slchan

Crap—!

Ouch—

Well, this is a deep pit.

You were luring me into a pit trap from the beginning, weren't you?

Not just that. I also saw how good you were at mountaineering and took your climbing gear.

The Sarkaz hunter pokes her head out and shows Cliffheart her backpack.

When did you...?

Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. I'll go into town and tell them to send help.

I'll leave your backpack there. Once the rescuers arrive, take your stuff, and scram.

Why are you doing this?

My demands are simple.

Tell the Notarial Hall that Legis is not going back to Laterano.

I really should be more careful.

Ugh, this is a spiked cage...

Looks like it was a beast trap, the kind that poachers use.

But the spikes have been removed. I guess she really didn't want to kill me.

She probably removed them, in preparation for a day like this.

And in that case...

That Feline looks like she's tough enough to survive for a while.

I'll get the old man's stuff, then report to the town.

What a bother.

What?!

You left enough of the trap's mechanisms for me to climb out.

My hook's faster than your bow at this range.

Gah.

I just want to see Reverend Legis.

He doesn't want to see you. Get lost.

Take this, then!

Hmph—

Huh?

Look out! That rock isn't stable!

Wha—

Grab my hook!

Let go! I'm too heavy!

No!

I'm not leaving you behind!

If I can't pull you up... brace for impact!

Ghh—

Are you okay?

You should have let go.

You spared my life. One good turn for another.

That's not how it works.

I didn't mean anything by it when I mentioned you were Sarkaz. I was just surprised.

...I don't blame you. Anyone would be.

You might know that he has a brother—

Regis. Let me guess, he's dead, and now he wants his brother to go back to Laterano, is that it?

Yes.

He's not going back.

You're looking for him now? After so many decades?

It's Reverend Regis's last wish.

Plus, no matter how big their differences, settling these differences is what family is all about.

What makes you say that?

My brother and sister aren't on good terms.

B-But they're still siblings at the end of the day. All they need is the chance to open their hearts to each other.

You're trying to convince me when you don't even sound sure yourself.

Because if I give up, we'll never sit together again as a family.

And I know that, deep down, they care about each other.

There's nothing you can do.

Why's that?

Because...

Legis is dead.

*cough* Ugh, the dust.

I haven't been here since he died.

What was he to you?

I didn't know my parents. I was raised by a beggar in town. I guess you could call him my dad.

The townsfolk were okay, but no one was willing to take in a Sarkaz. I started to hunt for a living, after my dad died.

On one of those hunting trips, I ran into a big one and almost died. It was a passing Sankta who saved my life.

He shared some meat with me and told me I couldn't shoot worth a damn.

Ha.

I still remember... he froze for a moment when he saw me up close for the first time.

It took me a long time to realize it was because he realized I was Sarkaz, and thought about killing me.

But I was just a wild child who grew up in the middle of nowhere. I didn't know any of that.

I still don't really understand it, even now.

I had never seen a Sankta. I don't know why I should hate the halo heads. Plenty of worse people in town.

History is complicated.

Hey, that's what the old man said. I didn't take you for a scholar.

I'll take that as a compliment.

Well, I asked him to teach me how to shoot a bow.

But he didn't want me anywhere close. He chased me away with his gun whenever I went near.

It's funny, now that I think about it. He probably wanted to kill me many, many times, but I didn't get that. I thought it was all fun and games.

Maybe he got tired of chasing me away, but we eventually reached a kind of understanding. I would hide near his house, and he would show a move or two, pretending not to notice me.

What happened to him?

A bunch of Sarkaz bandits came three years ago. They tried to recruit me when they saw I was Sarkaz and could handle myself.

When I refused, they kidnapped me and tried to coerce me into joining.

The old man came to rescue me alone. I survived. He didn't.

...I'm sorry.

He never considered me his student. I don't think he would've wanted a Sarkaz student.

Without the skills I learned from him, though, I would have been dead long ago.

He never left this place, and no one ever came to look for him.

Now, his brother wants him to go back to Laterano? No way, not even if it's just his stuff.

He doesn't belong to Laterano. He belongs to this place.

Give up and leave, if you get it. Or you can die here.

Can I take a look around?

Suit yourself.

What are these books?

The old man liked to read. He tried to teach me, but gave up when he realized I was hopeless at it.

Histories of the Sarkaz and Sankta...

A lot of notes and annotations...

Hm? There's a piece of paper here.

A letter?