103 The Map Ends and the Dagger Reveals Itself

Page 1 of 3

What Vito had said was not entirely wrong. As far as this patch of forest within sight was concerned, especially its outer reaches where they now stood, most of the constables were indeed quite familiar with it. After all, this was the forest closest to the center of the village, and most of the firewood used by the constables’ families surely came from here.

Following a narrow path trampled by people, livestock, and beasts of burden, the group entered the woods. Several constables led the way, while others were assigned to cover the flanks and bring up the rear. Wu Qingchen walked with considerable ease, needing only to stop from time to time to pull up a few grasses or pluck several leaves, then explain to the constables and cattle-herder assistants who quickly gathered around him the types of medicinal plants they needed to find and the details by which they could be identified.

“Look at this. This is the kind of medicinal plant we need. See here? The petals on top are relatively flat...”

“This sort of stem—look. You can pinch it and make the juice come out immediately. This is exactly what we want!”

“That one is wrong... No, not that! I know their stems look very similar, but you also need to examine the roots carefully...”

“Don’t pick that one. It’s useless! Even if the leaves are thicker, it still won’t do. And this isn’t the right kind of tree, either! The trees with useful leaves are much taller!”

Assigned to the special post of “consultant,” Derik stayed dutifully at Wu Qingchen’s side. Most of his attention was devoted to learning how to identify medicinal plants, while a smaller portion was occasionally directed toward watching the path ahead.

There were not many varieties of medicinal plants to find. Under Wu Qingchen’s instruction, the cattle-herder assistants and constables quickly improved their ability to recognize them.

Since Wu Qingchen had already made a round of collections here a few days earlier, the medicinal plants in the two baskets carried by the constables accumulated only slowly. Correspondingly, because they spent little time stopping, the group ventured deeper and deeper into the forest.

By the time the plants in the baskets had filled roughly a quarter of their space, they had reached the end of the forest’s familiar outer edge.

Ahead, there was no longer any firm little path stamped out by woodcutters, herders, and livestock. All that remained were winding, uneven animal trails that rose and fell across the rugged forest floor.

The group’s pace immediately slowed. Whether they were clearing the way in front, supporting one another in the middle, or guarding the rear, the constables all became considerably more serious.

But so what?

Derik laughed inwardly. If being a little more careful and moving a little more slowly were enough to ensure everything went smoothly, then why, whenever the village ran short of firewood and needed to search deeper in the forest for more dead branches and fallen leaves, did they need to appoint a special Firewood Companion?

Having learned from the previous incident—when he had been singled out and entrusted with a task by the priest, only to be immediately targeted by his neighbors—Derik kept silent this time and continued along the route Vito and the other two constables had agreed upon.

After some more time had passed, the baskets in the constables’ hands had grown noticeably heavier, and a slope appeared before them.

A faint smile unconsciously lifted the corners of Derik’s mouth.

He had been waiting for this place for a long time.

Page 1 of 3

Page 2 of 3

Along the way, the group had already crossed many slopes similar to this one. The slope before them appeared utterly unremarkable, even somewhat gentler than the others.

But Derik knew perfectly well that there were no branches or vines on either side of it. Not even weeds grew from the ground. The whole slope was bare, offering nothing at all to grip or support oneself with, and extraordinarily troublesome to climb.

Sure enough, Vito, who was leading the group, first strolled casually to the foot of the slope. He then began climbing just as casually. After taking two steps with an air of complete nonchalance, he casually... slid back down.

Awkwardly glancing over his shoulder, Vito spat into his palm and returned to the foot of the slope, preparing to try again. Yet no matter how he positioned himself, everything felt awkward. In the end, he had no choice but to bend over and scramble upward half on his stomach, using both hands and feet. He ended up covered in mud and, after enormous effort, finally hauled himself to the top.

The other two constables beside him adopted similar positions and climbed—or rather, wriggled—their way up as well.

When it was nearly Wu Qingchen’s turn, the constables accompanying him on either side came over.

“Los, this slope is difficult. Let us carry you.”

No need!

This slope should never have been climbed in the first place! If they simply went around that clump of shrubs ahead, they could reach a level path directly.

Thinking this, Derik opened his mouth, ready to demonstrate the Firewood Companion’s profound knowledge of the forest to Wu Qingchen.

“No need!”

At that very moment, Derik saw Wu Qingchen slowly shake his head and walk toward the shrubs to the front left.

“I nearly forgot... I seem to remember seeing a path over there a few days ago, when I passed through here looking for medicinal plants...”

What?!

Derik’s breath caught in his throat.

How did you discover that path?

Were you looking for medicinal plants or looking for roads?

Using the methods of identification Wu Qingchen had taught him, Derik could clearly see that just beyond the slope Vito and the others had climbed, there was a large patch of gleaming green medicinal plants.

It was fine. It was fine...

Following Wu Qingchen, Derik went around the shrubs and stepped onto the level path. He told himself that the forest would grow denser and the roads more difficult from here on, and that there would still be many, many opportunities for the Firewood Companion to demonstrate his abilities.

Page 2 of 3

Page 3 of 3

Yes, the forest was growing denser.

Before long, after turning around several more bends, the path ahead suddenly narrowed. Vito and the other two constables at the front had no choice but to raise their arms to shield their faces, blocking the branches and leaves that were knocked aside by those in front and sprang back toward them.

Naturally, they could not keep doing this for very long. Before they had gone much farther, the constables had already exchanged arms several times.

Getting tired, are you?

Derik turned sideways, just about to tell Wu Qingchen the easier way to proceed, when he suddenly realized that Wu Qingchen had somehow already adopted the very posture Derik had imagined, even picking up a branch from the ground and holding it upright in front of himself as a shield.

What?!

That made five times in a single day that Derik had been left speechless.

Staring blankly at Wu Qingchen, examining him carefully from head to toe, Derik only then suddenly noticed that Wu Qingchen remained perfectly clean and tidy.

And that was not all. The man who considered himself the person most familiar with this forest in the entire village of Aikeli only now finally realized that while the other constables were panting, covered in mud and leaves, and he himself could barely maintain an even breath, Wu Qingchen had climbed up and down just as many slopes. Even though he had repeatedly stopped to teach the constables and cattle-herder assistants how to identify medicinal plants, he had not a single bead of sweat on his forehead.

Could that foolish woman have been right after all?

Was this damned Firewood Companion truly completely useless?

Wide-eyed, Derik began to doubt himself profoundly.

The poor man could never have imagined that in another world, although there was no Firewood Companion, there was a high-end instructional textbook several dozen versions more advanced than the Firewood Companion’s curriculum:

“Comprehensive Coordinating Methods for the Integrated Utilization of Forest Resources, Including Fuel Gathering, Livestock Grazing, and Fertilizer Recovery.”

————————

Page 3 of 3