Chapter 734
“Ian, are you worried?”
Snap!
The mage who had been quietly snapping off branches with a dagger asked softly.
Ian remained silent, as usual, but the atmosphere felt different. Throughout their trek through the unmarked forest, he hadn’t responded at all to the mages’ grumbles of exhaustion—no smirks, no disdainful glances. His gaze was fixed somewhere in the void, clearly a sign that his mind was in turmoil.
“About what?”
“Well, Eirin, the paladin, was concerned about His Majesty the Emperor, so maybe you’re thinking about that. Or perhaps you’re worried whether that damn Beric will follow orders properly without you.”
“Beric belongs to the Imperial Guard. It’s only natural he fulfills his duties even without me.”
“That’s true, haha. Ugh, this is tough.”
“If I’d known, I should’ve done some stamina training. I never imagined we’d have to walk all this way without a word. Are you holding up okay, Ian?”
As they neared the heart of Tolrun, they had to move stealthily. So the mages chose the rough forest path instead of the skyway, and especially the non-combat mages were panting as if near death.
Take Akorella, for example.
“Ugh, someone carry me!”
“Have you no shame? Everyone’s about to drop from exhaustion.”
“But my leg’s injured!”
“Oh, come on. Our captain, really? Here, hold onto this.”
“No! Don’t help me. I’ll get spoiled.”
“Still, we did use the portal to get this far. You’re exaggerating!”
“W-w-wretched lot! What good is a portal if we’ve been walking for hours?!”
“Five hours? No, six?”
The mages grumbled but supported Akorella, offering their shoulders.
Banusa glanced back at the mages who were starting to fall behind and asked Ian, “What time is it?”
“Noon.”
“Hmm. That’s cutting it close. If we’re later than the time I would’ve taken alone, the Tolrun palace might get suspicious. Even if we saved time with the portal, getting stuck on this forest path defeats the purpose.”
In other words, no more whining—hurry up.
Akorella clenched her fists, but the mages holding her arms quickly grabbed her wrists, making sure she didn’t flip them the middle finger.
“At this pace, we should reach the checkpoint within a couple of hours. It’s the immigration gate before entering the capital. I’ll go through there, but the Bariel mages will need to find another way.”
“Is it crowded?”
“Yes. There’s a small trading town nearby. Without invisibility, the skyway is useless. Once word gets out that you’ve reached Tolrun’s capital, the palace will know immediately.”
If that happens, all this hardship sneaking in will be for nothing.
Ian pulled out a map of the capital area from his pocket. It wasn’t perfectly accurate, but with Banusa’s help, key landmarks were marked.
“Any other options?”
“If we circle south, there might be a less guarded area, but I don’t know for sure. It’s wartime.”
All forces would be massed around the capital’s defenses. It wasn’t safe to assume the situation was the same as before.
Ian raised his hand, signaling for a break. Banusa looked displeased, but when Akorella started gasping as if about to faint, she said nothing.
“Huff, huff… damn it…”
“You okay, Captain?”
“Is it just me? Really?”
“No, most of us are the same.”
Except for combat-specialized mages, everyone was struggling.
Ian unfolded the map again, deep in thought—considering the Bariel main force’s route, the enemy’s likely response, how they might have deployed their defenses.
‘We have to consider the mages’ stamina, too.’
Physical strength is bodily power, mana is mental power, but they constantly interact. Overworking the body alone can reduce combat effectiveness.
Banusa stepped closer and tapped a spot on the map.
“Once we get through immigration, we’ll have some breathing room. If we go a little further, there’s a territory belonging to our family. We can hide in the manor and assess the situation.”
“Can we go straight to the manor?”
They were returning after Masantar’s fall. It would make sense to report directly to the palace.
But Banusa shook her head.
“The family’s been shattered. How could we go to the palace first? The king would find that suspicious. We need to check on the family before going to the palace.”
Besides, there was no guarantee they’d be allowed out once inside. She had to devise the best plan before entering.
While the two conferred, Hale stood up.
“Ian, I hear water nearby. Should I fetch some?”
The map showed a river nearby. Ian looked at the exhausted mages and nodded.
“Move quietly and don’t make a sound.”
“Yes, Nakina, Tomi.”
“Let’s go!”
“Senior, grab the water containers. Anyone with an empty one, give it here. We’ll be back soon.”
Akorella sprawled out and rummaged through her pouch, then with a pop! dumped an unknown potion on the ground, freeing up an empty bottle and handed it over.
“What did you just throw away?”
“Oh, just some useless stuff. Bring back cool water. Won’t do much for the liver, but whatever.”
“Alright, rest up.”
“Ugh, damn this heat.”
Hale’s group followed the sound of water as quietly as possible. Wherever there’s water, there are people—thirsty souls like themselves.
Soon, they spotted a river rushing energetically beneath a low cliff.
Whoosh—
“Looks refreshing. Want to wet ourselves a bit?”
“Senior, do you want to get scolded?”
“Right? Maybe that’s a bit much.”
“Shh. People over there.”
Hale motioned for silence. Across the river, tucked between rocks, were three or four wagons. The boulders were so large only the edges were visible.
“Quite a few wagons.”
“Are they from the Tolrun palace?”
“No flags. The formation’s all over the place. Well, it is a country without roots.”
“Shh! People are coming. Let’s circle back.”
The three flattened themselves, squinting. Judging by their clothes, they weren’t high-ranking.
They filled large barrels with water, then looked back and called someone.
“…!”
One by one, people were dragged out—nearly naked, hands and feet bound.
“Looks like a human trafficking ring.”
“Yeah, Tolrun’s infamous for that.”
“Given the scale, probably a merchant guild.”
They forced the slaves’ heads into the river, washing them off. It seemed they planned to clean them here before selling them in the capital—too many to wash inside.
The three watched silently, then their eyes snapped wide open.
“…!”
Without hesitation, they sprang up and bolted back the way they came. No need to hide anymore.
Thud, thud!
The rough footsteps were first noticed by Ian, then the mages tensed and held their breath.
“Ian!”
“Ah! You scared me!”
But it was just Hale and his group emerging from the bushes. The mages jeered, but Hale didn’t flinch.
“Hale, tone it down! We can hear you from here.”
“Where’s the water? Why so fast?”
“Ah, I’m dying of thirst!”
“Captain Akorella’s losing it.”
Yet none of the three carried even an empty container. How?
Hale caught his breath and said quietly, “Ian, there’s a way through the checkpoint without taking the long route.”
“What do you mean?”
“Damn it! My water!”
“There’s a human trafficking ring with three or four wagons by the river.”
The mages’ protests about fetching water abruptly stopped. Ian slowly folded the map and tucked it away. Banusa shrugged, resigned.
“Well, it’s the most likely option right now.”
“Everyone, take off your robes.”
Thunk. Ian unbuttoned his coat and gave the order. One by one, they shed their outer garments, tossing them into a pile. A small flame flickered over the clothes.
Ian nodded toward Hale, signaling him to lead.
“Shall we? Let’s go rent a wagon.”
“What’s that smoke?”
One of the slave traders muttered, staring into the distance at the faint smoke rising in the forest.
There’s no path over there? He blinked in confusion, zoning out, until another trader lightly smacked the back of his head.
“What are you spacing out for? Tell the kids to wash up.”
“Ah! Damn it. They’re able-bodied, they can manage.”
“Hey! Move it! The sun’s setting!”
“Make sure to scrub the big boss extra clean, got it?”
They brandished swords roughly, intimidating the slaves. Men, women, and children alike hastily pulled up their rags and began washing themselves.
Despite the sweltering heat, the water was icy cold. Goosebumps prickled over their tense skin, and the damp clothes clung uncomfortably, sending chills through their bodies. But what choice did they have? This was better than taking a beating.
“Do you think we can still make a deal if we go in? I heard all the folks from the outskirts of the capital have moved south. The palace shut down the market, didn’t it?”
“That’s the slave market near the palace. This place is still okay. Lots of people are leaving the capital, so the atmosphere’s bad. Better to clear out the kids quickly and lay low for a while.”
“Where should we head then?”
“Everywhere’s a mess, but Bariel’s the least bad. It’s safer there.”
“Damn, what a waste. We worked our asses off rounding them all up.”
The caravan members puffed on their cigarettes, chatting idly. Then, a rustling in the bushes caught their attention. Some gripped their swords, thinking it might be a wild animal.
“Why are there so many beasts around lately…?”
“Ah! Teachers!”
“…?”
But the figure that emerged wasn’t a beast—it was a woman with pink hair. She raised both hands high, smiling brightly, limping forward without hesitation.
“Hey, damn it. I got lost around here, okay? Seriously, people don’t just die like that. Right? I just want some water—could you move those bathers out of the way?”
“What the hell is this crazy bitch?”
“Get lost.”
The limping woman, Akorella, stopped and flashed a sly grin.
“Uh, are you the owner here?”
“Owner?”
“I mean, you’re with the caravan, right? Who’s in charge?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Oh. Well—”
Akorella picked up a rock and stepped toward the man who’d called her crazy.
He froze, sensing danger, and instinctively took a step back—forgetting he was still holding his sword.
“We’re here to sell you.”
“What?”
“Interested? It’s a bit pricey!”
Wham!
Instead of the rock, Akorella’s other fist smashed into the man’s jaw.
The caravan members rushed forward, but stopped short. At their feet, a golden magic circle blazed with fierce light.