Chapter 19

Episode 19

#19. The Enemy of the North (4)

The cold wind of the Magic Realm grew sharp and cutting, slicing through everything that dared approach.

Whooshhh!

The weary knight quickly transformed back into the Frost Blade Ghost of the North.

“Hurry…”

Having sent Valkyrie ahead, I hurriedly rummaged through my bag for various items.

Since I’ve already made such strong claims, failing the treatment would mean those blade-like winds coming straight for my neck.

“I’m about to give you some powder to snort. Afterward, sleepiness will come over you, but absolutely do not fall asleep.”

First, I ground up pain-relieving herbs into a fine powder and had Ariana inhale it through her nose to ease her suffering.

Yeah, they call it painkiller, but we all know what it really is.

“…If Professor Arad, you… save my life… I’ll grant you any wish. Anything… within my power…”

“Anything at all?”

“Yes… anything…”

“Absolutely do not fall asleep!”

“I’m so sleepy…”

“Hold on!”

Even with the painkiller-induced anesthesia, she mustn’t fall asleep or she might never wake up.

“You shouldn’t sleep.”

“But…”

I realized I needed to keep talking to prevent her from drifting off.

“By the way, Your Majesty hasn’t married yet, right?”

“Yes.”

“Is there no one special in your life?”

“I… have married the North.”

“Oh dear, but you still need an heir, don’t you?”

“Someday… perhaps, but not now… no…”

Her voice was growing weaker.

‘This is bad! She’s about to fall asleep!’

I have to wake her up somehow…

“Wake up!”

Crack! Shake! Splash!

I slapped her cheeks, shook her body, even threw cold water on her face, but nothing worked.

“What about that promise to grant any wish?”

At this point, I needed something extremely shocking.

Think, think! What could make her snap awake?

“Yes… anything… if I can do it…”

“Then how about making me your royal consort?”

After pondering, I blurted out something utterly ridiculous even to myself.

“?!”

The effect was tremendous.

Her half-closed eyes suddenly snapped wide open.

“…What kind of absurd thing is this? If I weren’t in this state… I’d slap you!”

A firm response came from Ariana’s lips despite her struggle against sleep.

“That’s too much! Didn’t you say you’d grant any wish?”

Relieved internally, I decided to stretch this topic as long as possible.

“Well…”

“I’ve saved your life twice now, and previously brought great benefit to the North through Arad salt. Is that not enough?”

“On the contrary… I have a question for you. Why exactly do you want to become royalty?”

“Because you’re so beautiful?”

“…Tell me another wish.”

“I don’t have any other wishes…”

“Then consider it until you fully recover! Until the ennoblement ceremony.”

“There’s nothing else I can do. Understood.”

“And above all, I don’t truly know who you really are.”

Her voice was slightly trembling.

“So if I reveal my true identity, you’ll reconsider?”

“…!”

“Can I take your silence as agreement?”

Honestly, I have no idea what I’m saying.

I’m just spewing whatever comes to mind without any filter.

‘This isn’t normal. Even as a joke to grab attention, this is excessive. I need to return to Earth after completing my mission.’

Maybe I’m subconsciously attracted to the beautiful Duchess?

“…”

Still, it worked well.

Ariana couldn’t respond properly to my flirting, showing a complicated expression instead.

Her sapphire-blue eyes kept shaking, indicating confusion.

Snip Snip Snip

While conversing with Ariana, my hands were busy doing something else.

I was engraving mana circuits onto magic stones using a silver carving knife.

Next to me, the brazier I brought from the carriage was already set up.

“Do you see this?”

Let’s change the subject from marriage.

“It’s a magic stone.”

“Yes, a magic stone. With this, I’ll restore not only Your Highness’s life but also your dantian.”

“…”

Earth, wood, void, ice, water, light, darkness – seven intermediate magic stones in total.

The key materials to revive the Grand Duchess of the North and enable her to wield a sword again.

“Exactly… where did you learn all these things?”

Ariana cautiously asked while watching me engrave the mana circuits.

Her eyes were filled with curiosity.

“Are you trying to find out my identity too soon?”

The Duchess’s curious gaze upon me.

“Though you said you’re not interested in marriage, you’re acting quite enthusiastically, which confuses me greatly.”

That gaze made her extremely flustered.

“Th-That’s… Well…”

‘Good. She’s definitely awake now.’

Reassured internally, I gave a fabricated answer to her question.

“A very long time ago, during the era when humanity challenged the authority of the gods.”

“The Golden Age?”

“Yes. A secret technique from the Golden Age.”

“…”

Though fabricated, it wasn’t entirely false.

The origin of magic engineering using magic stones and mana circuits started in the Golden Age.

The imperial golden mage tower has been researching lost technologies from the ancient Golden Age.

And during that process, they accidentally discovered the study of magic circuits known as magical semiconductors in the fantasy world, leading to the birth of magic engineering.

“For now, let me introduce myself to this extent.”

“…”

The Duchess’s face, colored by curiosity and embarrassment, changed subtly.

There’s one thing I want to confirm.

“Speak.”

“Professor Arad, will you not do anything harmful to the North… or to Lenslet?”

“Of course not.”

“Will you not betray… the North… and me?”

Tears began streaming down Ariana’s eyes as she asked.

“Swear it.”

“I swear.”

The pitiful request of a young ruler.

Smiling, I nodded.

“Thank goodness, thank goodness. Truly, thank goodness.”

Only then did Ariana relax her tense expression completely.

Her finally softened smile was so beautiful that it momentarily stunned me while I was preparing the medicine.

“Ah… I also… have something to confess to you, Arad.”

“What is it?”

“In fact, my name isn’t Irina, a common knight of the High City. My real identity is Ariana Rune Lenslet, the Grand Duchess of the North…”

“I know.”

“Y-You do…?”

Perhaps due to her injuries and narcotic painkillers, her cognitive abilities and memory seem unstable.

Clearly, we’ve been conversing knowing her identity as Duchess since earlier.

‘Hmm… In a way, this is fortunate.’

This means that if she recovers from her injuries, the embarrassing flirting we just had will be completely forgotten from her memory.

While conversing with Ariana,

I placed the mana circuit-engraved magic stones into the brazier in order.

Whoosh!

Flames instantly rose, and drops of platinum liquid began falling from the center.

I carefully collected the falling platinum liquid using a silver cup.

A cheat code achievable only with 100 years later technology and MAX-level alchemy.

Though the situation, materials, and equipment aren’t ideal, producing very primitive and unstable results, this is the best we can do now.

Whoosh Whoosh Whoosh

BOOM!

Meanwhile, the final battle reached its climax.

The Sword Master’s power, regaining hope while holding desperation, was truly remarkable.

“Master Arad! Sir Valkyrie sent me first! He said to deliver this!”

At that moment, Knight Eopte, covered in bags, ran towards me.

These were the bags taken from the bodies of dark wizards and Sigma mages.

“Master Arad! Is there anything else you need me to retrieve? Just say the word!”

Before long, the title ‘Master’ naturally followed my name among the knights.

* * *

Collecting potions from the magicians’ bags.

Sorting various medicinal herbs and alchemical materials from the dark wizards’ bags when Knight Eopte couldn’t contain his curiosity and asked.

“Still… can you really save His Majesty and even restore the dantian?”

He might not know about healing potions beyond regular ones.

It’s especially difficult to heal a damaged dantian.

“It should be possible. Though the result might be rather primitive.”

As I answered him while mixing the platinum liquid with other potions and herbs,

“Exactly what kind of potion are you making?”

“It’s not a potion.”

“Indeed, it looks different from ordinary potions.”

“If it were just a potion, we could save lives but never restore the dantian.”

“Then… can you tell me the name of what you’re making?”

Eopte cautiously asked.

Given that he’s treating the ruler of the North, it’s understandable to be curious.

“Though it’s merely a crude imitation, if I must name it…”

I looked at the newly completed elixir glowing with indigo light and spoke.

“Elixir.”

An extremely primitive and unstable elixir appeared 100 years ahead of its time.

“Elixir…?”

My answer made Eopte tilt his head in confusion, as if hearing it for the first time.

“I’ve seen it in ancient texts.”

Then, Ariana’s voice came from where she lay.

She had been listening to our conversation despite her pain and drug-induced semi-conscious state.

“Elixir… existed during the Golden Age… Hmm…”

She trailed off mid-sentence.

“I’m sleepy… Too sleepy…”

Then, unable to resist any longer, she began giving in to the demonic sleep, her exhausted body surrendering bit by bit.

“She’s done her best fighting with willpower until now, but seems to be reaching her limit.”

“Now you can sleep soundly. You’ve endured admirably.”

Since it’s okay to sleep now, I gently closed Ariana’s eyes with my hand.

Drip drip

Then I carefully poured the indigo elixir alternately into Ariana’s mouth and dantian.

“Is that it? Master Arad.”

Watching this, Eopte asked.

“Yes.”

Considering the tumultuous process, this treatment felt surprisingly anticlimactic.

‘Ariana is no ordinary monster.’

I was amazed internally after finishing the treatment.

‘There’s been no sign of magical energy surge at all!’

This was a half-finished elixir, yet it’s showing 200% efficacy in Ariana’s body.

‘She’ll recover without major side effects at this rate.’

It’s a phenomenon impossible without being blessed by mana since birth.

“Feels… strangely anticlimactic.”

“From here on, it’s Her Highness’s turn.”

“Her Majesty will handle it well. Just like Sir Valkyrie and Knights Karot and Roji who finished their battles.”

Eopte turned his gaze toward the battlefield.

I followed his lead and looked back.

Swoosh!

“Die! Traitor!”

“For the North!”

“Rune Lenslet!”

The fierce punishment ended.

“So it ends like this. Truly, the North is a gathering place for monsters. Now I understand why His Majesty and Her Majesty warned us so much about the North.”

“Still, the Duchess is dead. Even if she survives, she’ll be disabled for life. We’ve achieved our main objective, so that’s good enough.”

“It’s disappointing not to have seized that strange golden carriage, but another Sigma operative will accomplish that. As always.”

Apart from Doil, two knights and one mage remained.

The three Sigma operatives put down their swords and staves, speaking dispassionately.

“Long live the Emperor!”

“For the glory of the Thousand-Year Empire!”

Their only escape as spies deep within the Magic Realm.

Escape from this world.

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