“Whoop!”

 

Quagga River!!

 

Matteo Jordana issued a regime of rock magic.

 

The strong wind pressure and the snow storm came together and moved in a straight line, and the iron knight was shattered as it hit the heavy rock.

 

“Oh oh! Senior Mateo! What is that technique?!”

 

“Don’t make a fuss. let’s go.”

 

Despite Abel’s admiration, Mateo showed no sign of joy.

 

The first floor of the Iron Sanctuary.

 

The Marchen Academy students were scattered and in the middle of finding the key.

 

Thanks to the note Isaac gave me, I wanted to find the key while smoothly solving the riddles and gimmicks prepared for the academy competition.

 

As the iron knights gradually became stronger and attacked intelligently with items, the search for the key was gradually delayed.

 

“hmm?”

 

“This… ?”

 

The Abel team students were startled to find something on the floor.

 

It was a black underwear. However, for some reason, a crater had formed where the underwear had fallen.

 

Except for the fact that the first floor of the Iron Sanctuary was divided into sections, it was the same as the stage of the Academy Competition, so there was no restoration of the ground.

 

“trap? No, it’s not a trap.”

 

“It looks like clothes… ? There are magic tool underwear worn for that training, right? I think that.”

 

Although it is clothes, it is a magical tool that can increase the weight, and the weight limit of the underwear in front of you seemed to be beyond imagination.

 

Just taking off your clothes and dropping them would shatter the floor.

 

Abel tried to lift the clothes with both hands.

 

I managed to lift it up to knee height, but the clothes were so heavy that my face turned red.

 

To the other students, it seemed like a realistic pantomime.

 

“Kuhh!”

 

Abel helplessly put down his clothes.

 

When the clothes fell to the floor, there was a dull sound and dust rose.

 

“Who the hell did this… .”

 

At that moment, Abel’s mind flashed back to the time he and Isaac rode in the carriage.

 

For a moment, the heavy wagon leaned toward Isaac.

 

The students lifted their heads and looked at the high ceiling. The terrifying magical power that had been pressing down on her skin from earlier had been pouring down without a break. It was a baptism of intense magical power that felt anger.

 

“Senior Isaac… .”

 

It was not difficult to guess the source of that magical power.

 

Follow their gaze to the final floor of the Sanctuary.

 

Sasasasak!!

 

When Rachneel countered Isaac with a series of blade attacks, Isaac had no choice but to let him go.

 

After suffering many cuts, Isaac hit the ground and joined Dorothy, Kaya, Ian and Noah. The gentle aura of the [Ice Emperor] was rising from Isaac.

 

Noah, seeing the highest realm of ice elemental properties for the first time, looked at Isaac with awe. Is there anyone other than Wonwang who is so overwhelming among humans?

 

the problem is… It was the fact that the enemy was the pinnacle of living things.

 

“crazy… .”

 

Ian’s mouth wide open.

 

Slowly, Rachneel’s body rose into the air.

 

Rachneel’s body was about to break as Isaac poured in a series of attacks with the power of the [Ice Emperor]. Dozens of cracks in its body were clearly visible.

 

[Guys who can’t compare to the knights on the first floor must have blocked the way… .]

 

“I smashed everything and came up.”

 

[Human… , I praise you for bringing me here.]

 

Rachneel’s distorted face aimed at Isaac’s party.

 

Iron magic spread around Lachneel, and so many greatswords were created to fill the space.

 

Subsequently, the number of iron knights was absorbed into Lachneel, and Lachneel’s body was restored to its original state.

 

“What, recovering that much damage so easily?”

 

“No, the damage must have been cumulative.”

 

To Ian’s admiration, Isaac replied in a cold voice.

 

“Don’t be surprised. This place has become the sanctuary of Rachneel. Fairies have an advantage over anyone in their sanctuary. Same with that guy.”

 

This is the Iron Sanctuary.

 

Since fairies pursue the order of nature, when they build their own sanctuary, they make a contract with the human race that rules the area to avoid conflict. Because it is the most peaceful way.

 

However, Lachneel forcibly made this place his sanctuary. It was an atrocity to turn order and humanity into enemies, but this was also an effective way to build a sanctuary.

 

After all, it was only natural that Rachneel was the strongest here.

 

“Kaya, how is White?”

 

“It seemed like something was wrong with my body. As Isaac said, I started suffering from a high fever.”

 

“good.”

 

It was a symptom that appeared when the power of a fairy was about to manifest.

 

Isaac took out his dark iron sword and slammed it into the ground. Caan, the cheerful sound of metal clashing with iron rang out.

 

“Follow my instructions from now on. Today, I will subdue that fairy.”

 

Dorothy, Kaya, Ian, and Noah all nodded and prepared for battle.

 

Meanwhile, outside the Iron Sanctuary.

 

“Your Majesty, I brought Princess Snow White, but her condition is not serious… !”

 

“white?”

 

People were evacuating to shelters on high hills to avoid the sea of iron on the ground.

 

center of them. The Imperial Knights and Merlin Astreans brought Snow White to Emperor Carlos.

 

White was moaning with a high fever while on Merlin’s back. My whole body was covered with sweat.

 

“Call the healing squad right now!”

 

“yes!”

 

White was laid down on the bed, and Emperor Carlos looked at his daughter with concern.

 

Outside the window, a series of explosions and magic shook the building.

 

“Why is White like this? Is it because of that fairy? Explain, Merlin Astreans!”

 

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. After the iron fairy appeared, Princess Snowwhite’s body temperature rose rapidly. It is hypothesized that there is a correlation.”

 

“Wizard troops, work hard to find out the cause, and find a way to support the Ice Emperor in the Iron Castle with all your might! I can’t just be helplessly attacked by the unknown power of the fairies!”

 

No matter how strong the kingdom was, it was impossible to invade the iron sanctuary built by Rachneel.

 

Only Stella and Silfia’s followers, Dorothy and Kaya, managed to enter.

 

However, if he couldn’t help Isaac here, the Gerber Empire would lose face.

 

“hahahaha… .”

 

White closed his eyes tightly and breathed heavily. She could hear the sounds around her faintly.

 

My mind was hazy. It felt like I was stepping one step between my dream and reality.

 

I couldn’t even wake up to the headache that felt like being pricked in my head with a needle. Even the energy to suffer was a luxury.

 

A healing wizard came and began to cast healing magic on White, but even then White’s condition showed no signs of improving.

 

“Senior Isaac… .”

 

In the darkness, a blue-silver haired male student was caught in White’s field of vision.

 

“The White Princess?”

 

Merlin and Emperor Carlos looked at White anxiously.

 

White, his face burning with high fever, narrowed his eyes at Merlin.

 

“Ehehehe… . It’s okay, I… .”

 

“Princess White, you can’t say anything.”

 

“Senior Isaac is working hard… , I can’t be the only one who looks pathetic… .”

 

White smiled faintly and struggled to get out of bed.

 

The healing mage tried to dissuade him, but he couldn’t bear to touch the princess’s body.

 

When White lost his balance and tried to sit down, Merlin ran and helped him.

 

─ ‘You’re starting to get a fever. That’s when it started.’

 

“The last mentoring… , I need to finish well… .”

 

White drifted through memories of the past, remembering Isaac’s voice.

 

–

 

About a month ago, a dark night.

 

It was time to train your mana management skills by looking at each other hand in hand with Isaac in the corner of the hydrangea garden.

 

“white. I have a confession to make.”

 

“… yes?”

 

“I feel like I have to tell you now.”

 

The atmosphere was emotional.

 

The lake, filled with natural mana, lit up the dark night like a large lamp, and Isaac’s eyes twinkled dimly.

 

White swallowed dry saliva involuntarily.

 

In such an atmosphere, the situation in which an older man with outstanding charm as a member of the opposite s*x, like Isaac, uttered the word ‘confession’ was quite fatal for an adolescent girl.

 

“Uh, yes… ? that confession… ? Is it a confession that means telling your heart? Senior Isaac, to me… ?!”

 

“What are you asking about?”

 

“Oh, no, I was just asking to confirm… .”

 

White blamed himself for sometimes getting excited by his teacher, Isaac, regardless of his will.

 

Isaac reaped his magic.

 

“Actually, I had a purpose for approaching you. It seems to have served its purpose now.”

 

“For what purpose… ?”

 

“Listen, White. It’s about you.”

 

That day, Isaac told White an unbelievable story.

 

The blood of the Epelto family was blessed by Nyx, the night fairy, and among them, White was the one most deeply influenced by the blessing.

 

And Isaac prophesied that the time to use that power would soon come.

 

“… It made you a little bit stronger for that time. Now that you’re on a certain track, I’m able to gain the strength to fight against the fairies after I’ve received your mana up close. There is still only one person in your capacity who can share that power. There is a limit to how much the core of magical power can divide. That one person has now become me.”

 

“that… , Ehehehe, I don’t know what you’re talking about… .”

 

“I used you.”

 

At Isaac’s firm reply, White swallowed his breath.

 

“I’m sorry for not telling you earlier. I wanted to eliminate variables as much as possible.”

 

Jogon Jogon, an honest story told calmly.

 

White bowed his head.

 

“You didn’t believe me… .”

 

“… … .”

 

“That is fine.”

 

White raised his head again and gave Isaac a broad smile.

 

“Thank you for talking to me. Mentor and mentee… . When the teaching is over, there is nothing more to do. Then, after all, senior Isaac and I are only in that relationship, right?”

 

A relationship for mutual benefit.

 

Such was the relationship that reassured White.

 

After all, it wasn’t because of Isaac’s good intentions that I was particularly open to him. On the contrary, it was great that he did not blindly show goodwill.

 

Thorough give and take. That put White at ease.

 

To trust people is to create weaknesses. The other person’s unconditional goodwill may one day aim for the title.

 

It was a set of values that White had cultivated through numerous assassination attempts on his mother.

 

There was a stabbing pain in his chest, but this was proof that he had become weak.

 

It was fine. White laughed softly.

 

“To be honest, I don’t really know what to say. Before I knew it, I was just a weak person who couldn’t feed a single bite to the person I hate. hehehe, just… I’m glad I was helpful to Isaac.”

 

“Can you help me? When I need you.”

 

“You are mean… .”

 

“… … .”

 

“… When that job is over, I’m no longer useful to Isaac-senpai, right? You’ll never be able to stay here again, like you used to?”

 

“Because I already filled my mentoring quota in the past.”

 

From noble mtl dot com

 

Isaac spoke emphatically.

 

“I will never teach you again.”

 

At some point, White used to get the feeling that Isaac was looking into the distant future.

 

The future was so bleak that even a rare great wizard like Isaac seemed impatient.

 

I didn’t even know how far I was delusional. How could he count the thoughts of the archmage?

 

What was certain was that White couldn’t do anything other than hold Isaac back.

 

“… Ehehehe. Be really mean.”

 

White looked at the beautiful lake where natural mana drifted.

 

Here, in the hydrangea garden at Marchen Academy, I remembered the time I spent with Isaac.

 

Those moments were as beautiful as flowers in full bloom. That’s why I didn’t know that one day it would wither like a flower.

 

Suddenly, I remembered the embarrassing past when I hugged Isaac and begged him not to leave.

 

Isaac vowed not to leave White’s side, and White remembered everything he said that day.

 

Again, White realized anew. That the two of them were nothing more than a mentor and mentee that the academy had formed.

 

‘liar.’

 

leaving at the end

 

White looked back at Isaac and tried to smile.

 

“I can’t help it. I think it’s my duty as the princess to help senior Isaac who is trying to protect people. So, I’m on the side of senior Isaac. I will do my best so that I can see Isaac-senpai with a smile until the end.”

 

“… thanks.”

 

That day, Isaac was calm enough to hate.

 

It can’t be helped, White has told himself time and time again.

 

–

 

The image of the most beautiful mother in the world lingered in White’s mind. She shone like a precious jewel.

 

White admired her mother’s beauty.

 

Even when he tried to kill his own mother, White did until he didn’t know the truth.

 

“Merlin… .”

 

“Yes, Princess White.”

 

The fact that even the pocket watch my mother gave me as a gift was actually nothing more than a malicious tool to immerse myself in eternal pain… White’s chest was squeezed again.

 

no one could be trusted

 

If I tried to trust people, I felt like a knife would come to my neck in return someday.

 

It was the same with Isaac. What is the difference between being a teacher and being a great mage?

 

He admired him and showered him with much affection, but if anyone asked him if he was trustworthy, White would hesitate to answer.

 

Isaac drew a line in White without knowing it, and White was able to like Isaac safely because of that line.

 

It was an ironic relationship.

 

And that destination was now.

 

“Merlin, you will not leave me… ?”

 

Feeling dejected, White smiled. It was a self-deprecating laugh.

 

Merlin lowered her eyes.

 

“yes. I will not leave.”

 

“Ehehehe… , thank you… .”

 

lie.

 

You’re leaving me someday too.

 

As a knight of the imperial family, I only stayed by his side because I was ordered by an escort knight.

 

“Take me to the window… . I have to help senior Isaac… .”

 

White made no expression.

 

Right now, I just wanted to do what I had to do.

 

“Who are you! … Big!”

 

Suddenly, a shrieking sound was heard from the hallway.

 

Merlin hurriedly got up from her seat and put her hand on the sword at her waist.

 

Emperor Carlos glared at the doorway.

 

Quaang!!

 

The entrance door was broken, and the bloodied imperial knight flew in and rolled on the ground.

 

someone came inside

 

only one person.

 

“Asmodians… ?”

 

White’s eyes widened and he looked at the creature.

 

It was not difficult to guess that the creature was a Demon by its strange appearance.

 

Merlin noticed the opponent’s strength and frowned. For some reason, the momentum of the demons that appeared during the Alice incident was felt from the demons in front of me.

 

The knights and wizards in the room all took a combat stance, but the opponent only let out a relaxed smile.

 

[Nice to meet you, Emperor of the Gerber Empire.]

 

The demon respectfully bowed his upper body.

 

[My name is Mephisto. Greetings from the body of the contractor.]