Chapter 115
Chapter 115
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: Reunion (3)
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In the end, it had become the life-reversing turning point that elevated a mere servant to the rank of Gem mage.
But that didn't make the assassins any less ugly.
If Jerbon hadn't squeezed out every last drop of his strength to shield him, Galen's life would have ended right there.
He hadn't given them much thought up until now simply because he had no idea who they were—not because he'd magnanimously forgiven them.
What if Elisa's deductions turned out wrong, and they ended up obliterating some innocent assassin guild?
No big deal. There was no such thing as an "innocent" assassin guild anyway.
In a world where warriors who sliced through dozens with their blades and mages who annihilated hundreds with spells proudly operated under their family names, assassins still couldn't step out into the open. Their reputation was that trashed, and they were the kind of scum who deserved to die.
Of course, dealing with assassins was tricky business regardless of skill level, and it was a different story for Elisa and Galen, who had a direct grudge involved.
"What do you think about Lilia?"
Galen asked. Lilia answered without a moment's hesitation.
"I'm all for it!"
"You're quick on the draw."
"If even her brother won't help Sister Elisa, who else will? That's why we have to!"
She'd seemed a bit wary before they met, but once she heard the full story, sympathy had welled up inside her. It was just like kind-hearted Lilia.
Her enthusiasm even caught Elisa a little off guard.
"Y-you don't have to go that far, Bishop Lilia."
Lilia herself had no idea, but a bishop was a high-ranking figure responsible for a diocese spanning several cities.
Someone like Rius, the family head's proxy, might be on her level, but Elisa was just the daughter of the family head—not someone who could casually meet a bishop.
Yet here was a bishop, younger than her no less, stepping up willingly for a total stranger. That was even more astonishing.
"But you don't want to give up chasing the culprit just like this, right?"
"Well, that's true, but..."
"Then I'll help you!"
"Well, Lilia's on board too."
Galen shrugged.
"We'll help you, miss. No need to struggle alone anymore."
"......"
Elisa couldn't find words, her eyes growing misty as she gazed at Galen and Lilia. Soon, tears welled up in them.
With her father bedridden, her mother gone, her brother dead in tragedy, and the family half-abandoning her, she was only twenty-three. After over a year of fighting alone, rain finally fell on her parched heart.
The composed expression she'd been forcing crumbled, tears dropping steadily.
Merry quickly pulled out a handkerchief and handed it over. Elisa took it, pressing it to her eyes. But she couldn't swallow all the sobs rising in her throat.
"Sob... Hic..."
Galen didn't interrupt her quiet weeping. Neither did Lilia.
Once Elisa had calmed a bit, Galen first arranged to move her to better lodgings. Naturally, the finest inn in Belpas.
She waved it off, saying it was fine, but Galen was firm.
"Even if we count the severance you gave me at face value, it more than covers all my travel expenses with plenty left over."
"But I'm the one who hired you in the first place. The employer should be the one doing this..."
"If it really bothers you, think of it as me hiring you."
"Huh?"
"Like, hiring you as a guide to track down the assassins who attacked me. Something like that."
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
"Anyway, I don't want you worrying about money anymore, miss. You've suffered enough already."
"Galen, really..."
Elisa felt genuinely sorry but couldn't keep refusing his repeated insistence.
After all, if they started nitpicking over money, the whole premise of Galen and Lilia offering help for free wouldn't hold up in the first place. Refusing this after accepting that would be ridiculous.
After making arrangements for Elisa to rest comfortably,
Galen and Lilia headed to the church in Belpas.
"How have you all been? The divine beasts look radiant, so I suppose you've been well."
Roald, the deputy archbishop of the Eastern Diocese, greeted them warmly.
"I've been hearing nonstop about all the exploits you've racked up in the northeast over the past half year or so."
"You're too kind."
"Too kind? Nonsense! The ruins, the magic beasts—none of it's public knowledge, but every one was a major event. Every letter from Myra had me nagging for the latest updates. Things like that don't crop up every day."
"I send letters to Bishop Myra regularly. I don't include anything too sensitive that can't leak out..."
"That's exactly why she nags me more. She hears what you won't tell her from me."
Aside from special cases like the earth spirit's domain, Lilia faithfully sent letters to Myra and Jenny about once a month.
Since the mail service run on the side by the Kalia Merchant Company wasn't professional, it took months for letters to travel back and forth.
"Why not swing by Abaca while you're here?"
"I would have if I had time, but we stopped here for a commission."
Belpas and Abaca were at least twenty days away by carriage one way.
Elisa had already waited over two months for Galen; they couldn't make her wait that long again.
"It's not even been a year since I started my pilgrimage. Going now would feel like turning back too soon. I'll have to visit next time—sorry."
"Pass that along to Myra."
Speaking of which, they briefly mentioned the commission. Of course, he didn't say outright they were off to smash an assassin guild—just that they were heading southeast.
"Could we borrow one warship from the city? We need to go pretty far, and chartering a merchant ship won't get us straight to the destination. We'll pay, of course."
"I'll put in a word with the city. After what you've done, they wouldn't bat an eye lending it for free on the spot."
"I already got my reward for the pirate cleanup back then. Just facilitating it is more than enough."
"Got it. So, southeast, eh."
Roald pondered briefly, then turned to Lilia.
"Not that anything's likely to happen, but be a bit more cautious than before."
"Huh? Me?"
Lilia tilted her head. Roald elaborated.
"You're not just on pilgrimage—you're traveling with the mercenary Lord Galen. Which means you've been taking commissions together."
"Right?"
"Say the outcome of one shakes up the politics in a diocese, for example. Not every bishop would like that. From his perspective, another bishop's come in and stirred up his turf without permission."
"Come to think of it, we've only taken church commissions so far, and in places where that wasn't an issue."
"Exactly. Plus, it was the east and northeast."
In the Eastern Diocese, Roald viewed Lilia favorably thanks to Myra. The Northeast Diocese had invited them via Daimus from the start.
With the archbishop and deputy archbishop backing them, what lower bishop would dare complain? And they hadn't given cause anyway.
But the Southeast Diocese was different—hence the warning.
"Of course, no one would go so far as to turn hostile toward you. But no need to poke the bear on purpose."
"I'll keep that in mind. But Brother Galen never does anything bad, so it'll probably be fine!"
"...Well, if you have the justification for your actions, that's a relief."
In short, it boiled down to: don't cause too much of a ruckus.
But it was common sense anyway.
And this commission didn't apply. No way the church would complain about wiping out an assassin guild. Cleaning up trash deserved a reward, not grief.
After hearing all the advice-like counsel and parting with Roald,
Just as he'd said, the city of Belpas readily lent them a warship.
"Good to see you again, mage!"
"It's been a while."
This counted as connections too, in a way—the same folks from last winter's pirate hunt reuniting. The crew was assembled in less than half a day.
"This'll be a long voyage, so I appreciate your hard work."
"Leave it to us!"
"If we arrive safe and swift, there'll be generous bonuses."
"Ooh!"
"Long live the mage!"
Money wasn't everything, but money was the best. The crew's morale skyrocketed, preparations wrapping up in a flash.
Three days after arriving in Belpas, at dawn, the warship set sail from the harbor.
The ship pressed south with vigor.
"Galen really is amazing."
Elisa murmured softly atop the deck, sea breeze in her face.
"I've spent months accomplishing nothing but killing time, but the moment you arrive, things move this fast in just days."
"I just threw money at it."
Galen gave a wry smile in reply.
"If your family hadn't cut off support, you could've done the same anytime."
"But you earned all that money on your own, without any backing?"
"Well..."
"Honestly, when I first heard the name, I thought it was just a coincidence. This might be rude to ask, but..."
"It's fine. Go ahead."
"...Did Jerbon ever teach you magic back in the day, by any chance?"
There was a reason for Elisa's hesitation.
Self-taught mages often prided themselves as geniuses who'd awakened on their own.
Asking one, "Did you secretly learn our family magic?" could come off as insulting their talent.
But Galen didn't mind at all. He chalked it up to lucking into the status window.
"My awakening happened after Young Master passed."
"So you really reached this level in just over a year?"
"Yes. I wouldn't expect you to believe it."
"I have to."
This time, Elisa gave a wry smile.
"Even if you'd learned from Jerbon right away, it'd still be just a few years—from silver to gold in a few years or gold in one is absurd either way. With proof right here, I can't not believe it. So I'll just say it's a talent beyond my judgment."
Elisa paused, her smile turning a touch wistful.
"...If he'd really taught you, maybe Jerbon wouldn't have died."
"...Miss."
Even self-taught to silver, one more silver during the ambush would've changed everything.
But knowing nothing of status windows back then, regretting it now was pointless.
The gloomy mood lingered briefly before dissipating with Elisa's sigh.
Seeing her expression soften, Galen lowered his voice.
"Miss. I think I need to ask this now."
"Yes?"
"Your escorts."
They should normally be nearby, but Elisa had sent them away saying she wanted privacy. They were far enough now that hushed talk wouldn't carry.
"Are they trustworthy?"
"No."
Elisa answered instantly. Galen nodded calmly.
Even in an elite guard, cliques formed naturally.
There had been those close to Elisa and Jerbon who usually handled their protection.
But these escorts were different people.
Understanding the implication, Elisa said quietly,
"I've been away from the family so long they rotated personnel a few times under the guise of shift needs."
"They won't fund anything else but micromanage that, huh."
"Probably mostly for surveillance. I haven't shared info with them, but they've overheard things nearby..."
"Makes sense—they recognized my face. Report'll hit the family soon."
"...You okay with that?"
"Doesn't matter. Actually, since they're not on your side, we can use them."
Galen replied nonchalantly, then signaled Lilia.
"Lilia, sorry, but could you stick with the miss for a while? I think we need to watch these guys more than outside threats."
"Sure! Don't worry!"
As a woman, it'd be easier for her to stay closer than the escorts.
This put his mind at ease for now.
After over twenty days sailing south, the ship finally reached its destination.
The port city of Nijerte, in the southeasternmost corner of the southeast.
No more sea travel ahead, so he sent the crew off with hefty bonuses.
"The first place I hit after leaving the Sun Archipelago was here. Ignoring brief stopovers, anyway."
"The place where Brother started his new life, then?"
"You could say that. Got my mercenary certification here too. Hmm, since it came up, maybe we swing by there..."
"There?"
"Ah, there's this inn I stayed at for over a month. Got pretty chummy with the owners. Figured I'd say hi."
"Can I come too, Galen?"
"Of course."
Lilia and Elisa agreed readily; the maids and escorts had no choice but to follow the boss.
The group split into two carriages and headed for Bron Brothers' Haven.
The shop's exterior looked unchanged even after over a year.
Creeeak!
Even the creaky door was the same. Feeling a surge of nostalgia, Galen stepped inside.
"We ain't open yet... Huh?"
Freeman, who'd spoken listlessly, spotted Galen's face and went wide-eyed.
"No way, who is it?"
Saker, turning around in curiosity, startled but pleased too.
"Galen!"
Terti was there too, conveniently between jobs.
In other words, the three had been knocking back beers midday, as usual.
A familiar sight from back then.
"Long time no see, everyone."
Galen grinned and greeted them.
Lilia, Elisa, and the rest followed in one by one.
"What, all one big group?"
"A string of ladies?"
"It's not like that..."
With Merry making three women in a row, the misunderstanding was understandable.
Galen was about to clarify when,
"...Huh?"
Terti's eyes suddenly widened.
Almost simultaneously.
"Eh...?"
A similar reaction came from beside Galen.
Unexpectedly, Elisa looked shocked.
"Why are you here...?"
The sudden twist left question marks in Galen's eyes too.
"You two know each other?"