30 Years Have Passed Since the Prologue - Chapter 80

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B

Chapter 80: 13. Meeting the Family (1)

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* * *

"God, I was bored to death."

Mord rolled his shoulders with a series of cracks as he left through the university gates. Knight Department classes were painfully dull. Having lived through the entire war, there was no way he could learn anything at a university level.

Training was boring, sparring was uninteresting, and tactical classes were no more than reading aloud from manuals. Rather than learning anything here, he would have been better off sparring with the Huscarls.

"Good. Time to go see the kids!"

Pritchenkaya was a bleak city, but like the proper Droan man he was, Mord had found himself a suitable hobby even here.

Surprisingly, it was volunteering at an orphanage.

The beginning had been somewhat forceful and humiliating, but what did the reason matter? As long as he genuinely enjoyed it, that was enough.

Mord headed for the orphanage with light steps.

Just thinking about those capable little kids brought a smile to his lips. They were adorable, lively, bold, and even overflowing with talent.

'I have no idea how they fool my senses, but...'

Whenever they snuck up behind an active Huscarl and jumped out shouting, he had nearly drawn his axe. Still, the orphanage director was no ordinary person.

"Mord."

"...?!"

Mord jumped back, reaching for the weapon at his waist.

A chilling killing intent had swept through the alley without him noticing.

It felt like a wolf lurking in the darkness was about to tear out his throat.

That fearsome intent, trained yet unrefined, wild killing intent, streamed from the mouth of the alley.

'Fuck...!'

Mord swallowed dryly. He knew this feeling. There was only one person besides the Seven Dragon Generals who possessed killing intent like this.

He could not fail to recognize it.

This was... this was...

His brother was fucking furious...!

Why? Why was he here...?

"H-Brother...?"

Was there anyone in Pritchenkaya, in this city, who could stop his enraged brother?

No, that was the wrong way to put it.

It would take an army, not a person.

Was there an army in this city that could stop that man...?

"A report was omitted."

"Brother, wait a moment. I don't understand, so could you tell me how you came to be here...? You could have at least said something before coming...."

"I received Esi's letter."

Esi's letter...?

What could that niece of his possibly have said to make his brother rush all the way here from distant Droan, glaring at him with killing intent pouring out of him?

"Who is it?"

"...What?"

"I asked who this man is that Esi says she is marrying."

Explosive savagery radiated from every syllable.

Ah, Esi. What in the world had she done?

Mord looked at the man before him, resenting his thoughtless niece.

The terror of the demonfolk, Mountains of Corpses and Seas of Blood, Einar the Annihilator.

Mord slowly lowered his weapon and carefully dropped to his knees.

As if doing so would at least let him die comfortably.

Despite the hot summer sunlight, the alley was cold as ice.

"Speak. Who is this bastard Esi has been seeing lately?"

"Th-That is...."

Mord racked his brain with all his might. Who could it be? He had made sure no man dared approach Aesidis while he was watching.

His watch over Aesidis had been looser during volunteer hours, but surely there would have been some sign.

If a hot-blooded young person was in love, they could not hide it from the eyes of a veteran warrior like him.

But... but the only man Esi had met recently was....

'Wait...'

Ivan Petrovich.

Mord's expression stiffened. There was one. Ivan...! The one who encouraged Aesidis to eat vegetables and occasionally helped with her training....

But the age difference... No, before that. Ivan was trying to marry Aesidis? Did that make any sense?

Mord's head spun. Could he say it? Ivan would never have such intentions.

He could not believe that man was even capable of romantic feelings. Ivan did not have time for such things, and Mord owed him his life.

No.

A Droan man never forgot a favor.

Mord's eyes opened with firm resolve. He raised his head decisively.

"...."

A young man stood at the mouth of the alley, looking down at him.

The dense magic contained within him and the monstrous rage always coursing through his veins had kept even age at bay, preserving the body of his youth and prime.

He was one of those men who had far surpassed human limits. It had been a long time since Mord had seen Einar, and his eyes gleamed so sharply they seemed capable of tearing apart a soul.

But Mord was a Droan man too. A Droan warrior would never... never....

"It's Ivan Petrovich, brother!!"

No debt of life from the past could outweigh brotherly loyalty. He could repay the price of that life later.

Like the steadfast Droan Huscarl he was, Mord chose to remain loyal to his older brother.

"That man is dead."

"I thought so too! Brother, that bastard is alive!!"

"Hmm...."

The killing intent rising from Einar like heat haze faltered and faded. Soon, he frowned with a confused expression.

"He survived after cutting down a Seven Dragon General."

"Yes, brother!"

"That is... surprising."

Einar turned his head and growled low.

"Find him."

"Yes, brother!!"

The Huscarls leaning between the alley walls scattered at once, racing throughout the city.

Ep 13. Meeting the Family

On a lazy afternoon, Aesidis was defeated in her war against musical notes.

It was a glorious end worthy of a female warrior of Droan. At least she had done her best.

She had been nodding off over sheet music half-covered in doodles when she suddenly jerked her head up.

"Urk...!?"

She hurriedly wiped her mouth and looked around. Fortunately, nobody on the campus seemed to be paying attention to her.

As she stretched and gathered her sheet music, strange sights caught her eye.

Hulking figures leaping through gaps between the walls and disappearing....

Figures dressed as if they belonged in Droan, wandering through the school and its alleys....

"What, am I still dreaming...?"

Aesidis stared blankly at the scene, then shook her head. Had she been tired lately? Why would she dream of her uncles in Pritchenkaya...?

Wait, uncles?

She met the eyes of one of the men. He beamed and waved his thick, muscle-covered arm.

"Oh, Esi! Have you been well?"

"Uh... huh...?"

"Our princess, see you later! Your uncle is a little busy right now!"

One Berserker warmly greeted her, then leapt over the wall and vanished.

Aesidis stood there with her mouth hanging open before looking around.

Terrified students were screaming and running away in groups!

"This isn't a dream!!"

Aesidis shot to her feet and ran in the direction her uncle had disappeared.

Why were her uncles here? At school, of all places!

They could not ruin her school life any more than they already had!!

She had half given up on the Orchestral Department, and she had only just started getting along with the Vocal Department students!

Screaming, Aesidis sprinted toward the gates.

* * *

Elizaveta had to ask again, not even noticing that she had dropped the pen in her hand.

"...Sir, say that again. Am I dreaming right now?"

"No, Your Highness."

The Chief Chamberlain was kneeling at her feet, sweating coldly. Even they found it difficult to explain the situation logically.

"It appears Great King Einar is currently in Pritchenkaya... Um. In this city."

"It appears? What does that mean? He is either here or he is not."

"That is... it seems he entered the country illegally...."

"What is the Immigration Office doing that there have been so many illegal entrants this year alone... No, forget it. Why would the king of a country need to sneak into another country... No... Forget that too. Did he... did he come alone?"

"No, Your Highness. At least ten individuals believed to be Huscarls have been confirmed."

"Dear God."

Elizaveta clutched her forehead and groaned for a long while.

"He will not remain quiet, will he? Has he shown any signs of attempting to start... a conflict?"

"He appeared to be searching for someone, but there have been no unusual developments yet. Should we mobilize the Capital Defense Force...?"

"Throw an army in front of Einar? Ha ha, sir, you do love a joke."

Elizaveta had experienced war, and she had done so on the front lines. At a young age, she had held the position of commander of the Annihilation Unit, which had originally been created to support the Hero Party from behind.

In other words, she was one of the few people who had witnessed the Hero Party's battles directly from the battlefield.

'Einar was chosen to fight legions.'

[Fortress Destroyer] Beolgreen and [Mountains of Corpses and Seas of Blood] Einar were both suited to fighting many enemies at once. When dealing with them, the quality of the forces mattered more than their numbers.

More importantly, Einar was now the king of Droan. She had no idea why a king had secretly crossed into another country's borders, but who could understand the mind of a man with nothing but fighting in his head?

Depending on Elizaveta's choices, this disturbance could escalate into a war. A knot suddenly formed in her stomach.

"What is the Foreign Intelligence Bureau doing that it cannot even notice when a foreign king vanishes? Hm? What exactly am I supposed to do...?"

Elizaveta pressed firmly between her brows and whimpered. She had nearly burst into tears.

The festival she had painstakingly prepared had exploded into chaos, every attempt at romance had failed, the nobles would not listen, and the military was still whispering uneasily.

Then the king of Droan, one of their few allied nations, had suddenly barged in, ignored every diplomatic procedure and channel, and started roaming around the city.

Her stomach cramped, and she sniffled. This was all that bastard Alexander's fault. She decided it was.

"Vanka... Send for Vanka."

"Yes, Your Highness."

There were only two people in this city who could possibly stop Einar.

Enrika and Ivan. Enrika was absent, which left Ivan as the only person she could trust.

At least Ivan knew Einar, so that was fortunate. Elizaveta shook her head and rose from her seat.

"No, tell Vanka to come find me. I must act personally."

"But Your Highness, it is too dangerous!"

"If Einar entered this city in secret with other intentions, then nowhere in this city is safe."

Elizaveta left her office with exhausted eyes.

* * *

At that moment, Ivan was in a private meeting with Einar.