WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Ceaseless
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Northern Grand Duke’s Mad Son-in-Law ◈
Chapter 54: Fourfold Security Door
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“So this is the Special Operations Unit headquarters?”
Gilbert asked with a frown. Galahad nodded.
“Isn’t it written there? Can’t you read?”
Where Galahad pointed, the words Special Operations Unit Headquarters were written in large letters.
That brought two questions to Gilbert’s mind.
First...
“Wasn’t this originally the Fifth Battalion headquarters?”
“It was.”
“Then why has it become the Special Operations Unit headquarters?”
“Look beside it.”
Next to the large words Special Operations Unit Headquarters were the words Fifth Battalion. At a glance, it looked like it read Special Operations Unit Headquarters Fifth Battalion.
“Then why are they written together?”
“There was space left, so we decided to share it. It’s good for us, since we don’t have to manage the place.”
“...?”
Gilbert frowned for a moment before recalling his second question.
“What kind of headquarters writes its name outside like this? It’s practically asking people to attack it...”
“That makes it easier to find. Besides, would an enemy who infiltrated this far really not know where our headquarters was?”
Gilbert nodded at Galahad’s answer. Thinking about it, that was true.
“Still, doesn’t it seem strange?”
“Don’t worry. Security isn’t a problem.”
At Galahad’s firm assurance, Gilbert scratched his cheek.
They had written headquarters in huge letters, yet there was supposedly no problem...
The moment they opened the headquarters door, his question was answered.
A massive desk stood just inside. Amid the piles of documents stacked on it was a familiar face.
The man with a slightly irritable expression, dressed in a formal uniform rather than armor, was clearly the Fifth Battalion commander.
‘...Why is the Fifth Battalion commander sitting here?’
Seeing the Fifth Battalion commander the moment the headquarters door opened, like a guard stationed at the entrance, Gilbert looked at Galahad.
“Didn’t I tell you not to worry about security?”
At Galahad’s calm answer, Gilbert frowned briefly, then nodded.
If the commander himself was sitting at the front door handling paperwork, there truly was no need to worry about security.
Gilbert did not bother trying to understand why a battalion commander was working at the main entrance.
“You’ve arrived. The expansion is complete.”
“Is that so? Good.”
Galahad naturally sat across from the Fifth Battalion commander.
“Go upstairs first. I’ll speak with the commander before I come up.”
“Ah, Lumian. Show them around.”
At the commander’s gesture, a sharp-looking woman approached. Gilbert coughed softly and followed her.
“You were originally meant to use the third floor, but our commander did not need the second floor, so he told us to give it to you as well.”
Gilbert nodded at the woman’s oddly sharp voice. He did not fully understand, but they were giving them an extra floor.
“Good.”
At the woman’s sharp glare, Gilbert tilted his head.
When they reached the second floor, a lavish hallway came into view. It felt more like a noble’s castle than a battalion headquarters.
‘The Fifth Battalion has a lot of money.’
Gilbert admired it inwardly.
It was best to keep one’s true thoughts hidden.
“Wow! This is our headquarters?!”
Lumian’s lips curled slightly at Gwen’s open-mouthed amazement.
“Then I’ll prepare a meal first.”
Tom, who had already unpacked, headed for the fireplace in the center.
He was already preparing to cook.
Damian followed behind Tom, drooling, while Gwen wiped it away.
Despite being given an entire spacious floor, the three of them gathered in front of the fireplace. Gilbert clicked his tongue softly.
“I’ll look around the third floor myself.”
“Yes. Please let me know if you need anything.”
Gilbert spoke while looking at Lumian. Lumian nodded and withdrew.
‘It’s too spacious.’
Gilbert sat some distance away from the noisy three.
“I’ll help!”
“Miss Gwen, I noticed the rooms inside haven’t been fully cleaned yet. Did you see them?”
“Really?”
“Yes. I’m still not very good at cleaning...”
“Well! It can’t be helped!”
Gilbert glanced at Gwen as she confidently picked up a broom, then drew his sword.
The sight of the clean blade brought a smile to his lips.
As he gazed at the sword, another smile came to his lips. Even the sweet smell did not make him hungry.
After admiring it for a moment, Gilbert carefully and gently polished the sword.
Before long, he was fully absorbed. All stray thoughts disappeared. Only the sword remained. Sweat even beaded on Gilbert’s forehead as he polished it.
Then he sensed someone beside him.
Turning his head, he saw Damian squatting nearby. Damian stared fixedly at Gilbert. Damian was still an inscrutable little kid, yet somehow looked young.
Gilbert clicked his tongue softly at Damian’s sword, which had become dirty again.
“Hold the sword like this.”
“Yes.”
Gilbert slowly taught Damian how to care for a sword. Damian was clumsy, but followed along well.
The two silently polished their swords.
* * *
“You really did it.”
Mark, the Fifth Battalion commander, said as he held out a sheet of paper.
[After the sun rises seven times, I will send another messenger. If any holes are found, I will pull out a spinal cord and plug the hole with it.]
‘Pull out a spinal cord to plug a hole...’
Galahad clicked his tongue softly at a sentence that suited the Grand Duke perfectly.
“I never imagined the Grand Duke would issue an order personally. How did you manage it?”
Mark rarely showed emotion, but he offered his praise openly.
“How? I wrote a letter.”
“A letter?”
Mark asked as if he could not believe it. Galahad put a cigarette between his lips and nodded.
“I’m a fine calligrapher.”
“A fine calligrapher?”
Galahad smiled at Mark’s question.
Just then, a soldier hurriedly burst through the main door.
“A letter from the Grand Duke!”
Urgency filled the soldier’s face.
“Please excuse me.”
Mark accepted the letter while giving Galahad an odd look.
His sharp eyes moved quickly. The letter must have been short, because his gaze soon returned to Galahad.
Mark was not particularly expressive. Usually, all he did was tap the table with his fingers.
Yet unmistakable shock filled his eyes.
‘It must say that I’ve earned the Grand Duke’s recognition.’
From Mark’s reaction, Galahad roughly guessed the contents of the letter.
It seemed earning the Grand Duke’s recognition carried considerable meaning.
“Did you truly receive the Grand Duke’s recognition?”
“It’s true.”
“I see.”
Mark’s gaze moved back and forth between the letter and Galahad, then he nodded.
“Did I tell you? Remodeling the second and third floors cost quite a lot.”
“Thank you.”
“We’re allies.”
Mark emphasized the word allies.
“Quite a few members of the Dark Magic Society have recently joined the Fifth Battalion. Since our ally, Galahad, was meant to handle them, I did not interfere. But they do not appear to have been assigned separately to the Magic Stone Mine.”
Mark immediately got to the point. The recently arrived Dark Magic Society members were likely people from the Society Head’s side, the ones Eight had mentioned.
‘People...’
“How is the Magic Stone Mine?”
“Ah, we’re somewhat short on manpower.”
“I see. I’ll handle it.”
Mark shook his head at Galahad’s casual answer.
“Their security has become stricter than before. It was difficult even to confirm this much.”
“Don’t worry about security. I have a good friend.”
“A good friend?”
Mark repeated the strange words under his breath.
A moment later, Galahad began to rise.
Mark continued as if to stop him.
“Receiving the Grand Duke’s recognition is a tremendous honor. But honor in the north is heavy.”
“Heavy?”
“Yes. The north is a place where people even challenge the Grand Duke. Of course, there are not many with such nerve... But if an Imperial mage from the central region receives the Grand Duke’s recognition...”
“People everywhere will start bothering me?”
Mark nodded and corrected his phrasing.
“Receiving the Grand Duke’s recognition means that the possibility of marrying Adrianna, which people had dismissed as a joke until now, has increased.”
Mark stared at Galahad. His eyes moved rapidly, as though calculating one thing after another.
Galahad nodded. The northerners had already been desperate to tear him apart.
He had expected that much.
“Duel challenges will pour in from everywhere. Defeating someone recognized by the Grand Duke is an honor of the highest order.”
Mark spoke seriously.
“I see.”
As Galahad nodded as if it were nothing, Mark tapped the table.
“You should be careful of commander-level opponents.”
At that moment, Mark’s shoulder shifted slightly.
It was a movement so swift that it made no sound...
But Galahad had already seen that spear before.
He was not foolish enough to fall for the same thing twice.
‘Northern bastards...’
Mark was probably trying to make him wary of commander-level opponents.
Still, he did not like that Mark thrust a spear at him as a warning.
Galahad snapped his fingers.
The sharp spear shot toward Galahad.
It moved at the same speed as before.
‘He can make it faster.’
It seemed Mark had been hiding his strength.
Galahad watched him closely and calculated the situation.
‘Fast.’
The spear moved too quickly for the eye to follow.
The Egg of Pain gave a small jump, and the magic circle on Galahad’s wrist spat fire.
It took only an instant.
Pop! A small sound rang out.
An explosion erupted around Mark’s neck. Although the impact was strong enough to jolt his body, the spear tip did not waver.
But there was more than one explosion.
The blast that erupted around the middle of the spear was enough to send a shock through it.
The shaft shook violently.
‘An aura barrier.’
Galahad muttered softly as he watched the spear veer aside.
An aura barrier was a technique that wrapped the body in aura and used it like a shield.
There were quite a few knights who could coat their swords in aura, but few could use an aura barrier.
It required an exceptional understanding of aura.
Aura could cut anything. Used as a barrier, it could not be pierced by most magic.
‘Excellent.’
Galahad smiled at Mark’s rigid face.
Mark was more skilled than Galahad had expected.
Skilled enough that no lengthy explanation was needed.
“Is that enough?”
Galahad asked, casually pushing aside the spear aimed at his neck.
“Yes.”
Mark nodded stiffly and withdrew his spear.
“I should take care of this matter first.”
Galahad dusted off his coat and rose.
His steps headed not upstairs, but toward the door.
“Ah, let them know I’ll be late.”
Galahad spoke lightly and turned away.
The cold wind that rushed in as the door flew open brushed against Mark’s face.
Mark sank into his seat as if the freezing wind had pushed him down.
Remembering their brief exchange, he touched his neck.
It stung.
‘It stings...’
He had clearly wrapped himself in an aura barrier, yet there was a small wound on his neck.
The neck was a vital point, so it was where the aura barrier was strongest.
Galahad had pierced through it and left a wound.
He had even used multiple spells.
The explosion that burst from the middle of the spear had been powerful enough to shake its tip.
If that explosion had occurred at his neck, it would not have ended with a sting.
‘I should have gone under him.’
Mark muttered softly as he stared at the door.
Through it, he could see Galahad striding through the pitch-black night without hesitation.
There was not the slightest hesitation in his steps.
* * *
Eight sniffed at a strange scent.
The smell of lemons drifted from somewhere.
As if nightmares were not enough, now he could smell things too...
‘...The scent of lemons?’
Eight slowly turned his head. Someone sat in one corner of the dark room.
Long legs and an upright posture...
Even without seeing the face, Eight knew who it was.
Tap. The cigarette’s ember flared slightly. Its orange light illuminated Galahad’s face.
A face that seemed utterly devoid of emotion...
It was Galahad.
Eight desperately held back the scream about to burst from him and jumped to his feet.
He did not wonder how Galahad had entered.
Because it was Galahad.
Eight adjusted his mask and prostrated himself.
“You even wear it while you sleep.”
“...Yes. It’s comfortable.”
“A good habit.”
Eight bowed his head at Galahad’s calm voice.
The thought that he could have died in his sleep without even realizing it sent a chill down his back.
Still, his opponent was Galahad. He was not someone Eight could escape.
“As you ordered, I sent the Monster Tamer’s magic circle to the Society Head through Corton. In response, the Society Head sent Helcarton.”
“Helcarton?”
“Yes. He is the Society Head’s confidant, and his skills are considerable enough that he is considered a candidate for the next Society Head.”
“I see.”
Eight spoke seriously, but Galahad’s answer was simple.
Silence lingered briefly. Eight pressed his face to the floor and waited quietly.
“Helcarton knows the Society Head’s location.”
“Yes, he likely does. But he’s like a corpse...”
“Don’t worry. Persuasion is my specialty.”
Eight nodded for now at Galahad’s answer.
Eight knew better than anyone how painful Galahad’s persuasion could be.
Still, Helcarton was a strange man.
He was pale like a corpse freshly pulled from a grave, and a filthy smell constantly wafted from him. To Eight, Helcarton was a true dark mage.
A madman who would do anything to rise higher...
How did Galahad intend to get information from someone like that?
Eight did not voice his doubts.
There was another problem.
“He brought the Advisory Council with him.”
“The Advisory Council?”
“Yes. They are a force made up of people with executive-level skill. They also carry staffs of high grade or above and have received the Selection... They are quite dangerous.”
Eight spoke seriously.
He knew Galahad was good at catching mages, but this time the opponents would not be easy.
Unlike before, they were not careless.
Their repeated failures had made them extremely vigilant.
Eight explained all this, but...
“Hmm, I heard there was a shortage of workers. This worked out well.”
“...What?”
Eight asked back without thinking at the unexpected words.
“If they are skilled, they should be good at mining Magic Stones too, shouldn’t they?”
Eight nodded for now.
“Right. Where are they?”
Galahad asked lightly as he crushed out his burned-down cigarette.
As if he intended to capture them immediately.
“...What?”
“Helcarton and the Advisory Council.”
Eight’s thoughts grew complicated at Galahad’s calm voice.
Was he going to capture them like this?
Right now?
Eight raised his head and understood when he saw Galahad’s eyes.
To him, this was nothing.
“Yes, but the Dark Magic Society has suffered repeated losses recently, so their security is extremely tight. Even I, an executive, am being watched.”
“Is that so?”
Eight hurriedly shook his head at Galahad’s gaze.
“I did my best too, but that bastard Corton suddenly betrayed me...”
Eight vented his frustration.
He could not understand how Corton’s mind worked.
Corton’s betrayal had happened at an unexpected moment.
It was simply because he wanted to claim more credit for the Monster Tamer’s magic circle.
Eight had not expected Corton to turn on him so abruptly for such a simple reason, so he could not respond.
In return, Corton had fully gained Helcarton’s trust, while Eight was left unable to even enter the branch.
Because of that, the plan to lure the Society Head into the Demon Realm Training Camp had also fallen apart.
“Is that so? As expected of Corton.”
Eight raised his head at the strange tone.
Galahad was smiling.
* * *
“It really is genuine.”
Helcarton admired the Monster Tamer’s magic circle in his hand.
The fall of the Seventh Battalion branch had also been a major problem for the Dark Magic Society. The one fortunate thing was that the sacred site remained open.
For reasons unknown, Adrianna had left the sacred site behind when she departed.
The Seventh Battalion was now the only force around the sacred site. And it was the Seventh Battalion after all its company commander-level officers had been cleared out.
There was still a chance.
‘It’s a real Monster Tamer’s magic circle.’
With this magic circle, reclaiming the Seventh Battalion branch would be no difficult task.
The cautious Society Head had not sent Helcarton for no reason.
Even knowing it was a trap, this was an opportunity they could not let pass.
Under ordinary circumstances, Helcarton would have acted cautiously.
But Dawn’s affiliated organizations had recently been growing quickly.
After repeated failures, the Dark Magic Society, which had competed for the top position, had been pushed back.
The Dark Magic Society had fled all the way to the north to escape that accursed organization.
Now, there was nowhere left to run.
They had to settle this here.
Still, they needed to be as careful as possible.
That made the Fifth Battalion branch an appropriate location.
It had the highest Magic Stone production, as well as the Fourfold Security Gate, the Dark Magic Society’s pride and the essence of its security.
‘The Fourfold Security Gate...’
No one could enter unless someone opened it for them.
Here, they could proceed safely.
A question suddenly occurred to Helcarton.
“Where did that guy go?”
“Who do you mean?”
“That idiot. Was his name Corton?”
“Ah, I’ll look for him.”
Helcarton considered it briefly, then shook his head.
“Forget it. He’s probably somewhere trying to score another achievement. Focus on the mission.”
It was almost amazing that someone so completely useless had managed to bring back the Monster Tamer’s magic circle.
* * *
“Tch, what would you people have done without me? Do you know how troublesome this Fourfold Security Gate is? Without me, you wouldn’t have been able to enter.”
Corton clicked his tongue softly and threw the door wide open.
“Thank you every time. As expected of a fellow Academy graduate.”
At Galahad’s heartfelt gratitude, Corton lifted his chin.
Eight’s face burned as he looked at the wide-open Fourfold Security Gate.
Footnotes:
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