The Forest Race Clonne

Chapter 70

“Oh, by the way, Sei, do you know what type of tree the King is associated with?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Geez, no one told you even the most basic stuff.”

Kalph clicked his tongue in frustration but then looked at me with a calm, almost resolute expression. It might just be my imagination, but his demeanor seemed somber.

“The King is associated with the Acacia tree.”

“Acacia…?”

“Have you heard of it?”

“No, this is the first time.”

“Ah, I see. Yeah, I suppose it would be unfamiliar if you’re from Seoryeong. Acacia mainly grows in Dongryeong.”

Kalph’s expression turned slightly wistful as he nodded. It made sense that he would feel disappointed about my lack of knowledge. The Clonne race, being the rulers of the forest, would naturally care deeply about such things. Moreover, considering the Clonne King had helped in the founding of the Empire, it’s even more significant.

“Acacia is one of the trees that heralds the beginning of summer. They tend to grow in colonies and have a really pleasant scent. Once you smell it, you’ll understand why it’s called the King’s tree. I’ll show you once we get to Dongryeong.”

“Yes, I look forward to it.”

I nodded with a smile. Once the situation in the forest stabilized, we, too, would begin our migration. Having lived my entire life as a local of Seoryeong without ever leaving the Empire, the thought of moving to a completely different continent made my heart flutter with anticipation.

* * *

―Hey. When do you plan on finally getting here?

A sigh naturally escaped my lips at the clear voice echoing in the darkness. The completely black surroundings made it impossible to see even an inch ahead. The only things I knew were that I was walking aimlessly somewhere and that the owner of the urging voice was waiting for me at the end of this path. And, this dream had been repeating so many times that I lost count.

‘Is this the dream Lord Kalph mentioned…?’

Today marked the fifth day. Since my first awakening, I had been having the same dream every night, so it must be related to the awakening process. The problem was that I couldn’t remember anything upon waking. I tried hard to keep my mind focused until the end to avoid forgetting, but it was futile. As soon as I woke up, all memories evaporated like mist, only to return when I fell asleep again, as if my opinions and thoughts didn’t matter.

‘Judging by the condescending tone, I doubt you have a pleasant personality.’

―I hope you’re not directing that at me.

‘Just talking to myself.’

―You still don’t trust me. I assure you, this isn’t a scenario I’ve concocted.

Even though he said that it was hard to trust him. The fact that he could seemingly read my mind made it feel as though he held all the cards. A low chuckle spread through the void.

―I regret you feel that way. But I should mention, that I’m not speaking either. Here, all I can do is sense you; nothing more.

‘So, that means…’

―It means you’re also reading my thoughts.

He grumbled, asking to be believed now. It didn’t sound like a lie. Despite his leisurely tone, I could feel his impatience underneath.

He was anxious. He feared that my aimless wandering would result in me losing my way, and never reaching him. He was worried about not being able to meet me. It felt strange, both sensing someone else’s emotions so clearly and knowing someone was waiting for me this desperately.

―I’d appreciate it if you could hurry up a bit. Waiting here for you is dreadfully boring.

His urging voice wasn’t entirely unwelcome. If anything, the journey might have been more distressing without it. In that sense, his presence was somewhat comforting.

‘I’d like to, but I don’t even know where this place is.’

―You’re getting closer. Still far, but closer.

‘You can tell that?’

―Of course. When it comes to you, I know everything. Probably better than you know yourself.

His tone was somewhat smug, as though he had won some kind of competition. I let out a bemused chuckle.

‘It’s unfair that you know everything about me while I don’t even know who you are.’

―It’s not that you don’t know; you just haven’t realized it yet.

‘Haven’t realized it…’

―That’s entirely up to you. Put in a bit more effort to remember. Unfortunately, that’s the one thing I can’t do for you.

‘That sounds as if you can do other things for me.’

―I’ve already told you. I know everything about you.

For someone who claimed to know everything, he was remarkably unhelpful. While he answered my questions, most of his responses were vague. He insisted I had to realize the crucial things on my own, but what exactly could he do for me?

As I let out a cynical laugh, I felt his emotions waver. It was an ambiguous feeling, as if he was both troubled and amused.

―You still don’t trust me? That’s fine. I actually like that about you. To earn your trust, I suppose actions speak louder than words, right?

‘What do you…’

―It’s time to wake up, Seirakia. Staying asleep any longer could be dangerous.

“…!”

Suddenly, the ground beneath my feet vanished. With nothing to stand on, my body started to fall endlessly.

* * *

“…Huff!”

I gasped and opened my eyes wide. The familiar ceiling came into view through my blurred vision. The sky outside was turning a faint twilight color.

‘I must have fallen asleep.’

I had only meant to close my eyes for a moment, but it seemed I had drifted off. Considering the sky was bright when I last saw it, I must have been asleep for at least a few hours. It was an unusually deep sleep for a mere nap. I clicked my tongue lightly and slowly sat up. My whole body was drenched, as if I had a fever.

‘Once again, I don’t remember anything.’

This has been happening a lot recently. Sleep would overtake me at any moment, and when I did sleep, it was so deep that I might not have noticed if someone carried me off. Every time, it felt like I was having intense dreams, but I couldn’t remember any of them upon waking.

At first, I thought it was simply due to exhaustion, but with the same thing happening daily, it seemed far from normal. Reflecting on it, these symptoms started after my awakening began. It had to be related to the awakening process.

‘I should ask Lord Kalph about this.’

If it was related to the awakening, he would likely have answers for me. At the very least, I could mentally prepare. As I finished getting up, I heard murmuring from outside the door. It was the time of day when patrol members returned, so it usually got noisy around this time, but today felt different. It wasn’t just chatter; it felt like there was a commotion.

Opening the door, I walked out into the hallway and saw people gathered around a table, discussing something intently. They all had serious expressions. Kalph, who was at the center of the discussion, noticed me and looked up.

“Oh, Sei. You’re awake.”

“Lord Kalph, what’s going on?”

“I was about to wake you up anyway; it’s an emergency.”

“An emergency…”

“A human has entered the forest. And it seems they’re looking for you.”

“…What?”

For a moment, my mind blanked from the shock. A human entering the forest? And looking for me? Feeling bewildered, I looked at Kalph, who nodded in confirmation.

“It seems he’s been in the forest for a bit, but we only discovered him recently. He’s been walking around calling your name.”

“Who on earth would be looking for me?”

“He seems to be around your age. Do you know any humans with silver hair?”

‘Camille.’

I swallowed dryly. There was no time for hesitation. Among the people I knew, only one had hair that could be called silver. Kalph seemed reassured by my reaction.

“It looks like you have someone in mind.”

“…Are you sure it’s really silver hair?”

“Yes, but even if they’re an acquaintance of yours, we can’t just let him in. Could you tell me how you know them?”

My mind was in turmoil. Could it really be Camille? Why would he come looking for me? I had betrayed him not once, but twice.

When I decided to leave on my own, I thought I would never reconnect with him again. Even if I wanted to see him, I was convinced he would reject me. I had drawn a clear line to make sure of it. So why now?

“Sei?”

“Ah, sorry. If it’s who I think it is… he’s probably my cousin.”

“Cousin? Oh dear, then we must hurry to save him.”

“…Save him? What do you mean by that?”

“He’s currently in a fierce fight with a large number of beasts. We’ve sent people to help, but it looks like he’s already been injured.”

Camille is injured?

It felt like all the blood drained from my body. My fingertips turned cold and began to tremble beyond my control. Seeing my anxious state, Kalph patted my shoulder.

“It doesn’t seem to be severe, so don’t worry too much. He’ll be alright.”

“Where is he now? I need to go see him…”

“No need. They’ll bring him here soon. They should already be on their way.”

Just as he said, the noise from outside grew louder, and someone came in to deliver the news. They had rescued the human wandering in the forest and asked what to do next. Kalph responded promptly.

“It seems to be Sei’s cousin. Bring him inside.”

“But he’s a human. Will it really be okay?”

“It’s just one person, and besides, he’s injured. He needs treatment.”

No one voiced any objections to that. The messenger left, and everyone stepped out to welcome the incoming guest. We waited near the village entrance, and soon enough, people appeared, supporting a man from either side.

The man, bent over with severe injuries, could barely walk. Through the roughly pulled-up hood, I could see strands of silver hair. It truly was silver.