Chapter 19: The King’s Fury
“Oh, you really did it this time.”
“Well, it’s an emergency, so it can’t be helped.”
“Brother, you should have at least pretended to be out of mana and knelt down after that.”
“I didn’t think that far ahead.”
“In that regard, Kaito is quite calm. He advised me not to go all out, to hold back my attacks until I reached the center of the venue, and that there was little chance of me being counterattacked.”
“Do you know what Kaito was doing amidst all that chaos? He was scanning the venue, keeping an eye out for a second attack. When he found one, he used Earth Magic to strike, but he was so careful with his spell that it was light enough that it wouldn’t break the orb if it hit. In that confusion, I doubt anyone even noticed Kaito’s magic attack.”
“By the way, aren’t you going to heal Hyalda’s wounds?”
“She’s doing just fine, so I’ll try it out in the carriage. I haven’t had many opportunities to use Healing Magic, so I’m not confident it will work well.”
“You’re such a kind sister; it makes me happy.”
Once we got into the carriage and were out of sight, Fiene placed her hand on Hyalda’s head and softly said, “Naaore♪,” healing her effortlessly.
“Oh wow, it really worked! That’s amazing!”
With a flabbergasted Hyalda and Viscount Hamawal aboard, the carriage began its journey toward the estate in the Royal Capital.
“This is something I can’t tell anyone.”
“But Father, her injury was minor, right?”
“No, no, even for a minor injury, not many can heal so casually.”
“What kind of image did you use?”
“Well, I just thought, ‘Heal beautifully,’ while lightly channeling my mana.”
“Kaito always talks about the importance of imagery, but to manifest magic, its power, and speed, and even healing, all with just a light image—it completely overturns the conventional wisdom of magic. But if this spreads, the backlash could be terrifying. Even if all your abilities become known, make sure not to leak what you learned from Kaito. Just say it’s the result of practice or the fruit of grueling training. You can also say it’s the blessing of the Creator God.”
“Right, just thinking about the flood of marriage proposals if it gets out sends shivers down my spine.”
“I agree on that point. In my case, I created an Ice Wall to protect His Majesty, so if they find out I can use Lightning Strike magic too, the Royal Castle and the Mage Corps won’t stay silent.”
“Thanks to Kaito’s advice, I was able to use that pathetic Fire Magic. I’m grateful that Kaito didn’t even show it to the guards during practice.”
“Yeah, if I were to use Ice Lance, Flame Lance, or Shotgun now, I can’t even imagine what would happen. However, during our journey to the Royal Capital, I was playing with magic from inside the carriage, so the guards and Egdra’s adventurers have some idea.”
“I don’t think there are any adventurers in the Royal Capital who would blab about us.”
“I believe we’ll be summoned by His Majesty soon. Regarding the magic, if asked, make sure to separate Kaito’s existence from the magic. More importantly, say that Hyalda has been able to use magic for a while but pretended not to be able to use it for safety’s sake. That way, even if they pursue it, the chances of hiding Kaito’s abilities, as well as the Lightning Strike and Healing Magic, will be higher.”
“Understood.”
“Got it.”
“Where should we practice magic from now on? I want to improve my Healing Magic skills too.”
“Well, consulting Kaito is the best option. I want to learn bending magic as well.”
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Three days later, the three members of the Hamawal family were summoned to the Royal Castle. Guided by a servant, they entered a deep room within the castle and waited for a while.
With a knock, the servant entered the room and quietly announced, “His Majesty the King.”
The three of them stood up and knelt simultaneously, with Prime Minister Nagalan standing behind His Majesty.
“Please, sit. I will formally present rewards later, but for now, I grant 1,000 gold coins to Hyalda Hamawal, 1,000 gold coins to Fiene Hamawal, and 1,000 gold coins to Viscount Sharda Hamawal as a reward. In an official setting, I will promote Viscount Hamawal to Count. Hyalda Hamawal is permitted to use the title of Viscount until she inherits the Count’s house, and she will receive 1,200 gold coins annually. Fiene Hamawal, do you have any wishes?”
“If permitted, I would like the noble section of the Magic Tournament to be abolished.”
“Please explain.”
“Did you see my brother’s magic? His mana grade is only 70. Under our father’s teachings, even though he could use magic, he pretended not to be able to for emergencies. Commoners and adventurers can boast about their magic, but for nobles to be forced to reveal their abilities in a tournament is dangerous, especially if something like this happens again. If the protectors can see their opponents, they will know when to attack. Also, if nobles with low mana grades are ridiculed or mocked, they will eventually lose the loyalty of those who have been insulted.”
“I understand. Thank you for your wise counsel. The noble section will be removed from the tournament.”
“Thank you very much.”
“When Hyalda is in the Royal Capital, I would like to request your protection during occasions like this.”
“Yes, I will gladly do my best.”
“Now, about the Ice Shield. Although the results in the tournament were not favorable, how is your offensive magic?”
“Yes, I can use Ice Bullet and Ice Arrow to some extent, but with a mana grade of 70, I can’t use them for long. If the attack had continued a bit longer this time, my mana would have run out, and the barrier would have collapsed. Fiene helped by deflecting the enemy’s attacks.”
After leaving the Royal Castle, a modest celebration was held among the family at their estate.
“Was the reward satisfactory for you, Fiene?”
“With the noble Magic Tournament abolished, I won’t have to come to the Royal Capital unnecessarily. I won’t have to hear any snide remarks or gossip, so that’s enough for me. But brother, you managed to cleverly weave your mana grade into the story.”
“Even though it was temporary, I couldn’t refuse the request to protect His Majesty. I had to create some escape routes.”
“Hyalda, even though you were called to protect His Majesty, they will expect you to create Ice Barriers. You will be by His Majesty’s side. When you showcase your offensive magic, make sure to keep it slightly stronger than in the tournament.”
“Yes, I will do that.”
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Five days later, while many nobles were in the Royal Capital for the Magic Tournament, a ceremony was held in the audience chamber to honor the three contributors to the Magic Tournament attack incident, along with promotions and titles.
King Nagayar stood before Viscount Sharda Hamawal, holding a magnificent Sacred Sword adorned with brilliant jewels, and solemnly placed the blade upon Sharda’s shoulder.
“I hereby promote you, Sharda Hamawal, to Count.”
“Thank you for this honor. I pledge my loyalty once again to the Kingdom of Nagayar and to His Majesty the King.”
“I permit you, Hyalda Hamawal, to use the title of Viscount until you inherit the Count’s house. During this time, you will receive 1,200 gold coins annually.”
“Thank you for this honor. I pledge my loyalty to the Kingdom of Nagayar and to His Majesty the King.”
“Fiene Hamawal, I bestow a reward upon you for your brave actions.”
“Thank you very much, Your Majesty.”
“Furthermore, at Fiene’s request, the noble section of the Magic Tournament will be abolished from now on.”
“Your Majesty, while they may be contributors to the attack incident, isn’t this reward a bit excessive?”
“Do you think so, Duke Nagayar?”
“Your Majesty, Viscount Hamawal sent his son and daughter into battle while he himself merely observed from the spectator seats. He only apprehended one of the assailants when they happened to fall. To promote him to Count is far too generous.”
A vein throbbed on the King’s forehead.
“Now let me ask you, Jacksen Nagyar, what were you doing when one of the assailants targeting me unleashed a magic attack? You were cowering behind my chair, trembling, weren’t you? Aren’t you ashamed? While a young girl stood exposed in the center of the training grounds to protect me, Viscount Hamawal sent his heir to defend me, fully aware that he would be cut down in that state. The brave Hyalda Hamawal defended me even after being struck by a knight of the royal guard. Did you think you could stand there doing nothing, offering your heir to me while putting a girl in danger? Amidst the chaos, you monitored the surroundings, prepared for new enemies, and managed to subdue one of the assailants. The credit for this victory belongs to Sharda Hamawal! You, who trembled in the shadow of my chair, used me as a shield to protect yourself—a truly cowardly act. The name of Nagyar is tarnished!”
“Even if you are His Majesty the King, those words are too much. I cannot allow you to call me a coward, even as a duke!”
“Oh, so even a coward has pride as a duke? There’s no need for pride in cowardice. Captain of the Knights, seize this disrespectful man who uses the king as a shield to protect himself!”
As the captain of the knights slammed the duke to the floor, he barked orders at the stunned royal guards to restrain him.
“Captain of the Knights, detain the guards in this man’s waiting room and suppress the estate in the royal capital. Show no mercy if they resist!”
The king’s voice echoed with fury in the now silent audience chamber.