# Chapter 13
—
The flash of lightning was so intense it felt like it might blind him.
Before the startled Yuri could even shut his eyes, Haryeong’s hand moved first.
Her open palm covered his eyes.
At the same time, she closed her own eyes and turned her back.
Namgung Jin, who had been near where the lightning struck, also squeezed his eyes shut, covering his face with both arms as he jumped back.
—Bzzzt!
The delayed sound tore through the air.
The lightning dissipated without crossing the mansion grounds.
The current didn’t spread through the ground either.
Instead, violet sparks crackled and scattered through the air.
After confirming the lightning had faded, Haryeong slowly opened her eyes.
“My apologies. The situation was sudden.”
She removed her hand from Yuri’s face.
Yuri opened his eyes as well.
“Ghh… ugh…”
Namgung Jin, who had jumped before the strike, was now flopping on the ground like a fish pulled onto land, twitching violently.
Yuri swallowed and shifted his gaze.
At the place where the lightning had struck, two people—
No, one person stood.
Black hair tied back.
A tall woman wearing a white shirt, black vest, black trousers, and dress shoes.
“I wondered which bold fool dared trespass into my cute apprentice’s house.”
Heavenly Thunder Orca Dercia.
She looked down at Namgung Jin as if he were an insect.
“To think it’s actually the fourth son of the great Namgung Clan. Did you lose your mind over some lovesick obsession?”
Lovesick?
Yuri flinched and stared at Namgung Jin.
So that’s why the lunatic had kept ringing the bell so desperately… why he’d lost his mind the moment he saw Yuri’s wet hair.
There had been *that* kind of reason.
“Grr… ugh…”
“Seems Namgung Ju-won’s parenting is worse than I thought. Your father might barely pass for a tiger. But you… you couldn’t even pass for a dog.”
A golden glow flashed in her eyes.
At that instant, the lightning energy pinning Namgung Jin down vanished completely.
“T-Tower Master…”
Elena, who had been tucked under Orca’s arm like luggage, finally spoke.
“Please put me down. We’re here.”
“How was the ride?”
The cold, bug-like gaze she’d used on Namgung Jin softened when it turned to Elena.
Smiling playfully, Orca ruffled Elena’s blonde hair.
“Consider it an honor. You’re the first of my prospective disciples to experience my Thunder God Illusion, even indirectly.”
“Th-thank you…”
“Nothing to thank me for. It’s not because you’re special. The situation was urgent. And it wouldn’t be fair to let only you experience it. Next time I’ll make Arist and Lacy try it too.”
It was a teasing whisper.
Normally Elena would’ve shrunk at those words.
But not now.
She chewed her lip repeatedly, glaring at Namgung Jin.
“You’re very angry. What do you want to do?”
Orca chuckled and let Elena down.
Standing on her own, Elena pressed down her messy hair and took a short breath.
“Do what?”
“That dog who can’t even pass for a dog.”
Orca pointed at Namgung Jin.
Even just being pointed at made his face turn pale.
“I zapped him once already, but that’s not enough, is it? Want to roast him yourself?”
“I-it’s a misunderstanding!”
Even Namgung Jin couldn’t rage at Heavenly Thunder Orca.
Trembling, he dropped to his knees.
“Lady Orca, please hear me out. I—”
“Namgung mutt, why should I hear you out?”
Orca frowned.
“This isn’t my house. It’s my cute prospective disciple Elena Heinderga’s residence. Shouldn’t you be talking to her instead?”
“Th-that’s…”
“I’ve never really felt disappointment toward your father before. But seeing you… now I’m disappointed in him. Namgung mutt, you’re talking to me only because I’m the strongest one here, aren’t you?”
Namgung Jin’s lips trembled.
He couldn’t answer.
Orca looked at him with genuine contempt, then snorted.
“At least you’re not the eldest. That’s your father’s one stroke of luck.”
She stepped back.
Now Elena stood at the very front.
She looked down coldly at Namgung Jin kneeling on the ground.
“E-Elena…”
“Young Master Namgung Jin. You don’t need to explain why you trespassed into my home, what you did here, or what you said.”
Elena spoke.
“I’ve already seen everything that happened here through magic. So you don’t need to explain anything to me.”
“Th-there was a misunderstanding—”
“Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding? Please… just stop making excuses.”
“It’s not an excuse—”
“Enough!”
Her voice sharpened.
Golden electricity crackled around her.
“The person you tried to harm is someone I personally invited into my home. My childhood friend who traveled a long way to arrive today. And you didn’t just trespass—you attacked him. Someone who knows neither martial arts nor magic.”
“…”
“You’re not expecting me to be grateful that you ‘held back,’ are you? Young Master… I’m deeply disappointed. A prestigious clan like the Namgung Clan… using ‘misunderstanding’ as an excuse to assault an ordinary person who had no intention of fighting…!”
“I… I apologize.”
Namgung Jin rose awkwardly.
“I understand why you’re disappointed. I won’t make any more excuses. So…”
“Isn’t the order of apology wrong?”
Elena’s shoulders trembled.
She suddenly turned toward Yuri.
“I… apologize.”
This wasn’t the time for pride.
Namgung Jin just wanted this nightmare to end.
He bowed his head toward Yuri.
“I-I made a grave mistake. So…”
“Alright.”
Yuri also wanted this over.
He had expected Haryeong to come, then Elena, and things would smooth over.
He hadn’t expected Orca Dercia herself to show up.
“An apology with just your mouth isn’t enough, is it?”
Orca smirked from behind.
“Regardless of the reason, that Namgung mutt trespassed here. Just how lightly does the Namgung Clan take the Dercia Magic Tower to dare something like this?”
“N-no! We would never look down on you. This was solely my personal—”
“Are you sure you didn’t rely on your clan’s prestige? Can you truly swear there wasn’t even a little thought like ‘It’ll be fine, I have the Namgung Clan backing me’?”
Golden light flashed in Orca’s eyes again.
Even Yuri could tell this was a blatant trap.
No matter how Namgung Jin answered, she’d corner him.
“…No.”
Namgung Jin knew it too.
So he gave the answer she wanted.
“Then you relied on the Namgung Clan’s power and looked down on the Dercia Magic Tower’s mage. Let’s see. According to Lutran city law, trespassing into someone’s home carries a fine. If you steal, they cut your ankle so you never climb walls again. If you injure someone, they cut your wrist so you never throw a punch again.”
Just the fact such laws were enforced showed how different Lutran was from Aldor.
“Since you didn’t steal, no need to cut your ankle. But you caused injury, so your wrist must go. You look right-handed. Learning swordsmanship with your left would be inconvenient, so I’ll cut off your left hand instead. See? The Tower Master of Dercia is merciful.”
Namgung Jin’s mouth hung open.
It didn’t sound like a joke.
Heavenly Thunder Orca really would do it.
“A fine and a wrist. Unfortunate for you, but it won’t end with just a fine and your left wrist. First, as the Tower Master of Dercia, I will formally negotiate with the Namgung Clan. I’ll say this: *Namgung Ju-won, your son trespassed into my prospective disciple’s home without permission. Just how lightly do you take me and the Dercia Magic Tower to dare something like this?*”
“P-please…”
“But I doubt I’ll have enough strength alone. After all, you must have thought me and the Tower insignificant to do something like this. Naturally, you wouldn’t even listen to my appeal. Perhaps your father would tear up my letter requesting a visit. Perhaps he’d even slam the door in my face if I went personally.”
“L-Lady Orca…”
Namgung Jin’s face had gone past pale and turned almost purple.
But Orca didn’t stop.
“So I’d have no choice but to ask my old friend for help. Alfreon Ascard once told me to call on him whenever I needed assistance. I’ve only asked him twice in my life. Thanks to you, it’ll be three times now. Just so you know, I have plenty of justification. Surely, Namgung mutt, you’re aware the Ascard family has long been a patron of the Dercia Magic Tower?”
“…”
“You do know who Alfreon Ascard is, don’t you?”
“H-he’s… the head of the Ascard family.”
“That’s right. Alfreon is the patriarch. Just like your Namgung Clan values its honor, the Ascard family values theirs. The Tower isn’t their business venture, but we’ve been eating off their donations every year… exaggerating a little, you could say we share the same pot of rice, couldn’t you?”
“Please…!”
Namgung Jin couldn’t even stay standing anymore.
He slammed his knees into the ground again.
“Namgung mutt, I’m not finished yet. As I said, Alfreon and I will visit your father together and negotiate. And I’ll explain everything that happened today. Not only the trespassing into my disciple’s home, but how you used violence against an ordinary person who knows neither martial arts nor magic. What do you think will happen then? I truly wonder.”
“Hh… hhk…”
Namgung Jin clutched his chest, gasping for breath.
“I don’t know your clan’s rules in detail, so I won’t comment. But I’ve already decided what I’ll demand. Ten years of seclusion should be appropriate. If I ask for that, even Alfreon—who already dislikes your clan—will smile brightly.”
Thud!
Namgung Jin smashed his forehead into the ground.
“Please… please don’t. You may cut off both my wrists. No— I’d rather take my own life.”
“If you die here, do you think Namgung Ju-won would sit quietly?”
“I-I’ll write a will stating it has nothing to do with the Dercia Magic Tower. And I’ll take my life in my own room.”
Listening silently, Yuri couldn’t help but admire how vicious Orca was.
The price for that bastard climbing over someone else’s wall and throwing one slap and two punches had snowballed out of control.
If Orca really followed through, Namgung Jin would lose his left wrist, and the Namgung Clan would be forced into ten years of seclusion with no way out.
“Even if you’re pathetic, you’re still a kid who has more life ahead than behind. Making you kill yourself doesn’t sit well with me.”
Orca smiled faintly and shook her head.
“So I’ll accept the price of all your crimes as a fine and three **Cheongcheon Pills**. How about it?”
“…What?”
“Are you deaf? A fine and three Azure Heaven Pills. If you don’t like it—”
“I-I accept!”
Thud!
Namgung Jin slammed his head into the ground again.
The Azure Heaven Pill was the Namgung Clan’s secret elixir.
Even in the game, it had a brutally low drop rate.
“Your wrist, maybe even your life, the fine, ten years of seclusion for the Namgung Clan — all of that has now ended with just a fine and three pills. Namgung mutt, today is an incredibly lucky day for you.”
“Y-yes… truly…”
“Oh, and the amount of the fine—decide what you think is appropriate.”
“Yes… I will prepare it and send it immediately to the Dercia Magic To—”
He hurriedly corrected himself.
“T-to here.”
“Good. Now leave. And this should go without saying—don’t ever go near Elena again.”
Orca didn’t even look at him anymore as she turned away.
Only then did Namgung Jin stagger to his feet.
Still covered in dirt, he didn’t even brush off his clothes or face, simply stumbling backward out of the estate.
“Elena, what do you think?”
Elena, who had been staring blankly with her mouth open, flinched at being suddenly addressed.
“Y-yes?”
“You said an apology alone wasn’t enough. This way, you can squeeze out much more. A good lesson, isn’t it?”
“…”
“Of course, I could demand this much because I’m the Tower Master of Dercia. Elena, remember today’s lesson and work hard to become the next Tower Master.”
“…Yes.”
Elena nodded, though her expression was complicated.
“But Tower Master… were you really planning to visit the Namgung Clan?”
“If I hadn’t been, would my words have flowed that smoothly?”
Orca chuckled mischievously.
“Talking that much dries the mouth. Since I’m already here, I should at least have a cup of tea at your place.”
“You said my tea tastes terrible.”
“Sometimes you have to deliberately drink terrible tea to cleanse your palate. That way you appreciate the good tea more.”
“If you miss my tea that much, I’ll visit your office tomorrow and brew some. Today… I…”
Elena glanced worriedly at Yuri.
“I have… a guest at home. And still a lot to take care of…”
“Tsk. You’re going to send away the Tower Master who brought you here without even inviting me inside? You used to barely make eye contact and just mumble. You’ve grown up a lot.”
“I-I never did that! O-okay, fine, let’s go in together! Just don’t bring up old stories…!”
“Forget it. I’ll postpone the hell-in-my-mouth tea until tomorrow. Today I’ll treat it like a last supper and go get some food instead.”
Orca patted Elena’s shoulder.
“But before I go, I should at least get an introduction.”
Golden eyes turned toward Yuri.
“My apologies for the late greeting. My name is Yuri.”
Yuri bowed his head.
“Right. Actually, I heard your name first. I wondered where she disappeared to for half a month without even submitting a proper report.”
Orca’s eyes curved slyly.
“To think she’d bring home a man.”
“That’s not what it is!”
At Orca’s teasing mutter, Elena shrieked loudly.
