The Song Of Sword And Magic

Chapter 18: Staying the Night 

[Translator — Asuka]

[Proofreader — Karane]

All of them got on their horses and galloped on Northern Avenue. It was the end of fall, and they would soon welcome winter. This Northern area of the continent was bitingly cold, and even the breaths of the horses were clearly visible. The trees on both sides of the avenue were mostly bare. Fortunately, there were some pine trees that were still lively, which served as a source of comfort for those living on this barren land. 

Although Northern Avenue was the main road in Doyle which connected Stesinki Port and Wolfsburg, not many people use this road during this season. Firstly, winter was around the corner, and the Doylans had prepared enough supplies to get them through the season, so they didn’t need to go out to buy stuff. The winter in Doyle was unbelievably long and chilly, so it was difficult to endure the climate without any preparation. Also, most Doylans had relocated to bigger cities to evade the crisis, so there were hardly any travelers on the road.

Unable to withstand the chill, Niss and Fern took out their thick cloaks and put them on. Then, they pulled the cloaks closer to fully cover their bodies. On the other hand, Rae and Stan were more resistant to the cold as they only put on their own coats, but they didn’t seem to be intimidated by the climate, which confirmed Fern’s speculation that Rae was a Northerner.

The sky in the North would turn dark earlier than in the South, so darkness would soon descend upon them. Therefore, Stan approached Fern and had a discussion with him. “There is a village ten miles from here. Since the villagers have fled to the city, we can stay over in one of the houses, which could protect us from the cold.”

“That’s the best news I’ve heard today.” Fern puffed out his breath. His cheeks had turned red due to the low temperature. “Hurry up. The sky is turning dark.”

Having endured the cold in silence for a while, which was unprecedented for Niss, she finally said something. “I can’t even feel my nose and ears now.” Then, she covered her mouth and let out her breath repeatedly to warm her hands. After that, she placed her hands on her nose and ears to relieve her numbness.

Seeing that, Stan guffawed. “It’s not even winter yet. When that time comes, the frigid air will kill you before you even come across the Dark Tide’s armies.”

Niss pouted and sniffled. “I should send you to the Southernmost part of Wallis, Serendra.”

“Haha, I don’t think I’ll ever go there for my entire life. I’d rather fight with a fiend than go to that place.” Stan’s big laugh infected the others. 

“It’s too early for you to say that. Niss wouldn’t have thought that she would come to Doyle one day. Sometimes, it’s not up to us where we’ll go.” Fern said with a smile.

The sun was sinking into the horizon. With the help of the dim light from the sky, they finally saw the abandoned village. Stan led the way and found a house with firewood in it. The house was neat, and many daily necessities were still kept there. It was apparent that the house owner had left it not long ago, and they intended to come back in the future. “Let’s stay over here. The firewood is probably not enough. I’ll go out to get more. Please settle your belongings first.”

“I’ll look around to see if there are any potential threats.” Fern was wary of any deserted village now. Perhaps it was due to his ordeal in Sheepfold Village. 

“This place is different from Sheepfold Village. There are no zombies in Doyle, so you can relax.” Rae sneered, but her tone remained dispassionate.

Fern was too embarrassed to utter a word. A moment later, he said, “It’s better to be safe than sorry.” Upon finishing his words, he sprinted out of the house.

After throwing the firewood into the fireplace, Niss made her palms face each other and started chanting a spell, after which a fireball appeared between her palms. Then, she pushed out her hands, and following that, the fireball launched itself into the fireplace and kindled the firewood. A short time later, the firewood started popping and crackling.

Just when the sky was about to turn completely dark, Stan and Fern returned to the house with a large amount of firewood. “These are enough for the entire night.” Stan said proudly.

Fern scanned the surroundings outside the house before closing the door. Rae saw his action and teased, “How was it, Mr. Mercenary? Did you find anything unusual?”

“No.” After putting down the firewood, Fern took off his cloak and took a seat by the fireplace. “But we shouldn’t be complacent. I suggest that Stan and I should take turns keeping guard.” 

“I agree with you.” Stan nodded. “Although we’re not confronted by the Dark Tide yet, we have to be wary of the wolves and bears around this place. But Fern, it’s colder in the night than it is in the day. Can you endure it? I think Rae can take your place instead. It seems that she’s resistant to the cold as well.”

“There’s no need for that. Don’t worry about me.” Fern took a look at Rae, who was boiling a pot of water. “Of course, it’d be excellent if you could let me keep guard for the first half of the night and lend me your cloak. When you take over my shift, I can lend you my cloak as well.”

“That’s a great idea. I’ll keep guard for the second half of the night.” Stan agreed to it with a laugh. 

Just then, Niss and Rae put down cups of tea, bread and meat jerkies on the table. All of them took a seat by the table as they had their food and talked about their experiences in the past.

“Fern, I almost forgot to ask…” Rae suddenly thought of something when she was drinking tea, so she put down her tea cup and stared at the mercenary. “How did you escape from those wolves in Black Swamp?”

***

The question caught Fern off guard, and he was lost for words. Since he had promised the elderly man not to expose their secret, he had no choice but to come up with a lie.

“Well…” He quickly racked his brain and said, “I was running away on Dark Cloud until it was drained of all its energy. Then, we stood on the meadow and waited for our final moment.”

“And then? How did you escape unscathed?” Anxiety was written all over Niss’s face as she recalled that frightening moment. 

“And then… a group of hunters happened to pass by and save us.” Fern didn’t even believe what he just said. “Those hunters were ordinary-looking, but they managed to chase away the wolves easily. You should have seen them.”

“You were so lucky, Fern! We were utterly worried about you!” Niss believed his story.

Rae snorted and picked up a piece of dried fruit. “From now on, I have to keep watch on Niss all the time so that she won’t be fooled easily.” 

Niss darted her gaze between Rae and Fern in puzzlement. Seeing that, Fern hurriedly turned to Stan and changed the topic. “Stan, let’s talk about you. We know little about you.”

Seeing that they had shifted their attention to him, Stan put down his food and straightened up as he stared at his companions in a serious manner. “I’m just an ordinary Doylan who has aspired to be a knight since I was young.”

“Why did you choose to be a knight? It’s not an easy path.” Niss asked curiously. 

“It’s because my grandpa was a knight as well. He was the team leader of Commando. In the last battle against the Dark Tide, he lost his life on the battlefield. Therefore, it’s my life-long goal to inherit his legacy.” At the mention of this, Stan lowered his head.

While Rae shook her head, Fern filled Stan’s cup with the ale he brought from Stesinki Port. 

“I’m sorry, Stan…” Niss pressed her lips together, not knowing what to say.

“You don’t have to apologize to me.” Stan flashed a smile at her. “Whenever a Doylan goes to war, their family members are prepared that they would lose their life on the battlefield.”

“So, you come from a family of knights?” Fern gulped down his beer and filled his own cup again.

“No, my dad is just an ordinary craftsman, and he’s not supportive of my decision to be a knight.” Stan raised his head and gazed at Fern. “In fact, an idea has been spreading across Doyle…” He never finished his words.

“What idea is it?” Niss tilted her head and asked. 

“We keep seeing that our relatives pass away right before our eyes—fathers, husbands and even kids. They’re like the falling stars in the Northern sky; they never come back.” The light in Stan’s eyes went out. “But in exchange for our sacrifices, we only get this frigid weather and barren land. We’ve been sandwiched between the Dark Tide’s threats and this terrible environment over the generations.”

Then, he chugged down the beer and continued, “In contrast, the land in the South is fertile, and they don’t have to be worried about the Dark Tide’s threats at all. Some Doylans are starting to question the teachings of our ancestors. Why do we have to endure this pain to protect the lives of those who don’t understand us? We have the right to get a better life for ourselves as well!” He suddenly became agitated.

“I understand you, Stan.” Fern filled Stan’s cup again. “Doyle has been a heroic existence in my heart, and all of us in Wallis will never forget what the Doylans have done for us. Rather than believing the rumors, you should get to the truth yourself and have your own judgment.”

“Yes, Fern is right.” Rae said slowly. “Stick to your beliefs. I believe your grandpa would be supportive of you.”

“Yes! All of you are right!” Stan’s eyes brightened as he gulped down his beer. “No matter what others think, I am who I am. I am Stan, the knight whose duty it is to protect the border!” After that, he added bashfully, “Well, I’m not officially a knight yet. Do you mind if I claim to be one?”

His companions laughed, and Niss looked at him with her sincere eyes. “Of course we don’t mind it. Stan, in my heart, you’re alright a knight.”

Upon hearing that, Stan guffawed as Fern and Rae chuckled. At that instant, all of them had forgotten about their worries as they were immersed in this joyful atmosphere. 

It was the first time Niss had to spend the night in a Northern country. She realized that she enjoyed having a chat with her companions as they stayed by the fireplace. When she listened to Fern’s narration of his experiences as a mercenary, for that moment, she had the urge to follow him around forever and visit every corner of Wallis. 

On the side, Rae was drinking tea as she listened to Fern and Stan’s experiences. She was moved, and she was starting to love the idea of having to go through ups and downs with her companions. “After all our problems are settled, I should probably consider joining a mercenary group.” After giving it a thought, she added, “Of course, the prerequisite is that I will have survived by then.”

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