Chapter 107
Chapter 107
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: Departure from the City
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By the time the sun had climbed high in the sky, the group had finished preparing for the expedition and left the inn.
The luggage they needed to carry had shrunk considerably in size, thanks to the items they’d purchased from the trading company.
Dubbed the space-compression bag, it was about the size of three human torsos, but it could hold objects far larger than that—and lighter, too.
It wasn’t as simple to carry as the backpack Arsen had been using, but it held far more.
Thanks to buying two of them, they could now move quickly without leaving anything behind at the inn.
On their way out, the east gate guard called out to Arsen.
He was a young man who looked freshly of age, his eyes brimming with admiration as he gazed at Arsen.
Excessive envy from others always felt awkward to the recipient, and even Arsen—who prided himself on his thick skin—found himself embarrassed enough to want to hide.
“Wishing you success, Sir Arsen!”
“Uh… thanks.”
Whether the guard failed to notice his discomfort or simply ignored it, he waved enthusiastically, seeing them off.
He kept at it until an older guard nearby signaled for him to tone it down.
Bazkal, meanwhile, was goofing around with someone else—Anun, who had recovered enough to rejoin the ruin assault.
With him back, the group had returned to its original composition from just before entering the ruin city.
“Sir Anun, it’s been a while since we’ve set off together like this, hasn’t it?”
“You’re right!”
Their jovial laughter didn’t last long. Bazkal manipulated the Jin he was riding, making it hop left and right.
A gasp of wonder came as a bonus.
“Whoa.”
The one he rode was one of the four Jins the bandits had been using—a machine with a bird of prey’s head, a wolf’s body, and a long, springy cat-like tail.
“I practiced a bit, but trying it out in an open space like this is so cool. Want to give it a shot, Sir Anun?”
“Sure…”
Arsen shook his head at the sight of Anun and Bazkal, now chattering away like old pals.
For a moment, he glanced back at the gate—and the city beyond.
And recalled his conversation with Lasur.
* * *
The morning after they’d shared drinks, Arsen sent word to Lasur, suggesting they take a stroll together.
It was a rather sudden proposal, but Lasur accepted as if he’d been waiting for it.
Few people wandered the streets early in the morning, making it perfect for a private talk.
As their footsteps echoed through the quiet streets, Arsen spoke first.
“I did a lot of thinking last night.”
“Did you?”
“Yeah. To be honest, I even considered fleeing the city in the dead of night.”
Arsen’s words were tantamount to admitting he was the successor. Lasur gave an awkward smile.
“I avoided mentioning it for fear you’d think that way. This is why they say alcohol makes fools of us. Back in my youth, I could drink that much without my tongue running loose. Time marches on.”
In truth, several plans had formed and been discarded in Arsen’s mind the night before: escape, bribery, persuasion, threats, even silencing him permanently. Each had fatal flaws or drawbacks.
“So, what’re you thinking now?”
“Nothing much.”
Lasur’s face clouded with puzzlement at Arsen’s reply.
“Nothing?”
“You’ve shown me nothing but goodwill all this time. With Sir Kren’s help, you could’ve struck me down from behind outside the ruins anytime. So I’ve decided to think of you as a friend. Unless I’m wrong?”
“No, no… You’re spot on. Very spot on.”
Lasur nodded with a grin.
“Mind if I ask one thing?”
“Go ahead.”
“Do you think all three great ruins can be conquered?”
Unlike before, Lasur’s voice grew heavy.
Arsen declared firmly.
“They will be.”
After a moment of silence, Lasur spoke.
“This goes back to when I was quite young. Over ten years, less than twenty, I’d say.”
Just then, a beast-drawn cart rumbled past, its wheels grinding over the stones and filling the air with noise—no one could overhear them now.
“A large group of mages once came to this city. Over thirty of them. They called themselves Starburmi.”
Arsen’s eyes widened in shock; he’d guessed what Lasur meant.
Lasur was surely talking about the Starburmi from fifteen years ago.
“I was a young knight then, but a ne’er-do-well due to various mishaps. Disowned by my family, infamous among peers so I couldn’t gather comrades… This part’s probably dull.”
As the wheel noise faded, Lasur glanced around sharply.
Checking for eavesdroppers.
“Those mages were quite the unusual bunch. Over thirty mages traveling together was odd enough, and two of them were mage-knights to boot. Like the one in your group.”
He meant Maroon, no doubt.
Arsen nodded silently in affirmation.
“But the ruin city was even more hostile to mages back then. Not a welcoming place for them. They lacked proper info on the city, and as you know, mages aren’t exactly sociable. They needed someone to act as their hands and feet here, and I was desperate for coin—no pickiness there.”
“You became their guide?”
“That’s one way to put it.”
Lasur chuckled dryly and continued.
“Surprisingly, Starburmi breezed through ruins notorious for being tough—like they owned the place. Seemed to be the power of the one non-mage among them, called the successor. With him there, traps disarmed themselves, and locked doors opened at his word.”
“They showed that openly?”
“Yep. No secrets—they boasted about the successor, the ruins, the library, right in front of me. Their leader even said once that they’d hidden the key to saving the world inside, for someone to challenge if they failed.”
From Lasur’s account, it sounded like he’d been a full member collecting relics with them.
But Maroon had said no Starburmi collaborators remained in the city.
Why reveal such secrets to an outsider?
The doubt didn’t linger; Lasur explained.
“Near the end of their relic hunt, they offered me to join. Said they had a plan to save the world and needed my help. A regular knight who could serve as their face, flexible enough to work with mages.”
“You turned them down?”
Arsen assumed as much, since Lasur wouldn’t be here otherwise.
Lasur nodded.
“It was a good offer, appealing even… but leaving home isn’t for everyone. Especially after a major failure—I was low on confidence.”
“I see.”
“When I refused, the two knight-mages subdued me. Then… they said they were sorry, they’d make me forget our meetings, that I’d have made a good comrade, a friend. And cast a spell. Gave me a massive headache.”
As described, they’d clearly tried a memory-erasure spell on him.
Yet Lasur remembered it all, so it hadn’t fully worked.
“I passed out and woke to find them gone. Probably didn’t stick because of this. A family heirloom—said to guard the mind against mental attacks.”
Lasur pulled a necklace from beneath his collar and dangled it.
“After that, I honed my martial skills and started relic hunting in earnest. Built up the operation, made connections. Once my childhood friend Kren returned, we went after the three great forbidden zones for real. To find that key they mentioned.”
Now Arsen understood: Dawn Excavators targeting the ruins he aimed for wasn’t coincidence.
Lasur continued self-mockingly.
“No regrets about them. Calling a wastrel like me a good comrade gave me the confidence for a fresh start. They weren’t even trying to kill me—just wipe memories. Killing would’ve prevented headaches like this.”
He grinned and asked.
“Are you with Starburmi, Sir Arsen?”
“Not exactly part of them… but cooperating. If we succeed, we might save the world.”
Lasur’s smile faded, his expression grave.
“Guessing from your return… they failed back then?”
“Yeah. From what I heard, they failed fifteen years ago and are trying again now.”
“Success this time?”
“No idea. But we’ll give it our all.”
They walked in silence for a bit.
“I’d love to drag my crew into your army and help save the world, but I’ve got responsibilities here.”
Vice-leader of Dawn Excavators, de facto manager—that was Lasur as Arsen knew him.
Considering ties to the trading company and Black Lion, his role was pivotal.
“Yeah. I get it.”
“Thanks for understanding. Best of luck. Oh, didn’t tell Kren. He’s not the jealous type, but too straightforward—can’t keep his mouth shut.”
Kren didn’t seem politically minded, but calling him simple like a fool was oddly amusing.
Especially picturing that stern face.
“One more thing I’d like to ask.”
“Shoot.”
“How’d the successor get along with the mages?”
“Extremely well. Word was he didn’t share their disdain for mages. And since he opened ruins, they treated him almost like their leader—right after the boss.”
Arsen nodded slightly in thanks.
“Appreciate the answer.”
“Anything else?”
“The mage-knights—did they seem a bit dim or anything?”
“Nah, not at all. One named Luban was the most erudite and capable mage there. Seemed ten times smarter than me.”
Exaggerated, perhaps, but smart enough to inspire that. Unlike Maroon.
Arsen scrapped his hypothesis that Maroon’s idiocy was a mage-knight side effect.
Afterward, Arsen asked a few more curiosities: Starburmi’s structure, hierarchy, goals.
Per Lasur, they were like an excavating team orbiting a mage leader called “the boss,” with members mostly equal.
Seniors by age or skill got some deference, but no strict ranks.
Of course, no guarantee it was the same now.
Fifteen years could change people—or groups.
Still, useful reference.
They then discussed ruins.
Lasur was practically a veteran for entering Wigon with a successor.
He shared indirect intel on other western ruins he’d heard of.
Mid-conversation, Lasur blurted.
“Regret it, though.”
“What?”
“Wigon Ruins. Wanted to conquer that one before you did. Planned it so long—just one would’ve been nice.”
Bitterness laced his voice.
Only then did Arsen realize: knowing about successors, Lasur had no real need to tackle Wigon.
Yet he’d tried and failed—perhaps the final stubbornness of a lifelong pursuer.
Any comfort might ring false, so Arsen stayed quiet.
The inn came back into view.
* * *
Lost in replaying his talk with Lasur, Arsen had been staring blankly at the city.
Eloise called to him.
“Sen, what’re you doing? Everyone’s waiting.”
“Oh, sorry. Let’s go.”
Shaking his head, Arsen turned forward.
Their destination this time: the final target of this ruin city, the Wigon Ruins.