Chapter Fourteen: Next Stop
“I have something to tell you.”
As she was leaving, the girl asked the currency exchange worker for some paper and a pen, scribbling down a few addresses and handing them over to the sailmaster.
“Last year in the Eastern Continent, um, we took down a couple of Nedlin Gang hideouts and rescued some… women who were forced to work for them. Most of them were street kids who got caught, ages all over the place, some had been there for years… about a hundred, I think…”
“There might be more hideouts, but after that, the Nedlin Gang’s business has been pretty much kaput. I think it could be a lead. You should check it out; maybe your daughter is still alive…”
The man still couldn’t catch a glimpse of her face hidden beneath the hood, clueless about what the girl looked like or how old she was. All he knew was that voice, as clear as a mountain spring—he’d remember that forever.
He felt a twinge of regret when she handed him the note earlier, and he instinctively took a step back.
At the time, she didn’t seem to care; beneath the hood, she just smiled prettily, said her piece, and left without a backward glance, leaping onto a dilapidated rooftop and disappearing into the night sky.
But for the sailmaster, that moment stuck with him.
Ever since leaving the high tower, he couldn’t shake that regret.
What a shame…
Back then, neither he nor the navigator, nor any of the merchant crews around could muster up the courtesy to say “thank you.”
If he ever got the chance to meet her again, he really should thank her…
Lost in thought, he gazed at the distant glow of the harbor city, taking in the deep indigo of the night sky. He stood there for a long time, pondering the girl’s identity and her journey.
Who was she… and where was she heading all alone?
One thing the sailmaster knew for sure.
Girls like her—if he ever heard news about her again, it’d probably be during one of his voyages or at a tavern, where he’d be drinking with someone and overhear some drunken ramblings about some recent shocking events, from which, perhaps, he could glean a clue about her whereabouts.
That might be the only way they’d cross paths again.
…………
By mid-April, the weather had warmed up.
There’s an old saying in Silgaya: April is the most beautiful month—April winds, April clouds, April sunshine, and April sentiments. On this bountiful land, April is the season when the earth awakens and flowers begin to bloom.
In the distant mountains, the forests thrived lushly, the winds creating a delightful rustling sound. The pines by the river were sprouting new buds, tender and delicate, while the reeds, awakening from winter’s dormancy, swayed to the rhythm of the winds, almost like they were singing in harmony.
On the cliffs of the Pevensi Gorge, purple flowers and silver blooms stretched as far as the eye could see, a vast sea of blossoms glittering under the warm sunlight. If you were to look from the skies above, you’d spot a small figure wrapped in a cloak, lounging among the flowers, eyes closed as if peacefully sleeping.
But soon enough, she opened her eyes.
The girl blinked, her gaze shifting from confusion to bewilderment, taking at least ten seconds before slowly sitting up, scratching her tousled hair. Her eyes darted around, and she let out a huge yawn, then reached out blindly beside her and… seemingly grabbed something fuzzy.
She was stunned and instinctively clutched the thing, feeling it squirm, and looked down.
…It was a spider.
A spider!
Its eight legs flailed in her hand!!!
“Ahh…”
She shrieked and sprang to her feet, wide-eyed, flinging the spider away in an instinctual reaction that was etched deep within every human’s soul. However, she clearly thought that was not enough. After tossing the spider, she immediately used Moon Step, dodging back as petals danced around her, and her fingertip conjured a small fireball that shot forward!
All of it happened in a seamless flow.
Boom!
A dull thud echoed off the gorge walls, followed by a puff of black smoke rising.
The girl stared in shock at the singed patch nearby, watching the swirling smoke, as if it finally snapped her to reality. She glanced at her hand, wanting to scratch her head but suddenly remembered that same hand just handled a spider, and a chill ran through her, goosebumps sprouting up her arms.
“Darn spider…”
You gave me quite a scare.
I absolutely hate creepy crawlies with too many legs…
But then two seconds later, something clicked in her mind.
…Huh?
Did I really just get scared by a spider?
How did I even get scared by a spider?
Wait…
Why am I feeling ‘scared’ again?
Did I just get scared…?
“……”
Lost in contemplation for a long while, she suddenly felt uncertain.
Maybe it was just a reflex of the body…
Thinking back to the spider, she didn’t find it particularly terrifying… Definitely not like before, when spiders and centipedes gave her that tingly feeling at the back of her neck.
…Is that right?
I don’t know…
…Forget it.
It’s boring.
Deciding to brush it off, she stood at the cliff’s edge, frowning as she looked out into the distance, then turned around to pack her things sitting on the ground.
Yesterday at dusk, she’d been flying up in the sky, marveling at the beautiful flower sea below… without much thought, she had landed. She had meant to rest a bit, but it seemed she accidentally slept until nearly noon the next day.
At this moment…
The sun was high above her head.
It felt just a tad hot in the cloak.
After securing her pack around her waist, she channeled some ice mist at her feet to cool off, then looked up at the sky, thinking about how hungry she was, and dug into her pack for a piece of bread, taking a big bite as she walked towards the edge of the cliff.
Not much food left…
Had it only been a few days since leaving the harbor?
She couldn’t quite recall.
It was all a jumble after she disembarked that night, dealing with a mess of errands—then heading straight to the harbor city, of course not through the front gate. Most cities in this world had lax security measures, and sneaking in while flying was a breeze—once inside, she found a small inn that didn’t question identities and stayed there for several days.
During the daytime, she roamed the city in search of delicious food, trying some local delicacies, but that wasn’t the most important matter. Those few days, she had kept an eye on the docks and the Merchant Association, as well as the Sixth Knights Order… The knight leader from that night was indeed the commander of the Sixth Knights, as she later learned; he had hurriedly left the harbor city with his men the very next morning.
Where did he go? Unclear.
But either way, he didn’t give “The Calivel” merchant ship any more trouble.
That was enough for her.
As for the more complex issues that couldn’t be resolved with brute force, she chose not to involve herself, understanding that stepping in rashly wouldn’t help solve the problem but rather deepen the conflict, making things far worse.
For now, she needed to focus on her own issues.
And that knight commander…
After he left, would he tell others about what happened that night and about seeing her, or notify the church? She had pondered this too, but concluded it was unlikely.
At the very least, he wouldn’t casually report the church about it, as he wouldn’t have a clue how to explain it—would he tell Angel that he was attacked by a random, faceless assassin and almost met his end?
If that were the case, it would only make Angel think of him as an idiot.
That commander was smart and especially cared about his reputation.
At most, he’d discreetly have someone investigate her identity, but she felt that wouldn’t yield results. Just based on the Frost Order as a lead, he would have no way of discovering who she was; girls who could use the Frost Order weren’t limited to those with the surname Winter Moon, and this was likely as far as his suspicions would go. If he wanted to find her through her tracks—ha, she could fly.
Flying, in this world, meant completely vanishing without a trace.
So she wasn’t worried about that.
In fact, deep down she felt…
Even if he found her, so what?
It would be pointless.
It would only lead to more of his subordinates getting killed—possibly even causing him serious trouble. After all, he was a cunning fox; he understood that if she hadn’t really disrupted any core interests, there was no need to make a powerful and formidable enemy.
So, days went by, and the matter of the Sixth Knights became a back thought. She bought more than enough water and food, along with a rough skin-map, then that night, quietly left the harbor city, setting off for the Northern Region.
As for her next plans—uh, calling it a plan might be a stretch, but it was how she saw it—her first destination on the way north was Alectine City, just north of the Pevensi Gorge. There, she intended to gather information and stock up on supplies. Following that, the next stop would be the Fortress of Silence… she wanted to check it out, just a quick visit to pay her respects at Lady Alanster’s grave before heading to Woodward Forest and the little village there.
She wanted to see her grandma and check if she was doing well.
Not necessarily needing to meet her.
Just a distant glance would suffice, confirming all was well before leaving; it’s best not to have any direct contact, leaving her to think she’d perished would be the best protection for the entire village.
After that…
It’d be straight to the border, entering the territory of the Valen Empire.
At that point, it was unclear whether to visit Winter City first or somewhere else; she’d need to assess the situation there to find her parents—she had indeed been pondering whether to head for Victoria first or her parents, but she eventually decided to prioritize checking on the Empire.
Finding her father and mother, her two brothers.
As for what to do next after that…
Whether to meet them or not, she hadn’t figured that out yet.
We’ll see about that later…
She had no clear idea of the situation over there; she hadn’t received accurate news while in the harbor city but was somewhat concerned about it.
She didn’t plan to do anything earth-shattering, like seeking revenge; her anger toward Angel had long since faded. Remembering his betrayal didn’t trigger that intense sense of outrage and injustice it once did, and naturally, the desire for revenge dissipated.
After all, the church was essential; without its order, chaos would reign, resulting in more innocent lives lost. The idea of taking out the pope or anything like that had never crossed her mind.
And whether her return could truly change anything…
She hadn’t thought about that either.
At least not now.
If it’s possible, let everyone believe she’s dead; as long as they can lead good lives, her ‘d*ath’ could shield them from the dark sides of the world.
Just like this, it’s quite fine.
Isn’t it?
…………
She walked to the edge of the cliff, her mind swirling with thoughts, leaning forward a bit, and suddenly, her foot missed the ledge.
The cloak fluttered as her body plummeted rapidly.
Then, black mist surged from her back, and the wind roared past her ears, sweeping her body up into the higher skies.
Food’s running low…
Well then, let’s head straight for Alectine City.
