Chapter 35: The Winds of Hyland: A Journey Begins

“Wow…”

I absentmindedly muttered as I looked around.

Having viewed the world from a small height of 140 cm, now seeing it from over 2 meters allowed me to see much more.

The sudden shift to a broader perspective was all thanks to Hyland.

The large horse that had come closer offered its back to me, and as I climbed onto it, it carefully rose to its feet. The wind blowing from beyond the barren mountain scattered Hyland’s stiff mane in all directions.

“Did you see a big bird?”

Purrk—

Hyland gave no response to my question except for a warm puff of air from its nostrils.

I stroked Hyland’s mane and looked up at the sky.

The sky, once darkened, had turned a bright blue, sparkling, and the lightning that had made my skin tingle was now completely gone.

I couldn’t have imagined it. The fact that my clothes were slightly damp from wandering through the clouds was evidence enough.

Yet, despite the clear evidence, it was still hard to believe that I had encountered such a massive bird.

“Thunderbird…”

It seemed I would have to learn more about the legend of the Thunderbird.

I gave Hyland’s back a light pat.

“Hey…”

Purrk—

Hyland responded with a playful flick of its tail, as though answering me.

I smiled lightly and spoke.

“Do you know where Rosen or the other adventurers are?”

Hyland wagged its tail at my question, then began descending towards the base of the mountain.

With heavy thuds of its hooves, Hyland’s ride was surprisingly smooth and comfortable.

The massive muscles covering its body seemed to absorb all the shock coming from the ground beneath.

Not only did Hyland offer a comfortable ride, but it also moved at an incredible speed.

As its long legs stretched out ahead, the base of the mountain quickly drew near.

At the base of the mountain, the coachman who had brought us here was waiting, and surrounding him were Rosen and the adventurers who had disappeared over the mountain pass.

How had they gotten down here so quickly after going up?

I tilted my head in confusion.

“That… that’s…”

The coachman stared at me with his mouth open.

The cigarette that had been in his mouth fell to the ground, sending up a small spark.

“Hyland…?”

The adventurers and Rosen quickly stood up and began approaching me.

They were staring at Hyland in awe, their eyes glinting with greed.

At that moment, Hyland lowered its posture and exhaled a hot breath.

Purrk!

Its glare was sharp, like it was uncomfortable with the situation.

The adventurers and Rosen, feeling the threatening aura, had no choice but to stop in their tracks.

“That’s Hyland…”

“How… how did you catch it?”

“Hey, would you sell that horse to me?”

Sell this creature? I shook my head.

Where would I find such a smart horse that understands human speech again?

Of course, given Hyland’s temperament, it was unlikely that it would easily accept a new master.

“It seems Hyland has chosen you…”

It was the coachman’s voice, who had been sitting on the coachman’s seat.

He gave a wry smile and spoke to the adventurers.

“Don’t provoke Hyland unnecessarily. Once it’s chosen a master, it won’t change its loyalty.”

But despite the coachman’s warning, the adventurers persisted.

They offered me a lot of gold, persistently begging me to sell Hyland.

Just as I was about to sigh and say no, something happened.

With a rough snort, Hyland suddenly stepped forward and struck the ground with its front hooves.

Boom!

The power of its massive hooves struck the solid rock, causing it to break apart, leaving clear hoof prints where Hyland had stomped.

As Hyland showcased its strength, the adventurers could no longer keep their mouths open.

They looked nervously at Hyland and me, then sighed and walked toward the carriage.

Their shoulders slumped in defeat.

“Congratulations. It seems Hyland likes you.”

It was Rosen’s voice.

She cautiously approached me but couldn’t come any closer.

Hyland exhaled a sharp snort towards Rosen, as though warning her not to come any closer.

I lightly tapped Hyland’s back. The creature, only responding by flicking its tail slightly, showed no further reaction.

“Sorry. I guess it has a bit of a temper…”

“Mm, no. Hyland’s like that in general.”

Rosen sighed and turned away.

It seemed like, just like the other adventurers, she had given up on the idea of taming Hyland.

“Hey, Rosen.”

“Yeah?”

“You ran up the mountain earlier, right?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“Did you happen to see a giant black bird up there?”

“A black bird…?”

“Yeah, it had thunder and dark clouds around it…”

Rosen shrugged and shook her head, as though she didn’t know.

The carriage was now ready to go. Since there was no one else with business here, it was set to return.

The coachman glanced at Hyland and me, then spoke.

“There will be quite a commotion when we reach the city.”

With that, the coachman cracked the reins like a whip.

The massive horses began to move forward.

The horses, likely from Hyland’s third and fourth generations, galloped alongside the carriage.

I stared at them blankly, alongside Hyland.

“Can you run?”

At my question, Hyland started to stomp its hooves.

It was as if it was saying it could run at any time.

I grabbed onto its mane and spoke.

“Let’s go.”

Clop!

The first sound of the hooves was light and quick.

It felt as though my body was lifting off the ground, and then a harsh wind hit me.

Is this what it feels like to ride the wind? Hyland became a streak of wind, galloping across the vast plains.

The scenery around us began to stretch out long.

Thud~! Thud~! Thud-!

Every time Hyland’s hooves hit the ground, the heavy sound of the hooves echoed.

Despite not having a saddle, Hyland’s ride was more than stable—it was comfortable.

I could understand why so many people wanted to ride Hyland with their eyes wide open.

Hyland was like a calm breeze. Its breath remained peaceful, and even though we had overtaken the carriage that started before us, its speed showed no signs of slowing.

Thud~! Thud~! Thud-!

As expected, I arrived in the city first, riding Hyland.

The carriage, which had left earlier, was barely visible at the distant ridge’s end.

I patted Hyland’s neck as we made our way toward the city’s entrance.

“Hyland…?”

The words came from a guard stationed at the city entrance.

He blinked as he gazed at me, seated on Hyland’s back.

“Is it okay to enter?”

“Uh, uh…”

I smiled lightly at the guard’s hesitant response and pulled on Hyland’s mane.

Even with that simple movement, Hyland seemed to understand, stepping carefully into the city.

Hyland’s size was overwhelming. As the enormous creature walked through the streets, people’s eyes naturally turned toward us.

• That… is that it?
• Hyland…?
• It’s Hyland…

As the gazes and murmurs grew louder, Hyland revealed its discomfort.

With a sharp snort, it scraped the ground with its front hooves.

The power in its legs was so immense that the bricks underfoot cracked and broke apart.

The reactions of the people were divided. Some watched us with awe, yet kept their distance, while others approached with rude and reckless attitudes.

Most of the ones approaching were knights and adventurers from out of town.

They all had similar things to say.

“I want to buy that horse.”

The knights who made the request were polite, but once their offer was declined, they immediately tried to forcefully pressure me.

Of course, those knights quickly backed off, thanks to Hyland’s warning and the sharp glares of the locals. However, the greedy gazes remained.

I headed straight for the horse market. I wasn’t planning to sell Hyland, but I needed to find a saddle and reins for him.

“Hello?”

“Uh… it’s you…”

I approached the merchant, the first person I had met upon arriving here.

He was the one who had told me about Hyland’s habitat.

He was still selling horses.

“Do you have a saddle that would fit this one?”

“Ha…”

The merchant, who had been staring at me in surprise, seemed to snap back to reality, shaking his head before coming closer to me.

Then, looking at Hyland cautiously, he asked,

“Wait… is it okay if I come closer?”

I looked down at Hyland in response to his question.

Hyland, as if showing a generous disposition, tilted his head arrogantly.

“He says it’s fine.”

The merchant, who had approached carefully, began inspecting Hyland. He muttered quietly, almost regretfully,

“It’s a female…”

“Is it a problem if she’s a female?”

“There’s no real issue, it’s just…”

“Just what?”

“It’s just that… she can’t breed.”

The merchant, speaking with a hint of sadness, went inside the stable and brought out a large saddle and a long leather strap.

“Could you get down for a moment?”

That was no problem.

I jumped off Hyland’s back.

With great care, the merchant began to place the saddle on Hyland’s back.

He tightened the long leather strap and carefully put the reins over her face.

Hyland didn’t seem to like the leather strap hanging over her face, and she shook her head vigorously.

“All… done.”

Having finished the task with meticulous care, the merchant wiped the sweat from his forehead and stepped back.

“How much?”

“One gold coin for everything.”

I took out a shiny gold coin and handed it to him.

The merchant, taking the coin, adjusted his forehead and looked around.

Then, with a frown, he said,

“Looks like a lot of people are gathering.”

“It seems Hyland is quite the sight.”

“You plan on staying in this city for the night?”

“I think so.”

“I’d recommend leaving as soon as you can.”

“Why’s that?”

“Greed makes people’s eyes blind. And for someone like you, a young girl…”

The merchant’s words were not wrong. The gazes from the crowd watching us, filled with greed, were burning hot.

It wasn’t just one person—there were dozens like that.

“Thanks for the advice.”

I took the merchant’s suggestion to heart. I led Hyland as I bought the necessary food, water, and a book on Thunderbird legends for my journey, along with a local map.

Even so, the number of people following us continued to increase.

“Let’s go!”

I led Hyland out of the city.

She became a silent breeze, charging forward without hesitation, and the city that bore the name Hyland quickly shrank behind us.

Our next destination was the desert, known as the Resting Place of the Stars.