Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: The Albre Clan
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Loan asked.
"Who's on the mission team?"
"So far, it's just you. The intel only came down to me and the commanders of the Honor and Practical Divisions, and both divisions have left it to me."
"Left it to you?"
"The Practical Division only has one or two people in the region. It's not easy to deploy additional personnel right away. And well, it's a tricky mission for the Honor Division to handle."
Boris, the Practical Division Runner he'd met in Denton, had also covered a vast area by himself. The Union was short-staffed as a whole, but the Practical Division was particularly stretched thin.
The Honor Division, specializing in firepower, wasn't suited for missions that required gathering intelligence and moving quickly.
Commander Magda's decision made sense.
"Is it too much pressure?"
"Not at all."
"The well-being and peace of the people are our top priority, but that's only possible if the Union remains strong. A problem with our comrades means a mission that takes precedence over everything else."
"Yes."
It sounded like she had already made her decision before asking him, but Loan was grateful for it.
"This mission. As long as the members' statuses are unconfirmed, we can't go in as a large group. It could easily turn into an all-out confrontation."
"Understood."
"We need a small team of unrecognized faces. You can form the team. After all, you're a Runner now."
...
She said it with the nuance that he was more than that. *That would mean a Seeker...*
Loan immediately thought of Lucas to hide his embarrassment.
"I'll go with Lucas first."
He was the one Loan worked best with, but more importantly, he couldn't leave Lucas out of something involving Sophie.
"Good. I figured you'd take him. How about we frame it as school alumni visiting a friend's home?"
It was a rather cute plan, but it didn't seem very effective.
"There were people from the Pobel family at the graduation ceremony. They were comparing me and Sophie, so they would have memorized our faces. They'll know the Union has arrived immediately."
"Then that won't work. Have anything else in mind?"
"If there are any families in the Pobel territory that haven't fallen yet, I was thinking of contacting them."
Loan explained his idea to Adrian and Sienna and received immediate approval.
"In that case, it would be better for you and Lucas to move alone. I'll have Sienna arrange for additional personnel to be on standby nearby."
During the last mission in Olen, it took only half a day for the Faith and Honor Divisions to arrive after Sienna sent a messenger bird.
This time, they would be waiting nearby, so they'd be even faster. It was very reassuring.
"Thank you."
"Check with the Administration Bureau to see if there are any suitable families, and depart as soon as things are sorted out."
Loan placed a fist over his heart and headed straight for the Administration Bureau.
He saw Lucas sweating in the training grounds but walked past him.
It would be better to discuss the mission with the Administration Bureau alone.
*I have to be as calm as possible. I need to read the situation with cold calculation.*
The head of the Administration Bureau, Lazaros, seemed to have been expecting him, immediately guiding Loan to the bureau's intelligence gathering room.
It was his first time in the room.
There was a massive blackboard, where countless words were being written and erased repeatedly.
The blackboard itself was a magical tool similar to a messenger bird, and the chalk floating in the air didn't seem ordinary either.
"You've received messenger birds, haven't you? Information from all over gathers here."
Across from them, several scribes from the bureau were tirelessly transcribing the words on the blackboard.
The collected information would then be summarized, analyzed in meetings, and organized into new missions.
"So this is where the state of the world is gathered. Is there any news about the Pobel family?"
"Of course."
Documents and a map, already prepared, were spread out before Loan.
"The Pobel family, along with the Versa family, holds the most territory. Among the minor families under them, there are a total of 32 that can be called gladiator houses. More than 18 of them have already been absorbed by the Pobels."
"Already? How is that possible without starting a war?"
"In Versa, they have what's called a *duella*, or a duel of acquisition. Even so, to do it this quickly is unusually fast."
According to Lazaros's explanation, a duel involved two or three warriors from each house fighting to the death over a desired stake.
There were no limits on what could be acquired.
Be it territory, people, or secret techniques.
"What happens if they refuse the duel?"
"It leads to war."
"That's extreme."
"In a way, it's also a proper check and balance. A minor house with exceptionally skilled individuals can take the territory of a major house with just two or three fights. It's more advantageous for the major house to refuse and choose war."
"So they can't just challenge anyone recklessly."
The reverse was unnecessary for a house that already possessed territory. It was more profitable to keep minor houses within their domain and receive tribute.
That's why what the Pobels were doing now was illogical.
Loan said.
"I'm thinking of going with Lucas to a house facing a duel for their secret techniques and offering our services as mercenaries or proxy warriors."
"A fine idea. I was worried you might come up with some childish plan, so this is a relief."
"A childish plan...?"
"You're Sophie's classmate, aren't you? Something like pretending to visit a friend's house."
"Yes. Truly childish."
He was very glad he'd rejected the commander's suggestion.
"As it happens, I have a list of potential targets for the next duel. Would you like to take a look?"
Lazaros was always one step ahead.
Loan, filled with admiration, reviewed the documents.
He first narrowed down the targets, considering the house head's character, their relationship with the Union, the family's location, the type of swordsmanship they used, and whether they possessed any secret techniques.
After running a few simulations in his head, he made a swift decision.
"We'll depart for the Albre family at once."
"Ha!"
Lazaros let out a short sigh of admiration.
* * *
"Wow, it's great having a friend who's a Runner. We get to go on a mission together right away!"
Lucas exclaimed from atop his horse.
He seemed to be in high spirits.
This was because Loan hadn't told him the exact details of the mission.
He had vaguely explained that they would be entering a house in Versa as disciples or mercenaries to participate in a martial contest. He judged it was better for Lucas not to know the truth for now.
It would be a disaster if he got worked up and suggested they charge into the Pobel estate.
Loan smiled and said.
"That's a relief. I was worried you'd complain about getting a mission so soon after returning to the Union."
"Nah, that's fine. The only thing I'm sad about is that it's not a mission with the Harmony Division."
"The Harmony Division?"
"Huh? Don't you remember what Commander Lydia said?"
He remembered. She had told him to visit the Harmony Division when he returned to the Union.
Loan might be called a genius, but he rarely spared any memory for things that didn't interest him.
Then again, even if he had remembered, he wouldn't have had the time.
"Well, the mission is more urgent."
"It would've been even better if we were doing this mission with Commander Lydia."
Lucas turned his head toward the Union and gazed for a long while. He was getting quite good at riding a horse now.
Finding the sight admirable, Loan gave him a bit of hope.
"How about we go together for the interview after this mission is over?"
"Oh! Really?"
They rode for a long time.
It was the middle of a summer day, and as they headed further south, the horses tired quickly.
They had to rest, even if they wanted to press on.
Fortunately, a stream appeared.
The two let their horses drink and rest in the shade before quickly stripping off their clothes and jumping into the water to cool off.
Floating on his back, Lucas asked.
"This mission doesn't seem too dangerous or difficult, huh?"
In the same position, Loan asked back.
"Why do you say that?"
"Missions have difficulty ratings, right? Like how a certain grade requires a Runner and a certain number of people. Since it's just the two of us, I figured it must be an easy one."
It was quite awkward to see Lucas showing off his knowledge, but what was more surprising was that he wasn't wrong.
"Yeah, you're right. I'm a newly minted Runner, so they wouldn't give me anything too dangerous."
Intelligence, espionage, and infiltration missions were divided into five grades, and a Grade 4 mission required a team of at least two, including a Runner.
This was a Grade 4 mission. The risk was low because Loan's job was simply to confirm the status and whereabouts of the Union members.
In any case, Loan and Lucas met the requirements.
"How far are we going?"
Versa was a duchy located southeast of the Union.
The Albre family, located in the Pobel's domain within Versa's territory, was situated in the western mountains.
It was slightly closer to the Union than to the Pobel's main estate.
"It's a place called Albre. A four-day journey from here, but the path is rough, so we'll have to dismount and walk the last day."
And on the fourth day.
After climbing the mountain path all day, Loan and Lucas arrived at the location of the Albre family.
The approach had been difficult, but upon reaching their destination, they found a small village nestled in a concave basin on the mountainside.
"Whoa... feels like we've stepped into another world."
Just as Lucas exclaimed, it felt very serene and peaceful.
It seemed as though the events unfolding near Versa had no effect on this place.
For the Pobels to specifically target a place like this meant that, contrary to its appearance, it possessed considerable military strength.
*According to the bureau chief's prediction, the Pobels will arrive here soon.*
Loan stopped Lucas, who was eager to head to the village.
Lucas didn't know it, but the people who had been watching and following them from a distance since the base of the mountain had just returned to the village.
Now was the right time to talk.
He slowly began to explain the real mission.
"What? Sophie?"
Lucas, who had been listening intently, suddenly shouted.
The basin echoed with his voice, and startled mountain birds took flight all at once, briefly filling the sky.
Lucas's expression was just as chaotic.
"Wait, then this is no time to be standing around! Why did we come here?"
He looked ready to run to the Pobel estate at any moment.
Loan enveloped them both in his Domain and stopped Lucas. As the team leader for this mission, and as a friend who cared for Sophie just as much.
"We could go to the Pobel estate right now and confirm Sophie's status. But that could put the other two seniors in danger."
Confirming their status was the mission, but protecting their safety was his duty as a comrade.
Furthermore, if they discovered something that warranted punishing the Pobels, things would get even more complicated.
To uncover the truth and secure evidence, they had to be extremely cautious and discreet.
Loan continued speaking in a calm, soothing tone.
"I feel the same way you do. And I hate losing the people around me more than anything in this world. So please, follow my lead."
The wave of mana Loan emitted shook Lucas's heart violently within the thick Domain.
A moment later.
"Alright. I get it. We can't just stand around doing nothing."
Lucas turned his gaze, his expression hardening.
Loan, too, had been sensing a powerful mana movement for a while now.
Keeping the Domain active, he turned toward the village.
Men with their noses and mouths covered by masks approached them, greatswords slung over their shoulders, their steps heavy.
Their aura was domineering, and their eyes were incredibly sharp. The moment Loan and Lucas circulated mana throughout their bodies.
*CRASH—!*
The large man at the front slammed his sword into the ground and shouted.
"Welcome to Albre!"
The greeting was at odds with his demeanor.