episode_0010

I was able to hear the reason why I ended up here after asking both of them.

Fortunately, it seemed like Aria heard me and called the village knights. Since Aria is from the Marquis family, the knights must have actively assisted.

After the knights who discovered me unconscious with Gryphon transferred me to a stretcher, it seemed that our side’s Duke’s knights and servants took over.

After the conversation ended, Sara left with a sullen expression, and I sent the inscrutable Pablo out of the room.

Soon after, I meditated on the bed.

Now that my Danjeon has been somewhat restored, meditation was possible. I could infuse mana into my body, accelerate recovery, and promote healing faster.

If I continue to diligently meditate while faithfully consuming Yeongdan, it seemed like I could completely restore my recovered Danjeon to its original state by the time of the Academy’s reopening.

Until the day of the Academy’s reopening, I focused only on meditation, light aerobic exercise, and recovery.

I needed to recover quickly so I could resume strength training and swordsmanship practice.

And so, I spent several days in the room.

The day before the Academy reopened arrived in no time.

To unpack at the dormitory first, the carriage carrying Sara and me departed from the Brace Duchy early in the morning.

There were ten escort knights. All of them were Sword Expert level.

Clank. Clank-!

“Don’t sit next to me. You smell like sweat.”

Sara, who was moving with me inside the carriage, said, glaring at me.

I lost a lot of weight over the past month.

I currently feel around 80kg… chubby compared to my height, not exactly in top physical shape.

Just typical sibling banter, nothing serious.

“I won’t sit next to you even if you don’t say anything, so don’t worry.”

I replied casually, gazing out the window.

The Brace Duchy was gradually fading away.

The scenery beyond the village turned into barren land and vast plains.

We raced towards our destination, the prestigious ‘Ariel Academy.’

Clank, clank!

“Since the security is good from the Brace Duchy to Ariel Academy, there’s no need to worry.”

The road connecting here is close to the royal road of the palace.

Even low-level monsters are eradicated as they pose a threat to the palace, so there’s no need to worry about monsters.

Even if low-level monsters appear, the escort knights here are all Sword Experts or higher.

Even if I join in for a subjugation under the guise of an inspection, it should be safe enough.

I estimated my level to be at least 3 stars during the Gryphon battle.

Although I haven’t fully grasped my current level, I believe I can handle Oras.

“Cool….”

While pondering this, Sara was sound asleep leaning against the carriage wall.

Perhaps she was tired. Well.

It was the day before school started, and we had rushed out early in the morning. It’s understandable to be tired.

In fact, I’m tired too….

‘…I’ll just rest for a bit.’

As I tried to close my eyes for a moment.

-Drip, drip.

Rumble-!

Raindrops began to fall, and suddenly, as if a hole had opened in the sky, a downpour started.

Just a moment ago, the weather was fine, but within seconds, the sky swallowed up by dark clouds changed the weather as if lying.

‘Something feels ominous… Well, it shouldn’t matter.’

As mentioned earlier, with ten Sword Expert-level escort knights and a safe path, nothing should go wrong.

I closed my eyes without another thought.

*

When I woke up from my nap.

The rain was still pouring down like a waterfall.

Driving in heavy rain.

Looking around, the rugged hilly terrain caused the carriage’s speed to noticeably decrease.

Clatter! Clunk!

The carriage shook roughly.

Continuing like this would be dangerous….

“Stop-! Stop for a moment!!”

That’s right.

A man who appeared to be the captain of the escort knights stopped the carriage.

It seemed like he had judged that continuing on this path would be dangerous.

About 10 minutes passed like that.

The escort knights and coachmen, who seemed to have some kind of discussion among themselves, reorganized and began moving the carriage again.

The carriage veered to the left.

“Are they planning to detour towards the hill where the wind lingers…?”

There were many irregular slopes along the royal road, so it seemed like they were trying to detour.

The detour led to a habitat where goblins frequently appeared.

Just goblins wouldn’t be a problem that the escort knights couldn’t handle.

Even if they were to encounter an advanced goblin shaman by bad luck, it shouldn’t be a problem.

However, why did this ominous feeling keep creeping in?

After the carriage detoured, about 4 hours passed before a flat road stretched out.

It was a plain covered with weeds and sand in between.

“What… Is this the right way?”

Sara, who had suddenly woken up from her sleep, rubbed one eye and muttered.

Had she slept for about 6 hours straight?

She seemed dazed as she looked around the scenery outside the carriage, unable to grasp the situation.

“It seems like they’re detouring because of heavy rain.”

“Hmm… Detouring? Just because of some rain?”

“Look at the sky. The rain is pouring down like crazy. If we continue on the hilly road, there might be a slippery accident.”

“Don’t try to teach me.”

“….”

…Her personality was still as stubborn as ever.

No matter how much of a mess the previous owner of the body was, isn’t this going too far?

It’s not Cyan now but Jian, who has possessed Cyan’s body…

About 30 minutes later, the carriage came to a stop.

The sky darkened, and it seemed like they were preparing to camp in the nearby forest.

The place was now lush with dense trees and weeds.

We set up camp under a large tree to shelter from the rain and camped there.

Tap. Tap-tap.

The sound of crackling fire could be heard.

The sound of falling rain mixed with the crackling fire somehow evoked a sentimental feeling.

“You all did well! Let’s take a rest!”

“Oh yeah!”

The escort knights unfolded their blankets one by one and shared soup cooked in pots.

If only alcohol were present, the atmosphere would resemble a company dinner.

Except for the high-ranking Confucian escort, they would have surely poured drinks.

I didn’t mind such an atmosphere.

In my previous life of possession, I often attended company dinners. Everyone claimed not to like them, but it’s free food, after all.

I attended without complaint. …I might have been close to being called an ace employee by common standards.

I always handled work cleanly without mistakes and always participated in dinners.

“Koo… Kuuul….”

“Mm… yeah….”

After the meal, the tired escort knights from each group took turns standing guard and sleeping in pairs.

Sara was also sleeping in a tent separate from mine.

“I didn’t get tired sleeping in the carriage… Should I practice some combat instead?”

If I sweat a little, I might get a bit tired.

I took out my longsword from the tent, slipped out of the campsite, and walked into the deep forest unnoticed by the guards.

I got a bit wet from the rain, but it was bearable compared to being hit directly by sunlight.

The Wind-lingering Hill… It was indeed a forest where the wind blew a lot, just as its name suggested.

As evening approached, a cold draft was rising from below.

I raised my head and looked at the sky.

The full moon was obscured by dark rain clouds.

“It’s bright enough to train now.”

I stopped at a suitable spot, gripped my sword, and assumed a stance.

“Hoo….”

A cold breath emanated from my mouth due to the surrounding climate.

Swallowing it back, I pulled the sword towards my head.

“Huup-!”

As I attempted a vertical slash…

‘…!’

…What’s this?

A chilling sensation coursing through my entire body.

It was a feeling I hadn’t experienced since rebuilding my Danjeon.

‘A mana presence…? A mage? A goblin? No, at this level… a shaman? No, it doesn’t seem like that either…’

Something was off.

Since coming to this world, I haven’t felt such a direct sensation before, so my judgment wasn’t clear.

It’s definitely not human….

The feeling is alien and unsettling.

“Somehow things were flowing smoothly… Tsk.”

As expected, Ariel is a game that can never be peaceful. In a world where magic seethes, there can be no peace like this.

Let’s go scout.

If necessary, I can call the escort knights.

They are here to work for me. When they wake up, the escort knights should be grateful to me.

…

“Carriage?”

Following the mana’s presence up to the top, at the end of a path lined with dense trees, something came into view.

What I saw below was the silhouette of a carriage and people.

“Was there another carriage diverting this way instead of ours?”

A luxurious-looking carriage that seemed to carry an important figure at first glance.

Adorned with various jewels, the carriage was more splendid than the Brace Principality’s.

About 20 guards surrounded the carriage, all wearing iron armor with a familiar emblem engraved on the shoulder plates.

“…The emblem of the Violet Imperial Family.”

The emblem of the Violet House, a royal family of the Liana Empire.

So, the person from the Violet House trying to divert this way at this hour must be…

“The Fourth Princess?”

Rosaria di Violet, the youngest daughter among the heirs of the imperial family.

She is also a student at the Ariel Academy like me.

Did she end up here due to the storm while heading to the academy for the start of the semester?

But that thought only lasted for a moment.

“Kieeek!”

Suddenly, a non-human voice echoed from the opposite hill.

Startled, I looked across and saw a red goblin shaman staring down at the royal carriage just like me.

“Goblin Shaman?!”

His presence was clearly cut off from here, so how did he hide his presence?

Pointing his worn-out staff at the royal carriage, the red goblin shaman began chanting in an unknown goblin language, creating a crimson fire magic circle from the staff.

“Oh no! I have to stop him!”

With all my might, I sprinted towards the hill about 20 meters away.

It was a jump I could never have made without reinforcing my body with mana.

Enhanced by mana, my body lightly soared through the air and landed right in front of the goblin shaman.

“Kieeek?!”

The goblin shaman, taken aback by my sudden appearance, couldn’t even halt his spellcasting and looked bewildered.

“Where did you come from, you crazy bastard-!”

*Squelch.*

“Kie…”

Just as the goblin shaman was about to finish his spellcasting, I swiftly slit his throat.

If I were any slower, my slightly bulkier body would not have been able to stop the magic.

Near my feet, the goblin shaman’s face rolled around lifelessly.

His eyes seemed to lack a normal focus, as if possessed by something.

“What on earth…?”

That’s when it happened.

“Screaaaam!”

“Attack! It’s an attack!!”

“Hurry, get the princess to safety-! Aaaargh!”

Sudden chaos erupted.

Taken aback, I glanced down at the royal carriage.

To my surprise, what was moments ago a peaceful scene had transformed into a bustling frenzy, as goblins surged towards the soldiers preparing to defend themselves.

And there, against all expectations, a single ogre, a superior breed, was indiscriminately slaughtering the soldiers with a maniacal expression.

“Rraaargh!”