Ch.363Side Story 1 – Southern Continent Travelogue (18)

“Huff!”

Under the crimson-stained sky, the Red Moon Clan’s headquarters, stretching along the mountain range, exuded an increasingly oppressive atmosphere as darkness fell. The meticulously constructed buildings radiated a majestic yet ruthless energy, while the training grounds within were filled with rough and intense shouts of exertion even today.

‘These Red Moon mercenaries train harder than I expected.’

I set down my wooden sword, carelessly brushing back my sweat-soaked hair. My entire body felt heavy, but seeing the Red Moon Clan training so diligently made me feel unsatisfied with my own practice. Just as I was about to grip the wooden sword firmly once more.

“Young master!”

A familiar voice rang in my ears. A staggering shadow entered the training grounds, accompanied by panting breaths. When I turned my head, it was Jawil Wilson. He was approaching with a face half-drained of color.

“What, what’s wrong… why do you look like that?”

Jawil Wilson’s appearance was miserable. The skin under his eyes had darkened, with deep circles etched beneath them. Of course, I understood that much, given his recent passionate encounters with women. However, why were there dark bruises on his wrists and ankles? Anyone could see they were the marks of someone who had endured a grueling battle.

“Y-young master, I’m dying.”

“Instead of sleeping with them… did you spar with them?”

“That’s not it… remember how I said I’d sleep with two women at once?”

“And?”

“At first, it was amazing. I thought, ‘This is why traveling is worth it.’ But then, they were determined not to let me go, no matter how many times I finished!”

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Good? Look at this!”

Jawil Wilson showed me his bruised wrists and ankles as he continued.

“They tied me up and wrung me dry!”

“…To me, it sounds like you’re bragging.”

“I-it’s not bragging!”

“Anyway, this is what you wanted.”

“What I wanted wasn’t this extreme. I have to spend another night with those two later… what should I do?”

I pressed my temples gently before speaking.

“Jawil Wilson.”

“Y-yes, sir!”

“I’ve been doing that for over a year.”

“…What?”

“Do you know how much Emperor Malius pressures me to have a child quickly?”

Jawil Wilson’s eyes darted around in confusion.

“B-but… at least you weren’t tied up…”

“I have been tied up.”

“…What?”

“Before leaving the Southern Continent, I did that for three days straight without sleep.”

As I poured out my frustrations without pause, Jawil Wilson’s mouth gaped open before he struggled to continue.

“…I’m sorry. I was being shortsighted.”

“Forget it. You’re supposed to handle eight women, but you’re already exhausted? Do you want to escape while you still can?”

Jawil Wilson stroked his chin with a genuinely contemplative expression. Yet it seemed his lust still outweighed his exhaustion.

“Hmm… but shouldn’t I at least try each one once?”

“Then stop complaining.”

“…Understood.”

With a suddenly dejected expression, Jawil Wilson trudged out of the training grounds. Just as I was about to resume my practice, a woman’s voice came from behind.

“Are you training?”

When I turned around, it was Merin. She too was drenched in sweat, suggesting she had been training. I smiled gently.

“You all really train hard, don’t you?”

“We put several times more effort into training than other organizations.”

“Why is that?”

“Because we’re not men. We have to work that much harder.”

After watching the Red Moon Clan members train, I turned my gaze back to Merin.

“I suddenly have a question, if you don’t mind answering.”

“What is it?”

“What happens if a Red Moon Clan woman gives birth to a boy?”

“…That woman is banished from this place along with her child.”

“Just because she gave birth to a boy?”

“It’s unavoidable if we want to continue the Red Moon Clan’s tradition. However, we do provide financial support so they can survive for a while.”

What a strange tradition. I sighed briefly and raised my head.

“What if the banished woman is a talented individual like you? Isn’t that a huge loss for the Red Moon Clan?”

Merin responded as if she had anticipated my question.

“Actually, among the Red Moon Clan women, there were nine between the ages of 20 and 24.”

“And the remaining one?”

“As you just mentioned, she’s an exceptional talent within our clan.”

“Ah… so you don’t allow such talented individuals to have relationships with men in the first place?”

“…Yes, that’s correct.”

“Then you’ve never slept with a man either?”

Despite the somewhat difficult question, Merin’s expression remained unchanged as she smiled calmly.

“That’s right.”

“There are many contradictions in the Red Moon Clan’s traditions.”

At my words, Merin, who had been composed until now, slightly furrowed her brow.

“…Contradictions?”

“Didn’t you tell me earlier today that you wanted superior genes?”

“Y-yes, I did.”

“But someone with superior genes like you doesn’t have children? If that’s not a contradiction, what is?”

Merin hesitated momentarily before nodding in acknowledgment.

“You may have a point. But it can’t be helped. If I were to sleep with someone to pass on my superior genes and happened to give birth to a boy, it would cause great harm to the Red Moon Clan.”

“What harm?”

“I wouldn’t be able to stay with the clan, would I? Or should I abandon the male child I give birth to?”

“That’s not what I meant. Why can’t everyone just live happily together?”

“That would go against the Red Moon Clan’s tradition—”

“The flawed traditions of ancestors are meant to be corrected by later generations.”

A moment of silence.

Merin wiped her sweat with the back of her hand, then glared at me as if she wanted to kill me.

“…Would you be willing to spar with me?”

“No, I tend to avoid matches where the outcome is obvious.”

“Shouldn’t we see who’s better before making such claims?”

“We already did earlier, didn’t we? You couldn’t move an inch against my killing intent.”

“T-that’s because I had no will to resist!”

“Would it make any difference if you did?”

Honestly, I was a bit angry since this wasn’t entirely unrelated to my situation. I had been trying desperately with both the Etherian Princess and the Siren Princess but couldn’t conceive a child. So I couldn’t understand why the Red Moon Clan would banish someone as if they had committed a crime just because they gave birth to a boy.

They say it’s fine because they provide money to live on for a while?

The mother of that boy would have lived her entire life in the Red Moon Clan. What kind of work could she do outside to survive? It was obvious she would end up doing mercenary work in worse conditions than here. And if she happened to die, what sin had the boy committed to be left alone?

I let out a short sigh, and Merin took a step closer.

“…Are you dismissing me because I’m a woman?”

“You seem to have an inferiority complex about your gender.”

“Then why are you avoiding a match with me?”

“I’m not avoiding it; as I said earlier, I don’t engage in obvious matches.”

As Merin was about to say something but closed her mouth and took another step forward, I released a wave of killing intent out of displeasure.

“Kuhuk!”

Merin gritted her teeth and tried to stand her ground. Despite putting strength in her legs and gathering all her energy, she still fell to her knees. It was almost pitiful to see her trying to stand up by supporting herself with both hands on the ground.

I withdrew my killing intent and sighed.

“You can’t even withstand my killing intent, yet you…”

“H-how did you do that?”

“Do what?”

“It doesn’t make sense that I can’t use my strength just because of killing intent. Did you use some kind of dark art?”

“If such dark arts exist, could you teach me? So I can become stronger.”

I shrugged my shoulders, and Merin’s face began to turn bright red. Honestly, I hadn’t intended to provoke her this much, but I was somewhat angry about the Red Moon Clan’s “tradition,” so I might have overreacted.

“I can’t stand this anymore.”

Just then, a calm yet somehow angry voice reached my ears. A tone that was gentle but by no means light. I naturally turned my gaze. And then.

‘Who is she?’

Under the crimson moonlight, a woman was approaching. She looked out of place among the Red Moon Clan members. Most Red Moon Clan women had muscular physiques—arms and legs as hard as steel, body structures optimized for fast and powerful movements. But this woman was different. She seemed incredibly delicate.

Moreover.

Her black hair, flowing down to her waist, shimmered softly in the moonlight. Her clear, transparent skin looked as if it might shatter upon contact with sunlight, and her large, deep eyes were as calm as a serene lake. Above all, she possessed a pure appearance that seemed out of place here.

And then.

—Shing.

The woman drew her sword. The sharp blade pointed toward me.

“Try directing your killing intent at me as well.”

Though her words seemed casual, they clearly contained a challenging tone. The few Red Moon Clan members remaining in the training grounds watched with interest, and even Merin looked up at her while catching her breath. I slowly examined the face of the sword-wielding woman. Then I closed one eye and opened it again.

‘Eye of Insight’

I had encountered various people since coming here, but this was the first time I’d met someone with such presence. She was stronger than any mercenary I had met recently. Though physically delicate, there was a hidden storm within her that made her fierce.

Looking at her, I slightly curled the corner of my mouth.

“This could be interesting.”