Episode 36
After filling out simple personal information and changing into the supplied clothes, the parade ground was dragged in without even having time to unpack their luggage.
"When you're ready, start on your own."
The senior soldier spoke, barely covering his yawn with one hand.
I could feel the gaze of the soldiers watching in all sorts of positions, such as squatting or leaning against the wall. I could also hear the sound of betting on how the result would turn out.
I didn't think I would lose, but I was nervous. He could not use magic or ice spirits.
Even because he had learned his master's magic, he had six more arms hanging under his clothes. If you accidentally tear your clothes, you may be found out to be a warlock and executed.
'Of course, I have no intention of being executed obediently, but...'
He has also escaped from the royal capital, so he won't be easily caught, but he doesn't know what will happen to people.
I shook off the thoughts that continued and looked at the person in front of me.
He had tanned skin and a plump body. He looked like a skilled soldier at first glance, and he was waiting for me with a practice spear in his hand.
"Are you ready?"
“… Yes, that's it."
"Then."
The soldier closed his eyes for a moment, then slammed his seat. The muscles trained to deal with external enemies and monsters exert explosive power and achieve tremendous speed.
The streets get closer in an instant. The blade, which was blunt but enough to hurt it, shimmered in the sunlight.
Fortunately, his movements were quite straight, and he quickly moved sideways to dodge the attack, swinging his spear at him as he thrust into the air.
And the spear the soldier was holding was very neatly split in two.
“….”
"What, what?"
The mouths of the soldiers who were chattering closed one by one, and silence filled the surroundings. Their eyes were fixed on the broken practice window, and they didn't think to move.
In fact, it was natural.
He learned the basics of spearmanship from Mike and other guards, and what he lacked was physical training and experience.
The strength strengthened by passing through the ordeal had already surpassed the level of ordinary humans, and he had absorbed the experience of a divine knight even for a while through necromancy.
Of course, as soon as the necromancy was exhausted, it became hazy like a fleeting dream, but even that was too much to deal with an ordinary soldier.
"Uh, how do you open the spear all at once...?"
“… Let me see. The window is old."
The other soldiers didn't seem to feel it, but the magic they unconsciously put into the spear proved it.
It was far from the aura used by the knights.
However, the magic that flowed naturally strengthened the spear like an aura, increasing its power and protecting the spear at the same time, creating the same situation as before.
"It's true that the training window is old. I don't think I've seen anyone change since I was a recruit."
"I don't think I saw it either."
"But it breaks so easily? Wasn't there a problem when I wrote it yesterday?"
The soldiers nodded their heads in agreement. Seeing that, I secretly sighed. It was because I thought that I would not waste time by taking on something like a dowel captain unnecessarily.
"Still, my posture was pretty good, and I had a lot of strength."
"You're better than the senior soldiers. Can I have you as a dozen? There was also a word from the recruiting officer."
"Were you from the guards of the Beliv estate? This makes me envious of the captain of the guard of Beliv. I can't believe we have such talented people. But now I don't have to be jealous."
"That, what you say..."
"Now you are the proud Ten Commander of Andril."
That's how I became the captain of the ten.
In the end, it was a good thing. This was because he could use the barracks alone for several days before recruitment began in earnest.
It was perfect for practicing the six arms magic.
When he took off his robe, the arms hidden inside were revealed.
A bony arm extending from his back with a slight gap. The six arms that were the Master's vision unfolded his body that had been shrinking.
'Honestly, this is a bit...'
Every time I look at it, I feel a strange appearance. At first glance, it looked like wings, and it looked like a spider's legs.
After all, what you see in a book is different from reality. I think it's a legacy left by my teacher, and I have a reference, but if it weren't for that, it was magic that I wouldn't have wanted to learn.
It wasn't that long, but I don't think I've ever seen anything like this in my time with my master. How can there be a separate way to hide it?
However, the method was not written in the Master's magic book. Just like my teacher, I have no choice but to continue my research through trial and error.
"Huh..."
I sighed and slowly moved my arms one by one.
It was not easy. I have a total of eight arms, including mine. On the other hand, I only have one head that moves them. I clearly felt the reason why the Master did not increase the number of arms any further.
If it hadn't been operated using magical power, wouldn't it have been difficult to move two or three of them like now?
"Still."
It's getting better and better.
Considering that when I first put on my arm, I had a hard time knowing how to move, it was a great progress.
In a few more days, I think it will be possible to treat the six newly paired arms as if they were my own body. Of course, using it to form a bond is another story.
I feel sorry that I didn't have time to learn proper magic from my master. It would have been very helpful if I had learned at least some basic theories about beasts.
Swallowing his regrets inward, he gradually became accustomed to the magic of the six arms.
A few days passed.
People entered the empty barracks one by one. It was entirely my responsibility to manage dissatisfied and fearful recruits.
It wasn't difficult.
At first, they ignored me when they saw me looking young, but after I was beaten once at the training ground, they shut up.
It's not a large number, but having a subordinate was a different feeling.
Simone came to mind for a moment, but I was able to erase it quickly. It's not me who follows him, it's the Demon King. Even though it was just a ragtag group, I felt more comfortable here.
When the barracks were full of people.
"Tomorrow or the day after... I'll be dispatched soon."
The soldier who came with the recruit spoke to me. It was finally time to see the face of the guy who impersonated his master.
* * *
"I never thought you would come to visit me in person. I didn't expect this."
"Hmph."
"If you came here like this, you can say that you also belong to that group, right? Melissa the Witch."
The lady replied to the count's words with a blunt expression.
"Well, is there a problem?"
"No way. Even so, the mage of the territory was beaten by the warlock and the situation was not good. If a high-ranking mage like you joins us, I'll be relieved."
At that, Melissa's expression hardened. After spending a long time with the Japanese prince and getting used to the aristocratic way of speaking, she could understand.
That the Count's words do not contain the meaning as they are.
The Count was scolding the entire Dawn, including her. I cooperated obediently, but the damage suffered in the territory was enormous. It meant how to compensate for this.
"That warlock. I said it was Sebian. He seems to have a worse personality than I heard about him."
“….”
Melissa's expression was distorted as if she had chewed.
She didn't come to Andril herself to hear these stories. Every time I close my eyes, the scene of a certain tragedy is clear. And the traces of magic found in it.
'How on earth can you use magic to manipulate such perfect magical power? I just wanted to see it with my own eyes.'
But just because she thought so didn't make the damage to Andril go away. Finally, Melissa sighed and raised her hands and said.
"That story... Someone else will come from the Dan later. Do it then.
"Yes. Right now, we should focus on defeating the warlock tomorrow."
"Don't worry. As long as I am here, this operation will not fail."
"No problem. The witch Melissa and the Red Mage Tower are together, and no matter how great the warlock is, what can be done?"
"Red Demon Tower?"
Melissa, who shook her head for a moment at the unexpected Count's words, was immediately convinced.
Sebian killed the grandson of the Red Mage Lord in the Beliv estate. Even though he had a bad temperament and was a half-abandoned child, he was the blood of the tower lord.
If the whereabouts of the murderous beast were known, it would have been strange that he wouldn't come out of the mage tower.
The Red Mage Tower mainly studied destructive magic, so although it had a eccentric personality, it was quite reliable when it came to combat. The fact that they had already joined was a story that could not be welcomed by the punitive forces.
'So, the true nature of the power I felt was the mages of the Red Demon Tower...'
The strange power she felt when she entered the Andriel estate. But Melissa immediately shook her head.
"There's no way the Red Demon Tower guys can handle such mana."
Mana shows different temperaments depending on the user. The mana of the Red Tower Mage was usually rough and destructive, almost magical.
However, Melissa's energy was different.
I couldn't believe that the sharp but somewhat refreshing power belonged to the Red Demon Tower.
"Butler! To guide the guests to the room."
"Yes."
Even after arriving at the room with the guidance of the butler, Melissa's worries continued.
'I'm sure I've felt it somewhere...'
If that power was weak, I wouldn't have taken it so seriously.
However, the unknown aura was powerful enough to threaten even her, one of the best sorcerers in the kingdom, and there were many of them.
At least ten numbers. It may have felt powerful because it was such a number. However, such a unified energy is a powerful force.
'This level of unity is not easy even for the same family... Oh.'
Melissa's expression wrinkled as she remembered something for a moment.
"Elf."
An aura that is hard to find. Strange unity. If you were an elf in Daewoorim, the conditions were immediately convincing.
Once she remembered her identity, she was convinced. The identity of the aura felt throughout the territory belongs to the elves.
'But why? Elves don't like to blend in with humans.'
It was the elves who were trapped in the rainforest and did not come out if they were confined. To put it bluntly, the elves of the Warrior Party were more famous as a different species that appeared after a thousand years.
After thinking for a moment, Melissa shook her head.
"Does it matter? If you're going to do something, there's no way you're going to leak mana like that."
The mana that was revealed as if it were a warning meant that they had no hostility.
And there was no way that the Count would not have known what he felt as soon as he arrived at the estate. Perhaps the elves are also talking about joining the subjugation.
It was hard for Melissa to imagine.
"Shall I go to bed?"
After thinking about it, Melissa felt a sharp fatigue. It is quite unreasonable to come on schedule from the royal capital. Even for tomorrow's subjugation, they needed a proper rest.
Melissa, who had buried herself in bed without washing, closed her eyes.
However, she could not fall asleep easily.
For her, there is still a clear trace of some magic. It was because of the expectation that we would soon be able to see the person who left that mark.
0 Comments