Firnen's Fall
“I only worked for the city, didn't I?”
The immediate searches of the city hall and mansion turned up nothing. Firnen, now brimming with confidence, let out a mocking sneer. Leon, standing before her, nodded calmly.
“No physical evidence of wrongdoing was found. We can't prove guilt like this.”
“You're more reasonable than I thought. Feel free to investigate further, but you won't haul me off without clear proof.”
-?
-Huh?
-What now?
-Too bad
-Total flop-
-Sigh...
The viewers reacted with baffled disappointment to the anticlimactic vibe. But the situation wasn't over yet.
“Vice-Captain!”
As Firnen turned to leave, a voice rang out. She whipped around to see a knight rushing over, cradling a wooden box.
“All collected, sir!”
The knight saluted before Leon and began unpacking the contents.
“...?”
Item after item emerged—familiar books, parchments, crystal orbs, and documents that drew Firnen's eye. Sensing something off, she stepped closer. Her uneasy hunch hit home.
“H-how did you...!”
All incriminating evidence from Ifrit had been moved elsewhere: a secret warehouse under Artua family control, known to only a handful. No way intel like that leaked to the Royal Knights.
“Good work. This proves Firnen de Artua, mayor of Ifrit, guilty beyond doubt.”
Leon nodded after inspecting the evidence. His matter-of-fact declaration ignited Firnen's fury.
“You... what the hell did you do?”
“We investigated the evidence site based on a tip.”
“Bullshit! That's not a place scum like you can just waltz into!”
Firnen huffed hot breaths, fuming. But Leon wasn't one to entertain her tantrum.
“Firnen de Artua, you'll face a full investigation based on this secured evidence. We'll prepare to transport you to the capital.”
“D-don't touch me! Do you know who I am? Firnen of the Artua family!”
-And it flips like that. lol
-Self-intro tier 1.
-Bye now~
-Brooke thrilled about his new cellmate? Upvote.
Writhing Firnen was swiftly bound by the knights. As she was loaded into the transport carriage, Leon issued one more order.
“Take Mayor Firnen straight to the Captain. Show him the evidence too—he'll ensure an investigation free of Artua interference.”
“Yes, sir!”
The knights and soldiers saluted and moved out. Watching them go, Leon approached Hanbit.
“Black Dragon, you've done us a great service again. Without you, we'd have lost a key city like Ifrit. On behalf of the Raven Kingdom's knights—who should have done this ourselves—I offer my sincere thanks.”
His bow conveyed genuine respect. Straightening up, she asked,
“How did you find Firnen's hiding spot? Even in Artua territory, it's hard to access.”
“Bollibo's intel. He'd been tailing her for ages and noticed she was extra cautious heading there.”
“I see. Understood.”
Leon nodded, his gaze shifting behind Hanbit. A woman in a white coat stood there.
“That's the Holy Nation scientist Isis you mentioned.”
“Yeah. She's in rough shape now, but she'll bounce back soon.”
Isis, lingering behind, looked deeply depressed. Her movements restricted triple-fold, she couldn't observe the monster wave in detail. Seeing the yeti return as a corpse had nearly broken her—her burning curiosity about its changes and power-up left unsatisfied.
“The monster wave probe starts now. Since the scientist's unstable, can she stay under your protection until then?”
“Of course. I've got my own leads to chase anyway.”
“Thank you. We'll head out.”
Leon saluted and departed with his men toward the gates. Kim Jaeha sidled up, puzzled.
“What just happened? Didn't Firnen destroy the evidence herself?”
Busy mastering Dwarf Blacksmithing, he'd missed the twists.
Hanbit shook his head. “Not destroyed—mostly hidden. Those trade docs are her lifeline.”
Firnen had vanished before the final monster wave, scrubbing evidence in anticipation of the knights. But she couldn't cut her family's funding lifeline, so she left traces.
“Ahem.”
Bollibo cleared his throat beside them. Hanbit smirked and added,
“He provided the hideout location and her secret trade routes. Huge merit.”
“Damn right. I tailed that bitch forever for this.”
-Helpful guy after all!
-Gotta earn his keep.
-Info) Wave defense funded entirely by Bollibo.
-Oh yeah.
-Don't jinx it;
Bollibo puffed up at the long-awaited recognition. Always spying for business leverage, he'd handed it all to Leon.
“It's really... over.”
Jinook didn't watch his captured sister. No guilt, no pity—just resolve. He'd testify truthfully as a witness.
“I'll assist the vice-captain. Unfamiliar terrain's tough to map.”
Assigning himself, he headed to the gates. Few remained: Zenon and the adventurers, Gorik and the dwarves, all busy with city repairs.
“Why hasn't the episode ended? Mayor's caught.”
Kim Jaeha voiced the obvious question. But one key player was left.
“Ends after Leon takes Isis. Ifrit's theme was Firnen and the monster wave.”
Firnen's antics stood out, but Isis was major too. Hanbit eyed the brooding scientist, then the towering red magic tower.
“We're heading to the magic lab.”
***
“Share research with this woman?”
Lab director Lebius stared incredulously at Isis. He knew she triggered the monster wave—and was Holy Nation.
“She's really from the Holy Nation?”
Nia peeked over from sorting books.
Hanbit eyed the slumped, bespectacled scientist. “No faith or anything. Just a madwoman who loves research.”
“Uh...”
Nia backed away at “madwoman,” then pretended to ignore and resumed sorting.
-lololol
-Straight facts.
-Avoid crazies.
Harmless, but clearly unsettling for Nia. Lebius sighed.
“So, what do you mean by sharing my research?”
“Her unique perspective could help. Conventional methods hit walls.”
“...”
He couldn't refute limits. His unfinished research proved his own shortcomings—he'd passed the grimoire to the spirit-using Black Dragon. If he saw potential in a Holy Nation scientist, it held weight.
“She can really break through?”
“Won't stagnate at least. Worth a shot.”
“...Hm.”
Lebius pondered briefly, then relented. “Fine. With your guarantee, we'll try.”
“Thanks. Here's the grimoire first.”
Hanbit pulled the thick tome from inventory and approached Isis, still moping.
“Read this.”
“What's the point? A scientist too dumb to watch her own research...”
-Denial max
-Voice cracking. lol
-Freaking out over not seeing monster deaths, real talk
Isis muttered in her deflated tone. She'd recover soon, but no time to wait.
“Read and talk. It's on spirit research.”
“Spirits?”
One word snapped her head up. She snatched the grimoire and devoured it.
“Oh... intriguing approach? Atmospheric mana flow shift makes sense. I had my own hypothesis...”
She muttered alone, engrossed. Lebius watched warily at first, but soon leaned in, exchanging views.
“Another way: mana stones in patterns to trace strong flows.”
“Not bad. But fixating one point's too basic. Nature's elements favor random patterns...”
Their debate flowed naturally into Isis's sparks.
“Mind if I jot this? Fun tweak potential!”
Finished, she grabbed a nearby magic pen and scribbled across the grimoire.
Scribble-scribble—
Beaming with joy, she filled the last blank page, closing it with mixed bliss and regret.
“This has huge potential! More spirit knowledge and I could've perfected it!”
“...You already edited my grimoire?”
“Original direction was off. So! Applied what I felt studying Spirit King Glacier's ice! Can't cast myself—zero magic talent.”
Stunned Lebius, casual Isis. Hanbit inspected the tome.
'What changed?'
Edits alter spells—could fail or birth new ones. Might differ from his Element Amplification.
“Testing it.”
Whoosh—
Hand on cover, he flipped it open. A gold-bordered hologram appeared.
[Use? (Yes/No)]
-Huh?
-Isn't it already used?
-Why gold again?
-Bug.
-Hand on report button.
-Grimoire not vanishing was bugged from start.
Viewers cried bug. But Hanbit, sensing otherwise, tapped Yes.
Ding—
The hologram vanished. Messages followed.
[Hidden spirit skill Attribute Manifestation (3-rank Epic) deleted.]
[Hidden skill Element Amplification (4-rank Epic) deleted.]
[Hidden spirit skill Element Awakening (5-rank Epic) added.]