The Shepherd Alone on the Hill is a Genius Wizard

Chapter 132 Old Friend (2)

After steadily feeding good food and letting Bize rest for about two days, when it had fully recovered, Turan immediately took out the carriage but instead of boarding it, tied a letter to Bize's ankle and sent it flying.

An hour later, when it returned, there was a new letter tied to its ankle.

[I'm just living as usual, watching plays and such. Are you all doing well? It's lonely being alone...]

A letter that listed everything that had happened and ended with saying he missed them.

After reading and folding it, Turan summarized the contents in one sentence for those waiting.

"Looks like Asiz is doing well."

Before leaving, they had exchanged codes with Asiz in preparation for exchanging letters.

The mention of 'play' in the first paragraph meant this letter wasn't written under someone's surveillance.

"Bize, did you move as I told you?"

[Yes! I made a big circle before meeting Asiz! When leaving too!]

Though they had sent it at dusk to avoid being noticed, in case someone saw Bize and guessed their whereabouts, Turan had instructed Bize to make a large detour and approach from the south instead of flying directly to House Berk.

Similarly, when returning, he had it fly south before making a large circle to come back north.

Given how fast Bize could fly without carrying anything, no one would dare try to follow it.

"That's a relief..."

"I'm glad they're doing well. I want to go drink there again. I liked the food too."

Not only Meisa who was a close relative, but Solif also showed signs of relief at confirming this.

He too had stayed there being treated well for quite a while, so he must have developed some attachment.

After flying on Bize for another half day, they finally left Arabion's domain.

"Whew..."

Meisa let out a sigh of relief while looking at the Dakein Plains getting farther behind them.

Though she hadn't shown it for days, it seemed she had felt quite pressured staying within Arabion's domain.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I feel relieved now. It felt like something was weighing on my chest the whole time we were there."

That pressure was probably from the existence of the Arabion main house that had weighed on her for many years, and her father Badal who was Thunder Lord's vessel.

To Meisa's words, Solif raised an objection.

"But is it right to feel relieved? Kamain has a god who's teamed up with other races, right?"

"They don't have any particular conflicts with us yet. Though I'm not certain, we might even be able to make them allies."

Judging from the case of the merman prince Arma they met before, merfolk were more likely to be reasonable compared to Black Spirits or dwarves.

Above all, since Kamain's god was unlikely to even guess their existence, there wasn't much need to be wary.@@@@

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At Turan's words, Solif responded by making a small "hmm" sound and nodding his head.

After traveling while conversing like this for about an hour.

As the sun was setting, Turan looked around at the surroundings and, recognizing the familiar terrain, said to the two.

"Let's rest in that village over there tonight."

"Already? Feels like we could move a bit more."

Turan felt similar responsibility toward the citizens of Kalamaf and the people he had rescued from the southern islands.

He intended to check how they were living and take revenge if any problems arose.

Hearing this, Solif shook his head as if disgusted and said.

"Even after spending quite a while together, you're really incomprehensible. On one hand completely ruthless, on the other hand too soft..."

"Well, we both benefited from that, didn't we?"

"Well, that's true."

When Meisa spoke with a wistful expression, Solif raised both hands as if having nothing more to say.

==

After spending a night in the village, instead of moving straight to the North Sea, Turan's group moved in a zigzag pattern, sweeping through the hilly area between the Arabion and Kamain houses.

This was because the librarian had told him there were records of a mythical-grade magical beast that had disappeared in this area about 500 years ago.

However, contrary to expectations, the magical beasts they encountered while searching were all too weak to even be worth catching.

After traveling for days while only eliminating excessively aggressive ones, Solif suggested giving up.

"Well, thinking about it, it's natural. If something that strong had lived here continuously, it would have been hunted long ago. Or it would be something they're raising here, like that monkey..."

"Wait."

Cutting off Solif's words, Turan closed his eyes and concentrated on his sense of smell.

Meisa, who was beside him, saw this and asked.

"What's wrong?"

"There's a strange smell. Something's burning..."

The acrid burning smell reaching his nose evoked a strange sense of déjà vu.

A smell so strong it seemed like there might be a forest fire.

What came to mind after a moment was when he had encountered the traces left after the Burner Obil had done his work.

"Bize, that way!"

Though it was generally principle not to show Bize being ridden in front of people, Turan broke this rule and immediately headed toward the source of the smell.

Shortly after they arrived, screams and the sound of something burning were echoing through the air.

"Help us, please help us-!"

"Please! Please stop!"

A small slash-and-burn farming village in the forest.

These people, who had probably lived in isolation, were tied to posts and burning one by one while waiting for their turn.

And in the middle of the square stood a woman with both arms spread, catching falling ashes.

Though her face couldn't be seen as she was turned away, he had an idea who she was.

Jumping down from the carriage, Turan immediately called out her name.

"Bisen."

"Who's... ah, Lord Turan?"

Bisen Kamain, the leader of the young noble group who had hunted Obil with him in the past, turned her head.

Her eyes shone with an unnaturally clear light.