.jpg)
Marcel's Counterattack
"Riel, it's been a while."
Marcel greeted her, then studied Riel's expression.
Riel rarely showed her emotions, but she looked quite flustered.
'She must have thought she could move me with the Archmage position.'
Marcel thought, rising to his feet and gazing at Riel.
He had received the Empress's letter immediately after meeting Duke Havel at the Wizard's Tower.
[I am watching Riel Estina.]
The Empress was a cautious person.
She had been lying low, waiting until Riel and Duke Havel conspired together, somehow knowing they would.
In order to counterattack Duke Havel, who was constantly eyeing the Empress's position.
At that moment, the Empress gave Marcel a meaningful look and said, "Since the two of you haven't seen each other in a while and must have a lot to say, I'll excuse myself for a moment."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Marcel bowed respectfully at the Empress's words.
"..."
Riel was silent, as if trying to grasp the situation.
Soon after, the Empress left, leaving Marcel and Riel alone in the drawing room.
Marcel sat down in front of the steaming teacup.
A heavy silence fell for a moment.
"I never imagined I would see Marcel here. In the Empress Palace's drawing room."
Riel changed her expression and immediately revealed her true colors.
"You must have thought I would shut my mouth if you just threw the Archmage position at me," Marcel sneered.
"I don't know what you're talking about, but one thing is certain."
"..."
"I greatly underestimated you, Brother."
Riel said meaningfully, pretending not to know anything, perhaps thinking someone might be eavesdropping.
Clang.
Marcel placed the teacup he was drinking from on the table.
"You've been exposed to me. Your heinous true nature, that is."
"..."
"I thought about it. If I got the Archmage position and kept silent about all your misdeeds, would it really pass quietly?"
"..."
"No, once you gain power, you will definitely attack me first, the one who knows everything about you. That's your method."
Marcel gave a twisted smile.
"So, you joined hands with Her Majesty the Empress? With someone who stands in opposition to His Grace, Duke Havel?"
Riel lowered her voice and sneered.
Marcel also lowered his voice and delivered the decisive blow.
"Riel, your miscalculation was underestimating Her Majesty the Empress, not me."
"..."
"Her Majesty the Empress has been watching you and His Grace, Duke Havel, all along."
"...!"
Riel pretended to be nonchalant, but her eyes wavered.
Marcel slowly rose from his seat. He then looked down at her and said, "Let's meet again soon, Riel Estina."
✦ ✦ ✦
Several days passed.
Late afternoon, the fortress walls of District 4.
With the help of Karen, the healer, Iana's injured arm and leg were recovering day by day.
Meanwhile, Mule had deciphered the magic formula of the groundwater and created purification magic.
Charles, Mule, and the mages were at the front lines, removing the Arika Vine buried beneath the rocky mountain land.
Iana guarded the fortress from the rear, and the territory residents made weapons and food at the Ducal Palace to provide support.
The entire Ervin was moving like a single cog, responding to the war.
The blacksmith from the Ducal Palace brought newly made weapons and continued to explain them to her.
"These are magic arrows made with steel smelting techniques that won't burn in fire. They are weapons to be used against the mutant krikans that breathe fire."
The newly made arrows were made with thin steel instead of wooden shafts. They were sleek and delicate, as if crafted by artisans.
The knights, examining the arrows here and there, exclaimed in admiration.
"With these magic arrows, it feels like we have mages everywhere."
At his words, Iana suddenly had an epiphany.
'Thanks to the magic arrows, ordinary people can now use magical power.'
Anyone who can shoot a bow can use them.
At that moment, Karen came up to the fortress wall and said, "Iana Archmage, it's time for your treatment."
"I'll be right there."
Iana came down from the fortress wall with Karen and moved into the fortress.
Then, she noticed an arched wooden door at the end of the first-floor hallway.
A door secretly locked with a large padlock.
"By the way, what's that place?"
Iana asked, pointing to it as she entered the treatment room.
"Ah, that's the library."
At Karen's answer, she asked with a puzzled expression, "Why is there a library in a fortress built for evacuation?"
"There are records of Ervin's overall situation, such as the movements of monsters, the weather, food, and trade goods."
Karen rummaged through the drawers to find medicine.
Meanwhile, Iana sat down on a chair.
"But that's also in the Ducal Palace's library."
"They keep the same things in several places. In case they get burned and destroyed by war or accidents."
"Well, those records are also Ervin's history, so they must be kept precious."
At Iana's words, Karen's face darkened as she held the medicine bottle in her hand.
"Rather than that, they are preparing for when a new lord comes to Ervin."
"A new lord?"
Iana tilted her head in confusion.
"Your Highness is traversing the battlefield and is also being checked by the Imperial Family."
Karen replied, applying medicine to her leg.
Only then could Iana understand.
'They are preparing for a situation where Your Highness might die in battle or be framed as a rebel.'
For the sake of the Ervin territory residents.
"So, honestly, I'm worried."
Karen sighed with a heavy expression.
"About what?"
"I don't know what kind of reprimand the Imperial Family will give to Your Highness. For creating such a powerful weapon as the magic arrow."
"Ha...!"
Iana let out a hollow laugh.
The situation of having to worry about the aftermath of the war, not the war itself, was absurd.
Karen's words suddenly reminded her of what Mule had said.
"You need to carefully examine the complex relationship between the Imperial Family and Ervin. The relationship between the Emperor and Your Highness."
Iana stared at the rocky mountain beyond the window and murmured.
As if asking Charles a question.
"If Your Highness endures and perseveres as he does now, will the Imperial Family's checks really disappear?"
✦ ✦ ✦
That evening, mages and knights gathered in the fortress's banquet hall.
It was the first meal at a table in a long time.
"When the Iana Archmage emitted light into the rocky mountain land with purification magic, the Arika Vines wriggled out of the ground like snakes."
"Why are you saying such disgusting things while we're eating?"
The supporting mages bickered.
With the creation of purification magic and magic arrows, which provided a way to catch the new monsters, the morale of the knights and mages rose.
However, Iana kept thinking about Karen's words, and she couldn't eat well.
"I don't know what kind of reprimand the Imperial Family will give to Your Highness. For creating such a powerful weapon as the magic arrow."
Even if they safely overcame this war, it was entirely possible, given the Emperor's behavior.
She looked at Charles, who was eating at the knights' table, and pondered.
'What should I do? To help Your Highness.'
At that moment, Charles made eye contact with her.
He asked with his lips if something was wrong.
Iana smiled and shook her head as if it was nothing.
As the meal was almost over, Charles approached the table where she was.
"Iana Archmage, I have something urgent to tell you."
Charles said with a serious face and walked towards the banquet hall door.
Iana wondered what was going on and immediately followed him.
Her leg had improved a lot, but it was still a bit uncomfortable to walk.
As the two of them came out of the banquet hall door, Charles looked at Iana's walking and said, "It seems like it's still uncomfortable for you to walk. Should I give you a piggyback ride?"
"No, they said I need to practice walking now to recover quickly."
"I see. Then let's walk a bit."
Charles replied with a slightly disappointed voice.
They walked around the fortress and talked about various things.
When they reached a secluded place, Iana cautiously asked, "By the way, what was it that you urgently needed to tell me?"
"Is something wrong? Your face looks serious."
At Charles's words, Iana stopped in her tracks.
"Your Highness, if we safely overcome this war..."
As she hesitated, Charles urged her to speak.
"Tell me."
"What if I become the Archmage of the Empire?"
"Does that mean you want to leave Ervin?"
Charles's face hardened.
The two's gazes intertwined.
Iana said resolutely, as if she had made up her mind.
"I think I need political power. To protect Your Highness..."
.jpg)