◈ Episode 272. Promise (2)
One day.
A length of time that could be long if called long, and short if called short.
Vice-captain of the Shadow Mercenary Corps.
Wolf sat at his workbench.
It was a time when, in the past, he would have been drunk and rolling around in bed.
Click—Wolf tended to his crossbow.
Let’s see, I don’t even know how long it’s been since I last maintained my equipment.
Only now did he realize anew just how dulled his senses had become.
“So I was carrying out commissions in this state, was I?”
I’m disqualified as vice-captain.
Thanks to his innate talent, neither his enemies nor even his comrades had noticed how dulled Wolf had become, but he himself knew. Most likely, his current strength was pitiful beyond compare when measured against his prime.
“Good thing our comrades are so merciful.”
I can only be grateful they haven’t coveted the vice-captain’s seat all this time.
Moreover, there was someone who had awakened him from that dulled state.
Yes, none other than Hoyeol.
To think there would come a day in my life when I’d receive help from an employer.
“And help in this sort of way, at that.”
If one asked whether he had received direct help.
He had not.
Materially speaking, it was actually a loss. After all, Wolf had handed Hoyeol the crossbow he himself had once favored. What Wolf had received from Hoyeol was an intense emotion.
“……
To be precise, I suppose it was a sense of crisis, like being chased.”
If he sat still and did nothing.
He had gotten the feeling that even in shooting, the one thing he could still somewhat pride himself on, Hoyeol would catch him by the scruff of the neck. Hoyeol’s talent was at a level that remained unbelievable even when he thought back on it.
Swordsmanship.
Magic.
And even marksmanship.
Hoyeol possessed talent that could reach the peak in several fields. There was only a difference in how much time it would take for that talent to bloom.
Wolf could say it with certainty.
“One day, you will surpass me.”
Beyond himself.
Perhaps he might even be recorded as the greatest marksman in the history of the Arcana Continent. Thinking of such a future…… Perhaps he could be satisfied simply by the fact that he had given even a small teaching to such a Hoyeol.
“Even so……”
No matter how many talents Hoyeol possessed.
In that regard, he would not be able to surpass our captain.
The current captain of the Shadow Mercenary Corps.
In other words.
Kichi was the strongest captain in the history of the Shadow Mercenary Corps.
“Of course, there must never be any reason for the two of you to clash.”
Wolf blew out a breath—scattering the dust.
“In any case, may both of you return safely.”
As expected, a day was not long.
Had they said that one day here was four days on the Arcana Continent?
Wolf folded down his fingers as he counted, then let out a sigh.
“Then our captain will be making a fuss for at least three days.”
But predictions were always nothing more than predictions.
“……?”
Fwoooooosh—!
In that instant, a searing sensation wrapped around his entire body.
“!”
Wolf swiftly sharpened his senses.
With a keen gaze, he checked the crack of the door, the window frame, and outside the window.
Mana or deadly poison might have flowed in through those gaps. ‘No.’ But he detected nothing strange.
Then.
What was this pain, as if his skin were being seared with a branding iron?
Wolf did not hesitate to take off his upper garment.
And then he realized.
Sizzle! ‘It’ had not been an illusion.
His skin was truly burning.
It was an enormous burn that wrapped around his upper body.
“……!”
Wolf’s eyes, always languid, shook violently.
There was no doubt.
This was the 『Brand of the Shadow God』.
The symbol of the captain of the Shadow Mercenary Corps.
The captain’s symbol had been passed on to him.
What that meant was simple. ……
Something had happened to Kichi.
*
To state only the result, Kichi did not keep her promise.
Flutter—What appeared at the promised place in her stead was a single crow.
In the past.
I would surely have been fooled, asking why a crow had suddenly shown up. ‘This is why people need experience, I tell you.’
Akshan’s guardian spirit.
The Akshan Wolf.
Thanks to having witnessed Tempest, I was able to grasp it. Just as Akshan had the Akshan Wolf, it seemed the Shadow Mercenary Corps also had a crow that served a similar role.
Prickle—When I looked into the crow’s red eyes, as if through telepathy.
Kichi’s voice rang inside my head.
It was not a story long enough to require summarizing.
—I apologize for being unable to keep the promise. I, as the captain of the Shadow Mercenary Corps, will bear all responsibility for that, as well as responsibility for what happened before.
She would take responsibility, was it.
I would not particularly refute it.
No, I could not refute it. ‘He is prickly, after all.’ Wasn’t Granfell the sort who did not have meetings that had not been promised in advance?
Then let’s think about it the other way around.
When the other party unilaterally broke a meeting that had been promised in advance.
Just how dreadful would Granfell’s lingering grudge be……! ‘If it were me, I’d have apologized first too.’
But there was something added that I could not understand. ‘Responsibility for what happened before, huh.’
I thought hard, starting from my first meeting with Kichi……
But no matter how much I thought about it, neither Kichi nor the Shadow Mercenary Corps had done anything wrong enough to owe me responsibility, had they? Of course, there must be a reason Kichi conveyed such words. ‘It’s not as if she’s a child left by the water or a lost kid…….’
Going off to find her without thinking would also be an excessive response.
Above all, Kichi was no ordinary person.
She was none other than the captain of the Shadow Mercenary Corps. ‘It could simply be that she failed to find the ledger.’
Now that I had discovered the Claudi Territory.
From now on, I had no choice but to enter the Arcana Continent more frequently. If I ran into Kichi at any time, I could ask about that responsibility then, and if necessary, return to reality together with her.
Thinking little of it, I manifested a portal and returned to reality.
And it was now.
An uninvited guest had come to the Magic Tower.
And the identity of that uninvited guest was the Shadow Mercenary Corps.
It seemed certain they were my guests.
So I shouted without preamble.
I asked Yugwid for understanding.
“It has been a while.”
First of all, the uninvited guest and I had met before.
No, beyond simply having met, could it be called a master-disciple relationship?
Vice-captain, Wolf.
I had received instruction in marksmanship from him, as well as a crossbow as a gift.
However, no matter how acquainted we were.
Could Granfell omit procedure?
The underground of the Magic Tower, Mugan (無間).
On the Arcana Continent, and.
In reality as well. ‘……
Somehow, it feels like I’ve been visiting underground places often.’
It could not be helped.
Regardless of the reason, Wolf was an uninvited guest of the Magic Tower.
Until I heard his reason, he could not leave Mugan.
Even so, let’s end this as quickly as possible if we can.
Because I could roughly guess the reason.
“I understand your situation.”
“……
I can only be grateful that you say so.”
“However, this too is procedure, so I ask for your understanding.”
“Of course. I am grateful to be alive.”
By the way……
As expected of the Shadow Mercenary Corps.
To think he had broken through the encirclement magic of skilled mages and succeeded in approaching the Crystal Hall. In reality, and of course on the Arcana Continent as well, how many people could do such a thing? ‘They certainly live up to their name.’
Since the days when it had been nothing more than a game.
And the gap of well over ten years that lasted until just recently.
Thanks to that, I did not have much information about the Shadow Mercenary Corps.
But I had AAU.
Thanks to that, I had looked into the settings regarding the Shadow Mercenary Corps. ‘They exert influence until the very end of the story.’
If Arcana Continent Chronicle had been properly serviced as a game. The Shadow Mercenary Corps were beings capable of influencing the Arcana Continent until Arcana’s story headed toward its final stages. ‘Commonly known as the shadowy masterminds of the Arcana Continent.’
The problem, however, was that no one knew in what form that influence would have been realized. Well, it might not be bad to find that out through this opportunity.
Slide—Wolf looked at me with difficulty.
As for me, thanks to my unwavering equanimity that did not waver anywhere, I was unaffected even in Mugan, but others were not. One could tell just from the sounds coming from the corner at this very moment.
“Uueoohhh……”
The demon worshippers who had once been elder mages.
Even those who had been praised as demigods.
Seeing how even they had completely lost their minds was proof enough.
Wolf seemed to understand the special nature of Mugan.
He did not waste time and honestly.
Revealed everything.
“……
To tell you the truth, I had to act as the vice-captain. As you know as well, Commander-in-Chief…… the members realized that there was a threat to Captain Kichi’s safety.”
See, I do have a good eye for people, don’t I?
As expected, Wolf was not a man who acted rashly. No matter how urgent a matter might be, he was not the sort to act emotionally without reason.
“And so, against my intentions, it ended up looking as though I had attacked the Magic Tower. But if I had not stepped forward…… those guys would surely have done something foolish.”
In short, you took the burden upon yourself, Wolf.
As someone who had taken all sorts of burdens upon myself as well.
I could generously understand such hardship.
But there is one thing I do not understand.
A threat to Kichi’s safety……?
It seems we need to compare what we know.
“Kichi sent a message through a crow.”
“A crow, you say……”
Wolf continued speaking with difficulty.
“Then it seems the captain safely reached the hideout.”
So the crow must be a guardian spirit that can only be summoned from the hideout.
Slide—Wolf slowly lifted his upper garment.
Soon, the burn covering his upper body was revealed.
“Then…… the question can only become even greater. Why has the symbol of the captain of the Shadow Mercenary Corps, the 『Brand of the Shadow God』, been passed on to me?”
So there was a setting like that.
No wonder he had noticed something strange about Kichi before even I had, despite my being on the same Arcana Continent. But there was something I needed to make certain. I am asking just in case……
Is the Shadow Mercenary Corps an organization from which one can voluntarily withdraw?
At my question, Wolf was silent for a moment before answering.
“There are no particular regulations regarding withdrawal or punishment.”
I could guess the reason without him saying it.
Even if one could withdraw freely.
Would the Shadow Mercenary Corps simply stand by and watch that?
Wolf added.
“But such a thing would not happen. A shadow is safest when buried within shadows. Though there have been those expelled, even I have never heard of anyone who left the Shadow Mercenary Corps on their own two feet.”
Going further, Kichi was the captain.
If there were elements of the Shadow Mercenary Corps she did not like.
In most cases, she would have been able to tear them out and fix them herself.
That was why the words Kichi had left behind could only sound even more meaningful.
Just then, Wolf asked.
“May I know what message the captain left behind?”
I answered without embellishment.
“Kichi conveyed that she would take responsibility for today and for the past.”
No matter how long I hold grudges, you know. Merely failing to keep one appointment would not have pressured Kichi so much that she would step down from the captain’s position by her own hand.
Then naturally…… ‘Responsibility for a past I do not know.’
In order to take responsibility for the past.
Kichi must have stepped down from the captain’s seat and disappeared.
In that case, we needed to know what that past matter was.
I thought Wolf, as vice-captain, might know, but……
“Responsibility for the past……”
Even Wolf seemed utterly clueless.
If Wolf, the vice-captain, did not know.
I could not expect the other members to know the meaning.
“Unfortunately, there is an error in the procedure.”
Whatever it was, taking responsibility?
That was a very prideful act.
But shouldn’t she at least tell us what it was before disappearing!
Putting me aside.
Isn’t going off the grid without telling even her comrades too much?
Wolf forced a smile.
“Indeed. This matter…… It seems we will have to ask the captain directly. That is also the rule of our Shadow Mercenary Corps.”
Let’s see……
Even without using a connector.
One additional person or so.
Should be able to enter the Arcana Continent through the portal I manifest. It was the talent of none other than Granfell. Even if my amount of mana had not increased, my proficiency was accumulating at a frightening rate.
“If you need help regarding that, you may come to me.”
You would be welcome anytime.
To be allowed to come without making an appointment in advance.
From Granfell’s perspective, that was an enormous consideration.
However, Wolf shook his head.
“No. I trust the captain’s judgment.”
Wolf’s voice was more serious than ever.
His gaze, containing resolve, stared at me.
“There must be a reason she judged it so. One that I, inadequate as I am, do not know…… There may be ‘something’ between the Shadow Mercenary Corps and you, Commander-in-Chief. That is why I cannot accept help.” ……
Is that so?
In truth, even if there had been ‘something’ in the past, what else could it be besides something related to an embarrassing dark past…… But when Wolf went so far as to say that, there was no way this personality would continue trying to persuade him.
Then, according to procedure, you are released, Wolf.
*
The community heated up fiercely.
—No, what the hell is with the Magic Tower??? Is this really the Magic Tower I knew? lololol
—I knew the Shadow Mercenary Corps would stab us in the back lololol
—Why, who caused trouble?? It’s obviously Rockid, right? Him?
—No, they’re saying it was Wolf?
—Huh……? Not that bastard Rockid?
—Seeing you call him a bastard, did Rockid beat you up or something?
—……
Who are you? How did you know?!
Unlike before, there were many eyes on the Magic Tower.
Wolf’s sudden action was broadcast in real time and conveyed to the public.
Countless speculations were bound to pour out.
However, that topic did not last long.
Because everything was about timing.
AAU.
The Another Space.
A massive energy reaction detected once again after only a day.
“T-This time, it is the Magic Tower again!”
Yes.
The moment Hoyeol returned to reality.
The dimensional rift that appeared in the sky above the Magic Tower.
Because the players who witnessed that sight were reminded of it.
[Achievement: Witness the Return of the Dark Dragon]
“……
The return of the Dark Dragon?”
“Then through that thing that appeared over the Magic Tower, the Dark Dragon……?”
“W-Wait a second. Then the Dark Dragon is, don’t tell me……?!”
A message that made them guess the true identity of the Dark Dragon.