Wolves of Hader

Chapter 73

Johnny's learning ability was astonishing.

Creativity.

Application.

Memorization.

Perception, and so on.

He excelled in every field.

Though he was at a loss with mathematics at first, later he started understanding just by looking at the sample problems I gave.

He memorized all three books I gave him in just three days and understood them perfectly within a week.

The amount I wrote down wasn't too much, but it was still amazing that he understood such an unimaginable system and structure.

After that, I spent several hours every day talking with Johnny. It might be the mindset of a professor who has met a genius disciple.

Over tea, we talked about everything, from trivial stories about the weather to politics, military, management, and law.

There was hardly a topic left undiscussed.

I even asked for his opinions on innovative communication systems and means of transport, and about new weaponry.

Of course, there were no revolutionary ideas from my perspective.

"Russell will arrive soon, sir."

"Yes. Let's go meet him."

The butler made a polite bow and walked ahead.

The new butler was a decent man. He used to serve as a butler for a house in the southern kingdom of Beltern.

He was also a refugee like Johnny. Since there were no jobs for butlers, he had been working at the seafood market.

We left the castle and headed for the gates.

Russell and the Berserkers had just entered through the gates.

"I pay my respects, young master."

"Good work. Donnie, you did well too."

"It was fun working the soldiers, so it was fine."

"How was the training?"

"At first, they hesitated, but then everyone started training. When I told them Commander Russell would be selecting knight cadets, they stopped sleeping."

Russell smiled at Donnie's words.

"They even thanked me for reinstating them as soldiers. And when they learned they could become knights, they worked as hard as Captain Donnie said."

"Ah, this is Butler Reaton."

"I am Commander Russell. Butler Reaton."

"Please just call me Reaton."

The butler and Russell exchanged courteous greetings.

The Berserkers only nodded to me in greeting, as if reporting for duty, and left.

Those remaining headed for the castle.

"How goes the merchant guild business?"

"We're just getting started now. Luckily, there are more participants than expected."

"So you'll soon begin developing the new territory and start southern expansion."

"Yes. Now that Russell is here, we must set out soon."

This time I asked,

"How is Urada territory?"

"Everything has been going smoothly since the steward arrived two months ago. The administrators he brought are also capable."

"And the lady?"

"She gradually adjusted, and now she's doing much better. She used to never leave the castle, but before I returned, she even went for walks."

"How are the residents responding?"

"There's been quite an improvement. My wife publicly apologized before the residents, and the steward made promises about the territory's development. The territory soldiers' pay has improved compared to before, so many welcomed that too."

Donnie interjected.

"As I reported, we could have come sooner, but the soldiers' level was too low, so we stayed an extra month to train them."

"So a few knights remained, I see."

Russell continued.

"Yes. Five remained as training instructors. They will command and further teach the soldiers. We're training them hard, so they'll become quite a strong force."

Since it's Russell's judgment, I was in agreement. He handled things on his own, even without separate instructions, so he was reliable.

"At present, Urada's territory soldiers number four hundred. Within three months, unless the three houses pay compensation, even their salaries will become hard to manage."

"They'll pay. The first payment is due at the end of next month. If they don't, we'll really attack them. And..."

Just then, I saw a pigeon land.

It seemed like the news we'd been waiting for had arrived.

I continued speaking to Russell.

"Urada territory will also serve as our house's independent merchant guild. Soon, I'll issue business orders, and within the three months you mentioned, there will be results."

Russell nodded.

"Russell, you're here now."

"Rozie, young lady."

Elder sister Rozie was waiting at the castle gate, her face bright with joy.

She must have run out in haste, as sweat beaded her forehead. Russell paid his respects to her.

"Have you eaten yet?"

"Not yet."

"Then please eat first. I have warm food I made myself."

Russell glanced at me.

I nodded, urging him to go.

"Then, gladly."

Rozie and Russell walked off together.

Donnie and I stood side by side, watching their backs.

Rozie's cheerful appearance looked lovely. Even Russell's awkwardness was amusing.

Donnie spoke.

"Let them have your permission."

"If the head of house approves, that settles it."

"The head of house wouldn't know about it."

"Really?"

Donnie laughed as he replied.

"The head of house doesn't understand women's hearts—he's never even met a woman."

"Hahahaha!"

Both Rozie and Ross should be marrying soon.

Nobles often marry even before seventeen, and commoners usually marry by around nineteen.

"Yes. I'll have to see elder sister married first, then elder brother. If elder brother goes first, it might hurt elder sister."

"Have you thought of someone?"

"Yes. I think elder brother Ross will like her too, though I'll have to watch a bit more."

Donnie nodded, then asked,

"How about you, young master?"

I shook my head with a smile.

I almost said there would be no more women in my life, but I stopped myself.

The future is uncertain for everyone.

Anyway, living in this world, I don't think I'll ever meet a partner for my life again.

Once was enough for happy love and marriage.

/ / /

I walked through a gloomy cave with Urald. It was a cave in the cliffs east of the fortress.

Other than the castle, it was the only place closed to residents.

"You didn't torture them, did you?"

"I didn't. Being confined for months without seeing the light even once is quite torturous by itself."

"No self-harm?"

"There was no one like that. They were forcibly sent to war, so they all have complaints of their own."

There were many barred gates along the passage to the cells, so there was no separate guard stationed.

It wasn't something the knight order needed to do either.

Screeeech.

I opened the final iron door and entered.

Each of the four cells had a prisoner inside.

The haggard prisoners stared at me blankly. One looked at me and then lowered his head weakly.

All four were mages.

I hadn't sought them out intentionally. Threats or coercion only work after quite some time.

The news I'd been waiting for had also just arrived.

I had read every statement these men gave over the past few months.

When it came to Grand Duke Syren's secret organization, it seemed they truly knew nothing.

I sat in front of the mage who had dropped his head.

"Look at me."

Only after quite some time did the mage raise his head. He was emaciated, probably from not eating properly.

"Do you want to spend the rest of your life locked up?"

No reply.

He feebly bowed his head again.

"Now that you have been captured by us, you can never go back. Thus, you have two choices. Spend your life imprisoned, or join us."

The mage looked at me with lifeless eyes.

"Just kill me."

"If you'd rather die than be imprisoned for life, I won't stop you."

There would be nothing more unfair than dying by your own hand. This wasn't even something he had chosen himself.

"But if you join us, you can live. As a mage of House Hader, I believe you can raise disciples and live as a respected sage."

The mage's eyes still showed no hope. He seemed to believe we'd just extract information and then kill them.

"What if I defect and then run away?"

"Then we'll find your family."

The mage could say no more. He tried to hide his shock, but not completely.

"I'm a magic monk. I have no family."

"Are you willing to abandon your wife and daughter?"

"What?"

The mage's eyes snapped open.

"There was a letter hidden in the belongings you abandoned. It was hastily written, sensing death was near. The intended recipient was a small village in northern Tris."

The mage's eyes shook further.

"That's not mine."

"The wolves confirmed that your scent matches the scent on that bag."

The mage's face crumpled as if to cry.

It was a lie. All I did was compare the handwriting of his statement with that letter.

"You hid the fact you're a mage from your wife and tried to give her the money you made as a magic researcher. Your wife is twenty-four. Your daughter's age..."

"S-stop..."

"All ten mages forced into this place worked at the same laboratory, disguised as cobblers. That laboratory was hidden behind a secret door in the shoe shop."

I looked at the other mages as I continued.

"Our intelligence squad will identify your families within three days at the latest."

The mage sitting in front of me said nothing long after, his head bowed. The others looked as if their worlds had collapsed.

"How much were you paid all this time?"

No answer again.

"I don't care what treatment you've received so far or what your circumstances were. But of this I'm sure: if you join us, your life will be much better than before."

I stood right up.

"Decide within three days. You need to save your families before those who were watching you catch on."

The mages sprang to their feet.

The mage in front of me, too.

"Will our families be safe?"

"If you tell us where they are, we'll relocate them faster and more safely. Our entire intelligence squad will work at once."

I walked on without pause.

Urald followed, a broad smile on his face.

Then someone called from behind.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Roger Hader."

"That's not what I mean... just what are those wolves, and what was that strange sword technique you used?"

I walked in silence.

Urald replied,

"The young master... is a Sword of Light."

A moan-like gasp came from behind. Urald was wise; he knew that a Sword of Light was stronger than any enticement.

Winter sunlight dazzled my eyes as we stepped out of the dungeon.

Urald spoke.

"At least the mages weren't nobles. I thought they were imperial troops."

"Noble mages are very rare, I've heard. Because the training takes long and isn't helpful to their house."

"I never expected the grand duke to train mages. I thought he used existing mages, though I don't know how."

"This time, we only uncovered a cell. The full scale may be even larger. They probably recruited poor boys and trained them as mages for over ten years."

"For what reason would the grand duke do that?"

I myself wondered about the grand duke's motives.

Other than the invasion of Beltern, no answer came to mind.

"Well, we needed mages as well, so things worked out. They'll all defect within three days. I doubt they lived comfortably, shackled by surveillance and restraints."

Urald nodded.

"So we've essentially saved them."

"From a certain point of view, yes."

At least, the mages won't live more unhappily than before. There had been no way out for them before.

"How about the magic artifacts?"

"There was strong power sealed in those artifacts. Since they weren't Magic Tower trainees, their magic power was limited."

"How did they cast magic?"

"They used unique spells to draw out the power sealed in the artifacts. This wasn't normal magic either."

"There must be elementals sealed in those artifacts. If ten performed joint magic, they weren't ordinary elementals."

"Then that means they were very old artifacts."

"Yes. The grand duke must have collected many magical artifacts. And there's a secret to the spells. There's a trick to extracting only the power, suppressing the sealed elemental."

"What if you break the seal?"

"Who knows."

No one knew what would happen.

It could even be a great boon. After all, we were with many elementals, and two members of the Elin tribe.

/ / /

Three days later.

The mission to rescue the mages' families began. All the mages decided to defect two days after meeting me, and that day the entire intelligence squad mobilized.

There were people watching the mages' families, but they managed to whisk the families away undetected.

They were on their way now, aboard the merchant guild's ship.

When I told the mages this, they all burst into tears. And so, they were released from the dungeon.

These men were considered dead, and they weren't official mages. Noble houses forbid private hiring of mages.

Thus, these four were to be trained as special-class buffers for House Hader.

However, should an irreversible war break out, they would become battle mages.