Episode 100
Chapter 33: Foe or Friend
A sudden chill gripped his chest.
‘Dante Hyland… Could it be that he’s sensed my magic and spiritual energy?’
Lately, more people had come to know about that power.
But it was still a secret that shouldn’t be revealed outside. Jin suppressed his unease and met Dante’s gaze.
“A hidden power? What are you talking about?”
Veradin’s interest was immediate. Having recently become a 7-star mage himself, he expected Jin to have grown accordingly.
“Ah… it’s just a gut feeling. In battle, my instincts have never failed me. The moment swords clash, I can tell if I’ll win or lose… things like that. And though your swordsmanship seems less accomplished than mine, I had this strange feeling I might lose.”
“Is that so? Fascinating.”
“In the end, I did lose, so my feeling was right this time. But if you had no hidden skills or power, then I was just fooled by my own intuition and failed to show my true strength.”
Jin smiled quietly at Dante’s words, though inside he was somewhat surprised. It was an incredible instinct.
“Anyway, next time we fight, you can look forward to it. I’ll give it my all without holding back.”
“Jin, Dante, I feel the same. I’m just looking forward to the day we each lead our clans and face off.”
The determination in Dante and Veradin’s eyes was fierce.
Even as they sat in a circle, raising their glasses, it was inevitable that someday these three would point swords at each other.
Enemies and friends, friends and enemies. That was the nature of their relationship.
‘But when that time comes, I wonder if I’ll really be able to kill him.’
A brief silence fell, and Dante thought that to himself.
“Though, you know, after all the fighting, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to just become allies. Just settle the score and get along peacefully…”
Veradin scratched the back of his head as he added that.
“I never imagined the next head of the Ziphl clan would say something so soft.”
“Just wishful thinking! If things go wrong, both of you will die by my hand, haha. Oh, by the way, I had a pretty ridiculous experience recently.”
“What happened, Veradin?”
Dante played along, and Veradin clenched his fist.
“Do you know the Kingdom of Akin? It’s part of the Lutero Magic Federation. Last year, someone there impersonated me.”
Jin nearly spat out the drink he’d been holding but managed to keep a straight face.
“Hah! Is that true? Someone impersonated you in the Lutero Magic Federation’s territory… That’s guts beyond reason. So, what happened?”
“…Surprisingly, they still haven’t caught the culprit. The imposter apparently destroyed the Tesing, a dark organization, but their whereabouts are unknown. Even the clan’s investigators can’t find any leads.”
“Why not issue a wanted notice?”
“That would only damage Ziphl’s reputation, Dante. For such a massive clan, failing to catch a mere impersonator would be an embarrassment.”
Jin spoke calmly, and Veradin nodded.
“Exactly. We also recently lost Uncle Andrei… Our pride is already in tatters. Ah, Jin, I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable. It’s not even confirmed that the one who killed Uncle was from Runcandel.”
“If it was Runcandel?”
Jin asked, and Dante cleared his throat, glancing around.
Veradin just shrugged.
“We’ve killed Runcandel plenty of times ourselves. Since we’re in a mutual debt situation, we’ll settle it when the time comes. Honestly, I didn’t like Uncle much. I actually disliked him.”
“The next head of Ziphl disliked the late deputy head? That’s not something to say lightly. What’s on your mind, Veradin?”
Jin said this with a neutral tone, pondering why Veradin would dislike Andrei.
‘Was it because Andrei used the power of the Demon Stone and abandoned the pure path of a mage? Or was it his perverse nature? Either way, the Demon Stone is definitely a matter on the scale of the entire Ziphl clan…’
But first, did Veradin even know about the Demon Stone?
‘From what I’ve seen, Veradin’s personality would make it understandable if he rejected things like biological experiments or gathering gods through the Demon Stone. That might be why he disliked Andrei.’
It wasn’t a question to ask right now.
“I just said it without much thought. I simply disliked someone I disliked. We’re close enough to say that, aren’t we? At least, that’s what I believe!”
“Ha ha… Hearing you say that reminds me of the disgusting people in the clan. Someday, I’ll personally get rid of them all!”
Revealing clan matters so carelessly in front of an enemy was something only a fool would do.
‘Dante really is a fool, but Veradin has this strange, unreadable side. He’s definitely not ordinary.’
Using Numerus’s blood on Dante.
Bringing up the late Andrei’s name here and emphasizing “I disliked him” — these were things Jin’s common sense couldn’t quite grasp.
“Ah, we got off track. Anyway! About that impersonator. We can’t issue a wanted notice, but it feels wrong to just let it go… So I’m thinking of deploying the clan’s top mages to search.”
Veradin’s voice rose again, filled with anger.
“Oh? You can send 8-star mages just to catch some impersonator? Ziphl really is something else.”
“Hey, Hyland, you could do that too. Jin, what do you think?”
“If it were me, I’d manipulate public opinion to make it look like I destroyed Tesing, not that the impersonator did.”
“What?”
“According to you, the culprit only impersonated you to destroy the dark organization. Did innocent people suffer?”
“No, quite the opposite. Akin’s been like a festival every day lately. Tesing’s tyranny must have been terrible.”
“Then it’s perfect material to cover up with your heroic tale. And since the culprit hasn’t been caught yet, they’ll probably impersonate you again. The longer the trail, the easier it will be to catch them. Sending top mages is just foolish.”
“Hmm, that makes sense. Maybe sending top mages is overkill. I’ll think it over when I get back.”
“If you catch them, let me know. I’m curious how reckless this person is.”
“Alright, Dante, you should come visit our banquet hall soon. I’ll send you an invitation.”
The three spent the rest of the night exchanging trivial stories and clinking glasses.
But unlike Dante and Veradin, Jin kept his words to a minimum, for one simple reason.
‘If I get too close, it might cause problems later.’
It was a brief meeting.
But it was a night when he wished they could have been nothing but friends.
“Young master! Why on earth did you use Numerus’s blood on Dante Hyland?”
“Besides, you should have killed Jin Runcandel on the spot. It was the perfect chance to eliminate a rival!”
“Don’t tell Father that you didn’t kill Jin. And take great care of this treasure chest until we return to the clan—no scratches at all. Haha, it’s a very satisfying souvenir.”
“What’s so special about this treasure chest? If you suffer a great loss later because you don’t have Numerus’s blood, that’s not our problem.”
“Enough, enough. There’s nothing wrong with gaining Dante Hyland’s favor. Losing a drop of Numerus’s blood now increases the chance that Hyland will side with us when we fight Runcandel in the future.”
“But…!”
“And the reason we didn’t kill Jin is because there are a few things we need to confirm. I’m going to rest until we reach the main house, so you two should leave.”
As the guards grumbled and withdrew, Veradin let out a deep sigh.
‘Eventually, Father and the elders will hear everything. Even if I make the same excuses about Numerus’s blood as I did to those guys, how will I explain not killing Jin…? Should I say I thought I couldn’t win? It’s not a lie, but…’
Veradin’s future already looked bleak.
“I apologize, Grandfather. This time, I failed to win and barely escaped death twice.”
“To have nearly lost your life twice in such a lowly tournament…? What happened? Was your swordsmanship lacking, or was there a hidden master blinded by money and pleasure?”
Despite his words, Hyland’s clan head, Ron Hyland, wore a kindly expression.
Seeing his grandson return, he sensed something new in him. A grandson so dear he could devour him with love, yet who had gained some new insight.
“While my swordsmanship was not lacking, my spirit was insufficient. Also, there were no masters blinded by money and pleasure, but I did meet two boys who stirred my heart.”
“Ha ha, if you say so, I’m immediately curious. You, who show no interest even in the clan’s most beautiful women… So, what are the names of the ones who moved your heart, my grandson?”
“Grandfather, I’m terribly sorry, but I can’t tell you their names… And even more terribly, I have the audacity to ask you for a favor.”
“You little rascal!”
Ron suddenly grabbed Dante in a playful chokehold.
But he didn’t ask again what the boys’ names were. He knew all too well that breaking his grandson’s stubborn will was as difficult as ascending to Changseong himself.
Cough, cough. “I-I’m… out of breath.”
Of course, even if it was just a joke, the strength of a 10-star knight was no joke to endure.
“You come here and make your old grandfather feel slighted right away! But I’ll forgive you. So, what’s this favor you want?”
“Please, just once, no matter the circumstances, let me save them.”
“Oh, you’re back? What’s up, kid? Don’t tell me you went and got beaten by that Dante or Donte guy? You look a little down. Isn’t that right, Strawberry Pie?”
“Down? Of course not—I came back as the champion.”
“Master, are you feeling tired? You really don’t look so good. Winning against Dante is something to celebrate, but… did something happen while you were out there? Were you poisoned or something and lost your strength?”
“No, Gilly. I’m probably just a bit tired. Did everyone manage okay while I was gone?”
“Ah, Master Jin! You’re back! Oh! And this time, the tournament champion! Quick, sign my shirt for the occasion!”
Enya dashed over, as usual holding out a pen and her back, eager for his autograph.
‘For a keepsake,’ Jin thought, taking the pen and glancing at the shark bone trophy he held in his other hand.
‘Fools. Are they really going to make a gold coin frame or keep a dented treasure chest as a souvenir?’
With a smirk, Jin scribbled his signature on Enya’s shirt.
“Thanks for always making me feel special, Enya.”
He felt a sudden warmth of gratitude for the friends who so casually shared their easy camaraderie.