episode_0141

Crunch, thud.

The thick door slammed shut, accompanied by the manager’s greeting.

As Daniela stepped outside the tavern, she looked back at the stylish sign.

She stopped by to make sure that the place was not suspicious, and as she had hoped, there was nothing particularly suspicious about it.

There’s a man and a woman who seem to be having a suspicious rendezvous?

Daniela was about to conclude her assessment of the Green Arms.

No matter how I look at it, it doesn’t look suspicious.

There doesn’t seem to be any sign of royalty or rebels.

Daniela believed that if Karl came looking for her, he would come to the same conclusion as her.

No, I want to believe that.

“After… … ”

I let out a deep sigh as the chilly night air hit me.

I wanted to know a little more about the Green Arms, and I wanted to approach Matthias and talk to him and find out what secrets it held, but I didn’t have the courage.

Because I couldn’t possibly say, ‘This is where people who are dissatisfied with the empire gather.’

On the other hand, I couldn’t open my mouth because I thought that I might be suspected by the nobles inside the tavern.

So, if you think about it positively, it could be just an ordinary tavern with nothing suspicious at first glance, and if you think about it negatively, it could be that Daniela didn’t actively try to find out about it, so we couldn’t find out its true nature.

And Daniela decided to think positively.

‘Surely Carl wouldn’t come swinging the Holy Sword so foolishly.’

For a moment, I pictured Carl wreaking havoc inside an old-fashioned tavern.

I was so shocked that I ended up laughing.

‘You wouldn’t go that far, would you…?’

So Daniela calmed her anxious mind and took a step forward.

*

Daniela continued walking through the commercial district.

The Green Arms was a great place, but it was a closed tavern so it got stuffy if you stayed there for too long.

The uniform smells of cigarettes here and there.

Fortunately, it didn’t smell bad because everyone was wealthy or of high status and only handled good quality tobacco leaves.

Sitting alone at the counter and listening to the conversations coming from here and there, it was, as expected, about war.

It wasn’t a conversation that seemed to be deeply involved in the war, but rather a level of anxiety or concern that would naturally be felt by people from the empire.

‘What on earth is the Allied Powers doing? If the Allied Powers were to step forward, they would definitely be able to keep the southern part of the Kingdom of Primira in check! Does the Consul have no thoughts?’

I also heard the nobles clicking their tongues.

If the Lugo Alliance were to firmly side with the Empire, the Kingdom of Primira would have no choice but to disperse its forces to the south, adjacent to the Alliance.

Therefore, from the empire’s point of view, it is a golden opportunity.

‘What can we do? This is a country founded by a bunch of scoundrels. It was the same in the past when they couldn’t even see an inch ahead.’

‘Tsk tsk… I guess no one is doing anything important when it comes to competing for seats in the Senate.’

Daniela understood fully why they thought that way, but she still felt a little wronged.

Until now, you’ve treated me like a useless piece of luggage or a servant, and now you’re telling me that you need me…

“… … ”

I stopped walking and paused for a moment.

I suddenly felt sad.

I feel like going back and asking questions right now.

I am the one from the Allied Nations you speak of, the daughter of the consul you resent, so tell me if you have any complaints.

But that can’t be the case.

They are nobles of the Empire, and Daniela is merely the successor to the Allied Forces.

Daniela knows her situation very well.

You know too much, it’s annoying.

A weak and powerless country.

The Lugo coalition, which is no different from a school of sardines, has no choice but to endure.

Those who curse the Allied Forces will return to the Allied Forces as happy tourists once the war is over, and Daniela’s Allied Forces will welcome them with a smile.

Yeah, nothing will change.

If only the royal family would show up and cause a brief moment of confusion, but the empire would win and peace would come…

A terrible peace would bring unbearable boredom.

The unchanging position of the Allies and the Empire.

A great power remains a great power.

A weak country is a weak country.

A future where they just have to keep their place.

A future like that…

“!”

At that moment, Daniela felt a strange sense of discomfort.

I looked around.

I was familiar with the commercial district as I had been there several times.

But now it was different.

It’s unfamiliar.

The distance I walked after leaving Green Arms was the same as the road I took to find Green Arms, but it felt unfamiliar.

Come to think of it, the street was quiet.

It was as if there was no one there.

It’s not even dawn, how can there be so few people in the commercial district?

Daniela looked around calmly again.

“Detect.”

I memorized the order.

I felt a strange sense of unease, so I just memorized it.

Paat-

Then Daniela could instantly see the mana spell surrounding her.

Daniela’s magic revealed the spells that had been targeting her all along.

“!”

I was so startled that I gathered all my mana.

“Light!”

First, it illuminated the dark streets.

And he created a shield to protect his body.

As I surrendered myself to Mana, my head became clear.

My thoughts became clearer and my vision became sharper.

So things that were invisible become visible.

For example, things like the perception-impairing spell that was cast before Daniela even noticed it…

‘When did I fall under this spell—’

Daniela quickly destroyed all the magic that had been plaguing her.

It might have worked before she, a first-class wizard, realized it, but it was useless the moment she realized it.

Moreover, the greater the power, the greater the risk of being discovered, so perception-obstructing magic was at a very minor level.

But it is also true that those little things had an impact on Daniela.

‘Where on earth am I?’

I asked myself.

To avoid being embarrassed, I constantly thought to myself and answered by myself.

Breaking the spell and looking around again, it was no longer the familiar commercial district streets.

All that is visible is a desolate and dirty alleyway.

It was a quiet place where not a single ant could be seen.

Ghetto? Back alley? Where the hell is it?

Because of the perception-impairing magic, I walked into an unknown place on my own two feet.

Now she had to rely on the light she had magically created to navigate her way through this place.

“What a shame. I was going to just send it to the border.”

“!”

I felt dizzy at the voice I heard in the darkness.

Before Daniela could shout, she extended her light towards the place where the voice had come from.

There were several large men there.

“Ugh. It’s dazzling.”

“Who, who are you!?”

Neither of them gave a good impression.

If we have to be specific, it’s that the expression isn’t good.

“I want to tell you that you don’t need to know because you’re about to die, but… I’ll tell you specifically. We are the royal sword.”

“The Imperial Family… Why me?”

One of the crowd stood up and spoke.

And then another man joined in.

“I’m just going to die because it’s better to die, Daniela Del Rio.”

Swish-

He approached me, drawing his sword from its scabbard.

Daniela took a step back.

Assassination?

It was so sudden.

And on top of that, they’re imperial…

“Well, I think there’s some misunderstanding… ”

Daniela looked at the crowd.

I looked at them pitifully, but the men with heavy expressions didn’t move an inch.

“My condolences on your death.”

The man who was opening the magic book said.

Maybe that guy used some kind of perception-impairing magic.

As soon as his colleague finished speaking, a man took out his sword as if he had been waiting and ran towards him.

“Ouch!”

Daniela was terrified and released as much mana as she could.

I unconsciously deployed my shield to its maximum.

Dismissal-

The man’s sword failed to penetrate Daniela’s shield.

Even if she is rotten, she is still a good match. Even if she is a delicate woman, an Academy First Class wizard is not an easy opponent.

“Damn it! Do something about this shield magic!”

The man shouted at his colleague.

Then the colleague began to recite the spell from the magic book.

“Dispel”

“Oh, no!!”

When I tried to release the shield, Daniela screamed in surprise.

And then he shot magic at him.

Of course, Daniela’s magic was faster as she was in first class.

Pavabat-

Daniela’s magic missiles rained down on the royal crowd.

It was a split second.

The group scattered and were busy avoiding Daniela’s magic bullets, and the man holding the magic book collapsed.

No way… is he dead?

For a moment, Daniela was shocked and thought she had killed a person.

But while he was pondering, the man blocked by the shield swung his sword again.

The shield shook with a thud.

Just as the man was about to swing his sword sharply, Daniela reached out her hand.

“Lightning!”

A huge electric shock was generated at the tip of his finger.

The moment the lightning was about to strike the man, the man flew out of the way.

Daniela quickly fired her lightning towards the crowd approaching from another direction.

They were struck by lightning and fell to the ground.

“Kuaaak!”

The sight of him writhing in pain made Daniela uncomfortable.

Although she had incredible magical talents, she was not really used to combat or fighting.

At best, I’ve only had light practice like sparring, and I’ve never had any life-threatening experiences.

I have never used magic with the intent to kill anyone.

But now it’s different.

“Gasp… gasp… ugh.”

I continued to draw mana, breathing heavily and feeling my heart beating fast.

It was creepy.

It was a really scary feeling to feel like your life was in danger.

“Stop… Please stop!”

He screamed, almost crying.

I don’t want to kill, and I don’t want to die.

The men wearing royal cloaks running towards me were so scary.

I fired elemental magic wildly to survive.

But what was more frightening was the thought that I might actually kill someone.

At that moment, a man appeared out of nowhere and raised his sword.

“Wow!”

Shockwave.

As Daniela squeezed out her formula, huge shockwaves erupted from all directions.

The man who was aiming at her was also kicked away and fell down.

“Eww!”

Screams were heard here and there.

The man who crashed into the ruined building vomited blood.

“!”

The sight was so vivid that I stopped in my tracks.

“Now!”

The man who had collapsed while holding the magic book in his arms shouted.

He came to his senses without Daniela noticing and created a spell to disrupt Daniela’s shield.

Jejejeok-

The shield protecting Daniela began to crumble.

“Rest in peace, Daniela!”

The man who had been leading the way appeared right in front of Daniela.

“Bless your goodness… If it weren’t for your hesitation, we wouldn’t have been safe… Poor little lamb.”

The man holding the magic book muttered.

He looked pious, almost like a priest rather than an assassin.

Daniela squeezed her eyes shut as she saw the sharp sword about to plunge into her.

I guess I’m going to die like this…

The feeling of regret was greater than resignation.

… …

They say time passes slowly before you die, and it really is.

Even though Daniela had her eyes closed for a long time, the sword did not pierce through her.

“… … ?”

I slowly opened my closed eyes.

I can’t believe I wasn’t stabbed by the sword that was right in front of my nose.

And it was surprisingly quiet.

Just a moment ago, the shouts and screams of men could be heard here and there…

“Huh?”

Daniela was surprised.

The man who had been swinging his sword with a determined expression in front of her stood still.

So, he didn’t just stand still, he froze in the same position as he had been thrusting his sword at Daniela.

His body was shaking, his face was covered in cold sweat, and his expression was one of fear.

What the heck…?

It wasn’t just men.

The entire group that was after Daniela stopped dead in their tracks, unable to make a sound.

Time has stopped.

No, time is passing, but for the men, time has stopped.

They didn’t have much time left in their lives.

Daniela was convinced.

The atmosphere of the area has changed.

Not only the atmosphere, but also the density of the air changed, and the mana changed.

I could definitely feel it, since he was a first-class magician who had just been engaged in battle.

“Hey, who’s that?!”

Daniela said urgently.

Towards the source of change that has brought about change in the region.

“I told you so.”

An answer came from a corner of a dark alley.

It was a clear and beautiful voice.

Again-

Even the sound of footsteps.

The voices were getting closer.

He walked leisurely out of the darkness and tried to reveal himself to Daniela.

A woman’s silhouette appeared.

Just by looking at her silhouette, you could tell she was quite a beauty.

The woman’s unique charm, highlighted by her overall physique and graceful curves, pierced through the darkness.

Boots that looked more like combat boots than shoes, a tight H-line skirt, and an equally tight shirt all caught my eye.

It was the uniform of the Imperial Army.

She’s the woman I saw at Green Arms.

As I looked up, I saw a woman wearing a sharp military hat pulled down low.

His long, jet-black hair swayed beneath his hat.

And finally…

“You can borrow it in my name, but… I told you not to be late with the payment, right?”

Two eyes hidden under the hat shone.

The woman spoke to Daniela in a complaining tone, her turquoise eyes gleaming.

As the woman’s figure was revealed, Daniela could tell at a glance who she was.

Although the eye color was different from Daniela’s memories, it was impossible to not recognize her.

Because beauty is unchanging.

“Beatrice… ”

“Long time no see? Daniela.”

He greeted me in a cold tone, as if we were meeting again after only a few days.

It was a trivial greeting from the world’s most dangerous woman.

Daniela found the woman’s easygoing laughter unlucky.