Episode 914
Meanwhile, as dawn broke, the chieftains of the minority tribes—who had agreed to a one-day grace period—arrived at the Astana camp.
Before meeting with Bariel’s side or Kroni, they seemed intent on settling matters among themselves first, their presence radiating an intimidating atmosphere.
“To the representative of Astana!”
“We formally request a tribal council!”
The sudden arrival of guests at the crack of dawn threw the Astana camp into chaos.
Noticing the commotion, the representative clutched the tent’s edge and sighed deeply. He was at his wit’s end, utterly frustrated.
‘The king ordered me to kill Kroni, but how on earth am I supposed to do that?’
Killing Kroni was tantamount to winning the battle against Bariel. Yet, on top of that, he was told to maintain good relations with Bariel… Might as well have been told to walk on water!
‘If I attack Kroni now, I’ll turn the other tribes against us. The alliance will break apart. What am I supposed to do? Ah, if only I hadn’t set out at all.’
He knew regretting what had already happened was useless, but all he could do now was hold the tent firmly and block the servants trying to enter.
“Excuse me, Representative.”
“Not now. Tell them I’m still preparing.”
“It’s not that. Another portal has appeared in the sky over Bariel’s camp.”
“Again?”
The representative peeked out from the opposite tent. It was true. Against the clear blue sky, a swirl of black energy churned, forming a night-sky-like portal—the unmistakable sign of a mage’s gateway.
‘Has Bariel sent another message?’
If so, what could it be? Please, let it be something that can turn this situation around.
Whoosh!
“See? I knew it. Hiding won’t work.”
“Ugh! What kind of disrespect is this?”
“I got tired of waiting, so I came in myself! Without Kroni here, let’s talk comfortably among ourselves. Huh? You’re the representative, I’m a chieftain. That’s fine, right?”
“This—this is why the Empire looks down on us as savages!”
When the Astana representative refused to come out, the chieftains forced their way in. To avoid bloodshed, only the chieftains entered unarmed, leaving their men outside.
Astana’s side tried to block them with all their might, but it was no use. Each chieftain possessed a physique beyond human limits.
“The Empire’s men are bowing their heads and coming in to negotiate with these savages. What’s the problem that you won’t cooperate?”
“They say they’ll only mine Idgal without damaging the rift. And if such a large rift truly exists, shouldn’t we be aware of it?”
“Exactly! It’s a dangerous zone, so we need to monitor it.”
Faced with the chieftains’ arguments, the Astana representative stepped back and spoke passionately.
“Idgal has been sealed for a hundred years without issue. What dangerous zone are you talking about? And do you trust the Empire? They’re greedy.”
“If we oversee the mining process, there’s no problem. Come on, friend, can’t you do the math?”
Revealing the location of the Idgal deposits to the Empire wouldn’t just bring money. It would also give them the power to counter Bariel by controlling Idgal.
One of the pillars supporting the great empire of Bariel is the mages. If the Empire gains Idgal, they can check the mages’ power, effectively extending their influence over the tribes.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime crossroads. Will you remain a tribe, or become a kingdom that rewrites history?”
“At the afternoon meeting with Bariel, provide information on the Idgal deposits. Otherwise, we will break the alliance and consider Astana an enemy.”
It was a thinly veiled declaration of war: refuse their demands, and all would pay the price.
“But if the deal goes well, we will not forget Astana’s contributions and will surely reward you. You can trust us on the tribe’s honor. If you need to discuss details, we can start now—”
Just then—
“Huh? Uh, uh?”
“Representative! Representative!”
“Please come outside! There’s a serious problem!”
“Chieftain! Chieftain!”
Outside the tent, the blaring of horn trumpets and shouts echoed from all directions. What was going on? Everyone rushed out, and what they saw next—
“Gasp!”
A red dragon was pushing through the portal, its jaws wide open.
Saliva dripped from hundreds of razor-sharp teeth, and with every breath, flames seemed to surge from its nostrils.
Would this be what the sky looks like just before the world ends and a rift opens? The dragon’s roar sent tremors shaking the earth and sky.
-Kyuuuuuu!
…Kyuu?
What? That cry was completely at odds with its fierce appearance.
The soldiers, who had been hunched over, cautiously lifted their heads to get a better look. The dragon emerged from the portal, spread its wings wide, and flew precariously close over their heads.
Whoosh!
“Ugh, ugh!”
The powerful gust made it impossible to keep their eyes open.
As people shielded their faces with their sleeves, the dragon circled twice in midair before flying back toward the portal.
Swoosh!
“Someone else is coming out!”
What terrifying monster was this time? The soldiers’ faces turned pale.
Then, a high-pitched laugh rang in their ears.
“Kyaaaak! ♡”
A woman with pink hair fluttering around her limbs stretched out as she free-fell. The soldiers gawked in disbelief as she gracefully landed on the grass using magic.
Thud.
“Who goes first like that?”
“Where else? Right here.”
“We have to bring Ian too.”
“Huh? Weren’t you holding him?”
Hail followed closely behind Ako. Both looked up at the sky with puzzled expressions. If Arena knew about this from the start, her blood pressure might have skyrocketed.
Swoosh.
Ian appeared from the shadows. Since it was his first time crossing a portal, something seemed off. The boy grimaced as he pulled his body out, and the portal vanished instantly.
Whish!
“Ah.”
And then he fell.
Flapping! Ian’s clothes fluttered wildly as soldiers panicked and rushed over.
“Hey, hey! Over here! Over here!”
“Isn’t there a sky net?!”
“Hey, hey, look at this. You just watched when we fell, huh?”
Ako poked a passing soldier’s back, grumbling in dissatisfaction, but no one paid attention.
Meanwhile, Ian experienced the sensation of falling for the first time, glancing between the sky and the ground. The sky remained distant, but the ground was rapidly approaching.
Ziiing! Zing!
Ian stretched out his hand and activated magic, spinning twice in midair before landing perfectly.
“Yup.”
The soldiers, who had been ready to catch him with cloths or hands, froze in shock at the flawless, silent landing.
Ian dusted off his palms and looked around at the people surrounding him with a puzzled tilt of his head.
“What are you all doing here?”
“Ah…”
He was a mage. The soldiers’ legs gave out, and they collapsed. Ian scanned the area, searching for ‘that person.’
“Ian.”
Kroni appeared, pushing through the soldiers. He looked a bit surprised by the unexpected arrival.
Ako and Hail, each carrying a bag as big as themselves, stood on either side of Ian and saluted. Kyuu kept breathing fire into the air.
-Kyuuuuuu!
“I’m Ako, officially dispatched from the Magic Department. I apologize for arriving without notice; I have news to deliver and paperwork to handle.”
Sssht.
“I’m a mercenary. Nice to meet you.”
Unlike Ako’s formal introduction, Hail’s was casual and loose.
Then Ian spoke, his expression serious as if prepared for this moment.
“Ian Hadel of the Magic Department. Lord Kroni, how have you been?”
I came because you called. To enjoy the thorny feast you offered me.
Kroni licked the inside of his cheek, swallowed a sigh, and shifted his body.
“Inside. You must be tired from coming.”
Ako, Hail, and Ian glanced back. Not far off, enemy troops had set up camp. Though details were unclear, it was obvious they were watching them closely.
Ian steeled himself and followed Kroni.
“Now, repeat after me. What is the most important thing on this mission?!”
At Arena’s shout, Ako eagerly raised her hand.
“Securing Idgal. A hell of a lot, massively, tons!”
“Wrong! You crazy woman!”
“Well, crazy women can be wrong sometimes. Okay, no jokes. The most important thing is Ian Hadel’s safety!”
“Good. Hail?”
At Arena’s glance, Hail flicked ash from his cigarette and answered nonchalantly.
“The safe return of Ako and Ian Hadel.”
Being a veteran mercenary, the negotiations from payment to contract went smoothly. Compared to the dull routine at Enerjes, heading north for a single sortie and earning dozens of times the pay was a clear win.
Though unspoken, sending Ian alone had weighed on her mind.
“Confirming the Idgal burial site comes after that. And then—”
“Chrony’s taken care of, right?”
Right now, there’s no official grounds to arrest or charge Chrony. The deaths of the minister, deputy minister, and his father are all shrouded in secrecy.
“Exactly three days. Within those three days, Ian will get Chrony’s consent to appoint a guardian and verify the information, then return. We’ll open the portal exactly three days later. If he doesn’t come back by then—”
Fssst.
Hail pressed down hard on his cigarette, the ember flaring brightly. Arena slammed a file folder onto the desk and added,
“I’m going myself.”
Does Chrony know what it means for Arena to take direct action?
Aco and Hail, both wizards who understood the implications well, exchanged glances and nodded.
“That’s one hell of an insurance policy.”
“Understood.”
“But three days is a bit tight. Ian’s task is one thing, but the Idgal matter is important too, isn’t it? Give me a week. I’ll make sure Ian stays safe.”
Aco blew under his nails as he suggested this. Arena hesitated for a moment, then raised her hands in agreement.
“Fine. One week. Honestly, the exact timeframe doesn’t matter much.”
If Chrony wanted to harm Ian, what difference would three days or a week make? And if things went south, they could always open the portal themselves and escape.
“One more thing.”
“What now?”
“Take Kkyu with you.”
Confusion flickered across their faces.
“Why? For transportation?”
“That’s a violation of the treaty.”
Because dragons can’t be mobilized for war, according to international agreements.
“I know. That’s why I want you to take care of Kkyu.”
Arena looked at Hail.
They quickly caught on to her plan. If an outsider like Hail managed Kkyu, they’d have an excuse for anything that happened. Avoiding responsibility while adding an extra layer of security? That’s pure luck.
“Okay! But Minister, you worry too much.”
Aco jumped up and looked out the minister’s office window at the garden. Ian was there, drawing a portal magic circle alone among the wizards. Everyone was marveling and applauding in awe. Aco grinned and added,
“That’s Ian for you. No matter how young, a wizard is a wizard, and a genius is a genius.”