Chapter 75
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Gawain gritted his teeth inwardly.
He soon sensed the gazes pouring in from all directions.
Expectation, doubt, unease, belief, hope...
Different emotions flickered across the faces of the audience.
He had to open his mouth immediately.
Gawain very skillfully put on the mask of the 'Envoy of God'.
An expression that exquisitely mixed compassion and responsibility.
"It's... difficult at the moment."
"Yes? Wh-Why is that?"
"Ancient Magic is also based on mana. It is impossible on its own, and requires the cooperation of magicians and Magic Engineers to chant pre-built Magic Circles and spells."
He explained calmly.
Because there was no way to handle this situation and move on right now.
People who remembered the scene of the Barrier restoration ceremony on the Day of Protection nodded and sighed.
As Gawain explained, it was conducted in a similar way back then.
'But... isn't this different from restoring a huge Barrier that covers the entire empire?'
'Moreover, this isn't even a village-level thing, it's just stopping the Magical Power Outburst of one person...'
And, of course, some of them were skeptical.
But most of them acquiesced and shut their mouths in the face of the Cardel Family's name.
A magician from the Excepcion Family, who had been narrowing his eyes and watching the situation for a while, cautiously opened his mouth.
"I can help. Of course, if my lord allows it..."
He carefully looked back at Ludville.
Ludville, with an indifferent face that showed no interest, simply replied.
"Allow it."
"Ah, yes. Then..."
"No."
Gawain interjected first.
He wore a truly regretful expression and quickly cut off the magician's words.
"Ancient Magic is a task that requires numerous Magical Circuits and delicate Magical Power adjustments. If we rashly collaborate with an unfamiliar magician, the situation may worsen."
"...Is that so?"
"Yes. I'm sorry, but the best thing to do now is to quickly take Beloa back to the family. The main house has all the equipment and manpower to handle Ancient Magic."
Those words sounded reasonable at first glance. But in reality, it was close to an escape.
Gawain, who couldn't reveal the real reason why Beloa had a Magical Power Outburst in this place, decided to take her away and buy time.
Now was the chance to escape from here.
Just as he was about to pick up Beloa, her body trembled.
Soon, blood flowed from her eyes. Her capillaries had burst.
Uncontrolled Magical Power rampaged from within, mercilessly crushing her organs and blood vessels.
"Beloa!"
"...O-Brother... Save..."
"Oh dear, we must hurry!"
Gawain desperately hugged Beloa and shouted at the magicians.
"Open a Magic Portal to the capital immediately!"
"But we need to investigate the cause of the Princess's Magical Power Outburst..."
"If a second Magical Power Outburst occurs, this child will be beyond saving! She may suffer permanent disabilities, or perhaps even lose her life forever. There is no time. We must return now to save this child!"
His cry was urgent, and some were swayed by his words.
However, Odelia's gaze as she watched the scene was cold.
'...From the beginning, you didn't even prepare a way to quell the Magical Power Outburst.'
Gawain was just running away.
Without a way to stabilize Beloa's condition, not caring whether she lived or died.
Odelia looked at Gawain with contempt, then opened her mouth for the first time.
"Is that really the case?"
And tilting her head, she asked in a seemingly regretful voice.
"Is Ancient Magic really impossible without a Magic Circle, magicians, and Magic Engineers?"
"..."
"Even if you can't stabilize it at once, can't you release even a little of the tangled Magical Power flow, Brother?"
"Odelia..."
Gawain felt a dizzying and blinding rage as he looked at Odelia, who was staring at him as if gauging his reaction.
How dare, how dare a Purifier...
'So that's what you were planning from the start. When did you notice?'
He looked down at Beloa, who was convulsing in his arms.
There was not even a hint of concern in his eyes.
Rather, they were filled with cynicism and disappointment.
'...Stupid bitch.'
If she had been seen through from the beginning, then all the responsibility lay with Beloa.
To bring such a riddled scheme and dare to call it a 'plan'.
To think that the only collaborator he could rely on was in this state.
It was utterly shameful.
'Disgusting.'
Gawain replied in a trembling voice.
It was due to anger, but from the outside, it seemed to be due to worry and sadness.
"Is this the time to joke around? If we miss the timing, your sister could really be in danger. Please, let us go."
"I can't."
"You can't... Or, could it be, you don't want your sister to be okay?"
He immediately began to slander Odelia.
Saying that he knew she had often been jealous of her sister since she was young, and that even if she hated her sister for being better than her, she shouldn't do this...
It was garbage that didn't even need to be listened to.
Odelia smiled at Gawain, who was trying to play tricks until the end.
Gently and softly, as if to reassure him.
Mimicking Gawain's 'savior' act.
"Of course not. I just meant that I can't leave my sister unattended until we return to the Cardel Family."
"What?"
"I think I can Purify her."
"..."
"It's just a little strange that you, the Descendant of the Dragon and Envoy of God, can't do what I can do..."
Gawain's lips twitched convulsively.
He instinctively hugged Beloa tighter.
As if hiding her from Odelia, as if protecting her.
"Odelia, this is not the time to joke around. We don't have time to wait for the Magic Portal. We need to return to the family immediately...!"
Gawain tried to portray Odelia as a naive girl who didn't know the seriousness of the situation and was just joking around.
But it was in vain.
Because Odelia's hand had grabbed Beloa's hand, which was limply hanging down.
And...
Along the touching hands, a golden halo rippled and seeped into Beloa's body.
Like the first sunlight cast on a forest filled with winter chill, conveying a warm warmth.
