The Forest Race Clonne

Chapter 50

She had always seemed withered, even when she was alive—like a flower slowly fading as winter approached. I watched her fade little by little, and though it happened quickly, there was nothing I could do to stop it. I could only watch helplessly as she withered away. Thus, in my eyes, her final moments seemed the most peaceful. She would no longer suffer. As I witnessed her take her last breath, I felt a genuine sense of relief.

“If you had ever seen my mother alive, if you had ever engaged in a conversation with her—faced with those empty eyes and dry lips—you could never say she was happy.”

“…..”

His lips remained tightly shut. The stubbornly displeased look on his face filled me with a sense of futility. Perhaps I had hoped he would feel a glimmer of guilt; that he was just slow to realize the truth, and someday he would regret the immature past that had led him to express himself in this way.

Now I know those were mere illusions and delusions I had created to comfort myself. He would never change. Even if given the chance to relive the past, he would make the same choices. I finally accepted that fact.

“This is the last time I will seek you out, Duke. Thank you for your care until now. Be well.”

I bowed deeply before turning away. Even as I opened the door to the firmly shut office, no other words were spoken to me. Only after stepping into the corridor did I release the breath I had been holding. It was a bittersweet yet liberating feeling, like rising from a long illness.

Whinny—

The sound of a horse brought me back to my senses. The cold air nipped at my cheeks. The time of endurance had passed, and it was now time for a new beginning. It was sooner than expected, but it wasn’t bad.

“I’m going too.”

Camille’s pleading eyes came to mind, but I shook my head to rid myself of the thought. Our worlds would be completely different now. I didn’t even know if I would ever see him again.

“Yah.”

When I snapped the reins, the horse let out a short cry and bolted forward at a fast pace. Only after passing through both city gates did I glance back at the castle I had escaped. The dim city lights flickered in the distance, feeling strangely unfamiliar, as if I were seeing them for the first time.

This sensation was different from the hurried flight at the start of my expedition. The place that once felt like home now seemed like a distant land I could never return to. I felt no regret or longing. Letting go was surprisingly easy; I couldn’t help but wonder if I was being ungrateful.

‘Maybe I’m truly an ingrate.’

Swallowing the bitter feeling, I gently guided the horse. I would need to sell it at an appropriate spot before heading to the promised location within the deadline, especially since I would have to climb mountains next. Whether I could scale cliffs without magical devices was questionable, but I felt everything would work out. Just as I was leaving the paved road behind, a sense of determination surged within me.

“Sei? Is that you over there, Sei?”

“…!”

An unexpected voice made me stop in my tracks, surprised. I took a deep breath as someone approached from the opposite direction. The figure, shrouded in dark shadows and a deep hood, had their face entirely hidden. But the voice was unquestionably familiar.

“…Could it be, Serige?”

The man opposite me quickly pushed back the hood over his head, revealing a familiar face in the faint light. It was indeed Serige.

“It really is you, Sei!”

He looked just as astonished to see me. Flustered yet relieved, I dismounted the horse as he rushed toward me. Once he reached my side, he immediately began to examine me, his concern palpable.

“For heaven’s sake, to run into you like this! Are you alright? Are you injured anywhere?”

“What? What do you mean…?”

“Rana has returned, you know! Do you realize how alarmed I was?”

“Rana?”

“I mean my guardian!”

“Ah.”

The white bird that had freed me from the underground dungeon came to mind. So, its name must have been ‘Rana.’

“I had the guardian attached just in case, but I really didn’t think you’d need to use it. Yet it actually returned. My heart almost stopped.”

“So that’s why you came here?”

“Yes. I was so anxious thinking I might be too late! I’m really relieved you’re safe.”

He sighed with genuine relief, patting his chest. I could tell just by looking at him how worried he must have been on his way here. Feeling slightly awkward, I shrugged my shoulders lightly.

“There was no need for you to come all the way here…”

“What are you talking about? It’s my responsibility to escort you safely to the village. Everyone’s eagerly waiting for you, and if I lost you, how could I ever face them? What on earth happened at the palace?”

“There was just a small attack…”

“An attack? The palace is supposed to be the safest place in the entire human territory, isn’t it?”

“When you let your guard down, it becomes the most dangerous. But how did you get here so quickly from the mountain? The guardian returned not too long ago…”

It had only been about ten days since then. Even if he had started immediately after sensing the anomaly, it shouldn’t have been enough time for him to arrive yet. But Serige just sighed.

“Quickly? Actually, I’m quite late. Sorry about that. I wanted to rush, but the Connectors didn’t know the way, so I had to make the journey myself from the middle.”

“Connectors?”

“I’ll explain later. More importantly, how did we meet so perfectly? I was worried you might have already left. It’s really lucky that our paths didn’t miss each other. It just proves we’re no ordinary acquaintances.”

He patted my shoulder with a smile, and I couldn’t help but smile back. “Is this all your luggage?” He took the backpack from the saddle, slung it over his shoulder, and gave the horse a gentle pat, sending it trotting back toward the city. I thought he intended to walk, but then he raised his arm toward the sky. Just as I was feeling puzzled,

Whistle—

Something revealed itself in the sky with a whistle-like sound. A white bird with wings wide open hovered in the air. It was the same bird I had seen before. Gliding down, it landed elegantly on Serige’s outstretched arm. Its long tail feathers, resembling those of a peacock, shimmered in the pale light. The surrounding darkness made it look all the more surreal.

“She’s familiar, isn’t she? Say hello, this is my guardian, Rana.”

Serige gave a warm smile as he gently stroked the bird’s beak. It brought me back to my senses.

“Hello, Rana. Thank you so much for your help back then.”

As I greeted her, Rana, who had been enjoying Serige’s touch, blinked in response as if understanding my words. It was clear she could comprehend human speech.

“Isn’t my Rana beautiful?”

“Yes, she is. Do all guardians look like Rana?”

“No, each one looks different. Some take the form of insects, while others look like animals. But they can all transform into human form.”

“…They can transform into humans?”

“Haha, you look like you can’t believe it. Want to see?”

Serige gave Rana a nod. She narrowed her eyes as if reluctant, then spread her wings with a flutter. Soon, white light began to envelop her.

When I widened my eyes in surprise, the bird had vanished, and astonishingly, a small child appeared in Serige’s arms. From head to toe, including the wings on her back, she was entirely white—a porcelain-like little girl.

“How about that? Isn’t she beautiful even in human form?”

I couldn’t help but agree with his smiling question. While the fact that animals could transform into humans was startling, her appearance was indeed beautiful. As I nodded, Serige’s grin widened.

“In our clan, it’s rare to have such a beautiful guardian. I’m really lucky. Everyone is envious of me.”

“I can see why. Can you have conversations when they’re in human form?”

“Oh, we can always communicate. But Rana doesn’t talk to anyone except me. She’s very shy around strangers.”

“I see.”

It made sense now why she’d been avoiding eye contact. Though I still had a vague understanding of what exactly a guardian was, it seemed not only their appearance but also their personalities varied.

“Isn’t that just adorable?”

“…What?”

“Think about it. An adorable, charming, and beautiful child follows only me and smiles just for me! There’s nothing happier or more wonderful than that! It’s like wanting to brag to the whole world about how cute my baby is!”

“…”

This guy, can I really trust him?

For the first time, I felt doubtful about my decision to follow him. Perhaps realizing his over-enthusiasm, Serige quickly cleared his throat.

“Sorry, I got a bit carried away. I do that sometimes, don’t mind it.”

“…Okay.”

“Anyway, I didn’t bring Rana out just to show off. I need her to deliver a message.”

“A message?”

“Didn’t I say everyone’s eagerly waiting for you? Rana is the fastest bird in the world.”

With a lively answer, Serige plucked a leaf from a nearby bush. He then held it out to Rana.

“Rana, please take care of this.”

Whistle—

Rana, now back in her bird form, accepted the leaf in her beak and soared high into the sky. As I watched her vanish swiftly, I asked,

“Without even writing a letter, can she really convey the situation?”

“What’s the need to write anything? They’ll ‘see’ it.”

“Oh… I see.”