Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Ju Rina (1)

We slipped out of the city in the morning, blending in with the crowds. I reunited with my companions. It was natural, given that the prophecy had come to pass.

Our destination was where Duke Juan, Huberto.

Jofor had heard news of Ju Rina yesterday, and the duke was robbed three days ago.

In other words, Duke Juan was robbed four days ago. Considering the travel distance, we could meet Ju Rina.

I know her, and with Winds, there’s a 90% chance of finding her.

‘Even the direction is unexpectedly good.’

Entering imperial territory now wasn’t a bad choice either. The talk of Anuma’s Sword was spreading.

Sandstorms and lightning.

They could dismiss it as mere rumors, but under the chain of events, the empire might recall me.

I left my last traces in the west, so they could connect me to the incidents in the southwest.

Since they knew about Winds, there’s enough reason for them to think the sandstorm was my doing.

Especially considering the traces left by my recent duel with the devil worshipper, the possibility is even higher.

Perhaps, the imperial side might think I’m dead. The devil worshippers would know otherwise.

‘Well, not much changes.’

Even if they associate me with the southwest, the empire, busy with the devil worshippers, can’t do much there.

They don’t have a pretext to send the army immediately.

With the atmosphere already moving towards integration and extreme rejection of outsiders, it’s hard for them to catch Al Fahri.

And if it’s truly God’s will, what can they do?

I put aside my worries. It’s not that there’s no potential for problems, but nothing changes even if I do.

At most, they’ll track my traces a bit closer.

‘Jofor seems fine too.’

I haven’t told him my personal history yet. It wasn’t intentional secrecy. He didn’t ask, so there was no need to tell.

Unlike with Aron and Mary, where I saved Jofor, it’s a bit ambiguous.

A bit of caution. For now, it is enough to say that I am a powerful member of the secret society.

It’d be better to tell him after some more time passes.

Evening.

After finishing camp preparations, I called Aron and Jofor. It was to wrap up the tension that started last night.

Even while moving, their glances towards each other were sharp. Enough time for their competitiveness to ripen.

It’s a good phenomenon for the hardworking Aron and Jofor, who will now wield a spear.

“Both of you ready?”

“Yes!”

“We’ve been waiting.”

Aron seemed a bit excited, contrasting with Jofor’s serious face.

Both want to show their skills, but their targets differ.

Aron wants to show Jofor his skills, while Jofor wants to show me.

To prove my judgment was wrong.

“I won’t say much. Give it your all. But absolutely no injuries.”

Both nodded without a word. Even Aron gripped his sword with a more serious face.

“Start.”

They both kicked the ground simultaneously. A clash. Aron didn’t yield in strength. No, he even pushed Jofor back.

Despite being younger and smaller, his raw strength is good. Jofor looked flustered as his balance wavered.

Aron didn’t let go of his advantage. His consecutive strikes, as I taught him, were sharp.

Jofor hastily retreated.

The following flow was as expected. Jofor’s skill isn’t bad at all.

Aron is just exceptional. I watched for a while, then raised my hand.

“Stop.”

Aron and Jofor halted. Their panting breaths were heard in syncopation.

“That’s enough. Jofor, any objections?”

“…None. I lost.”

Jofor coolly admitted it.

He looked a bit dejected. After exhaling deeply, he extended his hand towards Aron.

“I was hasty. Shouldn’t judge by appearances.”

“It happens.”

Aron nodded with a triumphant face. Jofor seemed a bit frustrated.

“I’ll catch up soon.”

“Tough, huh? Brother’s teaching me.”

“Don’t forget, I’m learning from that big brother now too.”

They ignite again. Is it because they’re both still young? Seems so.

Hormones are scary; even I sometimes have my body react ahead of my mental age.

Anyway, the situation was good. As I initially hoped, it’ll become a competitive relationship for positive development.

Duke Brusek and Marhan didn’t stop Denif’s competitiveness either.

I waited for the mood to settle, then called Jofor aside. Now for the next step.

“Jofor.”

“Yes, Brother.”

Jofor also called me big brother, following Aron. We’re the same age, but I didn’t mention it.

I don’t plan to in the future either. It’s better for the organization if he sees me as his superior.

“How do you feel about wielding a spear instead of a sword?”

“A spear?”

Jofor looked surprised at the sudden words. Understandable. It’s denying his time.

After a dazed look, Jofor’s eyes widened.

“Don’t tell me… you bought that spear before leaving the city for me?”

“That’s right.”

In the morning, I purchased a spear from a blacksmith. My companions were curious, but I didn’t give a reason.

“I felt it when I first saw you, and confirmed it after the recent bout. A spear suits you.”

“But I…”

I understand Jofor’s feelings.

“Have you ever used a spear before?”

“No, sir. But I’ve handled one.”

“How many years have you wielded a sword?”

“About 4 years.”

“Aron has wielded a sword for less than 2 years.”

Jofor’s eyes widened.

“Moreover, Aron first grabbed a sword in a fighting pit after being caught by a city’s crime organization. And it hasn’t been long since he met me.”

His widened eyes turn to Aron. Aron nodded, confirming my words were true.

“That’s…”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Of course, your current skill isn’t bad. But I’m just certain you can go higher when you wield a spear.”

Arranging the bout with Aron was also to add persuasiveness to these words, in addition to their competitiveness.

I can’t say it’s a lifetime, but Jofor too has wielded a sword.

It’ll hurt his pride somehow, but talking like this will be more effective than saying it directly.

“If you dislike it, I won’t force you. But once you try it, you’ll know. You can say you dislike it after that.”

I can be certain. Jofor was a character who reached the realm of the spear without a master. I know how he came to wield a spear.

He realized his talent while betting with his comrades.

Jofor looked uncertain.

Probably, if he hadn’t seen me fight yesterday, he would’ve gotten angry. After a bit of conflict, Jofor acquiesced.

“If you say that much… I’ll give it a try.”

I handed the spear to Jofor. He gripped it silently. His grip posture is good from the start.

I, too, drew Moonlight.

“Swing it as you like.”

Swords, daggers, short swords.

Things I properly learned from Marhan. That doesn’t mean I didn’t learn other weapons.

Since you don’t know what situation you’ll face, you learn the basics of everything. It means I can handle up to an average level.

It’s enough to teach Jofor who’s holding a spear for the first time.

After that, it’s Jofor’s part, but I have advice. Because I’ve also fought with Ante, who uses a spear.

The spear thrusting sharply is fierce.

I deflected it with my sword. Then I blocked the spear shaft coming horizontally with the sword’s face.

Despite the slight impact, my injured side ached, but I didn’t show it.

The hardship of a superior.

Jofor rotated his arm. The spear, spinning a full circle with waist power, aimed diagonally at my shoulder.

From the process of adding power, it was hard to believe it was a consecutive attack from someone handling a spear for the first time.

Well, this much is enough.

I grabbed the spear shaft with my hand. Even Aron, watching from the side, had his mouth open.

“Are you sure it’s your first time using a spear?”

“Oh… Ohh!”

Jofor, with wide eyes and a round open mouth, looked alternately at me, his hands, and the spear.

He seems to find it hard to believe. And finally, his gaze stops on me.

“Big brother!”

“How is it?”

“The spear, spear! I think this is it.”

Well, of course. As expected. He became the top mercenary spearman within 2 years of wielding a spear.

Rather, it’s strange that he hasn’t tried it even once until now.

“No, what have I been doing all this time…”

Jofor, who was rejoicing, looked at his sword with dejected eyes. I patted his shoulder.

“Better late than never. If you hadn’t met me, you’d have kept wielding a sword.”

“…You’re right.”

“I’ll teach you the basics for a few days.”

For the next few days, I focused on teaching Jofor. His growth speed was astonishing.

It was also a good sign that Aron, who was watching, got fired up.

Mary and Osten’s training also began. Osten learned combat utilizing simple magic, and Mary learned the short sword.

While moving along the road like that, we also encountered spies of unknown affiliation. Three of them. Outwardly, they looked like mercenaries.

But as soon as I glanced through the carriage window, I recognized they were spies.

‘High chance they’re from Altre.’

Since the magic bomb exploded in their country, they must be very busy. They also looked at us but didn’t seem suspicious.

From the start, our group’s appearance didn’t give that impression.

Our composition was still the same. The merchant’s daughter and guards. Osten, Aron, and Jofor guarded the carriage from outside.

I was in the carriage with Mary.

Can’t help it because of the head injury. If I have bandages on my head, it would look strange.

‘That’s why I couldn’t even touch magic tools.’

The muscle aches were all gone, but my head and side still hurt. Thanks to the trait Ironman, the head part recovered quickly.

But the recovery of my side, pierced by tentacles, was slow.

It was because of black magic. Even applying purification didn’t make much difference. The power of the devil isn’t something to be purified.

Still, it was fortunate there was no additional inflammation. A natural antibiotic, should I say?

I thought about showing the magic tools to Osten but decided not to.

It would just needlessly stimulate his curiosity.

‘There’s this amazing thing, but not now, I’ll do it later, so just know it.’

For someone like Osten, it would be agonizing. Since I’ve had my heart race just seeing a trailer video for a game I was waiting for, I understand that feeling to some extent.

No choice but to wait for my body to recover. Probably after meeting Ju Rina.

***

‘It really was.’

Altre.

Carlyn was there.

It was something he judged as low possibility, but the duke was slightly surprised that his intuition wasn’t dead.

He put a cigarette in his mouth while reading Toun Zaha’s letter. It was because the following news was disappointing.

‘One step too late.’

The magic bomb exploded, and Carlyn disappeared while injured.

Initially, Toun Zaha worried that Carlyn might have been captured, but after examining the subsequent traces, the possibility seemed low.

Still, he’s alive.

The duke exhaled in relief. Unfortunately, Toun Zaha couldn’t find any additional traces of Carlyn.

It was because it was Altre’s territory. Due to the aftermath of the bomb, Altre’s intelligence agency was also moving busily.

Trying to find Carlyn needlessly could lead to a tight spot.

‘But how did they find Carlyn?’

Was it a coincidence? It could be, or it might not. There might have been a clash in a place Haisen’s eyes didn’t reach.

The duke guessed Carlyn’s next destination.

The last they caught through their power was in the west. Did he head to Altre via the empire from the west?

The duke shook his head.

The news from the southwest was on his mind. Anuma’s Sword had arrived, and the tribes were being integrated.

Although it wasn’t a place to plant people originally, such a major event was bound to be heard.

‘Hard to believe, but.’

Sandstorms and lightning.

He didn’t know about the lightning, but the sandstorm was possible with Carlyn’s power. If one thinks the lightning was a natural phenomenon…

It means Carlyn created Anuma’s Sword.

To the duke, Carlyn was a precious godchild who might have been betrayed for Haisen’s sake and even killed the empress.

Naturally, he judged that the events in the southwest were likely for Haisen’s sake as well.

He thought he might have caused trouble in the southwest while returning to Haisen.

‘Since I heard he was told to return based on his own judgment.’

And that too seemed quite admirable. The duke thought he should make contact with Carlyn quickly.

It’s hard to bring him back immediately, but he had to help.

Shaking off the pursuit of the empire and devil worshippers alone was far too dangerous.

‘Where could he have gone?’

Even if he was coming to Haisen, he can’t do that now. The traces of the magic bomb and devil worshippers were found in Altre.

It was natural for it to reach the empire’s ears. The duke thought Carlyn, coming from the southwest, would head up.

‘An ordinary person would go down, but…’

Carlyn is different. He taught him how to hide himself. If it’s the empire’s land above Altre, it’s Huberto.

Just as the duke was about to call his confidant for orders, the confidant sprang out from the shadows first.

“Duke, there’s contact from Denif.”

“What did he say?”

“He says it seems he’s not in the west.”

“Is there a reason?”

“…He says it’s a feeling.”

The duke let out a wry laugh. Despite saying it like that, Denif wasn’t a thoughtless child.

Perhaps he made a judgment after hearing rumors about Anuma’s Sword. The confidant continued with a troubled face.

“He says he’ll try going towards the empire. Considering his current position, it seems he’ll go to Huberto.”

“What a coincidence.”

But considering the distance, Denif will be one step behind. Carlyn won’t stay still.

“What do you mean…”

“Tell Toun Zaha to head to Huberto as well.”

However, it didn’t seem bad to have them cooperate if Toun Zaha doesn’t meet Carlyn.

The confidant sensed the flow of the situation.

“Is Carlyn possibly there?”

“The probability is high.”

“I’ll relay it immediately.”

Author's Thoughts

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