episode_0088

The interrogation was very short.

And intense. You could tell just by listening to the screams coming from outside the clan building.

The clan members who arrived late flinched slightly upon hearing the screams, which was enough to guess the situation.

“Wha- What on earth are they doing inside?!”

Is it really okay to keep going like this? Just as I was pondering, Grace came out.

“I found out! The black mages occupying the Labyrinth were purely aiming to tie down the main forces of the Labyrinth City.”

“Then what’s the main objective?”

“The attack on the 11th District. More precisely, it seems their objective is to recover Mr. Noa.”

Grace spoke cheerfully, then soon realized she had made a mistake.

“No, there’s no need to hide it anyway. Given how the situation has unfolded.”

[That’s right.]

Noa immediately popped out from my shadow. The clan members were flustered by his appearance.

They only knew that everyone except Grace had left this place.

“Hi, long time no see!”

The clan members were surprised to see Noa, who appeared with a bright smile.

They immediately demanded an explanation.

“Let’s go to the Magic Tower first. I’ll explain later.”

“Understood!”

They quickly packed their weapons and belongings.

“What about the clan building?”

“…We can’t help it.”

It’s not worth risking your life just to protect a building.

They immediately led the clan members towards the Magic Tower.

Of course, the captured black mage came with them.

*

The journey wasn’t easy either.

The monsters were getting more numerous and stronger.

And black mages were starting to appear more and more.

That day when we were attacked by black mages on the 2nd floor came to mind.

But even more devastating than that was.

Everyday life was burning.

The shop where we lightly drank beverages after training.

The pub where we occasionally drank with clan members.

The streets we walked along enjoying the night air.

Everything was burning.

No, perhaps that much was even considered fortunate.

The 11th District was starting to lose its shape, so much so that it was hard to recognize, collapsing, exploding.

Some people, when their homes burned, tried to give up on evacuating.

Of course, I forcibly subdued them and brought them along.

And so, after 2 hours, after fighting off the monsters and black mages blocking the surroundings and rescuing people, we arrived near the Magic Tower.

“This is…”

Upon arriving near the Magic Tower, we clearly understood why the Magic Tower Master had told us to gather here.

Because a massive protective shield made of mana surrounded it.

Furthermore, it seemed anyone could pass through the shield, as citizens were entering in real-time.

However.

“Huh?”

Bruno, who was bringing the black mage, was blocked by the shield.

To be precise, Bruno could pass through, but he couldn’t bring the black mage with him.

This meant that the shield only allowed passage for people who didn’t have dark mana in their bodies. It was truly a magic perfectly suited for the current situation.

Of course, that didn’t mean he couldn’t bring him in.

Suddenly, the shield on my side opened slightly.

Bruno brought the bound black mage through that opening.

The atmosphere inside was not good. It seemed people were remembering the family and acquaintances who had died on their way here, and some were weeping bitterly. Some were even trying to go outside the shield, saying they had to find their husbands.

“What on earth is happening?”

An unprecedented event that had never occurred in Labyrinth City.

It wasn’t a time when war was raging, but a peaceful period, and now an attack by black mages they had only heard about.

“Are there any priests? Anyone who can heal!!!”

“Bring some potions!!”

“My house collapsed…”

“These damn black mage bastards!!”

Amidst the cacophony of wailing, a familiar face appeared.

It was Gamel.

“You’ve finally arrived!”

“Gamel. What’s the situation now?”

“A large-scale air raid…”

While Gamel was speaking at length, a shadow suddenly fell, and something struck the shield forcefully.

Kwaaaaaang!!! Along with the sound, the interior vibrated. A magical lamp device giving off light, unable to withstand the vibration, immediately fell over.

But Kailek lightly blocked the device. As if not caring about the device that struck his shoulder hard, he looked down at Gamel and said.

“So what’s the order that has come down now?”

“I’ll explain that.”

Rain appeared beside Gamel.

Just by seeing the attire of the Guild guide, people around began to gather.

Rain immediately asked Kailek and climbed onto his head, shouting to everyone around.

“The Guild requests all explorers as of this moment! Avoid combat with monsters and black mages outside as much as possible and rescue citizens!! Please take care of yourselves.”

As if that was the only business, she came down.

Many people tried to ask questions, but she silently returned to her original position.

“Ah, Mr. Ivan. Please follow me.”

The slightly forceful feeling, different from her usual demeanor, was a bit awkward, but given the situation, I decided to follow her for now.

“Then we’ll go out too and help as much as possible!”

Grace immediately led the clan members and tried to go outside.

What Rain, the Guild, said was merely a request. It wasn’t an order given to explorers, so it was okay to refuse.

But.

There weren’t many people selfish enough to just pass by such a situation.

That implied there were also people whose own lives came first.

One group of explorers readily went outside upon hearing Rain’s words.

Another group of explorers, conversely, hid among the people.

I could understand.

It’s right to praise those who go outside to rescue people in such a situation. Not to curse those who don’t.

“Grace.”

“Yes?”

“Because we have to take that guy.”

“Bruno!!”

Bruno, carrying the unconscious black mage, continued to follow me.

Upon entering the Magic Tower, the first floor had transformed into a massive command center.

In the center, around the Magic Tower Master and the Crown Prince, all the high-ranking people of the 11th District were gathered for a meeting.

“Please go over there.”

Rain, who guided me, immediately headed somewhere on the first floor. Her assigned job was merely to bring me here. I immediately headed towards the center of the command center where the Magic Tower Master was.

“Ivan!”

I spotted another familiar face.

Knight, Karin. I didn’t think I’d heard he was in the 11th District.

“Came here on dispatch and this is what happens.”

He probably got caught up in it by chance.

“They were looking for you. Hurry and go in.”

After a brief greeting, I passed the soldiers guarding the area. I immediately entered the place where the Magic Tower Master and the Crown Prince were.

“You’ve finally arrived. Are your companions safe?”

“Yes.”

“Then I will inform you of the current situation.”

The Magic Tower Master moved his mana to create a massive situation board. As if showing the entire 11th District, a materialized Magic Tower stood tall in the center.

“For now, the shield created by the Magic Tower is holding them back, but the situation isn’t very good.”

“I really didn’t know there was a shield like this.”

“It’s a unique protective measure only the Magic Tower has, absolutely not found in other districts. Of course, it’s illegal. I doubt the Empire even knows something like this exists.”

The Magic Tower Master immediately looked at the Crown Prince. He nodded as if agreeing.

The Crown Prince stepped forward and began his explanation.

“Once all information is combined. The flow of events is as follows.”

“Whether the black mages received help from the Ariel Church or were simply deceived, we don’t know. But curse dolls were found under the building of the new denomination they created.”

“Curse dolls?”

“Yes. They say it’s an item that greatly enhances the efficiency of the magic used by black mages.”

“Then shouldn’t we remove that quickly?”

“It would be useless now. The black mages who entered the 11th District must be continuously scattering them.”

“Then the situation will get worse.”

“Yes. It’s a race against time. We have to tear open their mouths and come out before they swallow us.”

Since we are already trapped by the strange magic created by the black mages, the longer it drags on, the worse it is.

“The deadline is roughly 3 days.”

“Is there a reason for 3 days?”

“That’s the Magic Tower Master’s estimation based on the increasing number of black mages appearing throughout the 11th District. There will probably be errors.”

“It could be much shorter.”

In any case, it’s impossible to fully grasp the situation.

If I hadn’t brought the black mage.

“That guy?”

“He’s a black mage whose suicide magic has been erased. He’s not someone with high status, but.”

“Really?”

The Magic Tower Master approached, stroking his beard, as if interested.

“So this is the strange study you were doing recently. To accomplish something I couldn’t even figure out.”

The reason the Magic Tower Master couldn’t dispel the black mage’s suicide magic was simply because it was Ariel Church magic. It’s naturally difficult to even notice it normally.

“Wake him up.”

“Yes!”

Bruno forcefully slapped the black mage’s cheek.

The black mage immediately woke up, startled.

And looked around completely, becoming even more surprised.

“P-Please save me.”

“Depending on what you do. What is the black mages’ plan?”

“Well…”

The black mage immediately began to spill the story.

Given how loose-lipped he was, it was understandable why they would cast suicide magic on him.

Well, that’s not to say we gained any new information.

Just the suspicion that they had been cooperating with the Ariel Church for this air raid for a long time.

And the objective was, of course, Noa.

[I’m getting sick of it.]

Noa’s voice clicked his tongue in my mind.

How much he had been bothered by it, his voice was tinged with annoyance.

[That’s why they aren’t popular.]

Putting aside Noa, who was talking about something I didn’t understand, I continued to interrogate the black mage.

Thanks to Grace’s effort?, the black mage was telling everything, even the minor memories in his head.

“Occupy the Labyrinth was a trap. There’s actually nothing much there. For the first week, they gathered all the black mages to create an atmosphere of occupation. Afterwards, they prepared to attack this place.”

“How many black mages are coming?”

“I heard there are a tremendous number. They are pouring all their forces into it.”

A total war with black mages.

It didn’t seem like the situation would unfold easily.

“Bruno. Take him somewhere and lock him up.”

“Understood!”

Bruno withdrew. A brief silence fell.

Well, that’s natural. It’s not just a few black mages who attacked. It means all the black mage forces that occupied the Labyrinth have headed here.

With that kind of power, a fight is impossible with just the 11th District alone.

The Magic Tower Master eventually opened his mouth.

“If that fellow’s words are true, an all-out war is impossible.”

The Magic Tower Master’s judgment was that it was impossible to defeat all the attacking black mages.

No one around could object to that judgment.

Because the judgment of the strongest and wisest person here must be correct.

“We’ll have to ask for help from outside. Although I don’t know if it will be possible.”

“That’s right. If they moved the 11th District to an entirely different space like the Labyrinth.”

“That would probably be difficult. It’s likely just a shield blocking off this large area.”

The meeting immediately began. The heads of the Magic Tower faculties, the clan leaders of large clans, the knights of the knight order, etc.

All the powers of Labyrinth City joined forces for the meeting. But the meeting was stopped by a soldier who suddenly entered.

“You need to come outside!!!”

“What is it?!”

“The, the eye…!!!”

“Eye?”

Just as I was wondering what on earth he was talking about, the Crown Prince suddenly clutched his chest with a terrified expression.

“Your Highness!!”

The escort knight beside him supported him, but the Crown Prince had already collapsed, foaming at the mouth.

What on earth could have happened? I immediately rushed outside.

The situation outside was bizarre.

Everyone was staring up at the sky, lost in thought.

What on earth was up there? I looked up at the sky with that thought, but.

“…Huh?”

A giant white eye, like a white dot on a black canvas.

It was looking directly at me.