kscans

Chapter 116 - The Humiliating Magic Furnace

In the passage leading to the Magic Furnace on the third floor. Rainer, the captain of the Mage Order, who had been gazing entranced at the sleeping Ariel, frowned at the disturbance coming from below.

He would not allow anything to come between Ariel and himself. He had even kept the comings and goings of mages to a minimum.

Moreover, Ariel’s current condition was far from good. For that to be revealed would be like showing his own lack of ability, a humiliation.

"It’s your fault for not waking up sooner."

Lately, it had become his habit to confirm her groans by slapping her face. He gave her a light smack and stood up.

He had to find out what was happening.

In that moment, DOKAN! A violent explosion. The door was blown off its hinges.

Standing beyond the smoke were young soldiers and… Darius.

"See, because of you, unwanted guests have arrived."

Darius’s gaze fixed on Ariel, and he instinctively started to run to her. A young knight stopped him with a shout.

"Are you my opponent?" Rainer narrowed his eyes. Who was this kid again?

"Ah, I thought I recognized you. You’re that kid from the First Knight Order."

Rainer couldn't care less about people's movements. He didn't know that Leonhard had become the captain of the Tree Sea Defense Force, nor did he care who had replaced Ariel.

"You’re Rainer, captain of the Mage Order," Leonhard confirmed.

"I am."

This was not amusing.

He had thought he could crush Darius in front of Ariel. This man was in the way.

"This is a coup d'état. We are taking control of the Magic Furnace!" Leonhard readied his sword.

"You fool. Do you really think you can beat me with a sword?"

Rainer conjured a tornado in front of him and slammed it down.

Be gone!

But Leonhard swung his sword once, neutralizing the tornado.

Rainer frowned. An attribute sword? Even so, a sword that could block his power…

He glanced at Ariel, and anger welled up inside him. Only you could make a sword like that.

"You interfere with me to the very end…!"

Blinded by rage, he was overcome with the urge to attack Ariel. Leonhard did not miss that moment of opportunity.

His sword, layered with maximum wind and fire, closed in with great force. At close range, a sword had the advantage over magic.

He hurriedly deployed a defense. He swatted away the pillar of fire, but the sword attacks kept coming, one after another.

He parried one and sent Leonhard flying.

"Idiot!"

He immediately slammed an attack into Leonhard’s stomach. It’s over, he thought.

But it only scorched his abdomen, it wasn't a fatal wound. The Moonshadow Wolf fur had blocked it with a ju sound.

"You’re still standing…!" Leonhard gripped his sword again.

The battle continued. But then, the light from the Magic Furnace flickered and dimmed.

"…The magic is… failing!?"

The mana supply to the royal capital had stopped. This was bad. At this rate, the King would…

"I have to end this quickly!"

Rainer unleashed a blast of magic at Leonhard’s neck. His shield shattered, and Leonhard groaned.

Yes! The next one will be fatal. He raised his staff, but just then.

"Not… yet!"

Leonhard slammed a gust of wind at him and simultaneously poured a High Potion into his mouth. What is that! His eyes widened at the restorative power.

"That’s… a High Potion!? Why is it here…"

(Ariel is here, she shouldn't be able to make them.)

"Give that to me!!"

The moment Rainer tried to lunge forward…

DON. A torrent of rage exploded.

"Rainer!!"

Darius charged, sending Rainer’s body flying. An unseen rain of magic poured down, riddling his body like a beehive.

What happened? He couldn’t understand. He could only see Darius’s anger shimmering like a magical heat haze.

When he came to, he found that sword piercing through him.

Am I defeated? By Darius. By a noble. And by Ariel…

He could never win against her, even in the end. With that thought, Rainer died.