Chapter 113

After wrapping up the drinking session with Tasan somewhat awkwardly, Turan's group sat across from each other in the lodging he had provided.

Turan first explained the situation to Meisa, who had not been able to hear the conversation as she had remained behind.

“The Family Head of Varaha?”

“Yes.”

"That sounds absurd......"

It was one thing for an ordinary noble family, but for the head of a Great Noble House to leave their base and travel across the sea to the distant western lands?

Having grown up as the heir to a Great Noble House and understanding its inner workings well, Meisa found it even harder to believe.

However, the chances of Tasan, who did not even know what the emblem of Varaha looked like, making up such a lie out of nowhere were quite slim.

Solif, who had been sitting silently, mumbled with a half-dazed expression.

“Could it be because of me? To capture me?”

If one headed west from the South Sea, they would reach the Siraf Wetland.

It was the very territory of Lavitas that they had departed from not long ago and one of the few known locations of Solif that Varaha was aware of.

“How old is the Family Head of Varaha now?”

“I think he celebrated his 250th birthday the year I turned fifty...”

“So, he hasn’t reached 260 yet. That’s too young to be desperate about not catching you.”

Wizards lived longer than ordinary people because their magic power slowed the aging of both body and soul.

Thus, the heads of Great Noble Houses, who wielded immense power, tended to live exceptionally long even among nobles.

For example, despite being considered aged, the Family Head of House Aravion, Badal, was over four hundred years old. The Family Head of House Lavitas, who had recently passed away, had lived well over 450 years.

Even high-ranking nobles far weaker than them, such as Rida, could generally live up to 300 to 350 years.

Considering this, there was no urgent reason for a Family Head to personally pursue Solif.

“Maybe there’s another reason for it.”

“Could it be a chronic illness?”

Although a noble’s body, full of magic power, rendered most poisons and diseases insignificant, it did not make them completely immune to all illnesses.

Diseases could arise from congenital defects or lifestyle habits, even without external factors.

Meisa, for example, had suffered from chronic fatigue and dizziness due to the nutritional deficiencies.

At Turan’s question, Solif hesitated for a moment before shaking his head.

“As far as I know, there wasn’t anything... but even if there were, they would have kept it a secret.”

“That makes sense. If word spread that the Family Head wouldn’t live long due to illness, it wouldn’t do any good.”

“Then maybe he’s going to Lavitas for treatment.”

Just like Turan’s party, the Family Head of Varaha would likely be resistant to the healing magic of ordinary healers due to his overwhelming power.

That theory made sense as well.

At that moment, Meisa put forth a rather bold opinion.

“Maybe it’s a deception.”

“A deception?”

“Just because a crest symbolizing the Family Head is displayed doesn’t mean he is personally aboard.”

“A fake identity?”

Turan questioned her, having not considered that possibility, and Meisa nodded.

“Yes. Normally, people can’t discern someone’s magic power from a distance like you do, Turan. Unless they meet in person, they wouldn’t know if the Family Head is actually on board. If they use a body double with a similar appearance, they could even hide that.”

"But why disguise himself?"

Every specific action was usually backed by a reason.

What possible reason could a figure as exalted as the head of a Great Noble House have to conceal his identity?

At that moment, Solif shook his head, dismissing the suspicion altogether.

“The old folks in my family are ridiculously rigid. Their rules and traditions are insane. Even if the family were on the brink of collapse, they’d scream their heads off if someone broke the principles.”

Varaha was infamous among the Great Noble Houses for its strict adherence to complex traditions and rules.

It was hard to imagine from looking at Solif now, but before he ran away, he had also lived suppressing his free-spirited nature.

“Well, in the end, we won’t know for sure unless we see it firsthand...”

“For now, we’ll need to adjust our plans a bit.”

Originally, Turan's group had planned to cross over to the eastern lands, discreetly assess the situation within House Varaha, and seize the right opportunity to extract Solif’s parents.

He had confirmed that Solif’s father, Godis, who had initially departed westward, had at some point returned to the east.

“For now, Godis-ssi must still be staying at the main estate, right?”

“I can’t be certain about that, but at the very least, he’s definitely in the east.”

Turan took out the strand of Godis’s hair from his pocket and activated Tracking Magic.

A faint scent, belonging to the owner of the hair, could be detected far away in the northeast.

After putting the hair back, Turan shared an idea that had just struck him.

“If the Family Head isn’t present, we might consider a more aggressive approach.”

"What kind of approach?"

“We have the legitimate heir of House Varaha with us. We could take control of the family and intercept the returning Family Head.”

Turan’s group, by magic power alone, surpassed even the highest-ranking nobles and stood at a level between an heir and a Family Head of a Great Noble House.

Considering their collection of magic artifacts and their exceptional magical talent, their actual strength exceeded even that.

If the three of them combined their strength, it was not entirely impossible to overthrow a Great Noble House in the absence of its Family Head.

Moreover, they had a justifiable reason to make the others surrender, Solif himself.

“Wouldn’t that be too dangerous? The true power of the Family Head of Varaha remains unknown, and above all, if we do this, we risk making House Zahar our enemy.”

“For now, if Ymir’s words are correct, the two are merely allies, not a single unified entity.”

“Even so, I disagree. It’s too reckless.”

Solif and Meisa argued that Turan had become overly bold due to his recent successes and that this opportunity was not worth such a high level of risk.

“You’ve just turned twenty. Time is on our side. There’s no need to rush.”

Due to his youthful appearance and casual mannerisms, it was hard to feel it normally, but at moments like this, Turan was reminded that Solif was nearing sixty years old.

Following their reasoning, Turan decided to abandon the idea of overthrowing House Varaha through all-out war.

“But this much is worth attempting.”

“What is?”

"Infiltrating the family head's residence and searching the family's secret facilities."

Of all the abilities in the world, spirit magic that manipulates the souls of living beings belonged exclusively to white elves.

It was highly likely that the ability of the Preah God Tribe to extend their lives by transferring into new bodies was related to this.

However, despite entering the residences of two Great Noble Houses, House Aravion and House Carmine, where gods resided, Turan had not detected any trace of non-human entities.

Given that his relic’s detection ability spanned at least several hundred meters depending on concentration, such an absence was impossible unless the White Elves were hidden outside the capital or confined using a special method.

Turan believed the latter was more likely.

Under normal circumstances, investigating such matters in detail would have been impossible due to the presence of the Family Head.

But with the Family Head absent…

Perhaps, this time, they could uncover the truth.

*

The next day, Turan's group departed from the base of the Red Whale Pirates and headed east.

Naturally, they destroyed the ship they had been using at an appropriate location and instead took flight aboard the swing pulled by Bije.

As they flew, Meisa gazed down at the foamy waves rising below and murmured absentmindedly.

“It’s a shame we can’t do that.”

“What?”

“The Wave Rider ritual.”

Since they had no idea what a Leviathan truly was, hunting one would be difficult. However, riding natural waves was something they could achieve with enough time.

But at present, they had no such time to spare. With the Family Head of House Varaha absent, they had to infiltrate the main estate while the opportunity lasted.

The South Sea was one of only two oceans in the world, and it was vast enough that even Bije, who could normally traverse the territory of a Great Noble House in a day or two, found it difficult to cross this sea without rest.

As a result, it took them a full three days to reach the shores of the eastern lands.

“We’ve finally arrived...”

“Flying nonstop is exhausting.”

“It’s not like you were flapping your wings. Are you okay, Bije?”

At Meisa’s question, Bije let out a chirp as if to say she was fine, flapped her wings, and leaned against Turan’s side.

Since they had been mindful of her condition while flying, she was not completely exhausted like before.

“So, where exactly are we now?”

“Since we crossed eastward from the South Sea… unless something unusual happened, we should be in the grassy plains. If we want to reach the main estate, we need to head northeast.”

Southeast of the Enril Desert stretched a vast, barren grassland. Similar to the western wilderness and forest regions, this place did not belong to any particular Great Noble House.

Because of that, it was heavily influenced by the neighboring houses, Zahar and Varaha.

“The grassy plains… is it very different from the Takein Plains?”

“Completely different. The soil here isn’t fertile, and it hardly ever rains. There are so few farmers that agriculture is nearly nonexistent.”

Meisa, who came from the Takein Plains, the most abundant grain-producing land in the world, gaped in disbelief.

She only fully grasped Solif’s words after they had walked northeast for about three to four hours to give Bije some rest.

Even though they had walked relatively leisurely, covering well over 80 kilometers, there was not a single sign of cultivated farmland.

All they occasionally saw were horse riders and tents.

“The reliance on nomadic life is pretty similar to the Enril Desert. Though, that place has several cities around the oases.”

“There are hardly any cities in these grassy plains. Naturally, there aren’t many noble families here either… Still, this place isn’t completely lacking in specialties, since many strong warhorses and magical beasts originate from here.”

As if to prove his point, they occasionally spotted wild horses or wolf packs along the way, some of which had awakened as magical beasts.

Among them, there were even a few creatures with magic power on par with noble-level beings.

If the heirs of various Great Noble Houses or nobles from the Tamer Bloodline came here, they could likely gain something valuable.

Of course, for Turan and his group, defeating such minor creatures was a thing of the distant past.

“There are some bandits who occasionally raid Varaha’s territory from here. Sometimes, even noble level bandits show up.”

“Noble level bandits? Not knights?”

Turan and Meisa both wore expressions as if they had heard something absurd, prompting Solif to smirk.

“The people here don’t produce enough resources, so they take pride in stealing from others. I’ve personally killed a few noble level bandits who came up from these grassy plains before.”

“At that point, wouldn’t it be better to wipe them out completely?”

“These grassy plains are vast, though not as much as the Enril Desert. Searching every inch would be too much of a hassle, so we just kill the ones that come up to raid. You could say they’re practically human-shaped magical beasts.”

His tone carried a deep-seated contempt, likely an attitude ingrained in him by his family.

After spending half a day walking while listening to Solif’s lecture on the grassy plains, they camped for the night before taking off again on the swing led by Bije, heading northeast.

As Turan gazed at the seemingly endless expanse of grassy plains, he thought they resembled a vast green ocean.

It was then that he sensed a presence approaching from behind and turned his gaze.

“…A golden eagle?”

“Bije?”

“No, it’s a different one.”

Hearing Turan’s words, Solif also turned his head and let out a surprised exclamation.

A massive golden eagle, far larger than an average human and easily more than ten times the size of Bije, was approaching from behind.

The magic power emanating from it suggested that it was somewhere between a mid-rank and high-rank noble in strength.

For a wild magical beast, that was already an incredibly powerful entity.

In a place like this, where there were no ruling Great Noble Houses, such a creature could easily reign as an object of fear.

“What? Why is it following us?”

“Judging by its expression, it looks pissed off. Maybe this area is its territory.”

The golden eagle let out a deep, resonant cry, much lower and heavier than Bije’s.

It was likely due to the difference in their natural physiques.

Reading the provocation in its call, Bije, who had been diligently flying forward, suddenly turned her body sharply and glanced at Turan.

Thanks to the bond formed through Soul Bond, Turan could sense what Bije wanted.

"Let's land."

"Huh?"

Ignoring Solif’s questioning tone, Turan grabbed him and jumped off the swing, activating Flight Magic in midair.

Once he confirmed that Meisa had also landed safely, Bije severed the ropes tying the swing and let out a sharp cry.

At that small sound, the opposing golden eagle shot a mocking look—

"Piiigyeok."

With a bizarre noise, the massive golden eagle’s body crumpled as if it had been crushed.

Bije’s full-force charge, further accelerated by Wind Magic, had pierced straight through its chest bone.

Though the wild golden eagle was physically larger, Bije possessed far superior magic power. Furthermore, with Turan’s help, she could wield Wind Magic, creating an overwhelming disparity in combat power.

The wild eagle had not even recognized the incoming attack properly.

"What a waste."

"What is?"

"That one could’ve been useful if we had tamed it."

Solif, unlike Turan, lacked the ability to sense an opponent’s magic power, but he could still estimate its strength based on its size and speed.

Turan caught the hint of regret in his voice and replied.

"It wouldn’t have been easy. Creatures of that size rarely submit to humans. Even Soul Bond isn’t omnipotent."

Even if subdued by force, a magical beast that had not surrendered in spirit could not be trusted or used effectively.

Bije herself had once rejected her previous master after forming a Soul Bond, fleeing and only being recaptured later.

The Tamer Houses did not spend years keeping magical beasts confined in vast menageries for no reason.

"If you want a tamed beast, let’s find a smaller, more obedient one. Maybe you'll come across one that’s a good match for you, like Bije."

While Turan consoled Solif, Bije ensured the kill by striking the falling golden eagle with a bolt of lightning before returning to Turan.

As she met his gaze with a triumphant expression, Turan muttered in a low voice.

"Let's finish up first. We should go down there and deal with the magic power too."

Bije's eyes, which had expected praise, turned sulky.

*

A day and a half later, Turan’s group exited the grassy plains and entered a new region.

In stark contrast to the desolate plains, enormous lakes stretched out like an inland sea, with numerous rivers branching from them in every direction.

This was the land ruled by the Great Noble House Varaha.

It was commonly referred to as the Land of Five Lakes.

"It’s been a while."

"Or. Should I say it's nice to be back?"

Solif’s face showed a mix of emotions as he looked upon his homeland for the first time in years.

Turan imagined that if he were to return to Hisaril Hill, his expression would likely be similar.

Regardless, from this point onward, they had to be mindful of prying eyes.

After landing near a lakeshore close to a city, Turan’s group immediately began preparations for infiltration.

First, Solif put on the transformation mask, taking on the face of a pirate they had killed during their voyage.

In an instant, he became a boy who appeared even younger than Turan.

The reason for choosing that particular face was that its hair color, though slightly darker, was a similar shade of gray to Turan’s.

Meisa, on the other hand, used a magic artifact she had personally crafted to change the color of her hair and eyes.

Her reddish-brown hair and blue eyes turned the same shade of gray as Turan’s. When the two stood side by side, they looked like siblings.

"Come to think of it, you two are distant relatives, right? Since you share the Aravion Bloodline."

"If you're calling our connection 'relatives', then you probably have a few thousand cousins scattered across these grassy plains too."

As Meisa pointed out, the blood relation between her and Turan was so distant that it was practically meaningless.

According to a brief investigation conducted while staying with House Berk, Turan’s maternal lineage had maintained the Aravion Bloodline up until at least five generations ago.

However, since Meisa’s tone sounded a bit sharp for simply stating a fact, Solif smirked and teased her.

"Yeah, I’m sure you’d prefer not to be considered relatives."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing."

While the two exchanged lighthearted banter, Turan put on the magic artifact that altered his apparent age and infused it with magic power.

He set his appearance to that of someone in their early fifties.

A moment later, sensing that the transformation was complete, Turan turned to the others and asked,

"Is it done? How do I look?"

His voice sounded rougher than before, like that of someone who had aged several decades.

Meisa, after observing his changed appearance, nodded in approval.

"It worked well."

"I’ve seen this before, but seriously, you look completely different when aged. Even people who know you well probably wouldn’t recognize you easily."

Turan considered making a water mirror but, realizing the lack of moisture in the grassy plains, took out a handheld mirror instead.

Looking at his reflection, he murmured softly,

"It’s surprising that I don’t resemble Talis much."

Was it because of the distinct sharp eyes and high nose bridge characteristic of House Zahar?

In his natural appearance, Turan bore such a strong resemblance to Talis that those who knew them both often suspected a blood relation at first glance.

However, when his age was artificially increased, that resemblance diminished significantly.

Instead, his mother’s features became more prominent, giving him a gentler yet lively expression.

Solif, looking intrigued, asked,

"That thing doesn’t weaken your body, does it?"

"It only changes my outward appearance. My height and weight stay the same."

If it could completely manipulate physical age itself, it would be a superior version of Lavitas’ Eternal Life Relic.

Despite looking like someone in their fifties, Turan’s physical capabilities remained completely unaffected.

Of course, this also meant he couldn't take on the appearance of a child before puberty.

Once all three had completed their disguises, they stood side by side, inspecting each other before nodding in approval.

Turan, who appeared to be in his early-to-mid fifties, Meisa, who looked like a young woman in her early twenties, and Solif, who had taken on the appearance of a teenager in his late teens.

With all three of them now sporting gray-toned hair, they looked convincingly like close relatives, even if their facial features were not entirely alike.

After all, it was not uncommon for family members to bear little resemblance to one another.

"It would have been better if this kid had gray eyes too."

"If they were, it would erase too much of the maternal side’s features. Let’s just consider it a natural variation."

Turan casually responded to Solif’s grumbling, then took the lead, pointing toward the distant city.

From this point on, they were just an ordinary traveling family journeying through the lands of House Varaha.

***