The Forest Race Clonne

Chapter 52

“What do you mean by that? Where else can you find a woodfolk as lenient in ruling their subordinates as I am!”

“Look at that, he called them subordinates. What do you mean by ruling? Anyway, whenever someone is weaker, you try to dominate them. You were such a pain when we first met! You thought I was easy pickings because I was young and had a common characteristic tree. But once you lost in a duel, your attitude completely changed. It was so disgusting.”

“This is what you call social life!”

His unwillingness to outright deny it showed he was somewhat objective. Honestly, his attitude didn’t matter to me. I didn’t think my ranking would be high anyway.

‘If my father had been strong, he wouldn’t have died so easily.’

Therefore, I didn’t have any expectations regarding my status.

“Anyway, if Rikase tries to boss you around, make sure to tell me. Got it? Though you’re under special protection as an Aesang, so he can’t do much to you.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Swoosh—

Just then, the wind rustled through the trees, as if urging us on. Often, when this happened, it signaled a problem. I thought I should give a heads-up, but Serige was already acting hurriedly.

“Oh no, is it already human working hours? The laborers heading to the fields must be coming. We should leave before we attract any unwanted attention.”

“…”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“How boring. Anyway, we’ve been delayed too much already. Let’s head back. If we’re any later, Lord Kalph might grind us to pieces.”

This must be the Knight he mentioned earlier. Seeing Serige’s pale face urging us on, Rikase hurried as well. He spread his palm and closed his eyes in concentration, muttering something short. With the gathering light, a small figure began to materialize. It was a tiny insect with lustrous, dark-blue wings.

“A beetle…?”

“That’s my guardian, Willow.”

Rikase responded curtly, apparently offended by the label. Ah, right, guardians can also take on insect forms. Just as I was about to apologize, Serige smacked the back of Rikase’s head.

“Don’t make him feel awkward. Willow does look like a beetle.”

“Not at all! Willow is much larger than a common beetle! And the color is one you can’t find on regular beetles!”

“Regardless, a beetle is still a beetle. Oh, Sei, don’t worry about it. As I mentioned, the more flamboyant and beautiful a guardian is, the stronger it generally is. Size can also reflect their capabilities, so he’s a bit sensitive about it.”

I looked again at Willow. He was larger than any beetle I had seen, but honestly, I couldn’t see much difference. Of course, I kept these thoughts to myself and nodded as neutrally as possible. However, I couldn’t hide my surprise at the following explanation.

“Guardians are usually divided into combat types and support types, with each support-type guardian possessing special abilities. Among them, Willow’s ability is to open portals. More specifically, it creates a passage connecting one space to another.”

“So, what happened earlier…”

“That was thanks to this little beetle’s ability.”

“How many times do I have to say, he’s not a beetle!”

As Rikase grumbled, Willow, sitting on his palm, buzzed his wings vigorously in protest. Serige, however, paid no heed.

“So, the Connectors you mentioned earlier are those with this guardian’s ability?”

“Yes, that’s right. There are two Connectors in the Seoryeong residence. It’s a convenient ability but has the drawback of not being able to travel to unknown places. You need to know the precise landscape of the destination.”

So that’s why they sent the leaf with Rana earlier. Having finished his explanation, Serige urged Rikase to open a portal.

“First, open mine. This time it’s to a well-known place, so you should be able to connect it properly, right? If I get stuck and die, I’ll haunt you in your dreams.”

“All right, all right. Just stop with the scary talk.”

Grumbling, Rikase signaled Willow, who reluctantly took off and flew in a wide arc. The movement created a small doorway-sized portal in front of us. Serige quickly stepped through it.

“Alright, I’m going first. Sei, you go with Rikase. He’ll take you to the village.”

“You’re not coming with us?”

“I left my scouting post, so I need to return to my original position. Don’t worry too much. Everyone will welcome you kindly. I’ve already told them about you.”

Rikase then let out a blatant snicker.

“You mean you confessed in a rush, not informed them calmly. You kept your mouth shut until the Aesang got into trouble, then hurriedly admitted everything.”

“Rikase, shut up.”

“Either way, Sir Serige is definitely getting a reprimand. You’re going to be punished when you get back. I find it extremely satisfying.”

“Do you really want to die?”

Though the tone was light, the content was serious. Because my existence was kept a secret, Serige was facing a reprimand. He was only helping because he had no other choice.

“I apologize. I’ll take full responsibility and explain everything.”

“Hmm? Oh, Rikase! Your unnecessary comment has made him anxious! It’s okay, Sei, a reprimand is nothing more than a bit of scolding. There’s no need to worry.”

“But it’s because I asked you to wait—”

“No, no. Of course, you could ask that. Given your situation, I should have ensured more thorough protection. It’s my fault for not fulfilling that role properly.”

“Glad you understand that, at least. Now, why aren’t you entering? The portal might close, you know. Opening a portal takes a lot of effort. If you dawdle and it closes, I won’t open it again.”

“I’m going, I’m going! Anyway, Sei, really, don’t feel guilty or hold onto any unnecessary feelings. Got it? Rikase, make sure you take Sei safely. Don’t do anything reckless—”

“Ugh, I’ll take care of it! Enough with the nagging already!”

Patting me on the shoulder, Serige quickly stepped into the portal. As his figure disappeared, the portal closed rapidly.

“Such endless nagging… Are you ready? Let’s get going.”

“Yes, I’m ready.”

Nodding, I watched Willow circle in the air again. As a new portal formed along his path, Rikase let out a deep groan, his face contorted in discomfort. He had mentioned that it took a lot of effort, and it was clear that he was pushing himself.

“Are you alright?”

“Of course, I’m fine. Now, get inside.”

Despite his obviously unwell appearance, he tilted his head up defiantly. Knowing his condition would only worsen over time, I quickly stepped through the portal.

For a passage connecting spaces, the interior felt like an ordinary path. However, unlike the solid ground, the walls were soft and cushiony, like a cotton quilt. The front seemed like a dead end, but no matter how far I walked, I never reached it. It felt as if the path extended with each step I took.

“Just keep walking straight. The exit will open when we arrive.”

“How long do we need to walk?”

“About five minutes.”

Crossing a distance that would normally take hours in just five minutes felt surreal. While not as instant as magic, it was still incredibly efficient. Considering the complex formulas and auxiliary tools needed for magic, this seemed far more practical.

“Amazing.”

Impressed, I glanced at Rikase, who gave me a fleeting look.

“Well, spatial abilities among support-type guardians are quite rare. It’s often more advantageous than most combat types.”

“Yes, I think so too. Movement and supply are the most crucial aspects of warfare, and this ability gives a tremendous advantage in those areas.”

“You seem to know a thing or two.”

Rikase lightly cleared his throat. His perpetually sullen expression appeared to soften slightly.

After walking for a while, a bright white exit appeared ahead. Though it seemed somewhat distant, it felt closer than the predicted five-minute mark. Puzzled, I looked back at Rikase, who had also spotted the exit, his face contorting in exasperation.

“Damn it! Again…!”

He grabbed my arm tightly.

“The portal is closing! Run!”

“If you don’t want to be trapped forever, hurry!”

With no time to process the situation, I was pulled forward by Rikase’s strength. The reason became clear quickly—the exit was shrinking. At first, I thought it might be an illusion, but it wasn’t. The portal was indeed getting smaller, and rapidly.

“Damn it, every single time!”

By the time we reached it, the gap was almost closed, leaving barely any space to escape. Yet Rikase didn’t give up; he threw himself forward, extending his arm through the remaining sliver. Only his arm made it through before the portal shut completely.

“The portal has closed.”

“Huff, huff! It’s fine! As long as it hasn’t completely disappeared, we can still find a way out, somehow, huff!”

‘Ah, so that’s why…’

That explained why only his arm had popped out when he first appeared. Understanding the situation, however, didn’t make it any less troubling.

The real problem started next. As if protesting against Rikase’s forced hold, the entire passage began to wobble and constrict. The once solid floor turned squishy, making it hard to move without sinking into it.