Chapter 104
Chapter 104
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: The War Begins
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No one knew that Tampia had submitted to Sein.
Since Tampia had moved to meet Herzer, she had naturally kept all her actions secret, and the escorts who accompanied her were utterly trustworthy.
With Cecil, a living, breathing elixir, both Opas's wounds and Tampia's had been tended to.
Even though the two successor candidates had clashed the previous day and a victor had emerged, no one knew of it.
If anyone did, it would only be the family head.
Rumble.
Early in the morning, a single black carriage departed from the main estate.
Flanking it were dozens of men with axe-like glares, radiating murderous intent.
The carriage sped onward.
Inside rode the injured Sein, and its destination was Dante.
Within the carriage.
"Is there no pain?"
Cienjin asked Sein.
Sein sat with his upper body bare, a deep scar etched across his chest.
Even for Sein, buying off Demorus's medical corps was impossible. But deceiving them? That he could manage.
"There is."
After all, Chevez had truly plunged a dagger into Sein's heart.
A definite mortal wound.
Yet he could recover whenever he wished.
He was deliberately regulating his mana to slow the healing.
"Are you all right?"
"Life is pain, Cienjin. You know that better than anyone."
Sein traded jokes with Cienjin, with whom he had grown fairly close.
"Now it really begins."
The clash with Tampia.
It was a different beast altogether from the one with Jagar.
Under normal circumstances, the fallout from colliding with Tampia would have been catastrophic.
She had her own talents, and a solid base of supporters.
Moreover, her cautious nature—stemming from her poison expertise—kept her from venturing far outside the castle, and when she did, it was only with forces that guaranteed her safety.
The same went for missions.
Even with Opas siding with Sein, it had taken a full year to truly subdue Tampia—and that wasn't for nothing.
"Yeah. The beginning."
Sein, who had left the main estate under the pretext of his mortal wound.
Finally.
"The family head's suspicions should ease a bit."
He could dodge Tezera's watchful eyes.
Dante was Demorus territory too, but better than the main estate.
'One year.'
He had made full preparations in that time.
The showdown with Tampia was merely the prelude to open war.
"It took longer than expected."
The war to become Demorus's successor was finally about to begin.
"But..."
Sein said,
"It'll end soon."
*
*
*
The carriage from the main estate arrived at Dante.
Ignoring all of Dante's protocols, it raced straight into the grounds and finally came to a halt.
"Hurry!"
Dante's medical corps rushed in desperately.
Numerous men stood guard around the carriage, while countless others watched the scene.
Sein Demorus—one of Demorus's most renowned successor candidates these days.
"Gasp."
"It's real...?"
His face ashen, he was being carried out of the carriage by Dante's medical corps.
Various potions were jabbed into his body, and Dante's slave priests poured out holy power.
"Move him quickly!"
A wound untreatable even at the main estate wouldn't heal so easily.
The silver lining: Dante's medical corps matched the main estate's prowess.
In Demorus's countless battlefields, they spared no one, friend or foe—which was why their medical and combat units ranked tops among the three great organizations.
"What are you gawking at?!"
Rohan barked at the spectating organization members.
"Back to your posts—now!"
At Rohan's shout, the crowd dispersed swiftly.
"What are you waiting for?! Get the successor candidate moved!"
Rohan took charge amid the chaos.
"Sorry, sir!"
Sein was hurriedly carried off.
Soon, members of the 3rd Combat Unit and Dante's own combat forces turned the medical room where Sein would recover into an iron fortress.
Only after the commotion settled did Rohan head to Sein's room.
There lay Sein, pale-faced on the bed.
"Status?"
"Critical. An unknown poison has seeped into his heart."
The medical corps leader spoke urgently.
"How do we heal him?"
"Even the main estate couldn't treat it. Us too..."
"Is that the attitude right now?"
"The poison is too intricate. For now, all we can do is wait..."
Clench.
Rohan balled his fist and said,
"Mobilize everything. All of Dante's resources."
He had bet everything on Sein.
Even without that, Sein was the one Rohan had been seeking.
"Understood."
As Rohan sat, the medics filed out.
And then.
"Acting lessons come separately, huh?"
Sein sat up and said.
"You nearly fooled me. Thought I'd been swapped out."
It had been nearly a year.
"You're as sharp as ever."
Rohan said to Sein.
Candidates and successor candidates were worlds apart.
And Sein was already the one who commanded his loyalty.
"Finally..."
He had already coordinated with Rohan via their contact.
"The start."
Everything from here on out, and what to do.
"Come in."
At Sein's voice, Derren entered from his guard post outside.
"Derren."
Calling to him, Sein rose.
The wound on his chest began to heal.
Sein donned the clothes Rohan handed him.
And then.
Squish.
Derren began to change.
"I heard, but..."
Rohan rarely showed emotion.
"Amazing."
Having seen and experienced countless things in Demorus's three great organizations, even he was stunned.
"A doppelganger for real."
"No need to be so shocked. Probably..."
Smooth.
He slipped on shirt and armor.
"They exist."
"......"
"Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it isn't real."
Sein spoke as if he knew something.
One year.
Enough time to learn this world better.
As Sein finished dressing, Derren had already transformed into Sein's spitting image.
Pat pat.
The moment Sein placed his hand on Derren's chest.
Scratch.
The same wound that had marred Sein now appeared on Derren.
Derren had grown much in that year, his doppelganger abilities evolving too.
His mimicry had leveled up; now he could partially copy the original's memories and state.
"...Truly astonishing."
Derren was now Sein, standing there.
Sein touched his own face.
—Thief skill.
The ring on Sein's finger: Thief.
Just as it had let him impersonate Herzer for Tampia, Thief's perk included reverse mimicry.
Sein had fed it experience to unlock reverse mimicry.
"It'll be stifling for a while, but I count on you."
"No problem, boss."
Derren lay back on the bed.
Sein was fully dressed now.
"Here."
He took the necessary documents and badges from Rohan.
"From now on, you are..."
To assume the identity he'd live as for the time being.
*
*
*
Dante felt like a blade and shield all in one.
Sharp yet sturdy.
As if declaring that invading this place meant overcoming Demorus's sword and shield.
In one of Dante's training grounds.
"I get the main estate's got everyone riled up."
He looked like a wandering knight.
A man who seemed to have just slain a dragon spoke.
"But main estate business is theirs. We do ours."
"Yes, sir."
Crisp responses.
Quintessential Dante.
"Forget everything you saw and heard. Master's orders."
"Got it."
As if that were possible.
Even for Dante, controlling information was tough, and too many had witnessed the day's events.
Almost as if meant to be seen and heard.
It wasn't like the usual Rohan, but the crisis had been too sudden.
"Today, I've got someone to introduce."
They were Dante's 1st Combat Unit: Black Sword.
And the one on the platform, exuding a wandering knight's aura, was Balak Demorus—who, just over a year ago, had been a mere candidate.
Through missions at Dante and endless real combat.
Like Sein, Balak threw himself into the fray nonstop, earning true recognition from Dante.
Talents already awakened.
Plus effort and the right methods.
Demorus blood running through his veins.
"He's a newbie."
That had let Balak become captain of the 1st Combat Unit, Black Sword, in under a year.
"Oho, a newbie?"
"Where's he from?"
"Never heard of a promotion."
The word "newbie" stirred the mood, soured by Sein's drama.
Newbies were rare in the 1st Unit; most were transfers from other combat units.
Balak was the exception.
And as a candidate's kin—a Demorus bloodline—no one would baby him.
"The real maknae!"
"The little bro's here!"
Black Sword's maknae spot had been vacant five years—needless to say.
Eager eyes turned to the training ground entrance.
"Maknae! Maknae! Maknae!"
Even the dignified, imposing Black Sword of heavy Dante.
"Maknae!"
They were human too.
But.
Step, step.
As the young man entered the training ground, Black Sword members gradually fell silent.
Black Sword was Dante's pride and joy.
Their skill and experience rivaled the main estate's.
So they could tell.
"...Thought he was the maknae."
That gait.
The aura wafting off him.
Even the sword's subtle sway.
"It's a used newbie."
No one to take lightly.
Gulp.
Sword in hand, living blade-for-life, they all thought the same.
'Could I even beat him?'
That much.
Step.
The incoming maknae exuded overwhelming presence.
He ascended the platform slowly, shed his robe, and smiled.
"Pleased to meet you all. Name's Jain."