Episode 164
“Ugh…”
Rick slowly regained consciousness and opened his eyes.
Blinking a few times, he quickly sat up and surveyed his surroundings.
The cave was surprisingly tidy, and his companions were all asleep at the campsite.
‘What about the wraith?’
It felt as if everything that had happened before he passed out was just a dream.
But the throbbing pain in his shoulder was a stark reminder that it was all too real.
“Ugh…”
A groan of pain echoed from somewhere nearby. Rick looked around more carefully and spotted an old man bound and writhing in agony in a corner of the cave.
‘Who is that?’
Rick got to his feet and approached the restrained man, known as Dusk.
Just then, Zeke’s voice cut through the silence.
“It’s best not to touch that old wretch.”
Rick turned to see Zeke standing nearby, having just returned with a pot of snow. He placed the pot over the fire and walked over to Rick.
Zeke passed by Rick and approached Dusk, delivering a swift kick to his midsection.
“Ugh!”
Dusk twisted in pain, his body contorting with the blow.
Rick, taken aback, asked Zeke, “Z-Zeke, what’s going on? Who is this old man?”
“He’s the one. The sorcerer who controlled the wraith.”
“Really? My goodness, Zeke, you caught the sorcerer!”
“Yes. I was fortunate. The breath of the fire giant I had as a last resort worked perfectly.”
Rick glanced around the cave, noticing the scorch marks that confirmed Zeke’s story. The traces left behind were far beyond what Arin’s fire magic could have done.
The breath of a fire giant was powerful enough to keep burning until it consumed the wooden wraith, turning the tide of the battle in an instant.
By the time Zeke finished preparing the meal, the rest of the group had woken up.
Despite the lingering headaches from the wraith’s sinister curse, everyone seemed relieved that the ordeal was over.
As they ate warm soup and bread, Jason remarked, “We saved time by not having to go all the way to the dungeon.”
“We were lucky,” Zeke replied. “If the sorcerer had set traps in the dungeon, we might have missed him.”
Rick shuddered at the thought, recalling the events of the previous night.
Rick turned to Zeke and said, “Now that we’ve captured the sorcerer, I suggest we head to Panstath and report to Duke Graham’s estate. What do you think, Zeke?”
Zeke nodded in agreement. “Sounds good. We can catch a carriage to Barkal from the village of Gorka. From Barkal, the direct train to Panstath is the fastest route.”
After finishing their meal, the group set off for the nearest village, Gorka, with Dusk in tow, following Zeke’s plan.
They were fortunate to catch a regular carriage heading to Barkal right away.
Jason remained vigilant, wary that the malevolent sorcerer might cast a curse and escape at any moment. However, after a night of interrogation by Zeke, Dusk was thoroughly broken.
He had come to the chilling realization that escape from Zeke’s grasp was impossible.
“Whew! It’s crowded here.”
Barkal was one of the larger cities within the Free City Alliance of the Northern Continent.
Originally a mining town centered around the gold mines of the Ice Mountains, it had since become renowned for its steel and metal manufacturing.
As a result, dwarves were the most common sight in the city, making up a significant portion of the population.
True to the nature of a city with many dwarves, most people were already drinking beer like water, even though it was still daytime.
Rick and his companions made their way to the local branch of the Adventurers’ Guild in Barkal.
Though not as grand as the headquarters in Argos, the Barkal branch was still quite sizable.
“Wait in the lounge, everyone. I’ll handle the paperwork with Zeke.”
Zeke and Rick led Dusk to the reception area.
Rick filled out some simple forms and presented the request letter from Duke Graham’s estate, completing the process.
He returned to Zeke with a special ticket for the direct train to Panstath, designated for transporting criminals.
“I got the earliest ticket available. The train leaves tonight.”
“Understood. Let’s lock him up in the guild’s prison, then get some rest.”
With Dusk’s powers sealed by soul-binding magic, there was no risk in leaving him in the prison.
After dealing with Dusk, Rick and the others took a break at an inn, while Zeke decided to explore Barkal.
As Zeke wandered through the city, he was lost in thought.
Barkal was the city where he had spent the most time in his past life, aside from Himonas.
‘Not much has changed since then.’
From the alley where he used to drink with his comrades after missions to the shop where he ordered equipment, everything was just as he remembered.
These were memories only Zeke held now.
Entering a restaurant he frequented in his past life, Zeke ordered with practiced ease.
The owner, who greeted him daily back then, didn’t recognize him, a stark reminder of his return to the past.
Northern cuisine was rough, but it was made with care.
Tasting the familiar flavors after so many years, Zeke felt as if he had returned home.
‘Funny how I find a sense of home here, something I never felt with the Draker family.’
As Zeke savored his meal, he overheard a conversation from the next table.
“The situation with the Grand Duke is getting worse.”
At the table sat a dwarf, a human, and a naga, an unusual mix.
The naga, with its characteristic fluid movements, elegantly sliced a boiled egg and spoke.
“I told you, if things continue like this, Himonas will fracture into pieces.”
The dwarf took a swig of beer and slammed the mug down.
“Again with that doom and gloom, you snake!”
The human, who seemed to be a mage, looked uncomfortable and said, “You really need to watch those speciesist remarks. You’ll slip up in a formal setting one day.”
The dwarf, looking annoyed, ordered another beer.
The naga, having finished the boiled egg, flicked its tongue and said, “Regardless, if Himonas splits, it’ll affect us too. The Grand Duke is smart and capable, but he’s young and inexperienced. Without strong support, he won’t last long.”
The human nodded in agreement. “I concur. The northern lords are like wolves, baring their teeth and waiting for the right moment.”
The dwarf snorted. “You don’t know the Himonas Knights. No matter how much the northern lords scheme, only the Grand Duke can command the knights!”
The naga, licking an ice cream dessert, replied, “Of course. But the Himonas Knights are like an ultimate spell you can’t use. Once they’re deployed, it’s over. Mutual destruction.”
Listening to their conversation, Zeke realized that the situation in Himonas was deteriorating.
The Empire and the Draker family had been stirring up trouble in the Ice Mountains, causing the Thistle Knights, a key part of Himonas’s forces, to be diverted, weakening their strength.
‘The naga is right. Deploying the Himonas Knights would plunge the north into war, shattering the fragile alliance.’
After discussing Himonas’s situation for a while, the three decided to go drink elsewhere and left the restaurant.
Zeke finished his meal and headed back to the inn where Rick and the others were staying.
Though concerned about the Grand Duke and Himonas, it wasn’t something he could intervene in directly.
‘She must overcome this on her own. If I interfere, it could harm us both.’
Suppressing the urge to rush to Himonas, Zeke returned to Rick and the group.
They went to the guild to retrieve Dusk and headed to Barkal Station.
The special compartment Rick had secured was equipped with a cell for criminals. Zeke locked Dusk inside and took a seat.
Jason stretched and said, “Ugh! It’s a fifteen-hour ride, so let’s take turns resting. Didn’t get much sleep at the inn.”
Claire, sitting nearby, quipped, “You could’ve rested instead of flirting with girls at the inn’s restaurant. You should take a cue from Rick, who’s devoted to Arin.”
Jason chuckled and replied, “If I had to choose between being a virgin or a playboy, I’d pick the latter.”
Soon, Jason was snoring in his seat, and Arin and Claire dozed off, leaning against each other.
Rick approached Zeke and said, “I’ll keep watch, so you should get some rest, Zeke.”
Instead of answering, Zeke asked Rick, “How did you learn the Five Light Sword Technique?”
Rick’s eyes widened in surprise, and he slowly replied, “You knew.”
“The secret sword technique of the Tebean Royal Guard isn’t something a regular adventurer would know. I’m also curious about Jason’s background. The skills of your party members aren’t ordinary.”
“Everyone has their reasons… In my case, it’s a family matter.”
“A family matter, huh.”
Rick hesitated before speaking again. “I can’t hide anything from you, Zeke, my savior. The truth is, my real name isn’t Rick.”
“Was that an alias?”
“Yes, my real name is Jeffric Solma.”
“Huh?”
The name Jeffric wasn’t unfamiliar to Zeke. It didn’t take long for him to realize who he was dealing with.
“Jeffric Solma, the Knight of the Arena, one of the future Five Star Knights.”
Zeke had hoped to meet him in Valhalla, but their paths hadn’t crossed due to Zeke’s field training mission during his final year.
Seeing Zeke’s reaction, Jeffric asked, “Are you familiar with the Solma family?”
“I only know they’re an old noble family from Thebea.”
“A noble family, yes. That’s how we’re known to the outside world.”
He continued slowly, “In truth, I’ve been all but disowned by the Solma family.”
“Disowned? What do you mean?”
“The Solma family demands fierce competition among blood relatives to uphold its noble name. I couldn’t adapt to that environment and was always left behind.”
Zeke felt a memory stir at Jeffric’s words.
“Ah, that’s right. There was someone from the Solma family… Jonathan Solma.”
Jonathan was Jeffric’s older brother, a prodigious knight renowned since childhood. He had been promoted to Blue Knight before turning thirty and was a key figure in the Western Resistance against the Empire during the Continental War. Zeke recalled that Jonathan had met his end in a duel with Abel Draker, the Mad Knight.
“Is it because of the inferiority complex towards his brilliant brother?”
Jeffric sighed again and continued, “I left the family to change myself and joined Valhalla, but I dropped out just before graduation.”
“Valhalla? Isn’t that the famous knight academy? Why drop out?”
“I was so consumed with doubt about my path that I couldn’t focus on the final exams. In the end, I couldn’t finish properly and now wander the continent as an adventurer.”
Zeke listened to Jeffric and inwardly clicked his tongue.
“He’s overthinking things.”
Being cautious can be a strength, but it can also prevent you from making decisive choices. Jeffric was a prime example of this.
Looking at Zeke, Jeffric asked, “Zeke, how can I become strong like you? I want to break through this wall.”
It seemed he had been lost in his thoughts for so long that he was now completely adrift.
Zeke looked at Jeffric and said bluntly, “Honestly, Rick, it seems like you’re indulging in your own confusion.”
Jeffric was taken aback by Zeke’s unexpected response. “What do you mean by that?”
Zeke grinned at him. “Rick, have you ever truly pushed yourself to your limits?”