Chapter 150

My lord! The task you entrusted to me on this side has been roughly settled. Just as you anticipated, there were arrangements left behind in the south by the senior Shadow Raven, and since matters unfolded more smoothly than expected, I was able to recover them without much difficulty. (I believe it would be best to explain the related details thoroughly when we meet in person.)

So… I am writing to ask whether I may now return to your side. If there is anything further I must attend to in the south, please let me know. I will await your reply.

A letter with neither sender nor recipient named. However, Yuwon, who read the letter, knew clearly who had sent it. After confirming the letter Hastings had sent, Yuwon drew a smile at the corner of his lips.

‘As expected… his handling of things is clean.’

Until he met Yuwon, Hastings had lived more than half his life buried among piles of books, a complete bookworm. But now, he was no longer the bookworm he once had been. At present, Hastings was a reliable aide Yuwon could trust with his work, a subordinate, and a hidden dagger kept in reserve.

‘I only meant to teach him just enough to protect himself and use him as a strategist… If it weren’t for Marcellus, I might’ve let this precious talent spend his whole life rummaging through books.’

As expected, Marcellus’s eye for talent had been exceptional. Of course, Hastings himself was no ordinary man either. During the stage when Marcellus tested Hastings’s loyalty, the severe hardships Hastings endured were moments where his life hung in the balance at almost every turn, especially since he had possessed no power at the time.

‘Marcellus….’

A bloated body and a completely bald head. Small eyes that looked as though lines had been drawn on a dumpling. Because he had taken on the guise of a castrated eunuch to remain by Yuwon’s side, Marcellus had chattered all day in a disgusting voice that was neither male nor female. That appearance remained vivid in Yuwon’s memory.

‘Of course, it was all a lie.’

The day the Emperor fell and the throne of Aphahiel was taken. In that final moment, the true appearance of Marcellus that Yuwon glimpsed briefly was nothing like that. It was simply that Yuwon was more familiar with the guise Marcellus had worn.

‘You protected me until your last moment, and even after you’re gone, you still guard my side so steadfastly….’

At the thought of Marcellus, which had surfaced after a long while, a bitter smile spread across Yuwon’s lips.

‘This isn’t the time to indulge in sentiment.’

With that, Yuwon forced his thoughts into order, took up a quill, and began writing a reply to send to Hastings.

On a slip of paper barely half the size of his palm, tiny letters were packed densely together. Yuwon then carefully rolled up the note and sealed it inside a small leather pouch.

Srrrk—

As if it had been waiting, a small snake, just a little larger than Yuwon’s palm, slithered toward him and opened its mouth wide. Yuwon slipped the sealed note straight into the creature’s mouth.

“Go and deliver this to Hastings.”

Yuwon entrusted the letter to the snake. As if it understood, the snake nodded its head and quickly moved off to carry out its task.

This was something Yuwon had become capable of after obtaining the Dragon Jade, as his dominion had grown stronger. His control, once limited to reptilian-type monsters, had now extended to amphibian-type monsters and even ordinary reptiles that were not monsters.

After sending the letter, Yuwon prepared to head out. There was still one more person he needed to check on.

“Now then… if Hastings and Terrien are both roughly finished with their preparations… there’s only one thing left….”

Now, Yuwon’s right arm wielded lightning, and his dagger had grown even sharper. Only one thing remained.

“Well then… shall I go meet the future Great Magician?”

His left arm, Bernid. Filled with anticipation over how much Bernid had grown, Yuwon headed toward him.

After his Rebirth through Bone Cleansing, Yuwon moved his body, now as light as a feather, and raced at full speed toward the shamans’ village far in the distance. Though he had come without sending word, the shamans somehow knew and welcomed him, guiding him into the village.

“I came to see Bernid.”

“Welcome. King of the River. The Great Eye is waiting for you inside.”

The King of the River referred to Yuwon, and the Great Eye referred to Kahaad. Guided by the shamans, Yuwon was able to meet Kahaad, Bernid’s teacher, right away. Naturally, Bernid himself was there as well—looking a complete mess.

“Uh… you’re here?”

“….”

“Ah… I look pretty bad right now, don’t I? I’m in the middle of training….”

Bernid’s face was gaunt from layers of fatigue, and his manner of speech and behavior lacked confidence. He was the exact opposite of Terrien, who had grown more confident with each stage of training.

‘Looks like he’s having a really hard time.’

“I should get going now. My teacher allowed me to see you briefly, but like I said, I’m still training….”

“Yeah. Hang in there.”

Bernid withdrew as if being chased—no, as if fleeing. Yuwon merely patted his shoulder lightly as he sent him off.

After ending his brief reunion with Bernid, Yuwon met Kahaad alone. After a few light greetings were exchanged, Yuwon brought up the main point.

“I’d like to take him with me now.”

“…That child? You’re saying you’ll take him? No. It won’t do. He’s still far from ready.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“I mean exactly what I said. That boy Bern—he’s only just started walking… no, that’s not quite right. He’s at the level where he trusts his own ability just enough to act up and get stabbed somewhere and die.”

The unexpected answer made Yuwon frown.

“No, why? Bernid shouldn’t be that slow at learning….”

“Of course. He’s my disciple. Our Bern isn’t slow to learn. He just has a lot to learn.”

“…Then how far has he progressed right now?”

“Roughly… the very end of the 6th circle, I’d say….”

At Kahaad’s answer, Yuwon, who rarely showed surprise, widened his eyes.

“The end of the 6th circle? In such a short time?”

Up until the moment Bernid set foot in the Great Jungle, his level had been around the 5th circle—and he had been stagnating there for quite some time. Yet now he was suddenly at the end of the next circle.

“What are you so surprised about? He’s a kid who’s seen the ‘wall.’ Did you think, with a teacher like me, he wouldn’t even manage that much?”

As Kahaad said, Bernid’s achievement was not merely “that much.” A seasoned 6th-circle mage could easily secure a high-ranking position within a Mage Corps.

And the 7th circle was on another level entirely. Just entering the 7th circle was enough to earn a ducal title in a small nation. Even in a powerful state like the Aphahiel Empire, a 7th-circle mage was formidable enough to immediately secure a countship or marquisate.

“It seems our King of the River is quite surprised.”

Whether it was pride in himself or in his disciple Bern, Kahaad wore a rather smug expression as he smiled at Yuwon. Yuwon simply smiled it off.

‘If the price of receiving teachings that even a fortune couldn’t buy is having him puff up a bit in front of me, that’s still a bargain. Of course it is.’

“As for magic, once he reaches the 7th circle, there’s nothing more I can teach him. After that, he’ll have to cultivate himself. So once he enters the 7th circle, I plan to have him study other subjects I’ve been putting off.”

“…You mean shamanism.”

Kahaad nodded in response.

“Right. In that field, the boy has to start completely from the ground up, so it’ll take some time. That’s why I say he’s still far from ready.”

After that, Yuwon fell silent, as if lost in thought. Kahaad calmly waited through the silence. Then, after a brief but heavy pause of about ten seconds, Yuwon spoke again.

“…How much more time will he need?”

“I can’t say for sure. It depends on the boy’s progress. Still, judging by his pace so far, I’d say in about three to four months, he should reach the early stages of the 7th circle and be able to handle simple shamanic techniques. That’s just my estimate.”

Kahaad was a man capable of glimpsing the future, even if only fragmentarily. There was no way he would say such things based on mere conjecture. Yuwon nodded as if in agreement.

“Fine. I’ll give you more time. But three to four months is too long. Two to three months… I think things can still work without Bernid.”

Kahaad frowned, clearly dissatisfied with Yuwon’s reply.

“Three to four months is already incredibly fast, and you want to cut that down further? That won’t do.”

“If it won’t do, then so be it. Bernid has his own role entrusted to him. War is right around the corner, and even granting this much time is a significant courtesy. Surely you understand that. Are you going to keep insisting?”

There was weight behind Yuwon’s words. Teaching Bernid was something to be grateful for, but Bernid was Yuwon’s brother and subordinate. Yuwon was not someone so easygoing that he would accept endless demands after already yielding ground. And Kahaad, standing before him, was no ordinary man either.

“And if I refuse?”

Kahaad’s unfocused eyes turned precisely toward Yuwon. In an instant, mana flickered like flames within them.

“Then I’ll have no choice but to take him by force.”

“So just because you can handle a few snakes, our king seems to be underestimating me.”

“…Me? I think you’re the one underestimating me.”

At those words, Yuwon’s blue eyes sank into pitch-black depths. The pupils that had once shone coldly like a winter sea were now overlaid with a fathomless abyss.

There was no raging storm of mana befitting a powerhouse, no sharp killing intent, in Yuwon’s display of force. There was only a deep abyss that swallowed everything. But the strong recognize the strong.

In the abyss that hung over Yuwon’s gaze, in those eyes from which nothing could be read, Kahaad felt instinctive fear. Goosebumps spread across his entire body.

‘T-this bastard…! He’s gotten stronger again!’

Blind though he was, Kahaad could see things others could not. And what he saw then was something he would have been better off never seeing.

‘Wait… that, that is… what?’

It was a snake with a body as massive as a mountain. A gigantic serpent coiled around Yuwon as if protecting him. Even Kahaad, who had seen every manner of life in the Great Jungle, had never heard of or seen such a monstrous serpent. At that moment, something flashed through Kahaad’s mind.

‘…No, I’ve never seen it, but I’ve heard of it.’

The Primordial Serpent, said to have existed since the beginning of time. The image of that legendary being suddenly grew clearer the more Kahaad realized it. What had seemed like mist or shadow now took on a distinct serpentine form, raising its neck stiffly as it stared down at Kahaad.

‘No… why is that monster attached to that guy….’

Living up to its name as a being said to have existed since the dawn of time, its overwhelming presence was something no human could dare even look at directly. Kahaad froze on the spot, like a mouse standing before its natural predator.

Unconsciously clenching his fists, Kahaad found them soaked in sweat, while cold beads ran down his spine.

Tsssss—

The sound of the serpent licking its lips echoed beside Kahaad’s ear, and just as his willpower was about to shatter, Yuwon withdrew his pressure in an instant.

Barely regaining his senses, Kahaad raised his trembling hand and held up three fingers.

“Th… three months…?”

Yuwon smiled faintly, reached out, and folded down one of the fingers Kahaad was holding up.

“Two months.”

I received your reply well. I’m glad to hear that things were settled smoothly. If you’ve completed your mission, you may return. However, before you do, I’d like you to look into the situation within the Empire and gather some related information. After all, the information that reaches me here is inevitably delayed or limited.

Do not push yourself unnecessarily. There is no need to dig up deeply buried secrets. At times, the fanciful rumors circulating through the marketplaces can be the most valuable information of all, as they reflect the sentiments of the people.

If something happens while you are gathering information, you may handle it at your own discretion and report afterward. I trust that you will make the right judgment.

That will be all for now. You’ve worked hard. I wish you a safe return.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep