t step in. After that, do as you please."

"The leader might not like that."

"Tell him to fuck off. I don\'t listen to anyone who’s weaker than me," said Charlotte.

"Right, right. You only listen to the stronger voice of money," said Oleg.

Charlotte growled, and Oleg, laughing, deliberately widened the gap between them.

"Keep the hounds at bay to bite at the carriage! Don\'t forget the leader\'s orders!"

Their subordinates ran ahead of them. Charlotte glared at Oleg before shifting her gaze. She never expected humans to understand her anyway. She stayed by Javier’s repulsive side for money, yes. But also because it allowed her to unleash her wildness without worrying about repercussions. Her instincts always craved the hunt and the fight, even if it meant eventually meeting a predator stronger than herself.

...There will be no regrets. As long as I don\'t lose my tail, thought Charlotte.

"Stick to the carriage!"

"Drop that one first!"

Soon, the mercenaries\' cries grew closer. Charlotte suppressed her excitement, focusing on the carriage, specifically on the black-haired man, Ian Hope, standing atop the carriage\'s partition as if performing an acrobatic feat.

Swish—

He effortlessly dodged a spear thrust at him, then reached out to grab it.

"What, what...?!" The mercenary lost balance, pulled along by Ian\'s motion. Ian released the spear right after.

"Ah, ahhhh!" The mercenary tumbled to the ground, a large shadow looming over him.

Crunch!

Charlotte\'s eyes lit up as she watched the man being trampled under a galloping horse.

Hmm, I like him from the start.

In the meantime, Ian had effortlessly jumped onto the horse of the fallen mercenary.

"Iaaaaaan!" Someone shouted as they charged. He was a knight of Agel Lan in shining armor.

"You filthy traitor! How much we trusted you!"

Ian turned, a smirk spreading across his face as he responded to the knight\'s accusation, "I never asked to be trusted."

"In the name of honor!" The knight rushed in.

Ian, in an almost precarious stance, dodged the knight\'s strike and swung his sword. Though it should have been out of reach,

Crack.

The knight swayed heavily as he passed by, the armor on his back visibly dented.

Magic...? Magical armor...? Charlotte\'s eyes narrowed.

She wasn\'t keeping her distance from the wagon and Ian due to Javier’s orders. This was a sort of foreplay for her. Like a delicious meal, it was best savored slowly until the full flavor could be appreciated.

Whoosh—

"Aargh...!"

"Don\'t go ahead of the wagon! The coachman\'s crossbow reloads quickly!"

Charlotte didn\'t spare a glance toward the minor commotion at the front of the wagon. She was becoming increasingly drawn to Ian.

Crack!

His handiwork is decisive..., thought Ian.

"Damn it, I\'m gonna die...?!"

Swoosh.

He doesn\'t shy away from bold moves. Almost recklessly so. She took in everything about Ian and the mercenaries falling to his hand, missing nothing.

He\'s not just a master swordsman. But that makes him all the more intriguing. What exactly is he...? Charlotte licked her lips.

Saliva gathered in her mouth, while her gaze grew increasingly icy. Acknowledging Ian as a formidable opponent was clear.

There has to be more to him. Kyle and Kenneth wouldn\'t have fallen to someone without something hidden up their sleeve, thought Charlotte.

Gradually, her entire focus had shifted solely to Ian. That was why she initially failed to notice the group waiting at the end of the valley.

"...What are those?" It was only when Ian murmured, looking ahead, that Charlotte turned to see what had caught his attention. Dozens of riders were charging.

"Block the way! Spread out!"

The moment she heard the commanding shout of what seemed to be a leader, Charlotte\'s lips curled into a smirk. To her, this was more of an unexpected gift. Thanks to them, it might give her the chance to see Ian\'s true capabilities even sooner.