It had been a hellish week.

I hadn't been able to sleep properly, skipped meals, and devoted myself to studying.

I don't think I have ever studied this hard before.

I did my best, just as Robert had advised.

And so, a week passed.

I succeeded in using spatial magic.

No, to be precise, I was able to use spatial magic on the 6th day.

On the 7th day, I used the technique that Ian had explained to me.

The technique Ian taught me was coordinate analysis.

It was a technique to find out where Perrian went when he used spatial magic.

I went through hell to use these two techniques, spatial teleportation and coordinate analysis.

It was a week I never wanted to experience again.

Still, the reward for this came quickly.

A wizard was tied up and collapsed next to me, and another wizard was kneeling and glaring at me.

And around me, magical research materials were scattered everywhere.

I asked while reading the messed-up research materials.

"So, what were you doing here?"

"You think I'd tell you?"

Most of the wizards had fallen at the first attack, but this wizard had resisted until the end.

Of course, I could easily defeat this wizard too.

For some reason, he had fallen without being able to use magic properly.

The magic he used was high-level.

However, the application of mana was a mess, and he had collapsed on his own before he could cast a spell.

It felt like he was already out of energy before I even faced him.

"Hmm..."

I read through the documents that had fallen to the floor, one by one.

I can't draw magic circles myself, but I had spent a long time beside Luna, who was good with them.

I've only been by Luna's side for two years, but those two years were enough for me.

After reading some of the documents, I looked at the wizard in front of me.

"You guys don't know anything?"

"What?"

I smiled broadly.

"You were just making it as told, without knowing what this magic tool would become."

That was the conclusion I drew after reading the documents.

"Do you know what this magic tool is used for?"

I pointed to the magic tool in front of me.

A magic tool as big as a person.

But this magic tool was really useless.

Not figuratively, but this tool was literally useless.

Since the wizard didn't answer, I spoke instead.

"That's an amplifier."

A magic tool amplifier.

The main magic circle hadn't been inserted into it yet.

This tool would only activate when a central magic circle is inserted into it.

Until then, it had been just a large piece of scrap metal.

"So, you must not have connected the middle circuit properly."

I showed the document I was holding to the wizard.

The document was a part of the blueprint for the central part.

The circuits on the side, excluding the central part, were perfect.

The mana stone's efficiency part was well constructed, and the circuit that amplified it was perfect.

However, there was no circuit leading to the center.

Surely, there should have been a main magic circle in the middle part, but even the circuit connecting to that part was completely empty.

That meant they had no idea what was supposed to go in the middle.

Of course, it could be that I was misunderstanding something just by looking at this document.

Still, the reason I had asked was to probe him.

"Ugh..."

The wizard in front of me frowned.

True to being a research wizard, he couldn't lie.

"Looks like I'm right."

I picked up a few documents and stood up.

These guys didn't know what Perrian was planning to do.

Then, there was no more reason to stay.

"So, shall we all go together?"

"...What?"

"To prison, where else?"

I smiled broadly.

"...What happened here?"

Perrian arrived at the Astria territory with a dumbfounded expression.

The place where the necromancers had gathered was in total disarray.

The number of wizards had drastically decreased, and all related documents had disappeared.

Moreover, while there were still necromancers present, they were not the ones who had held significant positions.

Only the insignificant ones remained.

"I'm sorry..."

"I asked what happened."

"...Professor Robert came."

"Robert? Why would he suddenly?"

Perrian naturally thought it was the work of the Emperor's faction or the rebels.

It made sense for the Emperor's faction to interfere with his work, and for the rebels, taking necromancers away would be a significant gain.

But the sudden mention of Robert's name was puzzling.

"He had been investigating the necromancers for a while."

"Why would he do that?"

"Remember the incident that happened with necromancy before? When Ephomos fell..."

"Ah, that incident?"

The incident where Robert's son died because of necromancy.

It was an event Perrian had considered insignificant, so he had dismissed it from his mind.

"Did he come for revenge?"

"It seems so."

"And you were defeated by such a person?"

"..."

"Pathetic and hopeless."

Perrian clicked his tongue and stroked his chin.

If it was the Academy, then they were closer to the Emperor's faction at the moment.

People like McDowell and Cromwell were close to Chancellor Ophillius, and despite the Academy's neutral stance, it ultimately followed the Emperor's will.

"Maybe he didn't come just for revenge."

Perrian looked around.

If he had come purely for revenge, there would be no reason to leave this place like this.

Leaving even a little bit meant it was to deceive him.

"So, you guys sent the letter."

"Yes... otherwise, he said he would kill us..."

Perrian stared at the wizard in front of him and extended his hand.

"Spatial Severance."

"...Huh?"

A gap in space appeared around the wizard's neck.

The necromancer reporting to Perrian was immediately decapitated, his head severed from his body.

"Ugh..."

"Huh..."

Blood spurted from the neck like a fountain.

The necromancers around widened their eyes and stared at the scene.

"Make the mana stones again."

When Perrian said that, the wizards murmured among themselves.

Then they quietly spoke up.

"We don't have the manpower to capture people anymore... and all the documents have disappeared..."

"Do you want to die too?"

"…Sigh."

"Pathetic creatures."

Perrian said that and turned his head.

He was looking towards where the vault had been.

Originally, it was a place where mana stones, filled with vast amounts of mana, were stored.

The vault had been emptied.

'That was a close call.'

However, there wasn't anything important inside.

Perrian had never trusted the necromancers from the beginning.

He had taken the mana stones with the most mana when he went to the capital.

'It was almost complete.'

The death of the necromancers was not a big issue, but the biggest problem was that this place had been exposed.

There hadn't been any reactions from the surroundings yet, but it would probably happen soon.

'Robert came here about 2 weeks ago.'

That meant there was still time.

Perrian had not been caught at the scene.

The only evidence was that necromancers existed in the Astria territory and the testimonies of the necromancers.

That meant a lengthy process would follow.

Capturing a duke of a country was not that easy.

'Ian will probably drag out the time.'

Ian already knew about this matter.

So, he thought that Ian would handle it calmly.

Moreover, if the necromancers started moving again, the public's attention would be drawn to the necromancers.

It would take some time to stop them.

Anyway, since the capable necromancers were dead, there was no use for them.

So, he planned to use them as bait and then discard them.

'I don't have time to be doing this.'

Completing the magic tool would take a week, but he planned to finish it in four days.

Even if various things delayed it, the fact that time was running out did not change.

"Then, I'll be going back."

Perrian said that and returned to the capital.

The necromancers looked at each other at the spot where Perrian had disappeared.

"What should we do?"

"…We don't have any other way to live, do we?"

Following Perrian's orders wouldn't guarantee survival.

If they did so, Robert would surely kill them all.

And if they didn't take any action, Perrian wouldn't just let them be.

"It's time for us to face the consequences of our actions."

They nodded in agreement, sharing the same thought.

Ian stood quietly, waiting for someone, and frowned when he saw a woman approaching him.

"…Why did you come?"

"Do you have a problem with that?"

Rie brushed her golden wavy hair aside and smiled brightly.

"Wasn't there anyone else?"

"There were others, but none as trustworthy. At least one of the two of us should be someone reliable, don’t you think?"

"This is absurd."

Ian turned his head away from Rie and walked forward.

Rie followed him.

The same armbands were worn on the arms of both as they walked.

These armbands bore the symbol of the royal family, a golden dragon, and a sword with ornate patterns.

It signified that they were special investigators appointed by the royal family.

"I hoped that someone competent would come."

"I'll manage fine on my own, so you better do your part properly."

They stopped walking, each annoyed with the other.

In front of them was the Astria family's mansion.