The Great Empire of a Distant Land (9)

Along the river, we headed north—or, more precisely, northeast.

The fastest way to travel in White River Province was by boat, but considering Sire's presence, traveling overland was more convenient.

Surprisingly few boats would carry horses, and Sire would be unable to move for days while aboard one.

Moreover, since water transport was so well developed, White River Province apparently had many river pirates. If Sire ended up loaded as cargo somewhere away from me, something could happen.

The abundance of rivers would presumably be an obstacle to traveling overland.

We'd have to take detours to go around them, and bridges would be necessary to cross them.

But that was true only of ordinary travelers.

Stroking and soothing a nervous Sire, we walked across the river's surface.

Indeed, with the aid of the water spirits, we could walk atop flowing water just as we would on land.

Therefore, the abundance of rivers was no obstacle to our journey.

Jizo looked a little bemused, but followed without saying anything.

Still, even Jizo, for all his fearlessness, seemed uneasy about walking on water, and each step he took was cautious.

We cut straight across the rivers, taking the shortest route to Black Snow Province.

It was a good time of year to travel—or rather, we were just barely within the season.

That was because White River Province would soon enter its rainy season.

During White River Province's rainy season, every river's water level rose dramatically and the rivers grew extremely turbulent.

Once that happened, walking across rivers like this would be difficult.

When I asked the wind spirits, they told me the rainy season would arrive in about two weeks.

We would probably manage to get out of White River Province by then.

The next place we'd reach after leaving White River Province was Black Snow Province, a harsh land.

An active volcanic belt lay in the north, scattering volcanic ash everywhere.

It was called Black Snow Province because black, ash-laden rainstorms—and, in some seasons, black snow—fell there.

The land beneath its layers of volcanic ash was not barren, exactly, but ill-suited to nurturing the earth's bounty.

Worse, even obtaining water was difficult, making it an extremely hard place to live for anyone but the Earthfolk, who could withstand hunger and thirst.

However, no matter how resistant the Earthfolk were to hunger and thirst, producing wealth from this land was difficult, so they went throughout the Huanggu Empire to work as migrant laborers.

Apparently, Earthfolk—strong, physically hardy, and mentally tempered by growing up in such a harsh environment—were prized for manual labor as well as military service.

Jizo's work as a tavern bodyguard in White River Province had also been part of that migrant labor.

The thing I had to worry about most as we entered Black Snow Province was Sire's fodder.

Though flooding did occur, White River Province was generally prosperous.

That was why Sire could graze at leisure along the roadside, while I gave the horse a share of food bought in villages and towns, keeping Sire from going hungry or thirsty all the way here.

But once we entered Black Snow Province, grass would no longer grow everywhere, and replenishing our food supplies would be difficult.

Even so, I didn't want to part with Sire, who had traveled this far with me, so easily.

Even if I had to part with Sire, I wanted to be selective about whom I entrusted Sire to.

So, in White River Province's northernmost town, White Eye, I bought a large supply of vegetables that would keep for a long time and loaded them onto Sire's back.

From here on, I wouldn't have the luxury of riding Sire anymore.

As for water, if I had even a little, I could ask the water spirits to increase its amount.

Food, however, was another matter, so Sire's provisions were the most important—and bulkiest—part of our load.

Of course, Black Snow Province also had towns inhabited by Earthfolk, and once we reached one, we should be able to buy food, whatever the price.

The mountainous regions of southern Red Mountain Province would probably have been hard on a horse's feet as well, so the two routes were probably much the same.

There was no point lamenting the hardships of the journey.

Once we'd made what seemed like thorough preparations, we set foot in Black Snow Province, the land blanketed in ash.

Strangely, the boundary between White River Province and Black Snow Province was sharply defined.

This didn't mean a checkpoint or anything like that stood on the border; rather, the color of the ground beneath our feet and the air around us changed unmistakably once we crossed a certain line.

Needless to say, such a thing would normally be impossible.

Unless some special factor were involved, environmental changes ought to occur gradually.

Normally, the ash should have grown progressively denser and deeper as it accumulated; yet, as though a line had been drawn, no ash had settled in White River Province, while Black Snow Province was covered in thick ash.

Strangest of all was the fact that Jizo, traveling with me, considered this perfectly ordinary.

He tilted his head at my question, as though he couldn't understand what I meant.

Presumably, it wasn't just Jizo; everyone in the Huanggu Empire considered it perfectly normal.

Despite how blatant an anomaly it was.

I couldn't help but sense someone's will at work there.

Just as a white spirit cat with a forked tail was apparently worshipped in White River Province, a black-shelled spirit tortoise was worshipped in Black Snow Province.

Could this difference in what they worshipped have something to do with the change in environment?

Then again, I wasn't going to stay in this country for long, and I doubted that pursuing the matter would yield an answer.

At least, the spirits had given me no warning.

Ah, no—inhaling fine ash wasn't particularly good for us, but the wind spirits would deal with that for both Sire and me.

Jizo, a native of this land, apparently had no need of their help.

Well, if the spirits weren't warning me, then whatever secret lay sleeping in this land probably wouldn't affect my journey.

I led Sire by the reins and walked on, the horse's back laden with supplies, treading firmly across the ashen ground.