kscans

Chapter 75 - The King Imprisoned by the Magic Furnace

The story goes back to a time before Ariel went missing.

Ariel had known for a long time. The king’s condition was growing stranger and stranger.

It all started with the Magic Furnace. It was the very heart of this country. In a nation of science, it would be like a further evolution of nuclear power generation. The device used the cores of monsters as fuel to produce an immense amount of magic, which had enriched the country and strengthened its soldiers.

Originally, it was a system that merely redirected the surplus magic from subjugated monsters to the magical tools of the nobility. But it expanded to the scale of cities, and then the entire nation. Now, the single Magic Furnace built on Sacred Peak Mountain could supply the whole country.

"...So why does His Majesty command me to build more?"

The furnace on Sacred Peak Mountain was operating at one hundred percent capacity. Frankly, even without running it that much, there was enough magic for the citizens to live on. In fact, there was a surplus.

And yet, the king commanded further expansion. What did he intend to do with all that excess magic. Ariel could not understand.

Naturally, building more furnaces meant more fuel would be needed. Small monsters would not be enough. They would have to hunt down every last monster, large and legendary alike.

But even with the current situation, Ariel was having a hard time dealing with the abnormal monster outbreaks. Deep within the Tree Sea, hidden by recognition-inhibiting magic, a stampede was pressing right up against the border. If it broke through, the country would fall into a panic, and the damage would be immeasurable. What’s more, a part of the cause lay with Ariel herself.

It was because I acted without thinking, simply following orders to subjugate countless monsters, creating more alchemical items, and making it possible for even non-mages to hunt them. The accumulation of those actions led to this current abnormal situation.

The guilt weighed heavily on her chest. Still, Ariel could not defy the king.

She was "a being bought by the state." The king’s command was absolute. From a young age, it had been hammered into her that she was the "property of the nation."

Moreover, the king now knew of her relationship with Darius and the existence of her adopted daughter, Mireille. The slightest defiance would put them both in danger.

So, she had no choice but to follow his orders. That is what she had always believed.

...Or so she had thought.

"To create magic... you’ll kill all the monsters? Will that truly protect the country?"

For the first time, a "doubt" sprouted deep in her heart. If things continued like this, she would eventually trigger a large-scale stampede that would engulf Darius and Mireille as well.

She mustered her courage and tried to offer the king her counsel. But all that came back was not a reason or an answer, but only the insult, "You are useless."

I learned about society from Adrian, received affection from Darius, and gained a reason to protect in Mireille.

So, from a certain point on, I could no longer kill people as a "weapon." I could only protect them.

In the king’s eyes, that just made me useless.

"Build at least five more Magic Furnaces. Learn from Rainer the magician. ...You should be ashamed."

Rainer was difficult to be around. He was always trying to probe my magic. I would defend against it and push him back, but the feeling of it creeping through my veins was unbearably disgusting.

But I could not anger the king any further. I had no choice. I nodded yes.

And then.

"If Darius hadn’t gotten caught up with a woman like you, he would have lived a happy life without being looked down upon. I pity my brother."

Those words were the most painful of all. To be told that Darius’s unhappiness was her fault.

This had been happening day after day.