Chapter 581
Beneath the helmet, her brown hair was tightly bound, and her eyes traced gentle, graceful lines. Though sweat and dust had left her disheveled, Ian recognized her immediately. She was the woman he had seen before the puppet show when he had gone undercover with Jin—the same woman who had appeared repeatedly in Jin’s dreams, standing in for Roberside.
Eirin’s face was puzzled, as if wondering why the Minister of Magic had summoned her.
“What is the matter, sir?”
Ian’s summons drew everyone’s attention. For the Minister of Magic himself to personally call over a low-ranking soldier and halt her like this, there had to be a good reason. Some soldiers glanced at Eirin with curiosity, perhaps because she was a woman.
“Eirin?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
Eirin. Ian felt he had heard that name somewhere before. As his silence stretched, he noticed the soldiers’ growing curiosity and, at the same time, a fragment of memory surfaced.
“You’re the soldier who fought in the northern battle, aren’t you?”
“Yes, that’s right. One of the survivors.”
She was one of the soldiers who had stood against the northern great demon’s flood and returned alive, blessed by the gods. He had only seen the list of survivors later, but her name, being the only woman’s, had left a strong impression.
As Ian spoke, the soldiers let out quiet exclamations. Of course—only someone like the Minister would recognize a single soldier among tens of thousands.
Several soldiers praised Eirin, adding their voices.
“Eirin was truly remarkable. She was at the very front lines. A soldier with incredible courage.”
“Absolutely. Even with severe injuries, she fulfilled her role. A comrade worthy of admiration.”
“Hey now, don’t be disrespectful!”
“Ah, s-sorry, sir.”
When a superior officer scolded them sharply, Ian motioned for him to stop. He needed more information about her.
“It’s fine. A soldier with such spirit and bravery is a blessing from Bariel and a treasure to His Majesty the Emperor. It’s only natural to speak well of her. Don’t be too harsh.”
“Yes, Minister.”
“I heard His Majesty personally came to commend you before. It’s good to see you in person.”
Ian mentioned the Emperor, watching Eirin’s reaction closely. If they had met, she would surely have told him—Jin would have informed him, after all.
But judging by her response, something had clearly been missed.
“I only did my duty as a soldier of Bariel. His Majesty offered me food and drink as comfort. It was a true honor.”
‘So he never saw her directly.’
Ian’s eyes narrowed, and Tweller glanced at Eirin with a puzzled look. If this were the Ian Hiel they knew, he wouldn’t stop a passing soldier without a special reason.
It wasn’t the right moment for a morale boost, either. There were few soldiers around, and with an important reconnaissance mission ahead, everyone was busy.
“Understood. Keep up the good work.”
“Yes, Minister. I will remember.”
After a brief pause, Ian passed by without further action. The soldiers exchanged excited glances, while Eirin continued on toward her shift change.
Tweller watched Eirin’s retreating figure for a moment, then fell into step beside Ian and whispered.
“Why did you do that? Do you know her?”
“Yes, a little. But it’s fine. Minister Tweller, please forget this encounter and treat her like any other soldier. I know you will, but consider this a precaution.”
By restating the obvious, Ian emphasized Eirin’s special status—watch without interfering. Tweller nodded in understanding.
“Thank you.”
Ian smiled faintly.
Eirin appearing in Jin’s dreams in place of Roberside was surely a sign of a fateful connection. Whatever form it took, it would bring positive change to Jin.
But they had missed their chance once before?
‘Perhaps the time isn’t right yet.’
The gods must have judged the timing unsuitable, and Ian agreed. What could a common soldier, not a noble, do now? It wouldn’t help Jin or Eirin herself.
Better to watch her quietly and only intervene when truly necessary—like the gods gently guiding the path.
“Minister.”
“Xiaosi. Did you feel that tremor just now?”
At that moment, Xiaosi approached, armed. Though it was a night when everyone else was allowed rest, apparently not for him.
“Yes, I felt it, but I can’t pinpoint the exact location.”
“Probably a bit far off. I’ll organize a scouting party. You lead it and return quickly.”
“Understood.”
Xiaosi bowed to Tweller and Ian, then led the soldiers out.
Soon, the sound of hooves cutting through the darkness echoed. The villagers shrank back, peering outside, while Ian watched Xiaosi and the soldiers disappear into the night. Tweller spoke firmly.
“Don’t worry, Minister Ian. If anything happens, Xiaosi will report immediately.”
“Damn it. That woke me right up.”
Gripping her thigh, Barsabe muttered curses through clenched teeth. At first, it had felt like burning fire, but now warm, sticky blood was steadily flowing down.
She swallowed dryly and stared ahead. Though she had steeled herself to be outmatched, facing a swarm like this made her realize there was no hope. She should have at least pretended to listen when Beric ranted.
“That was the palace guard’s magic swordsman.”
“Magic swordsman?”
At Rutherford’s words, the subordinates sneered. They mocked the palace magic swordsman for looking ridiculous despite serving the Emperor.
Barsabe felt a flush of heat rise to her face, and unable to hold back, she swung her sword. In the dim darkness, the clashing blades sparked.
Clang! Clang!
“Those who yap during battle never have their tongues intact!”
“Maybe because they’re all dead? Like you?”
“Yaaah!”
“Foolish and arrogant! What do you think you can do alone?”
Grinding teeth!
A blade pressed right up to Barsabe’s eyes. She blocked with all her strength, but wounds to her abdomen and legs threw off her balance.
‘Damn bastards. They’re toying with me.’
No one attacked her back, though it was completely exposed. They had calculated their victory perfectly and were intent on avenging the fall of Agiar.
‘If the enemy lets their guard down, that’s my chance.’
Recalling Jarrett’s teachings, Barsabe focused on each move.
Swish! Slash!
“Argh!”
A scream came from her opponent as she slashed cleanly across his throat.
Her moment of triumph was brief. From behind, unfamiliar magic flared.
Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, another grabbed Barsabe by the nape and slammed her to the ground. She tried to unleash her own magic in retaliation, but lacked the strength. Even if she had exhausted her power in the Agiar battle, she was alone against many.
A man grabbed her hair roughly, slamming her head repeatedly into the ground.
“You’re not even worth a sword.”
“Ugh…”
Barsabe’s resistance faded meaninglessly. The pain in her forehead was one thing, but the humiliation of having her hair pulled made her want to die.
While the magic swordsmen beat her mercilessly, Rutherford whispered something to the Tolrun puppeteers. They frowned in confusion but soon nodded.
“It’s worth a try.”
“Alright. Enough.”
“Die! Die!”
“Stop!”
The excited swordsmen, drenched in sweat, turned around, panting heavily. Barsabe lay still, motionless.
“Is she dead?”
“No, she’s still breathing. One more hit and she’ll be gone, though. Should we cut off a limb and toss her off the cliff?”
“No. There’s a better way.”
At Rutherford’s nod, the puppeteers shuffled over and surrounded Barsabe. They pulled out sewing kits and other tools, then gently nudged her face with their feet.
“Tsk. She’s completely crushed. Even if she lives, can she return in one piece?”
“She’s not just any soldier—she’s a magic swordsman. If there’s a chance of recovery, we can’t just abandon her. That’d be a loss.”
“Well, that’s true. Ahem. Now, open your mouth. Huh? No molars? Did she just lose them?”
“Her gums look healed, though.”
“Rutherford, what are these guys doing?”
The magic swordsmen wiped their sweat and muttered their displeasure at the puppeteers. Their suspicious, secretive behavior made them uneasy, even though they were supposed to be allies.
Rutherford gave a silent signal to calm the swordsmen.
“They’re going to turn us into puppets. They’ve made puppets with Infi before, but I think this is the first time they’re trying it on living beings.”
“Yes, that’s right. We don’t know if it’ll work. Spirit binding is tricky enough, but when it’s done on the living, the aftermath can get complicated. Didn’t something like this cause a stir back in Bariel?”
“So, what happens if they turn you into a puppet?”
“Basically, you’ll move however they want. Even if controlling a living body proves impossible, if we focus, we’ll see and hear through their eyes and ears, just like they do.”
“Is that even possible?”
“Well, I’m holding the needle right now, aren’t I? So maybe you could just zip it.”
Visually, it might be a bit difficult. Using this ability drains a puppet master’s mental energy, and the tools themselves don’t really allow for much visual confirmation. But in this case, it’s probably obvious enough without seeing.
Hearing, though—that’s a different story. We can expect that to work.
“Heh heh heh. Good thing I oiled the needle yesterday.”
Disgusting bastards. The magic swordsmen frowned and whispered to Rutherford.
“Sir Rutherford, wouldn’t it be better to move somewhere else for now? The pursuit is still ongoing. That magic swordsman followed us all the way here. If there were others nearby, they would have sensed the magic from the recent battle. The chances they felt the vibrations are even higher.”
“How long will the puppet masters take?”
“Won’t be long. Ten minutes? After all, I am the best seamstress in Tolrun.”
“And what about Vagban?”
“That guy’s dead, so…”
Ten minutes. That’s not too bad, right?
Rutherford glanced at the magic swordsmen, who, as if giving up, turned their heads away. All they did was check their pocket watches, watching the endless flow of time tick by.
“Oh, and about that portal I mentioned earlier—”
Just as the Ruthwena mages were about to discuss their next move, the surroundings suddenly brightened, and a wave of scorching heat swept over them. Startled, they turned to see flames rising from the cliff below.
Whoosh!
In an instant, the area lit up as if it were midday. Their eyes, accustomed to the darkness, momentarily faltered. They hesitated, shielding their eyes with their arms, and then felt a heavy rumble.
That was—
Boom!
“Hey, what the hell are you doing, leaving your molars behind?”
Beric had flown up onto the cliff and landed with a thud, sending vibrations through the ground.