Chapter 34: The Arrival of Hyland

To find a purebred Hyland horse, I needed to travel to the Thunderbird Mountain Range.

I began searching for a carriage heading that way and, fortunately, found one just about to depart. Onboard were a knight and three adventurers.

“Are you planning to ride with us?”

“Yes!”

“Looking to see the Hylands, I presume?”

“No, I’m going there to catch a horse.”

“You? Catch a horse?”

The coachman burst into a hearty laugh, as if my response was too absurd to take seriously.

Nonetheless, he extended his hand with a shrug.

“One silver coin.”

It seemed the Thunderbird Mountain Range was relatively close from here.

I handed the silver coin to the coachman and climbed aboard the carriage.

“Are you going to see the Hylands?”

Perhaps it was because I had been staring too intently, but the knight seated across from me struck up a conversation.

I was startled by the voice coming from the gleaming silver helmet—it was a woman’s. My eyes widened in surprise, and she chuckled softly from within the helmet.

“What? Surprised I’m a woman?”

“Um…”

While I hesitated to answer, the carriage started moving.

“You’ve been training with the sword, haven’t you?”

The female knight seemed quite interested in me.

Perhaps she felt a sense of camaraderie since we were both women wielding swords.

I didn’t mind her curiosity, so we continued chatting.

Her name was Rosen, and she had come to the Hyland Plains in hopes of acquiring a horse of her own—much like most knights who visited this area.

I asked Rosen a question.

“Have you ever seen a purebred Hyland horse?”

“I saw one from a distance when I was younger.”

“What did it look like?”

Rosen smiled faintly and began reminiscing, her voice carrying a wistful tone that revealed she was delving into old memories.

“The most notable feature of the Hyland is its size.”

“Its size?”

“It was at least twice the size of a regular riding horse. Unless my eyes deceived me, of course.”

“Wow…”

“And its stiff, bristling mane flared out in all directions, making it look almost like a lion.”

“Are you sure it was a horse?”

Of course, it had to be a horse—after all, it could mate with other breeds.

Rosen laughed lightly at my reaction and continued.

“The most peculiar thing about them is their diet—they’re strictly carnivorous.”

“They don’t eat hay or anything like that?”

“Not at all. If you give them standard horse feed, they’ll throw a tantrum and destroy the stable.”

“Yikes…”

Rosen went on to share more about the Hylands.

She described their long legs, strong enough to shatter rocks, and their whip-like tails that could tear skin when swung.

Piecing together her descriptions, it seemed less like a horse and more like a monster.

“You’d have to risk your life to ride a Hyland, wouldn’t you?”
“Exactly.”

As I chatted with Rosen, I glanced to the side.

The three adventurers who had been sitting across from us had moved closer, eavesdropping on our conversation with obvious curiosity.

Meeting my gaze, they exchanged awkward smiles and returned to their seats.

“We’ve arrived!”

The coachman’s voice rang out, and the speeding carriage came to a sudden halt.

Jumping down from the carriage, I scanned my surroundings.

The towering rocky mountains stretched endlessly into the sky, their peaks obscured by ominous gray clouds that exuded a strange sense of foreboding.

The landscape was stark and barren, making it seem unlikely that any life could thrive here.

“Are you sure this is the place?”

Rosen had also disembarked and directed her question at the coachman.

Sitting atop the driver’s seat, the coachman chuckled lightly and nodded.

“Indeed, this is the Thunderbird Mountain Range—the place of legend, where a giant bird is said to appear.”

As he spoke, he pulled a stubby cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and took a few puffs before continuing.

“I’ll be waiting here, so if you decide to give up, come back. I’ll take you back for another silver coin.”

The coachman’s tone was laced with certainty that none of us would succeed.

The adventurers scowled at his remark but refrained from responding. Instead, they began ascending the massive rocky mountain ahead of us.

Rosen and I followed close behind.

Despite her heavy armor, Rosen moved nimbly, her movements as light and fluid as a cat’s.

“Not too hard for you, is it?”

“I’m fine,” I replied, climbing the steep slope with ease.

This was thanks to the ogre-hide boots crafted by a skilled artisan.

Their sturdy tendons and tough leather provided excellent support, preventing my ankles from twisting on the rugged terrain.

We quickly caught up with the adventurers who had started ahead of us.

They were leaning against the slope, panting heavily.

“Do you think we’ll really find a Hyland here?”

“We can only trust what he said,” Rosen replied, gesturing back toward the base of the mountain.

The coachman was still there, puffing away at his cigarette.

The swirling smoke rose into the air, blending with the gray clouds draped over the mountainside.

Without pausing, Rosen and I pressed on.

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but just as my breathing began to grow labored, a low, heavy sound emerged from beyond the dense clouds clinging to the mountain’s midsection.

At that moment, the thick clouds suddenly began to turn pitch black.

It was as if the shadow had devoured the mist entirely.

Or perhaps, I was the one being swallowed by the shadow.

I gasped for air, hastily drawing my sword.

Swish-!

In that instant—

Flash-!

Light flared.

Beyond the momentarily brightened clouds, I saw a massive wing covered in feathers.

As the light faded, the sound arrived late.

Boom!

The thunderous roar shook the air, so harsh it felt like it would tear my eardrums.

The colossal bird revealed itself, wrapped in lightning and dark clouds.

The bird, flying silently, moved as though pushing the clouds aside.

I was overwhelmed by its movement and had no choice but to slowly step back.

Even though I had drawn my sword, I couldn’t bring myself to strike.

Boom!

Once again, the rough thunder erupted.

With a flash of light, the form of the massive bird became clearer.

The bird’s giant eyes, covered in black feathers, seemed to glare directly at me.

I couldn’t even think of using magic to move my mana.

I was completely overwhelmed by its presence and continued to retreat, step by step.

As I backed away, my feet slipped, and I heard a faint sound escape my lips.

“Ah…”

My legs, stretched out behind me, found no ground to stand on and flailed helplessly in the air.

I lost my balance, and a faint sensation of floating took over.

I had missed my step. I was falling.

In a panic, I flailed my arms, but my pitiful gestures only scattered the dark clouds wrapped in lightning.

“Argh!”

As I screamed, I heard a thud.

Pain washed over me as I realized my body was tumbling uncontrollably.

How long I had rolled, I didn’t know.

Eventually, I became aware that the dark clouds surrounding me had vanished.

“Huff… Huff…”

Breathing heavily, I checked my condition.

Aside from a slight bruise on my right foot and a scratch on my forehead, my body seemed mostly fine.

Thank goodness my neck was unharmed. I sighed in relief.

And then—

Something approached from behind me.

Whoosh!

The sound of heavy breathing and a clear presence.

I spun around in shock.

The giant horse towered over me, blinking its eyes before lowering itself beside me.

With its lion-like mane and massive body, along with its bright red eyes, the creature’s identity was unmistakable.

“Hyland…?”

It was the Hyland everyone had been chasing.

Whoosh!

The Hyland approached and lay down next to me.

Contrary to the rumors of its ferocity, it seemed incredibly docile.

I cautiously reached out and patted its back.