After Vera finished her explanation, Yohan made a quick decision.
“Francia, please take the evidence of the transfer and report it to the Imperial Inspection Bureau.”
The Imperial Inspection Bureau.
An investigative organization that adheres to formal regulations to uphold law and order, emphasizing fairness and integrity.
Their mission is to investigate corruption or crimes among nobles, officials, or the military.
Although directly under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Family, the Crown Prince’s criminal activities are clear, making their investigation inevitable.
“…Yohan, you’re not planning to go rescue Lady Bismarck, are you?”
Francia asked, her fingertips trembling slightly. Her voice wavered.
“Yes. I have to go.”
“It’s a trap…! It’s too dangerous!”
“Even so, I must go.”
Despite her protests, Yohan remained unmoved. His expression had hardened with determination.
Yohan gently stroked the crown of Francia’s head.
“Francia, this situation arose because of my selfishness. I must take responsibility.”
“But…!”
“I’ll buy some time. Please bring the inspectors and the Imperial Knights.”
“Ah…”
Francia’s lips quivered, but no words escaped. She struggled to find something to say, but all that came out were shaky breaths.
“…Even if I ask you not to go, you’ll still go, won’t you?”
“Yes. This is something only I can do.”
She wanted to hold him back. She wanted to beg him not to go. But she simply couldn’t. Rudella Bismarck could very well die at any moment.
‘…It would be nice if he considered how anxious I’ll feel.’
That was all Francia could muster. She couldn’t act spoiled or childish—not when it was that very side of him she had fallen in love with.
“I’m sorry, Francia.”
Yohan pulled her into his arms and softly brushed her hair aside.
“Trust me. I’ll go first.”
Francia tried to cling to the hem of his coat, unwilling to let go. But eventually, the strength drained from her fingertips.
“…Come back safely. Leave this side to me.”
Yohan left the mansion.
The danger to his life was evident.
Rationally, the best course of action would be to report to the Inspection Bureau and leave the matter to the inspectors and the Imperial Knights.
But even so, there are moments when one must act personally.
This was one of those moments.
Though their relationship had just begun, Rudella had become his partner.
The Crown Prince was unpredictable. In his frenzy, he might kill Rudella or commit some other atrocity.
Yohan couldn’t bear the thought of it.
* * *
Vera’s guidance, though precarious, wasn’t necessary. The moment Yohan stepped out of the mansion, shadows cloaked in black robes greeted him.
Following their lead, Yohan made his way to the location where Rudella was being held.
Perhaps it was under the Crown Prince’s orders, but the shadows didn’t threaten him. They simply guided him in silence, their watchful eyes constantly scanning their surroundings.
Yohan, too, refrained from making any rash moves—there was no sense in exhausting himself in an unnecessary clash when the situation was so unpredictable.
The knights of Ferbache didn’t accompany him. Francia had urged him to take them along, but Yohan had refused. It would’ve been a needless sacrifice.
The shadows serving the Crown Prince were powerful—each at least on par with first-rank knights. As skilled as the Ferbache knights were, they wouldn’t stand a chance.
Moreover, the knights guarding the imperial mansion, while capable, were relatively weaker and few in number.
Instead of following him, Yohan decided it was better for them to stay with Francia and ensure her safety. Who knew what else the Crown Prince might attempt?
“We’ve arrived.”
The leading shadow halted. They were in a forest not far from the imperial capital.
Yohan narrowed his eyes and surveyed the area. Ahead stood a small cabin, surrounded by countless dark figures stationed as guards.
‘There are too many.’
Even at a glance, the visible shadows numbered well over a few dozen. But Yohan knew this wasn’t all.
The Crown Prince had been nurturing his shadowy forces since he was young—their full size was far greater than this.
“His Highness the Crown Prince is expecting you. Go in.”
One of the shadows opened the door. Yohan stepped inside, his expression steeled.
He had considered striking first but decided that buying time through conversation was the better strategy. Francia would soon arrive with reinforcements.
“You’re here.”
Seated on a chair, Fedelian lifted his head arrogantly. His golden eyes shimmered under the moonlight.
“Where is Lady Bismarck?”
“Is my fiancée the first thing you’re worried about as soon as you arrive?”
Fedelian’s eyebrows twitched.
“I thought Rudella’s feelings were one-sided, but it seems that wasn’t entirely the case.”
Yohan’s eyes narrowed. Judging by his words, Fedelian seemed aware not only of Rudella’s betrayal but also her feelings for Yohan.
“The Ferbache heiress is already at your side, yet you set your sights on another woman. You’re quite greedy, aren’t you?
So, how does it feel to steal the Crown Prince’s fiancée? Does it fill you with a sense of superiority?”
Fedelian smirked as he spoke.
“…I didn’t come here to exchange jokes.”
Yohan’s low voice resonated, his tone devoid of amusement. The mana within the cabin surged, sharp as a blade, cutting through the air with an icy intensity that sent shivers across Fedelian’s skin.
The shadows flinched, their hands moving instinctively to their sword hilts. Killing intent filled the room as they prepared to unleash their mana at any moment.
“Hmm…”
Fedelian’s expression hardened as he locked his cold gaze on Yohan.
“Well then, I suppose it’s time to show you.”
At his command, one of the shadows entered an adjacent room and returned, dragging Rudella along. Her arms and legs were bound.
“…”
Yohan carefully examined Rudella without letting his emotions flare. Thankfully, her breathing was stable, and she appeared uninjured.
But something was off.
Her pale blue eyes were unfocused, her lashes trembling faintly. Her empty gaze seemed to land nowhere.
“Wake up, Rudella. The man you love more than anyone has come for you.”
“….”
“Hmm, seeing her like this, it seems the spell went deeper than intended,” Fedelian mused.
Yohan’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“…Don’t tell me you used a mental-affinity spell?”
Fedelian shrugged with a crooked smirk.
“Well, I couldn’t injure her body, could I? She’s still the future Crown Princess, after all.”
Thump.
Yohan’s heart pounded heavily, the weight of the situation pressing down on the fragile balance of his composure.
“You cast mental-affinity magic on someone who can’t even wield mana…?”
Fedelian raised an eyebrow, a mocking grin spreading across his face.
“Yes, I did. Is there a problem? Compared to what she did, this seems rather lenient, wouldn’t you agree?”
Mental-affinity magic wasn’t used lightly. It targeted the subject’s trauma, inducing unbearable stress. In the worst-case scenario, the victim could lose their sanity entirely.
At least those who could wield mana had some resistance, but Rudella was neither a knight nor a mage. She was a regular person with no connection to mana.
It was no different from throwing her into a pit of molten lava, defenseless.
Yohan’s gaze darted to Rudella. Her pale blue eyes wandered aimlessly, hollow and unfocused. Yet, in their emptiness, it felt as if they were screaming in agony.
Clench.
Yohan unconsciously tightened his right hand into a fist. The exact cause was unclear—a mixture of emotions swirled within him, tightening like a vice.
The more he looked at her, the more something boiled within his chest. A sticky, simmering emotion surged to his fingertips, leaving them trembling. It was an intense, uncontainable fury that words couldn’t fully express.
Then, Yohan understood.
Emotions that couldn’t be resolved with words were meant to be grasped in one’s hands, to be unleashed with force.
“…Fedelian, you will die here today.”
“Haha, what a coincidence—I was thinking the same thing.”
Boom!
As Yohan’s mana surged, shadows burst forth, encircling him. Blades glinted, suddenly aimed at his throat.
But.
“…!”
“What is this…?”
The blades never reached Yohan’s neck. They halted mid-air, frozen in place by an invisible force.
A translucent web of mana, Eternal Threads, had ensnared the shadows’ weapons.
Yohan’s eyes gleamed sharply as his power coalesced. Mana surged from his hands, pulling Rudella’s limp body toward him.
Whoosh!
She collapsed into his arms, her body slack.
‘We’re getting out of here.’
Yohan released a massive burst of mana.
Crack!
A violent wave radiated outward, sweeping through the room.
While the shadows were undeniably skilled, Yohan was a top-tier mage. Moreover, the purity of his mana had reached a new height, amplifying its potency.
Subduing them wouldn’t be easy, but Yohan wasn’t one to be overpowered.
Holding Rudella protectively, Yohan infused his body with mana, seamlessly transitioning into martial combat. His movements were fluid, augmented by the raw energy coursing through him.
[Mana Amplification: Bone of Steel]
His immense, pure mana surged through his entire body. The strain was overwhelming; it felt as though his body might burst at any moment.
But Yohan gritted his teeth and endured. He had no choice.
Yohan’s thigh momentarily swelled with power. He pushed forward without hesitation, his body shooting out like an arrow and smashing through the wall of the cabin.
BOOM!!
A shockwave blasted outward, sending shards of wood raining down like a storm. Yohan instantly conjured a mana barrier to shield Rudella.
Thanks to the barrier deployed just in time, she was unharmed.
But—
“…”
There was no escape. Shadows blanketed the surroundings, all eyes fixed on them.
‘This won’t be easy,’ Yohan thought, biting his lip as he assessed the presences closing in around him.
“Of course, it’s Count Rahardt. To wield martial arts and advanced magic with such finesse—no wonder they call you an exceptional mage,”
Fedelian emerged from the ruined cabin, clapping his hands in genuine admiration.
“But I wonder… can you survive this?”
Fedelian tilted his head. Among the trees, countless glimmers of light began to appear, like constellations emerging in a forest sky.
They were mana blades….dozens, perhaps hundreds of them.
“Strike.”
Fedelian’s cold command barely faded before the shadows leapt like lightning. Mana-wrapped blades surged toward Yohan in a relentless assault.
Yohan’s eyes flashed blue.
BOOOOM!
A fierce storm of magical energy swept through the area. It wasn’t enough to fully repel the shadows, but that hadn’t been the purpose.
Before anyone could react, a book unfolded in front of Yohan. Clutching Rudella tightly, he murmured softly:
“Burning Flame Wheel.”
RUMBLE!
The air seemed to scream as it was torn apart. Flaming wheels erupted, swirling firestorms spreading in every direction. The crimson blaze spun wildly, pushing back the encroaching darkness.
“Too hot…!”
“Fall back!”
The shadows collectively retreated. The unbearable heat made it impossible to approach, the searing air feeling as though it could ignite flesh just by being near.
Meanwhile, Yohan and Rudella remained unharmed. The mana barrier thoroughly protected them from the scorching inferno.
There was no need to worry about running out of mana. Yohan’s unique constitution allowed his power to replenish the more he used it.
“Whew…”
He exhaled deeply, refocusing his mind. Slowly, deliberately, he extended his arm skyward as if drawing something from above.
At his fingertips, mana churned, forming a black sphere. Then another. And another. Dozens, then hundreds of spheres emerged, rising into the night sky.
Explosion Points.
The mana-charged spheres floated high, their numbers overwhelming. Each one, however, carried its full destructive potential.
CRACKLE!!
The spheres collided, releasing bursts of power that tore through the sky. Lightning and shockwaves shattered the night, a sharp hum resonating in their ears.
The space around them twisted and fractured, rifts opening as mana surged violently within the cracks.
A drop fell.
Pushed to his absolute limits, a trickle of crimson blood slid down from Yohan’s nose. Yet, his gaze remained unwavering, bearing no trace of hesitation or doubt.
“…Fall.”
Yohan’s voice resonated, low and deep, as the scattered explosive spheres in the sky began descending toward the ground in unison.
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