Chapter 124
Chapter 124
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: Number One Cause of Death for Mages (Fan Art Added)
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With my showdown against Rudika looming, I found myself surprisingly busy.
In truth, all I'd done was entrust the treasure modifications to Phil and submit an order to the Trista family.
"Your Highness. I've brought the items you ordered."
"You've had a hard journey. Care for something cold?"
"I would be honored."
With that, I handed a glass of fruit ade—made by mixing mix beans and honey water—to the messenger from the Trista family.
Of course, she wasn't just any ordinary messenger. This woman in her early twenties was, from what I'd heard, someone slated for a key position in the Trista household. She'd probably end up as Aila's secretary, the next head of the family.
She didn't appear in the original D/Z SAGA, though.
Anyway, given her position, I treated her to the finest drink and then stared intently at the settlement sheet.
Honestly. The price was staggeringly burdensome.
I couldn't help wondering just how much I could do with this amount of money, but there was no choice.
Once I'd decided. I had to follow through.
For my own pride. For my dignity.
Because that's why I was here—to never bow down and live subserviently!
Yi Young-jin's Act 3. Yi Young-jin's boss battle.
And my opponent was none other than Rudika Hassan Shadow.
I checked my skills. In other words, every card I had up my sleeve.
And I already knew the cards Rudika Hassan Shadow held.
Now all that was left was to keep running simulations of the mock battle...
"Come to think of it, Your Highness, aren't you going?"
"Going where?"
"I heard your precious lady and that wretched daughter of the Ciela family are dueling today."
"Of course I'm going."
"That's a relief. I thought you might skip it with how busy you seemed."
Of course I had to go.
As someone who knew the original story, it was my duty to witness that conclusion.
"As expected of our lady. Even with slim odds of victory, she challenges the Ciela family for the sake of her own pride."
"What nonsense is that?"
"Pardon? Oh, d-did I miss something? I'm well-versed in the power dynamics within Jefrin..."
"No, that's not what I meant by nonsense. It's right that she's fighting the Ciela girl for her own pride."
"Then..."
"The part about her having slim odds of winning. That's the nonsense."
"...Indeed, a match made in heaven. I'm in awe of that trust."
No, not flattery. For real.
Aila with 20 magic power could definitely give her a run for her money.
Especially since I'd personally shared the strategy to take down Regina Cielra.
The duel between Aila Trista and Regina Cielra wasn't held in the auditorium like for other students. It took place in the Magic Division's First Training Grounds.
Not just because of their magic power stats of 19 and 21, but because every student at Jefrin—especially in the Magic Division—and even the professors knew just how bad the blood was between the Trista and Ciela families.
The Ciela family, wielding history and tradition to unite all nobles below royalty, had thoroughly monopolized infrastructure to keep the Trista family from encroaching on the center.
In contrast, the Trista family had risen from the western regions 200 years ago through mineral magic, becoming mining magnates responsible for the empire's entire mineral distribution, and now aimed to push into the capital.
The firstborn daughters of these two families facing off.
And if only one side had a genius, that might be one thing—but unusually this generation, the Loengrin, Trista, and Ciela families had all produced prodigies.
Scholars across the continent were grateful for the Loengrin genius being the greatest. Otherwise, who knew what ugly incidents might arise.
"Once I step back, confirm the barrier activates over the entire training grounds. Then we'll start the countdown broadcast."
Even the professor serving as referee retreated outside the barrier, and it activated.
The barrier was 3rd tier 【Complete Magic Seal】, personally installed by the founding emperor—effectively equivalent to 2nd tier.
In other words, the fight between Aila Trista and Regina Cielra wouldn't spill outside.
The spectator seats were packed with students who'd finished their first-round matches or come to watch despite having their own fights scheduled.
And rightly so—this inter-magic-division duel was a huge learning opportunity just to observe. Even professors approved students delaying agreed-upon matches to spectate such a battle.
Immediately after. The two clashed without hesitation.
The battle began with Regina Cielra's strike.
Aila sensed the formless fist flying straight at her chest and threw up a Black Crystal barrier.
Krunch! Even with four measures infused, the Black Crystal barrier only held the formless fist for a moment before crumbling.
In that interval, Aila hurled her body backward, retreating outside 'Regina Cielra's domain.'
'...Impressive. She's strong.'
The Ciela family's signature magic.
This spell dominates the surroundings with the user's magic power, dragging mages into a quagmire. At first glance, it seems like mere spatial control or area domination, but that's a grave misconception.
【Marsh】 becomes truly vicious when used offensively.
Forming the formless magic into fists to smash or blades to slash—it claims supremacy in 【area annihilation】.
It dominates space, then attacks by condensing that formless magic. It's the worst area-of-effect spell for pulling anyone with inferior magic power into ruin.
Just moments ago, Aila—who nearly took a magic power 21 strike to the chest—let out a small sigh of relief for dodging it.
The omnipotence she'd felt upon reaching magic power 20 had vanished, but she was grateful for one of 【Dragon's Blessing】's buffs: 【Sensitization】, which let her evade.
"My, not coming in?"
"......"
Regina Cielra said confidently, arms crossed.
The usual Aila would have charged in, demanding who she thought she was acting so arrogant, but not now.
Like her fiancé, she coldly analyzed the battlefield.
And recalling what her fiancé had told her before the fight—the 【Anti-Regina Strategy】—she smiled lightly.
"Just as Wolfram said."
"...Why bring up his name so suddenly?"
"Hehe... Why, I wonder? Maybe because I researched ways to beat you together with Wolfram."
"...How dare you!"
Exactly.
Wolfram had been right.
Aila silently walked to the edge of Regina's range, raised her right hand, and fifteen magic circles materialized behind her.
"【Black Crystal: Scatter: Forced Scatter: Must-Hit: Maximum Reinforcement】"
"...Have you lost your mind?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're saying you'll have a magic battle with me? The arrogance!"
"Yes. Magic battles are fun, aren't they? Or are you scared?"
"......How dare you!! 【Marsh: Maximum Reinforcement: Spatial Domination: Air Mastery: Forced Control】"
"Hehe. Yes, come at me like that. Regina Cielra."
"A second-rate from a second-rate family...!"
"Oh? That's what makes rebelling against you so fun, isn't it?"
Her fiancé had said that if she did, she'd definitely win.
So, somehow, she'd make it happen.
"If I lose, you'll forgive me for throwing a little tantrum and acting spoiled... in a situation like this, right?"
The next thirty minutes.
Aila Trista had bet on her own conclusion.
When I arrived at the battlefield, the training grounds were absolute chaos.
So many people, seriously.
[Popcorn for sale! Fresh popcorn, cheap! Drinks too! Delicious! This stuff!]
Someone hawking popcorn in the distance, seats completely full.
Getting through this crowd would be impossible for the frail Wolfram von Loengrin.
"Make way, please."
"......"
But my worries vanished quickly.
The Trista family secretary bulldozed a path with her body, clearing the way for me.
She seemed sturdy enough to carve out empty space on the inner loop Line 2 at 8:30 a.m. at Sindorim Station.
Anyway, we pushed through the opened path and stood right at the front of the battlefield.
And right then—
KABOOOOM!
With a deafening roar that tore the world apart, a massive Black Crystal came hurtling toward us.
A crystal chunk that would easily overrun my body. If it hit, I'd end up as Wolfram chopped meat.
"Eek."
"......"
I heard the secretary's startled yelp beside me, but I just stared at the crystal.
Crunch crunch crunch.
The ricocheting crystal slammed into the barrier right in front of us, lost its momentum, and crashed to the ground.
"Why so frightened? This training ground has a barrier personally installed by our great ancestors."
"B-Barrier? Ah, y-yes... I apologize for my unsightly reaction."
It's fine. I was scared shitless too. Thought I was done for.
Thank goodness Imperial Bloodline meant I couldn't show an ugly face even in the moment of death.
"No matter. Have a seat without worry."
"Y-Yes... As expected of the future head of Trista... Hehe. A fine choice for our lady."
The secretary muttered something, but the roaring cheers drowned it out completely.
More importantly, what I needed to etch into my eyes and ears right now was that magic battle.
Aila standing tall on the battlefield looked a bit different from what I remembered.
Dust-covered face, tattered and damaged uniform. Even one boot heel was broken.
But those two eyes still burned with fighting spirit, locked on her opponent.
"【Black Crystal: Scatter: Maximum Reinforcement: Single-Point Focus: Arcing Shot: Must-Hit】"
⟨ Black Crystal ⟩
She raised her right hand, chanted instantly, and about a dozen Black Crystals formed behind her. Not a single massive shot like before, but scatter-type.
The Black Crystals shot toward Regina like flashes of light.
Ah, it reminds me of the main story.
We main story players called that a shotgun.
And the counter to that spell was—
As expected.
The Black Crystals halted mid-air with a pop under Regina's spell.
Like stones dropped in water, they refused to budge.
Again and again and again.
Aila's Black Crystals were all blocked by Regina's magic, not a single one getting through.
Each time, groans rose from the stands.
Aila's Black Crystals were black, sharp, massive, and powerful. The sight of the grand mage wielding them was thrilling enough to ignite fervor, yet they were repeatedly halted by the formless marsh.
The training grounds were already littered with hundreds—no, nearly thousands—of fallen Black Crystals.
"Ah, our lady... Even if the opponent is loathsome, the magic power gap is..."
The secretary beside me fretted. I couldn't make out the words clearly amid the noise, but I understood.
Everyone in these stands—the hundreds watching this fight—judged Aila Trista's Black Crystals as reckless.
Regina Cielra atop the training grounds felt the same.
"That's enough, Aila Trista."
"...What do you mean?"
"Your magic is strong. Impressive. Honestly, I'm dying to know right now how you made magic power 20."
"Think I'll tell you?"
"Hmph. But it's still just 20. It can't touch me. I'm magic power 21. Second only to the great Lady Eve in this academy."
"...Aren't you pretty worn out too?"
"...Yes. I'll admit it. You did splendidly. I can't remember the last time I was this exhausted. But... I still have enough magic to crush you."
"Is that so?"
"Yes... Admit your defeat, Aila Trista."
"......"
It was reckless from the start.
"Pitting your magic power 20 against my 21 in a magic battle was your fatal mistake. Pride alone can't claim victory."
"...I'm going to lose? I can't win?"
Yes. Regina Cielra's assessment was reasonable.
"Lady..."
Even the secretary beside me foresaw Aila's defeat.
At this rate, Aila Trista's loss was certain.
Well.
That's how it would be for most.
"It's about time."
"Shall we start for real now?"
Probably only two people here predicted Aila's victory. If I had to vouch for it.
Only.
Two contrarian gamblers.
"You've done well up to here. Took about thirty minutes?"
One was Wolfram von Loengrin.
"Thirty minutes. Exactly as foreseen from the start."
The other was—
Aila Trista herself.
I opened the party window and tracked Aila's status with my eyes.
Her magic power consumption was extreme. Already in the red.
But all other stats were yellow. Or green.
Meaning full condition aside from magic power.
"Perfect. The adjustment is clean. She nailed it."
Now the question.
Is magic power 21 truly invincible?
Could she take down everyone except Eve von Loengrin?
The answer is 'no.'
Otherwise, why would bad endings exist? Just steamroll alone and done.
Now.
"So, what's Marsh's weakness?"
Marsh has 【all effects as area-wide】.
Meaning horrific magic efficiency.
Now, the question.
A straight-laced mage is standing on the field, bluffing with depleted magic.
What happens to that mage five seconds later?
"Huh?"
Well.
She gets rushed and beaten down.
"Go, Aila."
Before I could even say it.
Before Regina Cielra could register it, Aila charged.
The shattered Black Crystals piled on the ground synced with Aila's charge speed and flew up.
They gathered and wrapped around her right arm, solidifying.
Dexterity 17.
A speed at the human limit—despair for pure mages.
Magic-depleted Regina Cielra's reaction was just a tad slow.
Stamina 16.
Enough to rank mid-tier even if she transferred to the Knight Division right now—something ordinary mages lacked.
Naturally, even after thirty minutes of fighting, Aila Trista outlasted Regina Cielra's full stamina.
Strength 14.
Considering Milmieu's 13.5 strength with Half Berserk, Aila could use 【Impact Buster】 with no penalty.
Realizing Aila was charging her, Regina hastily chanted.
A magic barrier that couldn't be broken without a charge-breaker skill.
Aila's only 【close combat skill】 was self-defense arts.
Strictly speaking, no charge-breaker.
No.
She hadn't originally.
【Nameless Fist: Fist Strike: Breakthrough】
Beginner Technique
A beginner technique.
And one deeply tied to Aila.
A variation of sword basic attacks.
Tutorial skill.
In the original, the first user was none other than 'Kelters.'
"Haha. Ha, ahahaha!!"
How long had it been?
A truly delightful laugh crept onto my lips.
Frivolous, yet even Imperial Bloodline permitted this laugh.
If it knew the thrill in my heart, it had to.
I'd defeated Aila thousands of times.
Act 3 boss Aila Trista always ended in ruin and expulsion.
But look at her now.
Against the 'Regina Cielra' who led her to ruin, she's using her fated rival 'Kelters''s skill to seize victory.
True to her catchphrase, she'd declared rebellion against her own fate.
"Eek..."
"Hnnngh!"
Power started from the soles, twisted once at the ankles, climbed the calves and thighs, twisted again at the pelvis, flowed through the waist to the shoulder, elbow, and fist—locked solid with Black Crystal.
One impact point.
Regina Cielra's solar plexus.
WHAMMMMM!!!
Right then.
The former Act 3 boss gloriously smashed her own fate.