The Calm Before the Storm (3)
The office was filled with the aroma of tea and the scent of paper. Dalen took a sip of his coffee, savoring the cold awakening it brought to his senses and the pleasant bitterness that tickled his tongue, reminiscent of the flavors of his distant homeland. This was one of the reasons he frequently visited Sienna’s office.
“You enjoy coffee so much, yet you gulp down tea like it’s some kind of liquor. They’re both drinks from plants, after all.”
“Well, drugs and herbs both come from plants too, but they’re entirely different.”
Dalen replied, swirling his cup gently. Sienna looked at him, bewildered.
“Even your metaphors are something else. Anyway, I’ve got news from the Elgaia Tower. Starting next month, they’ll be sending us three different types of coffee beans. They seem quite keen on maintaining a good relationship with you. Not surprising, considering the Mercenary Guild has its eyes on you too.”
“The Mercenary Guild?”
Dalen set his cup down and asked. Sienna smiled slightly and pulled a small box from under the table.
“Your reputation must have skyrocketed. I’ve rarely seen anything like this. Go ahead, open it.”
With a click, the lock, which looked like it was made of pure gold, opened, revealing an interior luxuriously lined with red velvet. In the center lay a platinum mercenary badge with Dalen’s name and registration date with the Mercenary Guild, along with a letter bearing the guild master’s handwritten signature.
“They sent it without you even applying. They must want to show off their connections.”
“I see what they’re after. Platinum mercenaries have their names made public.”
“Exactly. But even considering the publicity, it’s not a bad option. The Mercenary Guild is an organization with influence across the entire continent, so you wouldn’t need to go all the way to the Western Guild Alliance.”
Of course, the choice is ultimately yours.
Sienna leaned back slightly as she spoke, and Dalen, with a light chuckle, tucked the platinum badge into his pocket. Ignoring the devilish glee over his new treasure, he pushed the box aside. Sienna, now serious, pulled out a few documents.
“Now that we’ve handled the urgent matters, let’s get to the main topic.”
Her voice took on the tone of an informant ruling the back alleys of the Bronze District.
“Demons of the evil god Sume have been spotted beyond the Frost Plains.”
Hell.
A realm said to exist somewhere in the world of fantasy, home to demons. There are tales of hundreds of such hells scattered across the infinite universe of possibilities. Even Dalen, who had played through countless cycles, didn’t know if those rumors were true. What he did know was that even if there were hundreds or thousands of hells, only five were the deepest and most malevolent, where the evil gods slumbered.
The number matched the heads of the evil gods, the source of the apocalypse.
‘Among them, the Palace of Destruction, where the evil god Sume resides, is known as the hell of war, fire, destruction, and slaughter.’
Sume, the god of slaughter and fire. While Enaxagus schemes for the continent’s downfall and Lapilem seeks to conquer the land with plague and corruption, Sume’s strategy was straightforward: invade, destroy, and kill everything.
“You know, it’s been over twenty years since many of the northern tribes became Sume’s slaves.”
Sienna twisted her long black hair as she spoke. For demons and evil gods, directly unleashing their forces into reality is a significant expenditure of power. That’s why they create proxies like dark wizards. Unlike other evil gods who tempt with various rewards, Sume offers only battle and destruction. A condition unacceptable to those from typical cultures.
‘But the northern tribes have always had a culture that glorifies struggle.’
Perhaps because their sole deity, passed down through tradition, was a god of struggle. Throughout history, many northern people have aspired to follow the war god who manifested in human form to fend off endless demon assaults.
The glory of the Eternal Palace, granted after endless battles. Over the past century, Sume twisted and redirected that struggle towards their fellow humans.
“The Tsar Kingdom has a watchtower beyond the Frost Plains. It was built after a century of war with Sume’s followers. According to my network, nearly twenty demons have been summoned beyond the plains.”
“Twenty… And when did you extend your reach to the Tsar Kingdom?”
“Extend my reach? I just made some friends among the special forces while navigating the labyrinth.”
The labyrinth. Even while chasing the dark wizards of Kalkas, her network had expanded steadily. She was undoubtedly a woman of extraordinary talent. Behind her playful smile, countless strategies and scenarios must be playing out.
“So far, there hasn’t been any direct conflict with the demons, as they’re still gathering their forces. But soon, you’ll receive a request from the royal special forces.”
“I’ll go.”
”…What?”
“Why the surprise? You called me here because you thought I’d go, didn’t you?”
A request from the special forces is essentially a direct request from the Tsar Kingdom’s royal family. Yet, if that were all, Sienna wouldn’t have sought Dalen out. Dalen had completed over a dozen requests through her. It was unlikely that a shrewd informant like her hadn’t analyzed his behavior patterns.
Even now, countless requests to meet or hire Dalen must be pouring in. Why did she choose to deliver this one to him first?
“It’s been over half a year since we started working together. I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve dealt with demons. You gave me this request because you were sure I wouldn’t be interested in the others, right?”
”…Yes.”
Her response came with a shallow sigh. Yet, Sienna’s tone was far from eager for Dalen to accept the request. Hidden within her businesslike demeanor was a diluted, subtle anxiety. Dalen hadn’t missed it.
“Are you afraid I’ll die?”
”…”
Her silence was an affirmation. It wasn’t an incomprehensible sentiment. Along with the emotional debt accumulated over time, Sienna seemed to consider him a friend after the labyrinth incident. She never betrays her own. That’s why she carefully selected requests that Dalen might prefer from the dozens that flooded in daily.
But she must have also wondered how long Dalen’s path of throwing himself into danger could continue.
“Don’t worry.”
With a soft rustle, he stood up and playfully ruffled the witch’s hair. He had crossed the line of life and death countless times in battle, but there was no reason he couldn’t step onto the next starting line.
“Tell them I’ll accept the request as soon as it comes in. Let them know I might be a bit late since I’ll be passing through the World’s Teeth Mountains.”
“The World’s Teeth Mountains? Why go to the land of the High Orcs?”
“I have something to retrieve.”
”…?”
Sienna tilted her head at his cryptic answer. With her hair tousled, she looked unexpectedly cute.
“Even if they have the initiative, we can’t just sit and wait.”
For the past two weeks, Dalen hadn’t been mindlessly retrieving corpses. The possibilities he gained from shattering Kalkas’s hell and defeating the ancient witch had made him aim higher. He had already acquired nearly ten unique skills. The process of twisting existing concepts to recreate them as his own possibilities had become quite familiar.
He had moved beyond his days as a muscle-bound mercenary, reaching this point in just over half a year. What he needed now was to absorb more sources of concepts and diversify the possibilities that stemmed from them.
‘Even though I’m learning skills faster than ever, I’ll need several times more to face the evil gods head-on.’
That’s why he spent time studying various secret techniques and the basics of spellcraft, and used auctions to obtain higher sources of enlightenment. But all these were secondary means. He had no intention of ignoring the most efficient and powerful way to acquire skills.
‘The corpses of the strongest characters. I think I can start retrieving some of them now.’
A warrior who wielded fire and lightning. A dragon slayer clad in dragon armor and armed with dragon bone weapons. A martial artist who could topple hills with a single strike. A saint who resurrected an army massacred before the demons.
These legacies from cycles that came closest to completion were the signposts guiding Dalen’s next destination.
‘With the next apocalyptic activity set in the north, I’ll retrieve the strongest corpse I can with my current abilities from the northern regions.’
It was time to reclaim the ending of the cycle where he first survived to the later stages and witnessed the evil gods’ massive invasion firsthand, lying dormant in the World’s Teeth Mountains.
[Heading north, are you? That’s good news.]
Just then, the door opened, and Bourbon walked in.
The first roar of the dragon god, Kylebercus Arben.
In the shadowy alleys, he was a true dragon, and after the battle in the western district, he revealed his identity to Sienna.
[I’ve been meaning to suggest our next destination be somewhere cold. The World’s Teeth Mountains wouldn’t be a bad choice…]
“Bourbon. What about the counter?”
[…I’ve temporarily set up a decoy. No one strong enough to notice will be around, so don’t worry.]
“You’ve been relying on magic a lot lately. If sales drop, I trust you’ll cover the difference. After all, you’re a great dragon in disguise, and I bet your family has plenty of money.”
[…Indeed. I wonder who you take after to be so sharp.]
Despite the old dragon’s concerns that things might be awkward for a while, Sienna maintained a strict professional relationship with her employer.
It was a reminder that not just anyone could become a hero.
[In any case, it’s good to see you’ve grown enough before setting off on a long journey. Come out, little one.]
As soon as Bourbon finished speaking, a presence that had been hiding behind him stepped forward.
A young boy, appearing to be about ten years old, emerged. His striking blue-white hair and vertically slit yellow eyes clearly indicated he was not human.
The boy opened his lips, contrasting sharply with his pale skin.
“My name is Ashaka Liulak, the fifth Blue Scale and the left arm armor of the exiled dragon god. It’s a pleasure to meet you, warrior who killed my mother.”
”…”
“Oh, don’t worry. The previous Blue Scale, ‘Tethera Liulak,’ whom you killed, was merely my biological mother. Unlike humans, true dragons consider the first dragon they see upon hatching as their parent. You are stronger than my aged mother and have the potential to become even stronger. Therefore, I am glad you are my parent.”
The boy smiled brightly.
It was truly the smile of an innocent child.
“I-I see…”
“Please take care of me, Father.”
While Sienna struggled to find words, Dalen remained silent, scratching the back of his neck.
[To think I’d live to see a dragon whelp be such a notorious rebel. Maybe it’s best to forget this memory in the cauldron of an evil god.]
He thought to himself.
He never imagined he’d feel such emotions akin to dealing with a demon child.