Chapter 72
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Frozen Blood (5)
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The Gatras moved quite fast, but they couldn't match the casting speed of imperial magic, driven purely by mana and will.
From about four paces away, the Gatras charging toward me transformed into red crystals and shattered.
The scattering droplets of blood became another weapon, engulfing the other Gatras.
In that moment, the forgotten sensations of battle began resurfacing one by one, accompanied by the exhilarating thump of my heart.
As I clenched and unclenched my right hand, five sharp crystal arrows crackled into being in midair.
Red arrows pierced the necks of five Gatras.
Crystals bloom from within!
The red arrows spread crystallization magic through their bodies.
Red crystals swelled like blooming flowers from inside the Gatras' bodies.
Including the three nearby struck by blood droplets, eight Gatras were instantly engulfed in red crystals.
Crunch.
Massive crystals, tinged dark crimson from mingling with black blood, sprouted in all directions.
The sight held no beauty or grandeur. It reeked of blood, sent chills down the spine, and turned the stomach.
The last remaining Gatra collapsed to the ground, emitting a pitiful "Kieek" wail.
A blood droplet on its tail had crystallized its lower body, yet it still clung to life.
I formed a crystal shard, gripped it, and drove it into its skull, severing its breath.
The crystal embedded in the Gatra's head drank the blood, swelling in an instant to my full height.
"Impressive, Lib."
Barkus's voice rang out far too close.
He stared up at the carnage I'd wrought, eyes rapt with ecstasy.
"You're truly something. Amazing."
"Not at all. Stay back—it's dangerous."
I dispelled the magic while backpedaling in the direction opposite Barkus.
As the red crystals crumbled one by one, their mana flowed back to me.
Even recovering the mana, anxiety gnawed at me—might some blind shard linger?
"Quite the spectacle. Are all Prius mages this formidable?"
Duke Lesis crept closer slyly.
His family knights ringed him protectively, though their faces betrayed raw fear.
The duke clutched Clemence's arm in a vise grip—protection or restraint, hard to tell.
Wedin, too, was pinned by two family knights. He writhed irritably but couldn't wrench free his arms held behind.
The knights clearly despised our free movement.
"Thanks for dispatching the Gatras. With the threat gone, obey my commands meekly."
At the duke's words, the family knights began encircling me and Barkus, inching closer.
Yet fear filled the knights' gazes upon me; they dared not close beyond a safe distance.
They're afraid of me...
I was certain. Drawing mana anew, I raised my right hand.
Twelve crystal arrows materialized in the air; the knights' fear iced over into outright terror. Their advance halted dead.
I locked eyes with the duke.
"You should follow my orders. Release my friends. And don't dream of using us."
The duke's face stiffened like stone.
I fought the urge to glance at Clemence, frozen like ice beside him—or divine her thoughts.
No, Clemence. I'd never use this...
"Enough games. You can't harm us."
"You don't know what I can do. No need to belabor how I just eradicated every Gatra."
Gazes flicked to the Gatra corpses strewn behind me.
Terror gripped them for they knew not how the magic wrought its havoc, nor if I commanded it fully.
All they grasped: the Gatras that harried them fell in a blink.
"...Understood. Very well."
The duke exhaled heavily, releasing Clemence's arm.
Her face ghostly pale, she edged toward me bit by bit.
The knights gripping Wedin followed suit, letting him loose.
Wedin shook out his arms with a huff, distancing himself from the knights.
"There—released. Your move?"
The duke lifted both arms toward me inquiringly.
"We're heading back to Flavia. Lead on. We'll trail you."
"Fine, fine. As you wish."
The duke spoke in utter defeat, waving the knights back. They sheathed blades and clustered at his side.
I watched briefly, relief washing over me as I eased the magic away. Crystal arrows dissolved one by one.
"Well played, Lib. That duke won't dare act out now."
Barkus clapped my shoulder.
I remained tense, yet Barkus lounged as if all peril had passed.
"Best keep those red arrows primed from afar. Till Flavia, at least. Can't trust what those schemers might try next. ...Ah."
Barkus twitched, sensing something, and drew forth the cherished red flower box from his bosom.
Unlike before, mana converged upon the box.
"A reply! My message must've landed! Need to check."
Thrilled, Barkus clutched the box and strode to the plaza's far side.
Too far—dangerous; I moved to halt him, but Wedin and Clemence closed in.
"Lib, you! This how a mage handles things?!"
Wedin seized my collar roughly, face flushed with fury.
I flashed a wry smile, gently prying his hand free.
"No one got hurt, so it's fine. Duke won't manhandle us now."
"Not the point! You were... off, somehow..."
"No need to state the obvious."
I shifted from Wedin's bewildered face to Clemence.
She stood, hands clasped white-knuckled, expression fraught with unease.
Her pallor boded ill. Situation left no choice.
"Clemence, you alright?"
"Lib..."
"I mean—no plans to hurt your father or the knights. That was just..."
I had to voice it, yet Clemence shook her head rigidly.
"I know."
"Ah, kids. Hate to cut in."
Duke Lesis intruded abruptly.
He'd closed to mere steps unnoticed.
I jolted, hand snapping up.
Instinct summoned mana; the duke yelped "Whoa!", palms raised soothingly.
"W-what?"
"One thing to mention."
The duke gestured to the plaza's left flank.
Barkus stood back-turned at the deep pit's brink, engrossed in the red flower box.
So fixated, he missed a family knight unsheathing and stalking from behind...
"That one's not joining us."
The knight neared and cleaved down without pause.
Blood arced skyward.
Barkus uttered no cry. His form plummeted limply into the plaza's ruined pit.
"Mr. Barkus!"
Clemence shrieked; I shouldered the duke aside, bolting to Barkus.
Barkus sprawled in the plaza's sunken pit.
The footing crumbled as I stepped near; I tumbled sliding into the depths.
No breath for pain. Groaning, I shoved up from the ground.
My palms gleamed red.
I crawled close to fallen Barkus.
"Mr. Barkus."
"L-Lib...?"
Barkus lay bleeding from nape and back, gazing up blankly.
Face bespoke utter confusion at the turn.
Despair surged; I wadded his robe, jamming it to the nape gash. Blood saturated it swiftly.
"It's fine—Wedin's heal coming right up."
Dread churning, I peered pitward.
Depth matched my height.
Tumbled down, yet scalable somehow.
"Wedin!"
Desperate cry; Wedin emerged languidly.
"Wedin, Barkus is bad—hurry..."
Words tumbled frantic, but Wedin froze, face askew.
Two knights clamped him from behind.
Wedin squirmed futilely.
"Told you—that one's not coming."
Duke Lesis sighed down upon the pit, upon us.
"Father! What have you done!"
Clemence bellowed; the duke summoned knights to seize her.
They hauled her from view. Her "Father!" wail, near-scream, dwindled.
Friends recaptured. Must rescue—yet my staunching hand stuck fast.
Hurry, treat somehow.
Holy magic mends grave wounds, yet no miracle—limits stark.
"L-Lib. I'm okay."
Barkus clutched my hand. Dumbstruck visage, uncomprehending.
My grip slackened an instant; rallying, I clamped the wound anew.
"Not okay! You'll die!"
"No, fine, I said... See, box fell..."
Barkus pawed the earth.
Beside his smeared blood, a ways off: red flower box, lid agape.
Dying, yet that mattered.
"Not the time..."
Words died.
Viscous pool ringed the red flower box: thick fluid caught my eye.
Not Barkus's blood.
Darker far, wafting sinister mana.
It oozed ceaseless from the box.
Black tide lapped our feet anon.
T-this...
Eyes beheld, belief balked.
"N-no... Precious magic scattering. Must reseal the box."
Barkus scooped at the black slurry.
Pressing his nape, I wrenched his face mineward—blood loss unhinged him.
"Snap to, Mr. Barkus! This—magical beast blood. Dragon blood!"
"Kaela's reply."
The pooled black—mana-reeking dragon blood—froze.
Crackling, the blood lifts and condenses.
Finger-sized black echronium forms—a gem of endless ominous mana.
Crackling resounded; pooled blood levitated, shrinking to finger-lump.
Gem-like: black echronium, forged of dragon's blood.
Boundless ill mana vortexed within.
"Beautiful..."
Barkus beheld the hovering black echronium before him, entranced.
Freezing cracked anew.
Residual black blood iced into script.
‘Eat.’
Elegant calligraphy, terse.
Barkus, devoid of doubt or pause, devoured the black echronium.