The Regressed Magic Swordsman Devours the North - Chapter 44

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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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Episode 44. An Inspector from the Inspection Bureau Has Arrived
We walked toward the lodging that Q had told us about, the setting sun at our backs, my companions and I falling into step together.
Sunlight pierced through the clouds and fell upon the flowing water below, scattering into ripples of brilliant light. Those glimmering scales were more beautiful than any jewel.
“Oh, the river here is lovely, isn’t it?”
Lui remarked with genuine wonder as he gazed at the river cutting through the city of Cardis, and Bwindol answered with evident satisfaction.
“Of course. Travis isn’t exactly a wasteland either. It’s just a bit insular, that’s all.”
I listened to the two of them and offered an explanation in measured tones.
“Whether it’s the capital or a provincial region, large cities invariably have a water source—a river or lake.”
Cardis, the capital of Travis, had a great river flowing through it as well. Thanks to it, we could draw water easily enough, and procuring ingredients like fish was convenient.
“It’s not the same river connected to Seirun, the northern capital. You can’t travel via waterways or anything like that, and it won’t be particularly warm… but even so, this is quite an excellent river.”
At my words, Bwindol laughed with genuine pleasure, and Lui, watching him, teased, “When did you develop such pride?”
In truth, the river of Cardis was remarkably clean, with almost no stench compared to rivers in other inland cities.
Perhaps because the river was so clean.
“The people’s appearance is neat as well. It truly seems like a pleasant place to live.”
Bill said this.
“But beneath the surface, it seems to be festering.”
This time it was Silvia who answered. Silvia was far from naive.
Her entire family had been massacred when she was young, and she’d endured other trials since arriving here.
Yet her pride as a knight surpassed that of anyone else present.
“I think that’s a problem that arises precisely because people are diverse.”
Bwindol defended Travis again. And I took up his words.
“Yes. People are diverse.”
Even before my Regression Return, I’d encountered truly varied people.
Gentle people who loved peace. People who didn’t hesitate to show mercy. People who found it impossible to bear injustice… such people existed.
But there were also those who divided into factions, those who exploited, those consumed by envy and jealousy, those brimming with wickedness and vice, the greedy, those who deceived through cruelty, those who spread gossip about others’ failings.
However, just because society has problems doesn’t mean one must hate everyone indiscriminately. At least, that’s how I’d judged it.
I simply thought—wherever you go, there are good people and there are bastards. That’s all. But.
“The real problem is when the bad ones hold power and authority over the good.”
That was the situation in Travis now.
Nobles, corporations. And among them especially.
Post 24, masquerading as E5 Francis.
“I will employ every means at my disposal to capture them. Think what you will about other matters, but remember this above all. Do you understand?”
“…Yes. It is what I too have wished for.”
Bwindol answered quietly.
I nodded.
“Don’t worry. Travis will improve.”
I would make it so.
And.
The timing was still early enough that I intended to follow proper procedures to some degree.
Later. Much later.
When it became clear that humanity’s true enemy wasn’t merely bad people, but something that wasn’t human at all.
When it became common knowledge that they were collectively called the Demons.
Then I would abandon all restraint.
My companions and I arrived at the lodging, which sat some distance from the North Wing Travis Branch.
The North Wing branch itself was located on the outskirts of Cardis, but the lodging was deeper still—set in the midst of a sparsely populated forest.
It stood alone in a clearing.
“This is a Delivery Mercenary dormitory.”
……
Everyone looked at me with questions in their eyes about what a Delivery Mercenary was, so I gave a brief explanation.
“Delivery Mercenaries are a paramilitary organization that North Wing operates independently.
Normally they just make deliveries, but when North Wing’s branches or shipments run into danger, they step in to resolve the situation.
They earn higher wages than ordinary couriers and receive better treatment. And because they exist, criminal organizations don’t dare move against North Wing.”
Of course, compared to the wandering knights commanded by the nobility, they were but candles before the wind.
Their usefulness was limited, and since there were no Delivery Mercenaries in the Travis region at present, the dormitory had been left vacant for quite some time.
“We will become Delivery Mercenaries. Let’s go inside.”
Creak—
We entered the lodging Q had arranged and began unpacking. On one side, there were food and clothing that Q had provided, along with cleaning supplies.
The dormitory wasn’t terribly filthy, but quite a bit of dust had accumulated and clearly needed cleaning.
“Unpack your things. Meet me in the central hall. We start with cleaning.”
After carrying the furniture outside and shaking off the dust, we drew water from the river and began the washing.
Silvia took care of dusting every speck from the window gaps.
Swish— swish—
After cleaning, we regrouped in the central hall. It didn’t take even two hours, working quickly as we were.
I stood in the center of the lodge and looked over each of my fellow knights, Silvia among them.
They’d changed considerably since we’d set out. And it wasn’t solely from camping so much.
‘By now they should understand how much stronger they still need to become.’
“From here on, I’ll teach you both covert investigation methods and Combat Swordsmanship. Clear?”
“……Yes?”
“You really mean it, sir?”
“Are you serious?”
My companions stared at me wide-eyed in astonishment. And with good reason—in this era, even among colleagues, the exchange of techniques was uncommon.
Masters taught disciples, academy professors taught cadets, parents taught children.
But colleagues? At best they sparred with one another. Actual instruction was almost unheard of.
Still, I would do it. Humanity right now couldn’t afford to hoard secrets and compete among themselves. Besides.
“If you make mistakes, the operation fails. So. Learn with all your hearts.”
The knights gathered here were the founding members of the Special Investigation Division. In other words, they would become my hands and feet.
‘What use are weak limbs?’
“Y-yes, thank you so much!”
Lui bowed deeply as he spoke, and the others echoed him with faces brimming with gratitude.
“It’s an honor! Honestly, I’ve never seen any knight fight with Combat Swordsmanship as well as you do.”
“……Thanks.”
It was flattery mixed with exaggeration, perhaps. But still. That they cared this deeply…….
I’d have to work them hard. Truly hard.
“For now, discuss among yourselves which areas need improvement. I have somewhere to go for a bit.”
***
Before the sunset faded.
In twilight’s fleeting moment.
Vroom—
Bester Stern’s secretary drove the car, its headlights slowly pushing back the gathering darkness.
“Mm-hm~ mm-hm~”
Stern hummed in the back seat, juggling three bottles of Vodka he’d received from Q.
Ha ha. Ho ho.
Life was too much fun.
“This Vodka looks expensive. Q must’ve been hoarding it, right?”
“It’s probably at least a million zenni per bottle.”
“Is that so? Ha ha. I’ll be the star at any party bringing this. Ainzak. Want to taste it too?”
To Stern’s question, the man drowsing in the passenger seat mumbled a reply.
“I’d be grateful if you offered.”
The man called Ainzak was a wandering knight famous throughout the Travis region.
His alias was “Hound Ainzak.”
Rough-featured, broad-shouldered, with an inborn combat instinct that had carried him through many battlefields—a skilled knight.
For now he was lodging with the Bester Family as a retainer and served as Stern’s bodyguard.
Honestly, cleaning up after an ill-mannered third-generation nobleman didn’t suit his temperament. But they paid, so it had to be done. What could he do about how the world worked?
“Sure, sure. I’ll consider letting you have a bottle.”
Stern was showing off with the alcohol he’d extorted from Q through coercion.
As Ainzak thought what a bastard he was, sleep suddenly fled in the face of a creeping unease.
‘Something’s following us.’
Vroom—
The car sped along, but the mansion was still far off.
Moreover, the road to the Bester Family estate wound through a sparsely inhabited forest. And with the sun nearly set, darkness was nearly complete.
‘This isn’t good.’
“Ainzak. If you got this, who’d you want to drink it with?”
Stern asked. He didn’t ask his secretary—only the knight Ainzak—a way of ranking people.
But Ainzak wasn’t in a position to humor Stern’s question right now.
‘Where? Is it just one?’
“Hey, hey! Ainzak! I’m asking who you’d want to drink with if you got it.”
‘Who are they targeting? Probably the master, right?’
“What’s wrong. Ainzak. Are you ignoring me?”
‘Damn. Can’t gauge their skill.’
“Ainzak!”
“Damn it, shut up!”
Ainzak barked at Bester, and Bester fell silent like a stone.
The secretary jumped in alarm too, but before either of them could process what was happening, something appeared in the middle of the road.
“Stop the car!”
Screech!
The secretary slammed the brakes in panic, and Bester lurched forward, his head crashing against the headrest of the passenger seat.
“Ugh! Damn it! What the hell are you doing?! Do you both want to get fired?! The way you’re driving—ack!”
Before Bester’s tirade could continue, Ainzak clamped a rough hand over his mouth. Then, glaring intently, he spoke.
“Keep quiet while I’m being nice about this. If you don’t, we all die here. Understand? Now look.”
Bester didn’t grasp the situation, but sudden terror flooded his mind, drowning out all other thought.
He rolled his eyes obediently. Ainzak nodded, then opened the car door and stepped out.
There, standing brazenly in the middle of the road, was a man in tattered rags.
It was too dark to see his face clearly, yet something about him felt profoundly wrong.
“Listen. What do you want?”
Ainzak casually rested his right hand on his sword hilt as he spoke.
But the man gave no answer.
“A man of few words. I prefer conversation partners who talk more, you know. Bit cold, don’t you think?”
Shink—
Ainzak drew his sword.
Then the ragged man spoke.
“Why did you become that bastard’s dog?”
It was an unexpected question. Yet Ainzak found it rather convenient and answered readily.
“A hunting dog like me doesn’t need grand reasons. He pays, so I work. That’s all.”
“……I see.”
The moment the ragged man replied, Ainzak kicked off the ground.
Whoosh—
Like the wind, he swept his blade toward his opponent who had materialized from the darkness.
Clang!
But the man dodged Ainzak’s strike easily, as if he’d anticipated the blade’s trajectory.
Of course, Ainzak hadn’t expected to fell him in a single blow. He immediately twisted the blade’s path and attacked again.
Crash!
The man swung his own sword to meet it. Sparks flew between the clashing blades, and in that instant, their eyes met.
“…….”
Ainzak was taken aback the moment he saw the man’s eyes. Because they burned with flame.
Eyes that blazed with living fire—seething rage—fierce enough to incinerate even the golden dusk fading behind him.
Crash!
The fight resumed, shattering the moment of stillness. Then the man unleashed a strike from an angle Ainzak hadn’t anticipated.
Ainzak, experienced enough in real combat, hastily pulled back his extended blade to block—but instead of a sword, a knee came flying at him from an unexpected direction.
In the split second of ‘That’s not—’ the man’s knee drove into Ainzak’s jaw.
Ping—
Darkness swallowed him.
When he came to again.
It was the dead of night.
He was lying on the street.
Looking around, he saw Bester and the secretary sprawled unconscious nearby. The car was gone.
Ainzak quickly felt over his body.
Neck, torso, arms, legs…….
Thankfully, nothing was severed.
The secretary and Bester were the same.
Not that they were unharmed.
His entire body ached as though struck by lightning. His face was swollen and puffy.
A chill ran down Ainzak’s spine.
‘Why? He could have killed us easily……but he didn’t. He just took the car.’
Helplessness. Terror.
Waves of such emotions crashed over him.
“Ha, haha. Just what……was that man.”
***
Q had wrapped up his hectic day at the office and was trudging home.
On an exhausting day like this.
If only he had some Snow Walker Blue Label, he could console himself and end the day.
Unfortunately.
The bastard stole it from me.
“Ah…….”
A sigh escaped unbidden.
But still. Sion Carlsen and the Inspection Bureau, no less. What would become of Travis from here on? Should I keep staying? These questions chained one after another through my mind.
Then.
“Q.”
I turned at the soft voice calling my name. There stood Sion Carlsen, his brilliant golden hair blazing even against the darkness.
He drew near.
Step— step—
His footfalls steady and measured.
He offered me something.
Something far too familiar.
“……!”
Snow Walker, Blue Label. Three bottles.
I looked up at him, eyes wide.
He spoke with an indifferent gaze.
“Fine spirits, aren’t they.”
It was the voice of an Inspection Bureau knight—
“If they steal it again, just tell me.”
A voice I wanted far too much to believe.
The Fallen Swordmaster Returns and Devours the North
Author
: Bangshim
Publication Date
: June 16, 2026
Publisher
: Asismedia Co., Ltd.
Editor
: Asismedia Editorial Team
Address
: 10F Urban Bench Building, 325 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Email
: [email protected]
※ This work is published by Asismedia Co., Ltd. in accordance with the copyright holder’s agreement,
and the contents may not be used in any form or by any means without permission from the publisher and author.
This e-book is protected by copyright law, and unauthorized reproduction or copying 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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