◈ Episode 392 Different Thoughts (1)
“what? What happened?”
“Why is the outpost… … .”
It was clear that something had happened at the outpost while they were away.
The expedition hurriedly returned to the outpost.
“Explore! People who have gone are coming back!”
Just in time, the wizard guarding the outpost’s outer barrier recognized them and shouted in great joy.
The situation of the barrier seen up close was even more dire.
Near the barriers were the charred and frozen corpses of beasts.
And even the traces of destruction engraved on the walls.
‘Did the beasts attack?’
The beasts, frightened by the eruption of the leylines, seemed to go berserk.
However, the situation inside the outpost didn’t look too good either.
The condition inside was worse than what was seen from the outside.
Everywhere in the barracks was burned, and the outpost was full of signs of destruction.
There were also dead people, so I saw bodies that had not been recovered.
“What the hell happened?”
The expedition, barely trying to breathe, headed for the central square with tired faces.
The central square was crowded.
The wounded were all lying in the central square, and everyone around them was busy walking around.
“Wounded this way! Move slowly! The wizard over there! Bring all the remaining potions!”
In that chaotic situation, there was a person who led the crowd with a loud voice.
Charismatic actions are also actions, but the appearance that looks like a snow fairy came down played a big role in attracting attention.
Queen Catherine.
He was diligently leading the personnel of the outpost and sorting out this chaotic situation.
He did not stop at simply giving orders, but also stopped the bleeding and bandaged the wounds of the wounded.
Beside her, two aides who had followed her were diligently transporting the injured.
“Even though he is a member of the royal family, he doesn’t mind such hard work.”
“More than that, why is the outpost like this… … .”
Although the expedition team admired Catherine’s appearance, they were puzzled by the current situation.
Wasn’t this outpost the safest place in Kassar Basin?
At that time, a sorceress who had discovered the expedition approached Ekaterina and said something.
Ekaterina turned around and approached with her twin aides.
Since it was a public event, her expression was quite neat, as seen in the hotel lobby.
“Welcome back everyone. Do you have a representative for this seat?”
Ekaterina asked, and three came forward.
One is Gregorium Solut, the head of the Kuma Tower.
The other is Liumea, the person in charge of the Shin Magic Tower.
And lastly, Derek Olsen, the free man, director of the various schools.
Wizards with high rank and outstanding skills and experience.
They all bowed to Queen Catherine.
“Nice to meet you. queen. My name is Derek Olsen. Please excuse my lack of formal courtesy.”
“Under the current circumstances, I don’t need that, so I understand.”
“Rather than that, may I ask what happened to this?”
Ekaterina put on a rather serious expression and explained what had happened today.
“It was an hour ago. Suddenly, the animals that inhabit this place began to attack from all sides.”
The beasts inhabiting the Cassar Basin were on a different level from the ordinary animals outside.
It is a beast that has adapted and evolved to the environment where excessive mana is distributed, and has formed the ecosystem here.
Wizards, of course, had to fight against such beasts.
“We knocked on barriers, and some even collapsed. We fought desperately.”
Just looking at the corpses scattered near the barrier, it was clear that the number was by no means small.
The traces of destruction engraved around them were evidence of the fierce fighting.
“But the outpost’s barriers wouldn’t have been easily broken.”
Derek asked incomprehensibly.
It was the same mindset of the other expeditions.
Even if it was built simply, it was an outpost where over a thousand wizards stayed.
In addition to wizards, it is a place where people with a lot of money or high status occasionally visit for tourism, so safety was considered the top priority.
The barrier continues to be maintained and inspected in real time, and is prepared in the best way to prevent any unexpected situation.
Even if the beasts flocked to this barrier, it wouldn’t make sense to have chaos inside the outpost.
“that’s right. In fact, the attack from the outside was blocked without much damage. If there was a problem, it must have been an internal affair.”
“… … no way.”
Derek’s eyes widened as if he noticed something.
Ekaterina nodded her head calmly.
“There were traitors on the inside. They caused simultaneous terrorism everywhere, just in time for the external attack.”
Quite a few wizards had flocked to the barriers to prevent attacks, so they were aiming for the relatively vulnerable parts of the interior.
Many mages were killed or injured in such a disaster.
“Traitor, you mean? who the hell… … .”
“It was all mixed up. The clothes she was wearing, her robes, and the patterns engraved on them. They must have been spies who had been hiding for a long time.”
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“How are you guys?”
“I ran away. Before the expedition team arrived, that is less than 30 minutes.”
This one wasn’t just suffering.
I immediately adjusted my posture and started responding, but they cleverly threw it out as soon as this side tried to move.
They moved in perfect order and retreated as if running away from the outpost.
“How can this happen… … .”
“Rather than that, is the expedition team any good? Than when we started… … The number has gone down a lot.”
Ekaterina asked, looking at the exhausted expedition team.
The condition of the outpost was serious, but it was not easy to look at the look of the expedition team.
“… … We also had quite a bit of work.”
Derek Olsen couldn’t hide his complexities.
He tells Ekaterina that monsters have appeared in the mansion, killing or injuring many people, and that the mansion has collapsed.
“I can’t! How much is the damage?!”
“Of those who headed inside the mansion, less than half returned.”
Nearly 200 people went inside and not even 100 survived.
“I heard that there are some Lexarer level wizards, but why… … .”
“that… … .”
Derek didn’t know that well, so his eyes naturally turned to Ludgar and his group.
They were the only ones who formed a team that included two 6th tier mages at this spot.
“Uh, huh?”
When people’s eyes gathered, Roina was embarrassed.
She naturally stepped back and put Rudger forward.
“What are you doing?”
“I-I’m uncomfortable in a place like this.”
It’s not a shame, Roina’s complexion was pale, as if she was about to vomit.
I can’t help it.
Rudger told the wizards who were heading this way what had happened in the mansion.
“Mage Rimrey has passed away.”
“It was Mr. Rudgar Celish. May I ask how the wise man passed away?”
“Do you remember what happened inside the mansion? Shadow monsters appeared and ran amok.”
“yes. But why are you talking about that now… … .”
“There was Mage Rimrey behind it.”
“I beg your pardon?”
The audience shuddered with astonishment at the truth that leaked out from Ludger.
“Is that true? Or some misunderstanding… … .”
“My friends will definitely testify about that.”
When Ludger said that, Sempas and Roina nodded in agreement with Ludger’s words.
When the same 6th-level wizard stepped forward like that, people reacted in various ways.
It’s real. It’s a lie. There is no reason to say such a thing in this place.
“Aren’t you guys one of them too?!”
Someone shouted that with a gaze full of doubt.
At those words, some wizards glared at Ludger and the others.
If Rimray, who was active together, had committed such a thing, it was because Ludger and his party could not be free from suspicion.
“Are you suspicious of us now?”
“I can’t say no, can I?”
“That means that Mr. Roina, including me, is also one of them.”
When Rudger mentioned Roina’s name, the wizard who was the first to express his doubts let out a sigh.
Perhaps because of Roina, the wizards belonging to the school association stood up for Ludger on the contrary.
“If you were an accomplice, you wouldn’t have told the truth in the first place.”
“Are you suspicious of the famous mage Roina Pavlini?”
If nothing else, the prestige of the 6th tier wizard was great.
Because even those who raised doubts gave up their doubts because of Roina’s reputation.
“To sum it up, the situation is really bad.”
With the betrayal of the sage Rimray, the truth school collapsed.
Until the death of battle mages including Belkat Benmark.
Quite a number of powerful people among those who headed to the mansion died.
Even the leylines under the mansion fluctuated and magical energy gushed out.
Like water droplets falling on a calm surface of the water.
Turmoil and despair spread in all directions, drawing ripples.
“Isn’t everyone going to die like this?”
“Don’t be funny, okay! My, why the hell am I… … !”
Negative emotions bite tail after tail, and spread fear to others in a chain.
It was truly an epidemic.
“everyone! calm down!”
At that moment, a high and clear voice rebuked the audience.
Like the sound of a bell dispelling the fog of dawn, the thoughts that fill your head are washed away.
Everyone stared at the owner of the voice, Queen Catherine.
“Obviously the situation is not good right now. However, it is meaningless in the current situation to keep thinking about the past. Because the situation is not over yet.”
Ekaterina’s stern expression overflowed with authority and charisma as a leader of a country.
She had a strange charm that attracted people.
Everyone nodded their heads as if possessed by something.
“and. Great.”
Arpa quietly admired Ekaterina for not losing hope and courage.
But Rudger knows.
That Ekaterina is more afraid of the current situation than anyone else.
Rudger saw Ekaterina’s fingertips tremble.
To others, it may look like you’re trembling with passion, but in reality it’s the opposite.
It was a habit he showed when he tried to hide his fears and pretended to be okay.
And yet, Ekaterina did not reveal it.
It was because he knew that the moment he collapsed, everything was over.
“Right now, outside the barrier, those seeking to disrupt the Mystic Night are looking for an opportunity. If we give up here, then it really is all over.”
“Then maybe it’s good?”
To Derek’s question, Ekaterina said firmly.
“We must fight!”
Ekaterina declared, staring at everyone in the seat in turn with unwavering eyes.
“You have to be prepared, you have to find a way, you have to be prepared. I can’t make them move the way they want.”
Seeing Ekaterina saying that, Ludger suddenly remembered something from the past.
─Make preparations, find a way, and be prepared. Unless you want to dance in the hands of your enemies.
It was the advice he gave directly to Ekaterina during the days of Machiavelli.
‘I still remember what I learned well.’
Although afraid of fighting, he does not avoid fighting.
She has a bird’s heart more than anyone else, but never turns her eyes away from the most important choice.
courage.
That was Yekaterina’s greatest weapon.
People are drawn to her and willing to follow her because her sincere actions resonate.
“Everyone, please don’t forget your role!”
The busy situation reminiscent of an unorganized market has been sorted out step by step.
The wounded devoted themselves to treatment, and those who were fine helped them.
Burnt tents were removed, and broken barriers were repaired and reinforced.
Representatives from each school or organization gathered among themselves and prepared a meeting about what to do in the future.
The place is inside the largest tent.
Rudger was there too.
I tried to call Roina as well, but she backed down saying she hated a position like this and would rather help people.
Even if he said that, it was in effect leaving the responsibility to Rudger.
“You said you were Mr. Ludgar Celish, right? nice to meet you.”
Before entering the meeting, Ekaterina approached Rudger first.
“We are not meeting for the first time, are we? We met briefly at the hotel.”
Could it be that you had locked the door in your heart at that time?
Rudger looked around casually, not showing much surprise.
“This is the first time we have had a proper conversation like this.”
“Oh ho ho. I’ve heard a lot of stories. You are a very good person. Both as a wizard and as a teacher.”
“The rumors are just exaggerated.”
“If you watch it, you will know. Let’s try to do better in the future.”
Ekaterina smiled as she said that.
‘Let’s do well?’
Ludger harbored a small suspicion in his heart about Ekaterina’s attitude.
Why are you suddenly coming up to me and being friendly?
‘Did he even guess my identity?’
There would have been no chance for that. It would be the first time we met and talked like this.
It doesn’t make sense to infer it through this side’s trivial attitude or loophole.
‘There’s no way that would be possible for this stupid lady.’
Rudger always called Ekaterina an idiot.
Of course, it’s not because Ekaterina is really stupid.
To put it mildly, it is closer to being in charge of ‘simplicity’ rather than simple ignorance.
In fact, Ekaterina’s intelligence is beyond basic.
The problem was that there were many times when I was extremely emotional when I had to make a rational decision.
During the civil war, he often did such things, so Rudger was often annoyed and criticized for being an idiot.
Ekaterina also had pride in her heart, and she said she did it with good intentions.
The two men had many disagreements during the civil war.
As this happened several times, the image of Ekaterina as a ‘short-haired princess’ naturally formed in Ludger’s mind.
‘But again, the wind was strangely sharp, so did he really notice something?’
Rudger was quite nervous as he looked at Ekaterina’s back.
If he found out his true identity, he would have no choice but to explain how he became Seorn’s teacher.
It was a specification to be caught in the middle of the day.
In the meantime, representatives of each school gathered together.
It was a meeting to deal with the agenda on how to overcome this situation.
At that moment, the representative of Kuma Tower stepped forward and said.
“We’re going to get into this.”
It was a bombshell statement that exploded at the same time as the meeting started.
