"By the gods, what's happening? Is this… a magic missile?!"
The heir to the Arkheim Empire.
Prince Louis von Arkheim brandishes his sword, taken aback.
A solitary blast of magic echoes. The repercussions send a jolt through him, etching a mark.
His acclaimed bastion armor starts to fissure, then crumbles with a deafening crash. This was outside his anticipations.
Kwakwakwakwa!
Azure arrows pour down from the heavens, relentlessly targeting him.
A palpable confusion paints Prince Louis's face.
"Phew!"
("keuheub!")
Within a blink, his leg bears a gory gash. The armor encasing him endures a brutal beating, a slash carving its path through.
"Curses…!"
This seems unjust to him.
Nox, the youngest of the Reinharbor clan, is someone he knows well.
The sole sword maestro of the three eminent dark families, the only recipient of the Sword Emperor title, raised under Theo's tutelage.
Yet, had Theo imparted his youngest with magic skills?
'No, instructing magic to the underage is a strict taboo… no family on the continent dares defy the Empire's laws and teach their youngest magic!'
His might might be diminished, but he remains a royal prince. Even a powerful house like the Reinharbors wouldn't dare defy the law and teach magic to their youngest.
Certainly not the obstinate Theo von Reinharbor.
The notion was puzzling.
Initially, Louis von Arkheim had anticipated a sword fight with Nox.
He donned hefty armor, favoring physical over magical defenses for its robustness.
Alas, those preparations proved futile.
All due to…
A simple spell, Magic Missile, known by amateur mages continent-wide, is considered rudimentary.
Although the magic Nox released vastly exceeded his skill level, Louis felt the sting of embarrassment from the situation.
His flushed face was evidence enough.
Boom, bang, bang!
(kwagwang! kwang! kwang!)
The earth shakes repeatedly.
Magic missiles penetrate the ground one after another, fragmenting it.
A breath escapes Louis von Arkheim, raw and ragged, his turmoil and rage plain for all to see.
However, the prince wasn't alone in his distress.
The whispers of onlookers corroborated this.
-1 The prince is… on the back foot?
-Shhh! Quiet! He'll react if he overhears!
-But, um…
-Nox, who is he really? He's from a dark family! Shouldn't he be wielding a sword?
-Was this not supposed to be a duel of swords?
-No, they never labeled it as a sword duel, to begin with. Just a duel… Still, it doesn't seem like one, does it?
'I'm not mistaken. He's… he's just… he's unusual!'
Louis is in disarray. The unfolding situation is an unexpected variable. Nox employing magic, skillfully evading my sword strikes.
At last…
"Nox von Reinhafer."
To drown out the peripheral noise, Prince Louis activates an artifact.
A wave of [Silence] emanates as he touches the concealed necklace.
Once the surrounding noise subsides, he speaks in a voice laden with murderous intent.
"Do you truly believe you can survive after humiliating me thus?"
I had.
Nox had never anticipated an attack, despite his status as a prominent figure in the Underworld.
The Emperor had lost his sharp wits. The First Prince, the uncontested ruler of the Empire.
Was he threatening the heir apparent to the throne?
Louis, no stranger to tyranny, had never considered this prospect. Not something one could execute before such a large audience.
However, in response, Nox simply offers a chilling laugh.
"Do you think you'll survive?"
In an instant, there's a fleeting flash of light.
The silhouette of a man vanishes.
Barely has Louis's gasp of terror left his lips when Nox's voice rings out.
"Of course."
* * *
How did I come to wield the Magic Missile?
The answer is simple.
'I learned it from Lars von Celestia… that obsessed, eccentric professor.'
Professor Lars took me under his tutelage, teaching me the foundations of magic. For instance, the [Magic Missile] I currently employ, the [Flash], among others. He prioritized the most commonly used spells.
He questioned a student about this teaching approach, asking if he could offer him a head start, but the response was: -What kind of ridiculousness is that?
-What rubbish, as long as you remain undetected?
As a man of principles, this wasn't a sentiment Lars would echo, but he didn't dispute it. The more methods to defend oneself, the better.
That's why I studied magic…
I remembered something I had forgotten.
-It's a divine gift… My instincts weren't wrong after all…
I possess a [genius] aptitude that could even render Lars speechless.
[Genius of Mana Sensitization].
A trait enabling not only the natural materialization of magic, but also its transformation and reshaping into new formats.
Thanks to this, on the very day Lars started teaching me, I could freely manipulate magic missiles and perform the feat of firing dozens simultaneously.
Of course, Lars had reservations about my excessive mana use.
However.
-Isn't using this much power likely to boost your efficiency… No, there's no issue. You possess an excessive amount of mana. It's absurd. Could it harm you if you don't utilize it?
-Excuse me?
-If you don't discharge it periodically, it could corrode you from within, damaging your organs. It could overwhelm you. Your frequent weakness might have a connection.
That was absurd.
Could it be… Nox's body fell prey to [Weakness] because he wasn't routinely using his magic?
Undoubtedly, it related to his traits, yet I felt a surge of anger. Finally, I allowed myself a moment of genuine happiness.
After all, this wasn't such a bad situation for me.
'If it makes me stronger, where's the issue?'
Thanks to this, I managed to master the [Magic Missile] flawlessly.
That's why I chose magical artifacts based on Eleanor's comments. I intended to secure at least one useful orb anyway, so I simply selected the best one they offered.
Looking back, I'm pleased with the deal.
Meanwhile, the individual, unaware of the circumstances, is desperately defending against my attacks.
The First Prince. Blood seeps from Louis von Arkheim's mouth.
How did he survive this?
I brandished my sword with a malicious grin, a peculiar chill coursing through me.
Then, with a swift leap, I charged at the brute.
Slash!
(seogeog!)
Next, my sword deliberately cuts into his shoulder blade.
The wooden blade punctures the fractured armor, and a geyser of blood erupts, somewhat inevitably.
The prince's guttural voice echoes.
"Curse you!"
I snicker, gazing at the unsightly mole.
Paracelsus was a far more significant challenge than you. You're merely an extra.
I shook the blood off my wooden sword, reminding myself of the monster he was.
Just then, Prince Louis clutches and triggers the artifact hanging from his neck.
'That object… [Silence], is it a magic-infused artifact? Quite a valuable item you have there. Truly royal.'
Immediately, the necklace emits a glow.
With the artifact's activation, [Silence] unfolds, silencing the surrounding noise.
"Nox von Reinhafer."
The voice that trails my nonchalantly crossed arms seethes with hatred.
"Do you dare believe you can survive after heaping such humiliation upon me?"
"Do you think you'll survive?"
....
I assumed he'd resist a bit longer.
He's revealing his true nature sooner than I anticipated.
In that case, I'll have to expose him.
I retorted with a smirk.
"Of course."
The prince's pupils narrow, and his shoulders start to quiver.
He bellows.
"You fool…! You're as blind as any House Reinhafer brat, aren't you? …Blast it. I should have known when you audaciously requested Arkriver as a reward… You scoundrel!"
"I'm certain the definition of a duel hasn't changed in my absence… It seems you never intended to fight fairly from the start. Without your flimsy armor, you wouldn't even be a challenge."
"You won't leave this place unscathed. I will rip you to shreds."
"Hmm. I doubt you can achieve that."
In truth, I had anticipated this scenario from the start.
I had prepared for it.
He lacks the means to kill me.
There are several reasons for this, but foremost is that a certain woman is watching.
For instance, ..., one of the Four Wise Men, and Dean of the Academy.
Noah von Trinity.
-Wow, what's happening here…?
I now wave the communicator in my hand in front of Louis' eyes.
The voice emanating from it belongs to Noah Von Trinity, the 'Frozen Witch'.
In other words, one of the most powerful figures in the Academy. A formidable individual capable of reducing this castle to rubble if she so desired.
I understood that.
I knew from the outset that I was treading on dangerous ground.
Therefore, upon receiving Penelope's message, I approached the Dean directly and sought help. There were those who intended to harm me.
At the very least, could she ensure that her student didn't meet a premature end?
Noah, amused by my request, consented with a nod.
And this is the outcome.
A gaze of terror. The prince's eyes gleamed with frenzied desperation.
Louis von Arkheim. He lacks the attributes of a protagonist.
He's merely a fleeting extra.
And if he isn't, I'll ensure he becomes one.
"This voice… Impossible! No, Noah von Trinity…! How!"
I sneer at his reddening countenance.
"Did you presume that I would venture into the capital of the Empire, entrusting my life to your whims? That I would come without taking such precautions… You greatly overestimate the scoundrels of the South."
"You deranged rogue…!"
-I'll ask again!
At that moment, I distinctly feel a creeping chill extend outwards, even from this significant distance.
'[Spatial Interference]… Professor Lars mentioned it. It's advanced magic at the very least.'
I swallow, the magic gripping me tightly. The voice carries on.
It's gentle, yet it belies the harsh words within.
-First Prince. What do you think you're doing to a student of our academy…?
"That, that…!"
-Haah...! I merely dispatched him to collect the reward for rescuing Miss Penelope… It's genuinely tragic! If the imperial family harms our students first, my heart will shatter…
Suddenly, the chill intensifies. I wonder why.
The unmistakable laughter of a mature woman rings clear.
-I might slaughter everyone present.