Ch.9292. Dragon King (3)

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Darwood Campbell was truly a strange person.

If someone asked Riru who he was, she wouldn’t have much else to say beyond that.

Just look at what this man is doing right now in the stormy sea with massive waves surging.

“Apply the side brake there. Turn the wheel 30 degrees to port.”

“…What’s a side brake?”

“Just press the button on the left side of the helm.”

He handles the Tribal Union’s ship with the skill of someone who’s done it for decades.

Initially, she had been running around trying to help, but now she just sits quietly with an annoyed expression.

“…”

A strange person indeed.

From their first meeting, he somehow knew about the existence of magical power that only a select few in the Tribal Union could handle, and he operates a boat like a professional sailor when most people would struggle just to start it without specialized training.

The more she watches him, the more she wonders where the limits of his abilities lie.

And naturally, that leads to thoughts like:

‘…Why would someone like him be interested in me enough to treat me well?’

His intentions are impossible to read.

Judging by his actions, he seems to plan everything from start to finish, consciously avoiding meaningless actions.

But why would he be so…

Nice to her?

Like when he confronted Luca, or during the emergency situation on the train.

It’s almost bewildering how he’s consistently kind to her without explaining why.

‘He’s annoying.’

She muttered those words deliberately, but it didn’t really help her dislike the man.

To be honest, she and Kasa Garda, exiled from the Tribal Union, were nothing but “burdens” no matter how nicely one might put it.

That’s typically the case for ousted power figures, especially when they were personally expelled by those currently in power. It’s obvious that associating with them would bring nothing but trouble.

Yet this guy…

He casually continues to “prioritize” her.

What she’s noticed during their brief time together:

Whenever she shows signs of feeling something “negative,” he intervenes to try to disperse those emotions.

As if he absolutely cannot stand to see her angry.

“…”

How could she forcibly dislike such a man?

Considering her and Kasa’s current situation, it wouldn’t be strange if he avoided them entirely, yet he remains this dedicated.

-Don’t you think he likes you?

-…That’s nonsense, old woman.

-Nonsense? That’s just how men are. Most of them express themselves by being silently attentive.

The conversation she had with Kasa recently came to mind.

She was surprised enough when she learned that he had approached knowing about Kasa’s existence from the beginning, and somehow gained her recognition and became her disciple.

-So you need to respond well. He’s definitely someone worth holding onto.

But what surprised her more was when Kasa said that to her.

Kasa isn’t one to badmouth others behind their backs, but she’s even less likely to acknowledge someone else’s abilities.

Her standards are on a completely different level of strictness…

Even Riru, who could reduce top students from the Empire to pulp in seconds in close combat, was still considered merely “barely past apprentice level” as a boxer in Kasa’s eyes.

-What do you mean “hold onto”?

-You have a decent enough face. Use that or whatever means to secure a position near him. He’s worth it.

-Look. I get that he’s a bit strange, but…

Is this really what she should be saying to her granddaughter?

She remembered clutching her forehead with those emotions as she responded.

-I’m not even sure if he’s as amazing as you say he is.

Perhaps there was some resentment or jealousy mixed in.

-You still tell me I’ve barely passed apprentice level, but you just let it slide when he says he’ll master the entire style in 10 days?

The main reason she trained diligently from morning till night was to complete the “standing style” of fighting that Kasa hadn’t been able to perfect.

The supreme boxer once called Authority. The movements she had dedicated most of her life to systematizing.

Her life, struggles, efforts and achievements all culminated in that style—essentially Kasa’s entire life.

There was just one tiny step remaining before completion.

At least, that’s how it seemed to Riru.

Though Kasa herself always self-deprecatingly said that single step was more distant than all the heights she’d climbed in her lifetime.

-That’s right.

-…

That’s why it was even more incomprehensible.

If it was such a distant achievement that Kasa herself described it that way, it made no sense to offer such an absurd condition to someone who until recently knew nothing about fighting.

-That guy knows nothing. Breathing techniques, flow, forms, stances—why would you entrust the culmination of your life’s work to someone like that—

-That’s not what matters, Riru.

But Kasa dismissed her question with a single sentence.

-Do you know why I couldn’t complete the standing fighting style, Riru?

-…Why couldn’t you?

-Because there was no one left trying to kill me.

The burning look in Kasa’s eyes as she said that remained vivid in Riru’s memory.

Kasa Garda’s life had been filled with struggle.

Knocking down opponents, fighting to survive, facing new enemies each day.

-Fighting is most desperate when you’re doing it to survive. Before I could declare myself finished, before I could say I no longer needed to fight… the kind of people who would come at me that way disappeared.

At some point, there was no one left to defeat.

That was around the time people started calling her the Great Tribal Chief.

-The one who took my limbs could have been decent if properly trained, but honestly, that wasn’t even a fight. He threatened others’ lives. I had no choice but to let my arms and legs be cut off, right?

She talks about losing her limbs as casually as tripping over a stone.

As Riru frowned at the memory of that night, Kasa had continued, puffing on her pipe with a chuckle.

-And that Darwood fellow can fill that void. He’s someone who has voluntarily walked the path of endless struggle. If he says he can do it in 10 days, he must have something specific in mind. I’m respecting that. I’ll just make sure he meets the ‘minimum’ requirements.

…Did that dull-witted, spaced-out guy really deserve such impressive descriptors?

Of course, in certain situations, he had shown reflexes and adaptability that surprised even Riru herself, but most of her memories of Darwood involved him being bizarre, strange, or foolish.

It was incomprehensible that the former leader of a dominant nation would evaluate him so highly.

-Or would you like to make a bet?

-A bet?

-First of all, you don’t dislike him, do you?

-…I never said that.

-Do you think my eyes are just for decoration, Riru? Do you think it doesn’t show even if you don’t say it?

-…

-Other men have been too scared to approach someone like you, so you have zero experience with this sort of thing—this old woman knows that perfectly well. If you’re trying to hide it by covering your eyes and pretending—

-Ah, aah, aaah! What is it? Just tell me about the bet!

-He boldly told me he wants to become very close with you within 10 days. That he wants to go all the way.

-…

She remembered being so dumbfounded that she couldn’t even respond properly, just opening and closing her mouth.

That guy.

Did he really say something like that?

-If I’m right, he’s the kind of man who will actually do it.

Kasa’s smug grin flashed before Riru’s eyes.

-Let’s see if it happens or not. Whether you completely fall for such an unremarkable man or not.

That will absolutely never happen.

Of course not.

Riru pushed out her lips in a pout.

“…So.”

Feeling that dwelling on this any longer would only make her more irritated, Riru spoke up in a gruff voice.

“This ‘King of the Sea’ we’re looking for—what kind of creature is it? How powerful a magical beast is it?”

“Well, strictly speaking, it’s not really a magical beast. It’s more like… closer to a native species.”

That was the response from the other party.

“It’s good to make contact in advance. Makes things easier.”

“…Easier for what?”

“There are reasons. Someone keeps summoning ridiculous things from beneath the sea.”

“…”

Riru frowned at the vague answer.

“…This better not be some weird creature. I need to score high points.”

Riru replied in a fierce voice.

“The one who scores highest during the Hunter’s Night gets the right to beseech the Great Tribal Chief for one wish. That’s what I’m aiming for.”

“Yes. I have a pretty good idea what you plan to ask the Chief for.”

“…”

This guy always seems to know everything.

As Riru wrinkled her forehead again at that thought, Darwood, who had been skillfully giving instructions to Talion, also frowned as if recalling something.

“The problem is, well, we need a ‘sacrifice’ to meet the King of this sea.”

“Sacrifice?”

“We need something like bait to summon it. I was planning to hunt a suitable magical beast on the way…”

Darwood looked around at the surrounding sea as he spoke.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

“…That’s strange. During Hunter’s Night, there should be creatures swarming everywhere. Why is there nothing?”

Indeed, as he said.

Normally, magical beast activity in the sea would be several times more active during this period, with small beasts and occasionally medium-sized ones appearing.

But now there’s nothing. As if someone had already swept them all away.

“That dumbfounded face is amusing. Out looking for prey?”

Suddenly, with those words, everyone on the boat turned their attention in that direction.

A fleet of several ships, and on the lead vessel stood a man with a massive build approaching them with a sinister smile.

It was a face Riru recognized.

“…”

Krun Ger-Do.

The heir apparent to the chieftainship of the tribe that worships the blue boar of the Ger-Do highlands.

She remembered that they had been heavily opposed by Kasa’s faction because they had been involved in serious crimes like drug trafficking and human trafficking without hesitation.

As a result, they had been the most uncooperative with the Garda clan and had constantly picked fights with them.

Now that she was an exile, their malice would be even more uninhibited.

“It seems even magical beasts can remarkably distinguish the smell of exiles. Seeing how nothing approaches you.”

“…”

What nonsense.

It’s a pathetic trick. They probably orchestrated this to ensure Riru would receive a low score during Hunter’s Night. Considering how petty these people are, that would be expected.

“…Let’s go somewhere else. There’s no reason to deal with them.”

She said that while turning her head away from them.

Normally, she would have gone over and shattered his jaw.

But now, confronting them would only result in disadvantages.

After all, he’s the heir apparent to the chieftainship. Compared to her, an exile, his position within the Tribal Union is incomparable.

The people on his ship are the tribe’s finest warriors, selected to directly guard the chief.

Fighting them out of personal emotion would only cause trouble for those with her now.

“Are you running away? The great Riru Garda? Ha, haha!”

“…”

Riru sighed.

It was a deep breath to drive away her anger.

In any case, retreating is the right choice here. Even though she’s not accustomed to suppressing her anger, she knew it was the rational thing to do.

“Just like a worm who couldn’t protect her own clan!”

Perhaps, if he hadn’t said that, she definitely would have.

Riru’s movements suddenly froze.

Rage fills her. Anger that seems to burn her mind white boils up from deep within her chest.

After taking a deep breath and calming her thoughts momentarily, she continues.

“…What did you just say?”

“I don’t know what you were thinking coming back to Tribal Union territory, but you should get out before things get ugly. There’s no tribe anywhere that would accept a traitor like—”

Krun collapsed mid-sentence.

Because someone had violently hooked his jaw.

“You shouldn’t speak carelessly just because you have a mouth.”

“…”

“You could die that way.”

Riru stared blankly at Darwood, who had somehow crossed over to the other ship and struck Krun’s jaw.

‘…Again…!’

Here he goes again, this guy.

Why, why again.

Just when she was trying to hold back, trying not to cause trouble.

As if to say there’s no need for that, as if he’s getting angry on her behalf.

Doing this to someone who would clearly only bring trouble if confronted…!

-Don’t you think he likes you?

‘…So.’

Inwardly, Riru thought.

No way. What reason would he have to like someone like me?

A man with his abilities would be better off with another woman, not her. It’s absurd.

-Absurd? That’s just how men are. Most of them express themselves by being silently attentive.

But.

Kasa’s words kept circling in her head.

-Let’s see if it happens or not. Whether you completely fall for such an unremarkable man or not.

‘That will absolutely never happen!’

She repeated those words to herself.

Well.

“…”

If someone were to ask if she herself said those words with conviction.

Her answer would certainly be a bit difficult.

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