I Married the Dragon I Killed
Chapter 61
Chapter 61
Demons had invaded the estate of Count Consilus.
The news threatened to throw the territory into a frenzy, but the situation was calmed after the incident was officially announced as a false alarm.
From this point on, they had to move in total secrecy.
“Our destination will be destroyed in six hours.”
“If it’s to be destroyed in six hours, moving now might already be too late.”
They had spent all of yesterday preparing for the expedition.
They had equipped gear designed for high mobility, even at the cost of some strain, and prepared their magic.
Even with those preparations, the journey would normally take a full day.
However, the target site was scheduled to vanish as soon as the morning sun rose.
“How did you come by that information?”
Consilus asked.
“I heard it from the demon who broke in here. It was Sitri.”
“Sitri? You mean the Great Demon Sitri?!”
The demon of lust and illusion.
To knights, who had to maintain their integrity while battling temptation, she was the Great Demon they guarded against most.
“Demons are a lot that can never be trusted.”
“It’s fine. She can be trusted this time. I’ve made a deal with her.”
“A deal with a demon…?”
The knights couldn’t understand what Ferda was saying.
In the minds of most, only one sentence followed the words ‘deal’ and ‘demon.’
Never make a deal with a demon.
The atmosphere began to sour. Not only had the Great Demon the knights loathed most appeared, but their leader had even struck a deal with her.
“Do not doubt him, men.”
Consilus warned, his voice low and authoritative.
“The very swords and armor you wear were created by the Regent of Valdrova. Have you forgotten that?”
Order was restored instantly. It was less about remembering Ferda’s grace and more due to Consilus’s own charisma.
In truth, Consilus was just as suspicious.
However, he could not afford to hesitate.
In the heavy silence, Consilus asked, “What were the terms of the deal?”
“A certain demon is imprisoned in the demon-kin’s research facility. In exchange for freeing that demon, she provided us with the means of transport.”
“If the Great Demon Sitri is demanding her release, she sounds like a dangerous entity…”
“She said it was one of her daughters. In exchange for releasing one of those many demons, we gain a lead on the demon-kin.”
“I suppose even a hedgehog cherishes its own young. It seems even demons have some shred of affection.”
“So it seems.”
Ferda took out a scroll he had been carrying and placed it on the desk.
“I received this scroll through that deal. It is our means of transportation.”
Instead of inspecting it himself, Consilus gestured to his personal mage.
The mage examined the scroll Ferda presented and spoke.
“This is a Bending Bridge set for an eight-person round trip. To be provided with magic of such a high level…”
“I’m a layman in these matters; could you explain?”
“Essentially, it’s similar to a Teleport Door, one of the teleportation spells, but the mechanism is different. It’s created by passing through another dimension. That means it’s difficult to detect with standard sensory magic.”
“Then that means the magic itself routes through Hell.”
“It routes through Hell, but the probability of being affected is extremely low, so you needn’t worry.”
Consilus couldn’t feel even slightly relieved.
Hell.
Within it existed seven realms and the seven Grand Dukes who ruled them.
It was a domain permitted only to the dead; once you set foot inside, you could never leave.
“However, since it’s a scroll given directly by a demon, we must closely examine it for traps—”
“No. There is nothing wrong with the magic itself.”
Ferda cut him off firmly.
The mage, who was entering his forties, did not find the young Regent particularly agreeable.
“It would be best to check once more. The Count will be using it, and I have the wisdom that comes from years of experience—”
“I have no shortage of experience myself, so do not worry. There are no traps in this scroll. Let’s stop wasting time.”
The mage’s face visibly soured.
To him, an eighteen-year-old brat talking about ‘experience’ felt like being shut down simply because the boy didn’t want to argue.
But Ferda was merely stating the truth.
Putting aside the pointless bickering, Ferda pointed to a spot on the spread-out map.
“This is where we will be teleported. I’m told it’s inside a cave.”
“It’s close to the research facility. If we approach, we can reach it within ten minutes. We can seize it before they have a chance to destroy the facility.”
Consilus, a seasoned officer, explained as he drew the overall big picture in his mind.
“Since the number of people who can enter is eight, two will be the defense team to secure the Bending Bridge, and the remaining six will be split into two teams of three to handle one mission each. I will select five knights and one mage.”
“No, I will be taking Zed, so please select only five.”
“Understood.”
Consilus scanned the assembled knights and chose them one by one.
“Hans, Marco, Corwin, Billy, Philip. You are with us.”
“We accept your command!”
The named knights placed their hands over their hearts and accepted the order. They were men who knew that the opportunity to go out and fight on the battlefield was a moment of honor.
Ferda glanced briefly at Zed.
He was in a state of accumulated fatigue from his escort duties.
His eyes drooped like those of an old dog.
“Sir Zed. Let’s move.”
“Eh.”
He had no sense of honor or anything of the sort.
He was only going because he had no choice.
If the boss says jump, you jump.
Ten minutes before the start of the operation.
They gathered in the war room again, heavily equipped with winter gear to withstand the northern cold.
Based on the selected personnel, Consilus explained the mission outline.
“The primary objectives of this mission are information retrieval and rescue. We will split into three teams. Corwin and Philip will secure the entrance. The Regent, Marco, and I will handle information retrieval. Hans, Billy, and Sir Zed will handle the rescue.”
“Understood.”
“Are there any identifying features of the rescue target?”
“I’m told she is a demon with pink hair.”
“Pink hair will certainly stand out. Rescue the demon with horns and black sclera. Is that clear?”
“Yes!”
“Then, we begin the final check!”
He did not forget to double-check until the very end.
Where they were going now was enemy territory.
The heart of the enemy’s stronghold.
Even a small mistake could ruin everything, so they armed themselves with strict discipline.
Listening to the talk, Zed scratched his matted hair and sidled up to Ferda.
“Regent-nim.”
“What is it?”
“That place we’re going, it’s an eight-person gate, right? Eight go in, eight come back?”
“Yes.”
“Then doesn’t that mean it’s impossible to rescue that demon wench?”
Since eight people were going in, only eight could come out.
To bring her out safely, the returning party should be seven people, not eight.
“You don’t need to worry about that. When demons die, they are reverse-summoned back to Hell.”
“Ah, so we just have to kill her on the spot?”
Hearing that, Ferda thought for a moment.
“No, do not kill her on the spot. Bring her to me.”
“Huh? Is there a need to go that far?”
If simply sending her back was the goal, why go through the trouble?
To that, Ferda replied:
“If we do it that way, it ends too easily.”
And easy things always had a bad aftermath.
At least, that was how Ferda’s life had always been.
Ten seconds before the start of the operation.
“Open the gate!”
At Consilus’s command, the mage channeled mana into the scroll.
The magic circle on the scroll absorbed the mana and emitted a brilliant white light.
A moment later, the air above the scroll began to shimmer.
The space, moving like a spring touched by a breeze, gradually expanded until it formed a circular window revealing another location.
A dark cave, and beyond it, the sight of a blizzard raging outside.
Consilus, heavily armed in a fur coat, spoke.
“Deploy!”
The two members of the defense team securing the entrance went in first, followed immediately by the others.
Like well-trained soldiers and knights, they secured the path in an orderly fashion.
“The Bending Bridge’s duration is one hour. Within that time, we scout the interior, attempt the rescue, and retrieve the information.”
“Yes!”
“Commence operation!”
The two teams, excluding the defense team, moved out to perform their respective duties.
“See you alive.”
“What a jinx.”
“Hyung-nim, if you die, I’ll take good care of your wife.”
“Go ahead and try. I’ll dig my way out of the grave and come back to cut off your junk.”
The knights, bonded by brotherhood, exchanged well-wishes as they dispersed.
As time was tight, they maintained a fast pace even through the blizzard.
Consilus was old, but he had never neglected his training as a knight.
Even for him, the northern blizzard was not easy to push through.
‘How is the Regent doing?’
Ferda’s body was that of a mage, not a knight.
He was frail, even among mages who were considered the weakest physically.
Worried he might have fallen behind immediately, Consilus turned his head.
‘He’s keeping up well.’
To his surprise, there was no sign of the distance widening.
Consilus, who had intended to walk with some consideration, changed his mind.
“May I increase the pace?”
“Do so.”
“Understood.”
Consilus moved quickly without further reservation, and Ferda, following behind, matched that speed.
‘The weather is garbage.’
Ferda did not internally enjoy this situation.
It was already dark, and the snow was blocking his vision.
He was wearing a heavy fur coat, and on top of the snow, he was facing a headwind.
Normally, Ferda would have been blown away by the wind and tumbled down a cliff.
The reason he didn’t was because something was supporting his body.
Shadow Hand.
Beneath Ferda’s coat, Shadow Hands were bracing against the ground and lifting the coat off his shoulders, reducing the strain on his body.
‘I’m glad it can cover my whole body.’
The power of a shadow is proportional to the darkness.
If the shadow is weak, it becomes less than Ferda’s own physical strength, but if it is strong, it can match the strength of an ordinary soldier.
Furthermore, in a dark space, he could manifest several Shadow Hands.
‘Bracing against the ground with multiple hands makes me feel like I’m crawling like a beast, though.’
It looked fine from the outside, so it didn’t matter.
“It’s here.”
As Consilus pushed aside some snow, a faint light, like that of a firefly, was leaking out.
Faint laughter could be heard from within.
Consilus drew the sword at his waist.
“I will clear the path.”
“Understood.”
Consilus skillfully slipped through the narrow gap.
A moment later, the laughter cut off abruptly.
“Who the— ghk!”
“What’s going on, sudden— ack!”
They all let out death cries before they could even finish their sentences.
A few more sounds of a sword swinging followed, and then the receding footsteps returned.
“The path is clear. Please.”
The path Consilus had cleared led to a corridor toward an abandoned warehouse.
In that corridor remained the marks of a one-sided slaughter.
There had been no resistance.
The dead guards’ gear was all hanging up along with their coats.
No idiot would push through a murderous blizzard to come here, and no one had ever invaded this place before.
In common parlance, this was a ‘cushy post.’
Consilus checked the map he had obtained through prior scouting.
“Marco, take the barracks. I will handle the administration office and the patrol squad.”
“Understood.”
“No.”
Ferda suddenly interjected, pointing toward the barracks.
“I will handle the barracks.”
“Will you be alright? There are over sixty men. If you make one slip—”
“I am a mage.”
With that one sentence, he silenced the voices of concern.
“As the Regent wishes.”
Marco and Consilus moved to clear the administration office and the patrol squad, while Ferda headed for the barracks.
Ferda took out a single dagger he had tucked away.
As soon as he opened the door to the barracks, what he heard was:
Zzzzzzz!
Snort—wheeze!
Beast-like snoring.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve heard this.’
The memory suddenly surfaced in Ferda’s mind.
The sound he had heard incessantly back when he lived as a mage’s apprentice.
He had lost sleep many times because of that noise, but he never dared to complain.
It was much better than sleeping in a toilet that smelled like shit.
Ferda took a candle from the wall and entered the barracks.
He tilted the candle to inspect them one by one.
‘They’re all human.’
Different faces, different snores.
Each had their own individuality, but they all shared one thing in common.
‘They follow the demon-kin.’
The demon-kin were chaos, wishing for the destruction of the world.
The enemies of the world.
A lot that marginalized even the marginalized.
‘Enemies of Valdrova.’
Their characteristics could be summarized simply.
And the fact that they were sleeping so obliviously meant they were being discarded even now.
“Ah, hell… what? I’m off duty today, man…”
“…”
“Move the light. You fucker… I swear if I open my eyes, I’ll… huh?”
A young man, eyes half-open, looked up at Ferda and asked.
“Who are you? I haven’t seen you around here, what are you— mph?!”
The man’s mouth was blocked.
Something black and formless bound him tightly.
He tried to resist, but not even a groan escaped.
Ferda looked down at him with indifferent eyes and spoke.
“Don’t feel too wronged.”
the well-honed dagger glinted in the candlelight.
“You are simply paying the price for your choices.”
Ferda pursed his lips slightly and brought them to the candle.
The flame flickered precariously even at his breath.
Just like their future.
Huff—.
“All patrol squads have been dealt with.”
“The administration office has been cleared as well. The only place left is the barracks…”
Just then, Ferda walked out of the darkness.
He approached with a relaxed face, his hands clasped behind his back.
“Did you handle it?”
“Yes.”
“Then it seems everything in this vicinity has been dealt with.”
“Regent-nim?”
“What is it?”
“There is blood on your face.”
“Ah. Thank you.”
Ferda nonchalantly wiped it away with his black glove.
Consilus gave a briefing.
“The administration office is cleared, and the patrol squads have all been neutralized. Excluding the barracks, there is no one left in the soldiers’ quarters.”
“What about information?”
“The things in the administration office are, at best, personnel files for servant-level fodder. There were no signs of documents being shredded, so we should assume the data is in the officers’ wing.”
“How many minutes left?”
“Forty minutes. We must finish the rest within at least thirty minutes.”
“We’ll have to hurry.”
Even if they obtained good information and succeeded in the rescue, it would all be for naught if they couldn’t return.
Leaving the swept area behind, they moved toward the research director’s office.
Inside the director’s office, people were moving busily despite it being the middle of the night.
“Pack everything without exception. Instructions will fall soon.”
“Yes!”
“Give that to me! They were curious about it recently, so we must take it.”
They were busy sorting through documents and items.
They were organizing the necessary materials before destroying the research facility.
The person commanding the underlings was a female Dark Elf.
‘A Dark Elf…’
Except for their dark skin, their features were closer to Elves than demons.
Before the Dragon-Demon War, they had sworn loyalty to Godwin and attempted to build a new order.
They were not demons, but they possessed a wicked nature that was no less than theirs.
‘Was her name Linne?’
The general manager and head researcher of this facility.
The head of the Doppler Project.
‘How should we raid this place?’
There was no need for deep thought.
It was enough to deal with the mage first.
“Lightning Bolt.”
Zip!
It pierced through the mage’s head.
The battle began.
