Episode. 46 Draupnir (4)
The scene that evening was quite special.
Sumptuous dinners and expensive drinks.
Wizards and pyrans who occupied important positions in the royal family were also seated.
“I can’t call it a VIP, but I have a guest from my country.”
At Alisa’s words, they greeted Balak.
It was a look that welcomed him as much as it was very narrow even though the wariness was dripping.
Seeing that, Balak stroked his chin and muttered.
“Hmm, I didn’t expect to receive such kind of hospitality in the Southern Continent.”
Hey, isn’t it Ballack, the second most important enemy to wizards next to Battenberg?
It was unusual to be treated like this.
“We intend to treat you as Richard’s swordsmanship teacher.”
“Oh, why?”
Alyssa twirled her wine glass.
The wine in it slithered as if it were about to spill.
“If it’s at stake, the situation in your own country. To be honest, it’s a situation where we have to borrow at least the old tiger’s hand.”
At those words, the complexion of some wizards darkened.
He seemed to want to dissuade Alyssa, who was trying to tell Balak about her difficulties, but he couldn’t come forward as it was his seat.
“We were out of sight of a mighty enemy, and we were isolated as though our hands and feet were tied. As it is, there is no answer.”
“Are you saying there was a conflict within the Southern Continent?”
“It is meant to be.”
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“Marx is alive and well, but what kind of country… … .”
no way.
Balak’s expression hardened.
“Right. The enemy of the country is Marx.”
After that, Alisa gave a condensed explanation of what had happened so far.
Balak, hearing the whole situation, suddenly looked at me.
“… … Events follow wherever you go.”
“Will the thread not follow the needle?”
“This situation should not be taken lightly.”
His voice scolding me was harder than ever.
hmm. I never took it lightly.
Ballack drank all the meal from then on.
Judging by his resolute attitude, he seemed to mean that he should not talk about Laplace’s situation any more here.
◈ ◈ ◈
“First of all, I want to apologize for the late arrival of this master.”
After the meal, I had some time apart from Balak.
He shook his head at him expressing his apologies in a serious tone.
“I know very well that Master is busy. The note I left in Rio Castle was also half a joke. Don’t take it to heart too much.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
There was something strange about the way Balak spoke politely.
If you were originally like that, it’s because you grew up too fast, or that a guy shouldn’t get upset over things like that… … Rather, it would have come out of the enemy field.
My eyes narrowed at the unexpected reaction.
“No matter how much Master dissuades me, I will learn magic. I will do my best to ensure there are no disruptions to my swordsmanship training, so trust me and watch over me.”
“i get it.”
what.
Why are you doing this?
The biggest challenge I had anticipated was solved so easily.
Balak’s face was a mixture of resignation and small expectation.
I’ve only seen that expression once.
‘Ludwig Battenberg… … .’
When I talked about Horgyo to the householder.
It was similar to the expression the family head made at that time.
“Richard. I will respect your choice. I realized that it is presumptuous to judge the limits of a disciple, no matter how much he is a teacher.”
“… … ?”
“But leaving that aside, it is premature to go to war with Marx.”
Why did you board a sinking ship?
he asked.
“If Marx prepares for war, Battenberg does not stand still either. This is not your place to fight Marx. Laplace will not even be able to be found by them.”
“Isn’t it best to extinguish the fire before it burns the vegetation?”
“The owner of the mountain burns the mountain, so how can an outsider try to stop it? When the flames he created invaded your territory. It is the right thing to do then.”
no.
There is one thing that Balak is overlooking.
How terrible that flame would be, and how much it would inflate.
Is it a thought that will be regretted only after the whole world is swallowed up by fire demons while neglecting others as if they were treating others?
“It is still not too late. Let’s take at least your magic master and go to the kingdom of Baren. If they want war, we just need to prepare for war.”
“How much longer must the chasm between continents deepen?”
“The very fact that you are here is inciting conflict. Aren’t you of Battenberg blood? If something goes wrong with you while helping Laplace, do you think Battenberg will stay still? At that time, the war will really end only when one of them falls!”
I sighed and closed my eyes.
“If I die. So if Battenberg wants to move.”
When I opened my eyes again, a brilliantly shining star had risen.
Its shape resembled the sign of Horror.
“Master, please stop it. It is said that Richard Battenberg, a saint of the Horde religion, was killed while fighting heresy. I am not buried in the bloody history written by knights and wizards.”
“… … What?”
“This means that Battenberg, who does not serve Hor, is not qualified to exact vengeance for me. My enemy was only a heretic.”
A battle between knights and magicians for superiority and inferiority, for such absurd reasons, should no longer take place.
Who is the real enemy, and who is the real force to be wary of.
The North and South Continents needed to know.
I intended to use the battle between Laplace and Marx as the starting point for enlightenment.
◈ ◈ ◈
Ballack’s mouth twitched.
The rotting inside of the stubborn disciple was truly indescribable.
“after… … .”
An unswallowed sigh escaped his wrinkled lips.
Richard held out his hand toward Balak.
“You foolish Richard has something to ask of you, Master.”
“What was it?”
“You called Laplace a sinking ship.”
Eyes that shimmer with divinity.
“Let’s ride together. on this ship.”
Richard’s gaze turned to Balak’s chest.
For some reason, Balak had no choice but to take a step back.
Having lived as an independent all his life, there was no symbol engraved on his heart.
As if he wanted to fill that void, there was greed in his pupil’s eyes.
“I should have refused before. Regardless of whether God exists or not, I live my life.”
“Wouldn’t believing in God change Master’s existence?”
Balak flatly refused.
independent.
That was the path that Balak had walked so far, itself.
There was no reason to belong to a different group than now.
“Hmm, is that so? If you change your mind, please let me know.”
Richard licked his lips and took a step back.
Still, his face was full of confidence.
that one day you will believe
“Tsk. It’s a long story.”
Balak changed his subject and looked out the window.
Magi, who covered the night sky, was busy hiding it without showing a single star.
Balak, who expressed a brief regret at him, turned his arms around.
“Old. It is a gift.”
What was pulled out of his hand was a bracelet.
An accessory with a chain wrapped around a golden rim.
“What is this?”
“Do you remember the dwarves I talked about before?”
Richard nodded.
He must be referring to one of Balak’s few close friends who said he could craft a star core.
“It is his work. It’s an artifact inspired by the Sword Saint.”
Its name is ‘Draupnir’.
Richard tried on the bracelet when Balak asked him to put it on.
I felt a heavy weight.
‘It’s called an artifact, so it activates when I infuse it with mana.’
Divine power circulated through his body.
Then, he sprinted towards Draupnir, who had been caught on his wrist.
Cheolreuk-!
The gold-rimmed chain trembled violently.
Like a thread unraveling, the end of the chain came off the bracelet.
Soon, a total of eight chains, thick like a snowball, wriggled around Richard.
“oh!”
Would it be like this if the Sword Master was a chain instead of a star?
Charleuk-
The free-moving chains also looked like snakes.
“Hmm. It looks pretty decent.”
Balak said with his eyes shining.
It was quite satisfying to see Richard, who had pulled out four stars while he was away.
And it was none other than Richard who felt more satisfied than anyone else.
‘Is this an unexpected benefit?’
I had never seen an artifact like this.
In other words, it meant something that would not have existed originally.
Every change has a cause.
Richard’s gaze naturally turned to Balak.
“Thank you for preparing such a gift for me.”
“Hmph, that dwarf just made it on his own. I am useless, so I gave it to you.”
The disciple laughed at the sight of the master turning his head.
Even though the bracelet is engraved with the word ‘Richard’.
◈ ◈ ◈
Four days have passed.
Richard’s daily routine had not changed.
“I don’t like it, but first get a passing grade from your magic master. I’ll teach you the secret techniques of the Sword Saint after that.”
Since Richard had already started training in magic, there was no time to start another one.
First of all, I aimed for the 2nd circle.
It was time to pour out hundreds of spells a day like that.
Numerous birds appeared in the sky of the royal castle.
Beep-
All of them were ‘Crying Birds’.
And on top of them sat wizards with familiar decorations.
“It’s Marx!”
“Keep them away!”
In an instant, the air changed.
All the wizards in the castle raised their staffs and opened the barrier.
It was to the point where I couldn’t breathe at the roaring magical energy from all directions.
While everyone was glaring at the enemy in the sky, two young men walked forward.
It was Richard and Alan.
“Stop! Dangerous!”
The two did not stop despite the wizards’ warnings.
Rather, he even requested that the barrier be lifted.
To that absurd request, it was the King of Laplace who nodded.
“They’re here to ask for help.”
tsuzu means-
Eventually, the barrier was lifted, and fifty or so wizards descended in front of the castle.
The wizards each wore their robes deeply.
Those who looked closely in it caught their breath.
“Roan.”
A terrifying figure with half of his body swallowed up by black spots.
Alan’s voice sank deeply as he muttered the name of his lieutenant.
“Ah, Master Alan… … How are you so far?”
Roan, who was in the lead, knelt down.