Chapter 19 – Days of Trial

“Welcome, everyone, to our great lands.”

“This is…”

“The easternmost territory of the empire…”

About three months after the intense battle on the bridge, Karan and others finally crossed over the mountains and forests, arriving at the plains.

While it would have taken Karan alone only about a month, with a large group including children, their pace was much slower. Mayo went ahead and surveyed the plains anew.

“Amazing…the land stretches out endlessly…”

“We, the people of the plains, welcome you all. At this time of year, my Muga tribe should be a bit further to the northeast.”

After a short rest, the group set out again. No longer needing to watch their rear, Kirimune moved up to walk beside Karan at the front.

“Thank you for guiding us this far. As an imperial citizen, I express my gratitude.”

“What are you saying? We have long benefited from the tools made by imperial citizens in our daily lives…and you cherished the horses raised in these lands. That alone is ample reason to welcome imperial citizens.”

For Karan, this was his first time in the plains in several months. For Kirimune, his first time in several years since losing his homeland.

Once settled, Kirimune planned to contemplate how to live going forward.

“…It’s nostalgic. Back then, Vyril was still so small. I can’t believe that little guy made it all the way to the imperial capital.”

“………….”

“If this was going to happen…I should have trained him more in swimming.”

Karan had witnessed Vyril being swept away by the raging river. Given the force, it was imaginable that he could have been carried all the way to the sea.

Both Karan and Kirimune wanted to go search for Vyril. But they were not alone there. Besides nobles like Mayo, there were many villagers including children. They could not leave them behind to look for Vyril.

Karan spoke to Kirimune  in a hushed voice.

“Vyril was…not just an ordinary war orphan, was he? I surmise he was likely born into high nobility…”

“Oh? What makes you think that?”

“His mannerisms are different. It’s clear he received an education. Plus, he had an engraved crest.”

The condition to manifest a crest is having blood descended from the Phantom Emperor Gnochein. Just as some nobles violated commoners in plundered areas, some commoners also possess crests.

However, Karan thought Vyril was almost certainly from the imperial high nobility.

“Come to think of it, the Muga tribe has also served as a liaison with the imperial government. So we would know about the mannerisms of nobles.”

“Of course I’m not an expert…but in the tribe, I was often tasked with dealing with nobles.”

That’s why he could act properly towards the imperial princess as well.

There are eight tribes in the plains but they have no hierarchy. Each finds their role and they help each other.

“…May I interrupt for a moment?”

Mayo had approached them at some point and addressed the two. Karan gave a gentle smile, indicating it was fine.

“Karan-sama, Kirimune-sama. Thank you again. We made it here safely thanks to your efforts and to Vyril fighting for us at the cost of his life.”

“…Thank you. Vyril would be very pleased to hear those words from you, Mayo-sama.”

Among this group, Vyril was the sole casualty. But everyone knows that he remained on the bridge and kept fighting.

“If I was alone, I may have let some of the cavalry through. And because Vyril and I held off the imperial soldiers together, the enemy became desperate and charged, causing the bridge to collapse….I don’t understand why I survived instead of him.”

Kirimune deeply regretted what happened then. Neither Mayo nor Karan would say trite things like【He’s surely alive】or 【He’ll come to the plains eventually】.

Instead, they express sincere gratitude to him. Vyril’s fighting at that time repelled the imperial pursuers, allowing everyone to reach the plains safely.

Karan closed his eyes once, then faced forward.

“He helped save the imperial citizens and myself. The plains people do not forget kindness received. Let us welcome you all as repayment for his deed.”

As he spoke, he remembered his sister. His sister Rina was very fond of Vyril. When they returned to the imperial capital, she would probably ask first if Vyril came back too.

Originally, the plan was for Vyril to return to the plains with them. And Vyril could have married Rina and eventually assisted Karan when he became chief of the Muga tribe.

‘…Looks like we’ll reunite with everyone by the end of today.’

It had been a long time since seeing his family again. But his heart was far from bright.

■

“Guh…! Hah, hah…!”

Spending continuous time in this pitch black cave has caused me to completely lose my sense of time. I can’t even imagine how many months have passed since then.

Hours, days, or even months? Without the light of my crest, I feel like I’ll go insane soon.

“Wa…ter…!”

Following the faint sound of water, I move towards the wall. There are places in this cave where water trickles down the walls. I press my mouth against the rock face and greedily drink.

“Hah…! …!”

Sensing something, I quickly leap back and swing my sword horizontally.

“Pighyua!”

“Kuh…!”

Dimly illuminated by my crest, an eerie four-legged creature reveals itself.

Its squirming, intestine-like body is clearly covered in blood vessels and its mouth is wide open. But it has no eyes. Just looking at this repulsive monster fills me with revulsion.

“Pighyuruaaaa!”

Before I know it, the monster appears right in front of me. I instantly bring my sword up to block its fangs.

“Ooooooohhh…!”

I quickly pull my sword back, crouch down and leap to the right. Letting the beast’s charge flow past, I slash at its side.

“Pighyuruaaaa!”

“Hah!”

Without pause, I strike the gaping wound with my gauntleted fist. The beast flies back and slams against the wall, splattering flesh like bursting innards.

“Hah, hah…! What is this cave…!”

For some reason, these eerie creatures roam freely here. My crest doesn’t illuminate the entire area, just providing a faint glow around me.

But they seem to rely on this light, charging directly at me from far away.

I’m usually quite sensitive to sensing attacks, having trained for one-eyed combat. But I’ve suffered many wounds here.

It’s not all bad though. I’ve survived by drinking the water trickling down the walls and eating the flesh of these beasts. However…

“Ugh…! S-Stinks…!”

Of course, there’s no fire here. Sometimes there are pools where I can rinse the blood off torn flesh but usually I just eat it raw.

The blood and organs reek terribly and the texture is awful. But I can’t afford to be picky.

“Ngh…! Compared to…at first…I’ve…gotten used to it…!”

Perhaps because of the dark, none of the eerie creatures here seem to have eyes. Yet they attack me with clear hostility.

Through those kinds of days, I learned how to muffle my footsteps and dull my presence as I moved. Yet I still get attacked like this.

But I can’t keep my crest activated indefinitely. Prolonged use rapidly drains my stamina and I need a full rest before I can reactivate it. Periods of complete darkness are unavoidable.

Even then, they still come after me. I’ve become extremely sensitive to presences by now.

‘Just what…is this place really…?’

There was a time I felt true fear in my heart. When I activated my crests, there were claws the size of my arm right next to me.

Just the claws were that big, so the body must be massive. Luckily that monster was sleeping, so I quietly left without seeing its full form.

And that last creature was on the tamer side. Some have iron-like hardness or monstrous combat ability.

I’ve repeatedly fought them to the death, sustaining injuries, but somehow survived.

‘My crest techniques have grown considerably too…’

The gauntlet that used to just cover my arms now extends up to my shoulders. Engraved crests are said to grow stronger and through these life-and-death battles here, my own crest seems to have evolved.

And the extreme conditions of this darkness have fostered new growth within me as well.

No, not growth. I realised the truth about my own powerlessness and position. What true strength is.

‘Individual strength and the strength gained from one’s position. It’s about whether you take or are taken from. Whether you trample or are trampled.’

I was always the one being taken from, being trampled. I didn’t have the strength or position to resist. So I always lost, making excuses that it was because my position was weak…

What is position? Is it how you’re born? That may be part of it. But it’s not something you grasped for yourself.

Even the current emperor’s ability to wield power is just a strength he happened to be born into by chance.

People are not equal from birth. But when it comes to what you struggle to grasp in life, there is equality.

My master is a good example. Putting aside power, the sword skills he’s attained through his long life are unmatched. That is something he seized for himself.

And in terms of birth position, I’m not losing either. Although my claim to the throne is weak, the fact that I’m a son of the previous emperor cannot be undone.

Despite having such a privileged position, why couldn’t I protect the imperial capital? The conclusion is that position itself is transient…

Just as the previous emperor mysteriously passed away, even the emperor’s position can swiftly change.

Until now I was trapped thinking [I lost because my position was weak, no matter how strong I became individually]. That may be partly true. But in this world, no position is absolute.

I had been desperately trying to find absolute strength in such a vague, transient thing. How foolish. Just like nobles clinging to the obvious power in front of them.

I don’t want to be bound by something like that. So then, what is true strength…? I’ve asked myself this over and over. The answer still eludes me. But.

An unprecedented, deafening silence has taken residence in my mind. Like the surface of a waveless lake.

My concentration heightened to the extreme in this state allowed me to easily cleave through monsters with iron-like hides. I am confident that I can cut even a heavy infantryman with black iron armour to pieces.

■

An indeterminate amount of time had passed since I had been walking. At some point, I became able to defeat the monsters I encountered here without much difficulty in combat.

Now, even without the light of my crest, I could wield my sword unhesitatingly.

And presently, before my eyes, there was clearly a door that appeared to be a man-made artefact.