Chapter 220: News Heard, News to Find (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 220: News Heard, News to Find (1)
“Hah, I guess I really need to go see that brat.”
“That brat?”
“My sister.”
“Ah, you mean the Black Dragon, Misha?” Jin asked.
Murakan nodded, his face scrunched in a scowl as if the mere thought of his sister was unpleasant. Seeing his expression, Quicantel shook her head.
“I suppose you’ve finally realized you’re a failure as a Guardian Dragon. If it weren’t for the Spirit Sword Special Technique, Jin would be a dead man by now. You really need to get your act together. The last time I told you to find her, you were so stubborn about not wanting to see her.”
The reason Murakan wanted to see Misha was simple: he wanted to regain even a fraction of his former power, and he felt she might know how.
“Hey, Quicantel. Haven’t you been looking down on me a bit too much lately?”
“I admit you were incredible a thousand years ago. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say you were the strongest of the dragons. But honestly, right now, you’re just a patient. Your glory days are over. Please, face reality.”
“I can still bring out about half of my old power, you know. The kid saw it himself this time.”
“Oh, really? You mean that method where you have to drain Jin’s spirit energy for at least ten minutes in the middle of a fight? Besides, after using his energy, you were unconscious for days. I thought you’d pushed yourself so hard you actually died.”
“With just ten minutes of Jin’s power, I made an Avatar of God revert to its original form! Could you do that!?”
“I’m confident I could beat them to death before those ten minutes were even up.”
“Hah! I can still picture you trembling in fear before that Demon God Stone on the island…”
“Oh, keep talking. See if I don’t crack your skull open.”
Quicantel’s eyes narrowed into slits.
“Please, calm down, Lady Quicantel.”
“Your Guardian Dragon really needs a reality check. If he keeps living in the past like this, he’s going to get himself killed. I don’t know how many times I have to say it for it to sink in.”
Quicantel was genuinely worried about Murakan. Ever since their reunion in Viment, he had appeared so weakened that it wouldn’t have been strange for him to drop dead at any moment.
Murakan wasn’t oblivious to this. He simply couldn’t stand being seen by her as someone who needed protection. Moreover, he felt the same sense of crisis Quicantel described. Stronger and stronger enemies were threatening Jin, yet he felt his own ability to help was constantly dwindling.
The fact that he had remained unconscious the entire time Jin fought Joshua was a particularly harsh blow, especially since it happened right after he had briefly reclaimed his old power using Jin’s spirit energy.
“…That’s why I said I’m going to find Misha. Stop trying to pick a fight. Sigh… I am worried, though. If I go all that way and she doesn’t know how to fix my heart either, then I’m really out of options.”
For Murakan, the act of meeting Misha was a blow to his pride. It was also something of a nightmare. Back when he was a young dragon, Misha had been a presence akin to a great demon from hell or a malevolent god. The only being Murakan had ever feared since birth was his sister.
While he hadn't cared about her opinion once he reached his prime, their relationship had never been as wholesome as Jin and Luna’s.
“Do you know where your sister is?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Then how do you plan on meeting her?”
“I have plenty of guesses. Too many, actually. The Krasi Mountains, the jungles of the Northern Continent, ancient temples, the Land of the Beastmen, various damp and dark places, or high-end taverns that serve Mila Mountain wine aged for over three hundred years…”
“What? That sounds like she could be anywhere in the world,” Jin remarked.
Quicantel shrugged. “That’s right. Misha has always been like that. She’d hide her identity, stay in the most unexpected places, and then pop up out of nowhere. Still, this guy has a strange knack for finding her whenever he needs to. I guess siblings are siblings.”
“Kid.”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll be gone for about a month.”
“Why can’t I go with you?”
“You have a lot to do. We still don’t know when Julian will wake up, either.”
A week had passed since their return to Tikan, but Julian had yet to regain consciousness. He hadn't recovered from the shock of his Avatar being forcibly dispelled.
Furthermore, Joshua’s faction had made no move. Perhaps due to Cyron’s strict orders, no one had come to Tikan, nor had any wanted posters been issued for Julian, Kuzan, or Beris.
“That’s true, but…”
“More importantly, if I take you, Misha will never agree to see me. She’ll throw a fit, accusing me of trying to use the Contractor of a thousand years as leverage to get something from her.”
Quicantel nodded. “He’s right. Besides, the first thing that guy did after he finished growing up was carry out all sorts of petty acts of revenge on his sister.”
“Then isn’t it more dangerous for you to go alone? There won’t be anyone to stop your sister if she attacks you.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll probably be gone for about two months. If I’m not back by the end of December, come looking for me. It’ll mean I’ve either been beaten up or captured by Misha. I’ll map out my route today and write down the places where I’ll leave marks.”
What kind of irresponsible thing is that to say?
Jin wanted to argue, but for the first time—with only a slight exaggeration—he saw a truly solemn look in Murakan’s eyes. A quick glance also showed that Quicantel looked quite satisfied. She had been hoping Murakan would seek out Misha for some time.
If he meets Misha and regains his old power, he’ll be a massive asset, but I’m still uneasy about sending him alone.
That night, Murakan abruptly left Tikan. He even left a letter for Gilly behind Jin’s back.
[To my dear Strawberry Pie,
I have decided to embark on a long and arduous journey for a while. I wished to consult with you, but this is a choice I must endure entirely on my own…
If I should happen to be killed by Misha, please tell the kid to make sure to avenge me. And please burn my children, who are piled up in the secret drawer under my bed, and scatter their ashes in the river.
I hope you do not suffer too much in my absence.
Waking from my tedious slumber and meeting you and the kid feels like a miracle all over again. When I return, let us go on a trip, just the two of us, as I promised…]
Gilly showed the solemn letter to Jin and giggled.
“Young Master, where did Lord Murakan go? This sounds like teenage angst.”
“He said he was going to see his sister, but I didn't expect him to leave in the middle of the night without a word. He’s not in his room?”
“No. Yuria said she saw him flying away a little while ago.”
“Hmm. By the way, did you two promise to go on a trip? It says so here.”
For some reason, Jin felt a strange sensation as he asked the question.
Gilly couldn't hold back her laughter, snickering as she reread that part several times.
“No! I was just thinking about that myself. I was so confused, wondering if I had ever made such a promise to Lord Murakan.”
Gilly had never made such a promise. In other words, Murakan had simply made it up.
“Ah, this is too funny… I’m sorry, Young Master. You must be troubled, and here I am laughing so loudly.”
“N-no, it’s fine.”
As Jin gave an awkward smile, Gilly burst into a fit of laughter that lasted for quite a while.
On the other hand, now that Murakan was actually gone, Quicantel seemed genuinely worried, looking quite troubled as she reached for a drink.
*
News of Kuzan and Beris reached them before Julian, who was being held in the mansion’s underground prison, woke up.
“Your prediction was correct again, Young Master. Someone presumed to be Kuzan Marius has appeared in the Delki Kingdom.”
“Tell me more,” Jin said, standing up abruptly.
“Immediately after Joshua’s flag-bearer investiture ceremony ended, word began to spread among the mercenaries of the Delki Kingdom that deadly poisons were being sold at dirt-cheap prices. After seeing a small article in a newsletter, I dispatched agents to investigate. They say it’s a lethal poison not found in any academic records.”
Casimir judged that this was a signal Kuzan was sending to Jin.
“Of course, it might not be Kuzan. It could just be an unknown poisoner doing business. However, it’s the Delki Kingdom, of all places—the homeland of the Marius family, the survivors of the Moon’s Sacrifice. It’s also where you first met them.”
Since the incident at the Blue Bird Archipelago, the group still hadn't reached a final conclusion about Joshua. While they were leaning toward the hypothesis that he was a clone, the lack of certainty left a lingering sense of unease.
In such a situation, any information they could get from Kuzan and Beris was like a welcome rain in a drought.
“I have to go at once. Please prepare the Teleport Gate.”
There was no reason to hesitate. If it turned out to be a different poisoner, he could just come back. He had to move as quickly as possible.
“We have to secure them before Joshua does, no matter what!”
To Jin, Kuzan and Beris were people he had to keep alive to extract information from. To Joshua, it was the exact opposite. There was no way Joshua didn't know that Kuzan and Beris had encountered Jin at the Blue Bird Archipelago and that his lies had been exposed.
That bastard Joshua must have caught wind of this information as well. He’ll be looking to dispose of the hounds that didn't return to him.
Jin, Casimir, Alisa, and Quicantel all decided to go to Delki. It was a party formed with the possibility of a clash with Joshua’s forces in mind.
Fortunately, the weather was clear enough to use the Teleport Gate without issue, and the group arrived at the capital of Delki in less than an hour.
“I’ve already spread my agents out, but it will take at least a few hours to find the poison seller. We’ll have to do some legwork ourselves as well,” Casimir said as he unfolded a map marked by the Seven-Colored Bird agents with the locations of mercenary groups and their key figures.
No matter how capable the Seven-Colored Bird was, there were limits to gathering immediate, street-level information. It would take a day, or several hours at the very least.
After a moment of thought, Jin shook his head.
“That will be too late. Joshua is probably already on the move. Delki is practically Runcandel territory, after all…”
Jin paused as a thought struck him.
“I should go see Prince Laika.”
The Third Prince of Delki, Laika. He was the quick-witted man who, when Jin first fought Kuzan, had secured a promise that all shares of the Delki gold mines would eventually be returned to him.
Jin intended to find him and immediately track down the poison seller. No mercenary group could operate without a kingdom permit, so receiving his support was the fastest and most certain way.
As long as Joshua hasn't already met with Prince Laika or the King of Delki, we can find them first.