23 Episode 10. Jean, the cadets, Suin, and...…(1)

There were already three cadres in Garon's office. The cadets had tense faces, and Garon explained the operation, pointing to the map on the wall.

"This operation is a task specially assigned according to the outstanding performance of this beginner's class...... Oh, my lord. Welcome."

As Jean entered, Garon smiled and bowed his head.

Beginner training teams usually don't perform their duties, but they don't have any precedent at all. Even beginner cadets often had their duties dropped if their performance exceeded the average.

It is up to Jin that the beginner cadets have achieved such a great achievement that they have received from Looncandel.

When Jean dueled with Belop last year, it wasn't only Belop Schmidt who awakened. I didn't mean it, but the anecdote of the day had a big impact on other cadets.

"Garon, the mission has been dropped?"

"Yes, young master. It's a mission given to 10 beginner cadets, including you."

Jean looked at the map of the world, with Garon standing against her back.

'The red mark is probably the area of operation, but that's......it looks like a kingdom of 쟌.’

The Kingdom of Shan is an area close to the 'Land of the Sioux'. Among them, the home of the most dangerous species, the Baekrang, is also nearby. Land that travelers shun, adventurers prefer, and mercenaries detest.

"We are also contacting cadets who went on vacation outside the Sword Garden. We will be divided into two groups of ten, including you.”

"You divide ten beginners into two groups?"

"Yes, the first group will be led by the master, and the second group will be led by Scott Lyman."

The results have not yet been made public, but everyone was expecting Mesa or Squt to be the next in the beginner's class.

'Skut's like a two-star knight, by the way. There's a high probability that the mission to the Kingdom of 쟌 has something to do with water...…’

Something was out of the ordinary.

No matter how much the cadets of Looncandel are, they are between 14 and 16 at best. It is not appropriate to carry out water-related duties.

'Did one of the brothers buy Garon and induce him to assign a mission like this? No, because he has a confident look on his face, he must have ordered it himself."

Then why? Jean thought quietly.

'I don't think it's just because I'm related to Soldierlet, or because I'm good at it. So... ...my father must have reported what happened between me and Bellop. Now I get it.’

Jean nodded still.

"Then five of us will form a group. Who are my members?"

"Yes, the first group of the master. Bellop, Fields, Eddington, Sierra. Scut's group two is Mesa, Kiko, Tiement, and Jurassic."

Upon hearing the composition of the group, Jean was able to grasp the intentions of the poem.

The four members of Jin's group, except for Bellop, are all cadets who are considered to be in the training group. The awakened Bellop also has a lot of ups and downs, barely staying in the upper-middle class.

On the other hand, all of the members of the team are top-notch players in the training team. There was only one thing this inefficient composition meant.

'Your father wants to test me. I want to make sure there's no shaking in the process of leading the weaker ones than me.’

Then it will surely be a daunting task.

Jean opened her mouth so intuitively.

"Explain the mission and operation outline, Garon."

"The mission is to search near the southern border of the Kingdom of 쟌. Your son of Daebuho seems to be missing nearby. Each group will divide the area and report any clues or missing persons."

When the mission was confirmed to be a simple search and reporting, the faces of the cadets gathered were somewhat tense.

"After reporting?"

"When the target's survival is confirmed, the new guards will be dispatched to begin the rescue mission. You and your cadets will return. But if the target has already been killed, the mission will be terminated unless there is an additional request."

"Simple."

"Yes, but since you are very likely to encounter Suin, you need to move carefully."

"Yes, most of all, the southern part of the Kingdom of Keng is an active part of the Baengnang people, so you need to be more careful."

Baengnang people. They are, as their name implies, a race resembling a white wolf, and were especially famous among the Suin people for their excellent fighting abilities.

"Sir, if you encounter the White Rangs, all cadets must immediately give up their mission and escape."

"I know no matter how good the beginner's class is this year, I can't help it. Don't worry."

Garon grinned.

"I'm not worried. I know best that you and other cadets are very good this year. But there's always an unexpected danger in the world."

Looking straight at Jindo Garon, he smiled.

"You say that a dangerous situation is bound to happen, Garon."

"You've been caught. Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing you break through the situation."

"Good teacher. Let me know when all the people who left their homes are gathered."

"Okay."

* * *

Three days later, upon the end of the break, the beginner's duties were immediately initiated.

Qin and nine cadres visited the mobile gate to leave for the Kingdom of Zeng.

"It's an honor to be on your first mission. We will do our best to make sure that there is no one for you."

While waiting for the gate to open, Scott came up to Jean and said,

"Haha. Are you putting pressure on me? "Skut Lyman.

"Never! I'm just grateful that you gave me my first assignment in the beginner's class."

"Just kidding."

Scott was very loyal to Looncandel, and his respect for Jean was also great.

But Jean's respect for her wasn't just for the skates.

"Team One there, keep your head straight and assist the master well. Don't bother."

Group 1 members nodded as Mesa fired sharply.

"More than anything, you guys with clear middle and lower grades. If you succeed in this mission, you may be given a chance to go to the intermediate level. Do you understand?"

"Okay, Mesa. I'll work hard."

Jean smiled to herself at the sight.

At first glance, Mesa seems to be speaking carelessly, but she sincerely hoped that Group 1 would join her in the intermediate class.

He only plays the role of a military captain in the beginner's training team (he seems to fit well with his aptitude), and Mesa was a cadet who cared more about motivation than anyone else.

These beginner cadets with Jin definitely had a special corner. Everyone is forming a strong bond around the camp.

The atmosphere is hard to see under Looncandel's competitive system. In addition, no matter how close cadets appear, ties were common except for "The Handmaiden" and "The Lady."

In other words, Jin has made them his own people in the past few years.

"Everyone, attention. The mobile gates will soon be opened, so I will give you orders."

"Yes!"

The cadets gathered round near the camp.

"As soon as we arrive, we set up camp in the center of the southern border. Once the camp is set up, groups one and two will be divided from then on and each will conduct a full-fledged search."

Jean pointed at the map and continued the backstabbing.

The purpose of the camp is to share information and protect the injured. Once a day, each group will send a person to the camp at the same time to share information."

"Okay, Master."

The title to me during the mission is unified into a group leader, not a master. And all but the wounded, never take a break at the camp. Rest during the search at the discretion of each group. Do you have any questions?"

"None!"

"Oops. Let's hope the search targets are still alive."

A moment later, the gates opened and the bodies of the Qin and the cadres were enveloped in shining mana.

Upon the completion of the teleport, the group was able to arrive at the mobile gate in the south-central part of the Kingdom of 쟌.

Originally, entry procedures should be carried out, but the gate staff skipped the entire process as soon as they saw the robes the cadets were wearing. It was a robe with the "Black Sword" pattern on it.

* * *

Four days passed after arriving in the south-central part of the kingdom.

The cadets were setting up camps and continuing their search, but they had yet to find any clues.

The southern border of the Kingdom of 쟌 is a land of grasslands and forests. It was not easy to find traces of a human being missing from this vast land, even though it was scouring the open grasslands.

"I think we should explore the forest area centrally. There's not a single trace on the meadow.”

"Leader, Eddington saw the water-tailed Suin earlier."

"Water tails? With them, there's not much chance of encountering the White Rangs.”

The water tails were a very gentle and good species that used their harpoony tails to catch fish in rivers and seas.

And they are not found where there are the white or red tigers. Because the water-tailed gentry always make their fortune by avoiding predators.

"It's Bellop to go to camp today and meet group two, right?"

"Yes."

"Belop. Your journey will be delayed today because of sleet, so start two hours earlier than usual. Let's go back to District 13. We'll be searching for you."

"Okay, sir."

Groups 1 and 2 sent people to camp every night until nine o'clock to exchange information.

When Bellop left, the rest of the group began to move. Area 13 was a forest area, and it was a land that had never been searched.

'I'm feeling a little uncomfortable. It is clear that his father has given him his duty, but no particular incident has occurred so far. Was it an illusion that it was a mission to evaluate me?’

No particular problem occurred in District 13, and no clues were found about the missing.

It was almost like a peculiar death that he received a grilled fish as a gift from a water-tailed village he found by chance.

"Human missing? We, we don't know, water-tailed, nice." You guys, you suck. Fish. Eat it. It's a gift."

"Yes, yes. I know. Thank you. It's ripe. I'll return your favor next time."

Group One, which continued its search until after midnight, waited for Bellop to return, wiping the wet sword. The sleet continued, and any further search seemed meaningless.

'If we've finished the search up to District 13, and there's nothing there, it means we're going to have to look close to the water's land...….’

Searching the land of the water is not a beginner's task.

'You don't have to push yourself too hard to get results. That's stupid. We'd better finish the mission by checking the area we searched for the rest of the three days.’

By two o'clock in the morning, Bellop, who had left for the camp, returned.

"Dear old man!Dear Jean!

And he was in a hurry enough to forget the title of the team leader. The cadets waiting stood up and looked at Bellop.

"What's going on? Bellop."

"Group 2 has been attacked! Kiko, who came out to camp, also suffered minor injuries.”

"Power ready to move. Are you Su-in?"

The cadets were in an instant formation.

"No, I said human. We can't use the flare because we're hiding, we have to go as fast as we can!"