Chapter 242
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 242
Chapter Title: Part 2 Chapter 17: Princess of Lan (2)
"There was no talk about fighting!"
"Ahh~ That's how it turned out."
"'That's how it turned out'? What do you mean?! Damn it. I should've gone with you..."
"Even if you'd come, it would've been the same. It might've been more dangerous."
"I could've stopped you."
"Enough, enough. What's done is done anyway. As long as the outcome's good."
"But your right arm..."
"Getting off with just one right arm is a bargain. They say it might even recover if you're lucky."
"Haa. Isis, you really are something."
Loud voices came from inside the house, so Jamie just stood there without knocking.
This was Isis's home, and it seemed Jin had arrived first.
The voices from within quieted down a bit.
They were probably catching their breath.
Jamie seized the moment and knocked on the door.
"Come in."
At the sound of Isis's clear voice, Jamie entered without hesitation.
A few candles lit the dim interior, and two people sat at a round table in the center.
Jin, who had arrived first, adjusted his mask and greeted Jamie.
"Feels like it's been ages."
"Yeah. Even though it's only been a few hours."
"Come sit over here."
Jamie sat in the spot Isis gestured to.
He glanced around the house as he took the seat she offered.
"The place is pretty rundown, huh?"
As she said, it was a very old house.
The lodging Jamie had checked into was ordinary but clean, with a bright overall atmosphere.
But Isis's home had a musty feel.
It smelled of rotting wood, and sunlight didn't enter well due to the structure.
"Sorry for calling you to a place like this. My philosophy is that the leader should live in the most uncomfortable spot."
"We barely talked her out of living in a beast pen and got her to stay here."
Jin looked at Isis with a dissatisfied face.
He clearly still disliked that his leader lived here.
Jamie didn't care much where she lived, so he just nodded vaguely.
"We should eat."
Isis stood and disappeared somewhere.
Left alone with Jin, Jin asked,
"You really planning to fight Hawks?"
"You too with that question?"
"Guess it's true then. Hmm. Fighting Hawks..."
Unlike others, Jin didn't say not to fight.
And for good reason—he was the only one who'd witnessed Jamie's power firsthand just moments ago.
So Jamie asked,
"What's your take on the win rate?"
"Hard to say. Both of you are insanely strong by my standards. Especially you—you even hunted a young dragon."
It was thanks to awakening in rage, but a dragon kill was a dragon kill.
"Not confident. If you can pull out the power you had when you took down the dragon, Hawks loses for sure."
"I can't fight at that level. That was like a miracle."
"Then it's fifty-fifty."
Jin said it firmly.
Win rate: fifty-fifty.
Jamie thought it was the most objective assessment.
Hawks's skill didn't feel inferior to his own at all.
So combat sense would decide the victor.
"Rosemary made this meat stew earlier—it's delicious. Dip some bread in it; it's killer."
At that moment, Isis appeared levitating a pot of stew and a plate of bread in the air.
The ability to manipulate objects at will was granted only to those at the pinnacle.
And Isis was using two such feats just to move food.
As Jamie stared in disbelief, Isis offered an excuse that wasn't really one.
"My right arm and all."
She showed her arm wrapped tightly in bandages.
He'd seen it earlier, but the skin peeking through was blackened and necrotic.
"What happened to that arm...?"
"We'll talk about it later, later."
Jamie nodded at Isis smiling as she spoke.
'She seems pretty normal.'
Before coming, Vena and Behemoth had described Isis's personality as hard to put into words.
But to Jamie, she didn't seem that way at all.
Aside from her relaxed demeanor, she just seemed like an ordinary person.
'Judging her whole personality from this little glimpse is ridiculous anyway.'
It was just a few exchanges.
Once real conversation started, he'd learn her true nature whether he liked it or not.
The meat stew's aroma was no joke.
It could stand toe-to-toe with the Welton family's head chef's stew.
As expected of a Flamekin.
'But... do Flamekin eat meat?'
He didn't know the details, but her cooking skills were top-notch.
Jamie tore off a hunk of hard bread and dunked it in the stew.
The broth soaked in, softening the tough crumb. He topped it with meat and veggies and took a big bite.
"Good, right?"
Jamie nodded while chewing.
His mouth was too full to speak.
Isis smiled in satisfaction and started eating too.
They could talk after filling their stomachs, so all three focused on the meal first.
It was that good.
"I don't know what herb she used, but it clears your head. Helps you sleep well at night too."
The after-meal tea smelled so good from the herbs that just sniffing it lifted his mood.
"Enjoy."
"Cheers."
Jamie and Jin sipped their tea in unison.
Isis fiddled with her cup before just touching it to her tongue.
"So. Can I ask about your arm now?"
He'd been curious the whole time.
For someone of Isis's caliber, her arm was wrecked beyond use.
It couldn't be a mere accident.
She was a bona fide Grand Master.
Far stronger than the red dragon Kyros.
'No reason she couldn't match a dragon. They're both of the Three Great Races.'
Plus, leading an organization like Frontier, she was likely among Lan's elite.
For such a being's right arm to rot like that, it had to be more than an accident.
Right to assume combat with someone equal or superior to her.
"Fought an ancient dragon?"
Isis's eyes widened slightly, and Jin turned to Jamie in a panic.
His mask hid it, but Jamie could tell he was rattled.
Isis smiled.
"Sharp one."
"Not many in the world who could reduce someone like you to that state. Gods aside."
"What about high elves?"
"They're indifferent to the world. No interest means no conflict if you don't provoke them. No conflict, no mangled arm."
"But dragons are different?"
"They fancy themselves the world's guardians. Whatever the reason, it probably clashed with Frontier's pursuit of freedom."
Isis nodded at Jamie's words.
She pondered for a moment before speaking.
"You're wrong on a few points, but overall, spot on."
"I see."
"But why'd you come here? Vail said you turned down joining Frontier before. Changed your mind?"
"No. Still not joining Frontier. Jin asked me to come, and I had some personal questions."
"Like what? And do I have to answer?"
"Won't be one-sided. You must have questions for me too... Fair trade. Professional-like."
"I like a fellow mage~"
Agreement reached, Isis asked first.
"Mind if I go first?"
"If I can answer."
"Do you believe in God?"
Jamie's expression hardened at the question.
"Isn't that rude to Pyro's saint?"
Her tone probed.
Isis was smiling.
Everything but her eyes.
Jamie glanced at his left hand.
He hadn't expected this question at all.
He figured it'd be 'Who are you?' or 'What's your goal?' at most.
'Got it. That's her type. Now I see.'
Isis looked like she'd found a fun new toy.
Vena had said she seemed nice.
Behemoth called her indescribable.
He hadn't talked long, but their words made sense now.
He understood why they'd said that.
'Whatever it is, she wants to toy with me.'
Poke the most sensitive spot and see the reaction.
Isis just wanted to know.
No deeper purpose.
She probably wouldn't mind if he didn't answer.
And sure enough,
"If it's too personal, skip it~ I'll understand, saint and all."
She said it considerately.
But he knew it wasn't consideration.
If she knew he was the saint, she wouldn't ask that.
She knew from the start he didn't believe in gods.
So why ask a question she knew the answer to first?
Simple reason.
"This childish power play isn't fun."
Isis dropped her smile.
Seeing it, Jamie continued,
"Let's drop the games between pros. We've both got questions."
"Just thirteen and calling yourself a pro... Thought you'd have some cute charm."
"Why would Lan's princess seek cuteness from me?"
Isis blinked her big eyes, then burst into laughter.
Jin beside her looked greatly flustered by Jamie's words.
Once she stopped laughing, Isis asked,
"How'd you know? That I'm Lan's princess."
"It was real?"
Jamie feigned surprise, and Isis looked like she'd been had.
"You were fishing too?"
She shook her head helplessly and extended her hand.
"Feels like we could be friends~"
Jamie chuckled and took her brightly smiling hand.
Isis was a total nutcase.
Probably.
"Ask away. As payment for getting one over on me, I'll answer pretty much anything."
Isis was cool.
Didn't know if that was her base nature, but admitting defeat in a pissing contest wasn't easy.
Not a bad spot for Jamie, so he asked right away.
"What's a princess of Lan lack that she builds a multi-race group like Frontier?"
He'd been guessing, but Jamie half-expected Isis was Lan's princess.
Simple reason.
Her constant air of leisure.
A huge organization's leader could fake composure, but Isis's was a different breed.
In his past and current lives, Jamie knew people with that leisure.
Royalty.
Isis had the vibe of a free-spirited royal.
Maybe not.
Didn't matter if wrong.
The question's intent matched hers anyway.
"Hmm."
Isis didn't answer easily.
Wondering if it was tough, he asked,
"Too tricky?"
"Nah, not tricky. Just... hard to sum up."
She brushed back her silky sky-blue hair and said,
"A tangle of complicated reasons?"
She seemed to mull it, then decided.
"Simply put: to kill a god?"
"Isis!"
Jin shot up from his chair.
Not words for a leader to say to a stranger.
That provocative, taboo.
"It's fine, it's fine."
"Fine my ass! Jamie, this..."
Flustered Jin turned to persuade Jamie.
But seeing Jamie's face, he couldn't speak.
"...Jamie Welton."
"See? Told you it's fine."
Isis propped her chin on her hands.
"Like my answer?"
"Ah."
Jamie rubbed his dry face, swept back his emerald hair.
Then smiled and replied,
"Love it."
Isis was a total nutcase.
That's why he loved it.