Chapter 599
Silence. Not even the rustle of leaves disturbed the stillness of this forest.
Ian, who had been walking steadily forward, suddenly stopped. He felt as if his presence was being erased. Unlike the welcoming entrance, the inner forest had no clear path. One wrong step, and he could easily get lost.
‘Better to let the forest’s master reveal themselves than to keep moving blindly.’
With that thought, Ian leaned against a suitable rock and sat down. The air was completely still, as if time itself had paused. He carefully sparked a small flame at his fingertips and whispered softly.
“Show yourself, master of the forest. As you can see, our time is running short.”
If things took a turn for the worse, the only option would be to burn this place down and clear a path.
Though he had entered the enemy’s domain, Ian felt no overwhelming pressure. He was confident he could handle whatever came his way without trouble.
Click.
Just as Ian pulled out his pocket watch to check the minute hand, a faint rustling broke the silence.
Turning his head, he saw a small deer shimmering with hues of blue and violet. Ian hesitated for a moment at the unexpected sight, then greeted it with a formal imperial bow.
“Are you the master of this forest?”
It didn’t seem like a fairy, nor a spirit. Too pure an aura to be a monster.
The deer slowly stepped closer, its long legs moving gracefully. Despite the warmth and gentleness radiating from it, its voice was firm and commanding.
—Those who disturb this land must turn back quickly. You shall not pass through this forest.
Ian listened quietly, then patted the ground beside him, inviting the deer to come closer. After a long moment of hesitation, the deer took a few steps forward.
“I apologize for disturbing your domain. But this is the will of the gods. We have come to restore order to Burgos, torn apart by civil war. If you are not a monster, do not oppose the divine will.”
—The cries of nearby humans reach me constantly. They pray, plead, and wail for their lives—it pains me deeply. Since the dawn of time, I have been the guardian of this land and the hearts of its people. For any reason, I cannot allow passage.
The deer’s tone was resolute, showing no sign of backing down. Ian pondered what to do, then realized the deer hadn’t mentioned ‘Burgos’ specifically.
“What boundaries define your domain? The borders on this earth have shifted countless times throughout human history. I doubt you place meaning on such fleeting lines.”
—Every place where the forest grows is my domain.
Ian nodded slowly, recalling the maps the mages had gathered. The forest was scattered throughout this region, meaning most of the surrounding area fell under the deer’s jurisdiction. He looked into the deer’s mystical golden eyes and spoke.
“What you protect is not Burgos itself, but the lives that dwell here, isn’t that so? General Bariel treats them humanely and wishes to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. That has been the case so far, and will remain so. I swear this by my name and all I hold dear.”
It was clear this deer was the guardian deity worshiped by the people of Purpato, including the elders. If Ian could gain its approval, entering the city would be much easier.
“The choice is yours. Will you open the way and calm the chaos, or resist to the end and only amplify their screams?”
The deer seemed to understand the situation, its ears twitching as it stared at Ian.
—I will set conditions if you swear an oath.
“Go ahead. But remember, the situation is not so generous as to accept all demands.”
—Not a single Purpato citizen shall die by your command. They have spoken to me for a long time.
Hmm. Difficult. Two great nations are at war—how could that be guaranteed? To meet this condition, no battle could occur here, which essentially means bypassing Purpato altogether.
Ian hesitated, and the deer added:
—And do not damage the forested areas. If you keep these two conditions, I will allow Bariel’s passage and grant you a fitting reward.
“What kind of reward?”
The deer stepped closer and whispered.
—I am known as Purpato, the Earth, Burgos, the praying deer. If you keep your word, I will bestow upon you the ‘Blessing of Purpato.’
“And what happens if I receive this blessing?”
—I will grant fortune to those who pray for you.
Ian considered this. Fortune bestowed upon those who pray for him meant fortune for himself—a promise of a positive cycle of fate.
His eyes narrowed. Dealing with transcendent beings always required caution—they could toy with human destiny as easily as a word game.
“To be clear, you mean ‘No Purpato citizen shall die by the order of Ian Verosion,’ correct?”
—Exactly.
“And what exactly counts as ‘damaging the forest’?”
—It means any harm that prevents plants and animals from surviving the next season.
Not a bad offer. Just as Ian was about to accept, the deer’s golden eyes flashed sharply as it leaned forward.
—But if you break this, I will curse you with the ‘Curse of Purpato.’ The curse…
Ian’s expression tightened slightly as he heard the whispered threat. Still, he quickly weighed the pros and cons and made his decision.
“I accept your terms.”
It was worth it. The time lost by Bariel’s army retreating by tens of thousands was far greater.
As the deal was sealed, the deer kissed the back of Ian’s hand. Like a seed planted, blue leaves rapidly sprouted, obscuring Ian’s vision.
Whoosh!
Then, the surroundings fell silent again. The deer vanished without a trace, leaving only the quiet world behind. Was it over? Had the path opened?
‘I’ll know once I head back.’
Ian straightened his collar and stood, his eyes catching the majestic trees stretching overhead. To avoid conflict with the Purpato people, he’d need proof of the deer’s blessing.
Swish.
Just in case, he broke off a few branches from the mysterious forest. Rare flowers or fruits would have been better for persuasion, but all he could find were leaves and twigs.
The moment Ian snapped the branches, everything around him shimmered and vanished like a mirage, and a gust of wind swept through. He was connected back to the outside world.
“Ha, damn it. How long has Ian been in there now?”
“Thirteen minutes and thirty-four seconds. And by the way, you’ve been asking every minute. If you’re so worried, why don’t you take the watch yourself, man!”
“I hate looking at watches. So, how much time has passed now?”
“Forty-four seconds! You idiot!”
Smack!
Acorella couldn’t hold back and punched Beric on the back of the head. Usually, people would tell them both to stop, but this wasn’t the time. Everyone was anxiously watching the forest entrance, waiting for Ian.
“What if it’s something like the Abyss?”
“Don’t say stupid stuff! The Abyss is underground, and this is right here on the surface!”
“Space can be twisted, so why not time?”
“Captain Acorella! This guy keeps spouting nonsense! Shut him up, please!”
“Everyone, quiet and stay alert!”
Knock knock knock.
“Hello? We’re Ian’s subordinates. Can we come in with him? Knock knock knock. Can you hear us? We’ll be polite, promise. Hey?”
“If you won’t let us in, at least let us see what’s going on inside!”
“Damn it, fine! Owner, come out now!”
“Good job, Beric! Shout louder!”
“Did you just ignore the ‘stay quiet’ order?!”
“Open up! Damn it!”
Swish!
Beric, furious and ignoring Acorella’s protests, threw a straight punch. If he got hit back, he’d dodge. After a few hits, he’d gotten the hang of it.
But then—
“Huh?”
This time, his arm was stopped dead in its tracks.
Beric froze in surprise as the mages all turned their heads simultaneously. They sensed Ian’s presence.
“Ian!”
Ian appeared, casually waving a few branches in his hand as if he’d just returned from a picnic. The mages pushed Beric aside and rushed over, surrounding him. The barrier around the forest had vanished.
As they realized this, the thick leaves disappeared like a mirage, and the area brightened.
“Are you alright? What happened inside?”
“S-sorry, but how old are you?”
“What’s with the branches? Why are you carrying those? It’s kind of scary.”
“Any injuries? Was the forest master inside? Wow, stubborn, huh? We begged them to let us in!”
“D-did you take care of it?”
Amid the flood of questions, Ian just smiled. Then, calming everyone down, he sought out Jin. Reporting came before exchanging pleasantries.
“Your Majesty.”
“Sir Ian! Are you unharmed?”
“Yes, they’re unharmed. Fortunately, the forest’s guardian turned out to be a pure-hearted being. It seemed to be a transformed local deity once worshiped by the Purpato people. We can’t define its nature precisely, but it’s definitely not a monster.”
“Is that so? That’s a relief. So the forest disappeared. Did it clear the way for us?”
“Most likely. But there was a condition.”
Ian relayed the exact conversation he’d had with the deer. Do not kill any Purpato people. And do not damage the remaining forest.
Jin’s reaction mirrored Ian’s own.
“Don’t kill the Purpato? We’re at war—how is that even possible?”
“Yes. As long as no lives are taken by order of ‘Ian Verosion,’ it should be fine. Still, since this being showed us goodwill, perhaps it’s best to respect that and simply pass through the Purpato lands without conflict, Your Majesty.”
“I worry that advancing on the capital, Kalamath, might leave our rear vulnerable.”
“In that case, why not reinforce Agiar with troops to keep an eye on the Purpato? Above all, they seem to genuinely worship their local deity. If we convey its will, we can avoid unnecessary clashes.”
“Sounds reasonable.”
“Then we’ll move in that direction first.”
Jin nodded in agreement.
What a strange world this is. The massive forest that had blocked their path vanished in an instant, and even amid war, a transcendent being appeared to protect humans.
As Jin tightened his grip on the reins, Bariel’s banner was raised high once more.
“Bwooo—!”
“Bwoo!”
The rest was over. At the signal to move out, the soldiers rose and reformed their ranks. The mages scurried back to Ian’s side, handing him branches they’d picked.
“By the way, Ian, what’s this?”
“These were snapped from inside the forest. Since the forest disappeared so suddenly, some branches remained intact. We’ll use them as proof when dealing with the Purpato, so keep them safe.”
“Got it, got it.”
“Ian, you okay?”
Beric’s final question drew a pale smile from Ian, who nodded. Though he bore both blessing and curse, yes, he was alright. Ian gestured to him and ordered him to rejoin the palace guard.
“We’re moving out!”
“The obstacle blocking Bariel is gone!”
“Let’s go! Waaah!”
The soldiers raised their weapons and shouted, stepping into the path that had been impassable before. Jin kept reminding himself of the condition: do not kill the Purpato.
Soon enough, the walls of what appeared to be Purpato’s stronghold came into view.
“Your Majesty.”
A report from the Imperial Defense Division, who had sent scouts ahead to assess the situation.
“The Purpato are waiting fully armed.”