Do Your Own Revolution

#011.

Bang-! Bang–!

The head of House Elcidore, Lupeon Elcidore.

The founder of the Revolutionary Army, Maximilien de Lascol.

When the magic cast by these two mages collided, a tremendous shock that shook the entire city reverberated through.

“Damn it, what kind of magic is this…!”

“Everyone maintain distance! Getting involved means death!”

Though the situation seemed evenly matched, neither we nor the knights nearby could rashly intervene in that battle.

A wave of magical power that even Knifehead, let alone knights with third-tier imprints, couldn’t withstand.

Careless intervention would leave nothing of our bodies.

“Huu-!”

Lupeon, who had been unleashing magic, took a moment to catch his breath.

His magic imprint, ‘Rider of the Ice Prison.’

The Elcidore magic that commanded cold was transforming the surrounding area into a pure white frozen wasteland.

The well-paved road was splitting, unable to withstand Lupeon’s cold.

If a foot were to touch that area, the cold penetrating through shoes would tear apart every blood vessel in the body.

“Pierce through!”

With a short incantation, he launched dozens of Ice Spears.

It was the same technique as the Ice Spear implanted in me, but the issue was their size.

Each one was overwhelmingly large, no different from siege ballistas.

A direct hit would leave no remains.

“Tch!”

However, despite deploying such powerful magic, Lupeon’s expression wasn’t bright.

Walking leisurely through the smoke was the Revolutionary Army’s founder, Maximilien.

Even while facing the head of House Elcidore, he maintained his composure while keeping Claude hidden behind him.

“Wings of Crimson…”

Seeing the red energy flowing from his right arm, Lupeon ground his teeth and spoke.

“A magic imprint stolen from the Imperial archives, I see.”

“Spare me the petty talk about not using stolen things. You couldn’t use this imprint anyway, could you?”

“How dare you!”

As Lupeon’s face contorted and he tried to use magic again, Maximilien aimed the gun he was holding.

Flames burst forth as he pulled the trigger.

Lupeon’s half-formed Ice Spears were caught in the flames and vanished without a trace.

“Tch!”

“Hahaha! Your expression is quite something to behold, noble sir! Things not going quite as planned, are they?!”

The cold that had dominated the space couldn’t threaten Maximilien.

The flames from his gun barrel thoroughly dismantled Lupeon’s magic.

The battle that had initially seemed even was gradually tilting in Maximilien’s favor.

‘Their output is almost equal, and their skill levels are matched… But the compatibility isn’t good.’

Watching their battle from a distance, I thought to myself.

Lupeon’s magic imprint, ‘Rider of the Ice Prison,’ possessed ice attributes.

In contrast, Maximilien’s magic imprint had fire attributes.

Moreover, since those ‘Wings of Crimson’ would be a key item for defeating Lupeon in Chapter 7, it was natural that Lupeon was being pushed back.

After exchanging another round of magic, the distance between Lupeon and Maximilien widened.

Both sides had consumed significant magical power, giving them a moment to catch their breath.

So now, it was time for the Knifehead and the Knight Order to step in.

“Haaah-!”

As Lupeon raised his hand, the knights he had brought immediately charged toward Maximilien.

While Knifehead was also taking battle positions, I instead raised my head to look at the sky.

If the leader had shown himself here personally…

There was no way ‘that ship’ wouldn’t come.

“Argh?!”

“What! Where did that come from?!”

What intercepted between the knights and Maximilien wasn’t magic.

High-explosive bombs dropped from the sky.

Lupeon frowned and, like me, raised his head to look up at the sky.

Like lifting a veil, an airship appeared in the empty space.

A black gas envelope and twelve cannons attached to the hull.

And a red wing emblem carved in the middle of the gas envelope.

“The Liberty…”

A small airship with magical power concealment, the Liberty.

This would be the airship that would serve as the protagonist’s base while traveling the world in the future.

“So that’s why they fled to the airfield of all places.”

With Ben’s words that sounded like a sigh, all twelve cannons mounted on the airship aimed at us.

And the next moment.

A volley of fire without the slightest deviation began tearing apart the ground where the knights and we stood, ravaging the earth.

Sirens blared throughout the Belkers territory, and searchlights from defensive positions illuminated the airship above.

“Hahaha! Now this is what I call perfect timing?!”

As Maximilien’s magic imprint glowed with his hearty laugh, Lupeon gritted his teeth at the sight.

“Are you running away!”

“Of course I’m running! We’ve gotten everything we came for, so why stay?”

A red magic circle appeared beneath his feet.

As the spatial coordinates inscribed on the airship were input, the light of the magic circle grew increasingly bright.

Spatial movement.

One of the forbidden magics impossible to use in the Empire.

“Ah, and one more thing before I leave.”

As the technique finally activated, Maximilien’s face, which had been smirking the whole time, hardened.

“The grudge of our comrades you killed today will definitely be paid for with your blood.”

“……”

Was this anger that hadn’t shown during the battle finally erupting?

Maximilien’s face was overflowing with killing intent as he looked at Lupeon.

“Remember this, Lupeon Elcidore. The flames of revolution…!”

With a red flash, Maximilien’s figure vanished.

Though he disappeared before finishing his last words, I knew what would have followed.

“The flames of revolution will surely return.”

A phrase he would repeatedly utter like a habit in the game, and something that was like the Revolutionary Army’s identity itself.

While I was recalling those words from my memory, Lupeon ground his teeth and shouted at the knights.

“What are the anti-air watchers doing! Shoot down that airship now!”

As if responding to Lupeon’s shout, anti-aircraft guns installed throughout the territory opened fire.

They had enough firepower to destroy a small airship, but sadly, it was too late.

A red spherical barrier enveloping the airship.

Maximilien inside had deployed a barrier.

Though Lupeon immediately created Ice Spears and aimed at the airship, their Liberty had already ascended above the clouds and disappeared.

“Tch, they got away.”

In the end, Lupeon had no choice but to dispel his magic with a rough gesture.

Combat terminated.

All that remained were the bodies of Revolutionary Army members, Knifehead members, and the knights Maximilien had killed.

“Burken!”

“Y-Yes, Lord!”

Lupeon, covering his face with his hand, called for Knight Order Commander Burken.

The moment he stepped forward, Lupeon’s clenched fist struck Burken’s face right there.

Cold energy still lingered in his hand.

As the magically frozen skin burst open, his face became covered in blood.

“I clearly ordered the Knight Order not to move. So why were you and your subordinates out here?”

“Th-That is…!”

“I didn’t ask to hear excuses. Useless.”

Having said his piece, Lupeon waved his hand as if he couldn’t stand the sight.

The Knight Order would be going through some changes soon.

As I heard a senior member muttering that, Supervisor Ben bowed his head to Lupeon as the next in line.

“We failed to secure Young Master Claude. I deeply apologize.”

“It’s fine. We couldn’t have expected the Revolutionary Army’s leader to come personally, so this is fortunate in our misfortune.”

Unlike with Burken, no physical punishment came.

Instead, Lupeon shook his head and suppressed his rising anger.

“The raid on the Revolutionary Army’s hideout was excellent. At least now there won’t be revolutionary newspapers and such trash circulating in Belkers.”

“……”

“Plus, we killed their captain and staff officer, and captured many Revolutionary Army internal members as prisoners… This achievement is enough to cover the failure.”

“Thank you for your generosity.”

“Hmm.”

Lupeon was a villain, but not an incompetent one, and certainly not someone ruled by emotions.

Looking at it properly, letting Maximilien escape was the responsibility of him, the family head. Unlike other corrupt nobles, he wouldn’t use this as an excuse to kill me and Knifehead.

“My Lord. Then, regarding the successor position…”

“Though talents like Claude are rare, there’s no need to obsess over it.”

To Ben’s question, Lupeon waved his hand dismissively.

“Prepare the next successor within a month. This time, I’ll educate them properly.”

“I’ll begin the search immediately.”

Having given his instructions, Lupeon turned and walked toward the mansion.

The knights followed behind him, while I and the Knifehead members lowered our bodies to show respect to the family head.

Meanwhile, Lupeon’s footsteps toward the mansion stopped at one point.

Keeping my head bowed but raising my gaze slightly, I could see the hem of Lupeon’s premium boots.

‘What the hell.’

He should just go to the mansion quietly, why did he suddenly stop in front of me?

As I was thinking this, Lupeon’s voice was directed at me.

“Raise your head.”

Damn, he really was talking to me.

I immediately raised my head and met Lupeon’s eyes.

Lupeon, who had been quietly observing my face, lowered himself and removed the gas mask I was wearing.

“As I thought, it was you.”

A cold gaze, like appraising a fine horse.

Though I got goosebumps, I spoke to Lupeon without changing my expression.

“Knifehead 41st Generation, Eugene Lorentz. It’s an honor that you remember…”

Before I could finish speaking, Lupeon’s hand seized my chin.

“Hmm…”

Lupeon examining my eyes, turning my face this way and that.

But this was brief, and he released his grip on my face without saying anything particular.

“I thought perhaps, but the magical power wavelength doesn’t match. This one can’t be used.”

After saying these cryptic words, Lupeon patted my shoulder as if commending my achievement.

“Continue to serve Elcidore faithfully.”

“I will serve with my life.”

“Yes, that’s how it should be.”

Having finished our brief conversation, Lupeon walked toward the mansion.

There was a hint of disappointment in his voice.

But the moment I heard those words about not being able to use me, I felt both relief and terror simultaneously.

‘Damn, that was really close to being screwed.’

Why did Lupeon choose Claude as his successor?

Claude, who had different personality, different ideology, and even harbored grudges against him.

And when such a Claude escaped, he said he’d choose a new successor within a month?

This was behavior incomprehensible from the perspective of ordinary nobles.

But I knew.

What the word ‘successor’ meant in House Elcidore.

And the real reason why Claude risked his life to escape the family.

‘Fortunately, I avoided becoming a lab rat.’

I had just nearly had my body taken by Lupeon.