Chapter 59
Kwaaaang!
The flow was cut off, and the condensed power lost its path.
The gathered force exploded, and Elta’s sword shattered.
“Aaaargh!”
Her arms, which had been holding the sword, were torn apart by the blast.
Elta, who had taken her own failed attack head-on, collapsed onto the ground.
“No… not yet… it can’t end like this…”
Before her eyes, a cold blade appeared.
Unlike Elta, who was in shambles, Ariel still stood tall and composed.
The sword gleamed pure white in the darkness.
After Elta fell, knights rushed in at the sound of the explosion, and everything was quickly wrapped up.
The knights who had stayed in the secret chamber for the aftermath froze at the sight of the writhing dark gate on the floor.
“Wow… that Count Reven’s daughter… she’s got guts. To have hidden something like this inside the fortress.”
As the knights moved about, the gate, which felt like it was alive, emitted a beast’s growl whenever it sensed the presence of the living.
“Hey, hey. Don’t get close. It’s dangerous.”
“So how do we shut this gate?”
“I heard experts from the Imperial Palace are on their way. Don’t mess with it and get yourselves eaten—just keep watch in case something comes through.”
“If a monster can come through, doesn’t that mean this is seriously dangerous?”
“Exactly. We’ve been living right on top of a ticking time bomb without knowing it.”
“Then the young lady basically saved all of us?”
“Of course! Oh, right—you didn’t see the scene yourself, did you?”
The knight recalling Ariel’s figure broke into a proud smile.
“Damn, you should’ve been there to see it! It was incredible. When we got down there, Count Reven’s daughter was collapsed, and the young lady was standing there all alone…”
His eyes grew hazy as he replayed the memory.
When they had first rushed in after hearing the explosion, the moment the door opened, dense dark energy had engulfed them.
Those who lacked sufficient skill had dropped to their knees, retching under its pressure.
The knights had exchanged tense looks and drawn their swords.
Whatever was inside had to be a grave threat.
But what they saw was not what they expected.
The place bore signs of a fierce battle.
Sword marks scarred the walls and floor.
Every chair and bookcase had been reduced to splinters.
And in the middle of the wreckage, Ariel stood alone, sword in hand.
Though she was a full head shorter than most of them—a child, really—the lofty, overwhelming presence she exuded filled the entire chamber.
Shing.
The sound of her sheathing her blade snapped the knights out of their trance.
Her voice was calm, almost impossibly so for someone who had just survived such a dangerous fight.
“What are you all staring at? There’s still much to learn. Take her away and bind her with a magic suppressor at once.”
Only then did the knights move cautiously toward Elta.
A knight gasped when he saw the blackened spot where Elta had stood and the nearby dark gate.
“Th-the darkness…!”
“She’s unconscious, so there’s no need to worry.”
At Ariel’s composed reply, the knights couldn’t help but glance back and forth between her and Elta.
They knew it was rude, but they couldn’t stop themselves.
No one understood the peril of dark magic more than frontline knights.
Even breathing normally became difficult near it—so who could possibly oppose such endlessly surging power?
“C-could it be that you handled her yourself, my lady…?”
Ariel turned to them with a detached gaze.
Her eyes said plainly: If not me, then who else?
The knights suddenly noticed once more—while Elta was a wreck, Ariel bore not a single wound aside from her torn clothing.
“H-how… how in the world did you subdue her…?”
“I cut off the flow of her mana.”
Though Ariel stated it simply, the knights could hardly accept it.
In theory, it was possible.
But theory and practice were worlds apart.
Controlling one’s own mana was already difficult.
To read the flow of another’s mana and sever it?
Impossible unless one had achieved complete mastery.
“And yet, she’s so young…”
Knights revered martial skill above all.
Their eyes brimmed with reverence and admiration for Ariel.
But Ariel, as if unaware of their gazes, simply issued instructions for the cleanup before leaving with Saren.
The knights couldn’t take their eyes off her small back until it disappeared from sight.
Saren had regained consciousness in the middle of Ariel and Elta’s battle.
He was the only one who had truly witnessed Ariel fight.
Ever since, his mind had been filled with nothing but the image of her.
Even as the physician examined him for injuries, he could barely stand not seeing her.
Leaning against the bed, he thought to himself:
“…She was beautiful.”
When the sword wrapped in blue light had swung, Saren felt as if the world itself had stopped.
And when her red eyes flashed between her flowing blue hair, everything about her struck him as impossibly beautiful.
As he lingered on the memory, Ariel’s voice suddenly rang out.
“How is your body?”
Startled, he turned—and she was actually there.
“I’m fine.”
Despite his answer, Ariel carefully examined his condition.
If he had been hurt while helping her, she wouldn’t rest easy.
At last, satisfied, she sat on the chair beside his bed.
“That’s a relief.”
Saren’s lips moved soundlessly.
He wanted to ask something.
It was a question that had gnawed at him ever since he replayed the battle in his mind.
How was Ariel so unaffected within the darkness?
Strong knights and mages could still move in dense dark energy, but Ariel had been beyond that.
She looked… accustomed. Completely free, even.
Had she fought often within such darkness?
Why?
If I ask, will she tell me?
After a moment, he answered himself.
No. She’ll only be wary.
Whatever it was, she clearly didn’t want to reveal it.
If he pried, he’d only push her away.
He didn’t know what secret she held, but in the end, it didn’t matter.
I’m already in love, so what does it matter?
Even hearing her casually mention that she had contacted the Duke of Clasta filled him with energy.
Could she be a spirit? That would explain how unbelievably pretty and adorable she is…
Whatever her secret, there was no gain in uncovering it.
So he made up his mind.
I’ll become Emperor.
If he became Emperor, he could protect Ariel no matter what.
Of course, things would be easier if she helped him, but he had no such intention.
If she helped, she’d think that’s the only reason I fell for her. I can’t let my first love think something so cruel.
Instead of confessing, he held Ariel’s hand.
Looking at her with a serious expression, he said:
“Ariel, you’re…”
She tilted her head in puzzlement.
The sight made his heart overflow.
“…you’re too cute.”
Ariel frowned.
“Judging by the nonsense you’re spouting, you must be fully healed. I’ll be going now.”
Seeing her stand, Saren quickly grabbed his head.
“Ah—must be the aftereffects from when I fainted… my head…”
Ariel gave him a look that said she wasn’t buying it, but Saren pressed on.
“I think I’ll recover faster if you stay. Are you really going to leave?”
“Whether I stay or not, your recovery speed won’t change much.”
“No, you’re so cute that my heart beats faster. And if my heart beats faster, my body heals quicker.”
Saren shamelessly spouted nonsense.
When Ariel didn’t react, he let his eyes glisten with tears and looked up at her.
“You’re really leaving? Really…? I’ve been waiting all day for you…”
On anyone else, such words would have seemed laughable.
But from someone so lovely, tearful eyes could move even the most stone-hearted.
Ariel knew it was nonsense, but she wasn’t cold enough to ignore someone begging in tears.
At last, she sighed and sat back down.
“Fine. I’ll stay for 30 minutes, then I’m leaving.”
“Alright.”
Saren immediately brightened and once again clasped her hand.
Ariel let him, deciding to treat it as tending to a patient.
“I mean it—just 30 minutes.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Yet the way he carefully intertwined his fingers with hers made it obvious he’d try more tricks once the time was up.
Meanwhile, news of the incident reached Duke Clasta on his campaign.
The moment he received the messenger hawk, he spurred his horse and raced to the fortress.
“Ariel!”
Hearing his thunderous voice, Ariel flinched.
She suddenly remembered: before coming here, she had promised the Duke she wouldn’t cause any trouble.
“So here you are.”
When Ariel slowly turned, Duke Clasta was striding toward her, jaw clenched in fury.
But I had no choice…
How could she have left something as dangerous as a dark gate alone?
Even so, she decided to prostrate herself first.
She knew well enough—when someone was angry, her reasons didn’t matter.
She’d learned that the hard way, countless times.
Clenching her eyes shut, Ariel shouted:
“I-I’m sorry!”
