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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Prøks]
[Proofreader - Prøks]
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Chapter 224: Kazen knew.
The elders' boastful conversation had been going on for quite some time.
Suddenly, I climbed onto a flat rock on the left side and began to meditate.
Shaaa—!
The cool breeze from Mount Khaoto blew gently into the cave, where the ceiling had been blown away.
Normally, it's important to clear your mind during meditation, but not this time. There was also a sense of self-reflection.
Amidst the meditation, I occasionally heard the elders' voices.
"That method is a bit dangerous, Head Elder."
"If it succeeds, we can inject at least ten rounds of incantations."
"If the S-rank Mana Stone breaks, wouldn't that be a greater loss?"
"Isaac, haven't I told you repeatedly? Why do you always think of failure?"
"Huh. Then why don't you test it on your own Mana Stone, Head Elder? Why are you being so bossy with someone else's Mana Stone?"
"We can increase the success rate if we do it together."
"No."
"Ahem."
"Please drop the stubbornness. You seem to be getting greedier as you age..."
"What did you say?"
The sharp voices, like noise, actually calmed my mind.
It felt as if a warm candle was flickering in my heart.
My mind and body became stable, and eventually, all distractions disappeared, bringing peace.
The moment I opened my eyes, I saw the dazzling sunlight shining brightly.
'Hmm, I fell asleep.'
Looking around, the cave was empty.
I got up and went outside, where the elders were doing various exercises nearby, looking at me with warm smiles.
They seemed to have been arguing loudly last night... The relationships between the elders are truly incomprehensible.
"You're awake?"
"Yes. You're exercising from the morning?"
Norman, the Head Elder, who was paired with Elder Isaac for the exercises, replied.
"Everyone else is working hard, so we old folks can't just sit still. How are you? Are your worries gone?"
I suddenly met Norman's gaze.
I couldn't help but smile.
"Yes, my worries are gone."
Norman suddenly spoke in a calm voice.
"Go see the Clan Head."
Elder Isaac added.
"He's waiting for you."
"Understood."
I bowed deeply to the elders one by one, expressing my respect, and then headed on my way.
I could feel the warm gazes of the elders behind me.
＊ ＊ ＊
I deliberately took a detour around the mountain range and started running towards the peak.
There was a place I needed to visit before going to the Clan Head's residence.
Phat—
Using Space Acceleration and Crazy Mage's Footwork, I instantly reached the mountain peak.
Red Summit.
The vast ocean shimmering beyond the horizon and the warm sunlight remained unchanged, both then and now.
"Call out your numbers!"
"One! Two! Three! Four!"
Suddenly, thunderous shouts echoed in my ears.
Judging by the way the mountain reverberated, it sounded like the voices of dozens of people shouting in unison.
Looking down from the cliff, I saw Samael's mages scattered throughout the mountain, training in groups from early morning.
'Hmm.'
I threw myself off the cliff.
In the moment it felt like the world was turning upside down, I quickly regained my lower body's balance and flew across the mountain ridge.
I landed on the rock face overlooking Samael's old, dilapidated training grounds.
The still-ramshackle training grounds immediately caught my eye.
In the open space in front of it, ten men in matching pure white attire were seated in meditation.
It was clear at a glance that they were the White Horse Knights, and among them, it seemed only the elite were gathered.
Suddenly, the man meditating at the very front opened his eyes wide and looked up at the rock face where I was.
'Honestly, that guy has some weird tastes.'
I quickly hid behind the rock face and thought.
The Crazy Mage Squad and the White Horse Knights both...
I can't understand why they like such dilapidated training grounds.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Young Master!"
As soon as I came down the mountain ridge to the manor, Lihan Perer, who appeared from somewhere, waved and approached me.
"You're always the first to spot me, Young Master."
"Of course."
Lihan Perer, whom I hadn't seen in a while, had grown a head taller than before, and his facial features had become quite sharp.
"I almost didn't recognize you? You're starting to look like a vice-chief."
Lihan Perer bowed excessively and replied.
"How could I compare to our Great Young Master."
"Talking back."
"Hehe."
I pointed toward the Clan Head's residence and said,
"Is the Clan Head in?"
"He's waiting. I'll escort you, Young Master."
As I followed Lihan Perer up to the Clan Head's residence, I saw the Crazy Mage Squad meditating in the central training ground, surrounded by new mages.
Upon arriving at the Clan Head's residence, Wright Perer, who seemed slightly shorter than before, bowed deeply.
"You've arrived, Young Master."
"It's been a while, Wright."
"You look more dignified. Please wait a moment. I will inform those inside."
I responded with a nod to the head butler, who always maintained proper etiquette, and stopped at the door.
Creak—
Shortly after, the doors opened on both sides, and I slowly stepped inside.
The interior was noticeably darker than before, with light only illuminating the inner part, causing Kazen's shadow, sitting in the highest seat at the far end, to sway.
With each step I took, I could feel the subtle remnants of mana.
The moment Kazen's face came into view under the light, I knelt on one knee and paid my respects.
"Ruin Samael. I have conquered all the demon realms of Keplan and returned."
"You've worked hard, Ruin."
A tone that carried a subtle sense of satisfaction.
"Enough with the formalities, rise."
Only then did I rise from my seat, looking around and tilting my head in confusion before turning to Kazen.
"It seems your tastes have changed a bit."
"My eyes get tired when it's too bright these days."
"Hmm. It seems a bit too dark, though."
"It's the optimal brightness for finding peace of mind. Have a seat."
I sat facing Kazen across the table, with the flickering candlelight between us. Kazen took a sip of the tea brought by the butler and opened his mouth.
"Did you enjoy your tour, Ruin?"
"Yes."
"What did you think?"
"It was beyond my expectations."
I answered honestly.
"There has been a lot of development. In Khaoto, too. In Samael, too."
"We still have a long way to go."
Kazen smiled warmly.
I tried to smile along with Kazen.
No, to be honest, I was about to crack a joke as per my usual personality.
"..."
The reason I couldn't was that, the moment I met Kazen's eyes, an unknown emotion surged from the depths of my heart, like a turbulent wave.
I couldn't say anything and had to lower my gaze.
I could still feel Kazen's gaze on me, but for some reason, I couldn't meet his eyes. There was no reason.
It was after a long time that my emotions calmed down.
"I received a letter from the Military Commander Fichte. There's going to be a vassal clan banquet."
I replied, trying to gather my composure.
"Yes."
"Are you alright?"
"It's something I have to do."
After a brief silence, Kazen asked.
"...How much time do you think we have?"
I suddenly raised my head and met Kazen's eyes.
I realized that he wasn't simply referring to the time left until the vassal banquet.
"Well, at best, I'm thinking about a year."
"How many divine and vassal clans do you think have been infiltrated?"
"More than half, at least."
"That's a conservative estimate, isn't it?"
Kazen looked at me.
"It's going to be rough. While it's foolish to blame the timing, as unforeseen threats can arise anytime, anywhere, this particular matter is very critical. And, unfortunately, you are at the very center of it all."
"I don't think I'm bearing this alone. It's something I have to do."
"What's making you so rushed?"
"They... are dangerous."
Suddenly, Kazen's voice grew a bit louder.
"Do you want to settle the debts of the past?"
"Excuse me?"
"I'm asking if the debt of the previous Samael expedition is weighing on your heart."
I tried to say something, but swallowed my words. Instead, recalling the Pelleer of the past, I said:
"Only Samael can stop them."
Suddenly, Kazen's pupils seemed to waver.
Kazen also tried to say something, but swallowed his words and asked me:
"Is there anything you wish to ask of your father?"
"Please protect Samael."
"...I will."
As I bowed my head and slowly left the Clan Head's residence, I began to feel the remnants of mana again, for no apparent reason.
Dduk.
I stopped walking and quietly opened my mouth.
"Clan Head."
"Speak."
"I will present the White Flower Tree."
"The White Flower Tree?"
"It will be difficult for you to restore your mana circuit with personal effort alone."
A faint groan came from behind me. Kazen replied softly:
"Ruin, that's not something you should worry about."
"But..."
"I'll take care of it, so don't worry about me."
"..."
I read a strong determination in Kazen's answer.
The reason I couldn't strongly urge him was, paradoxically, because I knew too well that the reason Kazen's mana circuit was disrupted was because of me.
"Rest, Ruin."
＊ ＊ ＊
After leaving the Clan Head's residence, I suppressed my complex feelings and wandered around the manor for a while.
Kazen's eyes.
I thought I was carrying a great burden, but perhaps Kazen was feeling an even greater pressure than I was. Kazen's vision was already more than worthy of being called the Clan Head of Samael.
Suddenly, I stood on the railing and looked down at the central training ground.
'Hmm?'
On the right, men in matching white clothes were lined up, and on the left, people in various mismatched outfits were lined up.
The Crazy Mage Squad and the White Horse Knights were facing each other, lined up on the left and right sides of the central training ground.
It was then that a man in the front row of the White Horse Knights turned his head towards me and bowed with an awkward look.
"...Great Young Master."
Blaire and Cliff bowed 90 degrees simultaneously, and the White Horse Knights guys I saw at the old training grounds this morning bowed with a very uncomfortable look.
"Nice to meet you, Great Young Master!"
I pointed at Taylor and said,
"I told you not to say those embarrassing things."
Zion, who was watching, suddenly shouted.
"Commander!"
"What are you guys doing there?"
Zion shrugged his shoulders and replied.
"The White Horse Knights guys want to have a match?"
"..."
A cool mountain breeze blew.
Why was that?
Watching those guys huddled together like fools in the training grounds, the heaviness that had been weighing on my heart suddenly vanished as if it had never been there.
I naturally walked down to the training ground and recited a simplified incantation.
Whirrr—
Dozens of fire lances, created in an instant, were simultaneously launched towards the White Horse Knights.
"Oh."
Not a single one of them were hit.
The eyes of the guys who naturally dodged with pure physical movement alone were filled with triumphant pride.
At the same time, the astonished voices of the trainees watching from afar erupted.
"What are you doing, Commander?"
Zion approached me with a bewildered face, then suddenly clutched his chest and collapsed to the ground.
"Kuhhh... Kuaaaaaaa!"
As soon as one of the White Horse Knights members, who had been standing proudly nearby, looked at Zion in surprise, Arin said:
"It looks like his heart disease relapsed."
"How could this be!"
The moment the White Horse Knights member tried to support Zion...
Boing— Zion, as if bouncing, sprung up and immediately struck the White Horse Knights member's chin.
Paak—
"I'm a blazing rock, you bastard!"
The White Horse Knights member fell backward.
And then, a brief silence.
"...What is this?"
"What kind of underhanded trick is this!"
Zion clicked his tongue and said:
"You guys are still far from enough. This is Samael, and this is the Crazy Mage Squad. You guys are like greenhouse flowers. Are you going to say it's underhanded even if you get a rock through your head in a fight?"
"What did you say?"
Surprisingly, Taylor nodded without saying a word.
That was the beginning of the chaotic fight.
Taylor rushed at me.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Prøks]
[Proofreader - Prøks]
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