Thud! Thud! Thud!
Every time the boulder bangs his head, it feels like the mountain itself is shaking.
He must have hit his head about three times by now.
The boulder rubs his nose, looking like he's about to cry.
"My… my nose is broken…"
"Talking back to a Transcendent?! You've got some guts, huh?! Want me to use a spell and swap your left and right brain hemispheres?!"
"N-no! Absolutely not! I'm sorry!"
Does he even have a brain?
Or does he even know what a brain is?
The group, covered in dust from using the underground tunnel, brushes themselves off or sits down for a break while observing the scene.
"What's your name?"
"Nu-reum-dol! My name is Nureumdol! M-my friends usually call me Nureum!"
"Nureumdol… That's a cute name."
"Thank you!"
"Why use such a cute name? Doesn't suit you, does it? Huh?! Are you mocking the Transcendents?! From now on, your name is changed. You're Jjangdol (Rockhead)."
"…"
She stared at Nureumdol, clearly displeased.
"Want me to change your name with a spell? Engrave 'Jjangdol' right on your forehead?!"
"N-nooo! Thank you very much! I'm honored a Transcendent would bestow a name upon me!"
He throws himself face-first to the ground in gratitude.
No—Jjangdol does.
Watching the exchange, Liana quietly steps up and asks,
"…Did Sharen treat you like that too?"
"Well, there were some over-the-top days. But mostly, Sharen just made me run errands."
Things like buying snacks, for example.
While Sharen was putting Nureumdol—now Jjangdol—in his place, the group took a moment to sit in a circle and discuss what to do next.
"Finding a way back should be our top priority."
When Isaac spoke, everyone nodded in agreement.
No one had the slightest intention of staying in this place forever.
Finding a way to return to their original world—
That was priority number one.
But to do that, there was something else they needed first.
And that was supplies.
"First, we need to recover. Find a place to rest and get a meal."
Silverna, who was fully aware of the state of their unit, calmly laid out their dire situation.
The Northern soldiers weren't in great shape either, and in Uldren's case, he was frequently closing his eyes for long stretches, almost like he was fainting, and had become noticeably less talkative.
They asked Nureumdol if there was a place where they could rest, and he quickly pointed in one direction with his finger.
"O-over there, there's a village."
A village, huh.
Could it be a village of Transcendents?
'But where did Sharen go?'
When someone glanced up, they saw Sharen had somehow climbed up and was now sitting on top of Nureumdol.
"Is it a village where the Transcendents live?"
"N-no! Absolutely not! The Transcendents don't live there!"
"Wah?! I almost fell off!"
"I-I'm sorryyy!"
Nureumdol shook his head so hard that Sharen nearly fell off.
Despite everything, Nureumdol continued his explanation. Thanks to being absolutely terrified, he answered every question immediately.
"So what kind of village is it exactly?"
"I-it's the village of the sinners!"
"Sinners?"
Isaac tilted his head, thinking it was a strange answer, and asked again.
"Y-yes… It's a village where those who made mistakes near the territory of the Transcendents, or those who fell out of favor, are exiled. It's a gathering place for people who can no longer be called Transcendents. I-it's mostly quiet now, but occasionally a overseers comes by."
"Sounds perfect."
Silverna spoke from behind. And it wasn't just her—everyone else seemed to agree.
Among them were Liana and Sharen, who could be mistaken for Transcendents. If those two were present, entering the village would look natural.
Sharen slid off the top of Nureumdol's head and spoke.
"From today on, you're not just Jjangdol—you're also our mount!"
"…Mount."
"You don't like it? You want to keep testing me—?"
"N-no! It's an honor!"
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Nureumdol started banging his head again. Maybe that was his own version of a brain-enhancing spell. He looked confused as he raised his head.
"But… if you're really Transcendents, it's strange that you don't know about Benhaim Village."
A moment of silence fell over them.
Their eyes shifted nervously.
"Hey!"
Our wild one never knew how to stay still.
"Do you think Transcendents are a joke?! You're gonna keep questioning us like this? You wanna taste sorcery? Should I turn you into sand right here and now?!"
"N-no! I'm sorry! Forgive meee!"
Has there ever been a time when Sharen felt so reliable?
Isaac couldn't help but be impressed.
***
After descending the mountain for a bit, the outline of the village came into view.
A wooden fence surrounded it, and inside were densely packed buildings made of mud walls. The unfamiliar architecture gave the place an exotic atmosphere, making it feel very much like another world.
No people could be seen, but Liana said she could definitely sense presences.
The most concerning part was the feeling of being watched—like someone was peeking through the windows.
Not just Liana and Sharen, but even Silverna furrowed her brow as she scanned the surroundings. It was probably not just their imagination.
"We've arrived…"
Nureumdol quietly lowered his head as Sharen gracefully slid off his head.
A greatsword rested on her shoulder.
She glanced at her older sister and asked,
"Want me to handle this, sis?"
Sharen looked eager to do it herself, but Liana shook her head and stepped forward.
"No, I'll do it."
"Tch."
Still, Isaac agreed it was better for Liana to take the lead. When lying, the more you talk, the easier it is to slip up. A quiet person like Liana was a safer bet.
Isaac turned his head.
The northern soldiers following behind all had exhaustion written on their faces.
Despite putting on a cheerful front, Sharen's skin was pale, and the northern soldiers were almost silent now. Silverna's cheeks were sunken, and Uldren's condition made one worry whether he was even breathing properly.
Most importantly—they were hungry.
Their bodies and minds were already at their limits.
They had to press forward, and do so decisively.
"I'm counting on you, Liana."
At Isaac's words, Liana gave a small nod and took the lead, stepping into the village.
They'd been told to avoid standing out—but at times like these, it was better to look bold.
From her entire body, crimson energy surged up into the dark night sky, drawing the attention of the entire village.
"Let the overseer of Benhaim come forth to greet me."
Liana's voice rang out, low and prolonged.
Then, as if he had been waiting, a hunched man appeared. His face resembled that of a goat—he looked like a Transcendent, but lacked the usual hostility they carried.
"I-I am the overseer, Rankellon. I-I didn't expect a noble of the great Primordial bloodline to visit such a humble place."
What was more surprising was that Rankellon didn't even show the typical animosity Transcendents held toward humans.
For Isaac, this shook a core belief. He had always thought that Transcendents could never be friendly toward humans.
There is no such thing as a Transcendent who doesn't hate humans.
At least, that's what he'd believed.
But the Rankellon standing before him, and the eyes of the villagers around them, held only curiosity and interest toward the unexpected visitors—no hostility, no killing intent.
"Prepare food and a place to rest."
Liana's demand was calm, as if it were only natural. And precisely because of that, it felt all the more convincing.
"Ah! O-of course! I'll prepare it right away!"
"We'll be staying for a few days, so prepare accordingly."
"Yes! Understood! H-however… do you also require provisions for the humans behind you? Or should we use them for cooking—?"
At those words, Liana stared at Rankellon expressionlessly.
Her face didn't change, but the pressure she emitted became even heavier.
"They are offerings needed for a ritual. I require sacrifices brimming with life force. The journey is long, and they might die before we arrive. I need them kept alive."
"Ah! I see! I understand!"
Nodding furiously as if it all made sense, Rankellon scurried away. He began giving instructions to the villagers, and before long, smoke rose from one side of the village—fires had been lit.
"…You're pretty good at this," Isaac whispered as he approached.
"I was a little nervous."
"Was it because your face stiffens when you're nervous? You seemed even better."
"Was that a compliment?"
"It was high praise."
Liana usually froze up when she got nervous. Isaac used to misunderstand her for that reason—especially on their first night together.
Just then, Rankellon came bounding over again. He frowned as he spotted Isaac standing beside Liana.
"How dare a mere offering stand next to someone of noble blood! Shouldn't you be crawling on all fours?!"
"…"
Isaac was at a loss for words.
It wasn't hard to tell Rankellon didn't actually believe what he was saying—he kept glancing at Liana, clearly hoping for her praise.
'Maybe I should just kneel…'
It's not like kneeling was that big a deal. Just as Isaac began to lower himself, Liana crossed her arms and pulled him to her side.
"He's my slave."
"…Excuse me?"
"He's my cherished slave. So don't treat him carelessly."
Rankellon's eyes darted side to side several times before he nodded vigorously.
"Ah! I-I see! I'm sorry! I'll be sure to tell the others to treat him with extra care!"
With that, he turned and fled as if escaping. The look on his face suggested he couldn't understand the hobbies of the highborn.
Isaac glanced at Liana. She scratched her cheek and said,
"Sorry."
"Mm, nah… In a situation like this, it makes sense."
There wasn't anything to argue about in this kind of situation. At Isaac's response, Liana carefully stepped a little closer to him.