Chapter 95
Chapter 95
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 95
>Chapter Title: Are You Watching, Wyvern?
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Shine, who had manifested out of nowhere, was glaring at me with an irritated voice.
But.
“……You got even smaller?”
He was now just about level with my waist. Like a miniature knight, I suppose.
[This loser's mana veins are so damn narrow, what can I do about it? Whatever, spill it—what's your scheme? You're not seriously telling me to serve as this weakling's slave, are you?]
The guy spoke with unusual seriousness.
But.
‘This bastard…….’
So he could adjust his size this freely all along? And he just hadn't bothered to?
My fist clenched in an instant!
But the anger was fleeting.
Zzzzzz—
A malevolent aura pressing in from behind me. Like a snake.
It slithered over my nape with a will of its own, creeping across my entire body.
Compared to the disgust from that eerie energy…… well, Shine was just child's play.
Anyway.
“Hasn't everything wrapped up now? You've gotten your revenge, and all that's left is breaking Destrow's sealed form.”
[Well, that's true, but…….]
“So, time to go our separate ways.”
[……Hah!]
Shine burst out laughing as if he couldn't believe it.
The flames inside his helmet flickered hotter for some reason as Obern stepped forward.
“No matter what, shouldn't you stick with us until the end…….”
“You don't trust me?”
[I'll trust the trustworthy one. Who knows, maybe by the time you break Destrow, this fool will have…… mmpf.]
Who does this bastard think he's calling trash?
Anyway, Shine's nonsense was already cut off by Obern, who was exercising command authority.
“Death Knight, my apologies. We'll release you once you calm down.”
Nod, nod.
Shine nodded his head.
Obern released Shine's speaking rights and looked at me with a worried expression.
“Senior, still…….”
“You think you can handle that malevolent aura?”
“That's…….”
Obern clamped his mouth shut. Well, yeah.
Look at Geommasa over there. Sure, he got taken out pathetically by Shine, but he wasn't originally some pushover.
There was the trap catching him off guard, but more than that……
‘It's because of this malevolent aura.’
It disrupts one's ki.
Geommasa was higher realm than Obern and familiar with this kind of energy.
Yet even he was thrown into disarray—could Obern endure it?
“Then…….”
“Get out of the Great Forest. If you hurry, finding Reilly won't be hard.”
“……Pardon?”
“What, were you planning to head to the 4th Base Camp? It's probably swarming with undead everywhere by now. Don't stir up trouble—just get out quietly.”
“……Ah.”
Obern let out a quiet sigh.
But he nodded, seeming convinced.
I handed him a plump pouch from my subspace.
“This is…….”
“Elixirs. I don't know how many are left since you scarfed them down earlier.”
“Why give this to…….”
“To take that freeloader with you, don't you need at least that much?”
“……Ah.”
Obern could only muster another ‘……Ah.’ I shoved the pouch into his hand and turned to Shine.
“Take good care of your new master.”
[Hah! This brat as a master? Whatever fondness made me tag along aside, the moment we leave the Great Forest, the contract's off.]
“Do what you want.”
I couldn't care less.
For all his talk, the guy was more sentimental than he let on—he wouldn't just ditch them coldly.
That wrapped things up nicely.
“Not going?”
“……Senior, please reconsider…….”
“Tch.”
“……Understood.”
Obern bowed his head weakly. His shoulders looked heavy as he took his steps.
Shine, even smaller now, followed Obern's footsteps, then glanced back.
[Where do we rendezvous?]
“Nearest city with a warp gate.”
[Hmm, I see…… Fine.]
With that, Shine turned and walked away.
Step, step.
I watched until the man and the knight vanished from sight, then picked up the communication orb.
“Idiot or brute, take your pick.”
A communication orb. It hadn't failed because of the Great Forest. Obern had just set it wrong, making it dead.
Anyway.
[Wha…… static, sir? What is……?]
Far clearer than when Obern had tried.
“Situation any better?”
[Static…… Yes. Reinforcements…… static. Are coming…….]
Was I the idiot? I couldn't make heads or tails of it. Conversation was impossible.
I just stared at the orb, then repeated my message over and over.
‘Eh, he'll get it. Probably.’
After a dozen tries or so?
[I…… under…….]
Plen’s voice from the other end.
“You get it?”
Who knows.
‘Whatever, good if he does, oh well if not—my fate.’
No point fretting.
Should've asked Shine and Obern to relay to the 4th Base Camp?
‘Yeah, right—they'd have bolted.’
With Obern's personality, he probably wouldn't have left anyway.
Whatever.
I sat cross-legged and stared into the distance.
Kikik…… kreeeak—!
The malevolent aura moved grotesquely, sometimes like a snake, sometimes like a broken-jointed doll.
Obern and Shine had only sensed its scale, but to my eyes, it was different.
The aura circled me like it had a will…… no, it definitely did.
And that wasn't all?
Wiiiiiiiiing—!
The Fire Mark resonated so strongly my heart ached.
“Can't live without me, huh? Can't get enough?”
Now I knew.
The strengthening aura and the resonance.
The burned grimoire and the ancient abomination Destrow. The two reacted to each other.
No, less reaction…… more like they pulled each other in.
In this situation, what message had I sent to the 4th Base Camp?
Just one.
- Destrow incoming. Plan B.
Destrow was coming.
So…… prepare Plan B.
Plan B here meant this:
Before deploying Turn Undead, erect the barrier at the 4th Base Camp that had once sealed the ancient spirits.
‘To keep the ancient spirits from empowering the awakened Destrow.’
Reverse it—trap them at the 4th Base Camp.
Of course……
‘They'll drop like flies.’
Lots of mercenaries would die.
‘Senior Rihim will be coughing up blood.’
But from their perspective, what was more hopeless?
Honestly, right now, there was still hope. Hordes of ancient spirits like a tidal wave. Hold out, hold out, hold out—and Destrow's sealed form would break.
They might even survive.
But not anymore.
‘Just total wipeout.’
For that slim chance to eliminate Destrow.
Trapped at the 4th Base Camp, fighting undead till they drop dead.
Of course……
“Who cares?”
……Yeah, who cares.
“Rotten luck.”
Normally, how many mercenaries died? Senior Rihim coughing blood, or puking from hangover—none of my business.
But now I got it.
“I knew something was off from the start. Rotten luck.”
Destrow. Event enough to echo through eras.
Yet in my past life, no memory of it.
Because I was a Black-White Slums brat back then? No.
If Destrow had come, rumors would've lingered for years—I should've heard something.
‘But…… nothing.’
What did that mean?
Past life.
The timeline without my involvement.
‘Senior Rihim's plan…… succeeded.’
Even with Geommasa. Of course, details unknown.
Maybe the principal's reinforcements arrived on time, or Senior Rihim pulled some genius move.
How could I be sure?
Fire Mark.
With this damn thing throbbing like this, how could I not know?
The closer the distance, the weaker Destrow's seal grew. Or more precisely, the Fire Mark was accelerating Destrow's arrival beyond its natural pace.
So……
“Not my problem. My karma.”
Geommasa and the arch-traitor.
I thought they were the top villains here, but turns out the real villain was me.
‘Tch. Just bail?’
Strong urge hit.
Pretend not to know and bail—one option.
Destrow and Fire Mark? Let 'em crave each other to death, who cares.
All the Fire Mark could do was whine.
But……
“……Hoo.”
I looked up at the sky.
“Are you watching, Wyvern?”
Vast sky. A wyvern flew across. Not really flying, of course—just in my head.
Anyway, the imaginary wyvern cried out with a screech. As if it heard me.
So I barked back.
“This is the freedom I chose, jerk.”
All freedoms come with responsibility. Sure, freedom from responsibility exists, but I chose the burdensome kind.
Didn't mean I'd lose the fight, though.
I closed my eyes.
“In, hoo.”
Breathe in, out.
Couldn't brush teeth in the Great Forest, maybe that's why. Warm trash scent tickled my nose. But I didn't grimace.
Life's too short to not smile through it.
Like that.
I finished the breathing exercise and spent plenty of time preparing. Pulled jerky from subspace, filled my belly, handled this and that.
About an hour later.
“Alright! Let's go!”
Feeling not alright at all, but with spirited steps!
Not bold by nature, shitty mood unavoidable. Still, mustard eaten crying ain't tasteless—what can you do.
Decided to eat? Then eat. Yeah, that.
……Damn it.
* * *
……Meanwhile, at that very moment.
4th Base Camp.
“Hmm, so Plan B means that?”
“……Yes, that's right.”
In a monitoring room lined with image output devices everywhere, Plen was speaking with a certain woman.
Not a mercenary.
Every piece of gear she wore was top-tier. Clearly handcrafted by artisans, and the aura she subtly exuded was nobly untouchable.
Plen found himself overwhelmed by her presence without realizing it—then she spoke.
“The situation here…… isn't bad?”
“Yes, thanks to you…….”
Plen glanced at the monitoring room screens.
Images capturing every corner of the 4th Base Camp.
Gruesome.
Undead hordes pounding the walls. Giant breeds meters tall, plus small ones scaling the walls.
Thought surrounding monsters were wiped out, but who knows where they hid. Now possessed by ancient spirits, they swarmed the camp.
But.
The battle was utterly dominant.
Mages positioned at intervals along the walls.
Those in blue robes cast spells to block the undead.
Not grand-scale magic. Just casually, like breathing. Selecting and deploying precisely what's needed where.
‘Affiliation…….’
They hadn't disclosed.
Or rather, didn't want to—the emblems on their robes were all covered.
Still, as an imperial academy cadet who memorized the empire's forces, Plen knew their identity well.
‘Blue robes, battle style prioritizing utmost practicality. Only one group like that.’
Ramburk Ducal Family's mage unit, Azure Eyes.
And the woman leading them before his eyes. Her identity was obvious too.
Ice-blue eyes.
‘……The Ramburk Ducal Family's eldest daughter.’
Current head of Azure Eyes, Iris de Ramburk.
Even Plen, holed up in the Great Forest, had heard the name. Rumor had it she was uncontrollably ferocious……
Gulp.
Recalling her status anew, tension dried his mouth.
But then.
“Mm, good. So, it's fine if even I slip away?”
“What do you…….”
“Ah, no need to tense up. My subordinates are well-mannered. I've already told them to yield command to you, so no issues with coordination.”
“No, that's not what I…….”
Before Plen could say more, the eldest daughter whirled out of the monitoring room.
Where to?
As questions swirled in Plen's head.
The eldest daughter billowed her cape-like blue robe and exited the 4th Base Camp.
Undead, starved for life, lunged at her—but she ignored them.
Just.
Flick, flick.
A few steps into the air, strolling midair without falling.
Terrifying magic.
Amid that.
“This way?”
The eldest daughter paused to gauge direction, then headed one way.
Straight into the depths of Hamern Great Forest.
Toward the ancient ruins.
“The priest who received Master Sakwol's token ahead of me. Let's see that face.”
If Aster heard, he'd vomit blood.
Two errors in one sentence.
First, he wasn't Shubertz's disciple, so not siblings with the eldest daughter.
Second, Sakwol was just borrowed, not inherited.
Unaware, the eldest daughter strode through the air confidently.
Her steps faintly laced with killing intent.
But she lost her bearings soon enough.
“Whew, it's vast…….”
They said guides were essential in Hamern Great Forest.
Should've brought the Pathfinder who guided Azure Eyes.
Death trap or not, criminals deserved it anyway.
But then.
Something caught the eldest daughter's eye far off.
“Huff, huff……!”
A man running breathlessly toward the forest's edge.
Looked like he'd come from deep inside……
“Hoh, mind if I ask something?”
“Eek, wh-who are you?”
The man paled at the eldest daughter dropping from the sky.
“You came from deep inside?”
“…….”
The man rolled his eyes wildly. No, Reilly.
‘This is bad…….’
Bad premonition.
Like when he first met the masked mage. Different, but same danger.
“N-no, not me?”
He denied it first.
But that was the worst choice.
“You lied to me.”
“……Pardon?”
“Lying to me merits death, but I'm merciful. Do one task, and I'll forgive your sin.”
Crazy bitch.
Reilly truly thought so.
But having dealt with the madman Aster, he didn't open his mouth rashly.
Experience said it'd end with dog-like beatings.
But.
Her next words forced his mouth open.
No choice.
“Guide me.”
“T-to where…….”
“The ancient ruins? That's what they call it. Know it? Doesn't matter. Guide me.”
“……Fucking hell.”
Mad, utterly mad……
“Come along.”
“……Yes, understood.”
Reilly accepted reality quick.
Talking to someone unreasonable without going mad yourself? Impossible.
“I'll guide you swiftly, accurately, and comfortably.”
“Fine fellow.”
Reilly swallowed tears.