Chapter 757
The first time Ian heard the national anthem of Bariel was in a small tavern tucked away in a back alley of the capital.
It must have been about two months after he’d entered the royal palace as a mage. To be honest, he couldn’t recall the exact moment. He’d been too busy adjusting to palace life, and the cold stares from his peers had kept him distant.
He only remembered that his official welcome party was held much later—and that there were exactly four attendees, including Naum.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this place?” Naum asked.
“Excuse me?”
“Well, I mean…”
“Do you think a noble-born like me would be uncomfortable in a dive like this?”
Ian smiled faintly and took a seat first.
Naum’s concerns always had solid reasoning behind them. Ian hadn’t realized it then, but looking back, it was one of the reasons he trusted Naum so implicitly. Naum wasn’t one to worry without cause; he was always logical and rational.
“Good to hear.”
“I asked you to show me your favorite spot, remember?”
“Naum, you’ve got plenty of money—why come here? Ian, you should’ve told me! I’m the one paying anyway.”
“Ha! Quality of food might be bought with money, but taste is a whole different matter.”
The three who had followed Naum to the tavern would later rise to lead their respective departments when Naum became minister. One was a devoted admirer of Naum, another a childhood friend, and the last one was…
“Luigi, over here.”
“What kind of place is this?”
“The heart meat here is really good.”
Ian glanced at Luigi and raised his beer glass. He understood why the others followed Naum, but Luigi was harder to read.
Only later, when Crony appointed Luigi as the new Minister of Magic, did Ian vaguely piece things together. Ah, the author must have been jealous of Naum.
“Here’s your heart meat.”
“Thanks!”
“Come on, everyone, let’s eat!”
As the owner brought out the food, Naum lifted his beer. The welcome party was embarrassingly modest, but Ian didn’t mind. He was just grateful and content that such a gathering had been arranged. Above all, he cherished the overwhelming sense of comfort.
“Welcome to the Ministry of Magic, Ian.”
“Welcome!”
“Let’s do well from now on.”
“Take your time getting to know the others.”
At some point, things had grown awkward with Crony, making it impossible to enjoy meals together. The constant, piercing gazes throughout the palace were unbearable.
But here? Apart from a few drunken patrons slumped in the corners, no one else was around.
“Thank you, everyone.”
Glasses clinked crisply. Ian hesitated for a moment, then took a long swallow. Naum and the mages watched him expectantly.
“Haha, you drink well!”
“So, how’s your first beer?”
“Hmm…”
Ian wiped his mouth and chose his words carefully. After a long pause, he glanced toward the owner and muttered:
“It tastes like chewing on cold straw.”
“What? Hahaha!”
“Try the heart meat next. It’s your first time, right?”
Glasses emptied and refilled repeatedly, the cycle unending.
Naum deliberately avoided palace politics, chatting casually, while the woman nodded along, finding meaning in trivial words. The childhood friend and Luigi launched into an endless debate about whether mages needed brooms.
In other words, everyone was thoroughly drunk.
“Excuse me, sirs?”
“Yes?”
“I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but are you a mage?”
Hic! Luigi hurriedly ran a hand through his hair. Ian, who had been staring blankly into space, shifted his gaze, and Naum smiled broadly, nodding repeatedly.
“Yes. Why do you ask?”
“Oh my! To find such esteemed guests in a humble place like this!”
“Humble? What humble?”
“Come on, owner, let’s be honest. It’s not humble at all!”
“Honored to meet you. What luck to meet mages here.”
“Well, I run a general store at the intersection over there. When the road was blocked by a landslide in the northeast mountains of Lainan, you mages helped move goods.”
“Oh, that was a while ago, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, yes, haha! I was nearly bankrupt then, but thanks to you, I survived. My child’s safely in school now, and we’re doing well.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“If you don’t mind, may I offer you a drink?”
“Ah, that’d be lovely.”
With few customers around, they pulled up chairs and squeezed in, and the table once again overflowed with food and drink.
The sun had set, darkness settling in. The orange lanterns glowed softly, and the cozy tavern smelled of aged wood.
As time passed, Ian’s head began to droop. Everyone was laughing and joking nonstop, and he found himself smiling along, even if he didn’t quite know why.
Thunk. Thunk-thunk. Toodoodoo.
Someone lightly tapped an orcish wooden chair, humming a tune Ian recognized. Those who knew the song added harmonies; others nodded their glasses in time.
Ian’s eyelids grew heavy. In the fading haze of consciousness, the drunken patrons’ singing grew louder.
Bariel!
The dawn of glory cradled by the gods—
The heart of Gaia, turning golden when the rain falls—
Lift your head high, and you shall see—
The light above, the beacon of Bariel—
Crash!
“I-Ian!”
“Ian!”
Even seeing it with their own eyes, no one could believe it. Was it possible for Ian to be thrown about so helplessly?
Fine, being pushed back was one thing. But why was there no sign of him emerging from the collapsed building? If it were Ian, he’d have broken free and charged back at the shadow in an instant.
“Damn it!”
“Stay still!”
“How the hell am I supposed to stay still!”
Beric clutched his bloodied side, trying to crawl away, but Akorella grabbed him back. Just being slashed by an Idgal was a serious injury, but this was the Idgal of the shadow. No one could guess how much worse his condition might get.
Ching! Ching!
Whoosh!
“Akorella! Take Beric and fall back!”
Beric collapsed, and Akorella stayed by his side. That meant two incapacitated allies. Kumasha kept fending off the mages flying at him, relentlessly targeting Beric and Akorella. His intent was clear: to finish them off one by one.
Hail ordered the two to retreat far away first, and Akorella bit her lower lip.
“Damn it, Beric! Grab my shoulder!”
“I’m fine—I can still fight—!”
Beric tried to rise but collapsed with a ‘gak’ sound. Every breath felt like his lungs were being torn apart. Damn it, were his ribs broken? If so, he was done for.
Kumasha laughed—a clear, eerie sound that sent chills down their spines.
“You, damn—”
“Beric!”
Crash! Bang!
Hail called out to Beric to stop. Sorry, but having an injured ally nearby was a liability. Even with the entire Ministry of Magic attacking the king, the balance was tight. If their focus split because of the wounded, everything would collapse.
Shhhhhh!
“Aaah!”
A mage’s shoulder was sliced. His magic vanished instantly, and his body plummeted. Akorella limped over and raised a protective shield.
Ziiing! Ziiing!
“Filthy vermin.”
“Shut up!”
The king dove after the falling mages, swinging his sword. Hail, Tommy, and Nakina desperately tried to block the child’s path.
‘Ah.’
He was a burden.
Now powerless, his presence was a weight on his comrades.
Beric staggered to his feet and slowly walked toward where Ian had disappeared. Damn it, it’s because I haven’t eaten enough meat during the war. If I were in better shape, I’d have torn them apart.
‘…Damn.’
Breathing grew harder. First, he had to check on Ian and get him to snap out of it. Otherwise…
“Aaah!”
“No! Morris!”
A familiar voice screamed. Beric turned to see another comrade crumble into ash.
A wave of despair washed over Beric’s red eyes. The ash that filled the sky like falling snow shattered his world.
“Ah—”
This can’t be happening. Didn’t I want to get stronger to avoid seeing this? To protect those precious to me? I can’t lose anyone else because of my weakness.
Grrr…
Then it happened. Monsters growled low, encircling Beric. They instinctively knew—he was wounded, his magic gone.
“Ha, damn it.”
In the law of the jungle, recognizing prey is natural. Beric let out a bitter laugh, and the monsters lunged from all sides.
Slash!
“You vermin—!”
Even as limbs were severed, he could still kill. I’ll win, even if I have to bite and claw! Swinging his sword with all his might, he cut down the monsters, but without magic, his strength was limited.
Kyaaaak!
The monsters’ ferocity intensified. They clung to Beric’s body, baring fangs, and soon all took on his form.
Boom!
“You little nothing—”
“Getting cocky, huh?”
“Thanks to you, I got my ass kicked earlier.”
“When you die, we’ll gladly take your place.”
The ‘Berics’ pressed down firmly on Beric’s face, neck, and limbs, pinning him so he couldn’t move. Beric, who had been struggling fiercely, suddenly faltered. Had he given up?
“…?”
The monsters, who had been about to smile, froze in place. His eyes were glowing red—far more intensely than before.
“Ah, right.”
They were your monsters.
And I was…
“…Atan.”
“What?”
Crunch!
“Aaah!”
Beric bit down hard on the hand pressing against his cheek. Black blood gushed out, and he opened his mouth just enough for the blood to touch his tongue.
Crack!
He was a mad dog. As he tried to tear into the flesh, the monsters recoiled, stepping back. But the situation had already completely changed.
“Aaah!”
Beric grabbed hold of them and refused to let go.
He needed more. More. More blood. Climbing onto one of them, he gripped his sword and began slashing wildly.
Thrust! Stab!
The more the monster’s blood soaked into his body, the more his dormant magic stirred awake.
That bloodline, which he had wanted to erase to the point of death, now felt strangely welcome. If this was how he could rise again, then he could save them all.
“Hah, hah—”
Swish. Covered in black blood, Beric suddenly stopped and let out a ragged breath.
The monsters’ bodies were already mangled beyond recognition. Beric slowly rose to his feet, clutching his side.
“They say blood doesn’t lie.”
His wounds were healing rapidly.
Beric stepped back and looked at the monsters watching him. When their eyes met, they quickly scattered.
Pat-pat-pat!
But something strange happened. As soon as they crossed a certain point, their forms dissolved, reverting back into black monsters.
Beric’s eyes darted around. What was going on?
‘Did they lose their disguise once outside the palace?’
Ah. So their ability to mimic appearances was limited to inside the royal palace. Makes sense. If they could do it outside, they would have already transformed into the emperor and caused chaos.
Dragging his sword behind him, Beric walked toward the direction the monsters had fled. He would devour them all, without exception.
Thud. Thud-thud. Thud.
Then, a faint vibration echoed.
At first, he thought it was another crack in the earth, but it felt different from an earthquake. In the distance, Beric spotted the imperial banner approaching.
Bariel!
Leading the charge was the emperor himself, with the imperial army advancing powerfully in their direction.