Chapter 130 – Return (1)

Though it was a back alley, being in the capital, I expected some commotion, but there wasn’t any.

Even after dealing with the mercenaries and thugs and clearing out the mages, no one approached.

“Even in the capital, the guards don’t care about the slums. With perception interference magic cast, people won’t know what happened here for a long time.”

Elena quickly answered my curiosity.

Though she had acted proud after single-handedly taking down the mercenaries and thugs earlier, now she kept watching cautiously.

The person she was watching wasn’t me but Zahina.

“It’s all done.”

“Thank you for your work.”

After returning from restoring the alley to normal, Elena saluted Zahina like a new recruit.

Elena had no choice.

When she was taking down the mercenaries, it was Zahina who prevented the three mages behind from casting magic, and Zahina who defeated and cleared away all the fallen mages.

Elena was intimidated enough to be scared by such overwhelming skill.

Seeing this made me somewhat regretful.

It seemed we could have recruited a useful mage as a party member, but now that seemed difficult.

If Zahina had shown such ability in that other world too, I wouldn’t have thought of recruiting another mage, but Zahina in that world was different from the Zahina before us.

Like the difference between an archmage and a battle mage skilled in minor techniques.

Still, with Zahina here, it seemed unnecessary to try recruiting a new battle mage while having such conversations.

Instead, I asked her:

“Do you really plan to leave the tower and become an allied forces battle mage?”

“Becoming an orthodox mage was Master’s dream. I actually wanted to travel with Master. I endured because of Master, but with Master gone, I’ll do as I please now.”

“So you won’t follow his last words.”

“They were last words spoken for my sake. Since leaving the tower is better for me, it’s fine.”

Though something felt off, nothing she said was wrong.

However, hearing her words, she seemed an even more free-spirited mage than expected.

‘With that personality, becoming an orthodox mage would be impossible.’

Anyway, I had only met her to deliver belongings. I couldn’t say anything about her decision.

Instead, in exchange for the space-expansion pouch received from the mage, I decided to escort her to allied forces headquarters.

After leaving the alley where the fighting occurred, we soon returned to the main street after walking briefly.

Fortunately, it seemed we hadn’t strayed too far off course.

Many people passed by on the main street. They were unaware of the fight that had occurred nearby.

We started walking again toward the Count’s mansion.

This time, no discomfort was felt in mana detection.

While walking like that, I asked Elena:

“Won’t the tower search for the missing mages?”

Elena looked at me with an incredulous expression.

“You’re worried about that now?”

She shook her head and answered my question:

“It’s fine. They weren’t mages with names engraved in the tower either. Since it happened outside the tower, in the slums too, the tower won’t care much. They’ll search halfheartedly, then conclude they returned home.”

Then Elena glanced at Zahina following behind and whispered quietly:

“Besides, searching hard would be pointless anyway.”

The thugs, mercenaries, and mages who attacked us were buried deep under the slums.

All mana-infused items were destroyed, and no one was left alive, so as Elena said, finding them would be impossible.

“Even if they learn they went missing chasing me, they’ll just cover it up. It would only shame the tower if revealed.”

Actually, I didn’t need such a definitive answer.

I just needed no trouble until leaving the Empire.

“So where are we going? Which inn are you staying at? Hope it’s not too expensive. I don’t have much money.”

“It won’t cost anything.”

“Oh, are there empty beds? That’s good then.”

“Not that there are empty beds—we haven’t gotten an inn. We’re going to Count Schönheim’s mansion.”

“What?”

Elena stopped in her tracks.

“You’re not nobility, are you? No, though from another world, are you nobility here since you’re an amazing mage?”

I shook my head at Elena, who carefully asked while looking at Zahina, and kept walking.

“We’re just guests there. And we won’t stay long.”

Either way, having come as special envoy escorts, we couldn’t stay long in the Empire.

I didn’t plan to stay long either.

That day, Count Schönheim’s mansion gained one more guest.

The new guest overslept the next day, perhaps from tension easing, and Zahina wanted to stay in her room.

I ended up going to the training grounds alone again.

Unlike yesterday, many knights were out on the training grounds.

“Spar with me.”

“No, with me.”

Though the knights who saw me tried requesting spars, they had no chance.

“Let’s see how much you’ve improved.”

Having appeared at some point, the Count stood before me, pointing his sword.

I also welcomed sparring with the Count, having been itching to use a sword after not using one yesterday.

***clang* *clang***

Bodies launched, training swords clashed, and mana scattered in the air.

The Count’s perfected swordsmanship was truly amazing.

The Count’s sword came powerfully and majestically, making his future son-in-law’s swordsmanship, which had felt like flowing water, seem like a small stream in comparison.

But unlike when I first faced the Count, I could now block his sword.

Though insufficient with just swordsmanship and requiring full use of mana detection and enhanced senses to face him, I could still hold out for quite a while.

After exchanging swords like that for a while, the Count rested his sword on his shoulder and said:

“This is troublesome.”

He clicked his tongue, looking at me.

“***huff* *huff*** What do you mean?”

I asked him while breathing heavily.

Unfortunately, the skill gap was still large. Unlike before, I could block all his sword strikes, but that was all.

Counterattacking was impossible.

Moreover, seeing the Count neither breathing roughly nor sweating, it was unclear if he was even trying his best.

But he seemed to think differently than me.

“Felt it yesterday too, but it’s too late to keep you below.”

He crossed his arms with a regretful expression.

“Wasn’t at this level when I saw you before. Should have brought you then…”

Though rough words, they sounded like praise.

“Your own technique is already established. Too late to overlay different techniques.”

He was right.

After he trained me, through continued fighting, I had somewhat realized how my swordsmanship should progress.

I had come to the Count’s mansion to confirm if my thoughts were correct. And now I received his confirmation.

“With luck, could have had another Sword Master at home… No choice. Have to drill the future son-in-law instead.”

At the Count’s words, William, the knight who fought me yesterday, answered with a hardened face:

“Please teach me!”

Seeing William’s hardened face, whatever the Count’s reason for calling me, one of his plans seemed successful.

Instead of the knight who had hesitated to fight me yesterday, stood a passionate knight with fire in his eyes.

The Count handed his sword to a servant and headed to the mansion with me.

“When in the imperial capital, stay at our house. Can pay for lodging by occasionally sparring with my son-in-law and other knights during training.”

The Count seemed to have given up thoughts of taking me in.

“Since you found your own path, actual combat will help growth more. Plus, considering growth speed… No, that assumption goes too far.”

He stopped mid-sentence and shook his head.

The Count continued speaking while frowning:

“More importantly, should hurry if you have business. That other world seems more appetizing than expected—nobles and imperial family are moving quickly. These humans who just watched during the Demon King fight only move fast at times like this…”

It seemed David was doing his job well.

News of forces being rapidly reinforced wasn’t bad for me either.

However, just having many troops would be difficult against the Demon King…

“Seems they plan to send the newly found hero right away too. Wonder if they’re rushing too much…”

While talking about the hero, the Count glanced at me briefly.

It was an unexpected glance, but I missed its meaning due to his continued words.

Anyway, as the Count said, there was no time to rest.

I had to prepare to return to that world.

After finishing morning training, I headed to the Great Temple first with Zahina.

When we passed word to a priest at the temple entrance, Hoffman and Ye-rim quickly came out from inside.

“Perfect timing. The ceremony just finished moments ago.”

At Hoffman’s words while shouldering his luggage, Ye-rim chattered excitedly:

“Though there were no spectators, it was still a splendid ceremony. Holy power scattered light around, and holy power burst forth from the statues made following the gods.

Sorry, but since I have no idol, I just hung a wooden cross. Though not an elaborate statue like the other idols, God will understand.”

Somehow it felt like saying, ‘Can’t help it even if He doesn’t understand.’

The excitedly chattering Ye-rim seemed even more like a delinquent believer than before.

But as someone not even a believer, I couldn’t say anything about a priest.

Besides, if God disliked it, He would withdraw holy power, so I didn’t need to worry.

Seeing Ye-rim after two days, she had changed somewhat.

It wasn’t just from changed clothes.

Though wearing robes given by the temple, neither her appearance nor personality had changed.

What changed was the holy power she emitted.

Unlike before, the holy power flowing around her now was gentle and calm.

It felt like seeing holy power cultivated through long years of faith, like that of an elderly priest.

“The food was terrible. Really, what do holy power and vegetables have to do with each other? The Count’s home cooking must be delicious?”

However, her unchanged personality made things feel awkward.

“Ah, right. I saw people called the hero’s group. They were amazing. Priests, knights, even mages.

But as the priest said to avoid them if possible, I wasn’t discovered by them. And…”

Ye-rim kept chattering until we returned to the Count’s mansion.

She was amazed again seeing the Count’s mansion and widened her eyes seeing the female mage.

After another such noisy day passed, the next day word came from the imperial household.

It was a summon to the imperial palace.