The Great Mage Returns After 4000 Years (Web Novel KR)
chapter-291

Lukas remained silent for a while. He needed time to organise his thoughts.

But Rina didn’t wait for him and instead began asking him questions right away.

“Does anything come to mind?”

It seemed she had noticed something from his expression.

This woman seemed to be very quick witted, so it would be difficult to just gloss over the reaction he just had.

“…it feels like I’ve heard that name before. But I’m not sure.”

“I see.”

Rina nodded.

“Do you remember anything about the ‘Day of the Apocalypse’?”

“Day of the Apocalypse…?”

“It seems you don’t know. So I’ll just explain it briefly.”

After organising her thoughts for a moment, Rina opened her mouth.

“10 years ago, several countries and major cities all disappeared at the same time on what we call ‘The Day of the Apocalypse’. It was by the transcendent beings, the Demigods… It was said that they were terrifying beings. Their numbers were rumored to be no more than a hundred at most, but each one of them was powerful enough to rival a country.”

“…”

Lukas’ expression changed slightly at those words.

As if she misunderstood his expression to mean something else, Rina gave him a plain smile.

“I know it might be hard to believe. But I’m not lying. Beings like that really existed only 10 years ago.”

Well, most people, including herself, had never actually seen them in person.

Rina added that bit in her head before continuing.

“It would have been nice if beings with that much power were kind and just, but unfortunately, they weren’t. They treated every being that wasn’t their kind as insects.”

“…”

“And it was the organisation called the Circle that kept them in check.”

“…then isn’t the Circle the good guys?”

That was the question Lukas had wanted to ask the most. Thanks to Rina’s meticulous explanation, he was able to ask it without it being strange.

“That was the case at that time. In fact, the Circle were also the ones who finally drove the Demigods away. But they’ve changed now. Their behaviour has become… coercive and self righteous.”

Lukas was silent for a while because he truly didn’t know what to say. His gaze slowly drifted to the carriages filled with weapons.

“…then what about those items you’re transporting.”

“Those are equipment to support the Anti Circle Alliance. I’m only telling you this because you’re already deeply embroiled in this.”

She was telling him that this information should not be spread.

Lukas was in a daze.

This situation was one that he couldn’t easily understand.

…In other words.

Was she supporting a rebel force that was fighting against Lukas’ companions?

‘Peran too?’

Why? What was the reason? Didn’t he always want to join the Circle?

He felt dizzy.

Of course, in the past, when Lukas was Frey, the Circle could not be called a good organisation.

They were controlled by and filled with people who had crooked beliefs, like Rezil Wilsemann. They refused to fight the Demigods and hoped to survive by submitting to them.

—The day of the purge.

Most of those people had been killed.

Right. That was the most decisive reason for his confusion.

At that time, most if not all of the rotten parts had been cut off. The people leading the Circle now were those that Lukas trusted greatly.

Ivan, Iris, Snow, and the others should be leading the Circle now.

“…these items, did Peran order them?”

He thought that he’d heard something like that when Rina and Budilem were talking.

“Yes. That’s right.”

“…”

Peran Jun.

This meant that those Lukas trusted the most, those he had entrusted this universe to, considered Peran as an ‘enemy’.

If that was the case, then was Peran the bad guy?

Had he chosen to help the wrong side?

In fact, would it have been better to help Budilem slaughter all of them instead?

‘No.’

He couldn’t even bring himself to agree to something like that.

His ability to grasp the nature of a person was unparalleled.

Peran was a truly kindhearted person who was willing to save and take care of a suspicious and mysterious stranger who claimed to have lost their memories.

Of course, there had been a hint of doubt in his kindness, but it still couldn’t be denied that he was a good person.

Budilem, on the other hand, was a piece of trash that had great power but liked playing with the lives of others.

“Are you okay?”

Rina was looking at him with a worried expression on her face. His face had become much paler than before.

“Yes… just, my head is hurting a bit.”

“That might be a sign that your memories are returning. I think your past might have something to do with the Circle.” (TL: If only she knew.)

“…”

“In any case, I’m really glad we’re headed to the Kastkau Empire.”

“What do you mean?”

“The empire is one of the few places on the continent where the Circle’s influence is weak. It used to be one of their main strongholds, but they were declared heretics by the Emperor and forced out.”

That was an event that Lukas knew about.

Lord had threatened the Emperor and forced him to declare the Circle as rebels and treat them as such. As a result, most of the Circle’s bases hidden throughout the Kastkau Empire had disappeared.

“Those who managed to escape should have kept your appearance in mind. Maybe next time, they’ll send a stronger person after you.”

“Do you really think they’d go that far?”

“As far as I know. That’s the kind of group the Circle is.”

Rina spoke in a calm voice, as though everything she was saying was only natural. Lukas, on the other hand, shook every time he heard what she said.

He sighed and decided to guide the flow of their conversation a bit.

“I guess the leader of the Circle must be a really vicious person.”

“Well. I’m not too sure about that. The leader of the Circle is an unsolved mystery.”

“…”

“Lord Peran would know more about it than I do.”

In the end, Rina only knew so much.

Lukas once again came to a realisation.

Peran was the key to answering several of his questions.

‘…Ivan.’

What the hell was he doing with the Circle right now?

* * *

“Sir Lukas, it’s time to eat.”

A gentle voice called out to him.

Lukas slowly opened one eye to observe the man that had come to him.

Garp.

The man who had taken over the leadership of the mercenaries from Idail, who died.

Lukas wasn’t sure what type of man Idail was since they never got the chance to talk. But he judged that the charisma and leadership skills displayed by Garp were sufficient to lead this group.

Was this the reason he’d been able to become a vice leader despite his age? After all, he was a bit old compared to other mercenaries.

Placing his sword down, he got up from his seat and followed the man out. As soon as he stepped outside, an enticing aroma stirred his appetite.

He saw the mercenaries beneath the setting sun, preparing to receive their meals. When they saw him, a few mercenaries were immediately intimidated by Lukas.

In the past, Lukas always gained the attention of the others when they were gathered together in such a large group, though this was usually at mealtimes.

Nevertheless, the atmosphere now was completely different from the atmosphere at that time.

“You can sit here.”

“Is your body feeling okay?”

Their voices and attitudes were very polite.

Whenever Lukas passed, the mercenaries gave way or bowed their heads to him in respect. Some of them even looked at him with sparkling eyes that seemed like they might pierce through his face.

Lukas was a bit shocked by the sudden change of attitude, but he soon came to learn that it was just the way mercenaries behaved.

Their lifestyles were basically a meritocracy. The respect given to the strong was not as simple as one would first expect. Among mercenaries, the prestige of the strong was greater than in a pack of wild animals. In a sense, it was extremely pure.

For them, Lukas had now transformed from a lucky cripple bastard who met a good supporter and was being treated well for no reason, to a mysterious talented man with unknown circumstances.

Tuff-

Not long after he took his seat, the food was served.

Until now, all he’d been given to eat was hard bread and thick soup, but now, he was given beef jerky and lamb stew. In particular, the beef jerky was deliciously salty because it had been seasoned well and kept in the proper conditions. In fact, he was almost certain that the seasoning used was fairly expensive.

As Lukas picked up his spoon and scooped a mouthful of stew, Garp, who was sitting beside him, also began eating his cornbread.

After a sip of water from his canteen, he wiped his mouth and turned to Lukas.

“Please forgive the disrespect we showed to you in the past.”