Chapter 39 – Flowers of the North Sea (11)

How long has it been since we saw each other?

The candle holder that collected the oil from the whales wandering the North Sea had long since gone out. The ice on the stained glass rustled and fell. In the middle of the tall bell tower, only Adela’s faint breathing, as she lost consciousness, filled the space where sound had disappeared.

Widely!

It was Esther who moved first. She threw the spear in her right hand at Lewis and stepped back.
The moment he caught the spear that flew straight toward his heart, an enormous burst of cold air exploded, covering the entire building in white.

〈Esdel Sylvester de Rocheire Gojimado: Ice Snow Orchid 〉
〈Cold wave ⌜Cold wave⌟〉

Kwaaaaang——!!

A strong gust of wind whipped around the place where Lewis was standing. In the blink of an eye, Esther saw him charging at her with her bare hands and summoned her second spear to prepare for her defense.

〈 Unique Magic: Ice Shield ⌜Ice Shield⌟〉

A huge shield covered in frost appeared in front of him, ten steps away. Lewis didn’t hesitate and punched it.
Damn it! Even before she heard a sound, Esther expected her spell to be broken. However, the battle of high-ranking wizards was not simply a battle of exchanging magic.

〈 Multiple chanting 〉, 〈 Modification of surgical method: Miniaturization 〉, 〈 Intervention between surgical procedures: Remote control 〉
〈 Unique Magic: Ice Shield ⌜Ice Shield⌟〉

Before my hand could touch it, the shield split and the fragments formed another shield, separating the two.

〈 Baekmado: The other side of the world ⌜Mirror Side⌟〉
〈 Goyumado: Frost Flower ⌜Frost Flower⌟〉

Ice crystals floating in the air due to the first impact of the transboundary cold wave fluttered in the sunlight. The magic circle projected from the tip of Esther’s spear was reflected like a mirror on its sharp and transparent surface.
One, two, the magic circle filled with blue light was instantly reflected by the ice fragments flying in all directions, front, rear, left, and right, and their number increased.

The moment Lewis’s fist was about to reach forward——

〈Parallel technique construction: large-scale 〉
〈 Unique Magic: Ice Shield ⌜Ice Shield·Magna Unitas⌟〉

Kwagwagwagwang——!!

A huge wall of ice split the entire building in half. At the same time, the entire castle of Addenbury was greatly shaken by the impact of the wall collapsing.

Boom, coo goong! A chunk of ice, now larger than a person, fell to the ground with a sound.

“…”

A single-minded battle and defense. Esther could not contain her surprise. That man almost destroyed her defensive magic that had been strengthened and strengthened simply with the strength of his body. And that too in one shot.

“… Tsk.”

But Lewis also seemed quite damaged. Because his body was not invincible, the bones on the backs of his hands were exposed as he hit the ice shield.
The skin from his wrists to his shoulders, which had taken all the impact, was tattered with blood vessels bursting, and the areas where joints and ligaments were torn were bent unnaturally.

Pap-duk!

But Lewis came closer, clenching his fist again with his hand that had grown to that point. Esther also raised her spear again, scattering her magic circle in the air.

***

Rochear’s unique magic is rooted in ice magic, but it was not just ice and snow.

Magic is judging the incomprehensible world of algebra from a biased perspective.
The world seen in Esther’s eyes was all things that existed to be frozen.

Rochear’s ice is not a simple substance. Rochear’s magic is not simply a magic that creates ice.

Just freeze it. Everything.

When you look at it, your eyes freeze, when you touch it, your hands freeze, and when you use magic, even the magic freezes.

Nothing moving in front of it can exist.

Humans, demons, and the ideologies, grudges, thoughts, beliefs, longings, and wandering thoughts they harbor.
Ideas, solemn thoughts, respect, meditation, renunciation, and congratulatory thoughts.
All the thoughts of the heavenly sea and all the magic that came out of that head—— Any of the Manhwi groupsang (萬彙群象).
You cannot move in front of Rochear.

Then—— So does this man.

〈Esdel Sylvester de Rocheire Gojimado: Ice Snow Orchid 〉
〈Little Ice Age ⌜Ice Age⌟〉

It was cold.

A bitter cold fell.

As time passed, Lewis’ movements became slower and slower. It is said that frostbite dulls the sense of pain, but the wounds on his body were so deep that he had no choice but to be aware of them unless the entire nerve was pulled out.

As the air froze, the ground froze, and everything else froze, his body also could not survive.
Still, he didn’t stop.

Cheer up!

The fifteenth spear broke in his hand. One hundred and twenty kinds of magic belonging to the unique magic were shattered before the fist.
Esther expected that if Louis’ attack even once touched her, it would be the end.
But–

Kwaang!!

The power to hit the regenerated 〈 ice shield 〉 was gradually weakening. Lewis’ body was almost at its limit.
He continued to advance endlessly and was only a few steps away from reaching Esther.
I couldn’t break through the ice and snow ball’s magic until the end.

“…”

Behind the shield, which was cracked like a spider’s web, Esther’s quiet eyes stared at Luis, who was frozen, almost frozen.

Deep red blood that fell on the white snow and transparent ice.
My eyes met his reflection in his flowing bangs.

Jeok——

At the moment when he thought he had run out of strength, he continued to pound the barrier with his head, trying to break it. Esther hurriedly slammed his spear down on the ground.

〈 Goyumado: Ice Prison ⌜Ice Prison⌟〉

Kugoogung!!!

A transparent ice prison rose from beneath the ground and completely enveloped Lewis’ body.

This isn’t enough. Esther squeezed out her remaining mana and cast her magic once again.

〈 Original Mado: Supercooling ⌜Super Cooling⌟〉

Cheeeeek!!

He was completely frozen with his hands outstretched. Esther finally let out the breath she had been holding. And he looked at the half-destroyed building with a hole in the ceiling.
This entire vast cavity had been on the back foot since the start of the battle. Lewis relentlessly chased after her, and eventually came right under her nose.

‘It’s over.’

At that time when Esther breathed a sigh of relief——

Damn.

The ice of Rochear, which freezes everything, has begun to crack.

***

A few days after Luis left, the damage to Parencia was repaired without major problems.
The city’s blockade was soon lifted, merchants began to come and go, and classes at the academy resumed.
Nevertheless, there was one student who had not yet gone to school, so Lehel went to the mansion to visit him in person. She brought with her the 80,000 gold she had previously paid for.

“Sorry. “It looks like the head of the family is unwell.”
“I heard that the person who is sick has been doing their work these past few days. “What’s going on?”

When Lehel asked her butler who wouldn’t let her in, Bill answered hesitantly.

“I think you’re worried about Lewis.”
“Oh~.”

Lehel twirled her finger. As soon as she arrived in Parencia, she seemed to be very worried about her Louise, who had left for the North Sea.
She knew that Lewis was strong, but she didn’t seem to know the extent of his strength.

“Then I can’t help it.”
“Shall we make a separate appointment?”
“No, it’s okay. “I will meet you now.”
“Yes?”

Lehel smiled and she activated the 〈 transfer gate 〉. And she fell into it without even a moment for Bill to stop her.

“Let’s see… Wow.”

The place she arrived at was none other than Darling’s bedroom. She said she wasn’t at work, so she must be here.
However, the dark room seen through Lehel’s eyes was extremely dreary, unlike Viscount Ruhilen, who was said to be the richest person in Penheim.
It was a place full of all kinds of junk, without fancy curtains, luxurious carpets, or jaw-dropping furniture.

Small teddy bears, dirty hair ties, and clothes that didn’t seem to belong to women.
Inside, Lehel found something curled up under the blanket.

“Viscount? “Are you tired from the trip yet?”

She lifted the blanket and looked at it. Inside, Darling was holding a bottle of plum wine that Lewis had bought from the chariot.

“What business do you have?”
“I came to give you my money back. “I barely got in because the butler blocked me.”
“Leave it outside the door.”
“Are you worried about your boss?”
“… “It would have been better if you had followed through with that great magic.”

Considering her usual behavior, Lao Tzu was surprised. Because she, as the head of the Academy, had a job to do as well as Darling, the lord of Farencia.

Come to think of it, she said she lost both her parents before she even became an adult. Surprisingly, Lewis may be more than just an important person to Darling.
Lehel put back her blanket and quietly put down her bag of gold coins and said,

“Viscount. “Do you remember what I told you about Terra Ernesten earlier?”

She was the same as the White Knight Wivlett and the Saint Eris, but the Great Master Satera was a fearsome person who could not even be described as amazing.
Her achievements and status were so clear that all wizards on the continent were astonished.

The point is that there is not just one unique magic created by Terra Ernesten.
Like white magic and black magic, there are dozens or hundreds of types of magic in one unique magic.
No one knew how many types of magic she could use.

“She is very strong. “More than you think.”
“… “Didn’t she say before that she could win?”
“Not only I, but every other archduke would say that. Because we have absolute confidence in the world we have created.”

Yes. It’s not a matter of numbers.
Magic is judging the incomprehensible world of algebra from a biased perspective.
Cutting out all other thoughts only to obtain the ultimate magic power.

Although Lehel was in awe of the talent of her young wizard, who had not extended her lifespan like her own, she did not think that her unique magic that she had created herself would be defeated by her.

“But, Viscount. For me. “I’m still not sure I can beat the boss.”

Lehel recalled what she had seen and heard about Lewis.

“Because he is really strong. “He never gives up in any extreme situation and seems like he will win in the end.”

If Terra Ernie Sten was so perfect, why would she gift Lewis her own unique magic spell with her own hands?

“So don’t worry too much.”

Magic is not strong. Humans are not strong either. It was a fact that had been proven countless times throughout the long war.

“The boss will definitely come back.”

But a warrior is a warrior because he is strong.

That fact has never been broken.

***

Blah blah, blah blah——!!

The ice begins to crack. Before my eyes, I see an ice ball with a dull complexion.
During our first fight, I decided it would be difficult to break through her defenses.
The ice magic of both offense and defense showed not only excellent offensive power but also excellent defensive ability, such as taking away the opponent’s sense of balance or slowing down their movements.

Therefore, the strategy I chose was to get as close to Esther as possible. Of the twelve unique magic spells that Terra has implanted in my body, there are only two that I can use without putting a strain on my body.
The first spell was cast.

Blah blah blah——!!

〈Terra Ernesten Gojimado: Heavenly Evil 〉
〈Bonfire to the Black Sun ⌜Eclipse·Solitaire⌟〉

The sun went down and darkness came. The disappeared light and heat gathered at my fingertips for an instant and gave off a huge amount of heat.
Esther swung the ice spear she made for the sixteenth time at me, who pulled out the ice and pulled herself out. Since the distance had already narrowed to the end, it was impossible to run away any longer.

Cheeeeek——!!

The lava-like heat flowing from my body and the cold air she gave off created an enormous amount of water vapor.
You only get one chance. I grabbed and broke the spear aimed at the heart, dodged the ice shards falling around me, and reached out to Esther.
That moment,

Phew!

The seventeenth spear pierced my lower abdomen. The wound was frozen and no blood came out.
My finger only lightly touched the bridge of Esther’s sharp nose.

“I only passed by once.”
“… Cough.”
“It wasn’t painful or itchy. “Is this all?”

Arms slowly lowering. I smiled at her.

“What’s funny?”
“It’s over, idiot.”
“What?”

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

Chaae Aeng!!!

The window in the boat broke. The ice covering the floor also melted and disappeared. The warm spring breeze that came down from the open sky drove away the cold winter.

The end of magic. The strongest move in the war against wizards that announces the end of wizardry.

“Oops, black… !!”

Esther suddenly sat down, clutching her heart. Her body trembled intermittently and she vomited blood.

‘They said they would pull out the heart.’

Instead, I created a heart using magic.

Without hesitation, I walked towards where Adela was. For the Ice and Snowball to recover even a little bit of mana and rebuild his heart, or for him to die before that happens. Which one comes first?
If she dies, as she said, there will be a big vacuum in Fenheim.
I could have talked to the outside world and told them to bring a potion, but this was my judgment and good intentions.

I staggered towards the coffin and found Adela, who was still lying calmly.
She was encased in ice like a fish in a cooler, but before she knew it, her eyes had melted and she had become a fish in her tank.
The problem is that unlike fish, Adela cannot breathe underwater.

I hurriedly picked her up. She was nervous on the inside, wondering if she was going to press her heart again, but fortunately, it wasn’t long before she quickly came to her senses.

“Cold, cold… !”

When fighting to the death with Ice Snowball, he doesn’t wake up, but wakes up right away. My guess was that it was one of two things.
Was he aiming to be on the winning side, or was he trusting me?

“I’m a teacher…”
“Okay. “Valjean.”

Fortunately, the girl who smiled at me looked like a duckling whose imprinting had been completed. It seems to be the latter.
Adela, wearing a beautiful dress, said while hugging me.

“My heart hurts here. “I feel like I’m going to die.”
“I looked into that and it wasn’t an arrhythmia. “It’s probably because I used up too much mana before coming here.”
“It was fine until a while ago, but suddenly it happened.”
“I think he got hit by a piece of ice that bounced off during the fight.”
“I don’t think so.”

Adela shook her head quietly. And she hugged my neck with both hands and whispered in my ear.

“I didn’t know much until now.”

The flowers of the North Sea were embraced by me.

“I guess it’s because I love the teacher.”