Episode 256
Chapter 78: The Feats of the Apprentice (5)
After killing all the mages, they immediately left the harbor. To throw off any pursuers, they deliberately weaved through several alleys before reaching a cliff they had scouted earlier. Without hesitation, they plunged into the sea.
Splash!
“Miya!”
As soon as they hit the water, Shuri let out a cheerful cry. It meant no one was close behind them anymore. Jin took a deep breath, steadying himself, and wiped the sweat from his brow.
“You can come out now, Dante.”
Jin carefully pulled Dante from Shuri’s mouth.
As soon as he loosened the robe wrapped tightly around Dante, Jin flinched.
‘What’s with all this blood… Shuri must have bitten him earlier.’
Not only inside the robe, but Dante’s entire body was soaked in blood. For a moment, Jin wondered if Dante might be dead.
“Are you… okay?”
“I’m fine, haha.”
“There’s a hole in your shoulder. Sorry about that.”
“Yeah, it’s a bit deep. But it was an animal’s doing—no malice intended.”
Jin shrugged and offered a healing resin. Dante rinsed the blood off roughly with seawater before applying the resin. His body was covered in scars from training.
‘Veradin said something similar when Murakan clawed him at the Mittel portal. I thought they were completely different, but they’re actually quite alike.’
“Jin.”
“Yeah?”
“What do you plan to do now?”
Dante asked with concern. Though wrapped in the robe, he was aware that Jin had killed the mages—and that magic had been used. Dante didn’t know about the pact between Ziphl and Runcandel, but he did know that Runcandel strictly forbade magic.
“Well, what else? We have to keep running. It’s too soon to feel safe. What about you two? You weren’t seriously thinking you could just set the gold on fire and escape on that sailboat, were you?”
“Hmm… that was the plan, but…”
The sailboat Dante and Veradin had come on wasn’t fast enough to outrun Ziphl’s pursuit.
“If you two hadn’t met me today, things would’ve gone badly. Veradin would’ve died at my father’s hands, and Hailan would’ve suffered massive damage because of you.”
Jin patted Dante’s back, and Shuri increased their swimming speed.
“True, I’m not in a position to ask what you plan to do next. At first, I admired Veradin’s determination and followed him, but now I realize it was foolish. Still, compared to you, it’s just a scratch.”
They both chuckled.
“I’m worried about Lord Veradin.”
Dante’s smile turned bitter.
“He won’t die from that. He hit him just hard enough.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Not worried he’ll cause a ruckus when he returns to the family? Surely you know why I knocked him out.”
“That’s not it either. Veradin… like me, seemed completely unaware of what Ziphl has been doing all this time.”
A brief silence fell.
“Of course, no family is without its dirt, but Ziphl has gone way too far. I actually suspected him. I thought Veradin might be complicit in some of Ziphl’s misdeeds.”
“Do you still think that?”
“No.”
“What do you think will happen to him?”
Jin met Dante’s gaze.
“In my opinion, Veradin’s future holds only two paths: either he rebels against the family and gets exiled, or his will breaks and he submits. Maybe he won’t be exiled but killed, like Lord Ziphl.”
Veradin in his past life.
He was a thirty-year-old mage who had reached rank 9 and was known as Ziphl’s heir apparent.
Young mages admired him, and his character was so admirable that he was beloved by many.
But all that was just public information from newsletters.
‘What was Veradin really like back then?’
The righteous and outstanding heir to Ziphl.
Was that image truly who he was? Or was he someone who had actually submitted to the family, just wearing a respectable mask?
Jin’s current teenage years were completely different from his past life. Back then, he hadn’t even reached rank 1 in swordsmanship and was treated like trash by his family.
Now, he was an apprentice, wandering the world.
He had caused several incidents that would shake the world if revealed, uncovered secrets of the gods, the hidden sides of various factions, and the truths about those around him.
He had also made friends. Among them, he had subconsciously kept his distance from Veradin.
Because of the fate tied to Runcandel and Ziphl. Even if not Dante, Jin believed that someday he and Veradin would have to face each other with swords drawn.
Especially after learning about Andrei Ziphl’s use of the “Demon Stone” and the “biological experiments,” Jin was even more convinced.
Whether Veradin wanted it or not, he would inevitably become an accomplice.
But that wasn’t the case.
Veradin had set fire to the gold out of shame for Ziphl.
He was willing to risk death to kill the mages of his own family, and the biggest reason for that impulsive decision was that his friend—who had revealed all these truths—had been attacked.
“That can’t be allowed.”
Jin said. Dante blinked in surprise.
He had expected a colder response from Jin.
—You know, after all this fighting, maybe becoming allies wouldn’t be so bad. Just settle the score and get along…
—I never imagined the heir to Ziphl would say something so soft.
Even on the last night in the arena, when the three of them drank together.
—I think Veradin has some complicated reasons he can’t explain to Jin. Better not ask about it anymore.
—You’re always drawing lines between us!
—Have you ever thought maybe you’re the weird ones for not drawing enough lines?
When they spent two days together after leaving the nameless city of Samil, it was the same.
But now Jin was saying he couldn’t just leave Veradin alone.
“What’s with the surprise?”
“Nothing… hmm! It’s nothing. It’s just strange to hear you say you want to save Lord Veradin.”
“First, we need to hear what Veradin thinks. Let’s go there.”
“There?”
“The hideout. Shuri, speed up. By the way, why did you need money? I was a bit shocked when I saw gold bars slip from your pocket earlier. Does the heir to Hailan really need to carry around gold bars?”
“Ah, well…”
Dante hesitated before continuing.
“Recently, I accidentally broke a precious porcelain piece my grandfather treasured. Of all things, he cherishes porcelain like his own body… So before he finds out, I had to fix it. Hiring a master restorer isn’t cheap.”
“…What?”
Ron’s love for porcelain was well-known among the warriors. So much so that there was a saying: if you want to befriend Hailan, first win over the porcelain artisans of the Mila Kingdom.
“It’s embarrassing to say, but… so, um…”
Jin understood. As the heir, Dante couldn’t just spend family funds recklessly, and suddenly using a lot of money would surely be reported to Ron.
“You want to borrow money?”
Dante nodded.
“Got it.”
“You’re the only one I can count on!”
They pressed forward through the sea for six hours.
Fortunately, no pursuers spotted them.
The sea was dark without a single lighthouse as the sun set, and only Dante’s eyes shone brightly.
January 1, 1798.
The new year had dawned.
Usually, the first day of the year is spent with loved ones, exchanging blessings for the year ahead, greeting the first sunrise with a partner, or at least enjoying a long sleep since it’s a holiday.
But this man, the Guardian Knight Khan, was covered in monster blood, entrails, and bone fragments, just as he had been on the first day of 1796.
His speed in slaying monsters was relentless.
Without taking even a short break, he had been running through the middle of the Black Sea for three days and nights, his face tense with worry.
“My lord!”
Shiron had sensed Khan approaching for some time but only opened his eyes slowly after Khan’s urgent call.
“You seem anxious. What’s the matter?”
“The youngest master has finally caused trouble!”
Surprisingly, Shiron nodded calmly.
He seemed to have expected it to some extent.
Instead of a letter from Kashmir, Khan respectfully pulled out a bundle of newsletters.
“Runcandel’s apprentice topples Ziphl’s Golden Castle!
Who is Jin Runcandel, the mysterious mutant Runcandel using magic and psychic powers?
The youngest of the rebellious exposes the true face of justice—about the great evil named Ziphl.
Ziphl and Kinzelo’s biological golem experiments—they are clearly preparing for war.
The first Runcandel of the 1700s who broke the strict laws of the apprentice—will the demigod overlook this crisis?
Rani Salome mentions Jin Runcandel as ‘friend’ three times at the coronation…
Still, the kingdom remains closed off except for relief efforts, but promises to send the Saint Order regularly to Runcandel’s side. The apprentice’s great achievement!”
The newsletter was completely filled with articles like that.
As Siron quietly scanned through them, a meaningful expression crossed his face.
“He really caused quite a stir.”
“Lady Rosa urgently summoned the riders. She said she would wait for the head of the family’s decision, but the atmosphere was already tense—everyone was ready to send out riders immediately to capture the youngest master.”
Kan then handed over newsletters from the Lutero Magic Federation, where the tone was completely different.
They declared they would hold Keliak Ziphl and Runcandel fully accountable.
Ziphl announced they would stop supplying everyday magical products to the Hupester Alliance until Runcandel sent the true Runcandel.
A worldwide manhunt for the true Runcandel was issued starting today, with Ziphl offering a reward of 100 million gold coins and lifetime close protection…
The biological experiments were not conducted by Ziphl but by Kinzel; rumors of an alliance with Ziphl were baseless, a malicious provocation by Runcandel!
The Tower Lords issued a statement declaring they would not hesitate to go to war with Runcandel, calling the rogue apprentice a threat to world peace.
After reading through even the Lutero Magic Federation’s newsletters, a faint smile appeared on Siron’s lips.
“An impressive feat.”
Kan bowed his head, waiting for the next words.
“I sent him out to build his reputation, and not only did he raise his own name, but he also elevated Runcandel’s notoriety and utterly destroyed Ziphl’s honor. That’s truly an accomplishment.”
Kan let out a sigh of relief inwardly.
No matter how much Siron cared for Jin, he never expected him to cover up such a massive incident.
But Siron’s next words left Kan feeling uneasy.
“That said, the youngest has always been someone who knows how to take responsibility. Kan.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m issuing a top-priority manhunt for the youngest. From this moment on, every rider, every guardian knight, every cadet is on permanent duty to find him. Announce that anyone who brings him in from outside will receive 300 million gold coins and Runcandel’s absolute protection—even if it’s his corpse.”