Chapter 102
Chapter 102
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: Regulus's Gratitude
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"A great barrier, you say..."
Having learned the full story from Rasna's lips, Regulus couldn't hide his shock.
To think they weren't content with polluting the Amatres River—they were scheming to incite war between Golden Heaven and Takryu.
'Have those bastards lost their minds?'
It wasn't that Regulus was a fool who had overlooked the great barrier.
He was one of the sharpest minds in all of Takryu.
'But why?'
The reason he hadn't considered the great barrier was simple enough.
While it was true that among the three great powers, the great barrier—known as the One River Two Peaks—was held in the highest regard... that was only when the Earth Dragon Karaktus still slumbered there.
With the Earth Dragon Karaktus still lost in his eternal sleep, the great barrier was no longer overwhelmingly superior to Golden Heaven or Takryu.
He knew full well of their boasted absolute powerhouses—the Five Fingers who could crush foes with ease.
But even they couldn't decisively overwhelm Takryu's Four Dragon Phantoms or Golden Heaven's Silver Fang, Eastern Tiger, and Iron Mask.
'If we united our forces, we could smash those fingers to pieces.'
In such a balance of power, if their reckless scheme were exposed...
The great barrier had no capacity to withstand the wrath of Golden Eye and the Sea King.
'...Or maybe not. It's not that simple.'
Swoosh!
Regulus's gaze unconsciously shifted toward Rasna.
What if, just what if... Rasna had been slain by the great barrier's trolls.
And the truth buried, her corpse delivered before the Sea King's eyes.
Who could stand in the way of the enraged Sea King's fury?
From that moment, it wouldn't matter if it was the great barrier's doing or not.
The war wouldn't end until one of Golden Heaven or Takryu lay in utter ruin.
His thoughts reached that point, and Regulus felt the scales along his spine bristling involuntarily.
'Ian, was it...'
The hero who had seized the great flood river in a blaze of glory—the one the Sea King had spent his life trying to surpass.
Yet Paon Lichtenauer, patriarch of the Lichtenauer Martial Clan, still held the pinnacle unshaken, an insurmountable wall.
Ian was that Paon's son.
If this boy hadn't been there—or if his skills had been lacking—
Lady Rasna would likely have met a pointless end at the hands of those pursuing trolls.
In other words, this boy had single-handedly prevented a war between Golden Heaven and Takryu.
'They say tigers never sire dogs. Impressive at such a young age.'
Just as his position as Paon's son was no lie, Ian was already showing extraordinary promise despite his youth.
Considering Takryu's future... perhaps dealing with him here would be the more rational choice.
...Swoosh!
His hand kept inching toward the trident strapped to his back, but Regulus shoved the writhing impulse deep down.
'...No, that won't do.'
Coincidence or fortune, it didn't matter—this boy had saved the life of his lord the Sea King, Zakyra's daughter.
And thanks to him, they even had a lead to avert this pointless war.
If Golden Heaven and Takryu were engulfed in flames of war, the great barrier wouldn't be the only ones celebrating.
The Lichtenauer Martial Clan was a massive foe from both their perspectives.
A prodigy like him would surely grasp that much.
Yet Ian and his group had willingly plunged into danger to rescue Rasna.
'...I can't cut down such a benefactor with my own hands.'
As one of Takryu's Five Dragons—an executive—he couldn't drag Takryu down to the level of faithless vermin.
That would be as good as smearing mud on the Sea King's face.
Swoosh!
After a moment of inner conflict, Regulus hardened his resolve. Instead of reaching for his trident, he approached Ian and bowed deeply.
"Thank you. Not only for saving Lady Rasna's life, but for helping us avoid a needless war with Golden Heaven. On my honor as Captain of the Five Dragon Squad, I will repay this debt."
"......!!"
The sight of Regulus bowing and offering a calm apology stunned the lizardmen into silence.
The great Regulus—one of Takryu's top executives—bowing his head to a mere human!
The Latent Dragon Squad was equally shocked.
'The captain's playing in a whole different league now...'
How many in the martial clan could claim to have survived a one-on-one with Iron Mask, clashed with Takryu's Five Dragon Captain, and even received his thanks?
Even more shocking came next.
"You're wrong, Regulus. Before thanking me, don't you have something else to do?"
"......!!"
Ian lifted his head arrogantly toward Regulus.
At his attitude, the lizardmen—who had been flushing red with rage since Regulus bowed—finally exploded.
"Kerruk!! The more I see of you, the more insolent you seem, you human scum! How dare you...!!"
"Enough."
Regulus raised a hand to halt his lizardmen's outburst, then nodded at Ian's words.
"You're right. I was so caught up I forgot my manners."
He turned and issued orders to the grumbling lizardmen behind him.
"Everyone, gather all the Western Heaven members you've rounded up. Treat them with utmost courtesy."
A short while later, the lizardmen under Regulus's command assembled every Western Heaven member from across the area into the plaza.
Regulus then bowed deeply to the gathered crowd.
"People of Western Heaven, forgive me. Due to my foolish misunderstanding, you endured great hardship."
A clean apology, without a trace of messy excuses.
As the Western Heaven folk pondered how to respond, Regulus pressed on undeterred.
"It's hardly adequate compensation, but for the next half-year, you may remain in Western Heaven without any conditions. Does that suffice as amends for my error?"
"......"
Ian didn't answer hastily. Instead, he glanced at Glacia and Bardek.
Judging if the offer was good or bad wasn't his call.
Nod, nod!
The two nodded frantically at him in approval.
That alone made it clear Regulus's terms were exceptionally generous.
"Very well, we accept. But I'll add one condition."
"...Speak it. Any reasonable request, I can approve at my discretion."
Even with Ian's added stipulation, Regulus acquiesced readily.
"We'd like to go directly to the Sea King in Hasfel and explain this matter ourselves."
Of course, that thought vanished the instant he heard Ian's proposal.
"Open the path to Hasfel."
"That's no small request. I must refuse."
Regulus rejected it outright without a second thought.
"Hasfel is Takryu's sacred stronghold, home to our ruler the Sea King. How could I permit human feet to tread there?"
'...As expected, that's too much.'
Fair enough. He couldn't exactly drag a lizardman into the Lichtenauer estate in Titan territory either.
As Ian decided to drop his overreaching demand,
"No, I'll allow it."
Rasna, who had been quietly listening to the exchange, spoke up.
"L-Lady Rasna?"
Caught off guard by her unexpected intervention, Regulus tried to dissuade her.
"Lady Rasna, Hasfel is the most vital bastion where Takryu's sovereign, the Sea King, resides. How can we let outsiders into such a crucial place?"
"Uncle Regulus, these people saved my life. Are you saying we shouldn't even properly repay them?"
Despite Regulus's repeated protests, Rasna stood firm.
"Besides, if I alone tell Father about the great barrier's scheming foes... do you think he'll believe me?"
"...Well..."
Rasna's words struck home; Regulus had no ready retort.
She was indeed the Sea King's precious daughter, but still just a child in his eyes.
Her words lacked the weight to back them up.
"...What if I go with Lady Rasna? The Sea King would surely heed my words..."
"Haha, good one, Uncle. But what if our news arrives too late and full war with Golden Heaven erupts first? Could this vast territory hold without you, Uncle Regulus?"
"......"
That was irrefutable.
While the Four Dragon Phantoms rivaled Golden Heaven's Three Orcs, strictly speaking, it was the Phantoms who could match them blow for blow.
The Four Dragons excelled more in command than raw power, placing them half a step below the Three Orcs.
Golden Heaven knew this, so in a full-scale war, they'd likely target the Four Dragons' territories first.
Without him there too... who could hold the Five Dragon territory against the Three Orcs, even briefly?
No one, assuredly.
"...Sigh, no helping it then."
Regulus let out a long sigh and yielded with feigned reluctance.
In truth, the path to Hasfel passed through the Six Ghosts' domain, where many resented his dealings with humans.
Those guys itching for any excuse to clash with him made it burdensome even for Regulus.
Yet letting Rasna travel alone to Hasfel was utter madness.
'If it's direct heirs from the martial clan... they could handle most threats.'
In the end, Ian accompanying Rasna was the safest option for him too.
"...You there—Ian, right?"
Having settled his thoughts, Regulus addressed Ian.
"Lady Rasna is departing. As her retainer, I'd at least like to offer a proper meal. Why not join us before you go?"
Without waiting for Ian's reply, Regulus took the lead, guiding Rasna forward.
"This way, Lady Rasna. Once the meal is done, I'll personally escort you all the way to our tributary."
Tap, tap, tap!
The steady sound of fingers drumming on rock echoed through the cave.
Just fingertips on stone, yet...
Biyona, the adjutant standing guard with her superior inside the cave, sensed the subtle change.
Her superior, Aelion, who was drumming on the rock—
Her tempo was gradually quickening.
"Too late..."
It had been nearly a week since Olga stormed off to dump the orc corpses, yet no word had come.
'Strange. Just butchering a few orcs and tossing them out—how hard could it be? Enough to delay Olga this long?'
Aelion had long known Olga's brain was packed with muscle, the utter dimwit.
But a thick skull didn't mean her power was lacking.
The Olga Aelion knew could exterminate orcs from lesser tribes—without famed warriors like Turkana or Jorg—inside a day.
'Did she clash with those old fogeys from the Myriad Ranks? No, impossible. If things blew up that big, they'd have come straight to Sky Mountain.'
Besides, fool or not, Olga wouldn't stupidly target a great tribe like that.
"...Damn it, looks like... hate to admit it, but..."
Her thoughts kept circling to one conclusion.
Unbelievable, but something had happened to Olga and the trolls, preventing their return.
'So what should I do...'
Aelion's options were few.
First: Track Olga's trail, rescue her if alive, and retreat together.
Second: Abandon the mission-fumbling idiot and return to the great barrier beyond the gorge as planned.
"...Ugh, both suck."
Aelion rubbed her temples and clicked her tongue.
The first was doomed from the premise.
Their rapport wasn't worth risking her neck for Olga—not to mention, that musclehead was her equal in strength, like it or not.
Charging wounded into the unknown foe who had felled or captured such an Olga...
'Might as well offer up my belly to be eaten too.'
The second grated too.
Returning to the great barrier now would be comfortable for the body.
But leaving a dangerous variable—who might have killed Olga—unchecked as time passed? Her paranoia would keep her back prickling till she dropped dead.
"Then it's the third option... Argh!"
Aelion scratched her head furiously, scowling.
"Such a pain... Damn it, better than my skull getting cracked. Fucking hell, how'd I end up on a mission with that stupid troll?!"
With resolve set, Aelion grumbled. Biyona, who had waited silently, asked quietly,
"Shall I... prepare everyone?"
"Argh, yeah! Your damn instincts are too sharp sometimes! Round 'em up!"
Aelion bellowed at Biyona's question.
"Finish talking and let's get to work!"