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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Lord Fourth
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As Carla’s body fell, a chilling silence descended upon the battlefield.
The remnants of the flames vanished, leaving behind a massive scorch mark, a scar of the battle.
The lingering smell of smoke hung heavy in the air.
“…….”
He slowly surveyed the scene, the Lamias’ gazes fixed on him, their eyes a mixture of fear, surprise, and despair, reflecting their confusion at their queen’s defeat.
Their queen had fallen. It meant their defeat.
The Lamias lowered their heads and retreated, their hostility gone, replaced by a quiet resignation, as if accepting their defeat and preparing to withdraw.
“Is everyone alright?”
He sheathed his sword and walked towards Adria and the others, passing Carla’s motionless body, his demeanor calm and dignified, a victor’s composure.
The Lamia army parted for him, but his attention was solely on his friends.
“Arnold, what kind of power is that…?”
Adria, though trembling with pain, met his gaze. Her eyes held not suspicion or wariness, but sincere gratitude.
“I only heard rumors about you being the top student at the academy, but to think such an outstanding student was my pupil… I’m ashamed I didn’t recognize your potential sooner…”
“Thank you, Professor. But we need to treat your injuries first.”
He knelt beside her and quietly chanted a healing spell.
“Heal.”
A warm, green light, tinged with blue, enveloped her. As the magic took effect, Adria’s expression relaxed, and she looked up at him, taking a slow, deep breath.
“Oh? I actually feel better. Can you use holy magic?”
“A little. Just enough for basic first aid.”
He hadn’t been able to fully heal her. Holy magic wasn’t his forte. Basic healing was possible, but he couldn’t completely heal serious wounds.
“That’s still impressive. None of the students I’ve taught could use holy magic.”
He helped her up, and Adria, though still unsteady, nodded, regaining her balance.
“Master…!”
Eilly, also healed, had regained her composure. She rushed towards him and embraced him.
“I don’t know what I’d do without you. Thank you again.”
“Don’t mention it. This was… a special case.”
He healed the others one by one. Elisha slowly got to her feet and said,
“Thank you. You’re always there for me when I need help.”
Elisha smiled as she received his healing, but her smile wasn’t simply one of relief.
Her eyes held an indescribable mix of gratitude and affection.
“Arnold is definitely my destined savior. He always appears like a knight in shining armor whenever I’m in danger.”
Melina’s eyes held gratitude and a hint of playfulness. But her gaze was also serious, her words not entirely a joke.
“Arnold! You saved me again!! I almost d… Ouch?!”
He also healed Varis, the protagonist of the original story, of course.
Varis tried to rush towards him with a cheerful cry, but he flicked his forehead lightly. Just like after the incident with the evil god, Varis was trying to cling to him like a child.
He still had no interest in such displays of affection between men, so he flicked his forehead a bit harder this time.
“I know, so you don’t have to cling to me.”
“Ugh, that’s mean…”
After the commotion subsided, he looked at his companions and said,
“Let’s go back.”
With everyone’s injuries treated, they were able to move more easily.
They started walking, and the Lamia army didn’t try to stop them, parting like the Red Sea, retreating silently.
Just before leaving, he glanced at Carla’s motionless body.
She was still unconscious. A cold breeze ruffled her hair, but there was no sign of life.
“…Haa, I’ll let you off the hook this time, since you helped save Eilly’s sister.”
He muttered to himself. Eilly looked at him with a puzzled expression.
“Master? Did you say something?”
“It’s nothing.”
He shook his head and quickened his pace. Carla’s battered form was a grim reminder of his actions.
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“U-Ugh…”
Carla’s suppressed moans echoed through the forest.
Having taken the full brunt of Arnold’s devastating fire magic, she was barely clinging to life, her body burning as if she had been thrown into a furnace, the pain threatening to overwhelm her consciousness.
“W-What…?”
As her vision slowly focused, she saw her subordinates gathered around her, their expressions a mixture of anxiety and relief.
She instinctively felt a sense of bewilderment.
“Your Majesty! Are you alright?!!”
One of her subordinates cried out, his voice filled with worry, relief, and confusion.
“What… happened…?”
Carla’s voice was weak. Her subordinates, seeing that she had regained consciousness, breathed a collective sigh of relief and lowered their heads.
“To be honest, Your Majesty… after seeing that devastating fire magic, we thought you were… dead. But…”
The subordinate’s voice trembled, but he calmly explained the situation, trying to maintain his composure.
“After confirming that you were miraculously still alive, we immediately gathered all available potions and medical supplies and tried to heal you. It wouldn’t have been possible if not for Your Majesty’s strong life force.”
“…Is that so?”
Carla quietly lowered her head, recalling her last memory.
Arnold’s fireball, as bright as the sun, had flashed before her eyes. But in that split second, he had deliberately disrupted the flow of magic in his arm, lessening the impact, sparing her life.
‘He spared my life…’
Carla muttered under her breath. Although no one else heard it, her heart was filled with a mix of emotions: fear, awe, and a strange sense of gratitude towards him.
“Everyone.”
Carla weakly gestured to her subordinates and spoke in a gentle yet firm voice.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
They all listened intently, sensing her resolve.
“I’ve learned something from this incident. There’s nothing to be gained from flaunting one’s strength. Excessive displays of power only lead to unnecessary sacrifices.”
Carla looked at her subordinates and paused, her red eyes still firm, but now tinged with fatigue and regret.
“And that the world is both vast and small.”
She swayed slightly, supported by her subordinates, and slowly got to her feet. Every movement was accompanied by pain, but her queenly dignity remained intact.
“From now on, instead of resorting to violence, we will attempt to communicate first, even with intruders.”
Her resolute voice broke the silence of the forest.
Deep within the forest, the queen’s decision spread like wildfire, and the Lamia attack came to an end.
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The assembly point was in chaos.
Instructors exhausted from defending against the Lamia attack, students caught in the crossfire or helping with the aftermath, and those still bewildered by the sudden turn of events…
Amidst the confusion and commotion, they headed straight for the medical tent.
“Professor Adria, you’re safe!”
The medical tent was already bustling with activity, filled with the injured, the atmosphere like a battlefield hospital. Medical staff rushed around, tending to the wounded, their moans echoing softly.
“I’m fine. Please tend to the students first.”
Professor Adria, putting aside her own injuries, prioritized the others, her sense of responsibility and dedication evident.
“Arnold.”
While Varis and the others received medical attention, Professor Adria approached him, her expression a mixture of exhaustion and sincerity.
“What is it?”
He tilted his head, and she paused for a moment before speaking,
“Thank you for what you did. If it weren’t for you… I would have led my students to their deaths and become nothing but a failure.”
He shrugged in response to her heartfelt gratitude.
“It was nothing. I just did what I had to do.”
“Pfft, what’s that supposed to mean.”
Professor Adria chuckled, trying to brush it off. But he was being sincere. He had to do it.
He knew he was partly responsible for making Carla so powerful. But it seemed the others, including Carla herself, hadn’t realized it yet.
“Anyway, thank you, truly.”
He nodded in acknowledgment.
“What are you going to do now?”
He asked about her plans, and she lowered her head with a wry smile.
“Of course, I’ll report this to the higher-ups at the academy as soon as the situation here is under control. There was an unexpected threat… I’ll probably be very busy for the next few weeks.”
Her tone was calm, but there was no regret or hesitation in her voice, as if simply surviving was enough.
“I see.”
He and the Professor continued to chat for a while.
The situation was still chaotic, but this brief respite felt like a sign that everything was over.
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Hi Lord Fourth here!
I’m new to translating so if you find some mistakes or inconsistencies let me know about it on the dedicated channel on discord.
What is with the kidnapped professor?