Chapter 73
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 073
Chapter Title: Reunion (1)
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The Wizards' Tower.
Shorthand for it was the Mage Tower. A simple, unflashy name. Fittingly, the city built around it bore an equally straightforward title.
Magic City.
He walked toward the city gates alongside the wolves. Naturally, the guards' attention snapped their way.
Clink, clank—
Each step from the wolves rang out with a crisp metallic sound. That was because the wolves were clad head to toe in steel armor.
This armor served as a sort of outfit for going out.
Other people might panic at the sight of wolf beasts, after all. By dressing them like warhorses in steel plating, it made clear to anyone that these were well-trained hunting hounds.
"Mind if we head inside?"
"W-Well..."
The guard captain couldn't answer right away.
Letting wolves into the city was unprecedented. But blocking them was no easy task either. A shield-shaped brooch gleamed on Woojin's left chest.
The Silver Shield Medal.
This was an honor bestowed only on those with great achievements. No mere guard captain could stand in the way of its bearer. It was a true no-win dilemma.
The guard captain broke out in a cold sweat. Seeing this, Woojin offered another option.
"If bringing the wolves inside is an issue, I'll leave them here with you."
"......Can I handle watching these monsters?"
"No worries. They're very well-behaved."
Ever since spending time with the Harmony Church, the wolves had lost all aversion to people. Handing them off to the guards shouldn't cause any trouble.
"Take good care of them."
With that, he slipped two gold coins into the guard captain's hand. The man accepted them and nodded firmly.
"......I'll do my best."
"Good."
He had bought one man's loyalty with gold. It was no small sum, but Woojin didn't mind.
"Wait here quietly."
Rex and the other wolves nodded as if they understood. Woojin removed the medal from his chest and tucked it deep into his pocket.
He had no intention of flaunting it around. He'd only worn it to breeze through the gate inspection.
Explaining the wolves got old fast... but having this thing makes it a lot easier.
No need for long explanations—just flash the medal, and he was through. In human society, honors like this came with real perks.
Woojin entered the city alone. Glancing around, he spotted several sleek, refined buildings.
Looks like a well-off neighborhood.
Artifacts, scrolls, and potions crafted by mages fetched high prices.
Merchants flocked here to trade them, so even though the city wasn't huge, the buildings were stately, and the roads were smoothly paved without a single bump.
With so many visitors from afar, carriages were everywhere. If anything, he saw more wagons than pedestrians.
No wonder the guard captain was stumped.
Horses would spook at the sight of wolf beasts, and a mishap could injure some VIP. That was why the captain couldn't just wave them in.
He gauged the distance roughly and hurried toward his destination. First time here, but finding his way was simple.
Just look up, and there it was. The Mage Tower stood at the city's heart, jutting out like a needle poking from a pocket.
Before long, Woojin stepped inside the Mage Tower.
"What brings you here?"
A male mage at the reception desk spoke up. Woojin stated his business straight away.
"I'm here to see a friend. A female mage named Claire. Is she around?"
"Claire?"
"Yeah. About this tall, with brown hair..."
In case of a namesake, Woojin gave a rough description.
But as he spoke... the mage's expression shifted oddly. A hint of wariness in his eyes. Woojin felt a twinge of doubt.
"......Something wrong?"
"N-No, nothing. Please wait a moment."
The mage cleared his throat and stood. He hurried off somewhere. Woojin watched him go, tilting his head.
What was that about?
The moment he mentioned Claire's name, the man's demeanor turned strange. Was Claire in some kind of trouble?
As he pondered this...
Footsteps echoed from the stairs. Someone rushing down. Soon, the source appeared.
Claire beamed brightly.
"Jin!!"
She shouted and ran toward him. Woojin spread his arms in anticipation. He and Claire embraced fiercely.
They held on for quite a while... before belatedly noticing the stares around them.
"......Let's catch up outside."
"Sounds good!"
They stepped out of the Mage Tower together.
They had plenty to talk about. They'd parted ways chasing their dreams, and now, after a good chunk of time, they were reunited.
"Let's grab lunch and chat leisurely. Know any good spots nearby?"
"That place over there. It's my regular."
Claire pointed to a shop in the alley corner. A bit rundown but full of character. The picture of a local hole-in-the-wall gem.
Not a bad choice, but...
"......It's been forever since we last met. Let's go somewhere nicer. My treat."
Woojin scanned the area as he spoke. His eyes landed on an upscale restaurant.
"How about that one?"
"Hmm... Not sure. Never been."
"Then let's check it out now."
He headed into the restaurant with Claire. They snagged a private room, sat down, and perused the menu.
True to its classy vibe, the prices were brutal. But Woojin ordered several dishes without hesitation, plus an expensive bottle of wine. Claire, across from him, looked alarmed.
"You're not overdoing it?!"
"Nah, it's fine. Not my money anyway."
"Whose is it then?"
"Some guy named Edwin."
After Duke Edwin's second expedition flopped, all his wealth became troll spoils. The troll great warrior Braknak had offered Woojin the choicest treasures as tribute.
On top of that, the Church Alliance had paid out a fortune in reward gold, and Cindy gifted him several artifacts. He was sitting on a massive pile now.
"Food like this? I could order it a hundred times over. Turns out I'm loaded."
"Mind telling me more?"
"Sure. Where to start..."
He launched into his tale.
After dumping a hundred gold coins on Claire. Leaving the barrier city and venturing into the Demonic Realm. Everything since then. As he went on, the story kept growing.
Leech rats, wolves, Harmony Church, spider den, the archbishop's banquet, and the second expedition...
He tried to keep it concise, but Claire peppered him with questions whenever something piqued her interest. He didn't finish his story until dessert arrived.
Once he wrapped up, Claire smiled, clearly impressed.
"You've been through some incredible stuff, Jin. I'd heard rumors, but they pale compared to the real thing."
Woojin shot back.
"You heard about me here?"
"Yeah, pretty often."
"Really? Word spread that much?"
"Of course. The second expedition's disaster was prime gossip fodder."
Konrad had thrown a huge feast to celebrate the launch... but the expedition crashed and burned spectacularly. The archbishop and duke's reputations both hit the dirt.
For every faller, there's a riser. As those two famous figures faded, one man's from the expedition shot to stardom.
Woojin had brokered the troll deal that saved the second expedition from annihilation. Saintess Cecilia and the holy knights vouched for it, and the Church Alliance awarded him the Silver Shield Medal in recognition.
"Youngest ever recipient of the Silver Shield Medal. Bards wouldn't miss a juicy saga like that."
When exceptional people achieve great feats, their tales become heroic epics. Woojin's deeds had turned to song on people's lips.
......Frankly, it wasn't welcome.
"Kinda embarrassing."
"Why? I think it's cool."
"Glad you do, but... people here love their over-the-top flattery."
He already cringed at being called Skull Crusher among mercenaries back in the day. Never imagined something bigger brewing.
Anyway...
"That's my story. Now spill yours. How've you been?"
"Great. The Mage Tower's paradise. Learning all sorts of magic—it's amazing! All thanks to you."
Claire grinned ear to ear. She seemed genuinely thrilled with her life. No signs of lying.
But the reception mage nagged at him. The guy who'd stiffened up when he mentioned her.
"Everything okay? No issues?"
"Well..."
Woojin pressed. Claire hesitated a bit before speaking.
"......There is a small problem."
As expected, something was up.
"What?"
"Truth is, some folks who come to the Mage Tower... have issues."
Pay a hundred gold coins, and you could enter the Mage Tower to learn magic and alchemy.
The catch? That price tag meant most enrollees were rich kids or nobles.
"Some of them skip the mage grind and just chase city nightlife."
Not everyone has magic talent. Many nobles who shelled out big for entry bailed on the tough studies for partying.
And partying meant romance.
"One kept hitting on me."
A noble confessed to Claire. She turned him down, but he wouldn't quit courting her.
Repeated rejection turns to rage. One day, the noble snapped.
"He cornered me with his buddies and laid into me. Status this, that... Said a country bumpkin like me should just play nice."
"......Who?"
"No need to get mad. The real trouble started here..."
Claire sighed softly and continued.
"Honestly, that pissed me off. So I decked him good."
"Kneed him in the junk?"
"Ew, gross! No. You know what you do. Like this, to the shin."
Claire mimed it with her hand. Woojin got the picture.
"Low kick?"
"Yeah! That thing you did fighting mercenaries. It popped into my head, so I nailed him with one..."
Claire chuckled as she added,
"He limped around... then dropped like a kid and bawled on the floor. Guess I hit too hard. Made things awkward."
"Why?"
"His family's high up. Earl, I think."
Claire had floored a titled noble. His honor was in the gutter.
He started it, so no punishment, but mages who'd been friendly suddenly ghosted her.
"They probably think hanging with me risks noble ire."
"They're shunning you?"
"Yeah... Sort of. But it lets me focus on studies, so it's fine."
Woojin shook his head.
"Not fine at all."
Before leaving, he'd track down that creep harassing her and sort him out.
As he thought that...
"......Hang on, Claire. You dropped an adult man with one low kick?"
"Yep."
"That's weird... You never exercise. Natural talent?"
Curiosity piqued.
Woojin stood.
"Low kick me. Right here."
"......Here?"
"Private room."
"True."
Claire faced him.
"Ready?"
"Yeah."
She paused, then slammed a kick into Woojin's thigh.
Thwack!!
"How was it?"
"......"
Woojin tilted his head.
......Why does it hurt?
It didn't add up.