The rain fell without end.
The sky was covered by dark clouds, and in the north of Alprosen, the sun hadn’t been seen for weeks.
An anomalous weather event, unseen in centuries, also cast a shadow over people’s hearts.
“…It’s heartbreaking.”
The crown prince of Alprosen, Alpion Alprosen, wore a dark expression upon hearing the cries rising from the half-submerged villages.
“What’s the situation in the Hopen plains?”
“It’s estimated that more than 80% is underwater.”
The Hopen plains were located in a lowland area, which worsened the damage.
“It’s terrible.”
“It happened right before the harvest, so the loss is even greater. If it had come just a little later…”
At least they wouldn’t have to worry about a food crisis as well.
“It’s cold from the rain. You should get inside the carriage, your highness.”
Though it was just a drizzle, after so many days of nonstop rain, the temperature had dropped drastically.
“No. I won’t seek shelter while my people, who have lost their homes, remain under the storm.”
Alpion brushed the wet hair from his forehead.
He had already been touring the northern region for three days, visiting multiple villages, and the further he went, the worse the situation became.
The first villages were partially flooded, but in the more recent ones, a third of the town was underwater.
“We’ll spend the night here. Set up tents on the hills for the displaced and give them something to eat.”
“Yes, your highness.”
The prince’s entourage was barely a hundred people, but they had emptied the royal family’s subspace pockets to bring hope to the victims.
They carried a huge amount of supplies—mostly food and tents.
At nightfall, after personally leading the relief efforts, the prince returned to his tent.
“You’ve all worked hard.”
“The ones who truly did the work are you all. I just gave orders.”
The prince chewed on a piece of tough jerky.
“Your highness, we can prepare a different meal…”
“No, it’s fine. I’ve eaten worse at the Academy. Leave me.”
“Yes, if you need anything, call us.”
Generally, students at the Academy were treated well, but during exams and field training, they had to survive under harsh conditions.
Going hungry for days wasn’t unusual.
“Back then I cursed it every day, but now I see it all had a purpose.”
The prince smiled and thought of a certain person from the Academy.
“…He said he had finally succeeded in his research. So he did it.”
Though years had passed, he still remembered his face clearly. More accurately, he had never been able to forget it.
Alpion’s expression grew nostalgic, and his mind drifted to the letter he had recently received.
He asked his escort knight:
“No news from Fernan Pellenberg?”
“No, your highness. But… what do you mean by saying he would visit you?”
“It’s nothing. I’m tired. Leave me.”
“…Yes.”
The escort withdrew, confused. Left alone, the prince took out a gold and platinum pendant.
When he opened it, a magical photograph was revealed. Though years had passed since his graduation from the Academy, he always carried it with him.
“There’s no doubt.”
No one knew what was inside that pendant except for him and Rosalia, the other person in the picture.
“It must have been Rosalia who told him.”
She wasn’t the type to talk much or share secrets.
If she had told Fernan about that photo, it meant they had a close relationship.
“…Did Fernan sponsor Rosalia’s research?”
Had they gotten close because of that? Even if not, as professor and student, there were always chances to build ties.
What he didn’t understand was why Fernan had used that as a pretext to seek him out.
They had no prior connection.
“So what he’s after is to create that connection with me.”
Rosalia had given Fernan a reason to approach him. The photo was merely a means to open that door.
Alpion relaxed slightly upon reaching that conclusion.
“…Then, what’s Fernan’s true reason for wanting to see me?”
Understanding the other’s intention before a meeting was fundamental.
Night fell, but the prince’s mind was clearer than ever.
***
The next morning, the rain had continued through the night, soaking the land to the bone.
At least the rainfall was a bit lighter.
“Thank you, your highness!”
“You’ve saved us!”
“Thank you!”
The tents and food distributed weren’t much—barely a campfire in the winter—but to the villagers, it was a ray of hope.
“When the rain stops, a relief brigade will come! Hang in there! The kingdom will always stand by you!”
These were farmers who couldn’t easily leave the land where they had lived their whole lives.
As long as the village wasn’t completely submerged, they wouldn’t leave it.
The prince’s entourage continued on.
“Up to this point, the situation wasn’t so bad?”
“Yes, your highness. In the last few villages, they could still survive. But further north, most have been submerged and the people have already fled.”
The kingdom had sent three legions to assist in the recovery.
However, the continuous rain made any work impossible, and the only thing they could do was guide refugees to designated cities like Piwin and Kaden, to prevent further collapse of the remaining towns.
“It must be chaos.”
“Your highness, wouldn’t it be best to return? The danger is too great. They say homeless monsters are wandering the area. Piwin or Kaden are safer…”
“Then, before heading further north, let’s stop at villages like yesterday’s.”
“Yes, your highness.”
But they were soon forced to stop.
“The road is blocked!”
“A landslide, your highness. The mountain gave way due to the rains.”
The avalanche of earth and trees had completely sealed the route.
“We’ll have to take a detour.”
“So be it.”
The group turned back to take another route.
“…The ground has collapsed.”
But there, the entire terrain had caved in, and in some sections, the river had overflowed, flooding everything.
“We won’t be able to go any further…”
“We might find some intact paths, but more are likely destroyed than usable.”
“It’s too late for today. We should return the way we came.”
“Yes, then—”
“Monsters! Everyone, battle positions!”
In the fine rain, with the sky darkening toward dusk, monsters appeared from the shadows—feral and displaced from their lairs.
There were about twenty trolls. The escort knights drew their weapons.
“Don’t let them get close!”
The twenty knights dismounted and ran across the muddy mountain. Though the ground kept shifting, none of them faltered.
The trolls roared and charged at them.
—!
Kieeeek!
Kiaaak!
The clash was brutal—blood and screams filled the air. All the blood was from the trolls, and so were the cries.
In an instant, twenty troll heads rolled across the ground.
Alpion Alprosen was the crown prince of the Grand Kingdom of Alprosen.
And those who accompanied him were knights of the kingdom’s strongest order—the Black Whale Knights.
Trolls were nothing more than insignificant obstacles.
“Well done.”
“We merely fulfilled our duty.”
The knights returned to their posts as the rain washed the blood from their swords.
“It’s getting dark, your highness. We must set up camp as soon as possible.”
“Do what you deem necessary.”
The nearest village was too far away, but it was also difficult to find a good campsite in the unrelenting rain.
“There, I see a light.”
“A light in the middle of the mountain?”
They spotted a faint glow.
“It looks like a fairly large village.”
“It must be a slash-and-burn settlers’ village. Being on high ground, it hardly suffered from the flooding.”
“Settlers are usually very wary, but given the circumstances, we have no other choice.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do.”
The prince’s entourage knocked on the village palisades.
“Who… knights?”
“W-What do you want?”
The village was stirred, but seeing that they were knights, their guard dropped.
And when they realized it was the Black Whale Knights, all thoughts of resistance vanished.
“…The crown prince?”
“Apologies for the intrusion. We got lost in the mountains. We only ask to stay one night and will leave in the morning.”
“B-But if you stay…”
“We won’t take your homes. A clearing to pitch our tents will be enough.”
“And the food…?”
“We brought supplies, don’t worry.”
The news of the prince’s presence caused a great commotion, but they managed to settle it.
“If all the roads are like today’s, we won’t be able to continue. At dawn, we’ll head for Kaden.”
“So it shall be, your highness.”
Alpion fell asleep quickly but woke up suddenly to the commotion.
“What’s happening?”
“Your highness, something strange is happening in the village!”
“What do you mean?”
The prince rushed out of the tent.
“What is this…!”
An ominous aura churned on the ground. The sky, which should have been dark, glowed with an unsettling red.
“A magic circle?”
“It covers the entire village!”
Symbols in unknown colors covered the ground in a red light. It was undoubtedly a magic circle.
“Is this… demonic magic?”
“Your highness, it’s dangerous! We must evacuate now!”
The aura was the same as that emitted by monsters corrupted by magic.
Kyaaaaak!
Gueeeeh!
Help!
The screams of pain heard in the village were those of its inhabitants.
“What the hell…?”
“It’s a trap! Someone’s come for you, your highness!”
The camp fell into chaos. Everyone woke and prepared to flee. The knights surrounded the prince in a tight formation.
And soon they understood the nature of the circle.
“The mana…! The aura…!”
“Our strength is weakening…!”
“Your highness, we must get out of here right now!”
It was a circle that absorbed the life force of all living beings and converted it into demonic magic.
A horrific spell that horrified them all. They had to escape at any cost.
But at that moment—
Kwoooargh!
Grrr…
Monsters. And among them, demonic beasts.
Drawn by the corrupted mana, they began to surround the village.
It was an obvious trap.
“…It can’t be…”
Alpion gritted his teeth.
He never imagined suffering an attack like this in Alprosen itself—let alone one orchestrated by the corrupt.
“…Your highness, we’ll clear a path!”
“We must protect the prince!”
“No one gets left behind!”
“We have to go now—even the horses are suffering from the magic!”
The Black Whale Knights formed a triangle with the prince in the center and charged forward.
“There’s nothing but mountains around. The flattest path is the way we came—wait, there are people ahead!”
“Move aside!”
A group blocked their path.
The knights shouted, thinking they were villagers, but received no answer.
Moreover, they seemed immune to the magic circle’s effects.
Their clothing was far too luxurious for peasants.
“They’re corrupt, no doubt. Attack—!”
Convinced they were the culprits, Alpion gave the order. The spears pointed toward them.
Then—
Shhhhhh—
One of the strangers poured a liquid onto the ground. The circle trembled and began to emit a sharp-smelling smoke.
And soon—
“…The magic circle?”
The red light began to weaken.
The corrupted mana howled as if crying out in pain.
“S-Stop!”
Anyone with sense could see it: they weren’t corrupt.
The spears halted just short of them.
They were three men and one woman, all holding vials in their hands.
“…Who are you?”
“We’ve come to fulfill a promise, your highness.”
“A promise?”
“A pleasure to meet you. I’m Fernan Pellenberg.
Sorry I can’t introduce myself properly, but this is more urgent right now.”
The man who introduced himself as Fernan tossed an empty vial to the ground. Dozens already piled at his feet.
“…What are you doing?”
“Erasing the corrupts’ magic circle.”
He pulled another vial from his subspace and poured its contents onto the ground.
“……”
“……”
The prince’s entourage, who should have been fleeing, could only stand speechless, watching the scene.
____
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