Chapter 49
Sebastian and Ainsworth accompanied Azek.
Count Margrave always looked up to Marquis Adrian Willowheart. He was a swordmaster in an era of magic knights.
The whole Willowheart family proudly bore the legacy of their ancestors, constantly refusing to give up and sharpening their craft, eventually discovering swordmastery in aura and becoming a force fighting at the forefront of monster assault toe-to-toe with magic knights.
So when the son of such an esteemed individual was entrusted in their care, Margrave gave this responsibility to his sons instead of guards and asked them to treat him at the level of a marquis.
Although both sons found it a bit exaggerated to treat a young master at the level of a marquis, they couldn't be more wrong.
Azek's instant judgement coupled with his mana technique and his swift decision-making in moments of peril had earned their respect.
He was only around 16 years old and was already capable of independent thinking and taking matters into his own hands when needed.
If only the Margrave family had someone like him — they would be able to break free from their shackles as well, and the family would reach new heights on the political front.
After all, the young man before them had achieved these feats with average talent. They wouldn't imagine what he would be capable of pulling off if his aptitude was first class. It seems Willowheart will continue to stand strong with such a capable young man in the lead.
Sebastian thought.
Ainsworth looked out the window.
Bishop Cassion had arrived. Sebastian went to the door and opened it when he heard footsteps.
Cassion was accompanied by Doris. He had rushed here after the report and traveled with the help of magic to reach here as soon as possible. Although this was an extravagant method not usually used — and the mages who came with him had depleted their mana completely — the situation at hand was of utmost importance.
Without wasting a second, he took a seat and started examining the ashes sitting on the table. Holy barriers surrounded the whole table.
"Mmmm,"
he groaned and cancelled the spell and turned towards Azek.
"How did you conclude that he was suspicious?"
Azek looked at him straight in the eye and slowly began recounting.
"He was acting strange according to the guards and had managed to reach the town unharmed with a monster following behind him.
That already raised some questions. But when he entered the room and was asking for reinforcements, I noticed a black vein on the back of his neck, albeit for only a second. I wasn't sure about it, so I slid a mana strand onto his body and got a familiar sensation.
It was similar to what examining contaminated people feels like. When he asked that the reinforcements should go and rescue people in the forest, there was a high chance it was an invitation to a trap.
But in that moment , I didn't have the chance to tell anyone about my speculation, and it was likely nobody would believe it as well. So I decided to gamble it and put excited mana into his body."
Azek paused briefly. Although there was no pressure to give each and every detail and he could keep it short if he wanted.
But everything he was saying was being recorded and played on magic crystals.
Pope Cecil was currently listening to the details, as well as King Lucian with his war minister and trusted aides in the royal palace.
The mages were maintaining a protective and soundproof barrier in the room consistently.
So he didn't make light of situation of and continued with detail summary.
"When I examined him, what I found inside wasn't the contamination source.
His heart was completely fused with his core, and it had turned completely black. The whole mana circling in his body with the pathways had turned black as well. Mana always shows a lively nature whenever inspected, but his mana had turned completely dead and cold.
And as soon as I touched the core heart, the mana started exploding, threatening to overtake the body. The reason I termed it as a magic bomb was because the core started cracking and mana started getting compressed in the middle while resisting. If that force of clash inside continued, it would no doubt explode. I wasn't sure how much damage it would cause, but the amount of mana compressed was large enough to blow this town out of existence completely."
He stopped and resumed again.
"So I lodged my spell into that compressing ball to stop the spell and purify as much mana as it could with excited mana. But the explosion still happened, and it needed all of our manpower to contain it. Therefore , I became sure that the black mage had a magic bomb spell written on his heart designed to go off when he died because spell only activated when his head was cut off."
Azek concluded.
"That will be all."
The room was completely silent for a few moments.