Entering the abandoned building, a familiar face appeared.
"Hey, you're back?"
"Yeah."
"…A girl?"
Theresis squinted at Yujin. Ling, still on Yujin's back, stared blankly at Theresis. Definitely the man Yujin called a comrade in Dahuang.
Still young, but the resemblance was there.
"Does it matter that she's a girl?"
"No, it's not important, but... ugh, never mind."
Theresis shut his mouth. As Yujin set Ling down, someone emerged from behind Theresis.
"…Shu."
"Sister!"
Shu. The sister she knew. It was confusing when the children mentioned her, but seeing her confirmed it. This was Shu.
Both were usually reserved and didn't care for hugs or emotional reunions, but this time was unavoidable. Ling was in an incredibly anxious situation, and Shu likely felt the same. They embraced each other.
"Family? Wow."
"…It's a rare case."
Reuniting with separated family in Kazdel was extremely difficult. Theresis and Theresa were always together, so they never separated, but others were different. Getting caught by slave hunters meant an unknown fate.
Yujin and Theresis stepped aside for the touching reunion. Left alone, Ling spoke first.
"Shu, do you know what happened? I touched Yujin’s star and fell here. Why in a place like this..."
Confused. But Shu was calmer than Ling.
"Sister, did you just fall here?"
"Yes. When did you fall?"
Ling had just regained consciousness. But Shu’s words were shocking.
"Me? A year ago."
"…What?"
Does that mean she's been trapped here for a year?
"I fell a year ago. Yujin saved me from slave hunters. You too...?"
"…Same here. Yujin saved me from strange people trying to kidnap me."
Ling felt her common sense twist. Shu was also saved by Yujin from slave hunters? What kind of place is this? Doubt was inevitable.
First, hearing Shu’s explanation was the priority.
This was indeed Yujin’s past.
For some unknown reason, Shu said she had fallen here and spent a year. The land they were currently in was Kazdel.
Completely different from Yan, a land of lawlessness and wilderness.
The weak are naturally culled, and the strong take everything.
"…Is this really a country?"
"Technically..."
This corresponds to the backalleys of Kazdel, not a properly established city or village. Literally a den for outcasts and criminals.
Here, power is law and rule. Land where light barely enters due to constant dark clouds. A city relying on unrefined Originium lamps. A city of dust where people have forgotten sunlight.
Hearing Shu’s explanation, Ling grimaced. The worst of the worst. As if proving there's a bottom below the bottom, a hell Ling couldn't have imagined existed.
Two strong individuals ruled this lawless zone without even minimal rules. A crazy vampire called the Junkie. And a nameless mercenary who lost an arm and fell out like trash.
They were called Nameless and Yuria respectively. It was a famous rumor that Yuria liked children's blood, sucked it, and displayed the mummified corpses in her room.
But there is an exception outside the line.
Yujin, that boy was the exception outside the line.
Killing him seemed like a waste because the damage would be great, but leaving him alone meant kidnapping children for slaves was impossible.
Just leaving him alone. Avoiding conflict and unwilling to join forces.
They had sent someone to touch Yujin once. But everyone sent returned with limbs cut off without inflicting any damage, so they must have realized they had to step up themselves to catch Yujin.
"Sister, what will you do?"
Shu asked Ling. Shu’s Authority was useless in this situation. She said her Arts and Authority were completely sealed. She managed to use a little Arts by cultivating it from scratch.
"…I can't do anything."
Helplessness.
Ling, younger and unable to use Authority or Arts, was just an ordinary human.
Knowing Ling needed time, Shu left for a moment. Night fell on the backalleys, and Originium lights began to shine. Ling stared blankly at the lights coming on at dawn.
"You look worried?"
A voice from behind, unknown.
Turning around, she saw a girl with autumn-like eyes and unique hair. The innocent-looking girl extended a hand to Ling.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Theresa. Please take care of me."
Ling stared blankly at the hand, then took it. Seeing Ling take her hand, Theresa smiled brightly and waved.
"…Ah, I'm Ling."
"Ling? Unusual name. You and Shu don't seem like locals. How did you end up here..."
"Indeed."
Reason unknown. Why they fell, what they should do. Knowing nothing.
"You'll need time to adjust. I heard you had a bad experience today. Rest for now. Let's talk more tomorrow."
With those words, Theresa left. Ling stood blankly for a moment, feeling the warmth remaining in her hand.
...What should I do now?
Dark night, dawn.
"No, don't. Please..."
Ling had a nightmare. A dream of her younger self being captured and sold alive, and a dream of herself consumed by Sui killing all her siblings.
"…Don't, please, don't."
Muttering in her sleep, Ling suddenly opened her eyes and kicked off the blanket. The only warmth was the fire burning in a drum can. Surprisingly, she wasn't alone when she woke up. Yujin was sitting leaning against the wooden bed.
"Oh, you're up?"
"Why are you here?"
"I patrol at night when I wake up briefly. But you kept tossing and turning and muttering to yourself. I thought about waking you if it got worse."
The young boy looked sturdy. According to Shu, he protected children wielding a sword before even coming of age. He could have left this place alone.
"…Thank you."
"Hmm?"
"For today. If it weren't for you, it wouldn't have ended well. So thank you..."
"Hey, it's nothing to me. It's more important that you didn't get hurt more."
Upright. Amazing that such a child exists in a place like this.
Ling looked at Yujin stirring the drum can with tongs, then closed her eyes again. Not knowing why, but feeling like she wouldn't have nightmares again if she slept now.
"Maybe..."
She fell asleep without finishing her sentence.
A week passed.
Not a long time, but enough for Ling to grasp the physiology of this city. Ling turned her head to look at the city again; it was still glowing gloomily with Originium light.
"Yujin, don't forget to take this."
"Ah, thanks."
Taking the jerky, Ling and Yujin stood up together. The structure of this group was strange. Burdens and responsibilities were extremely concentrated on Yujin. It improved a bit with Shu, but Shu didn't use Arts aggressively. Rather close to protection and healing.
Eventually, Ling had to awaken her Arts. Trying to use Arts from the moment she fell here. As a result, she could awaken a weak power as if she had originally used it.
If Ling helps, Yujin’s burden will decrease. One question remained.
Was it just her imagination that Shu seemed more comfortable than when she was in Dahuang?
"Let's go to Old Man Aorn's forge!"
"You'll trip. Careful."
Yujin moved his steps, shoulders shaking excitedly. Seemed happy about getting a new sword. Seeing Yujin happy, Ling naturally smiled too.
The boy was upright. Good and kind. She thought it was okay for him to like mediocre knight tournaments or fantasy novels.
If Chongyue knew properly, he would have taught him martial arts directly and made him his disciple. Ling regretted Yujin’s birth. If he had been born in a normal household in Yan, not Kazdel, he would definitely have been a top-tier asset in Yan. A pity.
"Here, Ling! Let me introduce you. This is Old Man Aorn's forge. The only place that makes proper weapons. In this backalley!"
Clang, CLANG! Clang!
Sounds of hammering iron. Opening the door, hot heat rushes in.
Familiar heat. The heat that welcomed Ling whenever she visited Nian. The forge was a familiar place to Ling too.
"What is it, brat."
"Old Man! Have you been well?"
The old man hammering alone, Aorn, looked at Yujin. But annoyance was evident in Aorn's eyes. He seemed to know what Yujin would say.
"You took a sword not long ago. Don't tell me...?"
"…Ahaha, well. It broke again."
"Fuck!"
Spitting out a thick curse, Aorn took the sword Yujin handed him. The sharp and smoothly shining blade was gone, leaving a desolate sword like a toothpick before breaking.
"I! Told! You! To! Save! The! Sword!"
"Aaaack! Old Man! My ear's ripping off!"
Aorn shouted loudly with a voice like a boiled train whistle. Then saying good steel is hard to get these days, telling Yujin to really save the sword.
Then finally noticing Ling, he pulled Yujin’s ear and looked at Ling.
"What, added another girl?"
"Eh!? Grandpa, you too?"
"Tsk tsk, think I don't know you're popular with girls your age? Only Theresa and Shu are pitiful."
"What are you talking about! I don't see them as women! If I did, the police would arrest me!"
"Talking nonsense."
The old man and the boy talked without hesitation like old friends. Ling watched them.
Thinking maybe, living like a human wouldn't be so bad.
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