Edited by Iseul
The heat was unbearable.
And yet the inquisitor didn’t have a single gleam of sweat on his body. Was it just Julian then? He grimaced, trying to pretend that he wasn’t out of breath when following Leonel’s long strides. Julian’s strength and circuits were failing him. The blueiron armor was eating into mana reserves that frankly no longer existed.
“So…what manner of…unwelcome guests are you talking about here?” Julian bit out between heaving breaths.
Leonel slowed a bit. His towering figure was atop a slight slope, looking out to find the trails that led back to the village. When he gazed over his shoulder, Leonel couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry when he saw the frail doctor grasping his knees, hunched over. Unthinking, Leonel held out a hand. “I’m sure you’ve heard about the rumors from Fauster already.”
Julian gripped the outstretched hand, allowing Leonel to pull him up the incline. Home felt so close yet so far at the same time. “Why yes, vague tellings passed between the mouths of village folk, do you think I’d be privy to any accurate news? So why don’t you tell me straight before barking at me to get out of here.”
Leonel clicked his tongue. “That Fallen Embers man. He was escorting an innate mage. If she is close, it can only mean trouble.”
“Ah. The viscount’s daughter?” Julian had to jog a little to keep up with Leonel’s steps, only to stumble a little when his right leg failed him. Amazingly, Leonel was as solid as a brick wall and didn’t even react when Julian leaned against him.
Leonel made a face of annoyance. “So you do know.” He almost shoved the doctor off out of spite, but then he saw Julian’s ghastly visage and his bleary eyes behind glasses that sat crooked on his nose. So instead, he wrapped his arm around Julian’s tiny waist and wondered how this emaciated person could even carry something as heavy as the blueiron armor around his leg.
“Hm?” Julian couldn’t help but lean heavily into the arm around his body. His flesh was already sizzling beneath the heat of the bluestone. Sweat beaded on his brow from the pain. Though he trembled, Julian maintained an easy-going smile that seemed to put Leonel off. “I know a few things…hardly the full picture.”
The doctor cleared his throat. He squinted and readjusted his glasses. He couldn’t help but wonder why the world was starting to look blurry despite still having his glasses on. “This is what I’ve garnered thus far,” Julian began, hiding the agony behind a cheerful voice. “A terrifying innate mage popped up in Fauster. The viscount’s girl, who, by all counts, has not yet reached womanhood.
“And thus the Divine Light sends an inquisitor to deal with the issue, who may or may not be yourself. Perhaps, the Divine Light was so terrified of this little girl that they sent more than one inquisitor!”
“Three,” Leonel corrected offhandedly.
Julian rolled his eyes, clicking his tongue at the absurdity of it all. “Right. So the viscount’s daughter is the second coming of Amari the Crimson, good to know.” Julian thought that Leonel tensed a little but maybe that was his imagination. “So the Divine Light sends not one but three inquisitors to cull a single child. The Fallen Embers then decide they wish to join in on the fun as well. This innate mage slipped out of the hands of not one, but three inquisitors! Roaming free and wreaking havoc, it seems, all the way here in quiet little Gotsven even.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Yt jcv atja vbfrc’a fnfc abemt bc atf wbra qehhilcu qlfmf bo atfw jii…!” Aeiljc ujrqfv, klcvfv ogbw tlr ibcu gjwyilcu.
Ofbcfi rabqqfv, jiibklcu Aeiljc ab mjamt tlr ygfjat. Lf gfrlrafv atf eguf ab klqf atf rkfja boo atf vbmabg’r ygbkr, offilcu la kbeiv yf j ilaaif abb lcalwjaf mbcrlvfglcu atflg meggfca gfijalbcr. “Qtja wluta atja yf?”
“You!” Julian hissed through gritted teeth. He tried to right himself, to find his balance without the inquisitor’s aid. But it was more effort than worth. “You are the most puzzling piece of them all, Sir Inquisitor. How did you end up in such a state, hm? Did the scary innate mage cast a spell so powerful it corrupted your circuits despite your anti-mana? Or was it that Fallen Embers mage, was he the one that hit your arm with such force that it damaged your armor? He did not look particularly fit.”
“…” At first, there was just silence. Julian scoffed, assuming that the inquisitor was just going to leave him hanging. Which was why he was surprised when Leonel spoke up. “I…might be in trouble.”
Julian quirked a brow. “So…you might be in trouble…with whom? Your inquisitor friends?”
Leone scoffed. “They aren’t my friends. But yes. I might be in trouble with them. But…I’m not certain. I’ve yet the chance to confirm anything.”
This Leonel character was getting more interesting by the second. Julian observed him intently, watching the way his brow twitched ever so slightly, lips pulled down. He couldn’t help but snicker a little. “Is that why you’re sticking to me despite knowing that I’m a mage? Think that I’ll help fend off some of your good old pals?”
“As if,” Leonel shoved him a little, which only caused the inquisitor to hold Julian even closer, preventing the doctor from falling over. “Any inquisitor, no matter how green, could kill you in their sleep.”
Julian leaned his head against Leonel’s chest. Truthfully, he was feeling extremely tired, yet he still found the energy to smirk. There was something in his eyes, a hidden flame, mirthful power. “You underestimate me, son,” he muttered, low and sultry. “If I truly desired it, I could have your life right here and now.”
“…” Leonel looked down at the person that leaned against him. Julian was so thin that Leonel felt as though he could snap the doctor’s spine just by holding him. The doctor seemed like he was about to pass out at any given moment. And yet, for a split second, Leonel truly believed the weight behind Julian’s words.
What absurdity!
Leonel grimaced.
Out of both retaliation and convenience, he swooped down and picked the doctor up, tossing the older man right over the shoulder like a good old sack of potatoes.
A high-pitched screech escaped the doctor’s lips, followed by a string of agitated protests, “Put me down at once! My waist, ow, my waist is going to break in two. Ow, ow, ow! It damned hurts, you dog-brained idiot. Argh, do you know what karma is? Probably not but allow me to explain…”
Unbeknown to Leonel, Julian was truly in a lot of pain. The way the young man’s hand wound tightly around his thigh was adding pressure to the burning bluestone that threatened to eat into Julian’s circuit scars.
“I see you still have quite a bit of energy.” Leonel took large strides, eager to return to the hut sooner than later. His wide movements jostled Julian’s pained leg even more.
Julian groaned, his head growing dizzy. Somehow, that only inspired him to spew more absurdities. “How dare you! Is this how you treat your bride?” He hammered the inquisitor’s back with as much strength as he could, which apparently wasn’t much. “Do you even understand what you’re doing? Do you really think my mother would approve of a man like you? Though in truth, she never did quite approve of my existence in the first place that’s beside the point!”
Annoyed, Leonel gave Julian a chiding spank on the buttocks. The doctor squeaked out of utter dismay. “Y-You! Lecher! Pervert! Know that I do not share any of your deranged kinks!”
Whatever point Julian was even blabbering about, it went in through one ear and out the other. Leonel ignored him and acquainted the blaring squeals to the irritated mewls of a disgruntled cat. Once the association was made, Leonel could comfortably filter out whatever nonsense the doctor was spewing.
He sighed in relief, happy to be traveling faster now that he had Julian slung over his shoulder. But Leone’s relief was short-lived. Because when he came upon Julian’s house, there was a teenage girl waiting for them outside.
Her blond hair was brown from dirt, matted with tangles. Though she was wearing boy’s clothing it was easy to determine her sex, even with all the mess of mud and blood crusted over the fabric. Her face was delicate and feminine, with wide eyes and rosy lips. Despite her unsightly state, when she looked up there were flecks of gold in her eyes, shining.
Leonel held his breath. The last time he saw those kinds of eyes, was when the dethroned Mage King held Princess Giselle over the tower’s ledge. They were the eyes of an innate mage.
It took Leonel a moment to remind himself that the person in front of him was not his most hated enemy, but just a teenage girl.
The hand tightened around Julian’s thigh, making the doctor kick in protest. “You undignified beast!” he howled, unaware of the girl that now stood in front of Leonel. “How dare you treat your bride this way? Be gentle! I’m delicate and frail! What if you ruin me before we’ve even had our first night together? What would your father say about that?” Julian continued to shamelessly spew, hoping that his nonsense would encourage the young man to finally put him down.
The girl’s expression quickly changed from determined and excited to disgust and judgmental.
Both annoyance and embarrassment punched through Leonel’s chest. He abruptly threw the doctor down, as though the older man was nothing more than trash.
“Ow! What part of being gentle did you not understand? I’m old!” Julian hissed as he rubbed his poor abused hip. It was then he noticed the girl that was standing before them.
“…”
“…”
“…”
Awkwardness was amok. Julian squinted at the girl and fixed his glasses. Though her features were obscured with dirt, he knew for a fact that he hadn’t seen that young face before. She was not from the village. And her bright, shining eyes were telling of her power.
But Julian, still dizzy from the pain and tired beyond belief, wasn’t exactly thinking straight. It was a mystery as to what might have inspired him to yell, “Leonel! Don’t tell me this is your daughter from a previous marriage! I will not accept her into this house!”
The girl gasped, “O-oh! I didn’t know you were married, sir.”
Leonel’s eyelid twitched, his lips pulled into a snarl. “Don’t encourage him, stupid girl! He’s already as deranged as it is!”
“You! I resent that! Just because you’re bigger do not think I’ll let you get away with raising your voice at me!” Julian howled in response. Seemingly unaware of his lack of strength, he surged to his feet, only to trip and fall right on over.
Plop! Julian fell to the ground face first.
“Serves you right,” Leonel spat.
But a moment passed and the girl hesitantly approached. “Um…? Sir? He’s not getting up.”
“…I don’t have time for this,” Leonel scoffed, ready to dismiss the silence as further dramatics.
Except he suddenly recalled Julian’s pale complexion and weakened state back on the trail. Guilt gnawed at him. The inquisitor knelt by the doctor and frowned. “We don’t have time for all these jokes, Doctor.”
But to his horror, it really wasn’t a joke.
Julian had passed out, cold.
Author: HAPPY NEW YEAR’S EVE WAHHH! sorry it’s a bit late in the day I got pretty busy T u T but I hope you enjoy!! <3 <3
Happy New Year’s Eve to you! Thanks for the chapter! Poor Julian! I love his crazy complaining! 🤣❤️🥳🎉😁
Julian’s subconscious bursting forth with the married couple rant. Lol Also why is this girl disapproval of their marriage? Does she want Julian for herself?
Thank you for chapter and lovely art. Opportunist Leonel copping feel is hilarious
Omg Julian 🙏🙏
That hand… It’s still there.. XD
Thank you for the chapter!! ❤️❤️
Oof, Leonel has his hands full now
HAPPY NEW YEAR VAAAAL
And damn Leonel knows where to put that hand 👌
how dare he treat his bride that way!! insolent!
thanks for the chapter <3
Julian butt i s impossibly plump for an old geezer