Chapter 232

Chapter 232 – He Who Rose by the Mouth

The commander of the Azure Ice Division, Saurica, paced restlessly outside the Patriarch’s grand manor belonging to the Decullan Family.

His right arm was entirely missing. With his empty sleeve fluttering in the breeze, his complexion was thoroughly drained of color.

‘Damn it…… Blast it all.’

From the Second Black-White Slums all the way back to the main Decullan estate.

He had sprinted without a single pause, never stopping to tend to his grievous injuries, yet Saurica felt absolutely no exhaustion.

‘How on earth am I going to explain this disaster.’

He had no dignity left to face the Patriarch.

With the conflict against Lortel looming on the horizon.

The expectations that the Decullans had placed upon Goldrin’s firstborn were immense. That was precisely why an entire squadron of mages had been placed under his command.

Yet he had failed that vital assignment in a truly spectacular fashion.

As Saurica stood there paralyzed by dread, riddled with overwhelming panic, the heavy entrance to the Patriarch’s residence creaked open at that exact second.

Kiiieeeek……

“Well, what brings you here, Saurica?”

Saurica snapped out of his spiral and locked his eyes onto the person speaking.

“……Holland.”

He had been informed that someone was holding a private meeting with the Patriarch, and it turned out that individual was Holland.

Saurica’s expression darkened instantly at the sight of the one person he desperately wished to avoid, his eyelids twitching with suppressed irritation.

It was then that Holland broke the silence.

“Look at that pathetic state. Where did you leave your arm behind? It’s almost enough to make me feel sorry for you, truly.”

“Mind your own business and get lost.”

“Hah.”

Holland let out a brief, mocking chuckle. It was a vicious smirk, reminiscent of a predatory creature.

“Walking around like you owned the place without understanding your limits, and it seems you finally crossed paths with someone who could put you in your place. What, did you run into a member of the Ten Swords during your little operation? No, that’s impossible. You wouldn’t have crawled back breathing if you had.”

“Shut your mouth…… and get out of my sight.”

Saurica hissed the words through grinding teeth, but Holland merely tossed his head back as if it were the most hysterical thing he had ever heard.

He was genuinely enjoying this.

Azure Ice and Crimson Jade.

Frost and flame.

The two magic organizations wielded completely contrary elements, and a bitter animosity had long brewed between them. Frankly speaking, from Holland’s point of view, Saurica was merely……

A somewhat functional nuisance.

Nothing more, nothing less.

“Very well, if the illustrious commander of Azure Ice demands that I leave, I suppose I shall comply. Oh, but wait, have you caught wind of this?”

“……?”

Holland, who had begun to walk away, halted as if a delightful thought had struck him and turned back toward Saurica.

“Heard an incredibly amusing piece of gossip. Apparently, some moronic sorcerer from a celebrated magical lineage ended up on the slave block at the Second Black-White Slums…… Got captured by mere syndicate garbage like a fool and humiliated himself completely in front of high society.”

“…….”

Saurica’s face burned with humiliation.

From the recent demise of Crimson Jade’s second-in-command Karahen, to the utter failure of the Infinite Chain Gun just now.

It felt like only yesterday he had been mocking Holland behind his back, and now he was forced to take this ridicule straight to his face. There was no greater degradation.

Right then, a brutal glint flashed across Holland’s features, which had been straining to contain his dark amusement.

“But.”

“……!”

Saurica went rigid under an immediate, suffocating pressure.

Holland’s words sliced lethally into his ears.

“All of that is acceptable. Operations fail occasionally. You are allowed to make a fool of yourself. No matter what anyone says, you are still quite valuable. That is why I tolerate your barking like a stray pup. However…….”

Holland’s eyes dropped to the vacant right sleeve.

“Is your foundation still intact? Those internal magic circuits must be warped beyond repair.”

“What…….”

“I am asking if you still possess utility. Must I continue to tolerate your insolence now that you are broken? That is the dilemma I am pondering.”

Saurica swallowed heavily, feeling as though the jaws of a viper…… no, a savage predator were gaping right before his eyes.

‘What is this…….’

Saurica had naturally received word that Holland had advanced to become one of the Seven Mages.

Even so, he had secretly believed the distance between them wasn’t insurmountable, but this disparity…… it was immense.

As Saurica remained frozen, unable to utter a word amidst the suffocating atmosphere.

Holland’s parting words echoed in his ear.

“Saurica, demonstrate your utility.”

“…….”

Holland tossed those words backward and vanished from the courtyard.

Yet even long after he had departed, Saurica remained paralyzed.

Demonstrate your utility.

He understood perfectly well the unspoken threat that followed.

It was an ultimatum.

To someone who had dragged the Decullan reputation through the mud, this was Holland…… no, one of the Seven Mages delivering his final warning.

‘Curse it all.’

Saurica was forced to confront a crushing despair at the massive gulf that now lay between himself and Holland, whom he had once considered an equal.

And before he could even process that realization.

“Lord Saurica, the Patriarch requests your presence.”

The moment of reckoning had arrived.

“……I am coming.”

Saurica adjusted his garments with his remaining hand and followed the servant into the grand hall.

Standing before Pahren von Decullan, he recounted every single detail of the disaster, then passed along Aster’s warning as delivered through Shain.

The declaration was straightforward.

• You will inevitably discover the hour and the location.

To put it another way, if he wished to avenge this insult, he should sit tight and wait. Upon hearing the proclamation, Pahren raised an inquiry.

“To whose banner does he swear allegiance?”

“I was unable to ascertain that information.”

“Hmm.”

Pahren’s gaze grew dark.

Saurica kept his forehead pressed close to the floor, every fiber of his being tense as he tried to read the Patriarch’s temperament.

But the reaction he received was entirely unpredicted.

“Fascinating.”

Saurica could not see it, but Pahren was undoubtedly smirking.

As though he found this entire turn of events absolutely exhilarating.

A handful of days after Aster departed from the Second Black-White Slums.

A particular missive was delivered to several destinations.

The very first to receive it was Picker, the leader of the First Base Camp within the Hamern Great Forest.

Picker had been spending his hours in a frantic effort to restore order to the First Base Camp when an uninvited arrival caused him to cock his head in confusion.

“Did he flee?”

“If only that were the case…… Ugh, dammit.”

Railly released a heavy breath and wiped the perspiration from his forehead.

“In any case, why is the trail such an absolute disaster? Entities that used to restrict themselves to the Second and Third Base Camps are wandering everywhere out here now.”

“It is due to Destroyer. The beasts that were displaced during that incident have permanently relocated to the fringes. But did he travel alone?”

Picker flexed his massive, towering muscles and cast his gaze past Railly’s shoulders.

He was searching for Aster.

Discerning that intention, perhaps.

A mocking smirk stretched across Railly’s face.

“Oh, searching for ‘hyungnim,’ are we? The esteemed ‘hyungnim’ who happens to be a solid two years junior to you, Leader Picker.”

“Well, yes, but…….”

Railly could barely restrain his chuckling.

Picker, who had been completely enchanted by Aster’s silver tongue during their initial encounter, genuinely believed the boy was older than him.

To Railly, who was fully aware of Aster’s actual identity, the entire spectacle was utterly hilarious.

‘An academy student as a big brother? Seriously?’

Whenever Aster’s name arose, unadulterated admiration flashed in Picker’s expression. What sort of face would he make if he ever discovered the truth?

The concept was so entertaining his lips practically twitched to spill it.

Right then, Picker barked.

“That expression in your eyes is insulting. You’ve always required a solid thrashing to correct your attitude.”

His gargantuan hand squeezed into a fist, the muscles along his arm rippling fiercely.

Yet Railly refused to cower and shot back with annoyance.

“Hey, hold on. Strike me. Go ahead, just end me. But you had better consider whose right-hand man you are striking. The literal right-hand man of the Leader’s own precious ‘hyungnim.’ You must! Keep that in mind before you throw a punch, sir.”

“Ugh.”

Picker gradually relaxed his fingers. As infuriating as the scoundrel was, out of respect for ‘hyungnim’—no, the savior of the Hamern Great Forest—he couldn’t bring himself to hit him.

“……Whatever. Just state your purpose already. You didn’t journey out here because you felt nostalgic for the woods, so you must possess a motive.”

“The purpose…… Hmph. Just ensure this gets delivered.”

What Railly extracted from his vest was a solitary envelope.

A wax seal devoid of any official coat of arms.

“This belongs to…….”

“I have no idea what it says either. ‘Hyungnim’—the Leader’s elder brother—explicitly ordered me to hand it over to you directly. Read it.”

Picker glared at Railly for a brief moment before breaking the seal and unfolding the parchment.

Quietness promptly enveloped the tent.

A significant amount of time drifted past in that silence.

“Mm.”

A low grunt escaped from the back of Picker’s throat.

The contents of the dispatch were blunt.

No polite greetings or introductory remarks, just straight to business—and the issue lay in the nature of the request.

To summarize, it read as follows.

• I would be grateful if you could cut off the Decullan mages’ logistics regarding magical resources. To the absolute best of your capabilities.

Interfere with the Decullan mages?

It appeared to signify the Decullan mages who had recently journeyed into the wilderness to collect raw elements……

The missive also noted that if this action risked bringing harm to Aviot, there was no requirement to overextend, and that appropriate payment had been arranged.

Picker weighed the words for a moment before exhaling a profound sigh.

“You certainly know how to complicate matters in every imaginable way.”

In reality, disrupting the Decullan mages causing chaos in the woods wasn’t a monumental task.

All it required was applying leverage to the scouts they commissioned.

‘Let me recall, the scouts they employed were…… based out of the Third Base Camp?’

The commander of the Third Base Camp, Karlion, would undoubtedly acquiesce with enthusiasm if it were a plea from their ‘savior.’

He was aware the Decullans had provided a massive financial incentive, but Aster’s status among the Hamern Great Forest mercenaries far outweighed mere coin.

Even so, what left Picker feeling troubled wasn’t the task itself.

‘What in the world…… has that boy gotten himself embroiled in?’

Putting aside simplicity or complexity, he was genuinely anxious for Aster’s safety.

But Picker quickly pushed those thoughts to the background.

With Railly standing right before him……

“Are you seriously not even going to offer me refreshments? I am the premier assistant to the Leader’s big brother, you know…….”

That idiot clearly didn’t comprehend a single thing.

Picker glared at the irritating Railly for a beat before finalizing his decision.

“I shall fulfill the request outlined in the letter, for the time being.”

It was the savior’s appeal— there was no justification to refuse it.

Right at that moment, Railly turned to depart.

“He mentioned there’s no need for a written response. Well, regardless, see to it yourself. Labor hard. A visitor arrives and you don’t even pour a cup of tea, honestly.”

Railly turned to sprint away as if he couldn’t endure another moment inside the wilderness.

Thump!

Picker’s massive palm locked down onto Railly’s shoulder at that exact instant.

“……What do you think you are doing?”

“The text indicated there was a form of payment.”

“……And?”

Did he perceive the sudden shift in danger?

Railly’s pupils trembled slightly.

‘……There is no way?’

A horrifying realization sparked across his mind.

And it was right then that Picker spoke.

“It feels inappropriate to accept a reward for assisting our savior, but observing your attitude, I find myself unable to decline it.”

“You cannot possibly mean that the reward is…….”

Picker gave a firm nod.

“It states that I am permitted to utilize you until you drop.”

“…….”

“And administer a beating if you become insubordinate.”

“…….”

“Impeccable timing. The forest trails are currently such a catastrophe that the scouts are floundering…… With your presence, that issue is resolved. Oh, but prior to that.”

Railly abruptly emitted a sharp cry from the agonizing pressure clamping down on his collarbone.

“Argh, ow……!”

“It is time to instill a proper sense of order, you excessively talkative Railly.”

Picker’s fist drove forcefully directly into Railly’s jaw.

He who rose by the mouth.

Shall fall by the fist.

……That was the harsh truth Railly absorbed on this day.

A multitude of other individuals received Aster’s missive as well.

Even Maysern, who was residing in absolute comfort within a wing of the Blandoga Family estate while composing a manuscript regarding elemental arts, was no exception.

“‘Appears to harbor animosity toward the Decullans…… This is your opportunity to disrupt their plans’? Ha.”

Aster had subtly hinted at his disdain for the Decullans previously, and it appeared Maysern had kept that in mind.

As he scanned down the parchment, Maysern contemplated.

‘What path should I take.’

However, reviewing the sentences scribbled at the very bottom settled his decision instantly.

Now that I recall, have I not yet collected my compensation from Baharmut? Oh, do not misinterpret this. It simply crossed my mind, so I jotted it down.

“Hmph, I can hardly disregard that hint, can I.”

Maysern gathered his resolve and walked out to inform Gamo that he would be taking his leave.

Several other prominent figures received nearly identical correspondence.

“Hmm, it appears you are orchestrating something remarkably amusing, Aster.”

Even Hazen.

“What are your thoughts, Sir Zeke.”

“I align myself solely with the directives of the Young Patriarch. Proceed as your spirit dictates.”

Even Sion, the heir apparent of Lortel, was no exception to this rule.

“The conflict with the Decullans is already ticking down toward its commencement anyway…… Consequently, a request of this magnitude is perfectly acceptable, is it not?”

“Indeed, it does not strike me as an immoderate demand.”

And that was far from the end of it.

“Teacher, what are you currently working on?”

“Ah, Obern. Perfect timing. I have just received a dispatch from an incredibly pleasant individual.”

“A pleasant individual…….”

“Your upperclassman.”

Rihim offered a warm smile to Obern, whose face illuminated instantly, before returning his attention to the parchment.

“Oh. Did he include any words directed at me…….”

“……None whatsoever.”

“……Oh.”

Obern instantly slumped in disappointment.

But Rihim offered a comforting chuckle.

“There is no cause to be so disheartened. At the very least, it is evident that rogue has not put us out of his mind.”

“R-Really……?”

“Without a doubt.”

While Rihim soothed his young apprentice, he cast a brief glance out toward the horizon.

‘It seems you have finally anchored your sights on a target at long last.’

Past the glass window spanned an unblemished, vibrant sky.