Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: 15. Realization (3)
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Kati, who had been sitting on Vivian's lap, suddenly vanished.
"Huh?"
Both Vivian and Helena looked flustered, but Mercy's face grew deadly serious.
"This means... Ian is in danger!"
It was hard to follow the context.
So the two thought Mercy was joking, but she showed no sign of it.
Her face had gone pale in an instant, and her body was trembling.
"L-let's go out...!"
Even if they didn't fully understand, if that was true, they couldn't just stay put.
"Yes...!"
The two jumped to their feet and dragged Mercy outside with them.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Finding where Ian was wasn't difficult.
Even from far away, a menacing aura that could only be described as "dangerous" was palpable.
Vivian and Helena, who had hidden the struggling Mercy in Vivian's pocket and were running, spotted it then.
A massive claw mark had torn up the ground roughly, and at either end stood Ian and Kaily facing off.
At their center, traces remained of an "Ice Wall" that had deployed in a circle.
'Kaily...? Why is a member of the 1st Party here? Is she trying to take Ian? But who made that ice...'
Right then.
An Ice Spear dropped from above Kaily's head.
It was small and thin compared to Vivian's.
But small didn't mean it could be ignored.
Vivian sensed the gap in caliber between the caster and herself just from that one Ice Spear.
'The density...'
Ice crafted by magic is close to transparent, emitting a bright sky-blue hue.
But the one before her eyes was a deep navy.
A dark color that sucked in and trapped all surrounding light.
'Is something like that even theoretically possible...?'
-Crunch!
The ice spear that missed Kaily's sword continued boring into the ground.
-Rumble rumble rumble...
Hearing that sound, Vivian and Helena were stunned once more.
The density of the magic that kept drilling into the earth was astonishing.
And the body enduring it was equally incredible.
'Who the hell cast magic like that...'
Vivian felt overwhelmed just imagining the density and weight of that ice spear.
"S-Sylvia...!"
Starting with that startled shout, a crowd that had been watching from afar parted, and a mage with navy-blue hair appeared.
Her icy beauty remained unchanged, but unlike before, her pallid complexion gave off a decadent air.
Sylvia of the 1st Hero Party—Vivian's idol.
For a brief moment, Vivian felt joy and surprise at seeing her idol.
But she quickly fell into despair.
'This is... the 1st Hero Party...'
She wouldn't become Sylvia, but she would become Ian's Vivian.
It was the moment when she began to doubt what those words could possibly mean.
Vivian and Helena.
Lately, the two had been exhilarated.
They had realized their strength far surpassed heroes of the same rank or experience.
They had even acquired artifacts that were rare to see in a lifetime and discovered holy relics.
So they thought their power and abilities were quite formidable.
Until now, facing the "caliber" known as the 1st Hero Party.
The hero party that Ian had managed.
And at the same time, the wall they would one day have to surpass.
Helena realized the true weight of the playful words she and Ian had exchanged about surpassing Aria.
Aria was at least on the level of those two monsters up ahead.
One might feel powerless, but Helena's heart didn't.
Instead, it burned with fervor.
It felt like a concrete goal and direction had been presented.
"Vivian."
Helena called her with a resolute voice, as if she'd made up her mind.
Vivian, who had been lost in awe at the otherworldly magic, barely snapped out of it.
"Y-yes?"
"We can do it."
At this moment, they were the only ones who could share the same sentiment.
So Helena was the only one who could say it.
"Even after seeing people like that, Ian chose us. So there's no need to feel intimidated."
Helena's voice trembled slightly as she said it.
But she believed.
In Ian, who had recognized her.
Only then did Vivian relax and smile weakly.
What was there to do but push harder when effort was already lacking? Getting discouraged wasn't an option.
"...You're right. We can do it."
Thinking of that high-density Ice Spear still made her hesitate.
But she said they could.
Saying it made her believe it.
Ian would believe it too.
And Helena was with her.
"Kaily... are you insane?"
The two refocused on the scene.
"Why are you even here...?"
They could guess the situation from the visible landscape.
The ground surging like waves toward Ian, and Kati blocking his front.
Then Sylvia intervening and attacking Kaily.
In other words, Kaily had tried to kill Ian.
But why?
Vivian and Helena.
At first, seeing the two of them, they wondered if Kaily had come to take Ian back.
But judging by the surroundings, that seemed far from the truth.
"That doesn't matter. What matters is that you dared to attack Ian."
Sylvia glared fiercely at Kaily as she spoke.
Observing her, Vivian and Helena felt a sense of déjà vu.
'...Ian?'
Looking at Sylvia made Ian come to mind.
She resembled him.
Not like Marie's superficial similarity in their prickly demeanor.
Sylvia's resemblance was more fundamental.
Her speech patterns, vocabulary, the way her facial muscles moved when she made expressions, even that habit of brushing back her bangs when annoyed.
Sylvia felt less "like him" and more "Ian himself."
Vivian and Helena recalled the questions they'd had because of Grace.
'...Who the hell is Ian?'
Was it possible for a mere hero and manager to build such deep emotional rifts?
They harbored that curiosity.
Especially as they were stunned again by how the mere killing intent had made bystanders faint.
Ian stepped between the two.
"Stop."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Ian wasn't unscathed either.
Just brushing against the killing intent they emitted toward each other made his fingertips go numb.
"Both of you, back off."
But he was the only one who could stop them here.
Not even the empire's crown prince.
Not even the Holy Flame Church's Holy Emperor.
Could replace Ian.
"You planning to kill everyone here? Back off now."
If Kaily kept rampaging, even Ian couldn't have stopped it.
But he'd confirmed that at the last moment, she'd twisted her sword path.
He'd also seen her reaction afterward—her deeply dejected face as her eyes darted around.
Sylvia seemed to be trying to stop Kaily, not plotting anything herself.
Ian didn't want to escalate things unnecessarily either.
"Kaily, put your weapon away. Sylvia, you too—clear all this moisture."
"......"
The two eyed Ian warily but didn't back down rashly.
Sylvia especially was on guard, fearing Kaily might charge again if she retreated.
"Now."
As Ian urged them, Kaily first reverted her sword to mana form.
Only then did Sylvia disperse the moisture she'd spread into the air with wind.
The ice cracking the ground beneath their feet also melted away.
"Hoo..."
Ian brushed back his bangs and let out a sigh.
With the tension broken, Sylvia finally realized anew that she was standing before Ian.
This wasn't why she'd come.
She hadn't intended it at all.
But since things had turned out this way...
"Ahem..."
Sylvia cleared her throat awkwardly, twirled her hair shyly, and turned her head toward Ian.
"I-Ian...? I-it's been a while..."
But what met her was Kati's stony face.
With her eyes covered by an eyepatch, making her expression hard to read, she faced Sylvia with an even more hostile air than usual.
Sylvia frowned with one eyebrow and tried to ignore Kati, looking at Ian behind her.
But Ian wasn't looking at Sylvia.
"Ian..."
Sylvia's trembling voice called to him as she cautiously took a step forward.
Then Kati guarded Ian even more protectively.
That rubbed Sylvia the wrong way.
"You..."
She started to say something but clamped her mouth shut.
She knew she had no right to speak here.
Sylvia bit her lower lip.
At that moment.
"Sylvia, Kaily."
Someone called their names firmly.
"You are under arrest for suspected involvement in a rebellion plot."
Not just Sylvia and Kaily.
The onlookers watching the tense atmosphere jumped in shock too.
The declaration came from First Prince Edipus.
Ian had been looking at him.
He didn't know the full plan, but the prince's glance signaled it was time to push.
"Your persons are now under the jurisdiction of the military police and the imperial family. You have the right to appoint counsel—take note."
The prince himself was making the statement.
"Furthermore, I issue a wanted order for Penny, current manager of the 1st Hero Party, as well as the remaining two members, Aria and Beatrice."
"I-Ian...? What is this...?"
Sylvia asked haltingly, but Ian didn't answer.
He had already stepped back with Kati at a distance.
As if he had no further interest in Sylvia or Kaily, he was checking her over for injuries.
"Ah..."
She'd known it, but seeing and experiencing it firsthand was entirely different.
She had no qualification to stand by Ian's side.
And the time for that had long passed.
That precious window of opportunity sobbed within her heart.
It was ridiculous.
Hadn't she shattered all that preciousness herself?
The 1st Hero Party—humanity's hope and the empire's vanguard—arrested on treason charges.
The crowd's murmurs gnawed at Sylvia's eardrums like insects.
She knew she had once been Ian's pride.
There had definitely been a time like that.
"Detain them."
Wolfgang and the military police approached with extreme caution.
No matter how strong Wolfgang was, their opponents were two from the 1st Hero Party.
Even one alone could casually wipe out a city like this.
And they'd just glimpsed a fragment of the power behind those rampant rumors.
The mere shockwaves had turned the city's orderly streets into a jagged mess.
Imagining that directed at people was horrifying.
"Iaaan-!"
Kaily cried out for him.
"No, this is all wrong...! It's a misunderstanding! I can explain! No, before that, I have something to tell you! Please, just hear me out...!"
Her shout made the military police hesitate.
Kaily turned and snarled at those still approaching.
"Who the hell is it! Who spread that bullshit...!"
The prince didn't wait for her to finish.
"Kaily. You're also charged with attempted murder."
"What...?"
"You clearly directed killing intent at Ian and unleashed sword energy. You know that well. Moreover, this is a public space where crowds gather indiscriminately. Superhumans who unleash power knowing its impact face special provisions, and prior offenses can incur aggravated penalties."
"You bastard..."
"Do you still think you're the old hero? You don't seem to grasp how serious this is. The crown prince—that's me—and even His Holiness the Holy Emperor are present. Depending on interpretation, this could be attempted murder of imperial family and the Holy Emperor. Even without intent."
"......"
"Refuse further cooperation, and the charges will only pile up."
The first prince was an ordinary man.
Literally—Kaily could kill everyone here with a single breath.
Edipus vaguely sensed the danger but didn't back down.
The weight on this prince's shoulders was immense.
Kaily ignored the prince and glared at Ian.
"I-Ian...! You're responsible for this! You can't just ignore it! Say something...!"
"Got it."
Sylvia interjected suddenly.
She extended both hands meekly to the nearest military policeman.
"I don't know what's going on, but I'll cooperate fully."
"Sylvia...?"
Sylvia glanced at Ian.
She hoped this might make him look her way, but it didn't.
'Of course...'
She'd expected it, but still clung to a sliver of hope.
This time, Ian was the one being checked for injuries by Kati.
-How long are you going to keep checking?
-Necessary procedure. Bear with it.
Watching that made her want to kill them all and herself.
Sylvia squeezed her eyes shut.
"I, I..."
"Kaily. Just accept it."
"What did I even do...!"
"...You've done a lot. This is just part of it."
Wolfgang, who had approached unnoticed, carefully fastened wooden handcuffs on Sylvia.
Sylvia obediently offered her wrists.
"Just like you said. This nonsense ends now..."
"Not like this!"
"Then, can you escape it?"
Sylvia glared at Kaily, her hands cuffed.
Her wrists were bound, but her magic wasn't sealed.
She could snap the cuffs with raw strength alone.
In other words, if Kaily resisted, she'd have to fight Sylvia herself.
"You... why go this far..."
"...Yeah."
"Treason? You're not even wronged? We—no, at least I..."
"Wronged? Me? That luxurious emotion... is unnecessary."
Sylvia started to look toward Ian but stopped.
"It's the price for driving Ian out. Has to be."
Kaily's gaze remained fixed on Ian.
Images of him unflinchingly doing what she should have been grateful for clashed with the present.
Having finished his duty, he showed no interest here.
"This... this isn't it... I didn't come here for this... Please, Ian..."
Kaily muttered emptily.
The prince refrained from provoking her further.
Even with Ian mediating, it had been dangerous for him too.
This was the 1st Hero Party, after all.
If they resisted full-force, arrest would be impossible.
But seeing them oppose each other, he'd judged capture possible if handled right.
He'd also noted their unstable mental states, easily swayed by Ian's words.
Pretending calm, he waited anxiously.
Soon, Kaily glared at the prince with hollow eyes and spoke.
"...You're the prince, right."
"Edipus Julianus Humil. Eldest son of Emperor Julianus and prince of House Humil."
"...I see. A man with the power of authority."
Even now, she pondered the golden rule of power.
Power wasn't just physical might.
The power to rule, command, and govern was one of the few she partially acknowledged.
"...Take me. But if it's nonsense... No, never mind."
Kaily looked at Ian and fell silent.
Her eyes on him, her ears recalling Sylvia's earlier words.
'You've already done too much...'
The boomerang she'd thrown carelessly returned to stab her.
Things that wouldn't have happened if Ian were there.
'Is complying this easily... a form of gratitude too...?'
Finally, handcuffs clicked onto Kaily's wrists.
In Fiorene City, two members of the 1st Hero Party were arrested.
Simultaneously, wanted orders issued for the rest.
The news spread like wildfire.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 'Ian...?'
Edgar, representative of the Liberal Alliance, hiding in a secret passage connected to the banquet hall, heard that name.
Even that he was the former manager of the 1st Party.
The moment he'd finally found the man he'd been seeking.
'The question is when to handle it...'
This place was too dangerous.
He'd noted the location, so pulling back for now might be wise.
But not for too long.
With the Anti-Imperial Coalition practically exposed and his ties to the prince seeming deep.
Delay, and he'd miss the chance for a surprise attack.
Edgar secretly followed them upward and watched from afar what the 1st Hero Party did.
Kaily trying to kill Ian, Sylvia intervening in the fight, and the emperor arresting them.
Confirming from a distant rooftop, he wasn't overwhelmed by their auras.
Instead, he was certain.
Tonight, with the prince, Holy Emperor, military police, and Razri all tied up arresting the 1st Hero Party, was perfect.
The city in chaos made it ideal for the job.
'Tonight... Finish quick and get out.'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ In a certain room after the situation had settled.
Ian, explaining the day's events to Vivian and Helena, revealed.
"I am Philip."