Chapter 225: Chapter 224: Resting in the Tree
"So, how do we start?" Colin asked, looking at Kase.
’Best to ask the professional.’
"Basically, the stronger bears don’t hibernate, and their appetites are huge," Kase said. "I figure we lay some bait nearby, wait for a bear to come eat, and then track it. Best if I handle this part."
"Why don’t we do it together?" Colin suggested.
"Oh? In a bit, I’m gonna have to smear some shit on myself to cover my scent. You still wanna come?"
"Uh..."
"See? Knew it’d have to be me." Kase crossed his arms, a smug, ’I-told-you-so’ look on his face. "I’ll help you guys find a tree to settle into. This kid here can help, right?"
"I can," Aidan quickly replied.
"Once I get everyone settled, you’ll come out with me. The bigger the bear, the greedier it is. We’ll need some ’big game,’ like a wild boar or a deer," Kase said. "If you’re not with me, I have a feeling I’ll get lost."
The group then searched around the forest for a while.
After a good deal of searching, they settled on a massive oak tree, one so large it would take five people to encircle it with their arms.
Kase stood at the base of the tree, tossed his gear aside, slung a coil of rope over his back, and dug his fingers into the bark, scrambling right up. His nimble movements were a complete mismatch for his large frame.
"Hold on, Kase."
"What is it?" Kase asked, looking back from his perch on the tree.
Colin took out the [Climbing Rope] and waved it. "Why are you climbing when we have this?"
"Lame Mage tricks," Kase grumbled, hopping down from the tree.
Colin then pinched one end of the rope, commanding the other to fly up the tree. After the rope had secured itself around a branch, he ordered it to tie climbing knots along its length at one-foot intervals.
One by one, the group climbed the rope up the trunk. After setting up their sleeping bags and other belongings, they each used ropes to secure themselves to the tree to prevent falling.
"Alright, this’ll do. The two of us are off to work," Kase said. "Remember, don’t wander too far from this tree. It’ll be a real pain if you get lost." With that, he led Aidan down the rope.
The pair walked a short distance before disappearing into the dense woods.
"So now... we just wait?" Orelia asked, hugging her knees as she leaned against the thick trunk behind her.
"That’s all we can do," Colin said, taking out his Spellbook and some parchment to study. Ale also pulled out her small notebook, sitting down beside him quite naturally and beginning to write and sketch.
Colin looked up at Orelia, who was sitting opposite them, and sighed.
"I’m about to read a history book. Do you want to come sit with us and read?"
At his words, the Tiefling happily came over and squeezed herself insistently between Colin and Ale.
The two resignedly made some room. Colin then placed the book on Orelia’s lap, and the three of them huddled together to read.
An unknown amount of time passed before Kase and Aidan slowly made their way back.
The two climbed back up the rope.
"Alright. Got lucky and bagged a wild boar, so we’re more than set for bait." Kase dusted himself off, then glanced at Colin and grumbled, "Hey, don’t look at me like that. We both found a stream to wash up in before we came back."
Aidan also chimed in defensively, "I certainly didn’t want to sleep covered in ’that stuff’."
"Alright, I was just joking," Colin said with a wave of his hand.
Kase clapped him on the shoulder, annoyed. "We’ll check tomorrow. If we’re lucky, we’ll see bear tracks. Then we just follow ’em, kill it, grab a few hundred Gold Coins, and we can head home."
"Oh, right. I think I forgot to mention," Colin said. "After we’re done here, let’s go with Orelia to the Holy City to submit her evaluation form."
"Works for me. We can earn some extra money along the way. I feel like while it’s a lot safer around here, all the jobs seem to have been taken," Kase said. "What’s more, people from my own tribe are competing with us for work. There’s no profit in sticking around here."
Noticing Colin looking at her, Ale spoke up, "I’m fine with whatever, but I’ve never been to the south."
Before Colin could answer, she continued, "Oh, can we make a stop at the White Tower on the way? If we could get inside to do some research, it would be a great help with the Ancient Empire. We might even find information about the [Silent]."
"The White Tower? I don’t think we’re qualified to get in," Colin said hesitantly.
Kase scratched his head. "What are you two talking about? What’s the White Tower?"
"Colin, let me! Let me!"
Seeing him nod, Orelia, relishing the rare chance to be the one explaining things, quickly chimed in, "The White Tower is on the coast west of Rommon. It’s a Mage Tower built by Gregory, the greatest Prophet of the Northern Lands.
"The Prophet collected many books to keep inside. When he was alive, he made accurate prophecies about many things in the world, from major disasters down to the birth of a prince in a certain country.
"On his deathbed, he left all his prophecies in his Mage Tower. After he passed, the Priests of the Deity of Knowledge consecrated it as a Divine Hall and continued to add books to it. Now, it’s become the largest Divine Hall of the Deity of Knowledge in the world, and the place with the largest collection of books."
"Is that so? Got it. So it’s like the War Mistress," Kase said.
He continued, "But getting into the White Tower is a real pain. The Priests of the Deity of Knowledge guard that place like hawks. We’re probably not qualified to visit... Still, I’ll ask Edwin about it later. If there’s a chance, we’ll go check it out."
"Is that so?" Ale seemed to want to say more, but she fell silent.
The group chatted for a few more minutes, then ate their rations and prepared to rest.
Aidan had the first watch tonight.
Colin crawled into his sleeping bag. Kase was on his left, while the other two were squeezed together on his right.
Before long, the others were asleep.
After lying with his eyes closed for a while, Colin opened them and stared up at the thick canopy of leaves overhead.
’Probably because I’m sleeping on a branch,’ he thought. He was having trouble falling asleep.
Something suddenly pressed against his right side.
He turned his head, and in a faint, unknown glimmer of light, he saw it was a bundled-up Ale and Orelia.
He had seen this before back in Snow Deer Valley. When Ale and Orelia slept, they both liked to wrap themselves in their cloaks and curl up like cats. When the two of them slept together, they became one big lump.
’The branch isn’t that wide, so I guess they have no choice but to sleep squeezed together.’
Colin glanced to his left.
Kase’s sleeping posture was extremely proper—almost too proper. If not for the occasional rise and fall of his chest, Colin would have thought a corpse was lying there.
But he was also certain that if anything were to suddenly attack, the Half-Orc would be the first to wake up.
After a couple more glances, Colin closed his eyes again and, before he knew it, drifted off to sleep.
