Chapter 917

The sun was beginning to set. As the wind turned colder, torches and campfires flared up throughout the Imperial Army’s encampment. More and more soldiers took up watchful posts here and there.

“The security’s tight. Feels like they’re doing it on purpose. Just to show us,” Aco muttered.

Hail and Ian nodded in agreement. They had just been assigned temporary quarters and were waiting inside a tent. Sitting quietly like this, they could see, hear, and sense quite a lot.

The night that followed was eerily quiet—too quiet to believe that fierce enemies were so close. Peeking through a gap in the tent, Aco whispered.

“They’ve lit fires over there, too.”

It wasn’t unusual. Normally, minimizing light to stay hidden was the rule, but the north was a harsh, cold land. Especially with winter approaching, no one born and raised in the northern tribes could endure the biting midnight wind without a fire.

Aco rummaged through her bag and pulled out a few glass bottles filled with potions, offering them to Hail. He stared at them for a moment, then waved his hand dismissively.

“…No thanks.”

“Why not? The ones I made are really useful!”

“Useful? More like famous,” Hail muttered under his breath.

Aco scowled. “Just take them when I offer, will you? These aren’t cheap, you know!”

Hail avoided her gaze as she grabbed his collar and shook him around. Ian, ladling lukewarm stew onto a plate, cautiously added, “Professor Hail, if you have room in your pockets, I recommend taking some. I’ve been helped by them before.”

With Ian’s support, Hail reluctantly pocketed a few potions. Seeing how he didn’t even check what they were, Aco ground her teeth. Should she just take them back?

“What about dinner?”

“We’ll eat after we get back. It’s easier to move when you’re light.”

“Hmph. Like anyone’s gonna leave any for you.”

Aco crossed her arms and snorted, while Ian gently grabbed Hail’s arm, silently wishing him a safe return without injury.

Hail just smiled faintly and slipped out into the darkness beyond the tent.

Rustle!

If he walked straight ahead, he’d be spotted by either the enemy or the Imperial soldiers. Though his mission was to cause a disturbance, some information could only be gained by stealth. Hail melted into the bushes and began casting a spell.

“Invisibility.”

Zzzing! A faint golden shimmer flickered.

A soldier rubbing his eyes caught a glimpse of something golden sparkling in the bushes. Was it his imagination? Unable to find anything, his interest quickly faded. Lucky for Hail, who sprinted along the edge of the palisade at full speed.

‘It’s semi-transparent, and the effect won’t last long.’

Hail’s invisibility magic had clear limits. Among the potions Aco gave him was one to help extend it, but he still refused to touch it. He’d heard that taking it recklessly could lead to addiction—and becoming a puppet of that crazy Aco. So what about Ian?

‘…’

Shaking off the distraction, Hail refocused on his mission.

Swish!

Moonlight bathed the field, parting the grass as Hail’s path cut through it. No one noticed. Only the tethered beasts grazing nearby perked up their ears at the faint sound.

In no time, Hail crossed into the Astana camp and froze at the starkly different atmosphere from Bariel’s side.

‘They said this tribe mainly uses necromancy.’

The stench of corpses hung thick in the air. It was clear that both human and non-human bodies were mixed together.

‘This is going to be a headache.’

He’d encountered necromancers once before while working as a mercenary. They were notoriously difficult to deal with. The more corpses piled up during battle, the stronger their forces became.

“Hey, the arm’s come off.”

“Stick it back on properly. Come here, I’ll sew it up.”

“Ugh, I’m starving.”

“Oh, lucky you.”

The undead and the living moved freely among the camp, tidying up.

Hail felt his invisibility spell beginning to fade and quickly scanned his surroundings. Time was running out. Which tent belonged to the king?

Gurgle.

A strange noise came from above. While Hail looked up, soldiers passed by, carrying their gear and saying it was time.

‘That’s…’

Squawk!

Swish!

A monster stitched together from the corpses of magical beasts—known as “Astana’s masterpiece”—loomed before him. Though more for intimidation than killing, it was still imposing up close.

Suddenly drenched in a sticky, hot liquid, Hail squeezed his eyes shut and held his breath. The soldiers trying to clean up the mess noticed a human shape and tilted their heads in confusion.

“What did he… spit out?”

“Hey, who’s there?”

“Haa…”

Wiping his face roughly, Hail sighed deeply. He was definitely going to need double pay for this. Opening his golden eyes, he revealed himself to the soldiers.

“…You touched this first, right?”

“What? What did you say? Wait, isn’t he a mage?”

“A mage! A mage’s broken in!”

Seeing Hail’s golden eyes, the Astana soldiers panicked and shouted. This wasn’t how Hail had planned to bluff his way through—damn it. He could almost hear Aco’s laughter echoing from afar.

“What? A mage?”

“Sound the drums!”

“No! Everyone stay calm!”

Amid the chaos, a man in fine clothes suddenly appeared. His expression was strange—partly expectant, partly fearful, and partly baffled by Hail’s appearance.

“Uh, um, mage sir?”

“…The Astana king?”

“No, I’m Parkuku, the Astana representative. But why—why are you here? How did this happen…?”

The representative quickly assessed the situation, glancing between the monster and the filthy Hail. So, right now—

“I came to blow up your camp.”

“What?! Wait, hold on!”

“Can we consider this an attack? It’s disgusting enough to make me want to die.”

Hail had only planned a small disturbance, but now he was ready to burn everything to the ground. He bit his lip, realizing even his cigarette was soaked in filth. No trace would remain.

“Wait!”

The representative raised his hands, trying to calm Hail down. Considering Hail had snuck in and was now acting so brazenly, it was ironic to hear him accuse others of a preemptive strike. The words almost escaped the representative’s throat, but reason prevailed.

“Are you a mage from Bariel’s side?”

“I’m not affiliated with the Mage Department.”

The emphasis on ‘not affiliated’ carried weight. The representative motioned to the soldiers on guard to stand down.

“So, you’re the one who came over with the Mage Department earlier today?”

“That’s right.”

“Good heavens! Oh, thank the gods!”

The representative clasped his hands and cried out to the sky. Hail just grimaced, brushing off the dripping filth. The soldiers didn’t understand why the representative was so emotional.

Overcome with relief, the representative tried to embrace Hail but kept his distance because of the filth, settling instead for a polite smile.

“I’ve wanted to meet you. Really.”

“Do we know each other?”

“No, not exactly. It’s a long story. If you don’t mind, shall we head to the barracks? Or first, would you like to wash up and change clothes?”

Hail stood still, suspicious of their intentions. What difference would stripping down make? Irritated by the stench, he shrugged a few times before agreeing. Fine. Since he was here to handle things with his own body, he might as well go all in.

“Where to?”

“This way! This way! Hey, what are you all doing? Lower your weapons and escort the mage. And reduce the torches! We can’t let the other tribes find out!”

“Yes, yes! Understood.”

“Clean this up quickly and get moving.”

Living close to nature and often at odds with it, the tribes were quick to notice even small changes. The mage’s arrival had caused a stir, so some might already be aware—though not yet of the mage himself. That was only a matter of time.

“Mage sir, here are some clothes—”

“It’s Hail.”

“Yes, yes, what a fine name. The creature you saw just now eats all kinds of waste from around here. It’s a bit gross at first, but after a day or two, it all gets absorbed into the ground.”

So, an eco-friendly waste decomposer. Hail handed over the potion-soaked clothes to the attendant, who brought water for him to wash off the filth.

Splash!

“Um—this is urgent, but would you mind listening while you clean up?”

“Sounds good. I’m short on time, too.”

“Could you arrange a meeting with the palace mages? Without Lord Kroni from the Imperial Defense Department knowing.”

“Why?”

“Um…”

The representative hesitated. He seemed connected to the Mage Department, but his exact purpose was unclear. While Hail rubbed his temples, the representative cautiously continued.

“There is a particular way His Majesty King Hasha of Astana envisions this war unfolding. I would like to discuss it with you. I am already well aware of the Imperial Defense Department’s stance, but now I wish to understand the position of the Magic Department.”

“Is the King here as well?”

“No, but I can connect you to him.”

Hale paused for a moment. If this was a secret contact made without Crony’s knowledge, their views might be opposed. And if it was opposite to Crony’s, then perhaps the Magic Department’s stance aligned with his. Wiping the moisture from his face with a towel, he replied, “Very well. I’ll bring the others.”

---

“Pfft.”

Inside the Astana camp’s representative tent, Hale, Ako, and Ian sat around together. In the solemn, quiet atmosphere, Ako suddenly burst out laughing. Everyone glanced at her, and she covered her mouth apologetically.

“Ah, sorry. But—pfft.”

“Ako.”

“Ha ha ha ha!”

Unable to hold it in any longer, Ako doubled over with laughter. Seriously, Hale was such a pain in the ass. He had gone on about the mercenary’s duty and taking the brunt of the fight with such gravity, only to show up wearing Astana’s clothes, giving off a faintly suspicious vibe.

“If Crony sees you like that, you’re done for. Ha ha ha!”

“Enough laughing, will you?”

“Ha ha! You should go to Minister Arena and ask for more money. Not hazard pay—comfort pay. It’s not easy to have this kind of talent.”

“Ahem. Ahem.”

The Astana representative cleared his throat, silently asking for attention. Ako wiped the tears from her eyes and turned to him.

“Oh, right. So you wanted to meet with the Magic Department?”

“Yes, it’s an honor to meet you. Thank you for agreeing to this meeting. I am Parkuku, the representative of Astana.”

“I’m Ako.”

“I am Ian Hadel.”

After introductions, a brief silence fell again. The Astana representative was pondering how to bring up the matter of Crony’s handling, while the three of them tried to guess what exactly he intended to say.

Hale was the first to speak.

“I saw the messengers from each tribe coming this way earlier today.”

“Oh, yes. The tribal chiefs were all gathered here at that time.”

“Why?”

“…To reaffirm their commitment to the Northern Alliance.”

Crony’s dealings with Idgal were a sensitive topic for the mages, so it was difficult to bring it up directly.

“If it’s alright, it would be better to speak with His Majesty first. After all, all decisions rest with him.”

He was confident the King would skillfully grasp the situation and open the door to conversation. When no one answered immediately, the representative sighed and, with a resigned expression, closed his eyes tightly and reached toward the fire pit.

Flare!

The flames suddenly burst into a vivid green, and Ian’s eyes widened in response.

Ssshhh.

The green light deepened, and Ian’s irises gradually took on the same hue—bright and warm, like fresh leaves shimmering in sunlight. As if he had been born with emerald eyes all along.

[There’s a hint of gold within them.]

“Ah.”

The flames surged toward Ian, wrapping around him gently. There was no sense of hostility or threat, so Ako and Hale watched quietly.

[Ian—]

“Hadel.”

He knows me? Well, the whole empire had been buzzing about the noble mage, so it’s possible his name reached Astana.

The King’s voice came layered with the weight of years.

[So it is you, Ian Hadel.]

There was a trace of longing in that voice. The King spoke the child’s name with deep affection.

[Dear Ian, I sense you, and you see me. This is the day we have long hoped for.]