Chapter 38: Mamit Lawless Zone (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 38: Mamit Lawless Zone (3)
“It seems one of the guests at the Moonlight Well has earned the grudge of a high-ranking mage, My Lady.”
“I will locate the mage’s position. You stay and protect the Young Lady.”
The two men standing beside the girl spoke.
At their words, the girl snorted as if the suggestion was absurd.
“Do you take me for a fool who can’t even protect herself? There are six of our members inside the inn. This could be a terrorist attack targeting the Secret Palace. Ryu, find the mage. Hiten, come with me to check on our members.”
Ryu and Hiten bowed with disciplined precision.
The girl who issued the command was Siris Endorma.
She was the daughter of Talaris Endorma, the Palace Master of the Secret Palace.
“We can kill someone like Alcaro whenever we want. Finding out whether our members are dead or alive takes priority.”
“Understood, My Lady.”
Ryu leaped away to search for the mage. Just as Siris and Hiten were about to enter the inn—
Rumble!
A third bolt of lightning struck the Moonlight Well. This time, an entire floor was obliterated, and the Kings of Mamit erupted in fury.
Siris and Hiten, who were just about to enter, were forced to hesitate. Seen up close, the lightning’s power was even greater than they had anticipated.
“Damn it! Who the hell is doing this?!”
“Menka, you bastard! Didn’t you say you killed some Zipple mages recently? Did they come for revenge?!”
“That was just a bluff!”
Guests came scrambling out of the inn in a panic.
However, not all of them were fleeing. As men known as the strongest in Mamit, some were assuming combat stances and trying to track the source of the mana.
Then, the final bolt of lightning struck.
The fourth strike was far more powerful than the previous ones, as Jin had poured all the spirit energy he had gathered into this final discharge.
Craaaack!
As the lightning struck the center of the inn, the entire building split apart. The inn, now cleaved in two, looked as if it would collapse at any moment.
“Aaaagh!”
“Gah!”
Amidst the chaos, guests covered in ash leaped down into the lobby.
It had taken less than thirty seconds for this scene of carnage to unfold. The guests had no way of knowing who had attacked the Moonlight Well with such powerful magic.
“…It seems the attack is over, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, My Lady.”
The moment Siris and Hiten stepped inside, Jin, who had been on the second floor, tumbled to the ground.
Thud!
“Ugh…!”
The fall from the second floor was nothing, but Jin had dropped the final bolt of lightning right near his own room.
‘I suppose the last one reached a power level close to 7-star because I infused it with all that spirit energy.’
If not for Orgal’s Pendant, he likely wouldn't have escaped a fatal injury. As it was, Jin got away with his robe scorched and his skin webbed with burst capillaries.
Jin’s eyes naturally scanned his surroundings.
He wanted to confirm if Alcaro was dead. Alcaro was nowhere to be seen, but Jin could spot the Secret Palace members who had been guarding him running about.
Thick smoke still hung in the air. If Alcaro had somehow miraculously survived, Jin had to find and finish him now.
However, just as Jin was about to draw his dagger, he flinched and looked up. A girl and a man were looking down at him.
“What’s this? To think there’s someone my age in a place like Mamit. Hey, are you okay? You should probably get outside.”
“My Lady, our members are over there. All six seem to be safe.”
“That’s a relief. Gather them. If they’re still guarding Alcaro, tell them to just kill him.”
“Understood.”
“And once Ryu finds the mage, have the members seize him immediately. The magic was consistent; it’s definitely the work of one person.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
Overhearing their conversation from where he lay, Jin instantly realized who she was.
‘It’s the Palace Master’s daughter! From the sound of it, she came here to deal with Alcaro herself.’
It was an unexpected encounter.
However, Jin immediately judged that this meeting was a stroke of luck.
‘Based on their conversation, Alcaro is going to die anyway, even if he’s still alive. I don’t even need to check. Besides, the Palace Master’s daughter is certain this is the work of a mage.’
If that was the case, she would take control of the inn from here on out.
Even the so-called Kings of Mamit, the powerful men revered in this city, would have no choice but to yield to her.
‘From her perspective, this is a terrorist attack targeting the Secret Palace. In that case, I’ll just act terrified and slip out of here.’
Not just the Palace Master’s daughter, but all the other guests had no choice but to assume this was a mage’s attack.
Therefore, the possibility of Jin being identified as the culprit was infinitesimally low.
But there was one problem.
‘If the Palace Master’s daughter sees my face, it could cause trouble later.’
He didn’t care if his face was seen by the big shots of the lawless city or the other small-fry at the Moonlight Well. He would likely never cross paths with them again, and even if a problem arose, he could simply deal with it.
But the Palace Master’s daughter was a different story.
She was someone he would inevitably encounter while living in the Garden of Swords.
“My Lady!”
“Is everyone alright? What about Alcaro?”
“Ah, about that… we have no excuse. Alcaro was killed by the magic. We failed in our duty to guard him.”
“Is that so? Good. No need for excuses; you’ve all done well to endure that idiot’s whims. I actually came here to personally relieve you of that burden.”
While she was talking to her members, Jin grabbed handfuls of ash and smeared it all over his face. It was best to hide his features as much as possible.
Shring!
Siris drew a pure white sword and held it high.
“From this moment on, the Secret Palace will take control of this inn! I am Siris Endorma, daughter of Palace Master Talaris and Captain of the 7 Swords of the Secret Palace. Anyone who opposes this will be considered an enemy of the Secret Palace!”
“Hiten, have the members restrict all movement within a five-hundred-meter radius. No one moves until Ryu finds the mage. Understood?”
“Yes, My Lady.”
“Ah, now hold on. You say you’re the Palace Master’s daughter? Even so, this is Mamit. It’s a bit much for you to suddenly take control when the Kings of this city are right here. For all we know, we were attacked because of the Secret Palace.”
It was the same King of Mamit who had lectured Jin about ‘manners’ earlier that day. As he spoke, the other Kings nodded, subtly siding with him.
“Hiten.”
“Yes.”
“Bring me that man’s head.”
No sooner were the words spoken than Hiten vanished, leaving only an afterimage.
Slash!
Appearing behind the man before anyone realized it, Hiten’s blade flashed with a cold light. He then politely placed the head—its eyes still wide in shock—before Siris.
“I stated clearly that anyone who opposes me will be considered an enemy. Kings of Mamit? Do you think the Secret Palace is a joke just because you’ve been playing king in this trash heap?”
The Kings of Mamit cleared their throats and averted their gazes.
It wasn't that they were weak. If all the Kings of Mamit joined forces, they might have been able to fight Siris’s subordinates. However, none of them wanted to make an enemy of the Secret Palace itself.
“Ahem. We have no desire to make enemies of you. But we would appreciate a minimum of respect. What that fellow who just died said wasn't entirely wrong, was it?”
“If it is revealed that the attack targeted the Secret Palace, we will provide ample compensation. But what if it’s the opposite? What if the mage’s target was one of you, and our Secret Palace was simply caught in the crossfire?”
When Siris spoke sharply, the Kings of Mamit were forced to back down.
“Ha, fine. Do as you wish. We didn't know the ones guarding that junkie were members of the Secret Palace. We’ll leave the control to you. We also agree with finding and killing the mage.”
“As you should. For now, all survivors come down here. One of the 7 Swords of the Secret Palace is currently searching for the mage who attacked the inn. However, the culprit could be among you.”
“It won’t be one of us. There isn’t a single mage here.”
“There might not be a mage. But couldn't there be someone who recently offended one? Human trash like you are always causing trouble. Anyway, everyone gather up.”
As the Kings of Mamit sighed and descended the stairs, Siris looked down at Jin.
“Why are you so slow? I told you to get outside three minutes ago.”
Unlike when she spoke to the Kings of Mamit, Siris used a slightly softer tone with Jin. Curling his body to hide his face, Jin stammered.
“I-I was scared. And I hurt my leg… I’m sorry…”
“Ahaha, so scared for a boy carrying a sword. You’re actually quite cute. Get lost. And forget everything you saw today. Apply this to your leg before you go.”
“Thank you.”
Siris pulled a salve made of healing mana from her robe and held it out. Just as Jin reached for it with his soot-stained hands, Siris grinned and shook her head.
“Look how dirty your hands are. I’ll just apply it for you. Roll up your pants. You’re a lucky fellow, aren’t you? Surviving a terrorist attack and having the great Siris personally apply medicine for you. Consider it a lifelong honor.”
Jin hesitated before rolling up his pant leg. Siris crouched down and began to apply the salve to his shin. There was a deep, long gash running down the center of it.
‘What’s with her being so kind? In my past life, the Palace Master’s daughter was famous for having a terrible personality. Was that just a rumor?’
After finishing, Siris met Jin’s eyes.
She didn't suspect him in the slightest. On the contrary, meeting someone her own age in such a rough place made her feel strangely glad, even giving her an urge to look after him.
“There, all done. Hiten! Why is Ryu taking so long? Is he seriously unable to find the mage? That Ryu?”
“He is a bit late. Shall I go look?”
“Hmm, never mind. The culprit must have learned some stealth techniques. Even so, they’re still in the city, so it’s only a matter of time. There’s no way Ryu won’t find them. They’re just a mage, after all.”
“That is true.”
Jin, having fixed his pants, stood up and bowed.
“Um, how can I ever repay this kindness?”
While asking, Jin was barely suppressing the smile threatening to break across his face. He had thought dealing with the Kings of Mamit after the attack would be a hassle, but things had played out so easily.
Furthermore, Siris hadn't even gotten a good look at his face. She was simply showing him a bit of mercy before sending him on his way.
“How could someone like you repay someone as great as me? Just think of it as a nice memory. If you happen to think of it, give a nod toward the Secret Palace every now and then. Now, goodbye!”
After leaving the inn, Jin immediately departed from Mamit.
Though it looked like he had received help from Siris, he had been the one to kill Alcaro with his own magic. He had nothing to feel uneasy about when reporting his mission success.