Chapter 38
After emerging from the basement, Vieta went straight to find Fulcare and Blanc.
Even as she thought that nothing serious could have happened with Fulcare there, the ominous thought kept flaring up like an ember that refused to die.
Vieta kept stumbling as she trudged through the dark night streets.
What greeted Vieta was a three-story wooden building with embers still glowing. At the sight of the building, which reminded her of a massive lump of charcoal, Vieta felt her heart sink.
If Fulcare were here, he could have subdued a fire this size in an instant. Then why were the flames still burning? Had something really happened?
As Vieta looked around in bewilderment, the red threads, sensing their master's intense emotions, conveyed to her the information left behind in various places.
‘They went to the subspace!’
Vieta gripped her dagger tightly and circled around to the back of the building.
Only those invited could enter a mage's subspace, but she could tear open the entrance for a short while.
Using the wooden building, which looked ready to collapse at any moment, as a foothold, Vieta leaped up and plunged into the entrance to the subspace in one motion.
***
Dealing with the magical beasts or Piolkan posed no problem for the Archmage.
However, just as he had expected, protecting Blanc was the greatest difficulty. It was at least fortunate that Blanc could summon barriers.
Woooo-.
With an ominous howl, the magical beast split into two. One charged toward Fulcare, while the other lunged at Blanc.
"Tch."
Fulcare clicked his tongue and moved his hand, sending a straight beam of light piercing through the beast's violet body. The magical beasts could not even scream before dispersing into black smoke.
A five-second opening followed for Fulcare, and Piolkan did not miss that fleeting moment.
The pointed sword he swung at the enemy's heart collided with the Archmage's staff with a tremendous clang. Piolkan's eyes curved with amusement at the Archmage's swift reaction.
“Hoh? You’re quite good, aren’t you? An ordinary mage would already have been dead by now…. As expected, you’re the Archmage who defeated the Demon King.”
'…If anyone were chased by a hero for three days and nights, wouldn’t they manage this much?'
Swallowing the words that had risen to his throat, Fulcare braced his staff and shoved Piolkan back.
At the same time, a beam of light shot from his hand and grazed the enemy's pale cheek.
“Ha, just how many of them are there?”
When another magical beast sprang from the blood trickling down Piolkan's cheek, Fulcare's tone sharpened.
“Who knows? As long as my blood doesn’t dry up, neither will the magical beasts.”
“If you like magical beasts so much, why don’t you just live in the Demon Realm?”
Fulcare brought the beam of light in his hand down like a club, cleaving the magical beast that had charged right up to him in two.
At the same time, a blue spear sprang from behind him and flew toward Piolkan. It was Blanc's magic. As though startled by the unexpected attack, Piolkan's relaxed stance faltered.
Fulcare did not miss the fleeting instant Blanc had created for him.
The moment Piolkan's left foot touched the ground while his guard was down, a chain of light sprang up from the floor and seized his ankle.
"Damn it! The prince could use magic?"
Piolkan bit down on his lip as he looked at his captured ankle. Even when he manipulated demonic energy to break the chain, all that came from the ring of light was a sizzling sound as it burned; the ring remained completely unharmed. After the five-second opening, a sharp beam of light blasted away Piolkan's right shoulder.
“You fool!”
Despite the overwhelming pain, Piolkan forced a smile.
Another magical beast sprang from his blood scattered across the golden space. In accordance with its master's will, the newly born beast ignored the Archmage and charged toward Alos and Blanc.
Piolkan's eyes widened as he watched the magical beast and Fulcare move. He had assumed that, as always, the Archmage would cast a defensive spell, but Fulcare had abandoned Blanc and was casting a different spell.
‘Could Blanc block three attacks without the Archmage’s help?’
What had tormented the Archmage until now was precisely the attack pattern of the magical beasts Piolkan controlled. In exchange for sacrificing their defenses, the beasts could move at incredible speed and unleash up to three attacks.
While Piolkan was flustered by this unexpected variable, the magical beast charged at Blanc and swung its black-scythe-like foreleg.
The first attack, aimed at his head, was blocked by Alos's greatsword; the second, launched from behind, was stopped by Blanc's crumbling barrier; and the third was blocked by the prince's Emperor's Eye, which had become available again.
With a sharp crack, blood tears burst from Blanc's violet eyes.
It had been only about ten seconds, but that was enough time for Fulcare to cast his unique magic.
Countless magic circles enveloped Fulcare, and an enormous magic circle, too large to take in at a glance, was inscribed in the air.
“Now let’s finish this.”
Fulcare clenched the hand he had held wide open.
Countless pillars of light poured down from the sky, and the intense heat pouring from them dried the magical beast's black blood in an instant.
***
The powerful quake that reached her the moment she set foot in the subspace sent Vieta sprinting forward. Before long, the site of the fierce battle came into view.
The knight commander lay collapsed on the floor, while Blanc's face was dyed bright red. Fulcare was calmly tending to them both.
Vieta's gaze was drawn to Blanc.
“Vieta?”
Blanc laboriously opened one eye and waved at her. Fulcare, who was beside Blanc and had recognized Vieta, also gave her a slight nod.
Vieta hurried over to Blanc and cupped his face in both hands. The red marks spread across his face were unmistakably blood. Pitch-black despair spread across her face.
“…Are you badly hurt?”
“No, I’m fine.”
Blanc smiled, but Vieta could not calm down.
Blanc carefully covered Vieta's trembling hands with his own.
“I’m really okay.”
Vieta's anxious gaze became entangled with Blanc's unwavering gaze.
“…What a relief.”
Once Vieta realized he was not lying, her hands fell away from Blanc's face.
Blanc was secretly disappointed when the warmth vanished so quickly.
“Is Fulcare okay too?”
Compared to Blanc, Fulcare was in better shape, but he was a mess as well.
“You’re quick to ask.”
At his curt reply, Vieta gave a soft little chuckle.
“I’m fine, of course, and so is the knight commander.”
Alos had merely fainted after the intense battle; he had not suffered any fatal injuries.
Once Vieta confirmed that everyone was all right, the tension left her and her mind went blank for a moment. Her slight frame swayed helplessly before she pitched forward.
"Whoa?!"
“Vieta!”
Blanc pulled the falling Vieta toward him and caught her in his arms.
“…I’m okay.”
Vieta gave a faint smile in Blanc's arms.
***
The four people other than Vieta had gathered in the goddess's subspace.
Blanc had wanted to come as well, but his strength had waned, so he was placed in forced-rest mode.
Who would dare order a prince around? Even so, Blanc obediently followed Fulcare's instructions.
“Is the captain really okay?”
The necklace-shaped holy relic in Theodore's hand made a soft clinking sound.
“I guess it was just mental stress.”
A faint smell of burning still wafted from Fulcare's clothes, making Iseria wrinkle her nose slightly.
“Fulcare, please deliver this to the hero.”
Iseria wanted to leave at once, but Vieta's safety was at stake.
Iseria held out a green sachet to Fulcare.
“It’s the incense you always kept burning in your office. You probably haven’t been able to smell it for a while.”
There had always been a strange scent in the office.
Hearing that the hero needed it, Fulcare accepted the sachet without complaint.
“All right, then. Shall we begin?”
Laurent dragged out Tuang and Piolkan, both stiff and pale.
The clean floor was dirtied by the demonic energy leaking from the two men.
“This time, let me do it.”
Iseria said this as she passed Fulcare.
There was no way they could make someone who had just fought conduct the interrogation as well.
“Oh! What brings you here, Iseria?”
Laurent's teasing made Iseria's delicate brows furrow slightly.
“No matter how unpleasant the task is, I do my part when the time comes.”
Good, good. I like that proactive attitude.
Though Iseria had made it obvious she disliked him, Laurent glued himself to Iseria's side and continued chattering away.
Iseria felt the urge to summon tree vines and stuff them into Laurent's mouth.
Fulcare was the one who calmed Iseria, who looked ready to explode.
“How long will it take?”
“Since we only have to rough up one boss, maybe an hour?”
If Laurent were alone, it would take even longer, but this time Iseria was here.
“Let’s finish quickly.”
Fulcare felt grimy from head to toe and could hardly stand it.
***
A little after two in the morning, Blanc rose from the bed in the hastily prepared temporary lodgings.
Vieta kept coming to mind, making it impossible for him to rest.
“I guess I’ll have to go see her.”
Moving around alone at this hour might be dangerous, but the biggest threat, Kardu, had disappeared, so it seemed safe enough to go.
Blanc took out a small bag and packed a few things in case of emergency, then jumped out through the window.