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The mages of the Kien Empire have a tongue-in-cheek expression regarding their magic community.

It pokes fun at the magical society of the empire that revolves around Duke Alexandra Petrovna.

If the emperor of the empire is Nikolai VI, then the emperor of the magical world is indeed Alexandra Petrovna.

Of course, there was no intention here to belittle Alexandra Petrovna by likening her to a dictator.

It’s merely a lament from some intellectuals (those with reserved public security beams) who are concerned about society being maintained by a single archmage.

However, as the sun sets and the moon rises, there will come a time when new sprouts will emerge in the season when vegetation is bare.

All thanks to a newcomer who appeared like a comet.

Recently, the magical society of the Kien Empire had seen no shortage of turmoil.

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Episode 17 – The Tree That Drinks Blood

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If you were to stop a passing mage in Petrogard and ask, “Who is the greatest mage in the world?” everyone would chorus:

“Of course, it’s His Grace the Duke.”

“Indeed, it’s Her Grace Alexandra Petrovna.”

The greatest mage in the world, the oldest mage in the empire, the mother of the Magic Tower’s founding, the founder of the elemental school, the emperor’s aunt, the honorary dean of the Imperial University’s Magic Department, Duke of the North, and so on.

She had many titles that described her, yet what remained in people’s minds was always “the Archmage.”

It was not to abbreviate the cumbersome titles that people referred to her as “the Archmage,” but because no matter how many titles were attached, none could compare to the stature of “the Archmage.”

So what does Alexandra Petrovna, honored as the empire’s one and only archmage, do on a daily basis?

“Uh… What is the Duke currently doing, you ask? Well… I’m not sure…”

“Um, perhaps research…? After all, she is an archmage…”

“Perhaps she’s grappling with profound topics. Maybe she’s solving the 13 difficulties of the magical community… Have there been any results? No, she hasn’t announced anything for nearly 35 years.”

“In the past, Her Grace Alexandra Petrovna would personally come to teach. She was here, and I sat in the front row listening to her lectures. That was already 52 years ago. Heh… I wonder where she is now. I’d like to send a letter if I could hear even a little news.”

When you pose this question to a passing mage in Petrogard, those who fervently praised the duke would tilt their heads in confusion. And then they would start spilling out rumors.

Exploring the uncharted no man’s land, hunting demonkind in the frozen lands, conducting world-stirring research in her workshop, and so on.

Of course, that’s to be expected.

No one actually knows where the duke is or what she’s doing.

“I haven’t heard news from Her Grace at the Magic Tower. She’s probably still in the empire?”

“According to the professors, she was a truly radiant figure when she was at the podium. Hmm, well… although she’s the honorary dean, it’s been over 50 years since she was last seen… Even professors who aren’t her direct disciples haven’t had any contact with her.”

Alexandra Petrovna had hardly been seen apart from official events orchestrated by the royal family and government, and since the imperial-magic conflict erupted, she had completely vanished.

Of course,

“The Archmage is not in the continent but in Mauritania or the East. She passed by during her adventures… I’m not exaggerating; I saw her clearly!”

Occasionally, a few adventurers would boast about “seeing the duke in another continent,” but no one took it seriously. It’d be foolish to believe the ramblings of a drunken nobleman in a tavern.

Moreover, those who claimed to have seen the duke would often disappear for several days from the next day onward, leading everyone to think that they were just ashamed of their drunken nonsense.

Anyway, Alexandra Petrovna was undoubtedly an alluring and captivating individual.

The only two archmages exist in the world, a noble bloodline.

A hero who led the war against the oppression of the cult.

A scholar who ended the era of knights and theology and led a renaissance under the name of magic.

A righteous person who helped the crown prince, usurped by the regent, achieve rightful revenge.

A shield against demonkind in the northern regions where the winds blow like blades.

Bloodlines, wisdom, morality, war hero—she embodies all the elements that people admire. The duke has garnered countless fans since her youth, a phenomenon that continues even now at over 100 years old.

In short, she’s the superstar of the magical community. A superstar capable of driving both fans and detractors wild.

In the empire, those who criticize the duke while walking down the street find themselves lynched or having rocks thrown at their homes, making it safe to say the Kien Empire boasts a fiercely supportive fanbase.

However, unlike her boisterous and passionate support group, Alexandra Petrovna herself was a very quiet person.

Despite her many accomplishments, she neither bragged nor showcased them. Whenever she appeared at official events, she would merely occupy her seat and vanish before anything troubling transpired.

But that didn’t mean she caused problems in private either. Her reserved nature meant even those who were deemed friends might see her only once in a while. There were hardly any of the typical blunders commonly associated with high-ranking figures in the magical society.

Seemingly there, yet not there.

Accomplished, yet lacking presence.

With circumstances unfolding like this, the already enigmatic Duke Alexandra Petrovna began to be celebrated as even more of a mysterious figure.

Strange followers emerged as a result. Individuals speculating among themselves without her interference.

Some even went so far as to rush to her residence, claiming they wished to receive her energy. Of course, the police and imperial guard stationed there denied them entrance, but they allowed a glance around the mansion or fortress.

I was well aware of these facts too. During my time in the Kien Empire, serving undercover, I witnessed the sight of mages circling the duke’s residence numerous times.

From academy students praying for success in exams to university students begging for military exemptions, and fans eagerly waiting in hopes of catching a glimpse of the duke.

To be honest, it was quite an impressive sight. It felt like I was at one of Europe’s famous tourist attractions.

Indeed, the stronghold of Novo-Nikolaevsk and the mansion in Petrogard are recognized as official tourist sites by the imperial tourism board, so that’s not entirely untrue.

However, the situation took a slight turn.

Recently, after the duke broke her seclusion and re-emerged, helping in the capture of a demon, many people began to flock around her once more. Specifically, around the northern stronghold and the capital mansion.

Up to this point, it was somewhat acceptable. The location had been considered a tourist attraction long before the duke withdrew, so it was no surprise that she would regain notoriety upon her return.

The problem was that Camila was staying there.

While spending time with Veronica and Lucia in Lateran, I received a message from the information officer of the Petrogard branch.

The message suggested I might need to come to the empire for a while.

To be precise—

-‘We’d like you to stay by the Hero’s side.’

“You mean around Camila? Is there a problem?”

-‘It’s not a problem, but due to the massive influx of people, concerns about safety have arisen.’

With tourists flooding in, they were worried Camila might encounter danger and asked me to check on her.

Since I had already planned to visit Camila, I accepted for the time being, though I initially thought it was making a fuss. How many tourists could there possibly be?

It was a mansion protected by the imperial guard and police. Would a few tourists jeopardize safety? Besides, the mansion’s owner was none other than Duke Alexandra Petrovna herself. What could possibly scare someone who kills demons?

With those thoughts in mind, I headed to the Duke’s mansion where Camila was staying.

“……”

Yes. I distinctly remember it feeling like a tourist spot.

But this is…

Something’s wrong….

“Oh no! Fire! Fire! Someone cast a spell!”

“Who? Who did it?”

“It was red! Red!”

“How can it emit such flames after it just stopped raining? That’s definitely magic!”

“What? Look at the windows!”

“Her Grace the Duke has appeared!!”

Cheers erupted from all around, flames cutting through the sky.

“…Uh, um.”

Caught in the crowd, I felt the world spinning around me.

—

After a five-year absence, I returned to the Duke’s mansion in Petrogard, which was surrounded by countless throngs of people.

The crowd completely enveloped the massive mansion, brimming with people who came from all corners just to catch a glimpse of the duke.

I had intended to visit the mansion to meet Camila, but instead found myself trapped within this crowd with barely any space to even stand.

“Aaahh…!”

Located in a region with high latitude in the Northern Hemisphere, the empire experiences relatively cool temperatures even in July. It felt akin to early autumn weather in South Korea.

As someone who tends to feel cold, I always wore a thin cardigan or coat during the summer while working in the empire, just to feel somewhat warm.

But now, it was hot.

“Excuse me, just passing through…”

The heat radiating from the enormous crowd gathered in front of the mansion was beyond imagination.

They were shouting and swaying, while those strange magical enthusiasts took turns ramming into each other like bees in a honeycomb, celebrating the fire that had ignited in the garden.

If the Emperor of Music, Michael Jackson, were to resurrect, I bet it would feel something like this.

The area near the Duke Alexandra Petrovna’s residence catered a concert-like atmosphere brimming with enthusiasm and energy, yet the reality was far from enjoyable. The only ones having fun were the mages casting magic into the air while cheering for the duke.

-Woooaahh!!

With the deafening cheers resonating around me, I couldn’t help but hold my forehead in disbelief.

With the return of Duke Alexandra Petrovna, and the news of Camila currently residing at the capital mansion breaking records, all the mages of the empire had flocked like clouds.

And now, the people I faced were precisely those mages.

“…Ugh.”

It seemed shrieking their throats out and casting spells wasn’t enough; they began linking arms and singing something akin to a chant or a song.

Some were chanting cheers, while others floated up into the air, extending their arms with magic imaging equipment.

As the fireworks erupted, the majority were shouting until the very city shook, while a few were so overwhelmed with emotion that tears streamed down their cheeks. I found myself wedged in among the adult men sobbing behind me, swaying left and right.

-Sqweee! Sqweee!

-Move back!

As the center of the chaos, I was being pulled this way and that until police clad in blue tactical gear showed up on the scene. They were fully equipped with batons and mages.

“Get away from the fence!”

“Disperse this crowd immediately!”

The tactical officers began swinging their batons at those approaching the mansion. As batons flew towards me, the people didn’t flinch, conjuring barriers imbued with blue energy to block the attacks. It was something only mages could accomplish.

Once the barriers emerged near the fence, the police mages sprang into action. Riding their brooms and watching over the scene, they quickly cast dispel to undo the protective magics, tearing through cloaks to apprehend suspects.

As the gathered mages around the mansion grew restless, the tactical unit began to push them away, while an armored vehicle from the internal army made its descent from a nearby building onto the main road.

“Set up the equipment, quickly!”

It was a gigantic machine that resembled a beehive.

At the commander’s command, the troops began to move.

I connected the wires and manipulated the keyboard. Finally, I pressed the button.

At that moment, the machine cracked open and devices began to slightly rise from the ground.

– Vwoooom…!!

The rising devices circled around the trailer. An ominous green light and loud operating sounds were just the icing on the cake.

As the light and shadows began to whirl around chaotically, the mages’ complexions darkened immediately. Many stumbled as if feeling intense vertigo, while in severe cases, some vomited or bled from the nose.

Among the groaning and suffering mages, very few stood unaffected. I was one of those rare individuals.

“Over there!”

A guard officer standing near the front gate pointed a finger at me.

Moments later, the mobile squad police officers and internal military soldiers pushed through the collapsing mages and rescued me, who had been trapped in the crowd.

“Are you Colonel Frederick Nostrim?”

“Ah, yes… Yes, that’s me.”

“I’m really sorry for the delayed assistance. Are you alright?”

“Would I be alright, you idiot?”

That retort rose to the tip of my tongue, but I barely held it back. I wasn’t in a position to be angry.

“I’m fine. After all, I was the one who refused to be greeted…”

When I said I was visiting the empire to see Camila, the Imperial Foreign Affairs Department had proposed sending police officers to guide me to the Duke’s mansion.

I had heard rumors. Ever since the Duke showed up, many people flocked around her mansion.

Some came to see the legendary Archmage and Hero in person, but quite a few approached with ulterior motives. When a young mage was said to have entered as the Duke’s disciple, people popped up thinking, “Could I possibly…?” and came looking for that wild fantasy.

There were certainly many societal villains gathering as well.

Of course, I didn’t care.

How many could really be in the crowd?

Even if it was the Duke’s fan club, surely they wouldn’t block the road.

So I rejected the police escort offered by the Imperial Foreign Affairs Department. I simply asked them to contact the guards since I would just take a taxi.

And this was the result.

“Ugh…!”

“Hey, a bag! Somebody get a bag and some medicine and bring the priest from the precinct!”

Before we even arrived at the mansion, the road was blocked by carriages and luxury sedans. After barely getting out and starting to walk, I found myself trapped in the crowd almost immediately.

Later, I learned from a police officer that the blockade was caused by people who had come from various places to meet the Duke.

With the help of the Imperial Internal Forces, I finally managed to escape the throng thanks to their suppression of the mages with magical weaponry.

As the mobile squad’s batons thwacked the approaching mages, and the guards’ protective magic resolutely rejected the sorcerers’ advance, I stumbled my way towards the front gate, barely alive.

But then—

– Pwoosh!

Magic began to activate at the center of the garden.

In an instant, a shadow darkened as if the sun had been obscured, and then, a light burst forth from a small point.

Flickering light and deepening shadows.

In that fleeting moment, the intensity gradually increased while the shadows grew deeper.

A brilliant flash erupted from the point, quickly expanding in size.

Then it exploded.

– Kwaaaaang ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶!!

From a tiny point the size of a marble, an enormous pillar of fire shot up, a sight that was truly overwhelming. It inspired awe in those who beheld it.

As such, no one dared to speak a word.

Only…

“…What the hell is that?”

The shattering of glass and the sooty marble walls of the mansion.

Half of the meticulously maintained garden by the expert had been charred black, and even the remaining half was catching fire here and there.

But people were creatures that saw only what they wanted to see.

“……”

“……”

“……”

“…Wow!”

The crowd, staring blankly, erupted into cheers. Those who had been struck by the internal forces’ crowd control equipment regained their vitality.

Seeing the mages revive, the mobile squad and internal military quickly evacuated, followed by a massive crowd beginning to pound on the protective barrier surrounding the mansion.

As the mages hurriedly reinforced the barrier and the soldiers tried to disperse the crowd,

“……”

I tossed aside my sunglasses, biting my lip, and stepped into the mansion.

*

If a human feels the greatest fear at a height of 11 meters, then jumping from an 11-meter model tower could be considered the most frightening moment.

But for Camila, the most terrifying moment was now.

“~♪”

It was a sunny summer in the Kien Empire. After committing a small ‘mistake’ that burned down half the garden.

When practicing magic, sometimes things catch fire, and sometimes trees burn. Duke Alexandra Petrovna didn’t question her disciple over the tiny ‘mistake’ they had made.

But there was one exception.

“Camila—!!”

At the sound of the angry voice coming from behind, Camila, who had been sweeping the floor with a broom, jumped in shock.

Although it was an accident, she had undoubtedly made a mistake. After causing a mishap, Camila always used the broom she practiced flying magic on to tidy up the embers.

It wasn’t a pricey magical tool. It was the cheapest broom snagged in a hurry back in December for a rescue operation. Being the oldest model in the shop meant it was never going to be a long-lasting item to begin with.

However, it had sentimental value, so throwing it away felt wasteful. Thus, she had been using it for practice and to extinguish any remaining flames.

“…Huh!”

Startled, Camila leaped and threw down that beloved broom.

Of course, she picked it back up immediately after it landed. Normally she’d worry about the broom being damaged, but unfortunately, that didn’t matter now.

“Camila!

The sharp-dressed Suit Man burst through the front door, calling her name with a booming voice.

His voice was so loud that some of the imperial civil servants dispersing the crowd turned to look.

“What trouble have you caused this time?!”

Frederick, who had barged into the mansion, stomped over, shouting. Camila quickly ducked and hid in the garden’s grass, crawling on all fours.

Frederick shouted.

“I’m a person too! Huh? I thought I could trust you this time! It’s only been a few weeks, and you cause trouble again!”

With a stomp, his shoes clashed against the soot-covered marble, rustling the grass.

“I’ve been patient. I may not have said anything, but after the chaos abroad, you’ve now set the capital ablaze!”

“……”

Camila, still hiding, reluctantly admitted to herself. Yep, she had gone too far this time.

Even though the Duke had forgiven her, she doubted that Frederick would let her off easy. He hated reckless behavior more than anything in the world. Blowing up half a garden the size of a soccer field in the name of practicing magic was, even Camila thought, a reckless act.

Not a lot, but just a little bit.

Really just a tiny little bit.

“……”

Though she hadn’t been discovered yet, she felt that continuing like this wouldn’t fare well. Frederick seemed genuinely angry, so it was best to get out of there.

Picking up her broom with caution, Camila raised herself slowly. Far off near the fountain, she spotted the Suit Man, arms crossed, puffing up his chest.

With a cautious gait, she moved away and prepared her flight magic. Setting the broom between her thighs like riding a bike, she began to concentrate her magic to take off.

“What are you doing over there?!”

“Yikes…?!”

She had been caught.

The angry shout and the ensuing eye contact. The two of them, locked in a piercing stare, both jumped back.

Frederick began sprinting towards Camila to catch her, while Camila prepared to fly to evade him.

However,

“Yikes…! Why can’t I fly?!”

For some reason, her flight magic wouldn’t activate.

If the Duke had been watching, he might have quipped, “Kid, with an old magical tool, would it really be surprising for it to break if you kept using it without maintenance?” But unfortunately, the Duke was not here.

In a panicky leap, Camila decided to toss away her broom (which she claimed to cherish dearly).

– Whoosh!

Having thrown away her broom, Camila dashed away. The suited man in shoes chased after her like a madman.

“Camila! Stop!”

“I think you’ve got the wrong person!”

“Stop! Stop!”

“Just because you say stop, doesn’t mean I will! It’s you who should stop first and explain!”

“If I get caught, I’m really gonna die!”

A chase unfolded around the half-charred and half-green garden. Civil servants dispersing the crowd and mages peeking through the open front gate were left bewildered.

Whether anyone watched or cared, Camila and Frederick were completely engrossed in their game of cat and mouse. It resembled nothing less than a legendary slapstick chase between a cat and a mouse.

“Yikes?!”

Camila, who had been ahead, glanced back and screamed.

How could he run so fast in those shoes?

Even though she was in sneakers, Camila couldn’t shake him off.

The gap between them had started to close. Now, they were close enough that just reaching out would barely brush against each other.

“Yikes…!”

With teeth clenched, Frederick reached for Camila’s collar.

Pushing off with his legs against the ground, leaning forward, he grabbed her collar.

The fabric caught onto his fingers. As it wrapped around his skin softly, Frederick smiled, sure he had caught her.

“I got you…!”

Then it happened.

– Whoosh~!

Suddenly, sparks exploded in front of him. Frederick quickly stepped back, shielding his face with his arms. It was magic. The caster was likely Camila.

Protecting his vital spots, Frederick muttered grumpily, his anger slightly subsiding.

“No matter how much you don’t want to get caught, suddenly using magic is so— Huh?”

Gone.

Camila had vanished. Just seconds ago, she had been within reach.

She had completely disappeared.

“…Phew!”

While searching for Camila, Frederick heard a familiar voice whisper in his ear. He spun around 180 degrees to see the person he had been searching for standing right there.

“No, you….”

As the surprised Frederick took a step closer,

“Yaaaaaah!”

Thinking he was still furious, Camila leaped up in shock.

And then—

– Whoosh~!

She vanished right before his eyes.

Once again, she scattered into a burst of flames.

 

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