Chapter 119

‘Ah, this is going to be interesting.’

Princess Oscar’s jade-colored eyes gleamed.

She had already sensed that some people were approaching from behind.

But she didn’t care since it was only four people.

However, she didn’t expect them to have prepared something like this.

‘Magic Arrows? They feel different, heavier. An enhanced version modified in their own way? And Ice Rain? That’s impressive too.’

Princess Oscar leisurely admired the magic used by Riviera and Elaine.

It seemed she had no intention of confronting those spells directly just yet.

She wanted to observe their power first.

“Behind us!”

“It’s magic! Prepare yourselves!”

The other first-years also noticed the magic before it hit.

They were, after all, Royal students.

But that didn’t negate the surprise attack’s effectiveness.

They had already climbed halfway up the steep hill and had no space to retreat easily.

Max had aimed for this by showing up at a slightly delayed timing, taking some risk.

“Who are those guys? Where did they suddenly come from?”

“Is that the issue right now? We need to block it first.”

“Tch, I guess we have no choice. Let’s go!”

Two first-years at the back stepped forward confidently.

Their expressions were relaxed.

They believed they could block it.

Confidence in their own strength.

It was the natural pride of those who had succeeded on the royal road so far.

But sometimes, such people make wrong judgments because of that pride.

Especially when they meet someone stronger.

“I’ll tear apart everything that comes my way!”

One of them released a sword aura, something only a master swordsman could do.

“Extreme Shield!”

The other cast a high-level shield spell, several times thicker than a regular shield.

They were indeed as strong as their confidence suggested.

However.

“What the… What’s happening?”

He had confidently slashed through several Magic Arrows, but suddenly the arrows began to move as if they were living creatures, dodging his attacks.

No matter how powerful the sword aura was, it was useless if it didn’t hit.

While the sword aura cut through the air, the Magic Arrows mercilessly struck his entire body.

“Ugh!”

Beep beep!

Eventually, one of them dropped his sword and was flung into the air, knocked out.

Meanwhile.

“This can’t be happening…”

The one with the Extreme Shield was in trouble too.

Bang!

Crack!

Crack, crack!

The thick Extreme Shield, which looked reassuring, quickly cracked under the Ice Shards.

Bang!

The more it was struck by the Ice Shards, the more the cracks spread and widened.

Eventually.

Crash!

The Extreme Shield shattered into pieces.

“No way… Ugh!”

Beep beep!

The other one also lost consciousness after being battered by the Ice Shards.

Two losses in an instant.

But Princess Oscar smiled invisibly.

‘Not bad.’

She thought to herself, pleased with the power.

This might be able to quench her usual boredom.

Her blood began to boil slightly.

“What are those idiots doing?”

Someone grumbled and stepped forward.

It was Emily, the Spirit Summoner, and the younger sibling of the “Opposite Twins.”

Emily immediately summoned her spirits.

“Salamander. Muldun.”

The mid-level Fire Spirit Salamander and the mid-level Earth Spirit Muldun.

The way to judge a Spirit Summoner’s ability is simple.

Look at how clearly the summoned spirit is formed and how large it is.

A clear form indicates high affinity, and a large size means the spirit is receiving a lot of power from the summoner.

In that regard, the spirits summoned by Emily clearly showed why she was called a genius Spirit Summoner.

They had clear forms, almost like real living creatures.

The Salamander, shaped like a flaming lizard, was as big as a monitor lizard, and the Earth Turtle Muldun was the size of a wild boar.

“Better block it.”

Emily playfully threatened the spirits.

Such behavior was possible because of her high affinity.

The Salamander moved to burn the Magic Arrows, and Muldun to block the Ice Rain.

The Salamander spewed flames, burning the Magic Arrows.

Muldun hardened its body to block the Ice Rain.

They seemed to struggle, but they managed to hold off the attacks.

“Wow, impressive.”

Emily’s eyes widened.

Even after the two at the front had taken 30% of the hits with their bodies, the spells were still this powerful.

It would have been difficult otherwise.

‘If it weren’t for the mana restrictions, I would have used high-level spirits… But that goes for them too.’

It wasn’t 100% for either side.

Emily admitted it.

The two who cast those spells would be hard to beat even in a one-on-one fight.

“Little sister!”

Ethan’s massive frame landed beside her with a thud.

“You idiot brother, why are you here when you’re supposed to be at the front?”

Emily glared at him in disbelief.

“Family comes first.”

“What nonsense are you spouting on a battlefield?”

It was a mock battle, but in a real war, deserting your post could lead to execution.

Ethan bluntly replied to the exasperated Emily.

“Family comes first.”

“…”

“I’ll protect my sister!”

Leaving the speechless Emily behind, Ethan charged towards the spirits.

* * *

“What’s with those guys?”

Riviera looked at the twin siblings with curiosity, like she was watching exotic animals at a zoo.

…You’re quite an odd one yourself.

“Ethan and Emily, the strongest in the princess’s faction.”

“Oh.”

“Everything is going as expected. Haha, as expected of me.”

I laughed leisurely, running a hand through my hair.

Ugh, I made myself cringe.

I shouldn’t get used to this.

“What’s expected?”

“That human-ogre guy has a sister complex. If his sister is in danger, he’ll pop out of nowhere. Like now.”

I chuckled.

“That guy is the best assault leader in the princess’s faction. His destructive power is top-notch. If we can draw him out, the pressure on the fortress will lessen, right?”

“Oh, it looks like the upper part has caught a break, leader.”

Allen said.

The second-year Royals, who seemed on the brink of collapse, were reorganizing their defense as we temporarily drew Ethan out.

“Should we keep pushing in?”

Elaine asked.

It wasn’t a bad choice to keep pushing after taking down two of them, but I shook my head.

“No, we can’t. The princess will move.”

“The princess?”

Predicting the princess’s psychology is very difficult.

Especially on an uncharted path like this.

But I boldly based my guess on my many experiences and devised a strategy.

Normally, the princess wouldn’t move actively.

She wasn’t interested because the situation was overwhelmingly in her favor.

But now it’s different.

The field has been completely reshaped by my and the guerrilla team’s performance.

A field that the princess would find interesting.

Plus, she saw Elaine and Riviera’s magic firsthand.

I guessed that the princess’s blood was boiling with excitement.

In such cases.

“You shouldn’t keep tasty prey close by.”

It might sound crude, but the princess might really see it that way.

“What are you talking about?”

Elaine looked puzzled.

“Our princess has a bit of a gluttonous streak.”

I chuckled.

It was a joke, but not really.

If the princess moves, Riviera, or even Elaine, could get caught.

If our key forces are tied up, the mock battle is effectively over.

To avoid that.

“First, we need to draw out and cut off their arms and legs.”

“Arms and legs?”

“Ethan and Emily.”

They were valuable enough to be described that way.

They were main characters among the protagonist’s classmates.

“Do you have a way to draw them out, leader?”

Allen asked.

“Haha, of course. A sure way.”

I answered immediately.

Ethan.

He might look like a fool, but he’s not.

He’s not a brainless idiot who charges out at the slightest provocation.

But I know.

The magic words that will surely draw him out.

“Stay here. I’ll go alone.”

I moved.

* * *

“What, is this it? Is it over so easily?”

Ethan muttered after dealing with all the incoming magic.

“Of course not. This is just the beginning.”

Emily chided him.

“Anyway, you should go back to your original position now. I’ll handle things here with the others.”

“Hmm.”

Ethan hesitated for a moment.

At that moment.

“Someone’s coming?”

Someone from behind spoke.

As they said, a man was approaching.

“Oh? That guy is… the delinquent from the Celtrine family.”

Emily recognized Max, as he was quite famous among the imperial nobility.

“Max Celtrine. A trashy man. Though there are rumors he’s changed a bit lately.”

Ethan added.

“But what’s he planning to do alone?”

“You idiot brother, don’t you get it? It’s a bait. He’s trying to provoke us to draw out some of our forces.”

Emily said, as if it were obvious.

If he really intended to fight, he wouldn’t come alone.

It was a tactic that only worked on impulsive, impatient hotheads.

A laughable trick.

Especially since there wasn’t a single person like that on their side.

“Oh, I see.”

Ethan nodded calmly.

People often saw Ethan as a fool because of his appearance, but Emily knew better than anyone that he was far from that.

So there was no worry about him falling for the provocation.

While they were thinking that, Max stopped walking.

Then he shouted loudly in a booming voice.

“I am Max Celtrine, the brain of the second years! Ethan, my junior! If you have a brain, face me, the greatest mind of the second years, in a one-on-one duel!”

‘Seriously?’

Max specifically called out Ethan.

Emily was dumbfounded.

How much did he underestimate them to blatantly target and provoke like this?

And what?

The brain of the second years?

She had never seen anyone introduce themselves so shamelessly.

No wonder he had such a notorious reputation.

“Brother, don’t pay any attention to whatever he says.”

She said just in case, but it wasn’t necessary.

Ethan stood like a rock, completely unshaken.

“I can’t hear you.”

Ethan calmly ignored him.

At this moment, her brother looked reliable.

Just as Emily gave him a thumbs-up in approval.

“What’s this? Ignoring me? If you keep ignoring me, I’ll have to use my last resort!”

Max threatened, trying to look intimidating.

Emily scoffed.

As if he had any such means.

“I can’t hear you.”

Ethan remained unmoved.

Of course.

Such a method would never work on him, and Max would have to leave in frustration…

“If you don’t come out right now, I’ll confess to your sister! I’ll show you there’s no tree that won’t fall after being struck ten times, and prove it to you, my future brother-in-law…”

“You bastard!”

Without a moment to stop him, Ethan charged like a mad bull.

“Stop! You idiot brother!”

Emily called out belatedly, but it was already too late.

“Ugh, seriously!”

She clutched her head in frustration.

What the hell was that?

Provoking with a confession attack?

And the problem was, it worked perfectly on her brother.

How did he come up with that?

Even I, his sister, couldn’t think of that!

Thud, thud, thud!

“Ugh, seriously! Stop, you idiot brother!”

Emily reluctantly ran after him.

She couldn’t leave her brother alone.

* * *

“Haha, as expected, it worked.”

I couldn’t hold back my laughter.

This was the perfect answer derived from all the big data I had on Ethan in my head.

If this didn’t work, nothing would.

And sure enough, Ethan was completely baited and charged like a mad bull.

His sister Emily was reluctantly following him.

Everything was going according to plan.

Now, the task was simple.

Draw them in deeper and take them down 4-on-2.

“Too slow! Too slow! Can you protect your only sister at that pace?”

“Roar!”

Ethan let out a terrifying roar.

Wow, that’s genuinely scary…

I quickly turned and ran with all my might.

‘If I get caught, I’m dead.’

Sweat trickled down my spine.

Thus, an unexpected life-or-death chase unfolded on the battlefield.