Chapter 310:
“Oh, you’re here.”
The one who opened the door and peeked out was Ringug, who had helped Yu-hyun get here.
Ringug saw Yu-hyun and Bella and waved his hand with a bright smile.
“Long time no see, Bella auntie!”
“Ringug. Did you come here?”
“Yes. Lean hyung told me to go see you.”
“Lean is hyung, but why am I auntie? Huh! Have you ever seen such a pretty auntie?!”
Bella shouted as if she was annoyed, but Ringug just shrugged off her anger with a chuckle. It was not the first time this happened.
Ringug came too, Yu-hyun got up from his seat.
“Oh? Are you leaving already?”
“You said you came to guide me, right? It’s better to move now than to waste time here. Bella auntie, I’ll be back soon.”
“…Okay. Be careful.”
Yu-hyun left the inn with Ringug and headed to the depths of the city.
Ringug was happy to have someone to chat with again, and he didn’t stop talking as if it was his chance.
“Wow. I didn’t expect to see you again like this. By the way, you look good, noona?”
“Noo…na?”
“Oh. Did you say you’re a man inside? Then should I call you hyung? But you look like a noona on the outside. This is so awkward. And I can’t call you by your name, because you can’t tell me your real name.”
“…Just call me whatever you want. I’ll talk to you comfortably too.”
“Then I’ll call you noona.”
He had a younger brother who called him noona for the first time in his life.
Yu-hyun didn’t want to point that out. What does it matter if he’s noona or hyung? The title is not important.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Well, first of all, you said you wanted to join the exploration team, right? Then we have to go to the exploration team headquarters and get some equipment. The headquarters is over there, do you remember the spire we saw when we first came in? It’s there.”
“You don’t seem to stop me or anything. Don’t you think it’s strange that I want to join the exploration team?”
“Huh? Of course not. You punched the Frechen Emperor, that’s enough qualification and more, right?”
Ringug mentioned the part where Yu-hyun hit Frechen’s jaw.
It was strange to get a high evaluation just for hitting someone hard, but that meant that Frechen’s reputation was also great here.
Even if his personality or behavior was problematic, most people acknowledged his skills.
He got hit by such a skilled person, so most people must have recognized Yu-hyun as a completely different being than before.
“Huh?”
“Hmm.”
Then, as they walked along the road, they met eyes with someone walking from the opposite side and Ringug stopped his steps. The same was true for the other person.
“Hender? What are you doing here?”
The person they ran into was Hender, who had tried to kick Yu-hyun out when Ringug first brought him here. He saw Ringug and Yu-hyun walking together and frowned openly.
“What? Can’t I walk around?”
“No, it’s not that, but.”
“Forget it. I’m busy.”
Hender left only those words and disappeared with a swaggering walk, his hands in his pockets.
“I felt it before, but do you know each other?”
“Oh. Hender? Yeah. Well, I guess you could say that. He and I are the same age. We used to hang out together when we were young because we were the same age. There aren’t many kids our age here in the first place.”
“Were you close?”
“Back then? Maybe.”
Not now though.
Ringug smiled and let it go, knowing that he couldn’t do that anymore.
“I’m an explorer who travels around, but Hender isn’t. He’s a coward who leads young kids who think like him and acts like a gang leader in this place.”
“I could tell that from our first meeting.”
“So from Hender’s point of view, I must be very uncomfortable.”
“Jealousy…huh.”
“Yeah. That’s right. We used to play together, but I’m an explorer who travels around and acts as a hero, while Hender doesn’t. He gets a lot of flak from people around him. The more he does that, the more hostile he is to me.”
In fact, Hender was such a pathetic human being that their relationship was more like broken than twisted, but Ringug felt sorry for him.
“But he’s not a friend I hate. Sometimes I get angry and say harsh things to him too.”
“He’s not a friend you hate? You’re so generous that I even think that.”
“Haha. Maybe, it’s because I don’t have any other friends my age besides Hender. We were friends too.”
“By the way, how old are you?”
“I’m 22 this year.”
That meant that Ringug was born after the curse of the frozen land happened and 10 years had passed.
If he only had one friend his age like Hender, it meant that there weren’t many people being born.
‘But explorers, they die if they’re careless.’
Above all, explorers were high-level personnel in this city of survivors, Guardian.
The population was slowly dwindling. Even if the magic circle lasted permanently, it would not take more than 68 years for the Guardians to face inevitable extinction.
Ringu glanced at the direction where Hender had disappeared a moment ago.
“Hender lost both of his parents who were in the exploration team. That’s why he reacted so strongly when he saw you. His parents died because of your predecessor, who demanded too much from them.”
“…I see.”
He thought he already knew enough, but this world was more imperfect than he imagined.
This frozen world was like a castle built on thin ice that could collapse at any time.
And the cracks on the ground were still growing in real time.
This world would be destroyed sooner than the 68 years left for the magic circle.
“What about Lean?”
“Lean hyung? What about him?”
“He seems like a leader here. Isn’t he?”
“That’s not wrong. If it weren’t for Lean hyung, we wouldn’t have survived properly. There is an emperor in this city, but no king. But in a way, Lean hyung is no different from a king. Oh, of course, he would hate it if you say that.”
“He looked like that. He didn’t seem to have any ambition for that either.”
“Do you know how surprised I was when Lean hyung asked me to put you in the exploration team? I honestly felt something different when you thanked me even though we just met, but this time it was really unexpected.”
“That much?”
“Yes. I’ve never seen him beg like that before. But you have to be careful. I don’t have any prejudice, so I can accept it, but there are many more people in the exploration team who don’t.”
That was something Yu-hyun had already prepared for.
The two soon arrived at the innermost part of the city, where a tall spire stood.
Yu-hyun discovered a wide field and a breeding ground for animals that he couldn’t see on Earth around the spire.
‘They were growing crops and raising animals in the deepest part of the magic circle.’
It looked wider than he thought, so he didn’t have to worry about food shortage for now.
Ringu guided Yu-hyun along a large road between the fields.
The spire was towering high, but the space corresponding to the first and second floors was much wider than the actual size of the spire.
Yu-hyun realized then that the spire was not used as an actual building.
‘The spire was maintaining the core of the magic circle.’
The actual building, the headquarters of the exploration team, was only the first and second floors.
As they entered there, they saw people shaking off snow inside.
They were explorers who had returned from their work today.
They spotted Ringu coming in through the entrance and tried to wave at him, but soon stiffened their faces when they saw Yu-hyun standing next to him.
“Ringu. What is that…”
“It’s Lean hyung’s order.”
Ringu cut them off before they could ask anything.
As soon as Lean’s name came out, all the explorers who were trying to question Ringu and Yu-hyun shut their mouths.
“If Lean said so, then what…”
“He must have something in mind.”
It was a bit awkward, but it was surprising considering how much distrust they had towards Yu-hyun’s artificial body Kira.
Lean’s name meant a lot to the people of the exploration team.
There was hardly anyone here who hadn’t received Lean’s help.
‘But I can’t help their eyes.’
They didn’t touch him directly, but their eyes still looked at Yu-hyun with disdain or hostility.
“Enough. If you’ve returned, go home and rest. The next one is in two days.”
“Yes, captain.”
‘Captain?’
The one who cooled down the heated atmosphere was a long-haired man.
He looked like he was in his mid-thirties and had dark brown hair that he grew long.
His eyes were sharp and he looked like a sharp blade.
He said only one word, but none of the explorers around him dared to talk back.
After his subordinates left, he bowed lightly to Yu-hyun and left the headquarters.
‘Is he the captain of the exploration team?’
As Yu-hyun watched him closely, Ringu whispered quietly to Yu-hyun.
‘That’s Rahiyan ajusshi. He’s the captain who led the team earlier, and he’s been friends with Lean hyung for a long time. He’s practically hyung’s right-hand man, and he’s very competent. He’s cold and rational. And his swordsmanship is amazing, so he’s called one of the three strongest Guardians.’
‘Why are you whispering?’
‘Rahiyan ajusshi has very sharp ears. Of course, he wouldn’t say anything even if he knew, but it’s a bit awkward, right?’
‘He looked very sharp.’
‘That’s right. But he cares for his team members terribly, and he respects Lean hyung very much. I heard he knew hyung before the curse of the frost started. It seems plausible considering his age.’
‘Then why is Lean hyung and he is ajusshi?’
‘Lean hyung looks young, right?’
He couldn’t argue with that.
“Come on. I’ll give you some equipment inside.”
“There’s equipment too?”
“Well, you need at least some equipment to protect yourself if you’re an explorer. There’s a grandpa who’s a magician. He makes useful equipment.”
Explorers had to have strong power, but the harsh environment outside was not something they could overcome with power alone.
They needed shoes that wouldn’t slip on the snow, a coat that would block the cold, a pouch that contained food, and a weapon that wouldn’t freeze against the frost giants.
There were more things to prepare than he had expected.
“Do we have enough resources to make them?”
“No. But there are a lot of things left by the previous users.”
“I see.”
It was not easy to make precious artifacts, but if the number of people who used them decreased faster than the limited quantity.
There was no choice but to leave them behind.
“So we have to use the things that the dead people used.”
“We, the Guardians, don’t do that. We believe that the great souls of the warriors are contained in the things they used. We believe that the people who died in battle help the living ones and regain their glorious victory and go to the land of salvation.”
“What is the land of salvation?”
Ringug wanted to explain the faith of the Guardians at this time.
“The land of salvation is the world we go to after we die.”
“Like an afterlife. So you want to die in battle?”
“Not everyone, but most of the Guardians don’t avoid fighting. For them, combat was always natural, and they said they could go to the land of glory after they died if they won a lot. Of course, if they lose, they can’t do that and their souls remain in the things they used, but if the person who inherits their things wins, they go up to the land of salvation together.”
“I see.”
“So using the things of the deceased is not a bad thing. Rather, it’s a courtesy to them. And it’s also a way of relieving the suffering souls. For those who are trapped by the hatred of defeat, we fight for them and fulfill their wishes.”
“What if the next person dies too?”
“Then the next people will follow them.”
It was a very irresponsible thing to say, but it was also very confident and clear.
“Our will is connected. Our souls are connected too. Of course, after the curse of the frozen land, that became almost a meaningless word… But I still believe. Someday, when this hellish blizzard ends, we can all step on the land of salvation.”
The land of salvation. 𝚏r𝗲ewe𝚋𝐧𝚘vel.𝚌𝚘m
The place beyond the northern sea, where there is no pain or hunger, full of abundance and joy.
Ringug believed in that place with all his heart and his eyes shone.
“That’s why I applied for the exploration team and became an explorer. It’s not honorable to hide and run away. Because I can’t fight or win.”
He explored outside at the risk of his life.
Surely, he had the highest possibility of dying. There might be no honorable victory.
But still.
Even if he died, someone would surely follow him and inherit his will.
The will is connected. It goes on endlessly, and eventually reaches the path he aimed for at some point.
Ringug did not doubt that. That’s why he admired Lean and joined the exploration team as an admirer.
“You…”
Yu-hyun realized that there was someone who did not lose hope even in this desperate era.
Yeah. How could he not know?
Even here, even in that terrible hell that did not give up, the spark of hope burned.
“Haha. I talked too much. Let’s go get our equipment.”
“Are we going to the mage?”
“Yes. He does both repair and maintenance for the existing equipment. If we’re late, he’ll go home and rest. He’s a nice person, but he’s very picky.”
“Okay.”
Yu-hyun arrived at the workshop where the mage stayed.
As Ringug lightly knocked on the door, a hysterical old man’s scream burst out from inside.
“Who is it!”
“Grandpa. It’s me. Ringug.”
As soon as Ringug finished speaking, the door opened roughly.
“Ringug. What time is it now that you bother me! Didn’t I tell you not to come after work?”
The old man could not be seen as kind even with empty words. Rather, he looked like a homeless person on the street who did not wash properly and had long white beard and hair that were not groomed at all.
His outfit was not a robe but a simple one made of animal skin fur, and his squinty eyes and rather large nose revealed that this mage was very fussy.
‘Um. It seems like I’ll get tired just by talking to him.’
In fact, as soon as he saw Ringug, the old man frowned and told him to come tomorrow.
“Grandpa. But there’s a new guest here.”
“What guest! Who is it! Who’s bothering my rest! Let me see your face!”
As he said that, he couldn’t stay still, so Yu-hyun stepped forward slightly behind Ringug.
But as soon as he saw him, the old man opened his eyes wide and gasped.
“Gasp! M-Master?”
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