Chapter 92 : Springfield

“How is this possible?”

I asked Agnes, still in shock.

“Well… sorry, but even I don’t know. But I do know someone who can explain this phenomenon.”

Agnes gestured toward Olivia with her chin.

“Olivia? Could you explain it? You seem like someone who might know.”

“Sure. By the way, so this is the famous northern spring of Springfield… Seeing it in person is truly amazing.”

Olivia marveled at the scene outside for a while before turning to us.

“Alright, let me explain what’s going on. This phenomenon is created by barrier magic.”

“Barrier magic? Can barrier magic really do something like this?”

Bliss asked in a skeptical tone, her face clearly showing disbelief.

I felt the same. While I didn’t voice my doubts, I found it hard to believe that this was the result of barrier magic.

Olivia nodded slightly.

“Yes, it’s strange, isn’t it? That’s because this barrier magic operates differently from what you’re used to.”

She raised two fingers.

“Barrier magic usually falls into two categories: one is for defense, and the other is for maintaining a specific magical effect.”

‘That’s true.’

I nodded internally, continuing to listen intently to Olivia.

“The barrier magic here falls into the latter category. A grand spell was cast once, and this magic sustains it. The type of magic… is likely flame magic.”

“This is flame magic? That brute-force, overpowered flame magic? How is that even possible? Flame magic shouldn’t be able to do this, should it?”

Bliss reacted with even greater surprise to Olivia’s explanation.

I kept my face as neutral as possible, pretending not to care, but inside, I was just as astonished.

‘Flame magic can do this?’

Our reactions stemmed from the very nature of flame magic.

Flame magic is one of the most iconic attack magics, due to the inherently aggressive nature of fire as an element.

Flame spells scale exponentially in power as more mana is poured into them, like a fire growing larger when fed more fuel. 

This makes flame magic unparalleled in terms of raw damage.

However, there’s a major drawback: flame magic is notoriously difficult to control.

A slight fluctuation in mana can drastically change the intensity of a flame spell. 

For this reason, mages typically use flame magic with as much mana as possible to maximize damage.

The minimum power of a typical flame spell is enough to light a fire, which can still cause burns upon contact.

Given this, Olivia’s claim seemed absurd. If this was indeed flame magic, and considering the size of the city, it would require a grand-scale spell.

Using such immense mana while maintaining such low heat didn’t make sense. 

If I cast a spell of this magnitude, I’d likely engulf the entire area in flames, not create this gentle warmth.

Curiosity overwhelmed me. I focused even more on Olivia’s explanation, eager to learn how they achieved something I couldn’t.

“Normally, that would be impossible, but this isn’t ordinary flame magic. It’s a unique magic.”

“Unique magic?”

“Yes, the unique magic of the Everglow Ducal House, the rulers of this city.”

“Oh… I think I’ve heard of that before.”

‘Unique magic… that explains why I’ve never seen anything like it in the Demon Territory.’
One mystery was solved.

“The Everglow House is one of the Empire’s four most influential families, known not only for their power but also for producing exceptional mages. Their flame magic, in particular, is legendary, as it’s considered different from standard flame magic.”

“What makes it different?”

Unable to suppress my curiosity any longer, I broke my silence and asked Olivia directly.

Olivia seemed momentarily startled by my question, as if caught off guard. She quickly composed herself, clearing her throat awkwardly before responding with a smile.

“They have exceptional control over the intensity of their flames. They can adjust the heat of their magic, ranging from flames that can reduce a person to ashes to ones so mild they wouldn’t even feel warm on the skin.”

“Is that really impressive?”

Reina, who had been quietly listening, asked with innocent curiosity.

Olivia nodded.

“Impressive doesn’t even begin to describe it. I can’t even create a flame that doesn’t burn. Maintaining such a minimal flow of flame magic while keeping it consistent is extraordinarily difficult. But they do it with ease. Their mastery of flame magic is nothing short of divine.”

‘If what Olivia says is true, it really is extraordinary.’

I silently agreed, marveling at the idea of flames that didn’t burn.

Agnes, arms crossed, nodded.

“Olivia is right. Thanks to the Everglow House’s abilities, this is possible in the North.”

“Ugh… this is too complicated,”

Reina whimpered, clutching her head in her hands. It seemed she was struggling to follow Olivia’s explanation.

“Let me simplify,” Olivia said with a soft smile, raising a single finger.

“In essence, this barrier magic uses flame magic to transform the cold external temperature into a warmth humans can feel comfortable with. Does that make sense now?”

“Y-Yeah…”

Reina nodded hesitantly, though her expression was still a mix of confusion and uncertainty.

Olivia seemed pleased, mistaking Reina’s nod for comprehension.

Watching the scene unfold, I struggled to suppress a laugh. It was clear to me that Reina hadn’t fully grasped Olivia’s explanation.

Her puzzled expression betrayed her true feelings, resembling that of a child who claims to understand something but doesn’t.

Despite her best efforts to understand, Reina eventually sighed in frustration. Her once-determined face turned crestfallen, clearly disappointed that she couldn’t follow Olivia’s words.

She looked so adorably dejected that I couldn’t help but pat her head while murmuring,

“What kind of people are the Everglow family to wield such magic…”

People capable of magic like this must truly be extraordinary.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Agnes said suddenly.

“The person we’re about to meet is the current head of the Everglow family.”

“What?!”

Surprised, I looked back at Agnes, who tilted her head curiously.

“Why are you so shocked? Isn’t it customary for a hero to greet the lord of a city upon arrival?”

Ah, thinking back, it had been the same in Viln. Visiting the lord’s castle was always the first order of business for the hero’s party. It seemed this was just routine for them.

While I was lost in thought, Bliss asked a question.

“Agnes, is there a church or cathedral here by any chance?”

“Hmm… if I remember correctly, there’s a small church on the outskirts,” Agnes replied, tapping her chin before pointing ahead and exclaiming excitedly,

“Come on, let’s go meet the lord of this city!”

We set off from the city gates and arrived at the Everglow family’s mansion.

The mansion was quite large. 

According to Agnes, it was only used by the Everglow family when they stayed in Springfield. 

Despite that, its grandeur was befitting of a ducal residence.

“Wow… It’s huge!”

Reina marveled, her mouth agape as we made our way to the reception hall.

‘Compared to the Demon King’s castle or Helia’s palace, this is nothing,’ I thought, feeling unimpressed. 

The other members of the hero’s party seemed similarly indifferent.

Reina, however, stood out with her sparkling eyes, taking in every detail as though everything was fascinating.

Agnes, smiling warmly, said to her,

“There’s an even bigger castle in the capital.”

“Bigger than this? I want to see it!” Reina exclaimed.

“Alright, we’ll visit it together after the hunting festival,” Agnes replied.

After admiring the mansion, we proceeded to the reception hall, where no one was present.

Curious, the hero asked a servant about the situation. 

The servant explained that the duke had been busy approving documents for the hunting festival and had only just finished his work in the study.

The servant assured us the duke would arrive shortly and asked us to wait.

Understanding his responsibilities, we quietly took our seats and waited.

After a while, the servant announced the arrival of the duke.

We quickly straightened our postures, and moments later, the door opened, revealing a man entering the reception hall.

“Welcome. I heard of your arrival yesterday,” he said, his voice steady and composed.

The man’s appearance was striking. 

What caught my eye first was his fiery red hair, flowing down to his back, resembling flames with every step he took.

In contrast, his eyes were cold as ice, their chill opposing the warmth of his hair.

As he walked, he surveyed us with a sharp, appraising gaze. 

His cold demeanor felt as if he were judging our worth.

Despite his fiery hair, his aura was as frigid as winter. 

His dignified presence only amplified that impression.

“Normally, I would apologize for keeping you waiting,” he said as he reached his seat and sat down. “But first, I must extend a welcome.”

His expression remained unchanged, his voice dry and almost mechanical.

“Welcome to Springfield, the city of winter,” he said.

And then, with the same detached tone, he introduced himself.

“Greetings. I am Leopold Everglow, the ruler of what you call the North.”