Chapter 134
Erich's unit occupied the First Research Facility, from which Albrecht had disappeared.
Before leaving the place, Erich stayed alone in his barracks, his face clouded deeply with worry.
'Ungrim...?'
Was this really a coincidence? What were the chances that an ancestor who looked exactly like Ungrim had been in that same place in the past?
And what were the odds that his descendant, with an unbelievably intense malice, would attempt to invade the Great Wall?
A low sigh escaped Erich's lips.
"Hm...."
Erich's eyes suddenly flashed. Previously, he had simply brushed it off, thinking the relationship between the Barbarians and the Watch was nothing special. But it was not something to be taken so lightly.
The history Erich knew and the past shown by the vision were significantly different.
'Perhaps someone altered history.'
And perhaps, erasing Ungrim's hostility... might lie within that hidden truth.
If all of this had unfolded due to someone's manipulation.
'If only I could convey the visions I saw.'
Yet, as far as Erich knew, such a way did not exist. Honestly, he didn't even know if it was possible at all.
Just as his thoughts reached that point, Erich slowly stood up. Someone was approaching.
Lifting the tent flap of the barracks and entering was Ceres. Her blue eyes were bloodshot.
"Some ice will help your eyes feel better."
"Oh, you mean this? It's fine. I consider it the price for gaining great power."
Ceres gave a faint smile. This was one of the side effects of using the "Eyes" with an unprepared body. Erich himself had once forced open the eyes with only his past know-how and ended up shedding bloody tears.
Apparently, since Ceres was not a swordmaster, she too was suffering the side effects of the eyes. It would improve as she adjusted to it over time, though.
After a moment's pause, Ceres spoke.
"I looked into that demonic sword, but nothing truly worthy of being called a demonic sword was found."
"... Not even in ancient history?"
"If you mean ancient history... Are you talking about myths and the like?"
Ceres' eyes widened. To her, Erich was not someone who cared about superstitions. Yet he was now mentioning mythology—she found it strange.
But Erich clarified, sensing her misunderstanding.
"I know how it might sound, but at this point, we have to consider the possibility of actually confronting beings straight out of myth. We've already seen dragons and even a demonic sword, haven't we?"
"I didn't consider that... I'll keep it in mind. By the way, would it be possible to have master Laurenti's corpse returned?"
Erich quietly gazed at Ceres. She slowly shook her head and continued:
"It's not simply for mourning—I believe I can learn a lot from his body. The magic master Laurenti used after becoming a necromancer was not ordinary."
"What do you mean by not ordinary?"
"... Let me show you."
Ceres extended her hand and used her specialty: air manipulation magic. The air around them subtly twisted.
"Can you see it?"
"... Yes."
Erich observed the magic with narrowed eyes. Around the compressed air Ceres created, empty spaces formed and air rushed in to fill them.
Apparently, Ceres felt Erich had understood and continued:
"Magic always comes at a price. When I compress the air, the surrounding area is left vacated. I force it to behave that way with mana. In other words, it's an unnatural phenomenon."
"But Laurenti's magic wasn't like that?"
"Yes. Even while handling that massive scale of ice magic, there was no observable backlash. For example, one would expect to see a surge in extreme heat somewhere."
Erich nodded. He had never considered it deeply since he wasn't a mage, but apparently all magic should create some kind of opposite reaction.
Presumably, with that much ice magic, there should have been enough heat released elsewhere to boil lava, but no such reaction was seen.
Ceres continued:
"That's why mages value efficiency. The mark of refined magic is being able to utilize even those unnatural side effects for the spell's purpose."
"Like your air magic, for example?"
"Embarrassingly enough, yes."
Ceres' magic was highly perfected for her age—even Erich could sense that.
The empty space created by air compression—given that her air magic was intended to kill enemies, both the compression spell and the resulting air turbulence served the purpose of slaying foes.
In essence, what Ceres wanted to point out was that Laurenti's magic was not normal.
"So if we examine master Laurenti's corpse, we may find traces of it. Magic always leaves a trace of mana."
"Yes, exactly."
—Scribble.
Erich quickly scribbled on a sheet of paper nearby. It was an order to hand over Laurenti's corpse.
The guards were probably keeping the body, so if Barnes saw this, he would hand it over without a word.
Erich added,
"I'm sure you know, but if you delve too deeply into the abyss of the dead—"
"I probably understand better than anyone now. You needn't worry."
Erich gave her a faint smile and changed the subject.
"The Tower Master has died. Who becomes the new Tower Master—will it be you, Ceres?"
"Well, I've been excommunicated, so it might be hard for me."
"If that's the only issue, I may be able to help you."
"... Pardon?"
Though he was part of the Watch, Erich now held many titles.
He was the third son of the grand duke's household, the Apostle of Incensus, and a count with his own estate.
Not to mention, though relations weren't warm, he was the emperor's sister's step-son.
With credentials like that, "I'd like to recommend this person" was an entirely reasonable statement to make.
'On top of that, the Church would back me up.'
By tradition, the Magic Tower was independent of outside interference, but the Imperial Family's influence was significant, and Erich was someone with the authority to speak directly to the Imperial Family.
Ceres seemed to have reached the same thought, wearing a wry smile.
"Me becoming Tower Master would be a bit odd."
"It's not strange at all. You are the first mage to possess the opened, awakened eyes, and you're enlightened enough to trust and follow me. If someone like you became Tower Master, it would be an immense help in the upcoming battles."
"... Battles to come?"
"The battle against the Lord of the Dead."
Erich spoke with resolve. The confrontation with the Lord of the Dead was an already foretold future. And right now, Erich was setting the stage quite well.
Though Albrecht had seized what he wanted and left, in a sense, Erich had still managed to shatter what Albrecht had built within the Watch.
Originally, an even larger scheme should have played out over an extended period—but Erich had purged most of the internal enemies.
Most notably, he had ousted the Watch's second-in-command, the largest internal threat. That alone made Erich's efforts worthwhile up to this point.
If an enlightened mage like Ceres became Tower Master and lent her strength, it would be a huge boon in the coming showdown with the Lord of the Dead.
Erich had no intention of letting that opportunity slip by.
Ceres slowly nodded.
"If I become Tower Master, I will give the battle against the Lord of the Dead my full support. He has become the greatest threat to the empire now."
Ceres clasped Erich's outstretched hand. With support from the Tower in addition to the Church, Erich had gained a powerful new ally.
It was an unexpectedly great reward.
***
On a vast plain, August's main force was lined up in formation.
Members of the Watch, draped in black cloaks, drew their long swords and formed several layers of defensive formation.
The battlefield, covered by chilling snow, was heating up with anticipation of battle.
August looked, in despair, at the opponents facing them.
No one on the battlefield wore a different uniform. Those standing against August were also members of the Watch, clad in the same black cloaks.
Soon, the 1st Fortress Commander, Grant, approached August.
"I never thought we Watch guardians would end up fighting each other."
"... It's all my fault."
August bowed his head.
Had he pushed the march too hard?
He knew the fortress commanders were chafing, but hadn't expected it to come to this.
Ever since taking command, August had been trying to keep the fortress commanders' power in check, for fear that their excessive authority would turn their men into private armies.
Even this latest operation contained an intent to weaken their authority. He'd believed that having them move only to defend the main force would diminish their power.
Then, when a grand war against Ungrim erupted, August had hoped to absorb their authority by managing the aftermath—but...
Whether realizing his motives or not, the fortress commanders had acted first.
Grant spoke up.
"Commander, I understand your care for our troops, but you must not show mercy to traitors."
"... I know."
The commander gripped his sword tightly. The grand plan he'd been preparing had collapsed. He could barely endure the sense of loss.
'Perhaps, this was something I was never meant to achieve. Maybe a greater enemy was needed.'
August closed his eyes. The Watch needed reform—nothing less than radical change from the roots up.
Even if he quashed this rebellion, there was no guarantee the old Watch would return.
Therefore, commander August slowly spoke.
"If I should fall, make Erich von Krupp my successor."
"... What?"
Grant's eyes widened, but after a moment's thought, he closed his mouth.
And then:
—BWOOOOOO!
With the sound of a horn, the soldiers began to march. Marching now toward the comrades they had once fought beside, under the same banner.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
The civil war wasn't prevented...
【(⩌‸⩌ )】