Chapter 257

Chapter 257 – I Don’t Fly

Rumors circulated that the clash between Lortel and the Decullan Family was nothing more than a tedious sequence of mild, localized skirmishes.

Yet, observing the situation directly from the heart of Lortel’s primary forces, I recognized that the reality was far different.

‘…It seems quite brutal.’

Despite this location being the relatively secure rear encampment, the tents reeked intensely of the metallic odor of blood.

How long had we been trekking forward while observing these conditions?

“Step inside.”

The Young Patriarch Sion, acting as our guide, escorted me into a briefing chamber connected to the master’s fortress.

“Have things been well with you?”

“Fair enough.”

“Still, this caught me off guard. Entering the conflict so abruptly. Am I correct that your purpose is saving the commander of the Kalia Mercenary Corps?”

“Yes, something along those lines.”

I let my voice trail off slightly in response to the Young Patriarch Sion’s inquiry.

A wave of awkwardness had washed over me.

‘From Lortel’s point of view, doesn’t this seem rather strange?’

On paper, we were steadfast comrades to Lortel, yet here I was, stepping onto the battlefield not to support Lortel, but to rescue some mercenary captain.

Even so, if I needed to vindicate my actions to myself, I possessed my justifications.

‘…Initially, I had no intention of participating whatsoever.’

Had Lortel requested my assistance, I would have readily provided it.

However, Lortel had not pushed the matter, and I saw no pressing reason to volunteer either.

Even given that the Magic Tower was their most reliable ally, drawing my weapon alongside them under the pretext of “seeking retribution for the Impirga Family’s blood” felt somewhat unnatural.

Nevertheless, a specific motivation ultimately compelled me to engage.

• Please, I implore you.

‘…No, that isn’t the reason.’

The true catalyst for my involvement was acquiring the territory required to construct my Magic Tower.

I could not remain the master of a tower without a physical structure indefinitely.

Still, looking at it from Lortel’s perspective, how would this appear?

‘They could easily assume the Magic Tower values the Kalia Mercenary Corps above Lortel.’

Yet, unexpectedly.

The Young Patriarch showed no signs of resentment.

He appeared completely sincere in his appreciation of my involvement.

As the saying goes, a guilty conscience needs no accuser. In the end, I broke the silence first.

“Um… is this not troubling to you in the slightest?”

“Pardon?”

“Well, you know. From Lortel’s position, this whole situation might feel somewhat uncomfortable, wouldn’t it?”

“…? Ah, you are referring to your motivation for entering the fray? Ha, you possess a more anxious nature than I anticipated. It causes me no discomfort at all. Frankly, if the Magic Tower decides to participate for a reason like that, it represents nothing but a major advantage for us.”

“…Is that the case?”

So, there was no reason for me to harbor guilt?

“Regardless of how tight our alliance is, this remains Lortel’s war. It is a conflict we must resolve ourselves. However…”

At that moment, the Young Patriarch directed a question back to me.

“Would you mind explaining your relationship with the Kalia Mercenary Corps?”

There was no reason to hide it.

“The commander of the Kalia Mercenary Corps is the adoptive mother of a companion of mine.”

“It would be simpler to tell me you prefer not to share. I am under the impression her adoptive son is currently an academy student.”

Right, I figured he wouldn’t buy that explanation.

But.

There was no plausible way the Young Patriarch could have known the intimate background of a random mercenary commander from the outset. Had he conducted a background check already? Within a mere matter of hours?

As I scrutinized him with that suspicion in mind, I quickly understood that was not what had occurred.

“Putting that aside… do you happen to recall Knight Exstr?”

“Exstr? Who might that be…”

I tilted my head in confusion, and Sion mimicked the gesture.

“According to Knight Exstr, the two of you shared quite a connection? He mentioned you engaged in sophisticated debates regarding anti-magic tactics…”

“Anti-magic tactics?”

“Perhaps your memory will be jogged if I frame it this way. When you breached the primary estate, a certain knight commander lunged at you with his blade, correct?”

“Lunged at me…?”

That detail sparked my recollection.

“That massive brute?”

“…Brute? Ah, Knight Exstr is indeed exceptionally large, yes.”

True, he had left quite an impression.

Not merely due to his gargantuan frame, but because of how his demeanor toward me completely shifted overnight into something excessively warm. And that mouth of his, blathering incessantly despite his imposing stature.

“But why bring him up?”

“The reality is, Knight Exstr has vanished.”

“…Vanished?”

“Yes. You are aware of the clash in the Torres region, correct? That was the same event where the Kalia Mercenary leader became isolated.”

They had suffered a severe setback due to an ambush orchestrated by Decullan.

Were the casualties truly that devastating?

As that realization dawned on me, the Young Patriarch Sion offered a bitter smile and continued.

“Four days have passed since Knight Exstr went missing. The final report from an observer indicated that the Kalia Mercenary Corps and the White Shield Knights were retreating along the identical path.”

So that explained how he obtained the specific details regarding the Kalia commander?

“In that case…”

“Even by our family’s metrics, he represents too crucial a asset to be thrown away so carelessly. However, reallocating troops to conduct a search party is out of the question at this juncture. That leaves only one of the Ten Swords to intervene, but if we deploy them, Decullan will immediately exploit the opening.”

The Ten Swords represented a formidable asset, but precisely because of their power, they could not be deployed carelessly.

To put it plainly, he was a vital asset, but the realities of the conflict forced them to simply abandon him to his fate.

That was the moment I comprehended the situation.

The Young Patriarch Sion spoke once more.

“Did you express regret a moment ago?”

…No, I hadn’t offered an apology.

I had merely mused that Lortel’s faction might find the circumstances awkward.

Yet Sion forged ahead without allowing me an opportunity to clarify.

“Bring Knight Exstr back to safety for me. What do you say? Doing so will completely offset any perceived awkwardness.”

A scheming grin formed on Sion’s face.

He bore the expression of an angler who had successfully snared a massive prize.

‘…It appears I have been thoroughly trapped.’

Naturally, because I had already committed to entering the fight, I never intended to merely retrieve the Kalia leader and instantly retreat.

I had planned to offer a reasonable degree of assistance.

However, judging by the Young Patriarch Sion’s demeanor, it was clear matters would not conclude at “reasonable.”

…And precisely as expected.

“The moment we learned of your impending arrival, we immediately formulated a tactical plan.”

Snap!

Sion produced a sharp snap of his fingers, and a wave of Lortel’s administrative staff flooded the chamber.

They carried massive cartographic maps, bundles of records, and a variety of tactical implements, transforming the room into a war council in under sixty seconds.

Marveling at their flawless coordination, I attempted to quietly make my exit.

“I will take my leave now…”

“Tower Lord, remain seated.”

His tone had turned icy and authoritative, a complete shift from before.

Sion locked his eyes onto me with the unyielding presence of a military commander.

“Haste is not the sole priority. We shall coordinate alongside Lortel. This approach will ultimately benefit your own objectives as well.”

…Actually, I possess a tracking compass.

Nonetheless, I chose not to vocalize any dissent.

The briefing commenced.

“We will now begin the overview for the combined Magic Tower-Lortel operation.”

The sole utterance I could manage was a single sound.

“Mm.”

Merely “mm.”

A single syllable.

The strategic briefing concluded far more rapidly than anticipated.

Though, “rapidly” meant that it finally drew to a close just as the first light of dawn emerged.

Regardless, to condense the core details of the conference:

‘Lortel supplies me with intelligence, and I supply Lortel with military might.’

The information granted by Lortel consisted of the following:

Intricate cartography of the Torres region, comprehensive dossiers on the opposing Decullan officers, and even the necessary manpower required to execute the extraction.

‘Granted, assigning extraction troops is logical given Exstr’s status… but obtaining the precise terrain layouts and profiles on the hostile commanders is an immense advantage.’

Lortel’s troops were designated for the extraction contingent.

If the objective involved only a couple of individuals, I could manage independently, but it was unfeasible for a larger assembly.

Operating with a thorough understanding of the landscape compared to entering blindly was a night-and-day difference. The same held true for the specific Decullan figures we needed to avoid.

As for Lortel’s expectations…

‘They essentially want me to smash through the rugged territory of the Torres region once the extraction is complete?’

Their mounted units were unable to exert their full capabilities because the elevated terrain obstructed their advance. Launching a cavalry assault was entirely unviable.

Because of this, the Torres sector had ground to a halt, subsequently bottlenecking the remaining battlefronts.

In all honesty, it felt as though I was receiving the unfair end of the deal.

Yet, what choice did I have?

‘…I have obligations to fulfill.’

My past endeavors as a Troubleshooter had left me with significant favors to repay.

At any rate, the briefing had concluded, leaving the conference chamber entirely deserted.

“Are you departing immediately?”

“Yes.”

I gave a composed nod in response to Sion’s question.

“The Torres sector is a twelve-hour journey from here. I shall notify the local outpost so that you are cleared to deploy at any moment from midday onward.”

“Yes, that is acceptable.”

I nodded abstractedly, then suddenly cast a focused gaze over Sion.

His eyes were hollowed out, yet his stare remained piercing. His features appeared significantly more skeletal than during our previous encounter. Perhaps that was the reason?

He voiced a query he typically wouldn’t consider.

“Though, are you doing alright?”

“…? Alright? Regarding what?”

“Well… pay it no mind.”

The motivation behind my inquiry regarding his well-being was quite straightforward.

The ongoing campaign between Lortel and Decullan.

He was orchestrating the entire endeavor.

Which meant he shouldered the full, grimy toll of the conflict.

I had harbored concerns that he might be buckling under the stress, yet he exhibited no signs of being overwhelmed.

“In that case, I shall take my leave.”

Just as I turned to exit the briefing room.

“If you are wondering whether I am buckling under the weight, my physical form is holding up perfectly well. I experience the gravity of my duty profoundly, yet it does not weigh me down as a burden.”

“…Is that so?”

His tone carried far more resolve than I anticipated, causing me to blink in surprise.

Then, Sion delivered a query of his own.

“What about your own state, then?”

“…Mine?”

“Individuals frequently see their own circumstances reflected in others. The inquiry you directed at me is fundamentally a question you are asking yourself.”

What was the significance of that statement?

I tilted my head in puzzlement, prompting a low chuckle from Sion.

“It is nothing. Merely understand that when I claim it is not grueling, I speak the absolute truth. Or rather, it is impossible for it to be grueling while occupying this rank. When one possesses a domain or someone to safeguard, capability manifests from thin air.”

“…Right, I see.”

Well, it appeared he was managing fine regardless.

Our exchange concluded at that point.

“I am truly departing now.”

“May your path be secure.”

“To you as well, Young Patriarch.”

I offered those brief words of departure and stepped out of the strategy chamber.

Yet for some peculiar reason.

‘Individuals see their own circumstances reflected in others?’

Sion’s statement continued to echo within my thoughts.

• What about your own state, then.

Was there an underlying issue with my own condition?

I felt an intense curiosity as to why he had chosen to ask me that specific question.

Nevertheless, I did not retrace my steps.

…It was just.

‘What could this mean?’

For some inexplicable reason.

The image of Pola shuddering in impotent fury, tears pooling and falling—blended entirely with the sight of the Young Patriarch offering a radiant grin despite the crushing obligations resting on his shoulders.

…And.

• The inquiry you directed at me is fundamentally a question you are asking yourself.

That singular sentence scratched at my consciousness like a profound verse of revelation.

An irritating sensation that I remained oblivious to an important truth, yet I lacked the awareness to even comprehend what it was I failed to understand.

“Ugh, seriously.”

I whipped my head side to side to banish the ruminations and propelled myself off the dirt, soaring upward into the atmosphere.

‘Wyvern, take flight.’

[I refuse to fly. Provide a moonstone first.]

Good grief. Whenever my spirits are low, the wyvern fails to cooperate. What manner of mystical entity harbors such an intense obsession with worldly goods…

I refuse to give in to such petty demands.

In any case.

‘A twelve-hour journey ahead.’

The fabled territory overflowing with abundance, Arafurgin, was waiting for my arrival.