Volume 4 Chapter 99 Before the Vanguard ②
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The young girl Knights who had been standing watch in front of Merchant Guild Kian¹ were gone. Even the nearest streets had been emptied of people, leaving a hollow silence in their wake. As the sky began to bruise with the colors of twilight, the coastline of ‘Grass Island’ felt like a world that had already seen its end.
The three of them ran across the sandy beach, the grains turned to a shimmering gold by the deep orange glow of the sun. Far across the horizon, the silhouette of a ship flickered. Until now, Kian had always pictured the Crete military as a small, insular group-a private army with more pride than numbers. But seeing them now, pressing every available transport and merchant vessel into service, he had to change his mind. They were like dust in an old rug: the more you beat it, the more it poured out, relentless and suffocating.
They were a maritime nation with centuries of trade in their blood, after all. Even if the war with Nizaam a decade ago had left them scarred, their deep-rooted history remained. The private levies of the island nobility hadn’t even fully joined the fray yet. At the very least, they had enough strength left to ensure that Azrael’s plan to wipe out the Crete people remained a distant fantasy.
”Kian-san, it looks like Medea-san is outside the base,” Guria said, her voice steady as she ran. “She’s speaking with a group of people… I can feel several powerful auras among them.”
”Medea-san was supposed to be at death’s door-nmo,” Kian grumbled. “Even in a war zone, it seems she doesn’t have the word ‘rest’ in her vocabulary-nmo, does she?”
”She seemed perfectly fine when we talked yesterday, though!” Guria said briskly.
”Fine…?” Kian asked. “I’m pretty sure she was only standing because her subordinates were basically stapled to her sides-nmo.”
”If she’s vertical, she’s fine! Don’t worry, she’s always been tough,” Guria insisted.
(Ehh…) Kian thought, unconvinced.
As the headquarters of the Order of the Lightning Knights² came into view, Kian could see dozens of figures loitering at the entrance. Most were male Beastmen, but they weren’t part of the regular guard; their armor bore different crests.
”Those are soldiers from the Tiegel house,” Guria whispered.
”Tiegel?” Kian asked.
”Amora-san’s family.”
”Ah, I see. So Amora-san is a ‘Tiegel’-nmo.”
Their approach was noticed, but the Beastmen didn’t move to intercept them. Their attention was entirely fixed on a heated argument at the front of the line. A tigress Beastman lady was snarling at Medea-san, who sat pale and rigid in a wheelchair.
Opposite Medea-san, the tigress was also pushing a wheelchair. Seated in it was Tiegel Amora, looking every bit the wounded soldier she was.
Honestly, does anyone in this country know how to stay in bed-nmo? Kian wondered to himself.
”Medea-san, this is my final ultimatum!” the tigress roared. “Hand over the ‘Red Water’³ at once! If you don’t, I’m pulling my soldiers out of this fight!”
”And as I have told you, Suma-sama… I have no idea what this ‘Red Water’ is,” Medea replied, her voice strained. “Please, stop shouting. The vibrations are bothering my wounds.”
”Don’t you dare lie to me! I may be retired, but do you know how many years we served as court magicians together?! I can see right through your act!” Smaa shouted.
”Mother, please, stop this,” Amora said, her voice weak. “Sergeant, I will handle my mother. Please, just follow Vice-Commander Medea-san’s instructions-\\ufeff-“
”No, Amora! This is for your body! Don’t you understand?!” Smaa turned back to Medea, her eyes flashing with desperation. “Medea-san, hand over the ‘Red Water’ you took from Tsai Ryoma this instant!”
”What is the meaning of all this noise?” Guria asked, her voice cutting through the air with a regal, frigid authority.
Suma’s mouth snapped shut. She couldn’t simply ignore Guria. With a stiff, resentful grace, she pinched her skirts and performed a flawless court magician’s bow. Medea and Amora had already lowered their heads in respect. Behind Suma, the wall of Beastmen soldiers dropped to their knees, foreheads pressed against the shafts of their spears.
”A good day to you, Princess Guria Selda,” Smaa said, her tone tightly controlled.
”And to you, Suma-sama,” Guria replied. “Now, what is this ‘Red Water’ you’re so concerned about?”
Suma looked toward Kian, her eyes twisting with a flash of raw loathing. She quickly snapped her focus back to Guria.
”Yesterday, a prisoner was delivered from Merchant Guild Kian-someone captured during the fighting at Underworld Island. It was the infamous ‘Ryoma of the Charge,’ a former general under Old Man Umar.”
”I am aware,” Guria said. “What about Tsai Ryoma?”
”During his interrogation, he demanded to be put in contact with Umar,” Smaa explained. “He claimed that since Jibril-sama likely wouldn’t pay his ransom, he wanted to negotiate with Umar to cover the cost.”
”The Merchant Guild reported that Lord Jibril-sama was sighted on the battlefield and suffered a grave injury,” Medea added, pointedly refusing to look at Kian. She addressed Isthbaran, who was standing in the shadows, speaking in the common tongue of the West. “Vahid’s army was also crushed. Is that correct?”
Isthbaran gave a subtle nod from behind his mask. “It is. Our magician broke Jibril.”
”…The High Warlord⁴?” a voice whispered from the ranks of the Beastmen.
A black panther warrior looked up, his muscles tensed. “Is it true? Are you the ‘High Warlord’ of the Storm Herd? The one from the legends?”
”I’ve left that name behind,” Isthbaran rumbled. “My comrades might still use it, but today, I am simply a Knight in service to Kian-san. I am the Silver Wolf.”
A ripple of awe went through the soldiers. “The High Warlord…” “The strongest mercenary in the West…” “He’s massive.”
”So-nmo?” Kian broke in. “What’s the rest of the story about Ryoma and Umar-nmo? How does this ‘Red Water’ fit into the puzzle-nmo?”
”Medea-san,” Smaa snapped, ignoring Kian entirely. “Why is General Asterios allowed to roam free like this?”
”I wouldn’t know,” Medea replied coldly. “He is with Guria-sama and his management contractor. Suma-sama, regardless of your personal feelings, the General is far more calculating and composed than you credit him for. Dangerously so. If he weren’t, he never would have brought the Western Church or Chatillon to the table.”
”Guria-nmo did all the talking,” Kian added. “I was just the backup-nmo.”
”Chatillon as well?” Medea’s eyes sharpened. “The Princess wasn’t present for the negotiations with Chatillon, was she?”
(Ah. Busted-nmo.)
Kian shut his mouth tight. Medea continued, her gaze still fixed anywhere but on him.
”Ryoma told the interrogators to tell Umar that he possessed a medicine-a ‘Red Water’ capable of curing any disease and even restoring youth.”
”A medicine that restores youth?” Guria asked, frowning.
Suma took over, her voice urgent. “It’s likely a prototype of the ‘Sage’s Elixir’⁵, Princess. Within our circles, Old Man Umar’s obsession with immortality is no secret. His research was passed down through Tsai Hanami to the current Twelve Divine Generals-specifically Lord Jibril. It seems Jibril-sama actually achieved a breakthrough.”
”Did General Ryoma have the physical sample on him?” Guria asked, turning back to Medea.
”He did not,” Medea replied.
”Liar!” Smaa screamed. “Who would be foolish enough to try and negotiate with Umar without the goods in hand?! You took it from him, didn’t you?!”
”Mother… please, that’s enough,” Amora whispered. Her hand went to her abdomen, her fingers tracing the space where her womb used to be. The pain in her eyes was unbearable. “Sergeant, we are under the Order’s command. Mother, let’s just go home. Father already signed the contract to lend our strength to Vice-Commander Medea-san. Why fight now?”
”Your father only cares about the gold! He doesn’t think about you at all!” Suma’s voice broke. “Amora… Mama doesn’t care about the money. I just want your body to be whole again. I want to give you back what you lost.”
”I want to know more about this ‘Sage’s Elixir’-nmo,” Kian said.
He dropped to one knee, forcing Medea to look at him as she tried to turn away.
”…And what would you do with that knowledge, General?” Medea hissed, her loathing plain. “You already have an immortal heart. Is that not enough?”
”The man I fought, Mansoor… he had a regeneration ability that defied logic-nmo,” Kian said, his voice dropping an octave. “I think there’s a link-nmo.”
Suma’s eyes widened. She looked at Kian with a new, unsettling interest.
”My… you actually seem to have a sense of duty toward this country’s defense. That’s not what the rumors said.”
”I met Guria-nmo,” Kian said simply. “I’ve decided to take the job of protecting this land seriously-nmo. At least for a little while.”
”Then why don’t you just hurry up and hand over the power of lightning already, n-mo?” Medea stood there, the pulse in her neck throbbing with visible irritation as she spat the words out.
”General Asterios. With all due respect,” Medea said, “three hundred soldiers of the Order of the Lightning Knights⁶ wielding the storm would be a far greater threat on the battlefield than you simply rampaging about on your own.”
”There are persistent rumors, General, that vampire cells are used in the ‘Immortal Elixir’⁷,” Amora said, stepping in to bridge the tension.
”However,” Amora continued, “if it merely turned the user into a vampire or a Blood Servant, it would be a failure. It seems they’ve mixed the vampire cells with something else. They say those who take it can obtain an infinite lifespan and a perfect body, much like the Immortals of the East.”
”I’ve heard vampires use a ‘Restoration Curse’⁸,” Amora added, “and that there are special cells making that possible. The theory is that this medicine performs a pseudo-Restoration Curse… in other words, it’s a drug that only works when used alongside the actual ritual.”
”So it has nothing to do with Mansoor turning into mist or creating corpse soldiers like a vampire, n-mo?” I asked Madam Smaa and Amora.
”It’s not unrelated,” Amora replied. “The Lightning Knights believe Mansoor stole a failed batch of the ‘Red Water’⁹ and took it. That’s how he achieved a pseudo-vampirization. He can use vampiric abilities, but it also means he likely has all their weaknesses. Isn’t that right, Vice Commander?”
”Yes, essentially,” the Vice Commander said. “Though I doubt running water will affect him. He’s crossed the sea by swimming before.”
”That helps, n-mo. If Circe happens to let him slip through, I’ll finish the bastard off myself. Don’t you worry, n-mo!”
”Hey, Medea,” Guria called out, her face clouded with anxiety. “You haven’t tried to contact old man Umar, have you? If he regains his youth with that Red Water, the threat to Crete is going to skyrocket.”
”Guria, we don’t know that for sure,” Medea said. “Umar escaped the palace where Jibril had him imprisoned. He is an open enemy of Lord Jibril. If he returns to power, the enemy of our enemy might become our ally.”
”Aha! So you did seize the Red Water!” Smaa shouted.
”It was a hypothetical, Smaa! Honestly…” Medea said, shaking her head. “Can we just end this? I’ve handed over the soldiers as promised.”
”My Lord,” Isthbaran whispered in my ear in the Western Common tongue. “You should verify this with Izerland.”
”True enough, n-mo,” I replied.
”A letter arrived from Linca as well,” Isthbaran added. “You could send your inquiry with the reply.”
”Ah… phew…” I took a long, heavy draw of air. If there was even a chance that letter contained something serious, I couldn’t put off opening it any longer.
”Medea,” I said, my voice dropping into a serious register. “My husband and I will protect King Minos even at the cost of our lives. But when this war is over, you will hand over that confiscated Red Water. I’ll pay whatever price you ask.”
”……” Medea remained silent.
”Is that understood?” I asked.
(As long as Linca’s ridiculous letter doesn’t contain a death notice, Umar should still be alive at the old residence in Izerland. I don’t know exactly what the Red Water is, but even if it’s a failure like the one Mansoor took… if a man like Umar Vahid drinks it, he might experience a total resurrection.)
I watched them, my mind spinning with the political fallout. If Umar returns now, what happens? Will Sarah stay by my side? What about Maribel? Or Oswald? How would the anti-Maribel factions react?
It was unpredictable. Would it fall into chaos, or would Umar consolidate the fractured groups into a third power, finally making Frontier politics easy to read?
(Killing Umar would remove the variable… but the idea of him returning? In my mind, that’s an acceptable gamble.)
The truth was, the end of August hadn’t gone the way I wanted. I had this selfish desire to test my own strength against Umar in his prime. I wonder what Jibril would do, I mused. He isn’t a slave to desire like I am, but I suspect he’d resurrect Umar just to have an excuse to wipe out every opposing faction in one sweep.
But if I told Sarah or Linca I wanted to bring him back, they’d fight me tooth and nail. The risk was too high. And I didn’t want to fight him badly enough to lose their trust.
(For now, I’ll just hold onto the hope that such a future comes to pass.)
”Guria, that’s enough of a stroll with General Asterios,” Medea said. “Get ready to board. You’re on standby as a reserve force, remember?”
”Oh, right! But I was actually looking for someone who knows how to steer the ship…” Guria said.
”We can ask Madam Tiegel’s men to handle that,” Medea suggested. “Smaa? Amora? Would you mind?” Guria asked.
”Of course, Princess,” Amora replied.
”Alright then! Me and Guria are gonna patrol the coastline, n-mo. We set sail at sunset, so if you’re coming, finish your dinner and take a dump before then, n-mo!”
The Beastmen soldiers nodded in agreement, while the women looked on with varying degrees of disgust. Medea glared at me as if to say, I told you the stroll was over, you brainless cow. I just shrugged. Asterios doesn’t listen to people anyway. If I suddenly started acting refined, the cover would be blown.
”Bye-bye, n-mo~!” I called out to Madam Tiegel and Amora as I stood up and left.
As I walked away, I noticed Medea still hadn’t gone back to her own home.
* * *
We returned to the merchant house after securing the coastline. By then, the sun had set, and the Chin-Chin had landed on the private beach. Talia and Rita had arrived. We shared dinner on the sandy beach as a way of introducing everyone.
Talia and Isthbaran stayed behind at the house, while the rest of us boarded the merchant ship belonging to Merchant Guild Kian¹⁰, currently moored at the breakwater.
The sea was dark. On the horizon, I could see the orange flickers of mana-lamps¹¹ from the Cretan warships.
As I stood on the deck, the Tiegel soldiers busied themselves with final preparations.
‘Kian, can you hear me?’ Talia asked.
(I hear you. It’s been a while since your voice echoed through my right arm.)
I felt Talia nod in my mind. ‘I’ve partially recreated Jibril’s ritual. I’ve moved a fragment of my soul into your right arm. I’ll provide magical support to match your movements—assuming the Cretan forces storming Cyclops Island actually run into trouble.’
(I’m counting on you. I’m going to lean into Asterios’s physical abilities and use Beastman Martial Arts. I’m probably going to take some hits, so keep the healing coming.)
‘Leave it to me.’ Talia replied.
Having Talia in my right arm made all the difference. Having a strategic-grade mage capable of independent action riding shotgun meant I wasn’t just a soldier; I was a fortress.
”General Asterios! We’re raising the anchor!” a soldier called.
”N-mo! Set sail, n-mooooooo!” I roared.
”Setting sail!” the crew shouted back.
The anchor rattled as it was winched up, and magical wind filled the massive sails. Scipio’s ship was a heavy galleon—an expensive relic worth thousands of gold coins. I couldn’t complain about it not being “state-of-the-art.”
As I thought about the need to hire a permanent navigator, I saw Guria and Rita leaning against the railing. I decided to head over.
”Asterios-sama, perfect timing,” Guria said. “Rita and I were just talking about what comes next.”
”General Asterios,” Rita asked, looking me dead in the eye. “Is it true that you have no intention of getting Guria pregnant?”
The only light on the deck of the merchant ship ‘Kian’ came from the lanterns held by the Teigel soldiers and the Mana Lamps¹² flickering on the masts.
In the heavy darkness, Rita’s yellow eyes glowed with a feral intensity as she looked up.
”Just between us, it’s the truth-nmo. I’ve got no intention of killing Guria-nmo,” the creature said.
”And why is that? You’ve no reason to lie to me here, so I assume you’re being straight with me?” Rita asked.
”No deep reason-nmo. Just… spending time with Guria, I’ve seen her heart-nmo. Until now, women were just things to knock up. Especially those of the Crete Royal Family¹³—they carry the blood of the bastards who locked me away on the Isle of Minotaurs¹⁴. They were targets for my revenge-nmo. But I realized I can’t stay stuck in the past forever-nmo. It’s time for me and the Crete Royals to bury the hatchet-mo,” he grunted.
”So Guria’s kindness was enough to make you change your tune?”
”That’s right-nmo.”
”……! Then… that means… Guria… even after the war… she can stay alive? She’ll keep living?” Rita whispered.
”That’s right. I’m (Watashi) not going to die. I’ll just be spending the rest of my life with Asterios-sama,” Guria said, stepping forward.
”Is that actually a good thing? No… I suppose there’s no point saying that to a girl who’s already used the staff.”
Rita looked back at the swaying surface of the sea with a conflicted expression.
The water was pitch black, and even the moon was hidden behind the clouds.
”I’m happy, Rita,” Guria said.
Guria turned her gaze back to the water as well.
”You know how it is-I’m a dummy, and I was never any good at studying like my big brother. I like staying active, but I’m not some powerhouse like you. I just happened to be born with a body that’s a little quicker and tougher than most.”
She flashed a sheepish, toothy smirk and kept going.
”I really don’t have any real talents. With my big brother Scipio, I could accept being the ‘lesser’ one since he’s the eldest, but realizing my little sisters were smarter than me too… that really put me in a slump. I used to wonder why I was even born into the Crete Royal Family at all.”
”Guria, you’re kind-nmo. You look out for your people, and you make everyone around you smile-nmo,” the creature replied.
”Kind, huh?”
Guria gave a bitter little laugh.
”But that’s just the word people use to praise someone when they’ve got nothing else going for them.”
”I don’t think that’s true-nmo…”
”It is. Even when girls talk to each other, if there’s a girl with no real charms, you force out a compliment like that. You do it just so you don’t get kicked out of the group.”
”Is that really how it works-nmo?”
”Don’t ask me. But I don’t think anyone in the Order of the Lightning Knights¹⁵ was the type to use those kinds of hollow platitudes,” Rita said.
”Well, sure. The girls in the Knights were all elites. There wasn’t a single one of them without something to admire.”
”I suppose that’s true.”
Rita nodded simply, and Guria continued.
”I’m getting off track, but even a ‘nothing’ like me is happy to be useful for once. My position is one-of-a-kind, isn’t it? Even though I didn’t work for it, people respect me like I’ve done something great. It satisfies my ego, so I’m happy. In a way, I’ve got it made.”
”Everyone has their own bar for happiness. If you’re okay with it, I won’t say anything more.”
”Rita… were you happy? Being with me… being with everyone in the Order of the Lightning Knights?” Guria asked.
”Yeah.”
Rita nodded without a second thought.
But then her eyes began to wander, as if she were suddenly unsure.
”But that happiness wasn’t something I was meant to have. Dreams have to end eventually. I have to face the fact that I’m just Nizaam’s killer doll¹⁶-a piece of trash who murdered her own mother. I’m not the kind of person who should be living a carefree life with you.”
”I don’t agree. I don’t care how many people you’ve killed in the past. Everyone in the Order of the Lightning Knights wants you back. Look… if we got the members to sign a petition and talked to Medea and Circe, I know we could pull the strings to get you back in. We’d make them ignore the rules.”
”Guria. I won’t go that far to go back. I don’t want to be with you all that much,” Rita said firmly.
”Then I suppose all I can do is cheer for whatever lonely road you choose. I can’t force you.”
”You’re surprisingly cold about this-nmo,” the creature noted.
”Is it cold, or just normal? You belong where you want to belong. Feeling comfortable and wanting to be part of a community are two different things. Besides, Rita doesn’t look like she’s about to kill herself the moment I look away-unlike when I first found her.”
Rita closed her eyes.
”It’s a fact that I didn’t report my contact with Shidarkan. I let it slip that the currents were gone. If I used my connections to rejoin now, the Order of the Lightning Knights would lose its integrity. I couldn’t live with myself if I caused that much trouble.”
”I know. You’re just that kind of person, Rita.”
Guria’s smile faded into something more serious as she turned to her friend.
”Then, promise me one thing. You can dwell on your ‘atonement’ and all that baggage as much as you want, but promise me you’ll live every moment as your true self.”
”As myself…? What even is that? I don’t have anything I want to do. I barely have a ‘self’ at all,” Rita replied.
”It’s that part of you that works itself to death for the sake of others.”
Guria squeezed Rita’s thick, calloused hand.
It was skin hardened by a life of training to kill.
As if trying to overwrite that history, Guria spoke with a voice full of conviction.
”You’re someone who can save people. Unlike me, you’ve got a strong will and the power to back it up. There are definitely people out there who will only be saved because you’re there. That will never change. When someone is truly desperate, I want you to be the one to help them. Don’t ever lose that. Because the Rita ‘Malc’ we love… that’s who she is.”
”‘Malc’…”
”Nizaam given you the power to fight and a name. Whether you use them to kill or to protect… that’s for you to decide.”
It was more than a request; it was an order, a final imprinting.
Guria stared into Rita’s black eyes, and Rita found she couldn’t look away.
”From now on, you aren’t Rita of Crete. You are Rita ‘Malc.’ If Crete is the chain that binds you, then I have to be the one to break it.”
”────”
”Can you promise me that?” Guria asked.
”I understand. I promise,” Rita said.
Rita nodded, then paused for a moment before speaking again.
”Then, can I make one request of you too?”
”What is it?”
”Don’t ever say you have no value again.”
”────! “
”You’re a hopeless softie. You’re naive. You act on pure impulse. You’re lazy, and you’re a slow learner.”
”Ah… yeah…”
”But that version of you saved my life. You saved me. Every time I save someone from now on, it means you indirectly saved them too. Be proud of that. You’re incredible.”
”I’m not incredible at all! You’re the one doing all the saving, Rita!”
”…I said it wrong.”
Rita looked down, searching for the right words, then met Guria’s eyes again.
”I love you. I hate it when people talk trash about the person I love. So… be proud of yourself. Admit that you’re someone great. If you really think you’re not, then work until you are. Just don’t ever tell me that sad lie-that you have to be a sacrifice because you have no other use.”
”Ah… okay. I’m sorry.”
Rita raised her eyebrows and put her hands on her hips.
”If you’re going to keep living, then start by learning how to handle the government. Everyone is going to need you.”
”Yeah, yeah… honestly, having the guts to talk down to royalty like this is a talent in itself…”
”I saw you as a friend long before I saw you as royalty. This is a friend’s advice before we go our separate ways. Take it.”
”If Rita ends up staying in Crete after the war, this is going to be so embarrassing to look back on-nmo,” the creature teased.
”I can’t stay in Crete,” Rita replied.
Just as Rita said it, a thunderous, bone-shaking boom erupted from the far horizon.
—
Summary:
Kian and Guria arrive at the Order of the Lightning Knights base to find a confrontation between Medea and Amora’s mother, Sama. Smaa demands a mysterious ‘Red Water’ to heal her daughter’s permanent injuries. The dialogue reveals that this substance is a prototype of a youth-restoring ‘Sage’s Elixir’ linked to Lord Jibril.
Kian (in Asterios’s body) negotiates for the ‘Red Water’ after learning about its pseudo-vampiric properties. He weighs the strategic risks of resurrecting his rival, Umar Vahid, while preparing to sail.
On the deck of the merchant ship Kian, Rita and Guria share a final heart-to-heart conversation under the watch of the creature Asterios. Guria reveals her deep-seated insecurities about her lack of talent, while Rita struggles with her identity as a ‘killer doll.’ They exchange emotional promises to value themselves and their true nature as a massive explosion sounds on the horizon.
—
Trivia:
- Medea is still heavily injured and being supported despite being in a wheelchair.
- Isthbaran’s secret identity as the legendary High Warlord is revealed to the Beastmen soldiers.
- Kian actually has an ‘immortal heart,’ which Medea points out with disdain.
- Suma is a retired court magician, explaining her ability to sense auras and her knowledge of alchemy.
- Amora’s father (Suma’s husband) is the one who actually signed the military contract, implying a rift in the family values.
- The Red Water is likely a ‘failed’ version of an elixir of immortality.
- Mansoor’s abilities are pseudo-vampiric, meaning he has vampire weaknesses.
- Talia’s soul is partially anchored in Kian’s right arm using a ritual.
- Kian actually wants to fight Umar at full strength to prove his superiority.
- Medea’s irritation is visible through the throbbing pulse in her neck.
- Rita intentionally withheld information about her contact with Shidarkan.
- Guria admits to using a ‘staff’ which implies a heavy price paid for power.
- Asterios, once an enemy seeking revenge on the Crete bloodline, has had a change of heart.
- Rita’s surname ‘Malc’ was given to her by Nizaam, the entity that trained her
—
Character Insight:
Kian is evolving from a detached merchant into a protector, driven by his connection to Guria. Smaa shows the desperation of a parent, willing to sabotage a war effort for a chance at a miracle cure for her daughter.
Kian demonstrates a blend of ruthless political calculation and a warrior’s hubris. He is willing to risk a third-party political shift just for a chance to fight a legendary opponent at their peak.
Guria moves from self-pity to a position of leadership, accepting her role in the government. Rita shifts from a tool-like existence toward an autonomous future, promising to save others.
—
Behind the Scenes:
The ‘Red Water’ or ‘Sage’s Elixir’ (Sentan) references traditional East Asian alchemical concepts of immortality, often associated with cinnabar and dangerous alchemical processes.
The ‘n-mo’ tic is used to mask Kian’s sophisticated internal thoughts, maintaining the ‘idiot cow’ persona of Asterios.
—
TL Notes:
Notes:
• Nizaam – A former member of Azrael’s Twelve Divine Generals and the current head of the Malc family, though he has passed both titles to his daughter to return to the battlefield. He is a prominent warrior noble in Azrael, known for his love of beautiful boys and fierce battles.
• Amora – Scipio’s fiance, and the knight of crete.
• Smaa – Amora’s mother and a retired court magician; fiercely protective of her daughter. Tigress Beastman.
• Isthbaran – The High Warlord of the ‘Storm Herd.’
• Mansoor – Crimson-eyed elder monk and Azrael’s Divine General from the Shakerdoust domain near Dacia. Wielding mist form, blood-drinking, rapid healing. He ties to allies like Ryoma and Hanami Tsai. First appearing in Vol. 4 Ch. 25. Quick tag: vampiric red-eyed grandpa-general who mist-forms and drinks blood, obsessed with rescuing his captured son unlike other human monks.
• Linca – Jibril’s favorite girl. High-ranking warrior monk woman from Shin, with strong abilities like ignoring attacks and poisons.
• Talia – A high-ranking vampire spirit currently possessing the body of Lyritisse. In this form, she has flaxen hair, blue eyes, and thick lips.
• Rita – Female warrior monk with fox ears, last direct disciple of Nizaam, wears a fox-ear hooded jacket. A ‘killing doll’ beastman created by Nizaam.
• Shidarkan – Gloomy, bearded son-in-law of the Malc family (Flora’s clan); once a modest Malc magician, ordinary next to Shajar’s elites. Attends the Cyclops Island war council after losing his wife, Flora, and sisters-in-law in the northern base’s destruction. First appears Vol. 4 Ch. 45. Reminder: bereaved Malc son-in-law—sober, doubtful, and dim but dutiful.
• Mag – The wolfwoman under Yelmar—the one who was caught by Kian’s group earlier.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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