Ed Subjugation War (4)
?- ‘Stop meddling.’
This was what Elvira’s older sister said as she lifted Elvira’s cheek.
It is the most vividly engraved memory of Elvira, the Anniston family’s bad girl.
By the time he came of age, he had already opened his eyes to reagent combinations and improving magic engineering supplies.
Her childhood as a troublemaker, confined to the laboratory of the Anniston family mansion and causing explosions three or four times a day… is not that distant past for her.
The Anniston family was not wealthy, but as a renowned alchemy family, her sisters were also well-versed in all kinds of alchemy.
However, compared to Elvira, who had already created her own system and was completely fascinated by the world, most of her talents were on the axis of ordinary talent.
This was the reason why I couldn’t sit still whenever I looked at inefficient reagent combination formulas or magic engineering supplies improvement formulas that contained useless ingredients.
In her family, there was no one with more talent and passion than her, so everything was overlooked in her eyes.
Whenever I had time, I would just look at the sisters’ research results and grumble and point out imperfections.
Beyond her research achievements, she went beyond her attitude toward life as an alchemist and her passion for researching values… People around her couldn’t help but feel a sense of inferiority rising as they watched her talk about her philosophy.
God gave her natural talent and passion, but did not give her the appropriate behavior and behavior.
In fact, it was too harsh to expect such adult manners from a young girl.
Eventually, her pent-up inferiority complex exploded when her older sister, Deella Anniston, failed the Sylvania entrance exam.
When she saw Elvira tilting her head as she disassembled the magic engineering supplies she had brought for the entrance exam, one by one, Diella, who had been overwhelmed by Elvira’s talent, could not hold back her emotions and ended up slapping her in the face.
There is nothing wrong with Elvira.
However, it is also true that they failed to consider Diella, who was heartbroken.
– ‘Do you always feel like you are the main character in everything in the world?’
Diella Anniston pushed all the reagent bottles on the test table and broke them, tore up the research scroll, and spoke through gritted teeth.
– ‘Good… you don’t have to try to understand ordinary humans like us.’
– ‘Sister…’
– ‘Okay, unleash your abilities to your heart’s content. As a human born with half-hearted talents… I will live half-heartedly.’
After that, Diella completely quit alchemy and went to the imperial capital Cloeron to learn accounting and management.
The appearance of his face in the Anniston family became extremely rare, and soon it became difficult to see him even once a year.
Now, for her, alchemy is nothing more than a trigger that makes her recall memories of failure.
That’s probably why he didn’t want to return to his home, which was filled with all kinds of alchemy devices.
Even though I was young, I knew Elvira for sure.
You are not at fault.
The reason Diella got angry and screamed at Elvira and gave up on her path… was completely due to her own inferiority complex.
Elvira’s meddling was always in the right direction. Efficiency of magic flow, cost-effectiveness of combination materials, efficiency of reagents, etc… The correct answer was always to do as Elvira said.
So, there is no way to change one’s attitude toward life because of Diella’s sad eyes.
Quite the contrary. It just goes through stronger.
Eventually, Elvira entered Sylvania and became the head of the pension department…
She even earned the disgrace of being a busybody because she grumbled and meddled countless times with people who couldn’t do their part… But Elvira didn’t stop.
Her way was to prove that her path was right, even if it meant being stubborn.
The thought that occurred to me was whether Clevius would also agree with that opinion.
*Ominous magical power rose from the flowing blood.
Clevius hung his upper body and took a quick breath, looking up at Tailley with creepy eyes.
Tailly also has no intention of backing down. If the other person does not try to resolve the issue through dialogue, he or she will just pick up the sword.
“Wait! Stop! You two shouldn’t be like this…!”
Elvira quickly got down on the floor, raised her upper body, and shouted, but the energy of the blood sword technique was already lingering in Clevius’ body.
There is no middle ground in Clevius Nortondale’s blood sampling technique.
Once started, the blood sword technique gradually eats away at Clevius’s spirit.
The madness that engulfs the mind only increases as time passes.
There is no opponent who has not shed blood in front of him. Even Lucy Mayril had no choice but to allow at least a small scratch… It was a swordsmanship that bordered on madness itself.
“Just shut your mouth and stay there.”
Clevious’s power is completely different from his usual appearance.
After overpowering Elvira with a single word, he kicked the floor and rushed towards Tailly.
The sword was beyond the point of being fast. I just can’t see it.
Taily blocked Clevious’s first sword strike with almost sensibility. He blocked the invisible sword with just his fighting senses.
I didn’t stop it after seeing it, nor did I predict it. There had to be a sense that was almost precognitive.
Tailly gritted his teeth in embarrassment even after blocking Clevius’ sword strike.
The two eyes of Clevius, swords clashing right in front of him. That eye light is revealed right in front of your nose.
It is not a human, but a beast.
Although he still had some sense of reason left, he was slowly shedding his human mask and becoming a ghost.
“Clevius…! You don’t know the circumstances…”
“I don’t know the circumstances, but…”
The blades that met each other were trembling. The battle of strength between them was a whistle, but the speed itself was completely superior to Clevius.
Just like that, Clevious twisted his body and delivered a roundhouse kick to Tailley’s abdomen.
Although it was such a big move, it was so fast that Taily couldn’t even catch it.
“Whoa!”
As it was, Tailley was hung on the iron bars that served as the outer wall of Elte Company.
For a moment, my breathing stopped and a huge shock rushed up my back… but there was no time to struggle in pain.
When I looked up, Clevius had already jumped and was right in front of me.
The sword was about to be swung. The series of bends and strikes at the waist cannot be seen.
It was just a strike like lightning. When I came to my senses, I felt like an attack had already occurred.
Tailly avoided a direct hit with her amazing reflexes, but she couldn’t help but notice bleeding from the shoulder where the sword had grazed.
Tailley adjusted her posture, frowning and holding her shoulders tightly.
The iron bars that had been hit by Clevius’s attack instead of Tailley’s… shattered with a loud noise.
“…I know what you were trying to do.”
It felt clear to Clevious.
It was only for a moment, but Tailley tried to cut Elvira down.
Of course, I didn’t feel any killing intent. However, inflicting fatal injuries was also a deadly blow.
If so, there are no more extenuating circumstances at that point.
Clevius stabs himself again in the opposite shoulder with the dagger he pulled out from his waist.
With a popping sound, new bleeding occurs from Clevius’ shoulder. As more blood flows out, more and more magical power begins to reside in his body.
Clevius, who twisted his body strangely and then fell limp again… flinched and trembled once.
──If you face the Nortondale family’s sword master, be sure to win with one blow.
This is what Mike, a senior professor in the combat department, told before combat practice.
As long as you live, you continue to grow stronger, and as long as you die, you continue to grow stronger.
The ghost, drawn by blood, gradually builds up more magical power… The more it converges with death, the more insane the monster becomes.
If you try to win by undermining your enemy, you will end up getting your own throat cut.
So, quench the monster’s thirst before it craves more blood and end it before it turns into a complete ghost.
Clevious Nortondale’s blood sword technique is a madman’s technique that becomes stronger as the smell of death approaches.
The speed at which one loses one’s life with just a single sword strike right before death is… not even a rare genius magician or a veteran swordsman who has experienced many hardships can follow it with the eye.
“Woo Wook Hu …”
Leaning on the iron bar, Tayley, who was barely raised … I see the scene in front of my eyes.
The marble yard of Elte Company under the moonlight.
A blood-eating ghost stands there.
The option of quick resolution has long since disappeared. The Sword Demon, who was greedy enough for blood, glanced at Tailley with creepy eyes…
and then he was already running into Tailley’s arms and sinking the sword into her shoulder.
It happened in that split second when I closed my eyes and opened them.
*
“We must stick to Princess Fenia’s side.”
This is my first time entering Lortel’s villa in person.
It’s not as flashy as my cabin, but it’s quite spacious and the furniture inside is much more luxurious.
The weather is better, and there are magic equipment that circulates the air inside, so it’s quite comfortable.
Even at this level, it feels like living at a regular home rather than at a camp. Certainly, if you have money, there are no inconveniences no matter where you live.
“This case is tied to a power struggle within the imperial family. It could become even bigger if it gets intertwined with the Ross Taylor family case.”
After entering the villa, I first lit a bonfire and secured a light source by pushing a small amount of magical energy into magic engineering supplies found here and there in the room.
When the lights come on, it feels cozier than I expected.
Lortel and I sat side by side on the antique wooden chairs in the central part of the villa.
Lortel was already exhausted due to the physical exhaustion from being incarcerated, and having run a marathon in the middle of the night.
When I roughly brought him some water, he said thank you and gulped it down. He put down his robe hat and rested his arms on the table to catch his breath.
“Princess Fenia?”
“Yes. At least he is someone who will take our side in this conflict.”
“Well, this isn’t the Ross Taylor family’s business, it’s the Elte Company’s business, right…?”
“In the grand scheme of things, the Rosstaylor family is also connected.”
“Still…”
The prediction is the same as to what Lortel wants to say.
“Princess Fenia will not be pleased with me.”
“How much of a confrontation have you set up?”
“Princess Fenia probably thinks that I will stick to Princess Selaha.”
When I looked at him in bewilderment, Lortel immediately added an additional explanation.
“When Senior Ed lost consciousness at the Ross Taylor Mansion, I did some trickery to steal his recruits from the Elte Company.”
“what?”
“I didn’t want to leave you to someone else.”
Because he spoke without hesitation, I couldn’t come up with an answer right away.
“That means…”
“You didn’t really hide it. Me and Princess Fenia… we’re like oil and water.”
It was the same in the
“I don’t approve of Princess Fenia that much either. I don’t want to bow down to that person. I should have tried to find another way…” ”
But… if the situation has come to this point, it is not the time to choose between hot and cold dishes. . You have to think about your situation.”
In the end, I am the only one who can persuade Lortel.
I pushed the chair, stood up straight, and looked at Lortel intently.
“If I have more time, I might be able to find another way out, but right now. The ship behind Dune and Slog is the Princess of Persica. The only person who can stand up to him with authority is Princess Fenia.”
In
In the end, there was not a single focal point that could unite the two as one force. “Even if it’s just to see my face, hold hands with Princess Fenia first.” ”
…Even if it’s to see your face…?”
Lortel dried all the sweat on his face and slowly looked into my eyes
.
My serious face is reflected in Lortel’s eyes.
Princess Fenia is a human being who is like Lortel Kecheln’s vice.
Seeing the relationship between the two makes me believe in fatalism that did not exist before. It goes beyond just seeing and seeing, and it is a human bond. It does not fit in itself.
The background of growth, the values, the way of leading a group, the way of achieving what you want, the way of carrying out your will.
All of these are trying to bring together two people who are complete opposites… In the end, there is no other way than appealing to emotions.
“They say that if you like it first, you lose.”
Lortel nuzzled his face and pursed his lips.
“If it’s a contractual relationship based on necessity, it can’t be helped.” Temporarily joining hands with hostile forces is not uncommon in the world of Sangdo.”
“Yes. Thank you for thinking positively. Anyway, what I have to do now is catch Dune.”
Dune Grex was always smiling frivolously, wearing a turquoise beret and merchant uniform.
In fact, I knew very well that even that frivolous appearance was an act, but I never thought it would be this elaborate. “If it
was going to hit you and no one else, it wouldn’t be a plan prepared in a day or two.”
“But… I was thoroughly briefed on all logistics flows within the Elte Company building. “I reviewed it again at the beginning and end of each day.”
Lortel’s handling of work is solid. If
he had done things in a one-dimensional way, he would have been caught by Lortel’s keen eye.
However, no matter how busy and hectic he was , Even if that was the case, the fact that he was carrying out the operation outside of Lortel’s sight…
“First of all, you can’t escape my eyes with the logistics or funds that have been managed within the Chamber of Commerce. I can be confident about this.”
“Then… outside of the Sanghoe…?”
“If you say outside of the Sanghoe, it means it’s inside Aken Island. 80% of the financial flows within Aken Island circulate within the living quarters. The same goes for the inside of the living building, because it is my territory…”
Lortel did not finish his sentence after saying that much.
He just trembled as if something had suddenly occurred to him.
“Apart from the inside of the living building or the academic building, there are places where the funds from the Chamber of Commerce reached. There is.”
“…Where?”
“Here.”
It was so small that I couldn’t pay attention to it.
At best, it was just building a small villa for one person to live in. It was an embarrassing level of work compared to the numerous projects carried out by Elte Trading Company. C.
In fact, since it was close to Lortel’s private business, one of the employees in charge of the work took charge of it.
I remember. The company employee who came to the camp to survey the site, arrange materials, and produce design drawings to build Lortel’s villa. .. It’s Dune Grex. I also left a bottle of distilled liquor as a gift.
“No matter what, it’s a business for the merchant, so shouldn’t you have been informed of all the funds and current status of the construction of this place?”
“That’s right. There were no particular problems with the construction itself… But while I was away at Old Deck on vacation… Dune Grex would have managed the construction site of this villa, right?”
Lortel just pushed his chair and sat down. I stood up.
I adjusted the hem of my robe and walked towards the small door next to the bed. When I opened the old-fashioned wooden door, there were stairs leading to the basement.
“…This place?”
“It’s an underground space that was built to be used as a wine cellar.”
Just like that. While saying this, Lortel quickly went down the stairs.
When I followed him down, Lortel was whining and trying to open the cellar door. Lortel didn’t have the key yet.
“Ask Mr. Bell to bring the wine and store it in the cellar. I was thinking of letting go. Ugh…! But the start of school is getting closer and the construction of the villa is finished, but Dune hasn’t given me the key to the cellar.”
“I think I know roughly now. “Get out of the way.”
I grabbed Lortel’s arm and lightly pushed him to the side. After securing space, I stomped on the door with my shoulder. The
sturdy basement door did not budge. In the end, when I looked at Lortel, Lortel said, Tell brought out his magical power and completely broke down the basement door.
– Kwaaaaang!
The underground space that was said to have been reserved for wine storage is revealed from the dust.
“…”
“…”
Lortel and I were like that in a daze for a while. I had to stand.
What was inside the wine cellar… was a mountain of gold coins.
It wasn’t just a penny or two. Even if you look at it, it was a huge amount of gold coins.
Not only that, but also valuables and expensive magic engineering supplies that were managed within the Elte Company. Crucially… Numerous high-end distilled spirits were piled up here and there.
Dune Grex was said to have a habit of manipulating the trading company’s books and embezzling metallurgy whenever he got the chance.
When working with shrewd merchants, it’s easy to meet a few such gentle people. . As long as you are sure about getting the job done, you can turn a blind eye to stealing a few pennies due to self-interest.
However, if even that was an act,
the image of Dune, wearing a beret and organizing documents at the working-level committee chair, overlaps. His sharp eyes are like those of an eagle looking for prey.
Even a third-rate embezzler who touches public funds due to self-interest and greed is just a character he created.
Even pretending to be a wealthy person while collecting rare foreign liquor. If all of them were manipulatives, then
Lortel Kecheln would remember him as ‘a third-rate conman who is competent but tries to get his own interests out of the back of his hand’ and was trying to be recognized as one of the employees who would be easy to use and throw away.
That’s how… I dealt with the opponent. If they were trying to make you feel like you were in complete control. Everything
was said in the subjunctive mood, but the evidence was right in front of your eyes.
Even the calm Lortel was speechless for a moment and could only remain still with his pupils dilated.
——During those long years, Dune All of the embezzled funds and items… are all located in this basement.
Dune… was all saved up without spending a single penny.
why?
To blame it all on Lortel’s embezzlement.
If you embezzle a large amount of money at once, it will be too obvious and Lortel will immediately stop you.
Leaving behind evidence of metallurgy embezzlement over a long period of time… we wait and wait for the time of recovery to come someday.
The reason Lortel Kecheln ordered the construction of a villa was simply because he wanted to experience simple camp life.
Dune Grex took that opportunity and staged the villa to look like a secret storage place for Lortel’s separately embezzled funds. The ledger work is probably already finished.
There is no better justification for removing him from the position of head of the company.
How much has the knife been sharpened over the years in the dark?
Even though countless opportunities passed by, how long did it take to seize a clearer opportunity?
The opponent is the colossus Lortel Kacheln.
If you don’t do this, you won’t be able to hit after that. Dune was well aware of that fact.
A tower of gold coins piled up beneath Lortel’s villa.
If the imperial army were to attack like this, judging by the circumstances alone, it would not be strange for the new soldiers to be arrested right away… It was such clear evidence.
*The Sylvania branch building of the Elte Company at night.
In that garden, the sword saint Tailly and the sword spirit Clevius are fighting. The noise from the battle echoes all the way to the commercial building, but few people are hearing it properly.
– Kang! Kaang!
Ziggs Eiffelstein is sitting on a wooden chair and polishing his sword at the second floor entrance.
He looks relaxed, but his expression is serious.
There were all kinds of weapons around. From the rapier he brought with him, to the large long sword, small dual-wielding daggers, bow, gauntlet, mace, and spear…
Ziggs is cleaning his weapons one by one, like a wild beast standing alone in the wild with its teeth raised.
– Kaaaaang! grasp!
Yenica Palover is sitting alone in the luxurious VIP waiting room on the third floor, drinking tea.
The atmosphere is unusual.
The spirits around her are nervously watching her. The face doesn’t look right.
I’m just sitting with my back to the front in front of the huge window in the VIP waiting room and looking up at the moon.
A feeling of fear of unknown origin flows from her back, buried in the shadows.
– Kaang! Kaang! Kaang!
Traceiana Bloomriver wearing a robe and holding a cane in the hall at the end of the hallway on the 4th floor.
A battle mage who uses high-level magic and has extensive duel experience against melee warriors.
He is the head of the 4th year magic department, the highest level, and is already skilled in close combat, where a warrior can have an advantage over a wizard.
And traces of Ed Ross Taylor’s escape remain along the chase route that leads from the rooftop to the back door of the store. You have to run along it towards the northern forest for a while… and then you can finally catch Ed Rosstaylor.
To reach Ed Rothtaylor, each and every one of them must break through all the layers of ridiculous levels of force.
Trials are like a huge wall.
Only a wall that you can’t even think of jumping over can be called an ordeal.
Tailley’s life has always been a series of trials. That’s why I endured the pain and gritted my teeth to survive the ordeal that made me wonder if this was even possible.
Taily McLaure falls, screaming in pain.
After being pushed by Clevius’ sword and rolling on the floor… I finally manage to collect myself and look up at the midnight beast again.
The blood-mad swordsman’s eyes shine under the soft moonlight.
Tailly closes her eyes.
I have lived my life believing that there is no hardship that cannot be overcome.
Did you say that trials that cannot kill me only make me stronger? But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s painful.
Still, the reason I was able to stand on my feet was only because of Ayla. That’s why Tayley McLaure never falls.
He barely stands up, leaning on his sword. The body is already half ruined.
There are still many trials remaining. Still, Tailly never gives up.
I widen my eyes and look clearly at the terrifying Sword Demon.
Life returns to his eyes. The magic power of the Sword Seongsik flowing through her body… begins to take control of Tailly’s body again.
Tailley McLore, the Sword Saint of Trials.
With a body full of blood loss, wounds, and energy drained, he stands up again.
