Ch.44Palace Defense Battle (2)

*Ding!*

[Dungeon: Entering the Palace Consumed by Twilight.]

[User: Wishing good luck to Kanarin Rupenter.]

Kanarin looked around the palace grounds where she had just set foot.

Twilight.

It was the perfect expression for what she was witnessing.

The current palace was like another world where shadows intertwined and expanded their territory.

The once lush grass now fluttered weakly in the wind, withered and lifeless. The earth had lost its original greenness and turned black. Meanwhile, something towering like a majestic spire was spreading black powder into the atmosphere.

“Open inventory.”

Numerous menus appeared in midair. Kanarin placed her finger on an item depicting a long spear.

*Ziiing-!*

Suddenly, particles of light rose from thin air and reconstructed themselves. The object with a gleaming tip and elongated form was unmistakably a spear.

[Lv.25 Frost Spear]

Kanarin skillfully grabbed the item she had collected through her status window.

Cold air lingered at the tip of the summoned spear, freezing the surrounding atmosphere.

“What an amazing ability…”

Rahilt spoke softly.

The three people familiar with the status window took it in stride, but from Rahilt’s perspective, it was nothing short of an extraordinary trick. However, Kanarin couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.

“From my perspective, I’d like to return those exact words to you…”

There was no point in receiving admiration from someone who was like a walking weapon of mass destruction. The more Kanarin recalled what had happened at the Mansion of the Sorcerer, the more insignificant she felt.

‘It was good that I brought Serin along.’

Not only was Serin powerful, but getting Rahilt as a bonus was a divine move. Someone who could single-handedly complete the main quest if they wanted to.

Kanarin swallowed her satisfaction and offered some words of caution.

“Lord Rahilt. Please don’t destroy the palace like you did with the Mansion of the Sorcerer. If we disturb it carelessly, the spread of mental contamination could accelerate.”

“Then why are the black sorcerers protecting the palace? I thought their goal would be achieved if they destroyed it themselves…”

Rahilt raised a reasonable question. Luca, who knew sorcerers well, answered in her place.

“They need to be alive to achieve their goals. If this much magical power were to explode and be released, no one would survive, right?”

“So ‘no way back’ wasn’t just a figure of speech.”

Rahilt nodded in understanding.

‘…Even setting aside the issue of magical power, causing another commotion would be problematic.’

Many innocent people still remained in the palace. Acting recklessly would cost their lives too.

Just as Rahilt acknowledged the brief warning—

*Snap!*

Luca snapped his fingers.

As if responding to the sound, the earth moved.

Stones and soil clustered together like sharp awls, as if possessing their own will.

Luca delicately controlled his magical power to create a straight path.

“First, one.”

*Swoosh!*

A sound of piercing air.

Following the magical path he had created, a sharp earthen awl flew.

It was an attack of modest range, but it was fast and fierce. In the blink of an eye, the earthen awl pierced the chest of a hidden black sorcerer.

The black sorcerer died without even having time to scream.

That was the signal for battle to begin.

“The Duke’s daughter and the Second Prince have appeared!”

“The Imperial Princess has been confirmed as well!”

“Identifying who destroyed the mansion is our top priority!”

They apparently didn’t know yet that Rahilt was the one who collapsed the mansion. It happened so quickly that reporting it was impossible.

“Raise the barrier!”

As soon as the command was given, a pitch-black storm arose. It was a kind of optical illusion caused by the surge of magical power.

*Rumble…*

Magical power from dozens of people surged up. The ground quickly rose, forming a massive earthen wall.

As a sorcerer, Luca thought the black sorcerers’ magical power was quite impressive. While walking the path of apostasy might be a shortcut to power, achieving such results was never easy.

‘Well… but this is just cheap stalling at best.’

It was exactly as Luca predicted.

“Rian!”

“Yes, Serin.”

Rahilt and Serin’s eyes met. The two attacked the earthen wall simultaneously as if they had rehearsed it.

“Haaaah!”

*Crash!*

Serin’s kick and Rahilt’s fist struck with tremendous force.

Each of them possessed dragon power unparalleled in the world. There was no way the earthen wall, merely formed with magical power, could withstand it.

*Boom!*

It wasn’t the sound of cracking, but the roar of an exploding bomb. The earthen wall literally burst in an instant, collapsing and producing a massive cloud of dust.

“Now…!”

Kanarin rushed toward the interior of the palace, using the dust cloud as cover.

*Whoosh!*

Her figure quickly emerged from the obscuring dust.

Kanarin charged toward the entrance of the main palace where numerous black sorcerers were positioned.

“Eek…!”

“Die!”

The black sorcerers reacted quickly. They swiftly conjured simple spells. However, they soon had to doubt their own eyes.

“She disappeared…?”

After a moment of confusion, a sorcerer at the rear urgently shouted.

“Above!”

Using her spear as a pole, Kanarin had leaped high and was now observing them from the air. They tried to redirect their magical paths, but the golden opportunity had long passed.

“Skill activation – Celestial Maiden’s Dance!”

[Assist Mode activated.]

[User: Correcting Kanarin Rupenter’s movements.]

*Whirl!*

Her body spun rapidly. The Frost Spear that had been on the ground danced wildly following Kanarin’s movements. The moisture in the air condensed, drawing beautiful lines along the spear’s trajectory.

“Urgh…”

Their blood froze from the cold, preventing bleeding. Instead, their skin necrotized, gradually consuming their lives.

By the time she landed, the entrance to the main palace was wide open.

“Wow…”

Serin approached with her mouth agape.

“That’s insane, Sister Narin, shouting your skill name was so cool…”

“Honestly, I agree.”

“I… honestly don’t quite understand, but if Serin and Luca say so, then it must be true.”

In response to the rest of the party’s reactions, Kanarin writhed in embarrassment.

“T-this is unavoidable!!! The skill only activates this way… ugh…”

Kanarin was convinced that mental contamination from allies and the status window was more serious than from black sorcerers.

Especially Rahilt’s earnestness in trying to acknowledge something he clearly didn’t understand kept pressing her embarrassment button.

“L-let’s go, everyone. Quickly!”

Even as she tried to brush it off, the admiration once started wouldn’t easily stop.

“Rian, should I try shouting too? Like ‘900-degree back flip!’ or something.”

“Serin would definitely look cool.”

Kanarin became increasingly annoyed not only with the excited Serin but also with Rahilt who immediately agreed.

“No, Lord Rahilt. Didn’t you say you didn’t understand?!”

“…”

Rahilt pressed his lips together for a moment, then reluctantly spoke as if doing her a favor.

“I think… it would be… cool…”

“No, forget it. I’ll just die of embarrassment…”

Kanarin rubbed her face in frustration at the rising sense of defeat. Luca gave her a thumbs up.

“You’re the coolest to me! Kanarin!”

“Please shut up, Luca! Ugggh…”

When Kanarin showed genuine distress, the three looked away in different directions.

“L-let’s go, Rian.”

“…We have a long way to go.”

“Yeah, Kanarin. This isn’t the time for this, right?”

“Hah…”

Why was Luca the most annoying? Kanarin shook off the lingering question and stood up.

“I’ll let it go for now…”

Regaining her composure, Kanarin pushed open the doors to the main palace.

*Ding!*

[Dungeon: Palace Consumed by Twilight – Entering the Main Palace.]

[Main Quest progress has increased.]

[8500pt awarded as a reward.]

The reward was substantial just for entering. It wasn’t for nothing that this was the final part of the main quest.

As Kanarin stepped forward with inner satisfaction, Luca extended his arm to stop her.

“Wait, there are many traps.”

“What kind of traps are you referring to?”

Serin asked.

“Mainly magical traps that respond to stimuli. The most common type inflicts damage when stepped on.”

“Putting landmines in a palace… these people are insane.”

After Serin’s cursing, Luca’s advice continued.

“The three of you except me need to be careful. While I and the black sorcerers can fight in place…”

“We need to move around on foot?”

“Correct, Kanarin.”

Serin sighed lightly at the conclusion.

“It seems those who fight on foot are at a disadvantage everywhere…”

“Indeed.”

Serin and Kanarin, who had experienced PvP games in the modern world, shared a feeling of camaraderie. It was frustrating to be surrounded by sorcerers on all sides.

Luca cleared his throat and advised:

“I’ll handle trap detection, so please follow me closely. If there’s combat in between, I’ll try to cover you as much as possible.”

“Is Luca… actually an incredibly talented sorcerer?”

“You’re just realizing that now?”

Though aware that Rahilt’s question might be impolite, Luca confidently puffed out his chest.

Serin could immediately understand this from a reader’s perspective.

“Well… it happens. Like when you somehow save an extra character from the original work, and they turn out to be someone with tremendous talent.”

“Yeah, a common cliché.”

“Pfft…”

“Hehe…”

Serin and Kanarin giggled as they shared a private conversation.

They seemed relaxed despite being in the middle of enemy territory.

It was because they had gained confidence after easily subduing the black sorcerers at the palace gate.

At that moment, they didn’t know.

What the consequences of that confidence would bring.

What disaster it would call forth.

The moment of their realization was approaching by the second.