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Chapter 452: 16 Year Old Inglis and the Highland on Distance Sea (61)
Chapter 452: 16 Year Old Inglis and the Highland on Distance Sea (61)
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"Th-That guy!?"
"He came back!?"
"No way! Didn’t he return to the Church Founder’s Union!?"
"Hahahahahahahahaha!"n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
The booming laughter that echoed through the night sky was unmistakable—it belonged to General Maxwell of Venefique.
Upon spotting the Star Princess, Maxwell called out from the shoulder of the faceless giant.
"Well, well! It’s been a while, knights of Charalia! Lady Charlotte has returned to her heavenly domain, fulfilling the orders given to me by the Church Founder. From here on out, I shall act purely as a general of Venefique, serving my nation’s interests!"
"! So that’s it… Without her oversight, you no longer have any intention of letting us escape, is that correct!?"
As a general of Venefique, a nation opposed to Charalia, his motive was clear: to eliminate their strength while the opportunity presented itself.For Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte—knights of the academy dispatched to Illuminus under Envoy Theodore’s orders to protect Eris—it was impossible to deny their association with Charalia. That connection made them obvious targets in Maxwell’s eyes.
"If that’s the case, then if we leave this place—!"
If Maxwell’s goal was to capture or eliminate Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte, then their course of action was clear. They could leave Mais behind, take off with the Star Princess, and draw Maxwell’s attention away.
In doing so, they could prevent the Highlanders remaining in Illuminus from being caught up in the conflict.
"……!"
Hearing Leone's suggestion, Rafinha cast her gaze toward the submerged waters where Inglis lay. She felt uneasy about leaving Inglis behind. Would they be able to return if they left now? What if Illuminus sank completely while they were gone, making it impossible to find the location ever again?
The ocean was vast—immeasurably so. Losing a marker in its boundless expanse was tantamount to losing it forever.
"Rafinha…"
"Miss Rafinha.."
Understanding her feelings, neither Leone nor Liselotte could bring themselves to say more.
"Don’t worry about me! Fight here, in Illuminus! It’ll be easier for you that way!" Only Mais spoke, offering encouragement to Rafinha.
Rafinha shook her head vigorously, as if trying to dispel her hesitation and weakness.
"Let’s drop Mais off! We’ll leave here and draw the enemy away from Illuminus! Leone, Liselotte!"
"Rafinha… alright, I understand!"
"No objections here!"
As the group resolved to act, General Maxwell, seated on the shoulder of the faceless giant, sneered mockingly.
"You’re not the only ones I’m interested in!"
His gaze shifted—past Rafinha and the others—to Mais and the waters below, where Illuminus floated. If Maxwell’s goal extended beyond just Rafinha and her companions, leaving Illuminus wouldn’t serve any purpose.
"……! What more do you want!? Mais and the Highlanders who stayed behind—they’ve already lost their birthplace, their home! They can’t go back anymore! Isn’t that enough!? Just stop already!"
Rafinha’s voice trembled with anger, yet Maxwell simply shrugged, shaking his head in mock pity.
"No, no, that would be far too lenient. You see, I can hear it. The cries of this giant—the lamentations, the hatred. Or more precisely, I hear the anguish of the people who were reduced to form the mana essence that constitutes this creature."
"Mana essence…? Hatred? What do you mean—?"
Mais’ eyes widened in shock as he latched onto Maxwell’s words.
"……!"
Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte exchanged troubled glances.
Mais, the son of Illuminus’ second best scientist, was still a child and knew nothing of the city's darkest secrets. Even Vilma, the knight commander charged with the city’s defense, had only suspicions and no concrete understanding. The method for creating mana essence was a tightly guarded secret, known only to a select few.
It was something they all agreed Mais didn’t need to hear.
"Leone!" Rafinha glanced back at Leone, her hands unable to leave the controls. She silently entrusted her with the task.
"Got it!" Leone quickly moved to cover Mais’ ears, but he swatted her hands away with surprising force.
"Mais!"
"Don’t listen to him! There’s no need to hear this nonsense!"
Maxwell’s twisted smile deepened as he adjusted his monocle, which seemed to gleam unnaturally in the moonlight.
"Hahaha! So, the boy doesn’t know, does he? Mana essence is made from humans! Your precious Illuminus has been buying people from the Midland, dissolving them into a soupy mess, and turning them into this almighty material! The abundant magic within it? It comes from the magic originally residing in their bodies!"
"Th-that can’t be! If that’s true, then the whole idea of Illuminus living without slaves, striving for coexistence with the surface, is…"
"A laughable farce! Claiming to avoid suffering by robbing people of their forms, their consciousness, and reducing them to mere magical material—isn’t that your so-called noble way of life? You devils! I’ll never forgive you!"
"He’s right… How could a city with mana coat soldiers claim kindness toward those on the Midland…"
Mais’ shoulders slumped, and his voice cracked as he whispered in despair.
"Stop it! What joy is there in making a child suffer!? You knew full well what it meant for someone to be turned into mana essence, didn’t you? You handed over the dissenters of Venefique yourself! You have no right to talk about others!"
"Oh? Is that what you think? True, I was acquainted with some of them, but I sincerely hoped they would live happily in the Highlands without being reduced to mana essence. Had they stayed in Venefique, they would have been executed as traitors and their heads displayed for all to see. Fleeing to a new land was their only option for survival. The result, well…"
He gave a light tap to the neck of the faceless giant.
"If they die without knowing why, there’s no justice for these devils either, is there? Besides, I’m curious. Highlanders possess stronger magic than Midlanders, and they can control it naturally, without external help. So, what happens when their essence is dissolved into mana essence? Surely, it will become a source of immense power! I intend to prove that with this giant, to make it the ultimate weapon. It will become the cornerstone of Venefique’s might!"
"Wait… You’re saying you’ll absorb Mais into the giant… in order to strengthen it, aren’t you? How could you?!"
"Not just the Highlanders, but you as well. All of you will be absorbed into this giant. Together, we’ll become an unbeatable force, a foundation for Venefique’s glory! Since Rochefool betrayed our nation, someone has to step up and ensure its future!"
"Rochefool? You mean Instructor Rochefort? He might look unapproachable, but he’s actually a good person! Definitely better than you!"
Both Leone and Liselotte nodded in agreement with Rafinha’s words.
"Hah! There’s no such thing as a ‘good person’ who would betray their country! He’s the lowest of scum! Lady Tiffany! We’re ready!"
"Wait, Tiffany’s with you!?"
"Didn’t she return to the Highlands!?"
"This complicates things…"
Leone muttered as she and the others shifted into defensive stances, their eyes scanning around the giant and the airship it straddled. But even as they waited, Tiffany did not appear.
"Then—shall we begin?"
A voice rang out, not from the airship ahead, but directly above them.
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