Offer a Tribute and Become an Archmage - Chapter 180



Only Noblemtl

Offering Tribute to the Archmage Chapter 180

Slime [2]

Episode 180.

His appearance was truly atrocious.

It was such a mess that I couldn’t believe it was one of those I had seen before.

The burlap that could be seen between the torn trousers was completely torn, and the robe was clearly visible, as if it had been left somewhere. The flesh that was visible was not intact. Blood flowed through the gaps in the torn skin, and it was so ugly that it made one frown.

“Liam, hand me the potion.”

“…yes.”

He hesitated as if asking why he was giving such a precious potion to someone he didn’t even know, but he gave it to me. Still, it was an order, so when I handed him the potion, the man, who was on the verge of death, beamed with delight.

“I will never forget this favor!”

He drank half and sprinkled half. He was in pain for a long time as the wound healed and the nerves connected. After a while, the tension finally eased and he sat down.

“So, what’s going on?”

Ronobe asked, carrying his luggage on his back.

I thought I knew the general situation, but I still felt it was right to ask.

“I am Bedino, the green wizard from the former royal capital. Excuse me, what is your name…”

“This is Baron Ronove Hopper. Be polite.”

When Bedino tried to be polite, Ronobe waved his hand.

“Fine. I’d rather know what happened.”

“Yes, yes. I should tell you. We were on a Kingdom Wizard promotion quest. We were there to subdue the slimes that were said to be appearing around here.”

This is what I know so far.

What matters is what happens inside the cave.

“Have you seen the slime?”

“Usually, slimes aren’t that difficult to defeat. Their slimy bodies and large volumes are a challenge for knights, but for magicians, ah, no…”

Bedino trembled as he began to explain, as if recalling the horror of the moment. His eyes, terrified, were dilated and blood vessels burst as he recalled the moment.

“Of course, we didn’t just go with the wizards like fools! We saved up a little bit and hired mercenaries and rushed to the hideout where we thought the bastard would be…!”

But they saw it there.

“That one was different. It was different…! It wasn’t any ordinary slime… It was hot, and it smelled really bad! Slime was rising from the ceiling! From the floor… T-We have to save them right now!! My comrades… Sob! Sob sob! My comrades…!!”

Bedino cried like a child.

He said he had to go rescue her, but he probably already knew that.

The only one who survived was the one who ran away.

The comrades who entered that cave would probably become its meal.

“I guess it’s not the usual slime.”

He said this as he looked at Kael and Mick coming out of the carriage at the unexpected commotion.

“Do you know anything about slime?”

Unlike Mick, who shook his head, Kael answered with his usual unlucky smile.

“I know a little.”

Ronobe’s eyes flinched.

I asked because I thought Mick would know, but I ended up giving the initiative in the conversation to Kael.

“There was a time when the territory of Jerba was troubled by slimes. It was when I first opened my eyes to magic.”

Kael strode over to Bedino and asked him.

“My name is Kael Jerba. I am the heir to the Jerba estate located in the northeast. Lord Bedino, the majestic wizard of the kingdom. Or, could you tell me the color or shape of the slime? How did it fight?”

To anyone who saw him, he looked like a kind and handsome noble wizard. He was handsome, but he also seemed capable and kind.

Wow! The nobleman’s cool appearance was all his own, but Ronobe, who knew that inside he had dozens of beggarly snakes, was furious.

“Ah, it was dark and chaotic so I couldn’t see the color properly, but it must be green. Well, we went in after seeing the trace. And as I said before, the thing fell from the ceiling. As soon as they made contact with the thing, all the mercenaries melted, and my colleagues tried to use magic, but even that wasn’t easy. Uh, everyone…”

“How many mercenaries were there?”

“Yes, it was eight.”

“Did those eight hit at once?”

“yes…”

Kael nodded as he looked at Bedino, who was sobbing again.

“I think I have a rough idea. The green color and the way it falls from the ceiling. Most slimes don’t attack in that way. If eight mercenaries were hit at once, they would be huge.”

“Does that have anything to do with it?”

In response to Ronobe’s question, Kael raised one corner of his mouth and answered.

“Of course. Sir Hopper has never met a slime, so he wouldn’t know.”

‘That son of a bitch…?’

“The slime that Lord Bedino met must be moti_Slime.”

“Moti?”

“Moti is an old word meaning corner of the present. Moti slime is basically not much different from the slime that is known. Originally, slime was called a monster of adaptation because it adapts to the environment it lived in. Moti slime is the same. They are slimes that live in corners of caves or narrow valleys.”

What a great slime.

He has a knack for making things sound plausible by exaggerating trivial things. Doesn’t that just mean a slime that lives in a corner? Kael glared at Ronobe as he laughed in disbelief.

“Moti Slime is not a big threat when it is a juvenile, but if it survives long enough to become an adult, it will grow to be incredibly large. By then, it would be safe to say that the entire cave is filled with slime. Above all, Moti is a master of division.”

“Master of Division?”

“The ability to split and manipulate my body is amazing. There’s no way Lord Bedino wouldn’t attack the giant slime. But it wouldn’t have been of much use. The Morty Slime would have hidden its most important core in a corner of the cave.”

“!!”

It wasn’t a particularly impressive story, but there was one thing. In the part where the division and the corners were mentioned, Ronobe had no choice but to acknowledge his knowledge. This was because it was something that could not have been known without actual experience and knowledge of slime.

“As expected, you are the successor of Djerba. You also have a unique perspective on biology.”

“It’s because of the special nature of Djerba. It’s not something to brag about.”

“After all that bragging, what are you talking about…”

As Ronobe grumbled, Benny patted his side. It was right to put aside the vicious jealousy for a moment.

“Lord Bedino, please take a break. We each have our own circumstances, so I think we should discuss them.”

“Yes, I understand…”

As Mick spoke gently yet firmly, Bedino nodded and disappeared under the guidance of the private.

Then Mick, Kael, and Ronob began to look at each other and discuss things.

“I’m fine.”

Kael was in favor of exterminating the slimes.

“Isn’t this also fate? Besides, I can’t ignore the wizard who is in such a difficult situation.”

“Well, I don’t feel like it.”

Surprisingly, it was Mick who opposed it.

“Although Lord Kael has the wisdom to deal with slimes, he has no actual experience in doing so. That goes for everyone here.”

Even if it’s slime, it’s a closed space.

Entering a cave with dark vision and going on a raid is more dangerous than you might think. No matter how strong the magic is, it doesn’t always work the same way under various terrain conditions or adverse conditions.

‘Magic casting failed.’

And it’s not magic in the game.

Considering that your magic can hurt your allies, magic in a dark cave is more likely to hurt your allies than your enemies.

Even if you have a command system for subjugation and narrow caves, the ability to improvise and command to deal with sudden situations is not something that just anyone can have. It’s not for nothing that most commanders are middle-aged.

“If it’s because of the cave’s special nature, then you don’t have to worry about that. Have you forgotten what my magic is?”

Kael of the Halo.

The point was that if he was there, there was no need to be afraid of the darkness of the cave.

“With my magic, defeating the Moti Slime won’t be that difficult.”

“surely…”

No matter how far away the slime is hidden, Kael’s magic can find it.

That’s what it said.

“Really?”

But Ronobe remained suspicious of him with his arms crossed.

As it is known, Kael has only been learning magic for a few years. The same goes for Ronobe, but anyway, there are some things that need to be confirmed and moved on.

“How long can you gather and maintain light?”

“As long as you keep the light on, you can keep it on for over an hour at a time. You don’t have to worry about the number of times.”

Ronobe’s eyes narrowed.

‘It’s more fun than I thought.’

I thought I was born with good bloodlines and was lucky enough to inherit a lineage of strong magic, but it seems that wasn’t the case.

Kael himself seemed to be quite talented.

‘One hour…’

Unlike in martial arts novels, here, you tend to exaggerate your power a little.

Even taking that into account, it should be able to last at least thirty minutes, so that should be enough to subdue the slimes. Furthermore, looking at the number of people here, there is no force that can be afraid of the slimes.

There are at least six wizards, and more than five including the knight Liam. There are more than twice that many private soldiers, so it’s worth a try.

‘Why are you so active in suppressing it?’

I couldn’t quite understand it.

Is it for one’s own reputation?

Or maybe it’s because the wizard Bedino’s circumstances are so pitiful.

‘It’s more likely to be the former, but…’

Ronobe somehow felt that there might be a secret beyond that. Like the secret of the slime that only Kael knew.

“Sir Hopper. How are you?”

Mick waited for Ronnobe’s decision.

Kael pushed for subjugation, but Mick seemed to be ambiguous. He put the car into neutral gear and asked for Ronobe’s opinion.

‘I wonder if we really need to punish them.’

I tended to ignore it a bit because it was called slime, but it was natural to feel uncomfortable when a person died.

The spirit of youth may make you think you can catch a wild boar, but when you actually come face to face with it, you are surprised even if a squirrel rushes at you.

Although the circumstances are dire, Ronobe is not so naive as to risk his life for the sake of a man he just met for the first time.

‘Is it worth risking my life and that of my men?’

Ronobe is no longer an individual.

You could say he’s the head of a group.

Because of that, he always had to think about how he could gain group benefits rather than personal gain.

‘If I had known this would happen, I would have followed you earlier. I didn’t know that slime was that strong…’

Even if you regret it, it’s already too late.

They fought and lost by their own decisions.

It was not something that Ronobe would regret.

Rather, it would have been right to discuss the realistic aspects.

“How are you going to distribute the byproducts from the slime extermination?”

Kael’s eyebrows twitched for a moment at Ronobe’s question.

“Shouldn’t we share it equally? Whatever I get here, I will share it with you.”

“Understood. Then let’s do that. Of course, Lord Kael’s private soldiers should take the lead.”

Kael flinched.

If we compare Kael and his power, then of course Ronobe is higher.

He’s over twenty, and if you include the bandits, he’ll be over thirty. But Kael’s private army consists of eleven knights. It’s only natural that he’d feel burdened by being in the lead.

“… Wouldn’t it be better for Lord Hopper’s private soldiers to have the honor of leading the way rather than my private soldiers?”

“My private soldiers are poorly trained. They are shameful compared to the soldiers of Djerba. Moreover, Lord Kael’s determination to punish is so firm, how can I dare to go ahead? It is only right to yield to the successor of Djerba.”

Kael’s cheek trembled faintly.

‘I just felt like a total noble.’

I was able to speak fluently enough to feel proud of myself. This was all because I grew up talking to the gods and getting cursed at.

“Okay… let’s do that.”

Kael also replied with a trembling voice that he understood, as if there was no room for rebuttal.

The expedition has been confirmed.

He turned his horse’s head and quickly headed toward the dungeon, asking Bedino, who was resting, about the terrain and location of the cave.

If you’re going to do it anyway, it’s better to do it quickly. The longer the trip, the more you’ll lose out.

“The cave isn’t that big. I don’t think we can go all the way in.”

“Let’s divide the group in half.”

It was decided to leave half of Kael and Ronobe’s private soldiers outside.

“I’ll stay too. It won’t be of much help if I go in.”

Rirun and Peter were still young and could not enter the dungeon.

Benald decided to stay with them and guard the outside of the cave.

Kael’s knights and privates are at the forefront.

In the middle were Ronnobe, Benny and Liam, and at the back were Jill, Mick and Tommy.

“Wear a shield rather than a sword. If you cut the slime’s body, only the sword will be damaged. Some slimes can even damage swords.”

At Kael’s words, the soldiers and knights raised their shields rather than their swords. After all, magic was needed to defeat the slime, and it was right for the soldiers and knights to raise their shields and protect the magicians.

“I’m going to start using magic.”

As Kael used his magic, the light from the torches the soldiers were holding was sucked into his mirror.

The red light turned into pure white light and floated above Kael. It was certainly much better than the crude torches and the like in illuminating the surroundings with magical light.

“Wow, it’s bright…”

I think I know why you were so confident.

The light is brighter than I thought.

The light was so bright that it almost reminded Ronobe of modern-day light bulbs, and he almost shed tears. With this, he could clearly see where the slime was hiding.

If we set aside Kael’s sinister nature, his magic was certainly excellent.

“I didn’t know that even noble families have successors. Wasn’t this originally a custom among witches?”

“That was the case originally. However, it has been quite some time since the witch group of Aolos and the kingdom made peace. Isn’t it tradition and exchange that good things are continued and old things are discarded?”

It’s just like Mick said.

It has been a long time since the kingdom and the witch made peace. It would not be strange if a successor emerged from a noble family.

“Adults who still can’t forget the war with the witches are reluctant to accept it, but the magic left behind by our ancestors is a precious heirloom even to non-witches.”

“okay.”

Could it be because the inside of the cave is so bright?

Even the very nervous soldiers began to speak up one by one.

Liam went forward, banging their heads and telling them to shut up, but the mood brightened up once again.

There was no particular need to worry.

“It smells.”

The cave began to smell musty and something unpleasant.

“I smell blood.”

It’s just like Benny said.

As we slowly moved forward, Kael’s light illuminated the entire cave.

Blood and torn flesh.

There were pieces of flesh and organs scattered around, undigested and still attached to the bones.

Perhaps because so many people had been hit, or perhaps the creature wasn’t that hungry, the dirty traces of predation were still there.

“Ugh, wooweeek!”

It was such a gruesome scene that some soldiers couldn’t stand it and were venting their anger. Even Ronobe, who had been in various battlefields and hunted, thought it was brutal enough, so he didn’t scold the soldiers.

“Don’t make a fuss over nothing.”

Of course, it was Liam who felt embarrassed because it was Ronobe’s private soldiers who were vomiting.

‘They’ve been privates for less than three months. There’s nothing I can do.’

By the way, I think it’s about time for that guy to show up.

“How is it?”

“It looks like we were attacked from above, just like Lord Bedino said. Our battle line collapsed all at once, and we were hit by the split slime attacks without even being able to properly attack.”

Kaeldo covered his nose with his robe because the smell was so bad.

“The cave ceiling is high. If you fell from there and were ambushed, it would have been difficult to avoid death.”

The ceiling is quite high.

If a slime fell from there, it would be instant death based on mass alone. At the very least, it looked as if it was as tall as a three-story house.

But there was no sign of magic. The corpses of the wizards did not seem to be there.

There was no grimoire.

“It would be better if you were full. The bastard would let his guard down. I think it’s about time he showed up.”

At Kael’s words, Mick pulled out his sword and Lonobe created a staff out of ice.

The privates and knights carried shields.

From now on, I had to move slowly in preparation for the slime that might appear at any time.

That was when.

“for a moment!”

Benny shouted.

What she saw through her eyes piercing through the darkness was the end of the cave.

A green giant that has settled there.

At the same time, Kael’s halo advanced to the end of the cave and illuminated the monster.

“Huh!”

“oh my god…!”

What I saw was a slime with countless tentacles, playing with people like toys and putting them inside my body to melt and eat them.

But there was something more eye-catching than that.

“That’s…”

Human-like appearance but small stature.

A dwarf with disheveled hair and a staff with a strange stone tied to it.

And faded gray skin.

“It’s a gnome.”

Perhaps the slime wasn’t simply a naturally occurring entity.