Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: A Turbulent Life
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"Derbal, what would you have me do...."
We had returned to the Skywing Unit.
The Skywing Unit, bringing along the three families who were sure to suffer because of me.
Inside the hangar, I stroked Bebeto's leg and asked Derbal.
Just a few days ago, the unbearable lives of the people on the Neruman Plains that no one could watch with open eyes.
Monsters swarming right in front of them, yet trapped in an extreme situation with nowhere to flee.
"I like my lord as he is."
I had asked for a solution, but the unexpected response was that he liked me.
"You always wear a bright face, yet you genuinely worry for the weak like me.... That heart of yours will be the answer."
My chest grew even tighter at Derbal's Zen-like advice.
'It's like trying to collect electricity bills from Pikachu—there's no money to be made here.... Tsk.'
From the moment I first heard the name, the Neruman Plains had strangely appealed to me.
But it was a rice cake too burdensome for me to swallow.
Kukakaka.
"Hohoho. Bebeto! Nyah-nyah~!"
A child's voice rang out, teasing and playing with the wyvern Bebeto as if it weren't scary at all.
Tadadak.
"Mister!"
The child came running out of the hangar.
Spotting me, she flashed a radiant smile and charged over.
'Ah, mister! Ugh.'
Lucia, who had gifted the fresh-faced youth under twenty the title of "mister."
She hugged my leg tightly with her small arms.
"Gotcha. Hohoho. Now you're it, mister."
Just moments ago, Lucia had bravely charged at the knight despite seeing her father covered in blood, but now she wore a pure smile free of any worldly worries.
My chest swelled with emotion.
"Lu, Lucia... Uh, step back, quick!"
Lucia's mother had appeared out of nowhere.
Worried about the rampage of Viscount Lukens' soldiers, I had brought Lucia's family with me.
And no sooner had we arrived than Lucia's mother set about preparing dinner.
She wore an apron, her face flustered.
"It's fine."
"Peeh, mister loves Lucia so much. Right? Handsome mister~!"
The little blonde girl Lucia tilted her head back, looking up at me with her small stature.
Her blooming smile of happiness warmed my heart effortlessly.
"Then, I've never seen a lady as pretty as Lucia in my whole life."
"Waaah! Are you proposing to Lucia right now? Hohoho. Then when Lucia grows up, she'll marry you, mister!"
"....."
Lucia's eyes sparkled with joyful anticipation.
I gently stroked her hair.
"I'm sorry. The child is still so ill-mannered...."
Lucia's mother approached, bowing politely.
"Is it not inconvenient?"
I had offered them the neighboring hangar as temporary lodging—the space I could provide.
"No, it's very comfortable. I can't remember the last time I spent time so at ease.... Thank you, my lord...."
She waved her hands dismissively, her gratitude expressed with a touch of tears in her eyes.
It spoke volumes about Viscount Lukens' tyranny.
"Mister, from now on, you'll protect our family, right?"
"Huh?"
Lucia, being led away by her mother's hand, asked curiously.
"Mister is a Skyknight. You drive away the bad dragons and monsters! My late grandpa said so. Skyknights are the guardians of the sky who protect our dreams!"
'Guardians of the sky who protect our dreams....'
Lucia's words struck deep into my heart.
"Then, my lord will surely protect Lucia's dreams."
"Right? Hohoho. Thank you, mister. Lucia will grow up quick and marry you."
Lucia bowed deeply.
"Uh... yeah."
Overwhelmed by Lucia's pure, untainted sincerity, I found myself nodding unwittingly.
'Damn... no money in it either.'
A rotten smile formed on my stiffening face.
The harsh future ahead suddenly felt somewhat anticipated(?).
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"At the very least, we need 100,000 elite soldiers. On top of that, active support from at least one of the continent's seven magic towers, a temple capable of producing large quantities of holy water, and friendly relations with the continent's major merchant guilds."
"100,000 elite soldiers... magic towers, temples?"
"Yes. And that's the bare minimum force. The Neruman Plains are more dangerous than anywhere else on the continent. That's why even the Bazran Empire is washing its hands of it."
'100,000 elite soldiers? What, is that the name of some random dog? And how do we pay for that many troops?'
"Derbal, I heard the entire population of the Neruman Plains is only a few hundred thousand. How could we even raise 100,000 soldiers?"
Money aside, the numbers simply didn't add up.
"That's the problem. No sane person would come to the Neruman Plains. Of course, it's not without solutions."
Derbal paused mid-sentence and stared at me intently.
"This?"
I made a circle with my fingers.
Nod.
Derbal nodded lightly.
"Hiring capable mercenaries from across the continent could solve the soldier shortage to some extent."
"Ugh...."
Even riding Bebeto, it took over an hour of flight to see the end of the territory—a massive swath of land.
The map showed it spanned over 200 kilometers east to west alone.
We couldn't fill a place like that with money-flung mercenaries.
'Mercenaries, fine. But why would a magic tower help this place? And a temple come to a money-losing dump?'
I'd heard there wasn't even a single temple branch in the Neruman Plains.
Until a few years ago, there had been some, but as landless, starving refugees kept pouring in, they all quietly vanished.
In short, there was no business selling gods in a place that yielded only dust.
"But... my lord can do it. I believe. Just as you saved me from the darkness, you'll turn the Neruman Plains into a land where peace breathes!"
'Gah!'
Derbal showed blind loyalty and faith, as if I were some prophet.
'No way I'm actually becoming lord here, right?'
Lord of the Neruman Plains—something I never expected or dreamed of.
My heart had wavered a bit, but becoming lord of this black hole that would suck in my money and passion was like smearing honey on yourself and breakdancing in front of a beehive.
"First, you must take over this Skywing Unit. The other Skyknights don't use this foreign unit anyway—turn it into your residence."
"How?"
"Go persuade them."
Derbal rattled off countermeasures as if he'd anticipated this.
"Whom?"
"Convince Count Pabes, the nominal captain of the Skywing Unit."
"Bribery...?"
"Yes. The items in the hangar should suffice. The imperial army will officially withdraw in a few months anyway—no issue with handing them over a bit early."
'Ugh.'
Derbal wanted me to offer my hard-earned(?) savings as bribes.
"And as expected, mercenaries should gather starting tomorrow. No matter how much they fear Lukens, some will bow to money. Tomorrow means nothing to them anyway, since it never comes."
'Cold when it counts, huh?'
Derbal sent me absolute loyalty and respect, yet assessed other situations with cold realism.
"Fine. I'll take over the Skywing Unit."
"A splendid decision, my lord!"
Nothing is more foolish than retreating without trying, based on thought alone.
Life is a hundred years on the streets anyway.
Can't eat it? Still smells good.
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"So, what brings you here?"
Count Pabes, enjoying a cushy life amid a hundred guards who looked like family knights and private soldiers.
His eyes rolled suspiciously at the news of my visit.
'This fat noble pig—wouldn't bleed even if stabbed!'
Even as a foreign Skywing Unit, it must rake in decent imperial funds.
Pabes pocketed it all and played dumb.
He didn't seem pleased to see me.
"Haha, I came with a request."
"A request? To me...? I clearly told you I can't provide anything."
He scowled at the word "request."
'Don't worry! Your filthy money's too dirty for me to suck up!'
"I hear the imperial army will soon be recalled to the empire."
"Probably... yes."
"Hand over the Skywing Unit to me."
"The Skywing Unit?"
"Yes. Transfer it to me today."
"Kukuku. Fell out with Viscount Lukens, eh? Planning to make this your fortress?"
'You knew? Rotten bastard. Could've warned me!'
Pabes smirked slyly.
If I met him in the bathroom, I'd dunk him in the toilet and stomp.
"I've prepared a modest gift outside. Better to withdraw now than return to the empire empty-handed months from now."
"....."
The pig-like count's eyes gleamed at "gift."
"Hoh!"
He gasped in admiration, peering out the window where I pointed.
"Like it?"
"...It's appealing, but with just that...."
'This punk—got spoiled!'
His greedy eyes sizzled like pork rind fat.
"Don't want it? Fine. Saw plenty of empty fortresses outside the city."
Misjudged him.
I spun toward the door.
"Haha. Why so hasty, young man! Fine! We'll vacate the Skywing Unit today!"
'Hmph! Vacate? What a joke.'
Wyvern mithril alloy magic armor worth at least 1.5 million gold back in the empire.
I had no choice in my pinch, so bribe it was—but interest would accrue from today in my heart.
"I'll take that as settled and withdraw."
"Thanks. I'll never forget your sincerity. Hahaha."
'Sincerity? Oh yeah. I won't forget you either, pig!'
I memorized the grinning swine Pabes' face deep in my mind.
Someday, I'd strip him down to his underwear.
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"The knights and soldiers under Viscount Lukens, stationed in Denfos, number about 500. Centered on a Skyknight named Palmier, they're holed up in the viscount's city mansion."
"500? Fewer than expected."
"The city's security is nominally handled by the garrison commander's troops, but they take orders from Viscount Lukens. Word is, the commander's core imperial regulars are only a few thousand, mostly conscripts from local residents."
Derbal and I, gathering intel from various sources, analyzed Viscount Lukens' forces.
"So when the imperial army withdraws, they'll naturally become the viscount's troops?"
"Likely."
"But one thing bugs me. Why does Viscount Lukens covet this place the empire's abandoning? Even with twelve Skyknights, that's barely enough to handle monsters...."
"That nags at me too. Couldn't get a clear answer from Jenis Baron's knights and soldiers. However...."
"However?"
"I suspect ties to the pirates."
"Pirates?"
Derbal had extracted info from the dispatched Jenis Baron knights and soldiers.
His sharp mind had caught something.
"From carpenters repairing the hangar: once Viscount Lukens gained a strong force, pirate raids dropped sharply. So locals, despite the extortion, naturally rely on him."
"Hmm... With the empire ditching them, Lukens is the only one left to protect them."
"Probably. Once the empire officially pulls out, they see no alternative guardian but the viscount."
'Something smells off....'
A flash of conspiracy crossed my mind.
In a world where only a loan shark like Viscount Lukens was trustworthy, Neruman Plains residents had no choice but to obey him come hell or high water.
Facing rampaging foes around them in that state.
Unless shot in the head, he couldn't handle it alone.
'Something's backing him. That something....'
"How many pirates?"
"Local soldiers don't know exactly. Can't survey all 10,000 Kesmir Islands daily. Past abductions from territories exceed 100,000; plundering all nations in surrounding seas tallies to hundreds of thousands."
"Hundreds of thousands? That many?"
Even in 21st-century high-tech era, Somali pirates existed—but these were leagues beyond.
Dragging off that many meant their guts hung far out.
"Not precise, but even at the academy, their infamy rang. They're not mere pirates—practically a maritime kingdom."
"Maritime kingdom?"
"Yes. They operate over a dozen wyvern attack ships."
"Wyvern attack ships?"
A name I'd never heard—ominous.
"Large vessels carrying six to ten wyverns each for mobility."
'Hah, aircraft carriers? Gah!'
Worthy of "maritime kingdom."
Bandit scum operating carriers? Case closed.
"No one rivals them at sea. Now they meddle deeply in trade between Hildrian Empire and East Continent."
'Ho, intercontinental trade!'
Whoever their boss was, sharp as a tack.
'But their attacks have quieted?'
"Smell it?"
"Yes. Strongly."
Eyes met Derbal's—he got it.
"Confident?"
"I trust only my lord!"
No need for long words between kindred spirits.
'Viscount Lukens.... Big fish to swallow.'
Our bad blood started from the get-go.
To survive here: compromise or crush him.
But bowing my head? Never.
If I meant to grovel to a mere viscount, I wouldn't have lived this hard life till now.
"Count Pabes and the soldiers are leaving!"
Mid-talk with Derbal, a Jenis Baron knight rushed in, reporting breathlessly.
Panic clear on his face.
"I know."
"Yes? You know...? Without Count Pabes, we can't defend the Skywing Unit with our strength alone."
"What, they were dead weight anyway. Better off, no?"
"....."
My confident tone left the knight speechless.
Understandably—he'd think defending vast Skywing Unit with him and twenty soldiers was impossible.
"From today, the Skywing Unit is officially under Vice Baron Kair."
".....!!"
Knight's eyes widened at the bombshell.
"Tell Baron Jenis that. If scared, feel free to leave."
Barely useful few dozen soldiers.
A bit regrettable, but if they went, no stopping them.
"Understood."
He steadied himself, nodding curtly.
Jenis had raised him well.
"Derbal, I'll step out briefly."
"Yes?"
"Need to buy something."
"But...."
Nominally, Pabes' presence had kept large-scale soldier rampages in check.
Skywing Unit was a key imperial facility, after all.
But with the count gone, they'd fear nothing.
So, preparations in my own way first.
Ku-gugu?
Bebeto, dozing with nods, woke and queried at "going out."
"Watch the house!"
No urge to parade the city on Bebeto though.
'Where are they? Not a single one?'
My outrageous offer.
Mercenaries with women and gold on the brain couldn't resist the bait.
By now, results should show.
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"Welcome. This is the Aldorian Magic Tower branch."
'Aldorian Magic Tower branch, huh....'
Even as a branch, worlds apart.
Unlike the grand magic branch in the imperial capital, this was pathetically shabby.
Among street towers, the most usable, so I entered.
'4th Circle mage?'
Robe sleeve embroidered with four gold threads.
Mid-fifties 4th Circle mage with two apprentice mages inside.
'Stock's crap.'
Worlds from the Gauss Tower in the capital.
Focused more on buying monster corpses or tower supplies than selling; few worthwhile magic items.
"You're the newly appointed Vice Baron Kair, yes?"
A 4th Circle from a major tower equals rural nobility, yet he cautiously asked my name.
"Yes, but how did you...."
"Haha. Who in Denfos doesn't know the name you made famous upon arrival?"
He let out a hearty laugh.
"Well, not for good reasons, but glad you know it. Thanks."
I was vice baron nobility, but 4th Circle mages got quasi-noble treatment.
He used honorifics, warming the mood.
"But what brings you...? Selling wyvern magic armor, perhaps...."
Among those swarming when Jenis sold goods: not just merchants, but mages too.
Hence, they knew my info.
"No. Here for magic stones and powder."
"Magic stones and powder?"
"Yes, grade 6 stones and about 10 kilos of low-grade magic stone powder."
"Huh! 10 kilos?"
Magic stone powder for magic circles.
Even low-grade, 10 kilos was enormous.
"What for? That much could complete several magic circles...."
He stopped marveling, eyeing suspiciously.
"Recruiting mercenary mages; once gathered, install alarm spells or such for defense."
"Ah, I see. Still, 10 kilos is 10,000 gold. All right?"
'10,000 gold? Wow, these bloodsuckers!'
Not top-grade for warp or intricate circles—just low-grade at 10k per kilo.
Magic materials fetch their price, but unlike stones, powder came from filtering easy-to-get magic soil.
Towers monopolized that soil, their tyranny.
I boiled inwardly, but I was the needy one.
'Fine, let's see how long you fools gouge me!'
"Cheaper than expected. I'll pay now—prepare it."
"Our Aldorian Tower is famed continent-wide for honest dealings. Our current tower master, Great Mage Abeion, lives by 'Treat lies like black mages.'"
Spouting honesty without batting an eye.
Rancid as 21st-century politicians.
'Tsk tsk. That's why you're stuck at 4th Circle at that age!'
Branch chief, aged enough to hit growth limits as mage.
His thick flesh peeking from robe screamed "perfect for Fly spell crash death."
"Ah! As expected of a great tower master!"
Free lie, no cost.
I chimed in with the chief.
"All prepared. Visit again—we'll serve you best."
While chatting, apprentices brought sacks.
Like gems, magic stones needed size and grade for value.
"Bill to Rubis Merchant Guild—mention my name."
"Yes?"
"Don't trust? Go collect now. I'll wait."
"Ah, no need. For this amount...."
Cashless, he hesitated then played generous.
No way a lone Skyknight scams a great tower, right?
"Then, thanks. I'll visit often."
"Take care."
Deal done, we bowed politely.
Regrettable, but future dealings needed.
No reason to sour faces.
'This should suffice for rough completion.'
Not mere alarm circles—grand defense magic circles.
Thinking defense brought hundreds of formations to mind effortlessly.
'No teeth? Chew with gums!'
No soldiers to defend Skywing Unit, but magic traps would ease worries.
My unique magic prowess others lacked.
Little to fear in the world.
'Look at these guys....'
Out the branch, several gazes prickled.
Watching me thoroughly.
'Like rats, the bastards.'
Barely arrived in Neruman Plains, yet enemies everywhere.
What a turbulent life.