Chapter 44 – Deception.
“Did something happen before I woke up?”
Waking up, Usher felt a subtle atmosphere and asked Belka. Could it be because of the headache that plagues her head every time she wakes up these days and the smell that makes her want to rinse her mouth with water that makes her feel bad? I thought about it, but it seemed that this atmosphere could not be explained in that way. Aside from Truce’s absence, this was the case with Sif.
“I’d rather stay in the carriage today.”
“Yes? But then, the meal.”
“I’ll bring it to you.”
He spoke one-sidedly without telling me why, and then left just because he brought me a meal. She couldn’t help but ask Belka, who was awake before he woke up.
“Well. I don’t really want to bother.”
It was no wonder that she had lived alone in that deep forest. She had little interest in people. She was just looking at her book, which she didn’t know where it came from, and Usher was curious. As she crept up behind the girl to peek at the contents of the book, she caught sight of the contents of her book, wafting the sweet scent of flowers that reminded her of red like her hair. In the book, along with the runes, the role of the runes in magic was explained in detail.
“A magic book? But it looks a bit different from the one I was holding.”
In the book made of paper, it was written with relatively large runes and densely written letters. The text on the blank page was so small and dense that it was difficult to read. Even so, it seemed strange that it did not invade the area of the runes drawn in the middle of the page. However, it was also different from the magic books Usher had been reading. That’s because it’s not too thick or too densely written to the extent that it’s hard to read like this. It feels completely different from his magic book.
“Where did you get this from?”
“It was stuck on a bookshelf here.”
Looking at the place Belka was pointing at, I saw a bookshelf with many books on it. If there was a magic book in the infirmary, could it be that Truss was interested in magic even though he was a doctor? I felt a strange sense of kinship.
“Can we read together?”
“Huh.”
The girl said so and moved the book aside so that he could see it easily. As he moved to her side, he could barely see and read the contents of the book. The rune written in the middle of the current page looked like arrow fragments interlocking. Again, Usher did not know how to call it, but this book gave details of how to call the rune, its use as magic, and its meaning.
“Harvest, year, recovery? How did you find out about this?”
There was so much meaning in that simple pictorial word that it gave Usher a headache just to write it on this page. It was an interesting fact, of course, that the scholars had interpreted and discovered the runes, but it was questionable how so many interpretations could be put into one small letter.
“It’s probably because this book doesn’t contain only one person’s interpretation.”
As if reading his question, the girl said.
“So how many people made this book?”
“First of all, this book itself was created by one person. He simply put it together like this by summarizing the research and claims made by others.”
After listening to her words and re-reading the text, it was belatedly that some scholars insisted. And some are meant as thought by some ethnic minority or group. I could see that things written in the same format were seen everywhere.
“It looks like fun. It’s difficult. I don’t know how the hell they made something like this.”
How can you memorize so many and vast meanings? Usher seemed to be fed up with the amount of text that seemed to be overwhelmed just by opening the page.
“Maybe it was because I liked magic.”
“Magic…?”
“Yeah, what does Usher think of magic?”
Usher pondered at the girl’s question. Magic was something great and wonderful in his mind. It’s like a dream that people respect and look up to just by being able to use it. If you can use it, the standard is unknown, but it was something that would give you the confidence that you were chosen from the great ones.
“The person who wrote this and the people who referenced it must have been the same as Usher.”
“With me?”
“But I’m in despair. Even though I love magic, I craved magic more than anyone else, but I wasn’t chosen.”
After hearing Belka’s words and reading the contents of the book again, I thought I could understand why this book was created. As she said, the person who wrote this book, and the numerous scholars and minorities he referred to, were like Usher, at least at first. Would have been the same They wanted to use magic even at the cost of everything. The more I read the text, the more I could see the longing, yearning, and desperation for the magic of the people buried there.
Most of the content in this book is not about magic itself, but about the many ways people used to use magic. At first glance, there were things that seemed persuasive, and this book contained all the ridiculous acts that I couldn’t believe someone had really done. Usher trembled at the actions that even felt the madness.
“…I don’t want to get magic by going this far.”
Even if you could gain people’s respect, great wealth, and honor just by using magic. Even so, I was a little shocked to realize that in a corner of his mind he said he could understand the actions of the people who were written in this book. It was then.
“Oh, is that strange?”
As if answering his appreciation for the book, a man’s voice was heard. Surprised by that, Usher looked where the sound came from and saw Pan, the man who had fought with Donnar, smiling as he entered the carriage door. He was like a giant to Usher, who was on the smaller side of his age, and Belka, who was smaller than him, but Usher glared at him.
“What’s going on here? I heard you don’t have to be treated here anymore.”
He had a bad first impression. Who can take a good look at a man with a stern look who teases, harasses, and quarrels with others the moment he wakes up? Because the target was people who had treated him kindly, he was more wary. Perhaps he came to harm Belka, but when he glared at him, he heard a smirk answer.
“Don’t be so vigilant. I came to see if your friend is okay.”
“Yeah? What do you mean?”
“Oh, what. You didn’t even tell me what happened? Haha! This is a masterpiece!”
Usher felt uneasy at the sight of the man tapping his knees and laughing exaggeratedly and unpleasantly. When he turned to Belka, he saw a girl avoiding his gaze like a child on the verge of being scolded by an adult.
“What happened? Huh? Tell me, Belka.”
Let’s ask as if he begged at the growing anxiety. Belka’s lips parted, but his man interrupted to speak first.
“It’s very nice. I feel like throwing up because it’s disgusting.”
“What are you…!”
“I couldn’t even tell my friend that Truss was taking sleeping pills and fucking him while everyone was asleep.”
Usher tried to comment on Pan’s insulting taunt, but he couldn’t keep up when he interrupted him. Unable to understand his words for a moment, he recalled the invisible appearance of Truth in the carriage and the strange attitude of Sif today.
“Belka, why didn’t you tell me?”
Usher could feel his voice tremble as his fists tightened. That Truth did that to Belka. Most of all, he was so pathetic, miserable, and angry that he couldn’t stand it because he didn’t even notice it and talked to him calmly.
“Sorry.”
“Are you going to tell me it’s okay this time?”
“…Huh.”
The girl lowered her head as if she had no confidence to face him and answered helplessly. She already knew that she was like this. Because she was the one who suffered bad things, but she worried about him first. It will be like that this time too. He must have been worried about Usher as he passed it off with just one word that he was fine with what he had done. He doesn’t even know that his actions make him more miserable.
“Am I that unreliable?”
Belka shook her head.
“Then don’t try to hide it like this. At least tell me.”
“Yeah, I will. I’m really sorry. I’m just worried about Usher…”
Hugging each other, they reaffirmed their feelings for each other. Yes, her loving heart was so great and so great that Usher could neither resent nor hate her.
“Oh, that idiot bitch ate it. It’s okay? Then it doesn’t matter if I ate it too?”
It was the moment he was about to shout at the man’s unpleasant, nonsensical bullshit.
“If you want to be like him, do it. You’ll get caught before then.”
Sif, who had gone to get a meal, said coldly as he entered the carriage. Pan tutted when Sif entered, clicked his tongue, closed the door, and left. The behavior of a man who did not know why he came to this place made me feel bad.
“What is that man doing?”
“He’s one of the people escorting this caravan.”
Sif sighed when Usher asked him angrily.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything but play.”
Or fighting with the same person. I knew he was off here due to an injury, but the man’s attitude and behavior couldn’t make a good impression even considering that. He had just walked out after suddenly visiting and arguing with me.
“Still, one skill is certain. Seeing him like that makes me want to kick him out.”
Sif acted as if he was sick of it.
“Didn’t I harm you guys?”
“I didn’t do anything harmful. Just… Is it true that Mr. Truth did that to Belka?”
At Usher’s words, she looked at Belkar for a moment before opening her mouth.
“Haa, I wondered why that human came here, but it seems that he just talked about it.”
Sif clicked his tongue, saying he was a really bad person.
“That’s what it is.”
“Yes, it’s true.”
“What happened to that old man?”
Seeing that he looked angry and seemed to be running to where Truth was at any moment, Sif grabbed him and said,
“After the man had dinner and a brief trial, he decided to leave him in the wilderness.”
“…Is that the end of it?”
“Of course I won’t leave you with water and food.”
When Usher’s anger seemed to subside, Sif rebuked him, saying that that alone was effectively a death sentence. It was also explained that there are many dangerous creatures that eat or kill humans in the wilderness, and that if you throw your body into such a place without water or food, you can kill it without using your hands. I will also engrave the stigma of being a criminal so that I will not be saved by anyone, so there is no need to worry about being saved by others. After hearing that, Usher was barely able to calm himself down.
“Instead, I want to participate in that trial.”
“That’s…, Whoa, it can’t be helped. I’ll tell Danju.”
Let’s think about it first, Sif unpacked a small pot and three loaves of bread he had brought with him. First, it was time to make breakfast.
In the middle of breakfast. A different atmosphere pervaded the dining room. The meal time, which was always noisy when the meal started, is quiet today, so even the playful children sit quietly and eat while watching the adults notice. Long time to do that. Someone was eating without saying anything among the coachmen who had gathered among themselves, so he carefully brought up a topic that no one had dared to bring up, perhaps because he was bored.
“Thruth, you said that guy was the same as the death penalty?”
“Hey, watch your mouth. Listen, kids!”
Then another coachman nearby hit him in the back of the head.
“You can talk quietly! Quiet!”
“Be quiet, go to sleep, and pay attention to your surroundings.”
When the driver who spoke first complained, the driver who stabbed him in the back of the head glanced at Donard, who was eating with him, and placed his index finger near the helmet, telling him to be quiet. As if he noticed Donar only then, he scratched the back of his head.
“We all wear the same armor, so it’s hard to tell who’s who. What should I do?”
“Yes, but it’s time to tell them apart.”
“Stop talking nonsense, raise your visor and eat your meal, you bastards.”
When Shalby, who was by Donar’s side, said something to them, they grumbled, but broke their share of hard bread, ground it into powder, and mixed it into the soup. As Shalby looked at them pathetically, she addressed Donnar.
“So are you alright? Even if you don’t tell me, you were close to him.”
“Ah, well, it used to be. It’s kind of like that now, though.”
When Shalby asked anxiously, Donar said he was okay, but she couldn’t believe Shalby when he heard the answer.
“Are you sure he did it? You’re not mistaken?”
“Uh.”
When Donar answered calmly to Shalby’s question, he pounded his chest in frustration. Normally, the first person to act on something like this was absent-minded as if she had lost her mind, so she felt rather frustrated with Shalby, who tried to stop him from doing so.
“He’s really dying this time. At least let’s hear the reason. He doesn’t even talk.”
The wilderness, full of hard red sand, is full of creatures and monsters that are not only unkind to humans, but also threatening and exclusive to humans. Of course, because traversing this wilderness entails great risks. The cooperation and cohesion of the people involved within the upper ranks is an important factor. The longer the ascent, the longer there will be no complaints, so criminal acts within the guild are judged more severely than trials conducted in cities or countries.
In a city or country, each ruler is different, but most of them end up in prison. However, during the ascension, the frequency of the death penalty, which is the most difficult to judge even for a criminal, is much higher. In addition, the weight of Truss’ sins was unanswerable considering their hometown.
“Whoa, what’s going on with this? Even though he’s a bit unreliable, I thought he wasn’t that kind of guy.”
When Shalby muttered dejectedly, Donnar picked up the entire bowl of soup and poured it all into his mouth.
“Yes, just like you said. I need to know why.”
“Ha, it’s a bit like normal now.”
After quickly finishing their meal to Shalby, they headed to the second carriage from the back. Originally, it was one of the places used as a food warehouse, but it is rarely filled as it almost arrives at its destination. So, it was being used to imprison Truss, who had become a sinner.
“Odur, are you all right?”
“I was bored because it was so quiet.”
As they opened the carriage door and entered, they saw Truth tied up and trapped in the empty carriage, and the man who was watching him to see if he was doing anything stupid. Shalby greeted them warmly, and he too greeted them.
“You were bored?”
Seeing that, Shalby asked as if wondering. He shrugs her shoulders.
“Uh, I thought he was going to freak out if he wasn’t him or let me go. Nothing like that.”
“Okay?”
Hearing that he had been quiet without saying anything, Donar’s eyes turned to Truth.
“Wait a minute, we’ll take care of it. Come get some fresh air.”
“Then it’s me, thank you. Why?”
“I have something I want to ask him.”
At Shalby’s words, he looked at Donar and Truce alternately, then shrugged his shoulders.
“Can’t you let me go?”
“I know, thank you, son of a bitch.”
Odur, who had been watching Truth, left the carriage and the first to speak was Donar.
“Thrus, why did you do that?”
See While he wanted to ask the most. Shalby thought so and she leaned against the door. There was no way that would be the case, but it would have been difficult if Truth had run away. However, it was when she was disappointed that she would not be able to hear anything after all, seeing Truss seldom answer and remain silent.
“My, if I said no, would you believe me?”
“What is that…”
What Ruth finally opened his mouth and said. She wanted to ask in detail what happened to the words. At that time, it seemed that he could hear the sound of an argument outside the door, and as the door was forced open, Truth shut his mouth again at the man’s voice.
“Oh, no. You guys don’t know that it’s not okay to interrogate people in private, right?”
“Board.”
The owner of that voice was Pan. In the end, they had no choice but to get out of the carriage without receiving a mediocre answer from Truth, fed up with Pan’s sarcastic voice and threats that appeared as if they had waited before they could properly start their work.
“I’m sorry. I was going to get some fresh air in front of the wagon. The guy on the board suddenly came.”
“It’s not your fault. After all, it’s our fault.”
Odur must have rolled on the ground while blocking the plate, and his armor was covered in dirt.
“So you didn’t reveal anything?”
“Uh, I have a feeling he might not be the culprit. I don’t know if this is a matter of our feelings or not.”
I think we could find out more if Pan didn’t intervene. His personality made it clear that he would keep an eye on Truss, whether he was the culprit or not, and get in the way of what they were trying to do. In the circumstances where Truss was witnessed committing the crime, there is no evidence either way. At this rate, he had no choice but to follow the judgment of the Lord.
“Then.”
“Yeah, if he keeps his mouth shut, he’ll die.”
“I have nothing to say if Truth really did it. Because he doesn’t make any excuses. It’s a bit embarrassing as expected.”
“That’s right. It wouldn’t be embarrassing if there was clear evidence of innocence or guilt.”
Shalbi, who was talking to Odur, seemed to see a small figure running somewhere, but he dismissed it lightly as if it was a child playing nearby.
