Ch.330330. Precious Person

Who is most conscious of others’ gazes on this battlefield?

If I had to pick, it would obviously be these two people who ended up together unintentionally.

Darius Verdi, the eldest son and head of the Verdi family who joined the battlefield to shoulder his responsibilities, and Erika Bright who came for the same reason.

“I never imagined she would be this strong.”

As Darius clicked his tongue and muttered, Erika swallowed hard in agreement.

She knew that the woman called Findenai was an exceptional warrior, but this went beyond the level of a mere fighter.

A battle blending madness and obsession.

Yet she stood firm at the entrance, not retreating a single step.

The battlefield was gradually shrinking due to the ice fragments accumulating on the ground.

And as the fight continued, Findenai’s momentum was exploding wildly.

The fact that she never once raised the corner of her mouth showed just how serious she was.

“Han Empire’s Sect Leader Ju Orong, Magic Judge Tairn, Royal Guard Captain Gloria, and even Black Mage Coleman.”

Despite all these formidable figures facing off against Findenai alone, the battle situation remained difficult.

Could this army really be stopped by a mere maid?

Though she wasn’t completely unscathed, the fact that such forces were being pushed back by one person was a direct blow to morale.

At that moment.

“Ready now!”

The armored soldiers of the Valestan Duchy who had been wounded by Aria Rius took positions with shields and lances.

Standing in a line, they seemed prepared to throw their entire bodies forward, apparently planning to break through by sheer weight.

However, there was something oddly artificial about their stance.

“Hehehe.”

It was because of Baktus Nikolai, the enchanter known for creating the Valestan Duchy’s armored soldiers.

When the hunchbacked old man tapped his staff on the ground—

The armored soldiers charged forward without any battle cry or determination, advancing emotionlessly toward their enemies.

‘That’s…’

Seeing this, Darius recalled having seen someone similar in the past.

Doberman, who had crossed the Norsweden mountains from the Republic of Clark.

Darius frowned as he remembered the miraculous armor called “protection” worn by Doberman and his Salvation Corps members.

“They’re still doing that?”

Insects embedded inside the protection controlled the mind, dulled pain, and created soldiers who showed blind loyalty without emotion.

Their fearlessness of death didn’t stem from courage, but from forced compliance.

“Hehehe.”

Though he tried to ignore it, upon hearing Baktus’s laughter, Darius finally drew his sword.

“I can’t stand this.”

He was about to kill that man right then and there.

Darius walked toward him with determined steps, but—

“Wait, please.”

Erika urgently grabbed his shoulder to stop him. Suddenly attacking an ally would make the situation complicated.

Moreover, if Darius, Deus Verdi’s older brother, did such a thing, he would certainly be branded a traitor.

“Sister-in-law, can you tolerate seeing this?”

Sister-in-law.

Erika’s cheeks flushed red for a moment, but drawing on her experience as a professor, she quickly restored her cold expression.

“I can’t tolerate it. But you know very well that we shouldn’t make a move here.”

“…”

“I need to be the first to go kill Deus. That’s what he wanted from me.”

She didn’t know the reason.

But she knew he wouldn’t have asked such a thing of her merely to commit suicide.

He must have had something in mind.

And she needed to reach Deus before anyone else on this battlefield to follow his plan.

“But…”

Darius glanced toward Findenai. Having already overwhelmed Knight Captain Gloria, Findenai was now swinging her ice axe at the charging armored soldiers.

A massive wave of cold energy erupted from Findenai’s fingertips.

It was a strike of terrifying power, but Findenai was no longer in the same condition as before.

Her breathing was labored, and blood flowed down her forehead, covering her eyes from a wound.

Her already revealing maid uniform was partially torn.

It might be ridiculous that they were struggling against one person, but if Findenai’s injuries accumulated, she would eventually be overwhelmed, being only human after all.

At that moment.

“It’s Deus Verdi!”

Someone urgently shouted, pointing toward the sky.

Everyone’s gaze followed the finger, which was directed at the rooftop of the Academy’s main building.

Dressed as usual.

Wearing a black coat and holding a staff, Deus Verdi looked down at those who had come for him with an expressionless face.

[SCREEEECH!]

[Fight! Fight! Fight!]

[Defend!]

And now.

The souls that had been roaming the battlefield harmlessly began to react.

They screamed and cursed like evil spirits as they strode between people.

Blue flames with will of their own poured down from the sky, and the souls’ screams affected people’s minds.

“Ugh!”

“Q-quick, Black Mages, respond!”

“What is the Kingdom of Zerman doing?!”

Wails echoed across the battlefield. The Black Mages of the Kingdom of Zerman tried to respond somehow, but—

“Magic… doesn’t work…”

Coleman, the allied forces’ strongest Black Mage, muttered, forgetting even his humiliation.

How many times had it been?

How many times had he doubted his abilities since coming to the Griffin Kingdom?

The necromancy of Black Mages, meant to control or drive away souls, had no effect whatsoever.

The souls floating above the Academy showed not the slightest wavering, like subjects under the absolute rule of a king.

Whether to call it loyalty or oppression—

Even the Black Mages couldn’t properly distinguish.

“Now’s the time.”

However, Erika Bright didn’t simply see Deus Verdi’s appearance as a sign of being cornered.

Revealing himself meant revealing his location.

Erika was certain.

Deus was waiting for her.

So she ran forward as if possessed.

“W-wait!”

Darius urgently followed after her.

Blocking the front was Findenai. Having spotted Erika, she immediately raised her halberd and charged.

“The master told me. Leave enough energy to escape even while fighting fiercely.”

Spears of light erupted around Erika. Just as necromancers manipulated magic through souls—

The light spears around her were all spirits.

The spears moved dramatically to protect Erika.

“And if you came, to open the way.”

CRASH!

It took dozens of overlapping spirit spears to barely block one of Findenai’s attacks.

Of all those layered spears, only one remained intact.

The broken spears fell to the ground as debris, transforming into clusters of light.

Findenai’s assault should have ended there, but she deliberately took another step forward.

“But I don’t want to.”

WHOOSH!

Once again.

A cold wave swept through.

Erika desperately raised both hands to block it, glaring sharply at Findenai through the cold wave.

Findenai continued swinging her ice axe without hesitation.

“I’ve always wanted to fight you, Erika Bright.”

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

The spirits desperately blocked between Findenai and Erika, somehow managing to hold on.

But they were barely hanging on even now. If her concentration slipped for even a moment, Findenai’s axe would tear her apart.

“Ugh!”

The difference in skill was extreme.

Erika wasn’t a warrior who fought on the front lines, but a mage skilled at pouring firepower from the rear.

A direct confrontation was too much, but Findenai didn’t discriminate between opponents on the battlefield.

“Your families arranged the match, yet you keep holding onto regrets. You’ve caused us quite a bit of trouble!”

“…!”

“Just break off the engagement and live with another man your family arranges. Don’t leave yourself with strange regrets.”

Erika couldn’t help but recognize the sincerity in this advice. Findenai, who pretended otherwise but secretly harbored an obsession for Deus.

She acted indifferent when other women were near Deus, but Erika knew her eyes always followed them.

But.

“What nonsense…!”

Erika was just as frustrated.

Right now.

Who was she going through all this trouble for?

Starting with the Academy’s evil spirit incident. Though her methods were wrong, she had driven him away out of genuine love for Deus, cutting away a piece of herself.

Afterward, she gave him time so that Deus Verdi could leave to find his true love whenever he wanted.

She deliberately maintained their engagement status, planning to let him go if he found someone he truly loved.

It would hurt terribly, but.

That was Erika’s resolve.

That’s why Deus’s request this time was unbearably cruel.

She had to return to being Deus Verdi’s enemy again.

She had to fight against him once more.

Even knowing it was what he wanted, it was still painful.

But she had no choice.

After all, Erika Bright loved Deus.

“You… don’t know how blessed a position you’re in, Findenai.”

So Findenai’s words were enough to provoke Erika’s temper.

Her blonde hair fluttered.

Not because of Findenai’s cold wave. Golden mana erupted from Erika’s entire body, the authority of light magic, as she gritted her teeth, seemingly suppressing her anger.

“I envy you, who can always be that person’s ally.”

If only she could be in that position.

Family, status, reputation.

She would abandon them all and run to him.

Even if she had to face countless armies, if she could turn her back to Deus Verdi and protect him.

That alone would have been so wonderful.

“I envy you so much, Findenai.”

The golden mana gradually formed the shape of a massive spear. It continued to extend upward with a momentum that seemed capable of piercing the sky.

“I too…”

The spear stretching toward the sky finally reached the Academy’s rooftop. Erika, who had mounted the spear, gave Findenai one last glance before heading upward.

“Wish I could have been someone precious to him.”

As Erika rose upward, using what everyone had assumed was an attack spell as a foothold, Findenai was startled and rushed after her, but—

“Wait, wait!”

Darius, who had been following, swung his sword to block Findenai’s path.

“Eek!”

Though she could easily defeat someone like Darius, controlling her strength was important.

He was the eldest son of the Verdi family and Deus’s brother. The possibility of accidentally killing him prevented Findenai from swinging her ice axe recklessly.

And so finally.

In front of everyone.

Erika advanced alone toward Deus Verdi.

No souls blocked her path. In fact, after getting past Findenai the maid, reaching him seemed almost too easy.

‘Perhaps it’s because it’s me.’

Because Deus had called for Erika.

That’s why the woman could reach him.

A strong wind blew.

As she climbed up and slowly raised her head, her eyes met with Deus Verdi, who was looking down at her from the rooftop railing.

Expressionless, emotionless, with little color around his eyes.

The man she had loved…

“Huh?”

Erika froze momentarily upon seeing Deus. Wondering if she was seeing correctly, she rubbed her eyes and looked again.

“You…”

With a trembling voice, Erika asked him.

“Who are you?”

The person standing before her was not Deus Verdi.

“Hmph.”

The man who couldn’t maintain his act to the end gave a bitter smile that was uncharacteristic of Deus’s body.