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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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“Hyah!!”
-Clatter-clatter-clatter, drrrrr-!
As the coachman urged them on, the carriage began to run like crazy towards the unit.
Even with the carriage body attached behind, it was this fast. As expected of a military carriage used exclusively for the Battalion Commander, it boasted a dignified appearance.
Of course, as fast as it was, the carriage also shook as if an earthquake was happening, but Lumia, who was actually riding in the passenger compartment, didn’t even care.
She didn’t even have the leeway to do so.
-Crunch.
Overwhelmed by surging anxiety, Lumia bit her fingernails. Her heart also showed no signs of calming down.
It wasn’t because she was afraid of the carriage’s speed.
It was because of the worry for Second Lieutenant Enoch Levandal, whom she had left behind in Cherno City.
‘Gavial bastards were there too… Those guys are infamous for messing with even soldiers.’
While the Squad Leader was greatly drawing attention, Lumia was able to escape the city by joining up with the coachman, who had been helpless at the waiting area.
Whether the Guard Captain had issued a blockade order or not, garrison soldiers blocked the entrance in the middle.
-Just run them over, so just drive!
-Are you really going to do it?!
-Yes!! Just run them over!!
-Hold on tight!! We’re breaking through!!
With the coachman actively responding to the fiercely bold order, they succeeded in pushing aside the garrison soldiers and escaping.
If they had been even a little late, or if the coachman had hesitated…
Lumia would also have been blocked by the garrison soldiers and captured.
‘Really… was the Guard Captain of Cherno City colluding with the enemy?’
She tightly gripped the envelope of documents she had received from Alpera.
The Cherno City garrison was by no means a righteous organization.
They often slacked off on duty, and they also frequently imposed fines without mercy if they caught even the slightest fault.
But until now, it was at a level that could be dismissed as just a kind of territorialism.
Problems to the extent that while people complained about unfair treatment, they would just let it slide without particularly making an issue of it.
Rather, from Lumia’s perspective, Gavial was a more troublesome presence than the garrison.
They had practically seized control of the commercial district, and on top of opening all sorts of illegal businesses behind the scenes.
They had created connections with bad elements, including Rex, and had been gradually exerting influence even within the military.
But this current situation was crossing the line, and crossing it properly.
Clear treasonous conduct.
Moreover, it was a serious crime committed directly by the ‘head of the security organization’ in charge of a trading city close to the border.
“…I won’t forgive him.”
Lumia muttered in a voice filled with anger. Even though she was in a trash squad and received all sorts of contempt, she had not abandoned her pride as a soldier.
Thinking that she had been played by those guys until now, it felt as if flames were rising in Lumia’s heart.
How long had it been since she had felt such emotions?
Performing missions for the country and enforcing justice. The sense of responsibility as a soldier that she had completely forgotten since being assigned to the 5th Squad.
This was truly what Lumia had wanted.
The Ukranian military was the only group that needed Lumia, who innately had no talent whatsoever.
Having grown up as an orphan who didn’t even know her parents’ faces, and not having any close friends, the military was enough to become a new sanctuary for her.
Lumia Blyue had done her best in everything to be recognized by them.
Had her efforts come to fruition?
Due to her status as an orphan, she couldn’t go through the officer course, but Lumia, who was evaluated as a promising magic non-commissioned officer and was on an elite track.
It was all too easy for the tower she had diligently built up to collapse.
Training, comrades, mistake.
The spurting bloodstains in front of her eyes.
She, who had once been the popular star of the battalion, plummeted to a bottom that seemed endless.
And became a member of the trash squad.
Even in the midst of that, it wasn’t that she hadn’t tried. The reason Lumia was always kind, and didn’t scold the uncontrollable squad members.
Was because she held onto the hope that an opportunity would come someday.
Even though her body and mind were sick to the core, she believed that someday someone would find her.
As a year, two years passed like that, and just before she was about to let go of even the thread of hope she was clinging to.
Enoch Levandal was assigned.
‘Squad Leader….’
Something she thought she would never be able to feel again forever.
She had just been waiting to miserably fill her years of service and be kicked out into society.
Lumia’s heart had begun to beat again.
‘Please wait just a little longer. I will definitely go to help you.’
Please be safe until then.
Lumia clasped her hands tightly, offering a fervent prayer to God.
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‘I’m screwed!’
Guard Captain Lamur ran towards the garrison barracks without looking back.
It was the first time he had actually seen a magician wield magic like that.
How much magic could magicians use in the city anyway?
In the first place, the use of magic in public or within the city by military-affiliated magic non-commissioned officers or magic officers was strictly restricted by military law.
Until now, the magic Lamur had witnessed had been nothing more than lighting a stove fire or watering flowerbeds.
But not only was he firing a waterfall from his hands, but people were sent flying if they got hit?
Don’t be ridiculous.
That was not power that a mere second lieutenant could wield.
Even Lamur, who had no knowledge of magic, could vaguely sense it. That second lieutenant was a magician of at least 1st Class.
And there was no way the military would just leave such an officer alone.
‘It’s the National Military Police, they already know everything and came here!’
Lamur’s mind turned blank white. Now that it had come to this, there was only one way.
To escape.
Whether he crossed the border or defected to the Sobye Empire.
Escaping in any way was the only way to survive.
The sins he had committed so far were too numerous to count one by one.
Not only had he sold a classified transport route to some unknown bastard, but he had even threatened and intimidated an officer affiliated with the Military Police.
Lamur was certain that the moment he was caught by the Military Police, the death penalty was a certainty.
Quickly returning to the garrison barracks, he threw off the cumbersome armor and shoved the military uniform, which proved he was a city garrison soldier, into a corner.
Escaping while wearing a military uniform?
Was he planning to advertise everywhere that he was a deserter?
After changing into civilian clothes and even throwing on a robe, he stuffed all sorts of jewelry into his pockets and packed the slush fund he had accumulated so far into a bundle.
‘Gun, I have to take a gun too.’
Operating the city garrison was impossible. Hadn’t he just seen it earlier?
Commanding a unit that was scared shitless by just one magician and couldn’t even move didn’t seem like it would be helpful in escaping.
Having changed his clothes and packed both funds and weapons, Lamur headed straight for the stable set up on one side of the barracks.
The sun had almost set, and if he used a horse, even the Military Police would be able to shake them off, wouldn’t they?
Who would know whether the National Military Police would think he was hiding in the city, or had already escaped?
They probably wouldn’t imagine that he would have escaped the city in such a short time.
‘That female sergeant is probably the guide for the Military Police officer. Even so, there’s no way the National Military Police would have been contacted already.’
Lamur thought as he threw his heavy body onto the warhorse. Hyah, at his command, the horse galloped, leaving the barracks, and the corners of Lamur’s mouth lifted slightly.
He had already bled Cherno City dry of everything he could.
With this money, even if he crossed over to a neighboring country, he would be able to live comfortably for the rest of his life.
Since he had already been thinking about retirement, Lamur had no lingering attachments left.
‘Lauro, that bastard, hanging out with those thugs, he thinks he’s so great. Let him get screwed for once.’
There was no brotherly affection between them either.
He had just played along with him because of the decent side income, but it wasn’t really an act done for his younger brother.
Whether he was caught by the Military Police and beheaded or tortured, it was none of Lamur’s business.
And so, he continued to ride.
In the end, the important thing was the escape route.
At this point, the main gate and the back gate were likely to have been occupied by the Military Police.
But Lamur hadn’t just been loafing around during his two years of service as Guard Captain.
‘The side gate to the east…!’
There were a total of two entrances leading to Cherno City.
But there was one more passage that was not used as a general entrance.
A secret route to safely evacuate dignitaries, including the city lord, in case of a riot, due to the characteristics of being the northernmost trading city and a fortress city.
Lamur was originally supposed to be in charge of escorting the dignitaries until the very end, so he also knew about the passage in question.
‘If I go out that way, no one will know!’
Lamur, sensing victory, raised the corners of his mouth and smiled.
The moment Lamur reached the east side gate of Cherno City.
“Huh?”
“What, really… they came?”
“I clearly told you.”
There were two people blocking the path.
“Who are you! This is a restricted area, get lost now!”
Even when he yelled angrily and threatened them, the two figures obscured by shadows showed no particular reaction.
“Get lost, I said!!”
If it were his usual self, he would have immediately jumped off his horse and slapped those bastards across the face, but.
As he was currently being chased by the Military Police in real-time, there was no room to waste any time.
“It’s your fault for not getting out of the way!!”
Lamur grabbed the reins again and charged towards the two people.
Regardless of whether the opponents were injured or killed, he would just run them over, and then the horse would powerfully dash towards the wide-open escape route.
That was supposed to be the case.
“!?”
A huge block of ice flew towards the warhorse that was about to start galloping.
-Heeeeeigh-!!
-Pwhoosh!
The ice spear that pierced through the leather and entered made the horse scream and collapse as it was.
Naturally, Lamur, who was riding on top, also lost his balance and couldn’t help but tumble to the ground.
What had happened?
When Lamur, with a confused expression, raised his head, the mana emanating from the woman’s body was dyeing the space blue.
‘Magician…!!’
Just when had the National Military Police become this fast?
Lamur chattered his teeth in fear. A desperate situation of being trapped between a rock and a hard place, with even the passage he had prepared blocked.
He would die if he was caught, and he would die if he surrendered.
In that case, he would kill them first and escape.
Lamur hastily drew the pistol that was hanging at his waist. The finger on the trigger tightened, and flames erupted from the long extended barrel.
“Die!!!”
-Bang-!
Even a great magician would instantly die if they were shot in the head by a bullet.
Lamur, who was considered to be excelling in marksmanship within the garrison in his own way.
The trajectory of the bullet that shot out in a straight line continued towards the magician’s forehead.
One shot, one kill.
He had lost his horse, but if he eliminated the witnesses, he could buy time for a delaying action.
He could still say that his plan hadn’t completely fallen apart yet, but Lamur’s hope was also shattered in an instant.
-Pachit, clang!
As the man who had been standing still drew two daggers.
A purple flash erupted in the blink of an eye. At the same time, a sharp metallic sound pierced Lamur’s ears.
He couldn’t believe it even though he was seeing it with his own eyes.
With a sword, and even with crude daggers that were anything but refined.
He had cut down the bullet that was flying towards him.
“There’s no chance of winning, surrender.”
The man’s beast-like eyes flickered gold.
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