Chapter 210

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Translated by Jinmu
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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“O-oh, you’ve come!”

Inside the fortress at the very center of the frontier city Barheim, a young man with a tired face welcomed Han-bit’s group in a state of high tension.

[Margrave Otto von Barheim]

A man who had risen to the position of Margrave after his father died from a chronic illness, he was only in his mid-twenties at most. Because he still lacked experience, he was spending quite difficult days.

Furthermore, because he was constantly compared to his capable predecessor, his confidence was falling day by day.

“Hello. I’m Black Dragon, an investigation team candidate and adventurer.”

“I’m Margrave Otto von Barheim. I look forward to working with you!”

His words and actions, which were as if he were under military discipline, were understandable.

As it was a city deeply related to the investigation team, it was because he knew how strong they were.

Even if he were only a candidate, he was a person officially recognized by the King.

It was natural that respect was spontaneously shown.

“Haha…”

The Margrave gave an awkward laugh.

The knight watching that appearance approached slightly.

“Excellency, the day is cold; how about inviting them inside?”

“Ah.”

Only then did the Margrave, who came to his senses, find something to do.

He spoke while shifting his gaze.

“I will invite you inside! Let’s go to the reception room.”

“Thank you.”

Han-bit’s group, who were standing at the entrance, stepped into the fortress following him.

Meanwhile, Han-bit started streaming.

– Eh?

– ??

– Is it really turned on?

– Suddenly?

– Is this for real?

– You’ve finally come.

– I’m passing away in peace.

[OO donated 100,000 won.]

[Are you broadcasting now?]

[AngerManagementWell donated 500,000 won.]

[I couldn’t watch the broadcast for nothing because of those freaking Holy State player bastards;]

[SwordGod donated 1,000,000 won.]

[Congrats on your return.]

Whether it was thanks to the broadcast start alarm, viewers were filled at an incredible speed.

“Thank you. I’ll try to broadcast as much as possible from today.”

Han-bit, who delivered a quiet greeting, continued to move his steps.

“You can sit here.”

Arriving at the reception room on the inner side of the first floor, he sat in an empty seat according to the Margrave’s guidance.

Han-bit asked while glancing at the interior.

“There are almost no luxury items compared to the size of the fortress.”

“Ah, yes. My father was one who disliked such things very much…”

The Margrave answered that it was the will of the predecessor Margrave.

Behind that unconfident appearance, it felt as if the predecessor father’s large shadow was visible.

The Margrave, who was massaging his fingers for a moment, asked with a slightly nervous face.

“I heard that you know the problem that occurred in the passage leading to the restricted area. I had ordered to keep quiet about that matter, but how did you happen to learn of it?”

The concern contained in that question was clear.

He wondered whether there was someone who had ignored his command and leaked it to the outside.

Whether he truly could not give weight to his command because he was not his father, the predecessor—such worry was felt vividly.

Han-bit, who knew that inner heart well, quietly called a name.

“Sylph.”

Chirp—!

Along with the call, the wind bird appeared before his eyes.

Han-bit, who stretched out his hand and touched Sylph, spoke while looking at the Margrave, who was wearing a questionable expression.

“I am a Spirit Summoner. So when I arrived here, I could instinctively know what kind of problem had occurred.”

“Yes? If you say Spirit Summoner…”

At the introduction as a Spirit Summoner, the Margrave’s eyes widened.

They were existences that had disappeared into the shadows of history.

As it was a city closed in many ways, the rumors of the adventurer Black Dragon delivered here were quite limited.

“Is it hard to believe?”

“Ah, well…”

At the question thrown out, the Margrave’s pupils shook.

In a way, that was also a normal reaction.

Chirp—!

At that moment, Sylph suddenly flapped its wings and approached him.

“Hieek!”

The surprised Margrave jumped up in a fright.

Then his feet got tangled, and he ended up falling backward.

Whish—!

He, who was supposed to crash into the floor, was blocked by a thick wind.

The Margrave’s body, which floated in the air in an awkward posture, settled down softly on the chair once again.

Chirp—!

“Eh?”

The Margrave looked at the bird before his eyes with a blank expression.

Han-bit asked with a smirk.

“How is it? The impression of having felt the power of a spirit.”

“…”

He couldn’t bring himself to say anything.

But there was no way such wind as just now could have been created with magic.

The Margrave, who was silent for a moment, took a small parchment from his bosom and spread it.

“It’s the blueprint of the passage and door leading to the restricted area. It’s something that has been passed down only to the head of the family for generations.”

The diagram-like drawing on the parchment was unique, like a maze.

The restricted area was impossible to even enter or exit without the investigation team’s permission.

As it was a city bordering that place, there were many devices to deal with danger.

“The problem started from a rookie soldier’s mistake. He failed to properly follow the procedure for inspecting the eight doors. So… now the maze-like passage is in a state filled with monsters.”

– ?

– Yes?

– What have you done?

– Such a thing happened?

– No, there’s no such situation in Episode 7.

– Everyone, this is ‘Black Dragon’s’ streaming.

The doors of the passage were supposed to have their status checked every day.

Because as variables continued to arise in the restricted area, it wasn’t strange no matter what happened.

However, a rookie soldier’s mistake—that small oversight—had called for an enormous ripple.

“Are you not contacting the Royal Capital or the investigation team?”

“…An enormous disadvantage will be imposed on the city. The soldier who made the mistake will be executed along with the guilt. So I was looking for a way to solve it before the investigation team stops by.”

The Margrave wanted to protect the city and the citizens.

No matter how much he lacked experience and confidence, that heart did not waver.

“Is there anything you’ve tried?”

“I’ve tried using bomb-type magic tools procured from the black market or searching for adventurers through the Guild Master’s acquaintances. But the results were not good.”

The Margrave, who couldn’t request public assistance, had done his best in his own way.

That heart was fully understandable, but solving it within the Royal Capital was actually an impossible thing.

The reason why the restricted area activity of a person who was not part of the investigation team was strictly limited was simple—it was far too dangerous.

Of course, even if there were hidden experts like Asura, it was difficult to expect intervention in the circumstances of such a city.

Heilen, the examiner of the investigation team who would take charge of Han-bit, was a factor here.

Originally, it was a situation that should have been organized by him, who stopped by Barheim for confirmation.

Since he was probably moving toward this place, Han-bit felt he should move soon.

“I’ve understood the situation. First, let’s process the monsters.”

“…”

The Margrave kept his mouth shut while wearing a complicated expression.

Hesitating for a moment, he spoke with honest feelings.

“If you give help, I have no reason to refuse. Because there’s no method left to us anyway. But I think facing monsters of the restricted area is a truly dangerous thing. No matter how much you say you’re a Spirit Summoner… isn’t it different from the investigation team?”

There was not a single point wrong in the Margrave’s concern.

Because actually, at Han-bit’s current level, he would absolutely not be able to win against the investigation team.

But if it were monsters of the restricted area, the story was different.

“It’s fine. Fortunately, the compatibility is on the good side.”

The energy called ‘evil’ was dwelling in the restricted area.

Lifeforms inhabiting that place received that influence and came to have extraordinary power.

What could give an effective strike to that evil were spirits and light.

To be precise, they were elements that must have existed since the beginning of time.

Slide—

Han-bit, who stood up from his seat, touched the Nebula Sword hanging from his waist.

Looking at the Margrave, he spoke.

“I’ll organize it immediately. Let’s go to where the passage is.”

Ding—

[A sub-quest is opened.]

[Sub-Quest]

You have confirmed the problem that arose in Barheim.

It must be solved before the investigation team’s examiner arrives.

Goal: Let’s process all the monsters filled in the passage connected to the restricted area.

Reward: Sub-quest settlement

Time Limit: 1 hour

***

“Then are spirits and light the weaknesses?”

While moving to the passage of the restricted area, Haneul, who was touching her dagger, asked.

“They’re weaknesses. Especially the Light Spirit will feel like a grim reaper to those guys.”

“Wow, really? Lucky you?”

Haneul said while nudging her twin brother, who was walking next to her, with her elbow.

No-eul, who was looking at the sphere of light at the top of his head, clenched his fist.

“I’ll try hard. I’m happy to truly be of help to Black Dragon-nim this time.”

“You’ve been doing well all along.”

Han-bit stroked the boy’s head.

It wasn’t empty words; it was to the extent of being surprising that he was following his own growth speed from behind.

Truly, he was a cluster of talent.

“What about me? I’m alone and forming battle designs and such.”

Haneul pushed her brother aside and boasted of her own efforts.

For a moment, someone’s face came to mind, and Han-bit stroked her head while wearing a bittersweet smile.

“You did well too. I’ll count on you in the future.”

“Yes!”

– lol

– Info) Black Dragon had refused the twin master.

– Isn’t he just a dad now?

– My dad is Black Dragon *shudder*

– Is there a seat left for a child?

– The pet seat is also fully booked.

While sharing such a conversation, Han-bit’s group arrived at a unique space at the northeastern edge of the city.

Unlike the ordinary city walls that encircled Barheim, there was a building like a small fortress.

In its center, a door with an enormous number of magic circles scribbled on it was visible.

“This is it. I will open it immediately.”

The Margrave, who approached the door, placed his hand on a small magic circle.

Immediately after that, red light was emitted.

Flash—!

The light that bloomed from the magic circle permeated into the door like a lattice pattern.

And along with a vibration, the entrance began to open.

Rumble—!

The steel door of enormous thickness was only opened to about half.

This was also a design for security.

“Let’s go.”

Following the preceding Margrave and knights, they entered the interior of the fortress.

The surrounding space on the inner side, where high stairs were placed, had plenty of equipment and magic tools for battle.

The group that arrived at the top stopped in front of another door at the end of a long passage.

At the Margrave’s explanation, Han-bit nodded.

Actually, the battlefield was the same as starting from beyond this door.

Because the long passage and stairs were a structure to earn as much time as possible.

“I will ask one more time. Will you truly be all right?”

The Margrave threw the question for the final confirmation.

In his face tinged with guilt, his personality was apparent.

And the moment Han-bit was about to answer, an alarm rang and one mail arrived.

It was an item that had arrived from Kim Jae-ha.

‘This is… truly great.’

The attached items were dozens of transparent triangular prisms.

It was something he had delivered to Kim Jae-ha—the raw materials Yeon-woo bought instead—and asked for processing.

But the resulting product was much better than expected.

「You made it exactly right. Thank you.」

Han-bit, who delivered a thank-you message, finished even the final preparation.

“It’s fine. Please open it.”

“…I understand.”

The Margrave, who closed and then opened his eyes for a moment, nodded.

Then the soldiers guarding the place threw open the door.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

“Understood.”

Han-bit stepped into the inner side with the twins.

The Margrave and the knights hid their uneasy hearts, and each showed respect.

Thud—

The group that went into the inner side arrived in front of the spiral staircase.

Haneul, who was looking below, asked while looking at the pouch held in Han-bit’s hand.

“But what is that?”

“This? It’s something like a weapon.”

He took out a fist-sized triangular prism and showed it.

Haneul wore a questioning expression.

“Eh? It’s something I saw in science class. But this is a weapon?”

“The passage leading to the restricted area is a maze. To efficiently clear that place, it’s important to use light well.”

“Ah.”

No-eul, who heard the explanation, immediately realized the intention.

The power possessed by the Light Spirit Lumia was the key.

The prism was a tool to expand that influence at once.

“There’s no need to use other skills. Because if it’s a light spirit, she’ll know instinctively.”

“Understood. Lumia, please.”

Slither—

At No-eul’s words, the sphere of light hovering around lit up and reacted.

It was proof that they had built up rapport and trust excellently.

Thud—

The group that went down following the stairs arrived in front of a door where complex characters were drawn.

In its center was a magic circle marked in red.

A final resort to be used in an emergency, it was a device made for rapid entry into the interior.

“No-eul, focus only on the light, and Haneul, enter slowly from behind. Never go out in front of me.”

“Understood.”

“Yes.”

The twins nodded their heads in an atmosphere where tension circulated.

Han-bit, who placed his hand on the door, immediately backed away after activating the magic circle.

Wooo—

Light began to flow along several patterns.

When it was gradually dyed with vivid colors, an enormous explosion occurred.

Boom boom boom—!

Along with a roar as if it would tear the ears, the thick door was shattered into pieces.

And along with the revealed maze, swarms of pitch-black monsters revealed themselves.