Chapter 26 - Incomplete Combustion
Chapter 26 - Incomplete Combustion
A force of 400 soldiers began their march toward the northwestern highlands of Bainwood to exterminate a horde of corrupted wyverns.
The nickname “little dragons” given to wyverns wasn’t just because of their draconic appearance.
It took at least one B-rank adventurer to handle a single wyvern, and they lived in flocks of dozens.
When an entire colony of 80 large wyverns became tainted by corrupted mana, the severity of the situation was undeniable.
Therefore, the atmosphere among the extermination force should have been appropriately solemn and grave to match the threat of monsters that could bring catastrophe to the region.
…Or so it should have been.
“You came alone? What about your guards?!”
“Ah~ When I said I was leaving for Bainwood to see you, they panicked and tried to assign soldiers and court mages. But we got separated halfway.”
“Why?”
“They were all too damn slow, so I just flew ahead using magic. They’ll probably arrive in about five days?”
“Sigh…”
There wasn’t a trace of pre-battle tension to be found in Edgar.
“Then go wait in Bainwood first. We’ll talk after the extermination.”
“What nonsense. Of course I should help when my ‘fiancée’ is fighting.”
“…Let me say this again—this is a Herthe family commission. Stay out of it.”
“Got it~”
At the vanguard of the procession, a crown prince and a ducal lady bickered without reservation.
But aside from those two, every single guard—from generals to foot soldiers—had expressions so stiff they were practically turning ashen.
-Wasn’t this supposed to be a wyvern extermination…?
-The hell is the Crown Prince doing here?! Just guarding Lady Herthe is nerve-wracking enough…!
-I can’t… I can’t breathe…
Though I hadn’t mastered mind-reading, watching their tense faces made their inner monologues practically audible.
“Your… Your Highness. Forgive my impertinence, but… As Lady Parmela suggested, perhaps returning to Bainwood first would be… With our current forces, simultaneously exterminating wyverns while guarding Your Highness may prove…”
Finally, a general who’d been nervously biting his lip mustered the courage to speak.
“Hm? What are you talking about? You think I need protection from the likes of you?”
“Pardon?”
“I can handle myself. If anything, don’t come crying to me for help during the extermination.”
“Y-yes, Your Highness…”
An attitude brimming with arrogance, but not entirely without basis.
Rumors said the Crown Prince of Arkesia was an unprecedented genius who’d mastered magic of all attributes.
In that context, his confidence made sense.
“…”
A glance.
However, what had been grating on my nerves since the march began…
“……”
A furtive look.
‘That damn Crown Prince… Why does he keep sneaking glances at me?’
Why? We’ve never met, so he has no reason to hold a grudge.
Is it my appearance?
I’m not some aristocratic pretty boy, but no one’s ever called this new face ugly.
What possible reason would a Crown Prince have to pay such attention to a commoner butler-in-training…
Ah. Unless…
Did he notice I’m the only commoner among the butlers?
Creepy. Do royals and nobles have some special ability to distinguish their “noble” selves from commoners?
Come to think of it, that would explain why the servants ostracized me when I first arrived.
They must have sensed some commoner aura emanating from non-noble me.
Sigh… Being a commoner is such a pain.
Maybe I’ll buy a baronetcy later to cleanse my status.
‘…Is that bastard the “destined one” Parmela mentioned?’
The Crown Prince instinctively realized.
Amid dozens of butlers, Parmela kept directing glances at him, as if he stood out.
‘That guy… her destined one?’
Brown hair, green eyes. Just an ordinary face.
Compared to himself—considered handsome even among the famously attractive Arkesian imperial lineage—the butler fell far short.
Moreover, his mannerisms and overall vibe were just so… commoner-like.
‘Parmela is too good for the likes of you…!’
Though his face remained a perfect poker face, the Crown Prince burned with jealousy toward Theodor.
Just imagining that insignificant butler standing beside Parmela made his stomach churn.
‘Just you wait.’
The march concluded two hours after departure.
Before the extermination force stretched the vast plains northwest of Bainwood.
According to the head butler’s briefing before departure, this area was originally sprawling grasslands used as pastures for cattle and horses.
“Wow… It looks like a desert.”
But the lush green pastures were nowhere to be seen—only parched, desolate yellow earth remained.
The occasional withered tree standing in the barren expanse was the sole hint that life had once thrived here.
“This is why corrupted monsters are terrifying. They’re dangerous enough on their own, but the mana they emit erodes the life force of the land and warps living creatures around them.”
As if hearing my thoughts, the senior butler beside me spoke up.
“Senior Milen, have you participated in devilized exterminations before?”
“Well, yes. I became a page boy ten years ago, a full butler five years after that, and I’ve been accompanying the young lady on exterminations as her guard ever since.”
He grinned at me.
“Count yourself lucky. Getting to join an extermination so soon after arriving. You’re about to witness Lady Herthe’s black flames firsthand.”
His gaze then shifted to Armin, who stood silently beside me.
After the extermination began, he’d been too nervous to maintain his usual prickly attitude toward me, walking wordlessly the entire time.
“That goes for you too, Armin. You’re only here because you’re Theodor’s instructor.”
“What nonsense! To suggest I owe this brat anything—”
“Brat, you should be grateful. Huh, looks like it’s starting.”
Parmela stepped forward.
“All forces! Assume formations!”
At the general’s booming command, the extermination force moved into position with flawless precision.
Archers and mages from the Adventurer’s Guild took the rear to provide firepower.
Bainwood’s soldiers formed the flanks as the frontline.
The Herthe family’s private soldiers and butlers stood directly behind Parmela, ready to protect her the moment battle commenced.
The Crown Prince observed from behind the private soldiers.
And the herald of battle’s commencement was Parmela Herthe—with the black flames of Herthe being the core of this wyvern extermination.
Eighty wyverns with devastating regenerative abilities.
Melee combat was impossible, and no magic or weapon existed to eliminate so many at once.
Hence, the black flames were essential.
Flames with firepower beyond comparison to ordinary pyromancy, tactical flexibility to morph at the caster’s will.
And most crucially… their “malice.”
The black flames conjured by Herthe bloodline wouldn’t extinguish until their target was completely incinerated.
Like sentient beings, the flames refused to detach once they latched on.
Water couldn’t douse them, strong winds couldn’t blow them out—not even high-tier freezing magic could extinguish the black flames.
Wrapped in these inextinguishable dark fires, Herthe’s enemies screamed as if being tortured by an incarnation of flame.
Thus, no magic specialized in utterly annihilating devilized monsters quite like Herthe’s black flames.
Even the devilized monsters’ signature regeneration was meaningless before them.
They simply burned and burned until nothing could regenerate.
Parmela stared straight ahead.
Her target: the distant rocky hill where the wyverns nested.
The plan was simple. From a distance beyond the wyverns’ perception, she’d launch Herthe’s black flames at the hill to weaken their numbers first.
If all went well, over half the wyverns would be swept away by the overwhelming firepower before they could react.
The remaining wyverns would then be intercepted by the forces, concluding the extermination.
“Huu… Huu…”
As the troops distanced themselves to avoid her flames, leaving her alone, she openly took deep breaths.
‘It’s fine. I can do this. I successfully summoned the black flames this morning. Plus, I drank a mana enhancement potion—I can definitely succeed…’
She closed her eyes, then opened them.
“O black burning flames, O flames of karma dwelling in Herthe’s heart, O crimson-black flaming mana flowing through blood-red veins.”
Appending to the existing incantation, she pushed the spell’s power to its limits.
“Pursue, blaze. Never cease your rampage until all is ash.”
Whooosh—
A sphere of crimson-black flames rose above her head, gradually expanding.
“Become a mighty arrow—”
-The wyverns have noticed us!
A scout monitoring the wyverns through a telescope shouted.
Kreeee—!
With eerie cries, dozens of wyverns surged into the sky from the rocky hill.
Whooosh—
Moments later, they charged toward the extermination force in bizarre trajectories.
-Commander!
-Hold your positions. This is still within operational parameters.
As the general said, this was actually favorable—the wyverns were practically throwing themselves into Herthe’s black flames.
Whooosh—
Finally, the spell was complete.
The massive black flame arrow hovering above Parmela’s head.
“-Pierce my enemies!”
Whoosh—!
The arrow shot forth with ferocious momentum—
Fizzle.
And dissipated before reaching the wyverns.
“Huh…?”
Everyone watching froze in confusion.
Kreeee—!
The delayed response allowed the wyverns to close in on Parmela.
-Protect the lady!
The general shouted urgently, but it seemed too late.
Until a brown-haired butler-in-training suddenly appeared to block the wyvern horde.
“Heavenly Demon Sword Art, First Form: Sky-Reversing Slash.”