Chapter 200 – Rescue (2)
Leonil's laboratory.
In the deepest place of all, a dozen mages had gathered.
Except for the three who officially served as the kingdom's court mages, the rest were secretly drafted from various regions.
Their common trait, a research obsession close to madness and obsession, where ethics and morality could be discarded at a whim for the sake of magic research. Along with that, a damp greed as well.
"Jenkins, is everything I ordered finished?"
"Of course, Lord Brick."
The messenger, Jenkins McDowell.
Not only research, but he also took charge of delivering the orders of the court mages to the other researchers and managing them.
Jenkins blinked his faintly bloodshot eyes.
"The artifact 'Mana Incineration' was retrieved personally by Lord Leonil a few days ago. Other magical items inside the laboratory were dismantled and disposed of. The only thing remaining is the mana condenser."
"The waste?"
Waste.
A word referring to the elves and unique-trait magicians sacrificed for the experiments.
"They were originally supposed to be moved to the First Prince's castle, but I was told there was no longer any need, so I incinerated them immediately. Their ashes were scattered across the sea, leaving no trace behind. Of course, all documents related to the experiments were also destroyed without exception."
"I checked, and it was as you said."
Court Mage, Fourth Seat, Brick nodded.
"Your help certainly proved meaningful. Not only I, but even Lord Leonil recognizes your efforts."
"Ah…!"
Mages let out voices of awe at the praise.
Suppressing the urge to burst into laughter, all of them bowed their backs. Jenkins, baring his yellow teeth, carefully asked.
"Then, about what you promised…"
The mages had assisted Leonil.
Extending the lifespan of test subjects, developing and maintaining various magical items, they accelerated the progress of the experiments.
Locked inside the laboratory, unable to see the outside world, for years.
Mentally broken, and indeed many were. Even so, they endured for one reason, wealth and glory.
They had been promised immense money for their participation.
Some even hoped to become part of the Court Mage Order. A chance to overturn one's social status completely.
Just a little longer and they could live their lives in luxury.
Just a little longer and they could freely pursue their research.
Power, money, and influence, all could be seized at once.
For a mage, an offer impossible to refuse.
"Hm, a promise. Yes, I remember. Then I shall ask, among you, who wishes to join the Court Mage Order?"
"I absolutely want to join!"
"The same for me!"
"Lord Brick! I want it as well!"
The mages raised their hands and shouted.
A dozen in all.
Every single mage who had taken part in the research.
Money and power were important, but the research environment enjoyed by court mages was too tempting to ignore.
"Ho, I did not expect all of you to wish for it. Then again, living as a mere mage is nothing compared to becoming a pillar of the kingdom as a court mage. Isn't that so?"
"Yes, of course!"
"Good, good."
Brick smiled.
His expression was benevolent, as if in a good mood.
'…?'
But something felt strange.
The atmosphere did not match, yet a chill ran down the back of his neck. Only Jenkins, standing at the very front, sensed it.
Then Brick spoke.
"Before keeping my promise, let me ask. Do you know what the difference between us court mages and you is?"
Difference?
"Yes, difference. We both walk the path of magic, yet why did we become the pillars supporting the kingdom, while you became the trash crawling in the dirt? Why such a difference in position? Here, can anyone answer?"
"..."
Mages, insulted to their faces, trembled at the corners of their eyes.
The earlier thrill had long since vanished. As silence fell, Brick's gaze turned to Jenkins.
"Jenkins, what do you think?"
"I…"
Jenkins could not finish his words.
"So none of you can answer. Then, I shall tell you instead. The difference between you and us, it is right here."
He tapped his forehead with a wrinkled finger.
"We live proactively for the Estiria Royal Family and for Lord Leonil. A profound sense of duty. But you? Always distracted by the bait dangling before your eyes, dragged around by your superiors, living a passive life. Unable to see the distant future, unable to recognize your present condition. To illustrate…"
Brick sneered.
"Like right now."
"Kyaaaaahhh!"
A scream rang from the back.
As heads turned, a researcher frozen solid came into view.
His body shattered by a
The mages panicked at the sight, and Jenkins immediately stirred his mana, putting distance between himself and Brick.
"…So you planned to kill us from the start?"
"And if I did?"
"Why, why? We proved our worth well enough!"
Jenkins and the other mages.
Though lower in rank, their knowledge and research ability in magic were outstanding. Too valuable to throw away.
Brick admitted without hesitation.
"You're right. That is undeniable. As worthless as your lives may be, if we controlled you directly, your skills would indeed suffice for research."
"Then why…"
"Dispose of everything related to the laboratory, such are Lord Leonil's orders."
"You bastard…!"
Brick raised his left arm.
A beam of flame shot from his fingertip, piercing Jenkins' abdomen.
The casting speed left no room to react.
As Jenkins' legs collapsed, a chilling voice brushed past his ear.
"Kill them."
Kwakakakakang!
At once, magic flew in from both sides.
None of the court mages here, including Brick, were Magi.
But each was at least 5th Tier, and Fourth Seat Brick was a high 5th Tier mage. Against them, mages mostly of the 2nd to 4th Tiers stood no chance.
Soon the storm of magic ended.
A horrific scene, where no full body remained.
The mages, unable to mount proper resistance, were reduced to nothing but flesh, blood, and bone fragments. Jenkins, his lower half gone from the magical blast, barely lifted his head.
"You… your end will be no different from ours…! No matter how you dress it up, you too are nothing but lackeys!"
"A curse, though you're not even a dark mage? How laughable."
Brick sneered and waved his hand.
Fierce flames engulfed Jenkins and the corpses.
The researchers were now all erased.
All that remained was the mana condenser and Linus.
"I shall prepare to receive Lord Leonil. You two, destroy the mana condenser and dispose of Linus."
***
A sheer cliff at the edge of the coast.
At its brink, Verden's party gazed down below. Vigorous waves pounded again and again against the sharp rocks.
"So, this is where the laboratory lies?"
"The sea is beyond the reach of the Forest Spirits' power. The only clue I could uncover ends here."
At Edmon's question, Karans answered firmly.
Verden looked at the sea, sinking into thought.
If the laboratory was hidden beneath the ocean, things became extremely difficult. Searching this entire area would take days, even weeks.
'And it's unlikely as well.'
Every time they entered the laboratory, they would have to submerge themselves in seawater.
If spatial teleportation could be used freely, that inconvenience could be avoided, but if that were the case, the mages would never have had to pass through here.
In other words, Leonil's spatial teleportation had its drawbacks.
A restriction on the number of transfers, or perhaps the very act of activation brought a great burden.
If so.
'The most likely place is this cliff.'
No mana, no presence could be felt.
The likelihood of magical concealment, or an illusion, was high.
Deadly traps might also be hidden, but such things could only be left to his quick wits.
Having decided, Verden took flight.
"I'll go check."
"Mmm, I'll come with you."
Verden descended halfway down the cliff.
With his own hands, he felt the surface, searching for substance by touch. One of the very tasks he had done before, when dismantling Gluttony's schemes.
Time passed.
Just as fatigue was beginning to creep in, Edmon's voice came from above. When Verden turned, he saw Edmon's right hand digging into the cliff face.
"Hoho… looks like I've found it."
***
Two court mages moved.
They passed through a corridor, then split, each to the left and right.
Toward the prison chamber went the court mage, Herian.
As the musty stench grew closer, his expression twisted. At last, he unlocked the barred door at the end of the hall and entered.
Linus, bound in chains, lifted his head.
"Quite a commotion out there, has the experiment finally ended?"
"It has."
"Then… it's my turn to die."
"You're quicker on the uptake than those other mages."
Frost gathered on Herian's fingertips.
Linus grimaced as the chill brushed against his skin.
"To freeze me to death? After all my cooperation, is that the best you can do?"
"I'll at least spare you the pain."
"Shit, I don't need that kind of special treatment… Well, anyway, if you've come to kill me, then that means someone's gone to dispose of the mana condenser too, right? Ah, that's something they really shouldn't mess with."
His voice carried a hidden weight.
Herian tilted his head.
"What do you mean, shouldn't?"
"I mean…"
Linus began to explain the structure of the mana condenser.
He was its designer, and spoke of various mana mechanisms, but the technical depth was so great that even Herian could not understand much of it.
Finally, unable to take any more, Herian flared his mana.
"Enough rambling, get to the point."
"I, I said! If you separate the mana stone from the condenser, a massive chain explosion could happen!"
"An explosion? I've never heard of such a thing."
"Well, that's because…"
Then, the flow of air through the entire laboratory shifted.
Linus, certain of what he had been waiting for, twisted his lips into a grin.
"I hid it, so you bastards would go down with me."
"What?"
────Kwoooaaaang!
An explosion thundered in the distance.
Not once, but repeatedly, shaking the whole laboratory. Staggering, clutching at the wall, Herian groaned.
"Ghh, what in the world! Artisan, what did you… do…?"
He blinked.
Linus, who had been there moments ago, was gone. The restraints lay on the ground, masterless.
Freezing the iron bars, then smashing them with his staff.
Charging inside, Herian darted his eyes around.
Sweeping away a bedroll with Telekinesis, he revealed a passage just wide enough for a person to slip through.
"W, when in the world…?"
When had he made such a passage?
Even worse, a magic item blocking mana detection was placed at the entrance. Unable to hide his shock, Herian ground his teeth.
To think he had made such a mistake.
It was the first time in his life as a mage that he felt such disgrace.
'I must find him.'
If Linus escaped, it was over.
There was no way his grave error would be forgiven. Flaring his mana, Herian rushed outside.
At that moment.
Kwoooooaaaang!
The explosion from the mana condenser engulfed the prison chamber.
***
They passed the entrance of the cliff.
Through a sloping passage downward, the laboratory seen in Karans memory revealed itself.
"Heh, so it wasn't carved out of a natural cave, all of this was dug by hand. Whoever it was, they sure suffered."
Tch. Edmon clicked his tongue.
Meanwhile, the two men and the elf reminded themselves of their goal.
The top priority was Linus rescue.
The chance he had directly taken part in Leonil's experiments was very high. Securing him would unveil the truth.
Next, the secondary goal was rescuing any survivors.
Some unique-trait holders might still be alive, not yet used as test subjects. And perhaps elves as well…
"Brother… no elves remain alive here."
"Are you certain?"
"I can feel it now."
By contracting with the Forest Spirits, Karans had regained his original power.
Among those powers, the ability to sense his kin. Yet, in this dark, grim laboratory, nothing could be felt.
Only cold emptiness.
"So you should pursue the other goals first."
"…Yes."
Verden nodded heavily.
As they went down the corridor of the laboratory, the path split in two.
Splitting their numbers here would be a mistake.
They had to decide which way to go. Stroking his beard, Edmon pointed to the left.
"Let's go this way first."
"Any particular reason?"
"No, it just feels like something's there."
There were no other clues anyway.
Instinct was all they had to go on.
Edmon led the way, Verden and Karans followed, while Blue and the Forest Spirit guarded the rear. At that moment.
"Hm?"
────Kwoooooaaaang!
A massive explosion thundered.
Ahead, light flashed, and a torrent of mana and fire surged toward them like a tidal wave.