Episode 257
Episode 79. Thoughts of a Father and Son
The heads of two colossal families personally stepped forward, each placing a bounty—300 million gold coins from one, 100 million from the other.
A bounty in the hundreds of millions was unprecedented since the dawn of civilization. The world, already in turmoil from the “Holy Empire Incident,” was now stirred once again by the manhunt.
Elite mercenary groups like the Black King’s Band and the Ghost Corps launched independent searches, while lesser mercenary companies formed alliances.
Even the regular armies and knight orders of smaller kingdoms were desperate to find Jin. After all, 300 million gold coins could single-handedly revive a nation’s economy.
But all their efforts were in vain.
It was the Runcandel and Ziphl families—the two great houses—that were conducting the most intense search for Jin.
Thousands of guardian knights, mages, subordinate troops, and allied clans had formed tracking squads to locate him.
“Master… I really don’t know if this will be okay,” Gilly sighed, staring at the wanted poster of “Apprentice Rider Jin Runcandel” laid out before her.
She and her comrades were gathered in Tikan, watching the situation unfold.
The promise Jin had extracted from Sir Shiron in the past was still in effect: no one from Runcandel could set foot on Tikan soil without Jin’s permission.
Thanks to that, the Runcandel guardian knights hadn’t come directly to Tikan, but about fifty of them were stationed nearby, waiting.
Meanwhile, Ziphl’s mages had already ransacked Tikan from top to bottom.
They combed through records of all global teleportation gates, tracing every route used by “Jin Gray” and “Barmel,” deducing that Jin had a base in Tikan.
Of course, Ziphl’s search was fruitless. Ignoring Tikan’s neutral status, they even inspected inside Kashimir’s mansion, but found no sign of Jin.
Because Jin wasn’t in Tikan.
“It’ll be fine. Don’t worry so much, Strawberry Pie,” Murakan said, twisting his face into all sorts of funny expressions to make the downcast Gilly smile.
“Pfft.”
“Yeah, don’t keep sulking over that brat. Smile like that—it suits you.”
Gilly couldn’t hold back her laughter, and Murakan grinned in return.
‘What a nutcase… does he really think that’s funny?’
Beris watched quietly, frowning and cursing inwardly.
Surprisingly, Kuzan followed Murakan’s lead, contorting his face toward Beris.
“Ugh!” Beris barely suppressed a laugh, and Yulian, watching her, thought the same.
‘Kuzan and Beris—crazy people playing together.’
But when Yuria came over and playfully poked Yulian’s side, he couldn’t help but smile as well.
In other words, while the world was filled with people hunting Jin, Tikan itself was surprisingly peaceful.
That was a stark contrast to just yesterday, when all sorts of factions had been visiting and causing chaos.
“Jin has truly become a big shot. The most famous person in the world now,” Kashimir said, running a tired hand through his hair.
“The Ziphl mages tore through all my safe houses… I’m about ready to lose it.”
“But thanks to you letting them search, Ziphl has to tread carefully for now. They had no grounds or proof to just barge into someone’s home,” Alisa said, tapping Kashimir’s shoulder.
Though Jin had stayed here, Ziphl had little justification to search neutral Tikan.
So, as Alisa said, Ziphl wouldn’t be coming back anytime soon. Even Ziphl couldn’t just boss around a neutral faction outside the Lutero Magic Federation.
“I was really shocked when the Biment Guard showed up,” Enya said, with Quikantel nodding beside her.
Biment hadn’t searched Tikan as thoroughly as Ziphl, but both Enya and Quikantel were still unofficial fugitives in Biment’s eyes.
Especially now that Jin Gray’s name was public, Biment was even tracking the alias “Austin Gray” that Enya had used during the Dark Magic Cult Remnant Incident.
However, the three academy students Jin and Enya had treated like subordinates—Chip, Maura, and Orel—had yet to reveal to Biment’s higher-ups that Austin was actually Enya.
Thanks to that, Biment hadn’t searched Tikan as aggressively as Ziphl.
“Well, at least Runcandel hasn’t come looking. If they had, they’d have smashed everything to pieces by now,” Zett shrugged, continuing.
“But I just don’t understand Sir Shiron’s heart. Didn’t he care for His Highness deeply? He overlooked so much and still forbade Runcandel from touching Tikan. I never imagined he’d suddenly put a 300 million gold coin bounty on him.”
Zett looked genuinely hurt by that fact.
“If you’re so curious, why don’t you go ask him yourself?”
“Hmph, Zett. If Lord Murakan would just take me to the Black Sea where Sir Shiron is, I’d ask him anytime.”
“Is he crazy? Who’s gonna give you a ride? And you, man, you’d be crushed just standing in front of Sir Shiron. You wouldn’t even be able to open your eyes or breathe.”
“Still, doesn’t Lord Murakan feel a bit hurt? I thought Sir Shiron would look out for us. But now Runcandel is coming at us harder than Ziphl—I’m about to lose it!”
“Your father has his reasons. I told you that yesterday.”
“What reasons? Hmph, I have a son too. I’d never do something like that.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get your point… Wait, are you taking this out on me? Hey, you little pest, how do you manage these kids?”
“But I agree with Zett! If His Highness Jin gets caught by bounty hunters or Runcandel, what am I supposed to do?”
Enya shouted, making Murakan’s eyes widen.
“Why would you be the one who can’t live?”
“Jin is my light, my reason for living—he’s my life itself. A world without him is meaningless. No way, Zett! Let’s go confront Sir Shiron together.”
“Fine by me!”
Clap!
Enya and Zett slapped hands and boldly left the room.
Murakan clicked his tongue watching them go, while the others chuckled. Quikantel sighed deeply.
Of course, Enya and Zett never actually went to see Shiron. Instead, they headed to Latri’s pastry shop to gorge on cookies and tea while gossiping about him.
Scratch, scratch.
Shiron scratched his ear. His senses, honed to a demi-god level, had proven one thing: whenever his ear itched like this, a noisy visitor was on the way.
Vwoooom!
Mot, the giant-eyed toad, opened a dimensional gate.
“Shiron!”
Unlike Enya and Zett, there was one person who could truly come to confront Shiron.
Talalis Endorma, the Mistress of the Black Palace, stormed in, voice raised in frustration.
“My ears are about to fall off.”
“My stomach’s turning to acid! What the hell is this? Have you even considered my position? No, our daughter’s position?”
Though there was no marriage or even engagement, Talalis spoke as if she were Siris’s mother. Shiron closed his eyes, choosing not to respond. Looking back, Talalis had always been like this.
“Shiron, think carefully. Keliak wanted to cover up the incident, but the public opinion is terrible because Kal Ziphl killed his own son.”
“The situations with Ziphl and Runcandel are different, Talalis.”
“Jin didn’t harm Runcandel at all. He only brought them benefits. Yet instead of rewards, there’s a bounty? Aside from breaking the oath, there’s every reason to protect him.”
Vwoooom, vwoooom! Mot howled in sympathy, but when Shiron glanced at him, the toad averted his large eyes.
“This decision is final. No reversals.”
“Oh my god, are you really planning to kill Jin?”
“Of course.”
Without hesitation.
Talalis opened her mouth to shout, but instead pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and smoked it down in one breath. She lit another and smoked it just as quickly.
After five cigarettes in a flash, she glared at Shiron.
“Shiron, have you been consumed by chaos fighting the Black Sea kings? I felt you losing your humanity after reaching demi-god status… but this? This isn’t right. You can’t be sane.”
A chill gathered in Talalis’s right hand, forming a sword of ice.
Manbing—the divine sword she had been chosen by.
“What are you thinking?”
“If you truly have been consumed by chaos, then as Manbing’s wielder and as your friend, I can’t just stand by. Count to three and convince me you’re sane. If not, I’ll cut you down.”
One… two…
Watching Talalis, Shiron faintly smiled.
“You haven’t forgotten our promise. Put the sword away, Talalis. You’re wrong about me.”
The conversation up until now had been Siron’s test of Thalaris.
Thalaris summoning the frost spirit was also a gamble to hear Siron’s true intentions. Without such a move, no matter how close they were, she doubted that someone considered an outsider like herself would ever reveal their true feelings.
She also kept in mind the possibility that Siron might have truly been consumed by chaos.
Thalaris dismissed the frost spirit.
Behind her, the land at the center of the Black Sea had frozen into a massive fan-shaped expanse. The area was so vast it was hard to take in all at once—completely frozen by her power.
“Whatever happened to the charming Lion of Runcandel? I can’t tell how he turned into this cantankerous old man. Well then, tell me now—what exactly are you after?”
“My father has given me another chance.”
“How can you see it that way? You’re more carefree than I thought. Just like Ziphl, Runcandel’s head of the family—your father—issued a direct warrant for your arrest. It’s not some empty show.”
Dante set down the newsletter and replied.
“Even if I were to hide you within our family, I’m not confident I could keep you hidden for more than two months. The same goes for Lord Veradin’s villa here.”
If Runcandel and Ziphl combined their full efforts, there wouldn’t be a single person in the world they couldn’t find. No matter where you hid, they’d catch your trail.
Especially for someone as famous as Jin, there was no hope.
“That’s right. If I get caught, there’s no chance I’ll survive. That’s assuming I get caught at all. But if I manage to evade capture for over a year and return on my own feet, my reputation will skyrocket. I’ll become a rising contender who’s outwitted both Ziphl and Runcandel.”
For Jin, being toyed with by Ziphl was nothing short of humiliation.
But for Jin to have outwitted Runcandel was both a disgrace and, paradoxically, a boost to the family’s honor.
“…So you’re saying that Siron would at least lift the warrant against you?”
“He won’t withdraw the warrant against Jin Runcandel the contender. But there was never a warrant against Jin Runcandel the rider to begin with.”
“Hah… I want to believe you can pull it off somehow, but honestly, I’m not sure. Do you really think you can survive for over a year, evading both Runcandel and Ziphl?”
Even Jin couldn’t hide in Inse. But if it was the land where his brothers were…
“My father must know I’ll hide in Laprarosa. He must have received Lord Kashimir’s report.”
There was no need to tell Dante that.
Just as Siron was about to respond with a smile, a glow appeared beyond the window—the villa’s private teleportation gate activating.
“Duck.”
Jin and Dante pressed close to the window, lowering their bodies.
There was always a chance that whoever stepped through that gate wasn’t Veradin, but someone from Ziphl instead.