Chapter 182
Chapter 182
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 182
Chapter Title: The Impostor Pandor
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The largest hospital in Sahā Village was a chaotic hive of people crowding the area.
It was no wonder—Pandor had been brought in covered head to toe in wounds.
Pandor, aide to the Sword Saint of the Pioneer Guild Association.
He was a far more familiar face to pioneers than the Sword Saint himself.
The Sword Saint never bothered patrolling the guilds personally.
Pandor, by contrast, made regular rounds, checking in often.
With his massive build, Pandor stood out wherever he went.
Every guild member had laid eyes on him at least once.
And they all knew full well just how ridiculously tough his body was.
Thankfully, Pandor was a flexible sort.
He'd overlook issues unavoidable for guild operations or disputes that could be settled internally.
But cross the line, and he'd punish without mercy.
If you're gonna pull shady shit, at least don't get caught.
That was Pandor's standard warning to guild leaders.
But some folks just wouldn't own up to their screw-ups.
One day, a major guild leader had lunged at Pandor.
How dare some aide yap like he knows better—not even the Sword Saint!
And that guild vanished into thin air that very day.
Pandor had trashed the whole lot single-handedly.
The tale was legendary among pioneers.
Sahā Village started as a pioneer outpost.
Even with Steel Wolf Guild's rise bringing in more merchants lately, pioneers still dominated the scene.
So everyone knew all about Pandor.
“Hey, what's going on?”
“They say Pandor got absolutely pulverized and carted in.”
“No way. Who the hell could do that?”
“Maybe the Sword Saint finally snapped on him for mouthing off.”
“Steel Wolf wouldn't smash their own aide like that.”
“Maybe Steel Wolf never had reason to get smashed either?”
Right then, a voice sliced through the pedestrians' chatter.
The pedestrian whipped his head around, startled.
There stood a rough-faced half dark elf in a hooded robe.
He'd poked his head out amid the crowd and flashed a toothy grin.
“Steel Wolf's turned over a new leaf lately, haven't they?”
“Hah, a mutt's still a mutt. Three days tops before they revert.”
The pedestrian recoiled in disgust at his words.
Looked like Steel Wolf had done a number on him sometime.
“Is that so? Guild Leader Rafila, guess you gotta hustle harder on that image makeover.”
The man grinned wider and jerked his head back.
The pedestrian followed his gaze, baffled.
He froze solid on the spot.
The crowd parted hastily for the pair approaching.
Blocking their path spelled disaster.
Everyone scrambled to get out of the way.
Steel Wolf Guild Leader, Iron Wall Rafila.
Serin Night Guild Leader, Aegis Gaibel.
The two strode forward.
One, a beast of a man whose gaze you dreaded meeting.
The other, a woman with an enigmatic allure that pulled every eye.
Their appearance left the crowd in bewildered murmurs.
Made sense—the top dog and the bottom feeder of major guilds, side by side.
Rafila closed in on the pedestrian in no time.
The man's face drained white; his teeth chattered uncontrollably.
“I-I, th-that's not, what I...”
He'd trashed Steel Wolf right in their front yard.
Sensing doom, he clamped his eyes shut.
“Yeah, we'll step it up. Duly noted.”
Rafila's figure receded soon after.
The pedestrian blinked his eyes open slowly.
No punishment. Rafila had let it slide.
“Told ya.”
Leyzon patted the man's shoulder and turned away.
“Steel Wolf's changed a ton, eh?”
Leyzon hustled after the pair, tossing the reminder over his shoulder.
Thud—
The pedestrian crumpled right there.
“Leyzon, no need to mess with random pedestrians.”
As Leyzon caught up, Rafila switched to a warmer tone.
Leyzon's role stayed under wraps publicly.
So Rafila kept up the pretense outdoors.
Leyzon valued that highly.
“Felt like the mood needed loosening.”
Leyzon's eyes flicked to Aegis.
Her face remained rigidly tense.
Pandor was the Sword Saint's right hand.
If he was down bad, the Sword Saint likely was too.
She couldn't unclench.
After all, she'd forged those ties with the Sword Saint.
“They just said he's stabilized, right?”
“Yes, the worst is over, but he hasn't woken yet.”
Pandor had been rushed straight from the entrance.
A top brass from Pioneer Guild Association HQ.
Losing him would've been a nightmare.
The Sahā Village branch had summoned every priest and doctor available for emergency care.
Pandor had pulled through the crisis.
But consciousness? Still out.
That was why Leyzon hadn't rushed.
No point arriving before treatment wrapped up.
“Guild Leader Aegis, easy now. Pandor making it out means the Sword Saint had breathing room.”
Leyzon murmured reassurance to the stone-faced Aegis.
No gain in doom and gloom.
“...Phew. Yeah.”
Leyzon's optimism steadied her.
She exhaled, chin up with resolve.
“Begres oppa getting taken out would be the real shock.”
She'd bank on the Sword Saint's prowess.
Guys that hardy didn't drop easy.
“Ah, Rafila.”
“Mr. Balokin, holding the fort I see.”
Passing the ward hallway, Rafila spotted a familiar face and nodded hello.
Sahā Village Pioneer Association Chief, Balokin.
He cut a frail figure—scrawny frame, hands trembling like with palsy.
Gray streaks in his hair betrayed his years.
“Fort? Pandor's the one bearing the brunt.”
He eyed the room bitterly.
Through the window, Pandor sprawled on the bed.
His bulk dwarfed even the biggest frame.
But the usual gusto was gone—just heavy gloom.
“Sahā Village Pioneer Association Chief, pleasure. Serin Night Guild Leader, Aegis Gaibel.”
“Ah, Serin Night's leader—good to meet you.”
Aegis traded greetings with Balokin in the interim.
Balokin's glance skimmed Leyzon but skipped the hello.
No need for Leyzon to register either.
Pioneer Association ties to the imperial family.
Best stay low-key.
Rafila shifted to screen Leyzon casually.
“Mind if we head in?”
“He's steady now—go on.”
Rafila pushed the door open.
Leyzon trailed, fixing on Pandor.
A magic device by the bed tracked his heartbeat.
Holy power or not, no waking meant no dice.
“Think he'll come to?”
Rafila murmured; Leyzon shrugged.
“Who knows.”
Leyzon wasn't medical.
“But an expert might.”
Someone versed in this realm existed.
Human no longer, though.
“Rafila, run interference?”
“Chat up the chief.”
Rafila smoothly engaged Balokin outside.
Aegis eased the door shut behind.
Perfectly in sync, lovers' rhythm.
Leyzon nodded thanks and neared Pandor.
“Phyrthian.”
He whispered the name softly.
Something amorphous welled from his chest.
It reshaped into humanoid form.
Black-and-blue tresses swirled.
A woman tethered to Leyzon materialized midair.
Ghost Princess, Phyrthian.
Resonance World's mistress had arrived.
“Leyzon-nim, you summoned?”
Leyzon's undead now, soul unbound.
She manifested effortlessly at his side.
“Acquaintance in a coma. Wake-up ideas?”
Phyrthian, ace soul necromancer.
She could rouse that buried mind.
“For you? Absolutely.”
Phyrthian closed on Pandor.
Hand to forehead.
Faint glow kindled there.
Leyzon observed mute.
Time slipped by.
“Cough! Hack!”
Pandor hacked, body convulsing.
Leyzon locked eyes with Phyrthian.
Subtle unease in her gaze.
Message received, unspoken.
“All good. You're dismissed.”
Phyrthian shot Pandor a sour look.
Bowed to Leyzon.
“Call anytime.”
She dissolved away.
Leyzon stepped up meanwhile.
“Pandor.”
“Guh... heh.”
Pandor gasped, lids fluttering open slow.
Eyes met Leyzon's—he stiffened.
“Y-you...”
Pandor's peepers widened gradual.
“Not now! Sword Saint-nim's in peril—we gotta rescue him!”
Pandor bolted upright, bed creaking.
Hot-headed as ever.
Leyzon cracked a fond smile.
“Easy there. Why the panic?”
“What—”
“Sword Saint's got zero cause to go looking.”
Leyzon dragged a chair over, plopping down casual.
Leisure painted his mug throughout.
“Ghosts're easier to fool than me.”
Leyzon's grin hit—Pandor's face blanked.
Urgency evaporated instant.
Air thickened.
Door-guarding Aegis gulped silent.
Sun eclipsed by cloud.
Ward light faded dim.
Shadows cloaked the gloom.
Pandor's deadpan chilled uncanny.
“Sharp one, huh.”
Phyrthian moment—he'd clocked the jig up.
Yet utterly chill despite the bust.
“Crawling Ossuary send you?”
Leyzon dropped prime suspect first.
Fake Pandor hushed brief.
Lips split ear-to-ear grotesque.
“Hahahahahahaha.”
Fake Pandor barked laughs, face slack.
Eerie as hell.
Laughter dragged eternal—then snipped cold.
“Parasite, don't defile His name.”
Parasite—earth beasts' slur for Empire folk.
Leyzon's glare turned lethal.
This scum: Prophet's earth-beast ally.