Chapter 151 – Grand Duke Collector (3)

A small valley spread out at the end of the Baltic Mountains.
Lehel was drinking coffee at a cafe that was famous as a tourist destination for relaxation.
Eventually, she reached for her morning newspaper that was on her table and frowned slightly.
This was because an article came out that a gardener and some students had gone missing in Parencia.

[The authority of the church fell once again following the sewage incident. Meanwhile, the Academy Chairman is on vacation?]

“What does this mean again… ? Or rather, why is it my responsibility?”

On one side of her was a picture of herself drinking her coffee.
Seeing as he was holding a newspaper with one hand, it was clearly being transmitted in real time using magic.
Even when the publisher confirmed that it was the Kantana region where the Megrez Magic Tower was built, I could guess who was behind it.
It’s definitely Gourmet Ball—— Katreya’s doing.

“I can’t do it. I erased an island from the map today… Huh?”

Kugugoogung!!!

For a moment, darkness fell on the sky and people on the street gaped.
Lehel looked up and saw a huge island falling on her head.
Fortunately, it may have been an accident, but I didn’t really fall, but it was a dizzying situation.
The guards were rushing to urgently assess the situation.

“Wow, I’m surprised… ! “I spilled all my coffee.”

As she roughly wiped away the black liquid that had spilled on her robe, she suddenly remembered a story she had heard from her friends at Skandal.

— I promise. If you just get rid of this rag-like piece of cloth and that musty-smelling hat, you will be the flower of society in three days.

‘She doesn’t look like a rag…’

She grabbed the hem of the dress and brought it to her nose, but she could only smell a faint odor of cum.
All a wizard needs is a robe, but isn’t this enough?

— Wow, what does that smell like? Did it rain last night and the sewer pipes backed up?
— Someone might have lost their pants when the floating island crashed. Have you ever smelled a similar smell on a tram on the way to Parencia a long time ago? If only my girlfriend hadn’t been by my side at the time, she would have removed a corpse from the spot.

“Hey there!! Shut up!! Should I take your body away!!?”

— What is that?
— She must be homeless or crazy. Let’s hurry.
— Tsk, bad luck…

Lehel covered her nose and scolded the two men who were running away, then lifted her robe again with an uncomfortable expression.
Maybe it was because of her mood, but she seemed to smell really bad.
So does this mean that Lewis knew about it all this time but never said a word?
Before I knew it, her face got hot and her drool started flowing.

“Should I buy clothes…”

Lehel often walked to her nearby clothing store.
Mannequins wearing stunning new robes and beautiful dresses were on display outside.
When her store clerk asked her what kind of clothes she was looking for, she hesitated for a moment.
And after a moment, she pointed to one of the two with her trembling hand.

***

The day after I spent the night with Adela.
I conveyed to Erzsebet my intention to fight the Prince of Five Colors.
In the conference room on the central island, the three archdukes were now taking heavy steps, and the sky was sprinkling whitish sleet as winter approached.

I’ve been here too long.
I want to go back to the canteen quickly.
That was the only thought in my head.

— You must never get seriously hurt. Okay?
“I try.”

Erzsebet told me the location through communication and asked me several times.

— I say the same thing to you. The priests are waiting just in case, so contact them as soon as the duel is over.

This impressed me a bit.

“Teacher…”

Adela approached me and held out another item along with the blue ice pick.
It was a flower bracelet made by plaiting blue hair and sky blue oxyflowers that bloomed on a floating island.

“It’s a gift.”
“Really?”
“Women in the North Sea give her flowers and hair as talismans to their husbands who go to war. And 〈 Ice Pick 〉 is my magic and magic, so if you wear it, it will last longer.”
“Thank you.”

It was my first time hearing this, but it was definitely a gift that showed her feelings for me.
A cold sinking into her mind as her hand holding the ice pick froze, along with her mild frostbite.

“And there’s one more thing.”
“Huh?”

Adela gently leaned against me as I was about to board the airship.
I wrapped my arms around her waist, as if to kiss her goodbye, but she simply lifted her heels slightly and buried her face in the crook of her neck.
Her unique fluffy hair tickled her ears.

What do you want to do?
Now that the development of frozen human technology is over, is your intention to time slip with me to avoid other women?
Or did he succeed in contacting the ancient gods of outer space and become able to fly using his hair instead of an airship?
Ominous thoughts followed one after another.

“Adela?”
“…”

I patted her on the back for a while in response to her incomprehensible behavior of just quietly hugging me.
I wonder how much time had passed, by the time there was a delay of at least 10 minutes and a urging was heard from Erzsebet beyond the communication crystal.
Only then did Adela take off her body, and her eyes were as clear and shining as ever.

“That’s enough!”
“What?”
“This too is a tradition.”
“What a tradition…” … ?”
“The person who receives the flowers proves her love by how long he does not abandon her.”

So, he is judging how much he loves himself by staying still until I push him away.
There are all sorts of traditions in the North Sea.

“So, how am I?”
“Lol… “It’s a secret.”

Even if he didn’t say anything, it was all revealed in his expression.

“I will be back.”
“Yes, please be careful.”

I boarded the airship to see her off.

***

The floating island where Oliver Scarlett, the Prince of Colors, stays was a more desolate place than any island I have ever been on.
It was filled with only a few dried, twisted old trees and black rocks that seemed to have maintained the same shape as when they first fell from the mountain range.
In the middle of it, there is a wooden building of the same shape as the one where Adela stayed.
My guess is that this is a standard option provided when purchasing a floating island.

When I got off the airship, Scarlett was sitting on a chair in his empty field, humming to him.
Although the harsh sleet hitting my cheek may have been unpleasant, the excitement of competing against a strong opponent seemed to be even more anticipated.
As soon as she saw me, she threw down her white gloves from her hands.
Although it was blown away by the strong wind and immediately disappeared from sight, it was clear that it was a notice announcing the start of the duel.

“Are you really going to fight me?”
“——.”
“The princess must have made many other good suggestions…”
“——.”

Stormy weather where we can’t even hear each other’s voices properly.
All I could see was light green hair flowing mercilessly.
The moment I frowned and was about to talk, a small flash of light appeared and gathered at Scarlett’s fingertips.
Eventually, I quickly rolled to the side due to the feast of colorful lights that were fired.

Kwagwagwagwang——!!

I intend to fight no matter what.
Then there was no need to say anything more.
I grabbed her ice pick and quickly thought of a way to disable her again.

The most common tactics for dealing with wizards are the same as when dealing with Esther.
Get closer and evaporate the mana from your entire body with 〈Magic End〉.
As a result, Ice and Snowball’s heart exploded, but Scarlett was left incapacitated.
So, one of the unique magic spells must be left behind.

‘Then the remaining one is…’ …’

Countless elements of elemental magic fall like silk from the sky.
In an instant, the land was transformed into a hellish landscape.
As the flames rose and the ground turned, I stopped thinking and quickly ran over to hit Adela with her ice pick.
Since the hand holding it was already frozen, it was impossible to throw it like this.

“Tch… !”

As I approached Scarlett clicked her tongue and immediately disappeared from sight.
〈 It seemed to be a movement magic like 〉 or a concealment of its appearance.
It’s okay, because I’ve experienced this kind of trick many times.
I close my eyes and feel a small trace in the chaotic battlefield.

Kwaang—! Kwagwaang——!!

The sharp rock shook the earth and stabbed her thigh deeply.
But I don’t care.
Even if Gyeophwa approaches me like a snake crawling on the ground and burns my lungs along with my clothes, I focus on only one thing.
Finding Scarlett.

Unless it is the highest defense magic at level 〈 Refraction 〉, most cloaking devices cannot erase all traces.
Moreover, since it was cast in such haste, it is difficult to fool even two of the five senses.

No matter where I looked on the rocky island, there was nothing to be seen.
Even if you close your eyes and listen, all you can hear is the cracking ground and the evaporating snow falling from the sky.
Then–

“Whoa…”

In this place full of dead old trees and rocks, I search for a scent that could never exist.
The scent of scarlet collected on the wind, the soap and perfume used to wash the robe.

Without hesitation, I broke the ice pick in half and threw it toward the place where I felt.
Then, the space along the path was seen to be slightly distorted.

“Gotcha.”

I ran straight after her and held out my hand to make sure I didn’t lose sight of her this time.
As soon as I felt the texture of the voluptuous flesh under my rough hands, I activated my unique magic.

〈 Unique Magic: The End of Magic ⌜Magic·End⌟〉

Finished.
Although he suffered burns, abrasions, and bruises all over his body, he subdued the five-color ball without any injuries.
All of her magic will be canceled and she will soon be treated by the priests waiting below.
While thinking that, it was the moment I made eye contact with Scarlett, who was revealed under the robe.

“As expected, you were right.”
“What?”
“Terra Ernesten’s unique magic. “The only magic that can break the ice of Rochear.”

She slowly raised her body and lifted her hood.
The pupils of both eyes were infinitely dilated and the hands were shaking.
I have seen these symptoms in so many people.
A concept that had not yet been established in this world—it was PTSD experienced by those addicted to war.

“I thought it was strange from the first time I saw it. Because Terra Ernisten is a woman. Then who are you? Who was it that was able to break Ice and Snowball’s magic and follow the princess to this place?”
“…”
“Royal Guard Knights? Or Hooksclaw? Ugh, neither. “If we use the magic of the current great mage, there is one more being that we can guess better than that.”

Scarlett’s eyes darted here and there through the empty space.
I realized that her thoughts, words, and actions were not all about the here and now.
Eventually, when the soft corners of her mouth rose slightly, she found the answer.

“When the 12 Leagues, the five Grand Dukes, the four major parishes of the Holy Kingdom, and the Seven Magic Towers all witnessed the end of humanity in the hellish Helzeb, a rumor spread throughout the battlefield.”

A deadly force was formed to kill the Demon King.

“In fact, the dark war situation changed little by little. When dawn comes to the land where an order of knights was annihilated yesterday, only the corpses of the enemies remain.”

We kept moving forward.
They roamed all over the front lines, cutting off the most difficult to recapture highlands and decapitating demons who were difficult to deal with.

“Just as we are seeing hope, little by little, little by little, someone is talking as if possessed.”

Although their identities were not revealed, the surviving wounded soldiers returned to their camps.
And together they explained to others what they had seen.

“The King of War led us.”

My name.
No, the meaning of that name.

“There is someone beyond hell who will fulfill humanity’s long-cherished wish, something that not even White Knight Wivlet, Great Mage Terra, Bahran’s Shaman, or Monarch’s Saint could achieve.”

Two pure white hands came out from under the robe and lightly grasped my neck.

“Well, it was you… !”

Scarlett’s eyes looking at me were filled with joy.