Chapter 8

EP.8 Looking for a New Job (1)

The Captain of the Kingdom's Knights.

Heinkel von Zickhardt.

Thanks to his achievements on the front lines and his deep respect, he was revered not only by the knights but also by adventurers and mercenaries who often looked down on them.

“Sigh...”

Heinkel sighed deeply, pressing his furrowed brow. It was all because of the letter in his hand.

-From the 1st Legion.

-Gray Mage, Laniel.

Normally, seeing the sender would have made Heinkel smile. This meticulous mage rarely wrote letters, but when he did, it was always good news.

“Why now...”

However, after reading the content of the letter, Heinkel found it impossible to smile.

-I hereby announce my departure from the battlefield.

-I will return the emblem that proves my membership in the Hero Party and the Knights.

Two lines.

When his eyes fell on the two lines at the end of the letter, Heinkel felt the world go dark before his eyes.

‘Laniel’s retirement.’

The weight of those words made Heinkel groan.

Laniel’s retirement was not something that could be easily accepted. If it were any other member of the Hero Party, Heinkel might not have been so troubled.

Laniel’s party was special.

And Laniel was even more special.

The Hero Party, rather than being part of the Knights, operated more like bounty hunters. They dealt with major threats on the battlefield and eliminated key officers of the Demon King’s army whose locations were known.

This was the general policy of most Hero Parties.

And the policy of those who belonged to them.

However, Laniel was different.

He traveled across numerous battlefronts as part of the Knights, often acting as a one-man legion to fill in the gaps on the front lines.

‘How many battlefronts have been maintained, or even expanded, thanks to his help?’

Heinkel immediately counted the battle lines that had been barely maintained thanks to Laniel’s support, even up to the present.

‘The 1st Eastern Front, the 3rd Western Front, the gorge near the Demon World...’

The wrinkles on Heinkel’s forehead deepened.

“...It’s my fault for relying on one person.”

He knew he shouldn’t rely on a single superhuman, yet he had come to depend on Laniel’s abilities. Heinkel scanned the letter with a troubled gaze.

Five years.

Considering the frequent personnel changes on the front lines, especially among mages, Laniel’s retirement should have been anticipated.

Still, Heinkel couldn’t hide his regret.

‘If it were just a retirement, I could have given him an honorary position and kept him as an officer...’

It would have been fine if he did nothing.

It would have been fine if he didn’t go to the battlefield.

Just by being there, Laniel would have been a source of strength for the mages on the battlefield. Some mages had even joined the Knights because of him.

‘Still, it’s a retirement due to injury... there’s nothing I can do.’

He should be grateful that Laniel, despite carrying a curse, stayed on the front lines for so long. Heinkel hid his bitterness and called out to his subordinate.

“Hartia.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Report to the capital that Laniel’s retirement is actually an honorable discharge. Don’t forget to send a summary of his achievements.”

“...Is that alright?”

“It’s regrettable, but there’s nothing we can do. It’s his wish.”

“...If you order it, I can have the Shadow Unit track that mage...”

“Hartia.”

A cold voice echoed softly.

“Show respect to a member of the Hero Party.”

“But that mage...”

Heinkel’s brow furrowed.

“Do I need to say more?”

Heinkel narrowed his eyes and glared at his subordinate.

“He has worked hard enough. He has achieved more than words can express and has done more than was expected of him.”

“...”

“Those who have dedicated themselves to humanity deserve the appropriate honor and reward. He has earned it.”

“...I apologize.”

“If there are any suspicious movements against Laniel, I will deal with them myself. Remember that.”

Most knights wouldn’t dare to touch him, but such seeds needed to be nipped in the bud. Heinkel knew that some knights following the Hero Kyle looked down on Laniel.

‘I need to cut this off before it gets worse.’

With one more task added, Heinkel frowned and waved his hand.

“Go on.”

“...Understood.”

Alone in the tent.

Heinkel looked at the letter under the lamplight, its shadow deep. Suddenly, a paragraph in the letter caught his eye.

-In the past, I made a deal with the stars to escape from the Demon King. I used the Balance.

-Of course, the price of the deal was not great.

‘Balance.’

The word stood out.

“...”

Heinkel bowed his head silently.

In fact, he had suspected as much.

It was impossible to escape from the Demon King, that calamity, without losing something.

‘He says the price was not great...’

...It’s probably a lie.

Whatever the price was, Heinkel could only guess that it was not light.

“The princess will be sad.”

The princess, who was more enthusiastic about Laniel’s stories than anyone else. The image of her made Heinkel sigh deeply.

“Thank you for your hard work, Laniel.”

2.

-Captain of the Knights.

-Heinkel von Zickhardt.

Thank you for your hard work, Laniel.

I will report your retirement as an honorable discharge to the capital. I will also inform your teacher.

I will not forget the debt I owe you.

If you need my help, feel free to contact me.

“Anyway.”

He’s such a kind man.

I smiled bitterly as I read the letter that had arrived.

I was in a small village near the capital, a village that bordered the forest, where my teacher lived.

A gentle hill, swaying wheat fields.

Following the warm breeze, a mansion could be seen where the forest began.

‘Actually, it’s more of a library than a mansion.’

I used to live there with my teacher when I was young.

Recalling old memories, I stood in front of the door. It looked exactly the same as it did five years ago when I left.

-Going to catch the Demon King.

-You’re really going, huh.

Standing in front of that door.

-Your life will be negated.

-Everything you’ve learned about magic will be negated.

-Even so, are you still going?

I took a deep breath.

-Those who dedicate their lives to nobility often meet a miserable end. I hope you don’t.

-Do you have to go?

I remembered my teacher’s face trying to stop me in front of this door. I remembered the weight of his hand on my shoulder.

-Yes, my unworthy student.

-If you must go, come back with the Demon King’s head. If you do, I’ll take you back as a student.

“I wanted to bring it back...”

I smiled bitterly and put my hand on the doorknob.

How do I explain this?

I didn’t catch the Demon King, I was kicked out of the Hero Party, and I even came back as a woman. Do I even have the face to see my teacher?

...I really feel like I’m going to get killed.

“Sigh...”

I took a deep breath, grabbed the doorknob, and knocked a couple of times. After a moment, the door creaked open, and someone appeared.

“...Who is it?”

Gray hair peeking through black hair.

Glasses perched on the bridge of his nose.

And eyes that remained clear despite the years.

My teacher’s face after five years.

Seeing my teacher, who looked exactly the same as five years ago, I smiled bitterly.

“Guh...”

Then, I slightly turned the staff I had slung over my back to show it to my teacher.

“I’m back, teacher.”

The staff given to me by my teacher. I planned to explain with this. However, before I could say anything, my teacher spoke.

“That staff...”

“T-that’s...”

I tried to make an excuse, but my teacher’s face turned pale first. He stumbled and barely managed to stand by holding the wall.

“Unworthy student...”

Then, he spoke weakly.

Feeling guilty at his weak, trembling voice, I bowed my head deeply and answered in a barely audible voice.

“Guh, there were circumstances...”

“Unworthy student, unworthy student...”

“...I’m sorry.”

“Why, why...! I told you not to go! I should have been more forceful...!”

“...What?”

Wait, hold on.

Why is his reaction so strange?

“If I knew you were going to die and leave... rather, rather...!”

What? Die? Who?

I was confused by my teacher’s weeping as he looked at the staff. I’m not dead, teacher. I’m right here, alive and well.

“Um, excuse me...”

“Did that guy leave any other message? He couldn’t have left just this staff. Maybe something more...”

“No, teacher.”

“...What? I’ve never had a female student...”

“It’s me, Laniel.”

My teacher blinked.

“What?”

“It’s me, Laniel...”

I gently touched the tip of the staff.

Soon, my mana spread through the staff.

Ash-like, gray mana.

“...”

My teacher looked at me silently.

His eyes moved from the staff to the gray mana, and then back to me.

“Laniel.”

“Yes, yes?”

“Yes, it’s Laniel.”

My teacher smiled weakly.

I tried to respond with a smile, but...

Lightning Bolt.

The spell that grazed my cheek didn’t let it go.

*Crack!*

The tree behind me crashed to the ground with a loud noise. I turned my stiff neck to look at my teacher.

“Come in.”

My teacher was still smiling.

Warmly, and kindly...

No, not really.

Upon closer inspection, only his mouth was smiling. His eyes were cold and hard. Seeing my teacher’s narrowed eyes, I swallowed hard.

*Gulp.*

This doesn’t look good.