Chapter 445: Two Great Men

Magic was not only the manifestation of miracles, but also a very rational means.

The magical power that everyone possessed was capable of being used as a fuel to project it into the outside world. But that was all. The structure itself was really simple.

Even in the distant past, there were people who practiced primitive magic. Those who performed small-sized spiritual miracles were sometimes called witches or fortune-tellers.

However, even though magic had been used since ancient times, the magical domain had remained a mysterious realm until modern times, as a place where humans could never enter. Only a few people had reached the stage of exploration.

There were those who had unraveled its mysteries, systematized it, and reduced it to a single academic discipline.

…Altia. The first Empress of a Unified Empire, and the very Myth of Humanity.

She sorted out the parts of magic that were easy for humans to understand and created a new form. She gave the weak humans, who lacked fangs and claws, the weapons to stand up for themselves and fight against demonic nature.

After Altia died, the magical domain fell into an academic field. It was no longer a miracle to use magic. It was easy to handle individual differences as long as one mastered its form.

The human race had undoubtedly succeeded in possessing the weapon of magic. What stood ahead was neither salvation nor hope, but bottomless madness.

Humans honed the weapons they had acquired and advanced them to a frightening degree.

How could those humans now attach the functions needed to perform magic to their bodies? How did they possess the magical power that overflew in their bodies?

Was it an organ, a nerve or a specific blood for that purpose? Was that what one’s soul was for?

At some point, achieving that goal became everything a sorcerer could do. In order to cast aside demonic nature, sorcerers had to reshape their own bodies and souls. It was a magical mechanism called fallen miracle. The sorcerer spent his or her life transforming his or her body into the devil itself so that he or she could outmatch demonic nature.

The arms of the Magic General Mastigius La Volgograd were undoubtedly magical mechanisms themselves.

The thunder, which was originally supposed to belong to the gods, was transformed into magical-wielding thunder, and everything on its tip got burnt to death. It had deviated from the formal magic that Altia achieved and had now entered the realm of fallen magic.

La Volgograd was proof of the evolution and transformation of its essence.

In front of that essence stood the castle walls of the entertainment city of Deenheim, which was powerless. They were not powerful enough to shatter the fangs of Mastigius and his elite soldiers.

It was inevitable. This city was not originally meant for wars, but a city for people involved in entertainment to come and go from country to country. Therefore, this city often surrendered and begged for the safety of its citizens when invaded, like it happened with the Bolvat Dynasty invasion in the past.

It should happen this time as well. Unless the Bolvat’s army committed such brutal acts as killing all the messengers with letters of surrender.

The magical devilish being Rabel said with her voice devoid of emotion.

「We must not allow them to surrender, Magic General. At very least, the city should be soaked in their blood. After that, you must plunder everything you see. Take immediate action. 」

It would happen even if she didn’t say it out loud. Mastigius gritted his teeth when he stared at the demonic being, who looked at him with inorganic eyes. Blood seemed to be oozing from his mouth.

The outcome was obvious. The entertainment city of Deenheim had no power to stand against the Bolvat Dynasty no matter how hard they tried to defend themselves.

If surrender wasn’t accepted, then what lay ahead was inevitable death.

The soldiers would die, the old men and children who couldn’t escape would die, and then the women would die too. Only the smell of blood and iron would cover Deenheim.

All the Mastigius could do was provide a little escape.

If he did anything that would slow down his attacks, the magical devilish being would notice, and most of all, it would put his own soldiers at risk.

The only thing that Mastigius couldn’t do was betray the soldiers who fought alongside him even though he was forced to follow the magical devilish being.

Mastigius asked, suppressing his trembling voice.

「…Lady magical devilish being. What will we gain by killing them all? Those who want to surrender should be allowed to do so. The damage will spread on its own. I can’t see your intentions at all. 」

「Magic General. 」

The magical devilish being named Rabel opened her lips without interrupting him. Her sophisticated behavior made it seem like she was human, even though she was a demon in human shape.

「Let me say it again. Humans shouldn’t be arrogant to try to find out our intentions. 」

There was no contempt in her tone. However, Rabel meant every word she said.

「No matter how many doubts you have, no matter how much antipathy you may have, you have no choice but to obey. Until you die like an idiot. Understand this immediately, you inferior being. 」

Mastigius’ thunderbolts scattered throughout the air. One could call it an absolute murderous intent. Those who were born into a family of sorcerers had a simmering insanity in their blood. However, Mastigius kept his mouth shut.

Mastigius gained one certainty even though his face was showing signs of obedience.

The words of blatant rejection that Rabel just showed. It was something one didn’t normally see. There was some kind of purpose behind this action after all. Nothing made humans kill humans just for their entertainment.

If so, there should be a gap somewhere on their central plan. If Mastigius grabbed this opportunity, then he should be able to overturn the board.

Mastigius didn’t know how many sacrifices he would have to make in order to grab that opportunity.

With his expression hardened, Mastigius once again looked towards the entertainment city of Deenheim.

The city would no longer be able to escape its fall. The castle gate had been burnt down by lightning, and dark smoke was beginning to rise from inside the city. It seemed that multiple units were able to successfully invade.

Death. The scream of death pierced Mastigius’ earlobes. Mastigius clenched his fists to suppress his emotions.

…Curse me. No excuse will atone for what I’ve done. I kill other people for my own people’s sake. If there’s a hero out there, then hear me. You’re free to come in order to kill me.

Mastigius saw all the sorrow of the falling city. It finally ended at dawn when the sunlight opened its eyelids.

The Demon War began with the fall of the entertainment city Deenheim. Even after that, Bolvat’s army continued to attack small cities and major cities, without slowing down at all.

The city-states, which were not aligned, sometimes showed the intention to surrender, but the Bolvat army always rejected them. While creating a path with blood and tears, the Bolvat army continued its endless westward march.

Its ferocious fangs were about reach its next target, the walled city of Garoua Maria.

—

I reminisced at the nostalgic smell. It was hard to say what it smelled like, but it was probably a mix of smells between spices and food. The scent of Garoua Maria, which was a walled city and a center of trade. It was already felt in front of the castle gates.

I felt rather anxious than nostalgic when I came here with Caria before. Things changed since then and people changed as well.

I used to think that humans didn’t change easily.

「Don’t you feel nostalgic, Caria? Do you remember the times when we headed to the Guild with just the clothes on our backs? We’ve changed a lot since then. 」

Calia’s silver hair swayed as her horse rattled its hooves. Caria spoke with curling lips.

「That’s right. Back then, you were like a gunpowder vault dancing around without thinking. The only thing that doesn’t seem to have changed is that you can’t do anything without me, right? 」

I saw that Caria’s eyes widened with pride, and I shrugged my shoulders and showed her a smile. It seemed like both of us hadn’t changed in this respect.

But at the same time as my expression softened, I felt that the part of my innards had become so cold that it numbed my body. The reason was simple. I understood better than anyone else that this city was a place of death.

A huge enemy army rushed towards Garoua Maria. Was there anything I could do to stop it? How could this city’s castle walls repel an army so powerful?

Bad thoughts kept rolling around in my head. I couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh. I even had a hunch that if I went through this castle gate, I wouldn’t be able to return home alive.

The castle gate opened slowly. At that moment, I heard a loud noise that blew away my hesitation. Suddenly, I couldn’t hear properly anymore.

What I heard was the sound of people screaming. A crowd of people, both young and old, men and women, gathered to greet us.

I didn’t even know if the voices pouring into me were cheers or sadness. However, I was certain that those voices were aimed at me and the soldiers behind me.

I could easily tell what kind of people they were by looking at their appearance. They were probably the ones who couldn’t escape while the death snow was falling. Some were sick and some were just poor.

The only thing left for them to do was to cling to the walls of Garoua Maria as the death carried by the Bolvat army approached them.

They looked at me with their throats roaring as if they were about to burst. Their faces showed joy, but also the fear of death.

They knew it so well that they hated it. The enemy had a large army, while this one was quite small in comparison.

However, their pleas spoke out loud. Because they had no choice but to wait for their deaths. Their gazes pierced me, as if searching for something.

For a moment, I glanced at Caria, but she moved her chin and urged me to speak. I thought that would be the case. It seemed that not even a single rescue carriage would be sent out to help this people.

I took a deep breath. Then, I told the crowd that stood in front of me.

「…Now, raise your heads. I didn’t come here to die. I came here to win. 」

Then, I said, 「You don’t want to die, do you? 」. Their voices roared again into my ears.

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