Edited by An Zheee
However, Medeus didn’t make any move to kick the couple, nor did he shun them away. Medeus’s eyes, which had always appeared drowsy, began to grow alert.
“Haq? When?”
“This morning at dawn. To get hay for the kunga… We went out earlier than usual today, and we ran into them!”
“Medeus, please, please help us!”
Early this morning… so that was after when Medeus and Nataek had returned from their bathing spat.
“Which way did they go, and how many were there?”
“They took the fourth forest road toward Zagros! There were three of them!”
Medeus gripped the reins of his kunga while he stared at the forest, long eyelashes partially obstructing the gray irises of his lidded eyes. Through his narrowed vision, Medeus took the time to scan the mountain range in the far distance.
“If it was at the crack of dawn… They’ll arrive at the forest around the time when the sun sets.”
Medeus tightened his grip on the sword strapped to his waist. He took the bow and quiver of arrows that had been attached to the saddle, slinging them over his back, and quickly mounted the kunga.
Nataek, who was confused about what he should be doing, was then beckoned by Medeus.
“Teresi. Come here.”
Given the situation, tension crept into Nataek’s mind. Nataek quickly grabbed the reins of his kunga and started to walk toward Medeus.
“Get on.”
“What?”
Medeus reached his hand out to Nataek.
“I’ll be going full speed. If you can keep up on your own, then you’re more than welcome to.”
Riding a horse with Medeus… Nataek really didn’t want to. But it didn’t seem like he was in a position to refuse. When he turned around, he saw the couple holding hands while wiping away their tears and snot. The more Nataek delayed, the more danger their child would be in.
Nataek tightly squeezed his eyes shut and took Medeus’s outstretched hand. Medeus effortlessly pulled the tall, full-grown man onto the saddle.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
After Medeus quickly tied together the reins of both kunga, his chest then brushed against Nataek’s back. Nataek tried his best to ignore it, unintentionally moving his lower body closer against Medeus in the process.
“Po sbe ojii boo, P’ii alf sbe ab atf yjmx jcv tjnf sbe vgjuufv yftlcv er, rb tbiv bc aluta.”
Zfvfer rijqqfv vbkc atf gflcr.
Rjajfx tjvc’a wjvf qgbugfrr bc atf rfmbcv defra, ‘Ktf Qtfgfjybear bo atf Xejgvljc Gflas’, ja jii. Zjsyf la kjr yfmjerf tf’v yffc klat Zfvfer jii vjs, yea cba j rlcuif rsrafw cbalolmjalbc klcvbk atja kbeiv erejiis ulnf Rjajfx j tlca qbqqfv eq. Dea tlr kbgglfr jybea atf defra vlvc’a ijra ibcu.
Nataek had never ridden a horse before in his life, so he had no idea how challenging it would be to sit on a four-legged galloping beast. In hindsight, he should have told Medeus he’d rather stay behind and wait with the couple. He regretted not doing that earlier, as it was obviously too late now.
While sitting on the galloping kunga, Nataek lamented about his situation, trembling in fear of the Guti they might encounter soon while also struggling to endure the ache in his sore butt. Medeus was commanding the horse with such vigor that Nataek didn’t dare open his mouth, afraid that he’d accidentally bite his own tongue.
They had set off around midday when the sun was at its peak in the sky, and before he knew it, sunset was rapidly approaching. Having switched kunga only once along the way and never taking a break otherwise, they finally arrived at the entrance to the Zagros Forest. From there, the castle walls of Uruk looked like a small toy in the far distance.
Following Medeus, as the man dismounted from the kunga, Nataek was finally able to set foot on the ground. As he patted his throbbing butt, Medeus handed him a small leather pouch.
“Take it.”
Nataek did as he was told. Inside the pouch was a dagger slightly longer than the length of his hand.
“The Guti are known for being hostile, and barbaric as well. Keep it with you, just in case.”
How… What did you expect Nataek to do with something this small? Nataek couldn’t help but find the intent behind this “gift” questionable at best. After all, Nataek’s life depended on it.
“It’d be better if you gave me a real sword… How am I supposed to deal with those guys with something like this?”
At those words, Medeus looked Nataek up and down.
“Even if I were to give you a sword, I doubt you’d have enough time to use it. It only takes a single punch from the Guti to knock you out.”
“They’re that strong?”
“Not only are they that strong, but they’re also thirsty for blood. Holding onto a sword for no reason will make you a target. Don’t do anything troublesome, just stick close to the kunga and watch over them. I only gave that to you just in case.”
Medeus was treating Nataek on a similar level to the kunga. Apparently Medeus had meant it literally when he said he only brought Nataek along to act as a pack mule.
Medeus adjusted his sword and bow, then pointed toward the forest.
“Follow me.”
Nataek trailed behind Medeus while holding onto the reins of both kunga in his hands..
As he walked and walked, only one thought was coming to his mind.
What am I even doing right now…
Even as he thought that, he couldn’t help but be worried about the safety of the kid as well as the couple from earlier who’d been begging for their help while clinging onto Medeus’s leg. Seeing Medeus was familiar with the name Haq, it seemed like he knew the couple already.
There was one thing Nataek was certain about after observing Medeus for a few days: Medeus’s attitude towards the servants in the mansion was completely different from his attitude toward the people he met outside the mansion.
What were his standards? The hair color of the old blacksmith and the couple didn’t match the typical appearance of people from Uruk. Thinking back, the tavern keeper was like that too…
Medeus suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. The path they were taking had been mostly flat so far, but there was a slight incline ahead from this point.
Medeus took out a canteen and fed water to the kunga.
“We’ll most likely have to wait for the moon to rise before we can start moving again.”
Nataek looked up at the sky. So far, the cedar trees along the path had been sparse, but the trees ahead were more densely packed together. Because of the tall dense leaves, it appeared as though the sky had been split into two, with only darkness looming ahead.
“I wonder why…”
“You’re allowed to ask questions, just don’t ask for permission to ask a question from now on.”
Then why didn’t you just let him speak comfortably from the very beginning? Nataek quietly furrowed his brow, but now was not the time to complain about something like this.
“Why do we have to wait for the moon to rise?”
“The deeper you venture into the cedar forest, the less light that’ll come through. We have to pass through the forest in order to reach their territory, but the road is rough and it’ll be hard to navigate without light. The Guti are probably resting somewhere up ahead.”
“Do you personally know the kid who was taken?
“Her tribe takes care of the kunga. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the tribe is responsible for all the kunga in Uruk.”
“So why weren’t they let into Uruk?”
The image of the kid’s parents came to mind. They were stuck outside the gates, blocked from coming in, unable to do anything other than kicking their heels.
At that, Medeus stopped in the middle of feeding the kunga water and straightened his back. It was those eyes again. The eyes that looked at Nataek as if they couldn’t comprehend him, as if they were looking at a fool.
“How the hell have you been living life in Lagash?”
“What do you—”
“Are you asking because you really don’t know how people from other tribes, the people that aren’t from Uruk, are treated? Or are you asking even though you know?”
He seemed a little angry about it, Nataek inwardly noted to himself. He was a human being who had lived in modern society without a caste system his entire life.
For just a little longer, I’ll immerse myself in the role of a slave in Uruk, Nataek told himself, closing his eyes.
“I’m sorry. I just… Those people take care of the kunga, so I thought they’d be important to Uruk…”
Medeus’s face twisted into a more intense expression at Nataek’s words. Had Nataek said something wrong?
“They’re important?”
Should Nataek have said they’re not? But it was what modern society would call a technical job, so Nataek had said it with conviction.
“Nobody can replace them, right? There’s no one else who takes care of the Kunga better than them, so… why wouldn’t they be important?”
A silence fell between the two. As he was stroking the head of the kunga, Medeus turned completely toward Nataek. The priorly present light resembling spring sunshine had now disappeared from Medeus’s eyes, replaced by a darkness reminiscent of fallen leaves in autumn.
“…That’s right. No one else knows how to maintain the kunga like they do. Why don’t those in the walls know what even a mere slave knows?”
“…”
Medeus looked up at the sky. The red tail of the sun was gone, leaving behind only a trace of the light.
Medeus went on quietly, “And Haq is a talented kid. Though she’s kept outside the walls and can’t see the light of the day, she’ll grow up to be more than those idiots within Uruk if she gets the chance to.”
His expression darkened.
“It’d be a waste if she were to lose her life like this.”
“…I hope she’s safe.”
Medeus pulled on the adjusted reins.
She has to be safe. She has to be.
The low murmur of Medeus could be heard clearly. The quenched kunga stood up with their heads straightened more than before, as if they had regained their strength. As Nataek gently stroked their backs Medeus turned his head from side to side, looking around.
Then, the man asked, “Ready?”
Yay! Thanks so much for the update
(heart)
Having to wait for this update is pure torture😭😭 I think Medeus has an inkling that Teresi isn’t from this world
Ahhh sorry midterms got chaotic around October! I’ll see what I can do to catch up later this week
There conversations are bliss to read.
Certainly both are from different worlds , but their thoughts do coincide.
I’m not surprised about MC’s line of thought. Rather Ml’s.
He’s like rose among thorns. I’m astonished.
That’s why he doesn’t fit in that society. Stands out like sore thumb. 乁༼☯‿☯✿༽ㄏ
Thank you so much for this chapter.
But wait is too long 😭
There’s a reason for everything 😉 and sorry for the late update, I’ll try to see if I can make up for the lost week(s)
Hope your Mid terms went well. Studies first ( ͝° ͜ʖ͡°)ᕤ
ML could either be a transmigrator as well or Hero they’re looking for.
We’ll who knows. Probably you ? 😹
i love this chapter!! poor medeus :(( thanks for translating