Ch.108108. In the Wild

Even after three years had passed.

I vividly remember the journey from Lindvale to Edenhar. Despite riding horseback and pressing forward without rest all day, it still took a month. Back then, Charlotte had urged us to travel along the shortest route, camping outdoors as we went, leaving no time to enjoy the “journey.”

“Carriages are such comfortable means of transportation.”

“What did you say?”

“…Just talking to myself.”

Charlotte tilted her head curiously before lowering her gaze. On her lap rested a long sword. Hwaryeong (Fire Spirit). The reward from her wager with Vivienne. When I’d first heard the name, I’d imagined a red blade, but surprisingly, the edge was as dark as the night sky. Charlotte stroked Hwaryeong with a satisfied smile.

“A fine sword.”

“You’re probably the only person who would call Hwaryeong just ‘a fine sword,'” Vivienne grumbled in a voice that sounded like she was dying of regret.

Hwaryeong’s material was a metal extracted in minute quantities from meteorites. Even on its own, it was many times more expensive than gold of the same weight, and beyond that, the blacksmith god had personally imbued it with divine essence during its forging. An unbreakable heavenly masterpiece that could cut through anything. Though she had no choice but to hand it over because of her promise, it was still an enormous loss to think about.

“No matter how exceptional a sword may be, it’s ultimately just a tool. Wouldn’t the creator be sad if something made to cut things was left gathering dust in storage?”

At this dismissive response, Vivienne bit her lip. Rex turned his head with a bitter smile.

Half a day had passed since the end of the duel and Charlotte’s sudden declaration that she would go to the imperial capital. Now they were inside a carriage, with Maya and Zaide sitting in the driver’s seat outside, guiding the horses.

Daros had stayed behind at the mansion in Edenhar to receive treatment, so he couldn’t accompany them.

And…

“…Are you sure it’s okay for me to be here?”

Chloe and Elin had also come along. Since boarding the carriage, Elin had been absentmindedly gazing out the window. While the landscape blanketed in pure white snow was certainly a magnificent sight, Chloe couldn’t focus on the view outside. The fact that she was sharing a ride with two Apostles kept making her stomach churn.

“Something feels wrong…”

While Chloe had somewhat grown accustomed to Charlotte, Vivienne was someone she had just met today. The Golden Apostle. She had been surprised when first introduced, but when invited to join them, she had inwardly screamed. It would have been intimidating enough to go on a normal outing, but this was an invitation to the Imperial Princess’s coming-of-age ceremony.

The Empire. The Imperial Capital. The Imperial Family. She had never had anything to do with them in her life and had thought she never would. Could someone as insignificant as herself just casually visit such a place? Right now, she truly envied Elin’s insensitivity.

“Think of it simply. You haven’t had a day off in ages, right? Consider this a chance to relax and enjoy yourself.”

Rex said with a smirk, and Chloe let out a small sigh. Rest. Indeed, for the past three years, she had devoted herself to training without a single day off. Though still not at Rex’s level, she had grown enough to earn Allen’s recognition. That’s why Allen had readily permitted Chloe to visit the imperial capital briefly.

“I wonder what Elysium is like.”

While the situation was awkward, a sense of anticipation was also building. Elysium was a city where all the world’s wealth and entertainment converged. Rumors said it was broader and more splendid than any other city in the world. Of course, that was to be expected of the imperial capital, but she was curious about what it actually looked like.

“I’ve been there before.”

Elin, who had been staring out the window the whole time, suddenly spoke up.

“It wasn’t a very nice place though.”

“Really?”

When Chloe asked with a puzzled expression, Elin nodded and added:

“There were no forests, trees, or flowers. The ground was paved with stone, and buildings were lined up everywhere… I didn’t like it.”

For an elf like Elin, a “nice place” meant a space where nature thrived. While Lindvale and Edenhar were regions close to nature, Elysium was a city built strictly for strategic purposes. Instead, it had developed facilities convenient for humans, but they clearly didn’t appeal to Elin’s taste.

“I want to see the ocean.”

Elin murmured with an indifferent face. Rex blinked a couple of times before clapping his hands.

“The ocean? You mean that enormously large lake?”

“It’s not a lake.”

Vivienne blurted out, sitting with her chin propped up and a sullen expression. Seemingly surprised by her own spontaneous remark, she momentarily looked flustered and cleared her throat.

“…It’s incomparable to any mere lake. When you reach the edge of the continent, you encounter a vast expanse of water that stretches endlessly. Sometimes calm, sometimes surging with fierce waves, it’s an unknown realm that can never be crossed. That’s what the ocean is.”

“Isn’t it still just a very large lake?”

“Wrong. The difference between a lake and the ocean is like that between heaven and earth. Well, it’s hard to grasp unless you see it for yourself. Just getting there takes incomparably more time than traveling between cities, so it’s a difficult undertaking unless you have abundant leisure.”

Vivienne glanced at Rex and Chloe’s faces and clicked her tongue. They clearly didn’t understand. Human imagination relies on experience. Even with this explanation, they would probably just imagine a very large lake at best. Finding no reason to make them understand, Vivienne abandoned the thought and changed the subject.

“Anyway, there’s no ocean in Elysium. Since Alfheim, the elven homeland, is inland, it makes sense that you haven’t seen the ocean yet. But as an elf who lives much longer than humans, won’t you have plenty of opportunities to see it in the future?”

“I want to see it together with everyone.”

Elin replied with an expressionless face. Rex leaned back against the plush backrest with a wry smile.

“We can go later.”

“Really?”

It was a casually tossed remark, but Elin’s reaction was more intense than expected. She turned around abruptly and stared at Rex. The distance between them had narrowed to where their breaths could touch. Chloe widened her eyes, but Elin paid no attention and waited for an answer. As Rex tried to avert his gaze from those expectant deep green eyes, Elin grabbed his hand.

“Promise me.”

“…A promise?”

“Yes. Promise that you’ll definitely go to the ocean with me.”

Meanwhile, Chloe’s gaze grew increasingly serious. Rex hurriedly held up his pinky finger.

“I promise, so now…”

Before he could finish speaking, Elin hooked her pinky with his. Seeing this, Chloe quickly intervened.

“Make that promise with me too.”

“Ah, youth. How enviable,” Vivienne chuckled.

***

The Imperial Princess’s coming-of-age ceremony was three months away. Though traveling by carriage was slower than riding horseback directly, they had plenty of time. Thanks to Vivienne taking care of meals and lodging, there was nothing else to worry about.

Vivienne’s dimensional storage, Musangbogo, could store not only ordinary items but also people. Rex had heard about this ability before, but after directly experiencing its effectiveness, he couldn’t help but praise it.

The most inconvenient aspect of travel is undoubtedly meals. Surprisingly, camping itself is tolerable. Practitioners who have reached a certain level develop resistance to heat and cold.

But food is something one cannot adapt to. Short journeys are bearable, but convenience food consumed for months can drive a person mad. No matter how expensive the seasonings added, one eventually grows tired of it.

In this regard, Vivienne’s Musangbogo was an unparalleled ability. Professional chefs residing within the dimensional space prepared meals for each mealtime.

“I enjoy fine dining, you know. Their skills are comparable to the imperial palace’s chefs, perhaps even better.”

Vivienne took a sip of wine with a delighted smile. For once, even Charlotte didn’t tease her. Setting up a long table in the middle of an open field and enjoying a luxurious feast—it wasn’t impossible with a large entourage. Still, the “taste” of dishes made with fresh ingredients was incomparable.

After meals, servants from Vivienne’s Musangbogo prepared sleeping arrangements. The bedding also came from the dimensional storage. Ordinary tents are cramped, typically fitting only two or three people squeezed together, but Vivienne’s was spacious enough for everyone.

“Chloe.”

“Yes?”

Chloe tilted her head at Charlotte’s unexpected call. Charlotte shrugged and beckoned.

“Come with me. Let’s move our bodies a bit. With Allen absent, I should guide you for a while. I’m also curious about how much you’ve grown.”

“What about me?”

When Rex pointed at himself, Charlotte replied in an indifferent tone:

“You no longer need my help, do you? Do as you please. If you want a duel rather than guidance, I wouldn’t mind.”

Charlotte’s duels always ended with a spanking.

“…I’m fine, thank you.”

Rex didn’t want to get spanked.

‘Sorry,’ Chloe mouthed silently before following Charlotte.

“That looks more interesting. I’m personally curious about that girl too.”

After glancing back and forth between Charlotte’s direction and Rex, Vivienne hummed through her nose and walked away.

“I’ll stay with you.”

Elin plopped down on a nearby rock and said. Rex sat down beside her with a small smile. The crisp winter air blew past them. The night sky was clear without a single cloud, revealing distinctly twinkling stars.

Seeing this, it was almost like…

“It’s like when we first met.”

“Oh, I was just thinking the same thing.”

“Though the season is different.”

Elin looked up at the night sky with a faint smile.

“I can’t see the star you showed me back then.”

“You remember that?”

“How could I forget the name Rex taught me? I remember other things too. Defeating the wild boar monster, entering Lindvale together, you taking me—who was living alone—to the party…”

Elin reminisced about everything that had happened, unfolding her fingers one by one. Rex stared at her with wide eyes. She remembered even the most trivial moments, like walking together and laughing when a leaf blown by the wind got stuck in her hair.

“They’re precious memories. Even if I change in the future, my memories won’t change. I’ll cherish them forever.”

The moonlight illuminated Elin’s face. Her curved smile was brighter and more vivid than any smile Rex had ever seen from her.

Thump.

Rex’s shoulder flinched as if entranced while gazing at Elin. Soft hair brushed against his cheek. Elin rested her head on Rex’s shoulder and silently looked up at him.

“Rex.”

“…Yes?”

Rex swallowed hard.

After a brief silence, Elin’s lips parted.

“Will you come with me to my homeland?”