Chapter 26
Chapter 26
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: 1. Lights Magic Tower
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Irina stared blankly at So Gun-ak before taking his hand and standing up. She hurriedly wiped the dust and tear stains from her face with her sleeve, but since the sleeve was filthy too, it didn't help much.
"Lady Irina! Are you alright?"
Sisler hobbled over, his leg clearly bothering him, and asked. Even though Luke was the smallest of his kind, he weighed nearly 700 kilograms, so the impact had been tremendous.
He had strained himself to stop Luke, but in the process of being shoved back mercilessly, his left foot had twisted awkwardly. Seeing Sisler's left foot bent at an unnatural angle, Irina gasped in horror.
"If you ever want to walk normally again, hurry up and get this shackle off!"
Sisler scratched the back of his head sheepishly, grinning despite the pain. His endurance was impressive.
"I really don't have the key."
Irina instinctively looked for Bison's corpse. It was over 500 meters away. Naturally, her gaze turned to So Gun-ak. If anyone was going to fetch the key, it had to be him—the only one mobile enough.
"Just need to get this lock off, right?"
Irina nodded, and So Gun-ak grabbed the shackle on her handcuffs with both hands, ripping it apart.
"Hey, those sealing cuffs have magic on them. You won't tear them off like—"
Crack.
The iron handcuffs tore apart. As they broke, the embedded magic dissipated. The effect that disrupted mana accumulation vanished, allowing Irina to use magic again.
Staring at the handcuff fragments dangling like bracelets on her wrists, Irina looked at So Gun-ak in disbelief.
'What the hell is this monstrous black knight?'
But there was no time to dwell on it now. If they left Sisler like this—the only one who'd barely survived—he'd be crippled for life.
"Sit down. This is going to hurt."
Sisler obediently sat. Irina grabbed his twisted ankle and rotated it.
"Arghhh!"
Even Sisler, with his strong endurance, couldn't hold back a scream. So Gun-ak frowned. What kind of healer manhandled a broken bone like that?
But then something miraculous happened.
"Heal."
Placing both hands over the wound, Irina chanted. A bright glow appeared and seeped into the injury. Sisler's pained expression visibly improved.
About five minutes passed like that?
"The bones are all set, but if you don't want them breaking again, take it easy for a while."
"Thank you. Lady—"
Irina pulled her hands away and smacked Sisler on the head. She then glared at him, eyes bulging.
"Get lost. Even if it was Father's orders, how dare you kidnap me..."
"I deserve death for my crime."
Sisler dropped to his knees in haste. Irina, in no mood to accept his apology, stood coldly and turned her back.
"I'm not going back. My place to die is here, at the Lights Magic Tower with my master and comrades. Go back and tell Father my will."
Sisler hesitated.
"I'll retrieve Bison's body."
Tears streaming, Sisler stood. His horse was visible in the distance. With Luke dead, it wasn't fleeing anymore. Sisler whistled sharply, and the horse obediently trotted over.
Sisler bowed deeply toward Irina's back.
"I'll convince him. I'll bring reinforcements and rescue you, Lady Irina."
"Hmph! If Father were the type to be swayed by your persuasion, Lights City wouldn't be in this mess right now."
Sisler bowed once more and rode east. By then, the Red Wolf Mercenaries—who had trampled and routed the surviving twenty orc infantry—approached So Gun-ak.
Two horses were dead, leaving nineteen. No mercenaries had died, so two were doubling up on comrades' mounts.
Capone dismounted and stood before So Gun-ak.
"Captain, two horses down, and seven men with serious wounds. The orcs are wiped out."
Even fatigued from marching and disrupted by So Gun-ak, facing that orc horde—the Red Wolf Mercenaries' prowess was beyond imagination. Not losing a single man was proof enough of their strength.
So Gun-ak turned to Irina.
"Can you tend to my men's wounds?"
"Of course."
After saving her life, how could she refuse? Irina began healing the injured with magic. Some wounds were so severe they might have been fatal without quick treatment, but her magic pulled them through.
Capone praised Irina nonstop.
"Your skills are incredible, beautiful mage. I've been to Lights City many times, but you're the strongest healer I've seen."
Irina blushed, embarrassed. Ignoring the flattery, she focused silently on her spells. When oblivious Capone kept going, Jake intervened.
"Come on, Vice Captain. Let's go collect the bodies. We might disturb the mage's work."
"Mm. Right you are—my thinking was shortsighted. Good call, staff officer. Let's do that."
Capone led the able-bodied to retrieve Bison's body and his fellow knights'. They also scavenged usable swords and metal bits from the orc corpses—spoils beyond their contract pay.
So Gun-ak examined the dead Luke curiously.
'Well-trained, it could be useful.'
Since arriving in this world, monsters had shocked him most. Creatures like orcs, kobolds, and goblins living in groups like humans had freaked him out at first.
Dragons aside, Luke, saber-tooths, and more piqued his curiosity. In the Central Plains, southern barbarians tamed tigers and elephants for war—so a well-trained Luke could be solid muscle.
As if reading his thoughts, Irina—finished healing—approached after treatment.
"Humans can't tame Luke. He's a soul-bonded companion to orcs."
So Gun-ak turned to her. Irina smiled brightly. Dusty and disheveled, it couldn't hide her beauty—one of the top five he'd met.
"I didn't thank you earlier—too frantic."
So Gun-ak shrugged.
"Got lucky and could help."
He glanced around.
"Looks mostly cleaned up. Will you help my mercenaries contribute to Lights City's defense?"
"Aren't you from Lights City?"
"No. We came to defend it, but they said we might be spies and refused us. We're in a bind. We need your help to enter. Will you?"
Irina beamed.
"Of course!"
This mercenary band had annihilated forty orcs—including Luke riders—without a single casualty. Knights had failed to do what they achieved.
By rank alone, they were A-grade or higher. Whoever blocked them from the city infuriated her.
Far from the city, they needed horses—but with dead mounts, some doubled up.
Irina assumed So Gun-ak would carry her, but he checked his recovered weapon, mounted Mu-yeong alone, and rode off.
"Huh?!"
Irina gawked at his retreating figure. Capone and the rest followed. She'd thought him chivalrous—how could he lack basic courtesy to a lady?
"Mage, hop on."
Jake smiled and offered a hand. With no choice, Irina sat in front. The horse wobbled briefly adjusting to two, then followed the group.
"Captain hates hassle. Especially after a woman recently stabbed him in the back. So please understand, mage."
Irina startled at Jake's subjective remark, shaking her head vigorously.
"What are you talking about? Geez. Anyone hearing would think I expected a ride because I wanted to get close."
She clamped her mouth shut, regretting it. Jake chuckled silently and whipped the reins. Head down, Irina's cheeks burned red. She pulled her robe's hood low to hide it.
'But stabbed in the back by a woman?'
What else but being dumped by a lover?
Mages needed sharp minds and vivid imaginations. Irina's head filled with wild guesses about So Gun-ak's past.
Screeech. Boom!
The firmly shut drawbridge groaned open. Sentries on the ramparts had spotted the Red Wolf Mercenaries battling orcs and alerted everyone; mages from the tower awaited.
They wore gray robes symbolizing Lights Magic Tower affiliation. Irina ran to the elderly man at the front.
"Tower Lord!"
"Oh, Irina. What brings you back like this?"
The Lamie Kingdom knights' intrusion and kidnapping were already known to the Tower Lord. Given her status, it was expected.
Dragging her out despite the risks signaled the kingdom wouldn't aid even if Lights City fell to orcs.
"Good you came."
The Tower Lord welcomed her warmly. As long as she was his disciple, Lamie couldn't ignore the city's peril.
"These people saved me. Red Wolf Mercenaries."
So Gun-ak dismounted and stood before the Tower Lord.
"So Gun-ak."
The Lights Magic Tower Lord was the city's power pinnacle. Some mages bristled at his lack of bow, but the Tower Lord just smiled.
"Heh, heard the news and rushed to the walls to see your exploits. I'm Rodian, the Tower Lord."
Rodian offered a handshake first. So Gun-ak gripped and shook. To onlookers, it seemed presumptuous to match the Tower Lord, but So Gun-ak acted naturally.
Back in the Eternal Divine Cult, he'd bowed to no one but the Leader. No need to grovel to Rodian without deep debt.
His mercenaries felt tense yet proud of his demeanor.
"If it's not too rude, I'd like to invite you to the tower."
So Gun-ak smiled at Rodian's words.
"Gladly."
So Gun-ak and his men followed the mages to the towering structure at the city's heart. Crowds gawked curiously at the mercenaries marching with mages.
No mercenaries had come all year; citizens alone held off orcs. This was the first band.
Unknown if they'd help much, but someone coming to aid mattered. The city's sunken mood stirred.
Kids, mirroring adults' gloom, now giggled at the procession.
"Wow, Mom said no one would come help. She lied!"
"Heh, your mom's always lying. Check out that black knight up front. So cool."
The kids' excitement amplified adults' curiosity. A band skilled enough for the Tower Lord's invite sparked hope.
Once barren plains, now dominated by the tower—expanded repeatedly to a massive 40-meter spire, castle-sized at the base.
Key figures: Tower Lord Rodian and his six disciples, whose own disciples handled operations.
Irina and So Gun-ak joined the top meeting with Rodian and the six.
Irina, a prodigy mage destined to lead, was tense at her first such gathering. So Gun-ak showed none.
The Tower Lord smiled continuously; the six disciples looked displeased. Fourth disciple Foxcon openly wary.
"Be honest. Secret envoys from Rosco Kingdom?"
"Hey, easy."
Senior disciple Itun to Foxcon's side calmly intervened.
"Senior, don't you know their tricks? Roads cut for half a year, first mercenaries hit the city now. What does that mean?"
Suspicion was fair. But So Gun-ak didn't care for context.
"Hmph! I won't hand my research to your kingdom! No negotiations—leave!"
"No idea what you're on about."
So Gun-ak said lowly. Why did locals always come at him?
"Heh heh."
The Tower Lord's laugh eased the tension. So Gun-ak eyed him sharply.
Felt like facing a wily martial master. He read the flow, grasped the pulse.
"Foxcon developed Project Logius's core, so he's sensitive. To mages, creations are like children. He's just a mother protecting her young—understand, lad."
"M-Master!"
Foxcon jumped. Why reveal that to a mystery man? What if they sneaked in and kidnapped him?
So Gun-ak ignored Project Logius or inventions. No desire to drag this out.
"If you doubt we're here to save the city, I'll state my purpose."
"See?"
Foxcon glared.
Clink.
So Gun-ak pulled crystals from his pouch at random, tossing them on the table. Some finger-sized, others palm-sized.