IMTDIK 18

Chapter 18

No Turning Back

Ferda stood atop a lonely mountain peak.

The only reason he had asked Ruri to bring him here was for one purpose—to observe Valdrova‘s battle.

-ROAAAAAAR!

A thunderous roar shook the heavens and the earth. Today, she had stopped the advance of more than a hundred monsters.

In the past, he wouldn’t have even been able to breathe in a moment like this. But now, he gazed off into the distance with unparalleled calm, as if looking at some far-off mountain.

‘The effects of that drink are no joke.’

The fear of dragons had vanished, and even the oppressive aura they emitted could no longer significantly affect Ferda’s body.

While he marveled at this change, another thought arose in his mind.

“How do others even endure this? Even being in the castle must be overwhelming.”

“We have artifacts for that.”

Ruri pulled a ring out from under her skirt and held it up. It was an ordinary silver ring, inscribed with strange symbols. Ferda couldn’t read the symbols.

“It’s an item used to track the positions of the castle staff and to reduce their fear of dragons. Up to one hundred staff members can live and work in the castle without any issue, thanks to these.”

“Is it similar to what I drank?”

“It’s not as effective. They still retain some fear of the dragons deep down.”

“Still, you’ve prepared quite thoroughly.”

“Prepared unnecessarily thoroughly, if you ask me.”

“Hm…”

Ferda fell into thought for a moment before turning back to her.

“You said there are a hundred of these, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Then couldn’t I have just worn one of those from the start?”

“That’s also correct.”

“Then why didn’t you give me one?”

Ruri’s eyes lazily rolled around before she shrugged her shoulders.

“Because you never asked, did you?”

At that moment, Ferda could fully grasp how much Ruri must have hated him before they got engaged.

‘Seems like she still hates me now, too.’

But what could he do about the past?

Ferda turned his gaze back down toward Valdrova. The only thing different from before was that, instead of returning right away after finishing her task, she would turn her gaze toward him.

A pair of horns curved forward, while another pair stretched upward toward the sky. Her presence was so majestic that the word “tyrant” fit her perfectly. Even those golden eyes seemed to meet his from afar.

‘I can feel it.’

Ever since he had gulped down the engagement wine, it felt as though an invisible thread connected Ferda to Valdrova. Every time he felt that, a small smile would unconsciously form on his lips.

Then, Valdrova would avoid his gaze and return to her lair.

‘Did I make things awkward for her again?’

Despite being her fiancé, he had never actually had a proper conversation with her. Whenever he tried, she would just avoid him, leaving him to merely observe from afar.

‘Social anxiety… huh.’

Anyone watching her tear apart and crush monsters would never believe it. She was like a barbarian through and through.

Yet Ferda couldn’t help but think about her lips.

‘She truly has a knack for driving me crazy.’

An oasis in the middle of a barren desert. A faintly flickering blue flame in the heart of eternal permafrost. She was so close, yet all he could do was watch. It was like being a sinner suffering the torment of having an apple in front of him but never being able to eat it, or water at hand but never being able to drink it. He felt the hunger and thirst gnaw at him.

If only he could at least face her and have a conversation.

“She still says talking is out of the question.”

“Yes. She has instructed you to wait until the time is right.”

“It’s been over a month already.”

“To a being who’s lived centuries, that’s about as brief as the blink of an eye.”

Time flowed differently for immortals and mortals. Still, Ferda couldn’t help the impatience clawing at his heart.

‘It’s my duty as her husband to wait until she’s ready.’

He resolved to be patient. After all, Ferda still had plenty of time left to live.

As Ferda brooded, Ruri, who had been watching everything, suddenly shifted her gaze.

“Lord Ferda.”

“What is it?”

“A guest has arrived.”

From the area below, beyond Ferda’s sight, Ruri spotted something. All he could make out were long lines standing near the castle gate.

Acting as Ferda’s eyes, Ruri spoke up. “It seems Marquis Vernel has arrived.”

Vernel Marquis.

When Ferda reunited with him, the situation was even more of a mess than before. Although his debts had been paid off and the annoying thugs no longer bothered him, it wasn’t as though his circumstances had improved.

“Um, I’ve been thinking….”

“Get to the point.” Ferda’s tone was sharp. “I’m not in the mood to hear you beat around the bush right now.”

It wasn’t just to leave no room for Vernel’s whims; Ferda also had a red circle spinning in his lower dantian. The energy coursing through him made it unbearable to waste time dealing with nonsense.

“I’ve decided… it would be a good idea to make weapons after all.”

“So, you’ve abandoned your convictions?”

“No, not at all. It’s just… as you said, making weapons is the right thing to do for maintaining peace. I was just scared of the backlash.”

Vernel looked down at the official letter of appointment in his hands and spoke again.

“I will make weapons—to eliminate the monsters in the Far East. But… I hope these weapons won’t be used in human wars. At least not while I’m alive.”

“I can’t make that promise.”

Instead of lying, Ferda chose to state the truth.

“I see…”

Vernel didn’t seem too disappointed. Even though he was a frog in a well, he still lived in a society and had a basic understanding of how things worked. The development of weapons could shift the tides of war depending on who advanced first. In such a world, magitech was bound to become a revolutionary technology that accelerated the process.

“You don’t need to feel too guilty about it. Just think of it this way: If someone makes a sword, how do you counter it?”

“If someone makes a sword… You make a shield and armor to stop it.”

“Let’s say someone makes a sword that can pierce through even that shield and armor. Should you just give up, stand still, and watch as everything crumbles?”

Finally, Vernel understood.

“No. I’d have to make an even better shield and stronger armor.”

“You see? Even if you’re making weapons, you’re also creating defenses. If you want to prevent war, you’ll have to keep innovating. If you stop…”

“Someone else will overtake us.”

A never-ending race had begun. The reality Vernel didn’t want to acknowledge came crashing down on him. A faint, lingering scent tickled his nose: coffee, tea, and ink. He suddenly missed Escollea. At least there, his small, cramped room had been his entire world.

‘But I can’t go back.’

Magitech was his dream, something he had to achieve.

“Once you’ve got some breathing room, I’ll permit you to research ways to use this technology in other fields. But for now, focus on developing tools to push back the monsters in the Far East. I won’t meddle in the rest.”

“Understood.”

“Well, it seems we’ve come to an agreement.”

Ferda shifted the conversation to the specifics of Vernel’s research.

“Tell me what you’ll need to start this research.”

“More than tools, I’ll need monster corpses first.”

“Monster corpses?”

“Yes, I need to study them first. The tools come after.”

Vernel scratched his head and let out an awkward laugh. “Of course, if I had a live one, my progress would be much faster, but… capturing a live monster isn’t exactly easy, haha!”

Ferda, who had been quietly listening, nodded.

“Got it. So we just need to capture it alive?”

“Yes, capture it alive… Wait… uh, hold on, you’re actually going to capture it alive?” Vernel asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

“Of course. If you want faster progress, that’s what we need to do, right? We’ve still got a long way to go, so why not take a big first step?”

“That’s going to be really tough, but… Alright. Thank you so much, Your Majesty.”

“Call me Regent. That’s the official title now. And no need to thank me.”

Ferda stood up and draped his coat over his shoulders. “We’ll depart in three days, so be ready.”

“Excuse me? Depart where, exactly?”

Ferda gave him an incredulous look. “After saying all that, you’re really asking me this? To capture the monster, of course.”

“U-Us??” Vernel’s eyes widened in shock, pupils shrinking to the size of pinpoints.

“Or were you planning to just sit around here waiting for someone else to bring it in?”

“Well… isn’t that what people usually… do?”

“Ha! What a ridiculous joke. How could I just sit back and let dozens of people die because of a scholar’s little curiosity? In situations like this, you act yourself.”

Ferda patted Vernel on the shoulder and added, “Isn’t it the scholar’s creed that ‘the truth shall set us free’?”

“Th-That’s true, but still…”

“You can’t just sit back and wait for the truth to fall into your lap. You have to put in some effort.”

“Ugh…”

“Just focus on preparing yourself during this time. You’ll need to be in the best condition possible.”

Vernel’s face turned pale as a sheet.

‘I shouldn’t have come!’

It was too late to back out now. No turning back.

Ferda and Vernel rode horses toward their destination. As they followed the trail, they spotted a group of people waiting ahead.

Thirty soldiers stood in perfect formation, led by a man on horseback wearing half-plate armor. He was their guide, sent to meet them.

The man dismounted and politely introduced himself.

“I greet you, Regent Ferda Valdrova, husband of King Valdrova. My name is Arwen. I’ve been sent here on orders from Count Consilus to escort you.”

“Good to meet you. Have the orders been relayed correctly?”

“Yes, I was informed that you intend to hunt a monster.”

Ferda immediately corrected him. “Not hunt—capture. We’re here to capture the monster alive.”

“My apologies. It seems I misread the orders.”

It wasn’t that he had misread them; he had just assumed it couldn’t possibly be true. The idea was so absurd that he had mentally corrected it himself.

“It’s fine. Where’s the monster located?”

Arwen turned and pointed to a spot in the distance. “We’ve received reports of monster energy emanating from that direction.”

“How many?”

“Based on the most recent spread of the aura, it’s likely just one.”

“Good. That’ll make it easier to capture.”

“About that…” Arwen’s tone grew serious as he continued his report. “The creature’s size has been estimated to be larger than a grizzly bear. Even for us, it’s a difficult size to deal with.”

In other words, capturing it alive would be nearly impossible. But such words didn’t fear Ferda in the slightest.

“The bigger, the better. We must capture it.”

Ferda patted Vernel on the shoulder and smiled. “Looks like it’ll be very useful for your research.”

“Ha… ha… Y-Yeah, sure.” Vernel laughed awkwardly but screamed internally. ‘Stop saying stuff like that!’

Vernel’s eyes darted toward the soldiers. All at once, he felt the weight of their glares.

‘So it’s his fault.’ ‘It’s already hard enough to kill monsters, and now we’re supposed to capture one alive?’ ‘If I die trying to catch it, I swear I’ll haunt you for the rest of your life!’

Vernel could practically hear their curses echoing in his mind.

“Haha…” He forced out a laugh. He might as well laugh while he still could.

Arwen took the lead, guiding the group forward. The horses, of course, had to be left behind. They could provoke the monster.

As they walked, Ferda asked Vernel a question.

“What level of magic have you reached?”

“I’ve only made it to the third circle.”

“Blue circle?”

“Yes. Naturally, any proper mage should be at least blue… Wait, are you red circle?”

“That’s right.”

Vernel immediately covered his mouth. ‘Damn my big mouth!’

“A-Ah, my apologies! I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s fine. So, third circle, huh?”

Mages in the third circle were referred to as Magic Walkers. Many mages were unable to break through the wall to the fourth circle, so they disliked the term. For higher-level mages, like those in the fourth circle (Mages) or above, calling them Magic Walkers was practically a provocation to fight.

“Can you cast magic shots?”

“Yes. I can create and fire magic orbs, but their effective range is—”

“As long as you can create them, that’s all that matters. How many can you make?”

“Uh… twelve.”

“What about larger ones?”

“Four, if I make them bigger.”

The average third-circle mage could control up to fifteen magic shots, so Vernel’s capabilities were below average.

“You’re weaker than a typical third circle mage.”

“Haha… That’s true.”

It was both a painful and laughable truth for Vernel. His first dream had been to become a mage, after all.

‘But in the end, all I was good at was studying—not actual magic.’

Even that had been derailed by his impractical and far-fetched dreams.

“That’s enough. All you need to do is support me.”

“S-Support, you say?”

“I’ll handle everything. Just follow my instructions and do some simple tasks. Got it?”

“S-Support… Simple tasks… Understood.”

“It’ll be so simple even a three-year-old could do it. Don’t worry too much.”

Vernel had no idea what Ferda was planning. Just in case, he decided to ask.

“Excuse me, Regent… If you don’t mind me asking, what circle are you in?”

“Me? I’m second circle.”

“S-Second circle?!”

“Why? Are you surprised I’m lower than you?”

“Well… It is surprising, but that’s not what I meant…”

Vernel was completely baffled. ‘So the mana I’ve been sensing was just… that?’ He had always assumed Ferda was hiding his full power. But to find out he was only in the second circle?

‘What can a second-circle mage even do…?’

He couldn’t make sense of Ferda’s plan at all.

Just then, Arwen raised a hand. “The monster’s presence has been detected.”

“Is that so? Good work. Let me know right before the capture begins. For now, stand by.”

“Excuse me?” Arwen couldn’t believe what he had just heard and asked again.

Ferda frowned. “Find out who wrote those orders and make sure they get punished. I specifically said I needed guides and soldiers to assist with capturing the monster. Are you planning to capture it yourself?”

“Well… Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do?”

“Such enthusiastic knightly spirit, I see.” Ferda patted Arwen on the shoulder and passed him by. “Don’t take unnecessary risks with your life. You’re a knight of Count Consilus and a valuable part of the royal domain.”

Ferda pulled out a pair of leather gloves from his pocket and put them on. “Let’s move. Just be ready to capture it when I give the signal. Vernel.”

“Y-Yes!”

Ferda clasped his hands behind his back and strode forward leisurely. He didn’t look at all like someone walking into a death trap.

‘We’re all going to die!’

To Vernel, Ferda was nothing short of a grim reaper leading them to their doom.

After walking for about ten minutes into the dense forest, Ferda and Vernel finally spotted the monster they had been briefed about.

‘An Aberration.’

It wasn’t just a naturally mutated creature. It was a monster that had fused onto an animal host. The creature had originally been a bear, but now it was unrecognizable—twisted beyond belief. It looked like a living being that had no right to exist.

“Ugh…”

“Don’t throw up. If it notices us, it’ll be trouble.”

“Hrk… Hrk…” Suppressing the urge to retch, Vernel nodded repeatedly.

Ferda’s eyes remained fixed on the target.

“Now, conjure some magic shots on your fingers.”

“Yes.”

Swallowing hard, Vernel obediently conjured pure mana orbs.

“And when I give the signal, toss them to me one by one.”

“T-To you, sir?”

“Yes, throw them to me.”

Confused, Vernel hesitated but eventually shut his eyes and tossed one over.

“Huh?”

What happened next left him utterly stunned.