Chapter 25
One of the reasons Chase didn’t trust me might be this as well. Just because someone possesses the power of purification doesn’t mean they are unaffected by mana. If exposed to mana without deploying a magic circle, even a purification mage is just as vulnerable as an ordinary person.
They could contract mana poisoning, or turn into a monster.
But…
‘Not me.’
My body itself was in the same state as a magic circle. Even if I was exposed to mana, I could purify it as it was. Like Chase, who was blessed by the wolf, I didn’t have perfect mana resistance from the start, but thanks to purification, I was similarly not easily affected by mana.
Of course, it wasn’t that there was no effect at all. If mana strong enough to overwhelm my purification flowed in, there was a side effect. intense heat and pain, like a broken machine overloaded beyond its limit.
I stepped as close as possible to the mana fog and spread out my hand, beginning purification just like before.
As my body began to glow with a golden light, the black mana that had covered the surroundings was instantly drawn into me. Then, like before, it transformed into particles of bright light and scattered around.
It was a satisfying result. As the darkness disappeared, brilliant sunlight poured down onto the cleansed land. The darkness that had blanketed the ground vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.
Seeing the cleansed land, I felt a sense of fulfillment and turned toward Chase with a smile. But then I noticed the gazes of the people around me.
Startled.
In an instant, goosebumps rose over my body, and cold sweat ran down my back. Chase had said it was fine, so I had forgotten, but how would the people here perceive my power?
In the capital, mana had not been able to encroach thanks to purification mages. That was because the land had been purified regularly from the start, preventing mana from forming in the first place. Perhaps because of that, the people of the capital had grown arrogant, treating those who had been affected by mana or fallen ill from it as something dirty.
Then what about here? Chase’s subordinates behind me, and the villagers watching me?
Would it be alright? Of course, no matter what they thought of me, I planned to stay here until Michael was dealt with, but if they judged me as something filthy like the Grace family had, it would make things even more difficult…
I stood there, tense enough for cold sweat to drip, unable to look anywhere else. Then suddenly, the villagers began to clap. Some even raised both arms toward me, waving with tears of emotion in their eyes.
Relief washed over me in that instant.
Thank goodness. At least the villagers wouldn’t call me filthy.
After confirming their reaction and feeling reassured, I turned back. Chase wore an unreadable expression, and the moment my eyes met Logan’s, he rushed toward me.
“As expected, that was incredible! I thought so last time as well, but I’ve never seen someone purify mana so beautifully and quickly!”
When I looked around in a daze, the other knights were nodding as if they agreed.
“To purify mana without even a magic circle.”
“Isn’t that an extraordinary ability?”
“For once, Grace kept their promise.”
“To send such an outstanding mage.”
There seemed to be a bit of a misunderstanding, but fortunately, the other knights’ reactions were no different from the villagers’.
It was completely different from the capital. The ability that the Grace family had discarded as filthy was being praised here instead.
Perhaps the people of the north had been desperately waiting for the power of purification.
I’m glad I’m useful. Honestly, I hadn’t expected to be acknowledged by others as well, but I was truly relieved that these people welcomed me. A small sense of pride welled up, and I looked at Chase with confidence.
He was staring at the open field with an indifferent expression that revealed nothing of his thoughts. Then, as if sensing my gaze, he turned his head and approached me.
“How is it?”
“Huh?”
“Your condition. I’m asking how your body is.”
“I’m fine. Like I said last time, there’s nothing wrong with my body.”
“Your arm. Has the pain gotten worse or anything?”
“No! Not at all!”
I deliberately smiled brightly and spun around in place. Even so, Chase narrowed his eyes, still unconvinced, with a displeased look.
So I jumped up and down in place.
“See? I’m perfectly fine, right?”
In truth, jumping like this made my wrist hurt, but I was pretending it didn’t. But Chase, oblivious to my effort, frowned deeply.
“Don’t jump. I can see your ugly legs.”
***
Discussion
0 CommentsNo comments yet.