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25. Just a long button
‘The egg of pain.’
Galahad muttered, touching his heart.
The Egg of Pain that Corton gave me was something I had never encountered before.
It wasn’t a magical tool, as I couldn’t feel the mana itself.
‘Is it because the concentration is high? Or is it sealed?’
The only clue was a tiny sense of foreboding that passed through me as I swore.
It was similar to the pure mass of mana I felt when fighting the demons before.
The egg of pain was located around the heart.
It seemed to whisper every time my heart beat.
If you break your oath, I’ll eat your heart.
It felt like there was a ghost in my head.
‘A normal human would have already gone crazy.’
It was a piece of trash. If the target goes mad, they can’t keep their oath, so it’s actually an object that hinders their purpose.
The corners of Galahad’s mouth went up.
‘What a mysterious thing-.’
I remembered Palho’s report that the dawn was distributing the remnants of the Jema War. This seemed to be one of those remnants.
I tried poking Corton, but all he said was that it was compensation for cutting a deal with the 5th Battalion.
Even if it is from a high-ranking demon, it will be resolved if Adrianna touches the area around the heart.
Adrianna’s temper becomes stronger the stronger the opponent is.
Of course, I didn’t intend to do that.
‘Why would you waste something this precious?’
Even if I were to get rid of it, I planned to do so after figuring out the principle.
If you find out in the first place, there’s no need to get rid of it-.
‘How does it work? If there’s no deadline, can’t it just be ignored?’
– As I thought about it, a pain rose from my heart.
For a moment, I felt a sharp pain as if someone had bitten my heart.
The pain was so intense that even Galahad, who was quite accustomed to pain, groaned.
‘······Are you reading minds? Do you have an ego?’
I asked, tapping the area near the heart, but there was no answer.
He just urged me to keep my promise.
‘I’ll kill you in about ten years.’
I asked her casually as an experiment, and the pain erupted again.
The pain was more intense than before. As if telling him not to mess with me. Galahad sat down, clutching his heart.
‘There is a self. And it was mana. Highly concentrated mana-.’
Galahad thought back to what he had just felt.
It was only a moment, but I felt it clearly.
‘An object with a self. What a treasure.’
I wanted to try it one more time, but he seemed angry.
It’s a shame, but we’ll see you next time.
“Be honest with me. What is your request?”
Gilbert asked seriously. Gilbert’s face was filled with anxiety. He had a good feeling.
“It would be better for you not to know.”
Galahad hesitated for a moment and then shook his head.
It might have been fun to tell it, but I was sure it would have been annoying if I told it to someone else.
At that moment, Tom held out the bundle. His face was full of sorrow. It was as if he was about to cry.
“This is too much for me to manage.”
“Tom, how can a man moan like that? You have to ask him for more.”
“This is too much.”
It was a reasonable deposit from Corton. To think that this was all that was needed-. Galahad clicked his tongue slightly.
“If you won’t take it, I’ll have to give it to someone else. Well, who should I give it to, Gwen?”
“Ah… No! Everything will be done well.”
“I think so too. Gwen is too fragile to carry around money. And Damian?”
“I’m going to buy a lot of delicious food and eat it.”
“A growing boy is scary. Well, then, just Sir Gilbert?”
“I’ll just take it.”
Tom nodded with a determined look on his face.
“Good idea, you’ll do well. I’m good at reading people.”
“Thank you! I will protect you with my life!”
“······What is just a button?”
Gilbert asked belatedly. Tom glanced at the bundle. He counted what he had already counted.
“I should go see Damien.”
Galahad stood up slowly.
“No, just what does Gilbutton mean?”
Damien was at the back of the barracks.
Damien, holding a rusty sword, jumped in place and rolled forward. Snow flurries flew around him. Then he jumped up and swung his sword. The line drawn by the sword was a mess.
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“It’s been like that all along.”
Gilbutton, who had followed, looked at Damien with a strange look and said.
“That’s not swordsmanship training. It’s not physical training. It’s just playing. After doing it for a while, he comes in, eats, and sleeps, and then does it again. I don’t understand why someone with that level of talent wouldn’t learn swordsmanship.”
Gilbert’s voice was full of discontent.
Gilbert seemed to want to teach Damien swordsmanship.
A knight wants to teach me swordsmanship-. Galahad was slightly surprised.
Originally, knights were those who taught swordsmanship only after serving as errand boys for several years and paying money.
By comparison, Gilbert was a good knight.
“I used to have a colleague similar to Damien. We worked together, and he would drink heavily and hug women all night long. Two at a time.”
Galahad began to tell the story of the man who had come to mind when he first saw Damian.
‘The agent’s name was Lady-.’
The lady was a man with a beastly scent, as if he had just learned to walk on two legs.
“When I work, I control my eating, let alone drinking. The man seemed crazy to me. It was a pretty important job.”
Gilbutton nodded with a trembling face.
“So I said something. At the time, I was really angry. Do you know what he said in response to that?”
“What did you say?”
“He asked me if I had ever seen a beast train.”
Galahad chuckled at the old memory.
“I thought it was bullshit like you. So I went to work alone-.”
At that moment, Damien rolled forward twice in succession. At first glance, it seemed like a funny move, but the line drawn by the sword was accurate.
“It really is a beast.”
Galahad nodded, clicking his tongue slightly at the vivid red memory.
“What is that?”
“Anyway, there are various methods. If you try to force it, it will break down. Beasts have their own methods. You just have to feed them well.”
Gilbert frowned. His discontent was still evident.
It couldn’t be otherwise. Gilbert was an honest knight who had built up his sweat. Damien was born a beast and-.
The gap between the two could not be narrowed.
“Well then, would you two like to spar? Damian!”
Damien, who had been rolling forward, jumped up. He approached while dragging his sword.
His face and clothes were covered in snow, and he was a mess. His cheeks were red as if he had frozen, and his nose was running with snot. He was a neighborhood kid who had been running around in the snow. He had a lot of muscle.
“great.”
Gilbutton nodded, adjusting his grip on his sword. It seemed as if he had been waiting.
“Damian, challenge Sir Gilbert to a duel.”
“Kill me?”
“No, you can’t kill him. He’s the lieutenant commander after all.”
“Aha, I see.”
Gilbert’s face was completely crumpled.
“I am from the 1st Battalion.”
“I know, that’s why the salary is so high.”
“There will be no reduction.”
“······Who said what?”
Gilbert stepped forward, drawing his sword. Looking at his face, Gilbert seemed curious about Damien. He was a natural knight.
Gilbert took a stance facing Damien. It was a classic stance, with the sword slightly twisted.
In comparison, Damien simply hung up his sword.
“If you get even one wound, I will count you as victorious.”
“all right.”
Damien didn’t bother to refuse.
Before I could even say start, Damien jumped forward. Knock knock, his posture was so low that it was almost as if he was crawling on all fours.
Although it would be understandable to be flustered, Gilbutton calmly stepped back with his left foot and lowered his posture slightly.
Damien swung his sword as if throwing it. It was more like the front paw of a wild beast than a swordsmanship move. It was rough and unruly.
Gilverton’s sword stopped him. At that moment, Damian’s sword twisted. Damian’s sword slid down Gilverton’s sword. It was not a sword, but a living snake.
“hmm.”
Gilverton pushed the guard with a slurred voice. Damian’s balance was disturbed for a moment. Gilverton took advantage of this opportunity to push his sword. Damian fell backwards.
How hard he fell, the piled up snow blew wildly. A sword shot through the white snowstorm. It was Damian.
Damien rushed at him like a wild beast and swung his sword wildly, but Gilverton’s sword was solid. There was no opening.
‘You’re having fun.’
Gilbert was adjusting to Damien.
Gilbert didn’t keep his distance, and exchanged swords at a narrow range that gave Damien an advantage.
Yet the gap was overwhelming.
“Faster!”
Gilbert narrowed the gap even further, seemingly trying to pull Damien up further.
Galahad clicked his tongue slightly at Gilverton, who was smiling as he received Damian’s sword.
‘What’s so good about swinging a sword?’
The contest ended with Damien getting picked off.
Damien, who was exhausted, fell down. He fell down with a thud, as if he was a machine whose batteries had run out.
In contrast, Gilbert was still, not even breathing.
“I think I know what you mean.”
Gilbert said, taking up his sword.
Galahad pointed to Gilverton’s hand. There was a tiny red line between his gauntlet-less hand and his wrist.
It was a very small wound that didn’t even bleed.
“Didn’t you say earlier that if you get even one wound, you’re defeated?”
Gilbert’s face was completely crumpled.
“It wasn’t Damien’s sword that was scratched on the ground.”
“It’s ugly.”
“It’s true. If it was cut by Damien’s sword, the mark should be wider than this.”
“Yes, you are indeed Gilbutton.”
“······Gilbutton, what does that mean?”
“It means Gilbutton.”
Gilbert spent a long time talking about why it wasn’t Damien’s sword that struck him.
No matter how many times I told him I understood, it was no use.
“Please eat!”
When Tom brought up the subject of dinner, Damian jumped up. Only then did Gilbert go to Damian.
“Let’s eat!”
A breathless voice was heard from behind. I turned my head to see Gwen, painted all black.
“Hey, aren’t you tanning too hard?”
“······Huh? Ah! While practicing magic! I couldn’t control the distance!”
“I see, you’re doing well.”
“Aren’t you going to eat?”
“Oh, eat first. I still have work to do.”
“What do you need to do? Can I help you?”
“Oh, please don’t do that.”
“You have to come quickly! It won’t taste good if it gets cold!”
Gwen chuckled and ran to the barracks.
Galahad waved at him and turned away.
There’s still one more thing left to get.
It was a deal with the evil 5th Battalion Captain who was in collusion with the shady Black Magic Society.
‘Black Magic Society. Magic Stone, 5th Battalion, Demon-.’
Galahad looked over the cards in his hand again.
Mark was a very calculating person.
If you present me with the most reasonable option among the choices, I will accept it.
The method to present the most reasonable option was simple.
‘Just erase all other options.’
Galahad walked with a tobacco stick in his mouth.
****
The 5th Battalion Captain Mark had a complicated mind.
Recently, the cycle of the Demon’s attacks has been getting shorter.
It was a bad sign.
War cost a lot of money. From the soldiers’ armor to their swords and food. It didn’t cost a lot of money.
‘If it’s not a magic stone-.’
Knock knock-.
I raised my head at the sound of a knock.
The door opened and Special Forces Captain Galahad came in.
Corton was a trashy man, but he was as sinister as a rat. The fact that Galahad, who had gone out with Corton, had returned-.
‘I guess we made some kind of deal.’
Why did Galahad come back?
‘Threat?’
Dealing with wizards was frowned upon in the North.
However, if the wizard had studied the demon race, things could have been different.
The most strictly forbidden thing in the empire was research on the demon race. Researching the demon race meant that you were an anti-empire group.
In addition, the income from the magic stone workshop through the Black Magic Society was lucrative.
Mark was confident that he could convince the other captains based on two reasons. It was the reason why Mark had accepted the Black Magic Society.
“Don’t you have anything like tea? I’ve been talking a lot today, so I’m a little thirsty.”
At that moment, Galahad, who had been sitting down, glanced at Lumian and spoke.
As Mark nodded, Lumian chewed his lip and went out.
“How was your work?”
Mark got straight to the point.
“We’re old school friends, so we had a long chat. The name of the wizards you joined hands with was the Black Magic Society.”
“okay.”
“You knew that, didn’t you?”
“No way.”
Of course I knew. Mark wasn’t stupid enough to let unknown people into his castle.
When calculating the gains and losses, the gains were just big enough to cover the losses.
“Oh, did I tell you that I caught a mid-level demon that was comparable to a high-level demon, sixteen ground puppies, and two magicians when I came here?”
Mark’s eyes narrowed at the sudden boast.
“yes.”
“Actually, there were three wizards.”
At that moment, the door opened and Lumian came in. Lumian placed an iron cup in front of Galahad. Steam rose from the cup.
Galahad drank his tea in an old-fashioned manner.
‘There are not two wizards, but three.’
The intention behind bringing up that story behind the Black Magic Society was clear.
‘Was it the work of the Black Magic Society?’
Mark’s mouth was dry.
The Black Magic Society’s collusion with the Demon Tribe was an unexpected move.
This-.
‘This is the worst.’
Mark squinted his eyes.
In order to reduce the damage, we had to immediately catch and kill the Dark Magic Society guys in the castle.
However, then the magic stone quarry could not be operated.
In a situation where the Demon Tribe’s attacks are becoming more frequent, giving up the Magic Stone Field meant dying a slow death.
It wasn’t worst and lesser worst, it was fast worst and slow worst.
‘What is the purpose of telling me this?’
Galahad was leading a special force, but it was significantly undermanned. It was missing its most important base.
What Galahad would want from Mark is-.
‘It must be a base or troops.’
The hilt of the sword passed to that side, but Galahad and Mark were in different weight classes.
It was a story that even the handle of a sword had to be of a certain weight class to be effective.
‘If you insist that it’s the empire’s dogshit-.’
Mark knocked on the table.
Galahad was leisurely drinking tea. His old-fashioned appearance was typical of a nobleman. His hair was neatly slicked back and his clothes were neatly arranged.
He was a man who really didn’t fit in with the North.
“What do you want?”
Mark got straight to the point.
“I want to have the special forces headquarters in the 5th Battalion.”
It was an expected request. Mark nodded.
“Yes, I will empty the supply depot.”
“The supply center is too small.”
A unit of only five people, yet the supply depot building is so small? – Mark nodded, though he didn’t understand.
“I will give you a company building.”
“A company? I bet it smells like Sir Gilbert’s feet.”
“If there’s anything you want, just let me know.”
Galahad pointed down at Mark’s question.
Mark bowed his head, following Galahad’s fingers. It was the floor.
Mark squinted his eyes for a moment, then realized something.
“Are you asking for the battalion headquarters now?”
“This one is the biggest. And it’s warm.”
Are you kidding? Mark thought seriously.
No, what kind of guy is asking for the battalion headquarters? It was definitely a joke.
Mark realized something in Galahad’s eyes.
This wasn’t a joke. This crazy guy really wanted the battalion headquarters.
“Why does a five-man unit need a battalion headquarters?”
“Isn’t the headquarters the face of the unit? I like a big, clean face. Do you not like it?”
The building was just a building.
Since it was unexpected, I was just flustered and didn’t really care.
Exchange between the Black Magic Society and the Battalion Headquarters. Assuming it’s only while Mark finds a solution…
“great.”
“Good.”
Galahad nodded, as if he knew Mark would accept it.
“Of course, we’re not going to use it all. There are more days when it’s empty, so isn’t that a waste? I really hate waste. How many floors is this building?”
“······It’s the third floor.”
“Then you take the first and second floors. We’ll take the third floor.”
Mark frowned at Galahad’s words as if he was doing a favor.
That meant keeping the guard up. It was like leaving the building management to them.
“great.”
“Oh, there’s one more.”
You’re so greedy.
Mark squinted his eyes.
“I heard there are factions among the captains. They are divided into Adrianna, the captain of the 2nd battalion, and the captain of the 3rd battalion.”
I guess you’re saying you want to come under the 5th Battalion.
‘Was asking for the building a fight for him?’
Mark nodded.
“Yes, there are factions.”
“Is there a 5th Battalion?”
“No, but.”
“Good.”
Galahad bit into the tobacco and snapped his fingers. The tobacco caught fire.
The air was filled with the scent of lemons.
“If the magic stone business is maintained, I can support the operating expenses of the unit. In return, I would like you to perform a few tasks. For example, accurate information on the cost of magic stones······.”
“You, you’re misunderstanding something. I’m not saying that the special forces will go under the 5th Battalion.”
Mark clicked his tongue slightly at the following words.
‘Do you want an alliance?’
It was greed. It was vain pride.
To begin with, the size of the special forces and the 5th Battalion were incomparable.
The special forces consisted of only five men. In contrast, the 5th Battalion consisted of only ten companies. There were even more platoons below them.
The task force was smaller than a platoon.
But I found it absurd that he wanted an equal relationship.
Mark laughed out loud for the first time in a long time.
Within moments, Mark’s face grew cold.
“Alliance? That’s ridiculous. Do you think I look funny when you match up with me? Did you really think that the captain was the same captain as me? Yes, if you want to report, report. That’s right-.”
“Oh, I misunderstood what I said.”
Mark calmed down as Galahad shook his head.
‘I misspoke.’
Yeah, the difference in scale is such that you can’t even talk about an alliance.
No matter how brave I was, I would never make such an absurd suggestion.
“What I was talking about wasn’t an alliance-.”
Mark guessed what would come next and planned a response.
So that you can deal with whatever comes out of Galahad’s mouth.
Then Galahad opened his mouth.
“Come under me.”
Mark couldn’t cope.
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