Chapter 59

Chapter 59

“Khehe! Khehehe!”

Osun, holding the torn ore, chuckled with a snort.

‘I’d completely forgotten about it.’

The unknown mineral he had obtained when he first completed the Harpy hunting quest and received the brown box.

He’d hastily stashed it in his sub-space and completely forgotten about it, but Sari’s explanation jogged his memory.

And as it happens, that mineral was the very one Osun had been searching for—Torne.

‘Better than seeing that uneasy look on his face.’

Dojae gave Osun three pieces of Thorn ore.

He figured he wouldn’t have any use for them himself, and even if he tried to sell them, it would be hard to find someone who could properly appraise these chunks of rock.

Besides, he had plenty to ask Osun for and plenty to give him anyway.

‘But first….’

Dojae frowned and called out to Osun.

“Dwarf!”

“Yes! Human!”

“Hmm. Sorry, I should properly introduce myself first. Osun, my name is Lee Dojae. My surname is Lee, and my given name is Dojae.”

“Yes! So, is there something you need me to do?”

“When the hell was the last time you washed?”

That sour, musty stench wafting over since earlier.

Ever since Osun took off his armor, the foul stench had been assaulting Dojae’s nose.

“About a week. I washed once by the river before climbing the mountain, but since then I’ve been climbing nonstop…”

“You filthy bastard. Go wash yourself in the nearest stream!”

Thud.

Dojae tossed a bar of soap to Osun.

It was cucumber-scented soap from the expeditionary force’s supplies.

“What’s this?”

“Scrub yourself from head to toe with that. Then change into these. Wash the clothes you were wearing clean!”

Dojae tossed over a shirt and a pair of shorts he’d slept in as well.

Osun respectfully took the soap and clothes with both hands and vanished in a flash.

Of course, Osun had left all his belongings behind, so there was absolutely no chance he could escape.

Even if he did ditch everything and try to run, with his stubby legs, no matter how fast he ran, he’d still be right in Dojae’s palm.

‘Come to think of it, I could use a wash myself.’

Truth be told, a faint musty odor was starting to emanate from Dojae’s body too.

Since arriving in this world, he hadn’t had a proper shower even once, so it would be strange if he didn’t smell.

Come to think of it, Sari must be in the same boat. Why didn’t she smell at all?

“Sari, do you not need to wash?”

“Huh? I washed this morning?”

Sari had already washed?

Dojae hadn’t seen her wash at all.

She’d been right beside Dojae the whole time since they left.

“When?”

“While Dojae was skinning the gigwoks?”

Before Osun was captured, Dojae had been working on skinning the hides of three gigwoks hunted by the golems.

Gigwok hides were tough and excellent for warmth, making them popular among the elves.

So Dojae was diligently skinning the gigwook hide, which was as big as a large dog, and during that time, Sari went to wash.

“Weren’t you right beside me the whole time? When exactly did you go wash?”

“I used a cleansing spell!”

Doja’s eyes flashed at her words.

A magic that could easily cleanse in this remote mountain wilderness?

“Can you cast that spell on me too?”

“Of course! Just a moment!”

As Sari began chanting the spell, a cool energy washed over Dojae’s body.

He could feel the oiliness and stickiness being washed away, and when Sari finished her spell, he felt as refreshed as if he’d just stepped out of a shower.

Clap clap clap-.

Deeply satisfied, Dojae clapped his hands.

If there’s a cleansing magic, wouldn’t we be able to travel comfortably from now on?

“I didn’t know humans had to wash every single day? Just tell me if you want to wash again in the future!”

“Sure. Thanks, Sari. So, how about cup noodles for lunch today?”

“Whoa! That’s awesome!”

In a good mood, Dojae took out two cups of instant noodles to prepare, then pulled out a third.

That’s because Osun, who had washed in the cold valley water, appeared shivering while wearing Dojae’s tight-fitting clothes.

“Hehe. I’m back!”

Osun, holding the dwarf’s clothes dripping with water, beamed with a bright smile.

The sight of Osun Ironhammer, who had risked his life to come all the way to this unfamiliar Kuran Mountain Range to save the village, was truly pitiful.

But what could he do?

Of all people, he had to run into Dojae.

In this world, Dojae had nothing to hold him back.

***

After that, Dojae, Sari, and Osun’s journey to find the leaves proceeded smoothly.

They crossed mountains and rivers, following the branches.

They encountered almost no monsters, thanks to the golems having hunted them down beforehand. And with Osun’s exceptional skill at dismantling monsters, they could quickly gather what they needed and move on.

On the fifth day.

Finally escaping the Kurran Mountains, they came face to face with a massive castle wall.

“It must be somewhere around here.”

Dojae pulled a twig from his sleeve.

Unlike before, the branch from Aktria was trembling slightly.

This meant the leaves Aktria had scattered were getting closer.

“It’s the kingdom! Dojae… Does this mean we can finally sleep in our own bed?”

Sari said with a face full of emotion.

It had only been five days since she left the village, but for a first-time traveler, sleeping outdoors was quite grueling.

Then a kingdom with inns appeared, so she could rest soundly in a bed and recover from her fatigue.

“Sari, where are we?”

“This is the Kingdom of Tubalyn! It used to be a human castle, but now the Grey Elves live here. It’s a truly beautiful castle! But Osun… it should be fine now.”

Sari’s eyes trembled slightly as she looked at Osun.

She knew exactly what Osun’s standing was within the kingdom.

Yet Osun himself seemed utterly unconcerned, as if it didn’t matter at all.

“Let’s go inside.”

Dojae pulled his robe completely over his head.

Then he headed toward the main gate of the Kingdom of Tubal.

“Halt!”

Upon reaching the massive gate entrance, a Grey Elf blocked their path, spear at the ready.

It was a gray elf soldier guarding the gate, clad in heavy armor unlike anything seen in Nightingale Village.

“One dwarf and one gray elf. The rest of you, state your identities and purpose.”

The gray elf soldier addressed Dojae.

His tone and demeanor were somewhat forceful, but he seemed to lack malice.

“I am Oson Ironhammer! Master smith of the proud Ironhammer clan! Our master wishes to enter the kingdom. Open the way!”

Osun stepped forward and declared boldly.

Over the past few days, Dojae had come to be called ‘Master’.

After trying to escape while Dojae slept and getting caught, he was subjected to a massage by the golems. That was when they started calling him ‘Master’.

“Don’t you dare step forward, you dwarf!”

“Hey! Open the way now!”

The gray elf soldier barked at Osun.

But Osun didn’t back down. He shouted back with even more spirit.

“Where’s the dwarf? Who exactly is this bastard’s master?”

“Dwarf? I told you, I’m Oson Ironhammer!”

Even facing a Grey Elf soldier twice his height, Osun showed no fear, speaking with even greater confidence.

Oson didn’t know why, but while arguing with the gatekeeper, Dojae debated whether he should remove his robe and reveal he was human.

Judging by the atmosphere in Sarine Village, it seemed highly likely he would attract considerable attention even in the kingdom.

So, wanting to move while hiding his identity as much as possible, Dojae glanced around nervously and looked up at the castle walls.

‘This should be easy enough to climb over…’

The wall was a stone structure about four or five stories high.

Dojae could easily leap over it by stepping on the protruding stones along the way.

And Sari, with her nimble footwork, would be no different.

But the problem was Oson.

No matter how he thought about it, it seemed impossible for Osun to leap over a wall this high.

‘If only I had spare magic stones, it would have been easy.’

If Dojae had had spare magic stones, he could have used his Golem Summoning skill to punch a hole in one side of the wall and slip through.

He hadn’t tried the Golem Summoning skill yet, so it was uncertain if he could use it properly, but he could at least attempt it.

But he didn’t have any magic stones on him right now, and besides, it would be a waste to recall the golems already summoned, given the experience points they’d accumulated.

Just as he was considering whether to carry Osun up or tie him to a rope and haul him up, Sari stepped forward in front of Osun and spoke.

“I am Sarieta, village chief of Nightingale Forest. I have business in the kingdom.”

Sari pulled a necklace carved in the shape of a nightingale from her bosom and showed it to the gatekeeper.

“Ah, the village chief of Nightingale Forest. Such a young person already a village chief. I didn’t recognize you.”

“It’s fine. Now, would you kindly open the way?”

“If this dwarf’s master is the village chief, I’ll permit him to enter. But the one wearing that hooded robe over there… his identity still needs to be verified…”

The gatekeeper still blocked the entrance, glaring at Dojae, when a middle-aged gatekeeper came running breathlessly from behind.

“Hey, hey, let them through.”

“Huh? We haven’t confirmed that man’s identity or purpose yet.”

“Sigh, it’s fine. Just let them through. You… Sir Sarieta?”

The middle-aged gatekeeper bowed deeply and addressed Sari.

“Yes, speak.”

“Is Lady Salirna doing well?”

“Yes. The grandmother is well.”

“I see. Understood. I’ll open the city gate for you.”

The middle-aged gatekeeper gestured, and the city gate swung open.

Then he bowed deeply toward Sari.

“Thank you for visiting Tuvarn. We hope you have a pleasant journey.”

Thanks to the middle-aged gatekeeper’s consideration, Dojae was able to pass through the gate without removing his robe.

Sari also gave a slight bow to the elderly gatekeeper and asked,

“Thank you. What might your name be?”

“Ah! Tihalk!”

“Tihalk, I’ll remember that. Well then.”

And so, Dojae and his companions passed through the gate and entered the kingdom.

Tihalk watched Sari grow distant, humming a tune with a pleased expression.

Seeing this, the gatekeeper who had first approached him asked Tihalk with a puzzled look.

“Tihalk, even if they’re the village chief’s party, is it really okay to just let them pass like that?”

“He’s not just any village chief.”

“Huh? Are there just ordinary village chiefs and then village chiefs who aren’t ordinary?”

“Tsk tsk, you know nothing. Hey, Sutap. Do you know who His Majesty the King’s teacher is?”

“How would I know that?”

“You fool. That’s why you’re just a mere gatekeeper.”

“Hmph, you’re a gatekeeper yourself.”

Tihalk glared at Sutap, who kept arguing with his words.

“You brat. Anyway, the wise man Salirna, the former village chief who now resides in the Nightingale Forest, was His Majesty’s teacher. And Salirna’s granddaughter is Lady Sarieta. How remarkably alike they are.”

“Oh… I didn’t know that. But what business could she possibly have in the kingdom?”

“Probably His Majesty summoned her? Since Lady Salirna is elderly, Lady Sarieta came in her stead. Asking about my name must be related to that, right? Heh heh.”

“Nah, maybe not. It’s festival season now, right? Maybe she just came to enjoy herself?”

“Pfft! Why would the granddaughter of a sage come to a tournament! There must be something else going on.”

“If Tihalk gets promoted or something, don’t forget about me!”

Tihalk and Sutap bickered as they returned to their original spot.

Unaware that Sari had come to the kingdom solely for Dojae, they spread their wings of imagination, dreaming of promotion.