Chapter 92

[Character Index]

[Kililul Kalanysh]

[Male, Age: 26]

The chieftain of the wildling tribe, who bears the Kalanysh name, originating from Mount Kalanysh. The chieftain is traditionally called the “Kililvex” and is succeeded by the child of the previous Kililvex who inherits the “Fiery Power.”

The Fiery Power is a type of magic that allows one to maintain body heat in even the coldest weather and exhibit superhuman strength.

He lost all his people to Aksen while defending the North.

Combat Level: 99

Primary Weapon: Bare fists and an indestructible steel hammer.

***

“Master! My Lady!”

By the time Alec and I reached the castle, the sun had already set, and the servants who spotted us were visibly startled. Even Andrew, who had been in the drawing room, rushed out in surprise.

“Louise! Alec!”

“We’ve been eagerly awaiting your return!”

“Did you all have a good day?” I asked with a bright smile as I walked into the hall.

Servants began emerging from all corners, all looking us over with worried eyes.

“Did you return safely? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“We were wondering if we should come looking for you since we weren’t sure you’d make it back today!”

I gave a small smile at their concern.

“Thank you for worrying. We made it back safely. We were very lucky.”

“Lucky?” one of the servants asked in confusion.

“Isn’t that right, Alec?” I glanced up at Alec beside me, and he gave a small nod.

I smiled again at Andrew and the other servants. “We went to Mount Kalanysh and even visited the wild men’ settlement.”

“What? Already?”

“Is that really true?”

Andrew’s eyes were wide with shock as he looked back and forth between Alec and me. Alec spoke up then.

“We gave them Hiliberry. There’s still plenty left, so we’ll share some with everyone.”

“What? Hiliberry?”

“Hiliberry?!” Andrew and the others jumped in disbelief.

“You really found them?” Andrew asked again, this time directing his question at me.

“Yes. The wild men have never seen them in their lives, so it’s quite a mystery how we managed to find them.”

“You’re incredibly fortunate… It’s hard to believe,” Andrew said, still stunned, while the other servants were rendered speechless for a moment.

Mrs. Greta seized the opportunity to ask, “Did you have a meal, or should I prepare a bath first?”

“It’d be better to eat something first. We’re both quite hungry,” I replied.

“Understood, My Lady. I’ll have it ready at once.”

“I’ll bring fresh clothes for you both from your rooms,” Jane added.

“Thank you, Jane.”

As Mrs. Greta headed to the kitchen, Jane and James followed Alec and me up the stairs. Andrew mentioned he would wait for us in the drawing room and returned there.

As we climbed the stairs, I felt a peculiar sense of comfort.

“It really feels like home now that we’re back at the castle… I wish we could stay here forever without ever having to move again.”

Even though we had only spent a few days here, I was already growing fond of the North. The fresh air and the sense of freedom from the stifling capital were exhilarating.

Mount Kalanysh, which we visited for the first time today, was especially unforgettable.

After changing quickly, Alec and I met again in the dining hall.

“I can’t believe there’s a fruit like this in the world,” Andrew marveled, holding up a Hiliberry and inspecting it in awe.

We had already set aside enough Hiliberry for the servants, and I answered while eating eagerly.

“It’s fascinating, isn’t it? Try it. The taste is even more extraordinary.”

As Andrew popped the Hiliberry into his mouth, Alec watched him closely. After a few chews, Andrew’s eyes widened.

“…It’s incredible!” he exclaimed.

I smiled silently. I had the same reaction when I first tasted the fruit on Mount Kalanysh.

“The wild men must be going wild over these,” Andrew commented.

“Do you think so? I hope they appreciate them, though I’m not sure how they’ll use the Hiliberry,” I replied.

“They’re probably offering them on an altar and celebrating among themselves as we speak,” Andrew said, grabbing another berry.

“If they are, that would make me happy.”

“I heard about Hiliberry when I was living with the wild men. It’s one of the legends passed down among them.”

“What kind of legend?”

“Well, the story goes that if you eat even one Hiliberry, you’ll never die, even if death itself comes for you, and you’ll live a long life. That’s probably why they call it a miracle elixir.”

“I see.”

I quietly reached out for another berry and ate it. I wanted to pass one to Alec, but the table was too wide for me to do so. Glancing at him, I saw that he was listening to the conversation while continuing his meal.

At that moment, Andrew spoke again, his face bright.

“The wild men are sure to revere the two of you now. You’ll never be captured as slaves by them again, nor will a new lord need to be sent.”

I gave him a sympathetic smile at his self-deprecating joke.

“That’s not true. Earlier, I noticed that Kililul is far more suspicious and guarded than I expected.”

“Really?”

I nodded at Andrew. “Yes, he seems to be worried that we might bring harm to his tribe, so he’s not quick to trust us.”

To be honest, I had been hoping, just for a moment, that once we showed him the Hiliberry, he might be amazed and accept us as allies. But it was clear that Kililul needed more time to observe us. Still, we had shown them our capabilities through the Hiliberry, and I thought it might be a good idea to host a grand feast to further strengthen our bond.

‘I need to head back to the capital soon and bring back some delicious ingredients…’

Just as that thought crossed my mind, Andrew’s voice broke through again.

“Either way, both of you worked hard.”

“Alec worked harder than I did,” I said, looking at Alec with a sparkle in my eyes.

Andrew also turned to Alec with a look of admiration. “Well done, Alec.”

Alec, trying to seem nonchalant, brushed his lips with his hand. “It wasn’t as difficult as expected.”

“We should go to Mount Kalanyshh together again, Alec.”

“Understood.”

I gave him a playful smile, and he gazed back at me for a brief moment. I noticed Andrew looking at both of us with a slightly bewildered expression, alternating his gaze between me and Alec.

Just then, we heard the sound of someone rushing in from the entrance.

“Master! My Lady!”

“Jane?”

“Please, come outside quickly. Something urgent has happened!”

“Urgent?” Alec asked, puzzled. Jane took a steadying breath before responding.

“We have… guests!”

“…”

For a brief second, we stared at her, dumbfounded. Guests? Here? It didn’t seem possible. Alec dabbed his lips with a napkin and stood up. Andrew and I, still taken aback, followed him outside.

“Guests? Who could it be? No one should be coming here…” I muttered.

“You should go and see for yourself, My Lady,” Jane’s voice quivered with tension.

We quickly stepped out to the gate that led to the moat, and beyond it, to our surprise, stood several men on horseback, all displaying impressive physiques.

It was Kililul and the wild men.

“…Kililul!”

I couldn’t hide my astonishment. What was going on? Was this a good thing or a bad thing? Perhaps they needed more Hiliberry and had come as we invited them?

Kililul gave a slight nod, and the other wild men began unloading items from their horses. They placed the goods in front of us, and I watched in amazement.

There were rolls of soft, white fur tied with leather straps—an immense quantity, at that. It was the bearskin I had seen on Mount Kalanyshh.

“Here’s your reward,” Kililul said.

“…?”

Reward?

Under the moonlight, Kililul’s eyes gleamed deeply, as if he had come to some resolution in his heart.

“This is payment for bringing joy to our tribe.”

“…”

My heart started racing. Kililul gazed widely at both Alec and me.

“Today, thanks to you nobles, our wild men had a rare moment of peace and happiness. The people I must protect were filled with joy.”

“…”

So, they really had celebrated.

“Thank you for obtaining the legendary elixir and gifting our tribe with such a miraculous experience.”

“…”

“This is our way of repaying you. There’s nothing better than bearskin to survive the winters of the North.”

“…”

I couldn’t blink, nor could I speak. Without waiting for a response, Kililul tugged on his horse’s reins, turning it around swiftly and departing. The sound of many horses galloping away echoed in the distance.

“…”

My heart continued to pound with exhilaration, the kind of beat you feel when you realize you’ve truly accomplished something.

We were already forging a bond with the wild men

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