episode_0128

“Yeah… so that happened.”

Yuri reacted to the situation more calmly than expected.

Something big is happening.

And her older sister is fighting at the forefront.

She’d known this for a long time.

Since long ago, her sister had always moved faster than Yuri, instantly digging into any problem that arose.

Catching her sister as she rushed off was a bit much for Yuri.

She’s a burden.

Nothing more than a stumbling block.

She knew it, but no one had ever said it out loud.

Neither Yuri nor Nari.

Perhaps because saying it would crack their relationship.

No.

There was no need for that.

Because they trusted each other.

After exchanging vows filled with love, they hadn’t doubted each other on such matters.

Nari was so strong that Yuri, who only knew a little magic, couldn’t even reach her heels.

But because she loved her, she wanted to stand by her side, and she knew her sister wouldn’t refuse.

She just did what she always did.

Learning to read and write, studying arithmetic, and acquiring general knowledge to enter the academy.

Using her head was a bit difficult for Yuri, who always relied on her hands and feet, but as time went on, it all became her domain.

Constant effort.

Even if it meant holding Nari back, just struggling without giving up had meaning.

Yuri thought that, and she wholeheartedly believed her sister felt the same.

Naturally, even if her sister hadn’t told her anything about the current situation, it wouldn’t have been a problem.

Handling the core of this incident was Nari’s job.

It was something Yuri couldn’t possibly help with.

So.

“Let’s each do what we need to do.”

“Keu-hii-ing- Even without saying it, that’s what we’ll do.”

After relaying the situation to Eve in the waiting room and bringing her back to the audience.

Yuri and her companions witnessed masked assailants in black cloaks standing throughout the academy building.

.

.

.

“Who are you?”

The numerous people sitting in the audience were ordinary citizens of the kingdom who had simply come to watch the performance.

But one must remember.

This was the kingdom’s finest academy, the Naifrantz Academy.

It was unthinkable that academy cadets, who honed their skills to forge their own paths, would submit to attackers without resistance.

Many of the upperclassmen had already experienced real combat, and there were often those with adventurer qualifications.

And that’s not all.

Instructors were stationed in each hall to control the students’ power.

Therefore, this side was bound to have a numerical and qualitative advantage.

The people felt reassured.

“Now, everyone, please don’t panic and form an orderly line to evacuate! Follow the instructions of our cadets, please proceed calmly.”

Several cadets who had quickly assessed the situation began to guide people out of the hall.

Yuri and Nix led the way.

“Slowly—!! Don’t push, please maintain distance from the person in front of you!”

Thanks to the calm response, most people were evacuating the hall without any serious incidents.

It was concerning that the assailants remained motionless in their positions. But everyone was doing what they were supposed to.

However, there was one fact they overlooked.

doesn’t operate by common sense.

“Khaa-aaaaah—”

“Uwaat- What is it?!”

The moment people started crowding at the exits, the assailants began to move.

Under the bright sky, they whipped their black cloaks, drawing swords from their sheaths and lunging.

“Sa- save-”

“Kku-kut- Kkiki-kik—”

Poook- Pwhoak-!

Flesh was torn, bones broken.

The people, who just moments before had remained calm, began to panic wildly.

The evacuation line broke down, hands and feet flurried, and narrowed vision led people to push those around them in their desperate flight.

Ultimately, panic ensued.

“Uaaaaaaaaah—” “Keuhuk-”

“Kkkkkikiki-kik—!!!”

Casualties began to surge.

Fortunately, these assailants didn’t seem to be in their right minds. They didn’t aim for vital points to kill.

They merely swung their swords wildly, consumed by a bloodlust frenzy.

They were not a match for cadets who had undergone constant training.

For instance, Eve.

Pshup—

“…Madmen.”

Eve’s magical sword pierced the heart of a rampaging assailant. He soon vomited blood, his limbs collapsing. The moment he tried to draw his sword again,

The assailant suddenly clung to Eve.

“What—”

“For the day of the promise… Waaaae—!!”

Then he chewed and swallowed something hidden under his tongue.

Eve immediately understood.

If he ingested that magically-infused gemstone, the magic would spread throughout his body… and his body would burst from the strain.

She reached out to raise a mana shield, but she was too late.

The assailant’s limbs began to inflate abnormally and his veins started to burst.

Chichiching—

But those body parts never reached her. Yuri, who had initially been countering the assailants magically, instantly cast freezing magic, encasing the assailant in ice.

“Haa- haa- It looked dangerous… I wasn’t too late.”

“…Thank you.”

To be honest, Eve was slightly surprised. She hadn’t expected much from Yuri in terms of combat ability.

It was an impossible feat for Eve to cast magic with such a rapid response. .Therefore, the only possibility left was that she had anticipated this situation.

This somewhat made sense. Yuri always watched Nari from a slight distance and her habit of carefully monitoring her surroundings for the slightest discomfort of others might have allowed her to react quicker than consciously.

Shaking her head.

Eve decided that, regardless of what she had just witnessed, this danger needed to be made known to everyone.

The way to inform many people at once.

After some deep thought eventually led her to realize that the answer was none other than the Nari.

Eve imbued her voice with mana and spread it throughout the academy.

“Everyone be careful!! These guys… when cornered, they self-destruct and you’ll be seriously injured if you’re hit by their flesh or blood—!!”

The cadets who were confronting their own assailant each at their respective posts turned toward the source of the voice.

Some were able to find Eve; others couldn’t— but they had received definitive, useful information, which was the most important factor.

“That’s a dirty tactic…”

“They’ve completely lost their minds—”

While a detailed countermeasure wasn’t given to each, they began to react using their unique perceptiveness and abilities.

Sskak- Seorkeok—!

“Those mad heretical fiends…”

“In the name of Nari God, I shall cleanse them—”

“Amen…”

Once they realized that something had been hidden in their mouths, some quickly severed their jaw or neck to stop the self-destruction—

Hwa-rru-ruuk—!!

“Keu-hii-ing- A flame from the abyss darker than pitch-black and hotter than the sun… burn my enemy!”

Others utilized powerful magic, to minimize damage from the self-destruction explosion.

Everyone was diligently performing their assigned tasks.

However, that balance started to break down.

Pwhoak- Chii-iik—

“Aagh- Kkwaa-aat—”

“Hot-! ”

“My arm… My arm—!!”

Even with combat experience, the cadets hadn’t encountered such madmen before. It was impossible to block each attack flawlessly without so much as a single mistake,

Mistakes threatened their lives.

“Eve—!! Go over there quickly!!”

“Sorry, I’ll leave it to you!!”

To use healing magic on the injured, Eve immediately rushed off.

Honestly, it was overwhelming. If she were alone, she could quickly recover from any injuries, or eliminate foes of that level before she even had the chance— but that was not now.

She now had hostages.

To handle the situation while flawlessly controlling all variables was something only someone like Nari could do.

As she ran, wiping sweat from her brow,

“Kyaaak—”

She heard Yuri’s scream

Eve reflexively twisted her body to look back, but the assailant’s sword had already risen high into the air.

She couldn’t reach Yuri before the blade fell.

“No—!!”

Sorry, Nari… I couldn’t protect her…!!

Though she had likely left without a word, to fully trust someone was to leave them alone. Yuri couldn’t be lost like this.

Even if her legs broke, it didn’t matter.

She exerted a strength exceeding her limits, leaping with the intensity to tear apart space.

Wishing desperately to reach her as quickly as possible but… the distance to Yuri was still far too great.

And the assailant’s descending sword…

Was stopped by a shield bearing the royal crest.

“…Sir Karmoer, Knight Commander?!”

“It’s good to see you, Yuri. Long time no see.”

A knight who had suddenly appeared stood up, protecting Yuri from the assailant.

“Hup—!”

And then he swung a large greatsword.

Hwoong—!

Even Eve could hear the weight of that blow that cleaved the air.

Instinctively sensing a threat to his life, the assailant tried to chew on another gemstone, but the knight’s sword had already cleanly severed the bottom of his jaw.

His upper and lower jaws flew into the air.

And from within, the red gemstone popped out.

Pat-

The knight quickly secured the gemstone.

“Indeed, this is the magically infused stone she spoke of… I’ll have it analyzed later.”

The time was too short to analyze the situation.

No, there was no need to.

She was now fully reassured by the words that immediately followed.

She even leaned slightly against the wall, fully reassured.

“From now on, the current situation will be commanded by Naifrantz’s Second Knight Order Commander, Phillips Karmoer.”

Pwhoak- Chichiching—

At the same time, powerful knights began to appear from all over the hall.

Crimson-burning magic swords; white-freezing magic swords.

“Ren, Luke!!”

“Long time no see, Yuri.”

“Is Her Highness beyond there?”

She could no longer even imagine losing.

Kuung—

Karmoer slammed his sword into the floor, placing his hand on it.

“Brave knights… do not let a single one of the Princess’s enemies escape alive.”