"Hey, I'm Claude Ferd from Whitestag in Aueras. I'm currently stationed at Squirrel Village.
Nice to meet you. Can you tell me your name? "Claude introduced himself gracefully before asking for her name.
The magus only showed him the back of her head.
"I don't mean any harm. You know I'm actually a magus too. Not even my mother knows about it.
I used to be very scared when I was practicing. I was worried that people would come after me if they found out that I was a magician, so I thought about many possibilities. Once I was discovered, I would have to run away from home. I would either wander the world, or hide in the mountains and live alone like you.
I'm not giving you these things because I want anything from you. It's just a way for a magus to help another magus. "
The magus pricked up her ears to listen to Claude's story, but she didn't say anything.
Claude, on the other hand, began to recall how he became a magus. It started from when he found a magic recipe book in a grocery store and obtained the diary and notes of a rune magus. Then, he started to meditate according to the diary and started on the path of becoming a magus.
He told the young sorceress many things, such as how he learned about the reality of magic on the continent from Maria, and how he escaped death when he was ambushed by a rogue sorcerer when he went to the underground warehouse to purchase materials for magic runes.
Of course, he didn't say what the seven basic spells he cultivated were. No matter what the situation was, he had to be on guard.
Rather than saying that he was telling the magus about how he became a magus, it was more accurate to say that he was reminiscing about everything he experienced after transmigrating to this world.
In the short span of two years, from the age of sixteen to the age of eighteen, many unforeseen events had occurred during this period of time, forcing him to finally embark on the path of joining the army.
Now, he was about to turn 21. It had been almost three years since he joined the military. Time really did fly.
After finishing his story, Claude laid down on the grass and felt his body and mind relaxed. It was as if the heaviest burden in his heart had been lifted off his shoulders.
Sometimes, sharing one's deepest secrets with a stranger did bring about a sense of relaxation. Even though he didn't know her name and they weren't familiar with each other, his instincts told him that she wasn't a threat to him.
"Then, then do you still continue to practice meditation?" After a long time, the young mage finally broke the silence between the two.
"I do now," Claude said with a nod. He didn't know if the magus saw his action with her back facing him. "I didn't train when I first joined the army because I was still a new recruit. I lived in a big tent with a squad of 12.
Firstly, there were many people snoring at night, so there was no way for them to meditate.
Secondly, I was worried that there would be an operation or order in the middle of the night. When I was meditating, I wouldn't know anything. That way, it would be easy for me to be disturbed or my identity would be exposed. So, I could only occasionally meditate, and I had to find a time when it was convenient to be alone.
It wasn't until last year when I was promoted to second lieutenant that I started meditating again. It took me a lot of time and I still haven't become a two-ring rune magus.
I was already halfway there when I joined the army, but after two and a half years, I haven't even reached the halfway mark. If I don't improve, I'll fall behind. Training is something that requires persistence and can't be relaxed. "
"But, but I don't understand. Y-you're a magus. Why would you join the army? You could've just left or lived in seclusion like us in the forest. No one would come after you." The young magus finally turned to look at him. Her large eyes made him nervous.
He smiled bitterly and looked her straight in the eyes. "You don't understand. You're in Askilin and this place is governed by a feudal system.
You're currently in the territory of a baron. Without the baron's permission, no one can enter the territory to capture magi like you who live in seclusion in the forest.
"Generally speaking, as long as you don't cause trouble for the feudal lord, most nobles won't go after you. They might even need you to make some magic items for them to trade.
"I'm in the Aueran Kingdom, a place where nobles hold titles. There are no private territories and the entire kingdom is under the control of the royal family.
"As a magus, it's fine to live in seclusion in the forest, but you can't expose your identity. If you're discovered to be a rogue magus, not to mention one that's not registered, you'll be seen as a threat to the kingdom. They have a special department to hunt down and arrest those who expose their identity.
"Also, the kingdom has strict control over the status of a commoner. Without a permit and a valid reason, you can't leave your home for more than ten kilometers.
"All the guards in the towns will check your identity and intentions at all times. If they find out that you don't have a permit or a travel pass, you'll be arrested and thrown into a labor camp for evading military service until you die.
"Compared to that, I'd rather join the army and make a name for myself. Not to mention, I'm doing quite well now.
"Besides, if I avoid military service, my mother, sister, and brother will be dragged down by me.
Even if I don't get caught and escape to another country to live in seclusion, my relatives will take my place in the labor camp to do hard labor.
That's why I'd rather join the army than see my family suffer because of me. "
"I see," the magus nodded and concluded, "The kingdom you live in is really scary. There's no freedom at all. It's no wonder you carry a gun even though you're a magus."
"It's not scary. It's just that the rules in Aueran are a little stricter.
If you get used to the rules, you'll feel that it's fair. At the very least, commoners aren't as poor as the villagers in Squirrel Village. As long as you're willing to work, you'll be able to eat and wear warm clothes.
"The only inconvenience is that you don't have the freedom to move around and you have to serve in the military.
"From a certain point of view, Aueran's strict restrictions on magi actually protect most of the commoners. They don't have to worry about being attacked by magi or spells.
Although we now have guns that can be used to deal with mages, for the commoners, mages who know magic are still high above them. They see commoners as ants. If they accidentally offend a mage, they won't be able to escape their doom. They won't even know how they died … "
The magus was in deep thought. What Claude said was a little hard for her to understand. Perhaps it was because she'd been living in the mountains for too long, or perhaps it was because she'd known it since young, she didn't understand why Claude saw magi as a threat to the commoners. The two of them fell silent again.
By then, the goat hoof on the spit was almost done roasting. The magus sprinkled some salt on it and placed it on the ground for the big black wolf called Blackwind to chew on.
"Aren't you going to eat some honey bread?
I'll bring some fresh meat for you next time, but that'll have to wait until the rainy season is over. You know how difficult it is to go up the mountain during the rain. By the way, you haven't told me your name yet. "
The young mage snorted lightly, picked up the bag of honey bread and went into the shack.
Perhaps it was because she felt embarrassed to eat the honey bread in front of Claude. Or perhaps she was purposely avoiding Claude to not say her name.
Claude smiled and got up to pat the dust off his clothes.
He had no intention of entering the shack. Instead, he said to the big black wolf who was busy chewing on the goat hoof, "Blackwind, I'm leaving. Tell your master, do you hear me?"
The big black wolf sniffled at Claude and turned to the other side with the hoof in its mouth. Its tail and butt faced Claude as if it was worried that Claude would pounce on it and snatch the hoof from its mouth.
Claude chuckled and yelled at the shack, "I'm leaving. Be careful on the mountain alone.
If you need anything, you can find me at the camp beside Squirrel Village. Just tell me my name. "
When he walked out of the forest, Claude looked back and saw the magus standing at the entrance of the shack, watching him leave.
Claude smiled, waved at her, and left.
When he returned to camp, Myjack reported to Claude what he had traded with the villagers. He heard that the village elder had traded two stalks of wild flowerwood, or ginseng, for a crate of gran wine and some other resources. Claude thought to himself, Don't be fooled by the village elder acting poor all the time. I didn't think he'd have a stash of it.
So, he told Myjack to bring him two stalks of wild flowerwood and give one to Lempede if he had the time. Lempede had used two of his stash to treat Claude in the past, so he'd definitely be happy to give one to him.
Claude kept the other one by his side. Wild flowerwood was hard to buy even if one had the money. Most herbalists would buy them and use them to concoct precious woodflower potions. A wild flowerwood like this could be used to concoct four to five normal quality woodflower potions.
For the next two days, Claude was extremely busy. Makić was placed in solitary confinement and all the matters of the platoon fell on his shoulders.
He checked to see if the drains in the camp were working properly and arranged for the soldiers to place insect-repelling powder in every corner of the hut.
The rainy season was coming soon. Venomous snakes, centipedes, scorpions and other venomous insects that had just woken up from hibernation would crawl towards the dry areas.
They were in the mountainous region and there were many of them. Making arrangements early would prevent the soldiers from getting hurt.
Myjack, who could help, couldn't leave either. It was just as Claude said to Mazik the other day. After the news of him exchanging resources for the villagers' goods spread, the villagers of Blackrock Village and Kamen Village further up the mountain came to the camp with bags of goods, asking for them to exchange for resources.
Those two villages were related to Squirrel Village by marriage, so Gu Luyuan had to come over to trade even if he couldn't take advantage of the situation.
The first rain of the rainy season finally came on the 7th of the 3rd month. The rain during the rainy season on Freia wasn't a light drizzle. Instead, it was more of a torrential downpour or freezing rain. Lightning and thunder could be heard from time to time.
The roads were muddy and the rivers were swollen. Floods were a common occurrence.
In such weather, the people could only stay indoors. They had to find a time when the rain wasn't too heavy, and that was assuming the roads weren't flooded.
Fortunately, the camp had plenty of firewood and charcoal. The flames in the fireplace kept the entire hut as warm as spring.
Makic was lucky for once. He won a case of gran wine from a card game with Claude. Given that he couldn't hold his liquor well, half a bottle was enough to make him drunk.
It was the rainy season anyway. Marching would be a problem, let alone fighting in such weather.
Claude didn't have to worry about being ambushed, so he let him be.
On the other hand, the soldiers in the stone hut got into a few scuffles. Claude had no choice but to brave the rain to settle the small disputes and punish the instigators.
He then had the squad leaders lead their men to do push-ups, sit-ups, squats and other indoor exercises to expend the soldiers' energy.
A week passed and everything was finally on the right track. Claude breathed a sigh of relief. In another ten days or so, the rainy season would be over and he would have to arrange for the soldiers to dig trenches, build defensive structures and expand the camp.
It would be great if he could stay there until the end of the war. At the very least, it would be more peaceful and he wouldn't have to risk his life on the battlefield.
It was already late at night. Myjack and Gum were already asleep in the room next door. Claude could clearly hear their light snoring.
As he had just meditated once, he didn't feel sleepy yet. He got up and opened the window to look at the dark world bathed in rain.
"Awoo …"
Suddenly, a familiar howl rang out from the forest behind Squirrel Village. It was shrill and shrill.
Claude shuddered. He had a bad feeling about it. Did something happen to the female magus and the black wolf came to ask for help?
"Awoo …" The howl sounded again as if it was urging him to hurry up.
Claude rushed down the stairs and put on an animal skin raincoat. He informed the sentries of his whereabouts and ran towards the hill behind Squirrel Village.
The ground was wet and muddy, and there were also streams of rainwater. Claude staggered his way up the mountain and saw the big black wolf called Black Wind standing on a boulder under the cherry tree, howling at Squirrel Village.