Translator: CinderTL
"Slow down," Roland said, shaking his head with a smile as he watched the Red Squirrel devour a white bread roll on the wooden table in the spacious dormitory.
Seeing the little creature's frantic eating, he casually split a wooden cup in two with his longsword, poured a cup of water, and pushed it toward the squirrel.
Only after the Red Squirrel stopped eating did Roland gently tap its head with his fingertip and ask softly, "How about it, Joe? Are you full?"
This Red Squirrel was none other than Joe, who had helped Roland and Darco escape from the goblin-infested forest.
"Full! Full!" Joe nodded vigorously, licking crumbs from his paws as he mumbled, "Roland, you're really different from other Two-Legged Beasts. You're such a great guy!"
He then leaned down and drained the cup of water in one gulp before letting out a satisfied burp. He sprawled on the table, rubbing his round belly with his tiny paws.
This endearing, human-like behavior made Roland chuckle.
"So," Roland said, gently rubbing Joe's fluffy belly with a smile, "why aren't you staying in the forest where you belong? What brought you here? If I hadn't arrived in time, that bearded chef would have turned you into soup!"
Hearing this, Joe suddenly shivered, then lowered his head, his voice filled with indescribable sorrow.
"The forest... the forest is dead."
"Dead?"
"Yes."
Joe's tiny paws unconsciously tugged at his bushy tail, his voice growing softer.
"It started with the stream turning black and foul-smelling."
He suddenly sat up straight, his black-bean eyes glistening with tears.
"Then Grandpa Oak's leaves began falling in massive clumps, even though it wasn't autumn yet! Every day, I could hear him groaning, and instead of resin, a black, viscous fluid oozed from the cracks in his bark."
The Red Squirrel's whiskers trembled.
"Mr. Woodpecker flew away with his family last month. Before leaving, he pecked open the bark of a birch tree. The wood inside had turned grayish-white and crumbled into powder at the slightest touch."
"After the berry bushes stopped bearing fruit and the mole family had eaten all their stored food, they moved away too."
It wiped its eyes with a paw.
"Miss Butterflies were the first to disappear. All the eggs they laid on the undersides of nettle leaves turned black. Later, even Uncle Cicada, who used to chirp all day long, fell silent. The last time I saw him, his six legs were curled up, hanging from a branch like a withered leaf."
"The entire forest became terrifyingly quiet. No birds sang, no insects buzzed—it was as if something had drained all the life out of it."
Joe suddenly darted to Roland's side, his icy-cold paws gripping Roland's fingers tightly.
"When I escaped, I saw black veins crawling out of the ground, wrapping around the tree roots like spiderwebs. Roland, that wasn't just ordinary withering, was it? The forest was being killed!"
Roland stared at the teary-eyed creature before him, his brow furrowing deeper.
Joe had no reason to lie, yet this was the cusp of spring and summer, when all things should be flourishing. Why were the forest's creatures withering away?
The word lingered on his tongue, yet it felt utterly out of place.
"Trees oozing black sap, the ground crawling with bizarre patterns—this is no natural phenomenon."
"When I visit Sean in Mist Creek Town, I can investigate along the way."
Suppressing his turbulent thoughts for the moment, Roland turned to the still-sobbing Red Squirrel Joe and gently stroked its drooping head with his fingertip.
"There, Joe, don't be so upset."
He paused.
"How about... you come with me from now on? I can't give you a home like the forest, but at least you won't have to steal food to survive."
"R-really? Can I?"
Joe's head shot up, its obsidian eyes instantly brightening, but then it nervously rubbed its paws together.
"But... I can't help with anything..."
"Ha ha ha!"
Roland chuckled at the sight, carefully cradling the squirrel in his palm.
"Who says that? If it weren't for you, my friend and I would never have escaped that forest."
"But but..."
Joe's tiny paws clutched at the tip of its tail.
"You already gave me white bread last time..."
"It's settled then."
Roland firmly placed the bread back on the table and turned to pack his bag.
"I'll be gone for a few days tomorrow, but I can ask a friend to look after you."
"No!"
Joe suddenly darted to his side, his tiny paws clinging tightly to Roland's fingers.
"I don't want to stay with any Two-Legged Beasts except you, Roland!"
Seeing the squirrel's puffed-up tail and stubborn gaze, Roland chuckled softly.
"Alright, alright." He poked Joe's puffed-out cheeks. "But you have to stay put in the backpack and not run around."
"No problem!"
After reaching an agreement with Joe, Roland quickly washed up and collapsed onto his bed, falling into a deep sleep.
The next morning, as dawn barely broke, Roland woke up precisely on time.
He went to the cafeteria for breakfast, returned to his dorm, and was dividing the food for Joe when a familiar voice called from outside the door.
"Roland! Are you awake yet?"
Hearing the voice, Roland shook his head in resignation and opened the door.
Sunlight streamed in, illuminating a head of shimmering golden hair. He lowered his voice to warn, "Darco, keep it down. Everyone else is still sleeping."
"Oh, sorry." Darco scratched his head awkwardly, then squeezed past Roland into the room, barely containing his excitement.
As his gaze swept over the Red Squirrel devouring its meal on the wooden table, Roland suddenly recalled his earlier plan to find a pet for Darco.
However, this thought was quickly overshadowed by more pressing matters as the young noble eagerly announced:
"Matthew said you needed to see me? Perfect timing! I have some incredible news to share!"
He straightened his back, his voice unconsciously rising a few notches.
"I'm leaving for the Capital Knight Academy to further my studies!"
"Congratulations, Darco!" Roland genuinely rejoiced for his friend.
After all, the young noble had spent countless hours regaling him with his dreams and plans for the Knight Academy. Now that his dream was coming true, at least Roland's ears would finally get some peace.
"Hahaha!" Darco roared with laughter, casually grabbing a wooden cup from the table and draining it in one gulp, startling the Red Squirrel into widening its eyes in alarm.
"Oh right, what did you want to see me about?"
"I'm planning to leave Blackwater Territory."
Facing his closest friend, Roland decided to be honest.
Despite their vast social differences, their long-standing friendship had forged a deep bond between them.
Of course, he still omitted certain details to avoid overcomplicating things for the naive young noble.
"Hmm."
Darco frowned deeply at the news, remaining silent for a long moment before sighing softly. His gaze toward Roland was filled with reluctance.
The young noble opened his mouth, but in the end, he only murmured, "Roland, I knew someone as talented as you would eventually leave this place. I just didn't expect it to happen so soon."
Darco scratched his head awkwardly, his voice trailing off. "I was even planning to... take you to the capital."
Before he could finish, Roland clapped him hard on the shoulder. The heavy blow made Darco wince, but it also broke the somber mood.
"Stop looking like you're attending a funeral," Roland said, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes at his friend's mournful expression. "The Golden Valley Kingdom and the River Domain Nations have maintained close diplomatic ties for years. If you have the time, you can visit me anytime."
"That's right!" Darco's dim eyes suddenly lit up, his tone brightening. "And the Knight Academies of both kingdoms have frequent exchanges! We'll have opportunities to study together every year! That means we can see each other at least once a year!"
With that, he threw his arm around Roland's shoulder, grinning mischievously.
"By then, I'll probably surpass you in strength! I'll defeat you with a single sword strike in our next duel!"
"Stop daydreaming."
Roland easily broke free from Darco's grip, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Seeing his friend regain his usual spirited demeanor, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The earlier gloomy farewell scene had left him feeling utterly out of place.
"So..."
Darco unceremoniously plopped down on a wooden chair, casually grabbing Roland's breakfast and stuffing it into his mouth. Red Squirrel Joe, perched nearby, puffed up his cheeks and clicked his teeth in annoyance.
"When are you planning to set off?"
"In a few days, I suppose."
Roland tore off a chunk of black bread and popped it into his mouth, then turned to begin packing his travel bag.
"But before that, I need to visit Mist Creek Town to see a friend."
"Oh! I remember you mentioning him!" Darco slapped his thigh. "Sean... Sean Shen?"
"It's Sean," Roland corrected with a helpless smile.
After a few more pleasantries, Darco rose to take his leave. To prepare for the Knight Academy's entrance assessment, the young noble headed straight for the training grounds.
After Roland finished preparing, he first went to the wooden cabin to give Bronson some instructions, then mounted Black Wind and left the manor.
"Hmm..."
Joe struggled to poke his little head out of the pouch at Roland's waist, his nose twitching as he curiously eyed Roland's left hand.
"Roland."
"What is it?" Roland asked, glancing around to get his bearings.
"Your left hand..." Joe's nose twitched. "It smells like the forest."
"The forest?" Roland raised an eyebrow and lifted his wrist to reveal the white skeletal remains. "You mean this?"
"Exactly!" Joe nodded vigorously, squinting as he sniffed intently. After a moment, he declared with certainty, "It smells exactly like the forest. Did you find this in the forest, Roland?"
"You could say that."
Roland's eyebrows lifted slightly, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.
Although he had obtained the skeletal remains near Pine Wood Town, far from Joe's forest, he suspected that the remains the Blazing Sun Church and the goblins had fought over originated from the same source as the one he now held.
"Still... how could skeletal remains smell like the forest?"
Though Roland had only known Joe for a short time, he understood that the "forest's scent" the Red Squirrel spoke of was actually closer to the forest's life force.
And a piece of skeletal remains could contain the forest's life force?
Could the withering of Joe's forest be connected to these skeletal remains?
With this question in mind, Roland gently nudged his horse's flanks and sprinted toward the forest where Joe had lived.
In mere moments, Roland caught sight of the forest's silhouette in the distance.
But the sight that greeted him made his heart clench.
The once lush, verdant forest was now even more desolate than Joe had described.
The once vibrant green canopy was now sparse and withered, its branches drooping as if drained of life.
An ominous gray mist hung in the air, dimming even the sunlight.
Black Wind snorted uneasily, his hooves crunching through the dry leaves with each step, each footfall feeling like a stomp on the forest's dying pulse.
"How could this be?" Joe cried, scrambling completely out of Roland's pouch. His round eyes were wide with disbelief, even his whiskers drooping in dismay. "It wasn't this bad when I left!"
Roland gently stroked Joe's trembling back, his gaze sweeping solemnly over the parched tree bark and scattered withered branches.
The scene before them was less a picture of withering than one of utter desolation.
(End of the Chapter)
⚡ 𝟏𝟒 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐬 | 𝟖.𝟓𝐤 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 | 𝟏𝟒.𝟑𝐌 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 [𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐥.𝐜𝐨𝐦]