Chapter 52: The Banquet (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 52: The Banquet (7)
Jin reappeared at the banquet hall the following day.
Not many had realized the two had dueled. In fact, most had succumbed to the same misunderstanding as Mary and Dipus. Since both Jin and Siris remained silent on the matter, that misunderstanding had solidified into accepted fact.
Had one of them won, they would have been flaunting their victory. But since neither showed any sign of it, the observers could only conclude they had shared a secret tryst.
The banquet proceeded much like the day before.
Jin sat in one spot as people came to greet him, but the crowds were thinner than yesterday. Now that the once-shrouded youngest Runcandel had been thoroughly scrutinized, the guests were busy settling their own affairs.
From the moment Jin had left until now, the dueling grounds of the Garden of Swords had seen non-stop combat.
Since public viewing was permitted starting today, more people were gathered at the dueling grounds than in the banquet hall.
The duels had begun in earnest.
Despite the commotion, Jin sipped his wine, pleasantly observing the bustling hall.
‘I should be able to meet the Zipples today.’
Jin was curious about their magical progress. He had heard the four guests were between fifteen and twenty years old, making them perfect subjects for comparison.
He also wanted to subtly probe them about the Colon Ruins if the opportunity arose, but he quickly decided against it.
‘I’ll have plenty of free time once I become a reserve flagbearer. I’ll investigate the Colon Ruins with Murakan then.’
With Murakan’s help, finding the “Well of Mana” mirror artifact would be much easier.
‘This time, I won’t let the Zipples mass-produce 7-star mages.’
Having reached his conclusion, Jin set his glass down on the table and let out a sigh.
Meow.
Mee-ow.
Murakan was nonchalantly strolling through the middle of the banquet hall. The guests couldn't take their eyes off him, fascinated by the sight of a cat at a Runcandel banquet.
‘That nuisance…!’
He had clearly snuck out behind Gilly’s back. Whether he noticed Jin glaring at him or not, Murakan strutted through the hall with his tail held high and a haughty gait.
He eventually settled on Siris’s lap.
She seemed quite pleased by this, smiling as she stroked his fur. A moment later, she burst into laughter upon seeing the collar around Murakan’s neck.
—Nabi Runcandel
That was the name on the tag. After laughing for a good while, Siris wiped her eyes and stood up.
“Did you give him this name, Young Master?”
Her tone was much softer than it had been at the dueling grounds.
The way she naturally cradled the cat in her arms suggested she was experienced with animals. Jin gave an awkward smile and nodded.
“Yes.”
“Before I came here, I imagined you’d be some kind of crazed sword fiend, but you have many unexpected sides. Do you mind if I play with him for a bit?”
“Do as you wish.”
With that, Siris departed.
‘Did she come all the way over here just to ask that?’
Just as he was thinking she was a rather peculiar girl, someone else sat down beside him.
“Oh, we finally meet! Jin Runcandel. You have no idea how much I’ve been looking for you, haha!”
The boy’s face lit up with a wide, delighted grin.
Jin knew the boy’s name, of course, as well as every achievement he would go on to accomplish.
But he didn't feel like acting friendly, even though this was the Zipple he had been waiting to encounter since yesterday.
“And you are…?”
“Hey! That’s cold, right off the bat. How could you forget me? I’ve thought about you every single day.”
“I asked who you are.”
“Come on, take a guess. The first letter of my name is ‘Ve.’ Haha, you remember now, right?”
“No.”
“Dammit! We first met at the Mitel Kingdom teleport gate. Still nothing?”
“Uh, not really.”
At this point, Jin was finding it amusing and decided to continue feigning ignorance.
“Huhu, seeing as you still don't know after all that… Jin, it seems your memory is like a goldfish’s. Listen closely. My name is Bera—”
“Veradin Zipple. You’re as slow as ever. I was trying to subtly tell you I didn't want to talk. Why do you keep pestering me? It’s annoying.”
“Ah, was that it…?”
To think this boy would become a 9-star mage by thirty and be named the next patriarch of the Zipple clan. Just like their first meeting, Jin was so dumbfounded he was at a loss for words.
Even though Jin had bluntly called him annoying, Veradin only looked dejected for a moment before continuing the conversation, undeterred.
“You don't know how hard I’ve been looking for you since yesterday. Wow, the Runcandel banquet hall is huge. No matter how much I walked around, I couldn't find you. I think I searched for about two hours.”
“Are you insane? No matter how big a banquet hall is, it’s still just a banquet hall. You couldn't find me for two hours? Are you serious?”
Jin spoke, recalling the previous day. He had been the center of attention, in a spot where people were constantly flocking. It was impossible not to find him.
“Yes, I’m serious. If I could have used magic, I would’ve found you in ten seconds, but mana usage is forbidden in Runcandel, right? No matter how much I walked, I just kept seeing the same people.”
“Is that so?”
“Anyway, it’s so good to see you, Jin. Has it been five years? To think you’re already 5-star. I expected you to cause a stir, huhuhu. But I haven't been slacking off either. My magical achievement is already…”
Veradin was so hopelessly bad with directions it was hard to believe.
“A whopping 6-star! I’ve reached 6-star. Kuhaha. That’s one level higher than your swordsmanship!”
Veradin was three years older than Jin, meaning he had become a 6-star mage at eighteen. This was a monumental achievement that would normally have his name plastered across every newsletter, just like Jin’s.
‘He’s only at 6-star?’
Jin was surprised that Veradin’s progress fell so far short of his expectations. Setting aside the stupidity of revealing one’s full strength in enemy territory, he couldn't believe that Veradin—the most talented of the Zipple children—was only at 6-star.
‘In three years, my magic should be at least 7-star…’
Had he overestimated Veradin because of his future accomplishments? Or was the boy hiding his true strength?
“Seeing that shocked expression makes the effort of finding you worthwhile, Jin. I’ve been counting down the days until I could fight you. After meeting you, I had an epiphany and trained like my life depended on it. You’d better work hard to catch up. Let’s have a toast.”
Jin didn't bother telling him the real reason for his shock and clinked glasses with a dazed Veradin.
He barely managed to suppress the joy threatening to surface.
‘If Veradin has truly only reached 6-star at eighteen… then I will be the one to reach the pinnacle of magic after Kelliark Zipple. Without a doubt.’
He had just received objective confirmation of his own potential. However, Veradin, unaware of this, felt as though he had been acknowledged by Jin, and his pride soared.
“You’d better keep your eyes on me from now on. I have no doubt that you will be the next patriarch of Runcandel. A Runcandel led by you, and a Zipple led by me, clashing… Doesn't the mere thought of it make your heart race?”
Jin smiled softly.
“Veradin Zipple. It seems the time has come for me to give you another piece of advice.”
“Oh? What is it?”
“Learn to hold your tongue.”
“You sound just like my father.”
“Anyone who sees you would say the exact same thing. By the way, why did the Zipples show up at the banquet without any official notice?”
Coming here so poorly prepared only resulted in the Acting Patriarch being humiliated, Jin thought, swallowing the rest of his words and waiting for Veradin’s answer.
“Ah, that was because of me. I pestered Uncle Andrei, saying I absolutely had to meet you.”
“What?”
“We happened to be traveling through Huphester, and when we heard the news of the banquet celebrating your achievement, I thought it was fate.”
“That’s it?”
“Yep, that’s all.”
It was absurd.
‘The man is the Acting Patriarch, and he just waltzed into enemy territory because a kid threw a tantrum?’
It was behavior Jin couldn't comprehend.
On the other hand, it was a testament to how much the boy named Veradin Zipple was cherished within his family.
Veradin was already being treated like the next patriarch.
In the Zipple clan, where magical geniuses were as common as pebbles on a road, it meant he had already been selected as the finest gem before even reaching adulthood.
As that fact crossed his mind, a thought suddenly struck Jin.
‘If I eliminate Veradin before he fully develops… I could deal a massive blow to the Zipples.’
They would find a replacement, of course, even if Veradin died.
However, no mage after Veradin had reached 9-star by the age of thirty.
It was an unchangeable fact that Veradin would become the Zipples' greatest asset in the next generation. Therefore, his death would be a significant blow.
“Veradin.”
“Yeah?”
“Be grateful that this is a banquet hall.”
“Keke, aren't you being a bit too harsh? I know your father showed mercy to my uncle. Speaking of which, I’ll make a promise too. If you ever show up unannounced at a Zipple banquet, I won't harm you.”
Veradin scratched the back of his head with a sly grin.
“Is that so? What if I suddenly start a terrorist attack inside the hall?”
“I always keep my word. Even if you start a terrorist attack, I won't kill you. Even if a battle breaks out, I, at the very least, won't participate.”
He was a foolish romantic through and through.
Though, for all Jin knew, he might be a monster who conducted forbidden magic experiments on humans. Regardless of how foolishly Veradin acted, Jin couldn't bring himself to ask about the Colon Ruins.
Jin emptied his glass and stood up.
“Where are you going?”
“Some unpleasant fellow has been staring at me for a while now. I’m going to go teach him a lesson.”
Jin gestured with his eyes toward the left.
There stood Bubar Gaston, who had been staring rudely at Jin for some time.
“Oh! A duel? Can I watch?”
Ignoring Veradin’s question, Jin walked toward Bubar.
“Excuse me, guest. Do you perhaps have something to say to me?”
Vishkel was currently away, personally showing Margiella around the Garden of Swords and the banquet hall. That was why Bubar was acting so carelessly.
“Um… when will Lady Luna return?”
“Excuse me?”
“Hehe, Lady Luna. Is she not coming back? I wanted to give her this… It’s a collection of poems I wrote for her all night. It’s filled with my love…”
“Haha.”
Jin let out a hollow laugh, which Bubar misinterpreted as a positive sign. Up to that point, Jin could have let it slide, viewing the plump man before him as nothing more than a dimwit. Since he seemed genuinely slow, Jin thought it best to ignore him.
‘To think there’s a moron brave enough to pursue Sister Luna in the Garden of Swords. A servant from the Ivliano family? I should warn Vishkel before the banquet ends.’
However, Bubar then crossed the line and severely provoked Jin.
“Hehe, Lady Luna will realize once she reads my poems. That I’m not just any ordinary man. Perhaps in the near future, the day will come when I can call the Young Master my brother-in-law, hehehe.”
Even Veradin, who was listening nearby, spat out the wine he was holding.