Episode 1158
by CristaeEpisode 1158
Now was not the time to worry about such things. The undying one waited for a report.
Soon, a priest of the order would finish their task and come to report in.
……
But even after the appointed time, no report arrived.
The dimension space in which the undying one resided twisted, and tentacles made of flesh and muscle swelled and spread.
It was a surge of intense rage toward the remnants of Sanguiros.
Ibintha kept glancing nervously.
They had left the city, but that crazy wizard was deep in thought, making no comment.
‘C-could it be he’s angry at me for not finding the Sanguiros bastards?’
It was entirely possible.
Of course, the people of Marheim City had shown their praises and gratitude.
Dealing with the situation before the plague spread, and even capturing the relevant evil god worshippers wasn’t an easy feat even for mages renowned in the Empire.
By now, the city officials and administrators were probably breathing sighs of relief.
But a madman cannot be judged by ordinary standards. If you could, you wouldn’t call him mad in the first place.
If that boy from the Wardanaz family started moving with the madness of his older brother…
“Hm.”
“Eek!”
Startled, Ibintha almost tumbled off the horse. The horse pulling the wagon kicked at the piled snow beside it and snorted in annoyance.
“I-is something wrong?”
“Ah, it’s nothing much. I was just thinking I might need to change my strategy.”
Lee Han spoke his thought aloud.
There had been a gap in his previous strategy, which was to simply arrive at the location and beat up whoever seemed suspicious until someone confessed.
“If the enemy’s already prepared or waiting, things could actually get out of hand instead.”
“I can’t believe you’re only—Ah, no. Very wise, sir!”
Ibintha cursed his own tongue and quickly flattered him.
If his counterpart was choosing moderation now, why would he say anything foolish?
Should he get angry again and revert to the hardline approach, Ibintha’s name would go down among criminals as a legendary traitor.
“I’ll only do that when I’m certain. Otherwise, I’ll try a quieter method.”
“Wise thinking! …Wait, you’ll still do it when you’re sure?”
Ibintha flinched.
He’s NOT giving it up?
“Is there a problem?”
“No! None at all! Hehe, it will be a shame not to have the fun of helping the great mage sweep away evil, that’s all.”
Ibintha flattered again.
His own life was far more valuable than the fate of thieves he barely knew by face.
“Really? Hm. If it disappoints you so much, I’ll still do it a few mo—”
“I’ll run ahead and check the road!”
With the conversation growing chilling, the former bandit chief dashed ahead.
Northern parts of the Empire had many mountain roads, and even the flatlands often had blocked or collapsed paths.
Harsh climate meant not just spirits and monsters, but also frequent contact with other dimensions.
These conditions naturally increased accidents, incidents, and disturbances.
“No issues! You can come along as is!”
-We just checked, too, but I don’t know why you’re checking again. Understood!
The Death Knights near the wagon replied.
The White Tiger Tower students sat inside the wagon, flipping through wanted posters and listing the bandits they’d dealt with.
They’d done so much work during this trip that they needed time to organize everything.
“Ironhead Bag? Isn’t that the guy from the last fortress?”
“Looks like it. I’m sure it was a name like that.”
“Wow! I can’t believe I caught that guy!”
“Huh? No, it’s not Ironhead Bag. It’s just Bald Bag.”
“…Why’d this guy’s name get my hopes up?”
The students searched through the bandits they’d caught, looking for anyone notable.
If they’d caught a famous one, it would be bragging rights for at least a year.
Giselle cleared her throat as she watched them.
But her friends were oddly absorbed in the wanted posters with a level of focus she’d never seen before.
“Why would someone have the nickname ‘Iron Teeth’?”
“Maybe he replaced all his teeth with steel.”
“Then did Senior Steel Shoe’s ancestor walk around in steel shoes?”
“Dunno. I doubt Professor Thunderstep’s ancestors made thunder noises when they walked…”
“Hey.”
“!”
The White Tiger Tower students jumped at Giselle’s voice.
“W-what is it, Moradi. Did we do something wrong?”
“Did anyone sneak out? Nobody, right? If anyone went out to buy a polo magazine, confess now. Making others suffer isn’t the knightly way.”
“……”
Deorgyu thought that hunting down their own like this wasn’t exactly knightly either.
Especially with a senior like Catten nearby, this was just shameful.
“Sorry, Senior.”
“Hm?”
Catten looked up.
She’d been so absorbed in the book that she hadn’t heard her juniors’ conversations at all.
“Were you reading?”
“Yes, Junior.”
“If Senior is reading it, it must be an amazing…”
Deorgyu checked the book. Strangely, the handwriting was familiar.
‘What’s the title?’
An Introduction to Basic Summoning Magic, Easy Enough for First Years
“It’s a book Junior Wardanaz wrote just for me. Isn’t it touching, Junior?”
Catten smiled warmly. Deorgyu quickly took out a book cover—the kind he used to hide his usual romance novels.
“Please cover it with this, Senior. The cover will stay protected.”
“Oh, thank you! If you keep these with you, you must read a lot yourself.”
“Uh… well… It’s because Lee Han studies so hard that I study, too.”
Deorgyu spoke with a twinge of conscience.
Meanwhile, Giselle eyed her friends with contempt.
“You guys didn’t forget why we left, did you.”
“Bandit extermination…”
“…Weren’t we supposed to catch evil god worshippers?”
“……”
As Giselle’s gaze turned as cold as the icy summits in the far-off snow mountains, the friends’ brains started working again.
“That’s right! We were sent on a request by the Moradi family!”
“So what’s the request?”
Silence fell. Angrago tried to throw a paper bird out the window to summon Lee Han.
“It’s to check the state and problems of the territory and submit suggestions for improvement.”
“Y-Yeah, that’s it.”
“I’ve been thinking about it all along, actually.”
Other friends jabbed the White Tiger Tower student in the ribs.
What would they do if she really asked them for details?
Click—
The front window opened and Lee Han stuck his head in, holding the paper bird Angrago sent.
“For reference, I’ve redesigned the districts so knights staying in Moradi territory can’t sneak out at night. I was inspired watching the seniors’ routes.”
“…Do you ever sleep??”
The White Tiger Tower students snapped at Lee Han.
When did he prepare all that?
Lee Han shrugged and closed the window again.
Then he said to Ibintha,
“I don’t know what they’re all doing, not preparing things like this.”
“……”
Ibintha thought to himself.
Sure enough, the Wardanaz family truly had a streak of madness to them!
Giselle’s older sister and Moradi family’s proud genius knight, Ziklin, was patrolling the districts with northern knights.
The difference from usual was that this time, she was on her way to greet guests from Einrogard.
“Incredible, Lady Moradi! Seeing your beautiful swordsmanship, I feel inspired to train even harder myself!”
A knight from the Dulak family exclaimed in admiration.
Ziklin had just split a massive Grendel charging down the snowy slope with a single blow.
This giant man-eating beast, said to have giant’s blood, was so threatening that even knights would not face it one-on-one.
But with no support from mages or use of items, she had slain it instantly with sword skill alone.
“Really?”
Unlike her sister, the elf knight with her long hair tied back looked seriously at the Dulak family knight.
“Yes!”
“Since when?”
“Excuse me?”
The Dulak knight was embarrassed, but Ziklin didn’t avert her gaze.
When will you start training hard?
“R… right now?”
“I see. Begin.”
“Huh??”
The knight looked around, at a loss, wondering if Ziklin was teasing him.
But the other knights only shook their heads in sympathy.
‘Told you not to speak lightly in front of Lady Moradi.’
‘Absolutely no jokes land with her.’
In front of Ziklin, one had to weigh every word.
If you happened to say the beautiful mountains made you want to climb one day?
Then you had to climb, no exceptions.
Upon reading a wanted poster and vowing to catch a criminal out of anger?
Then you had to catch them.
Otherwise, every time you met her: “Did you climb?” “Did you catch them?” would be the questions.
The unfortunate Dulak knight either hadn’t heard the rumors or underestimated them.
“…Hup! Ha! Hah! Huff…”
As a result, the Dulak knight ended up swinging his sword as he trailed after the group.
Luckily, there was no one else around the desolate snowy slopes to watch.
“Ahem, Lady Moradi.”
Perhaps the awkward sound of sword swinging was too much, so the other knights changed the subject with coughs.
“More than that, we were surprised to hear news about the wizards from Einrogard. As expected, the patriarch had a plan.”
When the current Moradi family patriarch, Ziderf Moradi, invited Einrogard students—under the guise of a request—the territory’s knights were bewildered.
Requesting a report and improvement suggestions for the territory from magic school students, especially second-year students?
Given the patriarch’s reputation as an efficiency- and logic-driven man, speculators offered various guesses.
They said it was about ties with the Wardanaz family, or pressure from Duke Gonadaltes, and so on.
Then news came that Einrogard students were sweeping through bandit groups on their way.
Only then did the knights realize—
That was the patriarch’s true aim!
Normally, mages would not have come to their domain. Too bothersome.
And as for Duke Gonadaltes, he’d have added a mountain of nagging and interference.
But thanks to the patriarch’s well-timed request, the students came with no hindrance, and the Moradi family was able to settle recent upheavals with the help of mages…
“No. Father sincerely wishes to hear Wardanaz’s advice.”
Ziklin answered, cutting her off instantly.
Her father truly wanted to hear advice from her sister’s friend.
On how to make the knights’ training even more brutal?
“……”
“……”