Chapter 120
“Magic circle? Explain precisely, Ron.”
When Karden asked with a serious expression, Ron excitedly held up a parchment covered with magical formulas.
“I’ve identified the magic circle outside the wall. This is truly an amazing, magical formula! Creating a magic circle that can open a dimensional barrier, whoever made this must be a genius madman!”
Karden gave a bitter smile, seeing Ron’s pure joy at the academic discovery.
“Ron, can you track who created this magic circle?”
Ron nodded vigorously.
“Yes. I’m currently calculating the formula with the royal palace magicians. To deploy a dimensional barrier magic circle requires a powerful energy source. The magic circle outside is merely one gateway.”
Karden’s thick eyebrows twitched upon hearing Ron’s explanation.
“Not simply magic, but an energy source is needed?”
“Yes. It’s likely a considerably large magic circle, and to open a dimensional barrier that draws in monsters would require enormous magical power.”
“Then, if we find the source of that powerful magical energy, we can find the magic circle.”
“Yes. Probably.”
Ron nodded at Karden’s words.
Karden’s expression darkened momentarily. Deep anguish flowed in his eyes.
Karden approached Ron and whispered in a low voice.
“Ron, Shuvelia disappeared this morning. Can the location magic circle engraved on Shuvelia still be activated?”
Ron’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit.
“Shushu disappeared? Where did she go?”
“It doesn’t seem like abduction but her own will. However, I’m concerned it must be related to the Ulpes tribe.”
Ron fidgeted anxiously, biting his thumb.
“The location tracking magic circle engraved on Shushu is still valid. But right now, I need to find where the dimensional barrier magic circle is, so I can’t do it immediately. What should we do, Your Grace?”
Karden gritted his teeth.
Standing at a crossroads, Karden gripped his sword tightly.
Blue veins protruded on the back of his hand, and his eyes were bloodshot.
The archer unit on the wall was waiting for Karden’s orders, and the bell sounds announcing the crisis continued.
“Your Grace, there’s no time. Please issue orders quickly!”
The defense captain urgently requested Karden to give the attack order. The roars of monster hordes outside the wall began to echo.
He wanted to go find Shuvelia right away.
But if he failed to defend the capital’s walls now, the future of the kingdom where Shuvelia would live would be reduced to ashes.
Karden, having made his decision, looked at Ron.
“Ron, track the dimensional barrier magic circle immediately.”
“But Your Grace…”
Ron’s eyes welled with tears.
He wanted to ask what about Shushu, but the Grand Duke’s expression looked even more tormented and painful, so he couldn’t finish his question.
“I, I understand, Your Grace.”
After giving the order, Karden immediately jumped up onto the wall.
His black cloak fluttered roughly.
Beyond the wall, monster hordes were advancing like clouds across the plain.
Bizarre roars erupted. It was the sound of monster hordes howling simultaneously.
At the chilling roars, soldiers cried out urgently.
“M-monsters are coming!”
When despair and fear flowed among the soldiers, Karden climbed onto the watchtower of the wall and raised his sword high.
“Do not despair! Today, we shall fight as faithful swords protecting the Arden Kingdom and its people. All troops, prepare to attack!”
The knights and soldiers listening to Karden’s cry had expressions shining with burning will and determination not to retreat.
They showed their resolve to defend the fortress with their lives.
As the Grand Duke’s order fell, knights and soldiers raised their weapons high.
“Archer unit, attack!”
Hundreds of archers lined up on the wall, lit the oil-soaked arrowheads.
When the archers shot their bows simultaneously, hundreds of fire arrows crossed the sky like red stars.
The fire arrows were shot over the heads of monsters rushing toward the wall.
Dozens of monsters running at the front fell with screams.
Not missing that moment, Karden shouted.
“Fire the catapults!”
The catapults installed on the wall simultaneously hurled massive stones.
Monsters hit by the enormous stones flying at terrifying speed fell with screams and blood.
The green plain was swept by flames from the fire arrows like the wind.
The screams of monsters entangled in fire, monsters crushed under stones were everywhere.
Thick dust and acrid smoke covered the plain.
While soldiers cheered, anticipating victory, Karden was staring steadily at the thick dust.
Monsters hit by fire arrows turned to black ash and scattered into the air.
But as red magic circles formed again on the ground, monsters crawling out from among the dust could be seen.
Their yellow eyes flashed with an eerie light.
Owen pointed at the monster horde and shouted in an urgent voice.
“Your Grace, monsters are appearing again from the dimensional barrier magic circle!”
Karden glared at the monsters with murderous intent and ground his teeth.
“They keep coming no matter how many we kill. In the end, we must eliminate the rat hole where the rats are coming from. Find the source of the magic circle as quickly as possible!”
***
The joy of finding the antidote to the Turba flowers was brief; my mind went blank when I finally faced Franz.
I had so many questions to ask him.
My resentment was great too. But not knowing what to say first, I could only stare blankly.
Franz, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, had lost a lot of weight.
His face was haggard, and the area under his eyes was sunken. But his eyes were burning brightly.
Franz opened his dry lips.
“I’ve been waiting for you to come here, Ruel.”
“What does that mean?”
As I stood up trying to understand his true intentions, I saw Bess and Tommy behind Franz.
Tommy waved his hand excitedly when he saw Franz.
“Uncle Bred, you’re here!”
Uncle Bred? The person who helped the children was Franz?
Franz gave a faint smile toward Tommy, then spoke calmly to Rena.
“Take the children to the safe zone, Rena.”
“What about you, Leader?”
“I’ll take care of things here now.”
“Understood. I wish you success.”
Wait, what are these two talking about?
Seeing Franz and Rena conversing so familiarly, I couldn’t assess the situation, and my mind was confused.
Didn’t Rena resent and hate Franz for abandoning the tribe, saying it was all because of me?
She said she came to find out why Franz abandoned the tribe…
Oh……. How could I be so stupid?
I felt dizzy, like I’d been hit on the back of the head.
“Rena, did you deceive me?”
I glared at Rena, unable to overcome my rising anger and sense of betrayal.
Rena, who was tending to the children, looked at me with a cold expression.
“You still believe too easily. The Leader told me to bring you. I was just acting to bring you secretly, avoiding the Grand Duke’s eyes.”
“I trusted you. How could you do this, Rena!”
I was outraged and vented my frustration.
All of this was planned by Franz and Rena? What on earth are they doing this for?
Startled by my outburst, several shapeshifter children burst into tears.
“Calm down, Ruel. I just did what I had to do, and now it’s your turn.”
Rena uttered incomprehensible words and left with the shapeshifter children.
Left behind, I could only stare blankly at them.
Franz approached me with a calm expression.
“Calm down, Ruel. As the leader of the Ulpes tribe, I have something important to tell you. I needed a place to be alone with you, so I asked Rena.”
“You’re telling me to calm down now? Are you joking?”
Seeing Franz’s brazen attitude, speaking so calmly made me even angrier.
“If it was so important, you could have come directly! Instead of cowardly deceiving me!”
“That Helleide Grand Duke wouldn’t let you go easily. I was hovering around you looking for an opportunity, but there was no opening.”
Franz twisted the corner of his mouth in a sneering manner.
“Then what I saw at the ball wasn’t an illusion?”
“That’s right. I was going to take you away.”
Franz grabbed my shoulder and pulled me forcefully into his arms.
It happened so quickly I had no time to resist.
Franz’s hand wrapped around my waist, and hot breath touched my ear.
He whispered in my ear with a gentle voice reminiscent of someone soothing a child.
“But in the end, you abandoned the Helleide Grand Duke and chose me. My Ruel.”
T/N: Huh? What is even going on now? ʅ(°_◞°)ʃ
On the other hand, people say everyone deserves a second chance. But even that one Rena messed up. I didn’t like her the first time, and this time too, I didn’t understand why Shushu put so much effort into helping her in the first place.(≖ ‸ ≖ ✿)
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