Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Azel Zestringer (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Zail said,
"I've heard the rough story from Military Doctor Rick. He said your memory is unclear..."
"Yes. It might sound like a lie, but I don't remember why I was there. I don't even really know who I am..."
Unlike with Rick, Azel spoke politely. He had learned that Zail was a formally knighted noble. Since he couldn't reveal his own true identity, he needed to show respect to a noble.
Zail said,
"Honestly, it's hard to believe. But looking at you, I can see it might be possible. That's the problem."
Azel's condition when he was first found had been that severe. It was still pretty bad even now. For a human to end up like that—and still be alive—it seemed like he must have endured something like a sinister magic experiment.
Zail said,
"At least you don't look like a spy from another country, so as far as I can judge, it'd be fine to just let you go. But..."
"But?"
"That's not a decision I can make on my own. I need to report to the Deputy Commander and get permission."
It was a sensitive issue for a mere Centurion like him to handle. Azel said,
"Hm. So I should go meet the Deputy Commander now and talk?"
"Unfortunately, that's not possible right now."
"Why not?"
"We're out here digging up ruins near the fortress. The Deputy Commander went back to the fortress to receive an important guest. He won't return here for a few days."
"Then I have to wait until then?"
"You'll need to stay at our camp and wait until the Deputy Commander gives permission. We won't restrain you, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't wander around too much. It's not a bad arrangement for you either."
Azel wasn't in any shape to roam freely. Zail was saying it would be better for him to stay here and be looked after.
Azel nodded, recognizing the consideration.
"Very well."
"Then I'll head back. You can stay in the medical tent while you wait."
"Understood. Ah, could I ask one thing?"
As if it had just occurred to him, Azel asked, and Zail replied.
"What?"
"Centurion Zail, you have four Life Rings, don't you? How is a knight who's already a Quadruple Master your age serving as a Centurion in the regular army, and in a remote outpost like this?"
The completely unexpected remark made Zail's expression visibly harden. At the same time, a threatening aura emanated from him.
"How did you know?"
Spirit Order practitioners earned the title of 'Master' once they reached four Life Rings. The aggressive aura from one who had attained mastery was enough to make an ordinary person faint.
But Azel didn't flinch at all under the pressure. He just shrugged and replied.
"I just saw it and asked. I don't even know how I can tell myself."
Of course, it was a lie. Azel had once been a Spirit Order practitioner who reached a far higher level than Zail. With his exceptional mana detection and ability to gauge an opponent's power, he saw through Zail's strength at a glance.
He had deliberately provoked Zail with the question to gather information about the current era. Two hundred twenty years ago, a Quadruple Master was a powerhouse respected anywhere. But what about now?
After glaring at Azel for a moment, Zail withdrew his aggressive aura.
"…Military Doctor Rick was right that you're a Spirit Order practitioner."
"That's correct."
"I had a vague feeling. You have no Life Rings, no mana flowing through your Spirit Veins…but for some reason, you give off an aura I can't ignore."
Not quite on Azel's level, but as a Quadruple Master, Zail's intuition was sharp enough to gauge an opponent's strength. The moment he saw Azel, he felt like he couldn't underestimate him.
Zail said,
"Anyway, I won't answer that question. No reason to."
"If it was a sensitive topic, I apologize."
"It's fine. You're dismissed."
Azel nodded and turned to leave Zail's tent.
6
The head cook responsible for feeding the workers at the Valan Forest ruins excavation site was witnessing something absurd.
It was the transformation shown by one person. The first time he saw him coming to the kitchen for a meal with Military Doctor Rick Boren, he was shocked. He was so emaciated he looked like a walking corpse.
What startled the head cook was the massive amount he devoured in that state. So far, he had eaten about five servings and two liters of water. The army was full of hearty big eaters, so guys who ate that much weren't rare, but a corpse-thin man eating like that was a whole different story.
But what was truly absurd was his change.
He had lunch at the kitchen, then came back for dinner.
By dinner, it was hard to believe he was the same person from lunch. No matter how you looked at it, doubts kept rising, but the external features matched perfectly. For example, the long red hair and blue eyes.
But how do you explain a corpse-thin human suddenly bulking up like that? Could a person change so dramatically in just a few hours?
'Is it magic?'
That was the only explanation for how drastic the change was in this guest, Azel Zestringer.
"Ah, I was starving so bad everything tastes like honey. The seasoning's a bit heavy, though."
"You're eating like a monster. You sure you're okay?"
Rick, sitting across from him, was stunned by the transformation too.
He thought he'd eaten a ton at lunch, then took a nap for a few hours saying he wanted to rest, and afterward showed such a dramatic change that Rick almost didn't recognize him for a moment. He had suddenly gained so much weight that he now looked far more human.
In truth, at lunch, Rick had tried to stop Azel from eating more than one serving. They'd confirmed one serving was fine, but he judged more would be bad. But Azel was stubborn and ended up scarfing down three servings, grossing Rick out and rapidly regaining a human appearance.
And now, at dinner, he was drawing everyone's stares as he kept eating.
"I'm fine. My body's demanding this much, so I'm eating. I actually need more, but pushing my stomach too hard suddenly could cause problems, so I'm moderating."
'This is moderating?'
Rick was flabbergasted. Azel had already polished off six servings this time. Plus over three liters of water.
"Drinking that much water will just give you a stomachache."
"Normally, yeah."
"Then why drink so much?"
"Because I'm eating so much, I need to drink plenty for digestion and to replenish fluids. Rick, you know most of the human body is water, right? Mine was extremely depleted, so I need to eat and drink a lot to get back to normal."
"…It sounds plausible at first, but it's all nonsense. Even a healthy person couldn't handle that without issues. You're weak right now—if you stuff yourself like this, you could die..."
"I'm fine. See? I really am."
"..."
Oh, really? Rick's mouth twitched. As a healer trained by the medical association, he wanted to give him a piece of his mind, but Azel's irrational transformation overwhelmed him.
"Even so, does it make sense to change this fast? You just ate a ton and slept a few hours ago?"
"If you're as wrecked as me, maybe it does? People have different digestion abilities anyway, right?"
"No matter how you slice it, who in the world digests like this? Are you some endless-hunger demon from the Demon Realm?"
"Come on. When a person's starved and wasted away, if they eat well, they're back to normal in three or four days, right? Mine's similar—just more food and a bit faster change."
"No matter how I think about it, it doesn't make sense..."
"Ah, seriously. I'm fine, I told you."
"..."
"Stop nitpicking something that already happened. If it's reality, accept and analyze it. If you just deny it based on common sense, how will you handle emergencies?"
Azel said that and munched happily on the seasoned vegetables. He cleaned his tray and stood with it.
"All done?"
"No, one more serving. Six feels unlucky. Magicians might like it, but I'll make it seven."
"..."
"The head cook's got skills. Tastes great."
Whether Zail was baffled or not, Azel was getting a fresh serving and praising the head cook. A squad leader approached and asked.
"What the hell is that guy?"
"Sir Zail said to treat him as a guest. Didn't everyone hear?"
"We heard, but..."
"He was a glutton monster captured by an evil mage. No doubt."
"Huh?"
"Just go with that."
Rick shoved the squad leader aside as Azel returned whistling.
7
Centurion Zail Vince of the Western Border Guard of the Lurein Kingdom felt deep interest in the mysterious man named Azel Zestringer. Not just from the situation when he was found, but because this guy with no Life Rings saw through his hidden abilities at a glance.
'How could he do that?'
Even after sending Azel away, he pondered but couldn't solve the mystery.
Due to personal circumstances, Zail hadn't joined a famous knight order and instead enlisted in the army, getting posted to this remote area. Few had recognized his true skills during that time. Most didn't know the details and assumed he was some greenhorn who got knighted and Centurion through family pull.
Even the knights here, tempered by battles with monsters, were the same. Zail hid his true power that well.
Yet Azel had pierced straight to the bottom at a glance.
'What kind of guy is he?'
Zail didn't take Azel's words at face value. He just found it plausible given how dire his condition was when found.
read at NovelsHub.org