Chapter 82

Chapter 82

#82. The Northern Counterattack (1)

The body I’m possessing, Arad, is non-combat type. So, to survive in this world, I must prioritize safety and self-preservation above all else.

It might’ve been different if this were Earth, but in this world filled with wilderness, barbarism, magic, and curses, preserving one’s life is paramount.

“Honestly, thinking about it now, I don’t know how I did such dangerous things back then.”

Driving a golden carriage all the way to the depths of the Magic Realm? That past me was insane.

“…”

Mary remained silent, still worried about Ariana who stayed in the Palace of Glory.

“Don’t worry, Mary.”

I held her hands tightly to reassure her.

“!!”

Mary jumped and looked up in surprise.

“Her Highness will be fine. Didn’t I give her magical armor too?”

Looking into her ashen gray eyes, I continued.

“Trust Her Highness, trust Spring Archmage and Knights Valkyrie, Sun, and the other northern knights.”

As I spoke, her eyes began to tremble.

“And finally, trust the magical weapons I’ve created.”

Meanwhile, inside my mind, I was evaluating the feel of Mary’s hands.

“Such rough hands… Did she practice swordsmanship too? Not just a regular female mage but a magus warrior? Impressive.”

Thinking about it, this was the first time I’d held Mary’s hands for so long.

“But… did the Snow Archmage use sword skills in the game?”

Something about Mary seemed different from the original history.

“Yes, I trust you.”

Did my sincerity get through? Mary bowed her head deeply, speaking under the factory’s magical lighting where her ears turned noticeably red.

Just as I was about to let go of her hands, I couldn’t.

“Umm…?”

Not me, but Mary was holding on tightly.

* * *

The inner chamber of the Palace of Glory in High City.

Princess Ariana Rune Lenslet’s bedroom.

Creeeeak

A secret passage, known only to a select few in High City, opened, allowing eleven figures to enter one by one.

All wore pitch-black robes with bandages wrapped around them, their eyes glowing an emerald green.

Ding ding ding

Only one thin witch jingled bells differently.

Thud thud thud

The dark wizards surrounded Ariana’s bed where a beautiful silver-haired lady slept soundly.

“So she really was severely injured.”

“Even with all those protective wards, she’s this vulnerable?”

They whispered sinisterly while casting spells.

Chiiik!

Disturbing spheres of purple, green, and red coalesced in the air.

“So this is where our vendetta ends.”

“Finally! The bloodline of both enemies will be erased.”

Their condensed hatred shot directly at Ariana without hesitation.

An acidic and corrosive destruction spell.

Pooooof

The bed where Ariana lay vanished completely.

“Wha- It was an illusion?!”

Realizing too late that it was fake.

“It was such a realistic illusion…”

Even breathing, mana, and soul presence felt real – an incredibly detailed fake.

Clap clap clap clap

Then applause came from the bedroom door.

Whoosh

The fresh smell of mana cigarettes followed.

Zzzzzip

An old witch replenishing mana potion drips appeared.

“Isabel.”

Seeing the uninvited guest representative, the dark wizard called out her name.

“It’s been a while, Isaac.”

Isabel also knew his face and name.

“You’ve found a way to overcome Haran’s seal, interesting.”

The black necromancer’s gaze shifted from Sun’s shield to Isabel’s pipe.

“Let him think what he wants.”

Isabel didn’t bother correcting Isaac’s assumptions.

“Isaac, isn’t this just another phantom?”

“The lich understands vessel concepts better than anyone, what’s your scheme?”

“What scheme? I just figured out where your vessel is.”

“Hah? You found it?”

“In the body of the White Serpent Jormungandr somewhere, right?”

“…”

“Do you think we witches have been doing nothing but farming?”

Isabel continued.

“After this matter concludes, I’ve instructed preparations for an expedition to the far north.”

“Where exactly do you think the White Serpent is in the far north?”

“If it’s not in the Magic Realm, the answer is obvious.”

“Umm…?!”

“When we eliminate you and the White Serpent, this long-standing grudge and curse will end.”

“Is that possible?”

“Not easy, but not impossible either.”

“Hohoho… Even if it’s possible, you’ll never see it happen.”

Isabel’s declaration made Isaac sneer.

Ding ding

Simultaneously, bell sounds rang from the side.

The mummy-like thin witch moved.

“…”

Seeing the Haran mummy, Isabel’s expression momentarily faltered.

Even after preparing herself thousands of times, seeing it directly like this was unnerving.

“Likewise, I know where your vessel is, Isabel.”

Seeing this reaction, Isaac smirked.

“Vessel? I’m no lich, Isaac.”

“A lich you may not be, but aren’t you comparable? Even a high-tier fairy-blooded witch can’t live over 200 years sensibly.”

“…”

“Haran, this Haran mummy must be your vessel, Isabel.”

Isaac stepped back as Haran moved forward.

“Haa…”

From Isabel’s mouth exhaled a long cloud of mana cigarette smoke.

“Rather fitting. Almost desirable. Unlike someone else.”

Two beats later came the reply.

Thud thud thud

At the same time, high-ranking knights and Frosthaven warriors appeared from windows and walls, weapons drawn against the dark wizards. They all wore pauldrons embedded with magic stones.

Boom boom boom

Click click click

On both sides of Isabel stood Valkyrie and Sun as if guarding her.

The powerful ones who should be roaming somewhere in the north had gathered here.

“Hohohoho.”

Trapped completely, Isaac started laughing maniacally.

“Attack.”

Isabel’s cold voice cut through the room.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh BOOM!

Reacting first to Isabel’s “Attack” weren’t the knights but the dark wizards.

[Curse of Corruption!]

[Bonds of Agony!]

Without incantation, just verbal casting activated the magic instantly.

Glow glow glow!

Various magical tools the dark wizards carried – staffs, orbs, talismans – lit up with complex rune patterns.

Apparently they had pre-memorized their spells.

Flash flash crackle!

Deadly offensive dark magic shot toward the encircled knights, each one threatening even to high knights.

However…

“??”

“?!”

The spells disintegrated right before the knights.

Poof

Flash!

Blocked by an invisible barrier, exploding harmlessly.

Ting

Slice swish

Thud!

Before anyone could comprehend what happened, the knights’ counterattacks overwhelmed the dark wizards.

In less than a second, all the dark wizards except Isaac and Haran had their heads cleanly cut off.

Within three seconds of Isabel saying “Attack,” the battle concluded.

Gulp gulp gulp

The knights drew their swords targeting the last remaining intruders.

The magic stones embedded in their pauldrons faintly flickered.

“Arad’s creation?”

Isaac, using Haran as a shield, glared forward with green glowing eyes.

His gaze focused on Sun’s large kite shield embedded with a magic stone.

The stone on Sun’s shield had completely gone dark.

“Blocking fifth circle attack magic… Sounds like some golden age artifact.”

No one present responded to Isaac’s question.

Swish!

Instead of answering, Isaac fired his ultimate magic toward the front.

More for creating an escape route than attacking.

But it was effortlessly blocked by Sun’s shield.

Hooooww

Witnessing this, Isabel exhaled cigarette smoke.

While smoking, she assessed the black necromancer’s condition.

‘The memorized magic they just cast were fifth circle by Isaac, the rest fourth and third circle.’

Memorization involves pre-casting magic and storing it in magical tools like staves.

However, only spells two circles below the caster’s rank could be memorized.

‘Isaac hasn’t reached eighth circle yet. A half-lich’s limitation?’

Isabel analyzed coldly.

Result: Current Isaac’s rank is seventh circle, same as hers.

The fallen dark wizards are estimated between sixth and fifth circle rank.

‘This will cause significant damage.’

This raid’s failure dealt a heavy blow to Demon Den.

For at least twenty years, Northern Duchy would be safe from Demon Den’s schemes.

‘Seems I can leave with peace of mind.’

Isabel smiled looking at Haran.

“Punishment to the dark sorcerers, peaceful rest to the bell witch.”

Her words prompted the knights’ swords to rise as if ready to hack immediately.

“Will you attack? Really?”

Isaac hid his body further behind Haran’s corpse.

“Attacking me would be meaningless! Because this is a chimera body I created!”

“Still quite damaging though.”

“Haran’s corpse and this body are synchronized! Attacking either inflicts identical damage!”

As Isabel said, dying a double seems to hit hard judging by Isaac’s flailing.

“If Haran’s corpse is freed, Isabel, you won’t remain unscathed either?”

That stopped the knights’ swords momentarily.

“Didn’t I say already? That’s precisely what I desire most.”

“Claiming to seek death? Really? That’s me who’s fought you for over two hundred years. The spring archmage expert.”

“Am I some fool yearning for immortality like you?”

“Hohohoho… Even if you claim not to seek immortality…”

Isaac smirked seeing Isabel’s composed appearance.

“Don’t you want to live now? To see the enlightened north and the Lenslet family ruling over it?”

“…!”

Isabel couldn’t respond.

“Hohohoho.”

Isaac chuckled darkly seeing her reaction.

“Where did the northern princess hide?”

Then he remembered his original purpose here.

“…Do I look like I’ll tell you?”

“Given she hasn’t appeared despite our certain victory, she’s probably not in the palace.”

Isaac ignored Isabel’s reaction and continued.

“Indeed… She’s there, isn’t she? At a place called Arad Workshop…”

“Knight Valkyrie! Kill him!”

At that moment, Isabel shouted at Valkyrie.

Thwoooosh

Valkyrie’s cold blade pierced through Haran’s chest and into Isaac’s heart.

Thud, pull,

Ding… ding… ding…

Both Isaac and Haran collapsed like puppets with cut strings.

“Is it over?”

Sun muttered to himself seeing this.

“For now.”

Hearing Sun’s muttering, Valkyrie answered briefly while cleaning his sword.

Haran was just a soulless corpse needing cremation.

Isaac’s chimera body might interest Arad, but considering contamination risks, he decided to cremate both.

“Gasp gasp cough…”

Suddenly, Isabel started convulsing and shaking.

Valkyrie and Sun quickly supported her.

“Ignore me and hurry! To the workshop!”

“I’ll visit the workshop instead. Sun, you handle here. Take care of the spring archmage.”

“No! Both of you go! Both of you!”

Contradicting Valkyrie, Isabel pleaded with her remaining strength.

“Relax, spring archmage. We checked the workshop earlier while visiting. Currently, it’s the safest place in the north, not here.”

“That’s correct. Spring archmage, please calm down and take care of yourself.”

They reassured her.

“Hmph… If it’s Arad…”

Hearing that, Isabel finally relaxed her tense eyes.

“Haa haa haa… Then… take me to… where Master’s remains are…”

The relieved old witch wheezed, requesting Sun.

“Is there a way?”

Sun asked while supporting Isabel.

“…”

Isabel didn’t answer, merely holding her master’s remains silently with closed eyes.

Deep silence filled the bedroom.

“I’ll visit the workshop then. Knights, follow me.”

Valkyrie and Sun gave bittersweet salutes to the two legendary archmages.

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