—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A carriage, adorned with ornate golden roses, sped along. Even the horses pulling it were elegant white steeds. A whole unit of knights escorted the carriage.
The focus of this grand procession was Beatrice, the First Princess of the Empire.
“…Must you really go?”
Beatrice’s knight escort asked with a despondent expression.
“Billman! How many times are you going to ask me that! I’m going, no matter what! I’m going!”
“…”
“Think about it. Don’t you think the only one who can save me is the Hero?”
“You’ve never been in danger in the first place…”
“Billman…you sword-obsessed idiot! The Hero, someone we’ve only seen in novels, has actually appeared. It’s a classic cliché for the Hero to save a princess like me!”
“That’s why I’m saying, Your Highness, you are not in any danger…”
“I am in grave danger! If I’m not careful, I’ll end up marrying that fat, clumsy fiancé of mine!”
“What does marriage have to do with the Hero?”
“If the Hero proposes to the princess…Father might change his mind and annul the engagement. Don’t you even know that? Idiot! Idiot!”
“…”
Beatrice blushed every time she imagined the valiant Hero.
Although she hadn’t heard any details about the Hero yet, he had to be strong and handsome, just like in the stories.
Beatrice, who thoroughly disliked her fat, bumbling fiancé, considered this a heaven-sent opportunity.
“How about summoning the Hero to the castle? It’s too dangerous for you to go looking for him yourself.”
“What’s so dangerous? You worry too much, Billman. I have all these knights with me. Can’t this many knights protect one little princess?”
“I came along because of His Majesty’s orders, but…honestly, I’d like to go back.”
No sooner had he spoken than Beatrice’s eyes flashed.
“…Billman. How dare you say that? If we go back and…by any chance…
If I end up marrying that ugly, stupid pig, how will you take responsibility? Can you take responsibility? Can you?!”
“…”
“Hmph! Really! And why is this carriage so slow?! I have to meet the Hero in the Magic City quickly!”
“We’re already traveling at top speed. It will still take at least a week to reach the Magic City.”
“Ugh. So slow! It’s frustrating. If I’m late and can’t marry the Hero…
Billman! I’ll resent you forever!”
‘Why is that my fault?!’
Billman was exasperated. But he also didn’t want to be resented for life by Beatrice, whom he had escorted since childhood.
In the end, he could only urge on his subordinates, who were already at full speed.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Back at the abandoned mine where Lina’s group was located, shortly after Kerry sent the urgent message to the Sage, the Magic Tower’s elite mages began to pour in.
“Don’t leave a single traitor alive!”
“Waaaaah!”
Mages in blue robes swarmed the mine.
Ghouls and traps poured out from the depths of the mine, but they were no match for the mages.
Eventually, the Headmaster’s faction and the Sage’s faction clashed.
“Lina, the Headmaster is trying to escape!”
“Yes, I see him! Kerry, stay here. Natasha! Let’s stop him together. Victoria, protect Kerry!”
“As you wish.”
Victoria stood resolutely in front of Kerry. Her figure, with shield and sword, was incredibly dependable.
“Kerry, stay behind me. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“Thank you, Victoria.”
The battle was horrific. Ghouls with maggot-ridden faces lunged, and spells flashed, filling the mine with clamor.
Victoria cut down every approaching ghoul. She also blocked the occasional incoming spell with her shield.
A magically enhanced shield? Reliable indeed.
This side was secure. Kerry looked towards Lina and Natasha. They were relentlessly pressing the Headmaster.
The Headmaster, living up to his reputation, was holding his own against the two.
Although all he was doing was putting up a shield.
Even from a distance, Kerry could barely see their movements.
Afterimages flickered, and sparks flew against the shield.
If he had fought with a proper party, the Headmaster wouldn’t be so helpless.
But he was caught while trying to escape alone, abandoning his subordinates, so he had no choice.
“Going smoothly.”
“Don’t let your guard down, Kerry.”
Victoria said as she decapitated a ghoul.
“A cornered rat will bite a cat.”
Those were some scary words. But the Headmaster of the Magic Tower was a pretty big rat.
Then, it happened.
Cracks began to appear in the Headmaster’s shield under the relentless assault of Lina and Natasha’s swords.
“Damn! You bitches!”
The Headmaster was clearly losing ground. Once that shield broke, he would be at the mercy of their blindingly fast swords.
The Headmaster’s desperate expression seemed to acknowledge this. And finally, his shield shattered.
Crack!
The shield splintered like glass. Inside, the pale Headmaster squeezed his eyes shut.
But the anticipated pain didn’t come.
Instead, the part of his arm above his hand, which had been gripping his staff, was simply gone.
Lina pointed her sword at the Headmaster’s throat.
“It’s over, Headmaster. Surrender.”
Our Lina was so cool! With their leader captured, the rest would surely give up. The Headmaster, looking at his severed, bleeding wrist, screamed.
“Aagh! My arm…My arm!!”
Venom filled the Headmaster’s face in an instant. His body began to swell and transform into a monstrous figure.
“Graaagh!”
The transformed Headmaster began attacking indiscriminately. Lina and Natasha had to retreat momentarily.
If they had just gone for the kill, it would have been over.
But that wasn’t Lina’s style.
The Headmaster grew larger, morphing into a demonic form. He extended his massive arms towards his subordinates.
Tentacles erupted from his arms, engulfing his men.
“Aaack! No! Headmaster! Noooo!”
“Help me! I don’t want to be eaten!”
The Headmaster began absorbing his subordinates one by one. Not only his men, but even the nearby ghouls were being drawn in.
With each absorption, the Headmaster’s grotesque form grew larger.
Similar to the Combined Ghoul?
He looked less horrific than that creature. At least this one still resembled a living being.
But his presence was far more intimidating.
“Kukuk. Once I take this form, I can’t return to being human…but I have no choice. It’s better than dying.”
“…Even his own subordinates…You despicable bastard!”
“Don’t make me laugh. The world is ruled by the law of the jungle. This is no different from humans slaughtering pigs.”
Grit.
Kerry could almost hear Lina grinding her teeth. It had been a while since he’d seen her this angry.
The Headmaster extended his massive arms, attacking Lina and Natasha.
But the attacks from his enormous body were a feint. The Headmaster’s true attack was something else.
Kerry knew it.
The Headmaster’s skill window was still there. He could still use magic in this state. This was dangerous.
The lost staff only amplified his magic. He had become a monster, but he was still a mage.
“Lina! It’s a trap! He might use magic!”
As soon as Kerry shouted, magic circles began to appear around the monstrous Headmaster.
“Too late!”
The Headmaster had drastically increased his magical power by consuming his subordinates.
Magic cast with that much power? Kerry didn’t even want to imagine the result.
But Lina and Natasha couldn’t do anything.
They had already retreated a considerable distance to avoid his indiscriminate attacks.
It was too late to interrupt his spellcasting.
Then, Kerry took out a magic storage orb. The White Witch had imbued it with a fire spell.
The image within was a blazing inferno.
As soon as Kerry channeled his mana into the magic storage orb and focused on the image, the temperature around him rose dramatically.
A fireball shot forward.
The fire Kerry unleashed struck the Headmaster’s face as he was forming the magic circles.
Whoosh!
It only scorched the enlarged Headmaster’s face, but that was enough.
“Aaagh! My face! My face! Who?! Graaagh!”
His spellcasting was interrupted, and the Headmaster writhed in pain from the flames on his face.
Lina didn’t miss the opportunity. She immediately dashed towards the Headmaster, climbing his massive body and slashing at him relentlessly.
Blood sprayed with every strike. Natasha also attacked the Headmaster with her swift movements.
“You…You damn bitches!”
The Headmaster reached out to grab the women, who were smaller than his fists, but they were too quick.
With his face still ablaze, the Chancellor raised a giant fist and slammed it into the wall.
One of the mine walls crumbled under his fist, and the entire mine began to shake violently.
Boom!
“If this is how it’s going to be, we’ll all die together!”
The monstrous Headmaster raged.
But no matter how much he rampaged, Lina maintained a certain distance, preventing him from using magic.
Then, Kerry’s eyes met the Headmaster’s.
“Because of you! If it weren’t for your magic! This would have been over already! Graaagh!”
What the hell? Why was he suddenly blaming me?
The monstrous Headmaster’s fist flew towards Kerry. He had to dodge.
But for some reason, Victoria, standing before him, didn’t move. What was she going to do against that massive fist?
“Kerry! Don’t move from behind me!”
Could Victoria block a fist several times larger than her own body? Normally, it would be impossible.
Then, a transparent barrier began to form in front of Victoria. A barrier large enough to protect not only her but also the surrounding area.
Victoria braced herself, ready to receive the giant fist.
Bang!
The Headmaster’s fist collided with Victoria, and a deafening roar echoed through the mine. The ground trembled.
But Kerry saw that the giant fist, which had been heading straight for him, hadn’t moved an inch.
In fact, the fist was crumpling as if it had struck steel.
“Gah! This bastard!”
Victoria had completely blocked the Headmaster’s massive fist. As expected of the Regressor’s former comrade!
Victoria was a truly reliable tank.
“Kerry! Are you alright?!”
“Yes, I’m fine, Victoria.”
“Good. That’s a relief.”
Victoria’s back looked truly impressive.
Lina approached the Headmaster as if to finish him off.
“It’s over, Headmaster.”
“Don’t come near me! I said I won’t die alone! One punch from me, and this place will completely collapse!”
The Headmaster threatened as he backed away.
Despite his enormous size, he seemed terrified of the small, blonde knight.
Lina’s eyes gleamed as she searched for an opening.
Then, a low voice echoed from the dark depths of the mine.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
