Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Twin Gorge (7)
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The soldiers recoiled in shock, leaping out of the way.
"Wh-what..."
"Y-yes, sir! Right away!"
"E-everyone, fall back! Clear the area, now!"
Kadim let out a faint, hollow chuckle as he lifted the longsword with his bare hands. His palm sizzled and burned, but it soon began regenerating slowly. The watching soldiers' eyes went wide as saucers.
Kadim then grabbed the dwarven axe with his other hand.
He swung the axe blade down onto the red sword body with all his might.
Ka-ang!Whoosh!
The divine sword let out a shrill wail. Flames of rejection shot up sharply. But the barbarian indifferently hammered away at it with the axe blade again and again.
Ka-ang! Ka-ang! Ka-ang!
The divine sword was forged from red iron, a metal found only in the southern volcanic regions, incredibly tough and durable. Blessed by Elga besides, no ordinary weapon could even scratch its blade.
But the dwarven axe was made of frost iron, a metal from the cold lands boasting even greater strength than red iron. Swords, by their structure, were inherently weak to lateral impacts. And this was a longsword with an especially long blade, making it even less able to withstand such blows.
Tick, tick, crack—ang!
After relentless axe strikes, cracks formed, and the sword finally snapped once. Kadim didn't stop, smashing the blade to pieces. Sparks and fragments burst like fireworks, and the once-elongated red blade was now reduced to six short chunks of iron.
Fwoosh, fwoosh...
With the pieces scattered, the rejection flames had weakened considerably. Still intense—hotter than any ordinary furnace—but manageable. Kadim smirked, curling his lip as he ordered the soldiers.
"Bring me a holy knight's armor. It's heat-resistant, so stuff these pieces inside and boil them up."
The soldiers obeyed without complaint. They gingerly picked up the iron chunks and tucked them into the breastplate. Sure enough, as Kadim had said, only a tolerable amount of heat seeped out. Gloved soldiers carried the breastplate like a treasure chest, leading the way, while others followed with the remaining debris.
Kadim thought to himself that he should find a blacksmith who could forge those lumps into proper weapons when the chance arose.
The spring rain had stopped. Faint ashes drifted through the air as the sunset's glow pierced the charred gorge between blackened cliffs. The end of a long day stained with blood and fire. The procession marched on, overwhelmed by the lingering awe of it all.
In the outskirts village of Eckl on the edge of the alliance lands, a string of joyous events had unfolded.
The first was the extermination of the trolls in Twin Gorge.
The sole path connecting Remtana and the village was finally open again. Thanks to the commissioner's intervention, trade routes were restored. No more rampaging mercenary bands terrorizing the village or shortages of daily necessities plaguing the residents.
The second was the bonus: saved money on top of that.
Remtana's commissioner, Enrico, had agreed to cover the reward the village chief had promised Kadim. Sure, they had similar expenses paying back taxes and tribute, but for the villagers who nearly faced double the payout, it was more than welcome.
The third was something no one could have foreseen.
When the forest—said to be impossible to return from—caught fire, everyone feared the village would burn to the ground. But the flames mysteriously died out just short of the village edge. Once the fire's remnants were cleared, fertile flatland emerged. The ominous forest of dark rumors vanished, replaced by prime farmland that seemed to drop from the heavens.
Any one of these would spark a village festival. All three at once? Smiles spread across every face.
"Hahaha, good morning!"
"Oh, take some of this home and eat it, everyone!"
"Kuhaha, how about drinks tonight?"
Villagers burst into laughter at the sight of a pebble on the road. They embraced awkward neighbors and danced shoulder-to-shoulder. Children played freely after so long, women shared food and gossip, men gathered at "Eckl's Feast" to tip back drinks, and the innkeeper poured precious honey mead without stint.
Recovering from isolation would take time, but the future shone bright rose-colored in their eyes.
And word spread quietly. Who was behind this triple blessing?
"Heard he took down two trolls single-handed..."
"Really? Wasn't it barely with the commissioner's troops' help?"
"Nah, soldiers all say the same—if not for that mercenary lord, they'd be dead men."
"Lord have mercy, I sensed it when he beat down those thugs... He's no human."
"I heard he even put out the forest fire..."
"What? Not just a fighter, but a shaman too?"
"Dunno, just overheard the soldiers..."
Rumors snowballed with every retelling. Kadim started as the mighty mercenary who slew two trolls, but soon morphed into the incarnation of the war god Atalans worship—a grand sorcerer commanding weather and flames at will.
Not everyone believed it fully. Still, every villager yearned to see the great warrior again. Crowds buzzed excitedly near the chief's house where he stayed.
But Kadim holed up, refusing to show. He just had the chief relay he wanted no fuss. Disappointed onlookers glanced back wistfully as they dispersed.
Instead, his fame benefited another.
Kadim's sole companion, self-proclaimed capable guide, the merchant who'd spread the word—Duncan Wheeled. He'd become a village celebrity, welcomed everywhere.
And today, as always, Duncan spun tales at "Eckl's Feast," enjoying free food and drink.
"...And there it was—good lord! That mountain of a demon, serpent-like, torn to shreds and buried in the swamp! Vile blood overflowed, flooding the mire and staining the forest soil red!"
"Whoa!"
"That bad?"
"Unbelievable..."
Though they'd heard it a dozen times, villagers and soldiers gasped like it was new. Stories hit harder when close to home—especially with the legend's hero lodging in their village.
Seeing their sparkling eyes, Duncan knew: now's the time. He plunked a heavy pouch on the table and, like a triumphant general, hoisted an olive-green scale.
"And this is from that demon the lord butchered back then! Behold! This mystical sheen, chilling aura, steel-hard toughness! Amazing, right? Few left! Mythic trophy: 1,000 luden each, 100 per piece..."
The reaction differed vastly from the first showing. No one doubted these were from that colossal, ferocious demon.
"W-wait! Hold on! I'll fetch money now..."
"Me first! Three—no, four pieces!"
"One for me! Here's the coin!"
Villagers and soldiers alike scrambled, emptying pockets for even a shard. Duncan inwardly squealed with joy at the growing pile.
Ironically, the merchant once falsely accused of selling demon parts and seized by holy knights had become exactly that.
A dim, flickering lantern. At the table sat a stern-faced middle-aged man. The chief and servants had stepped out at his request. No sounds of eavesdroppers.
Kadim rolled his stiff shoulders and sat before Enrico.
"Been a while. What's your business, commissioner?"
"...First, take this."
Clink. The pouch he placed thudded heavily. Kadim's brow twitched as he took it. Inside: far more gold than expected.
"Quite a sum. Wasn't the promised reward 20,000 luden?"
"Originally the bounty I set for the trolls: 50,000 luden. Meant for whichever band finished the job... but they all died or fled, so it goes to the one who did."
Kadim eyed the commissioner silently. Unlike the festive villagers, he'd grown haggard these past days.
He stroked his chin slowly. More money wasn't bad. But nothing came free in this world. Giving 20,000 when that sufficed was human; 50,000 meant strings attached.
Enrico caught the probing gaze. He roughly rubbed his dry face and sighed deeply.
"You're right. Not just to flaunt wealth. There's a reason."
"..."
"I've struck countless deals, contracts, secret pacts, and negotiations to reach this post. There, talks are probing skirmishes laced with diplomatic rhetoric—essential skills. But I'll skip that. No point in clumsy tricks when your axe might fly."
"..."
"Straight talk: You saved us beyond repayment, but I'm in dire straits. An arch paladin's death isn't for a border commissioner to cover up. Even my Delutana commission council can't."
The empire's arch paladin invaded alliance lands. Empire's fault clearly. But slain? Alliance bears greater blame. Alliances were nominally under empire still.
"...Silenced the soldiers thoroughly. But some villagers saw the paladin's plate armor. If the church investigates, truth outs fast. They'll demand huge reparations and the culprit."
"..."
"Then... we'd have to hand you over. Or war erupts. Empire's holy flames would burn innocents like autumn leaves again."
Kadim crossed his arms impassively, leaning back. The simple shift exuded crushing pressure. Enrico's eyes gleamed precariously in the lantern light.
"...But I want no war—and no enmity with you. Rather, I'd pull you to our side by any means."
"..."
"First warrior like you I've seen. Curious about your origins and strange powers. The paladin called you a demon, but I saw different. I suspect ties elsewhere. Like... to Agon's Furious Horn."
The air shifted. Kadim's eyes blazed as he slammed the table.
"If you don't want to end up torn like rags, never speak that name before me again."
A chilling warning. Not even that hard a hit, yet the table split in two, legs shattering.
Enrico gulped, stunned.
He'd thought him just a mercenary under the legendary arena champion. Even Atalans rarely hated Agon's Furious Horn—he'd elevated their status. Why this reaction?
"Understood, I'll remember... Apologies for the slip."
Baffled, he could only apologize. It took great courage to speak again.
"I've pondered deeply these days. How to resolve this peacefully. Betray no benefactor, dodge empire friction, avert war's flames."
"..."
"Today, I found the way."
Kadim's eyes widened slightly.
He'd figured killing the paladin meant unavoidable mess. Empire-alliance diplomacy aside, trouble for him surely. But this commissioner had a solution? Curiosity piqued.
Enrico leaned forward, voice hushed.
"Remember Ymir? My mage aide."
"Yes. Different politics from you."
"Right. I've thought it over: He's behind shoving trolls into Twin Gorge. Timing matches his arrival; only he could block my messengers. Biggest clue: Ymir Demil's mastery of mind magic."
"..."
"Never imagined mind-controlling monsters, but peg him as culprit and pieces fit. Leave him, and it'll recur."
Not random topic. Kadim chuckled dryly, sensing what came next.
Enrico pressed on firmly.
"Alliance can't escape bloodless. Needs a sacrifice matching the arch paladin. Same blood spilled, empire can't press hard. It started with the paladin's unauthorized border cross."
"..."
"Ymir suffices. Not just local aide—he's a conjurer, third-highest in the Magic Tower."
"..."
"Directly: Kill Ymir Demil. I'll paint the scene: Paladin and mage clashed to the death. Erase your traces clean."
Church high paladin invades border; Magic Tower high mage blocks; fierce duel; both fatally wounded. Even without Kadim, it cohered.
That was Enrico's "picture."
"Not easy, so not empty request. Extra 250,000 luden reward. Full support, whatever your goals."
"..."
"I'm just a border commissioner, but my house isn't. Turis Family's renown tops Delutana; my brother's multi-term councilor, eyeing chairmanship. Their intel and influence span the alliance—great aid to you."
"..."
"We each hold the other's weakness—no betrayal worries. I remove a foe, you evade pursuit, alliance dodges war. Perfect deal, no losers?"
Cold cunning gleamed in Enrico's eyes. No longer a weary middle-aged man. Physically an ant to Kadim, but his true power lay elsewhere.
Not for nothing he'd risen to commissioner. Kadim twisted his lips in a wry smile.
At times like this, even demons couldn't match human guile.