Banquet 7
There was no way the banquet's seventh act could end. With that unshakable conviction, he unleashed his sword beam.
Queerix amplified aura and mana, but it didn't provide infinite power. He could see the mana visibly corroding Evan's body. This had to be the limit. That's why he'd used his mana blade with the intent to kill—from the very start.
Kwaaaaa—!
But then, something unexpected happened.
Up on the dais. In an instant, a blue light flickered, then shot out in the shape of a crescent moon. It struck just before the pure white sword beam could slam into Evan's body.
White mana clashed against blue aura in midair.
Kwang!
Jijijijijang!
"Kyaaak!"
"Aak!"
A fierce shockwave erupted from the point of impact. Every glass window in the banquet hall shattered.
Caught off guard by the sudden blast, nobles toppled over or ducked, shielding their faces with their arms.
'Aura blade.'
In the chaotic hall, Licht stared straight ahead.
There stood Abel, sword drawn, blocking Evan's path—he didn't know when he'd arrived. A faint ripple of shock passed over his eyes.
The blue glow cloaking his blade flickered erratically, mirroring the utter turmoil in its master's heart.
Abel spoke.
"Licht."
"......"
"You've won."
Licht scanned the surroundings. The commotion was already dying down. Everyone alternated their gazes between him and Abel.
The sudden white beam of light with no warning.
The blue aura blade that intercepted it.
Fragments of mana scattering through the air.
'No.'
At a single surge of will, he seized the mana fragments.
"......!"
Abel reacted the moment he sensed it.
Too late.
Arrows of light, each swelling and exploding in size, rained down on Abel's back.
Pabababak!
"Kuaak!"
"Wha...?"
Amella let out a dazed sound.
Evan lay sprawled on the floor, skewered like meat on a spit, screaming in agony.
Chiiik!
The fading white mana sizzled into his flesh, searing it like fire.
"Aak, aaaak!"
"Wh-what? What just happened?"
"Evan!!"
Amella burst through the nobles who couldn't keep up with the chaos.
But she halted abruptly.
The Ascension Sword, embedded in the floor, spun in a fierce circle through the air, tracing a boundary line.
Tak!
It flew straight to Licht and slipped naturally into his left hand.
Licht's eyelids lowered as he gazed down at the golden holy sword gripped in his fist. The Ascension Sword still emanated a chilling edge, utterly unscratched.
If anything, it felt even sharper than before.
The Azure Flower melted away into the air, and Licht smoothly sheathed the Ascension Sword as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He turned back to the dais.
"......"
The crown prince's mouth hung open, flapping wordlessly.
The other nobles were no different. Their eyes and gazes had completely shifted from moments ago, filled with shock and a mix of emotions.
Licht slowly turned his body.
"Uh...."
As the banquet hall doors swung open, two knights who had been fretting outside peeked in.
Licht ignored them and strode down the corridor.
No one dared stop him until his silhouette vanished into the darkness.
***
Stars poured down from the sky.
The sun had fully set before he knew it.
Licht walked through the meticulously tended garden outside.
Not a soul in sight—everyone must still be inside the banquet hall. A cold night breeze gently swept his bangs.
'Ah.'
The fierce rings spinning around his heart had finally settled.
Licht unraveled the temporary fifth ring he'd woven.
It no longer felt like his heart might burst. Just look at that mana blade—it had been fiercer than his duel with Bail, yet he'd matched a Swordmaster like Abel's aura blade without yielding an inch.
Temporarily linking three rings was one thing; overlaying a fourth was entirely different.
Tok.
A pebble caught underfoot rolled across the garden soil.
As Licht watched it for a moment, a question bubbled up in his mind.
'Why did he do that?'
The moment that final strike fizzled, victory was already decided.
Licht had never considered losing in the first place. He could have subdued him easily enough.
Yet he hadn't.
'Did I want to kill him?'
Maybe.
It had been reflexive. His body moved faster than his thoughts.
Weaving the fifth ring, then gathering the lingering mana fragments for that final blow—it was all instinct.
Abel hadn't reacted because of any flaw in his skill or realm. He couldn't have imagined Licht would fire a sword beam and use the scattered mana for a follow-up attack.
Even cast without incantation, spells took time to travel. A point-blank stab was faster.
The other nobles only noticed after Evan screamed—that said it all.
'Did he die?'
Who knew.
Licht's mana was different from other mages'. It carried the full imprint of his intent.
The sword beam, launched with killing intent, would burrow into flesh until death, burning the body relentlessly until it vanished completely.
No half-baked priest could heal that. Death wouldn't be surprising.
He'd have to endure the Queerix backlash too—like his former knight, Bail.
"Tomorrow, then."
Licht shook his head slightly, brushing off the stray thoughts.
He had no more business with the family.
He'd leave at dawn, before the sun rose.
Lifting his gaze, he saw the black sky densely studded with stars—like ink-black drawing paper unrolled with the Milky Way. It felt like plunging into a sea of stars.
'Beautiful.'
Licht loved the night.
Maybe because it matched his and his mother's black hair and eyes.
Back when he'd first left the family, lacking confidence in himself, the night had been a veil to hide him.
The chill breeze, the chirping crickets. The serene quiet of a sleeping world all around.
He loved it all.
'Silly me.'
Licht slowly closed his eyes.
He felt the night wind fully, washing over him.
An endless black ocean.
A lone traveler swimming the sea of stars, with moonlight as his companion....
"Licht!"
And his reverie shattered.
"......"
A girl had approached, breathless—he hadn't noticed her arrival. Her silver hair cascaded like flowing moonlight.
Blue eyes fixed on him.
Once she'd caught her breath, she spoke.
"How can you just leave like that?"
"Leave?"
"The family. You're going, right?"
"Yeah."
"When? Don't tell me now?"
"No, dawn tomorrow."
"That's not much time left!"
She puffed her cheeks as if to voice her complaint. For some reason, it was adorable, and Licht chuckled despite himself.
'I've changed too.'
Before, he wouldn't have given her the time of day. He'd have scowled in annoyance.
That month-plus in the family had changed much in the sword-obsessed Licht—without him even realizing.
Aila mumbled in bewilderment.
"You... I think that's the first time I've seen you smile for real."
"Is it?"
"Yeah. Totally."
"And? Hate it?"
"No...."
Her face drew closer.
Breath-touching distance.
Her eyes trembled fiercely.
He could see his own face faintly reflected in her pupils.
"H-hey!"
Aila shoved his chest.
"Are you crazy?"
"Why."
"What kind of guy just leans in like that! At least have some manners. Do you pull this on every girl?"
"No. Never have."
"......"
It was true.
Girls approached him first; he'd never initiated.
'She's fun to tease.'
Her reactions were so over-the-top.
In the faint light, her face seemed a bit flushed.
Licht turned toward the banquet hall.
Aila's gaze followed.
A few presences emerged from the building.
"That guy?"
"That guy? Oh."
Aila nodded slightly.
"Thanks to you, it's total chaos in there. Probably been carted off by now."
"Not mad?"
"Mad?"
"He's your fiancé, at least on paper. The guy who turned him into a rag is standing right here. Not pissed?"
"Oh, that."
Her eyes flicked upward, as if pondering.
"Kinda pitiful, but thinking about his usual crap... karma, I guess. Not really feeling much. He's someone else's problem now anyway."
"You say that awful easy."
"It's not wrong, though. And I'm leaving too."
"Leaving?"
"Yeah."
"Where to."
"El Sion. Been a while since I visited the mage tower. Figured with my fifth ring linked, it's time to see my master."
He'd momentarily forgotten.
Aila was now a 5th Circle high mage.
If word got out—the sole 7th Circle elder of the Barte faction, disciple of Shult Markersy, reaching 5th Circle at the youngest age in history—it would cause a stir.
Now it was Aila's turn to ask.
"Where you headed?"
"Me...."
Licht hesitated briefly.
The thought was fleeting. No need to hide it; honesty seemed fine.
Before, he wouldn't have even considered it. Another change.
"North. Heading north."
"North where? Don't tell me...."
As if guessing, she clamped her mouth shut.
Orkin.
Licht intended to go to the Orkin Empire.
He had questions.
Why she'd saved him over her brother.
What she was thinking.
He knew asking the past her was pointless, but he wanted to anyway.
And whether she truly had the power to turn back time.
"From Arhen to Orkin—that's insanely far."
"It is."
Even at a straight shot, nonstop day and night, it'd take over a month. Factoring variables, three months minimum even at best speed.
And the rough countries in between weren't few.
Skirting the Palenia Holy Kingdom north of Arhen, crossing the central Girga Kingdom and other nations, traversing the desert.
She said,
"Straight there? All the way to Orkin?"
"Not straight. Taking it slow."
"Slow...."
"Wherever my whims take me. Anywhere."
He could hit El Sion first. The Sage's Tower looming in the city center was said to hold the essence of the Great Sage Laiyel Ruerg, history's closest to 9th Circle. They wouldn't let just anyone in, but if he reached the top floor, it might greatly aid linking his ninth ring.
If not, straight to Palenia Holy Kingdom was fine too.
"Still don't get it... because of that Ascension Sword?"
"Nah."
"Then why."
Aila muttered, unconvinced.
Then she suddenly asked Licht,
"Oh, going to meet some girl?"
A playful question.
"......"
But Licht didn't answer.
It wasn't exactly wrong.
"...For real?"
Aila's mischievous smile chilled dramatically in an instant. Goosebumps-inducing.
"Seriously going all the way to Orkin for some girl?"
'Oops.'
How to explain.
She'd badly misunderstood.
The future emperor—currently the third imperial princess—and Licht had no connection whatsoever.
He'd never even seen her face.
Just pure curiosity.
What could the almighty Orkin Empress possibly lack that made her save him?
'Hard to say.'
I'm a regressor. I came back in time.
How do you even explain that?
No way she'd believe it anyway.
So Licht chose silence.
Aila snorted at his sealed lips.
"Don't wanna say? Fine. Let's see how long that high horse lasts."
"......"
"Ten years. Just ten. You're 4th Circle now, right? By then, I'll be 7th. You'll hear the name of Archmage Aila Pavria anywhere on the continent."
So.
"Get ready."
She stepped close and poked his nose with her slender index finger.
Her blue eyes sparkled brighter than ever.
In that moment, they shone like stars outdazzling any gem.
"...You'll never beat me."
As Aila stepped back, Licht instinctively furrowed his brow.
Her retort was childish beyond her years.
"We'll see then."
"For real?"
"Wanna bet?"
She extended her pinky toward him.
"Promise. Next time we meet, winner gets one wish. Anything."
"......"
"Scared?"
"Deal."
Their hands touched.
Pinkies intertwined.
"For real?"
A fleeting vow under the moonlight.
"Promise."
Aila beamed.
Her eyes gazing at him were purely, breathtakingly beautiful.
