Vermillion

Kei and Aileen reflexively leaned forward. It appeared that this Valgren person was not a mere scholar.

“Oh wow… I did not expect you to have gone there yourself.”

“Oh I was just accompanying the magician squad that was dispatched there in the past, but I obviously didn’t step inside. That said, something dwells within it — this much is certain. At the very least, that something is powerful enough to cause the transfer phenomenon you two have experienced. Our investigation did not reveal much, but if you two go there, you may discover something else.”

Valgren leaned back into the sofa with a thin smile.

“…So, in that sense, there is a point in you going there.”

His words, albeit reserved, were full of confidence. Kei and Aileen processed them silently.

“…So we really have to go, huh?”

Aileen finally muttered. Despite her whispering, her eyes were very sharp.

“Yeah.”

Kei, on the other hand, simply nodded. At the very least, he didn’t have any reason to oppose the idea.

“…Mr. Valgren, I think we will go there, after all.”

“Alright, that would be for the best.”

“It’s just that, I know this is quite impudent of me to ask you, but, if possible, could you teach us the best route to take?”

“…Hmm. I have no problems with that, but I do have a condition.”

Seeing his profound smile, the two reflexively put themselves on guard.

“…Oh, it’s nothing you would need to be so wary about. You two came from a place located far away from the duchy, yes? Then I believe you have some particular knowledge that I wouldn’t be aware of. If possible, in exchange for me teaching you about Northland, I hope you can also teach me some useful knowledge.”

Valgren was proposing a give and take.

“Useful knowledge, eh…?”

Aileen started to ponder with a finger on her lips. Kei also started to ponder, his arms folded.

Kei thought about various things, like science and technology, tactics, and communication through electricity, but as he looked at the blue sky outside the window, he suddenly remembered something else.

“…Mr. Valgren, are you aware of astrology?

“Astrology… you mean the divination that’s done through observing the star’s trajectory.”

“Yes. An extension of that would be the ability to tell next week’s weather with a fairly high accuracy by looking at the stars. How about that?”

“Ohh! You’ve piqued my interest.”

Hearing about the weather forecast using astrology made Valgren lift his eyebrows.

“And how accurate would that be?”

“It’s accurate enough to not err on the next day’s weather, but it involves the color and brightness of the stars, and the further you try to predict the future the less accurate it gets. Concretely, there are seven stars visible at the zenith regardless of the season and—”

Kei explained while using hand gestures. Valgren rubbed his chin as he silently listened to all Kei had to say with keen interest.

“I see, that does sound interesting. I’ve never heard about using stars to accurately predict the weather. But still… I don’t quite understand with just a verbal explanation. Could you teach me the concrete procedure while gazing at the stars when the opportunity arises? We can strike a deal with that.”

“Of course, no problem.”

“Good. Then let me give you my advice. I’m a fairly busy person, so I’m pressed for time.”

“Well… we have no problem with that, but are you sure?”

Kei felt slightly let-down about Valgren accepting it without being shown so much as a proof. Valgren tapped on his temple with his finger and smiled.

“It’s fine, I will know for sure whether it’s correct or not when I try it out. If it turns out that I was deceived, it would only make your calibers as people clear. Now, let me teach you the route that I took and the information about the nearby tribes. I believe the Northland map was on this floor.”

“Oh, we have the map here.”

Just as Valgren was about to get up, Aileen took out a folded parchment from the accessory case and spread it on the table in front of her. It was something they paid to have copied from the general Northland map accessible in the library.

“You’re well prepared. This reminds me, I never asked for your name, young lady.”

“I’m Aileen. Aileen Lobachevsaya. I’m not a Snowlander, but from a similar tribe. Best regards, Sir.”

“Hahaha, likewise.”

Valgren smiled widely at Aileen’s playful introduction. Aileen possessed an innocent smile which allowed her to easily get close to other people.

“Now, about the route, first we headed to the Buffered City Dilan’niren, and then—”

They all looked down at the map. Kei took a memo pad from his waist pouch and started noting down Valgren’s suggestions.

†††

After that, Valgren provided the two with detailed information until afternoon.

Initially, Kei and Aileen considered crossing the Aria eastwards, following the river northwards, and then detouring to the mountain range in the east as the shortest route, but according to Valgren, this route was overflowing with bandits, so it would be dangerous to travel as a pair.

Instead, Valgren proposed to follow the Bratya Highway to the north, then head east from the Commercial City Belyansk. Doing so would avoid outlaw settlements and would be relatively safer.

“This turned out more fruitful than I’d expected.”

“Yeah, but in the end I still wonder who that old man is.” Aileen muttered on their way to the inn in order to grab lunch.

Once his conversation with the two was concluded, Valgren checked his pocket watch, just to throw his eyes wide open, screaming, “I’m late!” and dashing away. As for the matter with astrology, he’d apparently send a messenger to their inn.

“That pocket watch seemed magical, huh…? I bet it’d cost a fortune.”

“The ornaments were quite something. It’d probably cost an entire gold coin.”

He wore an unfashionable robe, but they could only think of it as being camouflage. That said, with a hairstyle as characteristic as his, his identity would instantly be revealed regardless of the camouflage, so perhaps it was more like an open secret.

“……”

The two silently walked through the noisy streets of midday Urvan. Appetizing soup aromas wafted across alleys where kids ran around.

It had been a little over a month since they settled in Urvan. The familiar cityscape seemed somehow different to them now. The memo from Valgren, securely tucked away in Kei’s pocket, bore a sense of weight.

—They would be leaving this city.

That fact was, slowly but steadily, sinking into their minds.

At the end of the street, the signboard of the HangedBug — a hanging deformed beetle holding a mug in one hand — came into view. The dining room was already crowded, so the two returned to their room for the time being.

To room 203, which felt like their home at this point.

Surveying it anew, the room had gained many new things over time. That included a nail clipper, a small bowl filled with dried fruits, and even a handy side table.

Naturally, they wouldn’t be able to take everything on their journey to Northland.

“…We should really get around to sorting our luggage, huh?”

Aileen muttered with a tinge of loneliness.