Chapter 126: Knight of the High Elf (4)

Ketal had endured demonic powers and a spirit’s onslaught using nothing but his physical body, absent of any Myst. By all conventional logic, it should have been impossible. There was only one plausible explanation: his body itself was some kind of Myst, possessing a unique

rank

or

level

all on its own.

But is that really possible? Can one’s body possess a unique rank?

Arkemis thought.

Even with all her knowledge as a High Elf, Arkemis couldn’t conceive of such a thing ever existing. If this theory were untrue, she had no way of rationalizing Ketal’s overwhelming strength. Eventually, she simply accepted the one certainty in front of her—that Ketal was extraordinarily powerful.

She gazed at him pensively. He had struck down an Epic spirit in a single blow. Not even the strongest Transcendents could usually manage that.

That places him at least in the highest tiers of Transcendent ability,

she thought,

maybe even on the verge of Hero level.

However, she couldn’t be certain, because the realm of Heroes fell beyond her usual frame of reference.

As these thoughts churned in her mind, Arkemis recalled something Ketal had mentioned about hiding from even stronger monsters back in his homeland, the White Snowfield.

That can’t mean this same Ketal was once considered a prey, can it? If so, what kind of horrors roam that place...?

Arkemis wondered. She shuddered involuntarily, still believing that Ketal had to have lived in hiding to escape the worst terrors of his homeland.

“Anyway,” Ketal said, breaking into her thoughts. “What will you do now?”

Arkemis blinked, leaving her private musings behind. “Oh, right... I’m going back home. It’s not merely a personal matter anymore.”

She had originally decided to return to Elfo Sagrado because evil forces were targeting her, a concern unrelated to her study of alchemy. Thanks to Ketal, there was no longer any reason for her to give up her craft, and returning home still seemed like the wisest course of action.

“At least now I can do so without feeling burdened,” she continued. “Thank you for that, Ketal.”

“You’ve already helped me in many ways,” Ketal replied with a casual laugh. “Think of this as a bit of payback.”

A hint of sadness flickered across Arkemis’s face. “So... this is goodbye, then.”

She would head to her holy land, while Ketal planned to venture to the holy land of Kalosia. Their paths diverged completely, and she couldn’t be sure when they might meet again.

“You will visit me someday, won’t you?” Arkemis asked Ketal, clearly hoping for reassurance.

“Of course.”

“Can you promise me?” she pressed, wanting him to commit fully.

Ketal smiled and nodded again. Arkemis busied herself packing up her workshop, and with Ketal’s help, it was a relatively quick process.

“Give me a hand too, Parco,” Arkemis called out.

“S-sure...” Parco stammered. He directed the wind in a gentle, careful manner, a stark contrast to his earlier attempt to demolish the place.

“I should also say goodbye to Milayna before leaving,” Arkemis said. She paused, gazing around at the empty house, lost in thought for a moment. Then, she turned to Ketal. “Hey.”

“Yes?”

She hesitated, then offered a warm smile. “Thank you. Not just for giving me catalysts, but for everything else. I... I had a lot of fun, thanks to you.”

Arkemis’s sincerity shone through in those words. This was her true feeling.

“You’re the first real friend I made outside my home,” she admitted somewhat shyly.

“Milayna might be upset to hear that,” Ketal teased.

She shrugged. “But it’s true. I really enjoyed our time together. So you’d better come visit, okay?”

“I promise.”

“Remember—you have to,” she insisted, placing a great emphasis on the words.

“I will,” Ketal said, smiling at her unwavering resolve.

Just as they seemed on the verge of bidding each other farewell, Ketal suddenly glanced at Parco as though recalling something. “Wait, Parco.”

Parco froze under his gaze, trembling like a mouse caught in a thunderstorm. “Wh-what is it?”

“It’s just a small favor,” Ketal explained calmly. “I suspect there are plenty of others in the Elfo Sagrado who dislike Arkemis’s interest in alchemy. If any of them try to suppress her... I’d appreciate it if you would take care of the problem.”

His steady, almost serene gaze locked onto Parco, whose posture wilted as though he’d shrunk several sizes.

“If I come to visit later and find there’s been trouble, I’ll be... disappointed. So, please keep that in mind,” Ketal said.

“Y-yes, I understand...,” Parco said quickly, bowing his head.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Early the next day, Arkemis informed Milayna of her departure. Though Milayna was startled at first, she soon accepted the necessity of Arkemis’s return home and lifted any contractual obligations without argument.

After that, Arkemis left.

Ketal stood alone in her now-empty house, murmuring into the silence. “It does feel lonely.”

Arkemis had been his longest and closest companion since he left the White Snowfield. Parting ways inevitably stirred a pang of regret, yet separation was a natural part of life.

They would meet again someday, and he relished the thought of seeing what progress Arkemis might have made by then.

In the meantime, it was time for him to head somewhere new, with the promise of fresh encounters. Ketal stepped outside and began his journey once more.

***

Ketal sought out an inn in the capital city. The moment the receptionist saw him, she let out a startled cry, but after a short conversation, Ketal managed to calm her down.

Once inside, he found that Hayes and Naflas were already waiting for him. Naflas looked mildly surprised to see him.

“You truly came,” he said in a low voice. “To be honest, I half expected you might disappear without a word.”

In truth, even two days could be more than enough time for someone to change their mind. An agreement lacking any sort of real enforcement often held no value, so Naflas had assumed Ketal might never show up.

“If I promise to do something, I keep my word,” Ketal replied as though it were the simplest thing in the world.

Naflas’s eyes shone with genuine admiration. “Yes... Unfortunately, not everyone in this world observes such simple honesty.”

It was apparent from his respectful demeanor that he had grown even more fond of Ketal. On the other hand, Hayes wore a complicated expression.

Naflas bowed his head politely. “Once again, we express our deepest gratitude. We truly commend and thank you for making such a heroic decision.”

Everything was ready. Their group would depart soon for the holy land of Kalosia. Ketal turned to Naflas and asked him, “Where is it, exactly?”

Here,” Naflas said as he spread a map across the table. He pointed to a specific spot.

Ketal studied the location and then gave a small nod. “Seems it’s not that far.”

“If we don’t run into any major problems on the way, we should arrive in about a month,” Naflas explained. “Though once we approach the holy land, the forces of evil may try to stand in our way. Even so, the people at the sanctuary will come to our aid, so it shouldn’t be too dangerous.”

“I understand,” Ketal answered, nodding again.

After rolling up the map, Naflas looked at him with mild concern. “Are you sure you’ll be okay traveling so light?”

Both Naflas and Hayes had come prepared with large, sturdy backpacks, filled with dried foods, clothing, and other necessities. It was only natural, given the journey would last about a month.

Meanwhile, Ketal appeared to carry nothing. Sensing Naflas’s worried gaze, Ketal merely patted a small leather pouch hanging from his belt.

“I’ll be fine,” Ketal replied. “I have this.”

“Is... that an artifact?” Naflas asked him cautiously, unable to hide his surprise.

“It has about the capacity of a modest room,” Ketal said. “I’ve already packed everything I need inside.”

“What?” Naflas’s eyes went wide. “W-where did you get an artifact like that?”

“I received it as a reward for helping someone,” Ketal replied.

In truth, that

someone

was the lord of the Barcan Estate, who had given Ketal the pouch in gratitude after he took down Kartos the lich. Since it allowed him to carry supplies so conveniently, he had grown quite fond of the artifact.

Naflas still looked incredulous. “A reward of that magnitude...? They just handed over an artifact like that?”

“Is it really that valuable?” Ketal asked, tilting his head.

“Valuable doesn’t even begin to describe it. A small pouch that has the capacity of an entire room would be treasured in a royal vault without question,” Naflas insisted.

Hearing this, Ketal looked surprised. “I didn’t know it was that great.”

Ketal indeed took the artifact gratefully, but he never asked about its actual value. Now, he was appreciating it even more.

Naflas rubbed his chin. “Who exactly gave you such an artifact?”

“The lord whose estate I was staying in. He said he’d procured it from some merchants who wander around, or so I was told.”

“Ah, so it must have been

them,

” Naflas murmured. A flash of understanding passed across his face. “Yes, that explains it.”

“Have you heard of them?” Ketal asked him.

“They’re quite famous, though no one’s certain what they truly are,” Naflas said, his voice holding a note of intrigue. “They go by the name Wandering Merchants. Dressed in strange ornaments, they appear out of nowhere and offer goods in exchange for some kind of payment. Everything they sell is extraordinarily valuable—rare artifacts or materials you’d never find otherwise. What's more, they usually charge only a modest price relative to the item’s worth.”

“I see,” Ketal said with keen interest. “Do they trade exclusively for money?”

“Not always. Sometimes they take an item of equal value. Other times they give you a request to fulfill. People say the more difficult the task, the greater the reward you can earn,” Naflas explained. “All adventurers dream of meeting them at least once, but I have traveled for years and never encountered them myself.”

“How fascinating,” Ketal remarked with a faint laugh.

The more I learn about this world, the more intriguing it becomes.

“In any case,” Naflas said, taking a breath, “it looks like you won’t have any trouble managing supplies. Shall we set out right away?”

“Certainly,” Ketal agreed. “It’s a long journey. I look forward to traveling with you both.”

Naflas offered his hand, and Ketal shook it, returning his smile. Together, they stepped outside.

As Ketal exited Denian Kingdom’s capital—the second city where he’d settled down for any length of time since leaving the White Snowfield—he glanced back briefly. It was also his first-ever capital city.

Farewell,

he thought. He turned away with light steps, heading toward the famed holy land said to harbor a living god. A spirited gleam flickered in his eyes as he set off once more.

***

The group traveled steadily toward Kalosia’s holy land, and throughout the journey, Naflas kept striking up conversations with Ketal.

“There are many people who view our church negatively,” Naflas admitted, “but once you look deeper, we’re a close-knit family. Admittedly, some of those rumors aren’t entirely wrong... but they refer to things we did long in the past. We’ve made every effort to correct ourselves since then.”

In truth, Naflas seemed bent on bringing Ketal over to the faith of Kalosia, and he spoke glowingly of the doctrine.

However, Ketal simply listened with a relaxed smile. Far from growing bored, he looked genuinely curious about everything Naflas said, which only spurred the man on further.

“At some point, I heard that you traveled with Hayes,” Naflas went on. “So you must know what a kindhearted person she is. She sent money to our holy land regularly, despite her own difficulties. She truly is a model believer.”

“I know,” Ketal agreed. “She’s a very kind woman.”

“Haha...” Suddenly the topic of conversation, Hayes forced out a strained laugh, clearly uncomfortable with the praise.

They walked for some time, until their hunger reminded them it was time for a meal. Hayes and Naflas began pulling dried rations from their packs, but Ketal rummaged around in his small pouch and took out a cooking pot.

“Wait just a moment,” Ketal said, “and I will whip something up for us.”

“Wh-what?” Naflas sounded genuinely surprised. He obviously didn’t expect a barbarian to know how to cook. Yet, in no time at all, Ketal had prepared a simple yet savory dish and handed it to them.

Naflas took a spoonful, and his eyes went round. “It’s delicious!”

“I’m glad you like it,” Ketal replied with a grin.

Naflas gave him an incredulous stare. “I never would have guessed you had any cooking skills.”

Ketal shrugged. “I enjoy eating good food, so I learned how to make it. I’m actually fairly proud of my cooking, and my tribe members used to enjoy it too.”

Naflas’s expression turned thoughtful. “So, you’ve had plenty of communal living experience, then. You don’t mind staying in close quarters with others?”

Ketal shook his head. “Not at all. If I did, I wouldn’t have lasted so long in the capital.”

“That’s true,” Naflas mused. “You’re a barbarian, so people might have discriminated against you, yet you did just fine in the Denian Kingdom. You shouldn’t have any issues getting along with people you’ve never met.”

Then, Naflas spoke in an oddly pointed tone. “In any case, there’s no need to worry. Kalosia’s followers do not reject others simply because they’re different. You will fit in without much trouble.”

“Is that so?” Ketal found the sudden line of conversation a bit puzzling.

Why is he bringing this up out of nowhere?

“Oh, look at me, talking all nonsense. I was just curious,” Naflas said, brushing aside Ketal’s unspoken question with a pleasant smile.

Meanwhile, Hayes’s expression grew noticeably darker.