Chapter 506: Blackmail (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 506: Blackmail (5)
Vreeeeem—!
Zephyrin leaped into the air, her axe-sword erupting with a surge of violet demonic energy.
Simultaneously, signal flares shot up from the desert behind her and from various points within the Romin Forest. In an instant, the sky was painted with multicolored bursts of mana, coloring the battlefield like a macabre festival.
“Target spotted! The enemy has been discov—glargh!”
The shouting mage never finished his sentence. Zephyrin’s violet sword projection sliced his body cleanly in half.
Though morning was breaking, the air remained hazy with swirling sand. The mages stationed in the Romin Forest were on high alert, their nerves stretched to the breaking point.
It was that very tension that led to their undoing.
Firing signal flares without accurately identifying the enemy was a glaring, fatal mistake.
“Regroup! Converge! They’re trying to break through by force! Stop them!”
Zephyrin’s sword projections battered the forest with merciless precision.
For the first few seconds, the mages were too preoccupied with frantically defending themselves to think. Soon, however, the commanders realized something was wrong.
“Wait…!”
“This isn't spirit energy or aura… It’s demonic energy! That’s not a Runcandel! It’s Kinzelo—a demon!”
“How many are there?”
“Only one confirmed! Identity unknown, presumed female!”
“Damn it, the flares…! Ugh!”
Thwack!
Closing the distance in a heartbeat, Zephyrin smirked as she slit the throat of the shouting commander.
“Haha, honestly, how can you all be this dim-witted?”
As the other mages finally caught sight of her, their eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.
“You… Zephyrin?!”
“Zephyrin, the 3rd-class researcher…?”
*
—Lord Verakt, Lady Zephyrin is a being beyond our authority to punish.
—I am aware. I only asked because I thought the Vice Captain might have a clever solution. If the Leader’s recovery is delayed, our Great Cause will be set back.
—…In that case, I will meet her personally and ask a favor. I’ll ask her to embed herself within the Zipple ranks as a spy for a while. That is likely the most we can demand of her.
*
After the incident at the Black King Mountain Fortress, where she had overexerted the Leader’s power, Zephyrin had complied with Vishkel’s request. She had been operating as a spy, posing as a 3rd-class researcher for the Zipples.
Naturally, her sudden appearance was a massive shock to the mages in the Romin Forest.
“That’s right, it’s me, Zephyrin. Oh, now that I think about it, that commander I just killed had a history of hitting on me quite persistently, didn't he? Drat, I shouldn't have killed him so quickly!”
“How dare you betray us!”
“You seem too flustered to grasp the situation. How can you call this betrayal? I was a spy from the very beginning. You lot were just too stupid and distracted by my beauty to notice.”
“Aaaargh!”
The mages were swept away like fallen leaves before Zephyrin’s rampaging axe-sword.
With every swing, at least three lives were extinguished. However, the force converging on the initial signal flares numbered over a thousand.
Chain barriers were erected, and offensive spells began to rain down from all directions.
Meanwhile, the confusion was only mounting for those watching the flares from the desert.
‘Flares in the Romin Forest!’
‘Have they found the Runcandels?’
‘What is this? Yellow flares indicating a mistake are going off at the same time.’
‘And black flares signifying internal betrayal as well.’
‘What on earth is happening in the Romin Forest!’
From Drakka through the Sota Desert and the Romin Forest, all the way to the Federation’s border, every Zipple member in the vicinity was frantic, trying to decipher the chaotic signals.
Octavia was still occupied with the Gruneil, but the forces at Drakka and the Wraith Squad had to make a quick decision.
‘Was the initial flight toward the Kuta Forest a feint?’
‘This could be a double feint, or perhaps another independent move by Kinzelo.’
‘But we still haven't found any traces of their flight near the Kuta Forest.’
‘Section Leader, give us your orders!’
The section leaders of the Wraith Squad reached a decision.
“Units 1, 2, and 3, head to the Romin Forest. The rest of you, continue searching the Kuta Forest!”
Units 1, 2, and 3.
The dragons carrying nearly twenty members of the Wraith Squad banked and changed course.
Now, it was Jin’s turn to choose.
‘The entire Wraith Squad won't turn back. Since the signals are messy, they can't completely abandon the search toward the Kuta Forest.’
Hiss, wheeze.
Jane’s ragged breathing grew slightly steadier after she swallowed the painkillers.
“Kid, that crazy demon dragon is certainly drawing their attention. Let’s move. Hey, Black Knight. Can you hold up? Can you keep going?”
“Yes, Lord Murakan. I can fight.”
“Fight in that condition? Is this the time for bravado? Get on my back. You,” Murakan said, nodding at Jin, “carry Yona again.”
Surprisingly, Jane complied and climbed onto Murakan’s back without a fuss.
“…I am showing a pathetic side of myself to the family’s guardian deity.”
“Don't be too embarrassed. I’ve had knights of the old Runcandel—stronger than you—vomit and shit themselves on my back. They did all sorts of things.”
Which direction should they head?
Since the enemy forces were swarming toward the right, where Zephyrin had begun her breakthrough, choosing the opposite side seemed like the obvious choice.
While everyone else thought so, Jin was reaching a different conclusion.
“We’ll wait for a moment. Then, we’ll break through in the same direction as Zephyrin.”
“Kid, what are you talking about? If that was the plan, why did you tell her to draw their attention?”
“What?”
“The Wraith Squad is coming. Why are we waiting?”
“Ooh! Jin, you have something else in mind, don't you?”
The group voiced their confusion.
“The goal of the Wraith Squad units coming to the Romin Forest isn't to suppress or kill Zephyrin. Whether the mages die or not, their top priority is finding us.”
The group’s eyes widened at his words.
“In other words, the Wraith Squad will avoid fighting Zephyrin as much as possible while they search the Romin Forest. Fighting her would only hinder their search.”
Jin was right.
Even in their desperate situation, the group couldn't help but be impressed. They couldn't fathom how he could possess such insight in such a short window of time.
“Wow… seriously, he’s insane. He’s so cool I might faint.”
“When the enemy forces are most concentrated on Zephyrin, we will follow directly in her wake. We’ll slip out of the Romin Forest quietly, dealing only with the enemies that latch onto us. To avoid being distinguished from Zephyrin, we must refrain from using aura as much as possible.”
The demonic energy currently shredding the forest and the mages was emphasizing Zephyrin’s presence.
The moment aura mixed into that chaos, the group would be instantly exposed to the Wraith Squad.
“I’ll give the signal when the timing is right.”
Hidden within the sandstorm, the group waited for Jin to speak again.
Five minutes passed. It was right after Zephyrin unleashed a storm of demonic energy that Jin finally spoke.
“Let’s go!”
The Runcandels charged toward the Romin Forest.
Right at the entrance, they saw mages pursuing Zephyrin. They were so preoccupied with reading the situation ahead and relaying it to their flanks that they didn't even notice the Runcandel blades falling toward their necks.
Slice, thud!
Just because they weren't using aura didn't mean their blades were dull. Leaving behind the heads of mages that tumbled to the ground, the Runcandels gritted their teeth and ran.
“Gah!”
“Ru—Runcan—ack!”
They were desperate.
As they ran, the Runcandels prayed inwardly for the forest to end, for a safe escape.
Fortunately, the mages failed to spot them, and those who did were silenced instantly.
Screeeee—!
After running for some time, they heard the sharp, piercing sound of dragons carrying the Wraith Squad flying overhead. They had just arrived in the airspace above the Romin Forest.
Just as Jin predicted, the Wraith Squad did not join the fight against Zephyrin but instead began searching the area. The shadows of the forest shielded the Runcandels from their sight.
“Huff, huff, huff!”
“Haah!”
Finally, as the morning sun fully rose, the Runcandels managed to emerge from the Romin Forest. Their bodies were sticky with their own sweat, the blood of mages, wood splinters, and dust, but no one had died or sustained further injuries.
The mages in the forest were still pushing toward the border in pursuit of Zephyrin.
Furthermore, because the damage caused by Zephyrin was far greater than the Wraith Squad had anticipated, some of the Wraiths who had come to the forest were now also tracking her.
Once they crossed the central border of the Federation, they would reach the Lutero West Sea. From there, their chances of escape would increase exponentially.
However.
It was inevitable that the group would eventually be discovered by the Wraith Squad.
Before they could even choose a new direction for their flight, the Runcandels found themselves facing gray-robed figures pointing staves at them.
‘…Ten of them.’
Jin calmly counted their numbers.
Ten members of the Wraith Squad.
The ones who had gone after Zephyrin would not return immediately. Instead, once the battle began, the Wraiths who were in the Kuta Forest would come to support them at full speed.
Pop—!
Their senior section leader fired a signal flare. Red—the signal that the target had been found.
“Lord Murakan.”
Jane spoke up.
“Please set me down.”
The reason she had climbed onto Murakan’s back so submissively was simple.
She wanted to save what little strength she had left for this very moment. And the reason Jin had tried to save Jane at all costs was the same.
Because in a moment like this… the devotion of the Black Knight was required.
Though they hadn't spoken of it, both Jin and Jane had been prepared for this since the moment Zephyrin agreed to act as a distraction.
“Sir Jane.”
“You don't have to say it, 12th Flagbearer. I know.”
“…I see.”
“Your choice to bring me this far was correct. Sandra Zipple—though we are enemies, I shall thank you as well. The painkillers are helping a little.”
Jane drew her sword and stepped in front of the group.
Jin couldn't bring himself to say he was sorry.
“I will not forget today’s sacrifice, Black Knight.”
“A death in service to the family is more valuable than life. Therefore, this is not a sacrifice, but my greatest honor.”
The tremors that had wracked her body while she was being carried had stopped.
Jane’s sword pointed at the enemies, steady and silent.
“I don't think I can stall them for very long. Go, quickly. You must survive and protect my honor.”
She held other words in her heart, but they remained unspoken.
12th Flagbearer, the truth is… if I had the chance, I would have wanted to serve you. Not the 2nd Flagbearer…
Gazing at her back for a moment, Jin shouted for his eldest brother.
“Joshua Runcandel, 2nd Flagbearer of the family!”
Then, he followed up with a challenge.
“Are you going to just keep standing there? Help Sir Jane in her final battle. That is the only way you can wash away even a fraction of your disgrace and betrayal.”