Chapter 172 : Chapter 172
Chapter 172. To Win a Fight Against a Mage (2)
However, one more problem remained.
He resolved the magic issue somehow, but the Ability the 4th Princess possessed was the problem.
Abilities were different from magic.
Although affected by the Magic Power of the royal family member who possessed them, they could also manifest depending on physical condition regardless of Magic Power.
In Radel's case, Troll’s Heart activated only when he suffered injuries severe enough to endanger his life.
It was not a Trait Radel could use at will.
‘The 4th Princess’s Ability.’
He had thought that he might fight the 4th Princess someday. Senior Shartea had warned him as well.
He had to prepare for not just magic combat but also her Ability.
However, no matter how much he searched through Armandy’s Ability Management Bureau agent notebook, there was no record of the 4th Princess.
That was why Radel visited Armandy’s room the night before going to the Combat Magic Workshop.
Radel asked Armandy to learn about the 4th Princess’s Ability.
‘I want to know the 4th Princess’s Ability. Armandy, you would know, right?’
* * *
Armandy was flustered by Radel’s question.
Aside from the rudeness of visiting past the dormitory curfew in the middle of the night, Radel’s attitude was too serious.
The 4th Princess’s Ability?
Radel had never been curious about another royal family member's Ability until now.
However, it was not as if he had no idea why.
The 4th Princess was a figure full of ambition even among the royal family. She even applied for external training to subjugate monsters on purpose.
It was training she left for claiming she wanted to save the imperial citizens suffering from monsters, but in the end, it must have been one of her strategies to catch the Emperor’s eye.
It would be stranger if such a 4th Princess did not target the 8th Prince, who had recently risen rapidly in prominence.
But as an agent of the Ability Management Bureau, he could not easily give out information.
“Why do you ask that?”
Armandy acted defensively first.
At his reaction, which seemed to ask why he was asking about such a troublesome thing, Radel decided to remind him of his position.
“Can I not ask? Since you are an agent of the Ability Management Bureau, you must know better than me. There was no mention of the 4th Princess in the notebook, so should I take it out and read it for you?”
At Radel’s words, Armandy’s expression became slightly gloomy as he realized his position of having had his notebook taken away.
Radel knew very well how to handle Armandy in times like this.
“There is no way an elite agent like you would have been left out of the mission to monitor the 4th Princess. Isn't that right?”
“Ahem, well. Of course.”
When Radel subtly praised him, Armandy shrugged his shoulders, feeling proud.
“There is no royal family member for whom I have not gone on a surveillance mission. Magicians who are good at illusion magic like me are rare to find.”
“That is great. Then you must have seen the 4th Princess’s Ability too?”
However, the answer that returned next was not what Radel expected.
“Unfortunately, I have not. The 4th Princess tries not to show her Ability to others.”
Radel thought that might be the case.
Didn't Senior Shartea also thoroughly hide her Ability usually?
Still, Radel asked just in case.
“It is strange that she hides her Ability to that extent. Is there some secret?”
“I do not know about that. In the first place, no matter if one is an agent of the Ability Management Bureau, one cannot know the Abilities inside and out. Which royal family member would meekly reveal their hand?”
Armandy sighed inwardly while answering Radel.
Looking at that expression, it seemed he had no intention of avoiding the 4th Princess.
“Anyway, it is better to be careful. Just looking at what has been revealed, the 4th Princess’s power is not to be taken lightly.”
Armandy warned Radel and continued.
“The Director would know more, but I only know a few things.”
Agents of the Ability Management Bureau had access to different information depending on their rank.
Even Armandy, an elite agent, did not know much about the 4th Princess’s Ability.
The information he did know was that the 4th Princess’s Ability was the power to transform her body, and she blocked attacks by changing her skin into other substances.
Armandy finally told Radel what he knew.
“Primordial Origin. That is the name of the 4th Princess’s Ability.”
* * *
Primordial Origin.
It was a name that did not give a clue as to what kind of Ability it was.
As the name Primordial Origin suggested, it might be changing the body's properties into things that existed from the time the Supreme Deity created the world.
Like stone or soil, for instance.
But why was it?
Radel somehow felt that the 4th Princess’s Ability was not that kind of power.
WHOOSH!
Radel dodged the 4th Princess’s magic and looked for a chance to approach.
In fact, dodging the attack magic unfolding right in front of his eyes was a priority over the Ability.
‘Although I was told not to use a sword…….’
Radel smacked his lips while looking at the shards of ice fallen on the ground.
He wondered if this would fall under the category of magic.
“Connect!”
Radel immediately put it into action.
He connected the ice pieces to create a long stick.
Holding the ice stick like a sword, Radel charged at the 4th Princess.
BANG!
However, it was soon blocked by the 4th Princess’s forearm.
Rather, the stick that collided with the 4th Princess shattered into pieces.
‘Metal? No, it feels more elastic than that.’
At the sensation transmitted to his hand, Radel spoke instinctively.
“It feels like dealing with a monster.”
At that moment, he saw her eyes change beyond the 4th Princess’s arm.
Radel knew those eyes.
Did those not look just like the eyes of a magical beast?
* * *
Having heard the news that Radel came to the Combat Magic Workshop, Shartea arrived at the middle floor.
As soon as she got off the teleportation magic circle, she saw students gathered at the central stadium.
“Did you see that just now? He dodged well, didn't he?”
“He is wearing a sword at his waist. His movement is superb.”
A sword.
Anyone could tell it was a story about Radel.
Shartea approached the place where the students were gathered.
There, what she had worried about was unfolding.
In the central stadium, the 4th Princess Estina and Radel were sparring.
BOOM, BOOM!
Estina fired magic so strong that it was hard to believe she was sparring with a first-year.
Her intention not to go easy on him was palpable.
To Shartea, who had clashed with Estina a few times, the 4th Princess’s ulterior motive was clearly visible.
The 4th Princess was a figure full of ambition to become the Emperor. Therefore, she tried to remove anything that got in her way as much as possible.
So Shartea had clashed with her countless times while attending the Academy.
Not to mention her older brother, the 2nd Prince. Whenever there was a chance, he and the 4th Princess ground their teeth trying to kill each other.
WHOOSH!
BANG!
When those two sparred, it was exactly like that.
Every single one of the 4th Princess’s attacks contained killing intent.
It was not just to test his skills; they were attacks that could kill Radel if things went wrong.
‘What is the professor doing? She should stop this.’
Nothing good would come from dragging out a spar like this.
However, Shartea was speechless when she spotted Professor Lilian.
It was because Professor Lilian was wearing a satisfied smile with her arms crossed.
She seemed to be in a great mood watching a life-and-death spar.
‘……She was originally that kind of person.’
Furthermore, the Combat Magic majors were watching the battle between the two with great interest.
“Wow, making a spear out of ice right there?”
“That first-year is no ordinary guy. If you look closely, all of the Princess’s attacks are missing.”
“He is better than I thought?”
Shartea touched her forehead.
It seemed she was the only one feeling the seriousness here.
If worse came to worst, she might have to intervene in the spar.
Shartea watched silently to see if the 4th Princess would do anything suspicious.
But then, Radel took something out of his bosom and fired it at the 4th Princess, who was rushing at him.
POP!
The firecracker exploded with a loud noise.
* * *
Radel detonated the firecracker for flying golems he had bought from Senior Anesha.
It was because he had to dodge urgently.
Like the saying that it was a normal party firecracker if fired at a person, smoke rose with a POP! sound.
The 4th Princess lost sight of Radel because she was engulfed in the smoke.
“Using a petty trick? Even so, I can see everything.”
The 8th Prince was inside the stadium anyway.
She laughed as she searched for the location of the prey that had fled.
The 4th Princess’s eyes shone through the smoke.
Radel observed the 4th Princess while hiding in the smoke.
To be precise, the 4th Princess’s eyes.
Although she definitely should not be able to see inside the smoke, the 4th Princess was looking exactly where Radel was.
Radel spoke slowly.
“Senior, how are you looking at me right now? Are those eyes truly human eyes?”
Then, the 4th Princess’s atmosphere changed.
CRACK.
Along with an ominous sound, something rose from the 4th Princess’s hand.
It was not clearly visible inside the smoke, but it definitely looked like claws.
RING.
[Skill, Superhuman Intuition activates.]
[Someone's killing intent is sensed.]
[The threat of death draws near!]
An alarm for the next attack popped up by Radel’s ear.
The Superhuman Intuition Skill was warning him.
That he would die if he got hit by the next attack.
‘But I absolutely cannot dodge……!’
Radel could not move his body even while watching the 4th Princess rushing straight at him.
She rushed at a speed faster than his eyes could react and struck Radel, sending him flying.
CRASH!
Radel flew out of the stadium.
It was unclear how it happened or what he had been hit by.
THUD!
His body flew through the air and plummeted to the ground.
“Urgh! Cough!”
As Radel, who had been rolling on the ground, stopped, a handful of blood poured from his mouth.
His vision blurred from the shock.
“Radel!”
Shartea, who had been watching the spar, ran to Radel.
And she glared at the 4th Princess, who was standing far away.
“Can this be called a fair spar?”
“Oh my, I guess I cast the strengthening magic too strongly.”
The 4th Princess covered her mouth as if surprised and said to Shartea.
“He was doing quite well, so I forgot he was a first-year. Still, I cannot go easy on him just because he is weak, right? Shartea, you have become very soft too.”
“What?”
“Isn't it true? When have you ever cared this much about another royal family member? You must have taken quite a liking to him. Even so, he is just a royal.”
The 4th Princess smiled brightly.
However, the corners of her mouth were trembling.
As if she wanted to hide something, the 4th Princess turned her back.
And she said this to Professor Lilian.
“Professor, let us stop the spar here.”
As soon as Professor Lilian’s permission was given, the 4th Princess left the stadium.
Watching her retreating figure, an alarm rang in Radel’s ear.
RING.
[Desperate Crisis!]
[The user's body falls into a near-death state.]
[Trait, Troll’s Heart overcomes the crisis of death.]
[Stats increase.]
[Warning! Strong pain is coming!]
It was pain he had not felt in a long time.
Radel thought while feeling pain strong enough to make him lose consciousness.
It was certain.
What hit him was not something like a human hand.
It was the hand of a magical beast.
If not, she could not have driven him to the brink of death like this with a single attack.
‘Still, my Health will increase.’
Anyway, there was a harvest.
Radel closed his eyes, thinking he had done well to spar.