The Lemifs’ meeting was underway with much noise. Kassel and Tanya entered through the door without many noticing their presence.
Only a few soldiers spotted them and showed a hint of caution. However, when Lofin stood by their side and signaled to the soldiers that it was alright, they immediately relaxed their guard.
‘It seems he has gained considerable trust here.’
Tanya found herself irritated by his presence, now everything about him seemed annoying.
Lofin approached and started a conversation.
“Have you changed your mind?”
“I thought the meeting of the Lemifs might be interesting, so I just wanted to stay for a bit. If it’s boring, I’ll head to Lutia.”
Kassel answered with ease, and Lofin laughed.
‘Why is he so friendly towards that person? He’s always so stiff around me.’
Realizing her anger was mistakenly directed at Kassel, Tanya quickly shook her head.
The Lemif elders occupied about half of the inside of the hut, while the younger members took up the other half. At one long end of the rectangular hut was Hudintin of Larden, the Hopet, and coincidentally, Lofin and the others stood opposite him.
As Hudintin stood in front, Tanya was embarrassed by the memory of their last encounter. Noticing Tanya, Hudintin slightly raised his hand to her. The magic orb she had entrusted to him earlier floated slowly through the air and stopped in front of her face. She bowed her head in greeting and then hung the orb around her neck.
They were all vigorously debating something, pointing fingers at each other. Despite the beautiful voices, akin to music, they were in such discord, no different from the noise humans make in the marketplace.
“What is everyone talking about right now?”
Kassel, who didn’t understand the Lemif language, asked Lofin.
“Before starting the meeting, they’re eagerly boasting about their own families. Since Lemifs can talk and listen at the same time, it’s not too noisy.”
“So, it’s just a formality.”
“Lemifs love their formalities. When it comes to manners and formality, no human nobility or royalty could match them. Normally, this could go on for half a day, but since today is urgent, it’ll probably end in about half an hour. Just wait and see.”
‘Half an hour of boasting?’
Not being one for idle chatter, Tanya involuntarily sighed. Wanting to make use of the time somehow, she spoke to Lofin.
“This dawn, while following your and Kassel’s trail, I encountered a strange enemy.”
“What was it?”
“It was wearing a black robe and riding a black Venon, a ghost-like entity? In Lutia, we call it Kagua. Is this related to what you were discussing earlier, or is it an entirely different matter?”
Lofin placed his hands on his hips and said,
“I wandered around Acrand looking for Tailed, not so much tracking where he went or where the Lord of the Undying went, but retracing how Lontamon came to be manipulated by Count Shraighton.”
Tanya started to feel annoyed again.
‘He talks about irrelevant things, skillfully avoiding the main point until the other person gets frustrated, and then abruptly concludes with something trivial. That’s Lofin’s way of conversing.’
Not wanting to be played by his tactics, she pressed on.
“So, the center of it all was the Excelon Empire?”
Lofin smiled admiringly as he responded.
“The Irophis Royal Knights, the army of Camort, the Dragon Knights. All of them fell to Excelon. Next was Aranthia. But the funny thing is, there was no mention of Aranthia in Lontamon’s continental conquest plans. They didn’t even consider it. I spoke with a few ministers involved in the war at the time, and they said the name Aranthia was never brought up during the strategy meetings. If there was any mention, it was only about what relations to have with Aranthia after Lontamon had conquered the continent.”
“So, the invasion of Aranthia was decided abruptly?”
“Exactly.”
Upon hearing this, Tanya could recall what Tailed had said in Lutiano.
‘Lontamon’s army has turned its route to Aranthia. Even if it’s to prevent a war that should not happen, Lutia must intervene.’
“When I was in Camort, a former Excelon knight, Falcon, no, Huspel Derick, once said this.”
Kassel continued with a trembling voice.
“The purpose of the Excelon Knights was dragon hunting, and it was said that the pace of the war at that time was too fast for Carnelock to be the ultimate goal.”
Tanya also had a sudden realization.
“Excelon wasn’t planning to end its mission with the conquest of Carnelock but was preparing for what came after, and Aranthia wasn’t in that future?”
Lofin just looked at the two without saying anything, but a satisfied expression was evident on his face.
“I remember now. The discussions we had in the library. Even then, you said there was some event between the conquest of Carnelock and the invasion of Aranthia?”
Tanya asked, trying not to raise her voice.
“Yes, that’s it. When two major events occur, the smaller event in between is usually forgotten. Just like when reading a book or listening to a song. If you focus only on reading the sentence, you miss what the author really wants to convey, and if you’re intoxicated by the rhythm and melody, you end up ignoring the lyrics. The fall of Carnelock, the historic battle between the Wolf Knights and the Excelon Knights in front of the Gold Gate, an unnoticed event occurred between those dramatic incidents!”
Kassel realized he was getting too excited and took a moment to catch his breath before continuing.
“Some of the Excelon Knights entered the Sky Mountains and disappeared. Only contributing to the notorious reputation of the Sky Mountains as a place that devours anyone who enters, and then forgotten.”
Now, Lofin didn’t even try to join the conversation.
Tanya asked in a whisper.
“You know that’s considered a fabricated story, right?”
“Many don’t believe it because it’s spread like a fairy tale, but considering the circumstances up to now, it actually seems more plausible that it’s true.”
Kassel also lowered his voice. The Lemifs’ debate was becoming more intense. They seemed ready to fight at any moment. As she listened, the Lemif language, foreign to her, became clearer to her ears. Now, she could understand almost everything except for a few difficult words.
‘In the name of the Elebunar family, the theft that occurred then had nothing to do with my grandfather.’
‘That family’s name isn’t worthy to pronounce the truth.’
‘Do you know? As a consequence of that violent incident, my daughter broke her own arm. But that doesn’t mean she’s reconciling with that foolish husband.’
‘Are you talking about divorce? In my three hundred years, I’ve never seen a Lemif in Larden follow such a foolish custom reserved for Fvoe people.’
‘These days, young ones are completely spoiled. Back in the day, the air in the Sky Mountains was even better.’
‘Wait, isn’t this unrelated to the theft incident we were discussing earlier?’
‘Why change the subject? The air was better back then! Do you realize how important that is?’
These exchanges happened in less than a breath.
Tanya let the Lemifs’ chatter wash over her and said to Kassel,
“So, the ultimate goal of Lontamon’s conquest war was neither Carnelock nor Aranthia, but the Sky Mountains.”
“It was also about dragon hunting.”
Finally, Lofin spoke up.
“Derick said the same. They were trained for dragon hunting.”
Kassel said, and Tanya continued,
“But why? I understand training for dragon hunting to bring down the Dragon Knights. But why climb the Sky Mountains? To hunt the dragons there?”
Both Tanya and Kassel were equally surprised.
“Dragon hunting!”
Lofin said as if it was obvious,
“I told you it was about dragon hunting.”
Kassel responded,
“I thought you meant the dragons of Carnelock.”
“I was talking about the dragons of the Sky Mountains.”
“When did you know?”
“After Tailed went missing.”
Tanya gasped without realizing.
Lofin continued,
“It’s not like I got the answer from some dramatic revelation. It was more like, ‘Could it be?’ kind of suspicion. That’s why we went to the Sky Mountains. If the Lord of the Undying was behind all this, then it’s not the Wolf Knights but the Master of Lutia who should resolve it. Not chasing where Tailed is, but being where he needs to come! That’s the answer I got.”
Tanya moaned softly,
“So, the aftermath of what happened ten years ago is showing up now? The attacks by the Mozes, Guanil… All these? I’m not quite convinced.”
“Aftermath? Aftermath… Huh? Aftermath?”
Lofin seemed genuinely confused and asked back,
“So, you mean the bad things happening in Lutia now are the aftermath of that event when a part of the Excelon Knights went to the Sky Mountains for dragon hunting…”
“A part?”
Lofin laughed out loud, not caring that the Lemifs were still in a meeting. The Lemifs weren’t paying any attention to them anyway.
“There are only about fifty Wolf Knights, and even they have the elite White Wolves, so wouldn’t that large group of Excelon have their elites? The knights who disappeared in the Sky Mountains weren’t just any group. They were the best knights for dragon hunting, the most skilled knights, another order of knights within Excelon!”
The voices of the Lemifs gradually faded.
“They were called the First Knight Order of Excelon. Talk about naming sense. Kagua would be better. The Ghost of the Forest. How cool is that?”
Lofin finished what he had to say with the same loud voice, whether it was noisy or now quiet.
“I’m not here to verify the aftermath of an event that ended in failure ten years ago. Failure? My job is to ensure what is known as a failure actually becomes a failure. Damn it! Who says it’s a failure? Their dragon hunting is still ongoing.”
The inside of the hut fell silent as if by magic. Neither Kassel nor Tanya could speak. It wasn’t because the meeting hall was quiet. But Lofin thought so and swiftly turned his gaze to the Hopet.
“The boasting about their families really ended quickly today. It seems the meeting is about to start.”
Lofin murmured, scratching his cheek covered with a short beard.
☆ ☆ ☆
Lofin explained that the meeting’s procedure started with the oldest Lemif speaking first, descending in age order to voice their opinions. The last step was to synthesize these opinions into a conclusion, and then, to confirm its correctness, they cast lots. He added that, compared to the noisy start of the meeting, decisions were made in an instant.
Tanya couldn’t imagine a knight wearing Excelon’s armor beneath the black robe of a Kagua. Just as she was about to ask about it again, the meeting ended.
“Ah, the results are out. Unfortunately, the Lemifs didn’t consider you folks at all.”
Lofin said this with a face that showed no regret.
Tanya blurted out something completely out of context.
“That’s impossible.”
“Eh? Impossible? What is? You don’t like being excluded from the meeting?”
Tanya, fiddling with her nose which she considered unattractively large, said,
“A knight active ten years ago would be quite old by now…”
She stopped mid-sentence as Lofin glared at her.
“I was active ten years ago and am still active now.”
Tanya changed her approach.
“Ordinary people… can’t survive in the Sky Mountains for that long.”
“That’s true. I haven’t lived here for many years, but my mind is getting duller. You’ll have to ask those guys directly how it happened.”
Lofin spat out the words, waiting with eager eyes for what Tanya might ask next.
‘I should stop asking. It feels bad to be treated like a fool if I ask incorrectly, and it feels bad to be praised if I ask correctly.’
Instead, Tanya asked something else.
“What was this meeting about, anyway? The time wasted on introducing families was so long, I didn’t pay attention at the beginning.”
“It’s about a ritual to awaken the dragon. Nontil, the ruler of Larden, has been asleep for hundreds of years, and a special ritual is needed to awaken him. It’s like a religious ceremony to awaken a god among humans, so the participants are selected through a solemn process.”
“That’s quite a quick decision for something so emphasized as important.”
“Quick what!”
Lofin almost cursed in his response.
“This, it was decided half a year ago. They keep having the same meeting with the same results. It’s anything but ‘quick’. And a month ago, they already went through the same meeting to select people and set off.”
Tanya rolled her eyes before asking,
“So?”
“It failed.”
Kassel quickly asked,
“The dragon didn’t wake up?”
Kassel was already sparking curiosity about the dragon.
‘Has he forgotten that Guanil, who attacked him, was also a dragon?’
Lofin shook his head and replied,
“No, they couldn’t even approach Nontil’s territory. The Fvoe tribes ambushed them midway, leading to a massive battle where both sides suffered great losses and retreated.”
Fvoe means ‘earth’ and Zvi ‘sky’. True to the meanings of these words, these two were natural enemies, but such direct combat was probably a recent development, Tanya guessed.
Lofin continued,
“So, this time they decided to go with just a select few. The members are the same as last time, but the accompanying soldiers are to be minimized. That’s the only part that changed from the meeting a month ago.”
The old Hopet stood in front of a black jar filled with burning coals, placing his hand above it. A visibly concentrated magical power shimmered above the Hopet’s hand, a sight only visible to a sorcerer’s eyes.
“What is this ritual?”
“They’re casting lots to confirm if their meeting decisions were correct.”
“Divination?”
“Rather than a divination, it’s an oracle. For the Lemifs, dragons are divine. It’s also a formality. Essentially, the purpose of a meeting is to produce results that align with the oracle.”
“You mean they’ve already made a decision and are asking the gods for confirmation? Why?”
“Out of insecurity. To assert their authority. I’m not mocking the Lemifs’ religious practices, but when I see this, it feels like writing the answers first and then tailoring the questions to fit those answers.”
“So, what decision is this ritual asking about?”
“The people going to awaken the dragon, five individuals. The oracle will designate five people.”
Lofin explained patiently while watching Hudintin’s hand movements.
“And those five have already been decided?”
“Correct.”
As Hudintin dropped a pinch of white powder over the charcoal-filled pot, a startlingly loud noise followed by white smoke billowed upwards. Kassel flinched, and Tanya slightly leaned back.
‘A sorcerer comparable to Master Ruskin. Impressive. If we had fought earlier, I might have lost.’
Hudintin was controlling the power that could obliterate an entire village to swirl only within the pot.
‘To use such power for a prophecy, rather than in battle.’
Watching the powerful magic in the confined space made Tanya uneasy and somewhat resentful. Simultaneously, a dormant fighting spirit within her stirred.
‘Could I stand against such magic if I broke my seal?’
The smoke rising from the pot began to form a distinct shape.
Kassel whispered to Lofin,
“Lofin, have you considered taking the Lemifs as allies to Lutia? You mentioned only a few are going to summon the dragon, right? The rest will wait here? I felt their army was incredibly powerful when they greeted us this morning. Couldn’t we redirect some of that force to Lutia?”
“That sounds like you’re asking me to do it for you?”
Lofin squinted at him.
“Right. You seemed quite close earlier. Respected and all.”
Expecting a dismissive response to her foolish talk, Lofin surprisingly answered seriously.
“I mentioned the Fvoe tribe attacked a month ago, right? Because of that, the Lemifs are unusually cautious. But do you think Hudintin, who believes Lutia’s magic suppresses his power, would want to help Lutia?”
Pointing at Tanya with a shrug, Lofin questioned,
“Ask Tanya. Do the Lemifs even care about external affairs? Impossible.”
“Just try asking.”
“Oh, is that an order from the captain? I refuse. They have absolute faith in their oracles and won’t follow any command not found in them. Look, the oracle being given now is concluding to awaken the dragon.”
Lofin pointed to the swirling smoke in front of Hudintin as he continued,
“To the Lemifs, an oracle is gither. In our language, it might be translated as fate, but that word hardly does it justice. It’s a highly nuanced and polysemic term. Even if they impulsively steal, Lemifs believe they’re following the gither laid out for them. Regardless of whether it’s the Fvoe or Zvi tribe, there’s nothing more important to Lemifs than their gither.”
The first shape formed by the smoke above the pot was a Lemif in prayer, so intricately detailed that even Tanya, unfamiliar with the oracle, could recognize it.
Hudintin spoke in a raspy voice,
“Iweaverb.”
Lofin explained.
“The awakener of sleep. In other words, a shaman capable of awakening the dragon. The person mentioned in the meeting is Sinabia. Have you both met her? In the nude?”
Lofin chuckled. Tanya thought he was mocking her sexually, but Lofin’s teasing was aimed at Kassel. And it worked on him.
“She’s a Lemif who cannot see!”
The dense smoke twisted and formed a new picture, this time of the wings that Lemifs possess. Hudintin declared again,
“Dru gizdezs gaiuv.”
“The fastest flyer. In the world of the Lemifs, being the fastest flyer signifies the strongest warrior. Naturally, the person mentioned in the meeting is the captain here, Pankentin.”
“Is he skilled in swordsmanship?”
Kassel asked.
“I haven’t fought him directly, but he would pass the first test of the Wolf Knights.”
Pankentin, who had been standing by Lofin, raised his hand. Everyone looked at him once and then nodded in agreement.
“In the world of the Lemifs, ‘the awakener of sleep’ is the second most important person after the Hopet. It’s natural that the strongest bodyguard would accompany her.”
“And they decide something so obvious with such tremendous magic.”
Tanya said sarcastically.
“Like I said, it’s all formalities.”
Lofin didn’t deny it.
Kassel was about to say something but then closed his mouth and shook his head seriously. Tanya caught his expression.
‘Now I’m sure. I feel too uneasy when that man doesn’t speak. Something is not right between us!’
The smoke quickly formed the next shape. This time, it depicted a figure walking barefoot back and forth. Such magic was beyond the theories Tanya knew.
‘How is this magic created? I have no idea. It’s almost like a real oracle, isn’t it?’
Hudintin shouted,
“Dru Gizdezs Bepuv.”
“The fastest walker.”
After translating, Lofin smiled broadly.
“Apparently, I’m deeply involved in this matter too, since I wasn’t left out of the meeting. The fastest walker is me, Opai.”
As everyone’s gaze turned to him, Lofin raised his hand slightly. Everyone, including the Hopet, nodded. Then, looking at the next shape formed by the smoke, Lofin shrugged.
“No need to watch further. The remaining two would be ‘the highest standing one,’ a powerful sorcerer to protect the group, and ‘the eyes that read the darkness,’ to guide through the dragon’s cave. Those individuals are already predetermined. Those two young Lemifs standing over there…”
Lofin was about to point to the Lemifs ready to step forward when he stopped. The smoke was forming an unexpected shape.
Hudintin, too, stopped in surprise, his lips moving without making a sound.
The Lemifs began to murmur in confusion. The smoke had formed the shape of a large tree.
Kassel and Tanya only glanced around, catching the strange reactions of everyone.
“Wazaiybt… Gvum Zvi Moefdiap.”
Hudintin finally spoke, while Lofin, who had been translating smoothly until now, blinked in bewilderment and remained silent.
‘It sounded like he mentioned a sorcerer? Zvi is sky, Moefdiap… mountain or mountains.’
Tanya desperately tried to translate the Lemif language on her own.
‘A sorcerer from the Sky Mountains?’
The smoke, not waiting for the murmuring Lemifs, went on to form the next shape. The fourth tree shape had the Lemifs gasping in shock at the final form.
Hudintin declared with a trembling voice,
“Ladu Worg…”
The smoke lastly formed the shape of a wolf. Since the smoke was white, the wolf appeared to be white as well. The magical smoke showing the fifth oracle vanished quicker than the smoke from Lofin’s cigarette.
Without needing interpretation, Tanya knew the fifth person mentioned by Hudintin.
‘White Wolf!’
☆ ☆ ☆
The Lemifs were engulfed in great turmoil and babbled as loudly as they had before the meeting began.
“Why is everyone so agitated?”
Kassel cautiously asked.
“The individuals named by the oracle differ by two from what was discussed in the meeting. Didn’t I say? It was supposed to be ‘the highest standing one’ and ‘the eyes that read the darkness.’ But one turned out to be ‘a sorcerer from the Sky Mountains,’ and the other ‘a white-furred wolf.’ Nothing like this has happened in the last six months…”
Kassel gestured towards Hudintin and asked,
“It seems like there’s a heated debate going on?”
“Hudintin is suggesting that another power might have interfered with the oracle. He says it felt different from Nontil’s oracle.”
“Are you suggesting the oracle was manipulated?”
“It’s not impossible.”
Lofin then abruptly turned to glare at Tanya, who met his gaze with a sharp look of her own.
“What is it?”
“Tanya, you are… a sorcerer from the Sky Mountains, aren’t you?”
“I am a sorcerer from Lutia.”
“Well, strictly speaking, all three of us came down from the Sky Mountains yesterday. Not by choice, though.”
“But why would humans appear in the Lemifs’ oracle?”
Tanya asked.
“Am I not human then?”
“Well, that’s true.”
“And the white-furred wolf could possibly be…”
This time, Lofin glared at Kassel.
“What are you all discussing? Lofin, listen and summarize for me.”
“Now you’re outright ordering me?”
“Show some love for your junior.”
“This kid is getting more and more…”
Despite his complaints, Lofin provided an explanation.
“…they are all arguing that they’re the protagonist of the oracle. Claiming their name includes ‘wolf,’ or that they’re from a village in the Sky Mountains, so they must be the sorcerer from there, or that their eleventh ancestor was a wolf.”
Lofin cut his summary short as if it was pointless to continue.
“Everyone’s babbling with what they believe to be convincing logic. Seeing that the Hopet isn’t calming the commotion, he must be flustered too.”
The meeting, which was expected to end quickly, unexpectedly dragged on. Lofin stayed out of it, and Kassel anxiously waited for it to conclude, clenching and unclenching his fists.
As Lofin yawned out of boredom, Kassel suddenly asked him,
“Lofin, how do you say ‘I am the White Wolf’ in Lemif language?”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
“I have something I need to do.”
“Oh, so Captain Wolf decides to step in? Such reputation might work in Acrand, but not here. With what will you claim yourself as the white-furred wolf? Your sword? Your appointment? It’s all useless. They won’t even look.”
Lofin dismissed Kassel’s words, but Kassel ignored the dismissal.
“They will look!”
Kassel, who had always shown admiration and respect towards Lofin, was now defiantly shining in his eyes.
‘No. He’s going to do something. I have to stop him. Otherwise, I’ll get dragged into it.’
Tanya was almost desperate for Lofin’s cooperation.
‘Lofin, Kassel isn’t just planning to jump into this chaotic meeting and randomly declare himself as the White Wolf. He’s definitely going to do something rash.’
In the short time they lived together, Tanya realized that all the Wolf Knights had something in common. They all possessed a weapon or skill, dubbed the ‘Wolf’s Fang,’ that they would not hesitate to stake their lives on at the most critical moment. And although he knew nothing of swordsmanship, Kassel too was recognized as a White Wolf by the Wolf Knights and Captain Quain.
Now, Kassel Wolf was about to bare his fangs.
“If you’re so confident, then I’ll help you. Say ‘Jai im Dru Ladu Worg.'”
Lofin said.
Kassel repeated it several times.
“The pronunciation is tricky.”
The pronunciation of the Lemifs was different from that of Acrand right from the structure of the language. Kassel even delved into the grammar amidst this.
“‘Jai’ means ‘I,’ right?”
“Correct.”
“The fastest flyer is ‘Dru Gizdezs Gaiuv?'”
Realizing something was off, Lofin stopped his playful teaching of the Lemif pronunciation and asked,
“You have a good memory. But what are you trying to do, Kassel?”
Kassel didn’t answer but instead turned around and shouted with a voice that overpowered the loud voices of the Lemifs,
“Dru Gizdezs Gaiuv Az Rai!”
Tanya immediately understood Kassel’s awkward Lemif,
‘The fastest flyer is Rai!’
Tanya closed her eyes tight.
‘I knew this would happen!’
The chaotic meeting miraculously quieted down. The most bewildered by this sudden silence was Tanya.
“What are you doing, Kassel?”
Tanya whispered behind Kassel’s back.
“I have a plan. If we fail, we just return to Lutia alone.”
“Don’t you see Hudintin’s angry glare? If we fail, I doubt they’ll just let us go. They’re all saying you’re insane right now.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Kassel looked back at Lofin.
“Lofin.”
Lofin responded with a slightly dazed look.
“Huh?”
“I’ve made everyone look at me as you said.”
Tanya was flabbergasted. Kassel had aimed his fangs not at the Lemifs but at Lofin.
“Now, translate for me. ‘To my knowledge, the fastest flyer is Rai. Is it not so?'”
Lofin glared at Kassel with disapproval.
“I hope you know what you’re doing. If you drag me into this, I’ll deny knowing you.”
“I’m Lofin’s junior!”
“I don’t know you, kid!”
Still, Lofin stepped forward to translate Kassel’s words. Pankentin was the first to react furiously among the other Lemifs. It seemed he could crush Kassel’s skull with just one finger.
Lofin translated Pankentin’s words,
“Pankentin is claiming he’s the fastest flyer. You’re courting Quain’s wrath as if you were in Aranthia.”
“But Quain isn’t here, is he? Repeat what I said earlier. To Hudintin, not Pankentin.”
Ignoring Pankentin’s visibly throbbing temples, Kassel looked towards Hudintin. The air in the tent became charged with tension.
Lofin spoke again, and Hudintin responded. Lofin, standing next to Kassel, translated in a low voice,
“What do you wish to say, Ugeh?”
Hearing Lofin’s translation, Kassel immediately replied,
“I’m saying your meeting is wrong. The fastest flyer is Rai. And the white-furred wolf refers to me, the captain of the Aranthia Wolf Knights. The sorcerer from the Sky Mountains is Master Tanya here.”
Lofin busily translated Kassel’s words, and continued to interpret Hudintin’s response,
“It’s laughable for an Ugeh to presumptuously claim to be the wolf ordained by the oracle, and it’s equally laughable to compare an Ugeh’s Wazaiybt to that of the Lemifs.”
“She is not just any Ugeh’s Wazaiybt; She’s a master from Lutia!”
After conveying these words to Hudintin, Lofin laughed mischievously.
“Hey, Kassel. Maybe you don’t feel Hudintin’s anger because you’re not talking directly? As a senior, I advise you to be careful with your next words. With just a flick of his finger, the Hopet of Larden could make your head disappear somewhere in the Sky Mountains.”
“Do I look like I’m not afraid?”
Kassel glared at Lofin with fiercely narrowed eyes.
‘Claiming to be scared with those eyes makes it hardly convincing.’
Tanya chuckled briefly.
Kassel sternly said to Lofin,
“While coming down from the Sky Mountains, two of my friends went missing, and another two are facing dangers in Lutia, while another left alone to save such a Lutia. The Wolf Knights nearly perished before the Lord of the Undying, and I did nothing. How can you say I’m not scared when my friends are in danger of dying in the Sky Mountains? I’m terrified! If any of my friends die while I’m doing this, I’ll never forgive myself.”
Kassel’s eyes even welled up with tears.
‘I’ll have to explain to Lofin later. Lofin, who didn’t witness that miracle, must think Kassel really didn’t do anything foolish.’
“I’ll take all the responsibility, Lofin. Even if I have to die, please translate for me! ‘I will lead everyone to awaken the dragon. So, gather your forces and save Lutia. If you save Lutia, the sorcerers of Lutia will come to your aid again!’ Hurry.”
After hearing Kassel’s words, Lofin shrugged as if to say, ‘Ah well, whatever,’ and translated them to Hudintin with a resigned expression. The old Hopet didn’t think long before shouting,
“Epicundikhu!”
‘Unacceptable!’
Before Lofin even translated, Kassel shouted as if he understood the word,
“Then sit here, debating who’s the wolf and who’s the sorcerer until Guanil invades!”
Kassel stormed out of the room. His departure left a momentary silence in the room.
Despite Lofin not translating, everyone seemed to understand as they murmured among themselves. Lofin hung his head and shook his shoulders.
‘Is he scared? Crying? Angry?’
Tanya approached Lofin. But it was none of those.
‘He’s laughing! In the midst of all this.’
Later, Lofin moved towards the wall, hiding his face from the other Lemifs, and laughed. Tanya looked around the meeting room.
The Lemifs were gossiping about Kassel as ‘the strange Ugeh’ or ‘the insane Ugeh.’ The Hopet’s face was tightly closed in anger, and Pankentin glared at Tanya for no reason.
Tanya returned the glare and left the room.
–TL Notes–
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