The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 187

187

“Smooth sailing with the wind! My lucky hunch never fails.”

Hirpien Dialle grinned, touching the figurehead.

Her long, braided hair, swaying in the sea breeze, was a blue that mirrored the ocean’s hues.

Even if this weren’t the sea, I could still smell the ocean on her. Just like before.

“At this rate, we’ll start seeing the archipelago tonight.”

“Thanks, Hirpien. You saved us.”

“That’s what I should be saying.”

After being stranded on a deserted island with Aki for over a day, this ship appeared on the horizon!

I was starting to worry about securing drinking water since I couldn’t use water magic, but it was truly a godsend.

And to think, the captain and owner of the ship was Hirpien Dialle.

“You risked your life to save us in the ant cave back then. Compared to that, this is nothing.”

Hirpien tapped the figurehead.

It was in the shape of a woman holding a music box, a galleon bestowed by her grandfather in honor of her past achievements.

“The ‘Echo of the Music Box.’ Three sails on the second deck. The best ship made with the finest materials by the top artisans of the Iron Reef Islands. There’s probably no faster ship on the continent right now.”

Hirpien’s grandfather had passed away peacefully to the sound of his grandmother’s music box.

He left this world a month after Hirpien arrived, so if she hadn’t saved the music box back then…

Hirpien looked at me, a smile of mixed joy and sorrow on her face. I said,

“Well, it seems like things worked out well.”

“Thanks to whom? How about you? Did you solve the problem you were chasing back then?”

“The problem I was chasing?”

“Back then, it seemed like you were after more than just Toureina’s book.”

“This side is… similar to you.”

You couldn’t see my expression, but I was probably wearing the same smile Hirpien had just worn.

Toureina also passed away peacefully.

After a long wait of 300 years.

Her soul may have nested in the dragon egg, but there’s no way we can share the memories of 300 years ago. Toureina is dead.

“It’s all thanks to you buying me the book back then.”

And now, I’m even indebted to her for taking me to the Tersh Archipelago.

Hirpien’s ‘Echo of the Music Box’ was originally planning to depart from , pass through , and return to the Iron Reef Islands.

But when I asked if she could take me straight to the archipelago, she readily agreed without a moment’s hesitation.

– Our Dialle family always repays debts. We have the spirit of merchants in our bones.

She said she would load up on lemons and tangerines, which are local specialties, while in the city to make a profit, so it wouldn’t be that much of a loss.

I don’t know if that’s true or if she’s just trying to ease my burden…

With the danger of the Slayers becoming a reality, I didn’t have the luxury to worry about everyone’s circumstances.

Of course, I was planning to deal with any sea monsters that appeared during the voyage, but perhaps because of Aki’s absolute presence, not a single one showed its face.

“Hmph, maybe I should get married and have a child soon. I didn’t know kids could be this cute. I have over a hundred men lining up to marry me, you know? Get in line if you’re interested.”

Hirpien held Aki up high by her armpits, and Aki giggled.

“Aki ish cute!”

“Yes, yes~ So cute!”

Hirpien’s unique sociability once again showed its power, and she quickly became friends with Aki.

“I don’t know, it’s not that kids are cute. It’s that Aki is cute.”

I shook my head.

How long and arduous was the journey for this child to grow up like this? When I think of the pain of that day, I hesitate to recommend it to others.

Hirpien’s voice, who had Aki on her shoulders, lowered slightly.

“I smell bad luck coming from you and Aki. Going to the archipelago in such a hurry… it’s not for a pleasant reason, is it?”

“I can’t explain it in detail. I don’t know the details myself yet.”

“Hmm… now that you mention it, the archipelago has been quite, how should I put it, a little unpleasant lately. There was even a guy who made a strange proposal recently.”

“A strange proposal?”

“He said he would lend mercenaries at a reasonable price? Slayers, that is. He was saying, why bother hiring unverified guys every time you go on a dangerous voyage?”

Mercenaries…

Could it be the descendants of Link, trained like slave soldiers, that Kora mentioned?

“The Slayers of the past had a strong feeling of being descendants of heroes, but these days, the Slayers have completely turned into a mercenary business. Well, not that I, a merchant, should be saying that.”

“It must be because the ruling class has changed.”

“Maybe? But something feels too strange. Do you know the Linkland islands in the archipelago? It used to be a place where tourism was very developed. Originally.”

As the location of Link’s birthplace and tomb, Linkland was an essential travel destination when talking about the Tersh Archipelago.

“But now, hmm, they say there’s something wrong with the island, and the city is blocking traffic altogether.”

“……”

“So, as a merchant, I couldn’t understand. Why abandon the tourism industry that was so prosperous and switch to the mercenary business? Why specifically?”

But the skill, obedience, and fearless fighting spirit of these mercenaries soon caught the attention of employers.

Their power isn’t great in the Akrad continent, but in the Adrion continent, Slayer mercenaries are said to be playing a huge role.

From combat mercenaries used in various battlefields to extermination mercenaries fighting monsters.

“In this situation, you, who were reported to be dead, are rushing to such a place… it seems like something’s up. Above all, I smell too much bad luck on you.”

“Don’t dig too deep. It’ll get dangerous.”

“Are you sure you don’t need any help?”

“You’ve already helped more than enough.”

“Even so…”

It was too dangerous of a mission for Hirpien.

I almost died to that Ribeni, and now I’m up against what’s considered the strongest mercenary group of all time.

It would be difficult enough just protecting Aki while fighting.

“Are you sure all you need is a ship?”

“Yeah, according to you, surveillance is strict in the Green City, so you can’t get a boat to Linkland. So, I have to go straight from the sea.”

I told Valensidice to meet me in , but that smart guy will quickly take other actions if I don’t join him.

“It’s not just the city. It feels like the entire sea area is blocked by barriers and the navy.”

“I’ll take care of the barrier.”

“The navy is something me and my best sailors can handle.”

I’m not a smuggler, but I’ve done some smuggling-like things a few times, it’s fun… Hirpien grinned.

“Now, shall we give Aki the most delicious food again before we arrive?”

“Aki, wanna eat!”

“Yes, yes! Sturgeon caviar! Once you see it, you won’t be able to escape~ If you want more, be sure to visit the Iron Reef Islands later!”

I watched Aki and Hirpien go to the ship’s dining room with a smile, then turned my gaze back to the bow.

The twilight sea felt ominous, not only in color but also in the sound of the waves lapping. As if foreshadowing the fate that was about to be faced.

What the hell is going on on Link’s island? The Slayers and Zernyx, what are their real goals?

I knew without even looking that they weren’t the kind of guys who would be satisfied with a normal mercenary business.

“I’ll find out soon… whether I like it or not.”

As the twilight over the water was covered in darkness, a chilling light flickered at the end of the horizon.

At first, it was one, but it slowly split into two.

As the shape became clear, a sigh escaped with a pain that felt like a knife was cutting out one side of my chest.

“Long time no see…”

The Green City was a city built inside a lagoon.

And right at the entrance of that lagoon, a heroic statue carved entirely out of rock stood tall.

The figure of a giant wearing attacking chains on both hands and letting out a roaring shout… Demon Slayer, Kassel Linkhan.

* * *

The Lemon Tree Square is the city hall square located in the central downtown area of the Green City .

When the sea breeze blows, the leaves quietly sway, releasing a fragrant lemon scent.

Even the notoriously hot southern sea sunshine can be enjoyed like a warm sunbath thanks to the shade of the lemon trees.

But now, there wasn’t a single tourist or passerby to be found.

“Attention, squad.”

Instead, about 30 lightly armed boy soldiers lined up in front of the green fountain, where the shade didn’t reach.

No expression could be found in their eyes, and they maintained a motionless posture even under the scorching heat of the sun.

The man who led the boy soldiers had a large, waddling body and a strange beard.

“Dur-Morris, Trickster Slayer. Death to all fraudsters. Hehe! You came all the way from the distant north to buy mercenaries, you’ve come to the right place!”

The man introduced himself to Valensidice like that at their first meeting.

Next to Valensidice, a Slime Slayer wearing silk clothes and covering her face with a noble veil was riding a pony.

She could feel her heart pounding fiercely with tension and a sense of crisis.

– We need to go into the island and gather information. The main facilities, how the power is deployed. And what their real purpose is.

As the joining of the man named Rain Ludwig was delayed, Valensidice suddenly said that last night.

– The island? You can’t go into the island. The Slayers are completely blocking it. Unless you break through with force.

– If that guy was here, we could simply break through head-on with force, but it’s impossible for me alone. We have to use our brains in times like this.

Valensidice laid out several pieces of clothing on the bed. Kora stared at it with wary eyes.

– What are you going to do?

Silk clothes and jeweled ornaments that fit Kora’s small frame well, but not her status. To buy one of these, you’d have to catch hundreds of slimes.

– For example, let’s say a farmer is growing illegal crops. If you get a report about those illegal crops and come and say, ‘Can you open the door for me?’, would the farmer open the door?

– ……?

– But what if you came to buy those illegal crops? Especially if it’s someone famous for having enormous wealth?

Valensidice flicked a forged ID.

Beatrice Duren.

The name of the third daughter of the Grand Duke Duren family, a leading elector in the northern Holy Human Empire.

– You can’t underestimate the Slayers. Do you think it’ll work just because you forged an ID?

– It’s not just an ID. The Duren family has a huge symbol that proves they are a member of the family.

Valensidice’s finger pointed to Pipi, who was sitting on Kora’s shoulder.

– The Duren family is the only family that raises sun parrots and distributes them to members of the family. That guy will reliably vouch for your identity.

I was half-doubting it… but it really worked.

The Trickster Slayer (son of a bitch), who looked more intently at Pipi than the ID, was very pleased and made an appointment and brought out the Slayer soldiers.

Was he expecting to extend his reach to the Empire with this opportunity?

“You said you were going to use them for the inheritance war in your family? Then these guys are perfect. They are Kin Slayer soldiers.”

“Kin slayers.”

“Guarding is a given, and assassination will also be carried out very perfectly. They don’t even talk back. That’s how they were trained.”

“Hmm, even so, I don’t trust them because they’re so young.”

Valensidice, who was pretending to be the head of the Duren family, naturally took on the role of speaking for Kora.

“Oh, you’d be in big trouble if you looked down on them just because they’re young. We train them until they become human weapons. Without compassion or kindness. They kill several creatures every week. From the last year of their training, they are made to kill even babies.”

“Babies?”

“Hehe, don’t worry too much. It’s just that we use illusion magic to make piglets look like babies.”

The Trickster Slayer went on to explain the skills of the boy soldiers in great detail, but Kora couldn’t concentrate because she was dizzy.

It was because of the Arc Hierarchical Slayer, Night Slayer, staring at us from the shadows.

Toc, toc, toc, toc.

As if something was uncomfortable or suspicious, he was rhythmically tapping the green marble floor with the sheath of his sword.

“That Night Slayer also trained these guys on how to kill knights. No matter how troublesome the knights of the Empire are, they are merciless when caught by these guys.”

“Even so, the knights of the Empire use Mana Chains, how can these kids deal with that?”

The Trickster Slayer suddenly summoned a boy soldier and struck his shin with a hammer.

With the sound of bones breaking and blood splattering, the boy soldier collapsed. Valensidice, who had seen all sorts of hardships, was momentarily silent.

But only for a moment, something bubbled up from inside his shin, and the bone was instantly rejoined.

“Don’t pretend to be weak in front of the customers, get up quickly, you bastard.”

“Yes.”

“These guys are descendants of the Demon Slayer. They inherited that monstrous regenerative ability. What are you doing, get back in line!”

The boy soldier limped for a moment, then returned to the sunlight with a nonchalant gait and stood still again.

“The knights might be able to cut down two or three of them. Then the other guys will stab the knight in the neck. Two or three of them will revive unless their hearts or necks are cut off.”

Valensidice’s eyes narrowed.

*What’s going on? It’s the first time I’ve heard that the Slayer clan has such abilities.*

Knowing something about the situation, Kora had very sad eyes behind her veil.

“I understand that they have good regenerative abilities, but what about their actual skills? As it is an expensive deal, we have to be careful.”

“What else would you like to see?”

“Miss Beatrice wants to see how these soldiers are trained.”

At that moment, silence fell.

The Trickster Slayer hesitated, and the sound of the sheath hitting the marble pavement grew louder and louder.

“Is there a problem?”

The Trickster Slayer wiped the sweat from his forehead and approached the Night Slayer, whispering something fervently.

“Duren is a great noble family in the North, Captain. If they perform well in this deal, word will spread to the Empire in an instant.”

“Something feels uneasy about the sudden arrival from Duren.”

“Just show them the training facilities roughly. As long as we don’t take them to the holy site or the birthing facilities, it’ll be fine, right? And the Commander is there now, so just brainwash them to buy it.”

“What if they’re hiding their identities?”

“Well, the Commander will take care of that.”

Finally, the Trickster Slayer licked his thick lips with saliva and walked over.

“The training facilities are on the island, would you like to come with me?”

* * *

On the northeast pier of Rinkleland Island No. 3, there is a gravel path leading into the lemon tree forest.

Following this gravel path deep into the forest, a gray ziggurat [an ancient Mesopotamian temple tower] reveals its eerie figure in the deep shadows of the forest.

This ziggurat was a kind of asylum made for ‘failures’ rather than ‘VIPs’.

“Dour-Maurice, Runway Slayer. Death to all runaways. Have you arrived, Commander?”

The Runway Slayer, who was guarding the main gate of the ziggurat, saluted the Dragon Slayer politely.

And seeing Miria following behind him, he gave a vicious smile.

“You’ve come to this shithole again. If you like me so much, why don’t you come to my bed instead of this stinky place? I’ll send you to heaven.”

Then the Witch Slayer standing next to the Dragon Slayer chuckled.

“Who are you sending to heaven? You’re so small there.”

“I can confidently say that I’m bigger than a goblin.”

“Haha, that’s so funny. Shut up and open the door.”

As soon as they stepped inside the ziggurat, groans of pain and despair could be heard.

“Ah, ah, ah….”

“Ugh, ah….”

Failures are those who have failed to receive the power of the Demon Slayer, and since they do not have the qualifications of a Slayer, they are used differently.

Men and women with no aptitude are mobilized as maternity women to give birth to children inheriting the blood of the Demon Slayer.

Those who were born with innate magical power but had defects in their bodies or brains were forcibly squeezed out of their magical power and used to store it in spirit beads.

Chained to the sickbed, they are raised like beasts for the rest of their lives until they slowly wither and die.

Those who failed to transplant but have no problem moving their bodies are used for other labor.

Arthur and Spiella left Miria on the lower floors and moved to the upper floors, where only ‘real’ executives could enter.

“Miria….”

Then, as someone recognized Miria, the failures turned their heads one by one.

No one asked to be saved or helped. Everyone knew that the request was meaningless.

All Miria could give them, even in a small way, were only two things.

Telling them stories of the outside world and holding their hands and listening to their stories.

“I had a dream again… Our ancestors came and swept away all those bad guys… and restored our freedom….”

“That’s good.”

“I dream a little differently… Our ancestors’ friends come… Rista, Friede, Kies, Lynn….”

The reason why they have to cling to impossible hopes is that the despair in front of them is too overwhelming.

Who would turn the legendary mercenary group into an enemy? What would they gain?

The gods who could listen to prayers are no longer on this land. The age of dragons was also coming to an end.

*Help me.*

To their mournful murmurs, the cry that had been suppressed and suppressed for 11 years was about to burst out of her mouth again.

*Someone please, help us.*

Even though I thought it was impossible to shed it into words because it had already hardened into a lump…

【A boy wearing a bamboo hat smiles shyly.】

Miria stopped breathing at the subtle scenery that flashed before her eyes for a moment.

*He’s wearing a bamboo hat, but it’s not ‘that guy’. Then who the hell is it?*

*It’s a scene I’ve never seen before, but why do I strangely feel so nostalgic?*

“How is the harvest?”

“Harvest, harvest, harvest.”

There was a maternity room on the 6th floor of the ziggurat, and unlike the 1st to 5th floors, the facilities were quite comfortable and the resident staff was different from the idlers on the lower floors.

“It’s a bumper year again this year. You know how perfect the system I built is, why are you asking?”

Engineer Slayer Hermann, watching the babies filling the incubators through the glass window, answered the Commander’s question.

“Bumper year, bumper year, bumper year.”

The Sun Parakeet, Beast Slayer, rubbed its head against Arthur’s face and chattered.

“It’s been 10 years since we’ve been doing this. From next year, the number of boy soldiers that can be operated will be five times greater.”

Witch Slayer, Spiella, tilted her glass with telekinesis and said.

“Eight times in two years, thirteen times in three years. According to the calculation.”

The two, who were early members of the Slayers, were the only executives in the organization who could speak comfortably to the Commander.

“It’s good that we have more underlings, but what are you going to do with so many of them? In a few decades, you’ll be forming an army.”

Spiella’s question was exactly what Arthur had asked his teacher 10 years ago.

– What are you going to do with this?

– Do you know what dragons have and humans don’t?

– Wings, wish-fulfilling orbs, dragon scales, what else?

– You’ve always had a habit of not thinking.

– Because I’m stupid.

– It’s a calling. Dragons are given a purpose in life from birth. But humans don’t have that, so they live as they please.

If there is an extreme level of swordsmanship, the one who reached it is his teacher.

Whenever Arthur saw the True Holy Sword Yoniulan that his teacher was carrying on his back, he would swallow his saliva without realizing it.

Of course, it ends with swallowing saliva. Where can you get a True Holy Sword and awaken it?

– I thought your purpose was to awaken the abyss.

– The abyss is just a means to make this world bleed. The gods and the Three Divine Dragons are too soft.

– Hmm?

– Someday, I will give all of humanity a calling in the sense of Slayer. For a world where everyone is united under the order of calling, without shifting responsibility only to the strong.

– You know better than anyone that I’m a moron, so why are you talking so difficultly? Just comfortably order me who to kill.

– It’s simple. Kill the guys who are after that ‘vessel’. The rest is up to you.

Arthur’s gaze turned to the top floor. To the place where the girl whose body was bound by seven layers of magic circles and fifty layers of chains was.

*Hmph, Demon Slayer.*

Zerniks, who revived the Slayers under the orders of his teacher, said he would give them a junior.

– This is strange?

But unlike the Slayers, the Demon Slayer doesn’t revive no matter what you do.

But fortunately, someone had transplanted the power that the Demon Slayer wielded in his lifetime into his relic.

The one chosen as the vessel to receive that power was that kid. It’s been 11 years since then, so is she a lady now?

“By the way, Arthur, is it okay to be so relaxed like this?”

“Hmm?”

“I told you that the presence of Eren and Adon has disappeared. And the Special Task Force is poking around the island.”

Is it really a coincidence that the Half-Dragon and the Special Task Force came to this island at the same time? Zerniks must have played some nasty trick.

*Heh, I don’t know what you’re planning, but you’ve made it very interesting.*

How many strong guys will there be?

How enjoyable it is to grow in a fight where you kill such guys.

“Spiella, go to that slime bitch’s village and teach them what happens if they betray us.”

“Betrayal, betrayal, betrayal.”

“Is that really okay? What about that goblin? It’s her village.”

“Hermann, around the time Miria chases after Spiella, tell them I’ve summoned the executives back to Island No. 3.”

“What are you going to do?”

To Spiella’s Hermann’s question, Arthur gave a meaningful smile.

“Just follow the orders. You have to wipe out the rats all at once to avoid any trouble later.”

* * *

At the same time that Valensidice was trying so hard to infiltrate the island, Rain Ludwig was.

“Kkeu, Kkeuaaaaaak!”

“So, Soldier Slayer in one hit… Kkeuaaa!”

At the pier of Island No. 14, three Master Hierarchical Slayers who greeted the intruder who appeared through the barrier were wiped out in a row by a lightning strike.

There was no time to react to the three consecutive lightning strikes.

You can only avoid it, and then be swept away and killed by the falling lightning again.

“Wh, what… Wh, who are you…?”

“Who do you think I am?”

“How dare you, how dare you do this! You’ve lost your mind! Dragon Slayer Commander will surely hold you responsible for this… !”

Rain Ludwig put his hands together in front of the last survivor, who was trembling with a pale face. Just like the Slayers do.

“Dour-Maurice, Dragon Slayer Slayer. Death to Dragon Slayer. That’s great, I came to kill that son of a bitch. Where is he?”

Then, from behind his shoulder, a cute creature peeked out its face and shook its fist!

“Aki is here!”