Book 16 Chapter 24
Episode 86
An Aftermath in That Kingdom, After the Clash with the Seven Souls (1)
“Heuk, heu-heuk……”
It took a little over two weeks to restore the foundations of the royal capital <Holsen>, which had collapsed due to a volcanic eruption (Rista’s evil deeds were deleted from history. History is written by the victors).
“My lord.”
The actual period of stay must have been around 20 days.
Since the entire country was in shambles, the priority of welcoming ceremonies or triumphal parades was pushed back.
“Heu-heu-heu-heuk……”
During that period, under the command of the King, the [Lion’s Song] mercenary group and the kingdom’s soldiers subjugated the remnants of the Black Church.
Friede and Kies helped with this subjugation process.
Of course, before this began, all of the [King’s Flesh] had been recovered from the [Lion’s Song] mercenary group.
“Can’t you stop crying? Why are you crying, anyway? For two weeks straight! It’s driving me crazy.”
During those two weeks, Rista had to endure head-splitting stress due to her sniffling. What was the reason?
“Well, well……”
Rista tried to say something, then closed her mouth. It was an issue that had already been discussed with her party members.
- Didn’t I tell you before? Lin is too young.
- Friede……!
- If she wants to stay here, I'll agree. Why, isn't it possible that she followed the hero's party without knowing anything about the world, and then found a place where she truly wants to be?
- !
- And wasn't Lin an orphan? It's an opportunity to become royalty legally. It's also an opportunity to create a real family.
Kies also expressed her feelings through a Serweborn emoticon.
[(ㅜㅅㅜ)…]
Friede’s words were sound.
Perhaps Lin was still too young to understand the world. She might have followed them because of her master’s suggestion.
But what if she had now found her true home here?
- Of course, if she chooses the hero’s party, I'll welcome her…… but you know what I mean, right? Don't pressure her unnecessarily.
Rista emerged from the voice of memory and faced Lin, who was looking at her coldly.
“Well, whatever.”
“It’s nothing, boo-hoo……”
“Nothing? Do you want to die or something?”
It was around that time that the remnant subjugation force returned to the royal capital. Friede, with a pipe in her mouth, gently placed a hand on Lin’s shoulder.
“Lin, stay here and make your real family. If that’s what you want.”
“?”
“Don’t forget us. Later, when the journey is over, I’ll come see you. Rista, let’s go.”
The King, who led the subjugation force, and Leonia came riding up on horseback.
“Dad, over here! Lin! I don’t really need to introduce him, do I?”
“Of course not! We saw him struggling against the jailers while confined to protect me in the underground!”
“?”
“The ministers saw it too. Is that not right?”
The ministers who had been forced into labor with the King at the time bowed their heads.
“Yes, Your Majesty. Accepted.”
The King leaped off his warhorse and firmly clasped Lin’s hands with both of his.
“Sir Lin, your tearful fighting spirit and dedication deeply moved all the subjects of Hosen. You would be more than capable of becoming our Nia’s spouse and leading the kingdom!”
The ministers bowed their heads and chimed in.
“Sir Lin! Accepted, accepted!”
Leonia’s lionesses also stretched their necks and chimed in! Master!
“Roar (Accepted), Roar (Accepted)!”
The subjects of Hosen, as if they had been waiting, began to scatter flowers from baskets and cheer.
Now, if the King gave his permission for the marriage, it would be over!
“?”
However, Lin, the person in question, tilted her head as if she couldn't understand the situation at all and said,
“Guys, I have to go now?”
The citizens scattering petals were shocked!
“?”
The lionesses, who were roaring as if setting off firecrackers, choked.
“!”
The ministers, who had been nodding and chiming in, stopped in unison for a moment.
“?”
Only Leonia came to her senses and grabbed Lin’s shoulder.
“Lin, what are you talking about! What about the rosy future and passionate first night we promised, and the future prosperity of the kingdom?”
“I didn’t make any such promise.”
“You did!”
“When?”
“In my head!”
This crazy… was there a madman here who surpassed Rista? Just then, the King approached.
“Sir Lin, as you know, our kingdom carries on the lineage of the 10th Great Archmage, Sir Harke. There is also a grimoire he left behind in the royal castle’s secret vault.”
“!”
“He said that if a mage who could lead the kingdom in the future appeared, we should personally hand over the grimoire he authored. *Ahem*, isn’t Sir Lin exactly that kind of mage?”
That’s cheating!
Rista wanted to shout that, but Friede was holding her shoulder tightly, so she couldn't step forward.
“Hahaha! You're drooling! So, can I take that as you staying here with our Nia?”
“That’s not possible.”
“Hmm, don’t you want to see the grimoire?”
When the King slyly dangled the bait again, Lin stuck out her tongue like a wild dog and drooled!
“I want to see it!”
“Seeing that reaction, can I take it that you’ll stay by Nia’s side?”
Lin tilted her head again.
The King broke out in a cold sweat.
“Hahaha, it seems Sir Lin doesn't quite understand what I'm saying. I'm telling you that if you marry Princess Nia, I will give you all those rights. What's so difficult about that?”
“It’s difficult. I have to go.”
“What on earth is difficult? Why do you have to go?”
Everyone’s attention was focused here, on this incomprehensible situation unfolding.
Wealth, nobility, and glory (富貴榮華).
The greatest reward among the three desires that people live and die craving throughout their lives was right before them. It was within reach, where they could grasp everything just by extending their hand.
However, the boy’s answer, giving up all of that, was as pure as it was simple and clear.
“Well, I’m the hero’s party’s mage.”
Rista’s eyes widened.
That one sentence, that one sentence Lin uttered so naturally as she carelessly turned her back on the King, allowed Rista to glimpse the sincerity contained within it.
Lin had made her choice.
She had chosen to give up all that wealth and glory, and to remain by Rista’s side.
“That little kid, sometimes she says cool things. Good for you, Rista.”
Friede pulled down her conical hat to hide her smile, a pipe in her mouth. Pipi wiggled her head back and forth.
“Cool, cool, just sometimes.”
Kies also praised her highly through Serweborn! Master!
[b(ㅇㅅㅇ)d]
The King stared blankly at the boy’s retreating back, then let out a hollow laugh.
“This is the first time in my life I’ve felt so ashamed of myself. Truly dazzling loyalty. Prime Minister, bring the map to the cave where the grimoire is hidden.”
The Prime Minister stroked his white beard and bowed deeply.
“Yes, Your Majesty. Accepted, accepted.”
“Dad!”
“Nia, don’t shame the kingdom, don’t shame me any further. Sir Lin sacrificed himself to save the kingdom yet desired no reward. That is the only way to repay such selflessness.”
“But then Lin will leave forever!”
“Sir Lin said he had to go because he’s the hero’s party’s mage. But what if the hero’s party’s expedition ends?”
“Oh, that’s right! Dad is a genius after all!”
“Hahahaha!”
The 10th Great Archmage, Harke, was said to be a master of water-attribute magic.
He was someone who aimed for the revival of civilization and relief using water, rather than eradicating enemies with magic.
All the insights from his lifetime were recorded in one grimoire, but no mage among his descendants had ever been able to interpret the book until now.
“Its content was so messy and abstruse for a common person’s understanding that no one could interpret it, but I believe Sir Lin can surely do it,” said the King, receiving the map from the Prime Minister. The surface of the leather binding shimmered with the light of a barrier.
“If you promise to bring both the original and the interpreted version of this book when your expedition ends, I will allow you to borrow this book from the cave.”
This was the King’s crazy gambit!
When she returns to give it back, she won't be able to use the excuse of being "the hero's party's mage," so they'll force a surprise marriage.
“Ooh!”
Lin had no reason to refuse. If she was told to bow and receive it, she wouldn’t refuse that either.
The 10th Great Archmage, Harke!
Wasn’t he the one who created the Canal Fleet, and one of the ten Archmages who earned a place among the Aquijard (5-star) rank!
“Wait a moment. Lin of the Osarius school.”
It was then that an obstructionist intervened.
As if having resolved himself, Pencion Ludwig approached. He was elegantly dressed in the Ludwig family’s ceremonial robes.
That is, it was the attire of a noble young master, not a mercenary. His pale white skin contrasted with his elegant black hair and red eyes, making his external dignity even more beautiful.
“I became a mercenary solely to gain the skills to proudly join Rista’s hero party as its mage when she eventually forms one.”
“?”
“If I defeat you in a magic duel right here, it will prove that I am a more skilled mage than you. In that case, I will take the position of the hero’s party’s mage. You stay here with Leonia.”
Even as Pencion spoke, he had to try hard to calm the trembling in his fingertips.
Because he had seen it through Bell Sidius.
When he defeated the leader of the [Seven Souls], the magic Lin instantly combined… the runes and mathematical formulas used there were not merely academic but had reached the realm of art!
‘But when we cross the continent, the battle will focus on non-human beings, not humans. There, I, who have defeated countless monsters, will be able to play a greater role than you.’
Friede exhaled a long plume of cigarette smoke and glanced at Rista.
“That’s what he says?”
Rista covered her mouth with both hands in an exaggerated gesture.
“Oh no, I feel like a princess in a fairy tale.”
“Hey, you crazy bastard! Just a moment ago, you were bawling as if it had to be Lin! Was it actually just anyone good at magic you wanted?!”
“Friede, why are *you* reacting like that?”
As if Friede’s question was rather baffling and incomprehensible, Rista blinked her eyes.
“Well, Lin can’t lose, can she?”
“But the opponent is the owner of Bell Sidius, who is called a ‘mage killer’?”
“Friede, why do you keep hiding your true feelings?”
True feelings?
Ah, I see.
Friede put the pipe in her mouth and chuckled.
“You’re right. Even with that kind of thing, she can’t lose. That arrogant punk.”
Lin, too far away to hear that conversation, pouted as she tapped her shoulder with the golden magic scroll.
“You’re going to beat me?”
“Yes.”
“Are you confident?”
“We’ll find out when we try.”
“Then fine. Turn on Bell Sidius. I’ll wait for you.”
“Are you underestimating me now?”
“I’m going to show you the difference in our levels. Are *you* okay without [King’s Flesh]?”
“Don’t underestimate me; I’ve rarely relied on that power in the first place!”
Lin once again scanned Pencion’s appearance.
If there were an ideal appearance for a mage in the hero’s party, it would certainly be this guy.
He was slightly taller than Rista, who had undergone body modification, his limbs were long and slender, and his facial features were a handsome man's beyond description.
‘There’s nothing he doesn’t win at. Except for magic skills.’
Friede, who loves handsome men, might prefer Pencion.
Rista, hmm…
It was necessary to clearly show right here who was suitable to be the hero’s party’s mage, to prevent them from having any other ideas.
“Bell Sidius, Providence Interpretation!”
A reddish wave of light emanating from Pencion’s eyes swept over Lin’s body.
‘Tsk, I’ve never been interested in looks, but if I could have such a completely different level of appearance…’
Wouldn’t it be better to destroy what you can’t have?
“Is that what they call discerning magic? Then show me.”
In that instant, it was as if a dark curtain descended upon Pencion’s mind. Was this despair?
No.
01010100000000001111111111111111000000… The sudden anomaly of providence unfolding before his eyes was so immense, vast, and fierce that even a genius's brain simply couldn’t interpret it, causing an overload in his brain.
“How will you read and block this?”
In her left hand, 4-star magic runes were instantly binding together with the aid of her rosary, and above her right hand, six beams of light were neatly woven into two 3-star spells.
‘Triple casting…?’
Pencion could also perform double casting using the Jorgen type and Remediere type, but simultaneous complete casting like this was impossible. He needed about a half-beat interval.
“Do you want to keep going? Or not?”