Chapter 25

Silence settled over them.

Quilbion didn’t press. Once Al Terua organized his thoughts, he’d speak first.

While waiting, he traced through memories from outside life.

The more he ruminated, the more surfaced.

Not just the pig farm, but the damp lodgings, the noisy tavern, the main street shops where it felt good to zone out.

Along with the spaces came various incidents he’d experienced there, pulled out in succession.

A life where he’d spent more time seething than smiling comfortably.

“Living’s tough both here and there.”

“That’s how it is everywhere people live.”

“Here’s ruled by goblins though.”

“Goblins are the same. They’re lumps of desire too.”

Al Terua raised his head slightly.

“Quil.”

“Yes?”

“How do you trust yourself?”

“Why? Can’t you even trust yourself anymore, Ascetic?”

“Fortunately I’m not stupid. The doubt that started with Twella’s words amplified with yours, and now I’m certain. My memories were implanted by someone. That’s why there are gaps.”

“It’s not just your mind breaking down?”

“If it were that, I’d feel better about it. My thinking is logical. It has coherence. But the fragments of memory don’t connect. I think I’ve been brainwashed. It’s come to this because it was clumsily undone.”

Quilbion sat up. After scratching his head vigorously, he looked at Al Terua lying there.

“Let’s decide.”

“Decide what?”

“Something certain. No matter what bullshit happens, this much we must uphold, can trust, should rely on. Something like that.”

Bullshit—Al Terua chuckled and sat up.

“You think like me.”

“That works out well. I’m not confident in persuasion and such.”

“Before organizing, let me ask again. How are you certain your memories weren’t manipulated?”

Quilbion touched his nose.

“Simple. That terrible smell can’t be fake. Do you know what a pigsty smells like?”

“I feel like I know, and also like I don’t.”

“It’s truly awful. Ah, it’s a bit better than a shit pit though. Human waste is the most toxic.”

“I’m so dumbfounded I don’t even want to argue.”

Quilbion stretched out his feet.

“Just kidding. Actually, my state isn’t what matters, is it? If you hadn’t discovered me, Ascetic, I would’ve just become feed. But you’re different. A human coexisting with goblins. How you deceived them, why they accepted you, who masterminded it if you were brainwashed—each thing matters.”

“I was in a proactive situation and you’re feed, so conversely you don’t need to doubt yourself?”

“Exactly. You said it tediously, Ascetic. Supporting characters and whatnot. Following that logic, I’m a supporting character on the periphery—not even worth discussing the authenticity of my memories.”

“Plausible. Why were you working in a pigsty with that well-functioning head?”

“Are you really asking because you don’t know?”

“No, I know. ‘Born in a castle, live in a castle. Born in a mansion, live in a mansion.'”

It was something he’d heard countless times.

Quilbion took over Al Terua’s words.

“‘Born in a slum, die in a slum. So don’t dream futile dreams and work like a dog.’ I heard it sickeningly often. Our employer had that phrase on his lips like a song.”

“You were born in a slum?”

“How do I look? Don’t I have a certain noble air?”

“You look friendly with filth.”

“What pretty words you speak. Fine, let’s decide quickly. Are you going to cling to that fate thing or whatever, Ascetic?”

“Yeah. That’s all I have left to believe in. Since I can’t rely on myself, I have no choice but to lean on fate and Twella.”

He crossed his arms and fell into thought.

He had to work with someone who’d declared he couldn’t trust himself. An absurd situation. But what could he do?

Al Terua was the only one holding knowledge of this place’s ecology and sorcery.

So nothing had changed.

“Let’s proceed as planned. I’ll learn sorcery, and you chase after that damned fate’s tail and move. Good?”

“What about Drich?”

“We have to include him too. You know it, right? Once you’ve come to your senses, there’s no going back. The other kids probably look like lunatics to Drich’s eyes too. No, they are lunatics. They beat people to death taking initiative when no one even told them to.”

“You were one of those kids.”

“I know. That’s why we need to get out before going crazier. My purpose is clear. I’m getting out with Twella. So I’ll trust Twella’s actions too. It’s a bit different from you, Ascetic, but the result’s the same.”

Quilbion extended his hand toward Al Terua.

“You’re brainwashed so you don’t have a sense of what you want to do or should do, right?”

“For now.”

“Then help me. That’ll be the path to helping Twella.”

“Getting more and more cocky.”

“Please express it as ‘having grand ambitions.’ I changed into this mess from getting beaten so much, so please understand.”

“Maybe your employer didn’t hit you for nothing. You’ve got no manners…”

“I did hear that often too.”

Al Terua grasped his hand.

“Come with Drich tomorrow. I’ll explain sorcery fundamentals from the beginning again.”

“Understood.”

Quilbion opened the door and stopped while leaving.

“Ah, and I’ll call you Teacher when it’s just us.”

“Do as you like. Whether Teacher or Ascetic, it’s not important.”

“Right. Then think about it. Who you are, where you came from, why you’re here.”

“Get lost. I need to calm my mind while sleeping.”

“Yes, sleep well. And dream of me.”

Al Terua waved his hand dismissively.

Quilbion quietly closed the door and turned around. When he returned to the room, Drich was sitting there waiting tensely.

“You’ll get sick like that.”

“On the way here I met some kids, and every single one wasn’t normal.”

He stared silently without responding. Drich made a sour expression.

“I know. I was like that until yesterday too.”

“I never said anything.”

“You cursed with your eyes.”

“I never cursed either.”

He sat on the bed.

What came next was important. He told Drich what needed to be observed. Act normally, don’t stand out, don’t be surprised even if you see the goblins’ true forms.

“How disgusting are these goblins…”

“Disgusting enough to make you faint. They grotesquely resemble humans, but when you see them, they’re not human. There’s one that looks like bloated bread, but that’s actually better since it doesn’t have a human shape.”

“If I learn that sorcery thing, will I see them too?”

“You will. They’ll enter your vision even if you don’t want to see them.”

Drich went to the window. The Sun with its long legs was heading west, lowering its body.

“I respected that as the great Sun?”

“Countless times.”

“Crazy, something so disgusting.”

Drich whirled around.

“Twella—she doesn’t…”

“Right. She knows everything too.”

“Wait, wait.”

Drich approached with urgent steps.

“She went west right now, didn’t she? Following the Pioneer.”

“That’s right. Since she received black robes.”

“Is it okay? From the atmosphere, that place seems far more dangerous than here.”

“It will be dangerous. That’s why I’m worried.”

Since the topic came up, he told him about Twella’s condition and fate.

Drich, who’d been listening silently, let out a murky groan.

“Why?”

“I believe in fatalism.”

“Damn it.”

“Don’t get angry. When you study history, era-defining figures always pop up. People so important that history would change if it weren’t for them.”

“Haven’t you heard the saying that even beggars become generals when the world’s in chaos? That’s just how it is.”

“That ‘how it is’ is grand fate. A path people like us can never perceive.”

“You’re being fucking annoying. This is exactly the same as Teacher’s thinking.”

“Teacher?”

He raised his finger and pointed up. Drich went “Ah” and nodded.

“The Ascetic is Teacher.”

“That title’s convenient. Anyway, you learn sorcery too. And punch that shitty fate in the ribs.”

“Me coming to my senses because I’m close to you, you awakening because you’re close to Twella—it’s all fate’s gravitational pull, right? I get it. Yeah, Twella is truly an era-defining person.”

Quilbion held up five fingers and firmly dragged them down Drich’s face. Drich made an “urk” sound and covered his face.

“Forget about eras and whatever. We just need to focus on getting out of here with Twella.”

“Twella saw everything that will happen ahead, right? Didn’t she tell you anything?”

Quilbion shook his head.

“Nothing at all.”

“What about the Ascetic… no, Teacher? Did he hear anything?”

“Just that he should doubt himself. Didn’t say a peep about what’ll happen or anything.”

“Why?”

“How would I know? I can’t know what’s in her mind. So we have to meet and ask. What she’s thinking carrying it all alone, whether I’m that untrustworthy.”

He grew angrier as he spoke.

To forget the promise to stay together and go alone into the enemy’s heart.

Even if sorcery abilities are like heaven and earth, having someone nearby would help.

“You like her?”

Drich stared and asked.

“Would I dislike her then?”

“That’s true too.”

Quilbion clapped his hands.

“There’s nothing complicated. Learn sorcery, build strength, beat down goblins, escape. Simple, right?”

“Being simple is good. But you know…”

“Yeah?”

“We do know how to get out of here, right? What was it called? The surface realm?”

“Ah, the surface realm.”

“What the hell is that? Where is it?”

“Don’t know. I only heard the name from Teacher too. The goblins’ world, the surface realm. I only know that much. And this place probably isn’t the region we knew. A sky blocked by walls—we’ve never heard of that, right?”

“I’m suddenly feeling stifled.”

Drich lay on the bed.

“Sleep when you’re frustrated. I’m sleepy anyway. I didn’t sleep a wink last night…”

Drich, who’d been muttering, started snoring in an instant.

“Being able to sleep well is a blessing and an ability.”

While watching with a smile, Drich flinched and kicked off the blanket. Was he having nightmares already?

After neatly spreading the blanket and covering him, Quilbion rested his head on the pillow.

He closed his eyes and soon fell into a dream.

In the dream, he ran around cheerfully with pigs. Drich was beside him too. Al Terua was smiling brightly while grilling pork.

Several pigs ran on two legs and danced funny dances.

A peaceful plain.

But Twella couldn’t be seen there.

*

“Sorcery is great.”

Those were Drich’s words after deliciously eating the black porridge.

“We’re going to learn that great sorcery now, so get your head on straight. As a Buten, you must’ve studied, right?”

“I did.”

“You’ll learn well then.”

During rest time, they visited Al Terua.

Waiting inside, he wiggled his finger and pointed at the floor.

“No time, so this first.”

Two pieces of paper fluttered over.

“Before learning sorcery, let’s learn about the enemy first.”

What are goblins?

Al Terua’s sharp handwriting entered their vision.