Chapter 672
—<Acorella’s Observations on Lady Chloe of Akorella, Entry #355>
—This morning was a complete mess again. I can’t tell if this place is a mine or the central terrace of a high-society party. Lady Chloe’s body has returned to normal after that abnormal episode, but the side effects—heart pounding, flushed cheeks, stammering, cold sweat, nervousness—whenever she’s around certain people still haven’t gone away.
I’d love to study these reactions more closely through experiments, but thanks to Sir Xiaoshi capturing Lady Chloe’s attention, we’re at a standstill. No new abnormalities have appeared, and honestly, I’m starting to wonder if these symptoms are even side effects or just part of her personality now.
If I suggest she take the potion again, she might actually die. I’ll have to try it before Lord Ian returns.
Rustle.
Oh, right. The mining operation is progressing smoothly. I thought it might be slower without Lady Chloe’s help, but the soil and rocks are surprisingly soft, so excavation isn’t difficult.
The deeper we go underground, the stronger the magical resonance becomes, making my heart race. Lady Chloe once said that when she looks at Sir Xiaoshi, she feels a tingling in her knees and a dizzy twist beneath her heart. I think I’m starting to understand what she meant.
Acorella, the genius mage—when I think about it, she really accomplished something incredible. Has any mage ever been able to touch a person’s emotions like this? Potions that force the truth or erase memories are one thing, but this…?
Knock knock knock.
Suddenly, Acorella’s pen, which had been flying wildly across the page, stopped dead. She was in the middle of intense concentration—who dares interrupt!
“Get lost. I refuse to report to the captain.”
“Yes, excuse me.”
“I said no, damn it!”
“It’s a letter from His Majesty the Emperor. Shall I deliver it?”
Acorella grabbed another pen from her hair, ready to throw it, but paused. If it’s from His Majesty, that changes things. Ahem.
“Give it here. What’s the matter?”
“Yes, the order is to immediately halt mining operations and return to Kalamath.”
“What?! Why?!”
“I don’t know the details. Maybe we’ll find out when we get there?”
“No, we’re about to hit a vein of rare mana stones that’ll gush out like a well. Why stop now? What’s going on?”
“I told you, I don’t know. The captain doesn’t know either. Anyway, since the order is to withdraw immediately, I’ll start packing.”
“Wait! Wait!”
This must be a dream. It can’t be! Acorella’s hands trembled as she opened the note, then she collapsed forward, fainting.
The mage, as if used to this, stepped over her body and began tidying the desk.
“Don’t be careless and leave anything behind like last time. We’ll send people to continue the mining, but I doubt we’ll be coming back. Something’s off.”
“Your Majesty, why must I endure such trials…?”
“And I heard an interesting story from the locals here.”
At the mage’s words, Acorella peeked up with a smirk.
Curious? Then stop whining like a child and get up. The mage’s glance urged her, and she slowly lifted her upper body.
“…What is it?”
“An old man, whose age no one knows, said he once met a mage who came across the sea when he was young. That mage was also interested in the mining area.”
“Across the sea? You mean Blaster Sea?”
“Where else would there be a sea? Anyway, the old man had been puzzled for a long time, but seeing the Bariel mages digging here now, it all makes sense.”
“A mage from outside the Gaia continent came to this barren Burgos? Are you sure?”
“He’s an old man with white hair, so he barely recognizes his own children, but it didn’t sound like nonsense.”
“Hmm. Beyond the Blaster Sea… there must be mana stones here that we haven’t found yet. Their grading system might be different, so what we consider stones might be treasures there… Ugh, my poor children. Thinking about it suddenly brings tears to my eyes.”
“That’s serious, Captain.”
Acorella dabbed at her eyes with her sleeve, then made a decision. Someday, I will, someday for sure…
“When the war ends, you’re going there.”
“Huh? Where?”
“Somewhere beyond the Blaster Sea.”
“…You want me to go? Not you?”
“I’m sticking my butt to Bariel and doing research. We can’t afford to lose top talent. Ugh, crying is exhausting. Clean this up and let’s go.”
“But I’m top talent too! The very best—”
Bang!
Acorella slammed the door shut, clearly annoyed by the noise, and brushed her hands off. Then she headed down the stairs to the first-floor lobby.
The castle where she and the mages live is the estate that owns the mine. It’s still reasonably well maintained, despite being half-ruined after the royalist official who owned it got his head chopped off by Kayla and her daughter.
Halfway down the stairs, Acorella caught the sound of hushed voices.
“From Kalamath?”
“Yes. You two should start packing as well.”
“In that case, I’ll depart first.”
“Sir Xiaoshi, I’ll come with you. I came empty-handed anyway.”
At the bottom of the lobby stairs, Lady Danit of the Hollin family, Lady Chloe, and Sir Xiaoshi were gathered, speaking with serious expressions. …What a strange group.
“Are you all talking about returning?”
Acorella stretched her head over the railing and asked. The three looked up simultaneously.
“Captain Acorella. Perfect timing. We just received news.”
“What news?”
“All the mages stationed in Kalamath have moved to the Hielo territory. This left Kalamath vulnerable to pressure from Toorun.”
“Huh?”
“They’ve sent a cavalry vanguard north, but we have to prepare for a Toorun surprise attack. The order is for all remaining forces to return to Kalamath and protect His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Oh, thank you for the clear update, Lady Danit. But is Lady Chloe going too?”
“Me?”
How could she not? Chloe’s eyes went wide as she asked, and Acorella shrugged.
“If war with Toorun is looming, staying in Kalamath—or rather, Burgos—is too dangerous. It’s safer for Lady Chloe to go to the capital.”
“…You traitor! Fool! Captain Acorella, are you saying I’m no longer worth experimenting on? That’s mean!”
“No, I’m saying this because I’m worried about you.”
Honestly, without the mages, there wasn’t enough force to protect her. Sir Xiaoshi? He’s the Emperor’s right hand. Even if his heart belongs to his lover, death belongs to the Emperor.
Chloe spun to Sir Xiaoshi, silently pleading with her eyes, but he remained silent—meaning he somewhat agreed with Acorella.
“Sir Xiaoshi!”
“…Let’s head to Kalamath first. I’ll assign soldiers to escort you there.”
Chloe looked dazed, glancing between Xiaoshi and Acorella, but there was no other option. Lady Danit sensed the mood and left quietly, and Sir Xiaoshi slipped away as if denying reality.
“Ugh.”
Chloe glared up the stairs, then strode up quickly with sharp, determined steps. She dropped to one knee and grabbed Acorella’s collar, shaking her.
Acorella stayed still, smiling playfully.
“Captain Ako!”
“Yes, yes, what is it, Lady Chloe?”
Chloe pressed her lips tight, on the verge of tears, then made up her mind.
“If I’m separated from Sir Xiaoshi now, I think I’ll really die.”
“Still, dying for real is worse, isn’t it? Love is fleeting, Lady Chloe.”
“…I want to drink it one more time.”
At the lady’s whisper, Acorella’s eyes flashed. What did she say?
“You want to drink it again? The one I made? Give you strength again? So you won’t be a burden? No, you’ll fight alongside the Bariel soldiers?”
Chloe asked politely, and Acorella felt a little dizzy.
Ugh, this genius mage Acorella! Not only brilliant in research, but also lucky with test subjects. Some people are just born to succeed.
“Anything else—”
“Yes?”
“Are you sure about that? What if it makes your feelings for Sir Xiaoshi disappear?”
Chloe hesitated briefly but didn’t waver. She was certain.
“It’s okay.”
“I don’t know what ‘okay’ means, and honestly, I don’t want to. Fine. Come here then.”
“Now?”
“Well, were you saving it for a drink later with dinner? You drink when you’re ready!”
Acorella grabbed Chloe’s wrist excitedly and pulled her along. The lady, initially hesitant, soon linked arms with the captain, her resolve firming.
“Awesome! I can write chapter 356 now!”
“What’s chapter 356?”
“That’s a thing!”
Snap! Acorella kissed Chloe’s cheek and giggled. Lord Ian, Captain Hale, and Kalamath or not—who cares! I’m here! As long as the mages in Hielo do their jobs well, everything will be fine.
‘I’ll protect this place. Together with Lady Chloe.’
Heh heh heh. Sniff. Waaah! Akorella dashed into the makeshift lab, struggling to hold back the giggles spilling out uncontrollably.
“Hawan.”
Thousands of soldiers swarmed toward Ruswena.
The mage’s eyes narrowed. In truth, the only Hawan person they’d ever met was Prime Minister Shatima. That meant their understanding of these people was practically nonexistent. Though they were allied with Bariel, their eastern border touched the frontier, making Hawan as unfamiliar to the mages as Toolun.
One mage nodded toward Beric and shouted, “Beric! Go take the frontline!”
“What? Are you crazy? You go!”
“No way. We don’t know what they might have.”
There was no sign of anything unusual. Were they just trying to overwhelm them with sheer numbers? The rumor about a puppet master pulling strings in their leadership seemed all too true—something was definitely off in their heads.
The mages gestured to split their forces.
“Let’s divide and cover Ruswena and Hawan. Who wants which?”
“I’m taking Ruswena. I’ll lose it if I don’t grab that Elder bastard by the collar.”
“Me too, Ruswena.”
“Then I’ll head to Hawan.”
“Ian, we’ve roughly divided the areas—”
Ian didn’t take his eyes off Hawan. A faint frown creased his brow. Something felt wrong.
Meanwhile, at that moment—
Click!
A woman with pink hair tied back in a single ponytail scanned ahead and nodded.
“Gunners, forward.”
This was Verti Erika, who had killed Shatima—the one who had taken her in—with her own hands, then returned to Bariel, her will shattered.
At her command, her troops split left and right, pushing forward a human-sized platform. A hand cannon. A war blunderbuss imported from the east beyond the Blaster Sea. Only a few had arrived recently, but their power had already been proven in the civil war.
“We push forward.”
A new chapter was already being written in the east through gunpowder.
The mages of Bariel were part of this history, living alongside it. They couldn’t be exceptions. Erika had witnessed firsthand that the phrase “power to rival magic” was no exaggeration.
“Let’s fire a test shot.”
“The distance is too far.”
“It’s fine. The mages will come closer.”
At Erika’s muttered words, the soldiers busied themselves. A massive black cannonball was loaded into the barrel from the crate, and Hawan’s soldiers covered their ears as if accustomed to the sound.
Erika raised her hand lightly, signaling to wait for the mages to approach.