episode_0045

I tilted my head in discomfort for no apparent reason.

Since entering the royal palace, the discomfort had been growing steadily, as if a fuse was being lit from my heart to my head.

“Aaah!”

“For the sake of a new world…”

“Princess Rastali…”

The screams of the dark sorcerers echoed incessantly, and a thick, metallic smell filled the air as viscous liquid oozed from their hands.

Kanarin’s spear pierced through the enemies with precision, while Serin’s monstrous strength demolished any obstacles in her path. Behind these two women, Luca supported them with various spells.

“It seems there are no contaminants in the pantry.”

“I didn’t expect to find anything at this point… We have no choice but to capture Rastali, the leader of the dark sorcerers, and interrogate him.”

Serin and Kanarin expressed their disappointment. I silently watched as their opinions led to the inevitable capture of Rastali.

Suddenly, Serin turned her attention to me.

“Rian.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“You seem troubled for some reason.”

I was taken aback by Serin’s words and touched my face. My expression was masked with a facade of composure. Serin’s mention of my expression caught me off guard.

“Ha… really.”

As I fumbled, Serin chuckled softly. It was an understandable reaction given the circumstances.

“Is it possible for someone as big as you to be this cute?”

“Ugh.”

I blushed.

Lost in a sense of unease, my mind was slow to react. A mistake that I wouldn’t have made under normal circumstances slipped out.

I couldn’t afford to lose focus in the midst of danger.

What was scattering my thoughts like this?

I still ask Serin, who was giggling.

“How did you know I was troubled by my expression?”

In a light tone, Serin replied, questioning the need for evidence.

“Haven’t I seen your expression a few times? Even an amateur could tell.”

“Uh.”

I mumbled.

Although I knew it was an absurd statement, I found it slightly terrifying that Serin could actually do it.

Would Serin be able to read me like a book, even if I put on a foolish face in the future?

As I worried about the future, the princess and Luca stared at us with a slightly annoyed expression.

“Is it impossible normally…?”

“I don’t know… I’m starting to get scared of Serin.”

The princess’s words hinted at an unseen agreement.

When my eyes rolled towards Serin, she sensed my gaze and turned her head towards me.

A sense of impending doom loomed over her like a specter.

“… Let’s continue the search.”

The atmosphere seemed to lighten momentarily, easing the discomfort.

The rest of the group took a break and moved away from the dining hall.

“… Sigh.”

My head throbbed persistently.

Just like the discomfort that clung to my skin.

For some reason.

The pain that had been lingering in my head began to trickle down my throat and spread to my chest.

It was sharp.

◇

The Imperial Palace of the Veronin Empire.

Harum Riterion, the current emperor and a defeated man, hurriedly walked, trying to calm his pounding heart.

Bang!

The door opened with such force that it seemed rude.

Finally reaching the Alhyun room, he shouted, “Is it true that the contents of the report are accurate?”

The prime minister of the Karnan Kingdom, who still resided in the Empire, trembled. It was because he had a premonition that he might not be able to guarantee his life truthfully today.

“No regrets, but my determination is being carefully tested in front of those eyes…”

The Emperor’s eyes were filled with clear anger.

It was the heart of a father worrying about his only daughter.

“Prince 2… Princess Consort… It seems we need to hurry.”

The presence of tainted magic in the Empire was so prevalent that even the black sky could be observed. Surely, something must have gone wrong.

The prime minister of the Karnan Kingdom was one of the few people who knew all of Luca and Canarin’s plans. That’s why he agreed to the Princess Consort’s request, stating that the help of the Seriniel Princess was absolutely necessary. The reason the prime minister himself sent a letter was precisely because of that.

“Your lord – my friend who studied together at the academy is in a state of near madness, mostly due to the black magic. Are you telling me that you hid the fact that you knew all of this? Dare you make my daughter go to your country even knowing all of this?”

The Emperor’s rage erupted.

“Don’t mock me!!!”

Many officials were present, but none dared to even think of speaking.

“It’s a provocation that boils the blood, an insult. Do you truly believe that you can bear the weight of the crime you have committed?”

“Your Majesty…! Even though my words may not offer any comfort, Prince 2 and the Princess Consort are strong individuals. They would never endanger the safety of Her Highness the Princess…”

“Shut your mouth!”

“…!”

Indeed, the prime minister was a loyal subject of the kingdom.

While enduring the rage that would make an ordinary person faint immediately, he managed to hold a conversation in front of the Emperor.

In reality, the prime minister was barely holding onto his sanity, not even able to properly wipe the sweat that was flowing.

“Immediately send the author to the underground prison…”

Just as the harsh command was about to be issued.

Bang!

The door of the Alhyun Room was forcefully opened as if to be disrespectful.

Seeing the woman approaching from the other side, the Emperor’s anger softened slightly.

“You.”

The Emperor called out to his consort in astonishment. She nodded and passed by the prime minister, approaching the Emperor.

“Calm down, Your Majesty.”

“How can I calm down? Seriniel is…”

“No matter what anyone says, she is your daughter.”

She added.

“And mine as well.”

The Emperor understood the meaning well.

Seriniel was a strong girl reminiscent of his late daughter. She was not someone who would easily be caught by black magic users.

Despite the consort’s efforts to calm him down, the father’s worry could not be eased.

“Sigh…”

The Emperor let out a heavy sigh.

“I revoke the order.”

With those words, the prime minister’s fear was somewhat alleviated.

Looking up at the throne with a slightly hopeful observation, he hesitated as he saw the Emperor’s unwavering gaze.

“Instead.”

The loser of the continent declares.

“In two days.”

“… What?”

“If there is no sign of resolving the situation within two days… I will personally step foot in the kingdom.”

Even if there are sacrifices to be made.

No matter what is prepared.

He will face it head-on.

Even if it means one-sided annihilation to wash away the blood.

◇

The Princess Consort cleared a path through the raging flames. Following the clear path, Seriniel sprinted. She climbed the stairs of hardened air that Luca had firmly established, keeping her eyes on the target.

A group of black magic users with a large-scale formation. Among them, their leader is entrenched.

He was said to be a skilled individual who had always been a thorn in the side of Luca and the Princess Consort.

All the evidence was right in front of me, and sometimes I would get caught in the middle of a battle.

“Hap!”

Serin stretched out her foot.

However, Serin’s attack did not reach them, drawing a futile trajectory.

An application of spatial magic that hung in the air around the magician’s mansion. A technique of slightly twisting space to protect oneself.

“Lian!”

Serin called out my name familiarly. In response, I jumped onto Serin’s falling foot from the air.

Thud!

Riding on the momentum of her kick, I flew towards them like a bullet. Unexpectedly, their faces showed fear.

“Ugh…!”

When they swallowed a gasp of fear.

Zing-!

‘Ugh…?’

For a moment, my vision blurred.

My body lost strength and I staggered in the air.

In the moment of regaining consciousness, my eyes moved around dizzily.

One. Two. Six. Seven.

An approximate number of black magicians in my sight.

Although they were just a line of defense like a meat shield, I had no choice but to deal with them since I had made a mistake.

Swoosh.

I condensed my power.

I firmly stepped on the ground with the sole of my foot. Of course, they couldn’t see the power from their perspective.

A scream echoed in the air due to the movement that defied the laws of physics.

“Ugh…!”

A flashing blade reversing through the air.

The weapon given by the princess turned a fierce red.

Clang.

The blade broke. It couldn’t withstand the force of the swing.

Clang!

At the final blow, the blade shattered into pieces and shards flew everywhere. There were more than a few casualties hit by the flying debris.

“Ha… Hoo…”

My breathing was rough.

It was strange.

For the first time in my life, even I was bewildered by my rough breathing. It felt like there was a strange change happening in my body. It was frustrating not being able to determine if it was a good change or a bad change.

If someone could see into my mind, they might find it strange.

If there were a hundred bad changes, I would assert that.

For some reason, I couldn’t assert whether the change was positive or negative like others.

I didn’t understand. I truly couldn’t understand.

‘I don’t know…’

The answer of not knowing was forbidden.

It was a phenomenon so miraculous that it could easily break the promise between Roderick and Jung.

It was when I lingered on the verge of death for a long time.

“It’s dangerous, Lian!”

Boom!

Flames accompanied by smoke surged forward. The red flames burned with such intensity that it seemed they would burn everything without a trace.

“Reinhart!”

Luca urgently raised his magic to respond, but it was too late.

The flames rushing like a torrent were already in sight, and I couldn’t regain my senses due to the miraculous phenomenon.

Thump.

My heart skipped a beat.

A dense cloud formed a shield-like shape.

It was undoubtedly my power.

The power that rushed out without my permission protected me as if it had a will.

Kwaaaa!

The intense flames were mercilessly blocked, and sparks of fire scattered in all directions. Only then did I turn my gaze to my companions. In the distance, Serin breathed a sigh of relief as if she had been saved.

“Lian!”

After clearing away the black magician group that targeted me, Serin approached with a worried expression.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell or something?”

“Not at all…”

…

……

No, even if I delayed my admission, it was futile.

For the first time in my life, I uttered a sentence that felt more awkward than anything else.

“My… condition doesn’t seem to be good.”

“Ugh…”

Serin groaned sharply. Then she grabbed my shoulder and spoke.

“I’ll do my best. I’ll help you clean up everything quickly so you can go back. So… please wait for me, Rian.”

It was a comforting tone, as if trying to reassure a child.

It was pathetic to see the subject hired as an escort.

It was absurd that the target of the escort was stepping forward to deal with the enemies for me.

But even such comfort was precious, my condition was rapidly changing.

‘This is not… good…’

While I could barely contain my body, the princess’s spear pierced through the long-standing enemies.

The confined space and the lack of an escape route made it a head-on battle, which seemed to work in our favor.

Since I couldn’t win a fair fight from the beginning, various means must have been employed, leading to the expected outcome.

“Rihard!”

“Sir Rihard.”

After the battle, Luca and the princess cautiously approached.

They seemed to have recognized my condition at once and remained silent for a while. It seemed difficult for them to suggest continuing the search for rest.

“I’m… fine.”

“…”

Although I tried to appear calm, it seemed futile to Serin, who could read my mind just by looking into my eyes.

Serin grabbed my arm tightly and whispered to Luca and the princess.

“Rastali, was it? The leader of the dark sorcerers.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Sorry, Nalin unni. I’ll be back in a moment.”

“Serin?”

“We need to kill that source of contamination and trouble. Right now.”

Serin made up her mind, but the princess objected.

“It’s too dangerous. I’m not worried about Rastali, but about the surprise attacks and traps that might be lurking.”

“I won’t die. I can handle all the surprises and traps with my body alone.”

“But still…!”

“I will protect. The reason I live is to protect… no matter what it takes…”

Serin hesitated. Luca and the princess showed an uneasy expression at her dramatic change.

“Rastali…”

I’ll kill her. Right now.

This was what happened right after Serin spoke.

“Kuk, ahaha.”

A cheerful laughter was heard.

It was the laughter of a woman.

“You’re going to kill me? Just because you had some success against a few fools?”

“Rastali…!?”

Kanarin was shocked.

She couldn’t have known they would reunite so quickly.

Rastali had brought about a checkmate situation herself.

It was natural for it to be hard to believe.

“It’s not a hallucination or an illusion…”

Luca correctly assessed. The woman visible from a distance at the entrance was clearly the leader of the dark sorcerers.

“Well, well. I guess the skirmish was enough for now? It looks like the blonde over there is quite tired… ahaha.”

Rastali’s sneer turned into sarcasm.

“I’m bored.”

She declared.

“The kingdom should fall into my hands today.”

Boom…

A floor vibrated. It shook as if an earthquake had occurred.

Gooo!

An endless amount of dark magic surged behind Rastali. Particles of darkness overflowed like a waterfall, almost to the point of infinity.

“Rastali is this powerful…?”

Kanarin widened her eyes.

Even to her, who had been a longtime enemy of the dark sorcerers, Rastali’s power seemed beyond comprehension.

But Serin was different.

“You’re just wrinkling in front of a worm.”

Serin clenched her fist.

She exerted so much force that the tendons in her ankle became visible.

Her transcendent human body poured out a fierce hatred.

She slammed the ground.

Thud!

Before her eyes ran a magnificent flow of dark magic.

Rastali, regulating that immense power, raised both hands quickly.

Pick.

Dimming the flickering torch, Rastali’s dark magic dissipated all too easily.

“What…?”

Serin momentarily questioned.

A smirk tugged at the corner of Rastali’s lips.

Whoosh!

In an instant, the ground Serin had been standing on vanished without a trace.

Countless black hands roared from the extinguished floor below.

The clicking fingers writhed as if eager to seize her.

No matter how skilled Serin was, she couldn’t fly through the sky.

“Ah…”

Falling abruptly, Serin tried to move her lips.

I couldn’t just stand by and watch her.

Kwahng!

I leaped.

With all my might.

I, who had been protected by Serin’s warmth until now, jumped in.

The spectacle of black hands nearing the edge.

As time slowed down, I reached out my hand, and she did the same.

Our hands intertwined like a knot.

I threw Serin out beyond the extinguished ground.

Watching her move away, I gathered my strength.

If I used the foothold of the floor, I could escape now.

“…”

For some reason, she didn’t listen.

Was she stubborn?

Such a thought suddenly invaded my mind.

As Serin moved further away, she looked at me.

“No, Lian!!!”

Feeling the sticky touch of the black hands all over my body, I reached out to her.

But I couldn’t reach her.

Inside the closing ground, I watched Serin reach out her hand until the end.

Her desperate cry left a bitter mark on my heart.