Chapter 131
“What is the status of the casualties?”
“Thanks to you all, there were no fatalities this time either. There are some injuries, but most are minor.”
“That’s a relief.”
While having light conversations, Camille quickly assessed their appearances. Just like their unscathed exteriors, there was no sign of fatigue at all. Their neat attire made it hard to believe they had just come from a battle.
“This one was a bit tricky, wasn’t it?”
“Honestly, without Marty’s support, we would have been in trouble.”
“Things are getting tougher.”
Their remarks, while casual, almost sounded like boasting.
Yet, they were likely speaking sincerely. The fact that the Demonic Beasts attacks became more intense by the day was true. Though this area was holding its own, other battlefields saw daily casualties.
‘It would have been more difficult without them.’
How long could they have held out? Even imagining it felt overwhelming, causing Camille to briefly hold his breath.
The age of great chaos.
As if to prove the saying that the future is unpredictable, calamity struck out of nowhere. As the hidden Demonic Beast began to act in earnest, the world quickly descended into chaos.
They appeared simultaneously all over the land, invading and destroying whatever they saw. In the face of their overwhelming power, numbers meant little. Reports frequently emerged about kingdoms on the brink of destruction.
The Aslan Empire was not in a favorable situation either, having lost parts of the west and much of the south. Currently, it was building defensive lines around the capital, engaging in repeated local battles. In the midst of it all, the mercenary group, ‘The Five,’ had already become well-known within the imperial army for their contributions on the battlefield.
「Opposers of Darkness.」
「Saviors of the End.」
「Heroes of Light.」
Thanks to their incredible prowess, these individuals were given somewhat grandiose titles, appearing as if they had suddenly descended from the sky. This was true even for Camille, who knew their true identity.
It was the day he was chasing after his reckless cousin who had infiltrated the enemy camp alone. By the time he hastily arrived on the scene with soldiers provided by the Crown Prince, everything was already over. Sei, who was said to have gone inside, was nowhere to be found. Despite forcing their way through and searching everywhere, they couldn’t find any trace of him.
Instead, they encountered Semeion, who seemed to have arrived late. Whatever had happened, he had reverted to his original form and was also looking for Sei.
“Have you seen Sei (Sir Sei)?”
When they shouted simultaneously, it became clear. They were both in the same situation.
It turned out his mischievous cousin hadn’t just hit him from behind. Privately, there was some comfort in knowing that, though he couldn’t admit it to anyone.
Since then, they had been unable to leave, caught up in the numerous incidents that began to unfold chaotically. Because of this, they had been of great help during these difficult times, something Camille was immensely grateful for.
‘Two are Clonnes, and the other two are Guardians.’
So far, only he and the Crown Prince knew this fact. Camille wasn’t sure what the difference between them was, as they all appeared human on the outside.
“Ah, sir Camille. Please take this.”
At the approaching voice, Camille gathered his thoughts. He already knew what Semeion was handing over – Clonne’s blood. When fighting the Demonic Beasts, even the cautious could be poisoned, so they always prepared this. The healers believed it was the ‘Red Miracle’, an antidote developed by the Security Department, unaware of the secret it concealed.
“I’m always grateful. I’ll make sure it’s delivered to the infirmary.”
“Yes, we’ll be heading back to the barracks then.”
“Oh, and His Highness the Crown Prince has asked if you would like to join him for dinner tomorrow.”
“The Crown Prince? It would be our honor to be invited to such a distinguished gathering. We will be prepared.”
At the quick response, Camille’s face brightened. Then, a sudden thought crossed his mind, and he cautiously asked.
“By the way, is there still no news?”
He was inquiring about his cousin, whose whereabouts remained unknown. It had been said that once spring arrived and the plants awoke, looking for him would be easier, but it was already entering summer. Semeion’s expression soured a bit.
“It seems that the exchanges among the plants have been cut off more than we thought. Unfortunately, we still haven’t heard anything.”
“… I see.”
His face clouded with visible disappointment. Semeion lightly patted his shoulder.
“Don’t worry. I’m certain they are safe.”
“Do you think so…?”
“Of course. The current situation is proof of that.”
This assurance came from the black-haired man standing beside him, ‘Khan’, Semeion’s Guardian. He casually kicked aside the body of a Demonic Beast member at his feet.
“Why do you think these creatures suddenly started causing trouble? It’s because something went awry and they got desperate.”
“That would be rather reassuring, if true.”
“I’m telling you, that’s right. Trust me. Sei is currently in Dongryeong with everyone. If someone here hadn’t done something stupid, we would have contacted them by now.”
“Hmm-hmm.”
The large man, Markatis, who received the reproachful look, cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Well, I didn’t expect things to turn out this way either.”
“Of course not. If you had known, would you have acted like a decent person? You wouldn’t have just left it alone.”
While I didn’t know the detailed circumstances, it seemed he had made a major mistake. Camille, hearing this, couldn’t help but glance at him critically. Though he soon stopped, thinking it was ungrateful to criticize someone aiding the Empire.
“Ras, are you just going to stand there and watch?”
The crestfallen Marktis looked over at the final member of their group, who was standing nonchalantly in a corner. The man, sucking on a lollipop, narrowed his eyes.
“What do you want me to do?”
“I’m your Guardian. You could treat me better.”
“… Ha. Shut up, you’re annoying.”
“A Guardian should be cared for with love.”
“… Tch. Just shut up.”
Whatever their backstory, it was clear he was genuinely fed up. Semeion and Khan both seemed to be holding back laughter the more irritated he got.
‘I guess Guardians should be cared for with love, huh?’
Little did they realize, they were giving the wrong impression to an observing human.
‘I wonder if Sei has a Guardian now.’
Camille inadvertently thought of his younger cousin. He had heard that Guardians appear when one comes of age, so Sei should have met his by now. Assuming he was indeed in Dongryeong and had safely celebrated his birthday.
Camille began to wonder what kind of Guardian Sei might have met and whether they got along well. Knowing his cousin’s aloof nature, he doubted Sei would open up easily. He also worried that Sei’s Guardian might be suffering as Marktis seemed to be.
‘Anyway, I hope he has a strong Guardian.’
It would have been reassuring if Sei’s Guardian were a strong warrior like the ones standing before him, ensuring Sei never ventured alone into dangerous enemy territory again. Though it was hard to imagine Sei, who seldom let anyone close, traveling with someone.
“Stop with the nonsense already.”
As soon as they returned to the barracks, Lasrif threw his weapon aside angrily and glared at Marktis.
“Nonsense?”
Marktis’s eyes drooped as if he was genuinely hurt.
“I am your acting Guardian, am I not?”
“Is it because I wanted you to be? Huh?”
“A Guardian is a Guardian, no matter how you look at it. Where else would you find the chance to have an amazing Guardian like me? You should be more grateful.”
“What are you on about? You’re a dragon who became half-witted due to restrictions. Some amazing Guardian that is.”
Marktis had no rebuttal for that particular point.
“Still, I’m at least a five-star mage. A Guardian who can use magic is special, don’t you think?”
“If you were an actual Guardian, maybe. But in reality, you’re just a foolish dragon who can’t use his original powers anymore.”
“Exactly. Who puts a restriction that halves their abilities when meeting a human? It’s pathetic.”
Khan, who was already sprawled out on his bed, chimed in as if he had been waiting for his turn. Marktis sighed again, rubbing his chest.
“Could you ease up a bit? It actually hurts. I get that I might seem foolish to you, but you should understand I had no choice in the matter.”
“I understand. Dragons get exiled if humans discover their true identity. You wouldn’t want to create a situation that could raise suspicion.”
Semeion replied calmly as he organized the weapon Lasrif had thrown aside. Marktis’s face brightened.
“I knew you’d understand.”
Dragons do not interfere with human affairs.
If they violate this rule, they must return to where they originally belong.
This was an absolute rule established by a promise with the Creator God. It was the reason why dragons who had committed serious crimes were allowed to remain on this land and a constraint to prevent the same offenses from recurring.
Fortunately, there were loopholes in this rule; as long as their identity remained hidden, it was fine. However, humans turned out to be more perceptive than expected. Even with nothing disclosed and everything perfectly concealed, some humans would inevitably sense something was amiss.
Having witnessed fellow dragons being exiled several times, Markatis, feeling uneasy, decided to place a restriction on himself. This restriction lowered his abilities to the level of humans whenever he met them. It was his way of avoiding suspicion by preventing the accidental use of high-level magic.
What he hadn’t anticipated, however, was running into humans at the location he had momentarily accompanied someone to.