Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Dreaming of Becoming a Sky Knight
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"Keep your eyes peeled in all directions!"
"Hyah! You bastards! Move your asses if you don't wanna die!"
Neigh!
His Captain scowled as he berated the mercenaries.
Under normal circumstances, a few grumbles would have erupted in the lax atmosphere, but the mercenaries gripping their weapons scanned their surroundings in tense silence.
'Now they finally look like mercenaries.'
The Black Wyvern Mercenary Corps, who had been indistinguishable from street thugs.
Tension radiated from them, exuding a true mercenary vibe.
'They called this the Orc Gorge, but the atmosphere sure is brutal.'
The Orc Gorge, located along a ridge of the Zar Mountains.
They said passing through here was the only way to traverse the Zar Mountains and enter Idval Kingdom territory.
'Surely we need to scout with Fly magic or something?'
It wasn't a gorge 100 meters wide and 300 to 400 meters deep—it was a massive canyon.
They had to cross this canyon, which would take about half a day.
Even to my eyes, the canyon screamed ambush.
Several broken wagons littered the area here and there, hinting at the heavy toll it had taken on past travelers.
"Kayer, get off the horse and walk. You don't want to make yourself a target for orc archers."
Ron advised me urgently, axe and shield in hand, to dismount quickly.
'The tension is no joke.'
My heart raced more than when hunting magical beasts.
The atmosphere was infectious, affecting me because of the others.
Even the coachmen and merchants held shields as they cautiously yet swiftly drove the wagons.
'Isn't this the kind of road that needs soldiers guarding it?'
We were still in Dafis Kingdom territory.
Having passed through Piyor Viscount Territory, we were now in some barony in the Zar Mountains with a ridiculously long name.
Yet despite the lords and king collecting taxes to fatten themselves off merchant activity in places like this, not a single soldier was in sight.
'Protect your own damn life, huh? Duly noted.'
Knowing something intellectually was different from experiencing it bodily.
I was gradually getting accustomed to Kaliyan Continent customs, one by one.
'What's that noise?'
A faint sound carried on the wind to my ears.
As my mana grew stronger, it enhanced my physical functions, developing not just my five senses but even my muscles.
What reached my ears now was the sound of horse whinnies and human screams.
Something was happening not too far away.
'Can these guys hold out?'
Aside from magical beasts, I had no experience fighting monsters, but I didn't trust the Black Wyvern Mercenary Corps for some reason.
Knowing their skills firsthand, worry gnawed at me.
No matter how long we'd be together, they were my companions.
"Ron, how many orcs can you take on alone? Three? Or five?"
"Th-three? Heh, of course, even ten orcs charging at me would be no problem. No matter how tough orcs are, one swing of this Ron's battle axe and their thick skulls burst like ripe watermelons! Uhahahaha!"
'Ten? You're lucky if you can handle one.'
From his stammering and forced laugh, I could gauge the orcs' combat prowess.
"Halt the wagons!"
His Captain, nerves on edge, ordered the wagons to stop.
"His Captain, wh-what's going on?"
Hamer Merchant, leading the caravan, called out to His in a startled voice.
"Looks like our luck's rotten today. There's a battle happening in the gorge."
"A battle?"
"Definitely another merchant group under attack. I can hear screams on the wind."
"Attacked...? Then what do we do?"
Hamer panicked at His's words and sought his opinion.
"That's for the employer to decide, isn't it? What'll it be?"
They'd hired mercenaries precisely for situations like this.
His deferred the decision to Hamer.
"We have to cross here today..."
Hamer's face filled with distress.
A caravan wasn't something you could just go or come as you pleased.
The schedule seemed quite tight.
"Then we'll push through."
"I'm counting on you. If we make it past this, I'll treat everyone big in Shadur Castle."
"Understood."
His Captain nodded reliably.
"Everyone hear that? The employer wants to break through! Warriors of the Black Wyvern Mercenary Corps! You ready?!"
"Damn right, let's do it!"
"Let's meet a couple orcs!"
"We're the invincible Black Wyvern Mercenary Corps!"
"Then advance with strict vigilance! Move out!"
His boosted morale, shield raised, taking point at the front, followed by the skilled mercenaries.
'This seems like a big fight...'
I understood the merchants' mindset, but no matter how I looked at it, the Black Wyvern Mercenary Corps was outmatched.
Smacking my lips, I followed Ron alongside the wagons.
Bodies bound to the mercenary corps anyway.
If they said charge, I charged.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
"Everyone, battle stations!"
Had we advanced about 200 meters into the canyon? Suddenly, a wide clearing appeared in the center.
And the horrific scene unfolding there.
'Those bastards!'
A small caravan with a dozen wagons, along with about 30 mercenaries, merchants, and coachmen.
They were locked in fierce combat with hideous orcs clad only in leather loincloths.
"Attack! Save the people!"
Seeing people attacked by orcs, His issued a fury-filled attack order.
No sooner had he spoken than he was already charging.
'Over a hundred, easy.'
The orcs attacked with rusty weapons—spears and swords stolen from humans, it seemed.
Not particularly tall at around 160 cm, but bulging with knotted muscles and bluish-green skin.
Fangs protruded from their faces.
Their nostrils gaped wide enough for rainwater to pour in, and their eyes burned with madness.
"O-orcs! Uwaaaah!"
Ron, who had bragged about handling over ten, screamed at the sight of them.
"Ron, aren't you charging?"
"I-I want to, but who's guarding the wagons?"
As the other mercenaries rushed forward, Ron trembled and made excuses about the wagons.
Clang!
I drew my sword and charged ahead.
"H-hey, where are you going, Kayer?!"
"You'll see! To kill orcs!"
"It's dangerous! Get back here!"
'Safer than hanging with Uncle Ron!'
I didn't even reply, just ran.
"R-reinforcements!"
"Everyone, hold on!"
Grooo! Grooooh!
Dozens lay fallen, spilling red blood.
The orcs, who had been brutally slaughtering people, spotted the Black Wyvern Mercenary Corps and bellowed.
Kueee! Guerrr!
The orcs spewed their guttural tongue, hard to comprehend.
Over half turned toward the Black Wyvern Mercenary Corps.
"You bastards! Eat this!"
His charged at the front.
A thin thread of blue aura blade rose from his sword like silk.
By local standards Ron had mentioned, His was an Aura User—not the Blade Knight level where the aura fully dyes the blade blue.
His thick bastard sword cleaved the orc thrusting a spear at him.
Slaaaash!
Kueeeeeeee!
The orc, bisected at the waist, sprayed blue blood like a fountain, baring yellowed teeth in a death scream.
"You rotten orcs that won't even die properly! Sweep them all away!!"
"Filthy orc scum, where do you get off!"
Clangclangclang!
The Black Wyvern Mercenary Corps, whose mouths were stronger weapons than their skills.
Unexpectedly, they put on a thrilling melee show.
'Of all things, humanoid.'
The orcs were killing humans, but as upright-walking beings, it didn't sit right.
Kueeee!
But the moment of decision came swiftly.
The mercenaries outnumbered by orcs.
Soon, an orc came at me with a rusty glaive.
'Tch!'
Despite my queasy feelings, my body reacted nimbly.
The thick longsword knights used slammed down on the orc's glaive with full force.
Kaaang!
Sparks flew as steel met steel.
'Strong!'
The sensation of that pure muscle clash felt like striking a solid cliff—the orc's brute strength.
Seeing their bodybuilder-level musculature, I now understood why my master had mocked my skills, teasing if I wanted to end up as orc shit.
Kue!
Moreover, those ferocious red-and-yellow eyes brimming with savagery.
The pus around the orc's eyes, yellowed teeth, and thick drool banished any pity I felt.
'This isn't playtime! It's a battlefield where kill or be killed! I have to cut this one down!'
The orc, sensing my inferior muscle power, grinned viciously in anticipated victory.
"Tat!"
With a short kiai, I slightly drew up mana into my sword.
Shiiiik!
A swift horizontal slash unfolded.
Crunch crunch!
The blade sliced horizontally through the orc's body, the vivid sensation of severing bone transmitted through the sword and into my hand.
Tremble.
I shuddered momentarily, unable to pull the sword free from the orc's innards.
Magical beasts resembled beasts, so no hesitation, but orcs resembled humans.
My heart pounded, breath quickening.
Kueeee!
But only for a moment—another orc charged at me, long spear aimed at the killer of its comrade.
Grit.
Clenching my teeth, I yanked the sword from the orc's body.
Sploosh!
Blue blood erupted in that instant.
The immense pressure soaked my clothes.
Shiiiik!
'Kill or be killed!'
My mind snapped alert.
I swung the sword directly at the forehead of the spear-thrusting orc.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
"Ooh! Newbie, you're impressive!"
"Did you see? There was a bluish aura blade on it!"
"What are you talking about? Aura blade at that age?"
"I saw it clear as day!"
'They got excited.'
Intoxicated momentarily by the thick killing intent from orcs and mercenaries alike.
As a result, over a dozen orcs lay dead around me, departed from this world.
"Th-thank you! If it weren't for you..."
"Thanks! On behalf of Wakan Mercenary Corps, we sincerely thank your group."
"We merely followed industry code. But didn't you underestimate Orc Gorge too much? With barely twenty mercenaries..."
The mercenaries' gazes shifted from me to the merchants and mercenaries attacked by orcs.
"Th-that's our fault. We had to pass through suddenly and couldn't hire more..."
"It's all our mercenary corps' incompetence."
A modest caravan of a dozen wagons and the matching small Wakan Mercenary Corps.
To my eyes, no different from Black Wyvern, yet His Captain squared his shoulders proudly.
"Ugh, spare me..."
"Kuh! M-mommy!"
'Lots of wounded.'
Thanks to my and His's vanguard efforts, Black Wyvern had only a few minor injuries, but the merchants, coachmen, and Wakan members bore the brunt of orc focus—many dead or wounded.
'So this is death.'
For the first time, I saw human corpses.
Red blood pooled in stark contrast to the orcs' blue, bodies strewn about.
A pang of sorrow and strange feeling welled in my chest.
"Let's use potions to treat the wounded."
His Captain grimaced, suggesting potions.
"But using potions might draw magical beasts instead of orcs."
A surviving caravan merchant trembled in fear, objecting.
"Indeed. To reach a temple village beyond Orc Gorge for potions takes days more. If they die, it's their fate."
The goateed Wakan captain sided with the merchant.
'To survive, even comrades get abandoned.'
Mercenaries grimly checked urgent wounds.
Without potions or healing magic, six or seven seemed on death's door.
"If only we had a mage right now..."
"What mage joins a third-rate corps like this? Even first-rate ones go crazy to recruit a proper 3-circle mage."
"Right. I wouldn't join a group like ours without life insurance either. Unless you dodge an axe to the head."
Not even their comrades, yet Black Wyvern members pitied them, knowing it wasn't their business.
They knew today others died, but no guarantee they wouldn't tomorrow.
"Cough..."
"Jeron, hang on! If you die from this scratch, who'll care for your wife and kids! Hold on, Jeron!"
A man staunching the spear-gutted early-30s mercenary Jeron's wound with torn cloth screamed through choked sobs.
"F-friend, sorry, but... my family..."
Jeron, vomiting blood, eyes losing focus.
"Step aside."
I couldn't just watch.
"Step aside? My friend's dying—where do you think you're going?"
Jeron's friend, biting his lip, holding back tears.
"If you don't want your friend to die... do as I say."
"You some damn priest? A mage? Why block his last moments? Kuh!"
The man vented rage at me, unsure who to blame.
Thwack!
I punched him square in the face.
Thud!
A solid hit sent him sprawling sideways.
'Exposure isn't the issue. I can save a life with my choice.'
Not some villain trying to kill me—a ordinary third-rate mercenary with family.
More precious than my convenience of hiding as a mage.
"Heal!"
"Gasp!"
"M-mage!"
Everyone's eyes were on my sudden aggression, and when I conjured life's yellow glow with magic, gasps of shock erupted from the mercenaries.
"Just hold on a bit. You won't die."
Intestines pierced deep by the spear wound.
Fortunately, no other organs seemed damaged.
'Good.'
Magic's wondrous power always amazed even me.
Post-5-circle stabilized potent mana converted to life energy, healing the wound.
Bubbles rose like antiseptic on a cut.
Within, mana knit flesh, regenerating new skin.
"H-high-circle mage!"
"Incredible...!"
Worldly mercenaries roughly gauged my level.
Heal was low 2-circle, but mercenaries knew mana scaled with circles and quantity per the proportional law.
"Grgh! Th-thank you, Mage. Grgh!"
Even with healing magic, pain lingered—he grimaced but thanked me.
'If you're grateful, live well!'
Clearly a man who'd mercenary-ed to feed wife and kids.
His despair-filled eyes now swelled with hope for life.
'Failing to do what I can, without violating my conscience, would be sin too.'
A quiet life insight gained.
A bit presumptuous for a seventeen-year-old boy, but on Kaliyan Continent, I was maturing into an adult.
In a true survival-of-the-fittest world where one lived by one's own strength...
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
"If we've been rude until now, I apologize first."
Hamer, leading the caravan, bowed low, groveling.
'That's why I hid it.'
I'd learned from villagers how mages were treated on Kaliyan Continent, so I'd concealed my skills.
But in an unavoidable situation, my mage status was exposed, and as merchants and mercenaries sorted things, they eyed me warily even while moving.
"No, it was wrong of me to hide being a mage."
"N-no! Please don't say that!"
Hamer waved hands frantically, face serious.
His fear was obvious as he tried flattering me.
"K-Kayer sir, if I may... which magic tower are you from...?"
Just hours ago, His Captain had patted my shoulder, urging hard work under him—now he cautiously probed my identity.
"Secret."
"Ah, yes, of course."
He didn't ask twice.
His nodded, maintaining deference.
'Mages gangsters or what? Why's everyone so scared?'
I'd met no other mages, but even non-civilian mercenaries feared me—hinting at mages' status.
"Is that Shadur Castle over there?"
"Yes, that's the castle of Dafis Kingdom's famed general, Count Rohan de Shadur."
After escaping Orc Gorge and resting briefly, a castle came into view atop distant plains.
"Quite respected, I see."
"In Dafis Kingdom, yes. The northern region he defends is the kingdom's key strategic point, so from His Majesty the King down, all revere him."
'Hm?'
From our high vantage near the ridge, the vast plain was visible at a glance.
Suddenly, over a dozen dots rose above Shadur Count's castle, flying our way.
"Sky Knights of the county!"
"Wooow! Amazing!"
Despite half a day's wagon ride away, the Sky Knights and wyverns closed distance in an instant.
'Cool!'
Group flight incomparable to solitary Piyor Viscount's wyvern.
In crane-wing formation, ten wyverns flapped wings majestically.
A breathtaking spectacle that stole one's breath.
'Sky Knights...'
The words alone made my heart race.
"The Count himself!"
"Wheeee! So cool!"
The wyverns, now hundreds of meters close.
Each wore enchanted armor bearing the count's house emblem of crossed twin swords.
Atop them stood ten Sky Knights, ramrod straight, red capes billowing, reins in hand.
I clenched my fist.
'I'll definitely become a Sky Knight riding the coolest wyvern!'
Kang Hyuk's manly vow.
Watching the wyverns fly overhead and vanish afar, I swore once more.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
"Wh-what? Just the egg costs 2 million gold?"
"Indeed. Plus, to purge monster ferocity until hatching, highest-grade holy water daily, and rearing plus flight training for a year will easily exceed several hundred thousand gold. The wyvern's lightweight protective mithril alloy armor alone is 1 million gold, Sky Knight-exclusive enchanted armor at least several hundred thousand more. Roughly, acquiring and using one wyvern starts at 4 million gold initial cost."
'4—4 million!'
4 million gold—enough to buy a small fief.
Luna villagers shed bloody tears over 50 gold, yet Hamer uttered 4 million casually.
"That's why empires and kingdoms prioritize Sky Knight knight schools and facilities. They breed wyverns for eggs worth millions, hand hatched wyverns to formally trained Sky Knights, maintaining elite forces without massive costs."
'That lying His Captain!'
I glared at His in the corner, chugging booze desperately with mercenaries.
"Drink up! Tomorrow's no concern for us!"
"Kahaha! Right! Black Wyvern Mercenary Corps has no future! Just today!"
"To the Black Wyvern elite owning Sky Knights—toast!"
'I should report him for habitual juvenile enticement!'
Not just me—he lured boys at every village.
Selling Sky Knight dreams to exploit them—His's scheme.
'Drinking like that, what savings?'
His and Black Wyvern liars guzzled merchant-provided booze by the barrel.
Drunk, lost in paradise.
"But why ask about Sky Knights...?"
Hamer eyed me knowingly—why ask when you know?
"Haha, just curious about current prices. Our magic tower's very interested in Sky Knights too."
"Ah! I see. Heard most towers now train Sky Knight specialists—guess it's true."
'What's this now?'
My offhand excuse, and Hamer nodded.
"Empires or kingdoms just sit by while towers train Sky Knights?"
"Well, you mages would know best. Even empires don't touch major towers—that's unwritten rule, right?"
Merchant-sharp Hamer sniffed something.
"Just checking. Lately, mages feeling slighted by Sky Knights' better treatment, so I asked."
"I see. Sky Knights outranking mages..."
Hamer watched my expression as he spoke.
"Hey, heard the rumor?"
"What rumor?"
"Empires and kingdoms opening knight schools and Sky Knight schools wide to recruit talent."
"So even commoners like us can enroll?"
"Yeah. Bazran Empire always valued ability, but didn't expect other empires and kingdoms too."
Shadur Count's castle inn thrived near the border.
Hamer's regular was spacious, housing mercenaries and merchants with room for a hundred more drinking and chatting.
Amid it, an intriguing snippet from the back.
"Hope this doesn't spell big trouble. Why's everyone stockpiling forces..."
"Tell you guys only: war merchants are raking it in. Weapons and minerals doubled price suddenly."
"Already double?"
"Knew it—should've dealt in war goods, not grain..."
'Something's up on the continent?'
Airan caravan merchants aside, others hinted at continental tension.
Nothing skin-deep yet, but trouble brewed for sure.
"Um... Mage Kayer."
"Yes?"
Hamer stealthily called me, fiddling with my beer mug deep in thought.
"If I may intrude, where are you headed?"
"Why do you ask?"
He treated me deferentially as mage, but as an elder, I used polite speech.
"If our paths align, could you perhaps..."
'Bazran Empire has Black Wyverns, he said.'
Lying His, but Black Wyvern info seemed accurate.
Rear-table merchants said Bazran valued ability innately.
"To Bazran Empire."
"B-Bazran?!"
"Yes. Why, can't I?"
"No, it's just our directions differ."
Hamer couldn't hide disappointment.
'Heh, lucky.'
Godsend chance to ditch lying mercenaries.
Foolish to pass.
"Truly a shame. Would've been great with fellow Airan caravan."
"Indeed. Altis, check if our group has a Bazran-bound convoy."
"Oh! Remes's wine transport starts near border tomorrow."
"Good. Hurry and relay—a top mage goes to Bazran for cheap fee."
'Whoa, these guys trying to snag without plucking? Cheap fee?'
Merchant as ever, Hamer schemed brilliantly.
"Now, everyone—toast! To our thick, short friendship!"
I stood, raising glass to Black Wyvern and merchants.
"T-to our~!"
"Friendship!"
The booze-soaked mercenaries.
They toasted 'friendship' and chugged.
'Bye bye, all!'
Regrettable, but no more tagging with dreamless mercs and stingy merchants.
'Bazran Sky Knight Academy! Uhahaha! Wait for me—Kang Hyuk's coming!'
Continent's elite course, akin to air force academy.
Dreaming of my glittering future, I downed cool beer.
Praying to gods my unfolding life smooth as silk, flowing like booze.