Chapter 3. Academy City
The Granble Village was filled with people when I returned.
“Work team, move in!”
“Quick! Report on the clean-up progress!”
“Dinner delivery here!”
“Already?”
“Hey, what are you doing? Move the toxic waste now! Don’t you know how expensive it is to leave the incinerator unused?!”
Of course, none of them were the villagers.
They were all soldiers from the Sword King’s family, wearing uniforms. I stood on a hill a little outside the village, watching this unfamiliar scene for a while.
Should I just leave?
Thanks to Inspector Pale, I had a place to stay now in the new dorm. I didn’t need to come back. I just wanted to see my hometown one last time…
“Who’s there? Step back! This is a restricted area!”
A young man guarding the village gate shouted as he came toward me.
“You! Yeah, you! It’s dangerous here. Go back! The clean-up isn’t finished yet.”
“Really?”
“‘Really’?! Haven’t you heard the news? No one knows how long this will take. Maybe months. And it’ll be sealed off for years. Which village are you from? You came all the way just to look?”
He thought I was a nosy kid from another village.
How nice it would be if that were true.
But I’m the last survivor of the Granble family.
If I let him talk like that, my older brother in the sky would be upset.
“I’m sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Ray Granble.”
I showed him the academy student ID I had received. The man frowned and scoffed.
“Granble? What nonsense. Everyone from the Granble family died in—”
“Hey! Wait! That’s an academy ID!”
Suddenly, a middle-aged man rushed over.
“Ray Granble! The only survivor!”
“Huh? Chief?”
“You idiot! You didn’t hear about this?!”
The chief smacked the young guard hard on the head.
“Ow! Is he really from the Sword King family? I didn’t know…”
“Step back. I apologize, Young Master Ray.”
The chief checked my ID and quickly bowed.
“He’s a new recruit. He doesn’t know much yet. Please don’t be upset.”
“It’s alright. I was just looking around, but things look pretty busy.”
I could smell faint poison on the chief’s clothes. Probably just leftover from the air.
“Yes, the clean-up is still ongoing. But if you’re just here to look, that’s fine. Hey! Open the gate! The last survivor of Granble has returned!”
Creak…
With a heavy sound, the gate opened. The chief led the way.
“This way, sir. I’m Heibel, 7th-rank officer of the Sword King family’s management department. I’m in charge of the clean-up here.”
The management department handles supplies and helps rebuild towns damaged by enemies.
“I see. Nice to meet you. I’m Ray Granble.”
“It’s an honor. Inspector Pale already told us you might visit.”
“I feel bad bothering you when you’re busy.”
“Not at all. This is your hometown. Come anytime. Oh, and my condolences for your loss.”
“Thank you.”
As soon as I passed the gate, the strong smell of poison hit me. Many workers were rushing around with equipment.
“Are you sure it’s okay to look around?”
“Of course. The mansion and main road are already cleaned. Just avoid the residential area.”
“Okay. I will.”
“This way.”
He walked down the main road. But I suddenly stopped, feeling a lump in my throat.
Ruins.
The real village was something I couldn’t see from outside. Nothing was left. Just a month ago, over a thousand people lived here…
“Hey! The cart wheel fell off! Lift it up!”
“Found a body! Medium decay! No, serious injury!”
“Poison level is high! Send it to the crematory now!”
“What? The crematory is full? We built a new one to the west!”
“Move! Coming through!”
“Get going! Section 3 must be finished before sunset!”
Men in thick masks were everywhere. A few people in green jackets were leading some large animals.
Ribbit.
Frogs.
No, giant green frogs the size of calves crawled around.
“Those frogs are huge…”
“Ah, you mean the poison frogs. They’re actually very helpful.”
He smiled at one that had stopped nearby.
“They’re gentle and smart. Their official name is sponge frogs.”
“Sponge frogs…”
“But most people call them poison frogs. They’re new, so not many know about them.”
“I’ve never seen one before.”
“They come from the north.”
“The Poison King’s territory?”
“Yes. They live in the wild swamps up north. We recently managed to breed them for use in poison clean-up.”
“What do they do?”
“They absorb poison like a sponge. Feeding them costs a bit, but it’s cheaper than spraying detox all over.”
“Yeah, detox is expensive.”
“And it doesn’t even work on all poisons. But these frogs absorb nearly every kind.”
The chief patted one frog’s head. It let out a croak with dull eyes.
Ribbit.
“Good boy. Haha. Once you get used to them, they’re kind of cute. They reduce the workers’ burden a lot.”
A frog that eats poison…
I suddenly remembered the cult members shouting in the poison cave.
—“Wake up, you stupid frogs! Wake up!”
Maybe they meant these frogs? We were doing the same thing—cleaning up poison.
“But if their skin turns red or purple, don’t touch them. That means they’re full. You need to let them rest in a clean place.”
“Do they recover after resting?”
“Yes. Just feed them and let them rest. Ah, this road here leads to the Granble mansion. Of course, you know that better than me.”
He pointed down a side path.
“The mansion grounds are safe now. You can visit.”
“Thank you. I’ll go take a look.”
He was sharp. I nodded and walked alone down the path.
Then I remembered—the road used to be lined with pine trees.
Now only stumps remained.
There used to be flower gardens. Now just burned ground.
Then came the mansion, where many servants lived.
But now—nothing.
That’s why he said “mansion grounds,” not “mansion.”
There was no ruin—just land. Blackened, burned earth.
“…Ha.”
I laughed.
I didn’t come to do anything special. Just to take a last look.
At Granble’s past.
But that past was gone.
No people. No home.
Only memories remained.
I walked slowly, imagining the mansion.
This is the entrance…
This is the parlor…
The kitchen…
The stairs to the second floor…
That’s enough. I lay down on the ground.
“Ungh…”
Maybe this is my room. Probably.
The sky turned red at sunset. I looked at a red sphere in the sky.
“You followed me.”
It floated above. My family. They were there, not here.
So it’s okay. Even if the village is gone, I can move forward.
“I’m back.”
After some time, I stood and dusted off my clothes.
“Then I’ll be going now.”
And I left, without looking back.
Far to the north, beyond the border, there is a snowy mountain range—even in summer.
The Taisul Mountains.
The base of the Poison King’s family is here.
Outside, it’s made of high buildings on a cliff. Inside, it’s full of narrow cave tunnels.
It’s impossible to break in.
Elite guards watch every entrance. The weather is terrible. Climbing the cliff is suicide.
But that afternoon, the sky was clear.
Boom!
Two poison soldiers guarding the throne room were blown away with the door.
The 9th Poison King, Galbray, frowned and set down his poison flask.
“Huh? Who’s this punk?”
A tall boy stood with arms crossed.
“I should be asking you. What are you doing here?”
“You?”
“Yeah, you.”
“Ha. Do you know who I am?”
“You’re the Poison King. Not sure why you’re doing this in the throne room, though.”
“This?”
Galbray looked down.
Several test subjects were melting alive.
“Ugh…”
“Help me…”
“No, kill me… please…”
“I’ve got a new poison. Wanted to test it out myself. It helps me relax.”
“A hobby? That’s a filthy one for a Poison King.”
“And your hobby must be suicide?”
Galbray laughed and drank the remaining poison.
“Hm, still too weak. I need more concentration. Anyway, who are you? I’ll make sure you suffer slowly…”
Then, another old man entered.
Galbray’s eyes widened.
“You?!”
“…It’s been a while, Galbray.”
“Traitor Ziggurat! I never thought you’d walk in here yourself.”
“Don’t call me that. I gave up that name long ago.”
Galbray grinned.
“Whatever. You just saved me some money. Do you know how much bounty I put on your head?”
“I don’t. Why is a Poison King playing such childish games?”
“Why? Because you ran off playing king yourself!”
“I’m no king,” the old man said quietly.
“I’m just a priest serving the true Poison King. If you change your mind, we can still work together.”
“Work together? Ha! You want to go back to the old ways? You don’t get it. The world’s changed. And look at this—”
Galbray looked back at the boy.
“So the spy reports were true. You raised some brat to copy the First Poison King?”
