The Forest Race Clonne

Chapter 84

"So, what's your na—"

“There you are.”

Whether it was fortunate or not, someone approached him at that moment. It was another young man of similar age, also wearing the Mage Tower cloak. The silver-haired man turned and greeted him with a bright smile.

“You’re here, Vaen?”

“Why do you look so happy? I’ve been searching for you for a while. Didn’t I specifically tell you not to ditch your guards?”

The man named Vaen sighed, flanked by two armored guards. Their black armor shimmered with a subtle, golden sheen. Even someone like me, who knew little about weapons and armor, could recognize what that metal was. It was called Macheol, a special alloy manufactured by the Mage Tower through unique methods.

Macheol was known for its durability, resistance to dulling, and its ability to carry magical properties. It was so absurdly expensive that people said you'd have to sell a kingdom to afford a single sword made of it. There was only one place in the world that could afford to invest such a costly metal into armor—the Mage Tower.

Feeling a sense of incredulity, I looked back at the silver-haired man. Forging a cloak was one thing, but replicating a Macheol armor was nearly impossible. Even if he wasn’t a mage, it confirmed he was indeed associated with the Mage Tower. The innocent smile he gave me as our eyes met only added to my bewilderment.

“Who is this?”

Vaen’s voice cut through, sounding suspicious. His wary gaze brought me back to my senses. The sense that I needed to leave this place was still strong—no, it was growing stronger.

Flee.

It felt like someone was warning me inside my head.

Realizing nothing good would come from staying, I turned around without bothering to respond. I heard the silver-haired man’s voice, tinged with disappointment, but I didn’t look back.

“He just left. I wanted to talk more.”

"I told you not to talk to strangers. Why do you always do the things I tell you not to? Why are you causing trouble again?"

"But I liked him. He didn’t seem like a bad person."

"…You liked him?"

With those cryptic mutterings being the last I heard, their conversation faded away. Even after I had put a considerable distance between us, I kept walking without stopping. Since I had already decided to leave, I hurried my steps and swiftly exited the territory.

I never looked back while I was moving. It felt as though if I did, I’d be grabbed by the nape of my neck at any moment. It was an illogical, inexplicable sensation that even I couldn’t fully understand.

That night, I had a restless sleep plagued by uneasy dreams. At some point, I thought I heard someone sigh, though I couldn’t clearly remember it. It was a day that left an unpleasant aftertaste in many ways.

* * *

“Hey, did you hear the news? The Mage Tower is closing its gates!”

On a cloudy afternoon, the once quiet restaurant suddenly buzzed with chatter. It was all due to the proclamation that had just been posted on the town’s notice board.

“Closing its gates? What’s going on? It’s not the usual time for that.”

“Exactly. But it seems it’s true. They’ve recalled all the mages who were out on assignments back to the Tower.”

“This is serious. How long will it last?”

“No one knows yet. It seems like there’s no set duration.”

“Ugh. The prices of magical tools and spellbooks will skyrocket.”

The people sighed, their faces filled with worry. With everyday magic becoming widespread, magic tools had become a normal part of life. In a world where even lighting a fire depended on magic, the closure of the Mage Tower, which had a monopoly on this field, would be a huge blow.

The suddenness of it all added to the confusion. While the Tower did regularly close its gates, these events were usually announced well in advance, with clear timelines. However, this time, the proclamation had come out of nowhere.

This time, there was no explanation given, making it a unilateral decision. Whatever was going on, it didn’t seem like a trivial matter.

‘Were they returning as well?’

I naturally thought of the encounter from the previous day. The Mage Tower’s insignia weren’t hidden, and seeing the guards accompanying them, it made sense.

‘They certainly stood out.’

I had seen mages from the Mage Tower even when I was at the Imperial Palace. They all had an unmistakable and unique aura. However, the ones I met yesterday were especially distinctive. The silver-haired man unusually drew attention, and Vaen, who appeared later, was particularly unsettling.

His brown hair and blue eyes—an ordinary enough appearance that was almost too bland. But a Mage Tower mage could never be truly ordinary. To look ordinary meant he was deliberately giving that impression—whether through magic or acting. Either way, he was not someone I wanted to get close to.

‘But I’ll probably never see them again.’

Just thinking about it made me uneasy, so I quickly pushed the thought aside. My mind was already filled with enough worries.

“The food you ordered is here.”

At that moment, the server approached and set a plate in front of me.

“Normally, we serve roasted potatoes and rye bread with this, but as I mentioned earlier, the price stays the same even if you leave out the vegetables. Are you sure this is alright?”

“Yes, it’s fine.”

“Alright then, enjoy your meal.”

As the waiter turned to leave, he kept glancing at me. It wasn’t just him. The stares around me felt sharp. Eyes filled with suspicion, as if they were wary of a stranger. Pretending to focus on my meal, I barely held back a sigh.

‘Is it the same here too?’

My bad feelings rarely missed the mark, as usual.

The newly arrived Laphilus territory was much the same as Fortuna. Soldiers were posted everywhere, with their presence suggesting they were looking for someone. At least they hadn’t removed all the plants, but the watchful gazes were even more intense. It confirmed that the atmosphere in Fortuna wasn’t purely the Lord’s unilateral decision. The alliance was united in searching for someone.

My theory solidified in my mind. The Demonic Beasts who were suddenly released from their seals, and the First Imperial Prince, who seemed to be the most likely one behind it all. The fact that Seranta was deeply involved in some way with this relationship.

‘Since when?’

I had it wrong from the beginning. I thought the First Imperial Prince extended his hand as Seranta’s influence grew, but it was the other way around. Seranta grew because they allied with the First Imperial Prince. This explained the controlled flow of information.

‘What have you done, Count Lavant?’

My head pounded. I never considered him a father, but I did have some sympathy for him. Never had I imagined becoming entangled in this way.

‘But Dewey doesn’t seem to know that I’m Clonne.’

If he were allied with the Demonic Beast, he would have known my identity. However, when we reunited, his reaction toward me was definitely not an act. Perhaps he wasn’t entirely in league with them.

‘I need to meet the Count.’

This wasn’t how I envisioned our reunion, but I needed to contact him to understand the situation. If I were lucky, I might even find clues about the whereabouts of my kin. The thought made my untouched food seem even less appealing. I was about to pack up and leave when—

“One barley beer here.”

“…?”

Suddenly, a man sat across from me, casually ordering a drink. Though his hood obscured his face, it was clear he was a stranger. The restaurant wasn’t even crowded. As I stared at him, he crossed his arms and asked bluntly.

“What? You got a problem with me sitting here?”

“…I don’t mind. But do you have a reason for sitting with me?”

“Just because I felt like it.”

“Alright then. Make yourself comfortable. I was just about to leave anyway.”

“No, you’re not going anywhere.”

I flinched at the sound of his faint laugh. His relaxed voice followed, directed at me as I stood half-risen from my seat.

“Sit back down.”

“What… What are you trying to pull?”

“I said, sit. Down. And I’m warning you, if you move on your own, it won’t end well for you.”

“…”

Had I been his target from the start? Swallowing a sigh, I slowly lower myself back into the chair. Though I tried to hide my anxiety, I couldn’t stop my fingers from growing cold. The man gulped down the drink he ordered and then set the empty glass down before glancing at the food in front of me.

"Do you only eat meat? Why not the vegetables?"

"...Do I have to answer that?"

"Ah, is it that you can't eat them? Why? Does eating them make you sick? Or does it feel like you're eating something you can't even handle?"

"Please stop with the pointless taunts and just get to the point."

"Ha, you're really pissing me off. Don't pretend to be a normal human. It's disgusting."

"What do you mean...?"

“You’ve been looking for a healer, right?”

The unexpected question made me flinch again. I could feel the man’s relentless gaze on me. I hadn't inquired about Semeion in this territory yet. For him to know meant he had been following me since somewhere else. He didn’t seem to hide this fact either.

“In some villages, you claimed you were looking for a childhood friend, in others, you called him a benefactor. In some places, you said he was a conman who ran off with your money. You listed all kinds of reasons for searching for him. But in Fortuna, you suddenly went quiet? I was planning to overlook it, but the stench was unmistakable.”

“What are you…?”

“You’re really obvious, you know that? You must understand what I mean better than anyone else.”

Cold sweat dripped down my back. I casually looked toward the exit, trying to gauge the distance. But it seemed the man had already figured out my intentions, and he smiled as if daring me to try something. It was as if he knew exactly what I was thinking. He was planning to kill me here.