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HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 13: The Monster and the Lion
“Did I hear that right? Mage Sharon has become the exclusive mage of House Cron?”
The news of Mage Sharon joining House Cron as their official mage spread across the continent like wildfire.
No one was more shocked than the『Blackrose Family』—the great noble house ruling the West.
Count『Mordic Blackrose』, head of the Blackrose Family, couldn’t hide his astonishment when he heard the report.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you this surprised, Father.”
“That idealistic mage finally decided to settle down. Even I can’t pretend that’s not surprising.”
Sharon had stayed in the Blackrose territory for about three months.
It was a short visit, but her magical prowess left a deep impression. The Blackrose Family had even tried to recruit her as their exclusive mage, offering her more than ten times the standard compensation.
But she left, saying only one thing—
“The darkness in House Blackrose runs too deep.”
“So… she ended up with House Cron. Of all places.”
“Right? I was sure she’d choose the『Tarwin Family』in the North, or『Seraphin Family』in the East.”
“Same here. Considering her temperament, those were the only families that made sense.”
Mordic had spoken with Sharon a few times and believed he understood her values. Based on that, only Tarwin or Seraphin seemed suitable for her.
The fact that she had gone to House Cron in the South—completely outside his expectations—was baffling.
“I always thought they were just salt merchants playing nobles. Seems I underestimated House Cron.”
In the public eye, House Cron had always been seen as ‘The Salt Peddlers of the South.’
Yes, they had made a fortune through salt monopolies.
But they didn’t use that wealth to hire knights in bulk or lobby the imperial court. They just hoarded it like nouveau riche buffoons.
So people dismissed them—’salt peddlers’, and nothing more.
That’s why the news that House Cron had secured Mage Sharon, a mage powerful enough to destabilize the balance of power in a region, left Mordic completely stunned.
“This new lord of Cron seems... different, Father.”
Mordic’s daughter,『Ivy Blackrose』, the family’s steward, added what she’d found through her own investigation.
In truth, she had been tracking intel coming out of the South for some time.
She already knew—a new lord had taken over House Cron, and he was driving an aggressive wave of reforms.
Labor wages were being restructured.
Knight and soldier equipment was being upgraded.
Trade tariffs were being overhauled.
And he wasn’t just talking—he was producing real results.
While recruiting Sharon was undoubtedly his biggest victory, Ivy believed that even without her, this new lord, Calyx Cron, would still be a rising force to reckon with.
“His name was Calyx Cron, right?”
“Yes, that’s him. They say the people of the South are already calling him『The Silver Dragon of Cron』.”
“The Silver Dragon of Cron, huh… For such a young man to already earn a title that dangerous…”
Five hundred years ago, back when the Empire was still a kingdom, the Kingdom of Novarens launched its campaign to unify the continent.
That era was filled with legendary heroes.
Among them stood『Draegen Cron』, the founding patriarch of House Cron and and Grand General of the Novarens Kingdom.
His strength and valor, almost beyond human, earned him reverent praise—
▪〈The Silver Dragon, blessed by Cron, God of the Sea.〉
▪〈The Silver Dragon of Cron.〉
“Ivy, I want a full investigation on House Cron and the Southern region.”
“Yes, Father. I’ll double the number of agents we have down there.”
She’d already been planning to expand their network anyway—her curiosity had long outpaced her patience.
“It really feels like the game is starting… I can’t wait to see who comes out on top in this imperial throne game.”
Mordic took a slow sip of fine wine as he stared out at the moonlit sky.
Watching him, Ivy felt she understood the unspoken truth behind his words—
‘In the end, the one who laughs last… is always us.’
That was the Blackrose Family’s unshakable motto.
＊ ＊ ＊
Sharon had officially become the dedicated mage of our house.
When Hart and Nova heard the news, they were thrilled.
“It all went according to the lord’s plan. To think you figured out Sharon’s dislike for extravagance and gave orders based on that… The lord really is remarkable.”
“I was surprised too, my lord. When I saw you leaving Sharon unattended, I thought this time you might’ve made a mistake.”
“Hahaha… No way, Hart. Hahaha!”
“Exactly! Haha! I shouldn’t have doubted you, my lord. I apologize.”
“It’s fine. It’s all in the past now. Haha…”
My heart prickled repeatedly.
That’s how Sharon officially became the house mage of the Cron family.
I could almost feel my reputation points skyrocketing like crazy on some invisible game UI.
Surely, far away in places like House Blackrose, whispers were spreading and investigators were being dispatched to watch me.
Hah…
Just thinking about the future gave me a headache.
Other territories will definitely be watching me closely now—what am I supposed to do?
Ah, whatever! I’ll deal with problems when they come!
I tried to look away from reality.
“Lord! Urgent news!”
“What is it!?”
But this damn world wouldn’t let me rest even for a second.
Honestly, not letting me catch a single breath is just cruel.
“Deeproc swarms have appeared!”
“Deeproc swarms?!”
『Deeprocs』
Monsters with fish-like bodies and limbs that live in the deep sea.
They gather in huge groups on a cycle and breed wildly, but when food runs out in the deep sea, they swarm out onto the surface.
Their intelligence is about goblin-level, so individually they aren’t a huge threat, but when they come out in swarms like this, it’s a massive, uncontrollable army.
According to Calyx’s memories, even during the previous lord’s time, the Cron territory and surrounding lands had to mobilize knights en masse to barely fend off a Deeproc attack.
After confirming the Deeproc swarm’s appearance, we immediately entered emergency response mode.
We evacuated the residents and sent scouts to get a clear picture of the situation.
“The Deeproc swarms are coming up on the Rag coast at the eastern edge of Cron’s territory. We estimate between 5,000 and 6,000 of them, and their numbers are still growing. Immediate suppression is necessary.”
“5,000… That’s risky, but not beyond what our territory can handle.”
“That’s a relief.”
With about 5,000 Deeprocs, the knights of Cron alone could handle the situation.
But that only held true if the knights could be fully deployed without distractions.
A bad feeling crept up just before the door burst open. A soldier rushed in, breathless.
“My lord! Urgent news!!”
“What now?”
“The House Raion… they’ve begun deploying knights to the border.”
“What! Knights!?”
The soldier brought troubling news—House Raion was on the move.
Since the outbreak of the Deeproc swarm, House Raion had started stationing knights along the border of Cron territory. Officially, they claimed it was to ‘eliminate any Deeprocs crossing into their lands.’
But you'd have to be a fool not to see through that excuse.
“My lord, this is clearly their way of saying they’ll march right in while we’re distracted with the monsters!”
“Exactly, my lord. Those Raion bastards would absolutely pull something like that.”
House Raion had a long and dirty history of seizing opportunities to violate neighboring territories—either to annex them outright or squeeze them for absurd reparation payments.
In recent years, their predatory behavior had only worsened, and no neighboring lord trusted them anymore.
“Is Lord Hadem himself on the field?”
“Yes, sir. As usual, he’s leading the vanguard personally.”
Of course he is.
Lord Hadem, the war-crazed brute, was always the first to show up when there was even a whiff of battle. His presence here meant only one thing: he was itching for a real fight—and if he saw an opening, he’d take it.
“I’ll speak with him myself. Prepare my horse.”
“Yes, my lord!!”
I sent a messenger ahead and rode out with Rikain and ten knights to the border.
Meeting someone like Hadem was dangerous. The man was basically Lu Bu with a noble title.
But since their lord had appeared, it was only proper that I show up myself. Otherwise, our poor messenger might’ve had his head lopped off just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
As we neared the border, the Raion knights came into view—and with them, a bald head gleaming in the sun. Hadem approached alone, hefting a massive axe over his shoulder like it was a feather.
He looked—and acted—like a berserker straight out of myth.
I had Rikain and ten knights with me. The man came alone. It was impressive, in a twisted sort of way.
“Lord Hadem, it’s been a while. Have you been well?”
“I’ve been well, Calyx.”
As lords of neighboring domains, Calyx and Hadem weren’t strangers. But the tone in Hadem’s voice made it clear—he looked down on me and my house.
I didn’t waste time on small talk.
“I’ll get straight to the point. Either pull your knights back—or fight the Deeprocs with us.”
He looked momentarily surprised, then grinned as if amused.
“Speaking to me so boldly now, Calyx? You've grown.”
“I’m a lord. If I don’t grow, my people pay the price.”
To him, I was probably still that timid boy from before I possessed Calyx’s body. But that boy was gone. Whatever strength or weakness he had doesn’t matter—I speak as who I am now.
“Trying to grow strong for the sake of the weak? That’s exactly why you’re still a cub.”
Hadem scoffed—and slammed his axe into the ground.
Shkichk—!
A snake, cleaved clean in two, writhed at the edge of his blade.
“You already know my answer.”
“The weak get devoured. So don’t be weak.”
“Exactly. Looks like you’ve been paying attention.”
That was the creed of House Raion—
‘The weak get devoured. So don’t be weak.’
Not just a motto—a warning.
‘Slip up, and I’ll take everything.’
I’d expected something like this.
But hearing it, raw and unfiltered, from his mouth?
Yeah... it hit different.
Then, unexpectedly, Hadem said something I didn’t see coming.
“But… if you swear yourself to me, fight under my banner for the prince—then maybe, just maybe, we could fight this threat together.”
Wait, what?!
Hadem? Offering an alliance?
The man I knew wouldn’t make that kind of offer. He stared at me like I was the most interesting prey he’d seen in years.
“Well? What’s it gonna be, Calyx?”
He looked at me like a lion eyeing his prey…
A bald lion, sure. But still a lion.
I sighed.
“You already know my answer.”
“So you’ll stay at the bottom?”
‘From the lowest place, reach for the highest peak.’
That was House Cron’s founding creed.
And the one truth I’d clung to just to survive.
I looked Hadem in the eye and answered—not just as a man, but as Cron’s rightful lord.
“I’m not at the bottom. I just know what truly matters.”
“Hmph. If that’s your choice… so be it.”
He casually yanked his axe from the ground, resting it on his shoulder.
“Then I’ll sit back and watch how the weak fall.”
He turned and rode off without another word.
I refused to let him have the last say.
“Good. Watch closely. This one’s gonna be a hell of a show.”
Yes… a very interesting show, indeed.
Let’s see how that fearless lion handles a mage’s wrath.
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HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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