Chapter 113 - <2>
At the end of June in the year 1573 of the Kingdom Calendar, around the time the rainy season was about to begin, the group arrived at their first destination: the Red Valley Special Autonomous Region of the Luciana Kingdom Federation.
By the time they had descended the rather thrilling and amusing downhill path, where a single misstep would send them plunging off the cliff, and reached the forest spreading out below, the sun had already set.
They had originally planned to arrive before nightfall, but the delay was, as usual, Franz’s fault due to his problematic athletic ability. However, compared to when they first set out on their journey, he did seem to have grown a little.
They were now in a forest with soft undergrowth, right after descending the cliff. The scene was so different from the top of the cliff that they were initially speechless. From above, it had seemed there were hardly any giant trees in this Red Valley, but it appeared that there were small-scale forests only at the bottom of this canyon… on both banks of the river.
That being said, the trees weren’t so dense as to block out the sky. If Ritz’s hometown was a great forest, this place was more like a slightly deep wood where a pleasant breeze blew through.
Ritz, who had been resting with his arms crossed while leaning against a tree, re-crossed them behind his head. He was getting bored of this.
He glanced over at Franz, who was slumped on the ground a short distance away, and then at Edward, who looked tired and was worriedly checking the remaining water in his flask.
Edward was well over sixty. This situation couldn’t be easy for him. Still, thanks to his past experience, he didn’t seem overly exhausted.
Compared to those two, Anna was her usual self, not tired at all, but rather looking like she was having a great time.
Anna had placed the lamp containing the Salamander, Sara, at her feet and was energetically grooming the horses by its light. She was happily singing some unknown food song, and it was amusing how Sara’s occasional chirps in response to Anna’s calls sounded like perfect backup vocals.
“Tomato soup, bubbling away,”
“Kee!”
“Next are the potatoes, chop, chop, chop,”
“Kee!”
To an outsider, the sight of a young girl and a spirit—albeit a larval one—singing cheerfully together might seem bizarre, but for Ritz and the others, it was a familiar daily scene.
She really was completely unchanged, which was a little disappointing for Ritz. If Anna were tired, it might have been a welcome opportunity for him to fuss over her, but it seemed that when it came to the single point of walking, he and Anna had equal stamina.
Sadly, in a situation where Anna was too tired to stand, there was a high probability that Ritz would be down as well.
“Not very interesting…”
He muttered under his breath. It’s okay to touch her as long as she doesn’t notice, right? There will be chances for that, right? He had been excited about that prospect when they left Valerie, but unfortunately, there hadn’t been a single opportunity.
Thinking back, even on the journey to the Royal Capital Sears, no matter the situation, he and Anna had always been perfectly fine. No, it was more than that. Unlike Ritz, who had just walked normally, Anna had been running and jumping around while covering a considerable distance. And above all, even when she was on the verge of death from poison spreading through her body, she had been more energetic than Franz, so she was tough as nails.
At this rate, it didn’t seem likely he’d encounter such a delicious situation. For now, the fact that they were riding the same horse was perhaps the only saving grace.
“Did you say something?”
“Kee?”
Perhaps noticing Ritz’s stare, Anna, who had been wiping the sweat off the horse, spun around. Her braid bounced energetically. Sara must have turned around too, but while Ritz could hear her voice, Sara was just a flame to him, so he couldn’t guess her expression.
“Nothing.”
“Really? I thought I heard something.”
“Must have been your imagination.”
“I wonder.”
As she tilted her head, her long braid swayed gently. Ritz just shrugged at her. Lately, he had become completely unfazed by Anna’s surprise attacks.
In the first place, Ritz wasn’t bad at hiding his true feelings. He had been flustered because the situation was so extreme, but once he resigned himself to it, it was surprisingly manageable.
“By the way, I wonder what happened to Lef.”
“Yeah. I wonder what happened…”
“Given his speed, he should have been back by now.”
“Yeah. You’re right.”
As soon as they realized it would take a considerable amount of time to descend the cliff, they had sent Lef ahead to the village. It was far better to send word as early as possible than to arrive suddenly late at night and be a nuisance. That was their thinking, but Lef was taking longer to return than expected.
Lef, freed from the burden of his companions, had descended the cliff as if flying, at a speed that was considerable even to Ritz, who knew his swiftness. At that speed, he should have reached the village in no time.
But even though enough time had passed for him to have notified them of their arrival and returned, Lef still hadn’t come back. A delay this long suggested that some kind of problem had occurred.
“Shall we move on a little?”
Perhaps reaching the same conclusion as Ritz, Edward said as he tucked his pocket watch back into his breast pocket. He was already holding the horse’s reins.
“This time is wasted. It would be better to get a little closer to the village.”
Of course, Ritz had no objection.
“I agree! I’m hungry.”
“…Me too.”
The two younger members also gave their contrasting but affirmative replies. It was indeed more prudent to cover some distance than to stay here.
“Right. Let’s go.”
Just as Ritz was about to push himself away from the tree he was leaning against, he noticed two red lights floating towards them in the darkness. Red lights in the darkness could only mean one thing.
“Lef?”
“Yes.”
The massive figure of Lef emerged slowly from the darkness. As a Beastkin, he could see in the dark. Moreover, his gentle brown eyes, which looked no different from a human’s in normal light, glowed red in the darkness. From his perspective, it was obvious where they were, with only the lamp containing Sara for light.
“You’re late. We were just about to head your way.”
“I apologize. I will guide you immediately.”
His words sounded normal, but there was a hint of trouble in Lef’s tone. If Ritz noticed it, then Edward, who was more sensitive to words, certainly did too.
“You don’t sound very cheerful. Did something happen?”
“Yes, well, something a little troublesome has come up.”
“Troublesome?”
“Yes, Edward.”
Even as he answered Edward, Lef glanced at Ritz. It seemed that Lef’s trouble had something to do with him. For a moment, the situation he would likely face in Ciedena Forest crossed his mind, but it was unlikely he would receive the same treatment in a Beastkin village. He decided to ask cheerfully.
“Is there a problem with me?”
“No, there’s no problem with you, Ritz. It’s related to you… but… um, the problem is with me…”
Unlike the usual Lef, his words were hesitant. Ritz, as if speaking to a child, looked up into Lef’s eyes, which were a little higher than his, and changed his tone to ask.
“Just spit it out.”
“Yes.”
With eyes like an abandoned puppy, Lef nodded.
“It’s been a year since I left the village. If I wander for a year and then return, I gain the qualification to succeed the clan chief.”
“Chief?”
Edward’s voice overlapped with his own shout. It seemed they had reacted in the same way.
“Clan chief means the chieftain, right? That’s amazing, Lef!”
Anna said, sounding impressed. He hadn’t expected him to be a chieftain.
“I am the chieftain, but it’s probably different from what you’re all thinking.”
Lef said, looking embarrassed as he scratched behind his fluffy, pointed ear.
“There are six Beastkin villages along this river. Each village is small, with less than a hundred people, and each has its own chieftain. I am the youngest son of the chieftain of this Red Village, the one closest to the human settlements.”
“Youngest son?”
“Yes. My older brothers go to other villages and start families with the relatives of the chieftains there. The one who remains is the heir to the chieftainship.”
“…The opposite of our country.”
Edward, who had just abdicated the throne to his son, muttered with interest, stroking his chin.
“By the time the youngest son is grown, the parents are old, right? So it’s only natural for the last son to take care of them.”
When put that way, it did seem like a logical system. For Ritz, whose father had remained unchanged for over a hundred years, it was hard to imagine.
“So, how does that involve me?”
He couldn’t see how he was involved based on that explanation.
“My father and mother were overjoyed to see me return. And so, I got excited and… I told them that someone from the Clan of Light was here.”
“Wha…”
He was speechless.
“What’s wrong, Ritz?”
Anna tilted her head, not knowing. She didn’t know that the Beastkin unconditionally revered the Clan of Light. And that unconditional reverence was a much bigger deal than Anna completely swallowing Ritz’s words without any guarantee.
“I’m sorry.”
Lef, shrinking his large body more than necessary in apology, added another word in a voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz.
“And then… the whole village went into an uproar… saying a spirit user from the Clan of Light had come…”
At Lef’s tragic words, Ritz, whose world had also gone dark, couldn’t answer. Beside him, he could hear Edward trying to stifle his laughter. He slowly turned his gaze to Franz, who gave a small shrug. He probably thought something like, ‘My condolences.’ In the strangely silent atmosphere, Anna muttered.
“…But Ritz can’t use spirits.”
He sighed and scratched his head as he answered.
“I can’t even see them.”
“But people would think that if you’re from the Spirit Clan, you can definitely see them.”
“Yeah. They’d think that without exception.”
“But there are exceptions, aren’t there?”
“Hahahaha… there are.”
As he answered weakly, Lef bowed his head to Ritz as if to prostrate himself.
“I’m sorry! I was going to say that, but the villagers were so happy, I couldn’t bring myself to say it.”
“Well, even if you did, they probably wouldn’t have believed you.”
Ritz knew that from experience. The Clan of Light meant spirit magic. A race close to the goddess, who could manipulate spirits from birth. This wasn’t just a common belief in the Yuresla Kingdom, which contained Ciedena Forest, but a common understanding throughout the Eneonea Continent.
“So, since I’ve returned, and a member of the Clan of Light has come to this land for the first time, after my test for the chieftain qualification… all the villages will gather to hold a ceremony to decide on the new chieftain of my village…”
“A ceremony?”
Anna looked up at Lef seriously, and he answered in a low voice.
“Um… it’s a ceremony to decide the successor to the chieftain and report it to the goddess. But since a member of the Clan of Light has come for my succession ceremony, they asked if you would attend… and if possible, use spirits to help our prayers reach the goddess…”
Lef, with his huge frame, looked down and mumbled, then fell silent. In place of the speechless Ritz, Edward burst out laughing.
“This has become a big deal, Ritz.”
“This is no laughing matter.”
“What else can we do but laugh?”
Now that he mentioned it, that was true. At this point, all he could do was laugh. Still smiling, Edward turned to Lef.
“How do they intend to have the prayers reach the goddess?”
“I don’t know. But they said that a member of the Clan of Light would know how to pray to the goddess.”
That was the problem with being believed so unconditionally. As Ritz held his head in his hands, Edward continued to question Lef.
“Why are they so sure?”
“…Because the Clan of Light are spirit users…”
“We’re going in circles.”
With a deep sigh, Ritz looked up at the sky. It was true that Ritz was a member of the Clan of Light, but he was the furthest thing from one. To those within the clan, the difference between Ritz and the rest of them was as clear as day, but from outside the forest, Ritz was also a member of the Clan of Light, so they were the same. But to assume he would know everything just because he was of the same race was too reckless.
Besides, while everyone here knew he didn’t fit in with his clan, no one knew how he was truly treated.
“Do you know how?”
Edward turned to him with a face that was thoroughly enjoying the situation.
“Hey. First of all, how am I supposed to use spirit magic?”
He said it with a sigh, his annoyance on full display. Franz, who had been silent until now, slowly stood up. Naturally, everyone’s gaze gathered on him.
“Just refuse.”
Whether he knew he was the center of attention or not, Franz said it with utmost calm, brushing the sand off his rear with remarkable simplicity. That was certainly the best way, but also the worst.
“Hey, we’re about to impose on their village. Can you really say that?”
“I cannot use spirits. You can just say you can’t do it.”
“That’s true, but…”
That was certainly the easiest way. But it would sadden not only Lef, but also the villagers, and by extension, the absolute philanthropist Anna. The moment he thought that, an idea struck Ritz. There was a very simple way to bring a spirit user to Lef’s village.
He was a little concerned about how his own mind could come up with several solutions for Anna so quickly, but for now, that method seemed like it would work out well. Of course, it wasn’t for Ritz to use spirits. No matter how excited the villagers got, he couldn’t do what he couldn’t do.
But for that, he needed to devise a little plan. Ritz deliberately pretended to be deep in thought. After a long silence, he opened his mouth, making his voice sound heavy.
“Lef, is it okay if I refuse?”
When he confirmed, Lef gave a small nod. But his face was a very clear picture of disappointment. It wasn’t a matter of losing face or feeling awkward; he genuinely didn’t want to sadden the villagers. But there was one person who couldn’t overlook such a sad Lef.
“Wait! Hey, hey, can’t we do something about this?”
It was Anna. Anna believed that if someone was in trouble, they should be helped unconditionally, which was a pain. But this time, it was useful. She took the bait, he thought with an inward smile, which he expertly concealed as he put on a troubled expression.
“There’s nothing we can do.”
Franz immediately shot it down.
“But Lef looks so sad. There must be a way to help!”
Realizing that arguing with Franz was pointless, Anna spun around to face him.
“Ritz, isn’t there some way?”
“Hmm.”
There was a way. Ritz had been waiting for Anna to say this. By having Anna say it, he planned to make it inescapable. Of course, not for himself, but for the main character of the best solution in his mind.
“There is, isn’t there, Ritz?”
It was Edward who said that, directing a mischievous, playful smile at Ritz in this situation. Edward must have immediately thought of a brilliant plan as well, but instead of saying it himself, he asked Ritz. What a bad personality.
After all, Edward knew too. He knew who Ritz was going to propose and what he was going to have him do. The person who would one day return to the Royal Capital was going to have a hard time in the future.
“Is there?”
Was there anyone who could deceive those sparkling eyes filled with expectation? At least Ritz couldn’t. So he presented the solution brightly.
“The image of the Clan of Light is tall, blond, green-eyed, and a spirit user. His height can be excused by his youth, and if we can fudge the eye color, there’s a suitable replacement for me, isn’t there?”
“Oh, right.”
Anna clapped her hands together.
“Franz can just be Ritz.”
It was, of course, the person who was named, Franz himself, who grimaced at those words.
“Why do I have to…”
“Because you’re a spirit user, right, Franz?”
“So are you, Anna.”
“That’s true, but I’m a girl. I can’t be a stand-in for Ritz.”
“Fair enough.”
Franz muttered and sighed. He had told Ritz to “refuse” earlier probably because he was the first to realize that this situation would happen. While he was dense about many things, he had a sharp intuition only when it came to getting himself into trouble.
Franz looked at Edward as if seeking help, but Edward, the only other member of his own kind present, simply smiled and brushed him off, and Franz let out a deep sigh. It seemed there was no choice but for Franz to do it.
“Franz, do it for the food and lodging. You can do it.”
When he said that irresponsibly, Franz stared at him with cold eyes.
“You’re making me the sacrificial lamb, aren’t you?”
“What’s wrong with that? It’s not like you have to do anything special. Just show them a Fireball or something.”
“Easy for you to say.”
“Of course. After all, you’re a genuine, real spirit user.”
Even as he said it teasingly, Ritz was relieved inside. What a pain. It seemed this would work out somehow. Lef’s face would be saved, and Anna’s request would be fulfilled.
“Great! That solves everything!”
Anna said with a bright smile. It was good that the problem was solved without any trouble, and that Anna was happy.
“Anna, didn’t you hate lying?”
Franz muttered under his breath, but Anna turned to him and spoke as if lecturing a younger brother.
“Lying and helping people are different things.”
“Yes, that’s right. Well done.”
He placed a hand on Anna’s nearby head and praised her, and she looked up at Ritz with a happy smile. She understood what he had said, she was cute, and there was nothing to complain about.
Just as the mood had shifted from before to one of resolution, it turned out that it wasn’t that simple. Lef let out a dark, heavy sigh. Everyone’s smiles froze on their faces, and they looked at the source of the sigh with apprehension.
“…It’s no good. I… I already told them about Ritz.”
“What?”
He had just managed to persuade the reluctant Franz, so what was this now?
“At first, I didn’t talk about Ritz as a member of the Clan of Light. I know Ritz doesn’t like people knowing that. So I told them that I was caught by some bad people and that someone helped me, and I was staying at their house. Then, my father asked what kind of person he was…”
“You told him?”
“Yes. It just slipped out.”
Lef hunched his back slightly and trailed off. He looked back at the apologetic eyes looking up at him and silently prompted him to continue.
“I told my father, ‘I was so surprised. He’s as big as me and has black hair, but he was from the Clan of Light.’ My father was also very surprised and said, ‘There are things in this world we don’t know about’…”
Everyone who had been elated that a solution had been found fell silent again. And in silence, everyone’s gaze turned to him. He knew what they wanted to say. There was only one person who was as big as Lef and had black hair.
“Ritz.”
It was, as expected, Edward who broke the silence.
“I think it’s up to you to decide now.”
This method of presenting the option before ordering him to do it was his old specialty. When put like this, he couldn’t snap back with, “Why the hell do I have to pretend to be a spirit user?!”
But agreeing so easily was also irritating, so Ritz looked away in another direction. Edward sighed and lightly patted the shoulder of Lef, who was looking down at his own carelessness, then turned to Franz and Anna.
“Ritz has no choice but to pretend to be a spirit user. If he’s asked to show them spirit magic, he’ll have to make up some difficult reason to get out of it.”
That was indeed the only way. He sighed and glanced at Edward, and his eyes met Edward’s, who had been watching him. In his eyes was a semi-commanding emotion that said, ‘Do it without complaining.’ But he could probably put up a little resistance.
“If there’s someone who can see spirits, my lie will be completely exposed. What are we going to do then?”
“The Beastkin cannot see spirits. Please rest assured.”
“But…”
As he continued to hesitate, Franz looked up at him with a blank expression.
“Wasn’t it the art world’s greatest loss that you didn’t become an actor? The role of a spirit user in a Beastkin village is the best stage imaginable.”
He did remember saying that, but he didn’t want it brought up in this situation.
“If worst comes to worst, Anna and I can just summon spirits.”
That was true. It would work out somehow. But Ritz himself, though he couldn’t tell his companions, had a complex about not being able to use spirits. It had put him in a very difficult situation in his hometown. And for a very, very long time until he left the forest.
Yet for him to play the part of a spirit user was too heavy a burden.
“Is the option of… refusing… not left for me?”
“…If you want to choose that option, you’ll have to convince Anna.”
Franz’s words, who had just been pushed into a troublesome situation by Anna, were utterly heartless and unsympathetic. He turned his gaze to Anna next to him, and Anna, oblivious to Ritz’s hesitation, looked up at him with a beaming smile.
“Hey, Anna, is refusing not an option?”
“Nope.”
Anna would never hesitate for the sake of helping someone.
“But I can’t use spirit magic, you know?”
“I know, but you’ll be fine, Ritz.”
What grounds did she have for saying that with such confidence? Then he remembered. Anna, like the Beastkin, placed an unconditional and meaningless trust in him. For Ritz, who didn’t want to break that trust, the only option left was to remain silent.
But as if to finish him off for sure, Anna turned her whole body to face him. She placed her hands on her hips cutely and looked up at Ritz.
“Lies that help people are necessary for everyone, right?”
“Ugh…”
“Lef is in a real bind right now, and the villagers are really looking forward to it. You’re from the Spirit Clan, so you’re not lying, right? But you can’t use spirit magic, so me and Franz will help you. That doesn’t count as lying, does it!”
“But…”
“Ritz, you always told me, right? It’s called mutual aid, isn’t it?”
When she said that with such pure, unadulterated goodwill, Ritz had no escape. He was completely caught between his complex and Anna. As Ritz continued to hesitate, Anna stepped closer.
“I’ll do my best to help you too, so please make Lef and the villagers happy. Please?”
He’d like to see the man who could refuse a woman he liked when she tilted her head cutely and clasped her hands together like that. Of course, Ritz, who was quite smitten with Anna, couldn’t do it. This was, in the truest sense, the weakness of being in love.
He decided to quietly close the door to his past and his complex, which would inevitably be pried open when he returned to Ciedena, for now. If he could forget the reality he had to face, even for a little while, maybe a charade like this wasn’t so bad.
“…Alright. You better back me up.”
When he said it in resignation, Anna’s eyes sparkled, and she threw her arms around him.
“Thank you! I love you, Ritz!”
As he felt the weight of Anna in his arms, Ritz sighed with complex feelings.
…He was a little scared of himself, who seemed willing to do anything Anna asked.