Just when the barbarian warrior asked if Illgorn had seen anything weird, a sound came from behind them:
"Old man, are you okay?" Caelan shouted. "What is happening here?"
Two of the warriors behind the others pulled out their swords and pointed them toward Caelan.
Caelen stopped in his tracks, raising his hands.
"Now, now. Please calm down. He is not someone dangerous. He came just because he was worried about me," Illgorn calmed the warriors.
"Sir, is he someone you know?" the warrior at the front asked.
"Hm. He is just a farmer who lives here. We sometimes talk. You don't have to worry, his crest wasn't even activated at fifteen."
All the warriors looked at Caellen's left hand and showed a pitying face.
Caelen, unable to understand anything, clenched his right hand on top of his left with anger visible on his face.
"I am sorry, but I won't be able to help you," the old man continued. "I haven't seen anything weird. And you know that nothing can evade my eyes."
"Yes, sir! But, we still need to check everyone's house."
Caelen's eyes flickered for a second.
"Of course, that is your duty. But, please, at least wait until the morning. People should be sleeping by now."
The warrior at the front hesitated. Normally, he wouldn't care about the people in this backwater village since they were the lowest of the low.
But the man in front of him was a legend. He was itching to meet him on his way here.
They actually didn't even have any proof that the magus was here. They would, of course, check the village if they couldn't find the magus anywhere else, just in case.
But it didn't have to be now. They had just come here since they knew Illgorn lived here. They wanted to meet him.
So, he didn't reject the old man's suggestion.
"Find a suitable place and prepare a camp. We will at first light!" the barbarian at the front ordered.
After another salute for Illgorn, they left.
"Old man, are you okay?" Caelan asked once again after the other barbarians were gone.
"Brat, are you in a position to worry about me? You haven't even come to check on me for the last week."
Of course, Illgorn was teasing. Caelen knew better than anyone that the old man didn't need checking on.
"You didn't come to check on me this time either, right?" he asked.
Caelan hid his face with guilt.
"Sigh... Come on in. Let's see what you want."
---
"Chief, are you sure it is okay to wait for the morning? What if they have the magus but hide him by then?" one of the barbarians asked the chief at their campsite.
"Don't worry, Chief Illgorn gave his everything for the barbarians. He would never lie. Also, he can easily see everything happening in this village," the chief answered.
"I see. But that is only if he is using his observation ability constantly. He is retired. Do you think he does?"
"He said he was. And we don't question Illgorn. Anyway, stop worrying. Instead, send someone to tail the boy who visited him."
"Yes, sir!"
---
"So, tell me. What couldn't wait until morning?"
"Old man, I had to come now. I have an important question," Caelen said.
Illgorn also got serious. It was obvious that the question was important to Caelen.
Is it about his barbarian path? He wondered.
"Do you remember the times before the war?"
Illgorn frowned. He instantly understood what was happening and the reason for the question.
"Of course, I do. I am almost 80."
Caelen frowned at the old man's casual tone. If Idel had told the truth, then this man, too, had played a part in the barbarians' plans.
"Old man, can you tell me about it? About what changed before the war, and why there was even a war."
"Sigh... This is not the first war in this world, you know that, right? As long as there are people living in this world, there will be a war."
"You know that is not what I meant!" Caelen raised his voice, but then instantly calmed down. The old man wasn't someone he wanted to disrespect.
"It happened 50 years ago. Why did you only ask it now? You are 18, right? Did you hear something from someone this week?"
"Old man, please just answer. Are the barbarians the victims as we were told, or..."
"If you already know, why are you asking me? What will it change if I confirm or deny it?"
"Because I will believe you."
"I see. What if I also lied?"
"I will still believe you."
The old man thought for a bit and then got up. He went into another room. When he came back, there was a worn notebook in his hand.
"Take it," he ordered.
"What is that?" Caelan asked.
"Just take it and go home," the old man said and went back, leaving Caelen alone in the room.
Caelen didn't leave. Instead, he opened the notebook, only to see it was a diary.
---
When Caelen went back to his house, Idel was already awake.
"You were right," Caelen said.
"I know. I lived through that."
"And, what now? Do you want me to help you get revenge on barbarians? Should I spread this information? Do you want me to come to where the magi are?"
"Hahaha! No way. We don't want such a thing. We only want to end this war. One nation had already gone extinct."
"Which one?"
"Does it matter? We want to end this war. So, if you want to help, you can just hide me. Then, I will find a way to run away."
"Ah, about that, you are too late."
"What do you mean?
"Some barbarians are camping outside the village. It seems like they came looking for you."
"What? Why? They shouldn't be here yet. I made sure to hide my tracks."
Then, the old man raised his upper body. He could do it better now.
He closed his eyes as if focusing on something, and then, the crest on his right hand started shining.
Caelan felt an energy wave pass through him, but nothing happened.
"What did you do?" he asked.
"Don't worry. Just a concealment field. They won't be able to detect me from outside now."
"But they will come inside tomorrow."
"I know that. Sigh... I am doomed already," he said while looking at his missing leg.
"What do you mean? It is just a missing leg. I know people who would go to war in that state."
"Don't lump me in with barbarians," Idel said sharply. "And you clearly don't know this, but for a magus, losing a limb is a huge blow."
"What? Why?"
"A barbarian gets stronger as he loses a limb in a war, while a magus is weakened. I lost around ten percent of my power."
Caelen frowned. "What kind of logic is that? Why would you lose power when you are cut?"
"You want a lesson about magi's anatomy right now?" Idel snapped. "It doesn't matter why. That's just how it works."
Idel was a bit agitated. Well, since he was in danger of being found out, Caelen thought this was normal.
So, he let the old man think of a way out of this.
"Sigh... It doesn't seem like I'm making it out of this one," Idel resigned.
"I know someone who can help," Caelan suggested.
"Look, I don't know why you are helping me, but no other barbarian will do the same. They will report or kill me the second they see me.
Not that there is anyone strong enough to kill me here, even with the power I lost, except for the warriors that are looking for me, of course."
He obviously didn't know about Illgorn.
Caelen stayed quiet.
He didn't say it out loud, but he knew he'd be in danger too if they found out he'd helped a magus. Even if he claimed ignorance, it wouldn't matter.
"I don't care about dying, but this research. I need to continue it, or at least pass it on."
Caelen thought for a moment.
He didn't know what was happening, but his mind was working fast, like the time he had fought Illgorn one week ago.
But his heart wasn't fast like that time. It felt strangely still.
After a long pause, he said, "Want me to help?"