Episode 484
Chapter 135: Brotherhood United (Part 1)
“Hmph! So, Sir Valkas, you thought from the start that Gongja would win, yet you told me to bet on Lady Mary? And you even lied, saying it was because you’d seen her sword firsthand…?”
Clack! Kashimir slammed his cup down on the table. Murakan and Valkas chuckled, patting him on the back.
“I just joined Tikan not long ago. I have to make a good impression on Lord Murakan, don’t I? Heh, you’ll understand.”
“Honestly, that little guy’s got a certain dumb charm, you know? Hey, even if we think we’ll lose, we gotta bet on the kid. You can’t just throw two thousand gold coins on the opponent you think will win, right?”
Kashimir furrowed his brow at their laughter.
“But Lord Murakan, you told me and Sir Valkas to bet on Lady Mary!”
“Yeah, yeah, now you’re yelling like a madman. What’s wrong? You lost the bet and now you’re whining because you don’t want to pay up? You, the second richest in Tikan?”
“I never yelled! And it’s not that I’m stingy with the money!”
“Just now, just now! No way, you little pest! Hey, dodge! Dodge! Did you dodge? Don’t come this way! Hey!”
As Murakan and Kashimir started running around like they were playing tag, laughter erupted from all corners.
“A heartwarming scene,” Mary remarked, watching them.
After the duel and the Cosmos-style award ceremony, Jin and his comrades, along with Mary and the pirates, were enjoying a lighthearted after-party, celebrating Jin’s victory.
Jin sat beside her, gently smoothing the letter written by Sir Shiron himself. His expression was still as dazed as when he first received it.
‘Father really was quite interested in Lady Mary, wasn’t he?’
It was hard to imagine. That cold, colossal man writing a book for someone. Even forcing the image in his mind, all he could see was a faint silhouette from behind.
“Is this the usual atmosphere in Tikan?”
“Pretty much, yes.”
“Quite different from the gloomy Garden of Swords. By the way, you can’t take your eyes off him. You like him that much?”
When Jin turned to smile, Mary couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
“To think my cold-blooded little brother could make such a dumb face. I thought acting crazy was his only charm, but this isn’t bad either.”
Jin composed himself and carefully tucked the letter into his chest.
“If you want, I can make more faces for you. What kind should I do?”
“Suddenly talking so dryly is no fun. You should be a little embarrassed to make it interesting.”
Clink! Their cups met.
“Little brother.”
“Yes, sister.”
“The massive forces that didn’t go to the Gaipa Archipelago are gathering in a desert called Sota. Have you heard of it?”
Mary was about to share the intel she promised if Jin agreed to listen.
Before Jin could answer, Shuri—the creature lying between them, groaning softly (summoned because Mary wanted to see her)—let out a cry.
It was a sign she recognized the place. Stretching and rising, Shuri scratched the location of the Sota Desert onto the floor with her claws. Mary gasped.
“Every time I see her, I’m amazed. You’re really something, Shuri. Yes, that’s it. The desert near the center of the Lutero Magic Federation.”
Near the heart of the Lutero Magic Federation wasn’t just the Sota Desert—it was also home to the federation’s capital and the stronghold of Ziphl, called Drakka.
The first armies of the three great powers were gathered nearby.
“What’s happening in that desert?”
“New Kojeks are being built.”
Mary’s mention of Ziphl had already hinted at this problem.
‘That’s the ship Midor summoned with Myuron, the cube-shaped one.’
The key point was not just a new ‘Kojek’ but multiple ‘Kojeks.’
“So they’re building a facility in the Sota Desert to mass-produce giant flying warships like Kojeks.”
“Yeah, who would’ve imagined they could mass-produce those?”
“So we have to destroy that production site.”
“Exactly.”
It was a top-tier, high-risk mission.
They were to strike a secret facility right in the enemy’s heartland, near their main base. Only a handful of operatives could be sent, those who could return alive.
Jin’s mind immediately ran through all the calculations for the assault.
The answers were grim enough to make him grit his teeth.
“When did our family find out that Ziphl was running a shipyard?”
“They knew about the shipyard itself for a while. But the exact location was only confirmed shortly after you destroyed the Black King’s stronghold.”
“You mentioned earlier that besides our family, Kinzel and the Royal Court are also waiting in the Sota Desert. Does that mean our family got the information later than them?”
“No, they all got the intel around the same time. That’s why they hurriedly sent their top people to the Sota Desert instead of the Gaipa Archipelago. Kinzel for sure, but the Royal Court might not have sent anyone there.”
“Runcandel, Kinzel, and the Royal Court all got the same information at roughly the same time. This… is clearly a trap.”
Jin was certain.
The shipyard in the Sota Desert was deliberately leaked by Ziphl. Otherwise, Runcandel, Kinzel, and the Royal Court wouldn’t have been able to send people simultaneously.
“You’re saying the same thing as Brother Dipus.”
“And that it’s a trap we have no choice but to fall for.”
Mary nodded.
A trap they had no choice but to fall for—that was exactly it.
‘Attacking a shipyard in a desert right next to Drakka is basically madness. Even if we throw our best at it and succeed, the only gain for our family and the other powers is to drain Ziphl’s resources and delay Kojek production a bit.’
Of course, building flying warships required astronomical resources and manpower, but it wasn’t worth risking the lives of the top operatives from other powers.
As long as the technology wasn’t lost, the shipyard could be rebuilt.
Still, they couldn’t just let the Kojek mass-production continue unchecked. Ziphl was starting this mission already ahead of the others.
If they lost—
They had to find the best way to lose. So next time, they wouldn’t have to fall for it again.
Or even if the family lost, Jin had to create a structure that would let him gain the most advantage.
That way, when the family eventually became his, he could use those gains.
‘What does Ziphl want? Why suddenly leak the shipyard’s location now? To lure the top operatives of each power into the Lutero Magic Federation’s stronghold and pick them off one by one? No, that would violate the fundamental premise that there will be no all-out war as long as Father is around.’
If the top pilots died at the shipyard, it could lead to full-scale war.
‘Also, if they intended to fight seriously, they wouldn’t have leaked the location. They’d have built all the ships first and then launched a surprise attack.’
Then what’s the real intention…?
Suddenly, a word flashed through Jin’s mind.
Check.
‘Could it be that they want to confirm the strength and special abilities of the representatives from each power who attack the shipyard?’
The Sota Desert was near Drakka, the federation’s capital, located at the center.
In the past thousand years, Drakka had been attacked by outside forces but never exposed to terrorism.
Even Runcandel couldn’t assemble a stealth team capable of breaching all the defenses leading to Drakka.
‘Attacking the secret shipyard nearby is probably no different. If Runcandel, Kinzel, or the Royal Court manage to infiltrate the shipyard, Ziphl can assess the external powers’ capabilities.’
Kinzel had Danzang and Bubar, the Royal Court had Main and its creators, and Runcandel had Jin, Murakan, and Joshua’s prophet.
Among them, the only one Ziphl might not be aware of was the prophet.
A sharp intuition struck Jin.
‘Ziphl has learned that Joshua has an ally with special abilities and wants to know that power…!’
So they spread a sweet poison that the enemies couldn’t resist. They set a trap impossible to avoid.
Of course, it could be an exaggeration.
But if not, no other reason came to mind for Ziphl leaking the secret shipyard’s location.
‘And in Ziphl’s calculations, I probably don’t exist. I went to the Gaipa Archipelago instead of infiltrating the Sota Desert shipyard. Besides, they must have assumed Joshua and I wouldn’t work together on a mission.’
A faint smile finally appeared on Jin’s usually somber lips.
Once again, his role was that of a variable.
“But, sister.”
“Yes?”
“Why aren’t you going to the Sota Desert yourself? Is it because of the training you mentioned earlier?”
“That’s part of it. But if I had won the duel earlier, I was planning to go myself. Having the stronger one go increases the chances that Brother Dipus won’t get hurt.”
Joshua and Dipus were currently the only two pilots infiltrating and waiting in the Sota Desert.
Mary drained her cup and stood up.
“It’s time for the loser to leave now. This is a letter from Brother Dipus. The infiltration route is marked, so just follow it. Make sure nothing happens to that guy, alright? I’m counting on you.”
“Sis, wait a moment.”
“Hm? Oh, what is it? You want to thank your secretary? Ha, try saying it five times.”
“No, that’s not it. Well, of course, I’m very grateful. But please, take a look at this.”
Mary tilted her head in curiosity, and what caught her eye was a pair of green roses twisted together.
“Actually, just before you arrived, Sister Yona was at Tikan. She even confirmed you were coming by ship, but she said she was too busy to see you and asked me to give you this.”
Mary’s eyes sparkled with a hint of delight at the somewhat white-lie story.
“Oh, really? Yona, that one?”
“Yes.”
“Ha! So Yona has a cute, tender side after all! Maybe she wasn’t busy—just shy? I like it. Let’s return the favor. Next target: Samil!”
“Mary, sis?”
“Cosmos!”
Mary dashed to the railing and shouted the pirate’s name.
“Aye, Captain!”
“Raise the anchor! Our next destination has just been decided!”
At once, the pirates scattered across the deck moved in perfect unison, swiftly raising the anchor and preparing to set sail.
Mary slipped on her black eyepatch again, stepped onto the railing, and just before leaping, called back.
“Dipus and I—come back safe and sound. No injuries! Got it!?”
Jin smiled softly and nodded in response.