Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: Dracain
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Ching-!
Every time a blue light flashed across the deck, the sharp clang of metal rang out. Durel and Simo flickered in and out of sight like phantoms. It was a game of tag to help them get used to casting Blink.
When Durel Blink-ed first, Simo would follow to the same spot. The moment they came face-to-face, he'd swing his practice sword lightly to score a point. Then it was Simo's turn to move.
With both of them Blinking around while swinging swords, it felt just like watching an anime from my past life. Right? Flashing lights, appearing and vanishing everywhere while slashing away—it hardly resembled typical combat in this world.
Of course, they couldn't keep it up for long. The most Blinks they could chain in a short burst was four or five.
"Kuhaha! Let's call it!"
"I win."
"Next time'll be different...?"
Durel was the winner of the tag training. Unlike Simo, who had collapsed as if he couldn't take another second, Durel's face was relaxed. If they'd fought in earnest, the outcome might've been different, but Durel had the edge in chaining Blinks over short periods.
Simo's heart housed a fully formed Mana Circle that spun steadily. He'd said his training in the world of giant beasts had helped a lot, and now his second circle had stabilized completely after its settling phase.
And that was the result. Simo could finally use magic other than blood magic, just as he'd wished.
After a short break, Simo and Durel dove back into their Blink tag game.
Ching-!
Leaving my two disciples to their training, I gazed at the edge of the blue sky. Thick gray clouds blanketed the horizon, as if marking the border to another realm.
'Leban Pol's fog clouds?'
The Black Feather Hawk had flown nonstop for three days. Given the travel time, we were about due to arrive nearby. I spread out the map, scrutinized the terrain below, and scratched my head.
"Simo!"
"Yes!"
His response was immediate. A faint flow of mana rippled right beside me, and Simo materialized atop it.
"That there. Leban Pol's fog clouds?"
"Yes. Familiar sight."
Simo hailed from Leban Pol, home of the Dracain. That settled it. I tucked the map away and nodded.
"We're finally here."
Leban Pol. We'd arrived at last in the land of the Dracain, the nobles of the night.
Once we crossed the border in the sky, Leban Pol's true landscape began to unfold. The clouds were so dense no sunlight pierced through, and everything growing on the ground gleamed as black as the overcast sky. Even the monsters faintly visible below were no different.
The first goblin pack we spotted—I didn't even realize they were goblins at first. Their skin had a pallid sheen.
"All monsters in Leban Pol look like that?"
"Mostly, yes. They say it's from the influence of the ghouls our ancestors once commanded, but I don't know the details."
"Not what I pictured."
"Pretty gloomy, huh?"
Spot on. Leban Pol's overall vibe was dreary and ominous. As the Black Feather Hawk kept flying, we passed three mountains past the border, and a massive city came into view.
'Lights...'
What first caught my eye was the array of lights. Unlike the somber surroundings, the city glittered with vibrant illumination shrouded in mist. Gaudy yet dreamlike, like a city nightscape from my past life.
Next came the enormous plume of smoke rising from the city center, stretching up to touch the clouds.
"That's Oderon territory. Full of sights. Not a bad idea to stop by. Biggest producer of fog clouds, so the whole place is blanketed in thick haze..."
Simo's explanation cut off as Durel emerged from the cabin, changed into fresh clothes, with Olbern in tow. Both were ready to head out. I'd wondered where Durel had gone—he'd been packing for Olbern and me.
The kid hurried over and handed me a cloak and bag.
"Landing right away?"
I nodded at Durel's question and scanned for a docking spot. We couldn't risk another incident like a few days back, so it had to be secluded and out of sight.
The Black Feather Hawk soared ahead before descending slowly into the heart of a forest far from the city.
Thud-
Nothing tripped my wide Gentle Wind detection field. No man-made paths meant no one came here. With all our gear packed, I jumped off the deck with my disciples.
First up: barrier magic. I'd seen it plenty on our long trip, so casting it was easy. The trick was maintaining it.
Barriers required constant mana from the caster. Step outside the zone as the caster, and it collapsed instantly.
That's where the octopus golem and the "Link" rune came in. Finish the barrier, then use the rune to connect it to the golem's core. With a steady mana supply, the barrier held even without me there.
Then command the golem: stop anything that breaches it. If the barrier broke, the magic draining mana from the core would end too—no performance drop for the golem. Perfect security system.
Of course, the Erkamon for the Link rune was badly damaged, so it'd only last half a day. But that was plenty.
"Done..."
I imbued it with laws of severance, concealment, reinforcement, and rejection. Once confirmed, we stepped out with my disciples, and the massive golem and Black Feather Hawk vanished. No one would stumble on it unless they crashed here on purpose.
Next: swapping appearances for Durel and me. We were the only humans in the group, so only we could use the Illusion rune slates.
Pour mana into the slate engraved with the Illusion rune, and blue mana enveloped my body. The spell activated, but the change was subtle—hair a brighter blond, ears pointier.
Durel's transformation was dramatic. He became a dwarf man with a long black beard. He'd picked it to look mature, and it worked.
"Whoa~ Senior Durel, perfect disguise!"
"Ahem... Suits me?"
"Totally. Looks great on you."
"Good..."
Did seeing his kin spark some fondness? Olbern clapped nonstop at dwarf-Durel.
Preparations complete. Time to move. We activated the turtle golem and headed for the city.
The turtle golem's thudding steps drew eyes. Even in Dracain lands, it was no different. Every gaze on the road to the city locked onto the giant golem.
"Everyone's so good-looking."
I muttered peering out from the turtle golem. The title "nobles of the night" wasn't hype. Pale skin across men and women, all stunning.
"The thicker the vampire blood, the more beautiful they are. Nobles' hair even glows."
Hair that glows? No need for lights, then?
As I chatted idly with Simo, the turtle golem reached the city gates. Dwarves, elves, Dracain—no humans in sight. They really shunned them.
Mid-jump off the golem to enter, a guard at the gate tilted his head and approached.
"Hey... Simo, is that you?"
"Ritegar?"
They knew each other. Ritegar strode up and grabbed Simo's hand.
"Man! How long's it been? When'd you get back?"
"Ritegar...? How're you here—no, just got back... Anyway, good to see you. This is, uh, Lady Lumi. My hometown friend Ritegar. Feel free to talk casually."
Our eyes met briefly. Average Dracain—no standout looks or mana. Seemed tight with Simo. I smiled lightly.
"Lumi. Here for tourism. Mind if we enter with my group?"
"Of course! Friends of my buddy get right through."
He didn't mind my casual tone, just smiled warmly, nodded to the group, and turned to lead the way.
"When'd you start working here?"
"Not long. Month or two after you left home, I think..."
"Off at?"
"Evening, obviously. Around seven. Swing by after..."
Simo glanced back at me mid-chat with Ritegar. Old hometown pal? No reason to refuse. I nodded, and he grinned, throwing an arm around Ritegar.
From a short distance, Durel and Olbern watched and murmured softly.
"He has friends..."
"Yeah. Surprising."