Ch.426Episode 17 – The Blood-Drinking Tree

# There is a saying among the magicians of the Kiyen Empire that mocks their own magical society:

“Alexandra Petrova’s Fan Club.”

It’s a jab at the imperial magical society that revolves around the Grand Duchess. If Emperor Nicholas VI rules the empire, then Alexandra Petrova is the emperor of the magical world.

Of course, there was no intention to disparage Alexandra Petrova by comparing her to a dictator.

It was merely the lament of a few intellectuals (with public security beams reserved for them) concerned about a society maintained by a single Grand Magician.

But as the sun sets, the moon rises, and when the season of barren vegetation comes, the moment for new sprouts also arrives.

By a newcomer who appeared like a comet.

Recently, the magical society of the Kiyen Empire has hardly had a quiet day.

## Episode 17 – The Blood-Drinking Tree

If you were to stop a passing magician in Petrograd and ask, “Who is the greatest magician in the world?” everyone would unanimously answer:

“Obviously, Her Highness the Grand Duchess.”

“Her Highness Alexandra Petrova.”

The greatest magician in the world, the oldest magician in the empire, the mother who founded the Magic Tower, the founder of the Elemental School, His Majesty the Emperor’s aunt, Honorary Dean of the Imperial University’s Magic Department, Grand Duchess of the North, and so on.

Though she had many titles, what remained in people’s minds was always “Grand Magician.”

Not because they disliked listing all her cumbersome titles, but because even if you attached all her titles, they could never compare to the status of “Grand Magician.”

So what does Alexandra Petrova, celebrated as the empire’s only Grand Magician, do on a regular basis?

“Uh… what does Her Highness the Grand Duchess do? Well…”

“Research, I suppose…? She is a Grand Magician after all…”

“She might be contemplating profound subjects. Perhaps solving the 13 great problems of the magical world. …Any results? No. Her Highness hasn’t published anything in the last 35 years.”

“…In the past, Grand Duchess Alexandra Petrova herself would come to the podium and bestow her teachings. She stood right here, and I listened to her lecture from the front row. That was 52 years ago. Heh heh… I wonder where she is now. If I heard even the smallest news, I’d like to send her a letter.”

If you stopped a passing magician in Petrograd and asked this question, those who had been enthusiastically praising the Grand Duchess would tilt their heads. Then they would share what seemed like rumors.

She’s exploring uncharted territories, hunting magical beasts in frozen lands, conducting research in her workshop that will shake the world, and so on.

It’s only natural.

Because no one knows where the Grand Duchess is or what she’s doing.

“Even at the Magic Tower, we haven’t heard news of Her Highness. Perhaps she’s somewhere in the empire?”

“The professors say she truly shone when she was at the podium. Hmm, well… Though she’s an Honorary Dean, it’s been over 50 years since she stopped visiting… Even professors who consider themselves her disciples, if not her direct apprentices, can’t seem to reach her.”

Alexandra Petrova was someone who rarely showed herself except at official events hosted by the imperial family and government, and after the Empire-Magic Realm conflict broke out, she disappeared completely.

Of course,

“The Grand Magician isn’t on the continent now, but in Mauritania and the East. I briefly crossed paths with her during my adventures… I’m not exaggerating, I saw her clearly!”

Occasionally, some adventurers would claim they “saw the Grand Duchess on another continent,” but no one took them seriously. It would be foolish to believe the slurred words of a flushed drunk in a tavern.

Moreover, those who claimed to have seen the Grand Duchess would disappear for days afterward, leading everyone to believe they had simply kept quiet out of embarrassment for their drunken nonsense.

Anyway. Alexandra Petrova was clearly a very charming and interesting person.

One of only two Grand Magicians in the world with noble blood.

A hero who commanded wars against the oppression of the religious order.

A scholar who ended the age of knights and theology, leading a renaissance in the name of magic.

A righteous person who helped the crown prince reclaim his throne from a usurping regent.

A shield protecting against magical beasts in the knife-like winds of the north.

Bloodline, wisdom, morality, war hero. With all the elements people love, how could she not be charming? The Grand Duchess had created countless fans since her youth, and this remained true even now that she was over 100 years old.

In short, she was the superstar of the magical world. A superstar who drove both fans and critics crazy.

Limited to the empire, those who criticized the Grand Duchess would be lynched while walking down the street or have stones thrown at their homes, so it was fair to say that only passionate supporters existed in the Kiyen Empire.

However, unlike her noisy and passionate supporters, Alexandra Petrova herself was a very quiet person.

She had many achievements but didn’t particularly boast about them. When she appeared at official events, she would simply maintain her position and disappear before any trouble arose.

But she didn’t cause problems in private settings either. She was so reclusive by nature that even those considered to have some friendship with her would barely see her once in a while. Not even the common slip-ups that high-ranking members of magical society were prone to were heard from her.

Present yet absent.

A person with great achievements but no presence.

In this situation, Alexandra the Grand Duchess, already veiled in mystery, began to be regarded as an even more enigmatic figure.

That’s why strange followers appeared. People who speculated among themselves while she did nothing.

Some even went so far as to visit where the Grand Duchess lived, claiming they wanted to receive her energy. Of course, the police and guards who secured the place didn’t allow entry, but they did permit looking around the mansion or fortress.

I was well aware of these facts. Even when I worked as an unofficial agent in the Kiyen Empire, I had seen imperial magicians hovering around the Grand Duchess’s mansion in the capital several times.

From academy students praying for exam success to university students begging for military exemption, to fans desperately waiting for the Grand Duchess to appear.

To be honest, it was a very impressive scene. It felt like visiting a famous European tourist attraction.

In fact, the fortress in Novo-Nikolayevsk and the mansion in Petrograd were officially recognized attractions by the Imperial Tourism Department, so that wasn’t wrong.

But the situation had changed somewhat.

Since the Grand Duchess recently broke her seclusion and reappeared, and it became known that she had helped capture a demon, many people had been gathering around her. More precisely, around the northern fortress and the capital mansion.

This was still somewhat acceptable. These places had been treated as tourist attractions since long before the Grand Duchess became reclusive, so it was natural they would gain fame again with her return.

The problem was that Camilla was staying there.

While I was spending time with Veronica and Lucia in Laterano, I received a message from an intelligence officer at the Petrograd branch.

It was a message saying I needed to come to the empire for a while.

More specifically—

—’We’d like you to be by the Hero’s side.’

“Near Miss Camilla? Is there a problem?”

—’There’s no problem as such… but with the enormous crowds gathering, there are concerns about safety.’

They were asking me to go check on Camilla because the overflow of tourists might put her in danger.

I agreed since I was planning to visit Camilla anyway, but at first, I thought they were overreacting. How many tourists could there possibly be?

It’s a mansion protected by the Imperial Guard and police. Would a few tourists really cause any safety issues? Moreover, the owner of the mansion is none other than Grand Duchess Alexandra Petrova. What would someone who kills demons have to fear?

With such thoughts, I headed to the Grand Duchess’s mansion where Camilla was staying.

“……”

Right. I remember it being a place with a tourist attraction feel.

But this.

This is…

“Oh, oh! Fire! Fire! Someone used magic!”

“Who? Who was it? Who used it?”

“It was red! Red!”

“How can they produce such firepower when it’s barely stopped raining? That’s magic!”

“Hey, look at the window, the window!”

“Her Highness the Grand Duchess is heeere!!”

Shouts coming from all directions and flames cutting through the sky.

“…Uh, hmm.”

Trapped in the crowd, I felt my head spinning.

*

Visiting the Grand Duchess’s Petrograd mansion again after five years, I found countless people gathered around it.

The crowd not only surrounded the massive mansion on all sides but seemed poised to completely engulf it. They were all people who had come from various regions to see the Grand Duchess.

I, who had come to visit the mansion to meet Camilla, found myself trapped in a crowd with no room to even set foot.

“Ughh…!”

The empire, located in a high-latitude region of the Northern Hemisphere, is quite chilly even in July. It’s like early autumn weather in South Korea.

As someone who gets cold easily, I found it a bit too cold to wear just short sleeves, so when I worked in the empire, I always wore a thin cardigan or coat even in summer. That made me feel a bit warmer.

But now it was hot.

“J-just let me pass…”

The heat emanating from the enormous crowd gathered in front of the mansion was beyond imagination.

They were shouting, shaking their bodies, and these damn magicians were rubbing against each other like bees in a hive, as if they were so excited about a fire breaking out in the garden.

This must be what it would be like if Michael Jackson, the King of Music, came back to life.

The area near the mansion of Alexandra Petrova, the Empress of Magic, had the atmosphere of a concert venue radiating passion and energy, but the reality was not at all pleasant like a concert. Only the magicians who were cheering for the Grand Duchess’s appearance and randomly casting spells into the air were enjoying themselves.

—Waaaaaah!!

The roaring that made my head buzz caused me to instinctively hold my forehead.

As soon as news spread that Alexandra Petrova had returned and that Camilla, who was recently hitting new heights of fame, was staying at the capital mansion, magicians from all over the empire flocked like clouds.

And the people I was facing right now were those magicians.

“…Whew.”

They shouted until their throats were raw and cast spells, and as if that wasn’t enough, they started linking arms and chanting something that might have been a slogan or a song.

Some people were cheering, while others flew into the air and stretched out their arms holding magical recording devices.

Most people were shouting loud enough to shake the city as soon as the flames erupted, but some were even sobbing with emotion. I was being pushed around while listening to a grown man sniffling behind my head.

—Beep! Beep!

—Step back!

As I was being dragged around in the center of the commotion, police officers in blue uniforms were deployed to the scene. They were riot police and magicians armed with batons.

“Get away from the fence!”

“Disperse these people immediately!”

The riot police swung their batons at people approaching the mansion. Though batons flew before their eyes, people didn’t even blink as they deployed barriers with blue energy to block the attacks. This was possible because they were magicians.

As barriers formed near the fence, police magicians began to move. Officers who had been flying around on broomsticks, monitoring the scene, quickly cast dispel magic to break the protective spells and arrested the suspects by throwing their cloaks.

While the magicians gathered at the mansion became agitated and the riot police pushed them away from the mansion, an internal military armored vehicle from a nearby building dropped a trailer in the middle of the road.

“Set up the equipment, quickly!”

It was a massive machine that looked like a beehive.

At the commander’s order, the troops began to move busily. Connecting wires, manipulating keyboards, and finally pressing buttons.

Then, the machine split open and the devices began to float slightly above the ground.

—Woooong…!!

The floating devices circled around the trailer. The eerie green light and noisy operation sounds were an added bonus.

As light and shadow chaotically stirred the surroundings, the magicians’ complexions immediately worsened. Many staggered as if experiencing severe dizziness, but in worse cases, some vomited or had nosebleeds.

Among the groaning and suffering magicians, few remained standing upright. I was one of those few.

“Over there!”

A senior guard officer standing near the main gate pointed at me.

Shortly after, riot police and internal military soldiers pushed through the collapsing magicians with their bodies and rescued me from the crowd.

“Are you Mr. Frederick Nostrum?”

“Ah, yes… Yes, I am.”

“I’m truly sorry for the late assistance. Are you alright?”

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

The words rose to my throat, but I barely held them back. I was in no position to be angry.

“I’m fine. It was my choice to refuse an escort…”

When I said I was visiting the empire to see Camilla, the Imperial Foreign Ministry offered to assign police officers to guide me to the Grand Duchess’s mansion.

I had heard rumors. Since the Grand Duchess reappeared, many people had been gathering around her mansion.

Some came to see the legendary Grand Magician and the Hero in person, but quite a few approached with ulterior motives. People who drank their own wishful thinking Kool-Aid, wondering “Maybe I could…?” after hearing that a young magician had become the Grand Duchess’s apprentice.

Besides these, many other social villains were gathering.

Of course, I didn’t care.

How many people could possibly gather?

Even if the Grand Duchess’s fangirls gathered, they wouldn’t block the roads.

So I declined the police escort offered by the Imperial Foreign Ministry. I said I’d just take a taxi, and they should just contact the Imperial Guard.

This was the result.

“Ugh…!”

“Hey, bag! Bag! Bring medicine and bags, and summon the priest of the parish!”

Before even reaching the mansion, the road was blocked by carriages and luxury sedans. After getting out and starting to walk, I was trapped in the crowd before I could go far.

I later learned from a police senior officer that the road was blocked by people who had come from various regions to meet the Grand Duchess.

I was able to escape the crowd only with the help of the Imperial Internal Military, thanks to their anti-magician weapons that suppressed the magicians.

As the riot police’s batons struck approaching magicians and the Imperial Guard’s protective magic firmly rejected the magicians’ approach, I, who had nearly died, took steps toward the main gate.

But then,

—Paat!

Magic began to activate from the center of the garden.

For a moment, a faint darkness fell as if the sun had been covered, and then light burst from a small point.

Flickering light and deepening darkness.

As the intensity gradually increased in a split second and the shadows deepened accordingly.

The point that emitted a bright flash swelled in size in the blink of an eye.

And led to an explosion.

—KWAAANG——!!

The sight of an enormous pillar of fire rising from a small point the size of a marble was truly overwhelming. Enough to inspire awe in those watching.

Thus, no one dared to speak hastily.

Except…

“…What is that.”

The windows shattering in succession and the mansion’s marble walls blackened.

Half of the expertly tended garden had burned black, and even the remaining half had embers catching fire here and there.

But people are animals that only see what they want to see.

“……”

“……”

“……”

“…Wow!”

The crowd that had been standing in a daze erupted in cheers. Those who had been hit by the Internal Military’s riot suppression equipment regained their vigor.

Witnessing the magicians regaining their energy, the riot police and Internal Military hurriedly vacated their positions, followed by an enormous crowd that began pounding on the protective barrier along the mansion’s fence.

As magicians rushed to reinforce the barrier and troops struggled to disperse the crowd.

“……”

I threw off my sunglasses, bit my lip, and stepped into the mansion.

*

If the height at which humans feel the greatest fear is 11 meters, then the moment of jumping from an 11-meter model tower could be considered the most terrifying moment.

But for Camilla, the most terrifying moment was now.

“~♪”

It was a bright summer day in the Kiyen Empire, after committing a minor “mistake” of burning half the garden.

When practicing magic, one sometimes burns objects and trees. Grand Duchess Alexandra Petrova did not question her disciple’s small and trivial “mistake.”

But there was one exception.

“Camilla-!!”

Camilla, who was sweeping the floor with a broomstick, was startled by the angry voice from behind.

Although it was called a mistake, she had indeed done something wrong. So after causing an accident, Camilla would always clean up the embers with the broomstick she used to practice flying magic.

It wasn’t an expensive magical tool, but a broomstick hastily purchased last December for an asylum operation. It was the cheapest broomstick in the store, meaning it was an old model, so it wasn’t something that could be used for a long time from the start.

But she had grown attached to it and didn’t want to throw it away. So she was using it for practice and to put out embers when—

“…Heok!”

Startled, Camilla jumped up and threw away the broomstick. That very broomstick she supposedly cherished.

Of course, she picked it up again as soon as it hit the floor. Normally, she would have worried whether the broomstick was damaged, but unfortunately, this was not the time for that.

“Camilla!”

A black-haired man in a suit who had kicked open (literally kicked) the main gate shouted her name in a booming voice.

His voice was so loud that some of the imperial officials who were dispersing the crowd turned their heads.

“What accident have you caused this time?!”

Frederick, who had invaded the mansion, shouted as he strode forward. Camilla hastily lowered her body to avoid eye contact, hid in the garden grass, and crawled on all fours.

Frederick shouted:

“I’m human too, you know! Huh? I trusted you this time! But how many weeks has it been, and you’ve caused another accident!”

Thump thump, as leather shoes stomped on the charred marble, shh shh shh, the grass rustled.

“I’ve been patient. I may not say anything, but! After causing that mess abroad, now you’ve turned the middle of the capital into a sea of fire!”

“……”

Hiding, Camilla admitted to herself. Yes, even she thought this incident was a bit too much.

Although the Grand Duchess had forgiven her, Camilla didn’t think Frederick would forgive her for burning half the garden. He hated dangerous behavior more than anything in the world. And burning half a garden several times the size of a soccer field while practicing magic was, even in Camilla’s opinion, dangerous behavior.

Not a lot, just a little.

Really just a tiny bit.

“……”

She hadn’t been discovered yet, but she felt this situation was hopeless. Since her opponent seemed quite angry, she decided to flee first.

Camilla carefully rose with her broomstick. In the distance, she could see the man in a suit with his hands on his hips, fuming.

Moving with small steps, Camilla prepared her flying magic. She placed the broomstick between her thighs like mounting a bike saddle and prepared to take off by raising her magical power.

“What are you doing over there?!”

“Huk…?!”

She was caught.

An angry shout followed by eye contact. The man and woman who locked eyes intensely both jumped up.

Frederick started running to catch Camilla, and Camilla prepared to fly to avoid being caught by Frederick.

However,

“Eek…! Why won’t it fly…!”

For some reason, the flying magic wouldn’t work.

If the Grand Duchess had been watching, she might have said, “Child, it’s only natural that an old magical tool would break down if used roughly without maintenance,” but unfortunately, the Grand Duchess wasn’t present.

Camilla, who had been bouncing forward as if trying to escape, made a decision. She finally threw away the broomstick (the self-proclaimed cherished broomstick).

—Whisk!

After throwing the broomstick, Camilla started running at full speed. Behind her, the man in leather shoes followed like a madman.

“Camilla! Stop!”

“I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else!”

“Stop! I said stop!”

“Just because you tell me to stop, do you think I will?! You stop first and then talk!”

“If I catch you, you’re really dead!”

A chase ensued, circling around the garden that was half black and half green. The officials who were dispersing the crowd and the magicians peering through the open gate were dumbfounded.

Whether others saw them or not, Camilla and Frederick were busy chasing and being chased. It was almost like a scene from a slapstick comedy, reminiscent of the legendary chase between a mouse and a cat.

“Hiiieek?!”

Camilla, who was running ahead, looked back briefly and screamed.

How can he run so well in dress shoes!

Despite wearing sneakers, Camilla couldn’t shake off the pursuit. Even though her opponent was handicapped by a suit and dress shoes.

The gap between the two gradually narrowed. Now they were close enough that he could reach out and touch her collar.

“Eek…!”

Frederick gritted his teeth and reached for Camilla’s collar.

He pushed the ground with his legs, leaned his upper body forward, and grabbed the collar.

The fabric caught on his fingers. As his joints bent, the fabric wrapped around his skin smoothly. Frederick smiled, confident he had finally caught her.

“Got you…!”

That’s when it happened.

—Whoosh~!

Suddenly, flames scattered before his eyes. Frederick, who had been reaching out, hastily retreated and protected his face with both arms. It was magic. The caster was probably Camilla.

Frederick, who had protected his vital points, grumbled. In a voice that had calmed down a bit.

“No matter how much you don’t want to be caught, suddenly using magic is… Huh?”

She was gone.

Camilla had disappeared. She had been within arm’s reach just seconds ago.

She had vanished without a trace.

“…Phew!”

As Frederick looked around for Camilla, a familiar voice reached his ears. Turning his body 180 degrees, he saw the person he was looking for standing there.

“No, you…”

As the surprised Frederick approached with large strides,

“Gyaaaak!”

Camilla, who had seriously misunderstood that he was still angry, jumped up.

And,

—Whoosh~!

She disappeared before his eyes.

And so she scattered before his eyes once again.

As a handful of flames.