Chapter 55
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Theo's Name and the Demonic Knights
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Excluding the fact that he'd settled for bread instead of stew for lunch, it had been an incredibly peaceful afternoon.
The mercenary corps gathered around the table, each holding a cup of black tea.
"Hoo, hoo."
The child's innocent blowing on the hot tea softened the atmosphere even further.
Naturally, all eyes turned to the child.
"Ruyan, shouldn't we give that kid a name?"
The first to speak was Eric.
His mouth rarely produced anything nutritious, but this time it was spot on.
'Come to think of it...'
The name "Number 34," which had forsaken the will of heaven, needed to vanish from the world. To start a new life, a new name was essential.
"I'd like to give you a name, but do you have any you prefer?"
The child blinked her sky-blue eyes, then shook her head.
It was the reaction of someone who'd never even considered it.
'Hmm, what name would be good.'
Ruyan deliberately held his tongue.
If he named her, something like "Blood Moon" or "Crimson Gale" was bound to pop out.
His naming sense was something even the Central Plains would recoil from.
Let alone on the Sobles Continent.
With her guardian Ruyan silent, an awkward hush settled in.
Alize's gentle voice broke the silence.
"How about Theo?"
"Theo. What does it mean?"
"It's just... the most common name in the world. No special meaning."
A plain name without even a meaning.
Was that it?
As Ruyan stared, Alize smiled bashfully and looked away.
"I think living ordinarily and plainly is the hardest thing. I'm a bit envious."
'Ordinary, huh...'
Yes. It was difficult.
For some, no matter how hard they struggled, an ordinary life was forever out of reach.
'Perfect for this child.'
Ruyan hoped she would never face another tragedy that set her apart from others.
"What do you think? Do you like it?"
Ruyan gently stroked her head, and the child murmured "Theo" about ten times before nodding.
"I like it. Ah, Mister?"
With her name set, she intended to solidify her relationship with Ruyan too.
She was a smart kid.
"Ruyan. Just the name is fine."
"Yes. Ruyan!"
Ruyan's soft smile warmed the office atmosphere even more.
Screeech.
Then the office door opened, and Gerard strode in.
"Ruyan, take a look at this for a sec."
It was extremely rare for Gerard to speak first, so even Ruyan was a bit surprised.
"What's this?"
"From the mercenary guild."
The small metal plaque Gerard handed over was engraved with "Ruyan."
It was a Rank 4 mercenary plate.
"You can return the old one to the guild by end of day."
"Thanks."
As Ruyan took the new plate, Alize's expression darkened sharply.
'So it's come to this...'
The warm mood froze in an instant.
Everyone had expected it, but the moment had finally arrived.
Ruyan noticed the shift but pretended not to as he fiddled with the plate.
'Time to leave.'
He hadn't gathered all the funds for the academy yet, but it didn't matter.
Once his identity was sorted, money could be earned in other ways.
His destination was already set.
'To Ilut.'
A week south from Tvende Village.
There lay a city of mages.
Ruyan planned to gain imperial certification as a mage in Ilut Village.
Uncertified mages couldn't establish academies.
Qualifying came first.
'No point dragging it out.'
Ruyan decided immediately.
Leave Tvende Village tomorrow.
Theo was already under his care, so it would be a journey for just the two.
'But first... there's unfinished business.'
The Reverse Academy and the Tvende Lord.
He owed them.
What was received must be repaid.
Ruyan drained his teacup in one gulp and rose slowly.
"I'll be right back."
Perhaps sensing his intent, Alize flinched and looked up at him.
"You okay going alone?"
"No problem."
At Ruyan's firm words, Alize smiled bitterly and hugged Theo.
"Stay with big sis for a bit, okay?"
Theo, who had started to follow Ruyan, was startled by the sudden embrace but didn't resist.
"I'll watch Theo. Go without worry."
Ruyan nodded silently and left the mercenary office.
The sun was still high, but his steps were unhesitating.
'The lord first.'
Divine Bow's visit!
His arrows, which always brought death, targeted the lord's castle.
'This must be it.'
A weathered but sturdy inner castle gate blocked Ruyan's path.
Of course, the latch was meaningless.
If he wanted, he could infiltrate straight to the lord's bedroom.
Not even the blazing sun could hold him back.
'No need to harm innocent soldiers.'
Ruyan prepared to leap over the walls without delay.
But in that instant, a faint sensation pierced his mind.
'This...'
It was so subtle he nearly overlooked it.
'That woman's mana.'
Gloomy, unpleasantly sticky mana. The foul aura thinly coated the entire wall.
'Better check it out.'
Ruyan concealed himself stealthily and circled the walls.
Soon, he pinpointed Julr's mana source.
'The knights.'
Dark mana emanated from the gate-guarding knights.
Whatever they'd done, the mana was tightly sealed—but it couldn't escape Ruyan's eyes.
'They have some connection to that woman.'
After observing briefly, Ruyan dropped his stealth and approached openly.
"Halt."
As he neared the inner gate, the knights gripped their sword hilts warily.
"State your business."
"Here to see the lord."
Despite their caution, Ruyan replied indifferently, as always.
A frown creased the knight's brow.
"Mind your manners! To seek an audience with the lor—urk!"
Mid-sentence, the knight suddenly bowed his head in agony.
When he lifted it again!
His pupils were gone.
His all-white eyes gleamed with eerie light.
"Graaah!"
The knight roared and charged Ruyan.
'Tch. Suspicious as I thought.'
Already anticipating, Ruyan punched without flinching.
Bam.
The knight's helmet crumpled, his head shattering instantly.
Yet astonishingly, he kept coming without falling.
'What the...'
Charging headless!
A bizarre occurrence even for Ruyan.
Was that the signal?
"Graaah!"
All the gate knights rolled back their eyes and rushed him.
Like hyenas, they swarmed, grabbing and clinging.
Then exploded.
KABOOM
Gate melts, walls crumble
Regular knights of the order were all peak experts!
The bombs ignited by their lives were horrifically beyond imagination.
Whooosh.
Fierce aftershocks from the blast rocked the gate area.
Not a single ant spared—a brutal inferno.
As the winds cleared, Ruyan emerged at the center.
"Tch, clothes ruined again."
He brushed off his melting sleeve, frowning.
Even with protective aura, his clothes were gone.
The blast had been that dangerous.
But the threat wasn't over.
"Graaah!"
As Ruyan strode through the echoes, dozens of knights glared.
Over 50 knights!
White eyes without pupils gleamed from all sides.
"No longer human."
They wouldn't die even headless.
Monsters ready to burn their lives at any moment.
"Hoo, this lord shall reap them."
Ruyan sighed and drew his bow.
At once, the grotesque knights charged.
Barreling in barehanded without drawing swords—chilling.
Whoosh.
Ruyan lightly kicked off, evading as he loosed an arrow.
Scree.
The sharp arrow pierced straight, threading five knights' heads in succession.
Splat splat splat.
Five heads exploded simultaneously.
Yet again, they charged headless.
'As expected, heads won't do.'
To stop them, bodies needed total destruction.
Ordinary arrows wouldn't suffice.
Not suited for wide-area damage.
Archer counters, these.
But Ruyan gripped the bowstring without hesitation.
Fire Arrow
Golden mana surges into blazing pillar / Auto-nocks / Ready to fire
Golden mana roiled, forming a scorching fire pillar.
The fire arrow auto-nocked and readied on the string.
Fwoosh.
The fiercely burning arrow flew straight at the knights.
A blazing pillar traced a line, skewering them.
Boom.
Overwhelming power punched holes through three knights' hearts.
Fwoom.
Flames spread from the holes, melting heads above and torching torsos below.
"Graaah!"
Even ablaze, they charged until lower bodies burned away, scattering as ash.
'Heh, moving on legs alone. Truly grotesque.'
Their tenacity even drew a tongue-click from Ruyan.
"Kieeeek!"
With three gone, the rest frenzied harder toward him.
Blatantly exposing openings, charging to die together.
Intent clear: take him with them.
Fire Arrow
Continuous fire / 3-4 knights melted per shot
Ruyan dodged knights, firing fire arrows repeatedly.
Fwoosh.
Each clear line of fire melted 3-4 knights without fail.
How many had he loosed?
Drawing nonstop, Ruyan frowned discontentedly and sighed.
'Hoo, this won't end.'
Over 30 eliminated, yet numbers unchanged.
More kept emerging from the castle.
'How many did they make?'
No doubt Julr's doing.
Crossed the line—thoroughly.
Beyond good and evil now.
'Disrupt balance, and calamity follows!'
The world has balance.
Even lowly weeds in the food chain—disrupt it, all die.
Mana no different.
Twist mana to birth such monsters, and nature's wards shatter.
"Fine. However many, this lord sends them all back."
Ruyan's fingers spread wide, then clenched the bow firmly one by one.
The moment Divine Bow's sincerity descended.
"Fire..."
Golden mana gushed wildly.
But then, a chilling sensation crawled up his spine.
'No way!'
Ruyan whipped around, tracing the ominous source.
Alize Mercenary Corps office!
Jet-black mana erupted strongly from there.
Trouble at the corps for sure.
'Damn. Stalling was the goal from the start!'
Ruyan bit his lip lightly and turned back.
In that brief glance away, dozens encircled him.
"Grrr."
Ferocity beyond human.
"No time..."
But one transcendent aura crushed and devoured all malice.
Fwoosh.
Azure inner energy surged like wings from Ruyan's left shoulder.
Golden mana flared from the right.
"That's enough."
Ruyan had changed too.