Chapter 9
## Episode 9
* * *
'This is weird. I caused trouble, so why......'
Inside Iri's room in the North.
Iri recalled the historical dramas her past-life grandmother used to watch often.
Her grandma loved them so much that Iri knew the lines by heart too.
"His Majesty the King arrives—!"
"Everyone, receive His Majesty with utmost respect!"
"We shall obey your command, Your Maje—sty!"
...Exactly!
The way the servants treated Iri was just like the commoners treating 'His Majesty the King' in the historical dramas.
Iri rolled her eyes at them. Just then, her hair fluttered—whoosh.
That was all it took...
"You insolent wind!"
"How dare you tousle our precious baby's hair! Useless thing! Execute it immedi—!"
Iri muttered awkwardly.
"Um, you can't kill the wind."
"Oh my, baby. How did you know you can't kill the wind? You're so smart. But I can kill the wind."
*Bang!*
The window slammed shut with a loud noise.
This protection felt a bit excessive...
Right then, the Head Maid declared sternly that she had sent a messenger to Duke Ortejo.
Iri could see the hazy fog lingering around the maids.
The moment her eyes widened hugely, Cookie muttered.
"Those folks finally opened their hearts to you."
To wield her Purification Power, she needed to get close to the target.
In other words, getting friendly with them meant she could see their magi—and absorb it.
*'Gasp, I can finally save Hammuni!'*
A step toward saving her grandmother from the brink of death.
The moment Iri's mind spun wildly, the fog around the people grew even clearer.
After meeting their warm gazes.
The murky haze enveloping them slowly cleared away.
It was the process of the magi accumulated in their bodies being cleanly purified.
*'Wow, so cool!'*
Iri clenched her fist tight.
*'It's super easy!'*
The people's previously dull complexions brightened completely. Cookie, witnessing it all in real time beside her, muttered.
"Wow, they're glowing like this. Too bad they don't know you're clearing their magi."
But right then, the eyes of the Head Maid and servants, now free of fog...
*'Gasp, what's this?'*
Sparkled brightly.
Just like her grandmother looking at her, or the neighborhood auntie rolling out bean noodle rolls.
"This is really strange."
"Pardon? What's wrong?"
"Being near Lady Iri makes me feel happy and at peace."
"It's like Lady Iri brought sunlight into our castle."
Oh no, did they notice?
Her Purification Power!
Feeling proud, just as she lifted her chin high...
The Head Maid and head butler cautiously extended their hands to Iri.
"Lady Iri, you wanted to meet Duke Your Highness, right?"
"We prepared this hoping it helps when you meet Duke Your Highness! Heh heh!"
"G-gasp. Thank you!"
Iri received what they offered with trembling hands.
[Things Duke Your Highness Declan Ortejo likes, compiled.
1. Swords: He cherishes the Ego Sword he carries. After all, ripping monsters apart with a sharp blade is the best!
2. Food: He likes tasty, hearty food. Food is just to fill the stomach anyway!
3. (......Etc......)
P.S. We hope you get close—fighting!]
Iri's eyes sparkled.
*'Gasp... The answer sheet is in my hands!'*
Unbelievable, this was amazing!
*'The comments are a bit weird, though.'*
Iri, the hero who grows through bonds with others.
With a攻略 guide like this, it would be so much easier!
Iri hugged the paper they gave her close to her chest and said.
"I'll study hawd!"
* * *
Meanwhile, at the monster stronghold on the northern border where Declan was stationed.
The speed of sweeping away the monsters was faster than usual.
After beating them all to the point where they wouldn't approach the border for a while.
Declan's expression grew even more feral than before.
As his blood-tinged red eyes burned even redder, his chief aide Raspin cautiously suggested.
"We can consider this area cleared of monsters now."
"......"
"They'll come back after some time, of course. So you need to get purified soon."
"......What, magi purification?"
"Yes."
He could feel it too.
The fact that his body was being corrupted by magi at a much faster rate than usual.
"Your condition already looks bad. You need to head to the water's edge right away."
"Fine, whatever."
Declan wiped the blood from his face roughly at Raspin's flustered words and headed to the small tent by the water.
Declan opened the tent flap and entered.
A place to purify the bodies steeped in magi from directly slaying monsters.
The elderly man with white hair and beard, 3-star Purification Sorcerer Haroz, who had been dozing off, jolted awake.
"Ah, you're here. Duke Your Highness...... No, your condition...!"
His eyes widened.
The Duke's state was visibly severe at a glance.
They said at 5-star magi corruption, one walked around like a zombie...
*'At that level, purification spells have almost no effect.'*
As the Purification Sorcerer panicked, Duke Ortejo spoke indifferently.
"Enough. Hurry up and purify me."
"Understood."
The old Purification Sorcerer hurriedly grasped his hand.
If only there were 5-star Purification Sorcerers who could heal those around them just by being near.
But in this era, 3-star was the highest existing rank.
Even they had all died from exhausting their energy purifying magi or lost their powers and left the North long ago.
Now, only a few like Haroz remained to offer meager purification.
Ancient script engraved on the back of his hand as purification began.
But Haroz's expression was grim.
"Duke Your Highness. The magi is overflowing excessively."
"I know. They say it's 5-star corruption."
"......"
An incurable disease beyond the reach of modern purification spells.
The Purification Sorcerer lowered his eyes cautiously.
As if knowing that voicing his thoughts would be insolence.
Declan twisted his lips into a smile.
"I know. I'm gonna die soon."
The magi that even 3-star purification couldn't remove kept piling up in his body.
For him, it was an evil power he couldn't shake off until death...
Endlessly refilling from his fingertips.
Declan ground his teeth.
"So I don't care much. Whether I croak quick or slow. It's all the same, right?"
He averted the worried gaze of the Purification Sorcerer.
A while later. After finishing purification, he exited the tent again.
Raspin, waiting anxiously, approached Declan.
"Duke Your Highness, a Messenger Orb arrived urgently from Ortejo Castle."
"From the castle? Why."
"Lady Iri caused a big incident."
"What big deal can a round bean like that cause."
"They say Lady Iri hit a friend."
Declan's brows furrowed instantly.
"Say that again. My daughter got hit?"
"No, she hit someone."
"So you're saying my daughter's fist connected right now."
