Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: The Second Guardian Spirit
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God is helping me.
I couldn't think of any other explanation. Otherwise, I wouldn't have witnessed this scene today.
I had only come to meet the ogre, but who would have thought such an opportunity would arise.
The Glazer Family's next head.
'Edward von Glazer.'
The Strange Family's greatest enemy—and someone like me, targeting the legendary Guardian Spirit 'Brunhilt'—had appeared before me.
"That's far enough. If any one of you so much as twitches a finger, I'll sever this one's neck right here."
A sharp blade pressed against his throat. A drop of blood trickled from the lightly sliced skin.
My warning was no joke this time. The mages knew it too, which was why none of them dared to move recklessly.
"Who the hell are you?"
I didn't answer. Instead, I dragged him backward by the collar, putting distance between us and the other mages.
Thud.
Edward shifted only his eyes to confirm my presence.
"...Wrapping mana around a sword. A mage?"
"A knight."
"A knight? Knights don't use mana."
"They do now. Got a problem with that?"
Mages of Edward's caliber always enveloped their bodies in a thick mana barrier.
Thick enough to withstand an ambush from any enemy, anytime, anywhere—like a beast's claws couldn't pierce.
"Do you know who I am?"
"Edward von Glazer. The genius mage hailed as the Glazer Family's supernova."
"You know who I am, and you still pick a fight? Your guts must've fallen out."
Even with his back grabbed, he was unflinching.
His reaction was utterly predictable. Turning the Glazer Family into an enemy meant certain doom.
Mess with them carelessly, and they could wipe a small kingdom off the map overnight.
"The one whose guts fell out is you."
"What?"
"This is Strange Family territory. Killing you right now wouldn't raise any eyebrows."
Edward's eyebrow twitched.
"You think you can kill me?"
"Depends on the situation."
"...Do that, and you'll die too. Do you even know how many mages are here?"
I scanned their faces one by one before answering.
"Doesn't matter."
"Doesn't matter?"
"Yeah. Enough chit-chat—let's get to the point. Release that ogre you're holding."
"The ogre?"
"And get the hell off this land. This isn't a place for you people. It's Strange Family territory."
"......"
"Do that, and I'll spare your life."
At my proposal, one of the mages—a bushy-bearded old man—raised his voice.
"You insolent brat! Looks like a Strange Family mercenary. How dare you order Lord Edward around!"
"Shut your trap, geezer."
"What?!"
"Unless you want to watch your master's head roll."
I unleashed even stronger mana as I continued.
Shhh...
"If you think I'm bluffing, say one more word. I'll cut his throat right then."
Silence fell over them all.
Edward, who had been listening quietly, finally chimed in.
"Fine. I'll meet all your conditions. Now remove the sword."
"Release the ogre first."
"You think I won't keep my word?"
I offered no reply—just a cold glare.
Edward let out a long sigh before addressing the oldest-looking mage.
"Let it go."
The mage relayed the order to the others.
"Release the ogre!"
The mages simultaneously canceled the binding spells on the ogre and stepped back.
-GRRROOOAAAR!
The freed ogre quickly scanned the humans' faces before hurrying away.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
'Success.'
Now the chance to claim Brunhilt had swung in my favor.
I confirmed the ogre was out of sight, then shouted at the mages.
"I'll honor my promise!"
With that, I kicked Edward in the back.
Thud!
"I'll even spare your life."
I slashed off his staggering right arm.
Slash!
Crunch!
"Your life, that is."
Edward screamed in agony as he collapsed.
"ARRRGH!"
Blood gushed from the severed arm, soaking the ground.
The panicked mages moved to counterattack, but compared to my preparedness, their reactions were far too slow.
Lightning (Aura-Mana Fusion)
Purple lightning flashes outward, blinding the area.
Boom!
A burst of purple light erupted from my hand, spreading everywhere and blinding their vision.
This operation was a resounding success.
Not only did I track the ogre's escape route to their hideout, but I also severed the arm of Edward von Glazer—the Glazer Family's heir, who would become my enemy in the future.
"Why'd you let that mage live? Isn't he the next head of the Glazers?"
Siegfried snorted as he asked.
"Not yet. But I might need him later."
"Huh? Need him?"
In a few years, a war would erupt, giving me the chance to become the Strange Family head.
The one who starts that war? Edward von Glazer.
"They say today's enemy can be tomorrow's ally."
"Was that a saying? Just cut him down today and tomorrow too."
"That's how you'd handle it, Master."
'Anyway.'
Running into the Glazer mages today was pure luck.
No one noticed me while they focused on the ogre, but from my hiding spot, I memorized all their spell incantations and understood their activation methods.
It'll take time to master, but I've got intel on some powerful high-tier spells.
'And on top of that.'
I severed one arm from Edward—the continent's only dual-casting mage. The blow to the Glazers' strength is immense.
"Perfect."
Siegfried tilted his head.
"What's perfect?"
"Nothing."
"Boring guy. Whatever— what about that ogre? Leave it like that, and it'll die soon."
I looked at the ogre I'd chased down and caught. Exhausted from fighting the mages, it had collapsed nearby.
"Can you move?"
The Giant Ogre's three heads eyed me warily.
Normally, the left head smiles, the middle is expressionless, and the right cries—but now they all looked miserable.
Considering what the mages put it through, no wonder.
-GRRROOOAAAR!
"Human. Kill! Kill!"
"I'm human too. You planning to kill the one who saved you?"
"Grrr..."
"The ones you should get revenge on aren't humans—they're mages. Even a dimwit like you should know that much."
"Grrr!"
"And my question was 'Can you move?' Answer it. No more nonsense."
"Grrr... Y-Yeah... I can... move."
"Then get up. No time to waste."
Sunrise was approaching. I needed to wrap this up and head back before then, pain or no pain for this thing.
-Ughhh.
The ogre groaned as it rose, staggering. Its right shin was broken—likely from the magic chains.
Steel-tough ogre bone shattered like that? Impressive.
'Must've all been high-tier mages.'
I handed it a thick tree branch to lean on.
"Head back to your village. I'll protect you till then."
"You won't kill me?"
"No."
"...Liar."
"Liar?"
"Yeah. Strange knights wanna kill us. They don't protect us."
Hunting monsters is a knight's duty.
An ogre's a monster, so of course they'd kill it.
I'd have done the same if not for Brunhilt.
"If I wanted to hunt you, you'd be dead already. Killing a cripple like you is child's play."
The ogre scanned me up and down.
"For a kid."
"That kid saved your ass."
"......"
"No more bullshit. Move to your village. Unless you wanna die right now."
"F-Fine."
The ogre's eyes narrowed briefly, but it shuffled forward without another word.
It had no choice.
The Glazer Family was in an uproar.
An entire squad of mages had camped in the hunting grounds for a month, only to have their target snatched at the critical moment.
And Edward—the continent's sole practitioner of 'double casting'—had lost an arm.
To some nameless knight.
"Damn it!!"
Edward punched the wall.
Thud!
Infused with mana, the impact was tremendous. His fist imprinted on the granite wall, cracks spiderwebbing outward.
"Why?! Why was a Strange Family mercenary there? And one who can use mana, no less!"
Even if he'd let his guard down, this humiliation was unbearable.
Too shameful to speak of publicly.
A middle-aged mage at his side spoke cautiously.
"Young master, calm down."
"Calm down? You think I can?!"
"A mage must stay composed, no matter what. You are the Glazer Family's future. Let anger cloud your judgment, and we all suffer."
"......"
"Please, compose yourself and recall the events. Do you remember that Strange Family mercenary?"
"Mercenary?"
"Yes—the blond one."
Edward steadied his breathing and slumped onto the sofa.
Thud.
"Yeah... I'll never forget that bastard's face."
"Then, do you recall the purple pillar of light that overwhelmed us?"
"Purple pillar?"
"Yes. The one that blinded us instantly. What energy did you sense when it fell?"
Edward dredged up the memory.
A fleeting moment, hard to recall in detail—but he'd definitely felt mana.
"Mana."
"And?"
"And...? Hmm... I think I faintly sensed aura too."
"That's why I asked. We all felt mana and aura simultaneously. Yet only one enemy appeared."
"So, there might've been more than one?"
"I think so. Otherwise, it means the enemy used aura and mana at once. Impossible, right?"
"Exactly. No one can manifest both in a single body."
"Even if that mercenary was strong, he wouldn't come alone against all of us. He'd know he couldn't win."
The middle-aged mage pondered before continuing.
"What if Gunter betrayed us?"