Episode 153

On the northern front of the Mosland Kingdom, a lone cabin stood halfway up the Dragonic Mountains, a place where blizzards raged with particular ferocity. Once a shelter for hunters, it was now home to others.

The door creaked open.

That day, like any other, a young man visited the cabin. With bandages wrapped around his hands, a rotting shoulder, and a scabbard at his hip, he looked every bit the part of a raider. He entered the house and went straight to the main bedroom.

“I’m back, Eleonora. How’s Hendy?”

In the quiet room, a pale girl with a feverish flush lay still. It was Hendy, the mage who used to raid with them. Once a top-tier A-rank Raider renowned for her unique explosion magic, she was now a shadow of her former self. The young man set down his baskets of groceries and looked at Eleonora.

“Eleonora?”

“…You’re back.”

“I got here a while ago. How is she?”

“The same. Her life force is fading, her body is stiffening. It never changes.”

Sitting by the bed, Eleonora caressed Hendy’s cheek. The young man sighed deeply and handed her a request letter.

“What’s this?”

“A request from Duke Peyton. He wants us to raid Balak, that dungeon in the West that recently ranked up.”

“Ah, Duke Peyton. The Sword Duke of the Derk Empire. But even if we take his request, it won’t help Hendy…”

“Fifty million Zen.”

Eleonora froze, her eyes beginning to tremble. With a grim expression, the young man repeated himself.

“Fifty million Zen. That’s enough to get an audience with the Pope of the Holy Kingdom. We can’t miss this chance, Eleonora.”

“A-are you serious?”

“Yes. I just checked the letter myself. First…”

Before he could explain the details, Eleonora shot to her feet. She quickly armed herself and returned to the bedroom.

“We’re going to Duke Peyton’s estate right now. Get ready, Shihan Ryu.”

Shihan Ryu. He hadn’t heard his old name in a long time. Chedor—no, Shihan—shrugged and stood. Eleonora had spent a full year caring for Hendy, abandoning her life as a raider. Now that she was giving orders as their leader again, he had no choice but to obey.

“Can’t you wait a bit? I’m a high-ranking A-rank Raider, you know. Show some respect, Inhye.”

“Be ready and outside in five minutes. I’ll be waiting.”

“Aye, aye.”

With that, Eleonora—no, Inhye Cha—left first. Alone, Shihan looked down at Hendy’s labored breathing.

“Just wait a little longer,” he whispered. “I promise, we’ll get you treated.”

—

‘Eleonora the Mind Controller. A northern raider who once made a name for herself as a top-tier A-rank. Suffered heavy damage in an S-rank dungeon and barely managed to return. All information after that has been erased.’

The report in Duke Peyton’s hands was blank after the second page. He set it down and looked at the two raiders who had come to see him in person: Eleonora and Chedor. They were requesting that the priority for the Balak raid be given to them.

“You’re here for the reward, I presume?”

“Well, you’re not wrong. We’re in dire need of Zen.”

“I wasn’t asking you, Chedor the Drake Slayer.”

“Right. I’ll step back.”

Sensing the hostile atmosphere, Chedor retreated. Eleonora, however, met the Duke’s intimidating gaze without flinching.

‘I like her eyes.’

They were filled with desperation and unwavering resolve. Even facing him, a man on par with S-rank Raiders, she showed no sign of fear. Satisfied, Duke Peyton asked again.

“I will ask once more. You are here for the reward, are you not?”

“That’s right. We need Zen. Is any other reason necessary?”

“No. All I desire is the conquest of Balak. So I will ask the only question that matters: can you conquer it?”

He had invested a staggering fifty million Zen in this request; failure was not an option. Since they were demanding priority, they had to be certain of their success.

Eleonora’s expression remained unchanged. “If you promise the reward, I can conquer any A-rank dungeon you wish.”

“Miss Eleonora, I asked if you can conquer Balak!”

The entire room trembled. The aura of Peyton, the Sword Duke, a man who had dedicated decades to his craft, saturated the space. Standing behind her, Chedor broke into a cold sweat, struggling to breathe.

Eleonora bit her lip hard and replied, “…We can. We absolutely can.”

“Then it is settled. You may leave. I will send a carriage to your inn shortly.”

The simple test was over, and his oppressive aura vanished. Eleonora, though slightly taken aback, nodded and left the room. Duke Peyton turned to Chedor, who remained behind.

“Are you not leaving?”

“Ah. Is that really it?”

“What more could I possibly want? My only goal is the conquest of Balak. I have no interest in anything else.”

“Ahem. I’ll be on my way, then.”

“Ah, a moment.”

Duke Peyton stopped him suddenly. Chedor tilted his head and turned back.

“What is it?”

“I’ve suddenly grown curious. How did you get that curse on your shoulder?”

“…It’s a long story. I’m afraid I cannot answer that question. My apologies.”

With that, Chedor also departed. Left alone, Duke Peyton recalled the man’s rotting shoulder and clicked his tongue.

“Tsk. They suffered great damage in an S-rank dungeon, it seems. Most of his comrades must have been cursed. That would explain their need for so much Zen.”

The curse was severe, even at a glance. He had never seen one that manifested in such a way. If it came from an S-rank dungeon, its power must be considerable. They were likely aiming to seek help from the Holy Kingdom. Unable to destroy the source of the curse, their only option was to have it forcibly removed with Divinity—a feat that would require a High Priest, or perhaps even the Pope himself.

“I hope they don’t get entangled with those Holy Kingdom fanatics.”

Since the demon invasion, the Holy Kingdom of Ain Kart had been spreading its faith across the continent with renewed fervor. If the Derk Empire got mixed up in their affairs, it would become a political nightmare. The imperial family was already struggling to appease Count Dinen and the Peyton family; adding the Holy Kingdom to the mix would be a disaster.

Duke Peyton picked up the report again, his thoughts turning to Eleonora. ‘For you to come out of a year-long retirement, you must have a compelling reason. As do I. We shall see if you can truly conquer Balak.’

—

Two weeks had passed since the dungeon protection period across the continent was lifted. The public speculated about a gathering of demons, but no one knew the truth. Eager raiders formed parties and set out for dungeons, and the Association was once again bustling with activity.

The branches in the West were especially chaotic, and the reason was Balak.

Having risen to A-rank in just a year and a half, Balak was now a major dungeon, attracting not only low-level adventurers but A-rank Raiders from every corner of the continent.

“We applied to raid Balak first! Do you think you can just cut in line?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re just some raiders from the East. Who are you to talk about order? Pathetic.”

“Everyone, calm down and listen to me! I’m here on a request from the Magic Tower. We should obviously go first!”

Countless A-rank raid parties were growling at each other inside the Association building. The source of the conflict was the new raiding condition set by the Association headquarters: only one party could challenge an A-rank dungeon at a time. For the staff in the West, it was a living hell.

‘One raid party at a time… They’ve set it up so parties have to take turns, but we’re the ones dying from the workload!’ Kolden thought with a grimace as he tried to break up another fight.

Just then, two new raiders entered the building. They handed him a request letter.

“We are the Eleonora Raid Party, here to raid Balak. Please grant us permission immediately.”

“P-please wait. All these people are also here for Balak, so it’s a bit difficult to grant permission right away…” Kolden stammered, gesturing timidly at the hostile crowd.

The A-rank Raiders who had arrived earlier glared at Eleonora.

“Hey, missy. We were here first for the Balak raid. You need to wait your turn.”

“What are you talking about? Our party from the South is first! And I don’t know who this ‘Eleonora Raid Party’ is, but show some manners. How dare you demand permission when you just arrived?”

“We were first, but they’re right. Get out of the way!”

They were all obsessed with being first in line. Eleonora sighed and threw back her hood. Her long black hair tumbled down to her waist, framing an exotic face uncommon on the continent. The raiders’ eyes went wide.

“I-I remember! Eleonora the Mind Controller from the North! It’s really her! I’d never forget that face!”

“I heard she retired a year ago after a failed raid. Why is she targeting a new A-rank dungeon like Balak?”

“Whoa! Lady Eleonora, I’m a huge fan! You’re the reason I became a raider! Am I dreaming?”

The raiders’ reactions shifted in an instant. Eleonora, however, ignored them and simply pointed to the request letter. Kolden tilted his head, then his jaw dropped.

“The… the House of Duke Peyton?!”

“Don’t tell me she got a direct request from Duke Peyton! I heard he canceled it!”

“Damn it. This means the Eleonora Raid Party might get to raid Balak first.”

The branch office erupted into chaos. Staff and raiders alike were stunned by the name. Duke Peyton. He was one of the most powerful men alive, one of the top five knights on the entire continent. He commanded thousands of knights and held immense sway over the Derk Empire. For his name to be invoked here was a monumental event.

Kolden’s hand, clutching the letter, trembled as he nodded. “Ah, I understand. I will prioritize the Eleonora Raid Party and contact headquarters to grant you immediate permission.”

“How long will that take?” Eleonora asked, her voice calm and steady.

“I will provide you with a personal communication device,” he said. “It will take at least four days, seven at most.”

“We will be waiting.”

A moment later, Eleonora and her companion left the branch office. The raiders who remained stared after them, blinking, before the room erupted.

“Quick, tell the others! The Eleonora Raid Party is back! And they’ve chosen Balak as their first target!”

“When this gets out, the front page of every newsletter will be plastered with their name and Balak’s.”

“The Eleonora Raid Party, legends who swept through A-rank dungeons a year ago, versus Balak, a dungeon that hit A-rank in just a year and a half. Who will win?!”

The West was once again in an uproar.

—

Meanwhile, Count Dinen, manager of the Haven Territory, had just received the news from headquarters.

“The Eleonora Raid Party, you say?!”

The name was legendary. Anyone involved with raiding had heard of the North’s premier raid party. Eleonora, a top-tier raider who had conquered over fifty A-rank dungeons with her companions, had set new records within the Association. They were idols to the northern raiders, but they had retired. Now, for some reason, they were back.

“Didn’t they retire a year ago after failing to conquer an S-rank dungeon? Why are they suddenly targeting Balak? How is this possible?!”

“According to the branch office staff, they arrived with a formal request from the house of Duke Peyton.”

“What?!”

His greatest fear had become a reality. Duke Peyton had recently been searching for raiders, even offering the staggering sum of fifty million Zen. Dinen had been relieved when the requests were suddenly canceled, but to think the Duke had managed to recruit the Eleonora Raid Party… He had expected some high-level A-rank raiders, but never this.

Count Dinen’s hand, clutching the communication device, trembled with rage.

“Duke Peyton. You have finally crossed the line.”

First, Dinen had blocked the Duke’s forces, and now Peyton was trying to sabotage his plans by hiring the Eleonora Raid Party. The West was finally beginning to prosper thanks to Balak, and this would throw everything into chaos.

Count Dinen delayed the raid permit for as long as he could and summoned Gellix. Though he was still displeased about the recent incident with the high elves, he desperately needed the man’s help.

“I heard you were looking for me, Count Dinen.”

“I’ll get straight to the point. Duke Peyton has hired the Eleonora Raid Party and applied to raid Balak. What are your thoughts?”

“…For him to bring in ‘them’ of all people is a serious problem. First, we must pressure the Derk Empire to at least block any raiders that come after them.”

“Haa. Is that really our only option? Then what about this raid party…?”

“There is nothing we can do. We can only watch. If they came with a request from Duke Peyton himself, the eyes of the entire continent are already upon them. Even you, my lord, with all your influence over the Association, cannot afford to be reckless.”

This was the Eleonora Raid Party, arriving in the West at the behest of Duke Peyton. No excuse to block them would ever work. Moreover, with the nations and raiders once again focused on Balak, Count Dinen, as the leader of the Raider’s Association, was in an awkward position. He couldn’t kill the Association’s own members, and he had to be mindful of the continent’s watchful eyes. He had no choice but to hope Balak could fend them off.

Count Dinen gritted his teeth, his thoughts consumed by Duke Peyton. “I will not forget this, Duke Peyton!”

And so, the Eleonora Raid Party smoothly received their permit to raid Balak.

—

—The Eleonora Raid Party, hired by Duke Peyton, is heading for Balak. They’ve received their permit, so they should be there soon.

—What kind of raid party are they? I hear they’re nothing short of a legend in the North. I don’t know how, but they conquered over fifty A-rank dungeons in just a few months. It’s no wonder they became idols.

—Their numbers are estimated at around eighty. I don’t have any more details. All I know is that Ceder the Drake Slayer, one of Eleonora’s original companions, is with them. Her other old companions are nowhere to be seen. For now, I’ll send you what little information I have on Ceder.

Two weeks had passed since the end of the second Faction War. As news of A-rank raiders applying for raids began to trickle in, a message arrived from Dropin. The Eleonora Raid Party had obtained a permit to raid Balak. Since they had been hired by Duke Peyton, not even Count Dinen could interfere. Balak was now set to face its first A-rank raid party.

Taehyun leaned back in his chair as he absorbed Dropin’s report.

‘A legend of the North, idol of the northern raiders, skilled enough to conquer fifty A-rank dungeons in a few months. There’s no information on Eleonora herself. Even for her companion, Ceder, I only have a vague profile. I was planning to face A-rank parties one by one, but it looks like I’ll have to deal with two top-tier raiders right from the start.’

To be precise, it was one top-tier raider and one high-tier raider, but that hardly mattered. The fact remained that the two of them were coming to Balak with about eighty B-rank raiders in tow.

Taehyun fell silent, slowly closing his eyes and sinking deep into thought. Dormant memories began to surface, one by one, as he retreated into the cold calculus of his mind.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep