Episode 49
For Kyle and Brody, who had been walking on empty snowfields, hungry, the journey with the yak tribe, which provided food, lodging, and transportation, was a luxurious trip.
Of course, it was somewhat like before, traveling all day on a snow-covered plain with nothing around, but being with others made it emotionally and physically more comforting and supportive.
Kyle wasn’t as comfortable with the goats as Brody, who rode a horse with Ron, but he was still pretty satisfied.
Even though he had never lived as a subordinate to anyone in his entire life, he was just like any other person when faced with hunger.
So, the trip with the yak tribe, who provided food as long as the goats were disciplined, could not help but be satisfying.
“Mr. Kyle does a great job leading the goats every time. This is the first time in 50 years that we haven’t lost a goat on a trip.”
The yaks praised Kyle for his unexpected aptitude and complimented Brody on her excellent lover.
Kyle stood there expressionless and unimpressed every time they praised him, but Brody noticed his tail wagging slightly and realized…
Kyle was in a really good mood.1Ohhhh😏
Kyle had been compared to his younger brother his entire life and had never received a single proper compliment.
Brody felt sorry for him when he, who had always been rough around the edges, would show this pure side, working harder because he was happy with a little praise.
Because it felt like she was looking at a boy whose mind had not yet fully grown.
Her affection for him grew deeper as time passed.
Brody would always go out to meet him first in the evening when he finished work, and would welcome him with all her heart.
“Kyle. You worked hard today.”
After several days of being complimented and having his head and face stroked with both hands, Kyle now just sat there and accepted the stroking.
And on days when he was feeling particularly good, he would even give her the service of gently placing his head on her palm.
The Yak tribe, who gave Brody this wonderful trip, were of great help to her.
“Babies cry when they are hungry, when they are sleepy, and when they are even slightly uncomfortable. They cry because they cannot speak. So you should always watch your baby carefully. Whenever he cries, try giving him milk, putting him to sleep, and changing his diapers. You have to check, you have to coax, you have to try everything.”
Ason’s wife Kiara and the other women gave her a lot of information and tips on raising a child, which helped Brody feel a little more confident in caring for Ron.
On the seventh day of their journey, they began to feel the south wind blowing on them, and little by little they took off the clothes they were wearing.
The depth of the snow covering the ground had also become shallower, and the harsh blizzard that used to block visibility had long disappeared.
This also meant that they were getting closer to the wilderness.
It was the 9th day, over a week later When they arrived at the Kelkov Hills, a gently sloping range, two days later than expected.
The yaks decided to go a little further southwest from here and set up camp near the Crescent Mountains.
Meanwhile, Brody and Kyle had to cross the Kelkov Hills with Ron and enter the Wilderness of Rubinus.
As of today, Kyle has been removed from his position as a goat herding dog and had returned to his human form.
“Aren’t you sad now that you quit?”
When Brody asked Kyle, who was dressed up, in a very rude manner, Kyle pretended not to be annoyed.
“I am not. I feel relieved because I don’t have to see those annoying goats.”
“Pfft, you’re lying.”
Brody covered her mouth with both hands and laughed mischievously. Kyle looked at Brody and clenched his teeth.
If she had been in the form of a rabbit, he would have bitten her leg, but in her current human form, there was nothing he could bite.
So he clenched his jaw and held it in, while Brody just smiled brightly without knowing anything.
Brody’s cheeks were red from the cold wind, as if she had been waiting outside for a long time for him to return.
Seeing this, Kyle felt the resentment he had felt toward her just now melt away.
She didn’t have to come out and wait like this every time, but Brody always did that, even though it was still cold.
On the way back from work, it felt strangely warm to see someone waiting for him from afar.
Even his heart, which was as cold as ice, was permeated with warmth.
“Mr. Kyle! Miss Brody! You two can be flirty at night, but now you should come and eat!”
Brody bashfully shouted as they were called from afar.
“Oh my, you’re being so annoying!”
It was clearly a rebuttal, but there was a hint of laughter in her voice.
Kyle followed Brody, who was urging him to hurry, and watched Brody’s back as she walked with a pleasant smile.
The rabbit, which used to walk with its ears perked up when in a good mood, now walked with its white hair fluttering when it was a human.
Kyle suddenly thought that Brody looked cute like that.
She didn’t hide her good feelings, just the way of her walking showed them all.
A faint smile appeared on Kyle’s lips. It was something that had happened before he realized it.
***
The kind-hearted yaks prepared a sumptuous feast for Kyle, who had successfully completed his goat herding mission.
It was just grilled meat and alcohol, but to Kyle, it was a feast.
Moreover, the yaks packed a load of salted jerky for them to take when they left tomorrow.
They were truly grateful that their livestock had been brought back safely, that the leader Ason was especially sad to see him go.
“I will never find another goat herder as good as you. You have worked very hard for me. If you ever need a job, come back.”
Even though he knew that would never happen, he expressed his willingness to welcome him whenever he wanted to find a job.
“By the way, you two said you were going to the wilderness of Rubinus, right? Did you bring your medicine?”
Kaira asked with a worried face, holding Brody’s hand, who was loved here as the cute bunny girl.
Brody looked at Kyle with an unreadable expression for a moment, then quickly nodded and answered yes.
Then Ason said, “Thank goodness.”
“That baby is from the wilderness, so it’s fine, but I heard that foreigners suffer if they go there. Still, it’s fortunate that you took medicine.”
“Aside from the physical strain, are there any other things we should be aware of in the wilderness?”
Brodie wondered if there was any additional information he knew about the wilderness, considering that the yaks spent autumns and winters nearby.
However, Ason seemed to hesitate for a moment after hearing Brody’s question, and then opened his mouth with a slightly doubtful expression.
“If you go into the wilderness, try not to stay too long and come out right away. I only heard rumors, so I don’t know the details… ”
He took a sip of his drink, wiped his lips, and continued speaking.
“Unlike white foxes, red foxes are not friendly to strangers. That is why, long ago, they only thought about driving out strangers who entered their territory. And because there were witches among them, they’ve been playing a lot of bad pranks all over the wilderness. The most common one is a rash or hives that appear all over your body.”
“So you’re saying there are other risk factors besides rashes?”
“I’m not sure, since I’ve only heard it from a few people who’ve been to the wilderness. But according to them, there are things in the wilderness that not only torment the bodies of foreigners, but also delude their minds.”
“Delusion?”
Kyle, who had been listening to Ason’s words, also raised his head at this.
“It is a method that touches the mind, the weakest part of the opponent, not the body. It’s about putting them in danger or tormenting them to the point of losing their sanity.”
“But I haven’t heard anything like that from the White Fox Tribe that has been there before?”
“Would something like that work on someone with strong willpower? But there are those who have been affected by it, so it wouldn’t hurt to be careful.”
“Anyway, when I was bored, I heard all sorts of things in the world.”
Kyle chuckled when he heard the whole story. He didn’t seem to think much of it, but Brody was different.
Brody, who didn’t trust her own mental powers, asked Kyle with a worried face.
“Kyle, if I’m being deluded, you have to save me.”
Just as Kyle was about to ignore this, Ason lowered his voice and spoke seriously.
“When you are deluded, you can’t trust anyone. Not even the people around you.”
Brody became even more anxious and tearful after hearing that.
On the other hand, Kyle noticed Ason’s intentions and spoke coldly and clearly.
“Even if you scare us like that, we won’t change our course to go to the southwest with you.”
“…Oh, you noticed.”
Ason, whose intention to keep them was revealed, smiled awkwardly.
Those who saw that sight burst into laughter, and their last night with the yaks ended with that hearty laughter.
***
The next day.
Kyle and Brody woke up in the dark of dawn and prepared to leave with the child.
“Take this goat. It has just given birth, so it will be of great use to the child.”
Ason gave them a goat as their farewell gift.
As Ason had said, Brody knew that the presence of a goat would be a great help in their travel.
Goat milk, could be fed to the baby, and goat dung could be used as fuel for fire.
In addition, the yaks provided simple tents for overnight stays in the wilderness and food to eat along the way.
All the luggage, including the goat, were given to Kyle. Brody had to carry Ron, so she couldn’t take on any other luggage.
“Ron. Now it’s really the beginning of hardship for both of us.”
Brody, who had to say goodbye to the lords of parenting, felt daunted at the thought of having to look after Ron alone in the future.
While Brody was feeling lost at the thought that there would be no one to show up like Superman and help her whenever a problem arose, Kiara approached her.
“It’s going to be very hard. But please take good care of him. This baby will be relying on you, Miss Brody.”
It was Kiara’s advice after hearing the general situation of these people. And Brody was able to calm her mind after hearing those words.
She nodded, promising Kaira that she would do so.
So the two of them said goodbye to the kind and warm yaks at Kelkov Hill.
Now, truly, the journey of just the three of them had begun.
