Chapter 105: (Grind Sail Town Arc) — I’m from the Wizard Tower |
The courtyard finally quieted down.
Even Jayce had gone back to dress his wounds.
No one else in the other rooms had come out the entire time.
Ada silently got up from the ground and limped back to his room.
He glanced at Saul, who was still sitting on the table. His mouth opened like he wanted to curse him out, but in the end, he only said coldly, “Leave. Now.”
Saul didn’t say anything. He just nodded and got down from the table.
As soon as he stepped out of the cabin, the door slammed shut behind him.
Saul adjusted the gear on his body, then walked away with a spring in his step.
Just then, someone suddenly appeared at the entrance.
He clutched the broken doorframe with both hands, summoning all the courage he had, and said to Saul, “Y-You’ll go save Penny, right?”
Saul turned his head to look at him. “So you weren’t really mad after all. That day, you were just pretending to be asleep, weren’t you?”
The old madman trembled all over, his beard—clumped with dirt and wood chips—shedding bit by bit.
But he still gathered his courage and raised his head. “Yes, sir. You… you’re a wizard too, aren’t you? Could you please save little Penny? She really is such a pitiful, kind child.”
“I’ve got a general sense of what’s going on in Grind Sail Town. Can you tell me more about these ‘barbarians’ and the ‘evil spirits’ you mentioned?”
This time, the old man didn’t hesitate. Sadness filled his eyes. “Alright. I’ll tell you everything I know.”
But Saul hooked the old man’s arm and said, “Tell me on the way. I’m in a bit of a rush.”
After Saul and the old man left, Ada locked himself in the room and ignored everyone.
Suddenly, the door was kicked open.
Jayce, freshly bandaged, stormed in. “Hey, Ada, you’re giving up just like that?”
Ada was curled up on the wooden bed, tightly clutching the bowl Penny usually used for meals.
He lifted his head blankly and said to Jayce, “Jayce, thank you. I… misunderstood you the other day.”
“Why’re you saying that now?” Jayce slapped the bed. “From what I’ve seen over the years, before the ritual starts, Penny should be held in a separate place. Are you coming with me to steal her back while we have the chance?”
…
Penny felt herself being taken somewhere high up, then thrown to the ground.
Maybe because she was young and blind, the people who brought her didn’t bother restraining her.
Penny groped around on the ground with her hands and felt something slightly sticky.
It made her uncomfortable.
There was no wall nearby she could touch, so she simply hugged her knees and curled up into a sitting position.
She wasn’t especially scared.
In all her years of dreams, she had seen people die in her arms, seen herself chop others down, and even seen herself stab a knife into her own throat…
So to her, death was a very ordinary thing—not worth fearing.
She only worried about Ada, living alone from now on. Would he be able to get used to it?
And Saul… Saul must be a wizard too. His dreams were so strange, so terrifying.
Such a powerful wizard must be able to grant her wish, right?
Penny lifted a hand and touched her eyelid.
It still hurt a little when she pressed her eyes, but just a little.
Saul didn’t dig out her entire eyeball, but he definitely took something from her eye.
Yet when she touched her eyelid, there wasn’t a hole. She felt oddly relieved.
Just then, footsteps interrupted her thoughts.
She tilted her head, hearing one set of unhappy steps and another filled with anxiety.
The owner of the angry footsteps approached and grabbed her chin, then quickly let go.
She heard him shouting in frustration, “Why’d you bring back this useless thing?”
Penny didn’t understand what he meant. She just thought—if this was the wizard of Grind Sail Town… he didn’t feel even half as impressive as Saul.
The other person explained, “Girls in town are running low. She was the quickest one I could get.”
“Then go search outside—check the surrounding villages. Tell them, if they offer up a pure girl, their whole family can move into Grind Sail Town.”
“…Alright. I’ll send Jeff now. What about this girl?”
Penny felt that icy, sinister gaze return to her face.
The grumpy voice replied, “Since she’s here, I’ll make do with her for now.”
Penny shrank slightly. That word… felt more terrifying than death.
“Enough. I’m starting now. Go wait outside.”
“Now? Alright.”
The second set of footsteps left.
Only the two of them remained in the room.
Penny suddenly shivered.
Then came the sound of someone undressing.
The grumpy wizard approached again.
Penny blankly turned her face toward him, her eyes still shut.
“You don’t seem too scared?”
Penny shook her head.
“That’s no good. I want a more terrified soul.”
“How can I make you more afraid? Maybe by breaking your arms and legs?”
Cold hands pressed against Penny’s shoulders, but her expression didn’t change much.
“So unexpectedly calm. Are you a fool? Maybe I’ll peel your skin off first?”
Penny flinched a little, but even then, the fear she showed was minimal.
This time, the man fell silent for a moment. Then suddenly, Penny felt lips close to her ear—but the breath was icy cold.
“You’re not afraid of death anymore? Then I bet you’ve got family in town, someone who takes care of you, right? I’ll have them brought here, and I’ll kill them in front of you, one by one. How’s that sound?”
Penny’s head shot up. Her breath turned rapid, anxiety and panic pouring from her in full.
The man, satisfied, said, “So you only care about the people around you. Not bad. Once they’re all dead, I bet your emotions will be even more delicious.”
His unhappy footsteps retreated. Penny scrambled to grab him, but caught nothing.
“Ah!”
She gave a short scream but didn’t know what to say to protect Ada.
Just then, another voice rang out.
And before it did, Penny hadn’t heard a single footstep.
But she recognized that voice—it was Saul!
“You’re trying to amplify your magic power by harvesting the resentment of tortured souls? Speaking from experience, I’m afraid I have to tell you—it’s really not that effective.”
Saul canceled his invisibility and stepped out from the corner of the room.
“Who are you?!” First Rank apprentice Shelly exclaimed in surprise—then immediately cast a shock bolt.
His casting speed was impressive—clearly, it was a spell he’d practiced countless times.
But when the bolt hit Saul, Saul instantly vanished.
“An illusion!”
Shelly realized too late he’d fallen for a spell.
He looked around and saw a boy who looked exactly like the first one appear beside Penny.
This time, he didn’t attack recklessly. Instead, he backed away a few steps and moved toward the clothes he’d thrown to the ground.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Grind Sail Town is under the protection of the Gorsa Wizard Tower. If you don’t want to make enemies—”
He didn’t finish his sentence before Saul flicked his wrist, and something thin flew through the air.
Shelly instinctively thought it was an attack and dove hard to the left.
Saul helped Penny to her feet, then squinted at the sight of a naked, hairless man pulling off evasive stunts. It was… an eyesore.
“I’m from the Gorsa Wizard Tower.” Saul pointed at the document Shelly had dodged, now lying on the floor. “See for yourself.”
(End of Chapter)