Chapter 123
Chapter 123
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 123
>Chapter Title: My Mouth is the Problem
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“Turn……? Where?”
At Parun’s question, I shrugged.
“Lortel or Decullan. One of the two, right?”
If I had my way, I’d rob Decullan over Lortel.
Sword-swinging grunts holed up in their family compound honing their blades wouldn’t have as much as those goblin-like greed-mongers stuffed to the gills with ill-gotten gains.
“There’s a problem with that. Lortel’s the one with the Infinite Chain. If we’re robbing, shouldn’t we obviously hit Lortel?”
“Obviously, after the deal’s done and they’re on their way back.”
Of course, if we’re robbing at all.
There was just one thing nagging at me……
That’s when Parun finished his own thinking and tossed out a question.
“……Hmm. Think that’ll work?”
“It’ll work.”
“Sounds like something’s bothering you.”
At Parun’s sharp point, I nodded.
“Yeah, there is. ‘Rob Decullan right after the deal’s done.’ I suggested it, but I don’t recommend it. It’s just wishful thinking on my part.”
“Why?”
This was where the ‘real problem’ began.
“You. How’d you get the info on the Lortel-Decullan deal?”
“……?”
Parun furrowed his brow.
Like he couldn’t understand why I was suddenly asking about his ‘source.’
I calmly sorted my thoughts.
‘If I had my way, robbing Decullan would be more fun.’
Never mind the minor issue of potentially turning Lortel into an enemy depending on the deal’s terms—my heart leaned that way.
But rationally speaking, which one should we hit……?
‘……Definitely Lortel.’
Why?
I looked at Parun and said it.
“You think it makes sense that word of a Lortel-Decullan deal made it all the way to you?”
“What’re you…….”
“Decullan’s not the type to leak info to some academy professor pushover. You think that flies?”
“That’s…… hmm.”
Parun’s mouth worked silently at my words.
Even he knew it was off.
And for good reason.
‘No matter how capable Parun’s intel guy is. Even if they’re keeping close tabs…….’
This convenient? Info just pouring in like it’s on display?
“You don’t smell it?”
“New incense I picked up.”
“……Whatever.”
His tangent threw me for a loop.
“Sorry. But I get what you’re saying. So, in other words…….”
My voice and Parun’s overlapped.
“Trap.”
“A trap?”
“Exactly.”
I elaborated.
“For the record, trap doesn’t mean the deal’s fake. Probably…… they’d love to lure us in, but if not, they just snag the Infinite Chain.”
Either way, a no-loss deal for Decullan.
That’s why I had to pick Lortel even though I wanted Decullan.
The trap stench was too thick.
That’s when Parun stood from his seat.
“Hold on a sec.”
“……?”
Parun walked to the bookshelf and pulled out a book halfway. Rumble—the shelf slid aside, revealing a hidden safe.
He pulled out a stack of parchment, quickly scanning it. From the glimpses of text, it looked like letters on Decullan and Lortel intel.
“Something felt off.”
“……What?”
“You remember Karahen?”
I nodded.
How could I not? Crimson Jade’s vice-captain. Decullan’s Fire Demon. A mage who’d shine even brighter in the future. A light I snuffed out myself.
But why bring him up out of nowhere?
“Then, do you know who Crimson Jade’s captain is?”
“Crimson Jade’s captain…….”
I dredged up old memories.
‘Jeyjin? No. He took captain when I was still active.’
Then……
……No way?
The name flashed through my mind, and Parun spoke.
“The Blazing Sorcerer Holland.”
“……Holland, damn it.”
I ran a hand through my hair at the answer that matched my guess.
“A while back, Holland went off the grid. Last spotted near a Decullan slash-and-burn village. Burned the whole place down solo.”
“……And?”
Burning slash-and-burn villages was a show of force.
A warning to those in Decullan territory who wouldn’t bow or hid away.
“No movement from Decullan’s armed groups ahead of the Lortel deal. Just Holland vanishing.”
“Meaning…….”
“Might be tied to this deal. I figured they wouldn’t send him alone, but if it’s really a trap…….”
“……No one better suited than Holland.”
“Exactly. Of course, we’ll keep tracking Decullan’s numbers.”
“……Tch.”
I licked my dry lips.
“Trap or not, looks like we hit Lortel after all.”
The Blazing Sorcerer Holland.
His mere existence was reason enough to target Lortel over Decullan.
* * *
The Blazing Sorcerer Holland.
Current Crimson Jade captain.
The first time I saw Holland was shortly after he stepped down as captain.
At the time, he……
Seven Mages.
Under Pahren, the seven mages representing Decullan—one seat among the Seven Mages……
The pinnacle of all Decullan mages.
Himself.
If someone could read my thoughts, they might ask. Isn’t that just future stuff?
Like Karahen, a mage destined for fame. Probably just that level.
But Holland was different.
‘……The situation with Karahen was different.’
Holland’s ascension to the Seven Mages was famous enough that everyone in Decullan knew it.
It started at a drinking party meant to build rapport. The trigger: a slip of the tongue from two Seven Mages.
- Crimson Jade…… I respect the loyalty, but I know only two groups where loyalty’s the highest virtue……
- Two? Haha! Care to share?
- One’s obviously those brainless sword-swingers. The other…… you know.
- Ah, now I get it. Yeah, loyalty’s the top virtue for the mutts you keep in the yard.
No one knows why they said it.
Some say political rivalry with Crimson Jade, others a grudge against Holland.
But the reason didn’t matter. Only……
The disaster it unleashed.
- Yard mutts, huh…… Can you two lords stand by those words?
Lord was the honorific for Seven Mages.
The two, drunk as skunks, shot back at Holland’s icy question.
They shouldn’t have.
- Hahaha, just a joke. Common banter at a drinking party.
- Crimson Jade’s not yard mutts, right? Wait. Then sword-swingers? Hmm, not quite. Heh! Bark for us? Then we’ll know…… Gahk!
- More mutt than sword-swinger. So, this mutt’ll bark now.
Woof. Woof.
What a ridiculous scene.
Holland actually barked ‘woof woof’ like they said, or so the story goes.
But no one at the table laughed.
No, they were horrified.
- Th-this…… madman.
- L-Lord Holland……!
Right there, Holland tore the two Seven Mages apart.
Two of the seven peaks representing Decullan, butchered in one spot.
Sure, they were at the bottom of the throne.
But.
No one could deny he shredded two Seven Mages in one go.
Holland claimed his Seven Mages seat off that incident.
That’s how Holland differed from Karahen.
Unlike Karahen, who peaked in the future, Holland was already at his zenith—a complete mage.
As I thought that far, Parun sat back down and spoke.
“Hitting Lortel…… not a bad choice. Crimson Jade’s captain’s no pushover.”
No, Holland was way beyond ‘no pushover.’
Even for Parun, honed after his close fight with Karahen. Even for me at this point.
But I didn’t bother correcting Parun.
Still, Parun seemed to think differently.
“But…… I oppose hitting Lortel. Their escort’s no slouch either.”
“……No slouch?”
“Yeah, Lortel’s intel’s public. If it’s accurate, Lortel’s bringing…….”
Parun spoke.
And I had to let out a deep sigh at his words.
“The Ten Swords steps up.”
“……Damn it.”
If Decullan had the Seven Mages, Lortel had the Ten Swords.
“Which one?”
“……Third.”
“What a load of crap. Rotten bastards…….”
From this moment on, no one lectures me on ‘between a rock and a hard place.’
One side: future Seven Mage who butchered two. Other side: Lortel’s third sword.
Stuck going neither way.
No one qualified to call my dilemma to me. No one could.
Wait.
“Don’t they say there’s a way out even if the sky falls?”
“……True, but. Better to hit Holland’s side…….”
“Wanna get shredded?”
“……?”
Yeah, let’s drop it.
I pushed past Parun’s puzzled look.
“There’s one way.”
“A way?”
“Yeah.”
It was ridiculously simple.
“Let’s burn the paper.”
“…….”
“Quit and it’s easy. Right? With you and Henji, we can make another paper.”
Of course, I knew it was bullshit.
One line changed and the logic collapses. With co-authors, recreating the original results is near impossible.
So, obviously, burning the paper was a joke.
A joke, but……
“Then, send a letter to Henji.”
Parun stood, walked to one side of the study, and—like he’d planned it—gathered the documents and dumped them in the metal trash can.
Then……
Whoosh!
Flames dropped into the can.
Parun moved without hesitation.
‘What the……!’
I lunged and smothered the trash can.
Flames rained on my back.
“Hot, hotdamn! Shit!”
“……What’re you doing?”
This wasn’t funny. Should’ve put up a barrier……
But pain aside, I had to ask.
“……Tch. What’re you doing?”
“Burning it like you said.”
“You nuts?”
“Nuts? I thought about it like you said. The Heavenly Origin Art knowledge’s in our heads. With me and Henji, we can remake it.”
“…….”
Yeah, my mouth’s the problem.
My trap’s the issue.
“Whew, burn it later. Let’s at least try first.”
“……Try?”
I nodded vigorously at what I’d said to Henji—no, Parun.
But this guy lit another flame. Whoosh—the cold flicker like it aimed at my heart.
Still, I didn’t back down and spoke.
“The third sword…… just thought of something. You sure it’s definitely the third coming?”
“Yeah. It is.”
Lortel’s third sword was the same person in the future and now.
“Yeah, right…….”
‘If it’s really the third this time…….’
Maybe there’s a way.
“Hey, close your eyes and let’s try once.”
“Risking your life looks admirable as a partner, but no need to…….”
“Argh, I’ve got a plan, okay?”
Of course, not ‘no plan.’
This time we needed a real one.
“A plan?”
“Wanna hear it?”
“……Hmm. Let’s hear it.”
I beckoned Parun closer.
He brought his ear over, annoyed. I flicked his forehead.
Thwack.
“Wh-what…….”
“I got burned too, so we’re even. Anyway, I’ve got a real plan, so back off and listen.”
“…….”
Parun’s eyes sharpened suspiciously.
But it was fine.
I really had a plan.