"Keep pinching your nose, there are more corpses up ahead."
Finding the main path, the duo officially began their journey to the capital. However, other than the more frequent sighting of corpses, the moment worth celebrating did not feel at all distinct.
This time, they were real corpses.
The corpses, some butt naked, while some still had pieces of cloth and armor, all without exception, were mutilated to the extent that they hardly resembled humans.
"Maria, do you know why human carcasses smell the worst of them all?"
"...No. Why is that?"
"I don't know, that was why I asked."
The stench was overwhelming, as even Maria, with her head fully wrapped, needed her hands' assistance to mostly keep the smell out,
Julian was not at all bothered by the rotten carcasses. Instead, he carefully looked over each corpse as if he were searching for something.
"They have all been salvaged."
"That's cruel... They are all our soldiers, right?"
"Emperor's soldiers," Julian corrected his mother. With a monotonous voice, he continued, "But where did you learn that from? I don't recall having that conversation."
"Um, I just heard it somewhere..."
"If you say so."
The belongings he took from those dead villagers could provide for them on their way toward the capital sufficiently. However, it was far from enough to leave his mind in comfort. Anything could happen on the way, and he did not like the idea of not having enough funds in preparation.
'Should have plundered the village.'
He had wished to see if there was anything of use in those corpses, but unfortunately, they seemed to all have been stripped of value.
"Tch."
Following the muddy path that showed no other sign of life, they eventually arrived at a cold, windy plain.
"Here's fine, there is no need for it anymore," Julian said, sweeping his gaze across the dry path ahead.
"A...are you sure?"
"Fairly. There should be no more corpses lying around, at least for the next few days."
Hesitatingly, Maria took off the suffocating cloth that had taken off a few of her senses. Cold breeze slips through the loosening grip of the cloth, stopping her briefly on her track. Slowly and gently, she peeked out through her own eyelids.
"Ah..."
The gray sky, gray fields of grass, gray soil under her foot, and the gray forest far in the horizon greeted Maria, who had for the first time stepped out of the village. Perhaps expecting something would be different outside, she appeared slightly disappointed.
This was the world of Garwasi, a world that had long consumed itself.
"That forest, is it the Tainted Land?"
"It is. We have to walk around it."
"Um."
"Don't worry, those tainted... and the Calamities, they would not come after us," Julian reassured, sensing a shift in his mother's mood.
"I know. But Julian would protect me even if they do, right?" Maria said, finally letting go of the knapsack.
"Of course," Julian said after a moment of silence. Letting out a soft sigh, he pulled out something from his satchel and said, "Bend down a little."
Having no interest in satisfying Maria's curiosity, Julian smeared a sticky, gray sludge on her face.
"What is this thing?" Maria asked curiously as she patted her now clumpy face.
"It's called ash mud," Julian answered, hand still busy plastering the mud.
"Where did you get that jar?"
"This, I bought it."
"When?"
"When you were unconscious," Julian answered casually. Scooping out another fingerful of mud, he said, "Close your mouth."
Maria seemed to be wondering how Julian acquired the jar-filled mud in his hand. However, her son did not appear to have any intention of telling her more. She waited patiently until Julian was done before asking perhaps the most important question.
"And what is the purpose of doing this?"
"To make you ugly."
"Ha?"
Maria believed she had heard her son wrong.
"Bear with it for a while... You are just too beautiful for this part of the world," Julian told her, taken-aback mother.
"...T-thank you, I am really happy to hear that, " Maria said, clearly surprised and flustered by the sudden compliment. Stuttering, she immediately continued, "But is there still enough for you to use?"
"Me? No, I don't need to wear it," Julian said, storing the quarter-filled jar back in his satchel.
"Why? You are beautiful too."
"Please don't say something so frightening," chuckled Julian.
[48:37:12]
Julian's heart, which had started to ease, tightened back the moment he laid his eyes on the card above his mother's head.
"Julian," Maria called, tugging Julian's cloth.
"Stay silent."
Clank.
Clank.
Clank.
Coming from their side, a group of men marched toward them. Their rhythmic steps shook the ground, and the rattling of their loose armor floated in the air. Behind them, they left a trail resembling that of an overly large snake on the gray field of grass.
The mother and the son stood calmly on the path, eyes locked on the group of seven men. They were waiting for the other party who was obviously heading toward them. Surely, it did not take long for them to come face-to-face.
"May peace grace you," a man standing foremost greeted.
"May peace grace us all," Julian answered, wrist resting on the hilt of his sword.
Briefly sizing up the group, Julian found himself unable to see anything that showcased their affiliation to any group. Julian did not know whether they truly had no affiliation or if he was just oblivious to their markings. Regardless, the fact that he so no familiar symbols was a good thing.
"Please do not be alarmed, we are not here with ill intentions," the man said, showing both of his palms in a friendly manner.
"That's reassuring. May I know how we may help you?" Julian asked, tone casual.
"It's nothing much..."
The man took off his bamboo hat, revealing a disgusting wound on his face. At a glance, the wound that covered more than half of his face greatly resembled the wounds suffered by those mutilated corpses.
[Fizli(Soldier)][Breathless]
State: Unawakened
Fate: 40
'Breathless... He is not from here.'
Checking the other floating cards, he soon drew the conclusion that those men were not from the Empire. Clearing his throat, he returned his gaze to the leader of the group.
"...Ask on, though I couldn't promise anything,"
"Thank you," the man bowed. With a troubled tone, the leader continued, "If it is fine to ask, are you familiar with this region?"
"Not too well, but enough to go around. Where are you headed?"
"The capital. My friend, do you have any idea where we should go?" The man asked, his voice still apologetic.
"Capital.... Head there," Julian pointed to the other side of the field. With a calm tone, he explained, "You will find a mountain chain after two days of walking. Cross that, and you will find the Sloth Road. You should know where to go from there."
"A mountain... that does not sound too safe."
"Yes, it doesn't. But it should be of no concern. With eleven of you, there should be nothing in the mountain that could be a threat," Julian said with an innocent smile.
The man looked surprised for a quick second before letting out a soft scoff. He suddenly lifted his right hand before doing a slow slashing motion.
"If you say so, we will take on your words," the man bowed again.
"If there is nothing else, we will excuse ourselves first," Julian said as he returned the slight bow.
"Of course, we apologize for holding onto you for so long. But, if you don't mind-"
"We don't have any fixed destination in mind. We float where the tides push us," Julian answered before the man could finish his sentence.
"Ah... that's a shame. I was hoping we could extend this pleasant meeting," shaking his head, he let out a disappointed sigh.
Not saying another word, the group of men walked around the mother and son duo, heading straight in the direction Julian had pointed earlier. Not idling, Julian pulled his mother down the path, not taking another glance behind.
"Julian, are we not going to the capital?" Maria asked after she saw the distant figures completely vanish.
"We are."
"But... why are we not going in that direction?" Maria asked in confusion.
"There are many routes to get there."
"...."
"What, do you want us to go with them?" Julian asked, lips curling into a smile. Shaking his head, he continued, "Those are headhunters, Maria."
"What...?"
"Is it something to be surprised about? It's weirder not to find them out here," Julian stated calmly, eyes sweeping their surroundings ceaselessly.
"I never heard villagers talk about them," Maria spoke after a quick silence.
"Our village is special, that's why we never encounter them there."
"Why?"
"It's under the jurisdiction of something few could cross."