The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 151

The small mountain village was half-destroyed. Corpses with flesh torn away, exposing bone, lay scattered across the blood-soaked dirt.

“They were attacked by corpse crows here too. At least they didn’t get their bodies taken over.”

Miria said.

Every village they had passed through was in ruins. An inexplicable ominous energy lingered in the mountains.

“A witch…”

Among the corpses, she spotted a woman wearing a blue robe and a pointed hat.

The Republic Witch Association usually stationed one witch in every three or four villages to spread the teachings of the dragons, but she appeared to have died in this attack.

It seemed too much for Miria to bury over fifty bodies alone. If only she could use earth magic, she could finish it in an instant…

While helping her, I cautiously inquired about the details.

“What I know is that a Black Church group called Luzajhen is actively moving. It’s been about a month, I think.”

Luzajhen? If my memory serves me right, it means ‘obsession’ in the ancient language. Bastards, what great cause are they so obsessed with?

Whatever it meant, they had to hurry their journey, before more victims appeared.

After filling the pit with dirt, I put my hands together in prayer, and Aki tilted his head.

“Awoo?”

“This is praying. It’s to help the souls of the dead go to the gods.”

“Pray, pray, pray.”

Whether he understood the meaning or what he was praying for, I didn’t know, but Aki clumsily put his hands together and squeezed his eyes shut, following my lead.

– A man who knows how to pray for someone is a truly wonderful man, Rein.

During the turbulent times of 300 years ago, Freide’s profile came to mind as she shed tears, praying earnestly for each and every one of the dead, making the tip of my nose tingle.

That night, as always, they avoided the eyes of the three-eyed crows in a goblin cave.

The next day, they passed through the Red Pet Forest, a highland area in the mid-mountains. These were sacred trees of the Red Mountains that absorbed and purified the foul negative energy, but now only stumps remained bare.

The largest was so wide that more than ten adults could lie down on it, and even the smallest was large enough for me and Aki to lie down on.

“Hate, hate, hate, hate.”

PiPi moved around on the stump, chirping so sadly that it made my heart ache.

It was Freide who told me the story of this forest.

She said that when she felt suffocated, walking around here with PiPi made her feel refreshed, as if all the knots in her heart were burned away.

This place must hold memories of the days PiPi spent with Freide.

“Is this also the work of Luzajhen?”

“I don’t think so.”

“You don’t think so?”

“Red Pet trees are aesthetically pleasing. The annual rings ripple like flickering flames. They must have been used for artwork.”

“So, ordinary people cut them all down and took them away? What is the Republic Senate doing?”

With a helpless sigh, Miria rattled off such incomprehensible words.

“The Senate? Where *is* the Senate in the Republic now?”

I was rather taken aback.

‘Where is the Senate?’

This was the same as saying that the Imperial Council of the five Archdukes who ruled the Holy Human Empire did not exist.

When the Red Dragon Legion ruled the Republic, the dragons stationed in each city attended the Senate as magistrates to discuss major and minor state affairs.

Originally, the Fire Dragon could have single-handedly controlled the state affairs, but it seemed that the Fire Dragon wanted humanity to realize the gods’ teaching that ‘all humans are equal.’

‘So, I heard that the magistrates brought tribunes (mainly witches) with them to the Senate and taught them the ways of the republic…’

I thought that the priestesses and witches would have taken over their positions now that the Legion had left, but was there a major incident that overturned the foundation?

The answer came in a village called Soldos, which they arrived at the next day.

A village that had sprung up in a gap where the mountains split, with a thick wooden fence surrounding it along a small stream, making it look more like a wooden castle than a village.

If this were Imperial territory, the ruler’s flag would surely be flying, but this was the Dragonkin Republic, where everyone was equal, so there was no flag.

“Hey, is it okay to stop by a village like this? You said we should avoid people’s eyes as much as possible.”

“Don’t worry. These people can be trusted. And I need to replenish my equipment, like daggers and arrows, here.”

As the wooden gate made of five logs opened, Miria surprisingly took off her helmet and lightly shook her head.

Strangely enough, the residents greeted Miria by her name in a friendly manner, while the men holding crossbows (especially the young ones) glared at me warily.

“Who is this guy?”

“Miria brought him?”

“He’s an Imperial! A gigolo with a kid dares to covet someone. If you’re going to covet, get in line.”

“What line?”

Miria glared at them with contempt, and they immediately laughed it off and stepped back.

The sound of women and children catching freshwater fish and laughing could be heard by the stream, and old women were carving crossbow arrows from wood under the wooden fence.

The one who greeted us on behalf of the village was a witch who looked like a pure white pudding. She was a middle-aged woman with a short, plump figure under a blue pointed hat.

“Who is this, if it isn’t the beautiful swordswoman Miria, who always maintains her beauty by bathing in goblin blood.”

The woman made a fuss, wiping the sweat from her face with her long sleeves, and had a kind smile.

“Bathing in their blood just makes you smell. And I use bile or gastric juices instead of blood.”

Ignoring Miria’s sighing reply, the pudding witch turned to me.

“So, what kind of person is the prince that Miria rescued from the goblin cave? I’m Yukien, and the nickname I received from my master, who died of high blood pressure while defecating 30 years ago, is Cheongseong (Clear Reflection). If I had received it a little later, I would have become the witch of belly fat, hohoho.”

I knew it right away.

This person is funny.

“I’m Rein. This is my younger brother, Aki, and this is my companion bird, PiPi.”

“PiPi? Oh my, I can’t believe it. Do you know that every witch’s dream is to raise a sun parakeet and name it PiPi?”

The Fire Dragon’s priestess, Freide, was still held in awe-like respect by many witches, even 300 years later.

PiPi seemed to like Yukien, as he landed on her shoulder and tilted his beak, but Yukien quickly ran away when she burped while laughing heartily.

“Oh, I’m sorry for my burp, PiPi-nim [a respectful suffix]. As you get older, you can’t hold back farts and burps like this.”

“PiPi will forgive you. He’s a fake, so his heart is narrower than the original PiPi that Freide-nim raised.”

“What? What? What? What?”

No sooner had she teased PiPi than she was pecked on the crown of her head in retaliation.

“That’s a relief. Oh, look at my mind. You must be tired from passing through the scorching heat of the Red Mountains in the middle of summer. How about taking a bath and having a meal together? We have some pretty plump geese prepared, though not as much as me.”

It was amazing that there was such a village in this increasingly grim era.

The positive energy flowing through the village seemed to originate from this witch, and her kind personality hidden behind her playful attitude reminded me of Freide.

PiPi must have felt the same way, as he landed on her shoulder even though it was their first meeting.

“Hey.”

While I was talking to Yukien, Miria, who had taken off her sword belt, armor, and gauntlets, and was kneading Aki’s cheeks (I don’t know when he went over there), suddenly stopped.

When Aki said, “Awoo,” Miria, who had been smiling quietly, looked like a girl full of laughter and playfulness, not a cold-blooded swordswoman who slaughtered goblins.

That smile disappeared, and she looked back at me with a mixture of regret and resentment. I guess she thought I was going to ask for Aki back.

“Wash Aki first.”

“What?”

“Bathing that guy is no joke, so be prepared. Don’t let him eat the soap. I have something to talk about with the witch-nim.”

Surprised by my words, Miria had a dazed expression. She quickly turned her head in the wrong direction, as if to hide that expression.

“If that’s what you want, I can do it.”

“It seems like that’s what you want.”

“What did you say just now?”

“Nothing.”

After staring at me intently, as if trying to gauge me, she hugged Aki and hurried away, lest I change my mind.

Yukien and I, who were watching her with a satisfied look, entered the witch’s house.

It was a house filled with various herbs and medicines, old books, scrolls, sheet music for sacred hymns, and thirty volumes of Dragon Scripture, like a jumble of junk.

“My master used to say that a person who knows how to take care of a baby is a good person.”

A tapestry depicting the Fire Dragon spewing fire to destroy the abyss and save humanity hung on the wall.

“You know this even if I don’t say it, but he’s a very good child.”

As Yukien took out teacups from the shelf, I playfully shrugged my shoulders.

“He says he’s not. He says he only cares about money.”

“That’s what he says. But if he weren’t a good person, he wouldn’t have come to help when this village was attacked by a horde of three hundred goblins, he wouldn’t have protected us while we were building the wooden fence, and he wouldn’t have only received twenty Raltino coins [currency] as compensation.”

I understood right away.

Why the villagers welcomed Miria so much without a single exception.

“The Dragon Protector-nim must have recognized it too. Because he is the one chosen by the dragon. This is Boruno-produced black tea. The aroma is exquisite.”

I picked up the teacup, but my alertness soared for a moment, and I put it back down.

“How did you know?”

“When you reach a certain level, a witch can smell the scent of the soul. Isn’t that child the Protector-nim’s younger brother, but a dragon?”

Yukien took a sip of tea and let out a satisfied exclamation.

“I could feel the mountains rejoicing a week ago. The spirits danced and the wind sang. They know their master has returned.”

“There’s no point in hiding it. That’s right.”

“Right, right, right.”

I wish she could also confirm that Miria is Rista, but the chances were low, considering she couldn’t recognize that I was Rein and that PiPi was the real PiPi.

That would be natural.

This witch couldn’t have lived for 300 years. No human can live for 300 years. No matter how virtuous a witch may be.

“But how did you come to such a terrible era? Or is it because a young dragon has returned that the servants of the abyss are rampant, aiming for that power… Hmm.”

“Come to think of it, I noticed something strange on the way here. All the Red Pet trees were logged. And many villages have turned into ruins. Why is the Senate leaving these things unattended… ?”

“Scold, scold, scold, scold.”

“The Senate? Protector-nim is chasing the shadows of a long past. The era when the Republic lived a theocratic life under the teachings of the priestesses is over. It ended too long ago.”

Unlike the Holy Human Empire, where the imperial power was constantly changing, the Dragonkin Republic enjoyed a powerful golden age under the rule of the dragons, called Kars Dargonia (Peace of the Dragons).

Seven great cities that rose neatly in the territory that could only be described as vast, from the south of the Akrad continent to the central part of the Adrion continent.

In the past, the dragonkin resided in these great cities and exercised vast control over the nearby small cities and villages. 300 years ago, that is.

“That era, when witches conveyed the teachings of the dragonkin and citizens listened to those teachings, ended with the era of the Fire Dragon’s priestess Freide-nim and the great priestess Tureina-nim…”

“Does that mean about 200 years ago? Tureina served as a priestess around that time.”

Even though Tureina died when I was young, she worked as a priestess 200 years ago.

“Yes. The seven great cities have been divided into city-states, each with its own sovereignty and culture. In the rugged areas that the city’s hands can’t reach, the six sects and three escort agencies reign like clans, receiving donations in the name of protection.”

“What is that…”

“The current governing system of the Republic is the so-called city alliance system, also known as Chilgyeongyukmunsampyo (Seven Capitals, Six Sects, Three Escorts).”

I was so dumbfounded that I forgot how to blink for a moment.

What is it?

What the hell happened?

I regretted skipping all the Republic parts when I was studying history in the family, because I had heard so much about the Republic’s history, politics, and administrative system from Freide that it was ingrained in my ears.

“It’s fortunate that you remember the great era of the Republic. Now… witches have become secular and prefer to stay in cities rather than in the shrines of rugged areas, and most human magistrates don’t even know a single line of the Dragon Scripture.”

“……”

“There are not many honest and faithful people left. How Yuliana-nim, Tureina-nim’s last disciple, is struggling…”

It was a cruel era, but I could feel my breath catching in my chest with a sense of pride, or should I say admiration.

Because the Republic was like a Republic in the era of Freide and Tureina… and her disciple Yuliana is also said to be an honest person.

I was reminded of the fox beastkin Beduel, who lived diligently to explain the proud deeds of his ancestors to the returning hero Enuel.

The moment I thought of Beduel, a cold chill ran down my spine.

Because the ominous suspicion that all of this was a plan that had been carefully carried out in someone’s palm began to raise its head.

Just like how the beastkin and humans were alienated over 500 years.

“Still, when the Yellow Dragon Legion was around, they at least pretended to follow the guidance of light…”

“Even the Yellow Dragon Legion’s power and influence have been drastically reduced since the Black Spot incident, so an era has come where everyone lives as they please.”

The one who said that was a woman with golden hair wet with a refreshing lilac scent.

“The Witch Association is also divided into several branches, so they haven’t been able to show great unity even though Luzajhen is moving so openly.”

Beauty like the dawn light shining into the darkness… For a moment, I forgot the era and the world, and overlapped the face of my old friend on her face.

Miria’s hair was short. Shorter than I am now, let alone compared to Rista.

Yet, those eyes, hair, and curves revealed under the cowhide vest, all exuded a much purer charm than noble young ladies dressed up and made up beautifully.

Perhaps interpreting the reason I was staring at her differently, Miria looked at Aki, who was drowsily asleep in her arms, and bit her lip slightly.

“Here.”

“Huh?”

“What do you mean ‘huh’? I didn’t let him eat the soap and washed him well. He’s asleep now, but he was really uncontrollable.”

I let out a hollow laugh and took Aki back into her arms.

“Keep him.”

“What are you talking about? He seemed docile, but he kept looking for you near the end of the bath. It was hard to reassure him. Aki wants to be by your side.”

“You’ve already washed him, why are you taking him again? I want to take a leisurely bath for the first time in a while. I have to wash PiPi too.”

More than anything, it was a bit awkward to ask her to hand him over when she was holding him so dearly.

To fall asleep in someone else’s arms besides me, I was a little sad… Traitor, I didn’t think this. It’s true. No, it’s true.

Miria suddenly wore a transparent smile, and then buried her face in Aki’s head with a shy look, and a shy blush appeared on her cheeks.

“Then… I’ll keep him until you come out of the bath.”

The gap between Miria’s cold side and her bright nature was strangely attractive.

Rista was always so bright and proactive that I was always the one being taken advantage of… A bitter smile appeared when I thought of that.

While washing away the dirt with PiPi in hot water, I thought about the changed circumstances of the Republic, what to do in the future, and Miria.

‘If it were someone else, if it were another place, I would never have left Aki with someone.’

But why did I trust her and leave him with her?

Regardless of whether Miria resembled Rista, I might have just liked that girl’s humanity. Yukien too.

And the next day, we headed to the riverside fishing village of Oltaris, the meeting place with the Witch Association.