Episode 68
Chapter 23: The Spirit Sword Kasimir (3)
Kasimir’s eyes were bloodshot. No one could remain calm after hearing that their five-year-old daughter was destined to become a shell of herself.
“Murakan, what on earth are you saying? That child is going to become a wreck? Explain it to me in detail.”
A heavy, sick feeling rose in Jin’s chest. Just imagining such a cruel fate befalling an innocent little girl made his stomach churn.
“Humans think seeing the future is some kind of mystical, transcendent gift. But that’s only half the story. From the moment someone becomes Az Mil’s contractor, they lose the freedom to choose their own future.”
Murakan went on to explain the concept of causality.
“Those who see the future must follow it exactly. No matter what happens, they have to obey it. The moment they resist, Az Mil’s judgment begins.”
Even if the vision of the future changes their thoughts and actions, even if they want to make choices they wouldn’t have otherwise, Az Mil’s contractors are fated to conform to the future they’ve seen.
Even if you see your sibling’s assassination tomorrow, you can’t warn them or intervene.
This applies to anyone who learns the future indirectly through the contractor as well. But if they break causality, the punishment falls on the contractor.
“Anyone who breaks causality faces only ruin. That’s why your daughter is essentially living in a different world from us. Her life is already set in stone.”
“I-I can’t believe it. I’ve never heard anything like this before.”
“Of course you haven’t. Even among dragons, very few know about this.”
“Murakan, then what do you mean when you say that Yuria seeing you is part of the future?”
“That’s a prediction. What are the chances we’d meet Az Mil’s contractor the moment we arrived here? Az Mil must have paid a price for the young contractor who lost their guardian dragon. In other words, Az Mil is asking for help.”
“A god asking a human for help?”
“Not just one dragon, but two humans. We can’t be sure Az Mil is involved, but it’s likely. It’s too improbable to be a coincidence.”
Kasimir was speechless, shaking his head, while Jin’s thoughts drifted to Yuria.
The gift of foresight, the absolute vision—an ability to see all things and phenomena clearly.
‘She called me “uncle”… Could it be because she saw me before my reincarnation?’
The thought sent a chill down his spine.
“Anyway, we need to find the guardian dragon and get it back to the child as soon as possible.”
“…Dragon, though it’s not widely known, I am the leader of the ‘Seven-Colored Bird’ intelligence network. I have capable subordinates, but for the past year, we’ve had no news of my daughter’s guardian dragon.”
“So the Seven-Colored Bird belongs to you? That makes Az Mil’s involvement even more certain. Our purpose in coming to this country was to use the Seven-Colored Bird’s information.”
To Kasimir, Murakan’s words were like a beacon of light. It was far more likely that Az Mil would ask for help by offering something in return rather than simply demanding aid.
Suddenly, Kasimir dropped to his knees and bowed his head.
“Dragon, please help me. I will do anything to save my daughter—even give you the entire Seven-Colored Bird.”
Kasimir was usually cautious and proud, a royal of Biment despite his exile.
But when his young daughter’s life was at stake, he was different. Though nothing Murakan said was proven, Kasimir couldn’t bring himself to think it was a lie.
After all, the other party was a dragon and Runkandel. They had no reason to deceive him.
Gilly blinked in surprise, and Jin was equally taken aback.
“I want to help too, but the final decision isn’t mine.”
“Huh?”
“You need to plead with this little one. He’s the one who decides everything. Kid, what do you say?”
Usually, dragons who contract with gods are on equal footing or slightly superior to their contractors—they retain autonomy.
No matter how close they are, no dragon would give up their independence. Kasimir knew this well and realized Jin was no ordinary ‘Runkandel.’
“Please help us… Prince Jin.”
“Stand up, Sir Kasimir. Though our bond is shallow, a child’s life is at stake. This isn’t a matter of whether to help or not.”
Jin helped Kasimir to his feet.
Kasimir’s bloodshot eyes glistened with tears, and his frustration and sorrow were palpable.
“Sir Kasimir, I understand your anxiety, but you should try to stay calm. Starting today, we’ll search for Yuria’s guardian dragon together. There has to be a way.”
“I won’t forget this kindness, Prince.”
Things were going far better than expected.
There was no need to flaunt a masterpiece or mention the ‘Fountain of Magic’ they didn’t even possess yet. Kasimir and the Seven-Colored Bird were now willing to cooperate.
But no one felt joy. No one could be happy when a child’s life hung in the balance.
‘If even the Seven-Colored Bird couldn’t find any leads, we’ll have to rely on Runkandel or Gipple’s intelligence.’
But as a prospective rider, Jin couldn’t call on his family’s power. He wanted to break the taboo, but even if he did, his family wouldn’t help.
“Sir Kasimir, what do you mean when you say you suspect Gipple or Biment kidnapped Yuria’s guardian dragon? You said you have some evidence.”
“If the guardian dragon had died, Yuria would know. And I believe only those two could have taken a dragon without leaving a trace.”
He wasn’t wrong.
Kidnapping a dragon requires various types of magic. Even a family like Runkandel, which relies on brute force, would leave signs of battle.
“The dragon disappeared on August 2, 1794. My subordinates found that around that date, prominent mages from both Gipple and Biment were absent.”
“Gipple and Biment.”
If those two were the opponents, even with evidence, it wouldn’t be easy.
No, it was more than difficult—it was nearly impossible to retrieve the guardian dragon. They were among the world’s top three powers, with Gipple at the top.
“To be honest, I had half given up on finding my daughter’s guardian dragon. Probably would have continued if I hadn’t known her life depended on it…”
“Don’t blame yourself. I only just learned that Az Mil’s contractors have such a fate.”
“Right, human. Self-blame won’t help. Hmm, Gipple and the Empire, huh? Hey, kid, this city of Tikan—is it part of the Lutero Magic Federation?”
“No, Tikan is just a city like Mamit. It doesn’t meet the criteria of a ‘nation’ and belongs to no one.”
The difference was that unlike Mamit, Tikan was coveted by everyone. Gipple, Biment, and other powers, even Runkandel, all secretly desired it.
Especially Biment, where the exiled prince ruled, regarded it as a thorn in their side.
Overcoming such an environment and founding the ‘Free State of Tikan’ a decade later was a testament to Kasimir and the Seven-Colored Bird’s negotiation skills.
‘He founded a nation, but probably never saved his daughter… I’ve never heard of King Kasimir of Free State Tikan having children.’
So saving Yuria could have a huge impact on history.
“Then it’s okay if I transform here?”
“Why all of a sudden?”
“I want to fly over to Biment and ask some dragons I know. Most dragons in Gipple are my enemies, so I can’t ask them.”
Currently, 80% of active dragons were allied with Gipple.
The remaining 20% mostly sided with Biment, with a few living alongside mages from other families or reclusive immortals.
“Biment has barriers, so dragons can’t just fly in and out. It’d be better to get a forged ID and go through a portal.”
“Ah, barriers don’t matter. If I release enough energy, a few might pop out on their own. Without triggering the barrier, of course.”
“What? How can you do that?”
“I just woke up after a thousand years. I have quite a few who owe me favors from my prime. I’m hoping at least one is in Biment. If not, oh well.”
It wasn’t uncommon for dragons to live for over a thousand years. As long as the divine contract continued, it was possible.
“Dragon!”
As if remembering something, Kasimir called out.
“Ah, don’t call me that. Stop it—it’s embarrassing. What am I, some kind of cult leader?”
“Murakan! Before you go, I can give you a list of dragons in Biment. The Seven-Colored Bird has already gathered that information!”
“Oh, really? Then get it quickly. I hope neither of us wastes our time. I’m hoping to see some familiar names.”
“Yes, please wait a moment!”
“Hey, wait up.”
Murakan called after Kasimir, who was about to turn away.
“Before you go, two things. First, from today on, your daughter will have to endure hectic days. Make sure she plays until she’s utterly exhausted every day. Keep her awake and active as much as possible.”
“Uh, how long should I keep this up?”
“Until we find the guardian dragon. Whether we assign a clown or a dedicated entertainer, the kid has to be kept so excited that they can’t calm down. Once their energy runs low, the activation of Azmil’s power naturally weakens.”
The weaker the power, the safer Yuria becomes. That means there’s less chance she’ll defy the future.
She’s still at an age where she can’t clearly distinguish between future and present, dream and reality. But if she catches even a glimpse of a ‘shocking future,’ her behavior will change, and that’s when things get dangerous.
Even if she mistakes it for just a dream.
“Ah.”
“We could give her sleeping pills every day or use mental magic to force her to sleep, but you don’t want that, right? Neither do I. And probably not our little one, Strawberry Pie, your wife, or the kid either. Am I right?”
“Understood. I’ll make sure she’s so worn out from playing every day that she can’t help but crash. Now, the second matter.”
“Call the chefs from the evacuated lodgings and have them prepare plenty of shrimp dishes.”
Kashimir nodded and hurried out.
Then Gilly approached and said, “Murakan, you’re so considerate.”
“Haha, Strawberry Pie, I just remembered you wanted shrimp earlier but didn’t get to eat any.”
“No, it’s not that. It seemed like you were deliberately saying all those things to help Sir Kashimir relax just now.”
Murakan averted his gaze and cleared his throat.
“What do I care about the feelings of such insignificant creatures?”