The Regressed Magic Swordsman Devours the North - Chapter 39

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 39. A Heart Worn Down
Deep in the mountains, a scops owl called out.
Other birds sang here and there too. Listened one way, they seemed to be playing in concert. From another angle, they sounded like they were quarreling—who sang better, you or me.
Or perhaps neither mattered.
Sion led the hostages back to the Bilton Family’s mountain stronghold.
There, he met Julian, who had been directing operations on the ground.
The two men drew up a plan to move from the Bilton stronghold in the Yarel Mountain Range to the ancient castle the Snowleopard Knights had established as their base.
If they’d had only knights, the journey would have taken mere hours. But traveling with ordinary people, they had to account for at least four days.
After laying out their plan, the two men withdrew to a room to talk.
“We haven’t managed to make contact with the Travis Self-Defense Forces until now. That’s because we couldn’t reveal our true identities.”
Julian sat in a creaking chair, and each time he spoke, the chair squeaked and groaned.
“We didn’t reveal ourselves because we judged there were spies embedded within the Self-Defense Forces.”
Sion thought Julian’s judgment was quite sound. Rough-looking on the surface, yet meticulous. That was his assessment.
There would indeed be spies within the Self-Defense Forces.
And the Self-Defense Forces would never be able to root them out.
Because these spies were old friends, brothers, and sisters they’d known for years.
Were they spies from the beginning? Did they turn traitor suddenly? No. The probability was low.
When criminal organizations dealt with ordinary people, they took their families as hostages.
When there was no family, they held the parents who raised them.
And.
People whose bodies and hearts hadn’t been hardened would instantly sell out their comrades to protect their precious family.
It was tragic, but that was reality.
Because they were weak, they fell deeper into darkness, becoming wicked.
A truly unreasonable world.
As Sion tasted bitterness on his tongue, Julian opened his mouth again, accompanied by the squeak-squeak of his chair.
“But the situation has changed now. You’ll handle the investigation. We can reveal ourselves as knights and attach ourselves to the Self-Defense Forces to draw attention. Wouldn’t that work?”
Julian asked, looking at Sion, and Sion nodded.
“Yes. We can proceed with the Double Operation. And once we safely extract the hostages, it will become much easier to make contact with the Self-Defense Forces.”
“Right. When the hostages return, the Self-Defense Forces, the townspeople, and the spies will all be thrown into chaos.”
It was true. Rescuing the hostages meant sowing hope in the Self-Defense Forces.
Hope was remarkably effective against those who had fallen into despair.
The same went for the traitors leaking information to the criminal organizations.
Would they really have sold out their comrades simply because they loved these brutal villains?
In most cases, it would be coercion they couldn’t resist.
And.
Deep down, they would be anxious the whole time.
What if their comrades found out?
How long would they have to live like this?
If they obeyed orders, their precious family might be safe for now, but what would happen once they became useless?
They probably couldn’t sleep properly.
“Making contact with the Self-Defense Forces is definitely necessary. Otherwise, those three organizations will wipe them out.”
Sion explained that Iron Teeth, Green Snake, and Red Three Eyes were planning to annihilate the Self-Defense Forces.
“First, we should make contact with the Self-Defense Forces and strengthen their armament. That means gathering all the war materials from the stronghold—weapons, equipment, clothing, money, everything.”
Julian nodded. The chair squeaked in rhythm with his nod. The sound seemed to reflect the wavering of his heart.
“Right. Knights have a duty to protect the people of their territory.”
The answer was affirmative. But Julian’s expression was troubled.
To enter a place where evil had already taken root and spread its web, and protect only the good?
That was…
an incredibly difficult task.
In his heart, he wanted to ignore all these complications and simply annihilate the criminal organizations on the spot.
But.
Would it actually work if he did?
When he first came to Travis, he hadn’t revealed himself as an Inspection Bureau knight. He’d said he was a mercenary.
Why had he done that?
He understood it now.
After sweeping through the organizations in the Yarel Mountain Range with Sion and rescuing the hostages, he had come to this realization.
“Everything you say, I understand. In fact, it doesn’t differ much from what I’ve been thinking. But here’s the thing.”
Squeak-squeak. The chair cried out.
“I have no future beyond this. Going into the Self-Defense Forces, helping them, annihilating the three organizations? That’s simple. But will solving deep-rooted problems in Travis actually be achieved by doing that?”
“Of course not.”
“Of course. If that were the case, you wouldn’t have come.”
Julian had been wrestling with something for some time now.
Ever since the age of peace arrived.
Which direction he ought to walk as a knight.
Whether he was truly suited to be a knight at all. Whether he should abandon it and take up mercenary work instead.
Whether the path he walked was genuinely the right one.
He was a warrior who yearned for blood and battlefields, and yet also a knight.
And so now.
He was asking Sion Carsen.
“Can you untangle the knotted problems of this place, Travis? Can you cull the wicked and save the people of this domain?”
“Yes.”
“……What.”
Sion heard Julian’s question and did not hesitate. His answer came at once.
“I have a solution, sir knight. You need only trust me and follow my lead.”
It was spoken with absolute certainty. And when Julian heard such a response from Sion, he found himself momentarily stunned.
But Sion pressed on regardless.
He continued speaking.
“To save the people of Travis begins with tearing out evil by its roots. The three organizations and their masters above them—we must put them all to death. Even if one of them is Caster, one of the Twelve Dukes of the North.”
“…….”
As Julian listened to Sion’s unflinching words, he found himself thinking.
‘He’s not merely speaking. He means every word.’
Julian sensed a kind of conviction emanating from Sion, and in truth, it was only natural.
Sion knew who the true enemies of Travis were.
Post 24. E5 Francis. Caster and the other nobles and corporations of the Travis region.
Trifling compared to the Demon Race or Human Traitors.
This was no time to be ensnared by such petty obstacles.
Of course, Julian could not have known such thoughts of Sion’s, so he merely stood there, astonished.
In Sion’s bearing, he sensed something that transcended the audacity a young knight might possess.
“Remarkable.”
A sense of déjà vu.
As though someone was overlapping in his vision.
The knight among knights whom he admired above all others—who had saved the North when monsters ran rampant and founded a great house.
The image of David Carsen seemed to align with the figure before him.
“That’s a killing answer.”
Julian rose from his seat. He walked toward the door and pushed it open.
By now the sun was setting in gentle tones. Snowleopard Knights were steadily arriving with people in tow.
Julian turned back to Sion and spoke.
“The Snowleopard Knights will follow your command. You are the operation commander, after all. So—”
No more hesitation colored his words.
He simply stood there, weighty and solemn, regarding Sion with eyes of pale snow.
“—know that the Snowleopard Knights stand at your back. Do as you see fit. Not just this time, but going forward.”
At these words, Sion’s eyes widened in surprise.
The meaning of those words was…….
Julian, commander of the Snowleopard Knights, had just declared his support for Sion.
***
I adjusted my clothes and hoisted the large backpack onto my shoulders. I was leaving the matter of Sanchae and the Self-Defense Forces in Julian’s hands so I could continue with the mission.
In an operation like this, time was precious, so it was only prudent.
Silvia, Louis, Bwindol, and Bill had similarly packed their backpacks and come out.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, sir.”
I noticed that the eyes of my companions had changed somehow. Their faces looked heavier too.
It was a somewhat brutal reality, but such experiences would become good nourishment for growth.
Before departing, I sought out Julian, who was resting alone. There were precautions I needed to impart in case of unforeseen trouble.
“Sir knight.”
“Yes, young master.”
“You must infiltrate the Self-Defense Forces and protect them, but minimize information exposure.”
“Why?”
“As you know, the Self-Defense Forces are not trained soldiers.”
“You really believe that?”
“Pardon?”
“I meant, should we be careful because they’re not trained soldiers?”
“…….”
In truth, whether they were trained soldiers or not hardly mattered. People were people, no matter how much training they’d received.
And people.
Could break so terribly easily.
Before the return, the Resistance had been no different.
My closest comrade had fallen into a trap. I rushed to save him, willing to face death itself—only to find another comrade driving a blade into his throat.
That day.
I killed my own comrade with these hands.
My heart burned as if seared by flame. But the real wound lay deeper.
Betrayal by our own had shattered the morale of the entire Resistance. From that day forward, I obsessed over how to avoid being betrayed.
—Assemble a team of people without weaknesses, people whose goals align with mine.
—Preemptively shield my comrades’ vulnerabilities.
And.
The conclusion I finally reached was…….
To seize my comrades’ weaknesses first.
I knew well enough what Julian expected of me. He was a simple man, stubborn in his way, and I’d encountered many like him before.
But was I—worn down as I’d become—worthy of bearing his faith?
“There’s no harm in being careful.”
“True enough. But you know what?”
Julian grinned and went on.
“Don’t worry, young master. I’m not about to devour you just because you’re still green behind the ears and make a mistake.”
“……!”
Julian reached over and ruffled my hair roughly, his touch unexpectedly gentle.
“Do as you see fit. Make mistakes if you must. Trust people, be betrayed, doubt if you need to. Build trust, build suspicion, learn to balance between them. I was the same at your age. Worse, even. Kha-ha-ha-ha!”
His laughter rang out clear and resonant. Listening to that warm, hearty sound, I felt my own lips quirk upward.
The world called Julian a mad knight. But the man I’d come to know was different.
Rough and unpolished in manner, yes—but a commander who deliberated seriously in his own way. That was the Snow Leopard, Julian.
“Thank you, knight.”
Somehow.
My heart felt a little lighter.
“Leave the investigation to me.”
“Don’t keep me waiting too long, or I’ll get restless and lead the Self-Defense Forces off to war myself. Kha-ha-ha!”
We faced each other and laughed heartily together.
“Then, I’ll be going.”
My companions and I departed, leaving the Bilton Family’s mountain manor behind.
Perhaps it was the knowledge that the Snowleopard Knights were nearby if anything went wrong.
My steps felt lighter than they had in days.
We hadn’t walked far when.
A crowd of people came hurrying after us.
“……You! Over here!”
Looking at their faces, I recognized some of the women we’d first met at the shackled cliff.
They’d looked barely human then, but now that they’d eaten well, drunk water, rested, and washed—they looked immeasurably better.
But why were they calling us back?
A middle-aged man and two middle-aged women stepped forward. They seemed to be searching for words, starting and stopping, hesitating.
But it was clear they’d already discussed this amongst themselves at length.
“We……. We truly cannot thank you enough for saving us. We were in such chaos at the time—we failed to properly express our gratitude.”
“Some were too frightened to come forward, but everyone, truly everyone is grateful. It’s just…….”
I understood what they were trying to say.
“You were afraid to approach us?”
“Ah, well…….”
“……Yes.”
It was understandable.
I was a murderer in their eyes.
And yet.
That they had rushed forward with this simple word of thanks—the improved faces of these rescued people—brightened both my expression and my companions’.
It breathed new strength into my heart. It felt like healing for a worn-out soul.
“Think nothing of it. We only did what was right.”
We smiled at the wounded people, waved our hands in farewell, and turned back to the mountain path.
The Returning Sword Mage Devours the Northern Region
Author
: Bangsim
Date of Publication
: June 16, 2026
Publisher
: ACS Media Inc.
Editor-in-Chief
: ACS Media Editorial Team
Address
: 10F Urban Bench Building, 325 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Email
: [email protected]
※ This work is published by ACS Media Inc. under contract with the copyright holder,
and the content may not be used in any form or by any means without permission from the publisher and author.
This e-book is protected under copyright law, and unauthorized reproduction or duplication may result in legal liability.
UCI
: G720:N+A129-20260615032

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