I Became a Civil Servant Who Can Use Magic

The screams and cries of the living penetrate through the stone walls.

“….”
“..Hmm.”

At those miserable sounds, tension flashed across the faces of the corps commander’s direct guards.
Some of them glanced at their lord.

He was sitting on the throne.

The Southern Corps Commander.
He sat with an arrogant posture, not moving at all, staring only at the main gate.
As if waiting for someone to appear there.

Unable to bear the silence, the captain of the guards stepped forward.

“Corps Commander..”

No sooner had he finished speaking than the corps commander opened his mouth.

“Indeed. Is this the Emperor’s sword?”

Despite deploying tens of thousands of troops and hundreds of knights, none of it had any meaning.

No. It wasn’t meaningless.
Since they too are people made of blood and flesh, they must have consumed physical and magical energy.

Yes, that’s enough.

The corps’ combat power and such,
It was just a means to achieve the goal,
They have fulfilled their role.

‘Loen Franz…. Now all that’s left is to clash head-on.’

“Everyone, draw your swords.”

Shing.
All the guards drew their swords.
And they prepared for battle, ready for the approaching enemy.

Clank, clank.
At that moment, the sound of heavy armor began to be heard from beyond the door. The sound, which was getting closer and closer, stopped abruptly right in front of the main gate.

After a brief silence, Bang!
With a crashing sound, the main gate was shattered and the group of inspectors rushed in through the gap.

And the black-haired woman walking at the lead of the group, Loen Franz, stopped in the center of the audience hall and addressed the corps commander.

“Duke Donnelly. For the crime of colluding with demons—”
“That’s enough.”

The corps commander interrupted Loen’s words and stood up from the throne.
One of Loen’s eyebrows twitched at his sudden action.

“The conclusion will be that you’re going to execute me anyway, so is there any need to hear more?”

The corps commander said with a sneer.

“Listing out obvious charges one after another. In the end, it’s just a pretext to eliminate those who oppose the Emperor’s will. You must know this fact well too.”

Loen still kept her mouth shut.
She showed no change in expression whatsoever.
She just stared intently into the corps commander’s eyes.

At her behavior, the corps commander inwardly clicked his tongue.
Tsk.

There seemed to be no room for negotiation with the inspector before him.
It was the face of an executioner devoid of any emotion.

‘Truly the Emperor’s sword without a shred of mercy.’

The corps commander continued speaking.

“I won’t say much. If you defeat me, you can behead me according to the Emperor’s will. Conversely, if I win…. Then my will shall behead you.”

The corps commander, standing with an arrogant posture, declared while stretching both arms to the side.

“So enough talk and come at me.”

Magic unfolded from both his hands.

Flame whip.
A burning whip extended from his right hand, cutting through the air and lashing towards Loen.

Frost spear.
An icy spear created in his left hand shot towards Loen’s side, drawing a curved trajectory.

A fiery whip and an ice spear.
Two magics with opposite properties charged towards Loen from both directions.

At that moment, Loen, who had been standing silently, moved.

“Mana shield. Judgment.”

A magic shield created with a flash deflected the whip.
The ice spear flying from the side collided with Loen’s black spear and shattered into pieces. Crack.

Crackle—

The black spear that shattered the ice spear continued its momentum and flew towards the corps commander.
In sync with this, Loen cast a third spell.

“Cross-section Cut.”

A long white line was drawn from the ceiling of the audience hall to the floor, from top to bottom.

“This is….”

Dangerous.
The corps commander, with eyes wide open, hurriedly cast a defensive spell.

“Ice-Flame Curtain!”

A curtain of mixed fire and ice fluttered like a curtain and surrounded him. Right after, as black paint spread from the white line, the curtain split in two.

Slice.

With a chilling sound, a gray spear pierced through the gap of the split curtain. This is being pierced!?

Clang!
Clatter.

“Ha, well…”

A hollow laugh flowed from the corps commander’s mouth.
His eyes turned to the defensive artifact that had fallen to the floor.

The moment the Judgment magic approached right in front of him. The artifact in his bosom activated and blocked the Judgment. But as a result, the artifact was destroyed.

To think he would lose an artifact so meaninglessly….

“This is absurd.”

Through the exchange just now, the difference in skill was clearly revealed.
The onlookers clearly felt this too.
Bewilderment settled on everyone’s faces.

“And he’s supposed to be a corps commander….”
“Could she actually be 6-star?”
“…No way, right?”

Not just Seraphine and Psyche talking in the back, but everyone in the audience hall had similar thoughts.

Unlike the enemies so far, Duke Donnelly was a skilled person who once made a name for himself on the front lines. The reason he could take on the important position of corps commander was due to his excellent magical skills and numerous military achievements.

To overwhelm such a person with this level of magic?

The corps commander with a hardened expression opened his mouth.

“To possess such power yet hide your abilities so well until now. Your meticulousness is extraordinary.”

He continued speaking.

“Let me ask one thing. What is the reason you silently follow the Emperor’s orders when you lack nothing? What did the Emperor promise you?”
“….”

After pondering for a long time, just as Loen was about to open her mouth.
The corps commander spoke first.

“I won’t engage in conversation with an opponent who will die anyway. Is that it?”
“That’s….”
“Then, I have nothing more to say either. Flight.”

The corps commander, who rose into the air, flew backwards with a look in his eyes as if telling her to follow.

Crash—

Breaking through the colorful stained glass decorating the back of the throne, the corps commander left the audience hall.
He immediately soared up into the sky and disappeared from view.

“I will go and deal with the corps commander.”
“Understood.”
“Okay~”

Saying so, Loen entrusted the corps’ direct guards to her companions and chased after the corps commander.

“Attack!”

Soon, a fierce battle broke out between the direct guards and Loen’s group.

The two mages faced each other on the rooftop of the inner castle.

It was a very spacious rooftop where everything around was visible, with a stone floor that had firmly held its place for many years, and spires rising towards the sky all around.

A strong wind blew, fluttering the corps commander’s red cape and Loen’s black coat.

To think she would follow so obediently. Does she have that much confidence? Well..
The corps commander, who shook off his idle thoughts, opened his mouth.

“Do you know what the secret was that allowed me to survive among those more excellent than myself when I was active on the front lines? It was not discriminating in means and methods.”

Whoosh.
He spread his cape wide.
Then, crystal spheres of various colors presumed to be artifacts revealed their presence at his waist.

“These are precious magic artifacts I’ve collected over many years. You’ll soon find out what effects they have.”

He said confidently.
In contrast, Loen had an unimpressed expression.

So talkative….
Loen muttered inwardly.

It was reaching its limit to even listen to what he was saying.
Loen, who had finished casting, immediately activated her magic.

“Dark Light Sphere.”
“Ice-Flame Explosion.”

As if he had been waiting, the corps commander also burst out activation words.

Numerous black fragments collided with a massive sphere where flames and cold air were swirling.

Soon, the sphere that had absorbed the fragments fluctuated violently and caused a fierce explosion.

Boom.

Whoosh.
The aftermath of the explosion brushed past Loen’s body.

Hot heat burned her flesh,
Cold air shrank her body.

While biting her lip at that contradictory sensation, Loen still managed to shout the next activation words.

“Judgment.”

Two gray spears were fired following the black fragments, aiming for the corps commander’s chest.

Seeing this, the corps commander let out a laugh.
Light and darkness. Truly a combination of absurd attributes.

‘Despite both being dual attribute holders, to think there’s such a big difference.’

It was unfairness itself.

Whoosh.
Despite being caught in such an intense explosion, some of the black fragments maintained their speed and flew this way.
Two Judgments joined in behind them.

“Ice Shards.”

Dozens of burning ice needles blocked the black fragments.
The sound of breaking and bursting echoed around continuously.

Following this, the corps commander, who activated a magic shield and defensive artifact, blocked the follow-up attack by a hair’s breadth.

But he couldn’t avoid part of his shoulder being cut off. It was because the power of Judgment was beyond imagination. The corps commander’s face wrinkled.

“Ugh.”

It felt like walking on a tightrope.
Every time he received an attack, one defensive artifact was consumed.

It was due to the unbridgeable gap between double casting and triple casting,
And the compatibility between attributes.

Rather than this, it’s better to strike all at once….
That was the only way for now.

The corps commander activated the artifacts one by one, infusing them with mana.

“I’ll end this in one go!”

Auxiliary attack artifact.
Thin beams were fired from three rods that rose into the air.

One-time area magic artifact.
A huge fireball fell from the sky towards Loen.

“Frost Hellfire.”

A fireball exuding chilling cold air crossed through the air, shooting ice fragments.

“Cold-Flame Storm.”

A whirlwind mixing flames and frost swept around like a storm.

The corps commander began to pour out fierce attacks with the momentum to burn and freeze everything.

A fierce battle unfolded.

Black beams and hellfire collided, and Cross-section Cut split the whirlwind in half.

Ice spikes rose from the ground and flaming arrows fell like rain from the sky.

Blizzards and pillars of fire collided head-on with gray mana storms.
Due to the aftermath of the collision, even nearby spires collapsed.

Whoosh— Ting!

Loen responded with a barrier to the beams fired by the auxiliary artifact.

Rumble.

She dodged the fireball falling from the sky by running sideways like mad and then throwing her body.
Her knees were scraped on the stone floor, but there was no time to feel the pain.

Boom!

Soon after, heat that seemed to burn her skin swept past Loen’s back.

“Chain Beam.”

Immediately, Loen, who got up from her spot, fired magic towards the auxiliary artifact that was firing beams.
Gray beams sequentially pierced through the three rods.

“Mana Bullet.”

Then Loen, who bought time by firing a check magic towards the corps commander, deployed Judgment as soon as casting was finished.

Thoughts and judgments were made in a flash. There was no time to hesitate.

To dodge the corps commander’s attacks and counterattack, immediate action was necessary.

The moment of hesitation,
It was either burn to death or freeze to death.

The situation was the same for the corps commander.
While continuing relentless attacks with magic and artifacts, he rolled on the ground without hesitation to avoid Loen’s magic that flew in occasionally.

A mage’s pride and such, that was just a vain cry of unworldly gentlemen.

The moment he allowed an attack, it would be a fatal wound.

He had to parry or dodge all attacks and slaughter the opponent.

Even in this urgent moment, Loen calculated her next move.

‘I’m ahead in all aspects including power, speed, and number of simultaneous castings. So let’s wait for the enemy’s artifacts to run out.’

In the chaos where ice and fire, light and darkness intersected, Loen continued immediate actions while calmly waiting for an opportunity.

She eliminated the opponent’s artifacts one by one.

At the moment when the surrounding air repeatedly heated up and then cooled down like ice several times.

Loen finally felt the enemy’s attack frequency decrease.

‘Now.’

Loen, who sensed that the opponent’s artifacts had run out, began to act.

Dark Light Sphere.
She sent a sphere surrounded by light flying towards him.

Holy Light Fall.
She sent down an enormous amount of light to block his vision.

“Mana Sword.”

Gripping a sword in her hand, she ran towards the corps commander.

Loen crossed through the ice fragments scattered in the air from the impact of colliding with the sphere and the hot steam.

She didn’t stop her charge even as parts of her uniform were torn by fragments.

Around the time the holy light blocking each other subsided, Loen approached within arm’s reach of the corps commander.

She finished preparing to swing her sword by stretching her hand to the side.

Just as he discovered Loen and was about to shout something with eyes wide open.

“Frost fi— Gack!”

Slash! Slice.

His two arms were cut off. Soon after, the corps commander let out a fierce scream at the terrible pain that struck him.
He knelt down and bent his upper body, trying to endure the pain. Urgh.

Only then did Loen let out a sigh of relief.

“Phew..”

I thought I was going to die.
She was in terrible shape due to the heat and chills derived from flames and cold.
Frostbite and burns were common on her uniform torn here and there.
She was still out of breath from the aftermath of the battle.

She calmed her body by taking deep breaths for a moment.

Afterwards, Loen, who brushed up her sweat-soaked bangs, stood in front of the corps commander.

Meanwhile, the corps commander, who had overcome the pain, also stood up on his two feet and faced Loen.

Indeed, he was a man whose spirit was worthy of recognition.

Loen voiced the curiosity she had had for a while towards him.

“Why did you, who lacks nothing, side with the demons?”

His answer was extremely simple.

“Because I wanted to climb higher.”

Higher than a duke.
Obviously not an archduke, so then a king.

In the end, it was because of greed for power.

Despite having so much, no, perhaps because he had so much, he became even greedier.

“It’s been over 200 years since the Emperor became the master of the empire. He has wielded absolute power for over 100 years of that…. Kuhup, do you think I’m the only one with such dissatisfaction?”

He revealed his anger towards the Emperor and continued speaking with difficulty.

“And you. Loen Franz. How long do you think the Emperor will watch your back? A sword that has outlived its usefulness is bound to be discarded in the end. So. So..”
“?”
“Gaaah!”

His momentum suddenly changed as he briefly cut off his words.

Boom!
He opened his mouth wide and spewed out a pitch-black beam at an extremely fast speed from inside.

Whoosh.
Loen’s eyes narrowed as she dodged the beam by a hair’s breadth.

Crunch.
His body rapidly grew larger. His skin color changed and his two eyes turned red.

It was a clear sign of demonification.
No wonder he was so docile in answering my words….

His demonification progressed at a rapid pace.
But Loen had already anticipated this.

She immediately created three light attribute mana spears and stabbed them into the corps commander’s head, upper body, and abdomen.

Thud, thud, thud.

“Gu..ack.”

Then she swung her mana sword vertically,

Completely finishing off the corps commander.

That’s how Duke Donnelly met his end.

Inside the audience hall.

After engaging in a fierce battle, as the direct guards and the inspector’s group were catching their breath for a moment.

Whoosh — Thud.

Loen landed.

At that moment, everyone wore surprised expressions.
No way?

“…!”
“Loen?”

Loen, who landed in a kneeling position on one knee, soon stood up and threw something.

Thud.
That something that fell in front of the direct guards.

It was the corps commander’s face split in half.