Chapter 142, Goals and Promises

Translator: Barnnn

 

In early March, Volhelm and Wardon departed. Volhelm’s group would arrive ahead of them to make preparations for receiving their “escort target.” They’d told the others to take their time and enjoy the journey, so the trio decided to take them at their word.

In just a few days, Fieda’s group would set off as well.

But before they could leave, there was one last matter to attend to.

 

“Everyone, thank you for waiting! Perhaps I’ve kept you waiting far too long!” Hal’s voice rang out bright and clear. “I now declare the Sixth Goal-Setting Meeting officially open!”

“Whoo-whoo!” Ize cheered playfully, pumping a fist in the air.

 

Sato smacked its leaves together in a rustling rhythm.

Fieda clapped his broad hands lazily in response.

 

“First, let’s review our previous goals,” Hal said, holding out his tablet for everyone to look over.

 

Goals: One Year

– Improve Hal’s stamina (daily training during travel).

– Combat training in an undead-themed Dungeon.

– Sightseeing in the royal capital (one month).

– Regional travel based on Merchants’ Guild’s list (destinations may change).

 

“We’ve done pretty well so far,” Hal said.

“The goal period was supposed to be a year, wasn’t it? It ended up being only ten months,” Ize noted.

“Good timing to set the next stage before moving on to the next big city,” Hal nodded.

“So the first and last ones stay as ongoing goals?” Fieda asked.

“Ugh…”

 

Hal winced and stared at the first item on the list.

 

“I think I’ve built up quite a bit of stamina,” he muttered. “Still not enough?”

“Compared to a sixteen-year-old from this world? You’re still soft,” Fieda said bluntly.

“Soft… Fine. First and fourth goals stay as they are.”

 

He copied them over into the new list.

 

“The route to Sooryab is already set,” Fieda reminded. “We won’t have time for major detours.”

“I understand,” Ize replied.

“Right…” Hal added begrudgingly. “Toppling the Church takes priority.”

“We are NOT toppling anything,” Fieda corrected.

“Fine — opposing, then. It’s just a feeling thing anyway. The time frame depends on how long the operation takes, right?”

“They’re aiming to wrap it up in about a year. As for the Church, they’ll probably arrive around November.”

 

Counting on her fingers, Ize murmured,

 

“That’s eight months… isn’t the schedule a bit tight?”

“I think it’s doable,” Hal said. “We’ll have support from A-ranks, after all.”

“At the very least, the Church won’t get a chance to claim any of the glory,” Fieda added.

 

Reassured by their confidence, Ize relaxed.

 

“Kekyo!” Sato interjected suddenly.

“What’s that?” Hal asked.

 

The small creature patted its round white belly as if to make a point, chirping softly with each tap. Ize’s expression softened immediately.

 

“Hmm? Something about the nutrient solution?” Hal guessed.

“What about it?” Ize tilted her head.

“Keekke, keekke, kyokyon, keekke!”

“You want us to use it… on enemies?” Fieda asked.

“Kekkenkyo!”

 

Sato nodded enthusiastically, then mimed stomping on something.

 

“You mean the nutrient solution could be used to defeat enemies?” Hal asked.

“Kekyo!”

 

Sato jabbed a leaf toward Hal as if declaring him correct, then plopped down with satisfaction. The three humans exchanged glances.

 

“The nutrient solution works… on enemies?” Fieda repeated.

“Sato, be more specific,” Ize said. “Does it work on all enemies?”

“Kyo, kekken!”

“No? Then… the Undead?”

“Kekyo!”

“And the last Undead we fought?”

“Kekken.”

“That’s a no, I assume? What about the next ones we’ll face?”

“Kekyo!”

 

The rapid-fire back-and-forth between Ize and Sato had Hal and Fieda looking quite serious as they tried to process all the information.

 

“So, it only works on the ‘dry’ kind of undead,” Fieda summarized.

“We won’t know for sure until we try,” Hal said. “We also don’t understand the mechanism.”

“Actually, I think I do,” Ize interrputed, raising her hand slightly, prompting the two others to turn toward her. “Remember what Bardveles said? When someone’s healed with light magic, the magical energy flows through their body.”

“Oh, right…” Hal nodded. “So, since Sato gets drenched in healing magic every day, its body’s saturated with light-elemental energy?”

“That’s my guess.”

“Kekyo!” Sato affirmed.

“Good answer,” Hal said with a grin.

“But then, why does it work on dry undead but not the Crumblers?” Fieda asked.

“I’m not entirely sure… but maybe because the nutrient solution’s not that strong…” Ize said slowly. She lifted Sato into her arms and swayed it gently as she thought aloud. “Most Mystic Beasts have a Magicite deep inside their bodies. But skeletal undead have theirs exposed. So even a diluted nutrient solution could affect them.”

“Ah, that makes sense,” Fieda said.

“I’d say the reasoning is sound, yeah,” Hal agreed.

“Kekkyon!” Sato chimed happily, rustling its leaves.

“Once we get to Sooryab, we’ll consult with the others,” Fieda said. “Light magic’s still the most effective, but this might let physical fighters contribute more.”

 

Destroying a Mystic Beast’s Magicite naturally meant killing it. But for the Undead, which dropped no other loot, doing so meant there was no reward. Therefore, physical fighters mainly served as mages’ guards or aimed for non-Magicite parts. If Sato’s nutrient solution worked, underperforming physical fighters might be able to take on a more aggressive role.

Fieda reached out and gently stroked Sato’s smooth head.

 

“Thanks for the valuable info, Sato. Just don’t soak in too many baths and turn into a boiled Mandragora, all right?”

“Kekyo.”

 

Sato batted a leaf playfully against Fieda’s stubbled chin in reply.

 

“Heh, how precious,” Ize murmured.

 

Hal, ignoring her, returned to the agenda.

 

“Now, assuming we’ll spend about a year before leaving Sooryab, let’s set our goals. Any objections?”

“Nope!” Ize said.

“None,” Fieda added.

“Kekyo,” Sato chirped.

 

Hal nodded with satisfaction.

 

“Our main focus in Sooryab will be the operation. We’ll aim to wrap it up before the Church arrives in November. Any other ideas?”

“What about the Rank 3 and Rank 2 operations after Sooryab?” Ize asked.

“In my opinion, we can leave those alone,” Fieda said. “Unless you want to challenge the Rank 2 ‘Magekiller’ and its infamous gimmicks.”

“Uh… no, I’m good,” Hal said quickly, averting his gaze and fiddling with the tablet.

“Besides, by the time we leave Sooryab, our names and faces will likely be well-known… and people will expect us to be heavily guarded. It’d be strange if we were suddenly making a splash in the Rank 2 Dungeon.”

“Oh, right. When you put it that way…”

 

Ize and Hal accepted the reasoning without protest. If all eyes were on them, it would be harder to act freely. After showing off their light and water magic in public, it would be unwise to reveal more of their powers — dark magic, wind magic, and the rest.

If they couldn’t enjoy moving as they pleased, it would turn into nothing more than a job. Neither of them wanted a life like that.

 

“Helping the others get to the Rank 2 Dungeon as quickly as possible is good enough,” Fieda said with a short, dismissive snort.

 

He’d been reluctant to commit to the next expedition after seeing the attitude of both the crown and the Church, and Hal and Ize agreed with him.

 

“So, where’s the next city after Sooryab?” Hal asked.

“From Sooryab, it’s straight south toward the Adoghan Republic. That means either Milezuire or Anshema.”

“I don’t know why I’m relieved they don’t have weirder names…” Ize chuckled dryly.

“I get the feeling,” Hal said with a grin.

 

While the other two nodded, Fieda spread a rough map on the table and pointed.

 

“Sooryab lies in the northeast of the Kingdom of Tajellia. It’s less than two weeks from the coast…” His finger traced east to the sea, then slid inland a short distance. “…Which city we reach first depends on the route. Milezuire is near a Rank 3 Dungeon, Anshema near a Rank 2.”

 

Hal frowned as if faced with an impossible choice.

 

“So whichever way we go, we’ll run into other adventurers?”

“Most likely. High chance we’ll meet familiar faces. Or we could avoid big cities altogether and stop only in smaller towns or villages,” Fieda added, drawing a straight line along the coast. Seeing their hesitation, he gave a faint chuckle and withdrew his hand from the map. “…OR we can decide after Sooryab. If we get along with the other adventurers during the operation, our destination might change, too.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Hal nodded. “As long as we know our part in the dormancy operation ends in Sooryab, that’s enough for now.”

“Then let’s gather information there before choosing the next city,” Ize suggested.

“Good idea. I’ll write that down.”

 

Goals: One Year

 

– Complete most of the dormancy operation before the Church’s forces arrive.

– Gather information on cities after Sooryab and decide the next destination.

– Improve Hal’s stamina (daily training during travel).

– Regional travel based on Merchants’ Guild’s list (destinations may change).

 

“Looks good to me,” Hal said.

“By the way, since there weren’t any Mandragoras in the Undead Dungeon,” Ize remarked. “Can we assume the same in Sooryab?”

“Let’s hope so. I mean, what, would they be Undead Mandragoras? I wouldn’t want to see that,” Fieda grumbled.

“…Yeah. Especially if they still have a heart mark in their status windows when I appraise them.” Hal shook his head.

“That DOES sound creepy…”

 

All three — and one creature — narrowed their eyes and quickly shook the mental image away.

 

◆

 

The air was still cold when Hiro and Take trotted proudly up to the manor’s porch, harnessed to their horsebus.

 

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Ize said, stroking their necks. “We’re resuming our travels today. Let’s do our best.”

 

The two horses nuzzled her face warmly.

 

“Thank you for caring for them through the winter,” Hal said to the driver who had brought them here.

“It’s a relief they made it through the winter healthy,” Fieda added.

 

They had visited the manor stables often, keeping up their riding practice, but setting out on the road again brought a different kind of anticipation.

 

“We’ll be there by the end of May,” Gruash said. “You’ll have to do without us until then.”

“I’m SO looking forward to seeing Gru as an adventurer again,” Shezel added. “Save a few hordes of Beasts for us, will you?”

“My magic can’t compare to yours, Ize, but I’ll do my best,” Rossalie said. “So promise me you won’t push yourselves too hard.”

 

The three adventurers nodded with smiles.

 

“Ize, when you’re done, you could always come back and be the lady of the manor,” Loudipa reminded.

“Nah, man, you REALLY should find yourself some other woman,” Hal shot back.

“What about you, Hal? I happen to swing both ways…”

“Not interested,” Hal bristled at Loudipa’s usual teasing, then muttered so quietly it was almost inaudible, “If you keep hiding what you really want, you’ll lose your chance when it matters most, you know.”

“Only a few people need to understand me,” Loudipa replied, smiling thinly. “And that makes a perfect spouse for me, doesn’t it?”

 

Hal shook his head as if to say there was no helping him and climbed into the horsebus.

 

“Miss Rossalie, take care of yourself. I look forward to seeing you again soon,” Ize said, exchanging a gentle hug before joining Hal.

Fieda took the driver’s seat and called to Gruash and Shezel, “We’ll be waiting over there. If anything changes with the nobles or the Church in the Capital, let me know immediately.”

“Understood. Thank you for everything. Until we meet again.”

“See you!”

 

Ize and Hal waved one last time to the four standing in front of the manor — the first nobles they had met in this kingdom.

Ize looked at the black-haired man with his unspoken burdens and hoped an easier future awaited him. As the horsebus rolled away, she caught sight of the couple standing close together in the fading distance… and with that, she felt the day when that future might come was no longer so far away.