Chapter 299 – Silent Sage (II)

Chapter 299

Silent Sage (II)

Long Tao disappeared shortly after his rather… hmm, let’s call it passionate, rambling over the old leader of this place.

I’m a bit scared over what he’ll do, but I don’t really think it’s gonna happen anytime soon. Despite being a legendary monster, he’s ultimately still nowhere near strong enough to directly face that other monster; as such, his chance will come from long-term preparation, and since we’ve just come here, such a thing should take a while.

Until then, we should be fine.

Should.

As the day passed, I saw kids streaming in and out of the house rather consistently–they always left in pairs, at least, often going as three. I also noticed that Rayce always seemed to give them something just before they left, and after the third time, I walked over to their room and saw him hunched over a table, drawing something onto a parchment.

“A-ah, Master!” he saw me just as he finished, yelping and jumping a bit. “Forgive me! I didn’t notice you come in!”

“Really? You didn’t notice someone who purposefully made as little noise as possible so as to not disturb you? Hmm, Rayce. How could you?”

“He he,” he smiled sheepishly, scratching the top of his head.

“What are you doing?”

“Ah! Yes, I’ve been drawing as many of Breathless Words as I can,” he said.

“Aah. That’s what you’ve been giving them?”

“Hm. If they rip it, it allows them to stay underwater for up to three or four hours. It’s, it’s my first time drawing this word, so it’s not that efficient yet.”

“That’s amazing.” Honestly, it really was. I can hold my breath for just about twenty minutes, give or take a few, and the kids are somehow at about half of that. Buying them hours under there? “Why don’t you join them?”

“Ah, no, I’m best suited to stay here,” he said. “Drawing Words for them. I learned in the forest that I’m not a fighter. When I saw others having to get hurt over and over again just to cover for me… I felt so helpless. All I could do was rip a few Words, and buy a few seconds of time.”

I don’t really remember it being that way; I instead remember him covering and putting out fires wherever he could. He obviously isn’t anywhere near as good at fighting as anyone else, but he’s got a good head on his shoulders, perhaps more so than anyone save for Long Tao.

“That’s when I swore to myself,” he continued. “That I will never leave us that unprepared again. This is just one of the Words–I’ve also given them a Propelling Word that will allow them to quickly move in the water for a little while.”

“… I’ve never really asked you,” I said, sitting down on a nearby chair. “But how are you doing?”

“A-ah?”

“We never talk about it,” I said. “What happened back on the Eternal Range.”

“…”

“We don’t have to talk about it, of course. I mean, we did, once, very briefly. I just know that, if I were you, especially if I was back to my stupid sixteen-year-old self, I’d… be haunted by it. In fact, I once made a fool out of myself in front of a Young Lady as well as her friends–am still haunted by it. And, comparatively, that’s a fart in the wind.”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

“Heh,” he chuckled, lowering his head.

“If you don’t want to–“

“–no, it’s fine,” he said. “I… I’d be lying if I said it’s perfect. Sometimes, I wake up thinking I’m still there, trapped in that place, and you… never came. I’ll get better, I know. I just… need time.”

“Any dreams where I do come like a dashing hero to help you?”

“Pfft.”

“Huh? No dreams like that? Hooh. Maybe I need to work on my entrances?”

“Ha ha ha,” he burst into laughter as I smiled gently, ruffling his hair almost by instinct.

“Take all the time in the world, Rayce. And if you ever need anything, I’m always here. Not just me. All of them.”

“I know,” he smiled. “Thank you, Master.”