chapter 27
From the top of the Great Grove Mountain, Leo looked up at Countess Hermery.
‘Also. I thought you would come here if you had listened to me then.’
At the royal palace, the king made a mistake.
It was said that he had obtained the legacy of the great king of karst in Daesilim Mountain.
But that was what Leo had been aiming for and induced from the beginning.
Because Countess Ermeri was not far away.
It was because she thought there was no way she wouldn’t hear it.
‘Since she met me at Great Forest Mountain, she must have had reasonable suspicions.’
And, due to the nature of Countess Ermery, she thought she would move to Great Forest Mountain.
Because of this, Leo immediately used the right to freely enter and exit the royal palace, and came here first.
As he thought about it, Leo slightly frowned.
‘But that’s right, I must have left a few hours early and arrived almost the same. This fucking stamina.’
She would have had to move after finishing the schedule of the Imperial delegation, so she would have left late at night.
Leo knew that and set off a long time ago, but arrived just a little while ago.
This was possible at least because he used the technique of putting mana on his toes and spurring them.
If it wasn’t for that, he would have reached the top of the mountain much later than she, panting.
“Leo low? Why is the lowering here… ?”
She looked uncommonly flustered.
Leo calmed himself down and replied with a smile.
“Did you forget? You promised to reward me if I won the match earlier.”
Then Countess Hermery’s eyes narrowed.
“… It definitely did.”
“That’s why I purposely followed the Countess.”
“Just because you want to learn magic from me?”
“Yes.”
“… … .”
It’s an excuse that is full of loopholes and makes no sense.
However, Countess Ermeri was trying hard to read Leo’s intentions with a calm expression.
Again, a named character.
He must have been quite flustered, but he quickly regained his composure.
The initial embarrassment was nowhere to be found.
Leo shrugged.
“Well, it’s nothing else, it’s Countess Ermeri’s arcane magic, isn’t it? Of course, we have to work hard like this.”
“Hmm. Those who are learning better things than me are greedy.”
He asked how he learned the frost breath.
Leo, of course, ignored it.
“Oh, and there are things that I’m personally curious about.”
“curiosity?”
“Yes. No matter how much I think about it, I can’t understand it.”
Leo tapped his temple and opened his mouth casually.
“I wondered why the branch manager of the Casein Guild, who had escaped before the sweep operation, returned to the capital of our Kingdom of Rome.”
“… … !?”
Belena’s eyes widened.
“No matter how much I think about it, I can’t understand it, so I’m going to ask myself.”
“… … .”
“Why are you back here, Countess Hermery?”
Leo grinned.
Belena said nothing.
Instead, a red aura slowly filled her eyes.
She opened her mouth slightly, looking around.
“… I’m not sure what you’re talking about. Casein Guild? Why are you bringing up the story of the branch manager of that criminal group?”
“Are you pretending not to know? Oh, you’re careful with what you say in case there’s someone else here besides me.”
Leo let out a chuckle.
“Do not worry. I’m the only one now. As a reward for winning this confrontation, I asked my father for permission to go outside alone.”
“… Alone?”
“Well, I’m not completely alone, but since I’ve revealed my destination, the escort knights will come soon enough.”
Hearing that far, Belena’s eyes were filled with life.
“Huh. So you’re saying that you’re the only one here right now?”
“Yes, that’s right. Countess Hermery. No, should I say the head of the Casein Guild?”
“… You guys really don’t believe what other people say. I have nothing to do with that group of criminals.”
– Hard.
She continued, wriggling her fingers.
“And really, even if what you said was correct, you would reveal it in front of me. Aren’t you too fearless?”
“Please. I just did the obvious thing.”
“matter of course?”
“Although I am curious as a wizard. As a prince, a member of the royal family, I met the head of a group of criminals who harmed the country, how could I just let it go?”
“Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho!”
she burst into laughter.
At the same time, her eyes changed.
It was clear that he had decided on something.
“Courage is imaginary, but I guess I need to teach you the wisdom of life.”
“Well. Is there any wisdom in life to be learned from criminals?”
Bellena raised her hand.
Red mana energy exploded from her hand.
At the same time, a thick life began to fill the surroundings.
“Let’s see if that courage shows up the same even in a situation right before death.”
An eerie voice echoed across the summit of Great Forest Mountain.
* * *
‘Whoa… . Let’s concentrate.’
Leo sighed calmly.
Facing the angry Belena, Leo tried to keep his composure as much as possible.
The battle now is completely different from Carlos in the daytime.
Bellena’s level is 5 ranks.
He is a ‘tetra class’ mage.
There was a huge difference between him and Leo, who was still only a 3rd class and had not even received the title of mage.
Objectively, Leo can never be her opponent.
If we go 1-on-1, we won’t be able to last for a few minutes.
Of course, Leo was not a suicidal person.
He valued his own life more than anyone else.
He came here because he judged that he had a chance.
– Hwareuk!
Flames gathered at Belena’s fingertips and transformed into a large snake.
“die.”
A serpent of flame shot through the air at Leo.
Leo didn’t dodge.
Standing in place, I stared at the magic.
And then, just before hitting… .
– Knock.
Small icicles were inserted between the magical structural formulas.
-Pagagak!
At the same time, the magic that seemed powerful disappeared in the air.
Belena looked at Leo in amazement.
With just one glance, she saw through his trick.
“Did you poke the gap between the magic formulas? How did you do it?”
Now I don’t even say formal honorifics.
Instead of answering, Leo flicked his hand.
A spear of ice was created in the air and shot towards Belena.
– Wedges!
Flame snakes surged up around Belena, shattering the flying spears.
– Kwaaang!
Among the shattered ice shards, Belena made an impression.
“If an adult asks a question, you have to answer. Unleash a random attack? Is the level of etiquette education in the royal family just that much?”
“… … .”
‘Will you answer me that I am crazy?’
The reason Leo was able to break her magic was simple.
This is because you have already ‘seen’ the same structure several times.
‘The essential structural formula is almost the same as the Carlos I met during the day.’
Belena and Carlos have a priestly relationship no matter what.
Since Carlos learned magic from her, the structural formula underlying it has no choice but to resemble.
Of course, Bellana’s magic is much higher level and more complex.
However, the underlying skeleton is similar.
He is a Leo who can see the flow of mana one by one.
I had already watched and dealt with Carlos as my practice partner several times, so I was able to show sufficient effectiveness against Belena.
‘Of course, it’s impossible to deal perfectly with just this.’
No matter how much they attack the structural formula, there is a difference of two ranks between Leo and her.
Perhaps, after going through a few more episodes, he will respond by rewriting the magic formula.
Belena was a wizard with enough abilities to do so.
– Damn it.
‘So second. Concentrate on defense using the freezing structure.’
Ice armor formed over Leo’s body.
Armor that completely protects the entire body except for the two pupils.
Instead of a weapon, a large shield appeared near both hands.
‘I don’t need a weapon. I can’t even hold it and wield it anyway.’
I’d rather layer my shields and focus more on defense.
Leo looked at Belena from behind the shield wall.
Bellena laughed.
“Is that the one you saw during the day? yes. Where, I’ll evaluate the frozen structure of the famous great wizard, King Karst.”
Since it was a magic recorded in history, I could figure out what it was just by looking at its form.
Huge flames shot up behind her.
The flames turned into all kinds of animal forms.
Snake, lion, tiger, eagle, wolf… .
Some got rid of because Leo messed up the magic structure, but it was impossible to get rid of all of them because there were so many.
-Fury!
The magic rages through the air and rushes.
Leo braced himself for the impact from behind his shield.
‘It’s real from now on.’
Her arcane magic, which she cast as a reward for the confrontation.
Heat wave magma.
The essence that Carlos failed to show will soon be revealed.
Animal-type magic hit the ice shield.
exploded at the same time.
-bang!
– Quaang!
As if the top of Daesurim Mountain was about to leave, an incessant explosion rang out.
* * *
Some time has passed.
-bang!
– Quaang!
‘… I’m going crazy.’
After the binge drinking, Leo broke out in a cold sweat.
I can’t hear a buzzing sound in my ears, it’s like my eardrum is half blown out.
‘It’s too tight.’
It’s not her strength.
When Leo first saw her, he said that his escorts would arrive soon.
In such a situation, even if she thought of killing herself, she couldn’t use her full power.
Even if he killed Leo and silenced him, if the fact that the beast was her remained as a trace, wouldn’t it be a joke?
That’s why she was using only suitable magic so that there were no traces left as much as possible.
Leo stuck out his tongue.
‘These are magics that are used while hiding traces in moderation. A real 5th class wizard is crazy.’
I’m not going to lie, I feel like I’m going to die if I make just one mistake.
At least, the ice structure formula has a solid property, and it was frost breath that was superior to fire magic, so it was able to withstand this much.
If it wasn’t for that, even if she did it in moderation, she’d be engulfed in flames.
And Belena was also surprised by this situation.
‘Can you last this long? Is that kid really a third-class wizard?’
Looking at Leo, I had doubts.
I thought becoming a third-class wizard at the age of seven was an impossible achievement.
Looking at the way she holds up to her magic now, it seems that she is getting better.
said Leo from behind the ice shield wall.
“Whoa. Whoa. Indeed, this is the level of the branch manager of the Casein Guild.”
Every time he was caught in an explosion, his shield was shattered and his armor was nicked, but Leo instantly restored it.
As a result, there was no visible damage at all.
Besides, Leo was struggling to control his breathing, so his voice was calm.
So, to Belena, it felt like she still had some energy left.
‘As expected, the Arcane Magic of the Great King of Karst… . Was it this much?’
The magic that has only been passed down in legends and the genius kid’s combination was amazing.
It was because I thought it would be impossible to deal with even Belena in a short time.
‘If I use more strength here, even if I kill him, I’ll be found out as the culprit.’
It was difficult.
When he is framed for being a royal murderer, things take a huge turn.
In the end, there was only one option.
‘I should just leave and return to the empire.’
If he said he had to rush back because he was busy, the kingdom would not be able to say anything.
Although it’s a problem for Prince Leo to reveal his identity…
‘There is no evidence anyway. I don’t know how he knew it, but even if the argument of one kid like that could raise doubts, he couldn’t do anything against the empire and me.’
Come to think of it, I should have asked where did you find out that you were the branch manager.
I really didn’t have time.
You never know when his escorts will arrive.
Stopped the baptism of magic that Bellena was shooting.
And then he was ready to leave.
Then, Leo’s voice was heard.
“Are you going to run away?”
“… Our prince is being saved because he is cute, so be grateful.”
Belena smiled again in a relaxed voice.
Leo answered without losing.
“Can’t you leave me like this now?”
“What do you mean?”
“Right now I’m at Rank 3, but when I reach Rank 5, I can learn the new arcane magic in Breath of Frost.”
“… … ?”
Belena’s expression was ‘So what?’
Leo kindly answered the question.
“I don’t know if you know it, but the 5th rank magic in Breath of Frost is Frost Seeking. A vision capable of retracing the past through the moisture in the atmosphere. Because of this, King Karst was also called the best tracking magician on the continent as well as a wizard. Have you ever heard of it?”
“… … !”
Belena’s eyes widened.
She knew too.
It was a famous story that King Karst used his magic to track down and deal with the Vampire Lord hiding in the shadows.
“If you run away from here, I will come to catch you someday. As a reward for harming our kingdom. No matter where you hide, you won’t be able to escape my pursuit.”
Leo said in a cold voice.
It was a threat.
Countess Ermery’s eyes wavered.
‘I can trace traces of the past… ?’
Of course, the reason she was surprised wasn’t the kid’s unfunny threats.
Frost Tracing.
It is a magic that has even been able to find a vampire lord that never leaves a trace.
In addition, even after a lot of time has passed, it is said that traces left in the past can be traced back.
As I thought about it, one thought came to my mind.
‘Then please… The death of my husband… .’
could i find out?
The way she looked at Leo changed.