Book 16 Chapter 5
The strongest black magic organization of all time!
Clash, Seven Souls (2)
“Bell, Sidious!”
An ominous wave, spreading crimson from his eyes, touched my body, and I felt as if… all my vulnerabilities had been exposed.
Hmm, the Ludwig family, is it?
They are the clan representing the central region among the Five Great Mage Houses that dominate the Empire. Their nickname is 'The Stealing Mage'.
According to descriptions in books, using their secret magic allows them to discern an opponent's magic.
Suddenly, I became curious.
How exactly do they discern and steal? Should I try using a magic spell as a taste-test and see what happens?
Magic circle construction, Earth attribute.
2-star.
Tight Root.
Very simply, it's a magic spell that extends dozens of roots buried in the ground to bind the opponent.
“Gyuut?!”
It would be a lie to say I wasn't even more surprised than Sval in the next moment.
He also constructed a 2-star magic circle above his palm. But the timing was the problem.
It was from the very moment I decided to use [Tight Root] and extended my palm.
It was a 2-star Fire magic.
Flame Net.
It was a magic that spread flames like a net… It wasn't particularly powerful magic, but what was impressive was that it was a perfect counter-magic to [Tight Root].
“I can see everything you're trying to do with these eyes, kid!”
I hate being called 'kid' more than anything in the world. It feels like my identity as the [Strongest Mage] is being denied.
Next came the raging winds.
It seemed he specialized in wind magic, but I blocked it with a headwind magic I could use while picking my nose, then prepared the next spell.
“Try to read this one too. And let's see if you can block it.”
Osarius-style hand seals, 5-star.
Secret Art, Lightning Armor Blood Seal.
As I began to form the hand seals, the gleam in his eyes, which had been so defiant, slowly began to warp.
“What is that Bargante type… How many runes are woven into a single seal…?”
“Ah, you don't seem to know. This is [The Strongest].”
“What nonsense!”
Sensing an unusual situation, he immediately opened his magic book to prepare a high-level spell, and I was about to complete the final hand seal.
“Stop! Don’t kill him! These guys aren’t enemies!”
* * *
The [Lion's Song] mercenary group was ranked 2nd in Platinum-tier. Meaning they were the third strongest among mercenary groups.
This mercenary group was characterized by having no particular hierarchy and being composed of a small elite of four members.
That's why it was famous as a mercenary group like a hero's party.
In fact, if only the leader, Leonia, had been replaced by a Fae Warrior, it would have been an unmistakable hero's party.
Warrior, Leonia.
Mage, Pencion Ludwig.
Archer, Cob.
Executor, Juicy.
Leonia's epithet was Great Lioness.
She raised three combat-skilled lionesses and had studied abroad in her youth at the Namryun Sword School, which specialized in heavy weaponry among the One-Star Seven Swords.
She was a master of the Lion's Roar and boasts several heroic tales, such as bursting the eardrums of B-grade monsters with just this Lion's Roar.
20-year-old Pencion was a promising successor of the Ludwig family, top-tier in Atlas (3-star) rank and a Platinum 10th-ranked mercenary.
[4-star Selection] always coincided with the Trident Point expedition schedule, so he never participated.
Cob was one of the three individuals designated as the next head of the [Taehwa Archery School], one of the Empire's two great archery schools.
Juicy was one of the Executors from the Republic who, in conjunction with witches, eradicated villains and monsters. Executors were skilled hunters, adept with all sorts of weapons and traps.
“This Juicy here recognized me at the moment that chaos was about to begin and mediated the situation. Now you know how amazing I am, right?”
Frida puffed out her nostrils and shrugged her shoulders.
“Amazing, sublime, magnificent.”
Pipi sat on her nose, making it look as if Frida's nose bridge had become unnaturally high!
“I apologize, Priestess. I will apologize on behalf of my companions' disrespect. Given the current state of affairs…”
Juicy wiped away cold sweat, repeatedly bowing her head, when Leonia pointed at Rista and said,
“This woman is the hero? No way.”
Around Leonia, three lionesses sat on their hind legs, yawning. Rista smiled grimly.
“You're the princess of the Hosen Kingdom? I find that hard to believe. What kind of princess from what kingdom is so rude and full of barbarism?”
“My father raised me like a lion, so of course, I'm this bold. He pushed me to the edge, you know. A woman should be like a lion. She should be able to roar at any man.”
“Puh-puh-puh! Maybe you can do that to men, but what can a mere lion do against a dragon?”
“This one just won't give an inch! I'm a princess, I tell you!”
“And you! I'm a hero, you know? I can legally be friends with royals and nobles alike.”
“I won't be friends with you.”
“Who said I wanted to be?”
“This…!”
While Rista and Leonia were bickering, Pencion Ludwig was also blinking his eyes, listening to the explanation about the hero's party.
“You’re that Lin? The one who became a Glados (4-star) at thirteen?”
A Glados mage is in a position to guide all mages, and at this point, their social standing is reversed. In principle, one must use honorifics unless they are an elderly high noble.
“So use polite language, unless you want to die.”
“Gyuung!”
“Hmph… Don't mess with me. It's not that I couldn't become a Glados (4-star) mage. It's just that I prioritized mercenary work over rank, so the exam schedule didn't align.”
“?”
“What's with that head movement…? Are you mocking me right now?”
“Who am I? Glados (4-star). Who are you? Atlas (3-star).”
At that provocation, Pencion's molars were pushed to the verge of breaking!
“Ugh, ugh-uh-uh-uh-uh…!”
The taciturn archer Cob greeted the Archery Master Kies with a formal silent bow, but it was a greeting tinged with arrogant pride, befitting a promising student of the Taehwa Archery School.
“Priestess. I'm sorry. I will restrain them.”
“Just let them be. They're usually like that. So, to summarize your story, you finished your journey to Trident Point and were going to the Demon Realm Front, but you heard about the calamity that befell the Hosen Kingdom and rushed here?”
“That’s right. Trident Point is a land of labyrinths, and once you enter a labyrinth, you are practically cut off from the outside world. We only heard the urgent news from the kingdom after returning to <Seeker Camp>.”
<Seeker Camp> was an adventurer branch established on an island between Trident Point and the continent.
Until Niels Blantz later established the [Far West Branch], adventurers had to endure this inconvenient travel.
“Since the King and Queen are said to be dead… then who is the captured princess?”
“It’s Leonia’s body double. She acted as a stand-in whenever Leonia went out. She’s a maid who has been with her through thick and thin since childhood. That’s why she’s so sensitive right now…”
“Is that so? So when did you start using [King's Flesh]?”
Frida put the smoking pipe in her mouth and sharpened her gaze, and a chilling silence swept across the ruined city.
“Why, planning to take it back? Who do you think would give it to you?”
“Leonia, this person is a leader of the Republic! No matter if you're a princess, she's someone you shouldn't treat carelessly. Show some basic respect.”
“Hmph.”
“Lady Frida, I am truly sorry. And I swear by the Fire Dragon that I have only used this power since returning to the continent, and I have not misused it for any evil deeds.”
Rista shook her head.
“No matter what, a taboo is a taboo. No one knows what kind of catastrophe could be triggered if one becomes intoxicated by the Abyss. Even if it hasn't been used for evil now, what about the future?”
“That’s right. The Papal States must strictly forbid using this.”
“I will absolutely not return this. Not until my revenge is complete, never! Do you know how strong those bastards are? They're even rumored to be those very [Seven Souls].”
Rista and Frida's expressions changed dramatically.
“The [Seven Souls]…?”
They were a nefarious black magic group whose wicked influence on the continent was no exaggeration to call the worst in history.
And at that time, the sorcerer dealt with in <Ikegrath> used puppets, so there was a high possibility of encountering their main body while chasing the [Seven Souls].
Frida was chasing the [Seven Souls] for personal revenge, and Rista for her duty as a hero and for her friend's revenge.
“Say that again. What? The [Seven Souls]?”
Just as Frida reached out her hand, Leonia kicked off the ground and landed on a distant rooftop in an instant. The lionesses immediately followed.
“We’re in a hurry. If you have advice about [King's Flesh], I'll hear it after this situation is over!”
“Hey, who said I was giving advice?”
“I’m sorry, Lady Frida!”
Suddenly, a pungent mist rapidly spread, blocking Frida's five senses.
It was a smoke bomb primarily used by Executors, a basic magic tool created through cooperation with witches, manifested by the power of spells.
To instantly clear the thick, clinging smoke, the sword-wind of a holy sword was needed.
When Rista swung her sword and cleared the smoke, the [Lion's Song] mercenary group had completely vanished and was nowhere to be seen.
“Where in the world…?”
Kies immediately climbed to the highest spire and scanned the surroundings, but soon only a shake of his head returned. The mercenary group's archer and executor had completely disappeared from the power of detection.
“Hey, wait a minute. Aren't we missing someone?”
Frida looked around repeatedly and soon figured out where the gap originated.
“Huh? Where did Lin go?”