Sorcerous Stabber Orphen Rogue Journey
Doll, comply with my commands
Chapter 1 - Guardian of the hidden treasure
Summer on this continent is very short.
Most people don’t even know this, nor would they probably care if they knew. Especially Majic…
But no matter what, everyone agrees that it’s the best season of the year.
Majic was lying comfortably on a rock by the river, looking up in a daze.
He was humming.
“Majic, I said ——”
Across from where he was lying, in the direction of the river came a girls voice.
“What are you humming all of a sudden?”
Majic stopped for a moment, and thought to himself.
“Nothing specific, I’m just humming.”
Then he started humming again.
Behind the rock lied Cleo, who was splashing water around the place. For some reason she liked to wash in broad daylight. Majic was on lookout, encase any perverts were around.
(What kind of person does she think she is?)
Majic rubbed his nose.
(She would always boss me around at school, she was so annoying. But now I’m a black sorcerer in training.)
He thought to himself, cheerfully.
(Even though I’m a trainee, I’m still nowhere near getting the same level of respect as a knight would get. But then again, it still beats being a normal civilian. Though just because Cleo is from a merchant family, doesn't mean I have be her lookout.)
He then looked down at his clothes. It was a few days ago at a market that he got his new clothes, he modeled his new look after that of his teacher. Black shirt, black trousers and a black cape. He actually wanted to carry a sword too but his teach forbid it.
(Does he want me to look like a child? I’m fourteen —— and I’ll soon be fifteen, only another half a year to go. He must think that I can’t even cut an apple with a knife, I’ll show him.)
Majic hummed a somewhat insidious tone, while scratching his blond hair. He then started thinking about Cleo, right now she was like something out of a painting. Her smooth pale skin enhanced her beautiful image, she was even cute when she was angry.
“Hey.”
The girl spoke. Majic was hiding behind the rock, he couldn’t see her but he could imagine the wet body of Cleo talking to him.
“I can sense someone peeking.”
“You are imagining things. There is no one out here, besides the city is far away from here. I doubt anyone would come all the way out here just to see you.”
“But ——”
She looked around. This seventeen year old girl was the youngest daughter of a businessman. Though her family did have some mixed heritage with ancient nobility, though this was lost on Cleo. Her slender figure basked in the light of the sun, as if she was a precious gem. Her hands were slender and lightweight, and moved like the wings of a bird. Undoubtedly she was from that of nobility.
As stated before, Majic couldn’t see her. But then he leaned forward and talked to her.
“Maybe you are in a wild animals drinking water.”
“What…?”
Cleo couldn’t hear him properly since she was still splashing water about the place. Majic started humming again but ——
Majic’s eyes caught the sudden appearance of something moving towards him, but he saw it too late. It was already on him.
“Hey! ……”
No matter how much he struggled, he could not get it off him.
“Ah! Stop! Master!?”
“Oh I’m sorry, I just wanted to say hello.”
Majic looked up, it was his teacher. Both of them were wearing the same outfit, though Orphen’s looked better on him. He is a genuine black sorcerer, who wears a dragon pendant, a symbol that the wearer belongs or rather belonged to the Tower of Fang.
“Why must you kick me in the head, master ——”
Majic asked, while Orphen held up his finger, as to signal something.
“Keep it down, or Cleo will notice.”
“Master, are you here to peak?”
“You little bastard, I’m not like you.”
Majic heard his words, and then both of them froze for a moment.
“Wait a moment. I guess I could use magic to bend light, then we might be able to sneak a peek. The manta is sung by humming, so no one will notice anything.”
"Ah ha ha."
A smile appeared on Majic’s face, Orphen then nodded a few times, and he pointed his finger to his forehead.
“So, I take it that you’ve done this before?”
“Be quiet, unless you want Cleo to find out!”
Orphen paused for a moment.
“Master?”
“Pay attention.”
Orphen said, but then he suddenly turned around and disappeared.
“......Where did he go?”
Majic simply shrugged his shoulders and began humming again.
***
(I can’t believe that kid, didn’t he know I was kidding.)
Orphen said as he stroked his chest, while quickly walking. He was heading towards the local carriage park.
(I’m impressed! It’s been less than two weeks since I’ve started teaching him, and he’s already able to use magic.)
Under normal circumstances, you generally have to wait a couple of years or even a decade before you are allowed to use magic. But then again, not everyone get’s trained at the Tower of Fang. Orphen has already taken on an apprentice, despite only being at the Tower for three years and four months. Where he quickly distinguished himself, gaining the praise of the high elders.
(Only two weeks?)
Though ultimately, Majic is still an apprentice so he is still in the early process of developing his powers. A sorcerer generally has three stages of development. The first stage is ability to perceive magic, sensing it and manipulating it freely. The second stage is the most important, as that is where you learn to focus and increase your magical power. This is when you are finally regarded as a sorcerer, and the Tower of Fang will give you a dragon pendant. Next is the third stage, after finally becoming a competent sorcerer you must dedicate yourself to research and study. As a sorcerer isn’t judged by his strength alone.
(Though if he continues at his current pace, he might not become a real sorcerer by the end of the year.)
If that’s the case ——
“Then, I might not get next years tuition fee.”
He whispered in a tone of despair.
***
“I am Volcano Vulcan, the Masmaturian Bulldog! That black sorcerer will finally fear me when I crush him beneath my boot!”
He boasted to his brother, who was behind him.
“What about the Sword of Baltanders?”
Vulcan without even turning around, could tell his brother had a frown on his face.
Dortin was like this because he could tell there was someone behind him, a certain man wearing black robes.
“............”
The bald man stared motionlessly at Vulcan, he didn’t even have the slightest reaction. There was only silence —— or rather they couldn’t read his reaction.
They were in one of the Alliance of Sorcerers bigger branches, in a big metropolitan city. They were in the reception area, Vulcan held the sword of baltanders in his hand. But the bald man sitting at the reception counter just sat there without the slightest facial expression.
Vulcan’s heart began to sink, as he carefully muttered.
“I’m listening?”
“Well……”
The man responded.
Vulcan suddenly turned around and asked.
“Dortin, do you think this guy is retarded?”
“Quiet...he might hear you……”
He turned around, it was obvious that the guy wasn’t listening. He just sat in a daze.
Vulcan took the opportunity to look around the place.
He saw two women facing eachother, offering prayers, which was engraved on a shield. It was hanging right behind the reception desk. It was the Alliance of Sorcerers crest, the Damsels' Orisons. Also known as Maiden's Prayer.
If you compared the Alenhatan branch to the Totokanta branch, this one doesn't even compare. It’s size of is a fraction of the Totokanta branch, a waste of space frankly. The carpets are all damaged or worn, there are oil stains all over the walls —— in addition to tears, there is also half washed off graffiti, children’s dirty fingerprints, and shoeprints on the ceiling. However that happened.
There wasn’t even any guards at the entrance —— that’s how Vulcan and Dortin waltzed right into the Alliance of Sorcerers building. If there actually were guards they would have to fight them to get to the reception desk, since they generally don’t allow non-magic users to enter.
Vulcan stared deeply into his brothers thick glasses. Dortin is one hundred and thirty centimeters tall, with a stubby frame. Both of them wore fur cloaks, and from the hem of the cloak you could see their scabbards. He then took out another old sword and put it on the counter, boasting afterwards.
“Evil gangs of sorcerers ——”
“Right now, women are crying for help ——”
“The Earth cracks, and monsters appear ——”
Each time, he changed his words. Still, the man at the reception desk didn’t react. He wiped his shirt with his glasses, and put them back on.
(I can’t stand this place —— I told him we shouldn’t have come here.)
Looking at the nearly two meter tall man, he continued to tower over them.
Vulcan was about to talk again but he saw a faint smile appear on the man’s face. He was like a child seeking the favour of his parents.
“So you’ll finally listen to me?”
“Ah.”
He barely uttered a sentence, then continued to stare into a void.
“............”
Vulcan looked back.
“Dortin, he really is retarded.”
“He could have heard that.”
Dortin reminded his brother, since he believes that he did hear him.
“How could he, this guys is totally braindead.”
“We shouldn’t have come here to get cash for the Sword of Baltanders.”
“Are you blaming me?”
Vulcan rushed over and grabbed Dortin by the collar.
“Why didn’t you say this before?”
“I did! I told you the Alliance of Sorcerers wouldn’t take us seriously ——”
“Do you think this guy is taking us seriously!?”
Vulcan said as he pointed to the bewildered man behind them.
“But still……”
“Shut up! This is all your fault!”
“I can’t believe you…...”
Vulcan let go of his brother’s collar, and looked again at the tall man.
“When people disagree, I think you should do something about it.”
“Huh?”
The man suddenly shot up, and leaned his body over the counter. He grabbed Vulcan from behind —— and pulled him off his feet, leaving him dangling in the air.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing!? Let me go or I’ll beat you to death with a tin bucket!”
“............”
He didn’t respond.
Dortin just stood there motionless. Then he coughed and spoke.
“You…...can let him go.”
Following his instructions, the man opened up his hand and let him go. Leaving Vulcan falling to the ground, hurting his butt in the process.
Vulcan groaned as he rubbed his backside.
“When he said let me go, he meant gently!”
“Raise your hands.”
“Ah”
The man immediately put his hands behind his head.
Vulcan was surprised by this.
“Runny nose.”
He bent down close to their faces.
“Ah.”
The man lifted his index finger and inserted it deeply into his nostril, then he pulled it out. A giant outburst of blood then shoot out of his nose.
“Get a load of this guy.”
Vulcan was feeling strange, Dortin too. Both of them started at the bottom half of the mans face, which was covered in blood.
“The staff here are so weird.”
They couldn’t waste anymore time here, so they prepared to leave. Vulcan then proceeded to go down the nearest corridor, carrying the Sword of Baltanders with him. Shortly after, his brother rushed after him.
(Why do bad things always happen to me?)
He then started to think about home.
(I can’t even go back home since we ran away. Everyday we move about with no roof over our heads. We’ve even got a loan shark on our tails, and to make it worse my brother beats me with that sword of his. But I can’t even go to the hospital if I get injured…...)
He thought he was saying this in his head, but in fact he was speaking out aloud.
“You idiot, I didn't run away ——”
He put his hand on his shoulder.
“We’re carrying this heavy sword about and we meet a fool at the reception counter, not even a welcome to be found. It seems these sorcerers are a bunch of fools, can’t we just meet a sensible person for once.”
Hearing him, Dortin went silent.
(......I can’t believe this guy is complaining about wanting to meet a sensible person.”
If he heard him say that he would probably beat him half to death. Their brotherly bonds are merely a pretense.
Vulcan and Dortin come from the southern area, which is very cold. When they left home, it was the first time they had never set foot outside of their homeland. But when they did leave, they didn’t mean to sever ties with their family. (Though in actuality, Vulcan was forced from his home by his parents. He just abducted Dortin and took him with him.)
Setting out into the open world, they couldn't even find a decent job. Mainly because humans regarded them as children, much to Vulcan's annoyance. Even since they’ve left their homeland they been living like vagabonds.
Back to the matter at hand, Vulcan could hear his brother muttering. But he simply ignored him.
“These humans simply despise us! Everywhere we go we are rejected, we can’t find honest work and when we are on the road there are wild dogs everywhere.”
Vulcan clenced his ist.
(Isn’t it obvious.)
“We are simply being abused!”
Vulcan shouted as he clenched his fist, his voice echoing in the empty corridor.
He sighed, then looked around. Buckets and rags were everywhere, nothing else. He made up his mind about the Alliance of Sorcerers, they really were just a group of bored people.
(How can he say this when he hasn’t even met much of them.)
It’s now half past two —— long past nap time. The corridor went on forever, they didn’t even see any other staff. They thought about how such a large organisation such as the Alliance of Sorcerers could have so little staff here, that just isn’t like them. If there were any staff here, they wouldn’t even let them in the building, nevermind let them walk around.
But it’s too quiet.
(It’s like the whole place was deserted.)
Vulcans stopped walking, he was staring into an open door at his left hand side. Dortin watched his brother closely.
The sign on the door said “locker room”. He could see that there was another sign stuck to the back of it, it read “First year class C”. It seemed to be an old elementary school.
Dortin moved closer to the door to peek inside. He saw the naked upper body of a human witch sitting on a bench, she was hooking a bra to her breast. She stared blanky ahead, as if she was a stone statue.
“Excuse me……”
Dortin unconsciously said aloud.
“That pose seems very tiring…...you should take it easy.”
“Okay……”
The witch said with a deadpan voice, then she lifted herself off the bench.
“Well......it’s no big deal anyway.”
Vulcan’s faced wore a confused expression.
“People around here are out of tune. It’s like…...they’ve all lost their souls.”
“Maybe it’s the weather.”
(If there was sand it would be just like the story of the King of Beasts)
The eyes of those killed by a poisonous toxin —— as the legend is written. One look could blow down giant trees or crush huge rocks. If this is true, then the world truly is a cruel place.
However, there is no deserts on this continent. If there were, then the King of Beasts would surely be found there.
In the many hundreds of years that this continent has been inhabited, such an incredible animal has never once appeared.
Though for the time being, let’s keep our thoughts positive.
“Ahahahaha!”
Vulcan and Dortin screamed.
Both of them spring into action. Vulcan squatted on the ground with his sword pulled out, while Dortin looked for a way out.
“Let’s run for it!”
But they had no way of knowing the way back, because frankly they didn’t remember.
“Brother, which way do we go!?”
“How the hell am I supposed to know!”
Vulcan shouted, but then he just realized something.
“I am the Masmaturian Bulldog! Vulcano Vulcan never shows his back to the enemy!”
“But, aren’t we are running away!”
“Shut up idiot!”
Vulcan tried to change the topic.
“Nevermind, we need to get out of this place. Got any ideas?”
“Baloney!”
Vulcan’s fist immediately impacted Dortins face.
“Think before you speak, dumbass!”
Reeling from the impact, Dortin began to regain his composure.
“What about the King of Beasts?”
Upong hearing that, Vulcan became puzzled.
“Off all the things that we need, that isn’t it!”
“Then what do we need?”
There relationship was at a breaking point but for some reason, he pondered on these words.
“What are we sorely missing in our lives?”
Vulcan wore a puzzled look, but then his expression changed to that of anger.
“Money!”
(Yes, money.)
Dortin almost unconsciously said, but right now he wanted to get out of here.
“We could have traded in the Sword of Baltanders for money but we just had to meet that dummy, and a crazy lady!”
Dortin sighed.
“Yeah, but you stole that sword.”
“You’re wrong!”
Vulcan raised his voice. Dortin surprised, took a couple of steps back.
“How could you say such a thing?! I didn’t steal it, it was a simple transaction.”
Dortin wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“We are like treasure hunters, and we simply take as much as we can.”
(That’s still looting.)
“And for crying out loud, can’t you walk a bit faster?! We’ve got to get out of here encase the police arrive.”
This building was originally a school, Dortin could tell that much. The construction of the school is rather simple, two three-storey buildings lined up against each other. The stairs in each building are located on the eastern side, and on the west side is the emergency escape ladders. Most of the corridors are straight lines, and there are six rooms on each floor. The first floor is relatively large, with a bunch of office rooms. That room is now used to stack old documents.
“Did you hear a scream just now?”
Dortin asked.
Carrying his brother, Dortin struggled to lift his brother up the stairs to the third floor. Where the research laboratories are held, if anything unusual happened in this place then that’s where they’ll find the answers.
On the third floor there was six rooms, the windows in rooms one to five were covered with thick curtains. None of them had any signs, except for the sixth door, which was opened slightly. Both of them felt like this was a trap, and they were the rats.
(What the hell are we doing up here?)
Vulcan stepped toward the sixth room, moving rapidly across the corridor he approached the room. But the closer he got, the more he couldn’t concentrate.
(What’s happening? I can’t think straight!)
Looking back at Dortin, he tried to retrace his steps. But eventually Vulcan lost the will, he desperately struggled to stay on his feet but simply couldn’t fight anymore. Hitting the ground at full speed, Vulcan’s face impacted hit the floor. His eyes now becoming just like the man at the reception desk.
“It hurt’s……”
He moaned as he rubbed his nose, but then he heard a voice.
“Do not resist.”
“............?”
He tried to lift his face.
At the door of the sixth research room, a man stood in the shadow. The man didn’t even look human, his body looked so emaciated.
Vulcan had a bad feeling.
“......A Doll?”
Vulcan said as he looked up from the floor, the man was obviously composed of inorganic material.
His skin was smooth and there were no visible signs of veins, he didn’t breath either. Staring at his face or what could be consider his face, he saw an opening which was possibly his mouth. It had no body hair whatsoever, his height greater than the average human. The most remarkable thing about his garment is the red cloth on the man’s right arm. Truth really does lie in the eye of the beholder.
“You…...called me a doll.”
Vulcan began to fall asleep.
“I am a guardian of hidden treasure.”
“Guardian of hidden treasure？”
“Since ancient times, I have been the guardian of various treasures.”
Dortin couldn't turn away from this so called guardian.
“You are now under my control.”
He said as he walked towards him, but then he stopped in his tracks.
“Everyone here is affected by my magic.”
“Well, what about me?”
“It seems to be ineffective against you.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. There are some ways to nullify magic.”
“......What ways?”
“Oh, I could think of a couple……”
He said as he extended his finger towards him, with a ten centimetre needle coming out from his middle finger.
Dortin was shaking like a leaf, and the guardian paused for an instant. Retracing the blade from his middle finger, he then clenched his wrist. Pulling out a sharp wire, he then started to walk forward again.
“This might hurt a little bit.”
Dortin squealed as he stood in place.
But, the guardian stopped again.
“............?”
Dortin looked puzzled, as he stared at the caped figure. He then looked down to the Sword of Baltanders, which lay beside his brother. It was too long to hang by his waist so it dragged off the ground whenever they carried it by their side, though they mostly carried it.
Dortin offered the sword to the guardian.
“A magical sword…...these markings!”
“You can read it?”
Dortin whispered, then the guardian responded.
“Of course, this is what’s hindering my magic.”
“............”
In the end, they couldn’t tell if they were lucky or unlucky. The corridor was filled with uneasiness as Dortin held the sword —— the guardian stared intensely at the Sword of Baltanders. The closer Dortin looked at his face, the more of his features he could see. His eyes were like glass, his hair was like a that of a ratty mop and his mouth looked like it could cut diamonds. He was clearly thinking about something.
“This is the Sword of Baltanders.”
The guardian said as he tilted his head, meanwhile he stowed away the wire he pulled from his wrist.
“You don’t appear to be a sorcerer, why do you possess such an item?”
(I don’t really care that this guy isn’t human, I just want to know why he attacked the Alliance of Sorcerers branch!)
He didn’t have the courage to say it out aloud. This really is a mysterious character, this is just an ordinary branch of the Alliance of Sorcerers —— not to mention that the staff they did meet were mentally deficient. And just what was the Guardian doing in the research laboratory —— but they didn’t have time to think about that, unless they want to become just like that guy at the reception desk.
While Dortin brainstormed about a list of things he could say, he could only think of one. He put on a gentle smile and put out his hands.
“Why do I have it you ask?”
He then recalled the same thing he heard Vulcan say over and over.
“There is an evil man…...the Black Sorcerer Orphen.”
He said with a slight smirk, while sweating incessantly.
(The most important thing is to convince him.)
Mother, today I became a liar ——
Lies after lies poured out of Doritn’s mouth, he was doing the unthinkable. Then, a strange foreboding feeling hit him.
End of Chapter 1
Sorcerous Stabber Orphen Rogue Journey
Doll, comply with my commands
Chapter 1 - Guardian of the hidden treasure
Summer on this continent is very short.
Most people don’t even know this, nor would they probably care if they knew. Especially Majic…
But no matter what, everyone agrees that it’s the best season of the year.
Majic was lying comfortably on a rock by the river, looking up in a daze.
He was humming.
“Majic, I said ——”
Across from where he was lying, in the direction of the river came a girls voice.
“What are you humming all of a sudden?”
Majic stopped for a moment, and thought to himself.
“Nothing specific, I’m just humming.”
Then he started humming again.
Behind the rock lied Cleo, who was splashing water around the place. For some reason she liked to wash in broad daylight. Majic was on lookout, encase any perverts were around.
(What kind of person does she think she is?)
Majic rubbed his nose.
(She would always boss me around at school, she was so annoying. But now I’m a black sorcerer in training.)
He thought to himself, cheerfully.
(Even though I’m a trainee, I’m still nowhere near getting the same level of respect as a knight would get. But then again, it still beats being a normal civilian. Though just because Cleo is from a merchant family, doesn't mean I have be her lookout.)
He then looked down at his clothes. It was a few days ago at a market that he got his new clothes, he modeled his new look after that of his teacher. Black shirt, black trousers and a black cape. He actually wanted to carry a sword too but his teach forbid it.
(Does he want me to look like a child? I’m fourteen —— and I’ll soon be fifteen, only another half a year to go. He must think that I can’t even cut an apple with a knife, I’ll show him.)
Majic hummed a somewhat insidious tone, while scratching his blond hair. He then started thinking about Cleo, right now she was like something out of a painting. Her smooth pale skin enhanced her beautiful image, she was even cute when she was angry.
“Hey.”
The girl spoke. Majic was hiding behind the rock, he couldn’t see her but he could imagine the wet body of Cleo talking to him.
“I can sense someone peeking.”
“You are imagining things. There is no one out here, besides the city is far away from here. I doubt anyone would come all the way out here just to see you.”
“But ——”
She looked around. This seventeen year old girl was the youngest daughter of a businessman. Though her family did have some mixed heritage with ancient nobility, though this was lost on Cleo. Her slender figure basked in the light of the sun, as if she was a precious gem. Her hands were slender and lightweight, and moved like the wings of a bird. Undoubtedly she was from that of nobility.
As stated before, Majic couldn’t see her. But then he leaned forward and talked to her.
“Maybe you are in a wild animals drinking water.”
“What…?”
Cleo couldn’t hear him properly since she was still splashing water about the place. Majic started humming again but ——
Majic’s eyes caught the sudden appearance of something moving towards him, but he saw it too late. It was already on him.
“Hey! ……”
No matter how much he struggled, he could not get it off him.
“Ah! Stop! Master!?”
“Oh I’m sorry, I just wanted to say hello.”
Majic looked up, it was his teacher. Both of them were wearing the same outfit, though Orphen’s looked better on him. He is a genuine black sorcerer, who wears a dragon pendant, a symbol that the wearer belongs or rather belonged to the Tower of Fang.
“Why must you kick me in the head, master ——”
Majic asked, while Orphen held up his finger, as to signal something.
“Keep it down, or Cleo will notice.”
“Master, are you here to peak?”
“You little bastard, I’m not like you.”
Majic heard his words, and then both of them froze for a moment.
“Wait a moment. I guess I could use magic to bend light, then we might be able to sneak a peek. The manta is sung by humming, so no one will notice anything.”
"Ah ha ha."
A smile appeared on Majic’s face, Orphen then nodded a few times, and he pointed his finger to his forehead.
“So, I take it that you’ve done this before?”
“Be quiet, unless you want Cleo to find out!”
Orphen paused for a moment.
“Master?”
“Pay attention.”
Orphen said, but then he suddenly turned around and disappeared.
“......Where did he go?”
Majic simply shrugged his shoulders and began humming again.
***
(I can’t believe that kid, didn’t he know I was kidding.)
Orphen said as he stroked his chest, while quickly walking. He was heading towards the local carriage park.
(I’m impressed! It’s been less than two weeks since I’ve started teaching him, and he’s already able to use magic.)
Under normal circumstances, you generally have to wait a couple of years or even a decade before you are allowed to use magic. But then again, not everyone get’s trained at the Tower of Fang. Orphen has already taken on an apprentice, despite only being at the Tower for three years and four months. Where he quickly distinguished himself, gaining the praise of the high elders.
(Only two weeks?)
Though ultimately, Majic is still an apprentice so he is still in the early process of developing his powers. A sorcerer generally has three stages of development. The first stage is ability to perceive magic, sensing it and manipulating it freely. The second stage is the most important, as that is where you learn to focus and increase your magical power. This is when you are finally regarded as a sorcerer, and the Tower of Fang will give you a dragon pendant. Next is the third stage, after finally becoming a competent sorcerer you must dedicate yourself to research and study. As a sorcerer isn’t judged by his strength alone.
(Though if he continues at his current pace, he might not become a real sorcerer by the end of the year.)
If that’s the case ——
“Then, I might not get next years tuition fee.”
He whispered in a tone of despair.
***
“I am Volcano Vulcan, the Masmaturian Bulldog! That black sorcerer will finally fear me when I crush him beneath my boot!”
He boasted to his brother, who was behind him.
“What about the Sword of Baltanders?”
Vulcan without even turning around, could tell his brother had a frown on his face.
Dortin was like this because he could tell there was someone behind him, a certain man wearing black robes.
“............”
The bald man stared motionlessly at Vulcan, he didn’t even have the slightest reaction. There was only silence —— or rather they couldn’t read his reaction.
They were in one of the Alliance of Sorcerers bigger branches, in a big metropolitan city. They were in the reception area, Vulcan held the sword of baltanders in his hand. But the bald man sitting at the reception counter just sat there without the slightest facial expression.
Vulcan’s heart began to sink, as he carefully muttered.
“I’m listening?”
“Well……”
The man responded.
Vulcan suddenly turned around and asked.
“Dortin, do you think this guy is retarded?”
“Quiet...he might hear you……”
He turned around, it was obvious that the guy wasn’t listening. He just sat in a daze.
Vulcan took the opportunity to look around the place.
He saw two women facing eachother, offering prayers, which was engraved on a shield. It was hanging right behind the reception desk. It was the Alliance of Sorcerers crest, the Damsels' Orisons. Also known as Maiden's Prayer.
If you compared the Alenhatan branch to the Totokanta branch, this one doesn't even compare. It’s size of is a fraction of the Totokanta branch, a waste of space frankly. The carpets are all damaged or worn, there are oil stains all over the walls —— in addition to tears, there is also half washed off graffiti, children’s dirty fingerprints, and shoeprints on the ceiling. However that happened.
There wasn’t even any guards at the entrance —— that’s how Vulcan and Dortin waltzed right into the Alliance of Sorcerers building. If there actually were guards they would have to fight them to get to the reception desk, since they generally don’t allow non-magic users to enter.
Vulcan stared deeply into his brothers thick glasses. Dortin is one hundred and thirty centimeters tall, with a stubby frame. Both of them wore fur cloaks, and from the hem of the cloak you could see their scabbards. He then took out another old sword and put it on the counter, boasting afterwards.
“Evil gangs of sorcerers ——”
“Right now, women are crying for help ——”
“The Earth cracks, and monsters appear ——”
Each time, he changed his words. Still, the man at the reception desk didn’t react. He wiped his shirt with his glasses, and put them back on.
(I can’t stand this place —— I told him we shouldn’t have come here.)
Looking at the nearly two meter tall man, he continued to tower over them.
Vulcan was about to talk again but he saw a faint smile appear on the man’s face. He was like a child seeking the favour of his parents.
“So you’ll finally listen to me?”
“Ah.”
He barely uttered a sentence, then continued to stare into a void.
“............”
Vulcan looked back.
“Dortin, he really is retarded.”
“He could have heard that.”
Dortin reminded his brother, since he believes that he did hear him.
“How could he, this guys is totally braindead.”
“We shouldn’t have come here to get cash for the Sword of Baltanders.”
“Are you blaming me?”
Vulcan rushed over and grabbed Dortin by the collar.
“Why didn’t you say this before?”
“I did! I told you the Alliance of Sorcerers wouldn’t take us seriously ——”
“Do you think this guy is taking us seriously!?”
Vulcan said as he pointed to the bewildered man behind them.
“But still……”
“Shut up! This is all your fault!”
“I can’t believe you…...”
Vulcan let go of his brother’s collar, and looked again at the tall man.
“When people disagree, I think you should do something about it.”
“Huh?”
The man suddenly shot up, and leaned his body over the counter. He grabbed Vulcan from behind —— and pulled him off his feet, leaving him dangling in the air.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing!? Let me go or I’ll beat you to death with a tin bucket!”
“............”
He didn’t respond.
Dortin just stood there motionless. Then he coughed and spoke.
“You…...can let him go.”
Following his instructions, the man opened up his hand and let him go. Leaving Vulcan falling to the ground, hurting his butt in the process.
Vulcan groaned as he rubbed his backside.
“When he said let me go, he meant gently!”
“Raise your hands.”
“Ah”
The man immediately put his hands behind his head.
Vulcan was surprised by this.
“Runny nose.”
He bent down close to their faces.
“Ah.”
The man lifted his index finger and inserted it deeply into his nostril, then he pulled it out. A giant outburst of blood then shoot out of his nose.
“Get a load of this guy.”
Vulcan was feeling strange, Dortin too. Both of them started at the bottom half of the mans face, which was covered in blood.
“The staff here are so weird.”
They couldn’t waste anymore time here, so they prepared to leave. Vulcan then proceeded to go down the nearest corridor, carrying the Sword of Baltanders with him. Shortly after, his brother rushed after him.
(Why do bad things always happen to me?)
He then started to think about home.
(I can’t even go back home since we ran away. Everyday we move about with no roof over our heads. We’ve even got a loan shark on our tails, and to make it worse my brother beats me with that sword of his. But I can’t even go to the hospital if I get injured…...)
He thought he was saying this in his head, but in fact he was speaking out aloud.
“You idiot, I didn't run away ——”
He put his hand on his shoulder.
“We’re carrying this heavy sword about and we meet a fool at the reception counter, not even a welcome to be found. It seems these sorcerers are a bunch of fools, can’t we just meet a sensible person for once.”
Hearing him, Dortin went silent.
(......I can’t believe this guy is complaining about wanting to meet a sensible person.”
If he heard him say that he would probably beat him half to death. Their brotherly bonds are merely a pretense.
Vulcan and Dortin come from the southern area, which is very cold. When they left home, it was the first time they had never set foot outside of their homeland. But when they did leave, they didn’t mean to sever ties with their family. (Though in actuality, Vulcan was forced from his home by his parents. He just abducted Dortin and took him with him.)
Setting out into the open world, they couldn't even find a decent job. Mainly because humans regarded them as children, much to Vulcan's annoyance. Even since they’ve left their homeland they been living like vagabonds.
Back to the matter at hand, Vulcan could hear his brother muttering. But he simply ignored him.
“These humans simply despise us! Everywhere we go we are rejected, we can’t find honest work and when we are on the road there are wild dogs everywhere.”
Vulcan clenced his ist.
(Isn’t it obvious.)
“We are simply being abused!”
Vulcan shouted as he clenched his fist, his voice echoing in the empty corridor.
He sighed, then looked around. Buckets and rags were everywhere, nothing else. He made up his mind about the Alliance of Sorcerers, they really were just a group of bored people.
(How can he say this when he hasn’t even met much of them.)
It’s now half past two —— long past nap time. The corridor went on forever, they didn’t even see any other staff. They thought about how such a large organisation such as the Alliance of Sorcerers could have so little staff here, that just isn’t like them. If there were any staff here, they wouldn’t even let them in the building, nevermind let them walk around.
But it’s too quiet.
(It’s like the whole place was deserted.)
Vulcans stopped walking, he was staring into an open door at his left hand side. Dortin watched his brother closely.
The sign on the door said “locker room”. He could see that there was another sign stuck to the back of it, it read “First year class C”. It seemed to be an old elementary school.
Dortin moved closer to the door to peek inside. He saw the naked upper body of a human witch sitting on a bench, she was hooking a bra to her breast. She stared blanky ahead, as if she was a stone statue.
“Excuse me……”
Dortin unconsciously said aloud.
“That pose seems very tiring…...you should take it easy.”
“Okay……”
The witch said with a deadpan voice, then she lifted herself off the bench.
“Well......it’s no big deal anyway.”
Vulcan’s faced wore a confused expression.
“People around here are out of tune. It’s like…...they’ve all lost their souls.”
“Maybe it’s the weather.”
(If there was sand it would be just like the story of the King of Beasts)
The eyes of those killed by a poisonous toxin —— as the legend is written. One look could blow down giant trees or crush huge rocks. If this is true, then the world truly is a cruel place.
However, there is no deserts on this continent. If there were, then the King of Beasts would surely be found there.
In the many hundreds of years that this continent has been inhabited, such an incredible animal has never once appeared.
Though for the time being, let’s keep our thoughts positive.
“Ahahahaha!”
Vulcan and Dortin screamed.
Both of them spring into action. Vulcan squatted on the ground with his sword pulled out, while Dortin looked for a way out.
“Let’s run for it!”
But they had no way of knowing the way back, because frankly they didn’t remember.
“Brother, which way do we go!?”
“How the hell am I supposed to know!”
Vulcan shouted, but then he just realized something.
“I am the Masmaturian Bulldog! Vulcano Vulcan never shows his back to the enemy!”
“But, aren’t we are running away!”
“Shut up idiot!”
Vulcan tried to change the topic.
“Nevermind, we need to get out of this place. Got any ideas?”
“Baloney!”
Vulcan’s fist immediately impacted Dortins face.
“Think before you speak, dumbass!”
Reeling from the impact, Dortin began to regain his composure.
“What about the King of Beasts?”
Upong hearing that, Vulcan became puzzled.
“Off all the things that we need, that isn’t it!”
“Then what do we need?”
There relationship was at a breaking point but for some reason, he pondered on these words.
“What are we sorely missing in our lives?”
Vulcan wore a puzzled look, but then his expression changed to that of anger.
“Money!”
(Yes, money.)
Dortin almost unconsciously said, but right now he wanted to get out of here.
“We could have traded in the Sword of Baltanders for money but we just had to meet that dummy, and a crazy lady!”
Dortin sighed.
“Yeah, but you stole that sword.”
“You’re wrong!”
Vulcan raised his voice. Dortin surprised, took a couple of steps back.
“How could you say such a thing?! I didn’t steal it, it was a simple transaction.”
Dortin wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“We are like treasure hunters, and we simply take as much as we can.”
(That’s still looting.)
“And for crying out loud, can’t you walk a bit faster?! We’ve got to get out of here encase the police arrive.”
This building was originally a school, Dortin could tell that much. The construction of the school is rather simple, two three-storey buildings lined up against each other. The stairs in each building are located on the eastern side, and on the west side is the emergency escape ladders. Most of the corridors are straight lines, and there are six rooms on each floor. The first floor is relatively large, with a bunch of office rooms. That room is now used to stack old documents.
“Did you hear a scream just now?”
Dortin asked.
Carrying his brother, Dortin struggled to lift his brother up the stairs to the third floor. Where the research laboratories are held, if anything unusual happened in this place then that’s where they’ll find the answers.
On the third floor there was six rooms, the windows in rooms one to five were covered with thick curtains. None of them had any signs, except for the sixth door, which was opened slightly. Both of them felt like this was a trap, and they were the rats.
(What the hell are we doing up here?)
Vulcan stepped toward the sixth room, moving rapidly across the corridor he approached the room. But the closer he got, the more he couldn’t concentrate.
(What’s happening? I can’t think straight!)
Looking back at Dortin, he tried to retrace his steps. But eventually Vulcan lost the will, he desperately struggled to stay on his feet but simply couldn’t fight anymore. Hitting the ground at full speed, Vulcan’s face impacted hit the floor. His eyes now becoming just like the man at the reception desk.
“It hurt’s……”
He moaned as he rubbed his nose, but then he heard a voice.
“Do not resist.”
“............?”
He tried to lift his face.
At the door of the sixth research room, a man stood in the shadow. The man didn’t even look human, his body looked so emaciated.
Vulcan had a bad feeling.
“......A Doll?”
Vulcan said as he looked up from the floor, the man was obviously composed of inorganic material.
His skin was smooth and there were no visible signs of veins, he didn’t breath either. Staring at his face or what could be consider his face, he saw an opening which was possibly his mouth. It had no body hair whatsoever, his height greater than the average human. The most remarkable thing about his garment is the red cloth on the man’s right arm. Truth really does lie in the eye of the beholder.
“You…...called me a doll.”
Vulcan began to fall asleep.
“I am a guardian of hidden treasure.”
“Guardian of hidden treasure？”
“Since ancient times, I have been the guardian of various treasures.”
Dortin couldn't turn away from this so called guardian.
“You are now under my control.”
He said as he walked towards him, but then he stopped in his tracks.
“Everyone here is affected by my magic.”
“Well, what about me?”
“It seems to be ineffective against you.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. There are some ways to nullify magic.”
“......What ways?”
“Oh, I could think of a couple……”
He said as he extended his finger towards him, with a ten centimetre needle coming out from his middle finger.
Dortin was shaking like a leaf, and the guardian paused for an instant. Retracing the blade from his middle finger, he then clenched his wrist. Pulling out a sharp wire, he then started to walk forward again.
“This might hurt a little bit.”
Dortin squealed as he stood in place.
But, the guardian stopped again.
“............?”
Dortin looked puzzled, as he stared at the caped figure. He then looked down to the Sword of Baltanders, which lay beside his brother. It was too long to hang by his waist so it dragged off the ground whenever they carried it by their side, though they mostly carried it.
Dortin offered the sword to the guardian.
“A magical sword…...these markings!”
“You can read it?”
Dortin whispered, then the guardian responded.
“Of course, this is what’s hindering my magic.”
“............”
In the end, they couldn’t tell if they were lucky or unlucky. The corridor was filled with uneasiness as Dortin held the sword —— the guardian stared intensely at the Sword of Baltanders. The closer Dortin looked at his face, the more of his features he could see. His eyes were like glass, his hair was like a that of a ratty mop and his mouth looked like it could cut diamonds. He was clearly thinking about something.
“This is the Sword of Baltanders.”
The guardian said as he tilted his head, meanwhile he stowed away the wire he pulled from his wrist.
“You don’t appear to be a sorcerer, why do you possess such an item?”
(I don’t really care that this guy isn’t human, I just want to know why he attacked the Alliance of Sorcerers branch!)
He didn’t have the courage to say it out aloud. This really is a mysterious character, this is just an ordinary branch of the Alliance of Sorcerers —— not to mention that the staff they did meet were mentally deficient. And just what was the Guardian doing in the research laboratory —— but they didn’t have time to think about that, unless they want to become just like that guy at the reception desk.
While Dortin brainstormed about a list of things he could say, he could only think of one. He put on a gentle smile and put out his hands.
“Why do I have it you ask?”
He then recalled the same thing he heard Vulcan say over and over.
“There is an evil man…...the Black Sorcerer Orphen.”
He said with a slight smirk, while sweating incessantly.
(The most important thing is to convince him.)
Mother, today I became a liar ——
Lies after lies poured out of Doritn’s mouth, he was doing the unthinkable. Then, a strange foreboding feeling hit him.
End of Chapter 1
