Chapter 72

# Chapter 72: <Contrary to Intentions>

Kael could clearly see the change in Tunka's expression. He blinked blankly, then his face gradually twisted as if everything had just dawned on him.

“I lost.”

But the voice that came out was calm. Kael said to him,

“Still, it was a warrior’s fight.”

Tunka stared blankly at Kael, then the corners of his mouth slowly turned upward. It was a rather grotesque sight. His face, already orc-like, now resembled that of a mutant troll, bruised and swollen.

Kael turned away, unable to stand the sight. Then he heard Tunka mutter,

“Weak, but surprising.”

Kael ignored him, but Tunka continued,

“Surprisingly strong, yet weak.”

However, Tunka couldn’t say any more. Chwehan was staring at him intently. Tunka, in response, grinned widely and approached him.

“Want to fight again?”

Chwehan sighed and ignored him. Kael watched the scene between Tunka and Chwehan, then confirmed that Villous and Herol were having a conversation. He gently stroked the kittens in his arms and hummed softly, as if singing a song.

“Let’s catch some mice, how many?”

The kitten named On moved its front paw.

Thud. Just once.

Kael said fluidly,

“Be careful not to hurt them. Life is precious.”

Hong blew a raspberry and moved its front paw. Thud, thud. Twice, and its tail swayed gently. On shook its head, seeing the mischievous smiles on Kael and Hong’s faces. They were starting to look more and more alike.

But On’s tail was also swaying.

Then a secretive voice echoed in Kael’s mind.

-Do you want me to follow? Human.

Clearly eager to go, the black dragon Raon rarely asked for Kael’s permission. Kael shook his head firmly. He whispered softly to the kittens, as if speaking to them affectionately.

“You need to catch something else.”

The kittens and the black dragon fell silent when Kael said the word "something else," finding it amusing.

Soon, Herol and Tunka approached Kael. Tunka pointed at Herol, his attitude unusually gentle.

“Our chief of staff will guide you. And Pelia will come with us.”

Pelia was likely assigned as Herol’s bodyguard. Kael nodded and asked,

“Have the mages’ bodies inside the tower been cleared away?”

“A few are still there.”

Kael had expected as much. His face remained calm. Then Raon’s voice echoed in his mind.

-You’re only afraid of mermaid corpses. I’ll make sure they can’t come near you later.

…Mermaids aren’t really scary. Kael didn’t bother to respond. He wouldn’t have to see them anyway.

Tunka glanced at Kael’s calm face and muttered,

“No need to comfort their souls.”

Comforting their souls meant cremation.

The tribe members burned the mages’ bodies whenever possible, especially those who died from plagues or other reasons. Of course, there were also decapitated bodies, but they would be burned soon as well.

However, there must have been a reason for the bodies left unburned.

‘They probably killed the most kingdom citizens.’

What is most needed for the development of magical devices?

Experiments.

And who are the experimental subjects?

People.

Many mages had conducted experiments without evidence.

“Of course, when the kingdom’s mages are all gone, I’ll clear them away. Completely.”

Tunka muttered this rarely, making a promise. But Kael didn’t pay much attention to his words.

All the mages in the tower were dead, but not all the mages in the Wiper Kingdom were.

‘The mages in the tower are part of the Mage Guild.’

They are authoritative and greedy. A tower, after all, is a place where the hierarchy is clearly defined, and those at the top enjoy looking down on those below.

However, there were mages who were far from such power and greed. Many had become disillusioned with politics and lived in seclusion. They were likely hiding and thinking of ways to escape the kingdom and where to go.

One who had protected them was Alber Crossman, the crown prince. He disliked politics and was far from power, loving only the pursuit of magic, which made it easy for him to gather such mages.

Kael asked Tunka,

“Can we go in?”

Kael put the kittens on the ground. They would hide and explore later. He just needed to keep the entrance open.

Chwehan and Bikross stood behind Kael. When Bikross took his place, Kael looked at him curiously, but Bikross scanned the disheveled Tunka with a look of disgust.

“Herol.”

“Yes, Chief. Kael, I will guide you.”

Creak. The tower’s door opened. Kael’s brow furrowed. He said to Herol and Tunka,

“The decay is emitting a stench.”

To Tunka, he added,

“And cover them. I have a weak stomach and can’t look at corpses for long.”

Tunka snorted but gestured to the soldier guarding the entrance. Kael, though pale, confirmed Rosalyn’s calm gaze before entering the tower, leaving her and the others behind.

Chwehan stood at the entrance, and Bikross joined him, looking relieved not to enter such a horrific mess. Pelia, who remained, hesitated. Herol then said with a determined look,

“Sir Pelia, I will accompany the young master and return shortly. Young master, will five minutes be enough?”

“Certainly, that’s plenty. Leave one door open. It will make me feel better.”

“Thank you.”

Kael smiled kindly in response to Pelia’s gratitude.

The tower’s main room had two doors. Kael left one open and entered the room. The 20th floor, used entirely as the tower master’s private quarters, was vast.

Thus, when he reached the window at the far end of the room, his voice wouldn’t reach those outside with average hearing.

‘Chwehan might hear, but it doesn’t matter if he does.’

Kael walked across the completely destroyed room. Books, desks, chairs, carpets—everything was in ruins.

Standing by the window farthest from the entrance, Kael asked,

“All destroyed?”

Herol responded calmly to Kael’s casual question,

“Of course. It was the place of the most wicked humans. The place where mana-made monsters resided.”

Mana-made monsters. Mages.

-Liar.

The black dragon Raon grumbled in a tone of exasperation, but Kael ignored him. Instead, he whispered to Herol, who stood beside him, a secret no one else knew.

“You’re a mage too, aren’t you?”

Mana can be felt, but a being that rejects mana from the heart. A half-tribe, half-mage hybrid. The most unfortunate mana user.

Secrets of birth exist everywhere.

“Chief of staff, no.”

Kael placed his hand on the pale Herol’s shoulder and called him by his full name.

“Herol Cordian.”

A smart person can be terrifying when they go mad. This was said about Herol Cordian.

“Don’t you want to erase all traces of your father?”

The tower master, Pister Cordian, was a man Herol didn’t know. A bloodline he was unaware of.

A true monster, born from a mana-made monster, a mage.

“How did you know?”

Kael continued lightly, looking at the monster who asked with a pale smile.

“I’ll hear your answer first.”

Buying the tower. There was no need to say it. Kael spoke of Herol’s desire.

“I’ll destroy the tower for you. How does that sound?”