The Scorched Desert's Sand Mage (Novel) - Chapter 152

Chapter 152

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Translated by Pratt

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“Whew.”

Zeon let out a faint sigh as he brushed the dust piled on his shoulders and head away.

He had only intended to keep watch on Aleksandro’s group for a little while, but it took a full fifteen days just to see them out of the danger zone.

The journey had ended up far longer than he had expected.

He wanted nothing more than to go home, wash up, and rest.

Before entering the slums, Zeon looked toward the place where the White Bear Caravan’s fortress had once stood.

There was no trace of the fortress remains anymore.

The high-drifting sands had erased every mark.

Sand-laden winds buried everything this way.

Even the traces of someone else’s blood-soaked effort.

‘How fleeting.’

Zeon shook his head slightly and started walking again.

Even so, perhaps because he had returned after a long time, even the filthy slums felt welcoming.

“Zeon.”

“Hyung.”

As soon as he entered the slums, there were people there to welcome him warmly.

It was Brielle and Levin.

Smiling, Zeon said, “Were you waiting for me?”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t even start. This brat sat here waiting every single day.”

Zeon’s smile deepened at the two of their answers.

It was the first time he had ever realized that having someone wait for him could feel this good.

“Nice. Let’s go home now.”

“It’d be better not to go home yet.”

“Why?”

“Too many flies gathered there.”

“Really?”

A slightly apologetic expression crossed Zeon’s face at Brielle’s pout.

He had expected as much.

While fighting Balrog, Zeon had revealed his ability.

The ability of a sand mage.

It was only a matter of time before the rumor spread through the mouths of the few surviving witnesses.

Many people would already know by now that Zeon was a sand mage.

In this world turned into desert, the usefulness of a sand mage was virtually limitless. Many people who had already finished their calculations were moving to draw Zeon to their side.

Brielle looked at Zeon resentfully.

“Why’d you do that? If you were going to reveal your powers anyway, you should’ve just killed everyone inside that barrier. Then the secret would’ve stayed secret.”

“I couldn’t keep living like that forever. And it was a secret that would come out sooner or later anyway. If I wasn’t going to be able to keep it hidden forever, I figured it was better to reveal it while it had the most value.”

On top of that, the opponent had been Balrog.

It had not been an opponent weak enough for him to fight while hiding his ability. It was such a powerful demonic beast that Zeon had needed to fight in earnest, which meant opening the authority of the sand mage.

If he had shown his powers only against small or insignificant demonic beasts, then the leaders of the districts would have viewed him as nothing more than a tool to use. But because he had shown himself overwhelming a powerful demonic beast like Balrog, there was no doubt that their thoughts had become more complicated.

Placing his hands on Brielle and Levin’s shoulders, Zeon said, “Let’s go to Old Klexi’s shop.”

“To eat?”

“Yeah. I’ve been living off jerky the whole time, so I want a proper meal.”

“Okay.”

The three of them headed toward the street where Old Klexi’s stall stood.

The moment he saw Zeon, Old Klexi glared at him sharply.

“So you came back, you sly bastard. To think you fooled everyone that completely.”

“About what?”

“Your ability, of course. To think you controlled sand instead of fire.”

“So what?”

“How could you even hide it from me? Between us, no less…”

“Quit pretending to be hurt and give me some food.”

“Tch. Was I that obvious?”

“Very.”

“What an unfun bastard. Just wait a little.”

Old Klexi clicked his tongue and began making the food.

Zeon sat down and watched him work.

As Old Klexi busily moved his hands, he spoke.

“You probably already know it, but thanks to you, all the districts are in an uproar. Every district sent people into the slums trying to recruit you. Those bastards are rummaging all over the place trying to gather information about you.”

“Really?”

“Though even then, the amount of information they can get about you is limited. Heh heh.”

Old Klexi gave a sly laugh.

The information of the slums was firmly in his grasp.

As long as he held onto information about Zeon, the outsiders could obtain only a very small part of it.

Zeon let out a faint laugh.

“Should I say thank you?”

“Forget it. I’m not doing this to get thanks from you. Thanks to you, people who should not have died did not die. That’s enough.”

If Balrog had been fully unleashed, the slums would have been reduced to scorched earth first.

That was one of the reasons Neo Seoul tolerated the slums at all.

When an unforeseen disaster like this struck, the slums served as a shield to buy time.

With Neo Seoul’s strength, they would have been able to prepare a full response before Balrog arrived.

How many people in the slums died in the meantime was none of Neo Seoul’s concern.

Knowing that, Old Klexi was thanking Zeon.

Zeon said, “I have a home in the slums. I couldn’t just sit and watch my home be destroyed. So there’s no need to thank me.”

“You’re not as honest as you think you are.”

“Who’s more honest than me?”

“Sure. Let’s say that. Here, eat this.”

Thud.

Old Klexi set a rice bowl down in front of Zeon.

It was bigger than usual, and the toppings were more generous too.

“Thanks for the meal.”

Zeon picked up his spoon.

Maybe because it had been so long, it tasted even better.

Old Klexi gave Brielle and Levin each a rice bowl as well.

The two of them also thanked Old Klexi and began eating.

Watching the three of them enjoy the food he had made, Old Klexi smiled warmly.

Just looking at the three of them made him feel better.

He had seen them so often by now that they truly felt like his own grandchildren.

‘Haa. Looks like I really don’t have long left to live. To think I’d be feeling something like this.’

Click. Click.

At that moment, the sound of someone’s footsteps suddenly rang out.

It was the sound of high heels, something rarely heard in the slums.

Old Klexi furrowed his brows and looked toward the source of the sound.

A woman with perfectly combed hair, not a single strand out of place, was walking toward them.

She wore a red suit that clung tightly to her body, top and bottom alike, along with red high heels with tall heels.

At a glance, it was clothing completely unsuited to the slums.

Even in Neo Seoul, only a very small number of people dressed that way. And Old Klexi knew the most representative kind of person who did.

“Haa.”

Old Klexi let out a sigh as he looked at the woman.

The woman sat down right beside Zeon without the slightest hesitation.

She stared silently at the rice bowl Zeon was eating, then opened her mouth.

“That looks delicious. Please give me the same thing.”

“Out of ingredients.”

“We’ve met after a long time, and you’re going to be that cold?”

“We’re not close enough for me to go out of my way to find ingredients I’ve run out of and make you food.”

“Then make me something with what you do have. That’s the least you can do.”

“Like a leech.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

The woman smiled coolly.

With an expression of utter fatigue, Old Klexi began preparing another rice bowl.

Having achieved her goal, the woman turned to Zeon.

Under her piercing gaze, Zeon spoke first.

“What is it?”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Zeon.”

“It isn’t all that much of a pleasure for me.”

“I apologize for interrupting your precious meal. But I felt that if not now, I would never be able to meet you, so I pushed a little.”

“Hmm.”

Only then did Zeon lower his spoon and look directly at the woman’s face.

If it were not for her cold eyes and chilly aura, it was a face beautiful enough to captivate anyone.

She spoke.

“My name is Seo Tae-ran. I’m affiliated with City Hall.”

“City Hall?”

“To be exact, I am a secretary directly under the mayor. The reason I came here today is because I would like to invite you to City Hall, Mr. Zeon.”

“So the mayor is looking for me?”

“Yes. He has taken great interest in your abilities. So he wishes to meet you personally. It has been a very long time since the mayor showed this much interest in anyone.”

“What an honor. But what should I do? I find it a little burdensome.”

“There’s no need to feel burdened. He’s not trying to make any extraordinary proposal. He only wants to share a dinner with you.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

She said there was no need to feel burdened, but anyone would have felt burdened in this situation.

After all, this invitation came from none other than Jin Geum-ho, the mayor.

Jin Geum-ho was Neo Seoul’s supreme authority, and a monster who had lived since before the Great Cataclysm.

Anyone summoned by Jin Geum-ho would have no choice but to feel tense. Yet no such sign could be found on Zeon’s face.

He was so calm that it actually made Seo Tae-ran flustered.

‘Does this man not understand what it means to have an audience with the mayor?’

Jin Geum-ho was someone who looked even the rulers of each district down beneath his feet. A one-on-one meeting with him was the perfect chance to enter the very core of Neo Seoul in one leap.

Even the execution unit known as the Numbers had either been scouted or raised directly by Jin Geum-ho.

Zeon said, “All right. I’ll stop by City Hall sometime soon.”

“If you show this, you’ll be able to enter City Hall immediately.”

As if she had been waiting for him to say that, Seo Tae-ran held out a pass.

It was a magically treated pass that could not be forged.

“Thank you.”

“If any troublesome matters arise inside Neo Seoul, show that pass. In most cases, it will solve the problem.”

“That makes it sound as though there are problems it won’t solve.”

“Neo Seoul is still a place where people live. There are always foolish people who resist authority.”

“I see.”

“I trust you are not one of those people, Mr. Zeon.”

A cool smile rose to Seo Tae-ran’s lips.

It was the kind of smile that would make most people feel suffocated just by looking at it. But it had no effect on Zeon.

Placing a hand inside his coat, Zeon said, “Well, I’m human too.”

“Some humans are different from others.”

“That’s a bit burdensome. Then I’ll get going first.”

Zeon rose from his seat, setting money down on the table.

Brielle and Levin stood up with him.

Zeon gave Seo Tae-ran a slight nod and said, “Then I’ll see you again in a few days.”

“Yes.”

Zeon, Levin, and Brielle immediately left their seats.

Seo Tae-ran watched their retreating figures without a word.

Thud.

At that moment, Old Klexi set a rice bowl in front of Seo Tae-ran.

“Your food is out.”

“Never mind.”

“What?”

“Come to think of it, a meal made from missing ingredients doesn’t sound all that tasty. Let’s just say I already ate.”

“You have no manners…”

“I’ll leave this instead for the cost of the meal.”

What she took out from her chest was a small magic stone.

It was far too much for the price of a single meal.

It was more expensive than this little stall’s monthly revenue.

Old Klexi quickly pocketed the magic stone and said, “If you’re hungry, come by any time. I’ll cook for you with all due care.”

“Do you really think there’ll be another time I come here of my own accord?”

“No one knows the future. I didn’t know I’d end up doing business in the slums either.”

“That’s true enough. In any case, I’ve achieved my purpose, so I’ll be going now.”

“Please do hurry up and leave.”

“I’ll pass along your regards to the mayor.”

“No need. I don’t want to get tangled up with that man ever again.”

“Even though you have old ties with him?”

“When did your tongue get so long? I don’t care to hear idle chatter, so get that face out of my sight.”

“If you change your mind, contact me any time.”

“I’d sooner die. That’ll never happen.”

“We’ll see.”

Seo Tae-ran snorted and left her seat.

Watching Seo Tae-ran’s back as she walked away, her sensual hips swaying, Old Klexi muttered, “After seeing a woman nastier than any demonic beast, my luck’s going to be rotten for months.”