Chapter 230: City of Outlaws (2)
hLapcYNamarka City.c24VYd
3anHmpzA place where there is no rightful or legitimate owner, and only anarchy prevails.4XIzFuY
faqOkF9However, the order in the chaos that was spontaneously created despite no one being in control felt distinctly familiar to Vlad.cGP
iDZC“…You have many siblings, don’t you?”IJiu
5uXGzPerhaps because of this, Vlad had let his guard down for a moment.M5mQ
ZdnHe had assumed that the alleys of Namarka would function the same way as those in which he was born.z2u9g
TTR8OOBut, although something might seem similar on the surface, in reality, there were no two things in the world that were identical.p7DCA
unJxn8“Most beastmen form matriarchal societies. So, the tribe’s children are, in a sense, everyone’s children.”ZaU
NkgxseHe felt he would have known this even without Nibelun’s explanation behind him.KF7NH
nRKEyBefore he realized it, countless beastmen had lined up behind the young pickpocket.9Pmn
QENThe current situation, where nearly a hundred people had come out for the sake of a single young pickpocket, was a spectacle that could never have been imagined in the alleys of Soara.UJ8V
nvFn7“…The expression ‘everyone’s child’ sounds nice.”JPnn
FfCxzBut it would have been better if he had known beforehand.WA7ge
eD5Feeling the atmosphere growing increasingly fierce, Vlad raised his hands and smiled awkwardly.qPs0ubH
PBOpTi“It wasn’t my intention to scare the child. In fact, I came here recommended by Dorothea…”ay81
ZPhJMhYYou should never surprise these people.icm
wiLaWith that mindset, Vlad even mentioned Dorothea’s name, but the only response was the increasingly sharp eyes of the Ruga men.W5w4kAC
2QAqI8“…It seems Dorothea made some kind of mistake, right?”HVy3q
Rp05WA child of the tribe is everyone’s child.97y2Aw
vMZqYYBut Vlad had not imagined that if there was a child alone outside, there was probably a reason behind it.9GcE6m
edoo***gsD
WoaF0xmThe sword was not taken away.WNUz
VqbBut that didn’t mean he was separated from his companions.G8KMV
pybgDYet, being locked up behind bars was still unpleasant.UnkRYB
Vs9“From the beginning, you never intended to go north, did you?”c2oo
LxhR“…”tSI
51j“Crafty bastard. You planned to do it all on your own from the start.”SzF
66NFiOLPedro, who had been imprisoned in the Ruga family’s jail thanks to Vlad’s unexpected actions, spat dryly as if he finally understood the situation.9FrRM
ijb0qjB“Damned brat. Things that go against the norm inevitably end badly somewhere.”OCr
mLgX22BPedro’s anger at being deceived by Vlad and unable to head to his intended destination was justified.Gd6W
ruDPlzHowever, the reason he couldn’t be more insensitive was that he somewhat sympathized with Vlad’s motive for making this decision.87uF
2Utd“I had no other choice. I needed Radu.”lrMNKJt
32PudYVlad spoke while looking at Radu squatting right in front of him.rKZ
tpNnBdRadu must have lost his strength and fell asleep even while being locked up.8t8
pacDIFAs a member of Dragulia and a confidant of the Dragon Blood Duke, he was clearly an important witness and informant, but honestly, it was doubtful that the Northern Alliance would really use him as a clue to catch the evil beings.D8m8WUH
bs1B“They would most likely use him as a tool against the dragon duke rather than seeking the black-clad woman. Now that war is looming.”gSXbCV6
wsyfTo gain profit instead of a greater good.X5E
PPRRGu8The nobles, with their cold blue blood, always prioritized interests over principles. To them, the hordes of corrupt beings, like a natural disaster, were a secondary concern compared to the imminent threat of the dragon duke.cforO
LeIDPL“If we send Radu to the Northern Alliance now, the investigation into Ramashthu won’t begin until after the war.”saP9K7
q5CrqEven Count Arnstein, who had been directly attacked, was anxious about the movements of the lords beside him rather than pursuing Ramashthu’s group.QzwGeG
gTkThe count, who was the leader of the court faction, was completely focused on the impending war, making it predictable that the iron duke, who was willing to confront the central forces, would prioritize the same.lrSu
eEZ“Vlad Aureo.”Hoyz2mz
b2irClang!p68
S1xqP9Suddenly, a loud sound resonated, striking the rusty cell bars.LDhv
ZbWGyWfVlad turned his head to see a Ruga tribesman watching him from outside.AGX
N37“Get up. The Great Mother wants to see you.”u0QE
lIsNHis manner was rude and his tone curt, but Vlad paid no attention to such insignificant details.EDebt
QzXuKThe only thing that mattered was the mention of the Great Mother.IioL
VQKhxnuAlthough his path had taken a great detour, the meeting he had sought would finally take place.y14
vC6hPE“And you too.”aT9
cxE1NJ“Me?”IjriAJ2
FUImPBut the Ruga tribesman didn’t just call Vlad.n0RS1
Lh8Nibelun, who had been sitting quietly beside him, was also summoned.azx
MonDo“Why me?”0Xzc
bau“If they tell you to come out, come out. Don’t talk so much.”eK9BdK
wDN“…I was just asking why.”33zf
c1IAgopVlad and Nibelun, pushed to leave the prison, were escorted through the bustling alleys to a place where the Great Mother awaited them. It seemed the place where they were held was far from the Great Mother’s home.AVf
ozp‘It seems we’re farther south than before.’SSb2Tf
ClIOSVlad lifted his head and saw the fragmented sky above the densely packed buildings.AxisnW
cjA1EyAfter checking the sun’s position he glimpsed, Vlad followed his old habit and figured out the distance from where he originally was.AUfQny
qUuN7F1“Enter.”VeIOp8R
euv“…Hmm.”L21
uN7zF7When they arrived, they found a house built in a style Vlad had never seen before.37dZ
0sHgfGLike the surrounding buildings, it had nothing special, but it was raised above the ground, a construction not seen in the north.5rZ61ug
GUHqW“It’s built like this to avoid insects or snakes.”0rZjnCI
ol5d“Insects?”yXAD3Y
QTZDqh“In the southern jungles, there are many poisonous insects.”nbl
4Kj9AR0Although they were no longer in their place of origin, the influence of their roots was hard to erase.AsS2LPY
UvrVlad wasn’t familiar with the customs of the beastmen, which seemed more unfamiliar the more he listened to the explanation, but that was only possible when there was no spear tip poking into his back.RwAWr
iKlld“What a welcome.”jZl
2OgQJL“This doesn’t seem like a welcome but more like a kidnapping.”ecJ4z
SvqKa5jForced to enter, Vlad climbed the rustic stairs and lifted the wide leaf that served as a door, finding inside an air thick with smoke.qZLOG5E
m2fdWFo“…”nyawU9o
HzQd0“Come in quickly. Don’t let the smoke I worked so hard to create escape.”rLLJr
6v70The smoke was so dense it was impossible to see directly ahead.d2TUS
96LNsVThere was a faint smell of cigarettes mixed with the lingering odor at the tip of his nose, but cigarette smoke alone couldn’t have reached this far.zlF
qSu“You say you came recommended by Dorothea?”Dbzs8yu
DSrIn the midst of the smoke sat an old woman.v0n
7opb7wWearing a large bird feather in the center of her head, she forcefully lifted her eyelids, which had sunk with time, and looked at the unknown guest from the north.ryrVi2C
Spy“It wasn’t exactly a recommendation…”2ooX
TFoUSE“That damned girl. She left making noise and now sends an even more ominous visitor.”KSMFIVs
lhB0aM“We didn’t know each other that well.”1KNBy
NUr7Although her voice was hoarse, like that of any old woman, the echo in her words didn’t go unnoticed.nMApT
u7eVlad, who relied on his own world, might not have known, but Nibelun, who shared the same mystery, could sense how great the mystery of the old woman before him was.U6v
D9Q“In fact, I’ve come to ask for something…”iSCnQon
hfeDhnA“Don’t speak.”s52
bKEXLXVlad was about to explain the purpose of his visit here but swallowed his words when he saw the old woman’s pipe reach her lips.zWH
dm6RAlthough he didn’t open his mouth, the old woman’s wrinkled face was already distorted, showing a clear expression of discomfort.7nKwGLl
HL1L0Xd“Since you came following the flow of fate, I won’t throw you out, but every breath you exhale is filled with poison.”esLTIn3
oeL1elAfter forcing Vlad to be silent, the old woman lowered her head and looked at Nibelun, sitting beside him.tJfjl
DQCPr“You, speak.”0ZYI
o0NmNv“Me?”Gk2
TJWb“Yes, you speak.”tPCCZ
jIlWSIGThe old woman took up her pipe again, and after filling the bowl with tobacco, lit it.q2HgOZ
sv90RB“If the dragon speaks, the dragon listens. So you speak in his place.”5JX
2R5xShe blew—K6pf
LUAzK“Before that dragon, from a distance, knows where you are going.”OnwvZ3
mRi7nA large cloud of smoke rose thin but dense from the old woman’s pipe.Wv5
BZoEG3gIt was just an exhalation, but before he knew it, a large puff of cigarette smoke began to linger beside Vlad and envelop him tightly.cVEF6LO
r0hOx“…!”wN8jX
YryULike a thick, impenetrable fog.9dMS
CiWuVGTIn the dense and silent mist that no one could notice, Vlad only then could sense the faint gaze that followed him.x65iL1g
Gk1UEven now, the gaze the old woman feared didn’t come from Vlad’s eyes, but from the dragon’s world he carried within him.VTS
aBzXa39***UEer
0eOX“It’s a mystery.”AcVTP2
RSdkWeIThe Dragulia mansion in the capital Brigantes.jWCjQcy
j5AZThe dragon duke Sarnus smiled nostalgically as he put down the goblet he was holding.XVvG4kF
MVo4l8q“Those damn cats. I should have burned them all back then.”pDJt
aOxe3JSarnus, recalling the distant past, hundreds of years later, clicked his tongue at the mystery that had blocked him once again, just as before.wwW
HhCBQuOAs expected, instead of simply sinking them, he should have pulled them out one by one and cut off their heads.0lEpr5
p3WO“Is anyone there?”FmMX
80N0“Yes, Duke.”gjSYklm
qc1NWEq“Go and fetch the mage. I need to contact Mirshea.”M44D
pipxdMirshea, who had been sent to catch the fugitive Radu, had said he was now heading north.B2lgY5
LE0KwHowever, those he sought had infiltrated right at his doorstep, which made Sarnus laugh at the audacity of the situation.O7w
2VHVXV“…At last, I see you, my son.”YfjaXs7
OFonUnlike other worlds, the original world of dragons is connected as one.ty4M
ktNHBecause all beings born as dragons ultimately direct their gaze toward the place where perfection resides.ubvxCI
8SD7And Sarnus, the oldest dragon, was also the only dragon who knew how to utilize those gazes.b1V
QQpdVu“And you too.”7URE
GUiSarnus, waving his hands as if he were drunk, approached the window holding the wine goblet he had put down.5lr1yIu
dmd7The darkness of the capital began to fade as the sun set in the distance.wqWyyfI
iINzHSarnus, looking at the approaching darkness with one hand behind his back, spoke to someone who wandered both in the darkness and in the landscape he was viewing at that moment.XAqU
mcSLNQb“No matter how much you try, it will be useless. Because you are no longer a glorious master of the sword.”WhoE
Hu7Through the world of dragons, Sarnus had identified five fragments.bI3nU
LD8AAutAmong them, there was one piece that was losing its luster especially.cmU8bU0
dqzZIt was a piece held by a person who had returned from the dead, and it was also a piece held by an unworthy person who could never again impose a prohibition.5eZwJXR
ExTfQzP“This wine tastes good.”k7V
OXbNow there is no one who can stop me or impose anything on me.Y89p
enNYConfident in his victory thanks to the dragon fragments, Sarnus smiled with satisfaction as he raised his goblet.EIQz1
ykArRQAlthough he no longer needed the wine, the taste of the freshly opened barrel was an irresistible temptation.43nPPx
What did you think of this chapter?
Report comment
Please select the reason for reporting this comment. False reports may result in account suspension.
0 Comments
There are no comments yet. Be the first!