Chapter 86
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Return
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86
Return
*Screeeape…*
A chilling sound, like a reptile scratching its own body.
A crushing pressure, as if my lungs were being seized.
A terror that made my whole body tremble.
There was only one being who possessed such a presence.
‘He should already be dead…’
I pushed the sudden thought aside and tightened my grip on my sword.
No, it wasn’t a sword. It was a bone.
Startled, I let it go.
The bone, rolling on the floor, began to grow rapidly, taking on its own shape.
Soon, she started to crawl, her form taking shape with a grating sound.
By now, I felt no particular emotion.
I familiarly embraced her, crushing the bone, and stared into the darkness before me.
The colossal presence beyond it.
[It’s him.]
‘No, he’s dead.’
[Did you see it?]
‘…The commander of the Imperial Knights showed me a fragment of him.’
[So you didn’t see it for yourself. In that case…]
[He might still be alive.]
[If so, the promise…]
The voice was so coarse it was unpleasant.
[Fulfill it.]
Because it was my own voice.
***
*Hooo…*
I awoke with a jolt, as if from a seizure.
I frantically searched for the sword in my arms.
Feeling the cool touch of the steel, I caught my breath.
‘He is dead. As are those responsible.’
I muttered it like a prayer.
“You must have had a nightmare.”
The Abbot’s voice brought me back to my senses.
“Yes, vampires were chasing me.”
I fumbled in my tunic for my canteen. With a trembling hand, I forced strength into my fingers and uncorked it.
*Pop.*
The cheerful sound made me chuckle softly.
I rinsed my mouth with the wine, then drank.
A small warmth rose, clearing my hazy mind.
“…Is that really a nightmare for you?”
The Abbot asked, his voice hesitant.
“Yes. In the dream, the vampires’ fangs wouldn’t come out, so it felt like I was losing out.”
Wiping the sweat from my brow, I forced a smile.
*Hmm…*
The Abbot let out a low hum at my answer and lowered his gaze again.
It was then.
A cold hand touched my forehead.
It was the expressionless Reject.
‘It’s been a while.’
At the silent blessing, I smiled bitterly and turned my gaze away.
The carriage was moving at a good clip. Jokjebi drove with practiced skill, enough that we could catch these short naps.
Soon, the Reject finished her blessing and lowered her hand. I gave a deep nod, and she nodded back.
Just then, I felt something strange and touched my forehead, finding it smeared with cream. The Reject, with a guilty look, avoided my gaze. A hefty pile of cakes was stacked beside her.
The Reject had also received a share of the reward, so I had given her some gold coins. It seemed she had bought out the entire stock of cakes.
‘She’s the type to squander a fortune.’
Then again, what could you expect of a Reject who couldn’t even follow the command ‘wait’… From now on, I’d need to manage her finances instead of giving it to her all at once.
I tapped the treasure chest beside me, trying to calm my mind. Imagining the gold coins within naturally soothed me.
‘What should I do with the gold?’
I deliberately shifted my thoughts and began to consider it seriously.
Exactly 54 gold coins.
I had given 4 to the Reject, leaving 50.
I wanted to give her a little more, but since she was part of the church, a large sum of gold would surely be detrimental.
50 gold coins… an absolutely immense amount, enough to buy a large building in a major city.
It wasn't for nothing that Takgu had acknowledged me as his big brother. Of course, Takgu had an American style and didn't really distinguish between ranks.
‘A building isn’t the right move here.’
Real estate investment was not a great option. Buildings could collapse at any time, and there was no insurance.
The best investment was in one’s own martial strength.
In other words, buying gear.
‘A sword, I suppose.’
As a swordsman, it was natural for my interest to turn to blades.
The sword given to me by some nameless, impressed knight had served me well, but it fell short of being called a masterwork.
‘But putting all 50 coins into it is a bit much… maybe around 30. The rest for armor.’
It was a spending habit well-suited for the medieval era. In a world where everyone was a brigand, converting assets into something you could wear on your body was the best choice.
‘I don’t know if Jackson has that kind of reach.’
In his prime, he could have gotten it easily, but as an old man in superficial retirement, it might be a bit difficult. I’d think about that when the time came…
The carriage slowly came to a stop.
Through the window, I could see Casedic.
Compared to Karzan, the shabby-looking walls felt strangely welcoming.
The newly constructed, wider section of the wall caught my eye.
Strange drawings of Deokgu were scribbled on it. Most were comical, but since Deokgu was dead, he had no portrait rights. The drawings themselves didn't matter, but their progress was bizarre.
‘They’ve built that much already?’
I had been gone for exactly a day and a half.
And yet, the wall was already rising…
Considering medieval folks built things on a decade-long scale, the speed was abnormal.
The carriage slowly approached the gate.
“Hey, Dylan! I heard you caught a cold!”
“…Achoo! Achoo! A-a-achoo!”
After a very brief silence, the sound of sneezing followed.
“Hmm… what about Aron?”
“Achoo! He’s inside.”
The carriage door opened cautiously.
It was one of the guys from Squad 6.
“Oh, Aron. Heard you caught a cold. Are you alright, sir?”
“Achoo.”
“Ah. Understood.”
The carriage door closed, and a short voice called out, “Let them pass!”
“Shouldn’t he be quarantined?”
“It’s Aron.”
“Sir?”
“I said, it’s Aron.”
“What does that…?”
“I’ll explain later, just open it.”
“Yes, sir!”
‘Did they get a new recruit?’
Glancing outside, I saw a man with an unfamiliar face getting scolded by the guard who’d just spoken.
The carriage began to move slowly.
“You seem to be held in very high regard by the guards.”
“Well, yes. A few beatings and their attitudes change.”
Feeling a gaze from my side, I turned my head to see the Reject looking at me with an expression of dawning realization. I gave a vague nod, and she nodded twice in return.
The carriage passed through the gate and stopped.
The Abbot proposed a service of thanks for my safe return, but I declined, saying I had much to do.
The Reject also conveyed with her eyes that she, too, had much to do, but unfortunately, the Abbot didn't seem to notice and dragged her away.
The Reject sent me a desperate look, but someone had to make a sacrifice. I conveyed my gratitude for her sacrifice with my eyes.
After parking the carriage somewhere, I headed to the headquarters with Dylan. The timing was ambiguous for starting a shift, but perfect for a return report. I had a feeling the carriage had taken a slight detour; Dylan had probably planned it.
Perhaps because the weather had warmed a little, the Daejang looked unusually relaxed. Of course, his armor was still on display beside him.
“Is your cold all better?”
“Achoo. Still a little left, but as a member of the Outer Wall Guard who cares for Casedic, how could I possibly stand by?”
“Mmm… yes, yes. I know very well how much Jojang Aron cares for Casedic. Still, take today off and come in tomorrow.”
“Achoo.”
*Hmm…*
The Daejang let out a low hum and waved his hand dismissively.
I left the headquarters and headed for Hana’s pub.
More than anything, I wanted to wash this filth off me.
At the pub, only the Washing Machine was sitting there alone.
It seemed everyone else was busy preparing for the new branch.
After a light laundry magic from the Washing Machine, I felt like I was born anew.
‘Next is…’
I looked at the chest tucked under my arm. The treasure chest filled with gold coins. I felt too uneasy leaving it in my room. I had to either build a safe or get rid of the gold quickly.
No matter how trustworthy Jackson was, I wasn't foolish enough to give him 50 gold coins as a down payment. This inevitably meant I had to store the gold myself, and 50 gold coins was too large a sum to carry around.
I needed a safe.
‘A safe…’
I didn't know what the future held, but the amount of gold I was earning was on the rise, so a safe was necessary.
Nodding to myself, I headed towards the wall.
“Waaaaah!”
“Kanna is Kanna!”
The bizarre chant echoing from the wall was extremely familiar.
At its center, Kanna, with a bucket over her head, was carving a stone. It might have been my imagination, but the sound of the carving was strangely murderous.
‘…When did she switch to an iron bucket?’
Seeing its resemblance to Deokgu's helmet, I scratched my cheek and watched.
*Zzzzing—.*
Soon, on the murderously carved stone, a picture was rapidly drawn as if by a 3D printer: ‘Deokgu with a bump on his head.’ Next to it, ‘Deokgu doing a handstand.’
‘Maybe I should just come back later.’
It had only been a day, but I had a bad feeling.
Just then, Kanna suddenly lifted her bucket and sniffed the air.
‘What’s with her?’
*Sniff, sniff.* Kanna, frowning, opened her eyes wide and frantically looked around. Soon, she spotted me, kicked off the stone, and ran.
*Tatatak.*
‘Well, getting hit by a rock will just leave a bruise at worst.’
I steeled myself as Kanna rushed toward me.
That resolve quickly vanished as flames shot from the palm of Kanna's outstretched hand.
‘Even so, fire is a bit much… this little bastard…’
Of course, the firepower was about the same as a lighter held to a can of bug spray, but the heat flared up intensely. Just as I was about to smack Kanna on the head, the flames suddenly changed direction.
As if sculpted by the wind, the blazing fire gradually took shape, and its form was strangely familiar.
‘…You’ve got to be kidding me.’
The fire was burning in a shape that resembled me. Of course, it was just a form without facial features, but it was not a normal sight.
“Excellent! Kanna! Yes! Deficiency is magic itself! Burn away all emotions! Condense the wind more! The hair texture isn't rendered yet! His unfittingly fine hair!”
Behind her, a haggard-looking Gweobarou spurred her on with strange words.
‘This is definitely very wrong.’
However, seeing Kanna’s anxious face, as if she were having her homework graded again, I had no choice but to clap as I did last time.
“Kanna is Kanna, after all!”
Only then did Kanna grin and extinguish the flames.
It felt like she was heading down a very wrong path, but…
‘Well, if the kid likes it… no, even so.’
I scratched my head as Kanna clung to my right leg, giggling. She was smiling, so I figured it was fine, but the smell of fire emanating from her told me something was wrong again… but still, she was smiling…
It was a vicious cycle.
Still, seeing her handle both fire and wind simultaneously, it seemed she had also installed a boiler function in preparation for the coming winter, so that was good news.
‘I hate the cold! No, wait a minute.’
I found myself muttering foolishly before shaking my head with a start. It seemed to be a side effect of method acting.
“Hoo… Did you see that just now? To go beyond controlling the intensity of fire with wind and actually shape it is a technique I’ve neither seen nor heard of!”
Gweobarou praised her with a proud smile, like a teacher bragging about a student who got a perfect score.
‘That’s because… there’s no need to shape it.’
Who would care about the shape of fire instead of its power, unless they were performing in a circus? Still, I just nodded vaguely.
Since Kanna, clinging to my waist, showed no sign of letting go, I just moved with her attached.
I walked among the stones, looking for one of an appropriate size.
‘Something I can barely lift.’
A safe. Something others couldn't open, but I could.
Most would use a key or a dial, but implementing such things in a remote part of the medieval world would be difficult.
Besides, as long as only I could open it, there was no need for such things.
‘That one should do.’
I picked a suitably sized stone from a pile in the corner and tapped it with the back of my hand. The sound was dull; it seemed well-cured.
“Get off.”
At my words, Kanna reluctantly let go and looked up at me.
When I shooed her with my hand, she backed away a little further.
I warmed up for a moment, then grabbed the bottom of the stone with both hands.
Taking a deep breath, I straightened my back, and the stone slowly lifted.
Good heavens…
The crowd of onlookers that had gathered burst into a different kind of cheer than before.
‘Is this a little light?’
I considered switching to a heavier one, but judging from the crowd's reaction, this would suffice.
“I’m taking this, alright?”
I said to the gaping masons, who, startled, nodded their heads repeatedly.
Not that anyone really owned a rock, but it was better to ask for permission beforehand. Most people didn't refuse my requests for permission anyway.
The stone was large and heavy, and I worried a cart might break, so I decided to carry it myself, even though it was a bit strenuous. It felt good, like it was loosening up my stiff body.
“Kuuh!!”
Just then, a small grunt came from beside me.
I turned to see Kanna, sweating profusely, lifting a stone as big as herself. I didn't know why she was doing it, but the smile on her face suggested she was enjoying it.
“Yes! Feel the weight of the stone! Feel the properties of the stone! The texture of the stone!”
Gweobarou shouted something as he trotted along behind her, but Kanna didn't seem to be listening.
On the way to Hana's, Kanna let out a groan and dropped her stone. She rested for a moment before moving again.
*Thump—.*
I set the stone down in the backyard and wiped the sweat from my brow. I’d been feeling a lack of exercise lately as my strength had increased, so this seemed like good strength training.
My muscles were slightly strained, so I sat down on the ground. Beside me, Kanna awkwardly wiped her own forehead and sat down too.
Fidgeting, Kanna offered me something. It was a moderately sized ice cube shaped like me.
I popped it in my mouth and cooled down for a moment. Then I explained to Kanna how I wanted this stone carved.
“A crude design. What will you use a carved stone for?”
“A safe.”
“A… safe?”
While Gweobarou questioned me, Kanna, with the bucket on her head, began to carve the stone. The design was simple. Carve out a rectangular space in the middle of the large stone, put things inside, and then block it with another large stone.
‘It’s vulnerable to Aura, but so is iron.’
I nodded and grabbed a shovel, starting to dig beside it. I didn't like the idea of leaving the safe out in the open, so I planned to bury it deep in the ground with only the entrance visible.
‘Does this guy not know what a safe is?’
Swaroitz clicked his tongue as he watched the two work diligently. However, seeing Kanna carving the stone with more seriousness than usual, he revised his opinion.
Her magical efficiency wasn't as good as when Aron was around, but it still wasn't bad.
‘By the way, the reply to my letter is late.’
His thoughts drifting for a moment, Swaroitz went back to clapping enthusiastically.
***
The work was finally finished as the sun began to set.
I made a slight incline at the end of the safe so the lid wouldn't press down on the storage area.
I brought a new stone, carved it to fit the opening, and inserted it, completing a very fine safe.
I buried the safe, placed the lid-stone on top, and as a test, called Choco over to try and open it.
Choco, radiating immense confidence, grabbed the handle of the safe and strained for a long time, but all he could manage was to lift it by a finger's breadth.
Bermunt was the strongest person I knew besides myself, so it was certain that only I could open this safe.
After that, I cooled off by drinking a beer with a me-shaped ice cube the size of a cereal piece floating in it.
Kanna was busy hollowing out the stone she had brought.
She soon made a safe-like shape like mine, but because Kanna's strength was less, the door had to be thin. It was a shape almost laughable to call a safe.
After a moment's thought, Kanna glanced at me, then carved the name ARON in large letters on the stone.
‘Why is my name on that…’
Seeing Kanna's satisfied smile, I swallowed my question and sipped my beer.
Kanna used magic to dig a hole right next to my safe, buried her own, and then jumped up and down on top of it.
Just as I was thinking, ‘Why does a kid need a safe…’, Kanna emptied a pouch into her safe. My muttering was cut short by the silver and gold coins that poured out.
‘Hana is taking good… care of her.’
It seemed Hana and Kanna's business partnership was healthier than I thought.
“Aron!!”
Just then, Hana greeted me with a bright smile.
Seeing Kanna and me covered in dirt, Hana asked what was going on. I explained the magnificent safe I had made.
“So you’re going to store gold coins in there?”
Hana asked with a peculiar look in her eyes. When I nodded, she tapped her cheek with her finger, contemplating something.
Then, after going to the safe herself and touching the lid, Hana nodded emphatically.
“Aron, can I use this safe? Of course, I’ll give you half of the profits.”
“Use it?”
Hana explained the business idea she had just come up with.
They would advertise the safe, filled with a large amount of gold, to the public. Then, they would charge an entry fee and give people a chance to open it. If someone succeeded, they could have all the gold inside. It was a very wholesome game.
‘…That’s good.’
There was no way anyone in Casedic could open this. Medieval folks, with nothing to do, were always crazy for new things, and this game even gently prodded at a man's pride.
The only problem was that it was a stone that looked incredibly heavy from its very form… but that could be solved by showing me opening it and revealing the gold coins underneath. The simple-minded medieval folks would surely go wild for gold.
‘I’ll have to make another safe for myself, then.’
It was a risk-free money-making scheme.
“If someone does manage to open it, I’ll pay for the gold coins. How about it?”
Hana extended her hand to me with a confident smile.
“…You don’t have that kind of money.”
I answered, scratching my cheek.
“I’m the owner of the ‘Wonderful Aron Rabbit,’ soon to be the biggest pub in Casedic.”
Seeing Hana puffing out her chest with confidence made it difficult to know where to look for a moment, but I nodded anyway.
“So how much are you thinking of putting in? The more, the better for attracting people! If you’re short, I can lend you some.”
“I’m good. I have enough.”
I shook my head lightly and went to my room to get the treasure chest. Hana was wiping the dirt from Kanna’s face.
“Wow, that chest is really pretty. Where did you get it?”
“My brother gave it to me.”
“…You have a brother, Aron?”
“A new one.”
“I… see? I guess that can happen. Can I open it? I need to check how much is inside.”
When I nodded, Hana carefully opened the chest. She looked at the contents, her eyes widening, then closed the chest and opened it again.
Then, frowning, she closed it and opened it again.
After doing that two more times, Hana looked up at me with a dazed expression.
“…One gold coin!”
Her eyes returned to normal… no, they held a strange fervor as she waved her hand wildly and spoke.
“No deal.”
I shook my head and carefully placed the treasure chest inside. I had already taken out about ten coins from the chest.
I closed the lid and gave it a slight lift. Nodding at the satisfying weight, I felt Hana poke me in the side.
“Aron, you didn’t leave any evidence, did you?”
Hana asked in a tone of certainty.
Feeling wronged, I was about to say something, but then I paused to wonder if I had, in fact, left any evidence.
It seemed I hadn’t.
***
Gesher Weind of the Imperial Eastern Management Bureau was enjoying a rare moment of leisure.
The reason for this leisure was a recent drinking session with someone from the Northern Management Bureau.
‘Ahem…’
Gesher Weind decided to relax. Since the Director, Ben Hart, had told him not to submit reports on the East, he was simply following orders.
In truth, the East was a half-abandoned place, so as long as there were no major problems, no one cared. There was a reason the Eastern Management Bureau was called the graveyard for continental administrators.
Gesher Weind slowly reviewed the documents for his upcoming post at the Northern Management Bureau.
‘A mage who crossed the wall appeared in the Harpelina Kingdom? Nah… what could possibly come from a place with nothing but ice…’
Unlike knights, who could be controlled, mages were outside their sphere of influence, making them a headache for the Bureau.
As the acting director of the Northern Management Bureau, Gesher Weind seriously contemplated how to handle this.
‘Someone who crossed the wall is unrated…’
It was then.
He heard the sound of cold footsteps.
An instinctive unease made Gesher Weind fold the paper he was reading and shoot up from his seat.
The door burst open. A man with sharp features entered. Dressed in a clean white uniform with a high-quality sword at his waist, the insignia on the man’s chest made Gesher Weind’s mind snap to attention.
‘The Inspection Office?!’
If the Eastern Management Bureau was the graveyard for continental administrators, the Inspection Office was their executioner.
He didn't know what it was, but a huge problem had clearly erupted.
Gesher Weind hastily stood at attention, his mind racing.
Behind the man, two armed Imperial Knights followed.
Two Imperial Knights as an escort… cold sweat beaded on his clenched fists.
“Gesher Weind of the Eastern Management Bureau?”
“Yes! That’s me!”
The man asked, looking at a small device. Glancing at it, Gesher saw it was a magic tool that was popular among high-ranking Imperial officials.
“Where is Ben Hart?”
“He’s in the back!”
Gesher Weind quickly pointed to the inner room and took a step back.
“Take him to the interrogation room and tie him down. Get him ready for a proper interrogation.”
At the man’s command, one of the Imperial Knights nodded and moved.
*CRASH!*
“Wha-what! Why is an Imperial Knight… Aaargh!!”
Soon, Ben Hart was dragged out, and his state was horrific. His limbs were cleanly severed, but the fact that no blood flowed from the stumps made it even more grotesque.
“This… this is all his doing! Aron! It’s that bastard’s doing!”
The Imperial Knight carried Ben Hart’s severed limbs in one hand and Ben Hart himself like a sack in the other.
“He’s still going on about that. The shock of being kicked out of Central must have been that great.”
The man clicked his tongue and waved his hand dismissively.
The Imperial Knight dragged Ben Hart out of the room.
…*Gulp.*
Gesher Weind tried to hide his trembling hands behind his back and forced an awkward smile.
“Gesher Weind. Until the investigation is complete, you are appointed as the temporary director of the Eastern Management Bureau.”
“Ye-Yes!!”
At the short command from the man, who now had a cigar in his mouth, Gesher Weind answered with tense alertness. It was a shocking promotion, but after seeing the last moments of his predecessor, he couldn’t possibly be happy about it.
“A formal notice will be sent later, but the Western front has collapsed, the Northern front has also been underperforming recently, and with blood being siphoned from the East, the supply is in a very precarious state.”
The man read from the device in a business-like tone. Contrary to the content, his attitude was one of indifference.
“The West is scheduled to be reactivated soon, but… for now, we will harvest what the Black Blood has, even if it’s not fully ripe, and deploy a new tool in the East. Something with a bit more efficiency.”
Pungent smoke obscured the man’s face.
Gesher Weind nodded his head desperately.
The man said, ‘Check the official documents for the rest,’ and then disappeared.
As the tension left him, fatigue washed over. Gesher Weind sank into a chair, recalling what he had just heard.
‘Reactivating the West… so it’s true that thing didn’t die? I heard it went berserk and was disposed of.’
Being in the East, news traveled incredibly slowly.
To think he would hear it from the Inspection Office of all places.
His thoughts continued, and he came to a sort of conclusion.
For now, he had become director, albeit temporarily.
It was a promotion of historic proportions.
Gesher Weind glanced around before getting up and entering the director’s office.
The director’s office was rather well-organized.
Despite being the place where limbs were severed, it didn't smell of blood, but of faint liquor.
After looking around for a moment, he sat in the very plush-looking director's chair, and his body trembled as if it would melt.
As he propped his crossed legs on the desk, the reality of being the temporary director finally sank in.
‘But Aron…’
He remembered the name from a report but shook his head lightly.
‘It’s a common name.’
Her death had been certified by her in the Central Management Bureau.
It was best not to dwell on it.
***
‘The stars are bright.’
Bermunt muttered softly, looking up at the sky.
Funnily enough, he was slowly getting used to the stars seen from here.
He wasn't sure if that was a good thing, but it wasn't a bad feeling.
It was then.
*Piiik—.*
A very low sound, like a tickle, came from far away.
It was a familiar sound.
‘They’ve finally come.’
At the belated visit, Bermunt smiled bitterly, the reality of his position sinking in anew.
“I’ll be back.”
“Sir!!”
At his murmur, his squad member responded loudly.
The volume was satisfactory.
When he first arrived, their responses had been so quiet they were barely audible, but it took less than a day to fix that.
*Piiik—.*
Bermunt drew his sword and moved, following the sound. The sound came from a fixed distance away.
He moved for a long time, entering the mountains before getting close to the source.
And what he found was a woman in revealing attire. It was the dress of the Bijantreau Kingdom, a sight he hadn’t seen in a long time.
Her attire showed she was a person who had not yet let go of that connection.
“I greet the radiant Fifth Star.”
The woman knelt and offered her respects.
Bermunt simply nodded in response.
“The First Star has ordered a summons.”
However, at the woman’s next words, he let out a laugh.
‘A summons, now of all times.’
The more he thought about it, the funnier it got, and Bermunt's laughter grew louder, eventually turning into a roar that echoed through the area.
The woman remained with her head bowed gracefully.
“I refuse.”
Bermunt’s expression suddenly hardened as he replied.
“Yes. And the beautiful Ninth Star is looking for the radiant Fifth Star. She asks that you fulfill your promise…”
The woman, hesitating for a moment, brought up a name he didn't want to hear.
‘She still remembers that promise…’
She was a woman like a viper. Getting involved with her would surely be troublesome.
After a moment of thought, Bermunt’s lips curved into a mischievous smile as he spoke.
“Refuse that as well. Tell her my body was defeated in a ‘One Soul’ duel. It can’t be helped.”
“…Ah.”
The woman’s face flushed slightly, whatever she was thinking, and she bowed deeply before retreating.
‘She’s going to be furious.’
After the woman disappeared, Bermunt stood there for a moment before turning to leave.
He was looking at the stars, but he had a destination, so he did not follow them.
Soon, the shabby walls came into view.
Looking at the foolish drawings on the wall, Bermunt chuckled softly.
[How truly vicious you are! O killer of stars! Not content with killing, you now devour the star…]
Bermunt laughed heartily at the memory that suddenly surfaced.