Ch.375EP.78 – The Knight’s Return to Farming is Wise (3)

The night in Vulcan was not just dark, but an incredibly deep darkness like a blackout curtain completely blocking all light.

Even the moonlight and stars, the only sources of light one could rely on, were blocked by the towering trees. If someone were to hike here and get caught after nightfall, it wouldn’t be strange if they disappeared, swallowed by the darkness.

However, in a way, this pitch-black, quiet darkness also brought a sense of peace.

In other words.

“…Hehe.”

“You’re really amazing every time I see you.”

…It made falling asleep incredibly easy.

Of course, the maid’s sleep was on another level entirely.

How was it possible to fall asleep within one second of lying on the bed? Really.

“Sweet dreams.”

Huff-.

Ihan quietly extinguished the candle after confirming she was asleep.

There was a chance she might trip in the pitch darkness if she woke up and found no light.

‘But our maid wouldn’t get hurt from something like that.’

She was the kind of woman who would break a rock rather than hurt herself if she collided with one. A woman possibly as sturdy as Ihan himself. He shrugged his shoulders and quietly went downstairs to the first floor.

Thud.

“Ah, comfortable.”

The hammock made by the maid was incredibly soft.

Thanks to her tanning and washing the animal hides he had hunted, making them fluffy, it even seemed to smell like sunshine.

‘But how did she really get rid of the smell?’

It was puzzling how this was possible with just hand washing, without any chemicals or detergent.

Anyway.

“She’s really talented.”

Ihan shook his head, still finding many mysterious things about her, and closed his eyes.

To quietly fall asleep.

Just then.

[Woof.]

“Don’t you ever sleep?”

[Woof.]

Scratch scratch.

Orthos used his cute little paws to write something on the sand board Ihan had made for him.

Specifically:

– [Eliminated the goblin and gnoll groups that appeared during the day. Went far away and handled it cleanly. Maid Leira won’t know there was any threat.]

He was ‘writing’.

As a creature with intelligence exceeding humans, learning to write wasn’t difficult for Orthos, and thanks to mastering the alphabet in just half a month…

“Hmm, good job. You’re doing well.”

Scratch scratch.

– [It was easy.]

This made conversation possible.

…It was still absurd, but.

‘It is convenient.’

While the ability to communicate was clearly convenient…

– [Want reward for hard work. Want to eat Ogre’s magic stone.]

However, with the ability to communicate came clearer expression of desires, and Orthos was demanding what he wanted.

“Didn’t you eat the goblins’ and gnolls’ magic stones?”

– [They were scraps with barely formed magic stones.]

“Hmm, I’d like to give you some… but what can I do? I already buried those magic stones.”

– [Why did you bury them!! Such a waste-!?]

It was common knowledge that magic stones disappeared within a minute when buried in the ground, becoming nutrients for the soil.

[Woof….]

Orthos was about to bark loudly in excitement, but Ihan quietly warned:

“If you wake the maid with your loud howling, she might rip off one of your heads.”

[…….]

“If you want to check whether I’m joking, try barking.”

…Scratch scratch.

– [Sleep is important at night. I completely agree with my human master!]

“……”

– [On second thought, I don’t need a reward. I’m going to sleep now, good night!]

Orthos immediately went to the doghouse built outside, and Ihan clicked his tongue.

“…That dog somehow reminds me of the instructor.”

It was a night that somehow made him miss Instructor No. 1.

…Though he didn’t really want to meet him.

* * *

“-Huu.”

Ihan continued his quiet meditation in a seated position on the hammock.

Sleep, you ask?

‘Is a person supposed to be overflowing with energy after just 30 minutes of sleep?’

Even a little sleep restored most of his fatigue.

No, rather, he had so much energy that even sleeping for 30 minutes was quite an achievement.

Perhaps if he wanted to, he could stay awake for a week straight with a clear mind.

Evidence that he was gradually transcending human limitations.

‘It started after I began training in mental energy.’

The sensation of steadily surpassing human limits.

Perhaps it wasn’t just him; most knights who touched mental energy might spend their nights wide awake like this.

However, Ihan wasn’t keen on staying up all night, nor did he want to go outside to train deliberately.

‘To live like a proper human, one needs to maintain routines.’

Ihan had no intention of wasting his entire life just to become stronger.

Life was meant to be enjoyed and lived happily—what meaning would there be in living miserably?

So recently, Ihan had been focusing on meditation.

“Huu-.”

Continuing until daybreak.

Some might question what good this does, but surprisingly, meditation was a worthwhile activity.

It was training that emptied the mind and brought mental peace.

During this time.

“…That’s unnecessarily sparkly.”

Ihan frowned at something shiny that was interrupting his meditation.

A beautiful liquid that looked like melted gold was contained in three potion bottles, emitting light.

Each bottle contained no more than 10g, but surprisingly, the cost of ingredients in just those 10g was equivalent to the price of ten war horses.

However, the material cost was minimal; considering the special technique involved, it would be meaningless to measure its value.

– <Ambrosia>.

The mythical elixir that the maid had received from Isis when leaving the kingdom.

If what he had consumed in the past was an incomplete version, this was much closer to the finished product.

Having three bottles of such a thing was enough to make his flesh tremble just looking at them.

But at the same time.

‘It’s proof that the curse I carry is truly vicious.’

The curse poison (呪毒) that Ihan consumed as a child was like a virus spread throughout his body, and after infiltrating his body for so long, it was now essentially an incurable disease.

A curse that could never be erased, literally a curse.

It was something that could only be treated with Ambrosia or Elixir-grade potions, which meant it was originally considered impossible to cure, but.

‘Now I have three bottles.’

The elixir Ihan received instead of retirement pay, the only means to solve his impossible curse.

It also meant that he needed to drink all three bottles of nearly-complete Ambrosia to be fully cured.

A chilling curse indeed.

…Still, now that he had the medicine, one might think it shouldn’t matter whether it was a chilling curse or not. But Ihan hadn’t touched a single bottle of that medicine for the past three months.

The reason?

‘It feels off.’

Strangely, he didn’t want to drink it.

Even though drinking it would free him from the impossible curse.

Despite clearly knowing this, he didn’t want to drink it.

Why? Perhaps he thought Isis might have played some trick?

‘She’s not that kind of person.’

Though she had her cruel aspects, she was a woman who kept her promises.

She wouldn’t have cheated him with cowardly actions.

So that medicine must surely be genuine, but…

“I wonder why…”

“You don’t have to worry about it too hastily. Take your time to think about it.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course! Above all, Sir Knight needs to trust his instincts. Haven’t they always protected you? Then there must be a reason not to drink it.”

“Hmm, when you put it that way, it does seem so.”

“Think about it step by step. Unlike before, Sir Knight has time now.”

“…I understand. Hearing you say it, I think you’re right, maid.”

“Hehe, I’m glad I could help.”

“But… um.”

“Yes?”

“…Why did you suddenly come down here when you were sleeping so well?”

“Just because. I felt cold today.”

“……”

Rustle.

Ihan remained silent as he watched her climb onto his hammock without any hesitation.

No, he froze.

Tap tap.

“Lie down, Sir Knight.”

“…Hmm.”

“Come on.”

“Um…”

“Oh, and Sir Knight.”

“?”

“…I can wait for you, hehe.”

“……”

…Suddenly, he thought of a succubus that wasn’t like a succubus.

A pathetic girl who didn’t resemble a succubus at all.

As proof, when that creature came to seduce him back then, he felt nothing.

Rather, he only felt irritated and unpleasant.

…But now, looking at her with her still-gentle eyes urging him to lie down beside her, he couldn’t help but think:

‘Isn’t this what a real succubus’s seduction would be like?’

And whether it felt off or not, maybe he should drink the Ambrosia right away.

Not manly enough, you say?

‘Ihan, you’re the pride of trolls! You must endure, you fool!’

‘Isn’t living as a lesser man actually better for the world?’

It was as if he could hear the whispers of a troll angel and a troll devil, and Ihan felt like he had awakened the Yin-Yang arts of the Mudang faction that he had never even learned.

‘Wait, why are both the angel and devil trolls?’

Ihan felt like his heart was being visited.

In a happy sense…

* * *

[Woof….]

Those humans are at it again.

Orthos was still an animal after all, and thanks to his extremely sensitive hearing, he could hear all the conversations happening in the house.

It felt like he might develop a stress disorder despite being a magical beast.

[Kaark!]

Orthos was about to click his tongue and spit, but unfortunately…

“-What an ill-mannered beast. Spitting wherever you please.”

Smack!

The next moment, Orthos received a tremendous impact to the back of his head and fainted.

Of course, since only one head had lost consciousness, the other head was about to cry out, but.

[Wo, wol…!]

“Hey now, I told you not to make noise. Don’t shout in the middle of the night.”

Smack!

[Kweaak…?!]

Thud….

Before he could finish, he was hit on the back of the head again, and his remaining head also lost consciousness.

The man who had subdued Orthos—a creature with enough power to easily dispatch goblins and gnolls despite being weakened—with just the palm of his hand, clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“Young people are having a beautiful romance, and you’re trying to interfere, tsk tsk.”

Despite being an extremely young man himself, he spoke like an old man as he slowly turned around.

“Hoho, I should come back later.”

With the gentlemanly remark that he couldn’t rudely interrupt, the man leisurely moved away.

However, as he walked, the man noticed traces of training left all around the yard, and seeing this, he couldn’t help but let out a small exclamation.

“That Baltar fellow has trained his successor well.”

Hoho-.

With a hearty laugh, the man entered the forest as dark as a blackout curtain, feeling cheerful.

As if he was already looking forward to their meeting.