Several hours earlier.
In the barracks at Crossroad, Reina Windwell's room.
"The spell is almost complete."
Reina, who had just finished casting a spell on Junior, got up, wiping her hands.
"How do you feel?"
"How do I feel... Still feels like death..."
Junior adjusted her clothing with a sickly complexion.
"I overdid it last time, and my magic power is still boiling...ugh."
"Stop whining."
Reina waved her hand, playfully slapping Junior's bare back.
Junior cringed, letting out a bizarre scream.
"Why are you hitting me! I'm a sick patient!"
"The pain is from your magic power, not your back, isn't it?"
While it was true, getting hit still felt unfair.
Junior rolled her eyes in annoyance, prompting Reina to chuckle.
"Remember this: the spell isn't a cure-all. You'll feel less discomfort and perhaps live longer, but it's difficult to fully heal the scars left by magic in your heart."
Junior clenched her lips and laid a hand over her left chest. Reina continued,
"You will suffer from after-effects for the rest of your life and likely die young."
"You're not just trying to scare me, are you?"
"Well, it's better than before, isn't it?"
Indeed, it was as Reina had said.
Originally, her life would have ended in a few years.
Coughing up blood whenever she cast spells, suffering from intense stomach pain, and burning herbs like cigarettes to get through the night.
The pain still existed when she overexerted herself, and she would suddenly wake up at night from the pain. But it was clearly better than before. All thanks to Reina's spell.
'So... why?'
Why did this woman go so far to help her?
Junior had all sorts of speculations, but Reina never answered. She'd only say things like, "Good is good."
"I'll return to the Imperial Capital after the next defense battle."
As Junior finished dressing, Reina suddenly proposed.
"Would you like to come along?"
"Excuse me?"
"You could present your magical achievements directly at the Ivory Tower and engage in some research there... sounds fun, doesn't it?"
Junior's mind went blank at the unexpected proposal.
Studying magic at the Imperial Capital, the center of world magic...
For Junior, who had taught herself magic, it was a dizzyingly sweet offer.
"..."
However, Junior didn't hesitate for long before shaking her head.
"The monster front here at Crossroad was the first place that treated me as a mage. And my mother... she also gave her life here."
"Hmm."
"Maybe someday I'll leave, but not yet. I still owe a debt of gratitude to the Prince."
"Is that so? Too bad."
Reina didn't insist further. She just shrugged her shoulders, smiling coolly.
"Then you won't be receiving any more of these potions and spells from me in a few days. Better to spend as much time as possible with this old lady, right?"
"How much more time could I possibly spend with you...?"
"Let's go eat lunch and go to a café for some chitchat. I have things to discuss regarding your magic."
"My health isn't great, you know..."
"Do you think lying in bed will heal your magic power injuries? It's better to eat, drink, and relax. So quit complaining and come with me."
Reina unilaterally declared her intentions and, humming a tune, draped her coat over her shoulders.
Junior raised both hands in surrender. This no-magic-user would do as she pleased regardless. And since they were on the receiving end of healing, they had little room to complain.
'I guess I'm being dragged along today as well.'
Junior followed Reina, who cheerfully led the way, opening the door to the room.
Squeak—
"Hm?"
And there, standing in front of the door, was an unfamiliar middle-aged man.
The man had thick, dark brown hair that hung loosely like seaweed. His eyes, shrouded in gloom, bore a morose light.
"Reina Windwell."
The man—Camus, a newly hired mercenary in Crossroad—opened his mouth.
"Do you remember me? It's been a while."
Caught off guard, Reina blinked before scratching the back of her head.
"I'm sorry, but my memory's gotten bad as I've aged. Who are you?"
"It makes sense that you don't recognize me. Your Empire's mage unit specialized in long-range bombardments, did they not?"
Camus gave a sly smile.
"You wouldn't have had the opportunity to see the faces of your victims."
"…?"
Sensing something off about the man, Reina quickly scanned her surroundings.
"…!"
And she found it.
The subordinates who should have been guarding her door lay sprawled on the other end of the hallway, bloodied and defeated.
Camus slowly, but unmistakably, introduced himself.
"I am the man who lost his wife and child to you 15 years ago."
Shing!
From the sheath at Camus' waist, a hefty longsword was drawn.
Simultaneously, Reina leapt backward and stretched out her hand.
Whoosh—!
A powerful wind bullet shot from her fingertips.
She didn't like to brag, but this was her mass-slaying magic, effective at close range. She had downed countless enemies with it. Reina thought the man in front of her would also be suppressed, splattered with his own blood.
But.
Ping—!
It vanished.
As Camus swung his sword, Reina's wind bullet seemed to be absorbed, disappearing into thin air.
At the same time, one of the runic letters etched on the blade of Camus' sword flickered white. Reina's eyes widened.
'That weapon, could it be a Spell-Drinker...?!'
A sword that absorbs magic.
Where on earth did he get such an ancient relic?
Thump!
The next moment, Camus kicked the ground and rushed toward Reina, closing the distance.
In desperation, Reina cast her wind magic again, but it was all absorbed by Camus' sword and vanished. A look of consternation swept over her face.
'Damn it, this is bad—'
Reina hastily pooled her magic power to conjure a shield, but—
Thunk—!
Camus' longsword tore through her shield and, riding the momentum, impaled Reina's abdomen.
"Guh... urk?!"
"I've trained all my life to end you magic users," Camus spat coldly into Reina's ear as she doubled over, coughing up blood.
"Give no distance, give no time. Then even the most formidable mage ends up skewered on my blade like this."
Reina, blood oozing from her mouth, lifted her trembling eyes to glare at Camus.
"You, who... who are you? Why me?"
"Do you remember the Kingdom of Camilla?"
Camus sneered as he spoke.
"Fifteen years ago, your empire trampled over a small northern nation. I was a soldier of that country."
Reina's eyes widened in shock.
The Kingdom of Camilla. How could she forget?
It was the place where the fates of Jupiter, Reina, and Junior diverged, all three mages.
"In that war, your empire's magical troops burned my people without discriminating between men, women, and children. You even incinerated civilians under the pretext of eliminating guerillas."
"...!"
"One of those villages you swept away with magic was home to my wife and children. Their bodies were never found amidst the ashes."
As he spoke, Camus thrust his sword deeper into her, his voice icy cold.
"You wouldn't expect a peaceful death after all you've done, would you, Commander Reina of the magical troops?"
"Ugh...!"
"Feel at least a fraction of the pain my country and family went through before you die."
With a swift kick to Reina's chest, Camus pulled out his sword and raised it high.
He was about to swing down at Reina's neck.
Zap!
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning shot through the air.
Camus rolled to the side instinctively, lifting his sword.
The lightning magic was absorbed by his sword, dimming one of the glowing runes etched onto it.
Camus's icy eyes zeroed in on the caster.
Junior stood there, pale-faced, lifting her staff.
"Stop! Now!"
"So you're also a member of the magic troops? Then you'll die too."
"No, I'm from the Kingdom of Camilla too! We're compatriots! Please, calm down!"
A flicker of confusion crossed Camus's face.
"You're from the Kingdom of Camilla?"
"Yes, and I am also a victim of the magical bombing."
Junior rolled up her sleeve to reveal a burnt arm. The scarring from the magic attack was evident.
"I understand your feelings, so please, just calm down and—"
"Why would a survivor from Camilla defend her?" Camus asked, his face showing clear incomprehension. "This woman, Reina, and her underlings in the magical troops... they ravaged our homeland. Why are you mingling with them so freely?"
"I... well..."
Junior hesitated, words failing her.
"I... am..."
Memories of her childhood nightmare flitted through her mind. The day her small village was swept away by tornadoes and lightning. A day of death, burnt bodies, and screams. The stifling smell of burnt flesh...
"..."
Lost, Junior stood still, not knowing what to do. Camus continued to watch her intently.
That's when it happened.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Clutching her impaled abdomen, Reina emitted winds from her hands with a fierce look in her eyes.
Swiftly, Camus absorbed the magic with his sword, but with every attack, the runes on his blade dimmed one by one.
Finally, when all the runes went dark, Camus's sword could no longer absorb magic.
Boom-!
Unable to resist the subsequent wind magic, Camus' body floated in mid-air before smashing into the opposite wall.
Camus distorted his lips into a bitter smile.
"Damn it, got distracted... gave up both distance and time!"
Boom! Woosh! Clang!
The relentless stream of wind magic completely subdued him.
"Haah, haah, haah...!"
Mustering her last ounce of strength, Reina finally crushed Camus, but soon after, she collapsed, vomiting blood.
Finally snapping back to reality, Junior frantically took out a potion and applied it to Reina's wounds, shouting as loud as she could toward the outside.
"Help, help! Someone's hurt here! Hurry—!"
***
Present time.
"Ah..."
After hearing the news from Aider, I pressed my aching forehead with my fingertips.
The recently acquired SR-grade warrior character Camus had gone rogue, injuring Reina and her subordinate soldiers, and Junior had been teleported to the temple.
"Reina is in critical condition and has undergone surgery. She's currently in a coma. Four of her subordinate soldiers also suffered severe injuries."
"And Junior?"
"Thankfully, she hasn't sustained any physical injuries, but she seems to be mentally distressed. She's currently resting in her room."
"..."
Pressing my forehead harder, I slowly exhaled.
"What about Camus?"
"He's detained in the prison. All his weapons have been confiscated and he's restrained."
I turned my head to Lucas.
"Legally speaking, what happens if one of our own intentionally uses a weapon to inflict injury?"
"Depending on the severity of the injuries, the punishment can go as far as execution," Lucas answered in a stern, unyielding voice.
"Moreover, the injured Reina is the commander of a magic battalion directly under the Imperial Family. If someone swung a sword with the intent to kill her... avoiding execution would be difficult."
"..."
Sigh.
After a short breath, I rose from my seat.
"Let's head to the prison first."
This was the first time something like this—members of my own camp trying to kill each other—had happened.
I felt the need to find out why.
"I need to have a talk with Camus to understand why he did this."