Chapter 62: The Artisans of the Wasteland (5)
The sun hung high in the sky. Just as the dwarven artisans had left the city early in the morning, a group of mages followed suit, exiting the royal palace. I sat perched on a large tree, watching them leave.
They were all relatively young mages. Magic is a cumulative discipline—while it wasn’t unheard of for a young prodigy to rise to high ranks, most powerful mages bore the marks of age.
The fact that young people were sent out likely meant they were tasked with physical labor or other unpleasant duties. I recalled how, as a junior knight, I often had to run errands for my seniors.
The Mage Tower had begun to act. Since they possessed the current power engine, I needed to keep a close eye on their movements. Like a squirrel, I climbed down from the tree.
What were the young mages out in the streets searching for? That was something I needed to find out. I trailed them after leaving the palace.
My attention was naturally drawn to familiar faces. I followed Shave, who was accompanied by Envy.
It seemed the rest of the Mage Tower’s group had arrived early this morning. According to rumors, they had been delayed by an encounter with monsters.
Judging by their expressions, the situation hadn’t been too serious. Keeping my distance to avoid detection, I observed the mages as they sought out miners.
After they left, I approached one of the miners to ask what the mages had been inquiring about.
“What were the mages looking for?”
“Hm… they seemed to be searching for some kind of special metal. Something with high mana conductivity, strong durability, and heat resistance. They also asked if there was a gem that could replace magic stones...”
“Does such a thing exist?”
“No way. There’s no metal that is perfect.”
This came from a dwarf, a race said to have an innate affinity for metal from birth, and he was a miner who spent his days sweating as he delved into the earth.
If even he didn’t know, it meant the Mage Tower was chasing something nonexistent, all to fix that bizarre machine.
I stroked my chin, recalling the details of my mission. If the power engine was repaired, I was to destroy it. If not, I was to leave it alone.
Perhaps the higher-ups had anticipated this situation. The more I thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
What if, by some slim chance, the power engine were successfully repaired? Could I alone overcome the mages of the tower and destroy the engine?
No. It wasn’t possible. Perhaps if I had the support of five or six Serendipity-class mages. But if a high-ranking mage got involved, my chances of success would plummet exponentially.
‘This is strange... It feels like they’re assuming the engine can’t be repaired.’
Even if it felt off, an order from above was absolute. Whatever the underlying intent, my task was to follow it. I nodded resolutely.
“Thank you for your kind response.”
With that, I leaped lightly into the air. My cape billowed in the wind, scattering between the buildings.
Considerable time has passed. Some of the mages who had been bustling around the city began leaving the area, heading toward the city gates.
It was decision time. Should I follow the mages leaving the city, or those remaining inside? If there were more operatives on this mission, I wouldn’t have to choose. But I was on my own.
Which path should I take? When it was hard to decide, the White Frost Tribe’s traditions provided guidance. Picking up a twig from the ground, I stood it upright.
This was the "Pathfinding of Destiny," a game played by the tribe that relied on the Wolf God’s guidance. It was trusted for its uncanny accuracy.
“Wolf God, show me the right path...”
I waited for a gust of wind. When the breeze came, I released the twig from my small hand.
Thunk.
“There...!”
The twig fell in the direction of the city gates. The Wolf God had pointed the way. I crossed the street, heading toward the gates.
That’s when a familiar dwarf suddenly appeared in front of me.
He seemed to have popped out of a narrow alleyway and looked startled. I slowed my pace, pushing off the ground. A light impact sent up a puff of dust as I gracefully propelled myself into the air.
Ta-at!
My movements, enhanced by my graceful form, naturally drew attention. As I spun mid-air, crossing the gap, gasps of admiration erupted around me.
Sah-bak!
Even my landing was flawless. My black cloak fluttered softly behind me as my snow-white hair settled like falling snow. With one hand on my hip, I looked at the dwarf I had just vaulted over.
It was Black Light.
“Oh, oh! Saeorin!”
“Are you hurt?”
“Not at all! But where were you rushing off to in such a hurry?”
“I had a small matter to attend to outside...”
“Oh, you have business outside the city, do you? How about we go together, then?”
I took a moment to scrutinize Black Light’s appearance. A large pack was strapped to his back, and he was clad in protective chain mail. Was he headed out to hunt monsters? Glancing toward the city gates, I nodded.
This worked out well.
‘I was planning to seek him out to ask about what happened at the palace yesterday.’
The situation was oddly working in my favor. I began walking alongside the dwarf.
“Where are you headed, Black Light?”
“I was heading to the Grimmit Mine. The iron ore there contains mana, unlike ores from other places...”
Unprompted, Black Light began to elaborate. I nodded occasionally, pretending to listen, though I barely paid attention. Despite his short strides, his rapid pace made him move quickly, almost as if he were running.
I had to jog lightly to keep up.
“And so,” he continued, “because it’s a dangerous location, I had to hire escorts. Luckily, I found some mages wandering the city and managed to hire them without trouble.”
Amidst his ramblings, an interesting tidbit surfaced. I tilted my head and asked, “Mages?”
“Yes, someone you’re well acquainted with, actually. Ah, look, there they are, waiting for us.”
Turning to where Black Light gestured, I saw two familiar figures. Envy and Shave. They noticed me as well, their expressions mirroring my surprise.
When coincidences happen repeatedly, they begin to feel like fate. I felt a strong connection to these two mages.
“Sir Knight...?”
“Saeorin?”
A dry, desolate wind from the wasteland blew past, brushing through my hair roughly.
‘This works out well...’
I had planned to trail the mages anyway. If I could join them naturally, it would save me the trouble of shadowing them.
Turning to Black Light, I asked, “Are they the escorts you hired?”
“That’s right! I approached them when I saw them wandering the streets aimlessly. I have quite a bond with Miss Envy, you see.”
Black Light approached the two mages with an air of familiarity. Though this was likely his first encounter with Shave, his friendliness made it seem as though they were old friends.
“Saeorin, are you hired as an escort too...?” Shave asked.
“No, just tagging along.”
“Oh...”
At my reply, Envy nodded in understanding.
“To think we’d run into you here... I was planning to visit you this evening,” Shave remarked.
I nodded lightly and stepped closer to the three of them. Thus, our temporary party was formed.
We decided to take a carriage to the mine. The four of us boarded a carriage waiting near the entrance. After a brief wait, it began to move.
Clatter—clatter.
The ride wasn’t exactly smooth. The uneven terrain of the vast wasteland made the carriage jolt and sway.
However, I treated even this as part of my training, working to maintain my balance amidst the motion.
“Now that I think about it, I never asked. Saeorin, where are you headed?” Black Light asked.
“Any mine will do. I wanted to see one of this country’s unique mines, so I decided to explore.”
The response came out spontaneously but worked in my favor. Black Light nodded approvingly.
“A tourist visiting our country should definitely see a mine. Excellent choice.”
Envy and Shave seemed satisfied with my answer as well, though Envy only nodded absentmindedly.
Throughout the journey, I could feel Envy’s gaze burning into me. Whether I turned my head or shifted my position, her eyes followed me.
At this point, her expression had shifted beyond jealousy to one of reverence. I couldn’t help but chuckle dryly.
Even women are starting to fall for me. Saeran, what am I supposed to do? Your beauty is too overwhelming for me to handle.
Though it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling. In fact, I found it rather amusing. I leaned back in the carriage to strike a more relaxed yet elegant pose, ensuring I looked as beautiful as possible.
Envy, staring blankly at me, bit her tongue when the carriage jolted unexpectedly. She stuck her tongue out, grimacing, but no one offered her any sympathy.