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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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The pure white ring hanging around Aria’s neck.
-Why are you giving this to me…?
-Just… you always help me. And you’ve been overworking yourself lately.
If she were to describe how she felt when she received the ring… given the situation, bewilderment would be the most accurate.
As a result, she hadn’t thought about its meaning separately. But when Edwin asked like this, Aria couldn’t help but wonder about the reason for the gift.
‘…Did he have another meaning in mind…?’
At that moment, a new wave of emotions washed over Aria.
-!
And this feeling reacted strongly when she met Yeriel’s eyes just now.
-……
The two awkwardly lowered their gazes.
In fact, Aria also had something she wanted to ask Yeriel.
What was the nature of their relationship? Why had Yeriel’s name come out of Lev’s mouth when he was corrupted? Since Aria knew that the two lived in the same dormitory, she couldn’t help but be more concerned.
‘…But it wouldn’t be polite to ask…’
And where was this curiosity of Aria’s headed? Simply to find clues about Andras? Or because of her hidden feelings for Lev?
‘…What meaning am I hoping for…?’
In the end, what meaning did she want this ring to have?
-!!
Her heart began to pound.
-Hoo.
Flustered by the sudden surge of emotions, Aria slowly took a deep breath. It wasn’t good to make assumptions.
“If there’s a meaning… well. He said it would help with healing magic, so maybe it means to work harder… He didn’t say anything else.”
At the rather underwhelming answer, Edwin picked up his utensils again.
“Indeed! That’s so like Lev! He even helped me with my training… Though sometimes I really can’t understand him…!”
Then, he suddenly looked at Yeriel and said, “Yeriel, what do you think?”
“I’m env…”
“?”
“Huh? Oh, uh? I-I think it suits her well…!”
For a moment, she almost blurted out that she was envious.
Yeriel hurriedly tried to manage her expression and averted her gaze from Aria.
‘The two of them really aren’t… dating…’
If Aria and Lev were in a romantic relationship, Yeriel would have felt guilty.
But in the end, this too was just her misunderstanding. A strange sense of relief washed over Yeriel.
‘…That’s a relief…!’
The girl, still lacking the courage to express her true feelings, smiled bashfully as she pictured the ash-gray-haired boy.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
[Crimson Ember] subjugation.
The time had come. Teyron, the raid leader, calmly gave instructions.
“Parties 1 and 2, magic users on standby! Archers, attack just enough to get its attention!”
At his command, the archers in parties 1 and 2, including Selena, began to fire their arrows simultaneously.
-Whoosh!
Clean wind archery, but since it was just to draw attention,
-Swish!
It didn’t deal any significant damage to [Crimson Ember], which was in peak condition.
-Wheeeeee!!!
As if drawing something, it began to descend slowly towards parties 1 and 2, showing off its elegant flight.
-It’s charging! Guardians, raise your shields! Hold them tight!
-Protective mages, prepare to raise barriers!
With those words, Crimson Ember charged fiercely.
-Wheeeeee!
-Kiiiiiiiii!!!
-Now!
The cadets’ shouts and Crimson Ember’s roar clashed directly.
-Crash!!!
-Whoosh!
-Kyaaa!
As its form collided with the shields, a tremendous roar and a hot wind swept the area.
“Don’t just stand there! Prepare protective magic!”
“Yes…!”
-Sizzle…!
The area where Crimson Ember had flown began to ignite, turning pink.
-Zoom!
Fortunately, the barrier protecting parties 1 and 2 activated in time, successfully blocking [Crimson Ember]’s ‘afterimage.’
-Boom!!!!
Then, a deafening roar like thunder.
In that atmosphere they were experiencing for the first time, the cadets within the barrier began to lose their composure.
“I-Is this for real?”
“A… A B-Rank is this… strong?”
“A-Are we going to die??”
-Wheee!
-Keeeee!
[Crimson Ember], having fully charged, began to rise into the sky again.
“Commander Taylon, this is…!”
“……”
Without needing to be told, Taylon sensed it.
‘…Holy… crap…!’
It was just one exchange, but this [Crimson Ember] was completely different.
Originally, its [Descent] could be blocked by any ordained knight with a shield, even without using divine power.
And its [Ember Afterimage], even if it grazed them for a moment, only had the power of fireworks, so even with individual protective magic, they wouldn’t be harmed.
However, the amount of black magic he was feeling from it now was not at the level seen every quarter.
It had a destructive power of at least A-Rank, if not A+ Rank or higher. It was too much for a raid composed mostly of cadets, and first years at that.
There was no way to escape. In a situation where annihilation seemed to be the only possible future, Taylon pulled himself together.
‘What would happen if I panicked here?’
-Beep.
First, he requested support from the academy through his communication magic tool.
‘…To avoid the worst-case scenario… we need to hold on somehow.’
Revealing the current situation to the raid members would only add to the chaos.
It was a time to hide the truth, even though it was cruel to the children.
“Don’t panic!”
Taylon started giving instructions again as if nothing was wrong.
“Parties 1, 2, 3, and 4, now’s your chance to attack! Give it everything you’ve got!”
-Whoosh!!!
-Boom!!!
-Keeeee!!!
The flight path of the rising Crimson Ember was predictable, so many attacks hit it.
‘Did it work…!’
-Kiyoooo!!!!
Among them, the arrows of the third-year cadet, Violet D’Crescent, hit their mark without fail.
-Bang!
A streak of light cut through the air cleanly.
‘As rumored… she’s incredibly… skilled.’
-Whoosh!
-Kee! Kee!
Despite being in the air and subject to gravity, her arrows defied it and targeted its weak points.
‘It’s a slim chance, but… we might succeed…’
This year, besides Violet, there were other promising cadets like Melissa de Prominence and Aveline Valantes.
-Kee!
-It’s coming!
As Crimson Ember showed signs of descending again, Taylon instructed parties 5 and 6.
“Next is parties 5 and 6. Prepare for defense!”
-Yes!
However, Taylon’s composure and the slightest glimmer of hope quickly turned to despair.
Originally, according to his instructions, Crimson Ember should have tried to descend towards parties 5 and 6.
But…
-!!
-Commander! It’s deviated from the predicted path!
-Keeeeeeee!!!!!
For some reason, it was flying above parties 3 and 4, as if targeting Violet D’Crescent.
“Parties 3 and 4! Don’t panic! Calmly deploy your defensive magic! The rest of the parties, attack it to obstruct its path! Stall for time!”
Taylon’s instructions were quick, but Raymond, the guardian of party 4, wasn’t ready yet.
“I-I’m… n-not ready yet…! C-Can anyone assist?!”
-Keeeee!!!
-Wheeeeee!
However, the enraged divine beast had no concept of mercy. [Crimson Ember] charged straight towards the shield knight, Raymond.
-Twang!
At that moment, Violet’s wrist flicked lightly, and a raven’s wing, the symbol of the D’Crescent family, appeared on the arrowhead.
-Whoosh!
A total of four arrows left the bowstring like a dance, heading towards Crimson Ember.
Sealing Arrows, one of the D’Crescent family’s blessings.
-Thud! Thud!
-Kee!
As if trying to extinguish [Crimson Ember]’s fiery form, they accurately struck its tail, head, and wing roots.
-Crackle!
-Keeeeee!
As the effect of the Sealing Arrows began to take hold, and its movements slowed,
‘…’
Violet, maintaining a poker face, this time drew her bowstring widely.
-Crackle!
Sparks flew from the bowstring the moment she began to draw, scattering into flashes and emitting a thunderous roar.
-Rumble!
-S-Senior Violet??
And as the surrounding gathered mana converged, beginning to emit light,
-Twang!!
Violet released the bowstring as if ripping it apart. Up to this point, it was a series of actions without hesitation.
-Crackle!!!
Thick streaks of light, shaped like spears forged from lightning, pierced into Crimson Ember.
-Kiyoooooooo!!!
This lightning-attribute attack must have been an effective blow against [Crimson Ember]. It let out a different cry from before and began to lose its balance.
-Whoosh!
Its burning form was haphazardly restored, but
-!!
-Keeeeee!!!
[Crimson Ember] began to spin and plummet with a loud roar.
-D-Dodge!
-I-It’s falling this way!!
-Wheee!!!
[Crimson Ember] began to fall like a meteor, emitting a red light. The shield knight of party 3 shouted to Raymond, who was in charge of party 4,
“What are you doing! Raise your shield and the barrier!”
“Uh, uh…! Yes!”
-Zoom!
-Flutter… Flutter!
In an instant, the fiery bird’s form crashed into party 4’s dome-shaped barrier as if being sucked in.
-Crash!!!
-Kyaaa!!!
Like being hit by carpet bombing, it relentlessly pounded the barrier. The deafening roar reverberated repeatedly.
-Whoosh…
And as the sound subsided, smoke billowed up.
“We… did it!”
Raymond managed to endure with the support of party 3 and the double barrier magic.
“Th-Thank you. Cough.”
-Kiyoooo!!!
And Crimson Ember, as if in pain, broke through the smoke and soared back into the sky.
-Parties 3 and 4, are you alright! The rest of you, now’s your chance! Attack with everything you’ve got!
It seemed that they had dealt significant damage to it, but the aftermath was the problem.
“What are you all doing??!”
The pink afterimage created as [Crimson Ember] passed. These particles, like aurora… meant death.
“Do you want to die? Raise the barrier first!”
“J-Just a moment! I can’t do it right away!”
In the urgent situation, Timon’s hands trembled.
No matter how talented he was in barrier magic, continuous casting in such a pressing situation couldn’t be covered by talent alone.
In other words, he lacked practical experience. Fortunately, his survival instincts, though imperfectly, helped him quickly cast the protective spell successfully.
“I-I did it…!”
-Zoom.
-Sizzle!
-Boom!!!!
Once again, a small explosion swept through parties 3 and 4.
After a dozen seconds,
“A-Are we… alive…?”
At Raymond’s words,
-Whoosh…
This time, an ominous wind sound reached them. It was a hot wind blowing from behind.
“Holy crap, it never ends!”
“R-Rear, get back!”
It was a chain explosion, an aftereffect caused by the inability to predict the falling trajectory.
“Violet! This way!”
-!!
But it was too late. The pink mist had already consumed the area around Violet and Lev, and
-Crash!!!
Darkness. Then everything became quiet.
.
.
.
-Beep.
Tinnitus.
-#$@!!
And from afar, Taylon’s commands and the cadets’ shouts were heard. And when Violet opened her eyes again…
-Whoosh…
-!!
An unidentified blue wind barrier… was embracing her.
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Damn. Now violet is obligated to become a victim in Lev’s romantic life
SOMEONE SHUT RAYMOND’S MOUTH. Dude raised 2 flags one after the other.
Thanks for the chapter!