Chapter 144
Chapter 144
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: The Hardenharts Are Losing It!
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Snow was still falling over the Hardenharts territory, even though it was spring.
A sudden commotion had broken out there.
Starting with the news that a World Eroder had invaded the territory.
And then clashing with the empire over their outrageous demands.
Over the past few weeks, they had been racking their brains.
"Damn it, how did things turn into such a mess?"
Meliokan Hardenharts, the acting head of the Hardenharts family, groaned as he clutched his face.
The struggle with the empire had been put on hold for now.
And that was because the royal family had stepped in directly to smooth things over.
But tussles with the empire were par for the course.
The real problem came after that.
World Eroders were treated as the gravest threat across the entire world.
Naturally, the royal family had dispatched a search team, and it was an extravagantly powerful one that would leave anyone's jaw on the floor.
Because none other than Valheim's vice head and one of the Ten Heavenly Powers himself,
the Sword King, Rai Valheim, had come in person.
Since the Poison King, another of the Ten Heavenly Powers, had been gravely wounded, Staron had mobilized in force as well.
"If that had been the end of it, it would've been a rock-solid reassurance."
But it wasn't.
Suddenly, a mission request came from Krash's side.
At first, it seemed like a noble gesture—they wanted to help because his fiancée's family was in danger, so they put in the request.
No direct line from the Hardenharts had attended Raheln Academy.
So they had no knowledge of the academy's chain of command and were ready to accept the mission readily.
But before the Hardenharts could issue the mission, the royal family intervened and assigned it first.
The problem was that Charlotte's Lion Squad was participating.
Charlotte Valheim, the once-in-a-generation genius born to the Valheim family.
The name always floated in discussions of the next head of Valheim—and now she was coming to the Hardenharts.
Naturally, the Hardenharts' heads throbbed.
The Sword King, Valheim's vice head, had his prowess proven as one of the Ten Heavenly Powers, so that was fine.
But Charlotte was still just a child, genius or not—that was the reality.
If something happened to her amid World Eroder business in Hardenharts territory, the blame might fall squarely on them.
And yet the problems kept piling up.
'Why the hell is the imperial princess attached to a squad run by Valheim direct descendants?'
The member of the Lion Squad was none other than the empire's Fourth Princess, Sisly Epania.
Naturally, she was planning to visit the Hardenharts as a squad member too.
Meliokan felt like he was coughing up blood at the sudden influx of heavyweight figures.
And this situation spawned yet another headache.
She had no claim to the imperial throne, but an imperial princess visiting Staron was still a big deal.
Staron had to observe the proper protocols in response.
And that's where Staron's First Prince, Hilnayder Staron, entered the picture.
He had come to the Hardenharts himself to greet and converse with the Fourth Princess.
As a result, family head Douglas Hardenharts was now rushing off to receive him.
"Are the Hardenharts trying to vanish from the face of the earth?"
Meliokan sat there in a daze.
For some reason, his stomach ached.
It was a first in his life.
Just then, a knock echoed from outside.
"Who is it?"
"It's Jenika."
At his younger sister's arrival, Meliokan sighed and told her to come in.
The door opened, and Jenika stepped inside holding a single letter for some reason.
"A letter from Bianca. She says she won't be coming to the Hardenharts."
"What?"
Meliokan stared at her in disbelief.
He had summoned Bianca immediately upon hearing Krash was coming.
With things as they were, it was a chance to solidify Krash and Bianca's engagement in the eyes of Valheim and the Staron royals.
Just showing the two getting along well would firm up their betrothal.
Plus, if any issues arose with Valheim over this incident, they could use the engagement as leverage for compromise.
But the summoned Bianca wasn't coming.
She had seemed so close to Krash.
He figured she'd rush right over at news of him visiting the Hardenharts.
What the hell?
"Did their engagement fall apart or something?"
"I doubt it."
Jenika looked utterly convinced it couldn't be true.
And rightly so—she'd seen firsthand how deep their bond ran.
The heavens would split before those two parted ways.
"The letter just says she's staying away to keep her resolve from wavering."
"What resolve?"
"Beats me."
Jenika delivered the message and left.
Her hands-off approach to family matters was enviable today of all days.
"Damn it."
He could only pray this mess blew over quietly.
Meliokan clasped his hands in silent plea.
Searching for the World Eroder that had gravely wounded the Poison King.
To that end, Krash was trekking snow-covered paths with the Lion Squad, himself included.
Raheln Academy had no direct spatial magic circle to the Hardenharts.
So they were using the nearest one that led reasonably close.
The issue was that the group wasn't just the Lion Squad.
One figure caught Krash's eye.
Deep black hair and blue eyes.
Tall and striking—that was Pelay.
He'd shot up during his growth spurt, looking nothing like he had at the martial tournament.
'Sea Blaze Squad.'
The squad with Pelay as leader.
Sigrin couldn't participate directly this time.
As Krash predicted, she'd been furious about it.
Every recent Krash-related incident had ended up like this—it was no wonder.
In that context, her suspicions toward Charlotte had only grown.
And with Charlotte tangled in this one too, it was inevitable.
But her raging didn't change a thing.
No matter how much Sigrin wanted to, she couldn't clash head-on with Staron.
In the end, she'd stepped back and mobilized Pelay instead.
Pelay was imperial, but a commoner.
And his squad was packed with commoners—not just from the empire, but from various kingdoms.
'So putting Pelay in draws less scrutiny. That's the idea.'
She probably planned to keep tabs on how things unfolded through him.
Thus, two squads were joining this mission.
But the real problem lay elsewhere.
'We don't know who actually wounded the Poison King.'
According to Crimson Garden, the Poison King's grave injuries were real.
Which meant someone had definitely gotten the drop on him.
"Sisly."
"Achoo!"
Sisly, mid-sneeze, turned at her name.
Her nose tip was flushed red.
She was frail by nature.
Unaccustomed to cold and walking, that was why.
Her bodyguard, the Radiant Sword, carried her now and then or checked on her.
But frailty was frailty.
"Sniff. What is it?"
A bit embarrassed by the sneeze, she rubbed her nose and asked.
"Do you know who the real culprit is among those who wounded the Poison King?"
At his low whisper, she glanced toward Haring.
Judging it a sensitive topic for the Poison King's daughter.
She flapped her sleeves and crossed her arms.
"I don't know exactly either. The imperial family is keeping it hushed—even info like that isn't coming my way easily."
She grumbled that she should've planted more informants if she'd known.
"But the part about a World Eroder wounding the Poison King? That's no lie."
"So it's possible one really snuck into the Hardenharts?"
"Can't rule it out. But stay sharp."
Sisly tugged Krash's collar in warning.
"The empire never chases just one rabbit. Beyond targeting the Night Raven Squad leader you're helping, there could be other motives."
She advised him to keep all possibilities open.
"So don't rack your brains alone. Heads together yield better ideas."
Krash told her to blow her nose at that smile, memorized her advice, and stepped away.
'In the end, the most urgent thing right now is finding Evelask.'
The prime suspect, Evelask, had to be desperate too.
She was probably hunting the real culprit herself.
The type dead serious about defending her home—she'd have squeezed info out of someone.
"What're you pondering so deeply?"
It happened then.
An arm suddenly looped around Krash's neck, bending him slightly forward.
He hadn't sensed a thing.
Krash turned, and there was someone wearing pitch-black shades that hid their eyes.
Long, flowing golden hair.
A skintight outfit that shamelessly outlined her figure.
Krash knew her well.
One of the academy instructors specially dispatched, considering the mission's difficulty.
Ghost Lord
Sena Mayer
A figure personally invited to teach by the former War Emperor, Durandal.
She was one of those utterly unpredictable types.
Her outfits changed completely every time he saw her—that was routine.
And hiding her presence was her specialty, fooling even Krash's Sixth Sense.
Thanks to that, it had been ages since Krash last startled at someone's approach.
"Just mulling over this and that. It's the job, after all."
"The job, huh? Says the boy who went straight to Durandal herself to hash it out."
She flicked up her black shades with a finger.
Revealing red eyes and fangs peeking from her smile.
"It happened in Staron, so of course I got involved."
"Hmmmmm."
She hummed like she'd heard something amusing, then unhooked her arm.
Crimson Garden's voice rang out, but Krash ignored it.
"Anyway, boy, since it's the job this time, try not to stir up too much chaos. I'd rather not clash with your brother if I can help it."
She meant the vice head, Sword King.
Krash knew she and his brother didn't get along.
'Same age group and all.'
Krash's brother, Rai Valheim, had lived hearing tales of Valheim-level genius.
Had Charlotte not been born, he'd have been the standout prodigy of his generation.
Naturally, Sena, of the same cohort as Rai, featured in plenty of those tales.
The Golden Generation, unlike the Sky Generation.
That was the name of Rai and Sena's cohort.
Sizzle—
Before he knew it, she'd lit a cigarette and smiled his way.
"And before that, World Eroders are dangerous, so no lone wolf antics from you, boy. I'll dock points."
"Understood, I'll keep it in mind."
What could he do?
It was his nature.
Just then, a sign pointing to Hardenharts appeared ahead, and the territory's silhouette rose on the horizon.
Staron's northern territory.
Hardenharts.
His first visit in years.
"Squeak!"
That's when it happened.
Krash looked down at the squeak from his feet.
Amid the snow-blanketed grass.
A rat with its midsection stitched up.
It was one of Evelask's rats.
He'd planned to seek her out.
Didn't expect her to send one his way so quick.
'Well, word's spread far and wide. Evelask must know too.'
Krash extended his foot to block others' view.
The rat climbed his pant leg through the gap and slipped inside his clothes.
It tucked a slip of paper into his pocket.
When Krash unfolded it,
Krash froze mid-unfold.
Then slowly raised his head.
"That idiot."
Something had happened to Evelask.