Chapter 22
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: A Fellow Alumnus
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“What happened? I saw Galahad and Korton leaving together.”
At his aide Rumian’s question, the 5th Battalion Commander, Mark, nodded his head.
The situation had taken a turn Mark hadn't anticipated.
“Do you know why I summoned Galahad?”
“Wasn't it to call in the mage, Galahad, to keep Korton in check? And you were planning to inquire about the price of mana stones, too.”
“That’s right. Korton’s growth was too fast. Something about him smelled fishy. I called Galahad to keep him in check. Since he hasn't established himself yet, I figured he wouldn't be able to refuse my offer.”
Tap, tap. Mark’s fingers drummed on the table.
“Is there a problem?”
“He said they took down a mid-tier demon, sixteen ground-pups, and two mages. Without Adrianna.”
Rumian paused for a moment. Then, with a frown, he asked.
“Don’t you think he’s bluffing?”
“No, that wasn't the look in his eyes. He wasn't bragging. It felt like he was simply reporting what he’d dealt with on his way here. It was as monotonous as a soldier saying, ‘Oh, a fox showed up today. We caught it.’”
The conversation halted for a moment. Tap, tap. Mark drummed his fingers on the table.
“If he’s that skilled, isn’t that even better?”
“The problem is that he’s beyond just ‘skilled.’ You know their unit’s composition. The only useful one among them is Sir Gilberton. Even Sir Gilberton couldn't handle all of that by himself. If Galahad was the one who caught the demon…”
“That’s quite a leap.”
Mark readily nodded at Rumian's point.
He was right. Mark often made leaps in his thinking. It was Rumian’s job to rein him in.
“Korton and Galahad knew each other. Said they were from the same Academy. Apparently, Galahad was quite famous, but there was no news of him after graduation.”
Rumian remained silent. It wasn’t a question seeking an answer. It was just Mark thinking out loud, organizing his thoughts.
“No news after graduating from the Academy, and then suddenly he’s sent to be Adrianna’s husband. The third son of a Count? What could that mean? It means he was working somewhere connected to the Imperial Family.”
Tap. Mark’s finger stopped abruptly.
“I don’t know exactly which organization Korton belongs to, but he seemed to have a lot of information. If even Korton doesn't know Galahad's whereabouts, it’s one of two things.”
“What is it?”
“Either he was unemployed, or he was in a very clandestine group. It can’t be the former, so it must be the latter. A very clandestine group working for the Imperial Family would be…”
Mark trailed off, and Rumian swallowed hard. Frowning for a moment, Mark let out a small breath.
“I don’t know.”
Rumian’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. Acting as if he’d figured something out, only to end with ‘I don’t know’… It was absurd.
“This feels like I’ve brought in a tiger to deal with a fox.”
“That’s quite a leap.”
“How is this a leap? It was strange from the start that the Grand Duke created a new unit for a mage sent from the Empire. The rumor that he defeated Hermen in one go… no, it must not be a rumor. And on his first mission, he caught a mid-tier demon and sixteen demonic beasts. How is any of this a leap?”
At that question, Rumian clamped his mouth shut. Laid out like that, it was indeed an incredible track record. Rumian, too, was starting to worry.
“Hmm, I’m worried I might have spoken arrogantly to Galahad.”
“You probably did. Considering how you usually talk, Commander.”
“That’s quite a leap.”
Mark retorted in an annoyed voice.
****
‘He’s flustered.’
Galahad raised the corner of his mouth as he looked at Korton’s stiff face.
They were facing each other in a silent room. It was a room with books lining every wall, but no windows. Mana lamps placed here and there illuminated the space.
The distinct, sharp scent of the mana lamps made it feel just like being in the Intelligence Bureau. The room’s atmosphere was unusual.
The bookshelves on all sides were suspicious. The walls visible between them were narrower than the shelves themselves.
‘What could be hidden behind the bookshelves?’
Galahad muttered softly and put a cigarette to his lips. He lit it without asking for permission.
A fresh lemon scent wafted deeply. Savoring it, he waved his hand.
“Too much dust in here.”
A breeze stirred naturally. The smoke from the mana cigarette spread wide, following it. Being a mana cigarette, its smoke wouldn't dissipate easily.
The smoke drifted toward the middle of the bookshelves lining the walls. He carefully watched the smoke disperse between them.
‘Three of them.’
Two were hiding behind the left bookshelf, and one behind the right.
‘The back, then.’
He had entered from the front, and there was no one behind the bookshelf in the rear, so there must be something back there.
Galahad flexed his hand, pretending to pat his thigh, as he considered the worst-case scenario.
Two on the left, one on the right, and Korton in front. This wasn't a good place to fight four mages.
Galahad discreetly tried to push the desk. Was it movable? But it was fixed in place. They wouldn't use a large-scale attack in this cramped space.
‘In that case, I’ll take down the one in front first, pull him in as a shield, and deal with the one on the right. Then the ones on the left.’
“What are you doing?”
Korton’s question broke his train of thought. Korton still wore a look of unease.
It would be a bit awkward to reply, ‘I was just planning how to put a hole in your head, use you as a shield, and take down the other three mages,’ so he gave a more appropriate answer.
“…Hah, to accept the offer so readily, you must be in a tight spot.”
The man sneered openly. His voice was laced with thorns. Being too compliant would only arouse suspicion. So, Galahad deliberately responded with an edge.
“A tight spot? I simply found it hard to refuse the goodwill of a fellow alumnus. By the way, is this your workplace? It’s smaller than I thought. There’s no mana stone vault. Is it behind the bookshelf?”
The man flinched slightly. It was a fleeting reaction, but Galahad didn't miss it.
‘So it is behind the back bookshelf.’
“Such a pathetic attempt at a provocation. I’m only being cautious because if you turn out to be a low-life, it reflects poorly on me.”
At the man’s pompous reply, Galahad clicked his tongue softly.
‘He’s definitely different from before.’
In the past, the Black Magic Society feared nothing. They would approach any promising mage.
Now, those same people maintained a cautious stance even when facing Galahad.
The bookshelves, too… they were clearly more concerned with security than before.
However, the man standing before Galahad now was an idiot who had taken four years to graduate.
In war, the most dangerous thing wasn't a competent enemy, but an incompetent ally.
‘What kind of bait should I use?’
Galahad reviewed the cards he held.
Something he could give to a member of the Black Magic Society…
‘There’s plenty.’
The important thing was that the man must not realize Galahad was the one who gave it to him.
Mages, by nature, tended to be overconfident in themselves.
If he gently prodded that confidence while adding a dash of inferiority complex…
‘Perfect.’
His calculations complete, Galahad leaned back in his chair and smiled.
Like a man still clinging to his glory days, putting on airs.
“You, of all people, should know my abilities best, shouldn't you?”
He smiled arrogantly.
A smirk appeared on Korton’s face.
It was a very good start.
****
Korton hadn't expected Galahad to accept his offer.
It wasn't an offer in the first place. It was a taunt directed at Galahad.
Yet Galahad had snatched up the offer as if he’d been waiting for it.
His reaction showed just how desperate Galahad was. He was clearly desperate enough to jump at a mocking offer from a classmate he barely remembered.
It was a little puzzling. Why had Galahad, who was called a genius during their Academy days, ended up like this?
“Abilities? Did you have any?”
“I am the fiancé of the one and only Adrianna. I am to be the Grand Duke’s successor.”
The Grand Duke’s successor… Korton couldn’t hide his laughter.
Galahad was merely a pretext sent by the Empire, assuming the Grand Duke’s death. He would never marry Adrianna, nor would he become the Grand Duke’s successor.
“What… have you even met Adrianna?”
“We’re close enough to hold hands.”
As Korton laughed at Galahad’s bluff, he suddenly remembered Galahad’s status.
‘That’s right, he is Adrianna’s fiancé.’
Being the fiancé meant he had a position that allowed him to get closer to Adrianna than most.
If he brought such a man in, an opportunity to deal with Adrianna could arise.
And the bounty on Adrianna from Dawn was no small sum. It wasn't just about the money.
If he dealt with Adrianna, he wouldn't just be the branch manager of the Black Magic Society. He could see beyond that.
He could ascend to Dawn. He would even receive a high-ranking position.
Korton briefly marveled at his own brilliant mind.
“And I’m a commander! A commander! The commander of the Special Task Force.”
Just then, Galahad started boasting again.
This time, it was about being a commander. Korton frowned. With only four members, what was there to be proud of in a unit that existed in name only?
‘No. A commander is a commander, even if it’s only in name.’
Korton had struck a deal with Mark, the commander of the 5th Battalion, but he had recently been feeling its limits.
Mark rarely showed any openings. In such a situation, Galahad, a commander in name only, was essential.
No, he was even more useful precisely because it was in name only. If he could operate from behind the scenes with Commander Galahad as the front, he could surely run the mana stone vault more easily.
Besides, this was Galahad. The Galahad who had been forgotten after a long silence since graduation, but who was still remembered by Academy alumni.
Whatever state he was in now, the name Galahad was still quite useful.
‘It’s a good thing I’m so brilliant. Any other fool would have missed this!’
Korton felt a small sense of relief.
It was a good thing he had figured out how to use him; any other idiot would have failed to see Galahad’s value and let him slip away.
Still, his activities after graduating from the Academy were a concern.
“What have I been doing since graduation? Didn’t I answer earlier? This and that.”
It was a blunt and perfunctory answer, but it actually put him at ease.
If Galahad had some other ulterior motive, he wouldn't have answered so vaguely. He would have offered a detailed, fabricated story.
He was probably just embarrassed to talk about his uneventful past and was trying to change the subject.
And even if there were some lingering suspicions, it didn't really matter.
He was a mage.
And a mage couldn't help but be drawn to the Black Magic Society.
Magic was a slow and obtuse discipline. The higher one’s level, the slower the progress became. Eventually, it felt like hitting a wall.
Black magic revered only ascension. It sought advancement by any means necessary.
Once he got a taste of such black magic, he would never be able to escape.
Normally, he would have to report this to his superiors and wait.
But then someone else might steal his credit. He couldn't stand for that.
“Was this outside your authority? It’s fine. One can exaggerate a bit when meeting an old schoolmate after so long.”
Moreover, Galahad’s arrogant attitude was starting to grate on his nerves.
‘This is a winning card. It’s time to make my move.’
Having made his decision, Korton rose from his seat.
“Follow me.”
Korton headed for the bookshelf behind the man. As he pulled out a series of books, the wall split open.
A staircase leading down to a basement appeared. The musty air typical of a cellar greeted them.
“Follow my steps exactly. Step on anything else and you’ll be in big trouble.”
Korton focused on the stairs as he walked. Every step was filled with caution.
At the bottom of the stairs was a dead end. A single burly figure in a black hood stood there.
“The fire is.”
“Cold.”
After exchanging the password, the figure pulled a hidden lever. The wall ground open, revealing another set of stairs leading down.
Following them down, they came to a set of iron bars. Korton took out a key, inserted it into the lock, and turned. The bars opened with a loud clang.
More stairs.
This time, there were two figures in hoods. Sharp, beast-like teeth were visible between their hoods.
“Hmm, this process is quite cumbersome.”
Galahad complained openly.
It was true that it was cumbersome. The process was so tricky that even Korton got confused sometimes.
Korton hesitated for a moment, then spoke. This much wasn't a secret. In fact, it was something the Black Magic Society always emphasized.
“Back in the Empire, the Black Magic Society was at its peak. There wasn’t a single noble we didn’t have connections with, and we even had ties to the Imperial Family. Then, suddenly, a certain organization began to attack us. We defended ourselves thoroughly, but they were so relentless they never let up.”
He continued speaking as he took a mana stone from his pocket. It was the device to open the next door.
“A certain organization, you say.”
The man muttered softly and coughed. Was he laughing? A quick glance confirmed it was a cough.
“Under that attack, more relentless than a starving wolf, the thriving Black Magic Society collapsed. We moved to the North to escape, but the North, where we fled, turned out to be a land of opportunity. It’s said we’re experiencing a greater boom than ever before. You can tell just by looking at me, can’t you?”
Korton gestured up and down at himself. From the staff embedded with a giant mana stone to the coat made of demonic beast leather—it was an outfit that cost an immense fortune.
“Must be expensive.”
The man asked with a smirk.
“It is. But the shock of being attacked by that organization was so great that the Black Magic Society invested a huge amount of money in security. It’s to the point where branches don’t know each other’s locations, and each branch has a different security system.”
Korton replied as he took out the next key.
Just then, the final door appeared. It was a door with triple security made of iron and magic circles.
The Black Magic Society, having raked in money from the mana stone vault business, poured vast sums of money and capital into security out of a fear they couldn't overcome.
The door before them was the culmination of that effort.
“Oh, a security device that uses three mana stones. The linkage of the magic circles is exquisite. Even the Magic Tower wouldn't have security like this. It’s incredible. This isn't just a magical device, it’s a work of art.”
Galahad exclaimed repeatedly as he examined the door from all angles.
His reaction made Korton feel unduly proud.
“The higher-ups are worried that this mysterious organization might follow us to the North. That’s why they poured money into security. To make sure no one can ever get in.”
Korton tapped the inscription written above the door. It read, ‘Security is Life.’
He felt a little burdened for bringing Galahad without permission, but it was a risk worth taking.
“Even the leader of that mysterious organization wouldn't be able to get through this door. The one who made it guaranteed that no one could open it. Unless some idiot opens it from the inside, it can’t be opened—”
Korton knocked confidently on the door. Indeed, this one door alone used three mana stones.
Hearing laughter from behind, he turned his head to see Galahad covering his mouth and coughing.
‘What a frivolous man.’
Korton clicked his tongue and pushed the door.
The triple mana-locked, layered magic door, which boasted ironclad security…
Swung wide open.
“Thank you.”
Galahad's thanks were filled with genuine sincerity.