Ch.373EP.78 – The Knight’s Return to Farming is Wise (1)

The Volcanic Mountain was generally an environment that bordered on uninhabitable.

At night, bone-chilling cold settled thickly, occasionally freezing plants and animals to death, while during the day, tremendous heat waves swept in with a scorching intensity that could cook living creatures alive.

The temperature fluctuations were worse than any desert, making it nearly impossible for most flora and fauna to survive.

Thanks to this harsh environment, medicinal herbs that managed to survive in the Volcanic Mountain were about twenty times more potent than ordinary herbs. This attracted herbalists and mercenaries, but those who came seeking herbs often met their end, attacked by the region’s harsh environmental changes or by wild animals native to the Volcanic Mountain that were more formidable than most magical beasts.

“Beyond human suffering” might be an appropriate name for such a place.

Of course…

“It’s really nice to live here, I tell you. Those bear guys are just being dramatic. What’s so hellish about this place? Tsk, tsk.”

Just as everyone has their individual differences, there might be someone who finds the harsh environment of the Volcanic Mountain pleasant.

…While that would be factually unlikely for most people, the man climbing up and down the mountain genuinely enjoyed the Volcanic Mountain.

As if he were truly on vacation.

“Got a decent haul today too.”

Ihan smiled contentedly as he pulled a cart loaded with a deer he had caught in the mountains.

It would be more accurate to say that the deer had attacked him unprovoked and ended up being caught rather than him deliberately hunting it.

Befitting a creature living in the Volcanic Mountain, the deer was almost the size of a bear with sharp teeth like a carnivore.

Actually, it was questionable whether this could even be called a deer, but that wasn’t the important part.

“Going to get some protein intake.”

The important thing was that he had obtained a rich source of protein.

Ihan quickened his pace.

There was someone he wanted to show this to right away.

If he showed this to them…

“Sir Knight!”

“Lady Attendant? Why are you there?”

“Hehe, I was picking some herbs and fruits. I was thinking of making some jam and herb oil today.”

“That sounds nice.”

“Right! Oh? Wow, a bear!”

“It’s not a bear, it’s a deer, Lady Attendant. Well, it does look like that.”

As expected, she was delighted.

The attendant smiled brightly with her eyes, and Ihan smiled back as he matched his pace with hers.

“Please understand that none of the creatures living here look normal. Despite its appearance, it should taste good. …Oh, but it might be tough with all that muscle?”

“Then I’ll prepare a stew! It’ll become tender if we cook it thoroughly. We can smoke the remaining meat too.”

“I’ll need to chop some firewood then.”

“I’ll help you.”

“I can do it alone.”

“I want to help you, hehe.”

“…Then let’s do it together.”

“Yes!”

The man and woman climbed the mountain at a leisurely pace, matching each other’s steps.

With relaxed smiles that suggested they had no reason to hurry.

It was a fresh summer.

* * *

It had been over three months since Ihan left Pendragon.

At first, he had considered leaving the southern region completely, but rather than just leaving, he wanted to find a place with few visitors that could serve as a resort of sorts. After careful consideration, Ihan decided to head to the Volcanic Mountain, where he had been enjoying a pleasant rural life for three months.

– If I make a decent field, it’s like returning to farming. There’ll be plenty to do.

– Here, let’s plant radishes, shallots, and carrots! And we can also plant potatoes and sweet potatoes here!

– Do you know how to plant them?

– ??

– …Let’s learn through trial and error.

– Okay!

While the Volcanic Mountain might be an unbearably harsh environment for some, to Ihan it was as comfortable as a vacation home, making such a lifestyle possible.

Also, if one could overcome the harsh ecosystem, there was no better place than the Volcanic Mountain.

Even in winter, there was an abundance of plants and animals, so food was never a concern, water was plentiful, there were rivers for fishing, and fruits that, though poisonous, could be eaten if the seeds were removed were scattered everywhere.

In other words, if one knew how to survive on this mountain, there was no more satisfying place.

The only issues were the heat and cold, but even these were minor problems for him.

– This house is amazing, Sir Knight! It keeps out the heat during the day and stays warm at night.

– It’s not the house that’s amazing, but this entire area. You could call it the “safety point” of the Volcanic Mountain. …Though I don’t know how it works.

– Hmm.

This was why his disciples in the past were able to stay and train in the Volcanic Mountain for nearly a month.

Because Ihan knew about the only safe zone in the Volcanic Mountain.

In the past, a slave trader had discovered the Volcanic Mountain’s only safety point and tried to build a villa there, but after meeting his end at Ihan’s hands, Ihan took over the area.

The main feature was that it wasn’t affected by the extreme heat and cold of the Volcanic Mountain, though the downside was that the safety zone was so small that the house had to be built quite compact.

“I actually like that it’s small. It’s easier to manage.”

“That’s good.”

“Yes, oh, by the way, Sir Knight, I saw a really strange bird today! It was a big bird, but it looked just like a lizard and even had teeth.”

“…That’s not a bird, that’s a wyvern, isn’t it?”

“What?”

“Ah, never mind. What happened to that bird?”

“Well, it was trying to come down to where I was, but then it got eaten by the honey bees.”

“Oh…”

“The honey bees gave me honey after their feast. Let’s have it for dessert later.”

“…Yes.”

The “honey bees” were actually the Hornet Tigers that had migrated to the Volcanic Mountain with Ihan, and they seemed to be excellently guarding the Lady Attendant as he had asked.

‘Well, they are ecosystem destroyers at this point.’

Even in the Volcanic Mountain, home to some of the toughest creatures around, none could match the world’s strongest bees as certified by Taechang.

Even two of them could probably toy with most knights, and there were hundreds of them.

It was like newcomers who had just moved from the city to the countryside bombing the established rural overlords.

Still, he didn’t feel particularly sorry about it.

What mattered more was that his bees weren’t getting hurt.

“Right?”

[…..]

“Answer.”

[…Woof.]

“That’s right.”

Ihan patted the head of the dog he had brought along to guard Leira, besides the bees.

“Let’s do well. Okay?”

[Whine….]

The two-headed dog.

Orthros nodded obediently.

* * *

After Ihan and Leira settled in the Volcanic Mountain, their daily routine was similar every day.

Since they went to bed early, they would wake up at dawn, tend to the field they had cultivated together, check on the crops, and then immediately go around the mountain collecting edible items like fruits, herbs, and wild vegetables.

After returning home, they would eat breakfast prepared by Leira, who had also done the morning cleaning, then have a simple tea time with light conversation before taking a nap or reading books. While Leira continued to nap with a happy smile, Ihan would wander around various parts of the Volcanic Mountain.

He was checking if there was anything unusual in the surroundings, and at the same time, training his physical strength and muscles. The important thing was not to find easy paths but to seek out dangerous ones.

Training would be more effective if he traversed cliffs, mountains, and waterfalls.

…One might wonder what benefit such activities could have for someone of Ihan’s level, but surprisingly, they were very helpful.

The harsh environment of the Volcanic Mountain was extremely uncooperative toward humans and tormented him mercilessly.

“This mountain is certainly big. If I had trained the bear cubs outside the safety zone last year instead of near it, I wonder if one or two of them might have died.”

“So even you don’t know the entire mountain, Sir Knight?”

“I only knew the surface level, really.”

However, for Ihan, this was fortunate.

Not only was there the scorching heat of the Volcanic Mountain, but in areas with strong earth energy, gravitational forces would torment the body.

Even large predators with considerable bulk could be crushed to death in such areas, but for Ihan, this was actually fortunate.

That’s why Ihan’s recent routine included deliberately seeking out areas with such gravitational forces for training.

From simple strength training to sword practice, by the time he finished, the sun would often be setting, and when he returned home…

– You’re back!

The always energetic and bright Leira would welcome him, and after washing up and having dinner, they would have time for conversation again.

Sometimes they would play chess or poker together during these times.

One might think that being just the two of them like this could get boring, but strangely…

‘It’s really fulfilling and fun?’

If he had been alone, it wouldn’t have been like this.

Just having someone waiting at home, someone to talk to, made every day enjoyable.

It added vitality to the repetitive daily life.

Literally.

‘I look forward to tomorrow.’

He wasn’t sure about her, but at least for himself…

“I’m having fun too!”

“Pardon?”

“I’m having fun too, Sir Knight. Hehe, I wish every day could be like this.”

“……”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“…Lady Attendant, be honest. You can read minds, can’t you?”

“I can’t do anything like that.”

“I don’t think that’s true…”

“Anyway, Sir Knight, what happened today?”

“……”

“Tell me, Sir Knight. I want to hear about your day.”

“…You’re changing the subject.”

“Hehe.”

“Hmm…”

Somehow, he always felt like he was losing to her, and while Ihan sighed…

‘Strange… why does it feel good even though I’m always losing?’

Why did he feel like it would be okay to always be the loser with her?

It was truly a curious thing.