The crown prince and his retinue had already departed north by the time Fernan found out, and he immediately set off after them.
“Are we really going alone? The more I think about it, the worse it seems. We’re talking about the same people who completely annihilated the strongest order of Alprosen, the Black Whale Knights. Maybe we should ask the Pellenbergs for reinforcements…”
“If it were within the Empire, it might be possible, but we’re in Alprosen. Mobilizing troops without permission would be a huge diplomatic problem.”
Even for the Pellenbergs, that would be impossible. Within the Empire, or at least in a lesser kingdom, it could have been covered up. But not in Alprosen.
“Then…”
“Don’t worry. I’m not throwing myself in without a plan.”
The book of prophecies didn’t detail exactly how the crown prince’s entourage had been annihilated. But it wasn’t devoid of clues either.
“He was accompanied by nearly a hundred guards, including the Black Whale Knights. And yet they were wiped out.”
The Black Whale order was Alprosen’s strongest, and the escorts were the absolute elite.
That all of them died on their own land, without a single survivor, made no sense.
“You can’t gather that many monsters and corrupted creatures silently.”
Even if they had been thrown into some underground lair again to prepare an ambush, the result would’ve been the same.
Therefore, only one conclusion remained.
“There was something more. A reason that made the massacre inevitable.”
“And what would that be?”
“I don’t know. At first I thought it was a traitor. But maybe it’s not that.”
After witnessing the magic that had caused nonstop rain for weeks, Fernan was starting to believe that demons really were the masters of magic.
And if they had already used a grand spell once, what was stopping them from doing it again?
“…Then the situation would be even worse.”
“I’ve prepared enough. And, if it comes to it, at least I could get out alive.”
“What about me? Your young master?”
“……”
“What are you two whispering about?”
“Nothing. Let’s go.”
Fernan picked up the pace, following the trail of the prince’s retinue. There were many of them, and leaving tracks was inevitable.
“It really won’t stop raining.”
“They say it’s been going on for over two weeks. What we see as a drizzle now was a downpour not long ago.”
“The people’s cries won’t stop.”
“As the saying goes, ‘You can survive three years of drought, but no one withstands three months of constant rain.’ Floods are terrible disasters.”
And this one had started right before the harvest, making it even crueler.
They found the prince’s trail in the late afternoon.
“This road is blocked too. They say all nearby routes have been cut off. Could it be the work of the corrupted?”
“Most likely.”
Although it was also possible that it wasn’t. Such long rains were already inexplicable on their own.
But if the storm itself was the work of the corrupted, then it was without a doubt a trap.
“That means the attack is imminent. We must find the prince as soon as possible.”
When they finally came within visual range, the problem had already erupted.
“Demonic magic.”
“A slash-and-burn village? The whole village is covered by a magic circle.”
The runic symbols were unfamiliar to Fernan, though he suspected they were runes used only by demons.
And his prediction proved true—the magic circle was up to something.
“Should we go in? It looks really dangerous.”
“The prince must survive. But charging in headfirst would be stupid.”
The prince was important, but Fernan’s own life was even more so. He wasn’t an altruist who would risk everything for another.
“Let’s try something. If it works, we go in. If not, we wait outside.”
The method was simple—pour holy water on the border between the affected area and the unaffected.
Sizzle—
The holy water struck the demonic energy and evaporated instantly.
“We’re going in.”
A part of the circle weakened, losing light.
That was enough.
The efficiency wasn’t great, but Fernan had brought enough holy water to make up for it.
“But hey, what is that water? Some miracle cure? Why does it work on everything?”
“A miracle cure? Is it better than holy water? How much does it cost?”
“No, no… it’s not that…”
Gismond muttered under his breath.
“Hmm… I suddenly feel weak…”
“Fernan. I sense monsters nearby.”
— Kyu.
Wooden tapped Fernan’s chest gently. Luina unsheathed her sword, and Hyde stepped ahead to shield him.
The beasts drawn by the demonic magic were approaching from all directions.
“There are corrupted creatures too.”
“Now I get it. It all fits.”
The magic absorbed mana, aura, and the life force of the knights, weakening them. And it turned that into demonic energy that empowered the beasts.
That made annihilation inevitable.
At first, they could resist. But unable to escape the circle and harassed nonstop, their strength was drained until they were wiped out.
‘There must be more corrupted nearby. This can’t be all.’
In the original story of that night, the prince of Alprosen was supposed to die, and the kingdom fall into chaos.
But Fernan wasn’t going to allow that future.
“Let’s go to the center of the village.”
Though he couldn’t read demon runes, the essence of magic was the same.
Following the flow of energy, he identified the core of the circle.
“The center is the heart of this magic. We’ll pour holy water there.”
“Will it work?”
“If it doesn’t, we’ll keep going until it does.”
“That sounds like you.”
Despite the situation, Luina couldn’t help but smile.
“I’ll clear the way.”
“No need. It’s clear.”
“…It’s true.”
The central path was open. Only the moans of the trapped villagers could be heard.
“Here.”
Fernan poured holy water. The circle reacted more violently than at the edges.
“Luina, you too. And you, senior.”
He handed them bottles. Hyde was already pouring another.
The ground bubbled as it clashed with the demonic magic.
“Don’t forget to leave the empty bottles on the ground.”
“Throw them away? You always pick them up.”
“This is an investment.”
A message for the prince—to see how much Fernan had spent to save them.
“…I see.”
At that moment, the sound of galloping horses rang out.
It was the prince’s retinue.
“Get out of the way!”
A desperate shout was heard. But Fernan didn’t move.
“Shouldn’t we step aside?”
“No. Keep pouring water.”
“But they’re charging with lances! They probably think we’re corrupted!”
“Understandable.”
Luina and Hyde stepped in front of Fernan, but he shook his head.
“No need. They’re already slowing down.”
And so they were. The retinue slowed until they stopped just a few meters away.
“…Who are you?”
The strength of the knights was evident. They were the Black Whale Knights, Alprosen’s elite.
Among them stood a man with a regal air, platinum hair, and scarlet eyes. Crown Prince Alpion Alprosen.
Fernan bowed his head.
“I’ve come to fulfill a promise, Your Highness.”
“A promise?”
“I’m Fernan Pellenberg. An honor to meet you.”
“…Fernan Pellenberg?”
The unexpected name left everyone stunned.
“Forgive the brevity of my greeting. The situation demands it.”
Fernan threw an empty bottle and opened another.
“…What are you doing?”
“Erasing the corrupted’s magic circle.”
“Is that even possible? What is that substance?”
“…Holy water.”
Fernan hesitated for a moment. If he revealed the secret, the kingdom would start buying it in bulk and the product would become harder to obtain.
But defeating the corrupted was the priority. If holy water became widespread, it would be impossible for them to thrive.
“Holy water?”
“Yes. Created by the Cult of the Dragon God. Not as powerful as Armian’s light, but highly effective against demonic magic.”
“…It appears so.”
The prince looked around.
“How much do you have?”
“Plenty.”
“Then keep using it.”
It was too late to flee. The monsters had broken through the palisades and were entering the village.
“Form a defensive wall!”
“Protect the prince!”
The knights surrounded Alpion. Now, with the circle weakened, mana and aura flowed better.
The fear dissipated. After all, they were the Black Whale Knights.
“No problem, Your Highness. But…”
Fernan trailed off, and Alpion understood immediately.
“They say the rich always want more. You’re relentless.”
“And so are you among the rich.”
“As long as you don’t overcharge, I’ll pay whatever you ask.”
“I appreciate it.”
Fernan smiled and pulled more items from his subspace.
But they weren’t bottles of holy water.
“By the way, do you need healing or mana potions? I’ve also got stimulant cigarettes for the tired.”
“……”
***
“…What the hell?!”
Not far from the slash-and-burn village, Daniel Kool shouted upon seeing the sudden appearance of an intruder.
“Fernan Pellenberg just showed up out of nowhere!”
“Fernan Pellenberg? Wasn’t that guy supposed to be taken care of by Roderick Fisher?”
The blue-haired man next to him frowned.
“That’s what I’m saying! What the hell is that bastard doing here…?”
“Do something! Look how he’s damaging the magic circle!”
“And what do you want me to do?! All my books are already burned!”
“You were the one who said Fernan Pellenberg wouldn’t come here!”
“I said he’d go to Esrin!”
And indeed, Fernan hadn’t gone to Esrin.
“Damn Roderick… what kind of stupidity is he pulling?”
Daniel Kool gnashed his teeth. But he shook his head right away.
“There’s no way around it now. We’ll have to retreat…”
“Retreat? Don’t be ridiculous! Do you know how much effort it took to prepare all this and set up the magic circle? You want to abandon it and run?”
Causing rains for nearly three continuous weeks wasn’t easy. It took a colossal amount of life force, and they had already sacrificed too much for this plan.
The same applied to the magic circle.
A spell that drained life and mana even from powerful knights like the Black Whale order.
The time and effort invested in completing it were immeasurable.
“That circle cost me half my grimoires! And now you want me to just let it fade away?”
“Then what do you propose?!”
“Follow through to the end.”
The man’s eyes gleamed with a sinister light.
“Kill them all. The crown prince, the Black Whale Knights, his entire escort. And Fernan Pellenberg, and those worms with him.”
“Wait, Fernan Pellenberg was already affected by hypnosis. It’d be more useful to keep reinforcing control over him than killing him. In the long run, that would be—”
“An advantage? Nonsense! He’s ruining my work right now!”
He roared, cutting off Daniel, and pulled out the one remaining book, with half its pages already reduced to ash.
“I don’t care what you say. I’m executing the plan as scheduled. Everyone who enters the circle’s radius will die!”
Even if I have to burn the rest of my book.
“You’ll just waste the tome.”
“Don’t compare yourself to me. I awakened long before you did.”
“……”
The blue-haired man said no more and vanished toward the village.
“…Hah.”
Daniel Kool let out a dry laugh.
“…Very well. Do as you wish.”
He would fulfill his own mission. Each had to play their part.
“Wait a moment… so does this mean Fernan isn’t in Esrin?”
Daniel Kool, too, vanished from the scene.
____
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