~Chapter 96~
Before I could even think, I instinctively used my magic. I deflected the object rushing toward me with a path of wind.
Then, once again, a stabbing pain pierced my heart, and nausea rose up.
“Rena!”
Calix, his face pale, reached out his hand to me. I grabbed it, stood up, and replied.
“I’m fine.”
“….”
I added lightly toward Calix, whose face was twisted in worry.
“We expected this much, didn’t we?”
“…Your nose is bleeding.”
“Where?”
I quickly wiped under my nose and saw the sticky red liquid on my fingers.
‘Damn it.’
But there was no time to wipe the blood. Attacks were still pouring down.
It was complete chaos. From invisible enemies, endless magic attacks fell on the knights. Sometimes they blocked them with swords or shields, but that only lasted for a moment.
At least on our side, I was holding off the attacks. But the Emperor’s knights were in terrible condition.
‘I guess there’s no choice.’
I sighed softly and stretched out my hand. Today, the feeling of magic draining from my fingertips felt especially strange. Calix looked displeased, but he didn’t stop me.
Soon, a massive barrier big enough to cover all of us spread forward. Only then did I press Calix’s handkerchief under my nose. I saw the knights gathering under the barrier, relief flashing across their faces.
‘…Hmph.’
The attacks that had been pouring endlessly stopped the moment the barrier spread. The enemy still hid in the darkness of the forest.
Invisible enemies were troublesome enough, but not knowing who they were made it worse.
‘But it’s obvious.’
Who else would do this?
‘Prenia.’
It could only be her.
‘And judging by what she’s doing, I see how she planned to fight me…’
“I get it now.”
It was obvious, yet clever. And in fact, my condition was getting rapidly worse. My magic was being cut off little by little.
“It’s a barrier.”
It was the same kind of barrier I had confirmed days ago on top of the bell tower. The kind that covered the entire mansion and blocked natural magic.
Calix replied in a firm voice to my calm words.
“I know.”
“….”
“Are you alright?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
“I’m really alright. For now, the ‘door’ is still open.”
I glanced behind us as I spoke, and Calix answered.
“But you’ll have to close it.”
“…There’s no choice.”
My tingling hands opened and closed restlessly. The strange feeling was unpleasant.
‘This is my first time feeling this.’
It felt like the magic inside me was running dry. Every time I used magic, pain came, like squeezing out the last of my power. These were the signs of magic exhaustion.
I never thought I’d experience magic depletion. If I was showing those signs, it meant the barrier had cut off almost all magic in this area.
I had expected this after what I saw at the bell tower, but facing it directly made me feel even worse.
‘There must be a barrier somewhere nearby.’
For now, it was still fine. The underground entrance overflowing with dragon’s magic was open.
But once the door closed and even that magic was cut off, true exhaustion would begin.
‘We must find the barrier before then.’
I waited for the nosebleed to stop and reviewed my plan.
‘It’s still fine.’
So it was alright.
* * *
Now that the wizard who defended them was dead, the knights barely had time to handle the constant magic attacks from afar. They were desperate, blocking them clumsily.
‘His Majesty gave an order…’
Randell, the knight commander, gritted his teeth as he cut arrows with his sword. At this rate, not only could they not kill Duke Hertio, but His Majesty himself might be in danger.
Then, above the knights’ heads, blue light began to shine.
‘A new attack?’
“Everyone be careful!”
A knight shouted. They raised their shields.
But when they looked up, they saw a pillar of fire flying toward them at incredible speed. It looked powerful enough to crush their defenses instantly.
‘Too late!’
Despair filled their eyes.
‘Tch…!’
They braced themselves.
Boom!
Suddenly, the pillar of fire shattered in midair against something invisible.
The knights stood in shock as the sound echoed and flames rained down like sparks. They froze, unable to even lower their shields.
“…?”
Above them, a barrier shimmered.
Randell finally realized whose magic it was. At the end of his sight, he saw Duke Hertio’s woman — the same woman who had opened the door His Majesty had entered.
For a moment, it even felt like their eyes met.
‘We owe her.’
Even though His Majesty had ordered their deaths, there was no denying she had just saved them. Randell nodded slightly in thanks, then turned his focus back.
‘We need to reorganize now.’
“Everyone, stay focused! His Majesty is behind us!”
But he knew this couldn’t last. In a magic battle, distance favored the wizards.
They had to close the gap. If they fell here, His Majesty would be left alone.
And even if they survived the attackers, they would still have to face Duke Hertio and his group next.
‘We need one decisive strike… if only we could stop those attacks for a moment.’
He bit his lip.
Just then, movement came from Duke Hertio’s side.
“…?”
Randell saw the Duke and his men quickly approaching them, using the barrier’s pause as cover.
He tensed for a second, then relaxed. It wasn’t the time to turn them into enemies — not yet. For now, they had to fight the unseen attackers together.
Duke Hertio came closer. Randell felt an odd sense of superiority when he saw the Duke’s tense face. The Duke asked anxiously:
“Do you have any idea about this situation?”
“No. Only that the enemy is a very skilled wizard.”
Calix Hertio frowned, looking troubled. Randell studied him.
Perhaps this was all Hertio’s plot. If so, his target was surely His Majesty.
‘That cannot happen.’
Randell was ready to defend the small door His Majesty had entered with his life.
“Do you, perhaps, have any guesses, Duke?”
Calix answered.
“I don’t know either.”
“….”
“But I think I know what the enemy wants.”
Randell stiffened.
“You know something?”
“The enemy killed the wizard first, when our defense was weak. To leave us without a countermeasure.”
That much, Randell already knew. Of the two wizards, one was dead, and the other was barely standing.
Whether she was really weak or pretending, he wasn’t sure.
Randell still suspected Hertio’s plot. But Calix spoke seriously:
“The problem is, only the imperial wizard was killed. My wizard wasn’t attacked.”
“What are you saying?”
“The enemy already knew His Majesty would be here. They also knew there would be an imperial wizard with him.”
Randell’s face hardened with rage. To him, the Duke’s words sounded shameless.
“Watch your words carefully.”
Calix’s voice stayed calm.
“Perhaps it’s not me, but your side that should be careful — since information may have leaked.”
“You dare…!”
Randell almost snapped back when a knight cried out:
“Commander!”
He looked up. The knight was pointing at the barrier. Cracks were slowly spreading along its edges.
“The barrier is breaking!”
Randell’s face darkened.
Meanwhile, Calix Hertio stayed calm, as if unfazed by the crisis.
Then he spoke:
“This will never end like this. We need to split our forces.”
“….”
“I’ll go after the wizard. You stay and protect His Majesty.”
Randell wanted to explode — how could he trust this man? But Calix spoke again, faster.
“You’ll have to trust me. Unless you want us all to die here.”
It was true. Randell hesitated, then decided.
“…Then take my men with you.”
“….”
“I’ll lead your wizard and knights myself.”
