Chapter 42
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Reunion
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The man's silly smile was a welcome sight, and Luon found himself smiling back without realizing it.
For someone who had wandered endlessly without ever settling down, there were few people who could gift him the feeling of a warm welcome.
Luon sheathed his holy sword. Then he spoke.
“Yeah, it's been a while. Woodsman.”
At his words, the man—Kyle—flashed a mischievous grin and gestured down the hall with his thumb.
“How about we grab a drink for old times' sake? I bet we have a lot to talk about.”
The sun had long set. The proprietor began to stoke the fire in the hearth, ensuring the gloomy city's darkness wouldn't spoil the patrons' revelry.
A boy, who appeared to be his son, bustled about with candles in both hands, lighting the ones in the dim corners that the fireplace's glow couldn't quite reach.
Luon and Kyle were seated in one such corner.
The boy, perhaps worried that the large-framed Luon might get drunk and knock over the candles, spoke up cautiously.
“Sir, please be careful. The candles are burning right next to you.”
“I'll be careful.”
When Luon gave a slight nod, the boy bowed deeply before retreating. Kyle, who had been staring, covered his mouth with his hand and whispered.
“Luon, did you see his ears? They’re slightly pointed, like he's half-elf… Seeing as he calls the owner ‘Dad,’ his mother must be the elf, right? I thought the inn had a weird name, but it all makes sense now. A bull seducing a mare.”
Luon shook his head lightly and said.
“Enough nonsense. So, what brings you to Bern?”
“…Shouldn’t you ask how I’ve been first?”
Kyle continued, a look of disappointment on his face.
“Do you have any idea how dumbfounded I was back then? I woke up, and you were just gone without a word.”
He chugged his beer and roughly wiped his wet mouth with the back of his hand.
“…Shit, I sound like I’m clinging to you.”
Luon chuckled at Kyle, who was putting on a one-man show.
“As long as you know.”
Kyle sighed softly and scratched his head.
He looked as if he didn't know where to begin, so Luon didn't press him, waiting patiently for him to speak.
Once he had seemingly gathered his thoughts, Kyle began to speak.
“First off, I’ve been in Bern for a while now. About a fortnight, I’d say.”
He pointed a finger at Luon, who was drinking his beer.
“And I’ve been looking for you this whole time.”
“Me?”
Luon tilted his head, setting his tankard down.
“How did you know I was coming to Bern?”
Kyle answered with a faint smile.
“I saw you passing through the gates of Bern in my future sight.”
“Future sight?”
Hearing such a far-fetched claim, Luon furrowed his brow, and Kyle quickly added.
“It’s Master Iredor’s ability. The one that lets you glimpse fragments of the future by, you know, analyzing past actions and countless possibilities or whatever.”
Only then did Luon nod.
It seemed he was talking about the ability of the old mage who had shown him a glimpse of the future as a reward for safely delivering the fragment.
He asked.
“You came all this way just because of that one vision?”
Kyle, who had been quiet for a moment after that question, carefully began to speak.
“Before that, can I ask you something?”
Seeing his suddenly serious demeanor, Luon nodded silently, and Kyle continued without delay.
“Is your reason for coming to Bern related to Belducias, by any chance?”
It was a sensitive question, to be sure, but Luon saw no reason to hide it from Kyle, so he answered immediately.
“It is.”
At that, Kyle squeezed his eyes shut.
“I was hoping Iredor’s guess was wrong…”
Luon questioned his sigh-like mumble.
“Guess?”
Kyle pulled his chair forward.
“What I’m about to tell you… is something I overheard while I was staying at the Magic Tower.”
Luon gestured for him to continue, and after a quick glance around, Kyle slowly began to speak.
His voice was low, as if he were intentionally keeping it down.
“They were saying that Polientus… the King, his endless thirst for conquest might actually be because of Belducias.”
The King?
Luon tilted his head, puzzled by Kyle’s sudden mention of the King.
“The masters of the Tower figured something out while they were researching the power of Belducias contained in the fragment. You see…”
Kyle, seemingly aware of his own poor storytelling skills, tried his best to organize his thoughts as he continued.
The story went like this.
The masters of the Magic Tower, ever thirsty for new knowledge, sought not simply to remove the archdemon's power that had corrupted the fragment, but to understand its origin through research. After a series of bizarre experiments, they arrived at a completely unexpected possibility.
That Polientus, the King of Ariana, had been consumed by Belducias's madness.
Even Luon, who had been listening calmly to Kyle, couldn't help but frown as the story took such a turn.
“Are you sure?”
Kyle, who had been sipping his beer as if his throat were dry from all the explaining, spoke again.
“I’m not sure how the conversation led to that conclusion. But Amella told me… that the power within the fragment, combined with the countless scenarios Master Iredor ran, produced that result.”
It's been a while since I've heard that name.
As Luon recalled the blue-eyed mage, a question suddenly came to mind, and he voiced it.
“What does the Magic Tower’s prediction have to do with you coming all the way to Bern?”
Kyle let out a deep sigh and replied.
“Strictly speaking, it has nothing to do with it.”
As he said this, a look of hurt crossed his face.
“Luon, don’t you think that’s a bit harsh? I heard the king might be possessed by a demon, and I rushed all the way to the capital thinking I could help a friend, and this is the welcome I get…?”
You have to give him credit for his loyalty.
Luon chuckled and mentally sorted through the jumbled story Kyle had just poured out.
According to the conclusion reached by the masters of the Magic Tower, the king was likely driven mad by exposure to Belducias's power, which is why he keeps ordering these reckless wars.
Kyle, despite knowing this, had seen a vision of Luon passing through the gates of Bern and had come all this way, hoping he could be of help.
Even though he didn't have to.
This unexpected connection had brought unexpected and valuable information. Luon nodded slowly and muttered.
“It seems certain that one of his apostles is in Bern.”
“Huh?”
“I didn’t come here without a reason, either.”
As he said this, Luon lightly tapped the pommel of his holy sword with his fingertips.
“You remember how the sword absorbed the power of Belducias’s minions when I killed them, right? After that happened a few times, this sword became a compass that points to their location.”
Kyle nodded, letting out a small “Ah.”
Just then, the innkeeper placed two mugs of beer on the table.
Luon and Kyle stared at the innkeeper’s face, as they hadn't ordered more beer. He said,
“It's getting crowded. If you’re not ordering more, you’ll have to give up your table. What’ll it be?”
Luon held up two fingers and said,
“We’ll have two more. And bring some simple snacks.”
Watching the proprietor walk away with a pleased nod, Kyle clicked his tongue.
“Prices are already steep in the capital, and now they’re gouging us like this… They’re no better than thieves.”
He grumbled, scratching his head.
“So, it’s certain now that there’s something in Bern.”
Luon nodded.
“Based on what you said, it could be a major player, someone who can manipulate the king. Someone connected to the Great Library…”
His voice trailed off before he added curtly.
“We’ll start looking into it in earnest tomorrow.”
At that, Kyle raised his beer mug and replied.
“Anyway, it’s good to see you again. You’re not planning on turning me away after I came all this way, are you?”
“It’s not like you’d leave even if I told you to.”
Luon also held out his mug.
The two mugs clinked together with a clear sound.
Without a word, both men drained their mugs in one go and began to briefly share stories of the time they had spent apart.
Kyle shook his head, looking appalled at the fact that Luon had been constantly on the move without a moment's rest.
Once again, their mugs were empty.
Luon dutifully asked about Amella, and Kyle shook his head with a bitter expression.
“Amella disappeared suddenly, long before I left the Magic Tower. She didn’t leave a word, so I don’t know anything either.”
Meanwhile, the number of empty mugs on the table gradually increased. By now, the proprietor would wordlessly place fresh mugs on their table before quietly disappearing.
Fragmented moonlight streamed through the cracked windowpane, gently stroking the heads of the two men sitting opposite each other.
Kyle, his face now flushed red, looked at the new mug and waved his hand.
“If I drink this one, I think I’ll be in real trouble.”
“Then go up and rest.”
“I need to take a piss first.”
The words were barely out of his mouth before Kyle shot up from his seat and slipped out the back door of the inn.
Luon, who had downed two more beers in a row, spoke to the proprietor as he stealthily approached with another fresh mug.
“That’s enough.”
Luon gazed out the window at the streets of Bern, now completely shrouded in darkness.
Not even a single rat could be seen on the main street, which was paved entirely with solid flagstones.
After seeing nothing but dirty, unpaved roads, the sight of a street illuminated by torches at regular intervals felt strangely novel.
And for what?
As Luon gave a bitter smile at the fact that he was impressed by such a simple scene, he suddenly realized his holy sword was humming faintly.
He didn't hurry. Instead, he casually placed a hand on his sword's hilt and kept his eyes on the street outside.
His night vision, which pierced the darkness, easily found the target of the holy sword’s hostility.
The figure was standing at the entrance of a narrow alley across from the inn, silently watching him. The figure, as if sensing Luon’s gaze, slowly began to raise an arm.
Magic?
But contrary to Luon's concern, the figure had a different reason for extending its arm.
From its upside-down fist, a long index finger began to beckon.
At the clear provocation, Luon rose from his seat without hesitation.
As Luon grabbed the doorknob to leave, the proprietor called after him.
“Hey, what about the bill?”
Luon hastily pressed a few silver coins into the hand of the mood-killing proprietor and immediately stepped out of the inn.
Fortunately, the figure hadn't fled. It remained in place, staring intently as Luon walked out onto the main street.
“What are you looking at?”
Luon immediately took aim and, without another word, fired an arrow of light at the figure.