ALL NOVEL Chapter 154
And so, as another day passed…
Rudell and his companions were riding their carriage towards the outskirts of the Count’s Domain.
“Ooh… Is this really it? I almost can’t recognize it!”
“It’s changed a lot since I last saw it.”
They gazed out the window at the massive mining village.
As they marveled at the gigantic magic stones sprouting everywhere, Rudell and Leje let out short exclamations.
This was, after all, the very place where a few years ago they faced off against the monstrous beasts that suddenly attacked the Count’s Domain.
“Wow… There are so many magic stones…”
Sitting across from her, Silphier also let out a stunned voice as she beheld the colossal magic stone mine.
Though the Count’s House had been supplying her with magic stones, she had never seen the mine in person until now.
Given that, it was quite natural for her to react like this.
The carriage carrying Rudell and his party rolled into the mining village…
“Huu…”
Maybe he liked the fresh air close to his hometown?
Kurt, who had gotten off the carriage, took a deep breath while looking up at the towering Bladehook Mountain Range.
“Ugh… Is it this cold here?”
“Here, wear my coat.”
Meanwhile, behind him, Leje shuddered lightly as the cold wind blew down the mountain range.
At the same time, Rudell took off his coat and draped it over Leje.
“Alright, that should do it. You’re cold too.”
“Not really. I’m used to the cold.”
For Rudell, who had grown up in the cold and harsh Count’s Domain, this level of chill wasn’t anything extraordinary.
“If it gets too cold, I can just raise my body temperature with magic.”
Plus, absorbing the fragments of the holy sword had significantly increased his magic power.
At this rate, he could maintain the body temperature of the entire party and still have excess magic power to spare.
“Thanks.”
“Hah~ Truly the best.”
With a faint smile, Leje wrapped the coat around herself, and seeing that, Eleor nodded with a content look.
Then, at that moment…
“Welcome, young lord. We’ve been waiting for you.”
“It’s been a while, Baron Barje.”
A familiar-looking elderly man greeted Rudell with warmth.
His name was Barje.
He had been a senior in the Count’s Domain since the times when it wasn’t fully developed, mediating opinions between the villages.
Now, at this point where the Count’s Domain had prospered, he served as an administrator managing several villages.
“Has Kahlan arrived?”
“I received word from the last watchtower just a while ago, so he should arrive soon.”
Barje responded to Rudell’s question.
Watchtowers had been set up along the newly opened road between the Count’s Domain and the Eternal Winter Plains to prepare for monster attacks.
The distance from the last tower to here was about an hour.
There was enough time to prepare for his arrival.
But then…
Deng! Deng! Deng! Deng! Deng!
“Ah. Looks like he has arrived.”
From the watchtower set on the outskirts of the village, a loud bell rang repeatedly, and at the same time, the village guards started moving towards the tower.
Watching this, Barje let out a low murmur.
“What shall we do?”
“I’ll go greet him myself. He’s an important guest.”
Before being referred to as a barbarian, Kahlan was a critical business partner and collaborator of the Count’s Domain.
So it was only right for Rudell to meet him personally.
“Then do as you wish, young lord.”
“Alright, everyone, let’s go.”
At Rudell’s words, Barje bowed his head, and Rudell began walking with his companions.
Then, when Rudell and his party arrived at the village entrance, facing the Bladehook Mountain Range…
“It’s been a while, brother!”
“Good to see you, Kahlan! Gah!?”
Over there, spotting Rudell, Kahlan rushed over without anyone being able to stop him and pulled Rudell into a bear hug.
With such strength, Rudell let out a whoosh as air escaped his lungs, and Leje, seeing this, instinctively reached for the sword at her waist.
But that was just a moment; Kahlan released Rudell, and Leje too pulled her hand away from the sword hilt.
“Y-you’ve gotten bigger since I last saw you?”
“Have I? I feel the same.”
Breathing heavily, Rudell asked, and Kahlan responded in a much more polished common tongue.
If his past self was 100% wild, he now exuded a vibe that seemed to be a mix of 80% wildness and 20% civilization.
“By the way, it’s been hard to see your face. I guess that academy business kept you busy, huh?”
“It was so busy I could hardly breathe…”
Between the Student Council’s responsibilities, council-related matters, and church activities…
Honestly, it felt like he could use a few more bodies to manage it all.
“That aside, you’ve become quite the man! Quite impressive!”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
With a hearty laugh, Kahlan patted Rudell on the back, causing a slight pain, and Rudell smiled faintly.
“It’s nice to see you again, Chief.”
“Oh! Kurt! I’ve heard plenty about you! They say you’ve become an outstanding warrior!”
After finishing greetings with Rudell, Kahlan locked eyes with Kurt and spoke to him.
A strange atmosphere passed between them…
“The meeting room is ready. Shall we head over?”
“Kahlan, this way…”
“Um, please.”
Barje squeezed through and said that, as Kahlan, the Nord tribe warriors, and Rudell’s group began walking.
*
The village hall, which also served as a meeting place.
There, Kahlan and the warriors, Rudell and his companions, and several officials from the Count’s Domain, including Barje, sat with serious expressions.
It was natural to look solemn, for the news he brought was shocking.
“So… You’re saying the monstrous beasts are breeding unusually in the Eternal Winter Plains?”
“That’s correct.”
Kahlan nodded seriously at Rudell’s statement.
“Essentially, all the tribes that dwelled deep in the plains have perished. The tribes currently attacking the Empire are fighting back to survive…”
“That…”
The deeply shocking news made the atmosphere in the meeting room, including Rudell’s, heavy and grim.
“Our tribe hasn’t been able to escape the repercussions, either. For now, we’re holding up decently, but the monstrous beast attacks are becoming more frequent. The adventurers’ help is reaching its limit.”
“To that extent…”
If they were saying that while sustaining their livelihoods by hunting monstrous beasts, what hell would the plains’ interior be like?
Just the thought of it made Rudell shudder.
“But even so, isn’t attacking the Empire unnecessary? Right now all of humanity must cooperate…”
“You said cooperate, did you?”
At that moment, Eleor, who had been listening, spoke, but Kahlan interjected sharply.
“Do you know just how much blood from the Empire and the Nord tribe has soaked the land?”
“That…”
“Our ancestors’ ancestors… It’s a cycle that stretches back further than you can imagine.”
“…”
At those words, Eleor seemed at a loss for words and bit her lip, while Kahlan continued speaking.
“For us Nord, what matters most is survival. It’s not the strong who survive, but those who survive become strong. Therefore, we have no choice but to act accordingly.”
“Indeed, it seems like it has to end up this way…”
Watching that brief debate unfold, Rudell pressed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.
This was a problem that couldn’t be solved by just one side.
The conflict between the Nord tribe and the Empire ran deeper than one could imagine.
“What do we do now?”
The atmosphere in the meeting room became heavy, and observing this, Leje turned to Rudell and asked.
But even Rudell had no idea how to resolve this situation.
Unless they brought the Emperor of the Empire and the Chief of the Nord tribe together to talk, there was no way to untangle this knot.
“Huh? Wait a minute.”
Just then.
An idea flashed through Rudell’s mind.
Simultaneously, he stood up and asked Kahlan.
“Kahlan, is there a chance I could meet the Chief?”
“The Chief, you say? It’s not impossible, but… May I ask why?”
Kahlan questioned, not hiding his wariness, as though the Chief wasn’t just sitting there for decoration.
And Rudell, sporting a faint smile towards this cautious Kahlan, replied.
“Perhaps we can arrange a peace talk with the Empire.”