Youngest 237
by CristaeEpisode 237
“Are you insane?”
He ground his teeth in open defiance of the voice in his head.
The intention behind the voice that tormented him was clear. An unseemly, shameless desire laid bare: to satisfy itself, even if it meant making the person before him miserable and wretched.
Khalid pressed down again on the dark mana that threatened to devour his own.
‘This power… It might be connected to the wording on that shackle—‘For my King.’’
The thought struck him suddenly.
Then this would be the mana of that so-called “king,” wouldn’t it?
‘But thinking about it—What king ever possessed such magic…’
Wasn’t there only one Mage King?
The current Mage King was still alive and well in that kingdom that resembled a child’s plaything, so it couldn’t be him. If he traced it back further, several generations…
‘Damn it.’
What exactly am I carrying inside me?
Feigning a casual sweep of his hair, Khalid quietly wiped the cold sweat beading on his forehead so that Rubian wouldn’t notice.
‘Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter.’
I’ve cherished this one, treated them with nothing but care all this time to get here.
And now some unknown power is supposed to ruin what we have?
‘Screw that.’
I don’t do things I’ll regret.
With deliberate confidence, he reached out to Rubian. His expression was as nonchalant as ever, yet veins stood out stark on his forehead.
“Ruby, your hair’s falling out—should I tie it back up for you?”
“Can you do it?”
“Of course. At least better than the prince.”
“…Wow, you’re really incorrigible.”
As the voice begged him to get along with Licht played like music in the background, Khalid gathered each strand of her silver hair with care, cherishing every one.
Seize her. Make her submit. Don’t let her escape anywhere!
At that moment, the dark mana seemed to stir, raising its head.
“Hey, that tickles too much. Try a bit harder…”
“Sorry.”
But with just a single, pure voice bright as day, all that was swept away, as if it never existed.
Before we left, back at the harbor, Benjamin spoke to me.
“By the way, that young man—is he a mage?”
“Yes. You’ve never seen an unregistered mage before, have you…?”
He showed great curiosity about Khalid, so I told him roughly how we had met. There was nothing in particular to hide; now that Benjamin was free from the Crest, there was no cause for concern.
“It would be wise to be careful.”
“Pardon?”
“A mage bound by such a complicated sealing formula…”
After hearing the story, Benjamin spoke very cautiously.
“He must be either a truly heinous criminal.”
“…”
“Or someone who has surpassed the limits of humanity. I’d say it’s one of the two.”
“Mr. Benjamin, Khalid is human. He’s not a criminal, either. He was trapped in the cave because…”
When he was a powerless boy, some rotten mercenaries—
I trailed off, gazing long at the wrinkles around Benjamin’s eyes.
‘Is that really so?’
For the first time, uncertainty crept in where I’d never doubted before.
‘Since it was just part of the original setting, I never really questioned any of it.’
But I couldn’t afford to overlook even the smallest things anymore. Who knew what might be hidden, as unexpected as the secret of my own birth? Most importantly, Khalid was more precious to me than words could say.
Maybe it was because of what Benjamin had said.
Now Khalid’s mana felt somehow unstable.
‘Even now… look.’
I tried to sense Khalid’s mana as he devotedly tied my hair as if handling the most expensive silk in the world.
Once he had tied my hair firmly with a ribbon, I reached out to him.
“Khalid, lend me your mana.”
“…”
Normally, he would have grasped my hand without hesitation.
But, to my surprise, Khalid turned his head away.
“I’m busy now.”
“…”
“Later.”
“You’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?”
The moment I questioned him, Khalid drew even farther away. I didn’t miss the opening.
“Quick, tell me what you’re hiding—”
That was when it happened.
The ship rocked hard, and something landed on the deck with a heavy thud. Like lightning, Khalid rushed over and shielded me.
“Careful!”
Crash—a decorative object fell from the shelf above our heads and shattered.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Tsk, must be a magical beast. Stay here.”
After making sure I was safe, Khalid grabbed his sword and hurried out. I darted to a magical artifact placed at the side of the cabin and channeled my mana into it.
Blue mana coursed along the hull, reaching the artifacts located throughout the ship. As I felt all the mana connect, I curled up quietly.
There came the sounds of explosions, shattering, destruction. To top it off, the hideous wailing of magical beasts.
Thanks to the protection artifacts, though, the ship would remain intact. No matter how wildly they rampaged, it was unlikely we’d sink.
And with Father on board, there really was nothing to worry about—
‘But more than that, Khalid…’
Curled up, I gazed at my palm.
It lasted only an instant, but when he reached me to protect me, Khalid’s body touched mine.
On purpose, I had tugged lightly at his mana to examine it.
‘His mana has changed.’
Was it just my imagination?
“…”
Frowning, I sank into thought.
After that, there were about five more battles.
I drew heavily on Arcadia’s ever-thickening mana to quickly dissolve the main barriers protecting the Mage Kingdom. The important thing was to keep our breach in the barrier from being discovered.
The method I chose was camouflage. So, to be precise, it was more of an overlay than a removal.
Whenever we neared a particular barrier, I superimposed a barrier of the exact same pattern over the entire ship.
A barrier, after all, is just a resonance of mana and a magic circle. So if I could match the resonance surrounding the ship precisely, it would be recognized as the same nature and we’d slip through undetected.
“Just let me smash through it for once…”
Sprawled flat on the deck, I gasped for breath. Father and the four other underlings did their utmost to trumpet their commander’s prestige with all manner of boastful bluster.
As the scarlet sun began to sink below the edge of the horizon,
Our ship reached the southern coast of Arcadia.
Northern Arcadia.
The Mage King’s “First” brushed his lips.
Gazing out at the blurred horizon, he recalled the results of an experiment he had confirmed only moments before.
‘The mana of magical beasts or mages who’ve received a transfusion of dark beast blood became faintly blackened.’
Of course, both ended up dying, their bodies fully corrupted.
‘A good sign.’
The “First” recalled how the mana of the contaminated subjects had surged dramatically in the moment of their deaths.
Dark magic was a wholly different power, unattainable in the world of men. The power of this world was finite, but that of the Demon Realm infinite. If only one could possess it, then Father would surpass the limits of humanity and rule this world.
‘All that’s needed is to fully accept the dark beast’s blood.’
Experimentation was ongoing.
The Mage King remained obsessed with the summoning circle, hoping for the return of the “Seventh,” but the “First” no longer intended to be bound by the full return of the “Seventh.”
‘If the Crest keeps him from moving as I wish, I’ll kill him.’
He asked,
“Where are all the high-ranking mages?”
“They’re at the Ostavia Plains.”
“Preparations?”
“Complete.”
Thinking of the vast number of war puppets, the “First” smiled.
“A grand army, then.”
Staring at the distant horizon, he gave his command.
“Use the newly developed submarines this time. Take some troops and go to Babylon now. The unit that arrives first will open all portals, in every direction. We must open the way for our army to invade Babylon.”
“Yes, sir.”
The mage vanished in an instant, teleporting away.
“‘First,’ sir.”
At that moment, another appeared amidst a puff of smoke.
“What is it?”
“The Mage King says it appears all southern mages are dead, and orders you to capture the ‘Seventh’ alive, immediately.”
“What are you saying?”
“The Crest link—has been severed, all of it…”
A furrow slowly formed between the “First’s” brows.
Had the Babylonians killed all the southern mages?
He had deliberately included children and elders to prevent such an outcome. But at last, these people, driven to the corner, had betrayed even their beliefs.
“Tsk. Did he say nothing about the ‘Seventh’s’ Crest?”
“Benjamin’s negation magic may not have worked perfectly, but His Majesty does still sense the Crest’s approach, though not as strongly as he hoped.”
“Since they have the auto-pilot magic device marked with northern coordinates, they will arrive here soon.”
“Yes.”
“As soon as they arrive, I’ll cast my own nullification spell and amplify the Crest. Everyone, stay out of sight until then.”
Countless mages preparing for battle faded from view.
‘The moment you arrive, it’s over for you.’
After a sweeping glance at the coastline buried with hundreds of magic circles, the “First” turned his cold gaze back to the sea. The horizon was calm.
A while passed.
“It should be soon.”
Yet still, the horizon remained calm.
“…”
Perhaps they’d been delayed by sea monsters.
He composed himself, straightening his posture.
And after a little longer,
The horizon—
“…”
Remained as calm as ever.
“…Why…”
Staring at the utterly unmoving, tranquil northern sea of Arcadia, he muttered,
“Why is there not a single sign of them?”