Chapter 114
Chapter 114
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: Dowry and Wyvern Hunt
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Flash!
'A space transfer spell, huh.'
A space transfer magic circle connected to the Temir Temple.
The device leading underground had been a trick.
The moment they entered, they were instantly transported here—to his father's palace.
'If I'd messed up, I could've ended up buried in space, dead.'
If he'd been even a little slower following the kid inside, a coordinate error might've left him entombed alive in solid rock.
'The Air Plate and mana got shredded by the defensive magic circle's activation. Whew.'
They arrived in an instant via the space transfer magic circle, deep beneath the Temir Temple.
The formulas etched into the surrounding magic circles sent chills down his spine.
True to its design by a 9th Circle mage, dozens of protective spells operated in layers upon layers.
Ziiiiing.
As the two of them stepped on, the device slowly began ascending toward the upper level.
It seemed the door here opened the moment mana accumulated in the golden moon atop the temple.
'But seriously, can she uncross her arms now?'
The kid, still clinging to him arm-in-arm like some long-lost lover, practically naked in her skimpy outfit.
Whiiiir.
The space above their heads, sealed like a lid, cracked open, letting light seep in.
"Watihar!!"
The stunned voices of Temir warriors rang out.
'These guys, why the fuss?'
He'd just rescued Lokoroia, the Temir tribe's top boss, and here they were making a racket.
Ziiing.
As they rose to the surface, the temple's interior naturally came into full view.
"Gasp!"
Was there a war or something?
The temple was packed tight with Temir warriors.
Clang, clang, clatter!
The moment he appeared, they all drew their weapons.
Rustle, rustle.
A huge number of guardian warriors gripped their spears, surrounding the oracle site in multiple rings.
Their eyes blazed as if they wanted to devour him alive.
"Wati behehe kashumuraiya!"
The guardian warriors jabbered something.
They looked ready to charge.
"Huh!"
"Ah!"
But the moment the kid dangling from his arm came into view, the Temir warriors let out screams.
"Shabe!"
The kid's sharp command cut through the air.
Thud, splat, splat.
With that one word, every Temir warrior dropped to their knees.
Clank.
The transfer device fully reached the surface.
'Impressive...'
Temir warriors knelt at his feet, assuming the posture of utmost reverence.
The sight of the packed temple filled with warriors bowing in worship was moving just to behold.
Even a mob boss who'd unified the underworld wouldn't get treatment like this.
Not even the imperial emperor could command such loyalty from his knights.
Clatter.
The moment the kid appeared, the female shamans—who'd been bowing their heads—cautiously offered a black cloak.
And then Lokoroia detached from his arm.
'Too bad.'
He felt a slight pang of regret as the kid's warm arm slipped away.
"Rua di shipu... Adi antakai....."
Standing before a massive incense burner, Lokoroia muttered in Temir tongue.
"Darutakain!"
The kid turned to him beside her and shouted "Darutakain!"
"Waaaaaaah!"
"Darutakain! Darutakain!"
'Huh? What's with these guys? They take something?'
Suddenly, the Temir warriors went wild for him, chanting "Darutakain!"
Over a thousand warriors' roars shook the temple to its foundations.
"Say a word, Great Guardian Warrior."
The kid urged him to speak, gazing at him with proud eyes.
'What am I supposed to say to milk this?'
The Temir warriors' eyes burned with fervent heat.
"Haha. Let's get along from now on. Though lacking, as Great Guardian Warrior, I solemnly pledge before you all to fulfill my duties."
What else was there to say?
He tossed out the most generic lines with a friendly smile.
"Darutakain! Darutakain! Darutakain! Waaaaaaah!"
For some reason, his few words sent the Temir warriors into ecstasy.
The kid watched him with satisfied eyes.
'Something's off... The fundamentals feel wrong.'
Great Guardian Warrior.
Just a "Great" slapped in front of Guardian Warrior, yet the warriors were fanatic.
He was a noble of the Bazran Empire, one of their archenemies, no less.
"Great Guardian Warrior, what do you want for your dowry?"
'D-Dowry? What the hell is this kid saying?'
"I heard you need wyverns. We'll head out for wyvern hunting today, and every wyvern we catch is yours. That enough?"
'Wyverns!'
The word "dowry" snagged in his mind, but "wyvern" had him nodding unconsciously.
His dream wasn't unification—it was wyverns, the greatest gift he could get right now.
'This kid's got guts. Whoever ends up with her will be one lucky guy.'
You could tell a lot from one glance—she was bold and generous(?).
He prayed for happiness for whatever fool ended up living with her.
"Warriors! Prepare! We're going wyvern hunting today—follow me, all of you!"
"Waaaaaaah!"
'Whoa! She's got Joan of Arc vibes!'
For his sake, she boldly spat fire in the continental common tongue.
Having received mana transfer, her body now held mana equal to his, and an aura of pure badassery oozed from her.
'Heh heh, wyverns, wyverns!'
"Dowry" kept nagging at him, but the sweet lure of wyverns shut down all warnings.
Worry about tomorrow when it comes.
Today was good enough.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Roooooooar!
Flap, flap, flutterflutterflap.
'Oh yeah!'
Wyvern hunting—unthinkable in the Empire.
Raising even one decent wyvern meant pouring top-grade holy water on the egg from the start, then pampering it for years after hatching before it became combat-ready.
That's why they fetched millions of gold.
But the Temir tribe was different.
Hundreds of wyverns flew toward a massive peak like the Himalayas, not far from the temple.
It was midwinter, so his shattered Air Plate had been replaced with a new one gifted by Lokoroia.
From atop Bebeto leading the charge, he watched the Temir Sky Knights following behind.
Nearly 200 wyverns flew in teams by tribe, like squadrons.
If they'd invaded his territory at full strength, he wouldn't be here today.
'Sshould thank those dark mages, I guess.'
They'd eaten a hearty meal before heading out.
There, the kid had answered his questions honestly.
At age ten, dark mages had come seeking Lokoroia.
Using a dark magic secret drug called Tears of Binding, they'd controlled the Temir tribe through her ever since.
Luckily, the father's palace only opened at adulthood, so the dark mages had kept quiet.
If they'd gotten greedy, Neruman would've faced disaster.
'Bazran Empire's still clueless. Tsk tsk.'
The Bazran Empire had no idea of the Temir tribe's immense power.
If Lokoroia willed it, the Empire would drown in war.
Even a grand duchy would crumble under a simultaneous assault of hundreds of wyverns.
Kweeeee!
Lokoroia's gray wyvern flew up behind Bebeto.
Its head a size larger than the others, it flew vigorously, refusing to yield to Bebeto.
'How the hell do they plan to catch wyverns?'
He'd never heard of wild wyverns being tamed by anyone.
Among monsters, upper-tier wyverns were notoriously tricky before taming.
That's why they purified their blood with holy water from the egg stage.
'Guess I'll see when it happens.'
When he'd asked how to hunt wyverns, the kid had just grinned.
She piloted her wyvern confidently, wearing an Air Plate and helmet engraved with gold dragon patterns.
Roooooooar!
Kweeeeeek!
'Ugh! How many are there?'
Before coming, he'd glimpsed hundreds—no, thousands—of wild wyverns.
The moment the Temir warriors' tamed wyverns appeared, they burst from crevices across the massive range.
A black swarm.
From giants to runts, every wyvern swarmed from all directions.
Gulp.
Like the massive flocks of thousands of birds he'd seen on TV once—countless wyverns hurtled toward them, radiating sticky killing intent at the intruders.
'Don't those idiots know fear? Why no Sphere?'
Even Spearing them now would be futile, yet the Temir warriors flew calmly behind the kid, focused only on flight.
'Hm?'
Then he saw it.
Despite the brutal cold, the kid removed her helmet.
Whooshflutterflutter.
Her golden locks whipped wildly in the mad wind, streaking the sky.
'What the— what're you doing?'
Even with mana equal to his, she was a total magic newbie.
Mana rippled around her.
Kweeeee!
Kaaaaaw!
The wild wyverns closed to within hundreds of meters in no time.
They knew no fear.
Feral savagery gleamed in their yellow and red eyes as they charged.
Their bared fangs sparkled like well-honed swords under the winter sun.
Roooooooar!
Brave Bebeto bellowed defiantly despite the charging wild wyverns.
'C'mon, kid! Read the room!'
Not some jungle king Tarzan, yet Bebeto acted like lord of the wyverns.
"Kiaaaaaaaaaa~!!!!!!!!"
'Huh!'
About to chew out the clueless Bebeto, an enormous high-pitched screech pierced his ears.
His mind blanked instantly.
Like a hammer blow—incapable of shaking it off.
Not physical force.
But terror branded into his brain, like an irresistible command from an untouchable being.
'Mana Fear... no, at this level, Dragon Fear...'
He had mana rivaling a 7th Circle mage, fearless of them.
Yet this dagger-like fear stabbed his mind.
Kweeeee!
Kaaaaaaa!
Chaos erupted.
Wild wyverns charging fearlessly now screeched in panic at the Fear, fleeing wildly.
Crashhhh.
Boom.
Some plummeted, colliding with each other, minds shattered.
Wobble wobble.
Bebeto wobbled his wings from the shock but barely regained balance.
Flutterflutterflap.
In that instant, Lokoroia donned her helmet again and surged forward.
The momentum flipped.
The aggressive wild wyverns bolted back to their nests in frenzy.
'Descendant of dragons, huh!'
Now it clicked.
The ten or so priests guarding behind her like escorts.
The finest Dragoria among Tarkania descendants, with top talent.
"Kiooooooo!"
"Kaooooooo!"
The priests followed her lead, unleashing Dragon Fear.
Small but potent enough against monsters.
He finally got why the Temir tribe cowered before these unassuming priestesses.
'Wyverns reduced to chicken heads.'
Unbelievable sight.
The charging wyverns now cowered in their nests or caves, heads buried.
Big chickens.
Rustle rustle rustle.
Temir warriors approached the wild wyverns and looped ropes around them.
Four per team bound necks, wings, and legs securely.
'Catching wyverns this easy? It's like picking up free money.'
Dragon Fear so potent even gutsy Bebeto reeled.
The kid suddenly seemed scary.
Her mana was 6th Circle now, but if she grew stronger and used Fear... even he couldn't handle it.
'No wonder elves run from awakened ones.'
Warnings passed down from elf ancestors about awakened Dragoria.
Better stay on good terms.
'What's next?'
He had Temir wyverns under him too.
Ones marked with strange tribal curse tattoos.
Roooooooar!
Kiaaaaa!
In moments, Temir warriors bound dozens of wild wyverns.
Using sturdy ropes, the wailing beasts were secured one by one and rejoined the group.
"Kiooooooo!"
Lokoroia's Dragon Fear rang out again.
"....."
The wyverns instantly fell silent.
'Not much effect on tamed ones.'
Aside from Bebeto, the other Temir wyverns barely flinched.
Just a momentary twitch, eyes fearful on the kid.
'Way too easy.'
Roughly 20 solid wyverns bound by the Temir tribe.
They turned direction without regret.
'Heh heh. Wyverns! Wyverns!'
Pitiful creatures dragged bound by limbs, but to him, they were gold bricks.
Arm them for war, and he'd rake in tens of millions of gold in a flash.
'Aw, she's a cutie.'
Rediscovering the kid anew.
She piloted her wyvern beside him with regal poise.