162
Call me
‘I thought magic wouldn’t work.’
I guessed why Kuabarou used Fire Punch.
The battles between wizards were rather straightforward. They were firefights, with each side pouring magic at the other.
Guobarou’s fireball was pushed back by Carrot’s. The magicians I’ve seen have surrendered cleanly, but Guobarou didn’t give up and ran right away.
And then the fire punch that followed. At first glance, it seemed like it was just a formality, but in reality, it was just a punch.
However, since the fist was surrounded by flames, it could only be seen as magic.
‘But you didn’t scream?’
While reviewing the battle, a question suddenly occurred to me and I looked at Kuabarou.
Although he had a calm expression, there were deep nail marks on his palms and his eyes were bloodshot.
‘You held out.’
I was amazed at how he tolerated the kidney stones.
I glanced at the carrots and the snail. Next to the carrots, the guard I had seen before was checking their condition.
Carrot’s face was scrunched up, but he didn’t say anything else. It seemed like the sulking had been cured by the punch.
‘Still, the magic was greater than I thought.’
Carrot’s magic was pretty good even without the magic circle. Considering that most of what Kuobarou said was based on facts, it didn’t seem to be just skill.
‘It’s a walking stick. It looks good at first glance.’
I looked at the cane in Carrot’s hand and licked my lips. I thought it would be more useful if I gave it to Kanna.
“The fireball is the most basic of the basics, so how can the shape of the fireball be shaky? It’s ridiculous that the fireball of this elder has such a density.”
Kuobarou stood in front of the carrot and kept spitting out the winner’s rightful ridicule.
Judging from his expression, it seemed like he was giving advice rather than mocking her, but as expected from Kuo Bao Rou, his tone was extremely aggressive.
His face crumpled even more, but he didn’t respond, perhaps because he was shocked by his defeat just now.
“······But it’s a little better than before. It used to be hard to find, but now it’s at least somewhat presentable.”
Kuobarou continued speaking coldly and turned around as if nothing had happened. Carrot’s face turned strange when he heard him.
‘This kid······.’
I was impressed by the subtle control of intensity. However, looking at Kuo Bao Rou’s face, it seemed that it was not intentional.
“What are you saying! Who wants your approval?! I’m an elder and you’re just a professor! And you wrapped a fireball around your fist?! I won’t approve of such ignorant behavior! No, I can’t!”
Carrot turned away, showing a typical reaction that middle-aged people rarely show. The escort followed right behind him.
It wasn’t a particularly nice sight.
“Kkieeeek···.”
As the carrot moved away, Kua Bao Rou made a small sound.
I clicked my tongue slightly at the unexpected middle-aged romance. We’re at an age where we know everything about each other, so what are we doing…
I turned my gaze to the shout I heard at that moment. The dwarf seemed to be working hard, but his progress was slow. It seemed like it would take at least ten years to build the magic tower I had seen in the capital.
“Park Daegari, aren’t you in a hurry?”
“Ugh… Phew, there’s not much left. I’m thinking of just making the outside and filling the inside with a magic circle.”
He nodded at Kuobarou’s answer. It seemed like he was just trying to make it look plausible.
‘They’re planning to build a giant magic circle installation base under the pretext of a magic tower.’
Even just putting up the exterior would take quite some time, but it would definitely be much shorter than building the interior.
‘Then is it the magic tower?’
I had my doubts, but I didn’t bother asking. As long as it worked properly, that was enough.
“What about Kanna?”
“We’ll join once the wall construction is finished. Right now, Dig is just getting settled in, so we don’t need magic yet.”
Kuabarou pointed to the dwarf and said, The dwarf was talking passionately while standing in front of the stonemason.
It seemed like a very impressive story, and some of the stonemasons had tears in their eyes. Looking closely, their foreheads were red as if they had been hit.
“What did you promise the dwarf?”
I wondered how they could make a dwarf, known for his high ransom, so passionate.
“He promised me a long, thick beard like a woman’s hair.”
Kuobarou answered monotonously.
‘···Straight hair and beard?’
I thought about it and it made me feel dirty.
“But how did you plant it?”
“Oh, I froze his hair with mana, then pulled it out and planted it on his chin, then mixed it with other magics to immobilize him.”
Although Kuobarou explained it nonchalantly, just hearing it sent a terrible pain through me. Why did the dwarf have so many red spots on his shiny hair?
“Jace’s research was helpful. The resilience of living things is incredible. I’ve also gotten a little better through him. Mana circuits are part of the body, after all.”
“Well, it’s not tasty without screaming.”
Kua Baorou frowned at my muttering.
Although it was a somewhat brutal method, it was clear that the hair transplant was successful. Hair transplant in the Middle Ages… The smell of gold coins was strong in the air.
“That’s great. So it can solve baldness too?”
Kuabarou shook his head at my question.
“It was possible for dwarves because their chins are thick due to their racial characteristics. On the other hand, humans, whose skin is thin, are unable to do so. I also found out this time that dwarves have thick chins.”
‘What a pity, I could have made a lot of money.’
The dwarf’s obsession with beards was imaginary, so the beard transplant technique was not a bad harvest.
‘I can gather some dwarves. I guess I’ll have to go to Nova.’
I nodded and handed him the water bottle.
“What the hell do you call me······ Kkekeke.”
I grabbed a cool water bottle and headed to Naeseong.
***
Knock knock.
“Come in.”
When I opened the door and went in, Nova was sitting upright as usual. Next to her were two familiar faces.
“Are you here?”
It was Yahoo and another guy. The two were sitting at a table on one side, looking over a pile of papers.
‘Why are they here?’
I waved my hand roughly.
“Could you please step aside?”
“yes.”
Yahoo got up from his seat at Nova’s short remark, but the punk just sat there blankly.
“Will you please wake up?”
Yahoo smiled awkwardly and spoke softly to the guy.
“It’s cold outside… We have nowhere to go.”
Yahoo’s face turned red at the grumbling of the punk. Yahoo didn’t say much and just grabbed the punk by the hair and dragged him.
“Ahh! I’m the deputy director of the information agency under Cassidy! Deputy director! This is the kind of person who deserves to be treated······.”
Yahoo was startled by the guy’s shout, laughed awkwardly and covered the guy’s mouth.
“Then I’ll go out. Feel free to talk.”
Yahoo, who had finally kicked the guy out, gave a serious greeting and left.
“So that’s an intelligence agency?”
When I asked, Nova’s nose twitched for a moment.
“It’s still in the early stages. And even if it looks like that, it’s good to get information. As long as you have good skills, that’s all that matters.”
Nova quickly answered, as if he had been struck by the core.
“Eww! Ah, it’s cold.”
“Be quiet!”
“Huh? Can’t you see my wisdom teeth?”
“Would you please be quiet?”
At that moment, Nova’s face turned red at the stupid conversation heard outside.
“······what!”
When their eyes met, Nova got angry.
“A nasty orange.”
“Phew… No, I saw a possibility. Yes, a possibility.”
Nova, who had been talking to herself, put her hand in the drawer and furrowed her eyebrows. After fumbling for a moment, Nova bit her lip.
“···This kid ate my walnut again. I clearly locked it, so how did he get it out?”
Nova glared at the door, muttered softly, and exhaled deeply.
Nova, who had returned to her usual innocent face, straightened up and looked up at me as if nothing had happened. However, her cheeks were still red.
“The top number has increased again?”
Nova said, tapping the paper on top. I looked at it.
“Aaron trend report?”
When I read the title above, Nova was startled and hid behind him.
“······A report to the top. The top.”
Nova glared at me, her voice strangely raised, and took a deep breath.
“Yeah, whatever.”
I was a big shot, a major shareholder of Cassadic. It was understandable that he would want to know about my movements.
“There’s also a stake in the Fullfoot family at the top. It’s inevitable that they’ll be the subject of interest. Got it?”
“Okay, I got it.”
I nodded, but Nova explained the report several times.
I ended up adding ‘strong’ and ‘top’ next to Aaron, but the margins on both sides didn’t match, which made me feel unnecessarily uncomfortable.
“But······ You’re not kidnapping them, are you? Why do the number of items and people keep increasing every time you go up?”
Only then did Nova return to the main topic and speak with narrowed eyes. Looking at that sullen expression, my mouth started to tingle for no reason.
“Isn’t it written in Aaron’s trend report?”
“I said, this is a strong Aaron top trend report!”
“Yeah, well anyway.”
When I answered, Nova glared at me with narrowed eyes.
“The Kingdom of Byzant? I heard you’re from there, right?”
I scratched my cheek at Nova’s question. It seemed to be written in Aaron’s trend report.
“No, it’s a place I stayed for a while before.”
“Are there any plans to increase the number of people?”
Nova looked down at the paper and asked, tapping her quill pen.
Even though I was given the top position…
‘It’s already a ruined kingdom.’
They were the ones who survived the war. I would accept them if they came looking for me, but I had no intention of looking for them first.
Even though Byzant destroyed the kingdom, it was a mutual assault. There was even a compromise.
“Maybe.”
“I wish many people would come, but I can’t invite them?”
“Greedy Orange.”
When I shook my head, Nova turned the paper over without asking any further questions.
“I’ve heard about the top of Gyarrot. First of all, the results are good, but… they’re too aggressive. Is that okay?”
Nova asked in a trembling voice. It wasn’t the same scolding tone as when he broke the wall.
“I plan to send an expedition soon.”
“expedition?”
Nova asked with wide eyes.
“There is only one top under the sky.”
“I think you’ve misunderstood the word ‘top’. Top means······.”
Nova looked at me with very worried eyes and explained at length.
Even if they stayed still, it was clear that the other side would move. It was no different from declaring war. The fight would end only when one of the two died or had their stomachs opened.
I left that up to Choco and Brock Lesnar. They both came from general backgrounds, so they were sure to conquer it. They’d come to an amicable agreement soon.
“I knew that would happen, so I contacted Viscount Bonita. In any case, it is true that the Garrote Merchant has weakened. The legitimate loot from last time also seemed quite fatal. Viscount Bonita is engaged in a territorial war, so he has no choice but to join hands with us.”
Nova twirled her quill pen. I was a little impressed by how she was doing what needed to be done without asking me.
‘As expected, eating dried pollack isn’t something that just anyone can do.’
Considering that he served for quite a long time in the Middle Ages, where if you got caught wrong, you would be hung at the castle gate rather than sent to prison, his career was solid.
“You can expect a good answer. Of course, the more the upper part of the Gyarrot shakes, the higher the possibility of that.”
Knock, knock. The quill left a black dot on the paper.
“Shaking the top of the Gyarrot···.”
I looked at him for a moment and then shook my head.
“Right? Isn’t it a bit dangerous to shake the top of the gyrot? I knew that, so I tried other methods···.”
Nova’s expression changed immediately at my answer and she pulled out another piece of paper. It was filled with coping methods of different nature.
“This is a plan for when there is an agreement with the upper ranks of Gyarrot···.”
“Don’t shake it, just pull out the roots. There will be no regrets.”
Nova, who had been holding out another piece of paper in response to my answer, stopped there.
Originally, it was better for both sides to kill each other than to let them live.
“I think you misunderstood the definition of top. Top isn’t like that······.”
Nova was about to start a long rant. I quickly cut her off to change the subject.
“But you started the rumor, right?”
“So, hitting someone will get you through… huh?”
“What will happen to my son if I touch the piece?”
“Oh, the pieces are really huge. I have to use them somehow. It’s a waste to leave something that can be used alone. Hmm… The cost of spreading the rumor….”
Nova, trailing off, took out another piece of paper and handed it to me. It detailed the costs of spreading the rumor.
The table I showed you before has been developed and drawn so that it is easier to see at a glance.
‘That’s amazing.’
As long as Nova was there, it seemed unlikely that Cassady would go broke financially, no matter what happened.
Nova, who had actually handed it over, was looking at the next piece of paper with an indifferent expression. Then, I remembered my purpose and opened my mouth.
“Oh, did you hear that? I heard there’s a brave wizard who can plant beards in Cassidy.”
“beard?”
“Dwarves are crazy about beards.”
“Aha. Okay.”
I nodded at Nova’s quick writing on paper.
“Orange, good at work.”
“······what.”
It was a harsh answer, but the corners of his mouth twitched.
***
[I blame myself for being so stupid as to trust you!]
Knock knock.
I took a deep breath and reached for my sword.
The sword was pulled out without me realizing it.
I stared blankly at the cold blade for a moment.
The sword was covered in red blood.
‘I must have wiped it.’
I squinted my eyes at the blood dripping from the sword.
The bed was dyed red.
I looked at him and wondered whose blood it was.
Lastly, Ben Gunn was Ethan.
Knock knock.
‘It’s already over.’
I shook my head and got up from my seat.
When I opened the door, there was a familiar table top.
“It’s a good morning to pray.”
The abbot spoke monotonously as always.
“Yeah, whatever.”
I nodded.
“I guess you had a nightmare.”
The abbot added something unusual.
“You’ll feel much better if you drink some warm tea before going to bed.”
“I think it would be better if no one woke me up.”
The abbot shook his head at my muttering.
“The nightmare never ends.”
“forever.”
As the abbot’s face distorted, Udra’s face came to mind.
Ethan’s face rose up next to him.
On one side, a quarter was sleeping.
“A modified version of the previous question. This sucks.”
The sword he was holding was gone.
I clicked my tongue and swung my fist.
***
Knock knock.
“Fuck.”
I habitually reached for the sword.
There was nothing on the blade. It had some scratches from use, but it was in good enough condition to be sold for a fair price.
I was in a daze for a moment, feeling as if I was stuck in a swamp.
Then, I got up from my seat at the sound of a loud knock.
‘It’s over.’
I continued muttering as I headed toward the door.
When I opened the door, the abbot was standing there as usual.
“It’s a good morning to pray.”
“Oh, I’m not buying it.”
I sharpened my sword while muttering a joke.
“I guess you had a nightmare.”
The abbot spoke in a monotonous voice. My eyes sank as I felt a sense of foreboding.
I checked my hand. The twenty-bone was still there.
“It would be much better if you read the Bible before going to bed.”
The strength in my hand holding my sword disappeared as I listened to the abbot’s words.
“Yeah, whatever.”
I nodded vaguely and passed him by.
I woke up Choco as usual, grabbed Kanna, and headed to the backyard.
While operating the upper level, the backyard was renovated separately. Unlike before, when it was an empty lot, a wall was built around it so that training could be done even on rainy days.
“”evil!””
Among the three members of Bossi’s family, Bori and Bomyeon were standing at attention.
After lining them up, I slowly stretched my body.
“Army handstand exercise-start! One, two, three, you-.”
It was really funny to see foreigners imitating with serious faces.
“You!”
Kanna shouted vigorously and waved her hands around, and fire followed suit beautifully.
It was a skilled rat fire game.
***
“I told you I really did!”
The weasel looked at Kel and screamed.
“Well, if you were to sue the knight, I would have sue the captain. Huh?”
Kel answered with a long yawn.
The weasel, with a look of resentment on its face, looked at me. It seemed as if it was expecting something.
“Go and open the gate.”
I pointed ahead. Kel and the weasel headed toward the gate.
“I told you, I really did it. With this hand! I hit the back of the knight’s head….”
“How dare you… what the hell. If even I can’t avoid it, what kind of article can you avoid?”
“What are you doing?”
“I already love Rosa······.”
The two grumbled and worked hard to turn the pulley. The weasel hit Kel on the back of the head, but was caught by Kel and beaten up badly.
‘I heard the Inquisitor is also conducting the search.’
I yawned deeply and looked around. The captain said I could see it if I went to the castle gate…
Something silvery, slightly protruding from a corner of the gate, caught my eye.
When I looked into it, I saw that it was a sleeping Lung-Gyeop.
‘Why is he sleeping here?’
I clicked my tongue and shook my lungs.
When I touched it lightly, the lung opened its eyes immediately. Its pupils moved from side to side, as if it had no intention of getting up.
“You have to get up.”
Hoo- Lung-gyeop nodded after letting out a long breath and slowly got up. Beneath him was the piece of cloth he had given me last time.
The sergeant folded him up and put him inside his armor. Then he took the cake out of the pocket on his waist.
I slept with the cake in my pocket, so it couldn’t have been a good thing.
The old man took a bite of the cake, which was almost like rice cake, without any particular problem.
His eyebrows flared slightly. It looked delicious. Then, when our eyes met, he held out his hand.
I shook my head because the teeth marks were clearly visible and it didn’t look like something I would want to eat.
“I just ate.”
Nod.
I put the remaining cake into my mouth. There were crumbs all over the corners of my mouth.
At that moment, the gate opened. I headed towards it with my luggage.
Perhaps because he had slept well, Lung-gyeop stood next to me without hiding and watched the inspection. Of course, all he did was take out a cake and yawn while eating it.
‘How much did you put in your pocket?’
The leather pouch hanging from the waist of the sergeant was very full.
Among the visitors, there were quite a few who just touched the sculptures and left.
At that moment, the lung poked me. I looked at the cream on my armor for a moment and then stared at the lung.
The lung-level person pointed at himself and showed one finger, and pointed at me and showed six fingers.
He seemed to be teasing me by saying that he only had one service left, but you had six. I found that really annoying.
‘I’m just complaining about sleeping while working…’
Looking at the ruined temple with the corners of its lips slightly raised, I thought of various plans. Since it was a ruined temple, there were many excuses to make people worship.
“Oh, is there a way to interrogate heretics?”
The sergeant gestured to my question. It seemed like he was playing a mini game, so I unconsciously focused on it.
Pointing and swinging the mace, pretending to tie hands… It seemed like they were roughly assessing suspicious people in a medieval manner.
It was not an appropriate way to interrogate the young Cassadick, who had a bright future ahead of him. As a major shareholder, he could not stand by and watch Cassadick’s image be tarnished.
“Then would you like to stand over here?”
I shook my head and placed the lungs in front of the wall. The lungs moved along quickly.
“With a mace in your hand and a scary expression on your face… That’s right.”
Nod. I nodded along.
On the castle wall, there were a lot of newly acquired mascots from the raccoon era on display, and it looked quite nice when a wastepaper basket was placed in front of them.
The problem was the impression. The only thing the lungs could do was move the corners of their mouths slightly while their expressions were expressionless, so they had to make a face.
“When visitors come, just make an impression.”
Gyah.
“With your eyes wide open and your nose wrinkled-.”
Nod.
The eyes of the dead man grew slightly thicker.
However, it was still not enough.
“No, just put in a little more force.”
Nod.
It seemed like he was trying, but something was missing.
I looked at him for a moment and then continued.
“Oh, come worship with me later this evening…”
Call.
The eyes of the sergeant sharpened in an instant.
I even felt alive.
“I think this will suffice.”
Call. Nod.
Seeing her long eyelashes fluttering, it seemed like I could empathize well.
“Brother! A visitor is coming!”
The weasel shouted from the front. At the weasel’s words, Lung-geup looked back and forth between me and the weasel with wide eyes.
“This way.”
I ignored the gaze and waved. The first visitors were a couple. Next to them were two rough-looking men carrying rough axes.
They weren’t mercenaries, but rather seemed to be just local kids who had some power.
In the Middle Ages, there was no way to know what was happening outside the castle. That was why everyone tried to find a mercenary group with some reputation. But a couple came with two men like that…
‘You’re fearless,’
Still, I could say I was lucky to have arrived at Cassidy.
“Where are you from?”
“I came from the Bolt Castle. I heard that there is a piece here that will give birth to a healthy male child. I was worried because I had no son to continue the family line…”
The man who appeared to be the husband pulled the woman’s shoulder and said.
‘Volt Castle… You came from nearby.’
I nodded and pointed with my chin at the men behind me.
“Oh, my daughters.”
The man introduced the other two, pointing to them. The men who had been stern until just now nodded with innocent smiles.
‘···daughter?’
It was only then that I realized that there was no beard on their developed chins. I let out a moment of silence at the unexpected development.
“How old are you?”
“He’s twelve years old, he’s eleven years old.”
“It’s gone.”
“yes?”
I ignored the man’s question and stepped aside.
Behind me was a set of abandoned buildings.
Call.
The lungs glared at him.
The expressions of the visitors who saw the ruins changed abruptly. The inquisitor stared at them with bread crumbs on his face from under the hideous mascot hanging on the wall.
If it was a heresy, it would have been an inevitably frustrating atmosphere.
I watched the visitor’s reaction with keen eyes. He trembled as if he were frightened, but his face did not look prickled.
Call.
“Eek! Sorry!”
“passing.”
Trembling visitors hurried past and entered the castle.
Of course, it would be impossible to completely weed out heresy, but it seemed better than breaking one’s head.
‘I don’t think Ethan will come for a while.’
It was clear that word had already spread among the heretics that the inquisitors were gathered at Cassadic.
Call.
‘This kid is having fun.’
I shook my head at the corners of Lung-gyeop’s lips that were strangely raised. I continued the inspection with Lung-gyeop’s eyes wide open.
There were quite a few returning visitors. Everyone, even those who weren’t heretics, seemed to want to avoid the inquisitors, who had bread crumbs on their lips and glaring eyes.
It was a shame to send away visitors who had spent money at Catholic.
There have always been those who moved quickly and made money.
“Delicious meat buns and wine! Cheap, cheap!”
Hannah and the three men were selling food at a stall in front of the castle wall.
Since it was a distance that took a day to get there, the meat bread sold well even though it was more expensive than the original price.
Kel and the Weasel went forward and took care of the sculptures. They collected money from those who looked at the sculptures and brought me a certain amount of money.
In a way, Deokgu is one of my sub-characters, so it was right for me to receive a certain amount of money.
Call.
Whether it was because the fun had been going on, Lung-gyeop was still putting a lot of strength into his eyes.
“You don’t have to do it now.”
Nod.
Only then did I relax my eyes and naturally take out the cake and eat it. I refused the cake that had turned into rice cake.
The sergeant stretched after eating all the cake. His eyes were tired and had lost their strength, but there was still a lot of time left before his shift ended.
B… rup.
The strength in Lunggyeop’s eyes has somewhat waned,
At that moment, a cart approached.
It was a cart, not a carriage. The cart was pulled by an old horse, and the driver was just as old as the horse.
The horse was sticking its tongue out as if it was about to fall over at any moment, and the cart made a rattling noise as it moved.
It was a skinny old man, an old horse, and a shabby cart-.
‘Devil Candy?’
My eyes narrowed at the sweet smell that filled the air.
A sweet smell wafted from the cart. However, it felt different from the devil candies I had smelled so far.
Kel yawned and approached the cart.
I positioned my sword so that I could easily draw it and quickly stepped forward.
Then something happened in the carriage.
Long, blood-red hair and clothes that clung as tightly as skin. A heavy iron piece that looked like a heart protector covered the left side of her chest.
The woman’s curves caught my eye, but I habitually looked away.
The woman, who had only her upper body raised, was holding a bottle of alcohol in her mouth. Unlike other devil candies, she had no weapon. The scent was strong enough to arouse the opposite sex, but it did not seem to be of the level of a master.
It didn’t feel easy though. Besides, I realized as a raccoon how reckless it was to fight the devil candy without any information.
Strength entered the hand that held the sword handle.
“Ugh-.”
The tension was broken by a long sigh as the woman spat out the bottle. Her flushed eyes opened slightly.
It was obvious that he was very drunk. Even his body was shaking.
Kel approached the woman like a brainwashed man. I quickly grabbed the back of his neck and dragged him back.
“Huh? Captain?”
Only then did Kel’s eyes return. The expressions on the others’ faces were similar.
It seemed to emit some kind of unknown magical power, but I was able to control it to some extent, thanks to Park Dae-gari.
“stop.”
I said, grabbing the hilt of the knife.
The old man pulled the reins and the horse slowly came to a halt.
Eek-eek-.
All that could be heard was the horse’s heavy breathing.
“We···.”
When the old man opened his mouth to say something.
“I found it-. As expected, I’m lucky-.”
The woman who suddenly got up looked down at me with the corners of her mouth deeply raised. Her dimples were deeply sunken.
‘···Found it?’
My head was getting complicated. The woman was definitely a demon. My brother was the most likely suspect, but I couldn’t be sure because there were so many people looking for me.
I recently organized one big thing, but there were a lot of places that were left out.
I glared at the woman as I adjusted the handle of the knife.
There was no information. That was why the devil candy was annoying. The information I had accumulated so far was useless, so I couldn’t come up with a countermeasure.
Then the woman held out her left hand.
I wouldn’t show my power here without going crazy, but I followed suit and drew my sword slightly.
However, the woman’s behavior was different from what I expected.
The woman banged her left fist against the palm of her right hand, a crude gesture that only a drunken mercenary would make.
“Hey, let’s do this.”
The woman winked and trailed off.
‘It looks delicious.’
I stroked the hilt of the knife and stared into the woman’s red eyes.
Call···.
Joanna’s eyes stung, so she closed them for a moment, then opened them again.
Call!
