Chapter 187: Sword Demon (1)

“Ugh, sob… Boss… I really, really thought I was going to die…!”

After the embrace, Daereon spoke in a voice on the verge of death.

His lips were dry, cracked, and bloodied, his body battered with no part unscathed.

It was understandable.

Nearly a week had passed since he was abducted by the Black Hydra.

That he was still alive suggested he’d been given food and water, but likely not much.

Even if rushed to a treatment room and doused with potions, the accumulated fatigue and injuries wouldn’t heal easily.

But Daereon was Daereon.

Despite the ordeal, his mouth never stopped.

“Harang Boss, do you know how hard I fought to survive? You don’t, right? Of course not. Oh, I’m not blaming you at all. Just coming here to save me—us—is a debt I’ll never forget. I know that better than anyone! But still, I’d really appreciate it if you’d recognize how hard I worked to stay alive, how I managed to save some of the hostages and hold out with them. What’s that phrase… right, a heroic tale! A heroic tale, isn’t it? I, Daereon, created a heroic tale that’ll add to the Eddy Mercenary Corps’ fame! As soon as I came to, I assessed the situation! Seized the moment! When the skeleton guards suddenly retreated from the underground prison like a receding tide, I used a wire hidden in my pocket to unlock the bars! Uh!”

“….”

“I could’ve slipped out alone, but I didn’t. It would’ve been easier to survive that way, stealthier too! But I didn’t abandon the other hostages. I quickly freed those locked in other rooms. Well, not all of them… a magic circle on the prison floor suddenly glowed, and those I couldn’t save shriveled up like mummies… Yes, it’s tragic. But if it weren’t for me, these people would’ve all died too. Haha…”

Daereon, the former assassin, poured his soul into emphasizing his deeds.

The survivors behind him nodded.

Réunion

Despite his frivolous demeanor, he had indeed accomplished something great.

Without Daereon, none of them would have seen tomorrow’s sun, so to them, he was as vital as Harang, Hagio, and the Mercenary King.

“You did well.”

“Great job.”

“Hehe…”

Harang and Hagio, recognizing this, praised his efforts with smiles.

Daereon grinned foolishly despite his exhaustion, softening the mood.

But they couldn’t linger like that forever.

Enemies remained—the skeleton soldiers outside the castle.

Recalling this, Harang and Hagio told the hostages to wait and quickly went to assist the Mercenary King.

“Huff, you’re late, huff… I’ve almost finished them off, huff!”

“Finished? There’s still a third left.”

“Taking out two-thirds alone counts as most, doesn’t it, huff?”

“Fine, let’s clear these up and talk. The hostages aren’t in good shape.”

“Right.”

Harang’s group swiftly began clearing the skeleton soldiers.

Fortunately, their strength had weakened significantly, likely due to the deaths of the Third Hydra and Cecilia.

But Harang felt a late pang of regret.

‘I should’ve gotten more information…’

But back then, he was too consumed by rage to think clearly.

No, he should be grateful for saving even some of the hostages.

‘And Daereon’s alive.’

That was the greatest gain.

The situation wasn’t over, though.

Quickly clearing the area, Harang opened the subspace backpack from the Yellow Magic Tower, generously distributing potions and food.

Due to the backpack’s limited capacity, it was only enough to address immediate needs, but no one complained.

They’d been dragged to the Red Magician’s lair.

Never expecting to survive, just being alive and chewing jerky made the world feel beautiful.

But despite their joy, the survivors had a nagging question.

“Um…”

“Yes, ask away.”

“The rescue team… is it just the three of you?”

“….”

“….”

“Not a single swordsman from the Seton Swordsmanship Hall is here… What’s going on?”

“Exactly. We were kidnapped during the festival. Don’t tell me the swordsmanship hall didn’t send anyone?”

The rescue team consisted of only three people.

It was a natural question.

Who was the Red Magician?

One of the top two in the south, considered among the top five continent-wide.

Though he rarely appeared in person, the idea that just three mercenaries made up the entire rescue team was hard to accept.

“Hm. To put it briefly, we weren’t sent by the Seton Swordsmanship Hall.”

“What does that mean…?”

“You acted on your own?”

“What was the swordsmanship hall doing all this time?”

“…I don’t have much to say about that. Find out for yourselves when you get back to the autonomous region.”

With that, Austin closed his mouth.

“What…”

“….”

“….”

The survivors wore expressions of utter disbelief.

It was inevitable.

What was the Seton Swordsmanship Hall?

The first or second most powerful martial organization in the south, a hall of heroes known for training swordsmen to protect the weak.

The Seton Swordsmanship Festival was held under that banner.

To showcase the south’s great swordsmen to the world for its peace and prosperity!

Hadn’t they held this massive event under such scrutiny?

‘But… what’s this?’

‘Was everything they said a lie? Empty boasts?’

‘No way, right? It can’t be.’

‘They didn’t just sit still because they were scared of the Red Magician… did they?’

A dark shadow fell over the survivors’ faces.

Though they smiled in relief at surviving, their hearts weren’t entirely at ease.

Their comrades who weren’t saved had perished.

And they themselves, without proper treatment, were enduring severe injuries.

Some might face permanent disabilities even with treatment back in the autonomous region.

Thus, their disappointment—no, more than disappointment—with the swordsmanship hall’s actions was inevitable.

If they had acted together.

If they had shown a bit more courage and joined the Mercenary King in the rescue, acted a bit faster, more decisively…

Perhaps the damage could have been less.

“Damn those Seton Swordsmanship Hall bastards!”

“Unbelievable jerks! They act all high and mighty, but when the Red Magician shows up, they cower like dead rats?”

“Exactly! This happened in their own backyard, in the autonomous region, and they did nothing?”

“Shouldn’t we formally protest?”

The survivors’ voices grew louder.

At first, it was mere complaints, but it escalated.

Even those on the verge of collapse from exhaustion hurled harsh curses at them.

Of course, such loud voices didn’t last.

The closer they got to the Seton Autonomous Region, the stronger the swordsmanship hall’s influence became.

They reverted to timid citizens, whispering complaints only loud enough for the person next to them to hear.

This continued even ten days later, when news of the Mercenary King’s successful rescue spread throughout the autonomous region.

“Wow, the Mercenary King is really something, huh?”

“Yeah, and that Harang guy too. Who was the other one? Hagio, right?”

“Yeah, Hagio. Those guys are so brave and cool. How did just three of them dare storm the Red Magician’s lair?”

“Seriously.”

“They say Harang did it to save someone from his mercenary corps. That’s a model for all mercenaries.”

“Right. The Eddy Mercenary Corps, was it? Makes me want to join.”

“But the Seton Swordsmanship Hall… ahem.”

“Hey, don’t bring up pointless stuff. Just praise the Mercenary King and the Eddy Mercenary Corps.”

“Ahem, got it.”

Praise for the Mercenary King, Harang, and Hagio poured freely.

But talk of the Seton Swordsmanship Hall’s shameful behavior was scarce.

It was inevitable.

No matter how disappointing their actions were, the swordsmanship hall was still the swordsmanship hall.

They were still one of the top two martial organizations in the south.

Their leader was the third strongest Sword Master in the south.

No one in the Seton Autonomous Region would dare openly curse them.

In the end, though slightly humiliated, the swordsmanship hall’s swordsmen would soon strut around as if nothing happened.

But.

Not everyone cowered and watched the swordsmanship hall’s moves.

“Is anyone there?”

“You’re… Harang?”

At the Seton Swordsmanship Hall’s headquarters.

A black-haired youth at the main gate stared sharply at the gatekeepers and spoke.

“I’m here to speak with the Head of the Swordsmanship Hall, Nigel Nunez.”

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