Chapter 38: Simply solve it

Arrows of Demon-Banishing Light poured down in a dazzling rain, covering the entire area before the forest.

The arrows buried deep into the soil, flickering with Holy Light, emitting a dense, aggressive clatter that stirred up grass fragments and dust.

The adjutant bowed beside him, his voice oily with flattery:

“Young master, your wisdom is unmatched! The Soul-Devouring Prime poses too great a threat up close—it’s only reasonable to deal with it from a distance! With so many arrows blessed by the Pilgrim Knights, even the mightiest Malformed beast will surely be purified!”

Norsein’s gaze stretched out toward the clearing bathed in arrowfire, a faint, indifferent smile curling at the corner of his lips.

His plan went far beyond this.

Deliberately leaving a guiding trail for the Soul-Devouring Prime while setting the magic array bait, reserving a weak point in the main infantry’s defense formation so that the beast would follow the guide straight into this crucial forest path,

while positioning the nominal hunting party’s main force further back.

And his own knight squad was here, resting and ready, staging a grand “turn the tide” spectacle to claim the glory of slaying this source of disaster.

At the same time, it created the illusion of a failure by the border infantry and soldiers—see, in the end, it’s the knights who have to clean up the mess.

Of course, there was also one trivial little matter.

Using an “unexpected casualty no one wanted to see” during battle as cover, he conveniently eliminated that troublesome mercenary.

So he wouldn’t have to buzz around Lord Eltrisa like a fly anymore.

Everything was perfect.

Yet, as the dust stirred by the arrows began to settle, Norsein’s smile stiffened.

Weiss was still standing there perfectly unharmed.

A faint, almost imperceptible distorted force field seemed to envelop him.

Several arrows that should have struck him mysteriously veered off, embedding themselves harmlessly into the ground beside him.

“Pft.”

Weiss spat out the grass bits that had splattered into his mouth and tossed aside the crushed pocket watch.

He had just spent another “Private Time.”

He really wanted to curse.

If it were a cooldown gear like “Overbearing Negotiation,” it might be bearable,

but “Private Time” was a consumable—once used, it was gone.

No matter how often he pulled it out, it couldn’t withstand such wastefulness.

Earlier, he’d sparred with Morfiana after being provoked, and that was one thing; back then, he had hoped to siphon some Willpower. Although he failed to gain any, the “Private Time” used was an investment that simply didn’t pay off.

But now, the situation was pure coercion—forced use.

Not to defend against the Malformed beast,

but to fend off friendly fire.

—No, actually, it seemed they were no longer friendly.

From a distance, Weiss’s eyes pierced through the gradually calming dust and locked onto Norsein, who sat atop his horse.

There was no longer confusion or anxiety in that gaze—only cold understanding and disdain.

He tilted his head slightly and glanced out of the corner of his eye at the female knight struggling to get up, her face still pale with terror.

He had suspected it before, but now he was certain—she was the planted needle beside him.

Of course, he knew the primary and secondary contradictions.

The main problem was still that hypocritical knight commander; Morfiana was clearly just a disposable tool.

“That… that guy’s still alive? A cockroach?!”

The adjutant’s voice wavered in panic, his tone almost breaking.

Norsein’s sapphire eyes flickered with surprise as well, but it lasted less than half a second.

His expression swiftly hardened, betraying no hesitation.

“Keep firing.”

The cold command spat out of his mouth, laced with a gritted disbelief.

The hum of bowstrings being drawn rang densely over the hillside once again.

Another volley of arrows, shimmering with enchanted light, was ready to be unleashed.

As the second rain of arrows was about to cover the area, it was absolutely too late for Weiss to escape the attack range.

Weiss turned his head and glanced briefly at Morfiana, who was frozen stiff.

“Want to live? Stay behind me.”

His voice was flat, more of an order than a negotiation.

“Save your explanations for later.”

Without waiting for a reply, Weiss looked away.

He pulled out his phone with one hand, fingers instinctively tapping the screen.

—The goal was to hold out for thirty seconds.

With a small motion last night, he had just spent another “Private Time.”

—Click.

The pocket watch shattered.

The familiar, subtle spatial-temporal ripple radiated outward from him again,

and within a half-meter radius, all movement instantly slowed.

The incoming arrows were like insects trapped in sticky amber, their speed drastically reduced.

Taking advantage of the moment, Weiss drew his sword and struck precisely at the fletching of the arrows aimed at him.

The crisp ding ding sounds never ceased.

Those deadly arrows were deflected one by one, falling powerlessly to the ground.

Seizing this barrage of arrows, Norsein finally noticed the strange slowing effect around Weiss.

How a mere mercenary managed this—whether through an item or secret scroll—was irrelevant.

Nothing was beyond the solution of the Higlirwell family’s “Moon Silver.”

In his sapphire eyes, the aristocratic composure finally faded, replaced by a fierce killing intent.

“Bring me the bow!”

He snorted coldly, reaching to his side.

A knight immediately handed over a magnificent longbow forged entirely from secret steel.

No need for enchanted arrows to be strung,

Norsein took up the bow and poured in his magic recklessly.

Blessed by “Moon Silver,” his magic absorbed the moonlight,

and the clear glow cast from the night sky instantly condensed into a luminous arrow.

“—Hummm.”

The muffled roar of magical energy, the silver beam refined to perfection, streaked through the air like a brilliant silver meteor, carrying an unbeatable will and power that tore through the atmosphere.

This overwhelming flood of magic far exceeded the limits of what “Private Time” could slow.

Weiss felt the viscous time field around him pierced in an instant.

He only held out for ten seconds.

The Moon Silver arrow struck exactly where it was meant to.

The next moment, a dazzling moonlight blast erupted, blinding and all-consuming.

Norsein slowly lowered the longbow, a confident, composed smile returning to his lips.

Under the Higlirwell’s “Moon Silver,” there was no such thing as luck.

“Ah! This time he’s definitely dead!”

The adjutant exhaled deeply, clenching his fist in excitement.

Until the blinding light gradually faded.

On the clearing before the forest,

the figure that shouldn’t have existed anymore still stood perfectly fine in place.

And not one, but three.

The cold moonlight spread out,

and a slender, fair-skinned girl with radiant golden hair appeared before Weiss.

She quietly held the Moon Silver magical arrow in her delicate hand.

The pride of the Higlirwell family’s hereditary magic seemed no more than a toy she could pluck at will.

With just a gentle pinch,

the Moon Silver arrow, condensed with Norsein’s potent magic and lethal will, along with its shimmering magical radiance, instantly disintegrated,

collapsing into the most primitive points of magical light that silently dissolved into the air.