Chapter 77: Descending Yehimal Mountain
***
While an avalanche was set on Yehimal Mountain with the ability to affect the livelihoods of the people of Sorbet Kingdom. On top of this Behemoth stood a tall man at 224 cm tall who only had a pair of ripped black trousers and nothing else on his body, apart from his black sword in strapped on the waist.
On the flat levelled mountain summit where the quakes could be felt shaking the foundation of the mountain, there seemed to be a silent calm coming from the black-haired man who watched his surroundings.
Watching the Temple who, froze down thanks to a missing keeper, while in the distance, greeted him the [Heaven's Gates] straight in the clouds.
"..."
He was silent, not speaking with the girls who still were reserved in asking him, what had happened to him to change so much. Only when Bonney woke up did she notice Vlad gaze at her watching her pink hair, which looked whiter than usual. However, compared to the whiter tone of the pink, this one looked far healthier.
"I've seen what you've done in the Arena. Not the smartest choice, but in failure do we learn far more than when we win." told Vlad without averting his gaze from the young girl who didn't seem to be too surprised by his new height and form.
"Where are we?" Before she could continue on with her questions, the sound of her stomach turning around calling out in extreme hunger, she dropped all of her questions, shifting around to look for Eleine's backpack.
"I need food, or I feel as if I will die."
"Here let me help you, Bonney." called out Eleine who went to her backpack starting to get some of the supplies for the journey, and in no time, the pink-haired girl started wolfing down with a lot of gluttony and greed, not caring about her environment, all she could think was food.
Some minutes passed and Vlad could hear the voice of the young Lunarian who flew exiting from the rubbles of the destroyed Temple before throwing both Reverscar and Taelar to the ground as if they were some heavy pigs.
"Who did this? It was you bastard?"
"And what if it was me? What are you going to do about it?"
"Obviously, REVENGE! This is my home, the only place to keep me safe from crazy fucks like you."
Vlad had a stern look on his face the entire time since returning to the surface and watching this large dark-skinned youngster with long white hair, his olive oil tattoo on his face, and the black wings that were releasing flames, he didn't reply to this declaration.
Only after some minutes of contemplation did he mention to Dalyon with sarcasm in his tone.
"Kid, have you ever heard the saying … "Hiding under the nose of my enemy?"
"What are you talking about?"
"No? Sigh, you've spent so much time over such scenery and didn't even ponder on those secrets. No wonder you are so stupid, which is why I recommend you reading some books. As for your Revenge? Why don't you tag along with me and see if you can achieve that revenge?"
Dalyon looked at Vlad with an angry expression as he was the subject of his mockery, but then came an interesting proposal that shifted his anger to slight calm, beginning to analyze his current situation.
While he was contemplating, King Taelar walked toward Vlad and the size disparity didn't change anything in his cold, emotionless appearance.
"Young man, I don't know anything about you, but seeing your people looking after my daughter … granddaughter, I want to extend my gratitude for both myself and Sandur since we received lady Eleine's treatment with your medicine."
"It's that so? Good for you, then. Now, mind moving from my sight, I try to watch some clouds."
Taelar, while he might have been a hot-headed lad in his early days as King of Sorbet Kingdom, over the years he, learned the patience and wisdom required for a King to lead his people.
With an understanding that Vlad wasn't in the mood to hear him talk about his appreciation and gratitude for what he didn't even do, moved to his granddaughter who was wolfing down all the supplies Eleine brought with herself.
"Runa … No, little Anne. Do you mind if I sit next to you?"
"Sure, but don't touch my food." replied Bonney after clearing her mouth from all the food she had, while she continued eating akin to a peasant girl, which might have resulted in the girl getting scolded by his wife since she was a nitpicking woman.
A small tremor happened when Taelar went into a sitting position, watching the little girl eating with a large smile on her face, with her hair turning brighter in its colour, slowly returning to its initial pink tone.
"So, how is your mother, Runa? Also, how is your grandmother … Conney? Why not even your father … who I never met."
Bonney, who was eating, turned for a brief moment her purple eye at the large elder, before resuming to focus on her food. Yet, there was a brief moment when she was required to drink some water. That's when she mentioned a sad truth to Taelar.
"Mom is in Heaven … Dad abandoned … home, to become a Pirate. It's only my grandmother remaining and me, and I guess you."
Taelar could barely contain his emotions, but seeing how this young girl was so distant to talk about everything, he understood that something must have been going on in the Court of King's Rock that strained the relations between this girl and the last remaining family member.
"That Conney, did she force you to do unreasonable things? To learn all sorts of nonsense that you wouldn't need in life? Table manners… Etiquette, Arts, Calligraphy, Music, Mathematics … Urgh, even now I get goosebumps when she forced me to learn all of that nonsense."
"Yeah, all in all what you say is correct." replied Bonney after she filled herself mouth full, requiring some water for a smoother journey to the stomach.
"No problem, this can be resolved now that Grandpa will return home. All those useless requirements for you will be nulled. By the way, granddaughter, who is your father? I've missed home for far too long to remember anyone that might have courted Runa … your mother. Was Count Medir's son, Andrel? Or … that insufferable, curious stableboy … Kylian? Was it Fischer or Galan? "
"No … My father's name is Bartholomew Kuma. A commoner."
"Kuma …"
Hearing that, the image of a young boy taller than most in his age category started building up, it was a boy with short curly hair, always with a gentle smile on his face even though the kids were making fun of his height.
'Kuma … Could it be? The fireplace cleaner boy. .... Tch, I did intend to have her marry a Siloriel Prince so we could strengthen our forces over Roshwan and Briss Kingdom. Hah, it is so like Runa to pick so randomly such an important decision for the future of the kingdom.'
'But I wonder what happened exactly … because I doubt a little girl like Anne would truly understand the small details.'
'Once I get back to Rock King's Castle, people would have to spill everything they knew with regard to Runa's death … Kuma's departure and the overall distancing from Bonney and Conney.'
'Otherwise, I don't see how that boy would even choose to become a pirate.'
While King Taelar tried to warm up some conversation with his granddaughter, that looked to be trying to eat an entire cow, Vlad who recovered his vision temporarily, could feel some fuzziness in his vision, as if the Optic Nerve wasn't fully repaired. Nonetheless, it was like Anathema mentioned to him, a blessing in disguise.
His body growth was also accelerated to a crazy rate that he never knew it could be possible, with some chemical called "Hormones" while his muscles and bones also received their share of care from Nihiloor.
Opening a leather bag, he watched the chopped parts of the crimson seed, and briefly at the key fragment, which looked to be the tip of the whole structure.
"Vlad, do you mind sharing what happened to you?" asked Titania who flew from Eleine, landing gently on his broad shoulder, watching the cold expression he was exposing.
"I'll do it when I get to the ship, when Eleine and Bonney are present and the setting is closed from the outside. What I can tell you now is that I learned some interesting information that I don't know what to make out of them."
"... I see. Then what about the flame boy? Are you serious about inviting him to join us?"
"The Lunarian? That's what his people are called. While they give off a grandiose appearance to the outside, they are truly pitiful people who lost everything. From their honor, dignity, family, power and home, they are pitiful."
Turning her head at Dalyon who was contemplating, it didn't take long for him to walk forward and face Vlad, who shifted his attention on the white-haired youngster.
"What you said makes some sense, and I don't want to stay in this place which fooled so many of my predecessors to remain in hiding. I also want my revenge, so you better be ready for a rematch without any interference."
"Meaning, you'll join me?" asked Vlad with a smirk on his face which made Dalyon eyebrow wrinkle a bit.
"I'll tag along temporarily. Once I beat you, I'll go on my way."
"Ohh, good luck with your new goals." mentioned Vlad sarcastically, turning to the clouds where he was observing that simple human structure, an [Heaven's Gate].
"Any idea what that gate takes toward?"
"That's the way to the land of the Sky People, and those clouds are not normal ones, instead you can swim in them."
"Swim in the clouds? Don't jest with me, boy. There's no way one can do such a thing. Makes no sense, right, Titania?"
"None of my business, if you believe it or not. I just told you what I know. Also, those cloud formations are called the White Sea … I know, very original, but it wasn't named by me, instead those weaklings on the Sky Islands."
There's not much response from Vlad's face even when he heard something interesting, instead to prove it himself, he jumped in the air, ignoring the fact Titania was on his shoulder, beginning to step toward the white clouds, approaching closer to the Gate, and once he reached, allowed himself to fall down.
"Ahhh, we will fall down from the mountain and drop dead!!" screamed Titania, finding herself in a precarious situation thanks to Vlad.
Yet, when they "splashed" inside the white clouds there was something dumbfounding for both herself and Vlad, as their heads resurfaced at the neck level.
"Fascinating. I can float on those clouds as if I am swimming in the Ocean. This is worth exploring further … but not now. We got other business to settle in Sorbet Kingdom."
Picking up Titania who was floating next by, then placing on his head, she could feel a small tremor as Vlad kicked on the clouds jumping above the clouds, arriving later on the summit with a clear indifference as if nothing impressive just happened, but deep in the clouds past the Heavenly Gate there was an Elder holding a spear flying on his unique horse who pulled on the reins to stop.
"We have guests at the South Gate. I wonder how did they reached the gate since the mountain has been enchanted to not allow anyone to climb it and take a step into my people's domain?"
"Giddi Haaa! To the South of the White Sea we go Pierre."
The pink horse who even had a pair of wings neighed and started flying in the direction the old man with a long mustache pointed towards, unknown to him that the person who checked his domain's back door was beginning his preparation for departure.
Since they would have a long way back to his Ship, there was no point in lurking around so high over the ground.
"Does anyone have an objection? Desires to stay up here for extra minutes or hours?" asked Vlad who was holding Eleine's backpack with only one finger.
"Not really. This is just a fake place which constrained my predecessor."
"Ahhhhh, I am so tired right now, Vlad. I need you to pick me up and take me home. I want a hot bath, and a back massage. These are my desires right now." commented Eleine, as she wrapped her arms around Vlad's left arm, which the latter only scoffed, grabbing her by the waist and picking her like a feather.
"Achievable desires you got, little one."
"But you know what my biggest desire is … Is that achievable?"
"We'll see. Your performance was to my liking, even though quite reckless for an amateur. Crazy and gutsy enough to fight me, that's a bonus for sure."
Eleine, who was picked up by Vlad and placed on his shoulder, couldn't help but look at Titania who was puffing her cheeks, getting all rowdy as if someone forgot her.
"Each lady will be rewarded generously. Now, please, don't bicker and make a scene that will embarrass me. We'll begin climbing down."
"Bonney, do you want to tag along with me? Or remain with the Elder?"
Bonney who was by then finished eating, recovering her pink-hair splendour, nodded her head, starting to walk toward him, approaching closer to his right side, and indirectly telling Taelar that she didn't trust him even after all the attempts he made to get closer, instead choose to remain with Vlad who remained unmoved, only a small smirk appearing on his cold face.
Shifting his look at the white-haired guy who was seated on a cubic rock, he told him casually.
"Lunarian, I will ask that you follow us without many complaints. Even though you can fly and reach the destination faster than us, it will be an interesting experience if you stick along."
Without any comments from Dalyon, Vlad wrapped his large hand around Bonney's waist picking her on his left shoulder, he started the descent from Yehimal Mountain in a unique fashion, giving the impression gravity didn't work on him, since he was walking without any tension on his body.
"Are you sure, we'll be fine if we descend like this?" asked Titania who was holding herself using Vlad's dense black hair.
"No problem, I can feel that I can destroy this whole mountain if I want. But it would only bring troubles on me, so I'd rather not. Besides girls, have you noticed some interesting sights that I can enjoy while I have my eyesight at least functioning for a while?"
Eleine who was holding on to Vlad's neck, similar to Bonney who didn't want to fall from such a high altitude, couldn't help but tell him about some sights she noticed.
"At that point where you left your camp at about 8000 meters, there you could see the other peaks of the mountain creating a stunning view that I can bet will impress you."
"That view? Yeah, I agree it was nice to look at it." added Titania, who also felt her gloomy state of mind drifting away, not trying to fight herself to look deeper in the visions she gained.
"Right, Eleine isn't wrong. That view was truly amazing." mentioned Bonney who agreed with Eleine's suggestion, making the black-haired woman give a smile to the youngest.
Bonney who noticed her smile, later on saw her wink after that smile, making her feel far better compared to when she had to talk with Taelar about some hurtful memories of her young life. That bad state of mind slowly melted away when she reached the point where one could see the entire Yehimal Mountain, from the Rock King's Castle to the vast expanses of Sorbet Kingdom surrounded by the South Blue.
"One additional point for you girls."
While he was talking with the girls, the descent process became an easy hike since they had the strongest "Stallion" to carry them, and after a whole day of moving around Yehimal Mountain to watch various sights, they passed past the Dead Zone and had it a far comfortable return to the Caravel.
Once he returns to his ship, he discovers how the whole ship was covered in snow, which made Vlad remark ironically.
"And this is why I need people to watch over my ship."
"Heh, what can I say? I never was good at cleaning and cooking, an underperforming maid in that regard, but who excels in other arts."
"Mhmm, we got to work on that."
The next person to arrive was Dalyon who landed on the Caravel watching his environment with observant eyes, noticing that Vlad was cleaning around the ship, but he ignored him and continue with his observations.
Then the last of the group to arrive at the Caravel was King Taelar and Count Reverscar who required extra hours to make their way past the forested area, and take in their visage Vlad's Caravel. When they first saw this ship, they were taken aback by this style of Caravel.
"My King, isn't this ship reminiscent of the style those Kaysangians have for their Merchant Fleet?"
"... Indeed, now that I look closely it resembles the style of Siloriel's blueprints for their kingdom's ships."
"Could it be? This Vlad person is someone from the Kaysang Kingdom? Don't tell me, he plans the downfall of Sorbet?"
"Sigh … even if he plans something to destroy our Kingdom … You've seen his monstrous power, something that I can't stop even if I try my best. Also, I doubt if I contact Admiral Sengoku or Admiral Zephyr that they will actually come to assist me and defend Sorbet."
"I see. Your Majesty, it's better if we don't antagonize this person, even if he is from Kaysang Kingdom. By the way his power looks, in those 10 years I've been trapped by that monster, those bastards have managed to improve themselves tremendously."
"Indeed, we first need to see the situation at hand in Everfall, and later on Summon the Diet, since many of our nobility believe that I've been killed in my extrusion to Yehimal Mountain."
Dalyon who was wearing some oversized clothes, watched Taelar and Reverscar with his usual grumpy expression, not saying anything to them as they stepped on the cleaned Caravel.
On the other hand, since Vlad finished cleaning his ship of the accumulated snow, he moved to his Cabin with the mission of searching for something to wear that could fit his tall body, all of his clothes turned out to be too small in size, which conflicted him, 350.000 𝔅 all going to drain because of his new found body.
"Vlad, you can always make-shift something to wear. I got my sewing kit from Mary, and learned how to sew from her." mentioned Titania who was flying around him, giving him various suggestions like the good Fairy she was.
"Thanks for the idea, Titania, but the truth is … it will take too long to sew something with our "tailoring" skills. Meanwhile, how long will it take to return to Everfall and buy some clothes tailored for my body-size?
"It took us two days to get here." replied Titania, who began pondering on what Vlad told her.
"Exactly, it will take me more to make something wearable with my own skills."
Vlad continued to search on his extensive garderobe, throwing around the clothes on his bed, which made Eleine to fish for them, giving them a closer look, even sniffing some of them.
"Don't throw them. I will gladly wear them. Once we get to Everfall, I will take all your clothes to a tailor so I can make them usable."
"As you wish."
After a couple of extra 20 minutes that he searched, filling his entire Royal-sized bed with clothes, at last managed to find something wearable. It was a large medieval gray tunic, along with a pair of large black trousers that he didn't even have to tie at his waistline.
"Eleine, throw those clothes to that Lunarian and have them wear it since he looks like a prehistoric person with that robe of his."
While he was doing his search, he found some clothes for Reverscar and Taelar that he reserved for when they would return.
From outside, he heard Dalyon complain about the clothes he found for him, which had Eleine give some toxic, ironic remarks in his face, as if she didn't fear him at all.
"Can't use your green tunic because of my wings, also it will burn down once I ignite my flames."
"Ohh really? Then why don't you just make some cuts at the back of the tunic, and you are good to go. As for the rest, figure it out, you are a big boy, no need for a mommy to take care of you. And your flames? Just don't use them since you are not in danger here."
Vlad saw this when he walked to his bathroom to take a bath before changing into his clothes, smirking when Eleine was bullying Dalyon, something the black-haired woman noticed, resulting in her grinning evilly.
'Hehehe, what an interesting girl. She is the type who has the highest growth rate, because she is willing to get her hands dirty, to experience all the cruelty of humanity and this world.'
Preparing his hot water and bathtub, he frowned when noticing how he couldn't fit in the tub, denied of his relaxing position he would get when bathing, and it was noticed by Eleine and Dalyon when she heard him curse with an ire face, but all in all, he didn't stay too long in the bath.
The next thing he did after changing his clothes, was to move in the kitchen and prepare something for himself and Bonney, both who were gluttons in their own rights.
"You know, little Bonney, I think I should search for a chef that can cook for us, otherwise I will have to stay nights inside the kitchen to just feed ourselves."
"But your food is quite delicious, no need for a chef."
"I have other things to do besides watching the pots."
"I see. Can you teach me how to cook?" asked Bonney who was watching Vlad's movements when cooking, and absorbing all the knowledge he was sharing about cooking.
"... No. You can only watch me cooking, and if you manage to steal something, it's all on you."
"Why not teach me? You don't have a problem teaching me how to fight, and the other arts."
"Heh, Bonney-chan the answer you are looking for is quite simple. You'll eat all the supplies before anything gets cooked" called out Eleine from the sides as she was watching Vlad cook, taking mental notes.
"That's not true, maybe I'll reward myself with something extra, but I'll be a fair cook." denied the young girl with a straight face, which crumbled when Vlad passed to her some boiled potatoes, devouring them in one gulp.
"Let's leave it for another time." said Vlad trying not to laugh at his cute girls who changed the way he was operating on a daily basis.
When midnight appeared over the Caravel anchored in a small natural harbor which made Taelar take note of this location, being a great spot for another settlement, and as the group started eating, only Dalyon was the one who remained outside of the ship, rejecting any of those small gestures.
Instead, it was Eleine who walked out of the Kitchen Cabin holding three plates filled bountifully with food.
"Pilaf, Stew, and some Bear Steak from the prey he hunted down when descending the mountain."
"There you go, you can eat here if you don't want to enter the Kitchen. This food … you deserve it fully, flaming boy."
Dalyon ignored Eleine, but seeing how she didn't walk off, he said with some annoyance in his tone. "Anything else, weakling?"
"Not much … just … I guess .. Thanks for helping out in the fight against King Taelar and against Vlad. While now I kind of understand that Vlad had things under his control, I didn't have anything under my wraps and fought against a far superior enemy."
"I see, sure. Your thanks have been received. Now can you leave me alone?"
"Tch, a beautiful woman is trying to hit a conversation with a guy, and yet she is rejected. Well, regardless, if you need any help around while here, just tell me and I'll help you out. I'll walk off."
Dalyon who saw Eleine walk back to the Kitchen, couldn't help but call out the young woman, with some awkwardness in his tone. "Hey, woman … Can you tell me where the bathroom is on your ship? I want to take a bath … My body stinks of rotting flesh."
"I can tell you, but you sure don't have a clue how to open the hot tub. Anyway, sure, I'll help you out."
Eleine moved toward the lower-deck followed by Dalyon even though she didn't tell him to follow, instead it was the young Lunarian who was checking out the ship on his own volition.
"So, we take a bucket from here, and we move to the reservoirs where there's fresh water. We don't use salty water to wash because it takes too long to turn it into fresh water, and instead, whenever we reach a new island, we'll make sure to fill the reservoir."
"There's more of those large tanks. What's with them?"
"That one to the left of the deck is the reservoir connected to the bathroom, where all of the used water returns there, which would be later purified and distilled by Vlad to be returned in the cycle as water used for washing clothes. The whole system is truly ingenious if you ask me."
As Eleine explained to Dalyon the whole process, when he returned to the main deck holding a 10 L bucket of water and noticed how the seagulls were eating from his food.
"Don't stress yourself, they are the sea beggars, but in their own unique way they are useful for the journey. I'll get you some more food if you want.
"... No thanks, let those vermin eat it."
There was a clear stoppage as if he wanted to say something affirmative, only to be blocked by his arrogance at dismissing her offer.
Once he arrived in the bathroom, he was surprised by how alien the devices for washing were, but after some explanation, Eleine told him with an ironic tone.
"Now place your hand in the bucket and heat the water. However, don't burn the bucket or the bathroom. Afterward, you place the water inside the tank and from that (robinet) you'll play around with the water. Now have fun, flame boy.
"It's Dalyon … My name is Dalyon, not Flame Boy.
"Indeed. But mine isn't "weaklings", "woman" or "oyy" as if you are calling a Swine. It's Eleine, better remember it, because tomorrow I will not answer to any of your callings if it's not my name."
"... Understood."
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A/N: We are slowing a bit down and start complete the other Sub Quests inside the Sorbet Kingdom before departing. Hang tight.