Chapter 193: Talent and Its Value (1)
oSqtFOnce the situation had calmed down, the first thing Kohella did was use her own magic and the captured confusion mage to keep Linus alive, at least for the time being, as he was in critical condition.8i2Z
uuQnxRzThe curse imbued in the Book of Longing could be neutralized simply by erasing that memory.fIJJa
kxywManipulating the memories of hundreds of people at once required an enormous amount of mana, but with a mage barely above the initial level of one star, it took very little effort.8MA7u
lo8uSOnly a six-star mage can subdue another six-star mage.SL1BUUJ
ww4aiOXThe young woman, completely dominated by Kohella, had no choice but to suppress the curse of the Book of Longing with her help before her mana ran out and she died.zpxVN
gUOoANegotiating with a mage cornered to that extent was not particularly difficult.pQ1K
Fat5qcsWhen Dereck calmed the nobles in the main hall and returned to the imperial quarters, the situation was already practically resolved.ztSWP5
ngSfrkLinus, covered in blood and completely unconscious, was being rapidly treated by the medical staff, who were working desperately to stop the bleeding, and Princess Roselin, exhausted to the limit, had fallen into a deep sleep.SwsDT
cnNThe grounds of Ravenclaw Academy were still wrapped in night, and dawn was still a long way off.ZNiD8Hi
RcENwbR“We have a lot to talk about, don’t you think?”AO0IMJ
LeDf5MThe figure of the mage, bound to a chair with her hands restrained behind her back, was different from before.FhT
SObVTThe one who had taken on Aiselin’s appearance to infiltrate the main hall had completely exhausted her mana and had returned to her original form.Z9S3RFW
xnRHHer wavy hair, without any defined pattern, fell to her waist, and her flared skirt, soaked in blood, was covered in dust and dirt.cpwR
UXNShe was not young, but not elderly either—a woman whose appearance suggested a settled maturity.PQzN5
idRP01IKohella, seated in front of her, asked with a smile etched into her wrinkled eyes.LM9Y
ayVTDereck, leaning against the wall in a corner, merely listened in silence.6CD
55L“Let’s start with your name.”N05A0Jw
vUI“…Marilyn.”MPKB51T
oSQR3“You’ll have to say it in full.”G2Kac
O1LPbtW“I don’t have a surname.”HzOTeI
w5BmMEither she was a commoner without lineage, or she was lying.JKUmLDX
79TKNIt was not common for someone capable of using magic at that level to have no family background at all.OQjDhO
Ip38IMost five-star mages or higher came from prestigious houses.rv3d2
yfo0SWithout uncrossing his arms, Dereck glanced sideways at the woman who had introduced herself as Marilyn.6KP
Jq6H9Most six-star mages were usually elderly people.ptjZHb6
BaWHer appearance, far too young for a mage of such a high level, raised the suspicion that this might be yet another illusion.jZ9obtG
kdbxe4However, that was impossible.zfuNp
bpXf4Marilyn’s body was still marked by the curse of the Book of Longing.TzERuIU
Q4FThat spell, which constantly evaporated mana, could not be easily dispelled even by a six-star mage.c5FJb
OUFGxhxMoreover, Kohella, an extremely high-level transformation mage, was watching her closely.xVB
PBuOihsUnder those conditions, she could not use advanced magic, and it would not even be easy for her to cast a one-star spell.HoIYPd
CQ3lA bound six-star mage.Ho24
NXVW5NiThat image was like seeing a gigantic dragon locked behind bars.ZdBarNU
J9GWAThat someone of that level could be captured or subdued was, in itself, almost unreal.24Fzo2
UMc6It had only been possible because Kohella, a mage of the same rank, was there.i76
GAMqHc“As I told you, if you try anything stupid, I’ll cut your head off on the spot. You are the emperor’s assassin, and even if your head fell right now, no one would hold anyone accountable. Isn’t that right?”73w
CRpjnxI“…”LMUgQcg
SevyMarilyn was in an absolutely unfavorable situation.L3zwOY
to8V1The caution of Kohella and Dereck felt even sharper than before.50CC
n7UCuHaving reached the pinnacle of confusion magic meant that, with the slightest carelessness, she could exploit any crack to execute some strange trick.O9C09
HrDIt was enough to sense the faintest suspicious sign to cut her throat immediately.NWeI
yo7H11YNo one knew how far a minimal opportunity could grow.Z1Zgvr
Xd6A confusion mage of such a high level could not earn anyone’s trust.WrTluk0
DesFor Marilyn, that treatment was nothing new.lvR
1sk“It seems that even with two or three straps around my neck, you still don’t feel at ease. Hahaha…”pe4JX
QySg8oShaking her wavy hair, Marilyn bit her blood-stained lips.8ld15Y
GY9rfAt first glance, she seemed completely resigned.BQY17
cW1PXThe staff of Emperor Gattrel, the “Light of the Empire,” had already been recovered.jyrtr
xDkIWhen her mana ran out, the confusion magic hiding the staff dissipated naturally.biY
uP6rm3Ironically, that precious object was hanging openly on her back.2DSazH
CAsBcMSince she intended to hide it with magic, there had been no need to keep it far away.8EW8
Wlue“As I said, there are many things we need to talk about. If you don’t want to die, start talking. Why did you assassinate His Majesty the Emperor, and what did you intend to do with that staff?”8UV
pnIds“Would you really believe me if I spoke?”jPager0
3oTVVt8“That depends on what you say. All you have to do is be honest. If you don’t want to die.”zR64
8DCKohella’s gaze turned sharp.QJr
BbQCRv“These are not empty words, listen carefully. I’m prepared to kill you at any time. When dealing with a six-star confusion mage, I have no intention of making the imprudence of giving you unnecessary leeway.”XErl2
fV8q“I see. But even if I speak sincerely, I doubt you’ll believe me.”t35Pk
lMy8Bound, Marilyn let out a dry laugh and spoke as if she no longer cared.jluta
6Ueti“What I wanted to use that staff for, why I tried to kill the emperor—even I don’t know.”vJonPt
ifH“…?”RCxcVZZ
S7PKohella frowned.rnCo
D2KFcmVDereck, leaning against the wall, also narrowed his eyes.vxEVSH
rffhAt this point, trying to deflect the conversation with such empty words made no sense at all.J8n
s7GOUEven so, Marilyn formed a bitter smile and continued.ylfd8vo
T86VJD“From the beginning, I’ve only been moving under orders.”IVIM
CqzhK“Orders?”iXwP67
dQmD4Dereck let out an incredulous laugh.8Wh
RICIt was a story far too absurd to believe.y2V
znmvrAn individual who manipulates human cognition and freely adjusts even the memories of hundreds of people—someone with such an absurd capability.IGu6k
DOxHbWYFor someone like that to claim, “I didn’t know anything, I was just following orders”—who in the world would believe it?fCgy
yfoBoth Dereck and Kohella showed mocking smiles.gRdsx8
dHDzHSeeing their reaction, Marilyn also smiled, as if that was exactly what she had expected.9Z48Z
juo“Marilyn. Do you really expect me to believe that now? Listen carefully.”ZidlcK
w6uAt that moment, Kohella’s gaze, which had always pretended to be gentle and benevolent, became even sharper.vtYf
PlX“If you say something I cannot accept again, I’ll cut off an arm. Then the other one, and after that, your legs.”o11
twGL“…”U6mLyg
LX6M“So you can disappoint me up to four times. Of course, that’s if you want to keep your limbs.”YaLSURB
qZtfHyHIt was clear by pure instinct.q44
ttflfp7Kohella’s words were not a bluff.FixHs7r
DJwJLKohella had lived obsessed with finding and studying six-star mages.h12BXXC
BBsFWKFrom her point of view, she would not want to kill Marilyn outright.52U6KKI
uAByBut mutilating her was a completely different matter.Mna
EwZMQTurning her into something worse than death was not difficult at all.zSxTtC
PEbThere was no need even to raise her voice to apply pressure.QPEEru
JL4rKohella was serious, and at least everyone present understood that.Ye0k
NkB8“Did you really think I would accept something like ‘I received orders’? A mage who adjusts memories and cognition moving according to others’ orders?”jZUcg41
hAg“Because… it’s engraved into my instinct. I still… haven’t managed to completely free myself from that yoke.”d8INe
EWgN“…”icVta
c32M“From the outset, it’s already strange… don’t you think? Aren’t you curious how someone like me, without a proper affiliated family, managed to reach the six-star level? Those who reach this degree usually leave a mark on history in one way or another.”YZyk
WqM2Without showing the slightest intimidation, Marilyn endured the excruciating pain radiating from the cursed seal and spoke to Kohella.95G
7FHng“A six-star mage who appears out of nowhere, without omens or traces of a life… it’s strange, isn’t it? Kohella, and you too, Dereck… it seems you want to know, so I’ll tell you. From the beginning, I’m not even something that can be called human.”wOIynBS
38fWYaMarilyn wiped her bloodied lips and spoke with a bitter smile.Pkz
XiieToo many emotions were mixed into her expression, as if she were mocking her own existence.q59
kjn“I am an existence summoned through this body.”9tB
BSyUFAt those words, the pupils of Kohella and Dereck trembled at the same time.zQqHi
7JMJCombat, confusion, transformation, summoning, detection, and necromancy.Cm9HolS
5BngThose who stood at the pinnacle of each of those fields were called six-star mages.yOVzKuu
tProSome revealed themselves to the world; others lived hidden forever behind the veil.eqNl
GQnIn the current era, the stars who had reached the summit of each discipline—Melverot, Marilyn, Kohella, Drest, Fina—just thinking of the weight carried by each of those names made it unnecessary to explain the authority they held in the world of magic.lpy7656
EqTHowever, there was a single field that remained empty, as if its pinnacle had no known occupant.5o2z
LzQkW‘…’ziich
CGaDereck tightly clasped his crossed arms and lowered his head.alzl
EnwcsKHe had already faced a five-star summoning mage.ngz5WO
Z9KKEven while being pushed to the brink of death by Fina, that monster had moved a giant of fire and unleashed mana capable of covering an entire territory.bgWHs
lPlA6She controlled hundreds—thousands—of summons, as if commanding an army all by herself.rme8
mxL9If a mage barely at the beginning of the fifth level could reach such a scale, what kind of summons would a summoning mage who had reached the six-star level wield?uC9T
IjMIt was something he could not even clearly imagine.bPeH
4W1LOEven the summoning magic of Grand Duke Beltus already seemed to brush against an impossible limit.HPVvAn
fDBxNpBut now, he felt that he was finally seeing a fragment of that truth.NlYqg2
SYD4zuQMarilyn.Lht
PyVA strangely familiar name.qaGGqu
JVnvoWhere had he heard it before?iWFF
lC8D“Marilyn.”Ojf
8eS2FwKohella repeated the name softly.WIpf
LJQhPSMarilyn turned her head, but Kohella did not even meet her gaze.lPFYaN
NbZbYShe was not calling her; she was simply savoring the name.PkGok
IgH8“It is the name of the disciple of the sixth winged angel, Rohelm, who appears in the scriptures of the Holy Cult of Rohest on the continent. The prophetess Marilyn… did you take it from there?”7bS
IRbldy7“…”CSen1M
1ujThe bleeding woman smiled.IbTx0ij
WMU“Why… do you think I borrowed it?”4dp
rcGThe scriptures of the Holy Cult of Rohest were texts that had undergone countless revisions and reinterpretations during the process of compilation by the orthodox historian, Alon. Even the ancient angels under the chief god Rohest were figures deeply tinted by historical interpretation—closer to products of creation than to factual reality.9yM8w
sqqUQFor that reason, the actual existence of a disciple of that angel was impossible.Fq6F5
pv3aShe was nothing more than an idolized figure, etched into the minds of countless believers over the centuries.n6K4O5T
jrNpUyhA phantom existence whose reality no one could confirm.42mZF
wVy5xdrHowever, a summoning mage who had reached the pinnacle did not even bother to consider such things.YihtLRm
4quP1In the dark expanse of the grounds of Ravenclaw Academy, for a long while, only a strange silence filled the place.X0Yu
Mb5jnh***5iDsY1
WOx6Eu“….”VAO7y1t
FrQThe emperor was assassinated at Ravenclaw Academy.4TSd5uB
zqZSIt took only half a day for that shocking news to spread to Ebelstein.HNIe
gSqAnd it would probably take only a few days for it to spread across the entire continent.QM5I8
0M5eWHIt was an event of such magnitude that it was only natural for Aiselin to head toward Ravenclaw Academy early in the morning.KiY
eUUONWhen Aiselin arrived at the grounds of Ravenclaw Academy, the place was still steeped in chaos.Rfyr
0g9It was said that the incident within the grounds had already been resolved to some extent and that the culprit had even been captured, but the first thing that caught Aiselin’s eye were the buildings destroyed everywhere.ZpCJ
SkIE‘…Buildings that we raised over months with the sweat and blood of so many workers…!’rsMid
t4pPVPpThe dormitory building had blood all over its entrance, and the interior was a wreck from the violent turmoil that had occurred.1fc9
JLEAs she gazed upon a scene that looked like a battlefield, Aiselin felt her eyes grow moist.qnqmLO
Ltb‘Even so… it’s a relief that everyone else seems to be safe…’JRQ
RyCyBqJust as Aiselin composed herself and stepped forward with determination into the grounds—l3Xk
MEm5k“…!”AwrW8M
HWUiYNS“Hh…! Ah, no… that’s not it…”Os5sn3
MWakyMW“¿…?”NGrV
5g7cThe soldiers who crossed paths with Aiselin visibly flinched upon seeing her.rvZp3O
tAZYAfter recognizing her face, they immediately adopted an alert posture, but upon observing her reaction, they relaxed again.ctbg
Ip3C‘I-it’s strange… why… does everyone seem to be on guard around me…?’BWs9
lO3TBAiselin still did not know that a confusion mage had impersonated her identity.hZxA
DSKmDfiNot even a day had passed since Kohella’s barrier spell had broken.8VUK
4skEven so, seeing how everyone nervously swallowed every time she passed by, Aiselin could not help but feel that she was being subtly kept at a distance.9kLo8Og
sCq“…Sir Delbriton. I… did I do something wrong…? Or could it be that… everyone is disappointed because, right before such an important imperial inspection, I left home… showing such an irresponsible attitude…?”j7xEzet
0gTAfter finally reaching the Main Pavilion and meeting the head butler Delbriton, Aiselin spoke in a dejected tone.k4stmCl
61UytAs Delbriton organized in his mind how to explain the entire situation to her, Dereck, who had already finished the initial interrogation together with Kohella, stepped out toward the Main Pavilion.EJhEJ
mCJl0“Ah… Dereck…! I’m here…! I heard what happened…!”hg2hHzw
yG6“Hh…!”TbH2kFK
wVBAfter so long without seeing him, Aiselin hurried over, happy to see Dereck.eY7eT
GvvJjZEWhen she suddenly appeared right in front of him, the hem of her dress swaying, Dereck—his senses still on edge—flinched and tightly gripped the hilt of his sword.OeFvih
CcM“…Sir Dereck?”aoF0Bf
ccddNMy“Ah… A-Aiselin, miss.”s2h
LF6PW“E-even you too, Dereck…?”kHd
4T04Seeing Dereck clearly adopt a defensive stance, as if a mortal enemy had suddenly appeared before him, Aiselin’s eyes filled with tears once more.kYe
yKiShe seemed to think that she had disappointed everyone by leaving to enjoy herself peacefully at another family residence at such a critical moment.T3sAMk
YXiOTy“N-no… this… I’m sorry. I was too agitated last night…”DkqOusf
RaY1BIt was not common for Dereck to apologize so immediately and so frankly.qRs6PQ
Gv0RZBBut from his point of view, reacting that way was unavoidable.TWtw
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