Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Living Flames (1)
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People from prestigious families tended to have rather bland personalities, and Veron had given a poor first impression from the start.
But personality and ability are separate matters. Veron was talented enough to justify his arrogance and inflated self-esteem.
He only seemed lackluster when lined up next to Galen or Lilia.
That said, anyone would pale in comparison, which didn't mean Veron was incompetent.
"Hold off on reporting to the main family for now. I'll take responsibility."
"Understood."
"Conduct a full investigation of the villages under Jamila's domain. Dispatch riders at once. Report any anomalies immediately."
"Yes, sir!"
"Prepare five spare horses separately. That's the top priority."
After learning of the magic weapon's existence, he'd decided against jumping to conclusions about earth fairies and to investigate the full story first.
He ordered checks on the villages around the city, then planned to head personally to the most dangerous one.
Galen and Lilia handed the black market manager over to Shane's men before joining Veron.
They chose horses over carriages, which were too affected by road conditions—and horses were faster if you pushed them.
Including the two escorts who always flanked Veron, the five set out from Jamila.
After riding hard for about three hours, they nearly reached their target village before sunset.
"Wh-what is that?"
The mining village was already engulfed in crimson flames.
"Damn it, are we too late?"
Veron ground his teeth. Lilia spurred her horse forward.
"We don't know yet!"
"Let's take a look."
Galen followed Lilia as she surged ahead. Veron and his escorts soon picked up speed too.
Whether Lilia knew something or it was just wishful thinking, it really was too soon to tell.
It could be a fire set after everything was done, to destroy evidence.
Or they might have just started it to block escape routes.
"The flames aren't spreading to the surrounding mountains. The fact that only the village is burning precisely—"
"Magic."
"Or a magic weapon. Either way, the culprit probably hasn't left the scene yet."
Veron nodded in agreement with Galen's words. Lilia, leading the way, was out of sight, but she'd have heard the exchange.
Before their horses could tire out after a few minutes at full gallop, the five reached the village outskirts.
Roarrrrr!
The log fences that should have encircled and protected the mining village lay in ruins, burning fiercely and completely blocking the path. It looked like they'd built a wall of flames.
"The fire's too intense!"
"Definitely not normal."
Lilia said as she soothed the whinnying horses. Galen narrowed his eyes and extended his left hand.
Even doused in oil and set alight, fences wouldn't burn that viciously. He suspected magical flames.
Confirming it was simple. The spirit transformed into a sphere from his bracelet and dropped to the ground, rolling forward.
Whoooosh!
It expanded explosively. The spirit, small enough to fit in one hand moments ago, had grown larger than a boulder.
A massive blob of water, far taller than any man, rolled like a ball and crashed into the flames.
Siiiizzle!
Thick white steam billowed up.
The flames were fierce, but not enough to burn through that enormous water mass.
Bzzz!
In that instant, a faint glitch rippled through Galen's senses.
"......"
Galen's eyebrow twitched.
A contradictory sensation—awkward yet oddly familiar.
This was the second time a status window showed question marks.
At the ruins, learning Territory Formation had been a mess of them entirely. For an existing spell, only the level and progress showing ?? had happened—
'When I met the magic weapon's ghost and Spirit Creation evolved.'
They'd already suspected the village-burning flames were magic or a magic weapon.
Instead of a new spell acquisition window, if it triggered the same phenomenon as fighting that weapon before...
Then this fire stemmed from a magic weapon too.
'Does my magic evolve just from encountering magic weapons?'
He had no idea why. He'd never encountered enough varieties for a proper sample.
Galen set the question aside for now. The situation left no room for calm reflection.
Thanks to constant thought acceleration befitting a mage, even his lengthy pondering took mere moments in real time.
Whoosh!
The spirit, now nestled easily between the flame walls, spewed water in all directions like a dam unleashing its floodgates.
Galen seized it with Water Flow Manipulation and swung it around. The churning waves blasted the fence remnants away and smothered the flames.
'...Similar to back then.'
The unique sensory framework of Phantasmal Inferno began twisting subtly.
Last time, the magic weapon's ghost mixed into the water giant had caused constant chaos, evolving Spirit Creation's senses throughout.
This time, it seemed contact with the magic weapon's flames was the trigger. The distortion quieted once the fire was out.
Of course, with flames everywhere now, fulfilling the condition was easy enough.
Regardless, thanks to Galen's magic, the central entrance was fully cleared, even as the side fences still blazed.
"Waaah!"
"S-save me......"
With their view cleared, the village interior was a vision of hell.
As expected, the fire didn't just ring the outside. Nearly every building inside burned. Flame walls blocked paths everywhere.
People, unable to find escape routes, wailed in panic. Burn victims groaned in pitiful agony.
It was horrific, but thankfully not the worst. Survivors remained, at least.
"You two, split left and right to inform everyone. Tell them to head to the village entrance."
"Got it!"
"I'll secure the rear here."
"Count on you."
Roles were assigned swiftly, and all three agreed.
"You two stay here and hold the line."
"B-but Young Master—"
"Don't make me repeat myself."
"Y-yes, sir!"
Veron's escorts were silver-rank despite their bodyguard role—Veron himself was stronger.
Rather than drag them along, he ordered them to guard this spot.
Lilia had already dashed left. Veron immediately took the right path.
With the horses spooked by flames and heat, they had to run on foot—but as gold-rank elites, their speed was terrifying.
"Alright, then. This way."
Galen muttered and commanded his spirit.
The boulder-sized water mass grew further into a water giant.
Splash!
Its outstretched arms unleashed massive water cannons.
Water poured from the sky like a downpour, smothering nearby flames.
Meanwhile, Galen gathered ambient water to blast the rear fences wider, expanding the entrance clearing.
He called to Veron's escorts.
"Gentlemen?"
"Y-yes!"
"Refugees will come streaming from left and right. Help direct traffic—no chaos."
"We're ordered to protect Lord Galen..."
Frankly, Galen's Earth Bind was far safer than two silver warriors.
But he couldn't say that outright. Galen spoke softly but firmly.
"No need. I can handle myself. Just watch the civilians."
"Understood."
As they managed the rear, up front—
"Hya!"
Lilia charged debris blocking over half the path, roaring flames and all.
She held her breath, ignored the risk of ignition, and kicked the wreckage aside to force a path.
"Everyone!"
She bellowed at the dazed villagers beyond. Her voice was so commanding, it snapped their attention.
"Escape to the village entrance!"
"Wh-who—"
"Hurry! Before it spreads more!"
Right on cue, Galen helped—unintentionally, just doing his part.
"Wh-what is that?!"
The giant's water cannon blasted half a building's roof away with immense pressure.
Lilia seized the moment.
"A water mage is here as firefighter! The entrance is safe!"
"Th-thank you!"
"We're saved!"
"Less talk, more moving!"
Her usual sunny smile hid it, but Lilia was a veteran from the church clinic, well-practiced at handling troublemakers. Barking orders was child's play.
As Lilia dashed around guiding survivors—
Veron was doing the same on the opposite side.
"Tch."
Lilia could heal burns on the spot with miracles, but Veron lacked that.
His raw physical specs outclassed hers, though—including heat resistance—so he endured the blaze through sheer grit.
Crunch!
He slashed obstacles mercilessly with his sword and kicked them aside, advancing rapidly.
"I am Veron Steelwall, second son of the Steelwall family."
His qi-enhanced voice boomed like an echo in a cave.
"The entrance is open. Don't panic. Stay calm. Survivors, get moving."
Few in this backwater village would have met a Steelwall direct heir.
But they knew from hearsay: naming family and birth order was how prestigious bloodlines introduced themselves.
A house ruling multiple cities wielded influence like a small kingdom.
"Thank you! Thank you!"
"Snap out of it, you fools! Let's go!"
No white horse, but the prince had come personally. Awestruck villagers obeyed eagerly.
"Phew."
Galen let out a light sigh of relief.
He couldn't see exactly what Lilia and Veron were doing up front.
But refugees were gathering steadily, so things were going decently.
'Considering the village size, casualties are heavy... but saving this many is fortunate.'
Arriving sooner would have been better, but that was beyond control.
They hadn't dawdled on a confirmed raid—they'd rushed as fast as possible.
Self-recrimination like that had no end. Unless one was an omnipotent god, not everyone could be saved.
Galen's best was capturing and killing Vantis or whoever, ensuring no repeats. Focus on that now.
The issue: no clue where.
Boom!
As if answering, flames erupted deep in the village.
Taller than before, blatantly suspicious.
"You two! Keep helping with evacuation!"
Before the escorts could reply properly, Galen recalled his spirit and dashed off.
Toward Lilia's direction.
Masking his breathing with water-soaked cloth and sprinkling water via spirit as he went—
"Eek!"
He spotted Lilia retreating with a short cry.
Thankfully not hit—just evading fierce flames.
"Brother!"
Lilia hurried to him upon spotting him.
As Galen caught his breath and scanned around, doubt arose.
No one else in sight.
"Not fighting anything?"
"Flame attacks keep coming. I just can't pinpoint from where."
"Hiding behind the fire?"
"Seems like it."
"Fire-immune, then."
Otherwise, they'd be ash in this inferno.
Water Flow Manipulation's radar was useless now, with all moisture evaporated.
"Need to sweep the area first."
Galen concluded and moved to extract water from the spirit—
Boom!
Another massive flame pillar shot up.
Not near them—opposite side of the village.
Veron's area.
"Huh?"
Galen and Lilia froze simultaneously.
Could a magic weapon control flames at two distant points at once?
The range was absurd. Hard to even discern at that distance.
Or perhaps...
"......Not two magic weapons, right?"
Lilia asked in a slightly trembling voice.