Chapter 115

Chapter 115

#115. Ariana Renslett (2)

Right about now, the battle at the Great Northern Wall must be in full swing. The magic communication device has been blinking nonstop with updates on the situation.

Ariana, Arad, and even the workshop employees were all sending their support to the wall, differing only in degree but united in spirit.

“Looks like things at the wall are really worrying, huh?”

“It’s… yeah.”

“I completely understand how you feel. But the more worried we get, the more we need to trust the Duke and the heroes of Lenslet.”

“Yes…”

Arad said this while gently placing his hand on Mary’s shoulder and giving it a pat.

“!!”

The sensation of Arad’s hand on her shoulder made Ariana’s heart race as if it were Mary’s face.

Thanks to that, the troubling thoughts that had been plaguing Ariana just moments ago vanished completely.

“Hem hem hem!”

Realizing the awkward atmosphere a little late, Arad quickly removed his hand from Mary’s shoulder.

“Isn’t His Highness the Duke safely inside the inner fortress of the High City?”

He started a conversation to change the uncomfortable mood.

“That’s right.”

“Well… Even if he were at the wall, he’d still be safe, with the three superhumans of the North there.”

“And didn’t the president also gift him with a magical armor?”

“In that case, he must definitely be at the wall. I’m glad I didn’t forge him a sword.”

Ariana absentmindedly stroked the pure white magic sword ‘Howl of the Snowfield’ hanging at her waist.

“Hahaha… Still, the morale of the soldiers and knights fighting at the wall must have skyrocketed.”

Ariana mixed truth and fiction as she thought about her own phantom presence at the wall.

“It’s getting cold out here. Let’s go inside.”

“Yes.”

Arad smiled faintly and walked ahead.

Ariana watched his back as he walked ahead, then bowed her head and inspected the transformation necklace.

– I’ve found the reason why Miss and Sir Arad aren’t making any progress in their relationship. It seems to be… due to the mental magic placed on this necklace. It appears the magic is causing some unintended side effects. We need to investigate further…

That’s what Isabel had said. She claimed that the reason Arad hadn’t shown any romantic interest in Mary was likely because of this necklace.

Apparently, the mental interference enchantment cast on the necklace to hide the fact that Mary was actually Ariana had gone awry.

-The repair of the magic circuit might take some time.

The enchantment on the necklace wasn’t easy to fix—not only because mental enchantments were difficult, but also because Isabel herself was extremely busy.

-Don’t worry, Grandma. There’s no need to stress about it.

-Excuse me?

If she wins his heart in this state, wouldn’t that make it even more certain?

-But… is that possible?

-I’ll give it a try.

Such stubbornness from Ariana, though amusingly enough…

Despite being clueless about love, Ariana couldn’t get closer to Arad while pretending to be Mary.

‘I worked hard, didn’t I?’

Looking back, it seemed like all she had done was work tirelessly like an ox.

Arad saw her merely as a diligent employee—nothing more.

What’s more, he began to view Mary strangely and painted her in an odd light.

‘Surely that was it…’

But then, something about Arad changed.

‘It feels different somehow.’

There was no trace of romantic feelings in how Arad used to look at her, but that gaze had begun to shift.

For instance, he would sneak glances at Mary, then quickly turn away when their eyes met. He’d touch her shoulder or hand ever so carefully, and during conversations, a blush would creep onto his face. His heartbeat would quicken, and it was noticeable.

Most of all, he clearly became overly uncomfortable whenever she was with another man.

‘This matches what Grandma and the witches described as the behavior of a man falling in love!’

Even Ariana, a newbie in matters of love, could recognize these unusual reactions.

This sudden change in Arad began one day without any apparent trigger.

She had simply worked as usual.

‘Perhaps it was diligence and persistence. Could that be the answer?’

Ariana felt oddly proud.

She speculated that her diligence and persistence had overcome the curse (?) on the necklace and created love.

It was a very wrong assumption, but who cares? As long as the result was good, that was all that mattered.

‘So, when am I going to confess?’

Arad’s changed attitude was delightful and enjoyable to watch, but they weren’t officially in love yet.

The last remaining step: confession.

‘If only he’d hint at it casually, maybe by gifting me a teacup like Manager Te did… or perhaps catch him like Mrs. Shapiro did.’

Gulp.

Ariana swallowed hard.

She quickened her pace to catch up with Arad, who was walking ahead.

“President.”

“Hmm?”

“Let’s go together.”

“Eh? Oh… okay.”

Matching strides with him, she took a deep breath internally and walked beside him.

Their distance was closer than the size of a coin.

Thump thump thump thump

Through her excellent hearing, Ariana could hear Arad’s accelerated heartbeat.

At the same time, her own heart was pounding rapidly.

With this thrilling and joyful feeling, Ariana couldn’t help but smile.

Ding ding ding ding ding!!

The alarm bells signaling the arrival of enemies rang out across the workshop just after that.

Only fifty in total.

A strike force of fifty, evenly split between Orcs and Druids, appeared.

“That level of armament and pale skin tone…”

“Hunsler! Orc King Hunsler!”

The knights guarding the workshop couldn’t help but tense up.

“All of you, prepare yourselves! Two of them are near Masters, and the rest are High Knights!”

These were truly a group where quality outweighed quantity.

Boom boom boom boom boom!

Various wards and totems set up near the workshop emitted light.

From the gas that previously troubled Sigma agents to blinding flashes that blinded vision and ground-sinking traps that hindered movement…

All means to stop the monstrous cavalry charge were activated.

Kooorrraaa!!!

But the opponents weren’t human.

When the harsh gas came out, they held their breath and ran with monstrous lung capacity.

When the flash went off, they closed their eyes and continued running with transcendent senses.

When the ground collapsed, they jumped over it with overwhelming athleticism.

Electricity, fire, and cold-based attack spells were either blocked by tough hides or dodged entirely.

Moreover,

Pfft pfft pfft!

Magic tools provided by the Demon Den protected the Orcs and Druids.

The magical artifacts they wore weakened or broke through the various offensive spells and wards fired by the workshop.

“…”

Seeing this, the workshop knights and staff gulped.

“Amazing. If we combine those with chimeras, it would be fun.”

In this life-or-death situation, the only person who remained calm was Arad.

Click

Fully armed, he stood on the roof of the tallest factory in the workshop.

One hand held a telescope.

“President! It’s dangerous!”

The workshop security personnel shouted at Arad.

Among them were Eopte, Roji, and Karot, high-ranking knights stationed at the workshop instead of the Great Northern Wall.

“President! Please retreat inside the building!”

Manager Te also called out anxiously.

“It’s safer at the wall. Let’s escort you there!”

Ignoring the staff’s advice, Arad shook his head.

“Right now, it’s dangerous wherever you are.”

Arad said this while looking at Mary.

“Isn’t that right, Mary?”

“…”

“Mary?”

Something was off about Mary’s condition.

“Mary?”

The rushing mob towards the workshop. At the forefront of that mob was a white orc. That was Orc King Hunsler.

Hunsler, who killed Bykal Rune Renslett, Ariana’s father.

There he was, fully armored and weaponized with imperial steel.

Rumble!

Recently, Ariana’s heart, filled with love and peace, was greatly disturbed.

Roar!

From her dantian core to the circle in her heart, everything within her surged violently.

‘I must kill him! With my own hands!’

Stagnant skills? Dangerous techniques? None of that mattered.

If revenge were possible, she could even sacrifice her life.

Right now, Ariana wasn’t a ruler or anything else.

She was simply a daughter facing her father’s enemy and a Lensretian who believed in repaying both favors and grudges.

‘But… I… must protect Arad!’

However, she couldn’t act on impulse.

Her suppressor was standing right next to her.

Arad Jin.

If something happened to Arad while she was away, what then?

Even if she managed to achieve her revenge, it would seem utterly futile. She might spend the rest of her life consumed by self-loathing.

“You may go and return.”

Just then, Ariana heard Arad’s firm voice.

“Excuse me?”

“Isn’t that big white orc over there Hunsler?”

“!!”

“Do you think I don’t know that you’re the illegitimate child of the royal family?”

Arad spoke as if he understood Mary’s feelings.

Though there were many misunderstandings and errors, Grand Duke Bykal was indeed Mary’s biological father.

“Isn’t it the creed of the Lensretians to repay both kindness and enmity? So, go and come back.”

“President…?”

“On the condition that you win and come back without serious injuries.”

Arad grinned and stared intently at Ariana disguised as Mary.

“No, I will protect you here!”

Though tempted, Ariana refused.

Protecting Arad was more important.

“Is that so?”

Upon Ariana’s reply, Arad tilted his head.

Then, with a meaningful smile, he opened his mouth.

“Well~ there’s nothing I can do. I’ll carry out the revenge for you.”

“Wha?!”

At those words, not only Ariana but also Eopte, Karot, Roji, and Theo behind her were all shocked.

“I’m also a citizen of Lenslet. I’ve received much grace from His Majesty the Duke, and above all, Mary, you’ve helped me a lot until now.”

“That’s…?”

“As a loyal subject of Lenslet, I can’t sit idly by with an enemy over there, can I?”

Arad said this while preparing to leap off the factory roof.

Even though jumping down like that would surely result in death or severe injury, Arad surely had some artifact to assist his landing.

“Wait, wait! That’s too dangerous!”

Ariana knew best what Arad’s combat abilities were like.

No matter how eccentrically armed Arad was with magical artifacts, in the chaotic melee battlefield, he could never be safe.

Not only that, but the casualties among Ariana and the knights protecting such an Arad would increase significantly.

“If you don’t want to see me rush over there, go and come back.”

“!!”

Just as Arad was about to leap, he suddenly grinned, tapped Ariana’s shoulder, and spoke.

“Hunsler is… a master-level monster. The orcs and druids accompanying him are all high knights.”

Ariana asked in puzzlement to Arad, who knew this.

Hunsler was a master-level monster. According to what Arad knew about Mary’s capabilities, she was at most at the high knight level.

What gave him the confidence to believe Mary would win?

“Mary has the sword and armor I made for her.”

“??”

“How about that? I’ve also distributed magical armor and artifacts to the high knights and staff guarding the workshop. If we lose even with all this, we’ll have to forfeit our salaries.”

“But they also possess artifacts made by the dark wizards.”

“Hah! If the Demon Den’s artifacts are Eastern porcelain, mine are Northern celadon!”

“…”

Arad was banking on gear stats.

“So hurry up and go there and swing that sword thoroughly.”

Arad’s gaze shifted to the pure white magic sword hanging at Mary’s waist.

“But if I go, President’s safety…?”

“I have High City’s high knights, Sir Eopte, Sir Karot, and Sir Roji by my side. Even if a sword master comes, we won’t have any issues.”

Still hesitating, Ariana looked at the three high knights behind Arad.

“Moreover, I’m someone who often gets lucky. Even if they get close…,”

Click,

Arad pulled out a magnum from his waist and showed it.

“I trust the artifacts I’ve made. And I trust Mary who wields these artifacts.”

“…”

“Thus, Mary, trust me as well.”

“Yes…!”

Regardless of his intentions, since he said it like this, Ariana couldn’t refuse.

“…Thank you.”

Ariana looked at Arad with Mary’s silvery gray eyes.

Because of these qualities of his, these small considerations and words that accumulated…

It was probably why Ariana still harbored affection for him despite everything.

Ariana felt her heart pounding as she leaped off the factory building.

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