Chapter 114
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 114
The Baraha territory, the Land of the Five Lakes, had long been renowned for its diverse and bountiful natural environment.
Lush forests and rolling mountains were nestled between stretches of high-quality plains. Five massive lakes and the rivers branching from them provided moisture to a climate that would otherwise be prone to dryness due to the abundant sunlight.
While the Dakein Plains produced vast quantities of grain from its lightning-scarred black soil every year, the true pride of this land was its orchards, overflowing with fruit so sweet it tasted as if it were infused with sugar.
As Turan’s group passed through, grapevines hung heavy with fruit on both sides of the road.
“Those look quite delicious.”
“They aren’t quite ripe yet. Want me to pick a few if you’re hungry?”
“That would be stealing, son.”
“Son, my foot.”
Turan chuckled at Solif’s grumbling and led the way, leaning on his staff.
It had been two days since they had used magic devices to disguise themselves. Unlike the initial awkwardness of the first day, Turan now looked like a typical old man to anyone who saw him.
In truth, a young man disguising himself as an elder required more than just a slight change in speech. It was crucial to act out the parts that were difficult to control intentionally—the subtle creaking of joints or the fatigue resulting from diminished physical capacity.
However, having played the role of Onil Carmine previously, Turan had fully awakened his talent as an actor who could observe and mimic others perfectly. Even his two companions would have found it difficult to be certain of his identity had they met him elsewhere; he was the perfect image of a man in the twilight of his life.
“Looks like we’re almost there.”
Under the orange glow of the setting sun, a city that must have once been pure white welcomed them.
The White City, Helio.
Turan clicked his tongue lightly as he surveyed the city where the Head of the Baraha Family would normally reside.
“Something’s strange.”
“What is it?”
“I felt it on the way here, too, but there are too few mages moving around. Usually, near the capital of a Great Family, you should see knights even on the outskirts...”
That was the reason they hadn't flown directly to the capital, choosing instead to land some distance away and walk in disguise. Flying high to avoid notice might still have caught the keen eyes of a Baraha noble.
Solif let out a small hum of contemplation.
“Maybe it’s because of what happened on the island.”
“The island?”
“You know, when I was captured.”
“Ah.”
The explanation was as brief as a classified document, but it wasn't hard to grasp the essence. When Turan had rescued Solif in the past, hadn't he killed over a dozen high-ranking nobles who were the elite of Baraha?
With their deaths, a vacuum in security had been created. Slightly weaker nobles moved in to fill the gap, and the resulting vacancies were filled by even weaker nobles or knights pushing themselves to the limit.
If such a chain reaction had occurred, it wasn't strange for the number of mages guarding the capital's perimeter to dwindle. Furthermore, the Head of the Baraha Family was likely away on a distant journey. It was highly probable that a large number of nobles had accompanied him as guards, so it wasn't entirely surprising that Helio was currently in a state of relative vulnerability.
“I hope that’s the case. It’ll make things easier.”
With Turan’s final remark, the three entered the city of Helio in silence.
As the sun was already setting, they found a suitable inn to spend the night. The next morning, they headed toward the place where Solif’s parents had originally resided.
Since the couple were not high-ranking nobles, they had lived in a manor on the outskirts of the city. Upon arriving at the manor, Turan looked at Solif and gave a slight shake of his head.
He sensed no presence of people inside.
He had wondered if this might be the case, and it seemed Solif’s mother had also been moved elsewhere along with his father.
Solif’s face contorted as he realized this.
“Dammit...”
“They’ll be safe.”
“Hang in there.”
While patting Solif’s shoulder in comfort, Turan used tracking magic to locate Solif’s father, Godis. Immediately, a vivid sensation reached him, as if the target were right in front of his eyes.
Based on experience, this meant they were within a few kilometers—likely somewhere inside the city.
“Let’s head that way for now.”
A short while later, following the guidance of the tracking magic, the three arrived in front of a certain building.
Solif muttered with a low groan.
“Just as I expected. They’re inside the Sun Temple.”
This was an ancient Imperial structure built long ago for the priests who served the Silver Sun. Now serving as a residence for the highest-ranking nobles of Baraha, it possessed a grandeur that rivaled any other ancient Imperial architecture.
The first thing that caught the eye was the outer wall made of pure white marble. Unlike other buildings that quickly became stained and grey, it shone with a pristine whiteness as if nothing could defile it, giving off an almost divine aura.
The roof above was made of a material resembling glazed ceramic, and its bright golden hue reflected the sunlight from the heavens, illuminating the surroundings. Unlike Arabion’s ‘Wall of Light,’ which was clumsily plastered with magic devices, this truly looked as if a small sun were dwelling on the earth.
I wouldn't even dream of using stealth magic there.
Turan had thought they wouldn't be particularly on guard since they were allies with Zahar, but the building itself seemed designed to prevent infiltration via stealth magic. Perhaps in the distant past, the Silver Sun had built such structures to guard against Night Hunters.
Since it would look suspicious to simply stare and pass by, Turan’s group blended in with the crowd, pretending to be ordinary pilgrims, and prayed in front of the Sun Temple.
A passing knight noticed them and asked, “Are you pilgrims?”
“Yes. We’ve come from Moro Village in the south to receive the grace of the most radiant Sun...”
“Enough. Just pay the fee and say your prayers.”
“Here you go.”
Turan smiled and paid the money, unbothered by the knight’s irritable tone. Meanwhile, he used the hair hidden in his sleeve to cast tracking magic.
Inside... the sensation is a bit strange. Is it underground? I won't be able to find the exact spot unless I go in.
The lack of mana presence from within the temple suggested that, like Arabion’s headquarters, it had functions to interfere with detection. Though it didn't seem to block Zahar’s tracking magic.
After finishing their prayers, Turan informed the other two.
“It’ll be hard to know more without going inside.”
“Infiltrate at night?”
“That’s the plan.”
The two nodded, swallowing hard.
*
Late at night, the three cautiously left the inn and walked through the dark streets. The roads that had been bustling with people during the day were now as silent as the dead.
At this hour, even the gambling dens and taverns were closed. The only ones roaming the streets were thieves, criminals, or the police out to catch them.
“Police ahead.”
At Turan’s whisper, the three of them vanished.
Stealth magic. While it was considered a specialty of the Zahar, ordinary mages could use it with enough practice. It was simply that most didn't bother, as it was useless against nobles due to the unavoidable sounds and scents emitted by living beings.
Naturally, ordinary human police officers couldn't detect nobles using standard stealth magic.
Solif let out an exclamation as he watched the officers pass by with torches.
“Wow, this is incredible...”
“Keep it down.”
Solif’s mood was likely overly elevated as he tried to overcome his nerves. Turan gave a sharp reprimand while looking ahead.
The Sun Temple was visible, still shining brightly despite the darkness.
“We’ve made it this far smoothly.”
“Then... shall we go in? Where is the spot you mentioned?”
“This way.”
The Sun Temple had a fairly rigorous defense system, even if it wasn't on the level of the Arabion main house. The temple’s sole main gate was always guarded by two nobles, and there were those who monitored the skies using light magic.
Meanwhile, the underground—the only other potential entry point—was blocked by a fortress wall that was a relic of the Old Empire, making it impossible to breach by conventional means.
But who was Solif? As the heir of Baraha, he had spent his youth in the Sun Temple and was intimately familiar with its internal structure. He even knew of several secret passages known only to a few of high status.
In a sewer located about two hundred meters from the temple, Turan’s group successfully picked the lock and entered the foul, pitch-black underground tunnels.
Before long, Solif pointed to a wall.
“Here.”
When he pressed a brick between two unusually close torch brackets, the wall rotated with a mechanical grinding sound. Given the lack of mana, it seemed to use a mechanical device; it made a rusty, poorly fitted sound, likely from long disuse.
“Let’s go in.”
“Wait.”
Just as they were about to create individual lights and enter, Turan raised his hand to stop them.
“There’s a barrier.”
“A barrier?”
“They probably prepared for the possibility of your return. There must have been someone who knew you were aware of this secret passage.”
Turan, who could see the flow of mana, could discern an invisible mana net woven in the middle of the narrow passage. Had Solif entered alone, he would have been caught without even realizing it. It was a method that required little effort but yielded great results.
That is, if Turan hadn't been there.
Turan activated his Earthkeeper bloodline, manipulating the stone walls to create a bypass around the barrier. As they continued down the narrow path, he suddenly sensed the presence of several mages above.
“I think we’re inside the temple. About sixty nobles... and maybe seven hundred knights. The Family Head doesn't seem to be here.”
It was certainly a meager force compared to the Arabion main house. This was likely due to Turan killing the elite nobles during Solif’s rescue and the fact that the Family Head’s personal guard had left with him.
What was slightly strange was that, despite the small numbers, there were quite a few high-level nobles. Had the Family Head chosen lower-ranking nobles to accompany him?
“What about my father?”
“Hold on... he’s close. We can go straight from here. It looks like there’s no one outside for now.”
Using the tracking magic again, he felt Godis’s presence a short distance away. Turan emerged from the passage exit and looked around.
“Where are we?”
“The underground wine cellar.”
Indeed, the scent of wine permeated the air. After confirming that Godis was underground, Turan explained his impromptu plan to the other two. Instead of going up to the surface, they would dig a tunnel directly to Godis.
“...Will that be okay?”
“I think so. As far as I know, there are no separate defense systems monitoring the underground from within.”
With Solif’s endorsement, Turan’s spontaneous tunneling plan was immediately put into action. After breaking through the stone wall in the direction of the presence, Turan created a passage using the power of his Earthkeeper bloodline. Solif and Meisa followed behind, hardening the tunnel to prevent it from collapsing.
“I didn't think my mining experience would come in handy like this.”
“Pfft.”
Perhaps to ease the tense atmosphere, Meisa cracked a joke, and Solif laughed exaggeratedly.
A short while later, they completed an underground passage connecting two large buildings. It was about four hundred meters long. Emerging at the exit, Turan read the presences on the other side.
[“Two mid-ranks and one knight. The knight is on the surface, and the two mid-rank nobles are underground.”]
Since they were close enough for their voices to be heard, he used a Wind Path to ensure their voices didn't leak out.
[“That’s probably my parents. The knight must be a jailer.”]
[“A jailer?”]
[“This is a prison.”]
At Solif’s words, Turan looked around with a fresh perspective. The hallway, decorated with various ornaments, was far too luxurious to be called a prison—a stark contrast to the desolate, iron-barred space where he had once been held. Perhaps this was the standard for a corridor used to imprison nobles. He had never seen a prison for nobles before, after all.
[“Let’s go in for now.”]
Moving straight toward Solif’s parents, Turan’s group soon encountered a large iron door. Judging by the mana infused into the door and the surrounding walls, it seemed to be made of magically reinforced materials to prevent it from being broken. It was much like the residences of various Family Heads.
The door was even locked with three thick padlocks, which were also magically enchanted to make them difficult to break by ordinary means. Forcing them open would surely create a loud noise.
However, such defense systems crumbled pathetically before Turan’s simple magic.
I guess they didn't prepare for unlocking magic. Then again, they probably don't even know such a thing exists.
With every gesture of his hand, the metal locks clicked and fell away helplessly. It was a technique impossible for anyone but a mage of the Storm bloodline, who could skillfully manipulate wind magic. Of course, it was perhaps too harsh to expect them to prepare for such a method here, so far from Arabion.
Opening the door and stepping inside, Turan found Godis, whom he had met not long ago, and a middle-aged woman sleeping together on a bed.
That must be Solif’s mother.
Solif’s mother, Romi. Although it was his first time seeing her, he recognized her face immediately, having seen her portrait through thoughtography magic. The room’s facilities weren't bad, but both of them looked haggard, suggesting their imprisonment hadn't been pleasant.
“Father, Mother...”
It was a whisper so soft that a sleeping person shouldn't have heard it. However, the middle-aged couple did not miss that small murmur and opened their eyes immediately.
Perhaps it was because they had heard the voice of the child they never expected to hear. The two gasped as they saw the three people who had entered the room—especially Solif, who had deactivated his mask.
“You...?”
“How?”
At that moment, Solif’s gaze turned not toward his parents, but toward Turan beside him. Turan took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the middle-aged couple and the smell of the emotions dwelling within them.
Confusion, worry, fear, and... the kind of affection often found in those who care for something.
When Turan nodded, Solif’s face finally brightened.
“Why... why are you locked up here?”
Perhaps because he had been so worried, Solif spoke in a half-reproachful tone even as he realized his parents truly cared for him.
Godis replied bluntly, “Why else? It’s because my foolish son suddenly went mad and ran away from the family.”
Unlike the refined speech he had used when meeting Turan, his attitude toward Solif was like that of any other father.
Just then, Romi, Solif’s mother, nudged Godis’s side and interrupted.
“More importantly, are you hurt anywhere? How on earth did you get here?”
“I’m not hurt, so don't worry. Let’s get out of here first and talk...”
Though they had infiltrated without leaving a trace, this was still a Baraha prison. There was no benefit in lingering.
Godis looked at Turan and Meisa and spoke softly.
“Did you not deliver my letter?”
“I did. Coming here was his choice.”
Strictly speaking, Solif had been debating whether it was right to seek out his parents until the very moment they arrived. If even that letter had been a trap, it would have meant losing the very last shred of hope. But seeing his parents practically confined in a prison, it seemed he had made the right choice in coming.
While Solif talked with his mother, Turan questioned Godis.
“How long have you been locked up?”
“It’s been about two months for me. Romi has been here for over a year and a half.”
According to the explanation that followed, Godis had returned after searching as far as the western wilderness for Solif. Since his wife, Romi, was being held hostage, he had searched diligently, but his lack of results was interpreted as sabotage.
He let out a low sigh.
“They said they would forgive me if I persuaded him to return, but I never believed them from the start. I know how this family operates. They would have surely killed the boy and used his mana for other promising children.”
“It might have been even worse than that.”
“Pardon?”
“We’ll talk about that later. It’s a complicated story.”
Judging by his words, Godis seemed to know nothing about the secrets of the gods. Explaining it would take far more than a few minutes. In fact, for their safety, it might be better not to explain it at all.
“More importantly, there’s something I want to ask. When you were raising him...”
Turan was about to ask if fixing his personality and habits had been the will of the higher-ups, and if so, for what reason they had been instructed to raise him that way, but he stopped mid-sentence.
He stared intently at the stone ceiling.
“What is it?”
Turan didn't even hear Godis’s question as he expanded his senses through his relics to feel the movement on the surface.
The dozens of nobles who had been asleep and the hundreds of knights—all of them were moving with frantic purpose, as if they had just realized an intruder was in their midst.