Rebirth of the 8th-Circle Mage

Chapter 85: A Prepared Reversal (4)

The sky was blue as ever. However, the Vincent region was like hell for Aubert.

‘This is really the end…’

His defeat at Eisen’s hands had led to Aubert being branded as a traitor, with a mark on his forehead to prove it. Just over a year ago, this had happened to the State Contributors, and he never expected that he would also be in the same position.

“Sob sob…”

The members of the Crimson family walking behind Aubert wept endlessly. Their cries were like daggers stabbing him in the back. It was painful. He had already gotten rid of his enemies, the State Contributors, how could something like this happen to him?

Furthermore, why hadn’t Duke Arthus and Marquis Alfred helped him?

Many thoughts ran through Aubert’s mind, but eventually, the only thing left was anger at Eisen.

‘How could I lose to a guy like him…’

He had ignored the foolish Eisen since his days as a Central Aristocrat, and knowing that he’d lost everything because of Eisen made his anger boil once more. However, there was nothing Aubert could do while he was being transported to Salgaera.

Aubert and his family members had been locked up in an underground prison until it was time to leave for Vincent. His family members had run major departments of the empire, and in an instant, they had become traitors to be exiled to Salgaera without even knowing why.

The villagers came out and looked at them like they were a herd of animals.

It was humiliating.

However, there was really nothing Aubert could do. From the moment of the royal command, Marquis Aubert Crimson had become just Aubert and no longer a Crimson marquis.

* * *

Aubert and his family members finally reached Slan Gorge, and he met Chief Vhant, whom he had attempted to get rid of in the past.

The convoy leader, Rault, saluted to Vhant and said, “Have you been doing well?”

“Does it look like I’ve been doing well?”

“I apologize.”

“Hehe, no need to apologize. Anyway, are these people whom I’ve heard rumors about?”

“Yes, Marquis Aubert Crimson and his family.” Rault grabbed Aubert by his handcuffs and tossed him in front of Vhant.

“Argh.” The soles of Aubert’s feet were full of blisters from the long march and lack of food, and his ankles were bruised purple, but Rault showed no sympathy. Vhant smiled at Aubert.

“I didn’t expect the rumors to be true…”

A few days ago, Vhant had been drinking as usual when he’d received unexpected news from Halger, who was dropping off supplies. One of the Three Great Families, the Crimson family, had been banished as traitors and they were on their way to Salgaera.

He couldn't believe it even though he had received Henry’s letter from Hagler. This was how shocking Aubert’s downfall was. It was only when he saw Aubert on the ground before him that Vhant could believe that it wasn’t a dream. He smiled and knelt to Aubert’s level.

Aubert’s eyes were still burning with hatred, as expected of someone who had once been part of the Patrician Families. Vhant noticed Aubert’s anger and said with a smirk, “Are you trying to copy a lion cub’s expression? Let’s see how long that arrogant gaze of yours lasts.”

Punch!

Vhant punched Aubert in the face as hard as he could. “Ha, I didn’t expect another day like this would ever come. The ten years of stress I’ve experienced have been relieved.”

It felt exhilarating. Vhant laughed in satisfaction as Aubert fell back. “I would like to spend more time with you, but there are people who have been waiting for you more desperately than I have. Let them pass!”

Vhant let the exiles pass.

Woosh!

After completing their duties, Rault and the convoy returned to the capital. The checkpoint soldier silently led the exiles inside the Exile Village. The snow became heavier by the second and the strong wind of the mountains turned into a snowstorm that felt like it could bury them at any moment.

It was difficult to even open one’s eyes, but the soldier continued to move forward on snowshoes. When they arrived at the Exile Village, the soldier said, “We’re here, so I’m off.”

“W-what? There’s nothing here. You said you were taking us to the Exile Village? Look! Hey!” They could only see the iron pillar, but the soldier silently walked back down the path they had taken.

“What the hell…”

The weather was especially bad and because they weren’t able to bring suitable clothes, they were trembling as if they would die at any moment.

Swoosh!

Salgaera’s cold wind sounded like the roar of a beast trying to eat them.

“How could it end like this…” said Aubert miserably. He had once had absolute power, but he was now going to freeze to death. Could there be a more miserable end?

As Aubert fell to his knees in the snow with a devastated expression, the rest of the family members sighed in despair, but right then…

“This isn’t the end,” someone said.

The soldier had already left and there was no one else around, but Aubert could hear a voice so clearly that it seemed like they were speaking in his ear.

“Above you.”

Aubert automatically looked up to see a person floating in the sky.

“A-a person…!”

“W-what? A person? What do you mean…?”

Everyone else looked up, but they saw nothing other than the whirling snow.

Whoosh!

There was another strong gust of wind. Everyone lowered their heads again.

“What a fool.” However, Aubert could clearly see a man in the air coming closer to him. Just when he was about to see the man’s face, he lost consciousness.

* * *

.

Splash!

“Cough cough!”

Aubert and his family members woke up from a sudden splash of water. They were no longer outside but in room without any snow or wind.

“...This is?”

There was a person in front of him, but because he was hidden in the shadows, Aubert couldn’t make out his face. The man was holding a bucket and Aubert realized that someone had poured warm water on them.

‘Warm water?’

They felt slightly more alive now. Although they should have been offended by the act of splashing, the water felt so warm that they wanted to feel the same warmth again. However, they had to find out what was going on first.

Aubert’s eldest son stood up and tried to figure out what was happening, but…

‘Rope?’

Only then were they able to realize that their hands and feet were all tied up. The relief they felt from the warm water didn’t last long and they were hit with a sudden sense of fear.

“W-who are you?”

The rest of the family hurriedly counted to check that everyone was present. They managed to discover that no one was missing. However, as soon as they released a sigh of relief, another group of people appeared behind the person who poured water on them. He said, “More.”

Splash!

More warm water splashed on them for a while. As their bodies warmed up, their anxiety over the strangers only grew. Eventually, the second son, who was shivering with anxiety, spoke loudly like Aubert, “Who the hell do you think you guys are to do this to us!”

Unlike the eldest son, the second son had a vicious personality.

The person in the shadows answered, “My name is Torian.”

“Torian…?”

“Of course, you haven’t heard of it before.”

“R-reveal yourself! Do you know who you’re dealing with?”

“What? Hahaha!” Torian and the others laughed out loud. “How stupid, you still think you have status… What a pity.”

“W-what?”

“Some of us used to be like that too. They’re dead now because of you, so you won’t be able to see them.”

“W-what do you mean? Who did we kill?”

“There is a saying that the sins of the parents are passed down to the children. We are the exiles that Aubert kicked out a year ago.”

“Exiles as in… It can’t be!”

“It seems like you finally remember, but we don’t care about your names. We intend to treat you the same way you treated us. Let’s start with him.”

Snap!

The dark room lit up to show the surviving family members of the State Contributors who had been banished to Salgaera under false accusations of treason.

Whack!

The family members began to beat Aubert’s second son from head to toe to their hearts’ content with birch sticks. They avoided vital points so that his bones would not break and the pain could last as long as possible.

“Argh…”

The second son eventually passed out.

“Wake him up,” said Torian.

Splash!

They poured cold water on the second son and he woke up right away.

Torian looked the second son in the eye and said, “It’s a problem if you pass out like. We still have a long way to go. Give me the potion.”

Torian poured the healing potion from the temple into the second son’s mouth, forcing him to swallow it. The second son’s body began to heal and returned to its original condition.

“Beat him again.”

The crimes committed by their father were too great. They couldn’t just freeze to death in the snowstorm, and the exiles used warm water and potions to keep their enemies alive for as long as possible.

“Arghhh!”

The second son passed out once more.

“Next,” Torian said.

Dozens of the Crimson family members received a beating from the survivors, who had all lost their parents, siblings, and other relatives. They did not stop until their arms were sore and their branches broke.

Aubert was the final person they beat, and he passed out twice. Torian poured cold water on him.

“You’ll have to prepare yourself, you fucking bastard.”

They were no longer powerless and weak exiles. From the moment Aubert set foot in Salgaera, the exiles became demons of Salgaera, which was known as a white hell.