Chapter 140
Chapter 140
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 140
Chapter Title: The Golden Rose Takes the Field
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On a lilac background, two golden roses intertwined—that proud emblem stitched onto the vigorously fluttering flag symbolized the Page Marquess house.
The prestige of the Page family, which traced its lineage to Emita Page—the progenitor of magic, whom Karenden had cherished like her own daughter—rivaled even that of the five great electoral houses.
And yet, why on earth was the Page house doing this now?
“What the hell are you doing?”
Seigen shouted, deeply irritated that his magic duel had been interrupted.
His opponent was Marquess Page, the current leader of the Magic Alliance. No matter that he was a Magic Tower Lord from one of the great houses, he had no business committing such rudeness out of mere anger.
But right now, all the justification and moral high ground belonged to Seigen.
“This bastard is a traitor who’s turned his blade on the Empire. Are you seriously protecting a traitor right now?”
“That’s right.”
For a moment, Seigen couldn’t believe his ears.
What? *That’s right*?
It wasn’t just Seigen—everyone present started murmuring in stunned confusion. The mages who had elevated Madelia to leadership of the Magic Alliance were hit the hardest.
“What...?”
“The head of the Page house and leader of the Magic Alliance...?”
“She’s defending a traitor...?”
Did that mean the Page house was behind this treason? If so, the impact on the Empire would be catastrophic, like a natural disaster of heavenly proportions.
As Madelia Page led her cavalry down the hill, the silence was so absolute that not even a cough could be heard—only the thunder of hooves filled the air.
The mounted ranks fluttering golden roses soon arrived at the spot where the ground had been warped by the empire’s elite mages, encircling the boy and girl protectively.
Overcome with joy, Kasena spurred her horse forward with a burst of laughter.
“Mom! Mom! I have so many stories to tell you! You know, I—”
Madelia merely gave her daughter—a girl she hadn’t seen in nearly half a year—a single cold glance before turning her horse back toward the imperial forces.
“What’s wrong? Mom’s acting weird.”
Kasena asked the Magic Tower guards and knights who had served her since childhood, but they gave no answer, as if they’d rehearsed it.
“Mom? Did you say *Mom*?”
Seigen’s eyes widened as he spotted Kasena—who had thrown back her hood—her lilac hair gleaming vividly.
“Kasena? No way, that girl’s supposed to be dead. But if that’s really her, then the black-haired one must be...”
At that moment, Aki’s Abat Gauge—which steadily depleted in Rain’s absence until it hit critical, unleashing her wails—bottomed out, and tears welled in her eyes.
“Wah... wah... waaaaaah!”
No one in that moment could soothe Aki’s cries. No one except Rain.
Rain rushed over, took Aki from Kasena, and patted her back. Her sobs stopped instantly, as if they’d never happened.
“Don’t cry. Come on, stop it. You’re supposed to be tough, remember? What’s with all these waterworks every chance you get?”
“Ughhh...”
“Dry those tears! How long were we apart, anyway?”
The bizarre scene sparked odd—perhaps reasonable—questions among the onlookers.
“What...?”
“Miss Kasena with a baby?”
“When the hell did she even give birth?”
Before they could dwell on the mystery, the situation hurtled toward its climax.
With Madelia’s cavalry intervening, the imperial forces swiftly formed a crane-wing formation to surround them. Judging Rain and Kasena in danger, Griffion led his beastkin warriors down the hill.
Prince Raida Eijin’s side, where the Empire’s Minister of War Yorhan oversaw command of the imperial army, turned pale with shock as he bellowed.
“Marquess Madelia! What you’re doing is blatant treason! If you don’t halt those beasts’ advance, prepare for bloodshed!”
“Wait, hold on!”
The nightmare scenario unfolding so suddenly filled Rain with bone-chilling terror, freezing him in place.
“Shut your mouth, you traitor! If those beasts don’t stop, I’ll unleash a full assault and turn this whole area to ash! Got it?”
No sooner had the order fallen than archers nocked arrows, and siege boulders were loaded onto field catapults.
In that hyperventilating haze where his vision whitened and everything slowed, for some reason...
Barlzen’s final smile flashed in his mind, cooling his head like ice water.
“...They’re not beasts.”
This couldn’t happen. It *really* couldn’t. In the moment emotion overrode reason, realization dawned.
Three hundred years ago, mages had looked down on and dismissed me, but I hadn’t gotten mad—Rista had exploded in rage instead.
He’d wondered why back then, but now he dimly understood her feelings.
“What did you say?”
“I said beastkin aren’t beasts!”
“What nonsense...?”
“They have fur and beast-like features, sure... but that’s not a curse—it’s a blessing! Proof of the great sacrifices they’ve made for humanity!”
His furious roar echoed across the mire, and incredibly, the beastkin warriors’ advance halted.
Until now, no one had ever said that.
No human had ever spoken up for beastkin like that—or raged on their behalf against other humans. The warriors felt their eyes burn hot.
“Absurd! Everyone in this land knows what those beasts are!”
“Apologize. For insulting their honor. If you don’t... I’ll have no choice but to regard you as enemies.”
In that instant, the boy’s eyes gleamed coldly, unleashing an absolute presence that froze the air—no, the entire atmosphere.
From the far mire, ancient magical beasts fled in terrified cries... Soldiers gripping weapons felt chills creep through their hands, breath catching in their throats.
For mages with high mana sensitivity, the terror bordered on panic.
“What *is* that...?”
“A dragon...?”
A transcendent being beyond cognition’s horizon, infinite mana manifesting as a draconic silhouette rising like a cliff behind the boy—that absolute origin.
Unlike the mages drenched in cold sweat, breaths ragged, the mana-blind Minister of War bellowed on.
“Fine! Try it! The Empire’s facing endless abyssal threats, order crumbling—we can’t accelerate the crisis by letting beastkin cross the barrier!”
“...!”
“We don’t know when another Black Sun Incident might strike! No compromises, even against the Page house. As the Empire’s shield and sword, we’ll annihilate you here!”
Archers yanked at bowstrings the instant the order dropped... but what?
They wouldn’t budge.
The strings felt several times heavier than usual. Like pulling iron bars instead of bowstrings.
“Apologize already! They’re not beasts! They’re humans just like us!”
Invisible fingers tugged the strings backward. Bow Star Leoren, spotting the reason at once, raised his brows in shock.
“Wide-area telekinesis control?”
Controlling that many archers’ bows with telekinesis?
In that instant, the runes Kasena Page traced in midair bore strokes neither Madelia nor Seigen had ever seen—like simplified dragon tongue.
What was that power, and how had she gained it?
“Their very bodies are proof of the curse—what nonsense are you spouting!”
The traitors’ brazenness was so absurd the Minister of War let out a hollow laugh as he shouted. The boy countered with a passionate roar.
“For a hundred years, beastkin have guarded the seal beyond the barrier in humanity’s stead! They could’ve crossed anytime they wanted! Why else endure that cursed land of nothing but cold and the undead!”
“...!”
“And you mentioned abyssal threats—exactly! With human wisdom and beastkin strength united, wouldn’t we handle future dangers far better?”
“What...?”
“They’re saying the beastkin could be allies?”
Murmurs of confusion rippled through the ranks, leaving the Minister of War gasping.
“Minister, maybe hear them out? Couldn’t hurt.”
Bow Star Leoren suggested casually, and the Minister’s face flushed purple with rage.
“Sophistry! Don’t be fooled! The Abyss always seduces hearts before devouring souls!”
“...!”
“Letting beastkin into Empire soil will unleash another Black Sun massacre! Too late then! By His Majesty’s command, we exterminate them here!”
He thrust up his baton, signal flags rising everywhere.
The whole army charge signal... Infantry leveled spears in unison, knights drew swords with a deadly scrape of steel on leather—tense metallic rasps exploding.
*This is the worst,* Rain thought. The fight with the Magic Tower Lord was just to draw eyes before talking.
One moment of unchecked emotion, and now the worst-case scenario: battling the imperial army. As Rain bit his lip...
“Enough. I’ll hear them out.”
The voice rang clear and commanding over the brink of chaos, silencing it instantly.
Crown Prince Raida Eijin.
The young prince raised a hand, and soldiers peeled sweat-slick grips from weapons, awed by his regal authority.
“Your Highness, hearing them out... You can’t be swayed by Abyss-worshipping lies!”
Ignoring the Minister’s desperate cries, the prince spurred forward. Thirty cavalry, including Bow Star Leoren, followed.
Madelia—who’d awaited only this—rode toward the prince.
In the silence, Raida and Madelia finally met at the midpoint. Madelia bowed her head in formal greeting first.
“Your Highness.”
“Marquess Madelia. Care to explain what’s happening here?”
“That’s not for me to say. Rain Ludwig can explain.”
Crown Prince Raida’s gaze shifted past Madelia’s shoulder to Rain Ludwig, soothing Aki.
Rain Ludwig... So it *was* him. But why bring beastkin down and commit treason?
Even the Magic Tower Lord—now standing behind the prince—widened his eyes.
“Rain Ludwig? That grandson of old man Skalji’s I saw ten years ago—he’s grown *that* much?”
He’d heard rumors that the Ludwig heir was making a name at Delaiten rivaling his grandfather and father.
But what?
He’d also heard the heir died in the Black Sun Incident, funeral and all.
“Whatever. Ghost or not, doesn’t matter.”
The real question was how he’d reached Brain Chamber Blood Release at that age... Their duel had been pure magic. Could they go again? Without interruptions.
“You’re saying even *you* don’t know the full situation, Marquess?”
“That’s correct.”
“And yet you defend him?”
“Yes. Moreover, I—and the Page house—take full responsibility for whatever Rain says to Your Highness, promises, or stakes.”
Crown Prince Raida could hardly believe it, prompting a double-take.
“Marquess, are you serious?”
Taking full responsibility... when Rain hadn’t even spoken? A blank check.
Or perhaps a life-or-death guarantee...
But Madelia knew the beastkin’s true nature. Emita Page’s diary—passed secretly to Page heirs—said as much.
“I know Rain Ludwig’s character, skill, and insight well. I trust him absolutely.”
“...!”
“He wouldn’t bring beastkin for treason. There must be profound reason. Please, Your Highness—hear him and judge.”
*Hmmm...*
Raida stroked his chin thoughtfully, then nodded.
“Very well. Bring him. I’ll listen and decide.”
Rain, barely settling Aki in her swaddling, had no time to catch his breath before approaching Madelia and the prince.
He offered a formal court bow for the first time in ages, but with Aki in his arms, it came off awkward and off-kilter.
Special Mage Corps wizards moved to call it out, but Raida silenced them with a hand.
“Long time no see, Rain Ludwig.”
Rain couldn’t help but be flustered by the prince’s friendly tone. Long time?
“You wouldn’t remember—of course. But I remember you clearly. Delaiten’s finals.”
“An honor, Your Highness.”
“So? You’re branded a traitor for inciting beastkin to breach the barrier and rebel against the Empire. We thought you died in the Black Sun Incident. Why orchestrate this?”
The prince’s once-friendly eyes now sharpened like a blade at his chest.
Rain had heard as much from adventurers, but facing the Crown Prince’s interrogation felt like the guillotine on his neck.
He had to proceed carefully, calmly. This was the Holy Human Empire’s heir apparent.
“Treason? Perish the thought. You know my house and I have no reason for such...”
“That’s why I’m asking. Why risk seditious words to bring beastkin into Empire soil?”
“Your Highness, if I may presume—beastkin aren’t cursed creatures. They’re beings to whom *you*, representing the Empire, should offer thanks.”
Everyone gasped. What had this punk just said to the Empire’s Crown Prince? Isaka of the Special Mage Corps shouted.
“Such insolence—!”
“—I’ll handle this. Stand down.”
“But Your Highness!”
“Must I say it twice? Fall back fifteen paces. I’ll speak alone.”
Under the Crown Prince’s authority, his escorts—including Bow Star and the Magic Tower Lord—retreated fifteen paces.
“I should thank beastkin on the Empire’s behalf?”
“Yes.”
“Give me one reason. I’ll judge if it’s presumptuous after. Go on, wizard—entrance me like before.”