Chapter 74. The Power of the Black Dragon (3)
When Misha and Quinkantel went to their room, stunned friends Kuzan and Beris returned to the reception room. They wore flabbergasted and dazed expressions.
"Are you both okay?"
"...I apologize. I got excited for a moment when I heard that Beris was hit. I keep showing you a third-rate side of me."
Kuzan bowed his head deeply, causing Jin to wave his hand dismissively.
"Well, it's human-like and good. It's okay, if Gilly had been hit, I would have lost my mind too."
"I just... asked if she was a thief... considering the circumstances... Ah, this is messed up."
Beris clenched her jaw, grimacing greatly. Even though the healers had treated her, she still felt a numb sensation up to her gums.
Beris couldn't shake off the feeling of injustice.
Since the Blue Bird incident, it had been a month. She had been in Tikan for a month now.
The first week was unbearable, living like an invalid due to the fact that she had been serving Joshua, her true enemy, and losing her magic. At that time, she had no choice because the aftereffects of the reflux phenomenon were too severe.
However, from the second week, Beris decided to try to become accustomed to this place with Kuzan.
Although her treatment hadn't finished and her magic hadn't returned, she did everything she could from cleaning to laundry. She was stubborn, even when others told her she didn't need to do such things.
If she didn't do so, she felt like she would become a useless person.
So yesterday, she was helping Lathry prepare the tea and faced an unexpected situation. For simply asking an unfamiliar woman if she was a thief.
"Master, should I bring some ice?"
"Again with the 'master' thing. Are you crazy? Who's whose master?"
"You taught me the theory and principles of wind-related magics. You even handed down a 5-star magic, you're a master."
"If that's the case then all the teachers at Bement Academy are your masters. Stop talking nonsense and get..."
Of course, losing her magic didn't mean her foul temper disappeared.
"I never learned it."
"Do you think I don't know how the academy lectures are structured? They teach theories in the beginner classes. Stop lying."
"But I really never learned. I was discriminated against. Anyway, I'll bring the ice, so please teach me other magics."
Enya saw herself in Beris, surprisingly.
Neither their appearances nor personalities were alike, but Enya felt a sense of kinship for this reason.
Maybe she was nothing more than a burden to the people here.
After visiting the Dark Magic Council's cave, Enya desperately trained and studied whenever she had the opportunity. (TL’s note : Dark Magic Council was referred to as Dark Magic Association in Reaper’s TL)
Therefore, Enya, while being stubborn and persistent, learned magic one by one from Beris, who was adjusting to the place.
As Enya ran to fetch ice, Beris shook her head in disbelief.
"Losing my magic, everyone seems to take me lightly."
Although she said that, Beris snatched the ice brought by Enya and applied it to her jaw.
"Now, since I've received this, you promised. Teach me a new magic."
"When did I?"
"I'll be waiting in the underground training room in the evening! Then, Master Jin, I'll go ahead!"
Before Beris could yell, Enya quickly left the reception room.
"Ah, my head hurts. Kuzan, why are there people like that? My mood is already bad."
Jin looked at Beris, laughing quietly.
"Beris, here's some advice. It's best to watch what you say to Enya around her Master, Quinkantel. Regardless of your intentions, she will beat you up. I can't stop her, and if you get hit, Kuzan will lose his mind, right? Then Kuzan will also get hit. It's a vicious cycle."
Beris wasn't just a murderous maniac. Although her expressions were extremely, seriously clumsy, she felt a sense of gratitude towards Jin and the people of Tikan.
So, even though she complained whenever Enya made an excuse, she taught her magic. Jin felt that truth, so even if Beris acted a bit savage, he let it slide.
"Hmph."
When Beris abruptly turned and left, Kuzan bowed to Jin on her behalf.
"I apologize, Master Jin. I'll explain it to her so she understands."
"Leave it, she's doing well with Enya. Even Gilly often praises Beris for being more helpful than expected."
In fact, for Kuzan and Beris, Tikan was a strangely bright land.
From a young age, they barely remember, they were raised as hunting dogs in the Lunar Sacrifice, exploited, then lost Taymun, and went under Joshua.
The world they had experienced was unspeakably dark and damp. But now, they were slowly realizing what it meant to live as a human.
Yurien was the same.
"Have you been uncomfortable lately, Yurien?"
"......No."
"That's good."
He didn't say anything more. He was still stuck in fear of Joshua and the fact that the guardian dragon was captured.
His character was extremely introverted and he didn't talk much. It was curious how he had lived under Joshua with those scary knights.
'The power of the God of Thunder, Gramm. If there's a way to fully contain it in Sigmund, then I'll have to revisit the Blue Bird Island with that guy.'
Enhancing Yurien's authority like Joshua did was not a bad idea. If Yurien completely became Jin's ally.
Currently, in Jin's mind, Yurien was closer to a freeloader than a subordinate, and Kuzan and Beris were closer to subordinates than comrades.
"Sir Kashimir."
"Yes, sir."
"Has there been any news related to the Holy Kingdom while I was away?"
"After you left, I met with the officials along with Bran. They seemed reluctant to speak. Of course, I mentioned that our trade business in Tikan might be affected. Fortunately, we had a few trade ships passing through Santel."
"You've worked hard. You also smell something fishy, don't you?"
"Yes, I believe the Holy Kingdom of Vankella can no longer be considered neutral. This time, they have clearly aided Zipfel. There hasn't been a single proper article about it yet."
"The ones who blockaded Santel were the heretic judgment knights from the Dawn Guardians of Doctrine. Moreover, they were even brainwashing the common people within the city."
"It seems they had to hide the events of that day, even by violating King Miklan's edict. Or perhaps, King Miklan was on Zipfel's side from the beginning..."
That was the worst-case scenario.
If the Holy Kingdom had already completely sided with Zipfel, problems would inevitably arise when the Runkandels began a full-fledged succession war.
Countless guardian knights would die or get hurt, and they wouldn't be able to receive support from the exceptional healers of the Holy Kingdom. Or if they did receive support, they would have to pay an incomparably hefty price.
This was a problem that applied not only to Jin but to all warriors in Runkandel, and even further, in Hyufester. That's how excellent the healing power and various medicines of the Holy Kingdom were.
"There is a possibility of that, but we should hope it's not the case. Also, I met Lani Salome, the adopted daughter of the king, there."
"King Miklan is known as a doting father who cherishes his daughter. I've heard related anecdotes several times. But sending his own daughter to aid Zipfel suggests that the Holy Kingdom has already..."
"No, Lani was different from the other knights and saints there. If she hadn't been there, Murakhan would have been caught by Zipfel, or he wouldn't have survived."
Jin explained the situation in detail. He told about meeting Lani, rescuing Murakhan, and how the battle between Kadun and Murakhan unfolded.
"Lani said that the Holy Kingdom was corrupt, colluding with power, and covering up the truth. So she decided to help us. After all, it was Kadun, not Murakhan, who slaughtered the common people."
"That's... You received great help, my lord."
"Yes. I've thought about it, and perhaps King Miklan placed Lani in the Dawn Guardians to keep an eye on them."
"You're saying that not the entire Holy Kingdom, but some factions like the Dawn Society, may have joined hands with Zipfel?"
"That's right."
"It seems more likely to me as well. Remembering the recent policies of the Holy Kingdom, most of them would have been disliked by the internal vested interests. The prohibition of Persuasion Magic was also part of it."
Miklan had abolished Persuasion Magic 20 years ago. Both the Jin of his previous life and the current Jin were too young to remember the intense backlash that occurred within the Holy Kingdom at that time.
On the other hand, Kashimir, being a member of the royal family, hadn't forgotten the consecutive meetings and countless related articles that poured out at Bement at that time.
Violating the most powerful and easiest method of evangelism and conversion was bound to cause such a reaction.
"But the vested interests of the Holy Kingdom joining Zipfel just because of resentment seems a bit lacking. Especially with a huge force like Zipfel, there's a high risk of becoming a mere servant if they bring in the wrong people."
"You're right, my lord. If that were the case, it would have been better to conspire and depose the king. Hmm, we need to investigate properly. I have a feeling that a more complicated relationship will come out than expected."
"First, please find out about Lani Salome. Given that one of the five captains of the Dawn Society was talking about disciplining her, she must be under disciplinary action if King Miklan couldn't stop it."
"I understand. As Sir Murakhan’s great benefactor, I will prepare a way to compensate her without discomfort."
The next morning, Murakan's condition noticeably improved.
The fever that was like a fireball completely disappeared, and he was strutting around the corridors of Tikan with his tail raised like any other vibrant cat.
His fever had naturally gone down without the need for healers to intervene.
"Mia, Mia."
"Meow."
There were also moments when Shuri often knocked Murakhan down on the floor and played with him like a ball.
"Should we just leave him like that? He seems happy in his own way. How about letting him live like that, Jin? It'll save us some air."
"Misha."
"I'm joking. If he was even half as cute as he is now when he was sane, it would have been nice. Hmm... From now on, even if you hear some rather noisy sounds, including screams, just wait. Got it?"
Misha's shadow fell over Murakhan lying on the floor.
She looked down at Murakhan and grinned a sinister smile.