Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: The Shuhan Knight's Mercy
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I picked up the gold pouch that had fallen at my feet and sorted through my thoughts.
‘Right now, I’m a mage.’
There’s one main reason why raising a mage in [Devil Fantasy] is the hardest.
The early-game difficulty. In other words, surviving until you can actually learn magic.
If you follow the standard route, starting from the spawn point, you need a clean identity, a stable income source, reliable NPC allies who won’t betray you, and every bit of luck under the sun just to scrape together one basic magic tome.
Even if you make it through that, you still need magic-related traits and gear, and you’re left with the chronic weakness in close combat.
But what about me now?
‘Most of those problems are already behind me.’
I’d mastered the basics of the four elements and could wield practical variant spells in battle.
On top of that, my soul imprint covered the close-range issue, and I even had a mythic-grade magic trait.
No matter how you looked at it, I was a solid mage.
So if I wanted to, breaking through these guards’ encirclement would be a piece of cake.
Pzzzt-!
Yellow electricity crackled around me.
I raised my Wood Shield in front and focused mana into my legs.
Speed was the only thing that mattered right now.
“Charge-!”
At the guard captain’s shout, the encircling guards rushed in with a roar.
The first one to reach me swung his sword down.
In that instant, I felt my heart skip a beat.
Thump!
-Entering Awakening state.
The Awakening I’d been waiting for kicked in.
My stiffened body loosened up.
The moment I recognized it, I surged forward.
Whoosh!
‘It really feels like I’m using [Shield Charge] or something.’
“Wha—what?”
The guards flinched at my explosive speed.
I ignored them and accelerated further.
I only had one shot.
If I didn’t break the encirclement now, even I’d be in trouble.
Boom!
The Wood Shield protecting my front smashed into the guards’ shoulders.
Two guards flew sideways, shattering the formation.
I regained my balance and sprinted straight ahead.
I couldn’t let my guard down until I passed that massive front gate and found cover.
“What the—how’s he so fast……?”
“What are you idiots doing? Chase him down!”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
Thud thud thud!
As I pounded the ground, I glanced back.
Fortunately, the distance between me and the guards was widening.
At this rate, I’d slip into District 6 without issue.
That’s when it happened.
Screee-!
A sharp tingle hit me, followed by a ringing in my head.
My already racing heart doubled its pace.
Thud! Thud! Thud……!
What the hell was this?
In that split second, I reached one conclusion.
Instinct.
Screech!
I slammed my feet to a halt.
My leather boots scraped the ground, slowing me until I stood stock-still.
And then I saw it clearly.
The silver blade dropping right in front of my nose.
Shing.
A chunk of my unkempt hair sliced off.
Gulp. I swallowed dryly.
Fuck, that was close.
“You…… got some sharp instincts, huh?”
Standing before me was a silver-haired swordsman.
No, not just any swordsman.
A ‘knight.’
The red insignia with a snake emblem on his left chest proved it.
“Shu-Shuhan Knight……?”
……Yeah, now it was crystal clear.
The guard captain who’d caught up knelt on one knee and saluted the silver-hair.
“7th Guard Captain Janssen, at your service, Shuhan Knight!!”
His voice boomed.
The rigid discipline let me gauge the silver-hair’s status.
But the silver-hair ignored the salute.
He just scanned me with intrigued eyes.
“A beggar?”
What an asshole way to put it.
Yeah, I’m a beggar, you prick.
But despite my inner thoughts, I nodded.
In a world like this, you can’t help but act weak in front of the strong.
“Lucky break awakening your mana, huh? How long ago?”
“…….”
I stayed silent instead of answering.
At the same time, I thought.
How do I get out of this?
“Well, whatever. No need to answer. Your mana tells me everything.”
Ting.
The silver-hair’s eyes flashed for a moment.
“……What the hell? You’ve grown fast. Just three months since awakening?”
Talk about way off.
Must’ve used [Appraisal] or something, but that’s not accurate.
It has a pretty wide margin of error.
Especially for someone growing as fast as me.
‘……Not three months, two weeks, asshole.’
I swallowed the retort and kept thinking.
The rest of the guards would join soon.
I had one option.
Ditch this guy and run.
But my heart pounded against it.
Figuring out what that meant wasn’t hard.
‘……Running means death.’
Even if I bolted, the silver-haired knight would catch up in no time.
But…… there were no other choices.
Die here, or die running.
If it’s death either way, better to go down swinging.
‘I have to do it.’
I’d just reached that conclusion and was gathering mana again.
Clang.
The silver-haired knight sheathed his sword.
……What? Meaning he could take me barehanded?
But his words were unexpected.
“Go.”
“……What?”
“I said go. I’ll let you live.”
“Shu-Shuhan Knight! This guy…….”
“Shut it. Unless you want your head rolling.”
“…….”
The guard captain bowed his head again at the cold, authoritative tone.
The silver-hair continued to my puzzled gaze.
“Would be a waste. Next time, you’ll be stronger, right?”
The reason he wouldn’t kill me was the same as the redhead’s.
“Go hide, head deeper in, or leave Asteron altogether—do whatever. But next time we meet, I’m taking that heart of yours. Remember that.”
“…….”
Fattening up prey.
I checked his face.
One corner of his mouth was twisted up in a creepy grin.
“Grab him!!”
“You insolent bastards!”
The guards were closing in.
I summoned mana again and bolted like an arrow.
Pzzzt!
Whether he meant it or not, the silver-haired knight didn’t pursue.
The other guards just stared blankly.
That’s how I safely reached District 6.
I slumped against a shadowed alley wall.
“Haa…….”
Surviving was a relief, no doubt…….
But it left a bad taste.
***
Time flew after entering District 6.
First, I scouted a broker and bought a decent fake ID, then secured lodging for a week.
After some rest, I roughly trimmed my shaggy hair with a razor and changed into plain, inconspicuous clothes.
The mirror showed someone almost human compared to before.
‘This should be enough so no one recognizes me even if we pass on the street.’
By the time I finished bustling around, night had fallen.
Now I was in the biggest tavern in the nearby entertainment district.
“Haven’t seen you before.”
“Just moved in recently.”
“I see. What’ll it be?”
“Beer first.”
“Got it.”
The owner left, and I sank into thought again.
‘It was a rough ride, but…… I’m out of District 7.’
Entering District 6 carried big weight.
For one, it was safe.
District 7 had that massive wall like the Great Wall.
Meaning it was wide open to demon attacks.
District 6, though on the outskirts, had walls for protection, guaranteeing relative safety.
Unless some special event hit, I could sleep soundly.
In a world where condition management meant life or death, that was huge.
Next, it meant I could finally start building my character for real.
District 6’s facilities were rundown, but it had shops, a magic tower—basics covered.
But before that, one thing to confirm.
‘The timeline I know is gone.’
The biggest problem facing me now.
This wasn’t the game world I knew.
-Did you think pulling shit from 100 years ago would still work?
From the guard captain’s words, this was 100 years in the future from the game’s world.
Looking back, the clues were there.
District 7’s slightly altered layout, running into a knight in District 6, all these guys after a mage’s heart.
Even this menu right in front of me felt off.
[Roast Flame Bird - 500 silver
Dried Pit Viper - 700 silver
Vitality Potion – 1,200 silver
Beer - 500 silver]
Inflation must’ve hit hard—prices were insane.
Beer for half a gold? Even accounting for this tavern being pricey, no way.
‘And they charged 50 gold for lodging…….’
No wonder the guards tossed gold like trash.
In the 100 years I didn’t know, gold had tanked in value.
“Here’s your beer.”
“Thanks.”
Anyway, this place was different from what I knew.
Which meant I needed info.
Exactly what, how much, and how things had changed—I had to know.
That’s why I’d come straight to the tavern after resting.
To gather intel.
Gulp, gulp.
“Ahh, hits the spot.”
I moistened my throat with beer and focused my ears.
The rowdy chatter fed me info bit by bit.
“Heard Gandar’s back as a bounty hunter.”
“You hear about that Aura manual hitting the black market? It’s up for auction now—price is nuts.”
“Merc work’s not paying enough these days. Damn it…… maybe I should switch jobs.”
Public spot, so nothing top-tier.
Just common gossip anyone could pick up with legwork.
Still, not useless.
Like……
“New wanted poster today. Guy who busted through District 7’s front gate into 6.”
“Ha…… Front gate? Bold bastard.”
“Bold’s polite—he’s an idiot. Or obsessed. Leaving the back gate alone…… tsk, not right in the head anyway.”
……News about me I didn’t know.
‘……Wanted poster? So I’m a fugitive in Asteron now? Wait, back gate? ……Since when?’
Ugh…… total chaos.
100 years, sure, but this much change?
“……Fuck it, more beer.”
Frustrated, I chugged it down.
Sucked enough getting isekai’d as a beggar—now a wanted man.
Could already hear the bounty hunters coming.
What the hell did I do wrong!
How much time passed?
As the buzz hit just right, something caught my ear.
“You hear? Aldeon School’s opening their magic tower.”
“……For real? Why the sudden change after sealing it tight for……?”
“Come on, old man. Only one reason. They’re officially taking disciples!”
Clunk. I set my mug down.
‘Aldeon?’
Even to me, feeling the 100-year gap, it was a familiar name.
Aldeon was one of [Devil Fantasy]’s top-five magic schools.
Impossible not to know.
“That true?”
“Huh? What?”
“Aldeon School opening the tower.”
“Oh…… yeah, of course. Heard they posted it on the square bulletin already.”
Slam!
I bolted from my seat.
Had to see it with my own eyes.
The square was close enough even for my trash stamina.
Checked the bulletin first—sure enough, the notice was there, just like the drunk said.
[Aldeon School Announcement: In seven days, we will formally open the magic tower. This is the first time in over 100 years…… Only those confident in their skills need apply. End.]
It was real.
‘The’ Aldeon School……
Taking disciples.
My lips curled up involuntarily.
‘Seven days.’
One week from now.
The first step in my build.
And maybe……
A way out of that silver-hair’s death sentence I’d been ignoring.