Chapter 39. The Start of Battle

“Ugh.”

Beric jerked awake, retching. Ian, who had been reading a book beside him, watched as he fetched him some water.

When he returned to the tent, he was only just conscious, as the doctor had said. It was impressive that he was even that much better, considering the hole in his body.

“Are you okay?”

“My stomach feels queasy...”

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. Did the doctor mix alcohol with the medicine?”

His condition improved at an astonishing rate over time. Although he still couldn’t get out of bed, his voice and attitude suggested that he had definitely survived.

“Can you stretch your back a bit?”

“I can’t even muster the strength. Want to try?”

“No. Your wound might burst open.”

“Ugh. What kind of herbs did you stuff in there?”

Beric grumbled, repulsed by the plant residue he could feel with his fingertips.

Ian held the empty cup and carefully examined him. He knew that a sword mage had far superior combat and recovery abilities compared to an ordinary person. But even so...

‘To this extent?’

The speed of his recovery was not just surprising but almost miraculous. Even the doctor was amazed, and the Tianli people wouldn’t recover this fast.

“Beric. Do you know what your parents looked like?”

“Huh? Yeah, I do. They’re all dead, but I remember them.”

He wasn’t an orphan from birth, so he remembered his mother and father clearly. He had some dirty memories, but they were definitely etched in his mind.

Beric’s answer made Ian even more puzzled. If he had said he didn’t know, Ian might have suspected that he had some non-human blood.

“...Is that so?”

“Huh?”

While Ian was deep in thought, Beric muttered.

“I should have had both sides stitched. Damn, he made a huge hole in my side and then just closed his eyes and died. What was his name again? Bell?”

Beric seemed resentful that they had exchanged blows, and Bell had died while he lived. When Ian nodded, Beric ground his teeth even more.

“The knights, they never showed their faces before. Looks like they did some training. Anyway, when are we going back to Bratz?”

“Soon. It could be tomorrow.”

“Yeah. That’s good to hear.”

“I heard the central army is on its way, and Derga is gathering his troops. Su is sending us information from the border, but it’s not real-time, so we don’t know the details. That’s why we’ll leave as soon as possible.”

“Good, good. It’s too hot here.”

“Beric. I don’t think I can take you with me.”

“What?! Why?!”

Beric turned his head sharply and instinctively clutched his side. That was exactly the reason. For an ordinary person, his wound was deep enough to be fatal.

“You can’t even walk.”

“I’ll be able to walk by tomorrow.”

“Walking isn’t the issue. You need to be able to wield a sword. Focus on your recovery here until Bratz’s situation is resolved.”

“No way!”

As soon as Ian finished speaking, Beric shouted. But then he lay down, curling up in pain.

“Ah, damn...”

“You don’t have a choice.”

“What? You’re using me and then throwing me away. You scoundrel, traitor, pile of shit.”

Ian smiled faintly, and Beric bit his lip tightly. He looked like a stubborn child.

“If you’re worried about the innkeeper you relied on, I can check on them separately.”

When he left, Ian had told the innkeeper to quit his job at the mansion, but he didn’t know if Hana and the other servants had done so. They would likely have fled to the area near the banks, which were considered neutral zones during battles. Beric stuck out his tongue in disbelief at Ian’s reassurance.

“It’s not that.”

“Then what?”

“The central army! The viscount’s private army! And the Tianli are all set for a big fight, and I’m supposed to sit here and suck my thumb. Isn’t that too much?”

The adrenaline of charging into battle, the satisfying feel of a sharp blade, the thrilling rush of life and death. He had been waiting and waiting for all of this.

“Absolutely not. No arguments. I’ll carry you if I have to. Honestly, you and I, aren’t we like master and student? How can a teacher abandon a student!”

“Beric. You’re quite surprising. To treat a teacher like this. Technically, we’re in a master-servant relationship... but that’s surprising too.”

“I said I’ll let you use magic! Every day is precious!”

“Don’t you remember?”

“What? Just try to change the subject, damn...”

“When you fought Bell, you used your own magic.”

“...Who?”

“You did.”

Beric blinked at Ian’s words. His expression clearly showed that he didn’t believe it, indicating that his memory was patchy.

Ian smiled and straightened his blanket, then noticed Nersarran entering the tent.

“Sir Ian.”

“Lord Nersarran.”

“Outside for a moment.”

They hurried outside, where Kakantir had his face buried in an eagle’s neck, taking deep breaths. The smell of blood was strong.

“The timing is perfect.”

“Lord Kakantir?”

“Sir Ian. Derga has successfully surrounded the mansion with his private army. The investigation team seems to be holding out, but they’re likely waiting for the central reinforcements.”

“The investigation team is a vanguard sent to conduct preliminary investigations. They’re not equipped for a full-scale battle. The central army should be arriving soon.”

“The issue is the sentiment of the local people.”

“The local people?”

Kakantir nodded briefly in response to Ian’s question.

“They’ve gathered in the center of the territory and are arming themselves.”

“Oh. That’s because of the bank.”

“Bank?”

Ian, who had been tense, relaxed. If they were to split internally, it would make the situation harder to predict. A four-way battle would increase the uncertainty.

“It’s the Hyman Bank, which handles the financial infrastructure of Bariel. There’s at least one branch in every region. It’s probably the Dyon region.”

“We’re not familiar with the area behind Bratz.”

“There was a rebellion in Dyon once, and during the chaos, the bank was completely destroyed. As a result, the Hyman Bank refused to do business with anyone involved in the rebellion.”

The rebels couldn’t access their stored assets and were forced to conduct all economic activities in cash. They had to carry hundreds of kilograms of coins or risk losing everything without a trace.

“There’s only one family in Bariel that runs banks. The rebels had no other options. As a result, the rebellion’s momentum waned within a few years, and Bariel successfully suppressed it.”

“So the bank is a sanctuary.”

“Yes. Along with the temples, it’s an inviolable area. The local people are likely gathering there for that reason.”

That meant the smell of blood in the Bratz territory was intense. Ian continued with a serious expression.

“We need to act quickly. The longer the local people are denied the bank’s protection, the more likely they are to side with Derga.”

The center of Bariel was the royal palace, but the center of Bratz was Derga. The viscount’s private army were family, neighbors, and friends. The more their livelihoods were threatened, the stronger their desire to return to their former lives would become.

“We’re heading to Bariel.”

“We’re returning to Bariel.”

When Kakantir and Ian spoke simultaneously, Nersarran and the other subordinates burst into laughter. The two men exchanged glances and said the same thing again.

“Tomorrow.”

* * *

“What about Merelop?”

“They refused to deliver the message.”

“Damn. That’s why merchants are not to be trusted.”

Derga clenched his teeth, thinking of the neighboring Merelop viscount. Like Derga, who was responsible for the border, Merelop also had a similar role.

However, while Bratz was in opposition to the Tianli, Merelop was tasked with maintaining relations with the foreign kingdom of Hwan.

“That side doesn’t have many soldiers anyway. They’re all involved in commerce, so they don’t have many workers. It’s better to push them aside and declare independence.”

Deo, wiping the blood off his sword, muttered. Independence would inevitably lead to expanding the territory by conquering neighboring regions. Knowing this, the Merelop viscount had made a logical choice, but Derga felt betrayed.

Even if they didn’t send troops, they could have mediated, but Merelop was ignoring them, fearing that the conflict might spread.

“Smash it! Bring a bigger tree!”

“Dip the arrowheads in oil! Set them on fire!”

“Shoot! Keep shooting!”

“Come out, you bastards!”

“Advance! Keep advancing!”

“Ugh!”

Boom! Boom!

Derga had never thought he would be in a position to besiege a mansion, having always prepared to fight the Tianli. Despite the lack of siege weapons, he continued to shoot flaming arrows, feeling absurd.

Horn! Horn!

Then, a heavy horn sounded in Bratz. Everyone stopped and turned around. On the distant hill, something was swarming like ants. It was the central reinforcements with the royal flag. Derga, frowning, urged his troops more fiercely.

“