/

chapter 133




10 stars.
The weight of those words made Frey silent for a moment before he finally asked.
“You realise the weight of what you just said, don’t you?”
“I know it well.”
“That means you are also 9 stars.”
This made Cairo’s expression become strange, and he seemed to be wondering how he should react to Frey’s words.
“…why do you say that?”
“Because you are certain that 9 star Wizards can’t defeat Lord.”
These words caused Cairo’s expression to become even stranger.
“Just that? What about Diablo? Don’t you think I could’ve gotten the information from him?”
“I don’t.”
Frey let out a low laugh as he continued.
“You are a Wizard through and through.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“The more genuine a Wizard is, the more they will doubt any information they don’t confirm for themself.”
Cairo felt like he had been struck by a hammer.
Frey couldn’t help but find his expression a bit amusing.
“Another reason is the fact that you would never talk about the 10 star level without personally experiencing 9 stars. For the average person, even 9 stars would be an unimaginable height.”
This was the truth.
For most Wizards, 9 stars was already a mythical level, not to mention 10 stars.
Cairo sighed and raised his arms.
“It seems I was careless. It’s been a while since I was on the losing end in a conversation.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“Of course it is. Huhu. Now I want you even more.”
Cairo nodded and continued.
“You guessed correctly. I’m a 9 star Wizard like Diablo… well, to be precise I’m only half of a 9 star Wizard. It would be embarrassing to compare me to Diablo.”
Frey wasn’t surprised.
The possibility that the Eleventh Tower Master could be a 9 star Wizard had appeared in his mind from the moment he learned he could keep the Demigods in check.
He found the ‘half’ part to be strange, but now wasn’t the time to ask.
“Have you ever fought Lord?”
“Huhu. It would be embarrassing to call it a fight. I barely managed to find an opening and escape.”
Although he said that, just being able to escape from Lord was, in itself, a great achievement.
Frey observed Cairo, who was smiling bitterly, before asking.
“Have you found any clues about 10 stars?”
“Of course we have. Why else would I bring it up to you now?”
“What was it?”
“The 10 star level really exists!”
Cairo’s face became filled with excitement. However, Frey couldn’t help but fall silent for a moment when he heard this unexpected answer.
“Is that it?”
“That’s right.”
“…you have to be joking.”
“Of course not. Don’t you understand? Just knowing that the 10 star level really exists is already a great discovery!”
Cairo’s excitement was almost palpable at that point.
After hearing that, Frey felt that he could understand a little.
Generally, Wizards believed 9 stars to be the end. ‘End’ here meaning the end of the path.
It was considered the limit of Wizards, as well as the limit of all mortals.
However, even after reaching 9 stars, it wouldn’t be possible to kill Lord. In other words, it was impossible to kill Lord even after reaching what many believed to be the mortal limit.
This fact must have caused Cairo and the other high-level Wizards to feel despair, as if the heavens were falling.
Then, in the midst of that despair, they realised it wasn’t the end. The 10 star level really existed!
“By the way, how did you learn that the 10 star level was real?”
“We found a record.”
“A record? Whose?”
“Of course, it was a record left by the Great Mage Lucas Trowman.”
Frey’s expression became very strange when he heard that.
‘Did I ever leave any records about 10 stars?’
…He hadn’t. No. Definitely not.
Frey had only begun thinking about 10 stars after being trapped in the Abyss. Before that, he’d just focused on thoroughly digesting the powers of 9 stars.
“Naturally, after finding that, we began full-scale research of 10 stars, but to be honest, we haven’t had much success. Hmm. I will be honest with you.”
After thinking about it for a moment, Cairo finally spoke up with a firm expression.
“Currently, the only 9 star Wizards in Paragon are Diablo and I. We still heavily debate and research the 10 star level whenever we get the chance, but recently, we haven’t made much progress. We have reached a wall. That’s why we need the opinions of other 9 star Wizards more than anything else.”
Then he sighed and shook his head.
“But even across the entire continent, it is truly difficult to find 9 star Wizards. And even if there are any, it is unclear whether any would help us. Then you appeared.”
“…”
“We will give you our full support to help you reach 9 stars. If you join us, it would take you 10 years. No, you might even reach 9 stars faster than that.”
Cairo spoke with confidence.
It was truly an attractive proposal that would move any Wizard’s heart. It was especially meaningful because Paragon, the organisation that was making the offer, already had two 9 star Wizards, including Cairo.
However, Frey didn’t respond immediately.
Cairo looked downtrodden.
“…do you still not intend to change your mind?”
“…”
“You’re more stubborn than you look. Huhu. No, a man like you would never change his mind easily… it was my mistake.”
Cairo shook his head as he smiled deprecatingly.
“Please forget what I said before. I suppose it’s still too early to bring it up.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Frey bowed his head.
He was glad Cairo was a good person. In fact, he felt a considerable amount of pressure.
This was because Cairo had sent the Paragon members, including Diablo, to save him.
‘The Demigods didn’t know about Paragon.’
This proved that the organisation had been working quite secretively up until that point. Nevertheless, Cairo had shown no hesitation in revealing them in an effort to save Frey.
It could even be said that he had suffered a big loss in order to do so. Frey owed a huge debt to Cairo and even to Paragon.
“I will definitely repay this debt soon.”
“Huhu. It’s quite a lot to repay.”
“The amount doesn’t matter.”
The two smiled at each other.
Frey was suddenly struck with the illusion that he was joking with Schweiser at that moment.
Before this thought became stronger, he changed the topic.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Go ahead.”
“The Third Princess told me that the Trowman Rings are currently in a bad situation. Do you know anything about it?”
“Well…”
Cairo’s expression became heavy again.
“It continues from our conversation last time.”
“The rotten side of the Circle?”
“…exactly. At this point, I’ll say for sure. I don’t know exactly how many sources of corruption there are in the Circle, but I can tell you the most important ones. One is the current Circle Master of the Strow Necklaces, Rezil Wilsemann.”
“Wilsemann?”
Cairo’s voice became bitter.
“My younger brother.”
Cairo had said he’d been kicked out from his seat as the Circle Master of the Strow Necklaces and his younger brother was currently the head.
It was clear that there was some complicated backstory, but Frey didn’t pry any deeper.
“The other is ‘Jekid’, Circle Master of the Lucid Swords.”
The Lucid Swords.
Frey couldn’t help but sigh. He realised that the present day Knights had fallen far short of his expectations.
Luanoble, also known as the Country of Knights, was currently the most corrupt human country, and now, it seemed its circle was the same.
It was something he was glad the dead Lucid wouldn’t have to witness.
“What about the Phisfounder Armlets?”
“It’s fine there. The current leader, Altan, has no interest in wealth, fame, politics or hidden struggles.”
“I see.”
“Now, to your question. It’s probably the Strow Necklaces who are pressuring the Trowman Rings right now.”
Disgust spread across Cairo’s face.
“They don’t want the Trowman Rings to regain their former power, and they wouldn’t mind using dirty tactics to do so. Just like when they killed Osel. With Rezil’s personality, it’s definitely something he would do.”
“…”
“It seems they are currently using Relic Battles to keep the Trowman Rings in check, but sooner or later, they will resort to more forceful methods.”
“What methods?”
“There’s a high probability that they would use the same tactic they used against Osel. They will force them to fight against Demigods then sacrifice them. That’s usually how they deal with those who don’t conform.”
Frey frowned.
“It should be fine as long as Beniang doesn’t give in.”
“…Beniang will give in.”
“Why?”
“Because Rezil will bring up Osel.”
Cairo sighed as though he was ashamed.
“He would encourage her to take part in the battle, saying it’s her chance to avenge her father. And if you know that child’s personality… you should know exactly what her answer would be.”
Frey nodded.
Beniang had a timid personality, but there was no one she respected more than her adopted father, Osel.
If she was given the chance to honor him, she would accept it without hesitation.
“When do you think he’ll act?”
“Maybe as soon as they learn the location of another Demigod.”
That meant that he didn’t know the exact timing.
Frey clicked his tongue.
“Despicable.”
“Didn’t I tell you? The Circle is rotten.”
Frey was worried.
Although they had already absorbed all the small and medium circles in the alliance near them, it was still too soon for the Trowman Rings to go against the Three Great Circles.
They needed more time.
“…I have to warn them.”
The Strow Necklaces and Lucid Swords.
He had to warn them to be wary of those two circles.
* * *
Afterwards, Frey talked with Cairo for a while longer.
It wasn’t about anything particularly important… he just felt a slight connection to Cairo.
It wasn’t because he was Schweiser’s descendant. Cairo himself was also an interesting person.
“By the way, that third proposal you made to Fiore was quite interesting. Did you expect that to happen?”
“If I knew that would happen, I would’ve prepared more thoroughly.”
“Huhu. Anyway, the ‘board’ will be made as you specified. You can take a look for yourself.” (TL: Still not sure if ‘board’ is the right translation, the author used ‘판’ but there is no real context… hopefully it is.)
“Hm. Speaking of that proposal, I’d like to make a few modifications.”
“What do you mean?”
“That…”
Cairo nodded after listening to Frey’s amendments.
“It’s not difficult. I’ll pass it on to Fiore.”
“I’m in your debt.”
“You will become one of us someday, so this much is fine.”
Cairo seemed convinced that Frey would join Paragon, and even Frey could not deny the possibility.
After all, he would need Cairo and Diablo’s help to reach 10 stars.
“…ah. There’s one thing that I want to discuss with you.”
“What is it?”
“I want to rescue Hector.”
“Hmm…”
Cairo subconsciously frowned at those words.
Hector.
He was one of the Dragons who had lost his body during the war against the Demigods. In the past, he had reigned as one of the supreme beings on the continent, but now, he had fallen to a miserable state where he could only do chores for others.
“Why?”
After thinking for a moment, Frey revealed the Great Sage’s Staff to Cairo.
His bracelet gave off a bright light before transforming into the staff, causing Cairo’s jaw to drop.
“…that staff… it couldn’t be…”
“It’s the Great Sage’s Staff.”
“H-, how do you…”
“I got it from Schweiser’s dungeon. This wasn’t all. I also found a Golem’s core. A core that contains 1 million ME.”
“A, a million?”
Cairo was shocked.
His knowledge of alchemy and Golem creation was among the best on the continent. This was why he knew just how far beyond imagination a Golem core with 1 million ME truly was.
“I need a body capable of withstanding the core, so I asked Hector. He said it would take six months, but…”
Frey looked Cairo in the eyes.
“If you two also help, then I’m sure it would be much shorter.”
“Yes, of course!”
Cairo was excited.
Schweiser Strow!
The lifetime masterpiece of the Great Sage who was unrivaled in Golem creation! A Golem core that contained 1 million ME!
‘To be able to help make the body…’
It was an honor that Cairo would never be able to encounter again. His hands trembled just thinking about it.
In addition, it wouldn’t be too hard to save Hector right now since Lord was preoccupied with the other Demigods’ treatment!
In other words, this was their greatest chance to save Hector.
Cairo nodded without hesitation.
“We’ll do it. Do you know where Hector is?”
“Of course.”
“Great! We’ll leave as soon as Diablo returns!”
“Will he agree to help?”
“Of course he will! He also has great alchemy skills! For something like this, he would agree without hesitation!”
Cairo spoke with an excited expression on his face.
Though he didn’t show it, Frey was relieved.
The idea of saving Hector had been in his mind ever since he met him, but he didn’t dare to do so under Lord’s watchful gaze.
But now, Lord was preoccupied with treating the Apocalypses.
Of course, that didn’t mean it would be easy to heal Hector. It was impossible for them to know just what dangers might have been lurking there.
‘But.’
Cairo had promised him his and Diablo’s help.
They were definitely two of the strongest Wizards on the continent.
Frey was certain. As long as there were no Apocalypse-class Demigods around Hector, they would definitely save him.