Chapter 306

The outcome of a battle between mages was decided by who could calculate the more efficient Formula more quickly.

But when it became a war, the matter changed.

In a war where allies and enemies intermingled, a mage's role centered on preemptive attacks using powerful Formulas and on defending against the countless spells that followed.

Knights carried out the actual war, while mages withdrew to serve in support.

It was Cornelia that shattered such common sense.

They had developed a large-scale Formula in which mages led the war, while knights from allied nations served as Guardians in case of contingencies.

One of the Empire's five vassal states.

The method did not change simply because the war was against the Sable Kingdom.

[The Violet Magic Tower resonates.]

A message rang in the minds of the mages on the battlefield.

"The Violet Mage has appeared!"

"Princess Charles has arrived!!"

Beginning with someone's shout, the Mana of the Cornelia mages began to bind together.

Whoosh—

Violet Mana swept through every part of the battlefield.

Although Cornelia had many direct descendants whose Mana bore a violet hue, only Charles Cornelia was called the Violet Mage.

She had synchronized with the Magic Tower and was an 8-Star mage.

[Bloodline Synchronization confirmed.]

"Permission granted."

Because she herself was a walking Magic Tower.

Fwoooosh—

The levels of the direct descendants scattered across the battlefield rose dramatically.

"We may be able to end the war today."

Charles, who had entered a secret space through her synchronization with the Magic Tower, murmured.

The Sable Kingdom possessed two 8-Star Superhumans and numerous 7-Star Superhumans.

The exchange of magic had continued for five months because the Empire's support kept arriving, but it would end today.

For this day, she had carefully conserved her strength.

Hegel Cornelia would take on the two 8-Stars, and Celot had likely encountered the forces the Imperial Family had sent by now.

Mana drained and recovered without pause.

The screen floating before her displayed battles throughout the field in real time.

About two hours passed.

"Charles, I have dealt with the Imperial Knight Order and Mage Order."

The report she had been waiting for came from Celot.

"Well done, Uncle."

"Is it not because you changed the laws of the battlefield?"

Her Creation Magic had advanced greatly, allowing her to create a rule on his battlefield that permitted only Ice Magic.

Celot was a mage who had learned the Moon Magic, Lunaris, and stabilized at 8-Star.

No matter their number, mages unable to use their primary attribute were no match for him.

"Charles, release your synchronization with the Magic Tower and withdraw. Have you not overextended yourself as well?"

"I am all right."

Contrary to her words, she was dizzy enough to faint.

Acting as the Magic Tower was not easy, even for her, who had accepted a considerable number of Seeds.

Her level was mid-8-Star.

If she drew an opponent into the Magic Tower, she could even reach an incomplete 9-Star.

It was the result of improving her ability on the battlefield over the past two years.

"We cannot let our guard down yet. They have a new Magic Tower."

The Red Magic Tower.

The Empire's third Magic Tower, painstakingly completed over a long time.

The White Magic Tower imitated Divine Authorities, allowing the Empire's knights and mages to use Divine Formulas and self-healing Magic.

The Black Magic Tower imitated the Anomaly's Curses and turned the dead into immortal beings. Knights were reborn as Death Knights, while mages were reborn as Liches to live a second life.

And the Red Magic Tower absorbed the blood shed on the battlefield.

No special Formula had activated yet, but it was an ominous phenomenon.

Even when they split the ground or froze it with Magic, the blood on the battlefield invariably flowed into the Red Magic Tower built in the Empire's heartland, as though a supernatural law were at work.

For that reason, a lake of blood always formed on the battlefield.

No one had been able to uncover its purpose over the past two years.

"It is ominous."

Rastian Arken, master of the three Magic Towers and known as the Mixed-Color Duke.

He was believed to have reached 9-Star, yet he had not shown himself.

The Emperor was the same.

She had heard that he, too, was a 9-Star Magic Swordsman.

Yet she could not understand why he was allowing the Imperial Knight Order and Mage Order to be consumed in this way.

‘They cannot be planning to turn all their people into Undead.’

"For now, I will join His Majesty."

Even for Hegel, facing two 8-Stars would not be easy.

After ending his report, Celot began using the Magic Tower's Mana.

He was preparing a long-range Warp.

"I will support you."

Just as she focused on using the Magic Tower's Mana to ease Celot's burden.

[The Violet Magic Tower has detected an intruder.]

A mage appeared in the space where she stood.

A man who appeared to be in his late forties, with hair falling to his shoulders.

He had a familiar face.

"So this is the famed interior of the Violet Magic Tower."

"High Priest Rienit?"

"It has been a long time, Princess Charles."

Rienit de Roto, the High Priest of the Temple of Keys.

He had used Divine Power to enter Charles's Magic Tower.

"What a remarkable space. It possesses an energy that is not at all lacking even compared with the Holy Tower."

"……"

Charles's eyes darkened.

"I do not recall inviting you."

"That is right. I am an uninvited guest."

Divine Power surged from High Priest Rienit's body.

"But why should I wait for the Princess's invitation? You do not seek my permission when using God Roto's power, either."

"You appear to be mistaken about something. God Roto tried to encroach upon me."

"That attempt merely failed."

In the wake of that failed attempt, he had left a trace in the Magic Tower, allowing her to use part of his Authority.

Imitating the Gods' Authorities with Mana.

It was the method Adamas had used when he had been a Magic Sword in the past.

"I knew that you had sided with the Empire, High Priest."

"Oh?"

High Priest Rienit's eyes narrowed.

"You knew, and yet you did not report it to the Holy See?"

"A spy has value only when kept close and watched."

Absinthe's Walkers, who had infiltrated the temple, had been monitoring his every movement. They had also prepared to respond to his actions at any time.

They had not moved first in order to preserve their relationship with the Holy Nation and to identify more of the temples that had betrayed them.

"But to move alone like this—Absinthe's surveillance must have been more severe than you expected."

Charles reacted as though she were sincerely disappointed.

"So you inherited your ancestor's legacy…… How arrogant."

Swish.

He gripped the key hanging around his neck.

A Divine Object handed down to a High Priest.

It was an object bestowed with the excessive name Thousand-Year Key.

"Countless, immeasurable barriers shall stand in your way."

Click.

A sound rang out, as though something had fitted into an invisible box.

A Formula began to unfold around the key.

"No obstruction shall remain whole before you."

Grind—

[The Violet Magic Tower's first barrier is released.]

A Formula that even an 8-Star mage could not release had been undone.

"……"

Charles's eyes twitched.

‘That should be impossible at High Priest Rienit's level.’

To begin with, entering the Magic Tower's interior was beyond his ability.

Then she sensed a new power alongside Divine Power.

Radiance.

"You have touched the power of the Anomaly."

"As God Roto's Apostle, I merely opened the box placed before me."

"That is a cowardly excuse."

She believed only in rational Magic Formulas, not in Gods.

And.

"I like hypocrites even less."

[The Violet Magic Tower's second barrier is released.]

There were five barriers between him and her.

[The Violet Magic Tower's third barrier is released.]

‘At this rate, it is only a matter of time before they are all released.’

Just as Rienit took another step.

"Hazard."

Flap.

The sound of wings beating rang out.

Then.

Boom!

[ROOOOAR---!!!]

The dragon revealed its true body and landed before her.

A Mixed Dragon with black and green scales mingled together.

Rumble—

Merely facing its enormous presence felt like being crushed by Haki.

"The dragon from the rumors."

Gulp.

Rienit swallowed dryly without realizing it.

"High Priest, Hazard tears people apart."

"……!!"

Crunch.

The veil Rienit had created was torn apart by Hazard's claws.

‘A defense interwoven with Radiance…….’

He could not hide his alarm.

It had been broken far too easily.

Pure white Divine Power mingled with Radiance.

"His words were right. You are beings who shake the world."

"His?"

"The one who will bring the hammer down upon you."

Charles understood that he meant the Emperor.

"I see."

Charles reacted as though she understood.

"Even if it is only a fragment, it is the power of a Transcendent. It is not strange that you would take it."

Rienit tried to use his key to release the Violet Magic Tower's space.

The Anomaly's Curse he had been granted was Erosion.

He believed that if he opened it with his key and eroded it, even Charles would not be able to endure.

"That is mistaken. It seems the Emperor used you as a card to be discarded."

"Nonsense……"

"Hazard, step back and watch."

[The Violet Magic Tower copies God Roto's Authority.]

[Charles Cornelia creates a new Formula.]

Shimmer—

A key made of violet Mana appeared in her hand.

Then, just as Rienit had done, she drove the key into the air toward him.

Click.

"……!!"

Rienit's Mind Image World opened, and the Anomaly's Curse flowed out.

"That is not a power a human at your level can bear. Therefore……"

Before she could finish.

Crunch!

Hazard swallowed Rienit's body whole.

Crunch. Crunch.

[BURP.]

Enormous Mana emanated from Hazard's body.

It was suppressing the Radiance.

"Hazard, did I not tell you to watch?"

Charles glared sharply at Hazard, who was licking his lips.

[Grr?]

"Now I cannot analyze the enemy."

[G-Grrr……]

Fwoooosh—

Hazard, wrapped in violet Mana, transformed into a wolf.

[Grrr~]

As though apologizing for his mistake, he licked her.

While Charles was troubled, another message rang out.

[The Violet Magic Tower has detected a visitor.]

Green Mana could be felt.

Shortly afterward, a knight with green hair the same color as Mana appeared.

She had arrived through another direct descendant synchronized with Charles.

"Lady Serena."

[Grrr~]

Hazard, now in wolf form, clung to Serena.

As though he had never been cowed by Charles's scolding, he slobbered all over Serena.

"Hazard, you have grown."

Serena spoke as she looked at Hazard, who had grown twice as large.

Hazard guarded Charles Cornelia while also carrying out the task of bringing down the castle walls with his Breath.

It was Serena who had personally entrusted Hazard to her.

"It has been a long time, Princess Charles."

Serena gave her a formal sword salute.

"It has been a long time. What brings you here……?"

"His Highness Killian has returned."

"……!!"

After a moment of surprise, Charles was overjoyed.

"Where is he?"

"His Highness has left for the northern frontier."

"I see. He has finally made his decision."

Charles reacted as though she understood.

It had been quite some time since she had synchronized with the Magic Tower and sensed that Adamas was in the northern frontier.

The only question was whether he had become qualified to draw the sword.

"A message from His Highness."

Serena relayed Killian's order.

At the unexpected words.

"What…… did you say……?"

Charles was flustered.