Chapter 32
Episode 32
It was something like a sparkling diamond crystal.
The transparent rhomboid crystal sparkled in iridescent colors.
“Is it a crystallized Seed Crystal?”
“Let’s pick some others.”
To see if it was just this one or if others were the same, the two picked the fruits and split them open.
Every fruit contained a Seed Crystal.
Larger fruits even contained two or three.
“If we plant these, will they sprout…?”
Jin muttered with a dubious look, and Nina tilted her head, rolling the crystal around.
“No, I really don’t know.”
If they sprouted here, that would also be a problem. She raised her head.
Trees with bright red fruits formed a cluster.
“Let’s take a pouch full for now.”
“Okay.”
Even if they looked normal, there was no knowing what effects they might have.
They cut off and took entire branches with fruits as samples, took some fruits, and took a handful of crystals.
“Let’s go. I want to see more of the inside before the sun sets.”
At Nina’s words, Jin estimated the remaining daylight and nodded. Nina stared at him and smiled. Jin asked, “What?”
“No, I’m glad your eyes are green, Jin. It’s refreshing to look at them. The colors here are all like this, after all.”
Nina squinted as she trailed off. Jin rubbed his eyes without realizing it, chuckled, and returned the compliment.
“Then I’m glad your eyes are golden. It’s like looking at the Tae Yang.”
“Right? Pretty, isn’t it?”
Shrugging, Nina blinked and climbed onto the Unicorn.
Jin was dumbfounded and let out a hollow laugh before climbing onto the Unicorn.
The Unicorns fearlessly climbed rough stone paths or narrow mountain trails that horses couldn’t, so the two were able to move quickly.
Then the Unicorn stopped.
“What’s wrong?”
Nina asked the Unicorn, and it snorted and pawed the ground.
Its intention to go no further seemed clear. Jin said from behind.
“What’s the matter?”
“It doesn’t want to go any further. Why is it doing this?”
“Isn’t there something dangerous? We’ve never been this far inside before. There might be something unimaginable.”
At Jin’s words, Nina narrowed her eyes and got off the Unicorn.
“Stay here. I’ll go and take a look.”
Jin frowned and followed her down. He didn’t tie the reins anywhere.
“I’ll go with you.”
“It might be dangerous, so stay here.”
“That’s why I’m going with you.”
Jin spoke closely, and Nina glanced at him before nodding.
She drew her sword and gripped her Buckler. Jin also drew his sword instead of his Glaive, considering the trees and bushes. Nina’s sword was two fingers wide, while his was about four fingers wide.
As they cautiously moved forward, guarding front and back, a faint scream was heard.
Both of them flinched.
“Now?”
“Shh.”
Nina quietly called the North Wind.
“You are the messenger who carries sound, carry the echo this way.”
With a cold gust of wind, the scream became louder.
“A person?”
Jin’s face twisted, and Nina’s expression darkened as well.
This deep inside? A human?
“Let’s go for now.”
Nina kicked off the ground and started running, with Jin following closely behind.
“Jin, watch your step!”
Nina suddenly disappeared as if she had fallen. Jin stopped. Right in front of him was a sheer cliff, and he could see people down in the valley below.
“Nina, Spirit! Aaaah!!”
Shouting wildly, Jin jumped down. Nina, who had been leaping like a goat, stepping on the gaps in the rocks with her light body, screamed at the sight of him falling helplessly.
“What? Jin!! North Wind!!”
At Nina’s cry, a strong wind blew upwards from below. Jin was momentarily suspended in the air before being thrown in the opposite direction.
“C-cold.”
It was a cold wind that felt like it could freeze you to death, even though he was only exposed to it for a moment. White breath still came out, but Jin quickly took out his Glaive from his back, unfolded the shaft, and assembled it.
Then Nina landed gracefully and shouted.
“That was dangerous!”
“What’s dangerous when you’re here.”
Jin said casually and ran forward. Nina shook her head, saying, “Whatever,” and started running in the opposite direction from him.
The people showed no reaction to the sudden appearance of the two. They were completely distracted by the Bellac in front of them.
Jin whistled.
‘They’re really big.’
They were three giant bears.
Even if they were just ordinary bears, they could easily tear people apart, but these were Bellac.
Standing on two feet, they looked to be about 3 or 4 meters tall, and their fur shone as sharp and hard as if it were made of steel.
If they were to touch a human with their front paws, which had claws like blades, they would be stabbed to death.
There were corpses scattered here and there, indicating that there were already considerable casualties.
Some were running away, and some were holding spears and fighting back.
“Winter, you are the silent death, the steadfast shield, the fierce cold that stops everything!”
Nina’s blade froze white, and the surroundings froze every time she stepped on the ground.
Nimblely dodging the first black bear’s attack, Nina kicked the white bear next to her with all her might.
With a loud thud, the white bear went flying.
“Jin! Gray!”
“I know!”
Jin swung his ax blade and cut off the gray bear’s arm.
“Kuaaaang!!”
Black blood spurted out, and the enraged gray bear charged at Jin. Nimble for its size, Jin dodged the bear’s attack and continued to attack.
“Opening!”
His ax blade cut the bear’s neck. But its head was not completely severed.
If about two-thirds of the neck was cut, it should have died or stopped, but the bear swung its front paw as it was.
‘It was shallow….’
With a momentary judgment, he let go of the shaft and stepped back, but Nina appeared like a flash and kicked the bear’s head in mid-air.
With the sound of leather tearing, the body and head separated, and the head flew far away.
Nina, who had landed on the ground, frowned and said.
“I was careless because it’s been a while.”
“You were. I was really surprised.”
Jin shook his head, wiping away cold sweat.
“It should have stopped if it was that much.”
“It must be because it’s a high rank.”
Nina turned around sharply. She scanned the group standing with spears with her cold eyes.
A long rapier spun in Nina’s hand.
“So, what kind of commotion are you causing in someone else’s territory?”
Jin slammed his Glaive down and stood crookedly.
The trespassers looked at each other and whispered. A woman walked out from among the people with spears.
The woman with her brown hair tied back was quite tall. About 190 centimeters?
She was a warrior with a solid build.
“I am Poco.”
It was a more polite greeting than expected, but Nina had no intention of being polite in return.
She was displeased.
The Violet Forest was their backyard.
To not even know that strangers were in their backyard.
“So, what’s your business trespassing in Louveaen territory? How did you get in? What were you trying to do here?”
Poco raised her clasped hands and bowed her head.
Her attire, this greeting.
“You’re not from the Empire?”
As Nina’s voice became even more sarcastic, Poco spoke quickly.
“I fully understand your displeasure. However, we have not come to cause harm. Please, hear our story.”
“Go ahead.”
Poco was extremely cautious. Half of the landing party had died to three Bellac.
Even though they were all highly skilled individuals. But this slender girl had taken down those two in an instant.
That meant they could be harmed at any time.
“We are from Rengsi. Do you know Rengsi?”
“I know. It’s famous for its iron.”
Rengsi Steel was expensive and not easily imported. The special weapon steel used for Bellac was also produced in Rengsi.
Nina raised her sword.
“This is also made of iron ordered from Rengsi.”
Though it was only 15%.
But it was a hot country quite far from the Empire.
Poco gave a faint smile.
“I am from the Karak Workshop in Rengsi.”
