Chapter 180
Chapter 180
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.41 – Until My Heart Beats (6)
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......The snow had stopped.
The blizzard that seemed like it would fall forever.
However, what was even more astonishing was...
Drip... Drip...
The ground was thawing, and 'sprouts' were emerging.
The snow, which had piled up over five meters deep, melted in an instant. Life force rapidly infused the soil, sprouts grew, and the frozen wasteland, worse than any barren plain, was instantly dyed green.
It was the color of life, the signal flare announcing the start of spring.
[-Kyahaha!]
The increasingly lush sprouts spread even wider with every burst of the girl's lovely laughter.
Squirm...!
Along with squirming sounds, flower vines surged from the ground, covering the shattered Sky Fortress and enveloping the corpses of the dying mages, breaking them down.
In the places where the dead mages had been, small trees to massive ancient ones sprouted in sequence. Before long, the land within about 30km around the fortress had transformed into a spring plain brimming with vitality.
A beautiful spring scent wafted from the land overflowing with life's energy.
Whoosh.
At some point, sunlight peeked out over the pale green earth infused with spring's energy.
It only lightly illuminated the ground for now, but this ray would soon grow stronger.
[Kyahaha!]
[Waaah!]
[Ahaha!]
A being among fairies whose rank was on another level altogether.
The 'Spring Fairy', who governed seasons and wielded the authority of life, had descended upon the world. How could winter persist?
Even winter had no choice but to quietly retreat.
Rumble...
And what was being broken down by the sunlight extended by the Spring Fairy wasn't just the Sky Fortress and the mages' remains—the 'magic' itself was disintegrating as well.
Magic.
One could not deny that magic was a facet of the mysteries existing in this world, but it was nothing compared to a fairy's authority.
Even if magic could unleash natural disasters, no human could overcome 'nature itself'.
Mana—no, humans could never triumph over the [Will of Great Nature].
Sizzle—.
The labyrinth crafted by pouring tens of thousands of spells to seal the knight collapsed entirely, melting away like snow.
As long as the fairy 'desired' it, as long as the fairy's 'wrath' toward the mages endured, perhaps all mana on this land would be utterly erased.
"Sunlight never felt this welcoming..."
-Hoo.
The knight, who had been desperately plotting his escape within the labyrinth, savored the warm glow and light shining on him, feeling even joy.
It was just the usual sunlight, yet today it felt extraordinarily special.
Not cold biting winds, but warm breezes, fresh air, and the fragrant scent of grass infused with life.
It was the [scent of spring], where life pulsed.
While basking in the spring energy, the knight sensed a gaze fixed on him and chuckled.
"-Finally, that irritating smirk is gone."
"......"
"How's it feel? Being toyed with by the pests you treated like bugs."
"......You're a warrior who actually uses his brain, unlike your looks."
Normally, Lee Han would have snapped, 'What's wrong with how I look?!' but even against the monster's taunt, Lee Han remained utterly composed.
He was in an exceptionally good mood right now.
Thus.
"It's not that I'm smart. You were just arrogant and stupid. A lunatic who delusionally thought he was a real god."
"......"
It was just pounding him with facts.
Tyr seemed momentarily speechless.
"...Since when?"
Crackle...!
Even as tree vines feeding on his mana crept up his body, Tyr appeared calm and posed the question to Lee Han.
An oblivious fool might tilt their head here with 'What do you mean?', but Lee Han was sharp and instantly grasped what Tyr was asking.
He replied,
"From the beginning."
"......"
"I planned it from before coming to the Empire. Honestly, it was a plan I hastily threw together in an hour, so I wasn't sure it'd work. Never thought it'd go this smoothly. In a way, it was a low-odds gamble. About 50%?"
"......"
He gave a courteous answer, as if toying with his foe.
"You know what? The reason the success odds were fifty-fifty was thanks to that blond beast you raised. That guy's mouth was incredibly loose."
"...Is that so. It was Huey, that child..."
Tyr understood everything.
- W-We kidnapped a fairy! T-Ten years ago!
From the blond spellcaster, who claimed to be a disciple of the Tower Lord, Lee Han had extracted countless pieces of information.
Things like the [10,000 Missing Persons Case] or the [Winter Fairy Incident]...
Hidden truths behind incidents that would shake the Empire if even one were solved.
That the Mage Tower was involved in all of them was honestly predictable.
Spellcasters committing spellcaster-like crimes, after all.
...But even Lee Han was shocked by the bombshell info that left him stunned.
- What did you kidnap?
- A f-fairy. ...The Spring Fairy.
- ......
Even Lee Han was a bit shocked at this point.
- Kidnapped the Spring Fairy? ...You lot?
The blond spellcaster's claim of kidnapping the 'fairy governing spring' was hard to believe.
Among fairies, Spring Fairies were of a higher order, revered almost as gods even now due to their power over seasons.
Yet the fact that mere mages had kidnapped and sealed a Spring Fairy for over ten years was shocking and utterly unbelievable.
No matter how great the archmage, how was that possible? Only after five hours of relentless cross-verification via Bone Marrow Extraction...
- M-Master knew fairies like pure-hearted children, so he used ten thousand kids' lives as hostages to successfully seal the fairy.
...Did Lee Han have any choice but to believe the follow-up?
- ...I've never seen scum worse than beasts like you...!
- S-Stop! Please end that weird torture...! Kuaaaak!
- Even onions wouldn't yield this much!
The more he dug, the more horrific truths emerged.
Were these things crimes against the world just by breathing?
Their sins seemed endless, evoking such thoughts.
Yet, contrary to the horror, Lee Han devised a plan based on this intel.
None other than.
- Rescue the fairy.
- ...Are you sane?
- I'm sane, that's why I came up with this. If we free the fairy, we win no matter what the spellcaster scum pull. Even half the mysteries in fairy tales and history books would make us unbeatable.
- ...I agree. But it's impossible with just us two.
Lark opposed the initial plan outline.
For its lack of feasibility.
No matter that they were who they were, could they boldly claim to handle the Mage Tower alone?
However.
- Then we get allies. Easy.
- ?
- Darkie, spear guy... No, the shy one and chick should do.
- ...You mad rogue.
- Why? I'm saying it 'cause they're trustworthy.
Lark cursed at the idea of asking cadets for help, but Lee Han asserted confidently.
Exceptional individuals.
Ones even Lee Han couldn't ignore, with their trump cards. So he could trust and entrust them fully.
And they repaid that trust.
"See? My kids are this good."
"...Natural for the young lady."
"You were anxious doubting them, yet..."
"You punk!"
"Heh heh!"
The two knights bickered.
Just moments ago, they lacked even the energy for words, yet now they could afford to squabble.
The plan's success was great, but their disciples' achievements were even more praiseworthy.
Well, with Darkie there, failure was impossible by calculation, but plans and results aren't always the same, are they?
From the heart, Lee Han found his disciples' efforts more commendable than his own successful plan.
En route.
"Haha! Entrusting that child with too much authority was my mistake. I kept her for her decent talent, but this side effect... Keh heh heh!"
The monster's voice soured their pride again, furrowing brows.
...It started laughing.
In this area, all mana-based power was turning into soil nutrients via the Spring Fairy. Mages with mana were transforming into plants entirely.
Crunch...
Proving he couldn't escape, vines bound him, turning him into a willow, yet he remained utterly relaxed.
Did he have a counter to the fairy's authority?
—As if.
A fairy's mysteries were a great power that even made Aura Users furrow brows and bow heads.
Even if he were a millennium-old mage instead of four centuries, he couldn't defeat a fairy.
To humans, fairies weren't foes to beat, but beings to be 'acknowledged'.
And a mage unacknowledged by the fairy would cease to exist from this day.
It was an inevitable future.
Yet he...
"Ah, don't worry. I'm not so dim as to not recognize defeat. Just reflecting that I was too arrogant, as you said. And this situation is hilarious, right? Toyed with by those I deemed worthless. Ah, I really was pathetic. Should've killed you instead of playing."
"Bullshit."
"I know, too late for regrets. Hm..."
Tyr chuckled, wearing an inscrutable expression.
His rolling eyes unnerved them, so the knights gripped sword and spear.
Not knowing what the monster might do.
"...Hey, got a question. Was I that weak?"
"?"
"Don't overthink. Simple question. Was I weaker than Aura Users? Is that why you beat me?"
"......Asking that now?"
Truly a madman.
Even dying, satisfying his curiosity...
In a way, beyond horrific—disgusting.
...Always had been.
"If you don't answer, I'll blast magic toward the city. Even if the fairy melts my mana, I can obliterate one city."
"...You vile monster."
They knew it wasn't a bluff.
Hateful enemy or not, they acknowledged his strength.
Denying it despite evidence would be its own issue.
Thus.
"...You're strong. Probably... no, certainly, no spellcaster more horrific than you till I die."
"Ooh!"
Lee Han spoke, Lark fell silent.
His judgment on mages was more accurate.
"Same for Aura Users. Gap between you and the old men isn't much. In spell variety or total power, you might overwhelm."
"Then..."
"But you're weak. Overwhelmingly compared to those old men."
"...?"
Incomprehensible words.
Strong yet weak—what did it mean?
To him.
"Your 'magic' is strong, not 'Tyr the human'."
"......"
"It's not about powerful magic or swordsmanship. It's the 'person' wielding it."
There is no strongest swordsmanship or martial art in the world.
Just the era's strongest swordsman's style is called the world's best.
Strength is relative, not simply defined.
In that sense, Aura Users were indeed strong people.
Those who proved themselves surviving hundreds, thousands of brutal battles.
...Conversely.
"You're not. Ultimately, just a spellcaster who's lived a bit long."
A brute with raw power.
Ignorant of true combat, treating struggle as play, viewing the world lightly—like a brat.
Lee Han's firm verdict.
"We didn't live carelessly enough to lose to you, who only treated the world like a safe playground. Fiercely, as long as this heart beats without stopping, we fought and fought."
Thus, Lee Han declared proudly.
"You were just weak as a person. That's it. So now..."
-Die.
"......"
...Even against the final curse-like words, Tyr was merely dazed.
Not shocked by Lee Han's explanation.
Just that he'd...
'Master?'
...heard similar before, slightly flustered.
- Tyr, remember this. You have talent to upend the world. Perhaps few or none in this world surpass you in magic. You have that gift. But Tyr, you can be great as a mage, not on the battlefield. Your nature lacks gravity, inherently mismatched. Avoid knights if possible, especially Pendragon's. As long as the Great Knight King's will lingers, Pendragon will always produce mighty heroes...
"......"
...The scolding and curse young Tyr, first taken in by his master, had heard.
But now he saw.
'Master, you were quite the fine teacher, weren't you?'
Haha.
Realizing four centuries later that the master he killed wasn't incompetent but excellent, Tyr unwittingly burst laughing.
Reason unknown.
Just laughter came.
'Ah, I could only end up like this!'
A being rotten from birth.
A madman blessed with mana and innate greed, compelled to seize everything.
That was him.
Tyr.
Crack!
"Heh heh!"
"...Not going quietly, huh."
"Don't wanna die boringly. Bought the fairy's wrath anyway—my soul's damned to eternal hellish torment. Might as well go wild since it'll hurt."
"......"
"Ah, stop me not, and the city's gone. As I said, I still have..."
—that much power left?
He forcibly shook off the binding vines.
His lower body fully vine-transformed, only upper remained, yet he flew via telekinesis, charging them.
Determined to the end.
Clang!
Thud!
The knights, seeing the charging monster, unperturbed, raised sword and spear high.
After all.
"I'll finish it."
"No, me!"
They wanted to end it with their own hands.
Boom!!
......Thereafter, the three young men and women emerging from the Mage Tower beheld Lee Han, gasping with blades embedded in neck and heart, and Lark, evidently disassembling something somewhere.