Chapter 168: Full Moon Night – Part 1 (1)

The uproar caused by breaking the barrier, which surprised so many people, has come to an end. Another legend was added to the chronicle of the hero Sion.

In fact, despite the fierce battle, no fatalities occurred, which can truly be considered a stroke of luck.

As for the cause of the incident, it was publicly announced that, for some reason, a few of the Spirit Wolves that had survived until now used their ability to transform into apparitions to break through the barrier and invade.

In short, the barrier itself wasn’t the problem, but there was a flaw in the Great Spirit (靈) defense, which allowed the barrier to be breached. However, this could easily be reinforced.

The VIP was satisfied with this explanation and left the school in peace. Everyone then returned to their respective homes.

Thus, the intrusion of the Spirit Hounds would remain just a brief, insignificant happening…

Or so it seemed.

“That’s impossible.”

Sally McAdams, a professor of magical studies at Anatolia and a disciple of mana, declared with a confident expression.

There are many species that are either purely incorporeal or capable of temporarily transforming their bodies into such forms.

The former includes phantoms, shades, and the like, while the latter includes succubi, who can invade others’ dreams.

Her master, who was skilled in protective magic, had naturally prepared for the intrusion of such beings when the barrier was first set.

There would be no possibility of any weakness, even in the slightest.

Perhaps if the Spirit Wolves had been powerful beasts, it might have been different.

However, those creatures, if given the proper means, could be dealt with by someone like Sally.

There was no way they could have broken through a barrier set by her master.

There must be another cause. A more fundamental reason they were able to invade.

With this certainty, Sally moved on her own to investigate.

And the result…

“My goodness, what is this?”

Sally, who had stopped at one side of the barrier that separated the outskirts of the forest from Anatolia, was visibly stunned.

The world’s most powerful barrier, carefully set up by the greatest mage in the world.

A shield that boasted insane durability, one that could withstand not only rocks but even the direct impact of a trebuchet.

Now, right before Sally’s eyes, it had been completely destroyed. All that remained were traces of shattered fragments and a large hole.

“Could it be that the explosion I heard earlier was because of this…?!”

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

There are many ways to break through a barrier.

You can use dispel magic to deactivate it, teleport directly to another space, or even transform your body into an apparition, like the Spirit Wolves did.

However, this “intruder” didn’t choose any of these methods. Instead, they simply increased their strength and attacked head-on.

It was the most inefficient and brute-force method, a tactic used when one wanted to avoid wasting time and quickly advance.

And it worked.

The strongest barrier that Anatolia prided itself on was destroyed with a single blow.

Someone with the power to do this had invaded Anatolia…

“I… I have to tell my master… immediately!”

Sally felt a chill run through her body as she cast a teleportation spell.

She didn’t know who the invader was.

It could be the Demon King passed down through legend, or perhaps some completely unexpected third party.

However, one thing was clear: if this power was real, no one at the school, not even a hero or her master, would stand a chance against it.

Now that the barrier had been breached, Anatolia was no longer the safest place in the world.

In fact, it had turned into the most dangerous place on Earth.

Everyone needed to be evacuated right away, before the worst possible outcome occurred.

“Please, please, let nothing happen, please…”

Sally prayed desperately in her mind.

It was a night with a beautiful full moon.

On nights when the moon shines this clearly, Marianne would normally go out for a walk, instead of staying inside her room reading a book.

There’s no particular reason for it. She just feels like doing it.

When she’s outside, looking up at the moon alone in the darkness, it somehow feels like her mind is at ease.

Perhaps this too was the influence of the Demon King’s blood flowing within her.

“Hoo…”

Marianne took a deep breath, closing her eyes and inhaling the cool night air. Then, the events of the day unfolded vividly in front of her eyes.

The incident where she recklessly used her powers, got disqualified, and ended up being the main cause of the defeat.

Her face immediately turned bright red.

“Ugh, no! Ahh! Why did I do that?! I’m crazy!”

Marianne screamed as she covered her face.

It’s not that she didn’t want to change her current personality.

She knew very well that her behavior appeared like the typical disgusting otaku.

If she hadn’t been good-looking, she would’ve been cut off and ostracized immediately.

In fact, she didn’t have many friends even now.

But even though she had a good grasp of herself, whenever she heard insults related to Sien, she lost control as if someone else had taken over her body.

Her blood rushed to her head, and all she could think of was punishing those who provoked her.

She needed to change. She knew she had to.

But her promises, without a set time frame, always echoed in the air and scattered into nothing.

“Haa…”

In the end, as always, Marianne sighed deeply and walked forward.

The night forest was generally eerie.

If you let your guard down even a little, it felt like something would jump out from the darkness.

However, this only applied to humans who couldn’t see through the darkness. For demons, who could see even in the pitch black, it wasn’t an issue at all.

In fact, in some ways, it was more comfortable.

The forest was quiet, with all the birds and insects asleep, and the air was much cooler and more pleasant than during the day.

Therefore, Marianne walked down the path without hesitation, as usual, with no worries or anxiety.

But then…

“……?”

Marianne suddenly stopped in her tracks and looked around.

Was it to the right or left? She wasn’t sure, but she had just felt a strange presence.

A guard?

No, it couldn’t have been, because she didn’t hear the clinking of armor. It wasn’t the sound of wild animals either.

Then, what could it be?

“Is someone there?”

Placing a hand on her chest, Marianne asked carefully. A fear she hadn’t felt until just now slowly began to rise inside her.

What if it’s a terrifying monster? Now that she thought about it, didn’t there just be an explosion earlier?

Was it too hasty for her to come out alone? Should she have brought her sister?

In that brief moment, various thoughts rushed through her mind.

However, a moment later…

“Hm? Is someone there?”

At the sound of a voice from inside the bushes, Marianne sighed in relief and relaxed her chest.

It was probably just another student out for a walk. Or perhaps a teacher who had come into the forest for some reason.

Marianne cleared her throat and answered.

“Ah, yes. I’m a first-year student at this school. I was just out for a walk when I felt a presence, so I thought I’d ask. I apologize if I’ve disturbed you.”

“No, no, it’s no trouble at all. Actually, it’s good that we’ve met. I just happened to need some help.”

“H-help?” Marianne asked, puzzled.

At that moment, the owner of the voice stepped out of the darkness. Marianne’s eyes widened in surprise.

The Moon Queen. That was the only way to describe her appearance.

Her soft platinum hair shimmered in the moonlight, and her snow-white skin created a striking contrast with her red eyes.

The luxurious dress she wore proved her nobility, and the distant scent of flowers made it feel as though she were in a garden rather than a forest.

Even without doing anything, simply facing her made Marianne feel overwhelmed.

The moment their eyes met, she instinctively understood the immense difference in status.

Marianne was familiar with this feeling, as she had experienced it not long ago.

Yes, it was like…

“Hero?”

Marianne reflexively said, and immediately, she was startled by her own words and quickly covered her mouth.

The woman’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“What did you just say? Hero?”

“Ah, no! I’m sorry! It was a slip of the tongue! It just… felt so similar to the atmosphere, so I…”

Marianne bowed her head repeatedly, apologizing. Cold sweat beaded on the back of her neck.

“Hmm.”

Fortunately, the woman didn’t seem offended by the comparison. Rather, she looked down at Marianne with great interest and asked,

“Do we really resemble each other? Me and that person?”

“Eh? Well…”

Marianne hesitated, her expression unsure.

To be honest, they looked very alike. It wasn’t an exact match, but the atmosphere was unmistakably similar.

Elegant and calm, yet with a mysterious aura that seemed to refuse any approach—just like the Hero.

Marianne could feel that same presence in the woman standing before her.

Perhaps if Sion were twice as old and more mature, she would give off the same vibe. It was so similar that Marianne couldn’t help but imagine it.

After a moment of thought, Marianne nodded and answered honestly.

“Yes, you resemble each other quite a lot. I’d believe you were close relatives.”

“Really? Is that so… huhu…”

The woman smiled softly, covering her mouth. Though it wasn’t very obvious, it seemed she was genuinely pleased.

And Marianne felt relieved by her reaction. It was right to be honest.

“By the way, what did you mean by needing help? Are you in some kind of trouble?”

“Oh, about that.”

The woman stopped smiling and answered.

“Actually, this is my first time at this school, and somehow, I got lost in the forest. I was wondering which way I should go to get out, and then you happened to appear.”

As she spoke, the woman neatly clasped her hands together, almost as if she were politely asking for a favor.

“So, could you guide me to where that person is? I’ll make sure to thank you later.”

“That person… you mean the Hero?”

The woman nodded.

Marianne hesitated for a moment.

She didn’t seem to be a school staff member but rather an outsider. Could she really trust her to lead her out? What if she was someone strange?

But that worry quickly faded away.

If she was a strange person, how strange could she be?

She was probably just one of the parents, and she had probably been allowed through the main gate at Anatolia.

She must have been someone who lost track of time while wandering the school grounds instead of attending the sports festival.

She had heard that outsiders were sometimes allowed to enter when it was necessary.

So, it should be fine. There would be no problem in guiding her.

Besides, even if she turned out to be strange, the Hero would surely handle it.

“Alright, I’ll help you.”

Finally, Marianne nodded and placed her hand on her chest to introduce herself.

“My name is Marianne Valos Rambouillet. I’m a first-year student at Anatolia School, from the Fhresvelg class. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Yes, the pleasure is mine, Marianne.”

The woman smiled warmly and extended her hand to shake hers.

“My name is Raizein. As for my surname… well, shall we leave it as a secret for now?

Then, I’ll rely on you until we meet that person.”

As she spoke, a brief flash of sharp fangs appeared at the corner of Raizein’s smile before quickly disappearing.