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Chapter 148

“It has been a while.”

“Indeed, nice to see you all again.”

“Nice to see you again.”

The Central Mountain Range in the middle of the continent was not home only to the Temple of the Great God. The Ildorian Magic Tower, one of the three strongest among the continent’s Seven Great Magic Towers, was also situated right in the Central Mountain Range, near the direction of the Pakinch Kingdom. And today, the Ildorian Magic Tower was the site of a truly rare assembly of six mages. All seven tower masters had gathered, besides the Shining Magic Tower that was populated by black mages, for the first time in 100 years.

“To think that we gathered here today for the first time in 100 years because of a single person.”

“I fear that rumors might spread. How ridiculous it is that the tower masters must gather because of a mere rookie who isn’t even the Golden-Eyed Reaper Aidal…”

The Tower Master of the Gauss Magic Tower, Orbiton, scowled at the lament of the Ildorian Tower Master, Avaion.

“Holding back when that impudent rookie dared to rob magic tower assets would invite greater humiliation, would it not.”

“Indeed so. Sitting back and forgiving a wretch who declared war on not just one or two magic towers, but all of them, would be an insult to our prestige.”

On the continent, they were called the Seven Great Magic Towers and had a ranking, but everyone here was equal. Tower Master Kandaulin hadn’t yet reached the 7th Circle, but the majority of his skills were at a comparable level—there was no need to snub him.

“I also heard the temples are dispatching Inquisitioners. We should also jump on the bandwagon to work with the temples and strike Nerman.”

Gauss Tower Master Orbiton, the one here harboring the greatest grudge against Nerman, asserted a strong opinion. Up until now, there had never once been a case where the magic towers attacked a territory. No mere lord had ever dared to be impudent to the magic towers, so this was a first. Even kingdoms would scramble to bend over when a magic tower frowned, so what kind of crazy lord would oppose them?

However, such a crazy person actually appeared. The Lord of Nerman, Kyre, bent the magic towers’ pride into origami, and now, he’d gone so far as to declare war on them.

“That is not possible. Even two armies of the Laviter Empire were defeated, so cooperating with paladins who lack elite troops would be dangerous. Also, an Inquisition has not yet been declared,” stated Ildorian Tower Master Avaion, stroking his white beard.

It wasn’t merely that magic towers had never attacked a territory before, but also that mages could not be invested into a risky venture where victory could not be guaranteed. They did have battle mages among them, but most of their members disdained matters requiring physical effort. Using such mages to wage a war was something that defied common sense.

“Then are you saying we should stand idle like this?” countered Tower Master Orbiton, sounding frustrated.

“I’m sure everyone here has received official requests for cooperation from the Laviter and Bajran Empires anyway. The reason why I asked everyone to meet here today was not to propose that we personally attack Nerman, but to speak frankly about the man who is the Lord of Nerman, Kyre. Also, I also wanted to propose that if Nerman collapses, we should share information about the magic items they possess.”

“……”

Everyone went silent at Tower Master Avaion’s words. Each magic tower had indeed received official cooperation requests from the two empires. The mages were not idiots. Moreover, the cutting-edge magic technology appearing one after another in Nerman could inject new knowledge into the continent’s stagnating magic academia. However, no one could be shameless enough to monopolize such a tantalizing prize with everyone watching.

“I concur with Tower Master Avaion’s opinion. Let us not act like our instructors, who suffered at the hands of Aidal 100 years ago, and organize a proper alliance this time.”

The aquiline-nosed Orsek Tower Master, Berkayan, expressed his acquiescence, as if he had been waiting for his chance to do so. He had already had a discussion with the Ildorian Tower Master before coming here.

“Let us do that. Monopolizing everything when everyone knows what is at stake would not be prudent, after all,” agreed the Tower Master of Forseus.

“Then there is no reason for us to oppose.”

“Of course, we are not opposed either.”

Every Tower Master besides the Gauss Tower Master, who was receiving the strong backing of the Laviter Empire, showed their agreement to Tower Master Avaion’s words. Gauss was closely linked to the Laviter Empire, the force with the highest likelihood of taking Nerman down, but there was no way the rest of the magic towers would let the Gauss Tower Master monopolize Nerman.

“I received a secret missive from the Emperor of the Bajran Empire yesterday. I cannot reveal everything, but the Bajran Empire is also determined to invade Nerman. Also, there was also a suggestion to formally place our magic tower in the center of that endeavour.”

Tower Master Avaion of Ildorian could not read out the missive, but he said enough that everyone could read in between the lines. He was the oldest person here, and his skill and craftiness when dealing with people had only increased with age.

“I-I understand. I also have no complaints regarding that issue.”

Tower Master Orbiton had no choice but to consent. Around half of the mages that were captured as prisoners in Nerman and still hadn’t been returned were mages from Gauss. He feared the resentment of the other mages too much to fold his hands behind his back without rescuing the imprisoned mages. The mages under a magic tower gathered information and produced goods for the tower, and protecting them was one of the important jobs of a magic tower.

“Thank you, Tower Master Orbiton.”

The Tower Masters had been gathered here by the mention of Kyre, but the true purpose of today was to secure the sharing of Nerman’s magic knowledge. Mages were greedier than anyone when it came to magic, so if they were not forced in such a manner, they would never agree to share.

“As you all know, when Tower Masters decide on something, it cannot be changed. If another magic tower tries to secretly monopolize the magic information, the others will not stand by.”

Avaion reiterated their agreement—that was just how important this matter was. According to what they had deduced, magic knowledge of the Ancient Magic Era was used in some of the magic weapons made by the Lord of Nerman. In order for the mages here to crack the wall of the 7th Circle and ascend to the 8th, a stage that no one other than the Golden-Eyed Aidal had achieved, Ancient Magic Era knowledge was a necessity.

“Then let us continue the meeting in greater detail. I’d like to gather your opinions on whether we should dispatch mages to whichever empire requests aid first, or whether we should divide mages equally between the two.”

After settling the most important matter, the mages put their heads together.

None of them doubted their eventual victory in the least. With forces that could nearly be called the entirety of the continent’s power after Nerman’s throat, unless the Lord of Nerman was a dragon, he would undoubtedly be crushed.

* * *

“Dammit, I should just hurry up and ascend to the 9th Circle and become a dragon or something.”

I didn’t remember how we managed to fly out of there. That damned storm was so strong that it was impossible to evade, no matter how high up we flew. All I could do was to trust Bebeto and hold on for dear life to the reins. Until I became a 9th Circle mage, an existence said to be able to freely control the very mana of nature itself, I was merely a powerless human subject to the forces of nature.

“But is this even Haildrian?”

After slogging through the gusts, I simply did my best to guide Bebeto to what I thought was the north. Even Bebeto and his cutting-edge navigation system couldn’t go to a place he didn’t know. We flew for quite a while, desperately hoping that we weren’t heading into the ocean. Bebeto was exhausted, and I was about to be exhausted as well when we spotted blessed land and simply landed. And then, not long after we landed on the beach, the wind that had been blowing like crazy finally abated. The sudden stillness made me think that everything had simply been a joke played by God to mess with me. After a short rest, Bebeto and I tried to figure out the identity of the land before our eyes.

“Seeing as the spring buds haven’t come out in full force yet, it does seem to be Haildrian…”

Haildrian was said to have six months of winter a year. Kallian was already in the season of Romero, the Overseer of Fate, but this place was still in the trappings of winter.

“Chrisia is probably fine, right?”

Now that I had a moment to breathe, I began to worry about Chrisia’s safety. She had undertaken this flight at the risk of her life because of me. Anyone who didn’t worry would be a real bastard.

“Let’s find something to eat first.”

Unlike the Kallian continent, the season here was lingering between winter and early spring. I jumped onto Bebeto, who had rested a bit to catch his breath. In any case, it seemed like we had indeed reached Haildrian. I wanted to fill my stomach first, then go meet the tsarina who ruled this continent and ask her why the fuck she made me go through all this hardship.

“Let’s go!”

Guoooooo!

The robust Bebeto flapped his wings at my command and kicked off the ground. 

Neither Bebeto nor I knew a single thing about Haildrian. We simply had to experience it and learn on the go.

Youth.

It was because we were both in that period in our lives when we could earn the important knowledge that would sustain one for a lifetime, a time when the fierce energy of youth burned brightest… 

* * *

‘Wow!’

Before me stretched the legendary Ice Empire, Haildrian. The continent was also called Haildrian, after the empire’s name. The landscape of this completely different continent was a feast for the eyes. Even though spring had come, the somewhat high peaks were still topped with snow, and the land was only ornamented by grasses with strong vitality that were only beginning to poke out.

Thud thud thud thud thud thud thud.

Running around atop those grasslands were herds of beasts with white hides. The deer looked similar to Rudolph, the head of Santa’s drunk-driving team. They were startled by the sight of Bebeto passing by and heedlessly charged straight forward.

‘Huhu. The food issue is resolved.’

It was obvious that they were normal, red-blooded animals and not demon beasts. Having secured the issue of food, the most important one for our survival, I felt relieved.

‘But damn, there’s not a single person in this neighborhood.’

I didn’t know where we landed, but it was still a shore on the ocean. However, I couldn’t see a single person. We had already flown for two hours. I had expected to see human life after covering so much distance, but the lonely land angered me. I had a mountain of things to do and had no time to be wasting my time here.

Guoooooooo!

‘Hm?’

After flying like that for who knew how long, Bebeto suddenly bellowed out. He had a keen sense of smell and eyesight that humans couldn’t compare to.

SQUEAAL! Booooom!

‘This sound is—!’ When I focused mana on my ears, I picked up the sounds of battle. ‘Eyy!’

I’d never been so happy to hear the clamor of battle.

“Giddy up, Bebeto!” I ordered, as if Bebeto were a horse.

Guoooooo!

Dearest Bebeto really did race excitedly through the sky like a horse at my orders.

Swooooooosh.

The still-cold wind of Haildrian gusted onto my helmet with quite the force.

* * *

* * *

“Maintain defensive formation!”

“Protect the carriage!”

A battle was ensuing on a path still covered by snow at the foot of a mountain. Around twenty mounted knights wearing plate mail were protecting a golden carriage drawn by four white horses.

Schwiiip. BOOM!

“Agghhh!”

Enormous boulders were flying towards those knights. They were capable of using mana, but when they were struck by the overwhelming physical force of the boulders, the knights were tossed from their horses along with their shields.

“Clear the path!” shouted the knight at the front with mana.

SQUEAAAAL! Krrrrrrrrrrr!

However, that was easier said than done. Dozens of ice trolls with fur the color of white snow hurled stones from a safe distance, dealing a fierce onslaught on the knights.

‘What an utter disaster!’ thought a knight named Shulvate. He was charged with the protection of his lord’s daughter, who was riding the carriage the household’s knight order was leading. His expression crumpled under his helmet.

Because his lord’s daughter was unable to ride a wyvern, they were using a carriage to go to the capital. The count household had assigned three Skyknights to the entourage, but they had to engage in a fight with a sudden flock of wild wyverns, and the knight order had fled the scene by driving the horses hard. However, that was not the end of their misfortune. Ice trolls with hides twice as sturdy as regular trolls, as well as twice their strength, suddenly appeared from the bend of the mountain, as if anticipating their arrival, and ambushed them.

‘How come Skyknights aren’t coming?!’

Around ten wild wyverns had appeared, but the house’s Skyknights had received proper combat education and were more than capable of prevailing over such wild beasts.

Ruuuumble. Craaaash!

‘Dammit!’

There was no place to run. The remarkably intelligent ice trolls threw a boulder down on the path that the carriage could traverse, blocking their escape.

“Squad 1 will defend the carriage, and Squad 2 will all dismount and attack the trolls!”

With a thud, Shulvate jumped down from his horse.

Schwiiip. BOOM. Neeeeeeighh!

The moment he dismounted, a stone the size of a human head came flying and crushed the ribs of his favorite horse.

‘These bastards!’

Rage had filled him from head to toe. He circulated mana in his feet as he climbed the inclined ridge.

“Gooooo!”

Ten knights followed him, screaming as they flung themselves onto the steep ridge.

Schwiip. Boom.

The ice trolls met their advance with boulders, as if they had calculated this all along.

“Kuaagh!”

The terrain was disadvantageous for them. The ice trolls were situated atop a steep ridge around 30 meters high. The knights were using mana to clamber up the ridge, but they fell one after another to the stones pouring down on their heads.

‘Sly bastards!’

Shulvate had long been enraged. Normally, such monsters would have been slaughtered by the knight order, but they were craftily using the terrain to their advantage.

“Agh!”

When he had come about 20 meters up the ridge, just a few steps away from the trolls, he met eyes with the troll about to throw a boulder towards him. Shulvate had to dodge, but he felt his foot slip at exactly that moment. Even though he wasn’t a Blade Master, he was still a knight renowned across Haildrian. It would be an utter disgrace if he were to be hit by an ice troll’s boulder. Despite the moment of danger, he instinctively raised his mana-filled shield to protect himself. Even if he were disgraced, he could not die.

Bam! Spluuurt.

‘…?’

He was expecting the impact of a boulder on his shield, but what he felt was the splattering of flesh chunks. Shulvate raised his head.

“Ah!”

An exclamation of shock burst out of him. The head of the ice troll about to attack him had exploded into pieces, and the Blessed Spear that had achieved such a feat was quivering in the ground nearby.

Kugaaaa! Kiguuuuu! Bam! Ba-bam.

Alarmed by the unexpected attack, the ice trolls were skewered by the spears falling from the sky.

‘So they’ve finally arrived.’

Shulvate felt relief surge through him when he saw Blessed Spears.

“…..!!”

However, when he looked up, expecting to see his house’s Skyknights, he went stiff with shock.

GUOOOOOOOO!

The wyvern bellowing so loudly it seemed to shake the earth… was not a wyvern of the count household.

It was a hybrid wyvern with golden stripes on black, a wyvern he had never seen before in Haildrian. It was busily skewering the fleeing ice trolls with its sharp claws.

And then, Shulvate saw him.

Atop the hybrid wyvern, stood a crimson-cloaked man with a spear in his hands. The sun breaking over his head was as radiant as a halo.

* * *

Flap, flap, flap.

Ice trolls, a rare sight on the Kallian Continent, were attacking a group of knights, so I took some time out of my busy schedule to punish them a bit. Ice trolls might be peerless among monsters, but in front of me, they were no different from newborn pups.

‘Since I’ve saved you from danger, you should come running over with thanks, jeez. Why’re you staring at me like that.’

The twenty knights were definitely knights of the Haildrian Empire. After they collected the spears I’d hurled at the ice trolls, they stared blankly at me once Bebeto landed next to them.

“How do you do? Hahaha.”

I wasn’t one to be intimidated in front of knights I’d never met before. I removed my helmet and greeted them with a bright smile.

“Gasp!”

“Ah!”

‘What?’

Instead of greeting me back, the knights exclaimed in surprise, looking as if they had seen a ghost or something.

“I am the Lord of Nerman, Count Kyre. I need to find the capital; can someone tell me how I can reach it?” I asked from atop Bebeto. I didn’t have time to play around with these guys, so I went straight to the matter at hand.

“……”

However, the knights simply stared in silence, tongue-tied.

‘Are they trying to test someone’s patience here?’

If this were the Kallian Continent, Nerman might not be a household name, but there shouldn’t be any nobles or knights who didn’t know it. However, it seemed rumors of me hadn’t spread to Haildrian, because the knights showed little reaction at my name. They simply stared blankly at my black hair.

“I will tell you.”

‘Wowie!’

It was the clear, sweet voice of a lady, something I hadn’t dared hope for here. The door to the carriage opened, and a woman with something that looked like a white fox scarf around her neck descended.

‘So it was true that all the women of the Haildrian Continent are beauties.’

Ryker had praised Haildrian women so enthusiastically that his spit had gone flying in excitement. Ryker had said that above all else, the skin of Haildrian women was art. And the woman before my eyes now verified Ryker’s claims. 

She had skin so white and clear it seemed as if the sun had never once touched it. She was wearing an elegant blue dress, and her blue hair was tied neatly to the right with a golden hairpin. About 170 cm tall, she had a refreshing countenance. The woman, with interest bright in her eyes, was smiling at me.

“Thank you.”

“Please, there is no need for thanks. A request of this level is nothing when you have saved us from danger.”

‘Not only is she smart, but she’s also assertive.’

It was said that a person’s eyes were the windows to their soul. You could tell their emotions, wisdom, knowledge, and even their current situation. The curious eyes of the woman in front of me were full of intelligence. Even though the knights were frozen in shock, she was still the picture of composure.

“I’d like to formally introduce myself first. I am Elmion of House Asmahil.”

“I am the Lord of Nerman, Count Kyre de Nerman.”

I bowed to show my respect to Elmion, who had greeted me with an elegant curtsey, her hand on the hem of her dress.

“By Lord of Nerman… could you possibly be referring to Nerman of the Bajran Empire?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Ah… I see.”

‘Ara, she knows about Nerman?’

Very little was known about Haildrian on the Kallian Continent, but Elmion even knew about the Nerman of the Bajran Empire.

“You have traveled a long way,” she said, giving me a refreshing smile that dashed away my fatigue.

“Haha, the journey was harder than expected. If not for the summons of Her Majesty the Tsarina, this is a place I would like to never visit again.”

“T-The summons of Her Majesty the Tsarina?”

“Yes. Her Majesty suddenly called for me, so I hastily flew over the ocean with the help of the Kesmire Kingdom. But on our way here, we encountered a storm, so I became all alone like this.”

“You have truly suffered.”

Elmion, who had two beautiful rows of white, sparkling teeth, seemed to be expressing sincere concern.

“What suffering, such things can happen in life. Hahaha.”

‘Kang Hyuk, what the hell do you think you’re doing right now.’

There was another voice inside me, asking whether I was ashamed of myself for laughing good-naturedly in front of a pretty lady when I was busy as hell.

“You must be a person living with a good heart, Lord Kyre.”

The knights were watching, but the mood was starting to feel like a date with no regard whatsoever for their prying eyes.

Guooooooooo!

Bebeto uttered a cry full of warning towards the sky.

“It appears that the Skyknights are finally here.”

Three wyverns were approaching from afar. They seemed to be the wyverns traveling with these people.

“It seems that the danger has passed, so I should get going now.”

“Yes…”

“If you could please tell me how to get to the capital…”

“If you fly to the left of Mt. Truman over there, a castle will appear. If you ask there, they should give you further directions,” said a person who looked like the leader of the knights.

‘But what’s wrong with them? Why’re they looking at me like I’m an alien?’

The knights were still unable to relax their guard. They were stealing glances at my hair and eyes, and when our eyes met, they were quick to turn away.

“Thank you. Then until next time, Miss Elmion.”

“It was a pleasure to meet you, Count Kyre.”

Our meeting was brief, but Elmion gave me a good feeling. I left her with a gentle smile and got onto Bebeto.

Guoooooo! Flap flap, flap flap flap.

As soon as I got on, Bebeto flapped his wings and jumped into the air. He flew into the right direction on his own, as if he had understood the knight leader’s words.

* * *

“It is unknown if he can be trusted,” said Shulvate carefully to Elmion.

He was thankful that the man had saved their lives, but he was a noble from the Kallian Continent, a land Haildrian hadn’t had much contact with. Most notably, the man possessed black hair, a taboo in Haildrian.

It wasn’t well-known in the Kallian Continent, but around 200 years ago, the Haildrian Empire had faced a great crisis. A black mage of the 8th Circle had appeared on their lands. Not only could he use magic, but he was also a Grand Blade Master in swordsmanship. He alone brought the peaceful Haildrian Empire to the brink of annihilation. The continent was able to repel him through the sacrificial mindsets of mages secretly invited to assist and imperial knights who fought back without fearing death, but Haildrian had suffered a tremendous amount of damage. The man hadn’t fought alone—he had revived dead knights or soldiers with black magic and turned them into his own men.

And that black mage had possessed black hair. Because of that, black hair became the symbol of destruction and a taboo in Haildrian.

“The look in his eyes was different. Unlike the Black Magic Swordsman of Destruction, Altakas, that person just now has pure black eyes. The black mage might have indeed escaped to the Kallian Continent, but that was already 200 years ago.”

“Even so…”

Despite assenting to Elmion’s words, Shulvate could not regain his composure. A staggering number of over three million had lost their lives to a single black magic swordsman, and all within the span of less than one year.

As such, a fear that could never be forgotten was engraved in Haildrian’s bones. Shulvate looked at Kyre, who had become a dot in the sky, praying that he was someone with no relation to the Black Magic Swordsman of Destruction, like Elmion said.

“We should depart as well.”

“As you command!”

The knights came back to attention at Elmion’s words.

“Assume formation!”

Once Elmion got into the carriage, the knights of House Asmahil slowly moved the carriage around the boulders the ice trolls had hurled. 

Everyone’s thoughts were concentrated on the person they had just met.

He was the first Kallian Continent noble Haildrian had seen in a while. They were all curious as to why the Tsarina had summoned him…