I Have a Task Log

The topic changed so abruptly that Colin couldn't quite keep up.

He asked, "Can you tell me why?"

Ale lowered her gaze. "The Dragon Worship Cult has been trying to kidnap me since the day I was born. That's why I've basically never left home. If I did, those Cultists would track me down in no time."

"But you've been traveling with us for a long time now, haven't you?" Colin frowned.

"That's because of a Magic Item my parents gave me. It prevents Prophetic Magic from pinpointing my location, which is how I've managed to hide from the Dragon Worship Cult and travel so far on my own."

'So that's why she kept her head covered the whole time we were in Silver Star Court?' Colin thought.

"But I feel it's still too risky, even with the item. If word gets out, the Dragon Worship Cult might come after you," Ale said softly. "I cherish you, and I cherish the time we've spent traveling together. That's why I think... it all has to end here."

"They wouldn't go all the way to Thousand Masts City just to hunt us down, would they?"

"But you can't hide in Thousand Masts City forever, can you? It's not like you can live somewhere that's perfectly safe, either."

Ale continued, "Besides, Kase has his tribe, and Orelia has the White Dove Monastery. Each of you has something you cherish. I don't want to be the reason they're destroyed just because I was careless."

Colin said, "I don't think they're that hard to deal with..."

"No, Colin." Ale paused before speaking again. "They are very, very, very difficult to deal with. Even my parents can't stop them completely. That's one of the reasons I traveled so far from home."

Colin fell silent.

'Very difficult to deal with? What kind of enemy would a worldly Half-Elf noble find so difficult?'

'If that's the case, dealing with them must come at a great cost.'

'But why would a Sect that worships an Evil Dragon go to such lengths to kidnap a Half-Elf noble? Just to blackmail the Orellions, a family in the jewelry business?'

'Wouldn't other nobles be in the same situation then? But Albert never went through anything like Ale has.'

'As a pillar of Thousand Masts City, the Weston Clan's Power is far greater than that of many Elven families. After all, the Elves as a race aren't nearly as powerful as they used to be.'

Colin thought for a long time but couldn't find an answer.

Just then, Ale finished dressing her wound.

He decided to drop it, shouldering his backpack and surveying their surroundings. "Alright, we can talk more once we're out of here. For now, let's find a place to sleep. Speaking of which, do you know if any of these mushrooms are edible?"

"Um... I don't really know," Ale said.

"Then let's find a clean spot to set down our things first. We can look for something to eat after that. I remember reading about some edible fungi in a book."

Colin spoke as he walked toward the cliff wall, heading for a spot that was a bit higher up.

He sized up his surroundings as he walked.

A lively stream ran along the bottom of the ravine, so the higher ground was bound to be a little drier.

The air down here also seemed somewhat hazy. Colin figured it was probably spores released by the fungi and wondered if breathing them in would lead to a fungal infection or some other illness.

After a while, the two of them climbed onto a rock ledge near the cliff wall.

The ledge was recessed into the cliff face, so they wouldn't have to worry about falling rocks. It would make a decent temporary campsite.

After setting up their sleeping bags, Colin took Ale with him to look for food.

The mushroom forest below was an eerie sight. Large and small mushrooms grew together, with the larger ones covered in a dense layer of tiny mushrooms.

The mere sight of them made Colin feel nauseous, to say nothing of having to find something edible among them.

What's more, they would occasionally step on an exceptionally soft, mushy, and juicy mushroom, and the sensation was truly indescribable.

The two of them didn't dare to venture too far, so they just searched slowly in the immediate area.

After a moment, Colin spotted a short, stout mushroom about the size of a small water bucket. Its cap was a pale gray.

He glanced at his surroundings.

They were nearly at the very bottom of the ravine, with the stream flowing not far away.

"This must be a barrel shroom," Colin said, grabbing both sides of the cap. With a gentle twist, it came right off.

The thick stalk underneath was shaped like a small barrel and filled with a clear liquid.

"We're pretty lucky. This mushroom is edible, and the stalk is filled with clean, fresh water. There should be about seven liters in here."

With that, Colin braced himself and took a bite of the cap.

It tasted like an oyster mushroom—not crunchy and rather bland, but incredibly juicy. A single bite released a mouthful of flavorless slime.

Colin swallowed and said, "Probably not poisonous, I guess."

"Let's take it back then." Ale reached down and pulled the stalk of the barrel shroom out of the ground.

"You're surprisingly strong, by the way," Colin remarked, following her back toward their sleeping bags. "We should probably hold off on making a fire for now. Once we're sure the area is safe, maybe we can have some hot food."

Ale didn't say much, just gave a quiet hum of assent.

The two made their way back to the ledge and began to eat the barrel shroom, pairing it with salted meat and preserved fruit from their ration pouches.

After eating, there was nothing left to do.

After the intense experience they'd just had, Colin didn't feel like sleeping, but he couldn't quiet his mind enough to read either.

He tentatively started a new topic. "I have a feeling the attack on the village might be connected to that Black Dragon we ran into."

"You think so?" Ale asked, leaning against the rock wall and gazing down at the nearby stream.

"The Dragon Worship Cult probably launched large-scale attacks on villages to stretch Silver Star Court's security forces thin. Then the Black Dragon attacked the Golden Dragon's lair and stole its offspring or Dragon Egg.

Otherwise, there's no explaining why an Evil Dragon allied with the Dragon Worship Cult would provoke a Good Dragon right now. Maybe Silver Star Court and that Golden Dragon have some kind of secret alliance."

Since he was just trying to fill the silence, Colin simply threw out the most dramatic theory he could think of.

But as soon as the words left his mouth, he connected them to what Ale had said earlier, and things started to feel strange.

His mind unconsciously began searching for even more absurd answers and possibilities. Details he'd only vaguely noticed before now fanned the flames of his suspicion, making it impossible for him to settle down...

He subconsciously stopped himself from searching for the answer. More than his own wild speculation, Colin wanted to hear the truth from her.

"Perhaps."

As she spoke, Colin turned to look at Ale.

The Half-Elf was still staring absently at the stream below.

He might have been mistaken, but Colin had the strange feeling that her eyes were glistening.

He turned his head away and stared down at the stream as well.

'In any case, it's better to wait for Ale to tell me the answer herself... if I still get the chance.'

Just then, Ale's voice came from beside him.

"I'm sorry I wasn't clear about my situation before."

"It's fine. I don't think it's a big deal. I'm just glad I got to spend so much time with you, Alessandra Golden Flame."

"Use my full name, Colin," Ale said. "Golden Flame is my title. You have to add my family name after it."

"Alessandra Golden Flame Orellion?"

"Thank you. That makes me very happy."

As her words faded, silence enveloped the bottom of the ravine.

It was as if the two interlopers had never been there at all.