Chapter 299 : Chapter 299

Chapter 299. Who Is the Heretic (1)

“So ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍that is ‘that thing’?”

Inette asked with her arms crossed.

She had just returned from the Combat Magic booth.

From the very first day of the festival, Inette had been racking up consecutive victories, lifting the mood of the First-Year Combat Magic booth.

People flocked to place bets on her.

On top of that, thanks to Radel not missing his chance and aggressively selling butter-grilled squid, the booth remained packed with visitors.

It had been hectic due to the crowd, but there was no denying that the booth was a major success.

Since Radel had helped the Combat Magic booth, Inette used that as an excuse to drop by the Integrated Major booth whenever she had time.

Besides, today there was also something Radel had specifically asked her to do.

Gusto, who had arrived at the Integrated Major booth before her, answered.

“That is correct.”

“He looks more ordinary than I expected.”

Her gaze landed on Gillian, who was running around frantically.

In truth, “being dragged around” was a far more accurate description.

“Brother, there are exhausted friends over there as well.”

“Brother, someone over there looks like they are about to collapse. Hurry.”

“Brother, this time it is over here.”

Someone was clinging to Gillian’s side and dragging him around.

That someone was Radel.

Radel was overflowing with energy, to the point that it was hard to believe he had already toured every single first-year booth.

In contrast, Gillian looked half-dead.

Trembling lips.

Arms flailing weakly through the air.

Unsteady legs.

He looked like someone who might collapse at any moment.

That man is a heretic?

According to Radel, that priest was a demon worshipper hiding his true identity.

A few hours earlier, Radel had come to the Combat Magic booth to sell butter-grilled squid and had quietly asked Inette and Gusto for help.

He could not explain everything, but there were definite circumstances that made the priest suspicious as a heretic.

When Radel asked for their cooperation so he could confirm it, Gusto had nodded with a resolute expression.

‘Is he not trusting him way too much?’

Inette could not understand Gusto.

They still did not even know whether it was true or not.

To Inette, Gillian looked like an unlucky priest who had caught Radel’s attention and was now being dragged around.

So unlucky that he almost looked pitiful.

Those drooping eyes somehow gave off a sorrowful air…….

Lowering her voice, Inette asked,

“Why is he dragging him around like that?”

“It is probably His Highness’s plan to exhaust him as much as possible.”

“A plan, my foot. He is obviously doing it on purpose to use him as labor.”

Inette snorted at Gusto’s answer.

She knew Radel’s personality far too well.

But Gusto looked genuinely confused.

“Are you suggesting that you doubt His Highness’s intentions?”

“Of course I do. Just look at him.”

“I fail to see the problem. His Highness is giving a fallen soul a final chance to repent.”

“What? Repent?”

Inette stared at him in disbelief.

Gusto frowned.

“It seems that Her Highness’s faith is wavering today.”

Faith, my ass.

So everything Radel did was right, then?

Inette puffed out her lips.

Granted, she had come to help because Radel asked, but still…….

After a moment of thought, Gusto spoke again.

“It would be best to use the reward from our last wager now.”

To Inette, it sounded like the sky was collapsing.

***

The Fourth-Year Combat Magic booth.

A sparring match was in full swing there.

Slash!

A fourth-year student’s clothes tore apart, scattering droplets of blood.

“Kgh!”

Clutching his torn left arm, he swung the staff in his right hand.

At the same time, he did not forget to chant a spell.

“Burn!”

It was a swift reaction befitting a fourth-year.

The best defense is offense.

For Combat Magic students, firing off an attack spell instead of dodging in a moment of crisis was second nature.

That was thanks to Professor Lillian’s brutal training.

“The casting speed is impressive.”

“Hoho, as expected of Combat Magic.”

“He could be deployed in real combat right away.”

Since this was a public sparring match of fourth-years nearing graduation, figures from the magic world were mixed in among the spectators.

Most were recruiters from famous guilds or knight orders in need of combat mages, all hoping to secure academy-trained Combat Magic graduates.

The students knew this and fought with everything they had to show off their skills.

The fourth-year who hurriedly cast elemental magic was no exception.

If things went well, he could leave a strong impression on important people.

This festival had even attracted the Imperial Court Magicians.

Depending on how he performed here, his path to success could be secured, so his determination was fierce.

But when his spell was completed—

He was left speechless by the sight before him.

“W-when did this……?”

Sharp shards of ice were surrounding him.

When he realized that the pointed tips of countless ice shards were all aimed at him, the color drained from his face.

His opponent had completed her spell faster than he had.

Ping!

A sharp shard of ice flew past, grazing his neck.

He instinctively hunched his shoulders.

“What will you do?”

A gentle voice reached his ears.

“Shall we continue?”

His opponent smiled with a beautiful face.

It was the 4th Princess, Estina Mecure Cretian.

Before he could even answer, she swung her staff.

“You are too slow to respond.”

Ping!

Pabat!

Thud!

“Aaaargh!”

A scream rang through the arena.

By all appearances, it was Estina’s victory, yet her magic continued to rain down.

The reason was simple: her opponent had not declared his surrender.

Eventually, the student, his body covered in wounds, was carried away.

Estina touched her cheek as if in regret.

“Oh dear, I am sorry. I must not have heard you say you were giving up.”

Because I was so focused, you see.

She smiled sweetly and stepped down from the arena.

Someone was waiting for her below.

Her follower, Kier Iern.

“That was a bit excessive, Your Highness.”

He handed her a handkerchief.

As Estina took it and wiped the blood splattered on her face, her eyes widened.

“What do you mean? I did not kill him.”

“If you had, it would have interfered with the plan.”

“But he was weak.”

A gleam shone in Estina’s eyes.

“It is so hard not to kill weak things.”

She laughed softly.

“More importantly, did you see it? The magic I just used.”

“I did. It was fast and precise.”

“Right? Even the 9th Prince could not do it like that, could he?”

Estina recalled the ice-element magic she had just unleashed.

It was a close recreation of the spell the 9th Prince had once used against her.

She had never forgotten that day.

The day she tried to kill the 8th Prince and was stopped by the 9th.

That insolent half-brother.

Someone who only had the Dragon’s Blessing because of luck.

If only she had possessed an outstanding ability as well, she would not have suffered such humiliation.

If only it were not such a disgusting ability……!

“That is correct. Your Highness has obtained true ‘power.’”

At Kier’s words, Estina snapped back to her senses.

Power.

She had power now.

From the moment she placed the necklace Kier offered around her neck, she had changed.

It was a sensation she had never experienced before.

No matter how much magic she used, she did not grow tired.

She did not know why, but power overflowed throughout her entire body.

While sparring, she did not fear any opponent.

No, she did not even feel like she could lose.

It was as if the very concept of fear had vanished.

“You only need to endure a little longer. Tomorrow, Your Highness will be able to use your power to your heart’s content.”

“Yes. Once tomorrow comes.”

Estina twisted her lips.

When she thought of Shartea, she felt a thirst burning inside her.

“Of course, you must be careful. The more you use this power, the more dangerous it becomes. Naturally, I trust that Your Highness will be cautious, but—”

Thud!

A sudden fist snapped Kier’s head to the side.

“Have you lost your mind? How dare you tell me to be careful? Instead of bringing me even greater power!”

“I spoke out of turn, Your Highness. Please calm your anger.”

Kier bowed his head and took out a box from his robe.

“Coincidentally, I have a gift prepared for Your Highness.”

Inside the box was another key.

At the sight of it, Estina’s furious expression softened.

“I prepared this separately to ensure this matter concludes safely.”

“Oh my, then you should have said so earlier. I almost misunderstood.”

An eerie light flowed from the violet key.

Without hesitation, she reached out and grasped it.

While Estina was intoxicated by the power of the key, Kier pressed a hand to his swollen cheek and muttered,

“……I did warn you.”

That this power grew more dangerous the more it was used.

He smiled, sensing tomorrow’s success.

***

Evening of the second day of the festival.

Boom!

Fireworks burst across the night sky.

Visitors to the academy’s autumn festival exclaimed in awe at the spectacle.

“Amazing! As expected of the academy.”

“They say the fireworks used in the festival were made by fourth-year Alchemy students?”

“I heard the final day will be even more spectacular.”

Amid the dazzling fireworks, someone was hiding in the darkness.

‘……8th Prince!’

It was Gillian, a priest of the Supreme Deity Order and an executive of the Black Order.

He had struggled all day to retrieve the pouch, but in the end, he had failed.

On top of that, the 8th Prince had worked him to the brink of collapse, leaving him seething with rage.

Gillian’s eyes gleamed with fury.

‘I will not go easy on you anymore.’

That demon of a man.

To deal with someone like that, he would have to abandon his own reason.

Learning from his earlier failures, Gillian decided to attack the 8th Prince directly.

He had already figured out the prince’s route.

The 8th Prince had said he would clean up the Integrated Major booth and then stop by the Alchemy booth.

Since he oddly preferred secluded paths, setting up an ambush was not difficult.

As Gillian waited quietly, the 8th Prince appeared.

Pulling his concealing robe low, Gillian brought a sleep dart to his lips.

With this, he could easily put the 8th Prince to sleep.

‘Take this. A sleeping poison that can knock out even an elephant!’

The moment he fired the dart—

Whoosh!

Something strange happened.

Thud.

The dart fell to the ground midair.

As if it had struck something invisible.

Frowning, Gillian fired another dart.

Whoosh!

Thud.

‘What?’

Whoosh!

Ping!

Only then did Gillian realize that the darts he fired were being struck midair by something flying in from another angle.

And that something was another sleep dart.

A chill ran down Gillian’s spine.

Matching the speed of a sleep dart with another dart required extraordinary skill.

This was no ordinary talent.

It was a technique only a top-tier assassin could pull off.

Even as an executive of the Black Order, Gillian knew exactly what it meant to encounter an assassin in a situation like this.

Sensing danger, he hurriedly turned around—

“Where do you think you are going?”

Radel was already staring at him from the darkness.

Gillian froze in shock.

“You came for this, did you not?”

Radel pulled the pouch from his robe and shook it.

Then he grinned.

“Brother.”