Chapter 101. Why should I?
‘Just what…….’
In the distance, Shine stared ahead with trembling eyes.
Gwooooh—!
The air howled. The air in every direction grew scorching hot, and even the dark clouds in that sky were swallowed by flames and scattered into nothing.
A truly overwhelming sight.
“…….”
Oberon looked as though he’d even forgotten how to breathe, staring blankly as he took in the pillar of fire.
Blue lightning scattering across the battlefield. Even that was an utter rapture.
Could there be anything more beautiful than that?
No—absolutely not.
Magical power. Its pure, original nature. Drawing it out exactly as it is and packing it with destruction—that was the blue lightning Oberon had seen.
But then, what in the world was that?
Sasak, sasasak—
The fine hairs all over him stood on end. The Mana in the area writhed, all for the sake of a single spell.
As if the whole world had gained a will of its own, and that will was being expressed through Mana.
A blaze burning with ferocity.
Gwoooohhhhh—!
That cry was like the voice of the world scraping and spitting itself out. No—it was like the boiling fury vomited up by some great being.
[Saennim! Can’t you pull yourself together!]
“……Ah!”
At Shine’s thunder-like voice, Oberon’s eyes snapped back into focus.
“S-sorry…….”
[……Tsk.]
Shine clicked her tongue, displeased.
Still, it wasn’t as if she couldn’t understand.
‘Even I…….’
For an instant, it had been chilling enough. So for Saennim, whose realm was far lower, how much worse would it be?
And weren’t mages, more than even knights, the ones most sensitive to the flow of Mana?
Maybe, for mages, that sight alone could become an awakening—something that draws it out as a catalyst.
But—
[There’s no time to be spacing out. Didn’t I tell you? He’s already at his limit.]
“Yes, understood.”
[If you don’t want the guy you call ‘senior’ to die, then get a grip.]
Saying that, Shine started walking.
With a half-dazed Oberon following behind, Shine lifted her eyes to the pillar of fire.
‘What in the world…… is going on.’
Just a little while ago.
Shine first sensed something off right around the time Destrow’s sagi (邪氣) began to whip into a frenzy.
Purple mist blanketing the battlefield, and blue lightning thrusting up through it—the clash of momentum was fierce, but from a certain moment on, the blue lightning stopped being visible.
At that moment, Shine guessed that something had happened to him.
So she hurried her steps to save Aster, and then—what was this?
- Ureureung!
A single line of thunder roared across the sky. Immediately after, a monstrous bolt of lightning slammed down into the earth.
It wasn’t an ordinary bolt.
Like divine punishment (神罰)—as if a heavenly god had sent it down to punish a being on the ground—it carried a ferocious force.
That was when it began.
- Geugeuk!
The earth convulsed and screamed, and a storm raged with an overwhelming force that seemed ready to tear everything apart.
And now……
‘……Did he drag up the fires of hell or something?’
Considering his character, he deserved to fall into hell. So maybe, while his breath stopped for a moment, he stole a single thread of hellfire and came back.
Of course, that was nonsense. But there was a reason she could only think that way.
‘What kind of spell carries such an ominous will?’
As if it was designed solely to erase something, it was violently savage beyond measure.
Yet not even a speck of malice (惡意) was mixed into it. How strange was that?
And another thought came to her.
‘Maybe…….’
If it was that spell—
‘……could it be possible?’
Destrow. No matter how great that existence was, its power still wasn’t whole.
In ancient times, they hadn’t been able to erase it and had only managed to seal it, but how long had Destrow been sealed?
A vast span of time, so distant it wasn’t even recorded in history.
Naturally, its power must have been lost by that amount of time.
Then……
With that spell, couldn’t a weakened Destrow be annihilated? That was the hope.
But that was only a hopeful wish.
‘Beyond this…… is dangerous.’
It was a terrifying spell.
Even to Shine, who knew nothing of magic, that spell was something special.
But could that vile bastard really endure a spell like that? No matter what, he had to be pushing out power beyond his own limits.
And what if Destrow was perfectly fine?
They couldn’t just let the one who fought alone die like a dog.
Whether they could pull him away from Destrow or not, they couldn’t just sit there sucking on their thumbs.
[…….]
So Shine, enduring the scorching heat, took one step, then another, toward Aster.
But—
[……Damn it.]
Shine let out a low sigh.
[This…… weak-as-hell body.]
She couldn’t endure the heat. No—if it were only heat, she would’ve forced her steps in somehow.
The problem was the will packed into those flames. That will raged and lashed about, shaking the already unstable vessel.
“Haaak, ha…….”
Even Oberon was panting harshly—when a voice came, right then.
“I will ask you one thing.”
Saaah—
A strange voice. In an instant, the heat that had been swallowing everything scattered—whoosh!—and vanished.
[……Who are you?]
At the sudden appearance, Shine’s hand went to the sword hilt.
A short little body. The scabbard dragged along the ground, making for a rather ridiculous sight, but the force contained in the stance was anything but ridiculous.
Yet, as if it were laughable—
“What an adorable dead one, indeed? But the moment you draw that sword, I will not forgive you.”
The stranger gave a snort of laughter.
[Stop spouting bullshit and tell me who you are.]
As Shine bristled and pressed the other, the Archduchess’s eyes flicked—whoosh—and landed on Oberon.
“Boy, is your name Oberon?”
“……It is. But you are…….”
“I cannot reveal my name. Today’s visit is, in its own way, a secret. Still, I possess the power to wipe out a mere dead one (亡者) as easily as breathing…… yes. You may call me a dependable ally.”
Truly arrogant words.
But those blue eyes—and the nobility even in her breath—elevated that arrogance into a noble dignity.
“I ask again. The owner of those flames—Sakwol (朔月). The one who inherited that proof—was that my impudent disciple?”
“That…… yes.”
“Hm, indeed…….”
With languid eyes, the Archduchess took in the scene ahead.
‘That mad teacher…… made an impossible monster.’
You could tell just by looking.
Those flames—how much meaning was embedded within them, and how powerful a will had been bestowed.
As a sharp glint briefly passed through the Archduchess’s languid eyes—
“E-excuse me……!”
At Oberon’s call, the Archduchess gathered her thoughts. The light that had lived in her eyes vanished without a trace. Once again, languid eyes.
“……?”
“……Please help us.”
Oberon bowed his head to the Archduchess and pleaded.
“We have to…… save senior.”
“Save him? Why? Boy, you are weak. And yet, you—weak as you are—say you will save someone? Surely you do not mean that monster of a disciple of mine?”
The Archduchess asked as if she truly couldn’t understand.
[Tsk, blue-eyed brat. That’s not it.]
“Blue-eyed, you say…… what a fresh form of address. The crime deserves death, but…….”
A sharp gaze swept over Shine.
“Still, you are already dead, so I will allow it. Now, speak.”
As the Archduchess waved it off, Shine clicked her tongue.
‘The attitude…….’
If she was his disciple…… then she shared the same master as that vile bastard? No wonder—her attitude was unrivaled, just like his.
But what could she do?
What mattered right now wasn’t that.
[He’s at his limit. If I had to guess…… yes, it seems he broke through the wall of enlightenment in his fight with Destrow. Even so, that spell isn’t ordinary. It’s not something that vile bastard can handle.]
“……Hm.”
The Archduchess tilted her head as if interested.
[So, if—when that spell ends—Destrow is still alive…….]
“You mean, we should grab that impudent disciple and run?”
[……Yes. That’s it.]
“Hmm. Why should I?”
[……?]
At the unexpected answer, Shine tilted her head, baffled—only for a moment.
[……!]
An overwhelming killing intent surged in an instant. As Shine reflexively moved to draw—
“I am joking. Yes, as his senior disciple—well, not the only one…… but I cannot simply watch a disciple die.”
The Archduchess withdrew her pressure. Still, Shine stared at her through the burning flames.
‘……A joke?’
It wasn’t a joke.
Those who had reached a realm could give rise to killing intent through sheer will, but the killing intent she’d felt for a split second was not something that could be manufactured—there was true murderous intent (殺意) packed into it.
“Do not worry, dead one. I swear upon my name. Even if I kill him, it will not be now.”
[……She’s insane.]
What use was “swearing upon your name” when you wouldn’t even say what it was?
Disciples—both of them were crazy.
“Still……. It seems I will not need to help.”
[……?]
As Shine frowned in confusion, the Archduchess pointed with her hand toward where Aster was.
And there—
“Look. The flames have vanished, have they not?”
Melted earth. Only that remained.
[……Don’t tell me?]
A bad premonition flashed through Shine’s mind.
There was nothing.
Not a trace of sagi (邪氣) remained, and even Aster’s presence had disappeared.
“N-no way. Senior…….”
Even as Oberon realized it a beat late, the Archduchess’s voice rang in their ears.
“He still clings to life.”
[……?]
“You cannot sense him? Well…… that may be. His very nature is rather covert.”
Du-dung-sil—
As her words ended, a single human-shaped doll (人形) floated up into the air.
“S-senior!”
[……!]
At the sight of Aster being dragged along unconscious, Oberon cried out.
Gray hair. The Sakwol mask. Just by the clothes he wore, it was obvious.
As Oberon shouted in delighted relief—
‘……Hm.’
The Archduchess, drawing Aster closer with magical power, tilted her head slightly.
‘Somehow…… he looks young.’
She couldn’t guess his age, but one glance was enough. The air coming off that frame was that of a boy.
When Aster returned to the group’s side—
Step.
[Move your eyes, you crazy bitch.]
Shine stepped in front, blocking her. At that, the Archduchess let out a quiet chuckle.
“Did I not promise? That I would not touch him. Well, I do want to take that mask off and see……. But I made my vow, so I will endure. So there is nothing to worry about, you timid dead one.”
[…….]
Shine stared at her for a moment, then flicked her gaze to Oberon.
[Saennim, his condition?]
“His condition is…….”
Oberon checked Aster’s state with pulse-reading and his Insight Eye.
“……It’s a mess.”
Aster’s condition was severe.
How should he put it?
It was like a body that had been overworked for decades. His circuits, his core—nothing was intact.
‘……There don’t seem to be external wounds.’
Strangely, only the organs related to magical power were in ruins.
“Hm, even if I read his pulse…….”
[Get lost, you crazy bitch.]
“What an amusing dead one you are.”
The Archduchess had edged closer to Aster, but at Shine’s vigilance, she had no choice but to step back.
[Can he be treated?]
“……Yes. He is not in immediate danger. And as it happens, my teacher has herbs that are very effective for internal injuries…….”
[Hoo.]
Only then did Shine exhale in relief. As if all strength had left her, she crouched down.
[……Truly, you’re a troublesome bastard.]
Truly, her heart had dropped into her stomach. No—she didn’t have a heart that could drop, but that was how it felt.
‘He’s rude and vile, but…….’
How should she say it? She didn’t want to see him die.
When he was right in front of her, she wanted to smash his skull in, but when he wasn’t, it felt like it would be boring.
‘If it’s like this…… I can leave without regrets.’
Well, honestly, even if Aster died, she’d planned to leave anyway.
It didn’t mean she would end her life as a Death Knight.
Maybe…… she would look for the traces of the long-vanished House Lehmann (家).
Though she doubted she could even find its grave—still, even a traitor like herself had a corpse left intact, so surely an innocent family would have at least some trace left.
[Then, now…….]
With one hand, Shine slung Aster up over her shoulder. And just as she was about to say, ‘……Let’s go.’
Kkiik?
[……?]
An unpleasant noise, coming from somewhere.
Kkigigigigigigigigigigigigiik—!
[Kkh—!]
“Mm!”
The surroundings filled with a discordant sound that instinctively provoked disgust.
“……Wretched.”
With a single gesture, the Archduchess calmed the discord—yet the change didn’t end there.
Hwiriririk—
Purple fog surged in from all sides.
The sagi (邪氣) they’d thought had vanished was sucked down into a pit, and then some presence rose slowly up from within.
Pajeujeuk, pajeuk.
A colorless body formed out of the gathered sagi.
<Wh-where…… are you going?>
The Emperor fixed his gaze—half-regenerated body, only one eye—on Aster, limp and hanging.
<Even though…… I am still here……?>
In that eye, vivid fury flared.
