REAPER SCANS
Is It Bad That the Main Character’s a Roleplayer
[Translator – KonnoAren]
[Proofreader – Loopin]
Chapter 230 | Full of Suffering (3)
Meister limped forward with his bruised leg, lost in thought.
“Those Demon bastards really went all out, huh?”
He couldn’t quite believe it when he’d first heard about it, but now that he’d seen it with his own eyes, he could definitely feel how real it was. The sentence that half the city and the coastline had been deleted from existence.
“No need to try going to the Magic Tower anymore.”
No, at this point, even finding where that tower once stood would be a problem. There were simply no remaining landmarks, such as streets or buildings, that could hint at its approximate location.
If you showed this scene to a stranger, they wouldn’t even be able to recognize that this used to be a city. It looked more like a rocky wasteland.
“I guess finding Arcane materials is also out of the question…”
But since he’d already come all this way, there was no way he’d return empty-handed.
Meister bent down to pick up a small stone rolling around on the ground, tossing it multiple times before catching it. Thud. His feet then met the edge of a broken road.
“Even slicing cheese with a knife wouldn’t produce such a clean cut.”
He took a moment to carefully examine the sharp divide between what remained and what had been cut away. He didn’t know just what had caused this, but he could certainly see that there was now a cliff leading several meters down.
Quite problematically, the cut was so smooth that there was nothing to grip on to in order to climb down.
“Hmm.”
The drop was also high enough to guarantee he’d break his legs—even though his legs were already pretty messed up—and even if he somehow managed to land safely, climbing back up would be one hell of a problem.
Instead of trying anything like that, Meister squatted down. Thud. He let the bag he’d been wearing on his back drop to the ground.
“It looks like the coastline got carved even deeper. Judging by the shape, some parts submerged beneath the sea were also blown away…”
Despite the distance, he could still see how the ground had been ripped apart in layers. After judging that the shoreline had been cut much deeper, he thought this might have actually been a stroke of luck.
After all, the last time he’d seen the city walls, they’d been swarmed by Merfolk. There had also been that giant turtle… or rather, that snakelike thing pretending to be a turtle.
But now, the place was completely clean, meaning there was a good chance those bastards had also been wiped out.
Even if those Merfolk—there were eyewitnesses who said the turtle had definitely burned to death, so there was no need to consider it any further—had thrown themselves into the sea to escape the flames, it wouldn’t have made a difference.
According to the testimonies, the attack lasted a matter of seconds, so at least half of them must’ve died. And if half of them were dead, the rest would be too busy picking up the pieces to even consider attacking them again.
That could definitely be considered good news.
“Since they haven’t even tried coming back up here despite the city being in complete ruin, maybe not just half, but all of them got wiped out…?”
But then, he saw something sparkling by the shoreline. It was an unnatural glint of light, far too bright to be a natural reflection from the sand.
“What is that?”
Could it be Merfolk? Meister hurriedly brought out the magnifying glass he’d taken from his grandfather and placed it over his eye.
“…Glass?”
Fortunately, it seemed the shimmering wasn’t from a Merfolk’s scales. However, its true identity was no less surprising.
“Wait, is that really just glass?”
Meister adjusted his magnifying glass and examined it more closely. However, no matter how much he looked at the glittering shards, they appeared to be nothing more than glass.
Since he knew just how hard it was to make glass, his voice was utterly bewildered.
“…Are you kidding me. It’s like someone started mass-producing glass here.”
The one who’d wiped out half the city was said to be able to control fire, so it must have been pretty hot. Meister scratched the back of his head.
“At least it’d be useful for metalworking.”
That was all he could get out.
After that, he slowly stood up.
“Sir Meister! Are you still out there?!”
“No, I’m done here now.”
He’d seen enough, so it was now time he did the thing he’d actually come here to do.
“The requisitioning of the workshop district is nearly complete. If there’s anything else you need, you should take it now.”
“Yes.”
Meister considered it quite fortunate that almost the whole workshop district, including his own workshop, had narrowly avoided being evaporated.
This was good news not only for workshop owners like him but also for all the city’s citizens who’d become refugees.
After all, a craftsman with equipment could make more and be more efficient than a craftsman without. And right now, when they were lacking literally everything, this difference could save several lives.
Clatter.
With that in mind, Meister prioritized collecting saws, hammers, chisels, and rulers, judging that woodworking was far more useful than metalworking at the moment.
“Sir Meister, should we take metal scraps and kindling as well?”
“Show me first.”
It didn’t really matter to him what they took, but some metals might explode the instant they came into contact with water, so it was better that he checked them over.
Meister glanced over the boxes the soldiers were dragging along. As expected, some fairly dangerous materials were mixed in.
“What about books?”
“Go ahead.”
Books, or rather, paper, weren’t as good as kindling. They were… pretty expensive, too.
However, books could be replaced, but not people’s lives, so he gave them permission to move all the books, save those that could never be acquired again.
Flip. While sifting through the second box of books, Meister stopped when a cover he didn’t recognize caught his eye.
He picked it up and read its title, The Broken Horn, before checking its contents. Then he started to remember.
“So this was still around, huh?”
A few years ago, some aspiring writer he often ran into at a bar—a rich boy with too much time, living like a bum—shoved this book into his hands, saying he wrote it based on a recent experience.
The only people who usually read books were nobles or wizards, and since he had no connections to either, he’d asked Meister to promote it instead.
He wondered whether that idiot had somehow survived as he listed this book with those that could be used as kindling.
“Should we take this one, too?”
“Yes.”
And yet, something itched at the back of his mind. There was no particular reason. It was just that the phrase “ashen hair” reminded him of someone.
“That… Demon.”
Meister thought back to everything that had happened after he fell unconscious—everything his grandfather had told him.
The ending of the book he’d just recalled made his mood even worse.
“Tsk.”
The Broken Horn was a story about kindness repaid with betrayal.
The main character hid his curse just to be near people because he missed the warmth of others, but when he gave up on hiding his curse to save others… instead of rewarding him, they called him a Demon and eventually drove him away.
“Don’t even have any dry cigarettes.”
But the current situation didn’t seem much different from the book. However, despite knowing there was a clear difference between the protagonist of The Broken Horn, who was in control, and the one he thought of, who wasn’t, honestly, he still hated this.
“Ah, no fire either.”
He’d kill for a smoke right now.
* * *
Reaper Scans
[Translator – KonnoAren]
[Proofreader – Loopin]
Join our discord for updates on releases! https://dsc.gg/reapercomics
* * *
“Urgh.”
“Gasp, Sir Great Sage!!”
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. Mind your own business.”
Great Sage Surging Azure Lake spat out a fistful of blood. It was right after he returned from fulfilling the lord’s request—checking on the adventurer.
“It seems my internal wounds have flared up.”
He held up a hand to stop the approaching wizards and used the other to wipe his mouth with his sleeve. Fortunately, the robe had an automatic cleaning spell placed on it. The dark blood stains soaking his sleeves began to slowly fade away.
“You really shouldn’t be moving.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
He wasn’t the kind of idiot to run around right after being told he absolutely needed to rest. He only went because the lord had personally requested he give his guarantee as a great sage, so he’d had no other choice.
“People and their paranoia, seriously…”
If they could see what he could, this whole mess would’ve been completely unnecessary. Surging Azure Lake clicked his tongue as he recalled the moment the Demon left them with mocking words.
“If you’d just explained why the people needn’t worry, the Temple and the wizards wouldn’t be so anxious, Sir Great Sage…”
“Do you think I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to? If you were in my position, you would have done the same thing.”
“And that’s the problem. Sir Surging Azure Lake is the only one who can see the essence.”
Surging Azure Lake was certain. From what he’d seen, he knew there was nothing to worry about, even if they left the man be.
However, this kind of answer was quite far from the logic and reason wizards loved so much.
Sure, he could try to explain this logically and come up with a reason, but the problem was that there were some… circumstances. He couldn’t just casually discuss it at his discretion, which gave him a serious headache.
“I’ve served you for quite some time, Sir Great Sage, so I know you’d never say something reckless… but the priests aren’t the same. They’re even wondering whether that ‘bet’ is some kind of contract.”
“…Is that so?”
“The wizards feel the same. I overheard some of them talking. They said that if you’re so reserved, Sir Great Sage, then maybe it’s a contract.”
“Is it that bad?”
“Hmm… They aren’t acting aggressively yet. But their patience is clearly wearing thin. So even if you don’t explain everything, you at least need to give them a reason to wait a little longer.”
However, he couldn’t ignore those words. The wizards wouldn’t sit still without any evidence. The Temple wouldn’t tolerate a Demon without justification, either.
After all, the most essential thing to wizards was logic, and the Temple’s whole existence revolved around hatred toward Demons.
“I know.”
So, in the end, all he could do was pray. He prayed that he’d be able to prove the innocence of that brilliant soul before their patience ran out.
“What should we do next?”
Now that he was done straining himself, he leaned back on his stool and looked for something he could do while sitting down.
“I don’t think the healer’s order to stay put meant sitting around in this place…”
The guy he called his escort was watching him. He’d somehow survived that chaotic disaster and was back to nagging.
“Who doesn’t know that? I’m just forced to do this because the situation is a mess.”
“The healer’s going to have an aneurysm if they see you like this. Even though they already had more than enough to do, they still took the time to diagnose you, and this is what you do.”
“If you’re so bothered by it, why don’t you go ahead and split yourself in two? If I had someone competent I could entrust this work to, I would already be resting.”
“Well…”
But despite his escort’s concerns, Surging Azure Lake kept pushing forward with his work. The escort, aware of the situation, knew better than to argue.
“More importantly, do you have any stimulants left?”
In the end, he wasn’t the only wizard working while injured. How could the leader just rest in bed while the others were working themselves to the bone?
That’s why his protection had been prioritized last night. They knew he was important for moments like these. Knowing that, Surging Azure Lake couldn’t just rest carelessly.
“Should I get you one?”
“Yeah.”
With that in mind, he took the stimulant and popped it into his mouth. The moment it hit his tongue, the blend of small black berries with red and white roots spread a rich bitterness through his mouth.
“How many do we have left?”
“We handed some out to the soldiers earlier… So, around fifty?”
“So all they brought were stimulants instead of catalysts, huh?”
“Hey, that’s not fair. You know we always carry those around.”
That was true. When you were a researcher, there were times when you just needed a stimulant, and going out to buy one every time was honestly a hassle.
Especially when the wizards who sold them didn’t have fixed hours. They also wouldn’t share the formula, so there was no other way to get them.
That’s why the mages of Bemurchen always carried at least three or four doses on them, and in extreme cases, even several dozen.
Well, in the latter’s case, it wasn’t so much about keeping awake as it was about having a convenient snack at hand…
Anyway, at this moment, having so many stimulants at hand was definitely a good thing.
Ordinary people might not realize it, but high-level personnel like wizards, knights, and soldiers couldn’t waste even a single second on sleep.
“What about communication?”
“The magic circle is ready, but we’re low on catalysts. If we attempt it like this, there’s a very high chance of failure.”
“Tsk.”
Surging Azure Lake clicked his tongue at the wizard’s report.
Maybe sending all the wizards who were best at communication and healing to the medical tent had been a mistake. However, they didn’t have much of a choice, considering people were dying.
“What about the barrier formations?”
“The windward side is almost fully covered.”
“Good, then shift focus to creating support pillars. Make sure they’re spaced out enough to set up tents.”
“Understood.”
Ideally, he would fortify the area on all sides using earthen barriers to protect people… but the clouds in the sky looked rather ominous. There was a high chance of rain.
“At the very least, I hope it holds until we finish the tents.”
If they finished in time, they could collect rainwater for drinking. However, if they didn’t, they would lose even more people.
“Hmm. Now that I think about it, we also need to get the survivors who evacuated to the west…”
Since wizards were quite handy for such rescue missions, the lord had even sent them a message requesting their help.
This meant he also needed to assign a rescue team quickly. The problem was that there was no one left to send.
“Right after climbing one mountain, there’s another just behind it.”
They were already running rotations to recover their Arcane Power and grind as much as they could, but it still wasn’t enough. Just who was he supposed to pull out?
He ran through the list of available people in his head.
“Ah, they’re back!”
The group he’d sent out to search for catalysts had finally returned.
“You’re late.”
“Hey, Gramps, do you even see how much stuff I’m carrying?”
“Hmm.”
One of them, his grandson, grumbled irritably.
It would’ve been a waste of manpower to just send him out since he couldn’t use magic without tools, but since he was still a wizard, he at least knew how to identify catalysts. He also had good stamina for the job—although his leg was injured, he could still walk. The healers said it was just some bruising—so he’d sent him out, thinking he’d be perfect for scouting the city, but… he still seemed kind of annoyed.
It made him remember something from the past—“He wasn’t that rude when we first met”—even if it was a somewhat strange thing to recall right now.
“What’s got you so worked up?”
“…It’s just, all this makes me feel like crap.”
“Are you upset about losing the equipment you collected?”
“…? What are you talking about? We used it to stay alive, so why would I care about that?”
“Then what?”
He nodded, shaking off that odd sense of melancholy. Of course, that kid wasn’t the type to care about something like that.
He understood better than anyone that as long as you survived, there’d always be a chance to get everything back.
“So what are you mad about?”
“…Maybe because the guy who saved the city is about to die?”
“That’s why? Pfft, hah, cough.”
But what did he just say?
That unexpected answer seriously shocked Surging Azure Lake, making him choke on air.
The wizards around him were no different. Some were so startled that they even dropped whatever they were holding.
“…You? Worried about someone else?”
“Do you want me to break your nose? What kind of question is that?”
“If you think about your personality, the answer is obvious.”
“You’re seriously pissing me off right now.”
His grandson’s expression became one of genuine anger, so Surging Azure Lake decided to leave it at that.
If he kept pushing, he’d be the one who’d end up losing. Anyway.
“Well, yeah. But you know there’s nothing you can do, right?”
“I know. That’s why I’m not doing anything.”
In the meantime, his grandson set down the bag and other luggage he’d been carrying.
Glancing at it, he saw catalysts that had probably been salvaged from the workshop district. There were also tools like saws and carving knives.
“Ooh, catalysts!”
“They’re all low-grade… Is this all there is?”
“No idea. But this was all we found in the workshop district.”
“What about the Magic Tower…?”
At that, someone asked about the Magic Tower. It was a wizard who’d probably been passed out when it got destroyed.
“There wasn’t even a trace of the building left. Why ask when you already knew that?”
“…What?”
However, his grandson didn’t know that. Honestly, even if he had, he probably wouldn’t care.
Some wizards’ mouths fell open at his merciless remark before they collapsed to their knees. Every last one of them had been in the final stages of their research, and if they’d had just a little more time, it would have been completed.
“…Not even one?”
“Not even one.”
But now that everything stored in their labs had been blown away, could they ever pick up where they’d left off? Surging Azure Lake didn’t think so.
Thud.
Many wizards, grabbing their necks, started fainting.
It seemed the mental shock combined with their fatigue had been too much. No number of stimulants could have kept them standing.
“That’s even fewer people we can send out now.”
But he didn’t really care about the psychological shock they were suffering.
Surging Azure Lake only expressed regret over their workforce having just shrunk.
Was he bothered about the loss of the Magic Tower? Sure, but that wasn’t the only thing lost. After all, the materials and equipment inside were worth a fortune, but they were all gone now.
However, would regretting the loss of something make it come back? Instead, Surging Azure Lake chose to be grateful the tower had at least collapsed after they finished the Purifying of the Demonic Energy.
“So, what are you planning to do now?”
“I’m making a water filter.”
The refugees desperately needed many things, but clean water was easily at the top of the list. Surging Azure Lake found that answer quite reasonable.
“Why?”
“A request for rescue personnel just came in from the west gate, but there’s no one I can send.”
“Even if I go, it wouldn’t make a difference. I’ll just stay here.”
“Okay.”
So then, who should he send? Surging Azure Lake’s expression grew even more sour.
“Sir Great Sage! We have successfully established communication with Kirchen!”
“What did they say?”
“They’ve confirmed that they’ll be sending reinforcements. Not only that, they’ll also be reaching out to Dorfmine, Dubanzig, Spurken, and Bergard!”
However, that piece of news improved his mood a bit.
He expected it would take about a week for reinforcements to arrive, but that was a hundred times better than nothing.
“It seems God hasn’t completely abandoned Bemurchen after all.”
Sunlight streamed down through the clouds, casting its glow over the people below.
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