LRAB Chapter 29
Chapter 29
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Chapter 29
“Ultimately, you saved my son. Honestly, it’s a story I find utterly fascinating. By the way, are you a mage?”
“I’m learning a bit here and there.”
“I’m no expert in magic, so I can’t gauge your level of skill, but I must say your humility is impressive.”
He looked directly at me.
Then he nodded slightly.
“Well, probing too much wouldn’t be proper etiquette for someone who owes you. You’re not like the rumors suggest. Were you hiding your abilities all along?”
“No, I’ve never hidden them.”
“Or perhaps a lucky encounter?”
“Something like that.”
He continued speaking with a solemn expression.
“The grace of saving the third son of a ducal family is immense and profound. Do you desire anything in return?”
At his question, I subtly shifted my gaze toward Farrel Berli.
The young man was smiling cheerfully, seemingly pleased to have met me.
“You must cherish your son greatly.”
“There’s no child among mine who isn’t precious.”
“I see. I didn’t do it expecting a reward.”
“Then if something comes to mind later, don’t hesitate to let me know.”
At this, I smiled and nodded.
“Now then...”
Baam! Bara-bam!
With a blast of trumpets, knights appeared.
“His Majesty, King Oliad Riel Bata, enters!”
Even in a kingdom where royal authority is weak, the weight of a king’s name carries considerable gravity.
Soon, an elderly man dressed in elegant, traditional attire appeared, and all the nobles bent one knee to pay their respects.
That included both the duke and me.
“Thank you for gracing this occasion with your presence,”
He said, his voice weary.
While I was quietly bowing my head at his arrival...
[Hostile mana detected.]
Hearing this, I instinctively spread my necromantic mana faintly across the room.
And I was slightly surprised.
The King?
The source of the necromantic mana was King Oliad Riel Bata himself.
However, since he was neither a mage nor someone who handled aura, it wasn’t normal for him to emit such mana.
Although I had never met King Oliad before, from my perspective, he looked incredibly fatigued.
Ah.
At that moment, I realized the nature of this necromantic mana.
It was a form of malevolence lingering around him, using the king’s body as a medium.
Necromantic mana can be life force or malevolence depending on how it’s handled, and concentrated malevolence can harm the body.
I don’t know what the necromancers on this continent think, but based on my analysis, the king didn’t have long to live.
It’s a rather simple mechanism, so anyone observant enough should notice soon.
Dispelling the curse wouldn’t be difficult, but I had no interest in meddling with palace politics.
“Before we enjoy the banquet, there is something we must address. Some of you may already know. Melissa Cascadia, step forward.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Having been briefed beforehand, Melissa stepped forward confidently and knelt on one knee before him.
At the same time, King Oliad received a ceremonial sword from a knight.
“Come to think of it, you’re right. Cascadia is famous as a swordsmanship family, but you’re an Archmage, aren’t you?”
“Hardly an Archmage.”
“What are you talking about, brother! Reviving the dead is something only an Archmage can even dream of. Brother, that’s incredible. At first, I thought you were a hidden recluse who had regained youth!”
Though he was a boisterous fellow, he wasn’t someone I particularly disliked.
Even after that, he kept sending signals that he wanted to get closer to me.
He went on to share his theories about resurrection magic, the spells I used, and even the shadow wolf wraith, Muyeong, as if he were an excited mage fascinated by a new form of magic.
It was then.
“Count Bardal! Are you here?”
The loud shout, seemingly designed to disrupt the mood of the banquet, drew everyone’s attention.
Simultaneously, a man engaged in conversation with other nobles turned his head.
“Are you looking for me?”
“My apologies for interrupting your enjoyment of the banquet, but...”
The man whispered quietly into the ear of the one called Count Bardal.
At this, Count Bardal’s face turned pale, and he nodded before hurrying out of the hall.
“I’ve heard that Count Bardal, the court mage, is a 5th Circle mage.”
Hearing this from Farrel, I nodded.
Indeed, his heart bore five circles, one more than Farrel’s.
After the man made his request, Count Bardal hastily left the banquet hall.
The man then quickly approached us.
“Farrel Berli.”
“Hm?”
“You’re a 4th Circle mage, correct?”
“Yes, I am.”
As Farrel acknowledged it, the man whispered something in his ear, causing his expression to harden.
“We need you to come quickly. Every mage we can get is needed.”
“...Understood.”
After a moment, Farrel clapped his hands.
“Well, mage assistance, huh. Then, brother, you should come with me...”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Farrel Berli.”
At the sudden unfamiliar voice, all our gazes turned toward it.
“Goldsun Vider.”
Goldsun Vider, the second son of the Vider family.
He was someone whose basic details I had come across.
The second son of the Vider family strode over and glanced at me briefly before speaking.
“You don’t seem to grasp the gravity of the situation, but you’re suggesting taking someone who doesn’t even know the basics of magic to such a place? No matter how much of an anomaly you are in the Berli family, there are lines you shouldn’t cross.”
“That’s ridiculous. What do you even know about my brother?”
For once, Farrel Berli, usually easygoing, snapped back angrily.
“I know enough. Leon Cascadia, the dunce, the halfwit of the Cascadia family. Am I wrong?”
“You are wrong! You have no idea how incredible my brother is! My brother is...”
“I don’t know, and I don’t care to know. And I have no reason to accept your attempt to use your connections to insert someone into this critical situation.”
I had heard rumors before.
Some mages were extraordinarily prideful about their craft.
Just as Farrel was about to shout again, I felt a signal made of necromantic mana swiftly reach me, and I stopped Farrel.
“Farrel, you should go.”
“Brother?”
“My little sister seems to be in bad shape. I should at least try to cheer her up. She’s in a tulip-filled garden, it seems.”
It was a report from the wraith, Tyvel.
It seemed Melissa wasn’t feeling well.
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]