The Forest Race Clonne

Chapter 19

“We can stop now.”

As soon as we crossed the drawbridge, the gate was swallowed completely by the darkness. It marked the end of our infectious disease ruse. After getting down from Camille’s back, Lisa examined me with a curious expression.

“Your rashes have almost entirely disappeared already.”

“I told you from the beginning, they don’t last long.”

“Still, I didn’t expect them to clear up so quickly. I thought they might leave scars because they looked so severe. That it happened just from a cup of tea… you really have a fascinating constitution. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

The others were just as intrigued as Lisa. Even the usually stoic Edmil was staring intently, which made me feel like I had accomplished something significant. Camille, however, looked more worried than impressed.

“Are you sure that condition is really okay? Shouldn’t you get a thorough check-up?”

“It doesn’t hurt at all. It’s slightly inconvenient to avoid hot water, but it doesn’t disrupt my daily life.”

“Oh, you said you can’t take hot baths either. Do you bathe with cold water even in winter?”

Nodding, I received sympathetic looks from the astonished group. While it wasn’t as cold as ice water, explaining that wouldn’t change their sympathetic gazes, so I remained silent.

* * *

The peaceful atmosphere didn’t last long. After a while of traveling, Edmil abruptly paused and looked back. His sharp gaze suggested he was observing something. Hamar, sensing the change in mood, asked,

“What’s wrong?”

“Someone’s approaching.”

At the same time, Camille’s face grew tense, indicating he too had sensed something. Hamar clicked his tongue and toyed with the sword at his waist.

“How many?”

“Twenty… no, about twenty-five. They’re on horseback. Moving fast.”

“Any chance they’re just passing by?”

“…Doesn’t seem like it.”

It meant the pursuers were already on our trail. Less than an hour had passed since we crossed the gate, yet they realized much sooner than expected. They must have been monitoring the gate all along. Everyone quickly extinguished their lanterns. With the faint light gone, it was so dark you couldn’t see the person right in front of you.

“We’re too outnumbered and under-equipped. Let’s hide before they surround us,” said Hale.

Everyone nodded in agreement. Fortunately, as we had just entered a forest path, there were plenty of places to conceal ourselves.

“There’s a small cave nearby. It can fit about six people. Let’s head there,” said Hamar, displaying his geographical knowledge as expected from someone in the Strategy Department. While moving, faint vibrations and noise reached us—the sound of hooves.

“Well, we’re screwed,” Hamar muttered, but everyone understood the gravity of the situation.

Our pace quickened. Thankfully, even in this darkness, Hamar quickly located the cave. It was a small, cleft-like space under a cliff. Though it looked like a beast might inhabit it, we didn’t have the luxury to be picky. We quickly moved inside and found it empty. But before we could even catch our breath, lights flickered nearby—the torches of our pursuers who had drawn very close.

“They can’t have gone far! Search the area thoroughly!”

“Yes, sir!”

Their disciplined shouts indicated they were well-trained soldiers. Sticking close to the cave walls, Hamar gritted his teeth as he watched the movements outside.

“Damn it. They’re the ones breaking the rules, so why do we have to hide?”

“Who do you think they are?”

“Who knows? There are plenty of high-ranking people who would love to see this expedition fail.”

Several potential candidates came to mind immediately.

The empire, having settled into peace, had long seen the nobility wield more power than the royal family. The Emperor’s gravest mistake was attempting to negotiate peacefully with the Noble Council, choosing marriage as a strategy.

There were five princes, each with a different mother. To make matters worse, the Empress was appointed late, making the Crown Prince younger than the First Prince. It was a recipe for inevitable turmoil.

“Those bastards aren’t wearing uniforms. Hiding their affiliations means they’re not planning to handle this peacefully.”

“They’re getting closer.”

Edmil’s voice resounded like that of a harbinger. Indeed, the torchlight was growing stronger. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before we were discovered. Edmil adjusted his grip on his weapon.

“I’ll be the bait.”

“…Meet at Jenes Village. Good luck, everyone.”

The atmosphere grew resolute as we prepared for every man for himself. Lisa clenched her fists tightly. No matter how well the bait performed, some of us would be captured, and it was likely to be either her or me given our lack of physical training.

“Sei, don’t leave my side.”

Seeing Camille volunteer to take on the burden himself gave me a headache. Even the Duke of Rouster couldn’t have anticipated such chaos on the first day of our expedition. If he had known, he wouldn’t have let his precious grandson join.

“Before we do that, can I try something?”

“Do you have a good plan?”

Hope was evident in Hale’s voice as he turned to me. Before answering, I ran my fingers along the cave wall, feeling the texture. It was mostly rock, but tangled roots and moss filled the cracks. The life force here was incomparable to that of potted plants. This could work.

“I mentioned before that the earthquake was a fluke. I’m going to try the same method. There’s a higher chance of success here, but if I fail, the situation could worsen.”

“We’re already in a dire situation. There’s nothing to lose. Give it a try.”

Although it was Hamar who permitted it, the others seemed in agreement. Lisa asked cautiously,

“When you say higher chance of success here, does the location matter?”

“Yes, it does.”

To be precise, it also depends on the season. The fact that it was summer was a stroke of luck. After a bit more searching, I found a large, healthy tree root. Placing my hands on it, I focused my consciousness.

‘Sorry for bothering you at night. Please help me.’

I closed my eyes and concentrated. Fortunately, there was a response. I felt my strength drain rapidly as the tree root began to writhe and move noticeably. I could hear the others swallowing nervously as they watched.

The tree roots expanded rapidly, slithering like living snakes. Slithering, pushing, slithering. In no time, they spread out and densely covered the cave entrance. The entrance was soon entirely swallowed by darkness.

“…It should be invisible from outside now.”

Worrying about how to get out later, I reassured myself that we would manage somehow. Detaching my hands from the roots, I could now hear loud footsteps approaching.

“They’re not here!”

“Where did those damn rats go?”

After a while, the sounds and the presence lingering in front of the cave slowly started to fade away. It was clear they hadn’t detected us at all. Thinking about how close we had come to being discovered, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief.

“We should be able to wait here until morning.”

The reaction that came back was unexpectedly quiet. Curious, I looked around, but it was too dark to read any expressions. However, I could sense they were all staring at me.

“…What are you?”

It was Hamar who finally broke the silence. His face, though barely visible, clearly showed a mix of astonishment and confusion. I couldn’t say anything in response. It was a question I had often asked myself. Having never found an answer, I couldn’t provide one now.

Moreover, this wasn’t the time for answers.

The biggest downside of my ability was that it drained an enormous amount of energy. My eyelids grew heavier. Leaning against the wall, my body began to slump.

“Sei?”

I heard Camille’s voice calling me. I felt him rush to my side, his presence suddenly very close. The last thing I felt was his strong grip before I quickly lost consciousness.

“Sei!”

The surroundings seemed to stir. Though there were only five of us in the cave, it felt like I was surrounded by a large crowd. Even as I slipped into unconsciousness, I thought it was a bit noisy. I shouldn’t have been thinking this about people who were worried about me, but I couldn’t help it.

* * *

—It’s your fault. You took too much energy.

A whispering voice echoed from somewhere. It sounded like someone was scolding another.

—You should have regulated it properly. What if he faints?

—I didn’t think he’d collapse just from this.

—He’s still in the process of awakening. Can’t you tell just by looking?

—Sorry, I made a mistake. It’s been so long.

The murmuring continued. I couldn’t tell who was speaking to whom or even if the voices were male or female. I couldn’t discern whether it was reality or a dream. It all felt distant as if I were floating in water.

—Still, it’s surprising there’s someone in the process of awakening around here.

—It doesn’t seem like he has a guardian, does it?

—Isn’t this the most dangerous time? What are the Guardians even doing?

Awakening? Guardian? Who was speaking to whom? I wanted to focus on the conversation, but the more I did, the more it felt like I was waking up. I realized that I had been asleep. It seemed like a dream, perhaps a lucid dream. At some point, the voices disappeared completely. Only then could I fully open my eyes.

“Sei, you’re awake?”

The first thing I saw was Camille. It seemed quite some time had passed since I lost consciousness, as the surroundings were dimly lit by the early morning light. Trying to sit up, I noticed the other team members sleeping around the cave.