Chapter 37: A Risky Departure
"It’s not just powerful," the captain said firmly. "It’s still active. That makes the magic circle’s resistance even stronger. And on top of that, new magical beast have started to appear, ones that draw power directly from theagic circle itself. If we leave it alone, we have no way of predicting what might happen in the future."
As he spoke, the captain pushed a diagram of the magic circle’s layout toward Segoy. Segoy took it in both hands and immediately stiffened, his whole body going tense.
"This is...! I’ve never seen a magic circle like this before! Where did you find this? I can’t believe something like this actually exists!"
Segoy and his assistant leaned in, staring closely at the diagram. Then, with shaking hands, Segoy spread it out on the desk.
"Here! And here too! These are ancient symbols! A lost ancient script! Where did someone find this? None of us today could write this! Was it recorded in some ancient ruins?"
"Segoy," the captain said. "That’s exactly what it seems like. If a mage stumbled upon something like this by chance, of course they’d be curious. They’d want to test it. Maybe the mages in Dalmasca couldn’t resist the temptation."
"So, this could’ve started as an experiment? That’s what you’re saying?" the captain asked.
Segoy gave a long groan and forced his voice out, low and grim.
"It’s only a possibility. But yes, it could be something like that. And if they thought they could damage their neighboring country, Rosaria, in the process... they might’ve been encouraged even further. That kind of thinking wouldn’t be surprising. But then they lost control. The whole thing turned on them and swallowed them up... How foolish."
As Segoy stood there in stunned silence, Shiao Yi spoke softly beside him. "So in other words... destroying that magic circle is going to be extremely difficult, right? That’s what you’re saying?"