Dry Drowning - Chapter 42

“….. From tomorrow onwards, Ian-nim will join the second search party.”

It was a remark that poured more cold water on the campsite, which had been in a chaotic atmosphere throughout. The Knights, who had unpacked their luggage vaguely, were all puzzled by Claude’s sudden words.

Why the prince all of a sudden?

He had never been formally trained, and this was his first expedition. Newcomers who enter the Knights usually do not participate in the search for the first expedition.

“Why all of a sudden…”

“There were more injuries than expected. The Grand Duke decided to replenish the manpower.”

It was a smooth response as if it had been pre-determined. In the end, it follows that Ian also agreed. The members who just joined the team nodded at the name of the Grand Duke, but the experienced members still had a strange expression.

One search team was wiped out, but this was always the case. Even if the members can handle the derivatives, if they’re unlucky and encounter the main body, it’s only a matter of time before they die. Life and death depended on how early Archduke arrived after smelling blood. It was almost a life-threatening act.

This was why the Northern Knights were most shunned.

The high salary, the only opportunity for a rise in status, were all for the price of life.

It’s said that it was an expedition, but it’s better to say that it was a bait hunt. They* only eat humans. The black forest had already been closed for quite some time by the walls built at the expense of hundreds of people.

Except for those who sometimes come in illegally to dig for herbs or assassins sent to Logan, no human enters the forest anymore. Boiled to the point of hunger, the only thing they* could aim for was the Knights searching for them*.

[*T/N: Talking about the beasts.]

“Wait a minute. But why the second search party?”

There were many questions, but no one could ask. It was Kyle’s dissatisfied expression that separated the silence.

“This is our prince’s first search, and of course, I have to be with him. What if he goes with you and gets hurt somewhere? It hurts my heart.”

The second search party was where Claude was in the lead. For safety, experienced elite members are evenly organized in each search party. Schwartz was in charge of the first search party, and Kyle was in charge of the third search party.

“I don’t accept unnecessary suggestions.”

“Huh? What’s unnecessary? I’m really serious right now.”

It started again.

Naturally, the faces of the members, who were caught in the middle of the next prelude, were exhausted*. Still expressionless, Claude slowly pointed out the problem as if telling a simple fact to a fool.

[*T/N: Prelude: an action or event that happens before something else, or that forms an introduction to something.

Here it probably means that the others are still stuck in the middle, still in the midst of trying to understand the next situation but were exhausted. Maybe…ㄟ( ▔_▔; )ㄏ]

“As you said, this is Ian’s first expedition. I can’t let him be with a dangerous person.”

“So put him in our search party”

“You’re the risk.”

“Me? Why me?”

He looked genuinely puzzled. When Kyle pointed at him with his finger, Claude closed his mouth, for he didn’t want to speak anymore. It was the moment when Schwartz, who was watching being unable to stop them, was about to end this situation.

“Who else here cares for my prince as much as I do? They all chew up behind me and don’t even say a word of gratitude, even when he saved people who were about to die.”

It was a wide-area hit at an unexpected timing.

Most of the Knights were distanced from Ian throughout the expedition, as well as in the mansion. Some of them had been chewing from behind, so Kyle’s words were not wrong. But it was the latter that was the most embarrassing at this moment.

The faces of the members who were treated by Ian quickly turned red. Those who were seriously injured were resting in the barracks, but the injured members who were able to move were with them.

When Schwartz was also at a loss for words, the campsite became silent. Claude, too, sighed and turned his head.

“Huh? Why are you being so solemn again? Just do this one thing, just one.”

It was no surprise that Kyle noticed the chilly atmosphere and burst into laughter. Then, he shrugged his shoulders, understanding the situation and spoke up in a comedic tone.

“Yeah, what can I do when the prince is a f*cking Rox? He was brought in by force. But well, we are the northerns, grudges are first.”

“……..”

“So, why was he born in Rox? Bad luck.”

The last one was in a twisting tone. There was nothing particularly to refute. Because it was true that they rationalized discrimination solely because he was a Roxian. It was planned from the moment Ian first arrived here.

The resentment of the North against Rox is still deeply rooted. It won’t dilute easily, no matter how much time passes. Ian was the one sent for it* in the first place.

[*T/N: Ian was sent as a hostage, but also to mend the relation of those two countries, maybe.]

But it was already 50 years ago.

Most of the people here, even Ian, wasn’t born.

Now a high wall was built on the border, and there would be no war as long as it was there. As the front line had to be defended first, the people of the empire near the border were branded on the back of their hands. Because of the war with the Rox could have happened again.

But look at it now.

The pattern on the back of the hand was no longer due to the war with Rox.

Even more terrifying than that, those living in the black forest are marks of living sacrifices offered to prevent them from expanding their territory to the imperial palace. The intention to build a line of defence with blood and flesh was clear, but the indignation against the empire remained in the past.

“Oh? You’re here?”

It was a time when everyone was reflecting on their own contradictions. Kyle, who was twirling, greeted someone by waving warmly. What they saw when they turned around was the start* of this talk. They couldn’t tell when Ian, who looked even paler than usual, had been there.

[*T/N: Here they are referring to Ian as the ‘start of the talk’, since the topic this whole conversation started with was about Ian.]

Kyle tilted his head at Ian’s appearance, who didn’t even pretend to accept his greeting! He smacked his hands. The premonition was not good. At times like this, Kyle doesn’t know where he’s going*….

[*T/N: Means the same as at times like this, Kyle just doesn’t know what he is doing. ◉_◉]

“We were in the midst of telling the prince that he was unlucky to be born as a Roxian. Will the prince join too?”

When did we do that, idiot?

He talked to himself and answered himself, but suddenly treated them as an accomplice.

It was embarrassing, but it was a strange feeling that could not be refuted. Everyone closed their mouths because of that unpleasant feeling. Ian didn’t react at all, even though he heard Kyle clearly. It was bad enough, it could have been heartbreaking, but nothing was shown on his white face.

As if those words were very familiar.

“Ian-nim, this…”

Claude finally spoke into the oppressive silence. Although it was not the intended situation, it was an issue to be addressed at least once. Now that Ian has joined the search party, the situation has changed completely.

However, before he could explain properly, someone started running at full speed toward Ian.

“Ah, ah!”

It was Shyu who waited all night for Ian to come out.

Logan had been staying in the barracks the whole time, so he could not enter and had no choice but to be anxious.

A knight who was on guard saw him sneaking around without even sleeping. So he was just happy to hug Ian’s waist without fear.

He thought he might get hit, but Ian just looked down at Shyu, who hugged him. Come to think of it, there were times when Ian pretended not to know him, but nobody has ever seen him hit Shyu. Even when Ian was bothered by his chasing, enough that even the knights could understand it.

“…..”

His eyes full of various emotions turned towards Ian. He looked like he knew what he wanted to say without saying anything. Ian raised his hand after looking at him for a while.

Shrug.

It was dry, but it was a soft touch in its own way.

Shyu blinked blankly at Ian stroking his hair for the first time. The back of a woman running through the snowfield with a child in her arms overlapped with Ian for a moment.

[T/N: I don’t know in what context they are saying this. Maybe it’s just that the view of Ian and Shyu looked like a mother and son (?) I don’t really know. (￣、￣;)]

Unfortunately, Kyle’s insistence didn’t work. It was because Ian kicked Kyle’s shin after he insisted on going with him unconditionally. It was an act that proved that violence was more effective than words. The whining didn’t feed him at all.

Somehow, Ian moved his mouth as he approached Claude, ignoring the members who seemed to be conscious of him.

Logan

Claude, who took a moment to read the shape of his mouth, replied.

“Well, I didn’t see him.”

He knew where he was going, but he didn’t have to tell him. Recalling the rare happy face of the archduke, who visited him and the general this morning, Claude quietly lowered his gaze at Ian.

He looked as if he had something to say.

“……”

“……”

“… No, I look forward to your kind cooperation from tomorrow.”

But in the end, Claude decided not to say anything. He said he agreed, so he’d rather not give any clumsy advice. He shook his head at Ian, who looked like he had something to do. Soon the evening came with the darkness. While many words were swallowed up, he visited even at night.

And the next morning, Ian and Claude were standing at the entrance to the forest.

“Then we’re leaving.”

It was the first search.

_____________________________________________