Academy’s Genius Swordmaster

Chapter 207

[Translator – Peptobismol]

Chapter 207: King of the North (1)

Hot blood gushed forth. Jaeger’s severed arm fell to the ground. Caught off guard, Jaeger’s face crumpled like tissue paper under the sudden blow. Soon, a bone-chilling scream erupted as agony coursed through him.

“Argh, ahh, ahhhh!”

“L-Lord Jaeger!”

The beastmen’s fur bristled in alarm. Jaeger, losing his balance, collapsed onto his severed limb. A clean cut revealed pristine white bones. Adeshan, confirming Ronan’s success, let out a subdued chuckle.

“…Just as expected.”

Perhaps due to exerting all his energy, Adeshan’s vision blurred. Faltering, she fell to her knees, unable even to wipe the blood flowing from her nose.

‘This is troublesome. I wanted to show off my cool side.’

Adeshan’s head bowed deeply. Simultaneously, the mental grip holding the beastmen captive loosened. Suddenly freed, the beastmen clamored noisily.

“We’re moving! What happened?”

“It must be the human woman. I don’t know what method she used, but…”

“Get her, kill her!”

Some beastmen turned towards her, sensing instinctively that she was the cause of their paralysis. Just as some of them moved to attack. Thud! Ronan stomped on Jaeger, who lay sprawled on the ground.

“Keuk!”

“There, you furry bastards. Stop moving.”

The beastmen halted at Jaeger’s scream. When they turned their heads, they saw Ronan perched on Jaeger’s back, brandishing his sword. The crimson tip seemed poised to sever Jaeger’s throat at any moment. Confirming that no one was moving, Ronan spoke.

“If any of you want to test me, go ahead. I’ll pluck your leader’s head like a grape stem.”

“Cowardly bastard…!”

“Fifty of you charging together, and you call me cowardly? All of you just cling to that wall over there and raise your hands.”

Upon seeing Jaeger’s less-than-desirable reaction, Ronan swung his sword at the tip of Jaeger’s tail. Swish! A scream erupted from Jaeger, who was lying down.

“Aaargh! Stop it! Do as he says!”

“Damn it, Lord Jaeger…!”

The effect was immediate. The hesitant beastmen began to move towards the wall one by one. They obediently pressed themselves against the wall, raising their arms as Ronan commanded. The sound of teeth grinding filled the room.

“Good. Stay like that.”

Of course, whether Jaeger compiled or not, Ronan paid no mind. After warning that he would swiftly decapitate Jaeger if he continued to resist, Ronan approached Adeshan. She was still kneeling, her posture rigid. Ronan gently picked up Adeshan on one shoulder and spoke.

“You did well.”

“Hehe… Thank you…”

Adeshan whispered back. Surprisingly, she hadn’t lost consciousness. With each step Ronan took, her long arms swung limply. She murmured with a tinge of embarrassment.

“I’m… heavy.”

“Not at all. But why are you saying that now?”

Ronan chuckled in disbelief. Judging by her speech, fortunately, her condition didn’t seem as serious as he had feared. After carefully laying Adeshan down, Ronan moved towards Jaeger’s desk. It was because of the means of escape he had been thinking about.

Underneath the luxurious desk, there was a drawer composed of five layers. As Ronan opened each drawer, he snapped his fingers. A scroll imbued with teleportation magic lay atop the velvet lining.

“That’s it.”

“H-How did you…!”

Jaeger was astonished. He had planned to use this spare teleportation scroll for emergencies, but he never expected to be discovered like this. Ronan chuckled as he picked up the scroll.

“Your kind is so predictable. Shall we see what’s in the other compartments?”

“S-Stop. Don’t search further!”

Jaeger squirmed and shouted. His reaction hinted that there was something he wanted to hide. Suddenly, Ronan noticed a lock on the bottommost drawer. The lock, embedded with several security enchantments, was a bank-level security measure.

“What’s this? What were you hiding here?”

“This… I lost the key anyway, so I can’t open it. Don’t touch it!”

“I can open it, so don’t worry.”

Placing his blade above the lock, Ronan lightly pulled. As the engraved security spells were severed, the lock split in half. Jaeger’s jaw dropped in disbelief. Ronan inspected the bottom compartment and chuckled.

“This…?”

Several stakes were neatly arranged inside. They resembled the ones Ronan used when hunting vampires in the past, but they emitted a disturbing aura. Without thinking, Ronan touched one of the stakes. A chilling and nauseating sensation crawled up his fingertips. Realizing the stakes’ true nature, Ronan cursed under his breath.

“…This damn.”

A thick vein throbbed on his forehead. The item proved one of his hypotheses correct. He suppressed the urge to turn Jaeger into a carpet with a sigh of frustration.

“I have more questions for you now, Jaeger.”

Ronan growled lowly. Jaeger remained silent, head bowed. Suppressing his anger, Ronan grabbed one of the stakes.

‘I need to stay calm.’

This wasn’t a matter of one or two lives but required careful consideration. Carrying Adeshan again, Ronan approached Jaeger.

“You’re coming with me.”

“Wh-Where are you taking me… Keuk!”

Ronan kicked Jaeger’s resisting neck with his heel. His body, with only one arm and leg remaining, collapsed limply. Confirming what needed to be done, Ronan bid farewell to the beastmen.

“Well then, farewell, you furry bastards.”

Ronan unfurled the scroll. As the surrounding space distorted, a dimensional rift appeared before her eyes.

“St-Stand right there!”

“L-Lord Jaeger!”

Several beastmen detached themselves from the wall and rushed forward. However, the rift in space had already swallowed three figures. Soon, in the spot where the dimensional rift had disappeared, only a pool of Jaeger’s blood remained, casting a reddish glow.

****

“Uhhh… Ugh…”

Groaning, Jaeger opened his eyes. He saw a ceiling made of stitched leather, indicating that he was indoors.

“Wh-Where am I…?”

He couldn’t gauge how much time had passed. The structure of the ceiling resembled a tent. There was an arched entrance on one side of the wall. Soft fur hides were spread beneath him. Suddenly, he felt intense pain coursing through his body.

“Ugh?!”

It was a horrific sensation, as if his entire body were being pierced by needles. It pervaded his entire being, especially the pain in his limbs was severe. Wait, his limbs? His eyes widened as he lifted his right arm.

“I-It’s… attached?!”

Surprisingly, his severed left arm and right leg were attached again. Even when he tested by flexing his fingers and toes, they moved just like before. Was this some kind of dream? He couldn’t believe the situation he found himself in. Amidst his confusion, an unwelcoming voice came from behind.

“Are you awake?”

“Keuk! Y-You…”

Startled, Jaeger jumped to his feet. Ronan and Adeshan, clad in leather armor, stood right in front of him. Ronan, with both hands in his pockets, spoke.

“I had marked a distant escape point. I didn’t expect to fly all the way to the Tukan Plateau. Well, it saved us from immediate pursuit, at least.”

Jaeger’s escape scroll had taken them to the Tukan Plateau. It was a journey that would take three days even by horseback. He informed them that about two hours had passed since their escape from headquarters. Jaeger couldn’t hide his astonishment as he asked.

“Wh-What… What happened? What did you do to me?”

“My friend reattached your limbs. Be thankful, you miserable creature. Shall I cut them off again?”

With a calm yet intimidating tone, Ronan made Jaeger gulp for breath. Any resistance he had been harboring was quickly extinguished. Facing these two humans, he knew he could never win.

“A-Alright. Thank you. But, what happened? I was…”

“My friend did it. You should be grateful since they flew all the way here because of you.”

“F-Friend?”

Jaeger’s eyes widened at the unfamiliar term. At that moment, a rustle was felt nearby. Startled, Jaeger turned his head without thinking.

“Ugh…!”

An unidentified creature perched on a shelf, staring back at him. Its blood-red eyes and black feathers covering its body emitted an eerie aura. Suddenly, the creature spread its four wings wide.

“Byeeh!”

“Aaaaahh!”

Jaeger sank onto the fur hide in fear. The creature, apparently finding his reaction amusing, giggled. Ronan, who was looking at Cita, now almost the size of a child, burst into laughter.

“Honestly, I didn’t expect you could reattach his limbs. When did you grow so big?”

“Faster than a ghost horse.”

Adeshan also murmured in surprise. Its size had increased along with its speed and healing abilities.

Called by Ronan, Cita arrived at the Tukan Plateau in less than an hour. After returning from the Festival of Swords, it seemed like a good idea to wear a magic tool anklet that Ronan could use to summon Cita from anywhere.

Now, it was time to get to work. Ronan, who was petting Cita, crouched in front of Jaeger.

“Alright, Jaeger. I have a few questions for you now. It’s better for you to answer obediently if you don’t want to end up in a worse state.”

“Q-Questions? What do you mean?”

“First of all. Who is the Advisor? Is it Zaifa?”

Ronan asked. Jaeger’s face stiffened. He opened his mouth to say something, but then clenched his teeth.

“…I cannot answer.”

“Even if I threaten you? Even if I cut off your limbs again?”

“No matter how much you threaten me, it’ll be the same. I-I can’t tell you about that.”

Jaeger firmly shook his head. His voice trembled, and his tail twitched as if plagued by intense fear. Slowly nodding his head, Ronan took a stake from his pocket.

[Translator – Peptobismol]

“Alright, then I’ll ask another question.”

“Th-That…!”

It was a stake found in the desk drawer in the headquarters. Jaeger’s eyes trembled with fear. The surface of the ominous stake emitted a chilling aura like a spike. Ronan, who was shaking the stake in front of Jaeger, spoke.

“Is this your doing? The curse?”

His tone was filled with conviction. Having researched curses at the Dawn Tower in the past, Ronan knew that this stake was a medium for casting curses. Jaeger’s breath became noticeably faster.

“I-I-It’s…!”

It was a reality he couldn’t bear to face. Grimacing all over his face, Jaeger lowered his head.

“…Yes.”

“It was well thought out. Cursing the northern tribes, blaming it on humans to incite hatred. Certainly, there’s nothing better for incitement than this. Most indigenous people probably hold painful memories of oppression by the Empire.”

Ronan’s tone carried a hint of admiration. Whether seen as sinister or efficient in its strategy, it was undeniably diabolical.

It was also the reason why Jaeger was spared. It was definitely not an idea that could come from this guy’s head. Ronan spoke.

“By the way, Jaeger, do you know exactly what this curse does?”

“Wh-What do you mean?”

“Have you ever seen someone affected by the curse firsthand? Not through reports, but with your own eyes.”

“N-No… I’ve never seen it firsthand.”

Jaeger shook his head. He had only ordered the curse stakes to be driven in various places according to the advice of the Advisor, without witnessing what was happening firsthand. Ronan smirked knowingly.

“I thought as much.”

“Wh-What are you planning to do?”

Suddenly, as Ronan got up, Jaeger recoiled again. However, contrary to expectations of starting actual torture, Ronan turned his body towards the entrance of the tent. Bringing his hand to his mouth, he shouted loudly.

“Hey, everyone! Jaeger has woken up!”

“What?”

Ronan’s voice echoed inside the tent. The outside began to get noisy. Before long, a group of Werewolves rushed in, and Jaeger’s eyes widened.

“Good heavens, Lord Jaeger. You’re awake.”

“Uh… you have no idea how worried everyone was!”

“Th-These people?”

Fifteen Werewolves surrounded Jaeger. Each of them seemed to be from a tribe living in the Tukan Plateau. Ronan said.

“Let’s talk. After the conversation, if you still have no thoughts, I’ll just let you go.”

“W-Wait, what do you mean…”

Before Jaeger could say anything, Ronan and Adeshan went outside, ignoring him. The sky, covered in pale clouds, revealed the scenery of the indigenous tribes below. Two or three malformed werewolves wandered in the wind, which carried snowflakes. Adeshan, looking at them pitifully, spoke.

“I wonder if it will work out.”

“I hope so.”

Ronan nodded heavily. They had no choice but to leave it to fate. This was one of the Werewolf tribes located on the Tukan Plateau. They fundamentally hated humans, but they were allowed entry by lying about having rescued Jaeger.

“Pya~”

From above, Cita circled around, monitoring the tent where Jaeger was. Ronan put a fresh tobacco leaf in his pipe, recently bought from Rundalian. Whenever he inhaled and exhaled, white smoke dispersed in the wind.

“Lord Jaeger. Is it true that those humans saved you?”

“It is truly an honor to meet you. Are you really okay?”

“I-I’m fine. Y-yes, those guys took care of me.”

Jaeger waved his hand, sweating profusely. The Werewolves, who seemed like indigenous people, treated Jaeger with homemade food and clothing. Jaeger, tearing apart the jerky they, perked up his ears.

‘If I play my cards right, I might be able to escape…’

The Werewolves, who appeared to be natives, were all fervent followers of his. Loyalty seemed even greater than that of his personal guard. It was a moment of inner mockery for him, who had brought these humans here. A Werewolf boy, holding a swaddle, approached him.

“Lord Jaeger. Can you help my little brother?”

“Hm? Your brother?”

“Yes. Look at this, he was born last week.”

“Heok…!”

The boy lifted the swaddle. Jaeger instinctively recoiled. Inside the swaddle was a creature that was difficult to call a Werewolf.

Its joints were twisted in grotesque directions, and there was an extra eye on one corner of its forehead. Grotesque moans emanated from its unnaturally developed fangs-filled mouth. The boy patted his brother and said.

“But he’s in a lot of pain. Our neighbor’s baby was born with an extra arm last time. Babies born recently either die or are born strange like this.”

“When did… this start happening?”

“About a year ago.”

Jaeger couldn’t say anything. A year ago was exactly when he followed the Advisor’s advice and ordered the stakes to be driven frequently throughout the North.

His gaze lingered on the malformed Werewolf infant in the boy’s arms. It was much more horrifying than what he had been briefed on. The Advisor had clearly said that it would only suffer minor disabilities. Werewolves with reasons came out one by one to talk to him.

“My sister also got sick recently. Even our shaman grandfather’s prayers don’t help. At this rate, she’ll die soon.”

“Just the other day, my son went to the Najun Mountains to volunteer for military service. Just waiting for the Night of Fangs.”

“Lord Jaeger. Please defeat the evil humans quickly. I’ll give you my treasure.”

A Werewolf girl handed him a doll. It was a hideously ugly Werewolf doll made of fur. Jaeger, who was breathing heavily, covered his mouth.

“Ugh…!”

It felt like he was going to vomit as soon as he removed his hand. The startled werewolves crowded around him.

“Lord Jaeger! Are you okay?!”

“D-Did the food go bad? Lord Jaeger!”

They shouted and shouted, but Jaeger didn’t hear a thing. Memories of ordering to drive the stakes were swirling in his head. The cursed tribe he had struck down was over a hundred, as far as he knew. Finally, Jaeger, who had his guts twisted once, opened his mouth.

“I, I…”

.

.

.

“Ronan, can I ask you a question?”

“What is it?”

“It might sound inhumane, but… was there a reason why you told me not to control his mind? If the purpose was to obtain information, that would’ve been much more convenient.”

Adeshan said. It was about Jaeger. Although torture or mental control could extract the desired information, Ronan didn’t do that.

“Nothing much, just thought he might not be a complete scumbag.”

Ronan, lighting his pipe, spoke. He remembered wanting to prevent Jaeger from seeing the drawer where the stakes were kept. It meant that he felt some guilt about cursing his own people.

Ronan saw a possibility of redemption there. Although extracting information and then killing him would have ended it, the north was about to fall into chaos for a while. If Jaeger could abandon his ambition and mend his ways, there would be much less resistance. Ronan, tapping the tobacco, muttered to himself.

“And eyes are most beautiful when they’re just plain white.”

Eyes soaked in blood and tears were not beautiful. The beauty of the snowfield came from its pure, untainted whiteness. He looked at Adeshan and said.

“Shall we go in?”

“Yeah.”

Ronan and Adeshan went back into the tent. It had been about an hour since the natives left, and fortunately, nothing unexpected had happened.

Inside the tent where the natives had left, Jaeger sat alone. Leaning against the wall, he looked as if his soul had left his body.

“Well, did you feel anything?”

Jaeger didn’t answer. He sat there completely out of it, not even looking at himself. Ronan, after waiting for a while, pursed his lips.

“If you have nothing, then we’ll stick to the agreement. You’re free to go.”

He got up from his seat. Adeshan raised her brows at the sight of Ronan actually turning his back and walking away. The moment when Ronan was about to leave the tent again. A voice broke out from behind.

“…Wait.”

Stopping in his tracks, Ronan turned around. Jaeger, with his head bowed deeply, was hitting the ground with his tail. In his fluffy hands was the doll given by the Werewolf child. After a long silence, he spoke.

“…His name is Barka. Barka Turkon. He’s the brother of Zafia and… the mastermind behind the Night of the Fangs.”

[Translator – Peptobismol]