A raging wave of magic tore through the space. The air twisted and appeared distorted.
“Run—!”
BOOOOOM!!
The moment the spheres struck the ground, the night was ripped apart. The earth trembled. Trees were uprooted, and the air boiled.
With the explosion, a storm erupted, consuming the land. A massive shockwave spread out, sweeping the area in a tide of dust and debris.
The deafening roar didn’t cease. The earthquake showed no signs of stopping. Dust obscured the view, and shattered tree fragments scattered in every direction.
Ssshhhh—
After the explosion subsided to some extent, Yohan cautiously raised his head, still holding Rudella tightly in his arms.
The epicenter was primarily his own magic, and the layers of mana barriers had helped him avoid significant harm.
‘The ones left alive…’
As Yohan activated his Mana Perception,
Crackle!
“Guh…!”
Pain surged through his damaged magic circuits, scraping at his nerves. He felt as though he could collapse at any moment, but now wasn’t the time for that.
“Haaah…”
Taking a deep breath, Yohan looked around. The forest had turned into a wasteland of despair. Countless marks of magical bombardments were etched into the ground, left by the onslaught raining from the sky.
‘Is anyone still alive?’
No noticeable presence could be felt. Not even the sound of a single insect disturbed the silence.
There were no traces of blood or remaining corpses among the ruins. Only ashes remained.
‘There’s no way they escaped.’
He had created a zone with the Blazing Flame Wheel and launched indiscriminate bombardments at the epicenter. Escape should have been impossible. It was more likely they had been obliterated into mere particles.
“Mm…”
While Yohan surveyed the surroundings, Rudella stirred faintly in his arms.
“Rudella?”
“Ah…”
Cradled in his arms, Rudella slowly opened her eyes and smiled softly. Her gaze was hazy, and she looked worn out, but even her faint smile was beautiful.
“You came…”
Though her movements were weak, she struggled to raise her arm and gently caressed Yohan’s cheek with her fingertips. Her touch was tender.
“Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”
“I’m fine…”
Rudella nodded slowly and smiled faintly. Fortunately, the damage from the mental magic didn’t seem too severe.
“What about the situation…?”
“All the Crown Prince’s escorts have been eliminated.”
Yohan squinted and activated Mana Perception again to scan his surroundings. He still couldn’t sense any life forms.
“…But I don’t know where the Crown Prince himself has vanished to.”
Normally, escaping would have been impossible, but as the Crown Prince, he likely possessed numerous artifacts. He would also have been guarded by shadow escorts.
It wasn’t entirely unthinkable for him to have fled.
“I see…”
Rudella, nestling deeper into Yohan’s embrace, closed her eyes and smiled. Her breath brushed against his skin.
“…You seem quite carefree.”
“It’s because I’m happy.”
Rudella gently lifted her head and looked at Yohan. Her sky-blue eyes softened, their gaze forming a delicate arc.
“Because you came to rescue me yourself.”
Her gaze was sweet and carried a subtle sense of excitement. Every time Rudella looked at him like that, Yohan couldn’t help but feel a twinge in his chest.
“…In any case, I’m relieved that you seem fine. It doesn’t look like there are any aftereffects, and you’re not injured either.”
Feeling awkward under her intent gaze, Yohan subtly averted his eyes.
“In that case, I should’ve gotten hurt.”
“…What are you saying?”
“So I could monopolize your attention.”
“…..”
Rudella chuckled softly. Her smile was so gentle, it melted away all the tension Yohan had built up just moments ago.
Yohan shook his head and sighed.
“Please don’t say strange things like that.”
“I just thought it might be a chance to stay close to you for a little longer… Did that bother you?”
“It’s not that it bothers me… I just mean you shouldn’t talk about getting hurt for such a trivial reason. We’ll see each other again plenty in the future.”
“Hmm.”
Rudella laughed lightly.
“That makes me… quite happy to hear. Yes, we’ll have plenty of opportunities. After all, I’m your lover now…”
Her smile was warm enough to melt even the cold winter winds. Yet, at the same time, her ears blushed faintly, betraying her shyness.
Looking at Rudella, Yohan’s heart raced once more. Perhaps it was her straightforwardness—she always chose to express her feelings honestly, even if it embarrassed her.
Even now, despite her flustered state, she conveyed her emotions without hesitation.
Yohan was much the same in being direct, but when he was on the receiving end, he found himself utterly unprepared.
Was this what Francia had felt?
“…Anyway, since you seem to have regained your strength, let’s move. There might still be enemies around.”
“Alright.”
They’d rested enough. Yohan pushed aside his fluttering feelings and stood up. Rudella accepted his support as she rose as well.
Step. Step.
The two walked through the devastated forest—or rather, what used to be a forest. Nothing remained but craters and piles of ash scorched by magic.
“…..”
“…What in the world did you do to cause this?”
Looking around, Rudella couldn’t hide her astonishment. The landscape resembled the aftermath of relentless bombing.
“I just overdid it a bit. Trying to subdue them half-heartedly would’ve been more dangerous for me.”
The Shatter Point spell was a lower-tier magic under the super-level spell Vortex Cataclysm, but it came with far greater strain than Distortion Sphere.
Unlike Distortion Sphere, which absorbs surrounding mana from the atmosphere, Shatter Point had to be powered entirely by Yohan’s own magic, releasing it in an explosive form.
As a result, his current physical state was far from ideal. Although his unique constitution allowed his magic to remain intact, the circuits that controlled its use were damaged.
“Now that we’re closer…..I can see it better. Earlier, it was too dark to notice, but… your complexion doesn’t look good. Your face is pale…”
Rudella stroked Yohan’s cheek with concern. His skin was cold. It wasn’t just because it was cold outside.
“…You’re not cold, are you?”
“I’m fine, I’m just nervous.”
“I’m sorry… Because of me…”
Her shoulders sagged.
“Because I wasn’t paying attention and letting my guard down, you almost got hurt badly…”
Yohan looked at Rudella, the grass dead, and shook his head.
“Why is Lady Bismark apologizing when she wasn’t the one who caused it? It wasn’t your fault, it was the mad crown prince’s.”
Yohan gently stroked Rudella’s head, which had fallen back.
“So don’t beat yourself up, and didn’t it work out well in the end, though of course it’s not over yet and we can’t let our guard down.”
In response, a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, and she slowly shook her head.
“I see…”
They continued on their way through what could hardly be called a forest anymore.
There was still no sign of the creature.
But they couldn’t let their guard down. As the magic circuitry deteriorated, so did the range of their perception.
“Maybe he’s still waiting for us.
Yohan remained vigilant as he helped Rudella to her feet. Making the most of his tattered magic circuitry, he powered up the all-seeing eye even more.
As they made their way through the ruined forest.
“Yohan… Rahardt…”
A shadowy figure appeared, barely clinging to life. Yohan hurriedly sent Rudella behind him, energizing his entire body.
Puzzle!
“Grrrr.”
The strain on his magic circuits sent a dizzying wave of pain through him. My whole body ached. My muscles felt like they were tearing.
“The order to… Kill you…”
Turding. Turding.
The shadowy figure with the broken sword stumbled over. Yohan narrowed his eyes.
‘You’re not in much better shape.’
One arm missing. The leg is limp. He’d lost too much blood, and his face was as pale as the moonlight in the sky.
“I will… Kill…”
You whimper.
The shadow fell, unable to get any closer. It seemed to have stopped breathing altogether, judging by its motionless body.
“…I guess I needn’t have worried.”
“Indeed.”
He seemed to be the only survivor, and it was odd that he wasn’t killed immediately. The same could be said for the other shadows.
“I don’t suppose the crown prince is in one piece.
Yohan let out a small breath. The tension drained from his shoulders.
“There.”
Just then, Rudella pointed with her hand.
“There’s a light.”
She pointed. It was clear, even in the lack of daylight. Beyond the forest, a banner with the emblem of the Imperial Knights was flying.
There it was.
Ironclad. Ironclad.
Armor and helmets clanged fiercely in the silence of the forest.
Then they appeared.
Knights in golden armor, their faces stern.
Beside the knights were men in black uniforms, the inspectors.
“Francia is here.”
* * *
A silent forest where no sound could be heard.
“Hah… Hah…!”
Fedelian panted heavily, dragging his legs with difficulty.
‘This hurts like hell!’
His condition was far from good. From his right arm to half of his upper body, he was covered in burns caused by magical energy.
“Damn it…”
Fedelian bit his lip hard, frustration washing over his face.
He thought it was a sure catch. The shadows’ skills were beyond question, and there was seemingly no escape route.
But what happened? Yohan Rahardt’s power far exceeded expectations. This was no ordinary high-tier mage.
What kind of high-tier mage could devastate an entire area in such a short time? Not even a transcendent mage could achieve such destruction.
Of course, a high-tier mage might theoretically produce that kind of power, but it would require extensive preparation—mediums, incantations, and more. It wasn’t something that could be conjured by mere concentration.
‘But he did it.’
Was it related to his ability to close magic rifts? Fedelian had many questions, but now was not the time to dwell on them. There were more pressing matters at hand.
‘…Things have taken a serious turn.’
Fedelian’s expression darkened.
The shadows present at the scene were all top-tier assassins he had painstakingly trained, yet every single one had lost their life. There was no one left who could carry out his orders with precision.
And, of course, the losses didn’t stop there. According to Rudella’s plan, Fedelian would undoubtedly now be branded a traitor.
“Damn it all!!”
Overcome with fury, Fedelian let out a roar, his face contorted with rage. His burned skin throbbed painfully from the outburst.
Despite the searing pain, his gaze did not waver. Only hatred and anger roiled within him.
‘I need to act before they do.’
Reversing the outcome was impossible. The only option was to overturn the entire game.
Fedelian changed direction. Though his remaining shadows were less than ideal, they were still usable.
‘I can make it in time.’
His destination: the Tower of Confinement.
It was where Cassis Renokhonan was imprisoned.