Chapter 332
Chapter 332
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 332
Chapter Title: Side Story 16. Father and the Past
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“P-Please, we really don’t know anything! Spare us!”
A rough-looking middle-aged man bowed his head low. Just an hour ago, he had been the leader of the Black Scorpion Bandits, but now he was reduced to a penniless beggar who had lost everything in an instant. Behind him, hundreds of his battered subordinates trembled in the same posture.
“W-We’re all gonna die... Why is that guy here...”
“Boss...! Ugh!”
The sky was blanketed in thick clouds. In a quiet outskirts area of the capital, faint moonlight peeked through intermittently, illuminating the ruined fortress.
The devastation, as if an earthquake had struck, was the handiwork of a single person. Ronan spun his sword once and gripped it irritably as he demanded answers.
“You gonna spill it straight or not? You’re supposed to be the biggest bandit gang around here. Cough up something useful.”
“Th-That’s true, but...! We have our code of honor too. We only collected tribute in designated areas and never touched anywhere near the capital. Please believe us!”
“Collecting tribute, my ass. You proud of that, you bastard?”
Crack! Ronan struck the leader’s head with the flat of his blade. The man’s shiny bald scalp rang out with a clear, wooden thud.
“Ugh...”
The leader gritted his teeth. The humiliation was beyond words, but all he could do was swallow his tears and tremble. Recalling what had just happened, he shuddered.
Am I dreaming? He sliced up the entire fortress...
It had taken less than an hour to dismantle the Black Scorpion Bandits, who boasted a four-year legacy. Ronan had stormed in alone, asked if they knew anything about the recent disappearances, and then started carving up the fortress and its occupants without warning. Thud! The leader slammed his forehead into the ground and pleaded.
“I swear on the heavens, we know nothing about it. Spare us!”
“Spare us!”
His subordinates echoed the plea in voices thick with terror. They were at their limit now. Prison or wherever—just anywhere away from this monster would be fine.
“Fuck, then who the hell is behind this shit?”
Ronan spat a curse as he glared at the bandits. Their expressions and tone suggested they weren’t lying. Which meant someone else would go missing again.
Damn it, almost a month in and no progress.
As always, he was tracking down and interrogating suspects in the disappearances. Running around day and night was making it hard to fulfill his duties as a husband and father.
He’d hoped this bunch, being sizable, might know something, but it was a bust. As Ronan groaned, pondering his next target, a familiar voice rang out from above.
“Ro-Ronan! Big trouble!”
“Huh?”
Ronan looked up. Lost in thought, he hadn’t noticed the approach. Asel hovered in the night sky, dressed in pajamas.
His youthful face was a bit pale, but otherwise unchanged from a decade ago. His fiery red hair gleamed even in the darkness. The bandits’ eyes widened in recognition.
“The... Archmage...!”
Even in his ridiculous attire, they knew him. Asel, the mage who had reached the pinnacle after Rorhon. First the star-slaying swordsman, now an archmage. Leaving the despairing bandits behind, Ronan asked.
“What’s going on? Your face is ghost-white.”
“O-Our kids are gone! Lanse and Sechika...!”
“...What?”
Ronan’s face hardened. Asel sniffled as he explained: Lanse and Sechika had vanished suddenly, matching the pattern of previous disappearances. And mysterious bloodstains at the scene. After hearing it all, Ronan spoke.
“Is it Lanse or Sechika’s blood?”
“I-I’m not sure. We just found it... Sita’s flying in from the north right now.”
“I see... So it’s come to this.”
Ronan muttered. The bandits, suddenly sensing their gaze, gasped. Their bodies froze as if paralyzed. An unfamiliar killing intent spread from Ronan’s shoulders.
“C-Can’t... breathe...!”
“Spare us. P-Please.”
The intent was so intense they couldn’t even breathe properly. Sobs and pants-wetting broke out among them.
As the bandits pleaded more desperately than ever, Ronan’s arm blurred for an instant before returning to normal. Whoosh! A delayed sonic boom echoed.
Before they could wonder what happened, Shrrrk! The cloud-covered sky split left and right, unveiling a cascade of stars overhead.
“Gasp!”
The bandits gasped in shock. The sword wind had sliced the clouds with mirror-like precision. Ramancha was now in Ronan’s empty hand.
The blade that had felled even sky-flying giants. Spinning it once, Ronan turned to the leader.
“Hey.”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
“No bullshit. Turn yourself in.”
Ronan growled low. It felt worse than facing a tiger. Panting heavily, the leader smashed his head into the ground again and shouted.
“O-Of course! We’ll turn ourselves in right away!”
“Scram.”
Ronan declared coldly and left with Asel. Utterly crushed, the bandits couldn’t lift their heads even after they vanished. Only after a long while did they stand and, without any oversight, naturally headed to the nearest guard post.
“Ugh... Uh...”
Lanse groaned and opened his eyes. His head felt foggy, like he was drunk. Staggering to his feet, he looked around.
“Where...?”
Darkness enveloped everything. No wind sounds suggested it was indoors in some structure. What happened? Lanse rubbed his forehead and muttered.
“What... how did this happen?”
Memories of last night were fragmented. He vaguely recalled a voice before blacking out, but couldn’t pin it down.
Right, I left home... went into the alley... Ah.
Suddenly piecing it together, Lanse’s face drained of color. Someone was missing. Frantically scanning, he shouted.
“Sechika!”
His voice echoed in the dark. No reply. Cupping his mouth, he yelled again.
“If you’re alive, answer! Sechika!”
Still nothing. As dread of the worst gripped him and his breathing quickened, Shwoosh! Lanse’s body shot upward as if caught by wind.
“Wh-What?!”
Something invisible gripped him. The pressure felt oddly familiar. Soon stopping, a familiar voice came from behind.
“Don’t yell, idiot. You want to get caught?”
“You...!”
Turning, Lanse’s eyes widened. Sechika floated there, arms crossed, watching him. She too hovered lightly in the air.
“Sechika.”
Her clothes were a bit dirty, but she seemed unharmed. Tension melted away. Lanse pulled her into a hug.
“L-Lanse?”
“You’re alive. Thank goodness.”
“O-Obviously. Who do you think I am, this big sis Sechika...? Uh, can you let go first?”
Sechika blushed. Realizing what he’d done, Lanse hurriedly released her. They turned away, coughing awkwardly, then faced each other again.
“Ahem... Sorry.”
“N-No biggie. Happens when you’re that relieved.”
“Thanks for understanding. So... where are we?”
“No idea. I just woke up too. But... it doesn’t feel like a normal space.”
Sechika frowned. Her innate sensitivity to mana had told her instantly something was off. Lanse tilted his head.
“Not normal how?”
“Everything’s warped. I read about something like this in Dad’s book once... It’s a sub-space artificially created by something with immense magical power.”
“Sub-space?”
“Yeah. A dimension that shouldn’t exist. Who the hell made this?”
Sechika muttered. Eyes adjusting to the dark, surroundings came into view. Indeed, oddities stood out.
It resembled a massive cavern chamber. Even whispers echoed deeply, and no walls or ceiling were visible. Deeper shadows than the darkness writhed like heat haze everywhere.
Definitely unnatural. Lanse took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and focused. Inheriting his mother’s sharp senses, he detected what others couldn’t.
Opening his eyes, he pointed into the darkness.
“Sounds coming from over there.”
“Really? I don’t hear anything.”
“Yeah. Definitely. Water... no, footsteps?”
“Hmm, let’s check. No more nausea?”
Lanse gave a thumbs-up at Sechika’s question. She smirked and chanted a spell.
Shoooo... Wind from her fingertips gently wrapped their legs and feet. Haste magic to boost speed.
Purely her own affinity, not inherited from Asel. Feeling his body lighten, Lanse marveled.
“Your proficiency’s improved.”
“Basics. You heard it, so lead.”
Lanse did. Sechika could use telekinesis and wind magic together, so they glided through the air toward the sound.
Immeasurable darkness brushed past. After about ten minutes, Lanse spotted something and sent a telepathic shout.
“Eek...!”
Sechika braked hard behind him. Lanse swept his face and pointed at the floor.
“...!”
Peering down, Sechika clamped her hands over her mouth. Dozens—maybe hundreds—of people lay in neat rows. All ages, but mostly children, eyes rolled back white. Barely composing herself, she spoke.
“Th-These are the missing people... Has to be.”
“...Dead?”
“N-No, doesn’t seem so. But... mana’s being drained from their bodies...”
Sechika trailed off haltingly. She could see mana flowing out in real time.
All streams converged in one direction. Following it slowly, she reached a point and screamed shrilly.
“Kyaaah!”
“What—Gasp!”
Lanse’s eyes bulged at the same sight. Far in the darkness, a white serpent larger than a dragon coiled asleep.
“...What is that?”
Unbelievable even seeing it. Frost scars covered half its sleek body. As Lanse opened his mouth to speak, a voice echoed from behind.
“Wha—!”
Lanse spun around reflexively. A man stood there, hands behind his back, looking down at them.
A handsome young man, but horrific stitch-like scars marred his exposed skin and limbs, like a patchwork doll.
“L-Lanse...”
“Who are you?”
Stepping in front of Sechika, Lanse growled, hand on his sword hilt. The same shimmering aura from the alley swirled around the youth. After a silence, the man’s lips parted slowly.