Anagin Chronicles

Chapter 142

There were several reasons Anagin let the bear-like man go.Well, none of them were particularly grand reasons.......

First of all, he posed absolutely no threat.

Wasn’t that obvious?

Just looking at what the bear-like man had shown was enough to guess the level of force the traveling troupe possessed.

All bluster and intimidation, a loudmouth who didn’t actually know how to fight.

He was at a level where Anagin could crush him whenever he made up his mind.

Because he was that weak, Anagin didn’t even feel like touching him.

After all, he could smash him whenever he wanted.

Another reason was that, to begin with, Anagin didn’t have a strong desire to utterly destroy the traveling troupe.

They might have been in cahoots with the mages who attacked him, but that was only a possibility. Besides, now that some time had passed, it felt a bit petty to go out of his way for revenge.

Of course, he had no intention of letting it slide completely. He just thought that if he could use them appropriately, settling things that way wouldn’t be so bad.

Using them was more useful than smashing them. And easier, too.

The final reason was personal: he didn’t particularly dislike the ‘Witch of Dust.’

“Oh my, really? I’m so glad you took a liking to me.”

Inside the leader’s tent of the ‘Pebble Troupe.’

‘Uma,’ the owner of the place, put on a show of delight.

As if the words from Anagin saying he didn't dislike her were truly an honor.

“It’s not that I like you. I just don’t dislike you.”

“That alone makes me very happy. Someone like you, Mr.Anagin, probably dislikes most people, so even that much is a great honor.”

“.......”

It was a strangely mocking tone, but Anagin couldn't refute it.

Because it was all too true.

Come to think of it, Anagin had a lot of complaints.

A small house, meager meals, all sorts of annoying rules. There were probably dozens, even hundreds more.

People were no exception. Whether acquaintances or strangers, he disliked most of them. Roughly speaking, nine out of ten.

“Did you dislike me, too?”

“Of course.”

When Sphinx perched on his shoulder asked in a small voice, Anagin answered without hesitation.

Who would like some human who clings to them out of the blue? He only kept her around because she did the laundry.

“That’s harsh.”

Sphinx made her disappointment very clear, and Anagin responded with a 'so what' attitude. Uma chuckled softly at that sight.

“Fufu, you get along well with your companion. Getting along is a good thing.”

Anagin didn’t respond and instead stared intently at Uma.

More precisely, at the cloth covering her eyes.

Old, but sturdy-looking dark green fabric. The color was so deep it almost looked black.

Perhaps sensing his gaze, Uma asked.

“Is there something on my face?”

“Are you really... blind?”

After a moment of hesitation, Anagin asked.

He considered asking whether the cloth over her eyes was just decoration, but that felt too much like teasing, so he asked outright.

Whether it was the right choice or not, Uma didn’t look displeased. She merely lifted the corners of her lips into a grin.

“I’m glad you asked me that way.”

“Flattery comes easy to you.”

“A woman with nowhere to rely on, especially a blind one, has to be good at flattery. And what I just said was sincere.”

Her tone dropped slightly. Because of that, it really did sound genuine.

“Questions that beat around the bush make me feel a little uncomfortable, too. It feels like I’m being treated as an idiot. Of course, I’m sure they think they’re being considerate.......”

Uma trailed off. It was an unspoken sign that she didn’t want to badmouth people who meant well.

After a brief silence, Uma continued.

“Ah, and as for my eyes... as you can see, I really can’t see. Some rude people occasionally ask if it’s an accessory, but it’s not. I wear it because I truly need to.”

Anagin felt a momentary sting of guilt, but he feigned ignorance. As long as he didn’t say it out loud, it didn’t count.

“Hmm, for someone like that, you act too much like you can see?”

Not sarcasm, but genuine curiosity.

Recognizing the Chiron Tower trio earlier, and locking her gaze straight onto Sphinx on his shoulder.

This woman named Uma couldn’t see, yet she moved as if she saw everything.

And that feeling of Anagin’s wasn’t just imagination.

“Well, maybe that’s true. I don’t see with my eyes, but I can perceive my surroundings.”

“How?”

Tap. Tap.

Uma struck the ground with her staff.

“Through the ground we’re standing on.”

“You can use earth magic?”

“Calling it earth magic sounds a bit grandiose. I just perceive my surroundings indirectly through the vibrations transmitted through the ground.”

“That’s even more impressive. Is there anything else?”

“I can manipulate a little bit of soil.”

As if to prove it, Uma extended her palm toward the ground and gathered grains of dirt at her fingertips.

All combined, it was barely a handful. If compacted, maybe about the size of a pebble.

“This is the maximum extent of the magic I can use. It’s not particularly impressive.”

“So that’s why you called yourself the Witch of Dust?”

Anagin mentioned the alias Uma had used on the Freedom’s Thread.

In a way, it suited her perfectly.

As she herself said, calling it earth would be a stretch. It was exactly at the level of dust.

“Yes, and besides, ‘Witch of Dust’ has a nicer ring to it than ‘Witch of Earth.’”

“Interesting.”

“What is?”

“On the Freedom’s Thread, you were really cheerful and cheeky, but in person, you keep speaking politely and flattering people.”

“Ah, if that made you uncomfortable, I apologize, but usually everyone does the same.”

“Acting?”

“Yes. Whatever the case, the Freedom’s Thread is a virtual space where you don’t know who the other person is, and you can’t see them. People who act honestly like you, Mr. Anagin, are actually quite rare.”

Uma’s words were true.

The greatest advantage of the Freedom’s Thread was anonymity.

Structurally, revealing one’s identity was disadvantageous and dangerous, so people naturally hid who they were, and the weight of real-world backgrounds and conditions weakened.

Because of that, everyone played a role different from reality.

To hide their identity and reduce risk, to gain benefits by pretending to be a big shot, or simply to feel a sense of liberation.

The reasons varied, but everyone acted to some degree, and those who didn’t were a minority.

And Anagin belonged to that minority.

No, perhaps he was even worse.

He openly revealed his name and provoked others to come at him.

“Honestly, it’s astonishing. I never imagined you’d make such an open declaration of war immediately after talking with me. I’ve seen people weave conspiracies through the Freedom’s Thread, but I’ve never seen someone provoke others so blatantly.”

Anagin raised his palm and spoke with a stern expression.

“Don’t talk about me. I came here to hear your story. To decide whether or not I should crush you.”

“Didn’t you already decide to forgive us?”

“And why should I forgive some low-life bandits who tried to rob me?”

“As I mentioned, even though we are Magno, we did not participate in the looting.”

Magno. An organization made up of mages. Self-proclaimed protectors of mages, seekers of knowledge.

Anagin accepted that much for the moment.

“I know, I know. I heard it already. That line about drawing a line as if you’re Magno but not really Magno. So that’s why you offered a deal?

Uma nodded as if to say that was correct.

It wasn’t just an excuse.

In reality, Uma’s Pebble Troupe belonged to Magno, but rather than being true members, they were closer to a subordinate organization—frankly speaking, external lackeys.

They gathered and provided information, offered places for mages to rest, and handled all kinds of miscellaneous chores.......

Rather than proper members, they were closer to conveniently exploited slaves.

Of course, true to an organization that claimed to protect mages, Magno did offer protection in return—but not particularly reliable protection.

When a major crisis struck, they would help a little, but if it seemed too dangerous, they would pull out. On the other hand, for minor disputes, they simply told them to handle it themselves.

They were essentially being used under the pretense of belonging to the same class of mages.

Uma explained these circumstances, and Anagin believed her to some extent.

He had briefly looked around the Pebble Troupe before entering the leader’s tent.

This troupe, made up of orphans, the disabled, third-rate actors, and mages, was so miserable that it hardly resembled Magno at all.

However.......

“That alone isn’t enough for me to believe you. Who knows. Maybe you’re just incredibly good at acting.”

Coincidentally, they were a troupe. They might very well be putting on an act.

It sounded forced, but Anagin’s words weren’t completely unreasonable. And even if they were unreasonable, a powerless traveling troupe couldn’t do much about it anyway.

“Then what must we do for you to trust us?”

“You have to convince me. Talk about yourselves. And don’t subtly try to steer the conversation back toward me.”

It was a warning.

About how Uma had earlier shifted the topic to Anagin on her own.

Understanding the meaning behind his words, Uma lifted the corners of her mouth slightly.

“It was truly just something that came out, so I hope you don't misunderstand. As an apology, I will answer everything you ask. Please, feel at ease.”

“Why did you demand the Coins of Greed?”

“Pardon? That would be because.......”

“My question is why it had to be specifically one coin. Moreover, a single gold coin chosen by me. That’s far too disadvantageous for your side.”

Anagin brought up a question he had pushed to the back of his mind and voiced it aloud.

Because the condition made no sense.

He could understand coveting the Coins of Greed. He could even understand resorting to robbery to obtain them. But demanding just a single coin, and one chosen by Anagin himself, was beyond comprehension.

To the point that it made him suspect they wanted something else more than the Coins of Greed.

That was also why Anagin had refused the deal.

“.......”

Anagin and Uma looked at each other in silence.

Well, saying they looked at each other was a bit inaccurate, since one of them was blind, but they were facing one another nonetheless.

After a brief stillness, Uma spoke.

“To build achievements.”

“Achievements?”

“Yes, achievements. Even if it’s only a single coin, if someone like me, barely more than a helper despite being affiliated with Magno, were to obtain the Coins of Greed, which reappeared after more than a decade, I would receive a favorable evaluation.”

“And what would you do with that favorable evaluation?”

“Our Pebble Troupe might receive fairer treatment. Not being used for free, receiving proper compensation, perhaps even more reliable protection. As you saw earlier, there are many mouths here that need feeding.”

Anagin recalled the troupe members he had seen earlier. There were certainly many of them. But still.......

“Why does it sound to me like you’re really saying, ‘I did this for those people, so shut up and forgive us. If you harm me, you harm all of them’?”

“Because that’s exactly what I’m saying, just indirectly.”

Instead of spouting nonsense, Uma admitted that Anagin’s interpretation was correct.

“You look surprised. But is there really anything to be surprised about? It’s the truth.”

“That’s why it’s surprising. Most people can’t bring themselves to say the truth out loud.”

“That’s because the truth is ugly. Like a woman whose makeup has been removed. But that is the real face.”

“Keep talking.”

“I formed this group for my sake, because I’m blind. And they joined me for their own sake. But isn’t that how human relationships work? Out of necessity.”

Anagin couldn’t deny it.

To begin with, the reason Anagin had protected his home village from beasts was simply because it was the most rational choice.

Wasn’t that so? If he lived alone, all he could eat was meat. He couldn’t farm, so he couldn’t make bread or brew alcohol.

He couldn’t make soft cloth clothes, shoes, houses, or beds either. And honestly, it was a hassle.

“So please, Mr. Anagin, use us instead. We won’t be of great help, but we will be convenient. Despite our appearance, we know this area inside and out, and we have wide connections, so we possess various kinds of information. As it happens, we also have some rather interesting information.”

“What is it?”

Anagin asked as if he might as well hear her out.

As though he would follow her suggestion if it truly was interesting.

As though he were questioning the basis of her confidence.

“You came here to go to the Temple of Delphi, didn’t you?”

“Obviously.”

“Then it will likely take some time. At the shortest, a few weeks? At the longest, a year.”

A year?

Anagin frowned deeply. He had absolutely no intention of wasting that much time.

As irritation welled up, so did doubt.

“Why would it take a whole year?”

“I’ve only heard it as a rumor, but they say the Oracle foresaw danger. An extremely great danger. Because of that, the Oracle has gone into seclusion.”