Chapter 45
Right before Charlotte’s eyes, the murderers burst into fragments as Deculein’s steel rotated more than tens of times per second, crushing the area and flinging human flesh around.
The result was as disastrous as it could get.
Charlotte covered Maho’s eyes with her hand and grabbed her close when she tried to lean away from it.
“Come on, why?”
“You shouldn’t see this, princess.”
The situation was still dire.
Some of their enemies escaped from his onslaught safely, and the ‘deanant,’ the most dangerous of them all, hadn’t even appeared yet.
“…”
Charlotte raised her sword even though holding it alone caused pain in her right shoulder due to an injury she hid from the princess.
“Charlotte,” Deculein called. He had been watching them, clutching his cane.
“Leave with the princess. I’ll follow. If you stay here too long, the princess will also be put in danger.”
“… Do you think you can handle them alone?”
“Leave.”
Charlotte hesitated but eventually nodded. They weren’t in a situation where she could insist on fighting together.
She lifted Maho as one of her subordinates caught up with them, who was supposed to act as their escort.
“Captain. Allow me to stay behind and help the Professor.” Roen proposed.
“… Okay.”
As Charlotte turned around with Maho, she finally clearly felt the demonic energy’s rise. Not far away from them, the deanant slowly made its appearance.
Although in human form, its silhouette was faint like the sunset.
and ghosts that fused. What made it difficult to fight was its solid physique imbued with liquid properties.
Charlotte ran, leaving the deanant behind while controlling her speed at the same time. If she were too fast, she’d risk turning the princess into an addict to dark magic.
“… Fweew.” The deanant whistled teasingly. “How far can those two women run?”
Deculein forcibly tightened his reason. From the bottom of his consciousness, instinctive hatred and contempt abounded, but it was tolerable.
“You’ll never be able to kill my vessel with your non-magical steel.” The demon laughingly mocked him, its tone sounding hoarse as if its throat had been scorched. “Well, it isn’t like magic can kill me either.”
As it said, ordinary steel didn’t work against it. Momentaneous magic couldn’t extinguish liquid-like or gas-like beings.
Attempting to do so would be no different from trying to cut or burn air.
To get rid of it, one’s mana quality had to be extremely high. They would also need to take into consideration the canyon they were in, which would force huge amounts of mana to scatter due to the dark magic’s concentration.
The deanant knew and took advantage of that fact excellently.
“…”
Deculein closed his eyes.
He devised the “wood steels'” path based on his mana amplification and recovery speed, planning how he’d tear his opponent apart down to the very last detail. His prediction and estimation of the battle went as far as 30 minutes into the future.
Whoooong…
Rockelock’s Yukline Cane began to heat up as he filled it with his mana, his blood in it seemingly making it as furious as he was.
Eventually, Deculein opened his eyes, which now gleamed blue. The deanant still stood on the other side of the battlefield.
He drew an imaginary line on the road not far away from him, which would trigger the Steel Swarm to faithfully carry out his concept and design.
Thud.
The deanant took one step, and Roen’s hands immediately became damp with sweat.
Thud.
The demon believed in itself.
However, Deculain knew how to slay it.
Thud.
It took one more step, with which it crossed the ‘line.’
A cold flash of light struck the deanant’s right side like a bolt of lightning.
Roen couldn’t see it. Even Deculein couldn’t follow its movements with his own eyes.
His wood steels executed a preconceived design instead of acting according to his will.
Nobody moved, almost as if everyone’s time but his weapons’ had been paused.
Swiiiiiiiish-!
The deanant felt its throat getting pierced. However, not even a drop of blood flowed.
One of Deculein’s wood steels then descended rapidly, slicing its way from its target’s collarbone to its groin. Another bent transversely, making a beeline from the demon’s lower right pubis to its upper left armpit.
His third, fourth, and fifth wood steels ripped through its vertebrae at every node, while his sixth and seventh cut off its wrists, and the eighth and ninth amputated its legs.
His tenth and eleventh spiraled through its entire body.
On the deanant’s physique, they engraved solid lines, the lengths of which released smoke.
Before long, it felt its vision shift as it watched its own body being torn apart by multiple steel objects as the world spun.
Not long after, the twelfth wood steel came leisurely, decapitating the deanant’s head. It then pierced through its eyeballs and shattered its brain.
The thirteenth and fourteenth steels ran rampant within its vessel.
“…”
Taking advantage of the situation, their enemies passed by Deculein and tried to pursue Charlotte, but he easily destroyed them using his weapons.
The flying blades moved swiftly and returned to their posts. Even Roen noticed the shock and perplexity their opponents felt.
“Professor! O-Over there!” The knight yelled, pointing at the deanant, which flailed around and was about to regain its form.
Deculain was calm.
“Don’t make a fuss.”
He knew how to slay it.
It was simple.
“I just have to kill it until it permanently dies.”
His wood steels charged through it again, infinitely repeating the same process that destroyed the deanant.
Dazed, Roen could do nothing but admire Deculein’s destructive power.
* * *
Charlotte and Maho ran out into the fields, crossing the canyon safely until they reached the borders of Yuren.
However, even then, their journey proved filled with hardships.
Their pursuers had been waiting for them, and from the shadows, they rushed in.
Charlotte fought back, not paying any mind to the pain coursing through her body and trying to cripple her right arm.
“───!”
Sword aura rose from Charlotte’s blade, fragmenting her opponents’ flesh and bones.
Not long after their battle began, she heard a shout coming from behind them.
“They’re over here!”
The knights of the Grand Duke had come.
They couldn’t enter the Empire’s borders. Hence, as they promised Charlotte, they served as reinforcements at the edge of Yuren’s borders instead.
The knights rushed in without hesitation, mercilessly ending the lives of those who hunted the princess.
With the tide of war in their favor, she sighed in relief and checked up on Maho, who was still in her arms.
“Are you okay, princess?”
“… Yes. I feel a bit sick, but I’m fine. Blargh—”
“That’s an early symptom of dark magic addiction, but at this level, it’s still nothing to be worried about. You should be fine soon.”
“Aaaaaaaah—!”
The knights allowed no prey to escape, even if those they captured chose to commit suicide.
Swiiiiich—!
The more flesh they cut, the quieter their vicinity grew. Not long after, Ghiland, Yuren’s interior minister and Maho’s uncle, appeared.
“Maho.”
“Oh! Uncle!” Maho yelled and went running to him, who looked at her apologetically.
“It’s been a long time. Please forgive us for not being able to do anything but wait for you here. We had no other options left.”
“It’s okay. It’s okay~ I know the situation. Rather, I’m grateful that you even came. Thank you.”
Maho was as bright as ever. Ghiland patted her head and looked at Charlotte, who was tending to her painful shoulders.
“Charlotte.”
“Yes?”
“Thank you for your hard work. Are you two the only survivors?”
“… No.” Charlotte shook her head.
Deculein said they would follow after them, and Charlotte believed his words.
“I’ll wait here.”
Ghiland nodded. As they waited for the others to arrive, they regrouped and buried their fallen brothers-in-arm.
As the cold wind blew, time passed.
Thirty minutes.
One hour.
Two hours.
“Let’s head back.” Ghiland placed his hand on Charlotte’s shoulder.
“…Oh! There! There!”
Maho pointed at the distant horizon, where two men could be seen walking under the achromatic evening that made the line between earth and sky vague.
Charlotte sighed in relief.
“You’re safe!”
Maho ran to meet him first.
Deculein was still soaked in the afterglow of the battle. His face was stiff, but he soon smiled and bowed his head politely.
“Thanks for your concern, princess.”
“What a relief. Whew. Thank you, Professor, really—”
“Princess.”
He put his lips beside her ear and whispered.
“There’s no need for acting now.”
Maho’s expression stiffened slightly.
He knew Maho’s true personality.
Of course, her tomboy behavior wasn’t a lie.
However, her innocent, ingenuous behavior was.
She was thoroughly aware of which aspects of her could induce sympathy and increase her own odds of survival.
“…”
Maho’s eyes widened as she stared at Deculein, who kept smiling at her without saying a word.
Charlotte came. “Hey. You…”
“My work here is done. I’ll leave the report to you, Roen.”
“Yes! Alright!” Roen straightened his back at Deculein’s words.
He was full of doubts just a day ago, but he now acted like a loyalist. Even his eyes were filled to the brim with admiration and respect for Deculein.
Charlotte nodded. “… Thank you. I will never forget this favor— no, this ‘deal.'”
Deculein turned around without answering.
He hadn’t rested yet, but he still showed not even the faintest sign of fatigue.
He was as full of grace as when they first met.
“Charlotte,” Ghiland called as he stared at Deculein’ss back.
“Yes?”
“Is that person an escort?”
Roen replied in her stead.
“Yes. That’s Deculein, Head Professor of the Imperial University Tower. He alone killed dozens of pursuers and annihilated a deanant.”
“…A deanant? I mean, in that crevasse gorge?”
Roen nodded proudly.
“Yes.”
“Is that possible?”
“I saw it with my own eyes. Professor Deculein’s magic was different from that of ordinary wizards.”
Roen looked far away with an expression full of emotion. Maho followed his gaze.
“He dealt with the deanant as if he were playing with a toy. None of the monster’s attacks worked against him as he showcased the epitome of combat magic against a near-invincible opponent…”
At Roen’s praise, Ghiland and the Archduke’s knights looked at him in a different light.
On the dark horizon, the Yukline Head trudged onwards.
* * *
[Independent Quest Completed]
◆ Store Currency +4
◆ Mana +30
Red Horse was already waiting for me when I exited the canyon. Before climbing on his back and returning, I took another look at the gorge entrance.
My mana recovery speed inside the canyon was fast enough to use all of my wood steel and [Midas’s Hand].
Additionally, four of my wood steels gained properties during the six hours it took to travel through it.
However, purifying and accepting the mana in that place put a heavy load on my body and swiftly consumed my mental power, making me feel like its personality contagion was getting stronger.
I didn’t want to spend any more time in there than necessary.
“Let’s go back to Hadekain.”
Red Horse galloped swiftly.
However, when I took a nap on the saddle, he reduced his speed, seemingly aware of my fatigue.
I closed my eyes for a while, and when I opened them again, we were already at the Hadekain castle.
“… Hmm.”
I had no intention of coming here.
But since I was here anyway, I decided to take a look around Deculein’s room.
“Hey.”
“…Oh! My liege has come!”
I left Red Horse to a nearby guard and went inside the castle, where I told a servant to guide me to Deculein’s room.
“Is it here?”
“Yes.”
“It’s been a while since I last visited. I’ve already forgotten the floor’s entrance. Anyway, you may go and rest now.”
I opened the door. Revealing a clean room that wasn’t out-of-the-ordinary. Something on the bookshelf caught my attention, however.
[ ─ ]
It was an untitled notebook that had nothing written in it, but my [Vision] told me it was “special.” I wouldn’t have noticed it if it wasn’t.
“…”
I then went up to the castle lord’s office.
Knock, knock—
I grabbed the doorknob and turned it.
“What the hell!”
As soon as I opened the door, I heard a strong and clear voice.
Yeriel.
She frowned and looked at me.
“Knock before coming in!”
“I did.”
“Wait for a response!”
As I approached her, I noticed she was unraveling something with a pencil and a notebook on the desk.
“What were you doing?”
“…This thing in ‘Wizard Academic.'”
‘Wizard Academic’ was a magic journal. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it was a ‘magic exam paper.’ It just wasn’t noticeable since the readers were having fun while solving the questions and giving each other magic tests.
Naturally, there were cases in which they learned something in the process of solving the problems, so it wasn’t completely useless. Moreover, it also recorded the magic questions raised by the archmages of the past called ‘Millennium.’
I hadn’t even thought of solving them since it was a waste of time for me.
“Let me see. What were you solving?”
“…”
Yeriel handed it over without a word, and I solved the problem using [Understanding], which was extremely useful in finding answers. The more limited the field was, the more straightforward the problem became, hence consuming less mana.
Nevertheless, I used up 2,000 mana for just one question. Without much thought, I wrote the answer in the box.
At that moment…
[Mini Quest: Solving Academic Questions]
◆ Mana +2
“… Huh?”
“What is it?” Yeriel asked flatly.
“… It’s nothing.”
My mana increased by ‘2’.
I returned the journal without a word, and Yeriel’s eyes grew bigger as soon as she saw my answer.
“Hey! Why did you write it down?!”
“I feel tired. I’m going to sleep.”
“What? Hey! I’ve been solving this problem for two hours—!”
“You’ve taken two hours trying to answer it, but I solved it in a minute.”
“So what?! Are you showing off?”
I smiled and left the office, after which I heard her saying, “Gosh, seriously—! What’s wrong with him—!”
But I didn’t feel upset.
Right now, even 2 mana was already too precious for me…
[Mana: 1,419 / 3,419 (+800)]
[Mana Quality: 5]
* * *
The Principality of Yuren wasn’t subject to interference by any king or emperor since it was a country that succeeded in the dukeship of an ‘already annihilated kingdom.’
It developed its own culture thanks to its geographical location, facing a sea to the southwest and a mountain range to the northeast. Due to the importance of commerce, its banks also developed. Additionally, ‘Artran,’ an academy that nurtured creators of literature, art, and music, was a unique product of the Principality.
Late in the evening at the Lucangel castle, the Grand Duke’s residence.
The Grand Duke’s brother, Interior Minister Ghiland, called Charlotte to his office.
“Minister. What’s going on?”
“… How’s Maho?” Ghiland sounded serious.
“She just went to bed,” Charlotte answered with a rather tired face.
Ghiland let out a sigh and gestured at the chair. “Sit down. I have something to tell you two.”
Anxious, Charlotte did as instructed.
“What is it?” She asked, keeping her composure as much as possible despite thinking he might be announcing his refusal to let the princess stay here.
“Don’t be too surprised.”
However, what Ghiland wanted to discuss was something she had never even dared imagine.
“The Archduke wants Maho to succeed him.”
“… Huh?” Charlotte stared at him blankly, unable to comprehend what he just said. His words were so absurd she thought she had fallen asleep due to her fatigue and was now dreaming.
“What does that…?”
“He seems to have made up his mind even before Maho sent her letter. I mean, he can’t really trust his grandson, after all.”
“No, no, I don’t understand. Does that mean… the princess will be the next Archduchess…?”
“That’s right.” Ghiland laughed bitterly.
“Is that possible?” Charlotte asked, still surprised.
“Of course it is. Maho is a direct descendant of the Grand Duke. Three years ago, she was also second in line to his throne.”
“But the princess won’t be able to bear the weight of the crown.”
Ghiland shook his head at Charlotte’s words.
“You’re too naive.”
“I’m sorry?”
“That aside, this information’s still highly classified. Only the Archduke and the people in this room know of it.”
“Oh, okay. Of course, it is…” Charlotte nodded, feeling a headache coming up.
After a while, however, her forehead began to scrunch as a thought rose within her.
“What is it?” Ghiland asked.
At that moment, a spark flashed in her mind.
“…Oh!”
“…!” Ghiland trembled at the sudden sound.
“No way.” She remembered Deculein.
Deculein knew that Maho could only survive if she went to Yuren.
He also referred to this collaboration as a ‘deal.’
At that time, she believed and accepted it with his grudge against the Reok Kingdom in mind, but in fact, the expression “deal” itself was absurd.
In the first place, their transaction was established on the premise of mutual benefit.
But Maho, a princess abandoned by the kingdom, couldn’t give him anything.
“What’s wrong?” Ghiland asked, growing even more curious about her inner change.
Charlotte, who had become more serious, asked. “Does anyone else know of this, minister?”
“Of course not. The Grand Duke only told me about it today.”
Charlotte felt goosebumps all over her body.
Deculein’s words to her before replayed in her ears.
‘I’m an extremely political person. Moreover, when it comes to matters involving intelligence or discernment, you know I’m far better than you.’
If so…
Did he make such a deal by taking all these circumstances into account, guessing the relationship between the Archduke and Maho, calculating the dynamics and conflicts between the kingdom and the Principality, and finally predicting the conclusion that the princess could succeed the throne?
If he really did…
“… Monster.”
How far had he thought through? How sophisticated and precise were his thoughts and resourcefulness…
“What? Me?”
Charlotte came back to her senses. Ghiland was staring at her with narrowed eyes.
“No, no.”
“You finally voiced out your thoughts. Right. I’m sorry. I didn’t even make any diplomatic effort to save Maho, yet I’m already telling you another serious issue. You’re not wrong to think of me as a monster.”
“No. It’s not that—”
“Enough.”
“No—”
“You may go.”
“No. Listen to me…”