Chapter 433
Episode 125: The Raiders, The Brothers (Part 1)
Steam curled up gently from the large pot. Inside, the seafood—crabs, shrimp, abalone, and octopus—bubbled and released a mouthwatering aroma.
Seafood stew.
It was a dish that Yuria, the only daughter of Kashimir and Alisa, had loved since she was about two years old.
Now nine, Yuria hadn’t been able to attend school due to certain circumstances, but alongside Enya’s younger brother Pinte (and their old dog Poopy), and Jet’s son Kou, she spent her days neither lonely nor bored.
And the moments Yuria cherished most were exactly like this—when both children and adults gathered around to cook and share seafood stew.
“Seafood stew, sea-food stew,” the children sang in a strange little tune, colored by Yuria’s influence. The sight was irresistibly adorable, even Beris, who was usually seen as a witch by the kids, couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
Especially Kashimir and Alisa, whenever they saw Yuria like this, they felt something warm and rich bubbling inside their chests, as if butter melting slowly.
“If it weren’t for Prince Jin…”
“How blessed we are to see our daughter like this.”
Serving seafood stew to the children they loved like their own, the couple couldn’t help but be moved.
“Eat plenty, kids. Chew well so you don’t get an upset stomach.”
“Yes!”
The adults clinked their glasses, using the children’s happy faces as the perfect accompaniment. It was truly a harmonious, peaceful moment.
“Not just saving Yuria, but if it weren’t for Prince Jin, none of this would be possible.”
“That’s right, Sir Kashimir. Thanks to Nari, people who would never have met are now bound like family. Ah, this tastes so good—long time no enjoy such fine drinks. It’s a shame Nari isn’t here though…”
Since the Terror at the Black Emperor’s Castle, Tikan’s comrades were finally able to relax like this for the first time.
They had been overwhelmed with unfinished business and mountains of information to gather during their stay at the castle.
“It’s a shame Jin-aji, I mean, oppa isn’t here today.”
When Yuria said this, the children and comrades all nodded in agreement.
“Aunt Strawberry Pie too.”
“Nabi as well.”
“Yeah, we miss him. Is it tasty?”
“Yeah, it is.”
“Prince Jin is overseeing the Guardian Knight promotion exam, right?”
“That’s right, Enya. You really know Prince Jin’s schedule. It seems he’s planning to keep the promotion from going entirely according to the elders’ wishes. Murakan said he’d attend to support Jin’s stance.”
Though the comrades hadn’t witnessed it firsthand, they could easily imagine Murakan causing trouble. After all, he was the family’s guardian deity and a mighty black dragon, shouting orders like a boss.
“Murakan might be the only one who can give the Runkandel Guardian Knights a hard time.”
“I heard the elders are planning to put them through the wringer soon too.”
The comrades chuckled, licking their lips with a hint of regret.
Feeling that only Jin, Murakan, and Gillian were missing from this warm, cozy moment made them feel a little guilty.
“Next time, we should invite the Ghost Captain along with Prince Jin for a meal.”
“I heard he acted like a mad dog at first, but this time too, he risked his life to protect Nari. He’s a worthy successor.”
“Jet, if you ever say that out loud, you might just disappear without a trace. I let it slide because you’re cute, but Rata Proch isn’t that forgiving.”
“If I’d been there, at least a few fingers would’ve vanished. The Ghost Captain showing off?”
Jet answered without a hint of embarrassment.
“I’m just trying to act tough when I can. Why so serious, folks? Come to think of it, you’re my successors too.”
Julian, standing beside them, nodded quietly in agreement.
His guardian dragon, Kaltor, still hadn’t awakened despite Quikantel feeding it the master’s elixir daily.
But since Jin brought the inner core of Ozdok, Julian had been unusually friendly to all the comrades.
As the conversation flowed, Alisa brought out fresh liquor and looked around at the group.
“Everyone, it’s going to be hectic again after today. You all know how worried Prince Jin is about Tikan, right?”
Indeed, Tikan had become one of Jin’s biggest concerns lately.
Since the declaration of the family headship, internal conflicts had escalated, and recent tensions with the emperor, along with suspicious movements from Zipple and Kinzello, made the situation volatile.
Now, it was no exaggeration to say the whole world knew Tikan was under Jin’s influence, so an attack could come at any time.
“Luckily, thanks to Prince Jin, Runkandel can’t strike us directly. They said they’d soon send reinforcements from the Ghost Corps, but we can’t rely on Jin alone. We have to prepare ourselves.”
Of course, those stationed in Tikan had forces surpassing most small nations.
But while individually powerful, their numbers were too few for large-scale battles.
“The war and disaster preparedness system Prince Jin has been working on since his days as a reserve rider is almost complete.”
“That’s not enough, dear. And that system is more about defense and escape than offense. Hmm, maybe we should find and train some of the royal family’s abandoned juniors.”
“The special forces rejects are too dangerous.”
“I know, I’m just frustrated. Honestly, I’d even hire the mercenary Amela if I could.”
Amela, the mercenary from the Gaipa Archipelago, was one of the world’s top three mercenaries, rivaling the Black King’s commander.
“Even if not Amela, I’ve been thinking about the Black King’s squad. I should meet their commander before Prince Jin arrives.”
creak
As Kashimir finished speaking, someone approached the group with light, brisk footsteps.
“Dessert’s here! Specially made Litra cookies! Tart and crunchy, dangerously delicious for kids!”
It was Ratri. At his arrival, the children’s eyes glazed over, fixed on him, while the adults licked their lips in anticipation.
“Give us some!”
“Please!”
As the kids rushed forward, Ratri smiled broadly.
But moments later, as he handed out the cookies, his expression changed to alarm as he turned to Yuria.
Unlike the others, Yuria hadn’t rushed forward for a cookie. Instead, she stared blankly into space with hollow eyes.
“Y-Yuria!”
Ratri’s urgent shout made the comrades immediately realize what was happening.
Yuria’s Azmil power was activating.
Though much improved since infancy, Yuria still couldn’t fully control Azmil’s power—a side effect of glimpsing too far into the future as a toddler.
Ratri quickly tried to initiate a resonance, but it wasn’t as simple as when Yuria was very young.
“Ratri, is Yuria going to be okay!?”
“I think I’ll have to transform into my true form to enter…”
“No, it’s fine, Ratri.”
It was Yuria’s voice. Though still focused on the future unfolding in her mind, she now seemed aware of the boundary between what she saw and the present.
“Can you hear my voice, Yuria?”
“Yes, I can.”
“Does it hurt?”
“Not yet.”
Ratri and the others exchanged glances.
Ratri then sat calmly before Yuria and closed his eyes. The resonance still didn’t happen. Instead, he decided to ask what Yuria was seeing.
“Yuria, tell me what you see.”
“Tikan…”
Yuria answered in a dreamy, drowsy voice.
“Where in Tikan? Our mansion, the tea house, the streets?”
“Everything. I see it all… like I’m watching from far away.”
“Are you on something? Murakan, or me?”
“Neither.”
“Then what do you think it is?”
There was silence as they focused on pinpointing the exact setting of Azmil’s vision.
“A ship… a small ship. And—”
A sudden scream tore through the air.
Yuria’s eyes snapped open, and Ratri and the others caught her immediately. She trembled as if she’d seen something terrifying.
“Tikan,” Yuria whispered, voice shaking.
“It’s going to be attacked.”
“When?”
“Now.”
Boom…!
Before she finished, a distant explosion echoed from outside the mansion, accompanied by a faint tremor.
Something powerful was striking the outer walls of the Free City.
“Cannon fire? Magic bomb?” Jet shouted reflexively, peering out the window, but Quikantel and the warriors already knew better.
The attackers were wielding sword energy—warriors of nine stars or higher, and in numbers.
“Get the kids to safety and prepare for battle. These aren’t ordinary foes. Contact Jin and the Ghost Corps immediately!”
Even as Quikantel shouted, the explosions and tremors continued.
At the central training ground of the Garden of Swords, Guardian Knights were taking their promotion exams under a solemn atmosphere.
Jin and Murakan sat opposite the elders, evaluating the candidates. Their position was chosen to assess not only the knights but also the elders themselves.
“If it weren’t for those old fools, they’d have promoted only those who fit their tastes. Having too many geniuses in the family is a problem—so many outstanding knights are rotting away under this system. Tch.”
“Anyway, those who were exceptionally skilled but hadn’t been promoted were being sent back to their respective cohorts. Hmm, that kid doesn’t seem bad at all.”
While Jin and Murakan were carefully examining the very best among the best, someone rushed urgently into the training ground.
Click!
The door swung open, and in stepped the steward, Petro.
Though Petro wore a calm, composed expression to avoid drawing attention from enemies, Jin could clearly see through the anxiety and unease beneath.
‘Young master, an emergency signal just came in from Tikan.’
The moment Petro whispered this in his ear, Jin almost let his guard slip and showed his true feelings.
Instead, he kept his composure and calmly asked, “What exactly does the message say?”
“They say warriors of rank nine and above have launched an invasion. No further signals have come through yet.”
If no additional signals arrived by the time they reached the gate, it would mean the situation was so dire that even sending messages was impossible.
“You’ve contacted the gatekeepers, right?”
“Of course.”
“Prepare to depart immediately. And among my allies, is there anyone currently near Tikan?”
If not, Jin feared something terrible was about to happen.
But, fortunately—or perhaps miraculously—Petro replied, “Young masters Daytona and Heitona have been stationed near Tikan for several days now, waiting to see you.”