The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front - Chapter 88

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front (88)

 

Arteon, who had arrived in Almers, looked up at the sky.

 

Despite it being midday, heavy gray clouds covered the sky, unmistakably the sky of the Northern Region.

 

Thud.

 

With the quiet rustling of his coat hem and the sound of hoofbeats, Arteon turned into a familiar alley.

 

A fairly old inn.

 

The building’s exterior walls had worn and faded with time, but the ivy that wrapped around the window frames and hung luxuriously was still there.

 

Clang!

 

When he pulled the handle, the sound of an old bell flowed beyond the door, leaving an echo.

 

“…?”

 

Inside the shop.

 

An old man who had been cleaning a cup under the dim lighting turned his gaze.

 

He looked at Arteon entering and soon widened his eyes in surprise.

 

“Well, this is… who might this be.”

 

“It’s been a while, you seem to be in good health.”

 

At Arteon’s polite greeting, the old man looked him over.

 

And….

 

“…You seem to have changed quite a lot. What on earth happened in that short time.”

 

Had it been roughly 9 months since he left?

 

In terms of time, it could be said to be rather short for a person to change.

 

Of course, even when he first saw him, it was quite a surprising level.

 

‘But now….’

 

Looking at his eyes, it seemed like starlight was held at the tip of a blade, containing an unfathomable deep abyss.

 

He had already far surpassed the level that he could comprehend.

 

Clink.

 

Arteon took out a gold coin from his pocket and placed it on the table.

 

Unlike silver coins, the substantial sound and sparkling golden light caught the old man’s attention.

 

“The three rooms at the left end of the second floor. I’d like to use all of them, would that be possible?”

 

“Heh heh heh, that’s more than enough money. Use them as you wish. What about meals?”

 

“Meals can wait. Please make sure people don’t come to that area as much as possible. And… I’d like you to pass along word.”

 

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything.”

 

His humble manner of speaking remained the same, but at its core was a firm confidence in himself.

 

Arteon quietly went up to the room on the second floor.

 

Only after closing the door and locking it behind him did he let out a small breath.

 

“Whew.”

 

Arteon, who had put down his luggage, looked outside.

 

It would have to be night before an answer would come anyway.

 

Arteon took out a wooden box from deep in his bag.

 

Creak.

 

What was inside the box.

 

It was the Belodian Flower he had received from Leorn.

 

Originally, it had been given for trading purposes.

 

‘Since he got caught by Belkain, he should be grateful just to be alive.’

 

He would surely lose everything and be demoted.

 

There was no need to worry about using this.

 

Soon, Arteon took out the Belodian Flower and sat down, placing it on his lap.

 

The red petals moved as if squirming slightly, emanating life.

 

It was a rare species counted among the highest grade of recovery-type medicinal herbs.

 

He didn’t know how Leorn had obtained and given this to him.

 

‘But I won’t refuse what’s given.’

 

Arteon looked at the Belodian Flower placed on his lap.

 

Normally, it would be common to crush it and mix it with other medicinal materials that have synergistic effects, then boil and drink it or make pills….

 

“If I can use mana… the story becomes a bit different.”

 

Arteon closed his eyes and began operating the Vargas Mana Cultivation Method.

 

Wooooooong!

 

Arteon’s breathing settled completely.

 

A silence continued where the sound of his heartbeat echoed in his ears, and at the same time, blue mana began flowing throughout Arteon’s body.

 

The mana that flowed under his skin, into his bones, weaving through his muscles soon concentrated at his fingertips.

 

Swoosh.

 

Timing it perfectly, Arteon reached out and placed his hand over the Belodian Flower.

 

And that was the moment.

 

Sssssssss.

 

A red aura rose like smoke over the petals.

 

It looked like a flickering small flame, but it was life force itself.

 

And soon, the mana wrapped around that aura and drew it into its own flow.

 

Whoooosh.

 

As he took a deep breath.

 

The red aura flowed into his body along with the mana.

 

At first it was hot, then it transformed into fierce waves of life force.

 

Wooooooong!

 

The air in the room trembled slightly.

 

Small vibrations spread with Arteon’s body at the center, and mana and aura began pulsating as they intersected under his skin.

 

Each muscle fiber aligned, and the micro-damage remaining from fractures was healed.

 

The mana that spread through his internal organs found and burned away even hidden toxins, and mana circuits quietly expanded all the way to the joints of his knees and ankles.

 

“….”

 

He reached a state close to selfless absorption.

 

Refined, compressed, luminous mana.

 

The battles Arteon had gone through and his records of reaching the peak seemed to be completing into a single form.

 

And how much time had passed?

 

The petals of the Belodian Flower that had been tinged with red gradually lost their color, and the aura that had been circulating in the room also became calm.

 

But in contrast, the abundant energy that filled Arteon’s body.

 

Feeling completely that sensation which had become much more solid yet heavy than before.

 

Swoosh.

 

He slowly opened his eyes.

 

“…Whoooooo.”

 

Arteon exhaled deeply.

 

Before he knew it, the spot where Arteon had been sitting was thoroughly soaked with sweat that had flowed.

 

Naturally, the clothes he wore were also thoroughly soaked.

 

And then.

 

“Have you awakened?”

 

“….”

 

A masked woman beside him bowed her head and spoke.

 

He had already known she was there. But far from being a hindrance, thanks to her standing guard, he had been able to operate the Mana Cultivation Method even more deeply.

 

Arteon stood up from his seat.

 

“Wait a moment, I’ll wash up and come out.”

 

“Yes, Lord Arteon.”

 

She, or rather Rishiven, recalled the time when she first met Arteon.

 

Even then, hadn’t he come out after showering following training in his room?

 

Soon, Arteon, who had lightly splashed water to wash off his sweat, put on a robe and looked at Rishiven.

 

“I thought you had quit thievery, but you’re still wearing a mask?”

 

“I wore it after a long time to secretly meet with Lord Arteon. More than that… you seem to have changed a lot.”

 

Rishiven said while looking at Arteon, who was wearing a robe.

 

Her eyes trembled slightly as she looked at him.

 

The refined aura flowing from Arteon’s body felt incomparably more immense than before.

 

Arteon sat in a chair and spoke to Rishiven.

 

“Has the merchant group grown in size?”

 

“Yes, thanks to the advice Lord Arteon gave us, we were able to earn great profits from our first trade. Thanks to that, everyone is living busily.”

 

“Do you know about the recent recapture of the Elvarfiel Lake region?”

 

“Vaguely… we’re hearing about it currently, but we don’t know the details. Information from the Military Department is heavily controlled.”

 

“The Imperial Army won the war at Elvarfiel Lake this time. Now, with Helikel Gorge in the northwest and Elvarfiel Lake in the northeast, paths to advance into the Northern Region have opened. Probably… it will depend on the results of the next battlefield…”

 

Arteon narrowed his eyes.

 

What’s most needed from this point forward is clear.

 

“If possible, divide the merchant group and establish positions in Almers and Buratirukan to create a route for quickly supplying food to the northern battlefield. You’ll probably achieve great results.”

 

Procuring food independently in the cold Northern Region isn’t easy.

 

Moreover, now they have to go even further north than the existing northern battlefield.

 

Naturally, as the movement distance lengthened, more time for supply would be needed.

 

“But if someone could stably supply food from this place… it would be quite a big help from the Imperial Army’s perspective.”

 

And Arteon took out an envelope from his luggage.

 

“If preparations are completed perfectly, take this and find Colonel Hadel at the Northeastern 4th Defense Line. It will help somewhat in resolving matters.”

 

“…Thank you.”

 

Rishiven received the envelope with a bewildered expression.

 

To suddenly visit and once again guide the path she should take.

 

However, Arteon’s gaze soon sank coldly.

 

“Then… what about what I asked you to investigate?”

 

“Ah.”

 

As Arteon’s atmosphere suddenly changed, Rishiven snapped to attention and nodded.

 

“We’re still continuing to investigate, but… we’ve succeeded in discovering some of the outline.”

 

“Report.”

 

At Arteon’s words, Rishiven spoke.

 

“We’ve confirmed that there are quite many within the Northern Army who are colluding with the Kar Tribe.”

 

Rishiven began telling Arteon the information she had gathered.

 

The important blind spot was that.

 

Whether there were forces manipulating the war in the north to continue without ending.

 

Precisely, it was to find out who were maintaining power by keeping tension in the north.

 

Rishiven was using all her organization members to gather information about them.

 

Though there were some difficulties in the process, she was still able to discover quite a bit of their outline.

 

“Currently… do you know there’s a power struggle within the Empire over the next emperor?”

 

“Somewhat.”

 

Then Rishiven handed Arteon a paper folded several times.

 

When Arteon received and unfolded it, there was a diagram explaining the power structure drawn inside.

 

“The most crucial thing is that currently, regarding imperial succession, First Prince Sedrian Aurelian is favored… but the Second Prince and his forces are not accepting this situation.”

 

“Second Prince?”

 

“Belakroad Aurelian. And there are forces following them… among them, the only one we’ve currently identified is someone named Jaikl Mion, the head of the Mion Obsidian Trading Company, famous even within the Empire.”

 

“Mion Obsidian Trading Company…”

 

Arteon’s eyes narrowed.

 

Because it was a name he had heard before.

 

In his past life, it was a trading company that supplied considerable materials to the north and continued to grow in scale, becoming one of the top companies in the Empire.

 

At Arteon’s expression, which seemed to be pondering something deeply, Rishiven pressed her lips together.

 

Soon after, Arteon nodded lightly.

 

Rishiven continued speaking.

 

“Currently, their purpose is simple. To maintain the war in the north continuously while directing attention there. And… this is still under investigation so it’s not accurate, but…”

 

“Tell me.”

 

“While buying time like that, they seem to aim to increase their military forces and… eliminate the First Prince’s faction while strengthening their own forces.”

 

“…”

 

These were words that had to be quite cautious.

 

If viewed from a slightly different angle, it could be seen as the Second Prince potentially starting a rebellion if he couldn’t accept the results.

 

‘But…’

 

Rather than that, it would be more accurate to see it as a strategy to use the northern war to build their own forces while taking advantage of the distracted attention to reduce their competitors’ power.

 

Perhaps…

 

‘A bloody storm might blow through the Central soon.’

 

In his past life, Arteon didn’t have the capacity to worry about the Imperial Capital.

 

Surviving day by day came first, and later he devoted all his energy to pushing back the Kar Tribe.

 

But to think that such efforts in the north were merely due to their power games…

 

Crack.

 

Arteon’s teeth ground together hard.

 

Because rage was surging up maddeningly.

 

“…Continue investigating. Who’s behind them. Even if the Second Prince is at the top, someone else must be manipulating him.”

 

“Understood. And Lord Arteon.”

 

“…?”

 

As Arteon stood up from his seat, Rishiven also stood and spoke.

 

“Recently, due to the achievements Lord Arteon has made, there were those targeting you. We haven’t fully uncovered everything yet, but…”

 

Rishiven handed over another piece of paper.

 

A certain pattern was drawn on it.

 

“…”

 

It was the same pattern as the one Belkain had given him.

 

Rishiven said.

 

“We haven’t accurately identified them yet, but… those bearing this pattern seem to be targeting Lord Arteon.”

 

“Could these guys be the ones called Nokton?”

 

“…Nokton?”

 

Rishiven looked at Arteon with a surprised expression.

 

How did he know the name Nokton?

 

But Rishiven shook her head.

 

“Nokton are those under Jaikl Mion’s command. They seem to belong to the same group, but… they’re different people.”

 

At those words, Arteon’s eyes narrowed.

 

Besides Nokton… there were other guys targeting him.

 

‘It seems I’ve been completely marked by them.’

 

Though he didn’t know who, it meant there were quite a few who considered Arteon a thorn in their side.

 

Arteon asked Rishiven.

 

“Can you track these guys?”

 

“It seems like it will take a lot of time currently. We have to handle merchant group business too, and above all, these guys move so secretly…”

 

“Then can you track Nokton’s trail?”

 

“Nokton? If it’s them… it would be somewhat easier.”

 

Though they’re an assassination group so their identity isn’t exposed, they could quickly find out by investigating Jaikl’s background.

 

At Rishiven’s answer, Arteon nodded.

 

“Then… let’s strike Nokton to find out about these guys.”

 

“It won’t be easy. Nokton’s high-level assassins are those who have surpassed 3rd Star and reached 4th Star level. We can’t easily touch them…”

 

“I’ll do it myself. Just arrange the location.”

 

“…What?”

 

Rishiven’s eyes shook greatly.

 

If it’s just a matter of arranging a place, it wouldn’t be too difficult.

 

“Lord Arteon, surely you don’t mean…”

 

“It’s better to deal with troublesome baggage quickly.”

 

At Arteon’s coldly sunken gaze, Rishiven could only swallow silently.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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