Chapter 98
The capital, Denimarad, was thrown into complete upheaval.
An assault had occurred in the central plaza.
Moreover, the victim was none other than the third bloodline of House Reschenhardt—and imdiately after the explosion, he had been abducted.
The beautiful lion fountain that had long stood proudly at the heart of the plaza was utterly destroyed. Most of those caught in the blast complained of dizziness and nausea.
The priests who examined the injured determined that the symptoms were the result of mana circuit distortion caused by a Mana storm.
In this incident, Cahena Wegnin and a servant of House Reschenhardt were gravely injured. However, thanks to the swift treatnt of the priest of the Temple of the Sun who had accompanied them, their lives were reportedly not in danger.
The people were horrified.
What audacious individual would dare to carry out an attack in the capital—the very heart of the Delvion Empire—and lay hands upon a bloodline of House Reschenhardt?
As the entire city of Denimarad buzzed over the attack, another piece of news spread.
‘Among those who lost consciousness from the explosion, a mark of the Guild of Darkness was discovered!’
A mber of the Guild of Darkness appearing in the very center of the capital!
And a massive magic circle had reportedly been used. A spell of that scale—could it possibly have been Black Magic?
Everyone already knew it was a dangerous force, thanks to the ominous rumors circulating of late. But were they truly powerful enough to act in the capital without even the Imperial Family being able to stop them?
The murmuring only grew louder.
So claid that the Guild of Darkness had taken them in retaliation against House Reschenhardt and the Temple of the Sun.
Was that not why Aquila Reschenhardt had recently been in the public eye alongside the temple?
Yet among the voices were also murmurs of dissatisfaction aid at the Imperial Family.
No one knew who had first voiced it, but considering the recent state of the court, perhaps they had seen the attack coming and still failed to prevent it.
After all, they were too busy securing their own interests to concern themselves with anything else.
The story spread rapidly throughout Denimarad and, naturally, reached the ears of the Imperial Palace.
Amid the mounting confusion, yet another piece of news circulated.
Lexenbert Fad Reschenhardt was on his way to the capital.
***
Vast formulas covering the ground.
A blinding white light bursting forth from them.
A deep wave of Mana piercing through the body.
And when all of that faded, the sight that greeted their eyes was—
“W-Where in the world are we……?!”
A man clad in armor engraved with a dragon emblem—the private soldier of House Reschenhardt—looked around in alarm.
No wonder.
The first thing he saw was a dense wall of trees.
A lush forest.
Verdant leaves brimming with life.
Thick, towering trunks blocked even the sunlight from overhead.
And yet, strangely, the surroundings were bright.
As if another source of light filtered in from sowhere.
Whooooosh.
The wind passing through the forest cast rippling shadows like waves.
The silver-haired knight, Porzelin, stared in disbelief.
Only monts ago, they had been in the central plaza of Denimarad. Then a flash of light—and now they stood in the midst of a forest.
“…A teleportation magic circle?”
Porzelin muttered blankly.
There was a teleportation circle beneath the liole Mountain Range that led into Igrail.
Anyone entering Igrail from the outside had to stand upon it at least once. The sensation he had felt then was strangely similar to what he had just experienced.
Though this had been stronger. Deeper.
But how could such a teleportation circle have appeared in the central plaza?
In ancient tis, it was said that every city possessed one—but they were no longer in use…….
“Lord Aquila! Lord Aquila Reschenhardt!”
At the voice behind him, Porzelin spun around.
Heinen was supporting Aquila’s limp body.
“…Young Master Aquila!”
Porzelin hurried forward and dropped to one knee before them.
Aquila had lost consciousness.
His cheeks and lips were drained of color, tinged an unhealthy blue as though he were freezing.
Heinen grimaced deeply and pressed his palm against Aquila’s left chest.
“The Mana distortion is severe. If we are not careful, it may reverse.”
“Th-Then what should we do?”
“I am holding it back as best I can for now, but is there anything nearby to cover him? His body temperature is dropping.”
“Nearby…….”
Porzelin looked around again.
But there were only trees. It was impossible that a clean blanket or cloth would be found in such a place.
Neither Heinen nor Porzelin could remove their armor.
Still, Porzelin could not bring himself to say that there was nothing.
Sweat dripped from Heinen’s chin as he poured his strength into stabilizing Aquila.
“…I will search for sothing to warm him. Or perhaps we should start a fire.”
Porzelin nodded grimly.
He was just about to scout the surroundings—
Crunch.
A faint sound ca from elsewhere.
“Who goes there!”
Porzelin drew his sword instantly and pointed it toward the sound.
The trees encircled them densely.
If their location was oddly bright, that direction remained cloaked in shadow.
Whoooosh.
The wind swept past once more.
It seed silent otherwise—but Porzelin did not sheath his blade.
Those who began learning the sword upon arriving in Igrail were taught one principle above all:
Never lower your guard in the forest.
A monster could appear at any ti. Even the faintest disturbance demanded a response.
Porzelin tightened his grip and stepped toward the sound.
“Do not move, outsider of the forest.”
Indeed, soone called out from behind a tree.
“Have you co to trample this forest?”
“This is not a place for your kind.”
“Leave this forest at once.”
There was not just one voice.
Several different voices murmured warnings.
“…Humans. How did you co to know the ancient magic and arrive here?”
A solemn, penetrating voice cut through them all.
The murmuring ceased.
Step. Step.
Soone erged.
A figure cloaked in a long robe.
A wide, deep hood concealed their head, the hem flowing like water.
It was black—like the darkness of the forest itself.
It did not seem worn to conceal their identity, but rather as their natural attire.
“The path that leads here should have long been sealed on your side. So that even we could not move freely.”
From the way they referred to them as humans, they were likely of another race.
“We do not know. We were forcibly transported here.”
“You claim you did not use the magic?”
“That is correct.”
Fortunately, they spoke the common tongue of Delvion.
Perhaps they could request aid?
Standing protectively before Aquila and Heinen, Porzelin asked without lowering his blade,
“We have a critically injured patient. We wish to request assistance—”
“You claim ignorance of ancient magic. Then leave this forest.”
The hooded figure cut him off.
“W-Wait! We do not ask for dicine—only a cloth to warm his body—!”
“We do not aid outsiders.”
The robed figure raised one hand.
Sothing glimred behind them.
Not one—but at least five lights.
They were arrows ford of magic.
The taut sound of bowstrings being drawn echoed.
“Leave this forest.”
Porzelin cried out, “Y-You heartless scoundrels! I told you we have a man at death’s door!”
“Leave. Once you are outside the forest, we will not lay a hand upon you.”
The cold refusal made Porzelin’s insides burn.
But he could not charge recklessly.
They were clearly at a disadvantage.
Biting his lip until it hurt, he whispered,
“…We must move, Sir Heinen. It would be wiser to leave the forest for now.”
But Heinen did not move.
Rather, he could not.
Divine Power and Mana shared the sa origin—but they were fundantally different in nature.
To contain Mana that threatened to erupt in cold violence, Heinen was filling the vessel with warm Divine Power and calming what lay within.
And the aftermath of the explosion—
The Mana storm that had detonated inside Aquila had left his body fractured, riddled with fine cracks.
Heinen was bracing it as though holding back a collapsing dam with his entire body.
If he withdrew now, it would revert to the mont it burst.
There was no way Aquila could endure that twice.
‘If only there were a way to stabilize Mana—or a mage here…….’
Heinen ground his teeth, sweat pouring down his face.
Blood from his bitten lip fell, drop by drop, from his chin.
Seeing this, Porzelin realized Heinen could not move.
Yet Aquila’s complexion had improved slightly, perhaps thanks to his efforts.
They could not move.
Then—
‘We have no choice but to fight!’
Porzelin clenched his fist—and suddenly realized sothing was in his other hand.
He had not even noticed, his body stiff from being transported here.
He opened his fingers.
A necklace set with a blue gem.
The very item thrown to him by the one who had sent them here.
“…Stabilizes Mana…….”
Porzelin muttered.
It might be a lie.
But would soone truly hand over such an item while saying that?
More importantly, he had been holding it this entire ti—and nothing had happened to him.
Perhaps it was not dangerous after all.
His hesitation was brief.
There was no ti to deliberate.
Resolving himself, Porzelin pressed the necklace into Aquila’s hand.
The brief touch of his skin was freezing cold.
After squeezing his hand once, Porzelin rose and aid his sword once more.
“We apologize for stepping into this forest without permission, but we cannot move. Once our matter is resolved, we will depart. Leave us be. But if you attack, I will respond in kind.”
His voice was firm as he lowered his stance.
His intent to stand his ground radiated from him.
“If you leave the forest, we will not touch you. In this forest—”
“You repeat yourself like a parrot. My answer does not change. If you wish no involvent, then leave us be.”
Porzelin shot back sharply.
Silence fell from the robed figure.
Then they raised their hand higher.
A clear intent to strike down those who would not listen.
Porzelin inhaled deeply and gathered aura into his blade.
Ready to deflect the incoming magic arrows.
Tension stretched tight.
The forest grew so silent that even the wind seed to hold its breath.
“…Hah—gasp!”
A ragged breath tore through the silence, like soone dragged suddenly from water to land.
At the sa ti, Aquila shot upright.
He turned toward the black-robed figure.
“Descendant of the Blue Scales, please wait!”
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