Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: In the Name of Glory (13)
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***
The next morning, the Professor, who had woken up early as usual, started his day refreshed while gazing at the rising sun beyond the gaping hole in his lodging's wall. He even greeted the mages huddled together on the grassy field outside, but they only shrank back further.
"It's really wide open, isn't it? Whoever made this hole did a damn fine job. Whenever I think about it, like when I made that bundle out of curtains, even when I cause this much chaos and wreck everything around me, the end result always turns out surprisingly well-crafted."
It was a sudden thought as he watched the Borca launch marks(?) lighting up one by one in concentric circles under the rising sunlight.
'The hole came out really pretty.'
Just looking at the traces, it seemed like figures from the Mythic Age had appeared and hurled Longinus's Spear, creating a grand and majestic hole. In reality, it was just punched through and blasted open.
Come to think of it, embedding the golem core into the magic tower had been done thoughtlessly at the time, but from afar now, it looked like some kind of performance art, embedded so coolly. A ruined magic tower next to a mysterious purple-glowing crystal pillar.
[Trait: Sparkling Gaze - You see the world a little more beautifully. You receive additional bonuses in activities related to art.]
No matter how he thought about it, this had to be the cause. Art bonus. Whenever something was created from his actions, the trait bonus naturally made it look good.
'I don't know yet what it'll be used for... but it's worth keeping an eye on. None of the hidden effects of my traits have ever been bad so far.'
For now, thoughts on the trait ended there. There was too much to do right now to waste time on something like an art trait that offered no immediate help.
First priority: now that he'd instilled a sense of purpose in the party members, it was time to objectively measure their combat power and divide them into squads.
"Let's see... Martarlin mage, Rank 2?"
"Yes, yes! Rank 2. I've gained enlightenment in Flow and Fluidity!"
"Flow and Fluidity... Textbook stuff."
"S-Sorry!!!"
The first task was to organize the mages' ranks and enlightenments, recording specifically what spells they could use.
"...Andler, Rank 3. Enlightenment?"
"F-Flow and Change, Pressure enlightenment."
"Oh! Change and Pressure means destruction magic, right? Impressive!"
"Kyaaak!"
The Professor pretended to be surprised and praised them, but the mages seemed even more terrified of him than they had been last night. They flinched and screamed at even the smallest exclamation or hand gesture...
'Hey, did something happen last night?'
[What? Oh, heh heh heh heh. Yeah, there was. While you were sleeping, the mages were staring holes into their regenerating hands. You sleep with your eyes half-open, you know? So I looked a bit. They were mostly covered, so I could only see the foot shapes milling around nearby, but anyway, the mages got it.]
Oh no. No wonder they're so sensitive about hands.
[So I flipped them off. Like, what are you staring at?]
...Huh?
The Professor mulled over Hide's words to confirm he'd heard right. Flipped them off? In front of the mages, with the left hand?
'You flipped them off?'
[Yeah. With my finger. Hang on... Ah, here it is. Take a look.]
Along with Hide's words, a video popped up.
Mages gathered half in fear, half in curiosity, watching their regenerating right hands. Then the left hand crawls forward like it's alive. Their faces turn blue like in a horror movie as a finger writes something on the ground—
[It's, it's a curse!]
[The hand, the hand is moving on its own!]
[Hiiiik! It's a monster!]
[It's been watching us! Pretending to sleep while observing us!]
[I-If we stay like this, we're done for!]
[Water! Find water! We need enough to protect our bodies!]
Santa's face in shock upon hearing he's a dad.
[Ah, it was fun.]
'You had fun. What did those mages do to deserve that?'
No wonder there were so many mages up before him, looking diligent. They hadn't slept.
The Professor looked at the mages eyeing him warily with pity and put the finishing period on his records.
=========
Light Church Crusade Party Composition.
1. Professor: Highly durable tank. Proficient in close-quarters brawling. Commander with no threat of assassination.
2. Leadflow School mages, Ottman Baudelaire, etc., 5 total: 1 at Rank 5, 2 at Rank 3, 2 at Rank 2. Decent magic firepower. Ottman is more of a research mage, but the two Rank 3s have plenty of useful destruction spells. Weak stamina. Limited long-distance travel. Supply-limited. Trash.
3. Borca Dalun: Werewolf. Tough vitality. Won by a narrow margin without him going berserk. Lacks utility but excels as a warrior. Considering beastkin sense of smell for detection and night vision, suitable for assassination ops. Listens well after a single beating.
4. Notum: Hero unit. Must bring her back alive even if mission fails. Typical close-range tank. Troll, so good sustain. Strong physical strength is main weapon. Smart for a troll. Could grow fast with proper training?
4. Black Mage: -
=========
"The tank line is better than expected. They all heal themselves, right? Me too, the werewolf has that natural vitality, and the troll makes blood potions, so no need to even mention."
Step, step, step, step.
As the Professor finished organizing and was about to call the Black Mage last, footsteps approached the crusade lodging from the temple side.
Small footsteps, white priestly robes visible from afar.
Senadis. The bishop of the Tobrun Light Church here.
Senadis entered the lodging, glanced briefly at the gaping wall, then bowed slightly without a hint of agitation.
"Latura, Ro-Haram. Did you have a peaceful night, hero, and crusade members?"
"Ah, well. Peaceful enough. For captives of the Church, no fingernails or eardrums pulled out yet."
In the awkward silence, the Professor responded sharply on behalf of the crusade. He'd been appointed hero by the Church yesterday, but showing too friendly with their greetings would turn all the Church's ill will onto him. For future matters, he needed to act a bit prickly.
'Senadis should catch on and play along. She's sharp enough.'
Sure enough, as if reading his thoughts, Senadis matched his tone with equal sharpness.
"If you wish, we can move you underground right now. Damp and dark. Familiar to the mages, no doubt."
"Never mind that. Let's hear why you've graced us with your steps this morning. If a holy priest skips morning prayer to visit, it must be important."
"Yes. News that would shock even heretics."
Senadis caught her breath, then continued in a somber voice.
"I wanted to give you more time, but you need to depart immediately. Last night, the Church of Hevrahim, mercy and tolerance incarnate, declared they would be 'merciless' until the Mutations are utterly exterminated."
"Hevrahim... declared mercilessness?"
The Church of Hevrahim was the representative of good-god churches worshiping Hevrahim, god of mercy and tolerance. Even during the Noble Wars, when warlords raided temples, they'd let it slide with 'It must have meaning~'. And now mercilessness—holy war?
"No, what the hell did they do to piss off those pushovers, I mean, those paragons of kindness?"
At the Professor's question, Senadis answered with a troubled face.
"Well... the White Flash, Ediorna, has kidnapped the saintess of Hevrahim."
"...Fuck."
'No wonder things were quiet... It's starting now?'
The situation shifting rapidly again. It meant the Mutations gathering forces had begun moving.
***
A few hours later, the Professor's group was leaving the Church, laden with mountains of luggage.
"Um... Hero, sir?"
"Just call me Captain, Borca."
"Ahem, right! Then, Captain. Do we really need this much food? We're the Light Church's crusade heroes, after all. Temples or villages along the way should provide plenty, right?"
"They'd give normal food. But regions with as much dried fish as Tobrun are rare."
At his words, the mages trailing behind flinched.
"We'll forage locally too, but more supplies upfront is better. Bulky, but not heavy."
"Gwor. Crispy fish. Tasty."
"Oh no! Notum! Don't eat that!"
No wonder there was rustling from behind!
As the Professor yelled to stop her, Notum gulped down the dried fish in her mouth, stuffed the handful she held into her bag, then stared at distant mountains innocently.
"Not tasty. Crispy fish. Won't eat."
"Not saying don't eat... Notum, see the people following behind?"
"Gwor. See. Blue-clothes human. Skinny-dried. Dying soon."
A bit pale, but the water mage was active for a mage, fairly healthy—by Notum's standards, on death's door. No need for him to correct it.
"Yeah. Blue-clothes are weak, sick humans. So sick, they won't eat anything but fish. So give dried fish to them, we eat other stuff."
"Gwor. Protect weak pack member. Strong, great leader."
Fifth head pat from Notum since departure. Seeing her—not his—content face, the Professor worried.
- professor: No way, really no?
- Speed Wagon: Confirmed. Troll mating season is summer, or temps over 32C even if not. No records of mating with other races anyway. Zero in 11 years since GG launched. Impossible.
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Sigh. Too bad. Looked like a troll in love to anyone.
- professor: Wanna die?
Good it's not, but just in case, he asked Notum why she listened so well. Surprisingly ordinary answer.
"Big small human. Uh... Professor? Professor. Like."
"Gasp!"
"Alone in forest, hunt. Wander. Watch sunset. Sleep. No talk. No one to talk to. But out of forest, talk lots. Things more beautiful than sunset, lots. Weird things, lots. Hard things, lots, but fun."
Stroke, stroke—
"Professor, talks good. Comfortable sticking with."
"Whew. That's what you meant. Then sticking by me is..."
"Comfortable. Humans no talk, want kill. Can't stand, chased from rock nest. Already can't stand, came here."
Human world first time out, liked it, but too many annoyances wandering alone—so sticking with talkative, friendly Professor.
- Speed Wagon: Ah, but after summer mating into autumn, female trolls get super maternal. Raid other trolls for kids if none. Part of why Notum follows you.
Fine. Don't need that knowledge. Already guessed from her beaming whenever he did anything, or trying to pet his head.
Clop, clop!
"Clear the road!"
"Hiihihiin!"
Distant racket, then a knight on horseback galloped full speed across the main road. Light armor, small flag with Tobrun emblem. Courier.
Watching the courier speed past, the Professor said,
"Battlefield's reacting too. Couriers rushing like that."
"Captain, where we headed then?"
"Hmm... Planned to follow Kingsland west river up, but Hevrahim pals declared 'merciless,' so change plans. Their main temple's in Kingsland west too—mercy paladins from there will pressure west front hard."
"Then shouldn't we go further west? Safer, easier with allies."
Hearing Borca, Professor pulled out map from Shadow Valley stop.
"Normally yes. If regular reinforcements thickened the line. But Hevrahim paladins jumped out provoked by Mutations? It's their board."
Timing perfect on rethink. His Red Mutation fame put nations, towers on high alert. Temples unscathed, especially Hevrahim—treatment/purification fame—sending more to fronts preemptively. Right before humanity full war prep, they snatched Hevrahim saintess Anna Maria, called mercy's proxy.
'Damn, shame. No blanket heals, hard to hold final push.'
Anna Maria: healing/purification-specialized saintess, hero unit sustaining legion-wide heals/purges with massive holy power. Joins wars auto, no recruit needed, top priority.
Anyway, cunning foes set the board. Bet west front tangles bad.
"We got power, but legion battles? We're pawns. Their prepared field? Dead meat. But thick west front has one plus?"
"What?"
"Troops. All piled there, so central maybe not, but east? Empty."
Normal play no, but Professor's world Mutations troop-starved. Focus one side, holes elsewhere.
'Why they're rushing too. Give time, Lordric, Shandala free cities, Pelheim Empire, far-east deserts, elves, great beastkin tribes conscript—humanity numbers crush Mutations. Turan battle fallout dragged here!'
Mutations need early hits with scraped elites after rush fail.
"Real chance. Maybe... shove blade at Mutation Queen!"
Professor sketched line with charcoal: Tobrun to Turan, Pellas, north.
"To Pellas. Not empty, but could link garrison, reclaim city."
***