Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]

Chapter 302

Zeon stared coldly at the man reduced to ashes.

"Helbrin Mercenaries, scavengers disguised as mercenaries, hunting humans across the desert. Their leader is Hassim. The group consists of eighty members, all Awakened ranked between C and D, with Hassim himself at rank B."

That was the information Zeon had managed to extract from the now-dead man.

Unfortunately, the ones Zeon had caught weren’t the core members of the Helbrin Mercenaries.

These particular scavengers had been loading up their two-humped camels with various supplies essential for surviving in the desert. Their heavy cargo left deep tracks in the sand, which led Zeon to mistakenly believe they were carrying the captives they’d taken as slaves.

It was yet another clever ploy by Hassim to throw off their pursuers.

Enemy or not, Zeon had to admit, it was an impressively quick and effective response.

Thanks to their diversion, Zeon had wasted time chasing the wrong group instead of Hassim himself.

By now, the rest of the mercenaries had scattered across the desert, heading toward Neo Seoul. Even for someone like Zeon, tracking all of them down in such a short amount of time was an impossible task.

It was then…

"That’s… them!"

A trembling voice called out from behind him. It was Brielle.

When Zeon turned around, he saw her pale face.

"Them? What do you mean?"

"They’re the ones who kidnapped me."

"Are you certain?"

"How could I forget?"

Her eyes were fixed on the blackened arm of one of the charred corpses.

On the man’s arm was a crude metal bracelet, scorched black by the intense heat.

Brielle bent down and picked it up.

"This… this is mine."

"Yours?"

"They took it from me when I was kidnapped. There’s no mistaking it, these are the ones who took me. I never thought I’d see this again."

Her gaze softened as she stared at the bracelet.

It had been passed down through generations, mother to daughter, daughter to their daughter, and back again. A symbol of her heritage as a High Elf.

"I thought I’d lost it forever..."

When the scavengers captured her and took the bracelet, Brielle had felt like she’d lost a part of herself. As if failing to protect it meant she’d abandoned her identity as a High Elf.

The guilt of losing the bracelet had plunged her into despair, making her feel as though she no longer deserved to live.

Zeon’s voice broke through her thoughts.

"Looks like we’ve got another reason to bring them down."

"I didn’t even know until now that it was the Helbrin Mercenaries who kidnapped me. That they were scavengers..."

The moment she’d been captured, they had bound her mana and covered her eyes. But more than that, it was the sheer terror of being caught by humans that clouded her judgment, leaving her unable to gather any useful information about her captors.

"Haa…"

Brielle hadn’t told Zeon, but she had always wondered.

Who had taken her?

Now, after years of wondering, she finally had her answer.

She gently caressed the bracelet in her hands.

The once-pure bracelet, now tainted by human malice, had soaked in the blood of countless victims while in the scavengers’ possession.

Its pristine beauty was gone, corroded by blood and sand.

The damage was irreversible.

And she couldn’t help but feel responsible.

If only she hadn’t foolishly ventured outside the village… none of this would have happened.

Drip!

Tears began streaming down her face.

They wouldn’t stop.

―Beep!

Gaia let out a soft chirp, as if sensing Brielle’s pain and trying to comfort her.

"I’m fine! Really, I am."

―Beep!

"Don’t worry about me."

She patted Gaia lightly on its side and turned her gaze back to the bracelet.

Then, slowly and carefully, she slipped it onto her arm.

But nothing happened.

"As I thought… I’m no longer worthy."

"Worthy?"

"There’s… a meaning to it."

Brielle said with a bittersweet smile.

Zeon didn’t press her for more. He figured it was something personal.

With a small sigh, Brielle tucked the bracelet into the subspace hidden within her pointed hat.

"Haa…"

Her face reflected a storm of emotions—grief, regret, and resignation.

* * *

In the end, Zeon couldn’t capture the rest of the Helbrin Mercenaries.

They had scattered across the vast desert, making it impossible to track them all down.

Zeon decided it was time to end the chase and return to Neo Seoul.

After all, their destination was Neo Seoul, so he’d run into them eventually.

‘If we keep an eye on the Spider Queen, something will come up.’

Though he didn’t know the details, it was clear that Eli was plotting something.

If they kept watch long enough, her plans would eventually surface.

"Let’s head back."

"Alright."

Brielle replied without protest, understanding his reasoning.

On their journey back, nothing on the ground could hinder Zeon’s movements.

Small beasts that dared cross their path were ground into sand, while larger ones were detected early and avoided altogether.

Thanks to this, the two of them managed to return to the slums by the next day.

"We’re home."

Brielle said as she threw herself onto the couch the moment they arrived.

Gaia popped out of its subspace and rolled around with her, playful as always.

Now that they were back, Brielle’s heavy heart began to lighten, even if just a little.

For someone who could never return to her High Elf village, this place was her sanctuary, a precious home she cherished above all else.

Zeon turned to Brielle and Gaia.

"I’m going to see Old Man Kleksi. You two rest."

"Okay!"

―Beep!

With that, Zeon left the house and made his way toward the street where Kleksi ran his business.

"Ah, you’re here. Haven’t seen you in a few days."

"I was out of town for a bit."

"With Brielle?"

"Yes."

"No wonder neither of you were around. I thought something had happened."

"Something did happen."

"What do you mean?"

Curious, Kleksi listened intently as Zeon recounted what had transpired in the desert.

By the time Zeon finished, Kleksi’s face had grown serious.

"So, what you’re saying is, the Helbrin Mercenaries are actually scavengers, they’ve made some kind of deal with the Spider Queen, second-in-command of the northern district, and they’re hunting a hundred slaves for it?"

"That’s right."

"And they slipped into Neo Seoul to evade your pursuit?"

"Exactly."

"Those filthy scumbags… crawling in here again."

Kleksi clicked his tongue in frustration.

Scavengers, who survived by plundering the desert, couldn’t normally enter Neo Seoul. Its strict entry system required proof of identity, and without it, access was impossible.

Eli might have pulled some strings to smuggle a few in, but sneaking in an entire group of dozens was no easy feat.

The only place they could hide was the slums.

"If they’ve come here, they’ll avoid Shinchon and head elsewhere, knowing it’s your base."

"Most likely."

The slums weren’t limited to Shinchon and Dongdaemun. They sprawled widely, north to Jongno, east to Cheonho-dong, and south to Guro.

While those areas lacked the influence of Shinchon or Dongdaemun, they were still home to people.

If the mercenaries hid there, finding them would be an enormous challenge.

"Will you be able to track them down?"

"Argos’ Eyes are everywhere. If anyone suspicious shows up, we’ll know."

"Good."

"Still, even if we find them, catching or punishing them won’t be easy. The local powers won’t allow it."

Zeon’s tone was calm and resolute.

"That part is my problem. Just focus on finding them for now."

"...Fine."

Kleksi nodded, knowing there was no stopping Zeon once he’d made up his mind.

"Those fools who’ve gotten on your bad side… I’ll pray for their souls. Still, with the Spider Queen involved, who knows how big this will get? Let’s hope it doesn’t spiral out of control."

"I doubt it’ll stay quiet."

"Yeah… you’re probably right."

Kleksi sighed.

Years ago, Kleksi might have seen this as a golden opportunity to profit from chaos. But lately, his outlook had shifted.

Perhaps it was because age had softened him, but these days, he valued peace over turmoil.

‘Maybe it’s because I don’t have much time left.’

He knew his remaining years were short. His body had grown weaker, and he could feel the shadow of death approaching.

It didn’t frighten him.

Death was inevitable for everyone.

All he wanted was to experience a little peace before the end.

‘Though I suppose that’s just wishful thinking…’

After all, this was a hellish era.

Neo Seoul stood atop the ruins of a world that had been destroyed.

Countless lives had been lost in the process, and even now, people continued to die to maintain its fragile existence.

Survival was still a daily battle.

The mere thought of peace was a luxury.

Breaking the silence, Kleksi said.

"I’ll make you a bowl of noodle soup. Stay and eat."

"Can’t say no to that."

Kleksi turned and began cooking.

As Zeon waited for his meal, he watched the people passing by outside.

The streets were quieter with the sun high in the sky, and the few who walked quickly sought out the shade.

Though their clothes were tattered and their faces weary, their resolve to survive shone through.

Some even wore hopeful expressions.

It was this determination that set Neo Seoul apart from other colonies or survivor villages.

In those places, hope didn’t exist, only fear and despair.

But here, even the poorest dared to dream of a better future.

Zeon felt a responsibility to protect this fragile hope.

Perhaps it was the price he paid for his overwhelming strength.

Kleksi’s voice broke his thoughts.

"What’s got you so deep in thought? Eat your noodles."

"Already done?"

"The broth’s been simmering all day. Just had to cook the noodles."

"Thanks. I’ll dig in."

Zeon raised the bowl to his lips, taking a sip of the broth before diving into the noodles.

"Wow. This is incredible."

"Hah! Told you. My secret recipe. Want to know what’s in it?"

"Let’s not ruin the moment. I’d rather just enjoy it as it is."

"Tch. Picky as ever."

Despite his words, Kleksi chuckled.

Zeon didn’t know that Kleksi always prepared a separate batch of food for him and Brielle, one free of monster meat or any questionable ingredients.

For Zeon, it didn’t matter.

But for Brielle’s young body, Kleksi couldn’t risk anything.

Of course, he didn’t tell them this.

‘They say you grow more sentimental as you age… Maybe I really am on my way out. Tsk!’

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]