Episode 109

The carriage departed from the capital and quickly made its way south, entering the outskirts of the region.

“Sharon, we’re almost there.”

“Mm… already?”

I gently stroked her hair as she rubbed her sleepy eyes and sat up. She shifted excitedly, looking out the window, taking in her hometown after a long time.

The weather outside was clear and pleasant. The sun wasn’t too harsh, and a refreshing breeze blew through the air.

“It’s the perfect weather for climbing a mountain.”

“At least it’s not too hot.”

I had worried about the heat making the trip unbearable, but it seemed the weather was on our side.

As we passed through the village, we entered the small city nestled at the base of Mount Deoisa.

At the city gates, a long line of carriages stretched ahead.

The South had the most developed trade network in the empire, so the entrance was always busy with merchants coming and going.

Fortunately, the gate designated for visitors rather than merchants allowed us to pass without much wait.

While Ludwig was verifying his identity at the checkpoint, I noticed a man standing beyond the gates.

Even from a distance, I recognized him instantly.

His sky-blue hair and deep ocean-colored eyes made it unmistakable.

It was Desar.

Once Ludwig completed the inspection and returned to the carriage, the gatekeepers hurriedly stepped aside to let us through.

But just as we entered the city, the carriage had to stop again—this time, because of the man blocking the road ahead.

“That man…”

“I’ll handle it.”

I stepped out of the carriage and walked toward Desar.

His hair had grown longer since I last saw him, now tied back neatly. He had the air of a scholar, but the sword at his waist made it clear that he was still very much a knight.

Desar bowed slightly as he greeted me.

“It has been a while, my lady.”

“Desar. Did my grandfather send you?”

“Yes. I was ordered to escort you and…”

His gaze shifted toward Ludwig, who had silently followed behind me.

“And to make sure no unwanted troublemakers approach you.”

Ludwig smiled, seemingly unfazed, but his eyes held no amusement.

“Are you referring to me?”

“Of course not. I wasn’t speaking about anyone in particular.”

A sharp tension filled the air between them.

They had met once before, and yet…

‘They still don’t get along.’

Sharon tugged at my hand.

“Sister, who is he? Is he coming with us to Mount Deoisa?”

Desar tilted his head.

“Mount Deoisa?”

Since Desar was now with us, there was no avoiding the truth.

I had no choice but to bring him to our side.

“Desar, my grandfather probably told you I came here for rest, but I have another reason for this trip.”

“Another reason?”

“I need to find a medicinal herb from Mount Deoisa.”

“A medicinal herb…?”

“Yes. You don’t have to climb the mountain with us. We’re just here for a preliminary survey today, so there shouldn’t be any danger.”

“If it’s just an herb, why did you come all the way here yourself instead of sending someone else?”

“Because…”

I hesitated for a moment before answering.

“It’s a key ingredient for curing Lisbeth’s disease.”

Desar’s eyes widened slightly at my words.

“Will you come with us?”

“…Of course.”

“Even though it’s not part of my grandfather’s orders?”

If he was strictly following orders, he should be stopping me from going up the mountain, not escorting me.

And he would be obligated to report this to my grandfather as well.

Sensing my suspicion, Desar met my gaze steadily.

“I have no right to stop you, my lady. My duty is to ensure that you accomplish what you set out to do.”

“But I’m no longer your master.”

“…You have always been my master.”

His voice was calm, unwavering.

For a brief moment, I was taken aback.

“Haha, what’s with that?”

The tension between us faded as I laughed.

“There’s no need to be so serious. Just come along if you want.”

It seemed I didn’t have to worry about Desar refusing to accompany us after all.

* * *

Mount Deoisa was far more vast up close than it had seemed from a distance.

Officially, entry was restricted, but there were hidden paths that the villagers used, scattered around the mountain’s base.

“This way!”

Sharon pointed to one of them.

“When I was wandering from place to place, I used to survive on the fruits growing in this mountain. One day, when I climbed up this path, I found that fruit.”

Her eyes sparkled with certainty.

“Thanks for showing us, Sharon. Now…”

I took out the tracking pendants I had brought and handed one to each person.

“Just in case. We can’t afford to lose track of each other in the forest.”

On the small pendants, four red dots blinked together in one place.

“Especially you, Sharon. Don’t stray too far from us, okay? And if you need help, say so right away.”

“Don’t worry!”

She was reliable enough that I didn’t need to be too concerned.

I placed a pendant in the small bag she carried and spoke again.

“Let’s head in.”

We followed the narrow path into the mountain.

Sharon, too eager, ran ahead at first, but within minutes, she was panting.

Eventually, she gave up and let Desar carry her.

We climbed steadily, following the directions she recalled.

“I turned into this side path… right here?”

But the path she pointed to no longer existed.

“There used to be a trail here!”

Sharon leaped down from Desar’s arms and looked around in confusion.

“Why… why is it gone?”

Below us was a sheer drop—an endless, steep cliff where a road should have been.

“Did we take a wrong turn?”

“My memory is accurate. I even remember the markings on the tree here.”

The tree she pointed at had a deep X carved into its bark.

“That’s a mark left by herbalists. The trails they use are usually safe, so I always followed them.”

As Sharon explained, I sensed movement beyond the bushes.

I immediately pulled her behind me.

“A w-wild beast? We haven’t even gone that deep into the mountain yet!”

She spoke in a trembling voice.

Ludwig and Desar had already drawn their swords, standing on guard.

“……”

“Ah!”

“Huh?”

What emerged from the bushes was not a beast or a threat.

It was a person.

The woman flinched at the sight of the drawn swords and stumbled backward.

“Who are you people?! Don’t tell me the imperial family has started cracking down on illegal climbers?!”

She was clutching an armful of unknown herbs, shaking nervously.

I quickly gestured to Ludwig and Desar to lower their swords before stepping toward her.

“Please calm down. We’re here to gather herbs as well.”

She blinked in surprise.

“Herbs? You don’t exactly look the part…”

I let out a small laugh and helped her up.

“So you’re not here to report me?”

Finally, she sighed in relief.

I decided to ask carefully.

“Do you come here often?”

“Yes, I cleared out this trail myself. I run an apothecary, so I frequently climb Mount Deoisa.”

“Weren’t there other trails branching off from here?”

“There were. But as you can see, they’re gone now.”

She pointed toward the distant Tesaposa Mountain.

“A few months ago, there was a huge explosion there. I thought the world was ending. Landslides, cracks in the ground—it was a disaster.”

She shook her head.

“The impact reached all the way here. That’s why the path was destroyed. I worked hard to make that trail, too… what a shame.”

“Ah…”

“It’s getting late, so you should all head back down. Night falls quickly in the South.”

With that, she shouldered her herbs and made her way down.

No search succeeds on the first try.

“Let’s call it a day and return before sunset. If the weather holds tomorrow, we’ll try another route.”

Sharon looked disappointed as she glanced around.

“It’s okay, Sharon. Even if that path is gone, we’ll find another way.”

She lowered her head and nodded.

As we retraced our steps down the mountain, I couldn’t shake an odd sense of familiarity.

From the moment we entered, it had felt like I had been here before.

‘Is it because I saw it so vividly in my dreams?’

Time changes everything, and after a decade, the landscape had undoubtedly shifted.

Still, the feeling remained.

As I walked, I spotted a small yellow flower blooming by the roadside.

“Sharon, look at this flower. It reminds me of you.”

Its bright yellow petals looked like a tiny chick, just like her.

But I heard no response.

‘Is she still upset about not finding the fruit?’

I turned to check on her—but Sharon was gone.

My mind went blank.

Just moments ago, she had been right beside me.

“Sharon!”

I called out her name, but there was no reply.