Dragons and Distant Lands

"I want to go to Highpeak Mountain," Kalkulo said.

Gagnor froze. "You want to go to Highpeak Mountain?"

"Yeah. It's the tallest mountain range on the Falaro Continent. Who wouldn't want to see it?"

"That's true, but Highpeak Mountain is so far away. You'd have to pass through several countries. Aren't you afraid of danger if you go alone?"

"I can foresee danger," Kalkulo said.

Foreseeing danger.

It was undoubtedly an ability that would make most people envious, and Gagnor was no exception.

But he was also somewhat skeptical. "Forgive me for saying so, but when you were telling stories in the tavern, you didn't seem to foresee what happened afterward."

Kalkulo looked a little embarrassed. "Th-this didn't count as danger, at least not life-threatening danger. Besides, my ability has its limits."

"All right." Gagnor nodded.

Kalkulo was sentenced to three months of compulsory labor. During those three months, his life was nearly as dull as that of the church servants.

It was a painful process for him.

Fortunately, Gagnor came to chat with him from time to time, making his life a little less boring.

As the two gradually grew more familiar, they naturally began speaking more frankly.

"I made up the process of Yemen's Ascension, but he really did go from a mortal to an immortal deity. That's historical fact!" As Kalkulo spoke, he could not help glancing around, lest a priest or some devout believer overhear him.

Seeing how certain he sounded, Gagnor could not help asking, "What is that based on?"

"The basis? Well... to be honest, I don't know either, but my uncle told me so." Kalkulo added, "My uncle is a magic lecturer at Deep Blue Academy. You know Deep Blue Academy, right?"

Gagnor asked again, "Then did your uncle tell you how Yemen became a god?"

Kalkulo thought for a moment. "Apparently not. But he did say, 'Deities are nothing more than mortals in their twenties.' So I think the process of Ascension to Godhood is not fundamentally different from a mortal's advancement. It's just harder."

Deities were nothing more than mortals in their twenties!

Those words deeply stirred Gagnor.

Since gods were merely people of a higher level, it was perfectly natural for people to ascend and become gods.

Gagnor believed he was special—at least in this life. He was a transmigrator, blessed with the rare, perhaps even unique, gift of "Cognition."

If people could become gods, why shouldn't he try?

Gagnor had been fairly diligent in his previous life, but it had been the sort of diligence that followed the rules. Having gone through transmigration once, he did not want to repeat it.

Ascension to Godhood...

His thoughts began to wander, and his fantasies gradually became ideals.

Kalkulo suddenly joked, "You're a churchman, yet you're discussing such things with me. How utterly impious! I'll report you to the priest. Maybe then the rest of my labor sentence will be waived."

Gagnor's thoughts were interrupted. He smiled as well and said nonchalantly, "Even if you really report me, it won't matter. I've actually been considering leaving this place for a while."

Kalkulo was a little surprised. "Why?"

Instead of answering, Gagnor asked, "Why do you want to leave South Sea Town?"

Kalkulo seemed to have had an answer ready. "I want to go somewhere far away! Maybe you've heard that adventurer's saying: life is not just the Goblins before your eyes, but also dragons and distant lands."

"I also long for dragons and distant lands," Gagnor said.

Kalkulo grew excited. "Then let's go to Highpeak Mountain together!"

Gagnor shook his head. "No, it's too far. Besides, the distant lands I want aren't just another place, but another way of life. What would going to Highpeak Mountain change?"

Kalkulo seemed moved by his words as well. After pondering for a while, he said, "Where do you plan to go? If you know somewhere interesting, I can go with you."

"I want to go to South Sea Town," Gagnor said bluntly.

"Huh?" Kalkulo froze. "Why do you want to go to such a boring place?"

"It may be boring to you, but not to me."

"Why not pick somewhere else? Libland, Sain, even Dibuto—I think they're all good choices. And the way of life there must be different from Nordanlun."

"No." Gagnor answered without hesitation. "I know absolutely nothing about those places. I do want a different way of life, but I'm not going to change it at random."

After a pause, he added, "Honestly, Kalkulo, if you're going to Highpeak Mountain just to admire the scenery, I suggest you return to South Sea Town instead. As far as I know, there seem to be several mountains east of South Sea Town too."

"No, absolutely not. Even if I had to jump off Highpeak Mountain, I would never return to South Sea Town!" Kalkulo was resolute.

The days passed one by one.

Not long after Gagnor's eighteenth birthday, he formally asked Priest Gerald to let him leave the church.

Gerald, who had already taken over as the church's head priest, tried several times to persuade him to stay and offered him a better salary.

But what Gagnor wanted was a broader world and more possibilities, not a few extra Silver Coins each month. Naturally, he remained unmoved.

Seeing that he was determined, Priest Gerald could say no more. Church attendants raised in the church could choose their own lives at eighteen; it was a longstanding Mosaism tradition and rule.

Before leaving, Gagnor asked the town blacksmith to forge him a handy short sword as his close-combat weapon.

Though the journey to South Sea Town was not particularly long or perilous, it still demanded more caution than Driftwood Forest.

Once everything was ready and he had said farewell to several acquaintances, Gagnor set out.

Kalkulo had finished his labor sentence as well. The two left Driftwood Town together and walked until they reached a fork outside town.

The fork split into three paths. Aside from the road leading back to Driftwood Town, one headed north and one south.

"You're still going to Highpeak Mountain?" Gagnor asked.

Kalkulo nodded.

"All right. Good luck." Gagnor did not really understand that way of thinking, but it had nothing to do with him.

"Good luck to you too."

The two waved goodbye and set off, one south and one north, toward the distant lands in their hearts.

But to Gagnor's surprise, barely half an hour later, a set of hurried footsteps approached from behind him.

He turned around and saw Kalkulo striding toward him, his face somewhat pale.

Gagnor was utterly astonished. "What happened?"

"Danger—it's the feeling of danger!" Kalkulo stopped, his tone carrying lingering fear. "As long as I head north, the feeling gets stronger and stronger."

He glanced behind him, then headed south without looking back. "I'm not going to Highpeak Mountain anymore. I'm going back to South Sea Town!"