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The Krikan pushed its beak through the small window, opening its mouth wide.
Kuaaaak-.
Its venomous, darting tongue was dangerously close to Iana.
Iana quickly pressed herself against the wall along with the Petal Rabbits.
Clang, clang.
The magic trainee pulled on the iron door latch, but the door wouldn't open.
"S-Secretary, what do we do? It seems the door is broken."
One side of the iron door had collapsed, perhaps due to the impact of the Krikan crashing into the Spire.
'Immobility Magic!'
Iana suddenly thought of Immobility Magic. But her mind went blank with fear, and she couldn't recall the magic incantation.
Tap! Tap!
The Krikan incessantly pecked at the floor, trying to devour the blue-tinged Petal Rabbits.
The terrified rabbits began to exhibit strange behavior.
They flipped onto their backs, convulsing, or repeatedly slammed themselves against the wall.
"Save me!"
The frightened magic trainee burst into tears and banged on the iron door.
As if annoyed by the noise, the Krikan's red right eye turned towards the magic trainee.
Just as Iana recalled the incantation and was about to cast Immobility Magic on the Krikan,
The Krikan pressed itself against the small window as if to break it, and its long, viper-like tongue wrapped around Iana's right hand.
"Ugh!"
Her hand, seemingly paralyzed by the potent venom, was unable to move and was slowly being dragged into the Krikan's mouth.
Unable to move her right hand, the only conduit for her magical power, she couldn't use magic.
"Secretary!"
The magic trainee rushed over and desperately grabbed Iana's legs to prevent her from being dragged away.
"Re, Rechelles..."
Iana tried to cast Immobility Magic once more, but she couldn't even recall the incantation.
Extreme fear paralyzed all her senses.
Iana looked at the magic trainee, who was slowly wailing, and thought.
'Am I going to die like this?'
Last night, she had confronted the magical power, thinking it didn't matter if she died. After all, she had already died once, and she thought she had nothing to regret.
But tears kept flowing.
Then, Iana noticed something white biting her hem.
"Ru?"
Ru's small body was pathetically tossed around. However, as if trying to add even a small amount of strength, it didn't let go of Iana's hem.
Seeing that, Iana became afraid of death.
No, she wanted to live.
A miserable life abandoned by her husband, friends, and family.
But she wanted to live because the love of that small creature was so precious.
At that moment, what Mule had said flashed through her mind.
"Just as humans become stronger when their will and heart become one, a mage can only possess great power when they become one with their magical power."
'If I die, you'll disappear too. So we have to live together.'
Iana spoke to her magical power in her heart and desperately tried to move her right hand.
Not out of fear of death, but out of a desperate desire to live.
Just as the Krikan was about to swallow Iana's hand, she screamed as if in a final struggle.
"I have to live!"
Twitch.
As Iana's fingers moved slightly, an intense blue light erupted.
The blue light rapidly burned away everything, starting with the tongue that had wrapped around Iana's hand.
Kuaaaak-.
The Krikan writhed in agony as its entire body burned white.
"He, antidote."
The magic trainee, who had been watching in shock, frantically searched the treatment room. Soon, they took out an antidote from a drawer and handed it over.
"Quick, take it. It hasn't been 10 minutes yet, so the poison shouldn't have spread throughout your body."
Iana swallowed the pill and gently stroked Ru with her left hand, reassuring it as it bit her hem.
"Ru, it's okay now."
Only then did Ru let go of the hem.
Bang-.
With a heavy sound, the iron door shattered, and a high-ranking knight entered.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes. I'll go up to the Spire right away."
Iana hurriedly went up to the top of the Spire.
✦ ✦ ✦
Around that time, inside the shelter in the basement of the main castle.
Carrion and Riel, along with the investigation team, were mixed together with the employees and territory residents who had evacuated.
Thump, thump.
Only the sound of the ceiling occasionally shaking could be heard; the situation outside was completely unknown.
Whether they had heard the rumors of infidelity or not, the territory residents glanced at Carrion and Riel.
Especially Riel, with their beautiful appearance and short bobbed hair, attracted attention.
"I'm going to die because of this terrible smell."
Carrion covered his nose with a handkerchief and glared at the territory residents with a dissatisfied expression.
The investigation team members, who were nobles and dissatisfied with his words, added.
"How can you put the Emperor's investigation team and the territory residents together?"
"That's right. The shelters should have been separated according to status."
Creak-.
The shelter door opened, and a dozen soaked territory residents entered.
Seeing them, Carrion thought of Iana running in the rain.
'Iana, you're always unconventional.'
A noble lady running in the rain, completely soaked, was considered frivolous behavior. But that side of Iana felt different to Carrion.
He recalled Iana's curvaceous figure revealed by the rain and her pure yet vibrant, alluring face.
"Hah..."
Carrion sighed.
'I should have sent the proposal to the Rechelles family first.'
Seeing Grand Duke Ervin so desperately in love, he felt even more regretful about what he had lost.
Roll, roll.
At that moment, a ball made of grass that the territory children were playing with hit Carrion's shoe.
A little dirt got on his shoe.
"What the hell are you doing, making it dirty!"
Carrion snapped sharply.
"Waah."
The boy, about seven years old, was startled and embarrassed, and began to cry sadly.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on Carrion.
Riel stood up, picked up the ball covered in dirt, and handed it over with a beautiful smile.
"Here, take it."
"S-Sorry."
As the child received the ball, Riel wiped away the child's tears with a handkerchief.
Riel comforted the child in a gentle voice.
"We came from the capital, and we've never seen monsters before."
"You've never seen monsters?"
The child's eyes widened as if it couldn't believe it.
"Yeah. So when they said monsters appeared, our Count got nervous and got a little angry."
"Ah, because he was scared?"
"Yes. Because he was scared. So, can you be a little more careful?"
Carrion was about to get angry, but he held it back when Riel gave him a look.
"Yes. Countess."
The child seemed to think Riel was the Count's wife and greeted her with a bright face.
Riel seemed pleased with the answer, and a smile spread across their face.
Carrion frowned as he quietly watched.
'Even in this situation, she's pretending to be nice to create rumors that Iana was bullying her...'
He liked Riel's clever and cunning side. But gradually, that side felt like a worn-out woman, and he felt repulsed.
Unlike the innocent Iana.
The child's parents, who had gone outside for a while, heard the story and hurriedly came inside, bowing repeatedly.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Count."
Carrion didn't want to deal with them, so he got up and went out into the hallway.
It was stuffy and smelly, and he couldn't stand it.
He walked through the crowded hallway and was about to go up the stairs when the Ducal Palace knights guarding the shelter blocked him.
"Count, it's dangerous to go up there now."
"If you don't move, your lives might be in danger? For daring to block the head of the investigation team."
At Carrion's words, the knights hesitated and moved aside.
Thump, thump.
Carrion slowly climbed the underground stairs.
Swoosh- Thud! Thud!
The dull sound of arrows piercing monsters, the monsters' bizarre cries,
And a powerful explosion was heard from the Spire, as if a cannon had fired.
The moment Carrion stepped outside the entrance facing the castle gate, he was speechless at the sight before him.
'No way...'
Monster birds covered the sky in darkness, and a group of knights were fighting desperately, climbing on top of fallen monster birds and slashing and stabbing them.
'This is hell. I have to go back immediately.'
Carrion was horrified and stared blankly at the scene.
Rumble, crash!
In a flash of lightning,
A knight in blood-stained helmet and armor relentlessly plunged his sword into the neck of a struggling monster bird.
Red blood splattered everywhere along with the monster bird's scream.
As the movements of the monster bird, whose breath had been cut off, slowed, the knight roughly took off his helmet.
It was Charles.
Carrion, terrified, froze like ice. Charles felt his gaze and slowly turned his head.
Their eyes met.
Rumble, crash!
Another violent thunder and lightning struck.
✦ ✦ ✦
Knock, knock.
At dusk, the rain subsided.
A huge barrier with a blue tint, as if a rainbow covered it, was cast over the entire Ducal Palace.
As the Krikan swarm disappeared, the Ducal Palace was bustling.
The people of the Ducal Palace were busy moving the dead Krikans and repairing the damaged Ducal Palace.
Iana was summoned by Charles and came down from the Spire, heading towards the castle walls.
'Isn't there a more effective way to stop the Krikan swarm?'
As she was lost in thought, Charles slyly poked his head out from behind her and said playfully.
"I told you not to frown."
"Ah! You startled me. I was surprised."
Iana exclaimed in surprise.
Charles pointed to the barrier covering the Ducal Palace and whispered quietly.
"Did you make that?"
"......Yes."
Iana nodded shyly, as if it were a boast.
"When did you learn to create barriers?"
"I just learned it from Johan the mage on top of the Spire."
"You learned it during the battle?"
When Charles asked with a surprised expression, Iana smiled brightly in response, feeling embarrassed.
At that moment, a sharp male voice was heard from behind.
"Your Highness is being deceived. By that woman."
Turning around, a group of territory residents were standing there.
Looking at her with contempt.
Kuaaaak-.
Its venomous, darting tongue was dangerously close to Iana.
Iana quickly pressed herself against the wall along with the Petal Rabbits.
Clang, clang.
The magic trainee pulled on the iron door latch, but the door wouldn't open.
"S-Secretary, what do we do? It seems the door is broken."
One side of the iron door had collapsed, perhaps due to the impact of the Krikan crashing into the Spire.
'Immobility Magic!'
Iana suddenly thought of Immobility Magic. But her mind went blank with fear, and she couldn't recall the magic incantation.
Tap! Tap!
The Krikan incessantly pecked at the floor, trying to devour the blue-tinged Petal Rabbits.
The terrified rabbits began to exhibit strange behavior.
They flipped onto their backs, convulsing, or repeatedly slammed themselves against the wall.
"Save me!"
The frightened magic trainee burst into tears and banged on the iron door.
As if annoyed by the noise, the Krikan's red right eye turned towards the magic trainee.
Just as Iana recalled the incantation and was about to cast Immobility Magic on the Krikan,
The Krikan pressed itself against the small window as if to break it, and its long, viper-like tongue wrapped around Iana's right hand.
"Ugh!"
Her hand, seemingly paralyzed by the potent venom, was unable to move and was slowly being dragged into the Krikan's mouth.
Unable to move her right hand, the only conduit for her magical power, she couldn't use magic.
"Secretary!"
The magic trainee rushed over and desperately grabbed Iana's legs to prevent her from being dragged away.
"Re, Rechelles..."
Iana tried to cast Immobility Magic once more, but she couldn't even recall the incantation.
Extreme fear paralyzed all her senses.
Iana looked at the magic trainee, who was slowly wailing, and thought.
'Am I going to die like this?'
Last night, she had confronted the magical power, thinking it didn't matter if she died. After all, she had already died once, and she thought she had nothing to regret.
But tears kept flowing.
Then, Iana noticed something white biting her hem.
"Ru?"
Ru's small body was pathetically tossed around. However, as if trying to add even a small amount of strength, it didn't let go of Iana's hem.
Seeing that, Iana became afraid of death.
No, she wanted to live.
A miserable life abandoned by her husband, friends, and family.
But she wanted to live because the love of that small creature was so precious.
At that moment, what Mule had said flashed through her mind.
"Just as humans become stronger when their will and heart become one, a mage can only possess great power when they become one with their magical power."
'If I die, you'll disappear too. So we have to live together.'
Iana spoke to her magical power in her heart and desperately tried to move her right hand.
Not out of fear of death, but out of a desperate desire to live.
Just as the Krikan was about to swallow Iana's hand, she screamed as if in a final struggle.
"I have to live!"
Twitch.
As Iana's fingers moved slightly, an intense blue light erupted.
The blue light rapidly burned away everything, starting with the tongue that had wrapped around Iana's hand.
Kuaaaak-.
The Krikan writhed in agony as its entire body burned white.
"He, antidote."
The magic trainee, who had been watching in shock, frantically searched the treatment room. Soon, they took out an antidote from a drawer and handed it over.
"Quick, take it. It hasn't been 10 minutes yet, so the poison shouldn't have spread throughout your body."
Iana swallowed the pill and gently stroked Ru with her left hand, reassuring it as it bit her hem.
"Ru, it's okay now."
Only then did Ru let go of the hem.
Bang-.
With a heavy sound, the iron door shattered, and a high-ranking knight entered.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes. I'll go up to the Spire right away."
Iana hurriedly went up to the top of the Spire.
✦ ✦ ✦
Around that time, inside the shelter in the basement of the main castle.
Carrion and Riel, along with the investigation team, were mixed together with the employees and territory residents who had evacuated.
Thump, thump.
Only the sound of the ceiling occasionally shaking could be heard; the situation outside was completely unknown.
Whether they had heard the rumors of infidelity or not, the territory residents glanced at Carrion and Riel.
Especially Riel, with their beautiful appearance and short bobbed hair, attracted attention.
"I'm going to die because of this terrible smell."
Carrion covered his nose with a handkerchief and glared at the territory residents with a dissatisfied expression.
The investigation team members, who were nobles and dissatisfied with his words, added.
"How can you put the Emperor's investigation team and the territory residents together?"
"That's right. The shelters should have been separated according to status."
Creak-.
The shelter door opened, and a dozen soaked territory residents entered.
Seeing them, Carrion thought of Iana running in the rain.
'Iana, you're always unconventional.'
A noble lady running in the rain, completely soaked, was considered frivolous behavior. But that side of Iana felt different to Carrion.
He recalled Iana's curvaceous figure revealed by the rain and her pure yet vibrant, alluring face.
"Hah..."
Carrion sighed.
'I should have sent the proposal to the Rechelles family first.'
Seeing Grand Duke Ervin so desperately in love, he felt even more regretful about what he had lost.
Roll, roll.
At that moment, a ball made of grass that the territory children were playing with hit Carrion's shoe.
A little dirt got on his shoe.
"What the hell are you doing, making it dirty!"
Carrion snapped sharply.
"Waah."
The boy, about seven years old, was startled and embarrassed, and began to cry sadly.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on Carrion.
Riel stood up, picked up the ball covered in dirt, and handed it over with a beautiful smile.
"Here, take it."
"S-Sorry."
As the child received the ball, Riel wiped away the child's tears with a handkerchief.
Riel comforted the child in a gentle voice.
"We came from the capital, and we've never seen monsters before."
"You've never seen monsters?"
The child's eyes widened as if it couldn't believe it.
"Yeah. So when they said monsters appeared, our Count got nervous and got a little angry."
"Ah, because he was scared?"
"Yes. Because he was scared. So, can you be a little more careful?"
Carrion was about to get angry, but he held it back when Riel gave him a look.
"Yes. Countess."
The child seemed to think Riel was the Count's wife and greeted her with a bright face.
Riel seemed pleased with the answer, and a smile spread across their face.
Carrion frowned as he quietly watched.
'Even in this situation, she's pretending to be nice to create rumors that Iana was bullying her...'
He liked Riel's clever and cunning side. But gradually, that side felt like a worn-out woman, and he felt repulsed.
Unlike the innocent Iana.
The child's parents, who had gone outside for a while, heard the story and hurriedly came inside, bowing repeatedly.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Count."
Carrion didn't want to deal with them, so he got up and went out into the hallway.
It was stuffy and smelly, and he couldn't stand it.
He walked through the crowded hallway and was about to go up the stairs when the Ducal Palace knights guarding the shelter blocked him.
"Count, it's dangerous to go up there now."
"If you don't move, your lives might be in danger? For daring to block the head of the investigation team."
At Carrion's words, the knights hesitated and moved aside.
Thump, thump.
Carrion slowly climbed the underground stairs.
Swoosh- Thud! Thud!
The dull sound of arrows piercing monsters, the monsters' bizarre cries,
And a powerful explosion was heard from the Spire, as if a cannon had fired.
The moment Carrion stepped outside the entrance facing the castle gate, he was speechless at the sight before him.
'No way...'
Monster birds covered the sky in darkness, and a group of knights were fighting desperately, climbing on top of fallen monster birds and slashing and stabbing them.
'This is hell. I have to go back immediately.'
Carrion was horrified and stared blankly at the scene.
Rumble, crash!
In a flash of lightning,
A knight in blood-stained helmet and armor relentlessly plunged his sword into the neck of a struggling monster bird.
Red blood splattered everywhere along with the monster bird's scream.
As the movements of the monster bird, whose breath had been cut off, slowed, the knight roughly took off his helmet.
It was Charles.
Carrion, terrified, froze like ice. Charles felt his gaze and slowly turned his head.
Their eyes met.
Rumble, crash!
Another violent thunder and lightning struck.
✦ ✦ ✦
Knock, knock.
At dusk, the rain subsided.
A huge barrier with a blue tint, as if a rainbow covered it, was cast over the entire Ducal Palace.
As the Krikan swarm disappeared, the Ducal Palace was bustling.
The people of the Ducal Palace were busy moving the dead Krikans and repairing the damaged Ducal Palace.
Iana was summoned by Charles and came down from the Spire, heading towards the castle walls.
'Isn't there a more effective way to stop the Krikan swarm?'
As she was lost in thought, Charles slyly poked his head out from behind her and said playfully.
"I told you not to frown."
"Ah! You startled me. I was surprised."
Iana exclaimed in surprise.
Charles pointed to the barrier covering the Ducal Palace and whispered quietly.
"Did you make that?"
"......Yes."
Iana nodded shyly, as if it were a boast.
"When did you learn to create barriers?"
"I just learned it from Johan the mage on top of the Spire."
"You learned it during the battle?"
When Charles asked with a surprised expression, Iana smiled brightly in response, feeling embarrassed.
At that moment, a sharp male voice was heard from behind.
"Your Highness is being deceived. By that woman."
Turning around, a group of territory residents were standing there.
Looking at her with contempt.
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