◈ Episode 255. Call It a Legend (2)
The swan upon the lake is always noble.
Even while it is thrashing beneath the surface.
It never shows it on the outside.
If you ask why I’m suddenly saying this……
It’s because that was exactly what I looked like right now.
Morning sunlight poured onto the desk in my office.
Brazenly, I opened my mouth.
“You’re later than usual.”
Good grief.
Am I the only person in the world who would scold the sun for being lazy……?
More importantly, after staying up all night.
Don’t pretend you woke up early, Granfell.
Click—I began the day with green tea and looked back on last night.
There hadn’t even been a moment to catch my breath.
Especially the training quest that began at dawn; it had felt unusually grueling.‘I nearly cried from the injustice, seriously.’[Tenacity: 3]
A 1-point increase in Tenacity.
If even the system hadn’t acknowledged my suffering.
I might really have shed tears.
Don’t say that a grown man is whining.‘You’d have to suffer through it yourself to know it’s not whining.’They say hardship in youth is worth buying.
I know all this suffering will become my blood and flesh, too. So no matter how hard it was, I could endure it. But what even I couldn’t endure was……
“Is this the beginning of a new day?”
This shamelessness of pretending nothing happened!
It’s unfair.
Beyond unfair—I want to grab him by the collar and demand an explanation.
There’s a limit to being consistent.
“I look forward to it.”
At this point, aren’t you practically a saint, Granfell?
An ordinary person like me would be tormented to death by injustice.
But this wasn’t the first or second time I’d screamed like this.
“There is no need to hesitate.”
I was gradually reaching the stage of resignation.
No, rather than resignation……
I suppose I’d started thinking ahead.‘If I’m going to hope his stubbornness breaks.’For my own sake.
I’d try using my head, even just a little.
Just as I’d declared, I had finished fifteen days’ worth of work in a single day.[Last Adventurer]’s lingering penalty effect had ended, too.
There was no need to hesitate—I had to enter the Arcana Continent.‘I have a new goal now, after all.’This time, I planned to return to reality as quickly as possible.
In truth, last time had been an exceptional case.
The dimensional rift and the effect of absolute zero had overlapped, and without my knowing it.
Fifteen days had slipped by.‘Two months in Arcana time, was it?’Let’s see, considering the flow of time.
This time, no matter how late it got, I planned to return within a day in real-world time.
I had felt it clearly while handling the work that had piled up.
“Even an instant is precious to me.”
That from now on, I couldn’t afford to be away even for a single day.‘It’s spitting in my own face, so I won’t say whose fault it is…….’All because of that damned pride.
There were far too many things I’d stepped forward and taken on myself, weren’t there? Especially now that I’d also shouldered the review of access device usage permits, it was fair to say my fixed workload had doubled.
Scrape—So, like this.
I had no choice but to push back the office chair and rise.
Of course, before opening a portal to the Arcana Continent.
There were a few things I had to finish.
Yes, everything according to procedure.
Garnet Hall.
First, I had to return the magic tools I’d borrowed.
That didn’t mean I would return every magic tool.
Now that a class quest had appeared.
I couldn’t know what might happen in Sisley.
“I will return some. For the rest, I will extend the rental period.”
It was simply because my fastidious pride could not ignore procedure.
Perhaps because I stated my business without preamble.
The skilled mage, Laran, stumbled over her words.
“G-Good morning, Chief Lee Hoyeol! I’ll process the magic tools you handed over as returned. But wouldn’t there be no need to extend the rental period for the remaining magic tools……?”
Rustle—As she said that, she opened a parchment booklet.
Then showed me the rental period I had written in by hand.
Indeed, it was unquestionably written in my handwriting.──────Rental Period: Until the moment of death.──────I realized it anew.……
At this point, am I not volunteering for troublesome work?
This is practically me going around scattering things for others to misunderstand.‘This is all your fault, Granfell.’In that sense, I am once again aggrieved.
But what can be done?
This, too, must be a mistake of my youth that I have to shoulder.
I said as if it were nothing.
“That is correct. The rental period has expired, so I will extend it.”
It was a statement so obvious it barely needed saying, but.
The fact that I had frozen to death on the Arcana Continent was known only to me. Even the dragons who had witnessed my end in the Dragon Temple hadn’t known I’d frozen to death.
They had simply heard a crash—
And then said I had vanished without a trace to somewhere.
A death even dragons did not know.
A death I had not even revealed to my enemies.
To think I would say it so calmly with my own mouth.
At this point, it wasn’t pride but asking for trouble.
“Pardon? What do you mean by that……?”
You must be quite confused, I understand.
But this personality of mine wasn’t kind enough.
To explain the situation in detail, you see.
Scratch—I merely specified the new rental period with a quill pen.
This time, please, let’s write something modest.
Granfell.
“One day should suffice.”
“……
Y-Yes!”
Let’s see, with this, excluding one magic tool.
I had finished returning or extending the rental periods.
If someone asked where I had sold off the remaining one……
As expected, I had no choice but to speak proudly, without a shred of shame.
“As for the White Outer Wings, proceed according to procedure.”
“Ah, yes! But, um……. This is the first case of a magic tool being taken out and then lost! Procedure states that the reason must be clearly specified……”
There’s no need to make it so difficult, Laran.
I was going to confess voluntarily anyway.
Even if that weren’t the case, since it was procedure.
“There must be no exceptions to procedure. Excellent work, Skilled Mage Laran.”
Could I refuse?
“Thank you for understanding!”
I immediately continued speaking to Laran, who bowed her head.
“I handed the White Outer Wings to one who could use wings more skillfully than I, and who needed wings more than I.”
“……
Pardon?”
Somehow, you never follow the five Ws and one H, do you, Granfell?
You have a talent for grandly embellishing even the truth.
Well, if you got down to it, it wasn’t wrong.
“As a mere skilled mage of enchantment, I may be overstepping by meddling with you, Chief……! But Chief Marcelo once told me there was no one who could make better use of the White Outer Wings than Chief Lee Hoyeol, even if one searched the entire Arcana Continent from end to end!”
Embarrassingly, you rated me that highly, Marcelo.
To be honest, the effect of the White Outer Wings was tailored to me.
But unlike in the past, now that I had less need to suffer from mana depletion.
It wasn’t a magic tool I was desperate for.‘As I just said.’More than for me.
It was a magic tool desperately needed by Eunaxus, who had lost his wings.
So I spoke of those circumstances without embellishment.
“That, too, is not wrong.”
“That’s right.”
“However, wings are most valuably used by one who has lost wings.”
“……
By one who has lost wings?”
“I speak of an old dragon who lost his wings.”
A dragon, suddenly brought up out of nowhere.
At the words old dragon, Laran’s eyes widened.
I fully understood why she was surprised.
But I, as expected, continued shamelessly.
“Beginning with this, perhaps the lingering resentment of the Dragon-Mage War can be resolved.”
“……!”
This time, I commend that loose tongue of yours, Granfell.
The Magic Tower and the dragons.
From now on, we ought to get along, since we’re on the same side.
In other words, the White Outer Wings were a symbol of that reconciliation.
And with such a justification…….‘……
Couldn’t they just let it slide?’The responsibility for losing the magic tool could also be smoothed over.
There’s a reason they say words can pay off a debt of a thousand nyang.
Certainly, compared to simple loss, this sounded a bit more impressive, didn’t it?‘Well, even if they can’t let it slide.’Clean and incorruptible.
Wasn’t I someone who earned like a dog and didn’t even spend it?
Even if it was a magic tool worth a staggering amount, there was no reason to worry about compensation.
Before long, I left Garnet Hall with noticeably lighter steps.‘Now I just have to wait for Harkon.’If you ask why I was waiting for Harkon at the Magic Tower.
It was because the access device was in the Magic Tower’s Crystal Hall.
That’s right.
The first person to receive permission from me to use the access device.
Was the commander of the Lionheart Knights, Harkon.*
Harkon’s eyes gleamed sharply.
“I understand your intention.”
The words were spoken in a benevolent voice, but his gaze was filled with the ferocity of a beast. It couldn’t be helped. The woman facing him now was not someone he could trust completely.
“I’m just grateful you understand.”
Long black hair flowed down.
Occasionally, their eyes met.
But soon, she turned her gaze elsewhere.
“Haha……”
As if that weren’t enough, she laughed awkwardly.
If someone were watching this scene.
They would likely judge that the woman was thoroughly intimidated before him.
But Harkon knew.‘An excellent handling of the gaze.’His opponent was the most vicious criminal in imperial history.
The fact that she was the leader of the Shadow Mercenaries.
Harkon silently looked at Kitch.
A tremendous bounty hung on that neck.
An enormous sum, enough to purchase several small kingdoms.
If one asked how such a bounty could be placed on the neck of a mere mercenary commander.‘Listing only the major incidents would suffice.’Assassination of nobles, contract killings, seizure of treasures……
By the standards of the Shadow Mercenaries, such things did not even count among their evil deeds.
Before the empire unified the continent.
Since the Warring States period, the Shadow Mercenaries had been magnates of the underworld.
Harkon could confidently assert.‘Before demons appeared, they were the beings closest to demons.’In the past, the evil deeds of the Shadow Mercenaries were in no way inferior to those of demons. Yet the reason Harkon was conversing with Kitch at this moment was simple.
Harkon recalled their conversation just now.
-“May I ask one thing?”
-“Yes, anything!”
-“Do you regret your past?”
-“All of a sudden? Hmm, if you’re asking whether I regret it……”
Kitch continued in an endlessly bitter voice.
-“……
Yes, I do regret it. More than anything.”
Harkon thought of Hoyeol.‘If it were you, Sir…….’You surely would not have clung to their past.
Though you had no mercy for demons.
You were endlessly generous toward humans.
Why, just looking at your decision to include the Shadow Mercenaries in the Holy War Alliance.
It was fair to say Hoyeol trusted them.
And so, Harkon nodded.
“Very well. I will yield the opportunity to you, Kitch.”
“……
Are you serious?”
“Of course.”
“Wow!”
Only then did Kitch meet Harkon’s eyes.
“You must be more concerned than anyone about the safety of the empire and His Majesty the Emperor……. I’m sorry for making such an unreasonable request, Commander Harkon!”
“No, I have already confirmed through Sir that Antonium and His Majesty are safe. My desire to confirm it with my own eyes may simply be greed.”
“Even for the sake of Commander Harkon’s consideration, I will definitely retrieve it!”
The reason Harkon yielded his opportunity to enter the Arcana Continent to Kitch was simple. It was because Kitch’s purpose in entering seemed likely to help Hoyeol and the Holy War Alliance.
Harkon added to Kitch.
“I hope you retrieve that request ledger.”...
“This is a clear violation of procedure.”
I looked at Kitch, who had appeared in the Crystal Hall in Harkon’s place.
If it had been Granfell’s usual temperament.
He would have immediately sent Kitch back.
“……
I sincerely apologize for failing to meet the deadline.”
However, Kitch’s purpose was certainly valid.──────Purpose: Approach the Shadow Mercenaries’ hideout / Acquire the request ledger──────Why? Because the request ledger gave off a smell.‘A request from the great evil.’A thick demonic stench, that is.
If she had only followed procedure.
I would have selected it even before Harkon’s application.
According to Kitch’s explanation.
That request had been written in the ledger since long ago.
Kitch smiled awkwardly.
“It seems the previous commanders accepted quite a lot from them……. It was a request permanently being carried out with top priority. Of course, we still haven’t succeeded to this day.”
If we could confirm that request ledger.
It seemed we could obtain considerable information about the great evil.
Above all, Harkon had yielded.
So no matter how important procedure is, let’s endure it, Granfell.
Sometimes flexibility is necessary.
I forced myself to speak.
“I cannot disregard Harkon’s pride.”
I continued to Kitch, who bowed her head deeply.
“The time given is four days by Arcana’s standards.”
At the latest, I intended to return to reality within 24 hours.
At that time, even if I had to squeeze out my mana, I would have to manifest a portal for two people.‘Raymon Sean, you black-hearted bastard.’What’s with a one-way trip, you stingy jerk?
The access device didn’t have a logout function.
So keep that in mind, Kitch.
With Granfell’s personality, if you’re late to the appointed time, he’ll leave you behind and then some.
The place to meet again was the main gate of Antonium.
I watched Kitch lie down in the access device.
Soon, light from a portal burst out of the access device.
Kitch was nowhere to be seen.
I immediately squeezed out my mana and manifested a portal as well.‘Still, since it’s the second time, I’m getting a little used to it.’I immediately stepped beyond the portal.
And faced them.
The messages rising in the darkness.[You have entered the Arcana Continent, where legends stir.]……
The entry message changed?
From a continent heading toward destruction.
To a continent where legends stir.
I wondered if some incident had occurred while I was gone.
But I soon realized.[The Legend System is being unlocked.]……
Don’t tell me, the legend that’s stirring is about me?[You acquire the legend, “Black Dark Dragon Lee Hoyeol.”]
But, what did it say?
Black Dark Dragon Lee Hooooooyeeeooool?!……
Who the hell said I was the Black Dark Dragon?!
After all the effort I put in, to stab me in the back here……!!
No, more importantly…….[Your legend is taking form.]
That bizarre legend is taking form—what kind of horrifying nonsense is this now?!