“[Sun Knight], Solam…”
In her memory, Yuli was sure she had never heard this name before.
“It’s our first meeting. Thank you for your help.”
Although Solam’s sudden appearance caught her off guard, she knew that without his assistance, she might not have been able to deal with the second gargoyle that emerged. She might have even needed to use a life-burning technique.
Grateful as she was, Yuli couldn’t help but wonder why Solam had appeared here. Could it be that he came specifically to clear out the Abyss Nest?
If an Abyss Nest was discovered near the town, the lord would usually organize a cleanup team—at the very least, they’d send a squad. Yet, from Solam’s appearance, he seemed to have come alone.
Judging by how effortlessly he dispatched the gargoyle, it was clear that a single person like him was more than enough to handle a newborn nest.
“Sir Solam,” she couldn’t hold back and finally spoke, “Did you come here just for this Abyss Nest?”
Due to her long-standing lack of interaction with people, she didn’t know how to phrase her question and just blurted it out.
She regretted it the moment she spoke. After all, it was his private business, and he had just saved her—wasn’t it too rude to ask so directly?
But Solam didn’t seem to mind at all. “Something like that. Though, my original destination was actually the Withered Mountains on the other side.”
The Withered Mountains?
Could it be that Solam was also after the legendary treasure rumored to be buried in those mountains?
What a pity—there was no such treasure there, only a minor evil god sealed away who knows how long. And now, it was floating right behind her, muttering from time to time about wanting to take over her body.
“There’s been a big commotion over there recently. Maybe some extremely dangerous Abyssal creature is about to hatch, so…”
“So?”
She subconsciously caught the thread of his words, and what followed was Solam’s hearty laughter.
“So, I need to snuff it out while it’s still in the cradle, before it fully hatches.”
The moment his words fell, Yuli was stunned.
He knew that what might be hatching was an extremely dangerous Abyssal creature, yet instead of avoiding it, he intended to confront it head-on?
Astonished, Yuli also remembered what happened inside the Withered Mountains.
When she was still inside the tomb, there had been a cave-in that buried the entire tomb. Could the commotion back then have been caused by the hatching of that Abyssal creature?
Realizing this, cold sweat broke out all over her back.
Thank goodness she hadn’t gone to investigate the source of that commotion. Otherwise, she might have perished right then and there.
Noticing the change in her expression, Solam tossed the question to her.
“You look a bit pale, stranger. Do you know anything about what’s inside the mountains?”
“Just call me Yuli. As for what’s in the mountains, I’m sorry, but I really don’t know.”
She had only heard the commotion; she didn’t actually know what caused it.
“I see. As for why I came here first, it’s because of my companion.
She told me there was a strong Abyssal presence nearby before I left the city, so I came to check it out. I didn’t expect to find a newborn nest here. And, I didn’t expect someone to be clearing it out before I even arrived.”
At this last part, Yuli could clearly sense a note of admiration in his tone.
“It’s a shame, though. She stayed in the city, saying she wanted to meet someone. Otherwise, she probably could have handled the nest even before I got here.”
Eh?
So Solam actually had a companion?
And it sounded like she was still in Anvil City, waiting to meet someone?
Even more baffling, why was he telling her all this?
This was clearly their first meeting. Yuli hadn’t shared any information about herself, and yet Solam was just pouring out information as if he couldn’t keep things inside. Not that it really mattered to Yuli, or that knowing it would be of any use.
As she was lost in thought, Solam suddenly bent down and rummaged through the mud nearby, then handed something to her.
“Oh right, you probably need this more than I do.”
“Eh?”
She glanced down at what he handed her, and the moment she saw it, Yuli froze in place. Resting in her palm was an Abyssal Crystal, and not just any crystal—it was blue grade, seemingly dropped by the slain gargoyle.
Blue grade…
In all these years, Yuli had only ever seen two white-grade Abyssal Crystals. She had only heard rumors about blue ones. And now, here was such a precious item, handed to her by Solam without even a blink.
But why did he say she needed it more than him? Did he…?
“Your curse is pretty severe, isn’t it? It’s a bit of a gamble, but it can suppress the outbreak to some extent.”
She’d been found out?
Yuli instinctively checked her scarf—it was perfectly intact, hiding the mark of the cursed without a flaw.
So how did he know she was a Cursed One? Yuli was instantly unsettled.
“Don’t worry. I’m a Cursed One too.”
Eh?
So because they were both cursed, he could sense the aura from the curse in her as well?
“It’s just that, I’m a little luckier. I was only cursed recently.”
Recently?
Even with what was basically a fatal curse, Solam still sounded calm, as if he wasn’t the one afflicted.
“Sir Solam, don’t you resent this curse?”
From her past experience, almost every Cursed One was filled with despair and hatred toward the misfortune forced upon them. She was no exception.
“Hate it? Of course I do.”
Solam answered decisively. “But that’s exactly why I’m even more determined to walk this path.”
“This path?”
“The path to destroy the Abyss.”
As he spoke, Solam gazed toward the distant dawn.
“The sun is beautiful, isn’t it?
Most Cursed Ones are forced to live in the darkness underground, unable to live freely under this warm sunlight.
If the curse could be lifted, they would be able to bask in this warmth freely again.”
This was what Yuli herself sought. All her struggles were for the day when she could break free from the curse and live an ordinary life, free under the sun.
“So, as long as the Abyss is completely erased from this world, the curse will vanish as well. Then all those oppressed Cursed Ones can live under the sun once more.”
Erase the Abyss completely?
That was pure fantasy.
If humanity could really oppose the Abyss, the world wouldn’t have been scarred and corrupted as it was, and people wouldn’t tremble at the mere mention of the Abyss.
Yet Solam’s tone remained firm. “I believe humanity will triumph over the Abyss. By then, no one will need to fear anymore. Everyone will be free to bask in the sun.”
He stretched out his hand again, just as he did before.
“Praise the Sun. Humanity will prevail.”
With those words, Solam lowered his hands, adjusted his weapons and gear, and looked at Yuli.
“Miss Yuli, perhaps we’ll meet again. May you walk with the sun.”
Solam left, and she watched until he disappeared from view.
Eradicate the Abyss completely?
Before today, Yuli had never even heard such an idea, much less dared to hope for it.
In this world where everyone merely struggles to survive, someone actually dreamed of such a goal.
It was just their first meeting, yet Yuli would never have guessed that some words would carve themselves deep into her heart and go on to shape her future.
But that was for another time.
For now, Yuli faced only confusion about her future.
She walked over to a tree, leaned against its trunk, and sat down. Her thoughts surged in her mind, but after a night of fierce battle, fatigue washed over her like a tide. Yuli closed her eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.