Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Derbal
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'Kill... I'll kill them!'
High-altitude flight that couldn't even be compared to Fly magic.
Shiiiiiing.
The sound of wind rushing past my ears.
The dizzying landscape of the ground below.
White fluffy clouds brushing past overhead.
And Irene's faint scent seeping into my helmet.
It was the flight of my dreams.
'Free. And exhilarating.'
Not as fast as a 21st-century fighter jet, but the wyvern was quick in its own right.
The scenery whipping by made my body and mind feel as light as the wind itself.
And from deep in my chest rose a burning heat.
It might be premature to say after just one ride, but a man's bold spirit surged within me, as if I had conquered the world.
The wyvern's massive wings beat powerfully, fitting its enormous body.
There was nothing to fear.
"Hold on tight!"
'Tight?'
Irene's mana-infused voice suddenly rang out.
Shiiiiiing.
The wyvern abruptly surged upward toward the sun.
'Kuh! This makes roller coasters look like a joke!'
I'd ridden plenty of rides at Lotte World.
None had given me this level of thrill.
'Huh?'
Just as the excitement prickled all the way to my soles and reached its peak.
The wyvern suddenly halted its ascent.
Whoosh.
Then, astonishingly, it twisted its massive body, pointing its head downward.
"Uwaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!"
Shwaaaaaaaa!
Even with the trainee Air Plate helmet protecting me with magic, the sensation pierced every cell.
It was pure terror—Wolmido's Viking ride, Korea's toughest, couldn't hold a candle to it.
'Who are you trying to kill! Kuhhhh!'
The pressure from the air during the dive.
My arms tightened around Irene's waist—or rather, her chest.
The feeling of plummeting from kilometers above the ground.
It was as chilling as glimpsing the virgin ghost from Legend of the Haunted House that used to make me wet the bed as a kid just thinking about it.
Shiiiiiing.
After falling toward the ground for a while like that.
The wyvern twisted sharply and leveled into horizontal flight.
Clack.
Shrrrrrr.
'Hmm...'
Irene removed her helmet atop the wyvern, now flying at a leisurely pace.
Her silver hair danced wildly in the wind before my eyes.
"Breathe it in. Deeply, until your chest bursts..."
Her whispering words.
Clack.
As if under a spell, I removed my helmet too.
Shiiiiiing.
On a spring day.
Beneath a blue sky dotted with white clouds on a warm, sunny afternoon.
"Ah..."
A long sigh that filled my lungs, washing away the filth of my past life.
My eyes closed.
And I deeply inhaled the sky's air.
Like a baby nursing at its mother's breast.
"Good. I am the sky... And I dream. Someday, to fly endlessly toward that sun..."
Irene recited short words like poetry.
She looked different.
Not the clever, beautiful countess of the Bazran Empire I knew, but a girl cherishing a precious dream.
One who still knew nothing of the world's darkness.
"Uwaaaaaah!"
"Hohoho, hohohoho!"
'That voice!'
My head whipped around.
'Oh man, I'm losing it.'
And there she was.
Highness, having tossed her helmet aside, shoving the Sky Knight ahead of her and boldly claiming the front seat.
Whip! Whip! Whiiiip.
Her wild whipping(?) keeping the wyvern and its rider off-balance mid-flight.
I desperately hoped she wouldn't claim me as her brother anywhere.
'Some just can't adapt.'
Unlike Highness, who had fully adapted and was now on a mad joyride, some trainees were pale, trembling, or burying their faces.
'Russel...'
Among them was someone I knew.
'If you can't adapt in three chances, you're out immediately.'
I knew the goal of this flight training.
It was the primary screening for those who couldn't adapt.
"Returning to the Sky Wing Unit!"
Irene's clear voice rang out loud enough to shake the entire sky.
Shiiiing.
The wyvern tucked one wing halfway and banked into a turn.
'Bebeto.'
And suddenly, Bebeto, the wyvern from the darkness, came to mind.
I suddenly wanted to gift him this magnificent sky.
Together with me.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
"You okay?"
"Not your business! Mind your own!"
'Huh, look at this guy.'
Russel's face was drained white.
He was venting his anger at himself for failing to adapt to the wyvern outward at the world.
"Yeah? Good luck then."
That wasn't enough to make me bat an eye.
And unless I planned to beat some sense into him during this sensitive time, leaving him alone was probably best.
"Sob..."
'Huh?'
A quiet sob as I turned to leave.
'He said he had to avenge his parents...'
Russel's grudge, which I'd overheard by chance.
The bloodshot resolve to sell his soul to the devil if needed to get revenge.
'If it's too hard, just ask for help. No need to cry like a girl.'
A corner of my heart ached with pity.
Russel, desperate to become a Sky Knight.
My mind filled with thoughts as I left the room.
Ways to get that crybaby Russel standing tall atop a wyvern...
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
'Tsk, my feet brought me here anyway.'
Frustrated, I stepped outside.
The evening shadows over the Kirfone Sky Wing Unit.
I recalled my first flight experience from behind Irene.
And before I knew it, I'd arrived at a certain place.
A massive building faintly visible in the glow of magical lanterns at the mountain outposts.
'Bebeto...'
The hangar of Bebeto, the wyvern's mutant child, bringer of curses and misfortune to Sky Knights.
'I want to fly the skies with him.'
Bebeto, with wings and body larger than other wyverns.
I wanted to share the sky full of fresh blue air with him.
'Will he welcome me?'
It had been ages since he'd been outside, let alone the sky.
I wondered if he'd greet an intruder like me.
Creak.
But it was fine.
I wanted to try talking to him, even in the darkness.
Flash.
As I opened the small door and entered, Bebeto's massive eyes gleamed in the dark.
Golden eyes harboring rage toward the world.
In the darkness, Bebeto's eyes floated like ghosts.
"Hi~!"
I raised my hand in greeting.
"..."
'Rude guy.'
Bebeto conveyed his displeasure with silence.
"Eaten dinner?"
I tried talking again.
But he just stared at me with those eyes, motionless.
"Rode a wyvern for the first time today. It was killer."
I rambled on about the day's events in vivid detail, ignoring if he cared.
"Amazing. Not even fighter jets, but they fly that high, free as can be... I knew they were tough, but I didn't know they had dragon-level bone structure."
I spread my hands, mimicking wyvern wings in flight.
Paaat.
'Heh, that's more like it.'
At my sky-flying gesture, Bebeto's eyes flashed.
No matter how much he sulked, he was just a big chicken in an iron cage.
"You ever tasted the wind? Kyaa, the air up there is totally different from the ground. How to describe it? Like the pure taste of water's soul? Cool and refreshing! Pure bliss."
I didn't know how much Bebeto understood.
But his shaking eyes suggested he got the gist.
'Really growing on me...'
The problem was he was a cursed being, target of all wyverns and Sky Knights.
Even if he escaped, few places in the world would welcome him.
"Lalala, lulululu~? Bebeto! Big bro's here."
'Big bro?'
As I pondered Bebeto's future, a bold voice came from outside.
Swoosh.
I slipped into the shadows of the wall.
Creak.
"Hungry?"
A man entered, voice full of affection like a real big brother.
'Who is that?'
Dressed as a regular admin soldier in the Sky Wing Unit.
Carrying several chunks of meat that looked heavy.
Thud.
"Eat up. Everyone's full today, so there's some decent stuff."
The man tossed the meat onto a large wooden tray used for wyvern feed.
'Scraps?'
Even in the dark, I could see the meat: pig hide, sheep scraps, cow legs.
Leftovers from what other wyverns didn't finish, probably.
Groooowl.
"Thanks? We're in the same boat, no need."
'Missing an arm?'
The man's left arm ended unnaturally at the elbow.
Stroke, stroke.
The man gently stroked Bebeto's leg.
Crunch.
Bebeto let out a cat-like mew and snapped up the meat.
'Poor guy.'
Imprisoned was punishment enough, but even his meals were subpar.
Pity welled up from the bottom of my heart.
"Bebeto... I'm leaving soon."
The man, watching Bebeto eat, spoke words foretelling farewell.
"..."
Bebeto paused mid-bite, as if understanding.
"No choice. No employer hires a powerless cripple admin for money. Especially when I'm marked."
'Getting fired?'
"Damn world... My dreams weren't this meager... When I graduated Imperial Admin Academy, it wasn't like this. Kugh..."
The man vented his resentment with a sob-choked sigh.
'Imperial Admin Academy? Elite in his own right.'
Unlike the Imperial Knight Academy for knights and nobles, it trained empire admins and territory officials.
Only the sharpest commoners could enter, from what I'd heard.
Groooooowl.
Bebeto rubbed his long beak against the man's waist, as if consoling.
'Got some class.'
A mutant wyvern comforting human emotions.
I gave him 10 more likeability points.
"Sorry... You're struggling too, and here I am showing weakness..."
The admin soldier seemed ambitious, reason for lost arm unknown.
He seemed to feel Bebeto's warmth, then pulled away.
"I'm worried. Without me, who'll look after you... Those idiot nobles can't see treasure."
Despite his own severed arm, he worried for Bebeto more than himself.
I wanted to help.
'Admins can only handle official wyverns, right?'
But I wasn't yet at a level to do anything for him.
"Going now. Grow strong..."
The man lingered on the words.
Unaware of me in the dark, he left.
Swoosh.
As the man vanished, Bebeto turned his head toward me in the shadows.
As if saying come out now.
"You know, you're blessed. Princess sis and now that guy as big bro? That's fortune."
Grooowl, grooowl.
'What're you saying?'
Bebeto seemed to attempt conversation.
He glanced at the door, nodded, conveying something.
"Help the guy who just left?"
Grooooooowl.
Bebeto nodded his beak at my words.
'Whoa! This guy's that smart?'
I knew wyverns were intelligent, but not capable of this level of expression.
'Mutant breed makes him smarter?'
"If you want it, I'll try. But don't expect much."
Groo, gugu.
Bebeto's eyes softened at my words.
Finally, my words were getting through.
"Heading out now. See you tomorrow."
They say don't bother a dog while it's eating.
Especially one munching gifted meat scraps.
'I'll lead you to meat paradise, where the cows jump and milk flows!'
And I resolved.
To guide that pitiful wyvern to paradise.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
"This is the Blest Spear, which you all know well. Max range 2 kilometers, weight 2 kilograms. Infuse mana with the embedded magic stone, and it glows, switching to launch mode."
Paat.
The spear tip coated in mithril.
A magic spear engraved with tracking and enhancement magic circles.
Cost at least a thousand gold per shot.
Viscount Behin, the magic instructor, infused mana, and a soft blue glow emanated from the spear.
"Replace the magic stone and circles for longer range. But beyond 2 kilometers, even slow wyverns escape range, making it pointless."
'Like modern missiles.'
Air-to-air missiles used in fighter jet dogfights.
The Blest Spear was this world's air-to-air missile.
"Can be used for ground attacks too. But using thousand-gold spears on ground knights is laughable. Of course, recoverable, so usable then."
I'd tasted the Blest Spear once before.
A magic spear that could pierce boulders—nothing short of a curse for ground knights.
"Distributing one Blest Spear per person. Infuse mana and observe launch mode transition! But beware throwing at comrades."
Dozens stored in magic boxes.
We trained in the Sky Wing Unit's drill ground, where wyverns launched for patrols anytime.
'Thousand gold a pop? They said ten-plus per sortie.'
Sky Knights: start with money, end with money.
Among them, the Blest Spear looked like money to me.
Felt like it'd help my future life.
'Light?'
I grabbed one in line.
Lighter than expected in my right hand.
'Infuse mana here.'
Magic pattern near the grip.
I lightly infused mana.
Pssht.
'Hold and throw, reaches 2 klicks.'
Not far from the sky, but a huge distance from ground.
'Hm?'
Then, a prickling energy from behind.
Whoosh.
Instinctively, I ducked and swung the held spear.
Craaaack!
Powerful impact in my hand.
"Gasp!"
"W-What?!"
Shocked trainees.
'That bastard!'
Amid them, one grimacing with regret.
Jusain, lord of the immortal Termon Count family.
"What happened!"
Viscount Behin rushed over.
"Sorry. Just infused mana and pretended to toss lightly..."
Jusain bowed to Viscount Behin.
'Lightly? Ridiculous.'
The Blest Spear I'd parried, embedded in the ground.
Hit by that, instant death.
Yet he bowed to Behin, not me.
'Testing me, huh?'
Back at knight academy, they couldn't even dodge prayers; now in Sky Wing, baring teeth again.
Big bro sayings were spot on.
Crush 'em hard when you step once.
"Be careful."
Even instructors had limits on interfering.
Some like Viscount Atuan pretended not to see, but they had to bow to sons of counts and above.
"Class dismissed. Return spears."
Viscount Behin ended abruptly with a mere caution.
'Trusting the Crown Prince?'
Their rebellion stark since Sky Wing.
Ted, daughter of a duke's house, and crew glaring at me.
'Ugh! Tempered a lot.'
Old me would've shredded them openly, but I held back.
As long as oil flows, boiler runs.
Time aplenty.
To give them an unforgettable hot taste.
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"Ugh... Blech."
"Give up. Altitude sickness isn't easy to fix."
'Russel.'
Sky Knight essential: flight ability.
Even a grand mage couldn't be one without flight.
'Failed second flight too. One chance left?'
Training included wyvern handling, weapon use basics alongside flights.
Among them, a few trainees still unqualified for flight.
Russel among the slated dropouts.
"Fear the wind, no Sky Knight material."
Irene coldly stated, stroking the wyvern's head.
While watching crawling, vomiting trainees.
'Wind spiritists fearing wind?'
Unlike others, wind spiritists truly understood it.
Only affinity summoned wind spirits.
Of course, exceptions like me.
'Something's up. Why Russel's so wrecked...'
Beyond phobia—Russel's face deathly pale.
Face contorted like a nightmare.
I turned to Irene, expressing thanks.
"Thanks again today."
"..."
No reply—just fairy-like pure eyes sparkling, stirring the heart.
'Why? Heart pounding.'
Long silver hair cascading as she alighted softly on the Air Plate, helmet off.
And sky-star soft blue eyes.
Irene stared piercingly, even in my dreams sometimes.
"Wanna grab a meal sometime."
'Huh? Meal?'
The aloof, cold Irene Count offering dinner.
"Sure, I'd love to."
Grinning brightly, I accepted readily.
"Looks good... That smile."
She murmured praise, turning away lightly.
'You look good too. That pure sky-embracing look.'
Irene's childlike innocence slicing the skies on wyvern.
Any man would stake his life on that charm bundle.
'But what about him?'
Russel stopped puking, staring blankly at ground.
His downcast look worried me.
Might ruin his life like this.
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"Derbal, you idiot! Spill scraps again?!"
Thwack!
"Guh!"
Pondering Russel's phobia cure, curse and crisp hit sounds.
'Hey, that's the guy.'
The self-proclaimed Bebeto big bro.
"Cripple like you better earn your keep!"
"Kek! Ptui!"
Elite from Imperial Admin Academy spat on.
Food scrap tub tipped beside his fallen form.
"Leave him. Getting kicked out soon, poor guy."
"Hmph! Poor? His slip to Crown Prince got us in trouble too. A mere admin lecturing His Highness on improvements! No shame!!"
Derbal down.
Head bowed amid colleagues' harsh curses.
"Lost arm for it. We got pay cuts, but Derbal..."
"Shut it! Side with him, you'll be marked by Prince and nobles!"
"Let's go! Bad luck near him."
The defending admin dragged away, pitying glance.
"Kuh... Kuhuhu... Kuhahahaha."
Dry laughter echoed as they left.
'Why only pitiful folks around me?'
Outcast wyvern, bullied admin, flightless Russel, schemed prince kid.
All fate-tied strugglers.
"You okay?"
Seemed older, but as quasi-knight, I spoke casually.
Zing.
'Eyes could catch dragons.'
Derbal's venomous glare.
Shrinking hearts.
"Butt out, sir knight."
Derbal spat sharply, like a man who'd given up.
"Nope."
"..."
Light "no" instead of anger.
Derbal's eyes flickered briefly.
"Get up. Legs fine? Gonna sit forever? Want me to break 'em if you love it?"
Tossed casually, emotionless.
"Insulting me now...? Arrogant trainee."
"Nah, this is straight disrespect."
"Y-You!"
Total desperation.
Bebeto's request or not, even I'd snap.
"Cripple."
"Uwaaaah!"
Flushed Derbal lunged with his one good right arm.
Thud!
But paid with a solid right kick to gut, Taekwondo-honed.
"Huh... Huk!"
Direct hit whitened his face, gasping.
"Stand. No one's sparing you for that."
Cold words to doubled-over Derbal.
"Why? Hurts? Nah. Life's tough, huh? Just quit? Abandoned even by colleagues, one arm gone, what's living for?"
Prodded sore spots.
"Kuku..."
'Pride's ironclad.'
Others'd crawl from one kick, but pale-faced Derbal slowly straightened.
Mental fortitude worthwhile.
"Kill me! Kill, you smug knight bastard!"
"Kill? Sure."
Shiiiik.
Thud! Thwack thwack.
"Kugh! Gah!"
Kicks and fists targeted pains.
Splat.
After a dozen hits, Derbal collapsed.
"But what? I'm no knight—just ordinary commoner like you. Heh."
Trembling fallen Derbal.
"Wyvern-pitying wretch good for nothing? Wanna die, just die. Don't bother folks."
"Kuhuk... Sob."
Cold words, Derbal bowed head stifling sobs.
I watched his anguished weeping awhile.
"Dunno dying myself, but it's not easy. Me? I'd cling dirty, live well spitefully. Who knows? Sunrise might come."
'Endure hardship. World’s solo.'
Pitied lost arm, but couldn't fix.
No one saves but self.
Earn life fighting alone.
'He won't really die, right?'
Couldn't help more.
Smacking lips, wandered aimlessly Sky Wing paths.
Chicks must break shells for world-worthiness.