Bab 621
"Tidak apa-apa."
"Tidak. Kalau aku merapal di pelana, bukan hanya pengendaranya tapi kudanya juga akan menyukainya."
Yi-Han mengeluarkan berbagai mantra sihir kehidupan yang telah ia pelajari di bawah bimbingan Profesor Garcia pada tahun pertamanya.
Kuda Jicklin mendorong-dorong kepalanya, mengerjapkan bulu matanya ke arah Yi-Han yang sedang merapalkan sihir penghangat padanya.
"Jijel. Tolong urus sisanya."
"Sihir seharusnya tidak dihambur-hamburkan seperti itu."
Jijel memberontak dengan lembut terhadap perintah kakaknya.
Wardanaz-lah yang aneh karena menghamburkan sihir hanya karena dia punya banyak; seharusnya seseorang tidak merapalkan sihir untuk setiap hal kecil seperti ini.
Mata Jicklin menjadi tajam, mengira adiknya sedang membuat alasan.
"Jijel. Kau tidak seharusnya bilang 'begitulah seharusnya' hanya karena kau tidak bisa melakukannya."
"Bukan itu maksudku...!"
"Biar aku selesaikan sisanya!"
Jijel melotot ke arah Yi-Han yang berlari untuk merapalkan sihir pada barang bawaan lainnya.
Yi-Han berbicara seolah-olah tidak punya pilihan lain.
"Masa aku hanya berdiri diam saja?"
"Terima kasih. Terima kasih banyak. Ya. Bagaimana kalau kau lebih menyanjung kakakku lagi?"
"Jangan salahkan aku. Ini cuma kebiasaan Einroguard-ku yang keluar."
"..."
Bahkan Jijel pun tidak bisa berkata apa-apa terhadap kata-kata Yi-Han.
Memang benar, merapalkan sihir sembarangan seperti ini sebelum perjalanan adalah sesuatu yang Wardanaz lakukan bahkan di Einroguard.
Bedanya, ini di luar akademi!
Bahkan di Einroguard, Wardanaz sudah orang gila, tapi melihatnya di luar, Wardanaz benar-benar orang gila dari perspektif baru.
Biasanya, seorang mage harus menghemat kemampuannya sebisa mungkin dan hanya merapalkan sihir saat penting, tapi dia merapalkan sihir untuk setiap hal kecil...
Kalau disandingkan dengan Wardanaz, mage mana pun akan terlihat malas dan tidak kompeten.
"Mana yang lain?"
"Tidak ada lagi. Ini semua."
"...?"
Yi-Han ragu-ragu.
Tentu saja, dia tahu bahwa perburuan para ksatria lebih tidak nyaman dibanding perburuan para bangsawan.
Tidak ada jalan di medan kasar, tidak ada penjaga hutan atau penghalau binatang, tidak ada pelayan atau pengangkut barang yang mengikuti dengan barang bawaan!
Tapi sebenarnya, ini adalah sesuatu yang akan membuat pemburu Patroli Bayangan seperti Nilia mendengus.
-Wardanaz. Jangan tertipu kata-kata para ksatria. Setengah dari apa yang dikatakan ksatria itu bualan, dan setengahnya lagi keluhan. Mereka pergi hanya di hari cuaca bagus dengan peta yang mencatat setiap helai rambut yang jatuh secara detail. Para pengawal membawa persediaan termasuk barang-barang mewah! Perburuan sesungguhnya dilakukan oleh para pemburu...-
Meskipun sedikit lebih tidak nyaman dibanding perburuan bangsawan, para ksatria juga tidak keluar dengan benar-benar tidak nyaman.
Tapi mengatakan ini semua orangnya?
"Bagaimana dengan ksatria lain? Para pengawal?"
"Sudah kubilang tidak ada... Bukankah sudah kuberitahu? Tidak ada untungnya mengundang mereka."
Jijel menghela napas.
Dia menerimanya karena dia tahu kemampuan yang telah ditunjukkan Wardanaz di Einroguard selama setahun, kalau tidak dia benar-benar akan menentangnya sampai mati.
Dua kuda masing-masing.
Hanya barang bawaan yang bisa dimuat di atasnya, tidak lebih.
Inilah perburuan Jicklin.
"Hmm. Aku mengerti."
"...Kukira kau akan lebih terkejut??"
"Ada seorang ksatria di keluargaku yang melakukan hal serupa..."
"Kau benar-benar dari keluarga Wardanaz??"
***
Jicklin sedang dalam suasana hati yang sangat baik.
Ini karena teman yang dibawa adiknya, yang telah masuk akademi sihir, sopan dan menyenangkan.
Dia sempat khawatir karena dia dari keluarga penyihir, tapi siapa sangka dia akan cocok sekali dengan para ksatria dan kuda.
Mungkin dia seseorang yang lebih cocok menjadi ksatria.
"Wardanaz. Bisakah kau melihat sungai di samping sana?"
"Ya, aku bisa melihatnya."
"Suatu ketika, seekor ular raksasa merangkak naik sungai itu."
Jicklin memandang sungai itu dengan kenangan di tatapan stoiknya.
"Apa yang terjadi?"
"Dia mati."
"...Kenapa dia mati?"
Yi-Han menyalahkan dirinya sendiri karena bertanya sembarangan dan bertanya lagi.
"Lehernya dipotong."
"Siapa yang memotongnya dan bagaimana caranya?"
Jijel menjawab dengan ketus sebagai gantinya.
"Kakakku bertarung sendirian selama 3 hari dan memotong lehernya."
"Hahaha... Tunggu. Itu bukan lelucon."
Yi-Han, yang hendak tertawa dibuat-buat karena mengira itu lelucon, terdiam.
Jijel serius. Kakak Jijel juga bertanya seolah bingung.
"Apakah ada alasan untuk bercanda sekarang?"
"..."
Yi-Han terkejut.
Bayangkan seorang ksatria sendirian bertarung dan mengalahkan monster besar seperti ular raksasa selama 3 hari.
Katanya ksatria yang telah mencapai puncak itu seperti benteng berjalan, tapi ini melampaui imajinasi.
'Tidak mungkin dia lebih kuat dari Arlong atau Profesor Ingurdel kan??'
"Kenapa dia bertarung sendirian?"
"Karena kakakku ingin bertarung sendirian. Aku menonton dari tepi sungai."
Jijel meringis, mengingat masa lalu yang mengerikan.
Kenangan menonton dengan khawatir kalau-kalau terjadi sesuatu pada kakaknya masih jelas.
"Seharusnya kau memanggil bala bantuan."
"Sudah kubilang kakakku tidak suka kalau kami memanggil bala bantuan."
"Siapa peduli. Panggil saja lalu buat alasan nanti."
"...?!"
Jijel tertarik dengan kata-kata Yi-Han yang ternyata cukup masuk akal.
"Tunggu, jadi tujuan perburuan kali ini juga...?"
"Ya. Berkeliaran mencari mangsa yang cocok."
Jijel menjelaskan dengan suara datar.
Ini tentang berkeliaran di tanah utara yang dingin dan keras untuk mencari mangsa yang cocok bagi seorang ksatria untuk dihadapi satu lawan satu.
Kalau mereka menemukan mangsa yang cocok, mereka akan langsung menyuruhnya bertarung sementara yang lain menunggu di belakang.
Semakin hebat kemampuan ksatrianya, semakin tinggi level mangsanya, tidak boleh diremehkan...
"Bukankah itu cuma ujian Profesor Bagrak?"
"Hei. Jaga bicaramu. Bagaimanapun, kakakku tidak seperti profesor Einroguard."
Tampaknya Jijel tidak bisa membuat penilaian yang jernih kalau soal kakaknya sendiri.
Yi-Han berpikir demikian dan menggelengkan kepala dalam hati.
'Bayangkan ada seseorang seperti profesor bahkan di luar saat aku datang bermain selama liburan.'
Ini benar-benar hal yang menyedihkan.
"Hmm."
Jicklin memeriksa dataran tinggi lalu melihat sekeliling.
Sepertinya ada cukup banyak monster yang menghuni daerah sekitar.
"Kita akan menginap di sini hari ini. Kurasa kita perlu memeriksa monster di sekitar..."
"Biar aku yang melakukannya."
"Tidak apa-apa, Wardanaz. Silakan istirahat sebentar. Bukankah mage lemah secara fisik?"
"..."
Jijel menggerutu dalam hati, 'Dia lebih kuat dariku.'
Sementara Jicklin pergi sebentar untuk pengintaian, Yi-Han segera memanggil prajurit kerangka dan mulai menyiapkan perkemahan.
Sebelum Jijel sempat melakukan apa pun, pagar kayu sederhana, tempat tidur, api unggun pusat dengan tripod masak sederhana, dan sihir alarm sudah terpasang secara instan di sekeliling mereka.
Jijel berkedip.
Meskipun mereka pernah berkemah bersama beberapa kali di Einroguard, dulu tidak sampai sejauh ini.
'Apa dia... berkemah saat aku tidak melihat...?'
"Ada apa, Moradi?"
"Bukan apa-apa. Terima kasih sudah menyiapkan dengan baik."
"...Ada apa, Moradi?!"
"..."
Melihat Wardanaz bereaksi lebih intens terhadap ucapan terima kasih, Jijel benar-benar ingin memukulnya sekali saja.
'Sabar. Kakakku mungkin segera kembali...'
Hanya akan merugikannya kalau Jicklin kembali dan menemukan dia sedang mencengkeram kerah Yi-Han dan berkelahi.
Yi-Han menuangkan kopi rebus ke dalam cangkir timah dan memberikan satu pada Jijel. Lalu dia berkata dengan ekspresi serius.
"Moradi."
"?"
Jijel, bertanya-tanya apa yang akan dia katakan, tiba-tiba teringat sesuatu dari beberapa waktu lalu.
Bukankah bajingan ini memasang ekspresi seperti itu dan bilang sesuatu seperti 'Ini kakak perempuan, bukan kakak laki-laki, kan?'
"Kalau kau bilang sesuatu yang tidak berguna lagi..."
"Tidak. Ini pembicaraan serius. Moradi. Seriuslah. Saat seseorang mencoba bicara serius."
"Kau...!"
"Kalau kita menemukan dan menghadapi mangsa yang cocok, perburuannya akan cepat selesai, kan?"
"!"
Mengejutkannya, kali ini benar-benar pembicaraan serius.
Jijel mengangguk pada kata-kata tajam Yi-Han.
"Benar. Kalau kita bertemu mangsa yang cocok..."
Kalau Jicklin berpikir 'ksatria ini sudah bertempur dengan baik dalam perburuan ini', perburuannya akan berakhir.
"Kau dan aku sama-sama mage Einroguard. Ayo gunakan sihir untuk cepat menemukan mangsa yang cocok."
"Metode yang bagus, tapi tidak akan semudah itu."
Jijel menjawab seperti itu sambil menopang dagu.
Meskipun ada banyak monster di sekitar sini, menemukan lawan yang tepat tidaklah mudah.
Sihir itu tidak maha kuasa, kau tahu.
"Kecuali kau punya sihir ramalan yang kau pelajari dari kepala sekolah. Punya?"
"Aku punya sihir yang memperkuat kemampuan fisik."
"Hei. Kau itu orangnya, kan? Orang yang membuat anak-anak menara kami nyeri otot..."
"Aku tidak tahu apa yang kau bicarakan. Lebih penting lagi, Moradi. Apa yang cocok itu tergantung penilaian individu."
"...Kau mencoba berdebat?"
"Tidak juga, maksudku kita bisa membujuknya."
"Kakakku mungkin terlihat polos, tapi dia tidak mudah dibujuk. Dan intuisinya begitu bagus sehingga kebohongan seperti itu tidak akan berhasil."
Intuisi seorang ksatria seperti Jicklin harus dianggap hampir seperti sihir ramalan.
Dia bisa merasakan mangsa apa yang bisa mereka lawan dan bagaimana hanya dengan melihat ksatria yang mengikutinya.
"Kalau begitu kita hanya perlu menemukan mangsa yang kuat, kan?"
"Kau terlihat percaya diri?"
"Kalau kita persiapkan terlebih dahulu, bukankah kita bisa bertarung dengan lebih menguntungkan?"
Yi-Han berkata, menunj
Chapter 621
"It's fine."
"No. If I cast on the saddle, not only the rider but also the horse will like it."
Yi-Han brought out various life magic spells he had learned under Professor Garcia in his first year.
Jicklin's horse nuzzled its head, fluttering its eyelids at Yi-Han, who was casting warm magic on it.
"Jijel. Please take care of the rest."
"Magic shouldn't be wasted like that originally."
Jijel meekly rebelled at her sister's order.
It was Wardanaz who was strange for wasting magic just because he had a lot of it; originally, one didn't cast magic on every little thing like this.
Jicklin's eyes became stern, thinking her sister was making excuses.
"Jijel. You shouldn't say that's how it originally is just because you can't do it."
"That's not what I...!"
"I'll finish the rest!"
Jijel glared at Yi-Han, who was running to cast magic on the other luggage.
Yi-Han spoke as if he had no choice.
"I couldn't just stand by, could I?"
"Thank you. Thank you very much. Yes. Why don't you flatter my sister more?"
"Don't blame me. It's just my Einroguard habits showing."
"..."
Even Jijel had nothing to say to Yi-Han's words.
Indeed, casting magic indiscriminately like this before a trip was something Wardanaz did even at Einroguard.
The difference was that this was outside!
Even at Einroguard, Wardanaz was a madman, but seeing him outside, Wardanaz was really a madman anew.
Usually, a mage should conserve their abilities as much as possible and only cast magic when it's important, but he was casting magic on every little thing... 𝘳
When put next to Wardanaz, any mage would look lazy and incompetent.
"Where are the others?"
"There are none. This is all."
"...?"
Yi-Han hesitated.
Of course, he knew that knights' hunts were more uncomfortable than nobles' hunts.
No roads in rough terrain, no gamekeepers or beaters, no servants or porters following with luggage!
But in fact, this was something that would make Shadow Patrol hunters like Nillia snort.
-Wardanaz. Don't be fooled by the knights' words. Half of what knights say is bluster, and the other half is whining. They go in only on good weather days with maps that have every fallen hair recorded in detail. Squires carry supplies including luxury items! Real hunting is done by hunters...-
Although it was a bit more uncomfortable than nobles' hunts, knights didn't go out completely uncomfortably either.
But to say this was all the people?
"What about the other knights? The squires?"
"I told you there are none... Didn't I tell you? There's nothing good about inviting them."
Jijel sighed.
She had accepted it because she knew the abilities Wardanaz had shown at Einroguard for a year, otherwise she would have really opposed it with her life.
Two horses each.
Only the luggage that could be loaded on them, nothing else.
This was Jicklin's hunt.
"Hmm. I see."
"...I thought you'd be more surprised??"
"There's a knight in our family who does similar things..."
"Are you really from the Wardanaz family??"
***
Jicklin was in a very good mood.
It was because the friend her sister, who had entered magic academy, brought along was polite and pleasant.
She had been worried because he was from a mage family, but who knew he would get along so well with knights and horses.
Perhaps he was someone more suited to be a knight.
"Wardanaz. Can you see that river to the side?"
"Yes, I can see it."
"Once, a serpent crawled up that river."
Jicklin looked at the river with memories in her stoic gaze.
"What happened?"
"It died."
"...Why did it die?"
Yi-Han blamed himself for asking carelessly and asked again.
"Its neck was cut."
"Who cut it and how?"
Jijel answered grumpily instead.
"My sister fought alone for 3 days and cut off its neck."
"Hahaha... Wait. That's not a joke."
Yi-Han, who was about to laugh artificially thinking it was a joke, hesitated.
Jijel was serious. Jijel's sister also asked as if puzzled.
"Is there any reason to joke right now?"
"..."
Yi-Han was shocked.
To think a knight alone fought and defeated a large monster like a serpent for 3 days.
They say a knight who has reached the pinnacle is like a walking fortress, but this was beyond imagination.
'Surely she can't be stronger than Arlong or Professor Ingurdel??'
"Why on earth did she fight alone?"
"Because my sister wanted to fight alone. I was watching from the riverside."
Jijel grimaced, recalling the terrible past.
The memory of watching worriedly in case something happened to her sister was still vivid.
"You should have called for support."
"I told you my sister doesn't like it when we call for support."
"Who cares. Just call and make excuses later."
"...?!"
Jijel was intrigued by Yi-Han's unexpectedly plausible words.
"Wait, so the purpose of this hunt is also...?"
"Yeah. It's to wander around looking for suitable game."
Jijel explained in a dry voice.
It was about roaming the cold and harsh northern lands to find game suitable for a knight to face one-on-one.
If they found suitable game, they would immediately tell her to fight while the rest waited behind.
The more excellent the knight's skills, the higher the level of the game, never to be taken lightly...
"Isn't that just Professor Bagrak's test?"
"Hey. Watch your words. No matter what, my sister isn't like an Einroguard professor."
It seemed Jijel couldn't make a cool judgment when it came to her own sister.
Yi-Han thought this and shook his head inwardly.
'To think there's someone like a professor even outside when I came to play during vacation.'
It was truly a sad thing.
"Hmm."
Jicklin checked the high ground and then looked around.
It seemed like there would be quite a few monsters inhabiting the area nearby.
"We'll stay here today. I think we need to check the surrounding monsters..."
"I'll do it."
"It's alright, Wardanaz. Please rest for a while. Aren't mages physically weak?"
"..."
Jijel grumbled inwardly, 'He's tougher than me.'
While Jicklin was away briefly for reconnaissance, Yi-Han immediately summoned skeleton warriors and started preparing the campsite.
Before Jijel could do anything, simple palisades, bedding spots, a central campfire with a simple cooking tripod, and alarm magic were instantly set up around them.
Jijel blinked.
Although they had camped together a few times at Einroguard, it wasn't to this extent back then.
'Did he... just do camping while I wasn't looking...?'
"What's wrong, Moradi?"
"It's nothing. Thanks for preparing well."
"...What's wrong, Moradi?!"
"..."
Seeing Wardanaz react more intensely to a word of thanks, Jijel really wanted to hit him just once.
'Be patient. My sister might return soon...'
It would only be to her disadvantage if Jicklin returned to find her grabbing Yi-Han's collar and fighting.
Yi-Han poured boiled coffee into tin cups and handed one to Jijel. Then he said with a serious expression.
"Moradi."
"?"
Jijel, wondering what he was going to say, suddenly recalled something from not long ago.
Didn't this bastard make that expression and say something like 'It's older sister, not older brother, right?'
"If you say something useless again..."
"No. It's a serious talk. Moradi. Get serious. When someone's trying to have a serious conversation."
"You...!"
"If we find and face suitable game, the hunt will end quickly, right?"
"!"
Surprisingly, this time it was really a serious conversation.
Jijel nodded at Yi-Han's sharp words.
"That's right. If we meet suitable game..."
If Jicklin thought 'this knight had a good fight in this hunt', the hunt would end.
"You and I are both Einroguard mages. Let's use magic to quickly find suitable game."
"It's a good method, but it won't be that easy."
Jijel replied like that, resting her chin on her hand.
Even if there were many monsters around here, finding an appropriate opponent wasn't easy.
Magic isn't omnipotent, you know.
"Unless you have some divination magic you learned from the principal. Do you?"
"I have magic that enhances physical abilities."
"Hey. You're that guy, right? The one who gave our tower guys muscle pain..."
"I don't know what you're talking about. More importantly, Moradi. What's suitable is up to individual judgment originally."
"...Are you trying to argue?"
"Not necessarily, I'm saying we could persuade her."
"My sister might look naive, but she's not easy to persuade. And her intuition is so good that such lies won't work well."
The intuition of a knight like Jicklin should be considered almost like divination magic.
She could get a sense of what game they could fight and how just by looking at the knight who followed her.
"Then we just need to find some strong game, right?"
"You seem confident?"
"If we prepare in advance, couldn't we fight advantageously?"
Yi-Han said, pointing to the skeleton warriors. Jijel made a sour expression.
"I'm not sure if my sister will allow such things in a knight's fight."
"Hmm. Then there's only one way left."
Yi-Han spoke as if he had no choice.
Jijel was curious about what method this cunning top student of Einroguard had left.
"Let's insist we had an intense fight while Miss Jicklin was away."
"...That might not be bad...?"
Jijel unexpectedly agreed.
Unlike the others, it felt quite plausible.
"Right? I'm going to release the summons I've contracted to search the surroundings. I have spirits too."
"Okay. Got it."
"I said I'm going to release the summons I've contracted to search the surroundings. I have spirits too."
"...? I said I got it?"
Yi-Han became slightly sulky at Jijel's reaction.
Not to know this greatness!
"Wait. One more thing."
"?"
"If you want to go back after finishing the hunt, we need to find suitable game for my sister too. It'll be harder than you think."
"Really? Why..."
Before he could finish speaking, Jicklin's voice was heard from below.
"Everyone, I've returned from reconnaissance. There weren't any suitable monsters... Wardanaz, did you make this campsite with magic?"
Jicklin spoke with faint surprise on her stoic face.
However, Yi-Han couldn't answer immediately.
In Jicklin's other hand was a minotaur's head with blood dripping from it.
"Ah. Are you interested in this? I caught it as I was passing by."
"...Oh, ohh..."
Yi-Han realized that finding an opponent suitable for this knight would be more difficult than he thought.
***
"This is bad."
Yi-Han said, handing Jijel a soup made with finely chopped minotaur meat and potatoes.
"At this rate, we might be out here until the banquet."
"That's why I told you. My sister's hunts are hell."
Jijel sipped the soup. It was delicious enough to be divided.
She never thought she'd have the luxury of eating such food during Jicklin's hell hunt.
"Miss Jicklin didn't say much, did she enjoy it?"
"My sister? That's her extremely liking it. She ate a whole bowl, didn't she? Usually she doesn't even eat one bowl."
"Don't people usually eat about five bowls if it's delicious?"
"What uncultured bastard eats like that?"
"Gainan... Ahem. Never mind."
"..."
Yi-Han, who was changing the subject, was startled when a low-level cold spirit sent a signal.
"It says it found an enemy?!"
"What, what kind of monster is it!"
Jijel asked, quickly grasping her sword hilt.
"Oh no. It says it's not a monster but a person. Seems like a criminal."
"Ah..."
Jijel, who was about to sit down in disappointment, came to her senses and stood up.
"Hey! If it's a criminal, we should catch them!"
"Oops. That's right."
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