RMGCFW — Chapter 125 - Angry Frieren — Face to Face
Just as Izor was about to give the order to arrest them.
"Outsiders, I am the village chief." Racine emerged from the underground passage.
The villagers, wound tight with anxiety, let out a collective breath when they saw the two figures walking behind the elder.
The elven lady was as calm as ever.
But today, the Hero looked considerably more serious than usual.
The relief that had just settled over the crowd evaporated. Could it be that even the Hero found the invaders difficult to deal with?
"A pleasure to meet you." Izor bowed slightly.
Representing the most prosperous human kingdom on this expedition, courtesy was the minimum.
"Though you have the appearance of a young girl, I've heard you're actually an old monster who has lived over four hundred years..."
Polite greeting done, Izor drew a blade.
"..."
Racine, mocked to her face, showed no reaction. Frieren, standing to the side, had already quietly turned her gaze toward this human.
It reminded her of the last time in the labyrinth, when Banxia had said something similar.
If four hundred years made someone an old monster, then what did that make her, an elf...
This person had already found the path to their own death.
Racine sighed inwardly. "We only wish to live here in seclusion, with no connection to the outside world. Please leave."
"That is not for you to decide." Izor stepped forward with the soldiers. "These are His Majesty the King's orders. We are here to invite you to the kingdom as guests."
"Magic that makes people's noses run."
Before the kingdom's soldiers could even close the distance, the elf beside them waved her staff with sullen displeasure.
A bucket of cold water landed squarely on everyone's faces.
"Achoo!"
"Snff... snff..."
Every soldier the magic touched immediately lost control of their noses.
"You — an elf?"
Izor strangled the urge to do something undignified and stared in genuine surprise. The caster who had just attacked them was an elf, a race even rarer than the Clan of the Parted.
"..." Frieren had no interest in acknowledging someone who mocked the elderly.
"And a pureblood human?" Izor's gaze shifted to the other figure behind the elder.
Somehow, neither of them had registered until just now. That was deeply strange.
Izor's attention had been on the elder of the Clan of the Parted, yes, but that still shouldn't explain missing two people standing right there in plain sight. It was only after the elf attacked that Izor even noticed anyone was standing behind Racine at all.
An ability to erase not just one's own presence, but a companion's alongside it, blending both seamlessly into the natural surroundings...
This man was a thief of exceptional skill.
"Your Excellency must be a well-known adventurer." Izor extended the offer. "Would you consider coming over to my side and serving the kingdom? As long as you're willing, His Majesty will reward you beyond anything you can imagine."
Banxia's expression was flat, the blank, empty calm of sage mode. He gave a slight dip of his chin.
"The reward I want isn't something he can give."
Hearing this man refer to His Majesty the King simply as "he," Izor's brow creased. Still, Izor pressed on.
"You may not fully appreciate how wealthy the Central Kingdom is. Whatever falls within the realm of possibility, your needs will be met."
"Sounds decent."
"Then —"
Just as Izor was beginning to think a powerful thief was within reach, a shout rang out from behind.
"The dragon's stopped obeying orders!"
"Fall back! Get clear!"
Izor spun around.
The dragon, which had been lying still and quiet on the ground, was now thrashing its wings in wild, erratic beats, as if something had startled it.
"How..." Izor was baffled.
The younger generation of the royal family hadn't mastered the Secret Control Art, but the old king, however aged, was not dead yet. In Izor's experience, it was only monsters that had been under control for a long time that would eventually snap and fight the leash. A dragon freshly brought to heel had no business reacting like this.
Before Izor could work out why, the dragon went still.
Completely still.
At some point the thief had crossed the distance between them and now stood directly before the dragon, one palm pressed flat against its head.
"Incredible." Izor abandoned the original objective and walked over to the young man's side. "A thief who also knows a secret art for pacifying dragons — that I didn't expect."
"Secret art?" Banxia felt the dragon push back against his palm, a wordless contest of will. He pressed down slightly. Whatever trace of restlessness remained snuffed out on the spot.
"That wasn't a secret art?" Izor asked.
"Hardly." Banxia gave a quiet laugh and shook his head. "I just talked it through. It thought I made good points, so it settled down."
"Talked it through." Izor took that for modesty. "If you were willing to offer this secret art to the kingdom, a noble title would be easy to arrange."
"Let me look over all the monsters the kingdom currently holds, and I'll teach you how to calm ones that won't behave."
"You'd be willing to join the kingdom?" Izor looked at him.
"If this king of yours is willing to pay the reward I want, then sure."
"Then I'll take you to see the King right now." Izor had no reason to think a thief's demands would be beyond the King's power to satisfy.
The Clan of the Parted no longer mattered.
A technique that could support the old king's Secret Control Art was, as far as Izor was concerned, worth infinitely more than hauling in a handful of useless recluses.
"Fall in! We're heading back!" Izor called out the order.
"Division Commander Izor..." A trusted soldier stepped close, voice low with concern.
The King's orders weren't finished.
"Don't worry. Compared to the Clan of the Parted, this thief matters far more." Izor waved it off. "With him, the kingdom's strength could reach a whole new level. His Majesty will understand."
"Yes, sir!"
The soldiers assembled quickly, waiting for the division commander's next order.
...
"You're really going to the royal capital with them?" Frieren looked over at the young man.
"You forgot why I came here in the first place?" Banxia smiled. "I was going to have you break the barrier for me, but it turns out I don't need to. They'll bring me straight in."
"Oh." Frieren gave a small nod and asked nothing more.
"By the way, since you didn't break the barrier, Frieren, you still owe me a payment."
"Wha," Frieren looked at him with open displeasure. "I walked all this way with you!"
"As if you came away with nothing. More than half of the First Hero's grimoires ended up in your hands."
"..." Frieren pressed her lips together in a sulky pout and said nothing.
"Lord Hero..." The villagers of the Clan of the Parted had drawn in close from all sides.
They weren't entirely sure what had just happened, but it was clear that something between the Lord Hero and those kingdom soldiers had spared their clan from annihilation.
The children who had sat listening to the young man's stories the night before were crying now, arms wrapped around his, holding on and refusing to let go.
The air felt like a final parting.
"All right, don't worry." Banxia ruffled their heads. "I'm just going to have a little fun."
"Lord Banxia..."
To everyone watching, this was a lamb walking straight into the wolf's den. And yet the Lord Hero, to put them at ease, spoke of it like it was nothing at all.
His greatness needed no explanation.
They would carry it with them for generations.
...
➤ Next: The Fall of the Kingdom