Chapter 118

Chapter 118

#118. The Great Witch of the Snowfield (1)

“Could it be you’re mad because of my factory?”

When I spoke in the ancient tongue, Nutska and the two remaining elite druids nodded slightly.

“Civilization is bound to perish. Humans are foolish and repeat the same mistakes.”

Nutska nodded lightly and continued.

“So, what do you wish us to do?”

“Humans must become a part of nature. We must not repeat the sins of the Age of Sin or the errors of the Golden Age.”

“I’m sorry, but even if we don’t, it’s meaningless. All humanity in this world is building civilization.”

“We can destroy, slaughter, and plunder to stop it. Just like what we did to the southern humans long ago.”

“…It’s not like mixing vandalism with environmental activism or anything.”

Something… It feels like I’m watching an extreme version of an eco-terrorist from another world.

“If you saw the state of Earth, you’d probably flip out big time.”

“Earth?”

“There’s such a thing. Anyway, if you reject civilization so much, what are those things you’re wearing?”

I pointed at the magical artifacts embedded in their bodies like piercings while asking.

They rejected civilization but had equipped themselves with magical tools provided by the Demon Den.

Even the chief among them possessed an artifact from the Golden Age they claimed to denounce.

The already highly magic-resistant druids became nearly invincible defenses due to these magical artifacts.

“One must sometimes resemble the devil to catch the devil.”

In response to my question, Nutska replied with a menacing smile.

“…”

Devil?! That’s going too far.

You guys look more like demons yourselves!

“I heard that if you choose even a part of civilization, you won’t beastify?”

“The high priest allows occasional exceptions.”

“Aha.”

‘Tsk tsk tsk…’

I couldn’t help but let out a sound of disapproval.

These guys are more stubborn than elves. Armed with extreme anti-civilization beliefs, chosen people syndrome, and double standards.

“I see. By any chance, could I join you? Even though it might be late, I’ve gained much inspiration and enlightenment from our short conversation.”

Much as it irks me, I need to buy some time right now.

“Repent! Regret and feel remorse! Look, I’ll dismantle this magnum with my own hands! Everything must return to nature!”

I put on a performance full of spirit.

“…”

Nutska silently stared at me like this, then briefly asked.

“Is that your final testament?”

“Tch.”

Turns out this max-level all-rounder character wasn’t max-level at acting.

“Uooooo!”

“Kwaaaaaa!”

Seems there was no intention to continue the conversation further. Nutska and the last two surviving druids fiercely charged forward.

All three had transformed into polar bears larger than ordinary medium-sized monsters.

“If they were regular polar bears, we wouldn’t have struggled this much.”

Even though the beasts here are bigger and stronger than on Earth, the humans fighting them are armed with mana.

Kuuuuhhh!!

But the three opponents weren’t just simple beast transformations.

Their size, muscles, heart, nerves, density, bones—everything had grown to the point where they were indistinguishable from monsters.

Moreover, their passive skill ‘Magic Resistance,’ bordering on absurdity, applied even against the knights’ sword energies.

Puerrrrk!!

“Khahk!!”

First to go was Te Manager, who was sent flying to the corner of the factory after being struck by one of the bear’s front paws.

Kwa-gwang!

Changglang!

The sound of falling destroyed equipment and shattering magic stones filled the air. It was the magic stone attached to his enchanted armor.

‘Didn’t die.’

Te Manager’s magic armor fulfilled its role until the very end.

The shock absorption enchantment counterbalanced the damage dealt by the druid and the fall.

“Haaaap!”

“Kraaak!”

Kwaang! Puerk! Kwang!

Unlike Te Manager, Eopte, Roji, and Knight Karot held their ground without being sent flying.

They bravely covered the three charging polar bears coming towards me.

Eopte took on Nutska, while Karot and Roji handled the other two druids.

And me…

“President! Now’s the time!”

“Please get out of the way!”

“Your sacrifices will never be forgotten.”

I prepared.

There was nothing I could do to help anyway.

The prepared mana bombs had run out long ago.

Huff huff

An unexpected opportunity to escape presented itself, and without looking back, I bolted through the rear door.

I didn’t look back while running.

Trusting in my luck stat, I kept running and running.

Puerrrk! Kwaang! Kuung!

A sound similar to when Te Manager was sent flying earlier echoed from behind.

‘May they survive at least.’

I firmly believed the magic armor I personally crafted would do its job.

And thus, leaving behind the sacrifices of the knights, I finally made it outside the factory.

“What…?”

The appearance of the workshop felt unfamiliar.

The scenery outside was somewhat different from what I saw dozens of minutes ago.

Unconsciously, I slowed down from sprinting to jogging.

“Rebuilding will be cheaper than restoration.”

Stepping out of the factory, what I saw was a snowy field.

A completely white world stretched before me, devoid of any standing people.

Kwaang! Gurrrrrr!

Kuaaaaaa!

The sound of walls collapsing came from the factory I escaped.

Zzirit

At the same moment, a ferocious killing intent pierced my neck and back.

‘Ahhh!’

I immediately switched from jogging back to full-speed running.

Though my body excels at everything except combat, my running skills were only average.

Kuo-ooo!!

In an instant, I was caught by a massive polar bear.

It was Nutska.

Judging from the blood streaming from various parts of his body and his exhausted state, he seemed quite worn out, but dealing with someone like me would be as easy as wiping his nose.

With no combat abilities and depleted mana bombs, he was an opponent I couldn’t handle.

“Huhk, huhk!”

Even as I ran for dear life, I could feel his breath right behind me.

Churk,

I hastily fastened the coat I was wearing.

The enchantments on the coat should be able to withstand two of his strikes.

Kuo-ooo!

Buooong-

Nutska roared and swung his giant front paw at me.

I could feel the terrifying wind pressure piercing through my defensive magic.

Ssuut-

That’s when it happened.

Just as I tightly shut my eyes.

Swish!

A sharp gray vertical line appeared, slicing from Nutska’s crown to his groin before vanishing.

“…?!”

“?!”

For a brief moment, Nutska’s and my eyes met.

Both Nutska and I had question marks floating above our heads.

‘Long live the luck stat!’

Towards Nutska, I silently mouthed a V sign.

Jjeruk- Kuung!

With that, Nutska’s four-meter-tall body split cleanly in half.

Without a single sound.

Even the Golden Age artifact he wore proved useless at this moment.

“…!”

Right in front of me, the beast-transformed giant polar bear was bisected. Expecting a gory spray of blood,

‘Ice formed on the cut?’

But no blood splattered.

Jeob jeob jeob

The footsteps of the one who halved Nutska followed.

Through the snowstorm, a woman revealed herself.

“Your Majesty King Arad…?”

She had silver hair and sapphire eyes—the peerless beauty of the Northern Region, Ariana Rune Lenslet.

“…Mary?”

Yet her attire and weapons were familiar.

“Could it be…?”

Her face was undoubtedly King Ariana of the Lenslet Order, but her outfit was the one Mary used to wear, and the weapon she wielded was the Frost Howl sword I once gifted her.

‘My goodness!’

How could I not realize this until now?

‘My gaze lingered on the necklace around Ariana’s neck.’

The magic stone embedded in the necklace had fine cracks.

‘Aah… So that’s how it was.’

All the pieces clicked unexpectedly into place.

‘Transformation magic and stealth rules magic weren’t enough—it was also enchanted with perception interference magic!’

A mind-affecting enchantment of this caliber must have been created by Isabel herself.

‘So then, who was the Ariana I’ve seen alongside Mary until now? Could it be… Isabel’s illusion magic?’

Each new question resolved itself effortlessly.

‘And yet, despite holding the title of Duke, to maintain this undercover identity for so long…?’

Why go through all this trouble?

Though questions still lingered, that wasn’t important right now.

Thoughts of my words and actions in front of Ariana disguised as Mary flashed by, but that wasn’t important either.

‘Ariana’s physical condition!’

I maintained maximum composure while asking Ariana.

“Your Majesty! Are you alright!?”

“…”

Ariana didn’t respond.

Gooohhhh..

Her eyes and expression were vacant.

The Frost Howl sword in her right hand emitted a gray sword aura symbolizing a realm beyond Sword Master.

“…”

Seeing the solid gray sword aura emanating from the blade reminded me of a lightsaber from Star Wars.

I swallowed hard.

‘So she used that technique after all.’

The worst-case scenario popped into my head.

“Arad…”

“Yes?”

Then Ariana’s lips moved.

“It’s fortunate. You’re safe.”

As soon as her formerly vacant sapphire eyes focused on me, they regained their sharpness.

“Really… it’s fortunate… that it’s not… too late…”

Following that, her lips and the corners of her eyes curved into a sincere smile of joy and relief.

Pyaat

The gray sword aura enveloping the Frost Howl disappeared.

Tulssok

Ariana collapsed onto the spot and lost consciousness.

“Your Majesty!”

I hurriedly rushed over and caught the unconscious Ariana.

The formidable knight from moments ago had now turned into a small, delicate woman.

‘Magic exhaustion! This usually happens to magicians!’

Upon examining Ariana’s body immediately,

‘Oh no…!’

Countless symptoms indescribable in words emerged as soon as I checked her lower and upper dantians.

‘Her body’s balance is completely shattered!’

Ariana’s condition was extremely grave.

‘It resembles the demonic transformation from martial arts novels. No, it’s even worse.’

I internally sighed.

‘She’s on the verge of breaking apart.’

The decisive reason for her current state was obvious.

‘She used that technique!’

She recklessly fused the mana of the circle with the mana of the lower dantian, akin to nuclear fusion.

This reckless use of forbidden mana manipulation caused this.

-Do not use this technique under any circumstances.

-I hope you never have to use it.

-You won’t need to.

Suddenly, a past conversation during Ariana’s examination came to mind.

Now I understood why that scene felt like a flag at the time…

‘The only fortunate thing is that the Frost Howl I gave Mary and various defensive artifacts did their job.’

If not for these, Ariana’s body would have exploded before I could even touch her.

‘Regretting now is pointless. Let’s focus on what we can do immediately!’

First, I rummaged through my bag to treat her.

‘So that’s why you hid that bag.’

Attached to Ariana’s belt was a bag. The spatial magic bag always carried by Mary.

This was the first time I closely examined this bag. Upon closer inspection, it had a case resembling a phone cover placed over it.

Inside was the magic bag ‘Ard’s Sincerity’ I once gifted Ariana.

‘Potions! Holy water! Herbs! Medical kit!’

I searched both Ariana’s bag and the spatial magic bag I possessed.

Various holy waters and potions made by the Lenslet Order appeared first, followed by a vial containing blue liquid.

I also pulled out a syringe from the medical kit.

I needed to treat her magic exhaustion first.

Only then could I attempt to adjust the imbalance in her heart and lower dantian.

‘Let’s extinguish the urgent fire first! As for symptoms I can’t fix immediately, I’ll set aside time later to research!’

I injected mana potion and mixed various medications, administering them into Ariana’s arm and heart.

Among them was a half-finished elixir I created long ago in the depths of the Magic Realm.

Sseuck… Sseuck…

Ariana’s previously labored breathing gradually grew calmer.

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