Chapter 183: Great Chaos (2)

Just a few days ago, the Seton Swordsmanship Hall’s autonomous region had been overflowing with hope and joy.

It was only natural.

Talents had emerged that the southern continent could proudly show off to those who had always looked down on them.

Two prospects in their early twenties who had defeated countless veteran swordsmen and reached the finals!

Thinking of the future they would forge, southerners felt so elated they didn’t need food to feel full.

That’s how desperate the south was for talent.

But… all of that had turned to bubbles after the Red Magician’s creatures appeared.

“Oh no, oh no…”

“Sob… sob…”

“Jeka, Dyke…”

“This can’t be! It can’t be!”

Those who lost siblings sat with vacant expressions.

Children who lost parents wailed in the streets, while parents who lost children couldn’t even take a sip of water, helpless to do anything.

All of this was because of the Red Magician and Cecilia, presumed to be his minion.

Just days ago, she had been the hope of the southern continent, only to become a cursed existence in an instant.

“Damn it, what’s going on?”

“Yeah, seriously…”

Even those who escaped unharmed kept grumbling.

That was all they could do.

The Red Magician was one of the strongest in the southern continent, his terror acts as devastating as natural disasters.

For mere civilians, gathering in taverns to curse him was the only recourse.

No, that wasn’t entirely true.

The Red Magician and Cecilia weren’t the only ones to curse.

The Seton Swordsmanship Hall.

The organizers of this festival were just as deserving of blame as the two villains.

“Do you know what the swordsmanship hall guys did when this happened?”

“I heard later. They only protected the VIPs and ignored the general spectators.”

“Unbelievable. They boasted so loudly about a swordsmanship festival for the peace and prosperity of the southern continent, yet they abandoned everyone who came from all over to watch it.”

Complaints erupted everywhere.

It was inevitable.

Where was this?

None other than the Seton Swordsmanship Hall’s territory, the very heart of its autonomous region, where its headquarters stood.

Yet, despite hosting an event here, they failed to stop the Red Magician and neglected the safety of the spectators.

Of course, from their perspective, prioritizing foreign royalty and nobles, whose deaths would cause greater repercussions, was a rational choice.

But compared to those who risked their lives to save civilians, the contrast was stark.

Conversely, the Eddy Mercenary Corps, who were the first to protect the spectators, had become true heroes of the south.

The fact that they hadn’t even reached the Graduate level didn’t matter.

Their courage, despite their modest skills, touched the public’s hearts.

“Sigh, if only the Seton Swordsmanship Hall had done half as much as the Eddy Mercenary Corps.”

“Exactly. What about the aftermath?”

“What aftermath? They probably can’t do anything.”

“Probably. Expecting even that is greedy. Even if the entire Seton Swordsmanship Hall took on the Red Magician’s forces, it’d be tough.”

“That’s one thing, but the bigger issue is that we don’t even know where the Red Magician’s base is. You need to know where to find the enemy to fight them, right?”

“Yeah, true.”

“So… rescuing the abductees is impossible?”

“Probably…”

“Damn it.”

“Damn.”

The Seton Swordsmanship Hall could do nothing.

Thus, there was no way to rescue the abductees from the Red Magician.

That was the conclusion reached by those gathered in the Seton Autonomous Region, and no one seemed to disagree.

But.

There was one person who knew that wasn’t true: Mercenary King Austin.

“The Seton Swordsmanship Hall knows where the Red Magician’s base is. At the very least, they’ve likely already figured out where the abducted people were taken.”

“…Why do you think that?”

Harang asked, and Austin answered with a serious expression.

“They have to know. A large-scale magic like this, activated not in the outskirts but at the swordsmanship hall’s headquarters? It’s impossible not to track it. Of course, they might still not know the Red Magician’s true base, but they likely know where the abductees… and Cecilia, was it? Where she’s staying.”

“Then why…?”

“It’s obvious. They don’t want to take the loss.”

Austin’s explanation was as follows.

People had already given up, knowing it was the Red Magician.

They had no expectation that the Seton Swordsmanship Hall would do anything.

In such a situation, they saw no reason to risk massive losses to rescue hostages.

If their own talents or important foreign figures had been abducted, it might be different, but that wasn’t the case.

In this scenario, their best move was to pretend they couldn’t find the enemy’s base and quietly wait for public opinion to settle.

Of course, that only served the swordsmanship hall’s interests.

It was completely contrary to their creed of honing swordsmanship for the peace and prosperity of the southern continent.

“….”

Harang closed his eyes tightly.

Unlike himself, who wasn’t good with words, Austin’s explanation was easy to understand.

If it were the old Harang, ignorant of the outside world, he might not have grasped it, but the current Harang was no fool.

He clearly understood that for large organizations, there were plenty of values more important than human lives.

But.

Hummmm-!

“Harang, calm down.”

“…Harang.”

Understanding something with his head and accepting it with his heart were entirely different matters.

Harang understood their behavior intellectually but couldn’t accept it emotionally.

Whoosh!

His heart burned fiercely.

Like lava flowing in a volcano, the blood coursing through his body boiled hotly.

Anger at himself.

Anger at the Seton Swordsmanship Hall.

And finally, anger at Cecilia, who, for some unknown reason, had abducted his precious connection, Daereon.

Unlike the controllable emotion of ‘regret,’ this was an uncontrollably fiery emotion, no matter how much he tried to cool his head.

“Mercenary King.”

“…What.”

“Where Cecilia is. Where Daereon was taken… Can you find out?”

“I can. As I said, a magic of this scale leaves plenty of traces. Hiring a magician to track it should be more than feasible.”

“Lead the way.”

“Harang!”

“Harang, Boss!”

“Harang, Boss!”

Sheratiya Viyan, Eddy, and everyone else called out Harang’s name.

They had no choice, as they immediately understood what he intended to do.

But in this moment of worry and concern, only Hagio didn’t try to stop him.

Instead, he opened his tightly shut mouth, lending strength to Harang’s resolve.

“I’m going too.”

“Mr. Hagio?”

“You’re going too?”

“Yes. I’m going. The Eddy Mercenary Corps, Daereon—he’s become someone precious to me too. I can’t leave such a person behind.”

“….”

“….”

“….”

Silence filled the room.

Their feelings for Daereon and the Eddy Mercenary Corps were deeply moving.

The memory of risking their lives against Dukan Iter, a subordinate of Viscount Kilkearn, filled their hearts with warmth and no regrets.

But that didn’t mean they could send them off with smiles.

Who were they up against?

None other than the Red Magician.

A formidable Black Magician, whom even the Holy Kingdom, the strongest nation in the central continent, hadn’t yet vanquished.

No matter how strong Harang and Hagio were, they were merely at the Graduate level.

There was no way they could defeat a Black Magician who toyed with even Sword Masters.

Then.

Mercenary King Austin, who had been silent for a while, spoke something astonishing.

“I’m going with you.”

“Mercenary King?”

“Mr. Austin?”

“Why…?”

Everyone looked at him with bewildered expressions.

He looked like a rough Bronze Plate mercenary, but he was colder and more rational than anyone.

Rumors said he’d do anything for the mercenary brokerage’s benefit but would sever even familial ties if it wasn’t.

Yet, this man was making such a decision swayed by emotion?

“It’s not a decision driven by emotion.”

“Then why?”

Harang asked, and Austin took a sip of tea before answering.

“For the future of the mercenary brokerage.”

“You mean…?”

“Harang, you are the future of the mercenary brokerage itself.”

“….”

“….”

Everyone fell silent, looking at the Mercenary King with heavy gazes.

They knew his words weren’t entirely empty.

But conversely, it meant the cold-hearted Mercenary King was making a somewhat emotional decision.

‘…Mr. Austin.’

Calling the Mercenary King’s name inwardly, Harang clenched his fist tightly.

Perhaps because he was so disciplined, it was hard to discern what emotions he held.

But that didn’t matter. It was okay if he couldn’t feel it.

Though their relationship began with a contract, the Mercenary King had become one of his precious connections.

Looking at him, Harang sincerely bowed in respect.

“…Don’t do such embarrassing things. Joining the subjugation of the Red Magician… no, that’s too grand. Let’s say the subjugation of the Red Magician’s minions. I don’t think the real Red Magician will be there. The reasons I’m joining are…”

“The reasons?”

“As I said, first, I don’t think the Red Magician himself is there. Second, no matter how things unfold, I’m confident I can protect my own life. Let me be clear: if things go south, I’m bailing, whether it’s Daereon, you, or Hagio. Keep that in mind.”

“…Understood.”

Harang nodded.

Though he said that, thinking of the Mercenary King, who would support him more reliably than anyone, filled Harang with reassurance.

The same went for Hagio.

Glancing at both of them, Harang turned to the Eddy Mercenary Corps and said.

“Then, we’ll set out as soon as we’re ready. Oh, and just to be clear… don’t follow us. Honestly, you’d only be a burden.”

“….”

“….”

“….”

“That’s all for now.”

With those final words, Harang left.

As usual, he headed to the training grounds, focusing on honing his swordsmanship.

There wasn’t much else to do, but sharpening his mental blade for the upcoming battle was crucial.

“Phew.”

Closing his eyes tightly, memories of the past flooded Harang’s mind.

Ulrik’s death.

Allen Meir’s death.

And finally… the unfortunate situation that had befallen Daereon.

Hummmm-!

Absorbing every bit of the negative emotions from those memories without wasting a drop, he unleashed ferocious sword strikes into the air.

***

A week later.

Fully prepared, Harang’s group followed a magician’s guidance, tracking the traces of large-scale magic to a wasteland slightly outside the Seton Autonomous Region.

There, they encountered an ancient castle, its construction era unknown.

And.

“…Incredible.”

“Seriously.”

“So many?”

An overwhelming number of undead monsters.

Countless skeleton soldiers surrounded the castle’s outer walls.

Though each individual didn’t seem particularly strong, their sheer numbers suggested significant stamina drain to break through.

“It’d be nice if we could avoid them.”

“Possible? Seems physically impossible.”

“Yeah, they’re packed so tight there’s no gap.”

“Wait a moment.”

At that moment, the Mercenary King, sending the trembling magician away, looked at Harang and said.

“Harang.”

“Yes.”

“Have you ever seen my full strength?”

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