Chapter 170
Chapter 170
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 170
Chapter Title: I Want to Go Home
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‘I want to go home.’
It had been a full week since entering Ballista.
Every single day felt like a carbon copy of the last, down to the tiniest detail—no deviations whatsoever. That was the first thought that popped into my head.
I'd handed off tasks to Saladin and the others, while my own assignment was coordinating meetings with the caravan leaders the Second Prince had assigned to me. Meeting after endless meeting.
“In my opinion, potions will always sell the best in the kingdoms, no question. Their magic processing leans heavily toward potions, so the added value there is…”
“Hmm, Leader Ian makes a fair point, but potions are strategic military supplies, aren't they? If we overweight them, it might stir up trouble. We wouldn't want to put the Second Prince in a bad spot…”
“Ah, you have a point there. So, what about you, Vice Leader Philip?”
“Well, to bulk-buy elven goods, we'll need to offer something of equal value in return…”
Shaking off the fatigue from the long journey was one reason, but this felt like a more legitimate excuse.
As the Empire's first major exchange with the outside, this deal would set the precedent for all future trades.
Favorable to the Empire, unfavorable to the kingdoms.
As imperial citizens, they couldn't ignore that. That's why I was there to smooth things over.
“Hmm, how about this? Since it's our first trade, let's cut all the problematic items and stick to crops and ores that don't originate from each other's territories for now.”
Of course. No way they wouldn't bring that up.
The caravan leaders exchanged sly glances and chuckled.
“Ah, hahaha. That's not a bad idea, but… since it's the first trade, shouldn't we exchange something more ‘meaningful’ from each region?”
“Exactly, exactly.”
“Ahahaha.”
‘I can see right through you rookies.’
A few of the leaders were blatantly carrying secret orders from the Second Prince.
No, it was so obvious they were doing it on purpose.
Well, it made sense if you thought about it…
But repeating the same conversations day in and day out in a nest of people gunning for my life had worn my spirit thin.
“…For now, let's settle the daily necessities like this. We'll handle the rest tomorrow. Is that alright with you, Young Master Jerome?”
“Sounds good. You've all worked hard.”
Drag.
I pushed back my chair and headed to my quarters, leaving the merchants behind.
‘Tonight, I need to cultivate Earth aura to soothe my mind and body. I'm too exhausted to keep going like this.’
Dragging my weary body back to my room, I found an unexpected guest in the space that was usually empty.
It was Misha, who hadn't slept properly in days while commanding her spirits.
“Young Master.”
Despite the exhaustion etched around her eyes, Misha's face beamed with pride.
“I found it. The suspicious spot.”
Her words instantly invigorated my fatigued mind and body. Looked like sleep wouldn't come easy tonight.
“I couldn't find anything.”
Saladin waved his hand dismissively.
“The security was so tight, I couldn't even get near what looked like military facilities. I tailed a few guys, but most slipped out of 'Thread's detection range.”
“You're really useless.”
“…Isn't that a bit much from the guy who put me up to it?”
“Yeah, yeah, good job. I'll pat your head later.”
“Damn it, this isn't some prostration ritual.”
Saladin grumbled as he marked X's on a few spots on the detailed map of Ballista fortress crafted by Banten's spies.
I teased him for coming up empty, but considering the fortress's vast size, I could imagine how much he'd run his feet raw just checking those points. He probably hadn't rested at all.
“There's only one temple of the Church inside Ballista. It's so huge I haven't checked every corner yet… but I did find a few suspicious areas.”
Luna had her own results too.
“Luna, which one's the most suspicious?”
“Hmm, a novice priest stuck to me all day from the temple, so it's not precise… but here and here.”
Luna pointed to two spots on the temple map.
“Near the bishop's residence dispatched by the Church, and the underground prison…”
“The other places had no signs of life, so I could at least peek, but those spots? They wouldn't even let me near.”
“Misha, where did the gnome spot it?”
“Here!”
Misha, the only one with a solid find(?), pointed cheerfully at a spot on the map.
“The fortress outskirts near the mountains…”
Right. To supply fresh, living monsters, you'd need to be close to the source.
Even though it was outside our usual paths where we wouldn't go, according to Misha, it was deep underground.
They'd prepared this thoroughly. Duke Camille was no ordinary foe.
Tap, tap, tap.
I stared at the map incorporating everyone's findings, drumming my fingers on the table as I pondered.
‘Fewer results than expected.’
Luna's mother's detention spot, the monster unit hidden in Ballista, the secret behind the dwarf's flames.
I hadn't expected to uncover everything in just a week, but I didn't anticipate such ironclad security either.
Tap!
After some time, having sorted my thoughts, I spoke up.
“…Luna, tomorrow just check near the bishop's residence. No need for the underground prison.”
Luna's expression hardened at my firm declaration.
“…Why? You're not thinking that since you have your deal with the Second Prince, you don't need to keep your promise to me, are you?”
As if. I refuted her baseless misunderstanding and continued.
“Think about it. You said your mother was a civilian, right? And as a mother, she's probably up in years. Would they stick someone like that in an underground prison? No sunlight? Who knows what illnesses an elder could catch.”
“…We can't even be sure she's alive. They just need to hold me here.”
She could think that, but her logic was off.
In her previous life, she'd betrayed the Empire after her mother's death.
Meaning, back then, Luna had witnessed her mother's death with her own eyes.
‘So she can't be dead now. No civilian could survive that long in the Golden Lion Church's underground prison.’
The Golden Lion Church's dungeons were infamous even across the Continental Alliance.
No middle-aged civilian woman could last over a decade in those conditions.
‘The problem is the dwarf's flames…’
That part nagged at me. A little more time, and I could've had a lead.
Aria von Wendinel, the Crimson Flame Mage.
In this life, she was as talented as ever, but different—less specialized in fire like her past self alongside Set, more of an all-rounder across magic fields.
I'd hoped to uncover that secret here.
‘No helping it. Lingering risks exposing us if they catch on.’
Even if Duke Camille respected Ivarella's cause, discovering the monster unit would trap us here forever.
Some things outweigh pretenses.
As I set aside my regrets to wrap up, Miron spoke quietly from the corner, his voice dejected.
“Young Master, I'm sorry… You trusted me, and all I did was brawl with holy knights.”
“Hm? No, Miron. You drew their eyes, letting the rest of us move freely.”
Misha slapped his shoulder, seeing how downcast the big guy looked.
“Miron, didn't you say you had something for the Young Master? Come on, hand it over!”
“……?”
Miron had something for me?
Rustle.
Miron hesitantly pulled a crumpled paper from his belt.
“It's… nothing much, but I thought it might help, so I jotted down notes on a few holy knights I sparred with who had unusual auras.”
‘Unusual auras?’
His notes were simple impressions.
-Match 1. They underestimated me. Snapped his sword easily.
-Match 2. Saw the first one break, so he powered up his aura. Pretty sharp.
…(skipped)
-Match 17. Weird feeling from this holy knight. Definitely aura, but why the faint heat?
‘……?!’
Heat?
I started reading Miron's notes seriously.
-Match 20. Something's off. Thought it was holy power at first, but no. Warm? No, hot. Like flames. Gotta tell the Young Master.
“…Miron, this…?”
“How peculiar.”
As I gaped at Miron, Karma—who'd been resting with his eyes closed due to poor health—spoke first.
“Master! You're awake?”
Rampang shouted from where he'd been quietly tending Karma.
“I thought there were multiple people when I closed my eyes… Why do I sense echoes of various Heterogenous Powers from that young lad?”
“……!!”
Sir Karma!
I nearly cheered. After lying low, he stepped up at the perfect moment.
“And… hm, a bit muddled scent. No idea what you've been up to, but it's foul.”
Karma grimaced. As the Azure Wing and one of the Great Three Sages, his judgment was spot-on.
“Miron, where was the training ground for your last holy knight spars?!”
“Uh, that… um… Ah! Squad 7's grounds, Squad 7!”
What a sharp kid! Overcome with excitement, I pounded his shoulders.
“Well done, Miron! You're the best!”
Two days after that marathon meeting, I headed to the fortress's central keep to inform Duke Camille of our departure.
“Rested enough?”
“Yes, thanks to you. I rested very comfortably. My deepest gratitude for your hospitality, Your Grace.”
“Hoho, no need. You could've stayed longer—what's the rush?”
I smirked at Duke Camille's cryptic words, unclear if he meant Banten or elsewhere.
“I've rested plenty, so it's time to move. Idle too long, and you get lazy, Your Grace.”
“…Hmmm, true enough. Safe travels, then.”
“One last thing before I go: I'd like to stop by the temple for a prayer. That alright?”
Duke Camille nodded nonchalantly at my request.
“What's so hard about a temple visit? Pray in peace.”
‘He really doesn't know.’
His reaction to my probing question confirmed it: the duke was clueless about Luna's mother in the temple.
‘This'll make things smoother.’
Hiding my thoughts, I finished my farewell and stepped out to find Luna, Miron, the Second Prince's caravans, and the 'Squad 7' holy knights waiting.
“Young Master, all set? But where are your squires…?”
Squad 7's captain eyed me sharply. Stadt, if memory served.
“No issue, Captain Stadt. I sent them on a quick errand before leaving. Greeting the duke and heading to the temple takes time—they'll catch up soon. No worries.”
“…Very well, then. Let's move out!”
I could read Stadt's mind.
With Archbishop Luna and the standout knights from Ballista here, a few missing squires were no big deal.
Even if they didn't rejoin before leaving Ballista, it wouldn't hinder much.
They were just squires, after all.
But here's the thing.
Those absent weren't mere squires.
‘Far from what you expect.’
The missing Rampang, Saladin, and Misha had been bustling since dawn for my scheme.
Swoosh.
As we neared the temple, the sun raced toward its zenith.
‘It's about to start.’
Stepping foot in the Empire for the first time, now heading back to Banten at last.
Time to dance for Ivarella.