Chapter 110
Chapter 110
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>Translator: Lord First
>Chapter: 110
>Chapter Title: People Who Go to Conflict Zones for Vacation (2)
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*
*Tramp, tramp.* The sound of footsteps echoed off the walls of the underground waterway.
Ivan impassively surveyed the now-familiar terrain of the sewer and asked.
“Is it possible to handle this within the vacation period?”
“What?”
“I asked if this is a mission that can be finished in about a month and a half.”
Ivan sighed as he looked at Enrique, who tilted her head in confusion. Although she had gotten her position through connections from the Hero’s Party, Enrique was still a full-fledged professor in the Knight Academy.
Yet here she was, disappearing in the middle of the semester under the pretext of a mission, and still missing by the time vacation started. If she hadn't been a member of the Hero's Party, she would have undoubtedly been fired.
It was a complete lack of professional dedication. As the university’s gardener, Ivan had an obligation to show up for work during the semester. And didn't the university gardener even get paid?
“If you’re talking about the distance, there’s no problem. If you’re talking about the mission itself, well, that’s up to us now.”
“The distance is more important. To the Sky Mountains… it would take at least a month to reach Andrgund on foot.”
“If we were going on foot, yes, but three or four days should be plenty.”
Only three or four days to Andrgund, the dwarven mountain range at the edge of the northern front.
Did that mean they had chartered an aerial battleship? Ivan frowned and looked at Enrique. She chuckled, a sly grin on her face.
Ivan was a sensible person; he wasn't about to play along with the antics of a nearly 200-year-old woman.
“You’re no fun. It’s strange, my student. I always teach you to never forget your composure and a good joke, so why did my best student end up with a personality like this?”
“Because I learned my lessons well.”
“You sure know how to dish it back. Right.”
Grumbling, she turned a corner in the waterway. Ivan’s brow furrowed in an instant. He sensed presences.
Five of them? He could also hear the whir of machinery. And along with it, a smell that had no business being in an underground sewer.
The smell of oil and gunpowder. Distinctly military.
“And now, for the big reveal!”
Enrique smiled brightly and spread her hands. Beyond the bend in the waterway, armed soldiers stood guard before a ‘gate.’
A heavy iron door, completely out of place in the underground, stood imposing and solid. If he hadn't come with Enrique, he might have thought a dungeon had opened up.
“A gate.”
“This is where those dwarven fellows invaded last time. It was just a fissure then, but we couldn't just leave it, could we? No telling what might come through next. So, we made a few modifications.”
Enrique waved at the soldiers, who crisply saluted her.
“We’re good to go in, right?”
Instead of answering, the soldiers silently opened the gate. Judging by their discipline, they were from the Northern Military Command. Ivan frowned and stepped through the open doorway.
And he immediately stopped in his tracks.
- *Clank, pssshhhh….*
>- *Clang, clang, clang.*
“Ta-da! A dwarven armored minecart!”
“Are you insane? You connected a dwarven railway from Pritzenkaya all the way to Andrgund?”
“Hey, don’t get so worked up over a little thing like this. If things go well, this becomes our trade route. If they don’t, this becomes our invasion route.”
Enrique grinned, her eyes glinting ominously. Just then, a low, grumbling voice came from atop the minecart.
“Shouldn't you consider the dwarf who can hear you?”
“Ah, I should introduce him, too. This fellow is Tirvil Ailvari! Say hello.”
“So you’re the ‘reinforcement’? The Shadow Scythe insisted that we absolutely needed an ally for this mission and made such a fuss about bringing you.”
A dwarf with his head peeking out from the minecart’s window narrowed his small eyes and looked down at him.
After studying Ivan’s face for a long moment, the dwarf tilted his head and asked.
“You seem to have come alone?”
“It’s enough.”
“…Confidence is a fine thing, but do you realize the fate of our nation is at stake? If it weren’t for the Shadow Scythe’s reputation, I would have taken this as an insult.”
“An insult.”
Ivan smirked and climbed onto the vehicle. It had the distinct, functional design of dwarven machinery. These folk understood the aesthetics of steel, and Ivan himself was quite fond of dwarven equipment.
He sat down inside the minecart and turned his head toward the dwarf.
The dwarf snorted with a ‘hmph’ and began to operate the control panel. Soon, with a low rumble, the vehicle started to move, its vibrations echoing throughout the entire tunnel.
Ivan watched the tunnel scenery flash by, mulling over the word.
An insult.
The dwarves, at least, had no need to feel any further insult from him. He had already filled that book to the brim back in the day, with no pages left to add.
To reminisce once more.
The Allied Kingdom forces that had most frequently and fiercely clashed with dwarven engineering corps on the front lines had always been the Annihilation Squad.
And among the Annihilation Squad, the strike team that always recorded the most distinguished military achievements was the 7th Team, led by Ivan.
Therefore, the dwarves should be proud.
In this era, now that the war was over, the most effective weapon against the dwarves was heading to support them in their civil war.
The Annihilation Squad is coming.
From that day to this, Ivan Petrovich, by himself, had always been an Annihilation ‘Squad.’
*
What’s the best part about a vampire and an Annihilation Squad agent traveling together?
They don’t need to stop for meals. (Not really.)
Ivan could substitute his meals with nutrition bars, and Enrique with blood packs. Even if she ran out of blood packs, Ivan could help replenish her blood supply as long as there were enough nutrition bars.
“Where’s Lucia?”
“A hostage.”
Enrique answered as if it were nothing. Ivan simply nodded. *Well, a hostage is necessary.*
An agent from Krasilov, a veteran of the Hero’s Party who had fought in the most brutal parts of the war, had left to call for reinforcements from her home country.
The dwarves had to consider the possibility that the returning reinforcements might immediately turn into an occupying force. From their perspective, taking a hostage was a must.
Ivan thought about it calmly. A hostage in the middle of enemy territory—a good position to gather intelligence. Just as expected of Enrique’s student. *This will be good training.*
“She’s getting some training in while she’s at it.”
Understanding Ivan’s gaze, Enrique smiled and affirmed his thoughts. Before they were comrades, they were master and student, and before the Hero’s Party, they were partners who had carried out operations on the same battlefields.
On top of that, Enrique was a vampire who had worked as an intelligence agent among humans for over 200 years. Whenever she displayed the wisdom characteristic of the elderly, Ivan would have a sudden realization.
Why on earth don’t elves mature, even as they age? Ivan thought of Veolgrin and Æthelflæd, then shook his head.
*Clang, clang.*
The minecart sped along the tracks at an incredible velocity, a speed that would make human railways seem laughable. The open-top design meant wind whipped through the vehicle’s interior, but to the two people present, this was no different from a gentle spring breeze.
As silence fell again, Ivan stared at the tracks, lost in thought.
The mana lamps dotted along the tracks.
He calculated the distance between the lamps, the length of the vehicle passing them, and reverse-engineered its speed from the time it took to pass.
Then, the time traveled at that speed. Like any trained agent, Ivan always counted time in seconds, allowing him to estimate the current time based on Pritzenkaya’s standard.
Every time the minecart’s tracks changed direction, he would pull up a map of the northern front in his mind and retrace their route.
The location of the Northern Military Command’s garrisons, the supply lines if this railway were used as an invasion route, the composition of personnel needed to conquer the Andrgund underground.
He passed the time with such unnecessary thoughts.
On the third day after departing from Pritzenkaya.
At last, the vehicle reached the final stop on the Andrgund underground line.
*
“The Shadow Scythe has arrived?”
“Yes, Comrade! Comrade Tirvil has just stopped at the Grand Crossroads!”
“Let’s go at once! Just what kind of amazing reinforcements did she bring at a critical time like this…!”
Nabelun Volfrondil, Secretary of the Organization Department of the Secretariat of the State Affairs Commission of Andrgund, grumbled as he strode forward.
A crowd of dwarves gathered around him. Members of the State Affairs Commission’s Politburo, Secretariat, and Policy Bureau. It was safe to say that nearly everyone not currently deployed on the front lines was present.
That was how crucial this matter was. The weight of using ‘Shadow Scythe’ Enrique as a mercenary was just that significant.
The thief of the Hero’s Party. The assassin, one of the six who had slain the Demon King. Since the Demon King’s death was the primary reason for the demons’ defeat in the war, they had essentially been the ones to end the last war.
And now, at this juncture, if word got out to demon society that the dwarves had hired a member of the Hero’s Party to end their civil war while they were barely surviving on the fringes under the watchful eye of the Allied Kingdom, it would be the end of them.
What if other demon warlords invaded the mountain range, already devastated by civil war? Could there be any future?
The issue had been fiercely debated within the State Affairs Commission.
“But we have no choice but to drink the poison.”
Nabelun muttered, grinding his teeth.
With the General Secretary’s son kidnapped, and worse, the apostles of the Seven Dragon Generals orchestrating the civil war from behind the scenes.
If they lost the civil war, there would be no future. The dwarves would become puppets of the necromancers, those corpse-cleaners, and be thrown into eternal, unwinnable battles.
If they were to die one way or another, shouldn’t they at least make a choice that benefited their race? It was better to live as a vassal state to the humans than to die as a pawn of the necromancers.
Krasilov could never conquer the entire territory of the Dwarven Underground Republic. Their national power wasn't that great. Therefore, even if they had to establish diplomatic relations from a somewhat disadvantageous position, their chances of survival were higher this way.
From Krasilov’s perspective, they couldn't publicly announce their ties with the dwarves either. There was no reason to share the numerous benefits the dwarves could offer with other nations.
Thus, the State Affairs Commission had made the most rational choice at this time.
To establish diplomatic relations on unfavorable terms in exchange for receiving the aid of Shadow Scythe Enrique and elite Krasilov troops.
To rescue the Secretary’s son and end the civil war.
Nabelun decided to focus only on that. Everything was for the Party and the people. If they were to be annihilated now, the lofty ideals of egalitarianism would be crushed between the withered fingers of the corpse-cleaners.
“Long live the Secretary, Comrade! I report my return!”
“Yes, you’ve done well. Where is the Shadow Scythe?”
“She’s disembarking over there.”
Nabelun frowned as he watched Enrique wave from the terminal at the Grand Crossroads. He strode over and looked around.
No matter how he looked, he couldn't see anything resembling elite Krasilov troops.
There were only two humans here. It was impossible for a human to hide among dwarves in the first place.
“Where are the reinforcements? Does Krasilov take this situation lightly? Are they so foolish as to not realize that if we fall, Avidity’s minions will march along this very railway and burn their country to the ground?”
“Whoa, calm down, shorty.”
“How dare you! To call me by such a name!”
“Calm down and listen. Look around. Do you think I came alone?”
“You brought one of your servants! Yes, did you need a concubine to help you with your nightly affairs, vampire?!”
Nabelun’s beard trembled as he pointed a finger at the man beside her.
He had a rather fierce gaze and a decent beard, suggesting he was a human who at least knew something about style, but what use was that in a war?
Hearing Nabelun’s words, Enrique burst out laughing.
“A concubine, Ivan. Not a spy… a concubine! Pfft, khk…!”
“These people are serious.”
“I know! That’s why I’m saying it…! They were so desperate when they brought me, but now that I’ve brought you, all they can say is concubine…. Hehe, khk!”
Enrique spread her hands wide toward Nabelun, whose face was red enough to burst, and said.
“Let me introduce you. This is Ivan Petrovich. You know him, right? Think hard. The Woodcutter, the Executioner, ‘Little’ Ivan. What else was there? Student, what other nicknames did you have?”
“If it’s a name the dwarves would know…”
Ivan pondered for a moment. It would be better to introduce himself with a derogatory name rather than one used by humans.
Fortunately, he didn't have to try hard to recall one. Nabelun dropped the staff he was holding with a thud and stumbled backward.
A moment of silence fell. A strange quiet settled over the dwarves who, until just a moment ago, had been seething with indignation.
The sound of gulps, breaths reduced to whispers, faces turning pale.
In the midst of it all, Nabelun whispered as if in lament.
“Tarantula… Ivan?”
The Annihilation Squad, like all intelligence organizations, was not well-known to the public. Their missions and operations were not shared with regular military units or civilians.
Whatever struggles, hardships, and tragedies transpired within their ranks, ‘humans’ could not easily know. They were simply classified as an untrustworthy and suspicious branch of the military.
But, as is the case with all intelligence organizations.
The Annihilation Squad was more famous among its enemies than its allies.
Especially to the dwarves.
And Major Ivan Petrovich, even more so.
“I… heard… you were dead.”
The sense of relief the dwarves had felt when news of Ivan’s death and the Annihilation Squad’s purge spread through their society was something that could not be easily expressed.
To this day, one of the songs used to frighten young dwarves still went, [If you’re left alone at the end of a deep tunnel, the Tarantula will come for you.]
Thus, in that vague sense of terror, Nabelun muttered softly.
“Was it true, then…? The saying that the Tarantula can even assassinate Death itself…?”
“What in the world is that….”
Ivan frowned. (Enrique burst out laughing until she was out of breath.)
*
The story that the being who had ‘assassinated’ Avidity was now on their side spread far and wide throughout Andrgund.
The citizens felt a strange sense of perverted justice.
The anticipation of revenge against the dwarven rebels and those damn necromancers.
And at the same time, a guilt, as if they had summoned the Demon King with their own hands.
Ivan successfully entered Andrgund without facing any suspicion or obstruction.
*
“My student is more popular than me! Is it because your beards are similar?”
“Enrique. You could die.”
“So scary!! Just like the Tarantula! Don’t be left alone at the end of a tunnel~ The Tarantula will come for you~.”
Enrique cackled, singing the strange ditty and patting Ivan on the back.
*