episode_0076

“It’s dark.”

This was the impression I had as soon as I entered the cave.

I thought something would be different if I lifted the barrier.

The darkness that seemed to have covered my eyes remained the same.

Exactly.

I snapped my fingers.

I was thinking of using light magic to brighten up the surroundings.

“Mana consumption is extreme.”

As soon as you try to use magic.

The curses that filled the cave rushed in like a rush.

If it weren’t for Dien’s Curse Immunity Potion, I might have died.

You can’t even light up your surroundings without knowing what’s inside.

If you subtract the mana you save for an unexpected situation.

I was in a state where I couldn’t use any other auxiliary magic.

“Princess. Please hold my hand tightly.”

“Okay.”

In the end, I had no choice but to hold on tight so as not to let go of Elin.

“Follow me carefully. If you miss the captain, I can’t guarantee your life, senior.”

Elin’s hands tightened at the grim warning.

“Don’t worry. I can protect Princess Elin somehow.”

“What about the teacher?”

“Senior, I can’t guarantee it.”

“… … ”

“Don’t look at me like that, Princess. We’re just doing our job.”

Shy.

Ellen’s stupid hair stood up.

How would you know that I’m staring at you when you can’t see anything?

“Anyway, I’ll be back soon before the barrier is restored, so there won’t be any danger.”

Tristin said in a nonchalant voice.

“Can I ask where you are going?”

“The innermost part of the cave.”

“Can you learn about the curse when you reach the destination?”

“If you are a senior, maybe it is possible?”

Luke’s head tilted at the subtle answer.

I appreciate your trust.

In the end, isn’t it true that you might not be able to understand it even if you see it directly?

“Be a little more careful with your speech. If you make a mistake, your tongue will burn.”

“Oh. Are you worried, Captain?”

“… … Don’t miss anything and follow along well.”

Leo ignored Tristin’s voice, which seemed to be curious.

Thud thud.

The sound of footsteps grows distant.

Knock, knock.

Tristin’s footsteps followed immediately.

It wasn’t difficult to follow the sound.

However, I was worried that Elin might get caught in the trap.

Exactly.

I squeezed out as much mana as possible and scattered it around.

The inside of the cave slowly forms in my mind.

Maybe this is what it feels like when bats use ultrasound.

Whoosh- whoosh-

A cave where only the sound of a dagger being twirled in front resonates.

“Should I keep my mouth shut like this?”

I opened my mouth as I heard Ellen nodding next to me.

“That’s not it. There’s probably nothing around.”

Tristin, who had stopped swinging her dagger, answered.

Elin is wondering what to say to keep her from falling asleep.

“But why did Bertain suddenly go in? I thought I might meet you in the secret task force.”

Thankfully, Tristin was the first to ask the question.

“Because Princess Elin showed the potential to become a great wizard.”

A routine answer came out as if it had been recorded.

“Hmm… Well, considering what I showed you last time, it’s not like I don’t understand.”

“Why did Tristin join the secret task force?”

Among magicians, the barrier wizard is a special type of magician that is rare.

Probably 90% of them come from the Glaze Dukes.

So, I thought that he would naturally be in charge of the northern boundary.

“I don’t like being in cold places.”

The reason Tristin left the family was very simple.

“I applied because they told me to join the imperial army if I wasn’t going to be in the north. … … But now I’m back in the north. ”

Come to think of it, Tristin was probably weak to the cold, unlike other northerners.

That’s why Luke almost hated drinking iced Americano.

“But you’re not drinking cold coffee here, are you?”

Just like now.

“Drink.”

“Why on earth are you doing that to Coffee?”

“If anyone heard me, they would think I was committing a crime.”

“It’s a crime in the North. I’m saying this just in case. Don’t do it. If you get caught putting ice in your coffee, you might be treated like a lunatic.”

“Already been through it.”

“… … ”

I once put ice in the coffee that Dien made.

How uncivilized the northern soldiers passing by looked at him.

I remember drinking coffee with a heavy heart.

“… I want to try coffee too.”

I hope you feel better soon.

Ellen pulled Luke’s hand from the side.

“It’s still early for your majesty.”

“You’re always early. When you’re sleepy, doesn’t coffee help?”

“That’s true, but.”

I would seriously consider it if there was no way to resist sleepiness.

I already didn’t want to feed him anything that was bad for his health.

“Princess Elin. If you’re going to drink coffee, drink it warm.”

“… Yes?”

“Because what seniors do is an abnormal way to drink.”

“I don’t know why you hate me so much… … .”

Luke was trying to logically list the reasons why iced coffee is delicious.

Island-

A chill ran down my spine in an instant.

The moment when the mana that was grasping the space reached deep into the ground.

“Leo.”

I had no choice but to stop.

The ground was clearly clean and free of anything.

The only living creatures were those who had broken through the barrier.

The ground is smooth and flat, as if someone had plowed it.

But underneath that.

Under the ground… .

“What on earth is buried underneath?”

Objects believed to be human bone fragments were detected.

“You can think of this as a kind of tomb.”

Leo answered in a dry voice.

“… Grave?”

“You don’t have to worry about it. It won’t happen suddenly or anything.”

“I never thought of it that way. It made me anxious.”

Usually, when you hear that there are a lot of corpses buried underneath, it doesn’t feel creepy.

I don’t think they’ll wake up and pop out of the ground.

But I just realized it thanks to Leo’s words.

A curse that consumes mana.

If this is a cave that holds an unknown curse.

The undead that the warlocks are said to be handling might pop out.

“… … Teacher.”

The hand Elin was holding was trembling.

It seems like we’ve gotten a little closer than before.

“Why are you scaring me for no reason, Captain? I’m going to purge everything anyway.”

“I scared you?”

“Haa… Okay.”

In the darkness, it seemed like Tristin was shaking her head.

“Purification? What do you mean?”

“Can I say this? We’re going to clean this cave.”

I think I said it indirectly because of the ban.

Luke kind of understood.

Purifying a cave believed to be the source of a curse.

“That’s the mission.”

“… … ”

Silence was taken as affirmation.

I know what you’re here to do.

But then why should Elin be there?

“Arrived.”

While wondering.

Leo, who was walking ahead, stopped.

In front of the stopped spot.

The darkness was shining quietly.

In the darkness, darkness shines.

It was a contradictory sentence though.

There was no other way to explain it.

The black, glowing darkness sucked mana away just by being nearby.

It felt like a hundred mosquitoes were sticking at me at the same time and sucking my blood.

“… Teacher.”

“I will share the mana.”

Even before she spoke, she was already giving mana to Elin.

Even if Elin has above-average mana.

It was dangerous in this darkness.

“Does it only work if Elin is present?”

“… What are you talking about?”

“Originally, this gemstone does not shine.”

Leo reached out to Tristin.

Tristin handed a scroll to Leo.

Is this a scroll that contains divine power?

When you surround yourself with black gemstones, pure white light warmly surrounds the surroundings.

At the same time, the speed at which mana is sucked in is significantly slowed down.

If I purify this ore, will the curse in the cave disappear?

“It was hard to find it inside the cave because it was a black stone… … Oh my.”

Tristin, who was turning around, pointed to Luke’s side.

“Captain. Princess Elin is also shining. Is that okay?”

“… What?”

Leo and Luke looked at Elin belatedly.

The area around Elin’s chest was glowing black.

“Your Highness. Are you okay?”

“Huh… ?”

Ellen’s voice suddenly became languid.

“… What did you say?”

A voice that seemed half-asleep.

Luke grabbed Elin by the shoulders and shook her.

“Your Highness. You need to come to your senses.”

“Sorry, I’m so sleepy… .”

Elin’s voice is getting increasingly blurred.

Before long, I fell into a deep sleep.

“… … ”

“… … ”

“Leo, is this okay?”

Unfortunately, no answer came from Leo.

Quadduk-

The sound of something rising from the ground.

Karrrr-!!

Kieek!

Grrr… .

An ominous howl is heard from all directions.

Flash-

A red glow that fills the darkness countless times.

There was no need to answer.

“… Open the portal now, Luke.”

Shoooo-!!

Luke created a portal faster than anyone had ever seen before.

* * * * *

The temporary base, including the tents, was quickly restored.

It didn’t collapse once or twice before Dien came.

This time, it was because Gaelan, Victor, and Anne got involved.

Victor, sweating profusely, entered the tent.

Dien ran quickly as if he had been waiting.

“Thank you for your hard work, Victor.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Gulp gulp.

While Victor was drinking the anti-fatigue medicine that Dien had given him.

Dien wiped Victor’s sweat with a towel.

Victor smiled faintly.

side.

He briefly kissed Dien’s cheek.

“Ah… ? What the… all of a sudden?”

“There’s no one around. It means thank you.”

Victor used mana to drain the blood from his face.

It was because I didn’t want to show my blushing face after doing something bold.

“What, what? It’s something you have to do as a wife.”

“… … ”

But his face turned bright red at the sight of Dien hesitating.

I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t stop it with mana.

Anyone who sees us would think we’re newlyweds.

Surprisingly, there has been no talk of marriage between the families.

Victor and Diane were in a relationship, which was rare for nobles.

“Ahem. But why isn’t Luke coming?”

Victor coughed hard and changed the subject.

Diendo also received it while fanning his face with his hand.

“Well? You said you’d come in the evening.”

The sky, already dyed in sunset, has become dark.

Although it is said that the northern night comes quickly.

It seems like it’s been a while since Luke left.

“Suddenly joining up with others. I can’t figure it out.”

“Luke is a bit like that originally.”

Dien nodded in agreement.

I thought you wanted to join the special forces because you were ranked first in combat magic while throwing sand in your opponent’s eyes.

He’s such an eccentric guy that he became Bertain’s tutor right after graduating.

“Huh? Aren’t you coming over there?”

Griffin said he’d come if I told him to.

I saw Inyoung running from afar.

“Those who are coming in such an urgent manner are probably soldiers. They must have something urgent to report.”

What would Luke have to run around for?

He’s a guy with a lot of free time, so he can use space magic if necessary.

Victor thought Dien was mistaken.

“But the one you’re holding looks like Ellin… Huh?”

After listening to Dien’s words, I looked closely.

“It’s really Luke.”

And then I jumped up.

That Luke is running on his own two feet.

Because something really, really serious is going on.

As expected.

“Brother! Senior! Gather all the wizards who can use fire magic and light magic right now!!”

Luke came towards us, shouting loudly, carrying mana.

And the rattling skeletons.

With corpses chasing after them, emitting a foul odor.