Chapter 301
Chapter 301
‘Is this Dalia’s doing?’
Today, Asta had gone to release Dalia Alshine.
She instructed them to let her recover to some extent and leave her in a secluded place. Time magic had been dispelled, so the news of Dalia would reach Kaichen, and when that happened, he would come to look for her.
It was a trivial mission. Asta, who often handled tasks more challenging than this, was not usually bothered.
When she returned to the palace, she felt the energy of a magical scroll from a secluded corner of the garden.
It was a teleportation magic scroll meant to be used only in emergencies. There should have been no reason to use it.
As she approached, Asta was unconscious and bleeding profusely ont he ground. His arm and leg were injured to the point where he might not survive much longer.
An Unexplained, abnormal phenomenon.
The term that best suited this situation was ‘forbidden magic.’
No one but herself was skilled in using forbidden magic.
The dark mages of Momalhaut were able to use time magic thanks to Exchetra. They had been using forbidden magic by infusing magic into her magic circle.
Forbidden magic had to remain forbidden. That way, it stayed rare, and formidable opponents didn’t appear against one’s power.
“Enough. Get out.”
Having thought this far, Exchetra irritably expelled everyone from the room.
She approached Asta. His pupils were dilated, and he bit his lip to restrain his groans, knowing she was near.
“Asta.”
“Ugh… Yes…”
His beautiful face was damp with cold sweat.
Exchetra cautiously touched his cheek. The bleeding from the wound had barely stopped, but the hole left in his arm showed no signs of healing anytime soon.
“Did she cause this?”
“…Kkuk… Y-yes…”
“Answer briefly.”
“…Yes.”
She had believed that no one besides herself could access forbidden magic. However, after Dalia Alshine became Kaichen’s disciple, she vaguely anticipated that Dalia might also dabble in forbidden magic.
The possibility existed. Dalia Alhine was a medium for time magic and had exposure to forbidden magic.
Although not widely known, the more one was exposed to forbidden time magic, the more proficient they could become in it.
However, she had remained inactive for over two years—foolish and naive.
Seeing no potential for progress, Exchetra had given up trying to appease her. It was comical how she desperately supported Julius and played with her young love.
So, Exchetra had observed her with disdain, dismissing her as mere amusement. However, Asta’s condition today was undoubtedly the result of forbidden magic.
If that woman had indeed tampered with forbidden magic this time…
If that were the case, what would happen next?
The corner of Exchetra’s mouth curved up. Her heart pounded.
It was a room not easily found, completely sealed off from the outside. Exchetra reached out to Asta’s wounds and drew upon her mana.
A dense violet magical aura slowly enveloped Asta’s injured arm and leg.
“As the saying goes, even worms squirm when stepped on…”
The wounds that had resisted healing from physicians and recovery mages vanished rapidly without a trace.
“Even if it wriggles, it’s still an earthworm.”
Although traces of pain remained, Asta’s expression did not ease. But the wounds were gone entirely. He closed his eyes when Exchetra told him to rest by gently pressing his chest.
Tock-tick, tock-tick.
The sound of heels echoed with each step.
The time for wriggling was over.
The plan was already in its final stage.
* * *
Unlike Kaichen, who easily accepted it, Julius’s lips were sealed. His unbelieving eyes betrayed his thoughts.
His tightly clenched fists on his knees seemed to be holding his anger. His chest swelled and subsided. He suppressed and endured his anger with great effort.
“Do you expect me to believe that now?”
His cold voice expressed his disbelief.
Since Julius had lost two precious people in Turbeau just recently, Kaichen had suggested that I reveal the truth after some time had passed.
I wanted to follow his advice, but impatience crept in as I carefully organized the series of events.
Exchetra revealed the truth I was searching for. Furthermore, everything had happened simultaneously, from Lamia Sorel’s death to Turbeau’s time magic and my imprisonment.
If there was something I had sensed from the Northern Hoiore incident, it was that when Exchetra was planning something significant, she tended to trigger multiple events at once to divert attention and focus.
‘’It must be a big event if she diverted Kaichen, Julius, and my attention…. In the North, she experimented to see if Kaichen’s magical abilities could be restricted.’
It was frustrating, but the experiment at that time could be considered successful.
Kaichen couldn’t use magic.
However, whether intentional or just negligence, the magic circle was exposed to us and everything remained quiet for a while.
Shortly after Yanghwa recovered from poisoning, time magic manifested in Turbeau in the West.
I couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling. Exchetra was undoubtedly planning something massive.
That’s why I had to confess the truth to Julius and discuss it with him. Otherwise, explaining the current situation would be difficult.
“I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s the truth.”
“Evidence?”
“…I can’t show you any. However, Princess Exchetra has revealed everything to me…”