Chapter 76
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Snowstorm
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I fled Nova's room and took a stroll around the castle.
The residents were all moving briskly, as if their feet were on fire. The atmosphere had changed drastically in just one day.
‘There are no bad medieval guys. Only medieval guys who haven’t been beaten enough.’
I nodded, recalling a medieval proverb that had never been wrong.
The streets still smelled, but it was much better than before. There were even some folks yelling, stoking their passion for cleaning.
As I wandered, I had planned to grab anyone fighting or causing trouble and use them as a fidget spinner, but I couldn't find any culprits.
Everyone was smiling.
Everywhere I went, I heard laughter.
‘How boring.’
Just then, Ska’s and George’s kids, their faces bruised, walked by. They were grinning from ear to ear, arms slung over each other’s shoulders.
When I licked my lips at the sight, they startled and ran off in perfect sync.
Still, just in case, I kept my eyes peeled for a suitable fidget spinner, but no one was caught.
Instead, I ended up getting cornered by some passing ladies who wanted a conversation partner.
“So this good-for-nothing fell head over heels for the new whore…! He won’t even take his clothes off at home, can you believe it?!”
“Want me to rough him up a bit for you?”
“Oh, no—he may be a good-for-nothing, but I don’t want him actually dead.”
Despite her complaints, the moment I offered to grab him and land a few punches, she shook her head in horror.
I wasn’t sure what she wanted, but since handling residents' complaints was part of the guard's duties, I just nodded along.
As long as I played along, they gave me delicious bread, and listening to other people’s stories was quite entertaining, so it wasn’t all bad.
“And you know, Aron, your popularity among the young ladies has been going up quite a bit lately.”
“Of course. I’m handsome.”
“Oh, my!!”
My response sent the ladies into peals of laughter. They say a handsome man can say anything and get a laugh…
I deliberately made my gaze serious. The women roared with laughter, looking like they were about to collapse. Judging by their reaction, I must be very handsome indeed.
“But is it true? That you have a daughter, Aron?”
“Excuse me? What kind of dog-like…”
“They say that pretty little girl at Hana’s place is your daughter. She said so herself.”
Kanna’s face naturally came to mind. I pondered how to respond before getting up from my seat.
The ladies packed a few more pieces of bread for me, which I stuffed into my mouth as I resumed my patrol of the castle.
Casedic Castle’s biggest problem was the collapsed outer wall. An entire section had crumbled away, and even after several days, nothing had changed.
‘You’ve got to hand it to these medieval folks for being so slow.’
I briefly wondered if there was another proverb: ‘There are no slow medieval guys. Only medieval guys who haven’t been beaten enough.’
According to Nova, the Lord figured that since it had already collapsed, he might as well rebuild it bigger and stronger. But at this rate, it looked like it would take a hundred years.
As the Jojang of the Outer Wall Guard, it wasn’t someone else’s problem.
I headed toward the collapsed wall.
Around the wall, a bunch of men with colorful, bare torsos were lazily carrying stones.
As I approached, they suddenly moved twice as fast, as if they’d taken a stimulant. I beckoned to a familiar face among them.
“Aron! It’s been a while!”
It was Phelps, the stubborn-looking stonemason.
He was a skilled mason who had built a roof sturdy enough to withstand the weight of a heavily armed, troublesome inquisitor.
I asked Phelps a few things about the wall.
Phelps grumbled that they were clearing the debris, but progress was slow due to a shortage of hands.
“Kids these days have all the wrong ideas in their heads. They don’t want to do hard, sweaty work, just fool around in the back alleys. If they’ve got that much time, they should come help with this…”
Phelps’s words made me think of the guys who did nothing but brawl in the back alleys, and I nodded. Ska’s crew worked at the carpenter’s shop, but George’s crew needed to live a bit more constructively.
“I’ll send some guys over.”
“Oh, thanks. You’re the best, Aron.”
Phelps pointed to a large boulder behind him, explaining that their progress was halted because of it.
Castle walls were typically built by placing usable stones on the outside, filling the inside with smaller stones, and securing it all with rough plaster. He said they were struggling with one particularly hard chunk of rock.
I looked where Phelps was pointing and saw a massive boulder, the size of two men combined. Two men were swinging hammers next to it, but they looked as if they hadn't eaten, their swings lacking any force.
Watching them made me feel antsy, so I stepped forward.
The men scowled, but upon recognizing me, they yelped and scrambled back.
Their reaction was unsettling, but they were hardworking medieval men, so I forced myself to tolerate it.
‘It really is huge.’
Standing in front of the stone, its sheer size was immense.
Just looking at it, I could feel its solidity. I hesitated for a moment, but I figured I could just hit it first and give up if it didn't work.
I placed the chisel against the stone and brought the hammer down with all my might.
The chisel, which was as thick as a man’s forearm, sank so deep it was no longer visible. A spiderweb of cracks spread from the chisel, and the stone trembled.
‘Ooh… that felt good.’
I gripped the hammer handle with both hands and swung.
*Craaack—!*
With a heavy thud, the cracks on the stone deepened before it finally scattered.
*Thump—.*
The stone then crumbled, shattering apart.
‘It worked?’
I looked at the finely broken pieces of stone and let out a small sound of admiration.
My muscles twitched, still overflowing with power.
The medieval folk had been uncharacteristically diligent, leaving me with no outlet for my strength. This was a timely and fitting workout.
“Any more?”
At my question, the surrounding masons lowered their eyes without a word. Only Phelps, with a trembling finger, pointed to the side.
I turned my head and saw a fair number of hefty boulders, though not as large as the last one.
This would be a decent workout.
I readjusted my grip on the hammer and put on what I imagined was a stonemason’s expression.
Smashing stones was quite fun, as the results were immediate and satisfying.
The masons watched from the side with dumbfounded expressions. When I smugly commented, “The difference in talent is just unavoidable,” they looked as if they had bitten into a bug.
I told them if they were just going to watch, they should go to Hana's, use my name, and bring back some iced beer.
Smashing stones while drinking iced beer doubled the fun. The masons put down their hammers altogether and busied themselves with clearing away the stone fragments.
Phelps and another mason stuck by my side, offering genuine cheers and stroking my ego, making it impossible for me to stop hammering.
By the time the sun began to set, a sizable crowd had gathered to watch. Most of them had bored expressions, but among them were two familiar figures sipping beer.
“What are you two doing, slacking off while your Jojang is working?”
“Ah, Jojang Aron, was that you? I thought you were a legendary stonemason, the kind that appears once a century. Or maybe the dwarf king. But I was still pondering because you’re too tall.”
Kel answered with his usual slickness, so I tossed a small pebble at him. He yelped and fell backward. The sight was so funny I burst out laughing.
“A grown man scared of a little pebble.”
“When you throw it, Jojang, even a little pebble is a weapon! A weapon! Aaaah!”
He was freaking out as if I had a gun pointed at him. It was so amusing that I pretended to throw another one, and Kel screamed and ran around.
“This isn’t much, but it’s a token of our appreciation. Thanks to you, we’re a week ahead of schedule, so don’t feel burdened…”
“Why would I feel burdened?”
I swiftly took the pouch Phelps offered.
I checked inside and found ten silver coins.
It seemed they had pooled together what they could.
I took two and handed the rest back. I had done it for fun, so the cost of the iced beer was enough.
“…Why are you giving this back?”
“For future roof repairs, when it eventually collapses.”
Phelps tilted his head at my words, but I didn’t bother to explain.
One day, a large, black, short-haired cat would fall from his ceiling, and then he’d understand.
I gave a dismissive wave and headed for Hana’s place.
Berman and Kel naturally fell in step with me.
“I heard you’ve been making a lot of money lately, Jojang?”
“So?”
“Ahem… Rosa’s been feeling down lately because she has no customers. In times like these, as a Jojang, it’s your duty to… Ouch!!”
I grabbed Kel’s ear for his useless chatter and yanked it hard. He trembled. I then gave him a hard shove. Kel screamed as he tumbled into the mud.
“Was everything resolved well?”
“More or less.”
“I knew you were strong, Jojang, but I didn't know you were strong enough to beat up a Gisa.”
I enjoyed Berman’s bit of workplace flattery as we walked to Hana’s.
When I opened the door, all the tables had been pushed aside, and a large pile of stones sat in the center. Kanna was squatting in front of it, doing something, while Kkwabarou stood beside her, clapping and marveling endlessly.
‘So it really was them.’
The image of the small Deokgu statues, each selling for 5 silver, came to mind, and I shook my head slightly.
‘Starting a merchandise business in the medieval era…’
Hana had a real nose for money.
“Ah! Aron, you’re here?”
Hana emerged from the back with a bright smile. In her hand was a very delicately carved statue.
“This is… for Kanna’s magic training, and a new business venture.”
Hana gave an awkward smile and slyly handed me a heavy pouch.
“Wow, Jojang, you’re really raking in the cash, huh?”
Ignoring Kel’s cynical cheer, I quickly pocketed the pouch.
“Repetitive tasks are perfect for magic training, after all.”
I said gravely, tucking the pouch away.
“Jojang, you know about magic too?”
“No.”
Kel’s eyes widened at my answer. He looked like he wanted to say something, pursing his lips before swallowing his words.
“Kel and Berman, you’re here too? Come on over!”
“Hana, you’re as beautiful as ever. If it weren’t for the Jojang…”
“Oh my! No, Kel, you’re not handsome enough!”
“That’s right. Kel, you’re ugly.”
Kel’s eyes went wide again. He looked at me, mouth working, but when I gave a slight shake of my fist, he gulped and shut up.
Kanna put down her stone and ran to me. She was covered in gray dust from playing with the rocks. I tried to block her, but she moved with strange agility, dodging my hand to cling to my right leg.
“Ooh! A perfect application of wind magic!!”
“Oh my! Is it that amazing?! Kanna is Kanna!”
Kkwabarou marveled mindlessly, and Hana immediately clapped, beaming with pride. And then there was Kanna, burying her face in my leg.
‘It’s so lively.’
Just then, Setakgi, who seemed to have truly switched careers to a cook, came out wearing an apron and cast a spell on me and Kanna. It seemed two people was too much, as she collapsed, and Hogu 1, who was standing nearby, caught her.
“This way, Aron.”
With Kanna still attached, I had to waddle. Hana led me to the basement, which was quite well-decorated. There were already guests there.
“Loyaltyyyy!! All glory to Father Aron!!”
Spotting me, Jokjebi shot up as if struck by lightning and gave a vigorous, over-the-top salute.
‘…Did I hit him too hard?’
The kid’s eyes looked a little crazy. They weren’t great to begin with, but now they were unfocused.
‘Maybe I should hit him on the other side.’
Jokjebi suddenly dropped to his knees and raised both hands high. He then began to bow, as excessively as one would before an emperor. I didn’t stop him.
Pul and Brick, sitting next to him, tried to get him back in his chair, but Jokjebi stubbornly continued his deep bows.
Ignoring Jokjebi, I sat down with my team members.
The three suckers brought out food and beer.
Just then, Kanna gathered the beer mugs in the center and clambered onto the table.
She arranged the mugs in a circle around her and looked at me with a confident expression that made me deeply uneasy.
“Kanna. Are you going to show them?”
Kkwabarou approached her side, asking with a serious face as he handed her a small bucket. Kanna took it and nodded firmly.
“Hoo… to think I am here for a moment in history…”
Kkwabarou’s serious muttering only amplified my anxiety.
Kanna fumbled to put the bucket on her head, then raised both hands and clenched them into fists.
The bucket had a few holes in it, and through them, I could see Kanna’s intelligent eyes. She looked at me with a slightly nervous expression, so I suppressed my unease and gave her a nod.
I didn’t know why there was a hole for her mouth, but I could see her biting her lip in concentration.
Kanna’s disciplined posture quieted the room.
Even Jokjebi, who had been bowing, looked up at Kanna with the eyes of a father at a school talent show.
‘What in the world is…’
The more Kanna built up the tension, the more my anxiety grew.
Finally, Kanna spread open her small fists, and—.
From the air, ice… no…
‘Snowflakes?’
From Kanna’s palms, snowflakes sprayed out like snow from a can. The sight of snow falling indoors was breathtaking.
But it didn’t end there.
Kanna then slightly twisted her hands, swirling them around.
Suddenly, a wind began to blow.
Soon, a snowstorm raged around Kanna.
It was as if Kanna was the eye of a vortex, countless snowflakes swirling violently around her.
Wow.
A snowstorm indoors. The strange and spectacular sight left me speechless.
‘All I want for…’
As the snowstorm raged, a song started playing in my head.
Kanna then waved her hands, and the snowstorm slowly began to part.
She was concentrating so hard that her body trembled. Her serious expression made me unknowingly sweat, and I cheered for her inwardly.
The parted snowstorm moved according to Kanna’s gestures, and—.
It gently settled into the beer mugs.
‘…Crazy.’
It was an indescribable… a bizarre sight that could only be described as magic.
Even Hana, who would normally be clapping and cheering, “Kanna is Kanna!” just stared blankly with wide eyes.
In fact, it wasn't just Hana; everyone was in shock.
From Jokjebi to my team members, everyone just stared with their mouths agape at the falling snow.
To create a snowstorm indoors on a hot summer day and use it to fill beer mugs with ice…
‘…Why do all this?’
As my mind returned from being captivated by the beauty, a question filled the void.
Sure, it was a spectacular show, but why summon a snowstorm just to fill beer mugs? In the end, wasn't she just putting ice in beer?
As I thought this, I looked down at my beer mug and noticed a chunk of ice among the settled snowflakes. The moment I saw my face carved into that ice chunk, I understood.
‘I got her a mage from the White Magic Tower, but instead of a mage, she’s become the continent’s greatest clown.’
…Why?
Unsolvable questions filled my mind.
I knew something was wrong, but I couldn't pinpoint where it all went so wrong for her to end up like this…
“To think she actually did it!! Such perfect control of wind and such fine control of ice! She will truly leave her mark on the history of mages…”
Looking at Kkwabarou shouting with bloodshot eyes, I realized the teacher I had assigned her was the problem from the start.
Finally, having finished her snowstorm show, Kanna collapsed backward, and Hana quickly caught her in her arms.
My feelings were complicated, but seeing Kanna look at me with the anxious eyes of a child waiting for her homework to be graded, I could only nod.
‘Well, if this is what the kid wants to do… and in the end, the beer did get cold…’
I gave her a thumbs-up. Kanna mirrored the gesture with both thumbs and then closed her eyes.
Hana carried Kanna away, and the overly excited Kkwabarou followed, muttering praises for Kanna.
“All glory to the little purple one and to Aron!!”
The silence left by the snowstorm show was broken by Jokjebi’s shout. I scowled and gestured at him, and he promptly shut his mouth and sat down.
The lively atmosphere returned, and I drank my beer while listening to stories of what had happened.
I asked specifically about those who had spoken ill of me, and my team members answered as if they had been waiting for the question.
I firmly imprinted their names in my mind as I finished my beer.
It seemed I wouldn’t be bored for a while.
***
*Knock, knock, knock.*
The first thing I did upon waking was reach for my sword.
Only after feeling its cold touch did I feel at ease.
I took a deep breath before opening the door.
“A fine dawn for prayer.”
“Yeah. Sure.”
The Abbot still wore his stern expression, but the fatigue etched on his face was deeper than usual. It was likely due to the high number of casualties from the recent attack.
‘If he’s tired, he should rest. Why bother coming here at dawn to…’
“To rest when one is tired is to be a beast, not a man. A person should not give up simply because the situation is dire but should endure and overcome it. If you do not break, it becomes a trial, but the moment you break, it becomes despair.”
As if reading my mind, the annoyingly perceptive Abbot rambled on. He was a man consistent in making both himself and others tired.
‘If it weren’t for that consistency…’
I grumbled under my breath, went to Choco’s room to wake him, and then headed to the backyard.
“Today will be different.”
Choco recited his usual line as he took his stance.
His presence was quite sharp, indicating he had been training hard, but…
“…Why?”
Choco, pinned to the ground, voiced his question in a strained whisper.
My unnaturally enhanced strength. The proficiency I’d gained from life-or-death sword fights. The gap between Choco and me could only have widened.
Normally, this would be enough to break one’s will, but…
“Next time will be different.”
Bermunt’s eyes, however, were burning with even more fervor.
He wasn’t called the Fifth Star for nothing.
If he broke this easily, he wouldn’t have made it to the fifth spot, let alone the twentieth.
“Hmm…”
I neither confirmed nor denied it.
Just then, after receiving treatment from the Abbot, Bermunt charged at me again.
The result was the same, but Bermunt’s eyes remained fixed on me.
‘Come to think of it, I’ve gotten pretty strong.’
Clashing with Bermunt a few times made that fact hit home even more.
Back in the desert, Bermunt always used to beat me up, but now I could use him as a substitute for a fidget spinner.
‘A lot has happened.’
I nodded.
After a short prayer, the Abbot told me to be sure to attend the service.
I had promised to attend in exchange for his help with Jokjebi’s education, so I had to keep my word.
Next, Setakgi came and cast a spell on me, and I drank the beer full of slushy ice that Kanna handed me. Then, I went inside alone, munching on the much-improved meat pies while listening to Hana’s business plan.
“With so many places destroyed, it’s the perfect time to expand the business! This time, I’m thinking of specializing in alcohol. We have enough manpower and have saved up a good amount of capital, so we can make it the biggest pub in Casedic Castle!!”
Hana sidled up to me, her soft voice continuing. She clumsily tried to press her body against me, but unfortunately, my shoulder guard blocked her.
“The name of this pub, which will become Casedic’s new landmark, will be… the Wonderful Aron Rabbit!! What do you think? It’s great, right?”
“Why is my name in it?”
“…I’ll give you a share! A share!”
At my question, Hana frantically waved her hands, mentioning a ‘share’. Seeing her strange hand gestures, so at odds with her bright smile, gave me a headache, so I just nodded vaguely.
“Yay! Aron’s the best! It’s 25 Copper now! 25 Copper!!”
“Didn’t you say 20 Copper last time?”
“Oh, you remembered! Aron… you pretend not to care, but you were paying attention.”
Hana’s uncharacteristically sly smile made me clear my throat and stand up.
The sun was rising; it was time for work.
“Then 18 Copper! 18!”
Hearing her laughter from behind, I couldn’t help but smile too.
***
“The guy we caught yesterday, he’s from ‘Black Blood’.”
Dante, the leader of Karzan’s organization ‘Lonely Wolf’, frowned. He had heard of Black Blood.
They were a group of all sorts of scum, from devil worshippers to heinous criminals. Unlike other devil-related groups, joining was easy, so their influence was growing at an alarming rate.
‘They didn’t used to operate this openly.’
In Karzan, a few deaths a day were nothing special, but the recent discovery of bizarre corpses had highlighted the severity of the situation.
Bodies drained of blood, or missing hearts and livers.
This was far from the usual type of corpse found in Karzan.
Since his ‘Lonely Wolf’ territory had also been affected recently, he had conducted his own investigation and captured a hideous-looking man.
The result of his interrogation was ‘Black Blood’.
‘This is tricky. We need a Gisa to deal with those involved with devils…’
Knights corrupt enough to take money from an organization were rare, so it would require considerable effort.
“The second-class administrator from Shone suggested we call on *him*…”
“No!!”
At the report, Dante shot up as if having a seizure, shouting.
His subordinates stared up at him with wide eyes. Dante rarely showed any emotion, so their surprise was all the greater.
*Hooo…*
Dante took a deep breath to calm his pounding heart.
Just hearing the word ‘him’ made his head spin and his hands tremble.
“We can do anything else, but calling him is to be reserved as a last resort.”
The memory of Karzan in flames was still vivid in Dante’s mind. It was the work of a man who had brought Karzan to its knees in a single day. Calling him to stop Black Blood was as foolish a choice as burning down your house to catch a bug.
The administrator from Shone hadn’t witnessed it firsthand, which was why he kept suggesting they invite him, but Dante had desperately dissuaded him.
‘Unless that bug is truly hard to catch and is eating away at all of Karzan, it’s an absolute no.’
Dante nodded with a grim face. If he had to face that hideous man again, it would surely shorten his lifespan.
“For now, arrange a meeting with the other organizations. This isn’t the time for turf wars. They’ll all agree. And contact the administrator from Shone and ask him to help facilitate the meeting.”
Dante desperately wracked his brain for a solution.
He had to do everything to avoid calling him.
He had to ‘take care of it’ himself, just as he’d been told.
‘Take care of it…’
Dante muttered repeatedly, anxiously biting his nails.
They were vague and hair-raising words, but he had to carry out the order, no matter what.
***
“Dekartor, that bastard, he’s made additional demands?”
‘The Heartless Sixth Star’, Phaant, nodded at the cracked voice of the ‘First Star’, Edan.
“That damn imperial bastard… He must see us as a complete joke.”
Edan’s raspy voice dripped with deep hatred, but Phaant knew it was a front to hide his powerlessness.
The Stars had ultimately been captured by the Empire and fallen to earth.
A fallen star was nothing more than a stone. A stone that was pointed at for being a different color from the rest.
‘At least we’re not starving…’
Unlike the others who burned with hatred every day for their lost nation, the cool-headed Phaant knew that being incorporated into the Empire was the better choice.
They had become imperial subjects, but their people were no longer plagued by war and famine.
For that, Phaant was grateful to Aron, but he never showed it.
“I can’t take it anymore! First Star! Just give the order, and I will bring you that villain’s head!”
The other Stars voiced their fervent protests.
Due to the harsh desert environment that forced them to take up swords from a young age, they were all warriors, regardless of gender. In a clash with Duke Dekartor, they wouldn't be outnumbered, but…
‘The most important thing, a Gisa, is missing.’
Although they had been incorporated into the Empire, the cunning emperor had set a condition.
Edan, though under a Marquis’s command, was forbidden from employing knights, unlike other nobles.
In the Kingdom of Bizantoro, they had managed to fend off the Empire's knights thanks to the advantages of a defensive siege and the harsh desert environment, but things were different now.
Without a Gisa, fighting a duke would surely end in defeat, unable to even capture a single castle.
On top of that, the childish First Star had scattered the Stars he disliked across the continent under the pretext of forming mercenary groups.
If the First Star had any intention of fighting the duke, he would have gathered the scattered Stars first.
They spat curses and stoked their resolve, but eventually, the topic shifted without any conclusion. It was no different from any other day.
In the first place, those who had truly earned the title of Star were not present here.
The meaningless meeting continued.
The next agenda item was Phaant’s.
He expected fierce opposition, but…
“We must cancel the bounty on him. We have wasted over 200 gold coins on it so far.”
The man had already been officially declared dead by the Empire.
There was no need to waste money maintaining the bounty.
It was nothing but a foolish obsession, a futile attachment to the kingdom’s ruin.
And Marquis Edan’s house could not afford such an expensive obsession.
“The Heartless Sixth Star. That story again. The bounty remains. You say he’s dead? Then bring me his corpse. Then I will cancel the bounty.”
The First Star, Edan, declared in a trembling voice, as if barely suppressing his anger, or perhaps his fear.
Normally, Phaant would have backed down at this point, but their finances were now at a critical stage.
He could not back down here.
“We do not have the money to maintain the bounty. With the Stars scattered, the number of requests we can accept has dropped significantly, and the quality of the missions we can undertake is abysmal. At this rate, the treasury will be empty before the year is out.”
As Phaant finished speaking, murmurs rippled through the room.
‘Stupid, useless fools.’
There were no useful Stars in this room.
“But the men who seek our brown-skinned women…”
“And the sales of the hourglasses are gradually increasing…”
Excuses came from all sides. Unlike the booming voices that had declared they would take heads earlier, these were now whimpering.
After a heavy silence, so thick one could hear swallowing, he spoke.
“…Recall the Stars. Then that bastard Dekartor won’t dare to look down on us.”
The First Star answered, his voice laden with exhaustion.
Phaant stared at him for a moment before speaking.
“Including the Brilliant Fifth Star?”
The atmosphere instantly froze.
The Brilliant Fifth Star.
A name that was taboo in front of the First Star.
The man who was closest to the one who destroyed the kingdom, the man who was banished to the edge of the continent for speaking harsh truths to the First Star.
The thought that he too might be banished crossed Phaant’s mind, but it didn’t matter. This place was doomed to fail anyway.
‘If I get banished, I hope it’s to where the Fifth Star is.’
He was a foolish but proud man, far better than these contradictory fools.
“…Yes. Call him too. We can put him on the front lines of the territorial war.”
It seemed the First Star’s hatred for the man who destroyed the kingdom was stronger than his own childishness and stubbornness.
‘Well, he did kill his parents in front of him.’
At that, Phaant bowed his head and gave a long, low assent.