I wasn't trying to praise myself, but my memory wasn't bad—it was actually quite good. I rarely forgot things I'd seen once, and even concepts I didn't initially understand became clearer the more I read them.
If I couldn't clearly remember a voice, it would mean I didn't have a strong connection to the person. Now, all I could tell from the voice was that it belonged to an adult male.
I paused momentarily, then pulled the sword from the dead body and moved toward the gap.
Arjan called to me again, "Young Master Luan."
"I know. However, he did save our lives. Given the earlier attack, he could've killed us if he wanted to."
"Then I will go," she offered.
"Are you serious? Look at this gap. It is too narrow. I can get through quickly, but it'll take you longer, Arjan," I rebuked.
Arjan was quite tall for a woman. Her clothes hid her well-developed muscles, but I could tell she was strong. Meanwhile, it hadn't even been a month since I had shed my skinny, frail state. It was clear who would make it through the gap more easily.
"Besides, my overall condition is better than yours, Arjan," I reasoned.
"But..." she began, her voice trailing off. Her attempt to persuade me wavered as she added, unexpectedly, "That voice sounds familiar. It might be someone I know."
"Really?" I asked, stroking my chin thoughtfully. "Then I need to go."
"Huh?"
I ignored Arjan's confused look and squeezed through the gap.
From behind me, I heard Arjan's voice, along with a sigh. "If you don't return within five minutes, I will come after you."
"Sure."
As I moved through the darkness, my thoughts wandered. Though we lived in the same mansion, my interactions with Arjan were scarce. I didn't even know her favorite food, and the number of people we both knew was surprisingly few.
At this point, the answer became simple. Whoever was beyond this gap had to be connected to the Badniker family.
***
After about a minute, I squeezed through the gap and found myself in a surprisingly spacious area. As I scanned my surroundings, I was immediately struck by the unusual brightness of the place.
Puzzled, I took a closer look and realized the walls were emitting a soft glow.
Could it be luminous stone?
A pool of water had formed in one corner, with a faint stream trickling through the cracks. Such formations weren't rare in natural caves, but something else caught my attention—traces of habitation. The space contained a desk, a chair, and even a bed made from processed stone.
A man was sitting on the stone bed, staring at me. His disheveled hair and bushy beard gave him a shabby appearance. His clothes were barely better than rags, but one side of his body was empty.
Looking closer, I noticed the man had lost his right arm. What stood out more than his missing arm, though, was the wild look in his eyes. They glinted with a feral intensity, peering through his tangled hair.
A faint voice echoed. "How come a little kid like you is here?"
Naturally, he was referring to me.
I could guess what I looked like now, so I simply nodded. "I may be small, but I am strong."
"Oh really?" he replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
It was hard to gauge his age. At first glance, I thought he might be a young man, but the more I observed him, the more uncertain I became.
He scratched his head, sending a small cloud of dust—or perhaps dandruff—into the air.
First, I tried to hand him the sword I was holding. "Here."
"Just leave it over there," he instructed.
"Alright." I leaned the sword against the nearest wall, but his sharp gaze remained fixed on me.
He sighed. "I was curious about the person causing a stir with the Dark Church in the Jewel Mountains. Never thought it'd be some little brat."
I frowned. "Thanks for saving my life, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't treat me like some ignorant kid."
I looked young, but I was mentally over thirty years old. Thus, it was frustrating to be dismissed like this.
"Really now?" The man tilted his head, then suddenly flicked his fingers.
Ping!
I turned my head to avoid the flying rocks.
"Huh?" He seemed surprised.
I sighed. "There are many other ways to test me. Why do monsters like you always use this surprise method—"
I cut myself off and dodged four more flying stones.
How rotten.
" Hoh. " For the first time, the man's expression changed a bit. "You are no child, are you? Indeed. To make it all the way to the Jewel Mountains, you must be quite skilled."
I remained silent.
"Kid, what is your name?" he asked me.
"It is Luan."
I deliberately withheld my last name. I couldn't be sure of this man's identity. There was a strong chance he was connected to the Badnikers, but whether that connection was friendly or hostile was unclear.
Even when staring at him face-to-face, I couldn't discern who he was. Maybe I'd have a better sense if he didn't have the beard.
"What about you?"
The man paused momentarily before answering, "Call me Dan."
Given his demeanor, this didn't seem to be his real name. Was it a pseudonym? Or perhaps an abbreviation? But for what?
Danny, Danial, Dinah, Jonathan... No matter how hard I speculated, I couldn't pin it down.
Dan asked, "Why did you come alone? Your friend is still outside."
"I thought it might be dangerous if both of us came," I replied.
"I'm not dangerous. Go ahead and bring your friend."
His words sounded sincere, and I couldn't sense any malice from him. Despite his casual tone, his gestures carried a certain dignity.
Still, I knew how pointless it was to label people as good or evil. A good person wouldn't necessarily help me, and someone evil wouldn't necessarily harm me.
I needed to understand this stranger's intentions to determine whether he was an enemy or an ally.
"What are you doing here?" I asked him.
When assessing someone's utility, knowing their purpose was paramount.
Dan blinked slowly, then responded in a measured tone, "Let's see... What am I doing here? Hmm . Hard to say when you ask so directly."
I didn't comment on that.
"Who am I? What am I doing here? What have I done, and what type of person will I become...?"
Dan drifted into deep contemplation as though pondering the great truths of existence.
What a lunatic.
I wasn't trying to insult him. He could genuinely be mentally unstable. If he were unhinged, I'd have to tread carefully.
I slowly took a step back, and Dan burst out laughing. "Relax. I'm just joking. I am here for revenge."
"Revenge?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
"Yes," he replied, his tone turning serious. "I really took a beating."
"By whom?" I prompted.
"The snake bastard," Dan said bitterly.
"You are talking about the Jewel Beast," I clarified, tilting my head.
He nodded. "That's right."
"So, that's how it is," I muttered.
Arjan's words echoed in my mind—a Jewel Beast was practically synonymous with death in the Jewel Mountains.
She wasn't wrong. Seeing it firsthand confirmed its destructive power. The Sapphire Snake alone could decimate one or two groups of knights with ease.
"And you're hunting it alone?"
"Yes," he replied.
What could one call a man who would take on such a fearsome Jewel Beast by himself? Eccentric didn't quite capture it.
I glanced around. The space, tucked away in the cave's crevices, appeared to serve as a makeshift home.
Another question arose—how long had he been living here?
I asked, "How long has it been?"
Dan scoffed, running a hand through his beard. "Ever since I lost my arm, I've been after that thing. I don't know the mountain range's routes in detail, but I feel like I've been everywhere. Once you reach the center, though, it's impossible to tell day from night. The forest is so dense it blots out the sky. I've lost all sense of time."
Though he rambled about not knowing, my focus was on something else. "You've been pursuing it? So, this isn't your base or the snake's nest?"
Dan shook his head. "It is a temporary shelter. That monster is fickle. It changes residences frequently. We've been here for a while now, but if I lose track of it in this vast mountain range, there's no guarantee I'll ever find it again. That is why I'm clinging to that snake."
I opened my mouth but closed it again.
Judging by the traces of life here, Dan had been in this place for quite some time—at least a few months.
How long had he been chasing the Jewel Beast?
Just then, a noise came from behind me, and Arjan appeared through the gap.
"Arjan?" I exclaimed.
It had already been five minutes, but I had forgotten about it during our conversation.
Unexpectedly, Arjan wasn't looking at me; her gaze was fixed on Dan, half-doubt etched on her face. "You..."
Meanwhile, Dan recognized her immediately. "Ah, you are that kid who was caught back then."
Then he turned to me. "And you... Are you Delac's son?"
For a moment, I almost blurted out, "Delac?"
It wasn't that I didn't recognize the name—I was well aware of it. I just never expected it to come from this man's mouth, especially in this moment and in that tone.
"Who are you?" I had no choice but to change my tone.
After all, he called out the Iron-Blooded Lord's name—Delac C. Badnike—as if they were friends.