I Don’t Want To Be the Main Character

95. Verification (4)

1.

Eileen had a unique experience.

While chasing after Ludrick, who had flown away alone, her vision was distorted for a moment, causing her to feel as if her body was floating.

Of course, she and the other knights were already physically complete superhumans, so they could avoid losing their balance and rolling around on the ground, but they couldn’t avoid the hot wind and shockwaves that came rushing in from afar.

Kuwaaang!

Like thunder following a lightning strike, a shock wave spread first, followed by a deafening roar.

“Was it this much…?”

In the middle of a mountain range where it would be difficult to find any traces of humans within a radius of several kilometers. Naturally, the only one who could cause such destruction was Ludrick, who had just managed to fly away. Furthermore, Eileen, who was instantly praised as the black lion of the empire and the best swordsman in the north and beyond, was even more so if it was a level of magic that could destroy the balance of the body with just the aftermath, not even a direct hit.

However, Eileen muttered with a somewhat bewildered expression, as if she had not expected Ludrick’s magic to reach this level.

The black smoke rising from far away was already covering the sky with acrid smell. I led the knights up a small hill nearby and looked around. The area where the knights who had been out scouting had discovered the ogre was as if it had been a volcanic crater, with flames rising along with black smoke.

“From that distance to here…….”

“If it had been a direct hit, there wouldn’t have been a body left behind.”

“……At this point, isn’t there really no need to look any further?”

In fact, it was useless to have Eileen here, but the knights of the Norse duchy who had been brought here to make up the show were frozen stiff by the destruction before their eyes and were talking among themselves.

Even veterans who had experienced countless battles with the mission of guarding the barrier on the front lines of the empire could not help but cower before the magnificent scene of destruction brought about by Ludrick’s magic.

Magic is a mystery that causes miracles that were not originally permitted to humans.

Moreover, if it was magic that the great wizard had unleashed with all his might, without any thought of moderation or consideration for the aftermath, it would already have contained enough destructive power to change the terrain.

Besides, there has never been a situation like this before or after the regression for Ludrick.

More precisely, it would be correct to say that Ludrick possessed such magical ability but never had the opportunity to demonstrate it.

“I didn’t know it would be this bad…….”

The magic that Ludrick used for the first time was different from that of ordinary magicians, to the point that Eileen kept mumbling the same words over and over again.

In terms of sheer power, it is even superior to that of the former court magician, Lorenzo Tonali.

Considering the fact that Lorenzo Tonali was an unprecedented wizard who had risen to the rank of Archmage on his own without having any enemies in the Magic Tower, this was almost impossible. In fact, it was even more so because Lorenzo Tonali had lost his life in exchange for achieving the long-cherished wish of all wizards since time immemorial.

Eileen shook her head, her mind cluttered with all sorts of thoughts, and muttered softly.

“Now, there’s nothing more to see.”

Public and private affairs are strictly separated. If Ludrick becomes a court magician in the process, of course it would be a good thing, but if, after a cool-headed judgment, Ludrick’s abilities do not meet the standard, Eileen intends to report the truth to the imperial family.

But the magic that Ludrick had just unleashed was enough to completely erase that thought.

Eileen quickened her pace and headed towards the scene where the magic was manifested.

At that scene, all the snow in the area had melted and was flowing as water. The cold that had become particularly severe along the barrier had completely covered the area with snow for the past several hundred years, forming perennial snow, but now even that perennial snow had melted and mixed with water, forming sticky mud.

And among them, the four ogres that the knight who had gone out to scout had witnessed had turned into black lumps of charcoal, with only their original shapes barely remaining.

Ludrick turned his head and said, with the charcoal in front of him.

“It’s later than I thought.”

“I was thinking about something different.”

Although it wasn’t exactly meant to be a criticism, Eileen flinched for no reason and made an excuse.

“At this point, I guess I won’t need an escort?”

“……Yeah, I guess you don’t really need an escort.”

“Well, I’m not going to tell you to go back though.”

Ludrick responded indifferently and turned his head towards the steep mountain range again.

As if to say that this current blow is just the beginning.

It was almost a warning to the monsters running wild here and there in the mountain range. Although its power was too strong to be called a simple warning.

The monsters spread across the vast Nordic Mountains were also able to indirectly sense the power of the fire magic that had just been unleashed. They also knew that if that magic was directed at them, they would not be able to recover even a single bone.

But it wasn’t just the monsters within the indirect sphere of influence of the magic that felt and shuddered at the aftereffects.

A distance too far for even the most skilled archers to discern with the naked eye.

The two dolls that had been moving lightly on the steep mountain path as if it were flat ground suddenly stopped. This was because they had just felt the aftereffects of the magic that Ludrick had unleashed.

“It’s a powerful magic.”

“Human. Magician.”

It was characterized by its size, which was two to three times larger than that of an ordinary human, and the luxurious weapons it wore. It was heavily armed with a sword in its dwarven armor, and its protruding bones were clearly visible underneath. Although it might be a bit of an exaggeration to say that it felt like skin since it was only bones.

Since they were originally creatures born of magic power, they were more sensitive to the flow of magic power than anyone else. Furthermore, the blue light burning brightly from the eye sockets of their skulls revealed under their helmets, giving them an appearance that made it possible to guess that they were not simple undead.

“Very. Strong.”

“We. Two. Are. No. Match. For. Them.”

“Are you calling your colleague?”

The two skeletons, who had no vocal cords but spoke strangely, spacing out each syllable, looked at each other. Although they were so far apart that they could only be seen as dots, the distance seemed to be no problem to them.

The two skeletons, who had been looking away from each other and glaring at Ludrick for a long time, tightly gripped the spear and sword they were holding in their hands.

“The plans of the great one are being interrupted.”

“Remove. It.”

“how?”

“If you call your colleagues.”

“I am a great wizard.”

“Then, it might be difficult for us.”

“It’s difficult to break through that resistance.”

The skeletons, who had been communicating so slowly that it was almost heartbreaking to watch, stopped in their tracks as if they were in deep thought. Although they were given the simple task of patrolling the mountain range and driving away the monsters down the mountain, they could easily slaughter a dozen human knights at once.

But even for those two skeletons, the power of the magic they had just experienced was not something to be underestimated.

The dwarven heavy armor he was wearing was enchanted with numerous ancient spells that granted him resistance to magic, but if he charged forward relying on that armor, he would most likely be destroyed.

The two skeletons, who had been discussing for a while, soon came to a conclusion.

“Let’s see.”

“That would be good.”

“It’s not our place to judge.”

Clank clank.

With every step they took, the armor they were wearing shook and made an unpleasant friction sound, but the two skeletons paid no attention and soon turned around.

It was not their place to judge.

2.

I spent a week curled up with my knees hugged as if my soul had left me.

It took her a whole week to muster up the courage to leave her room, her skin pale and her complexion haggard from all the blood draining from it.

And after a week had passed, Sylphia barely managed to leave the room and muttered to herself while looking in the mirror.

“…It’s exactly the same as that bat woman.”

Her skin was so pale that anyone who saw her would mistake her for Arwen. Her hair was disheveled and her eyes were still swollen from crying so much.

Of course, she left the room like this, but she still didn’t have the courage to face Ludrick.

Thanks to that, I had opened up a detection spell over a 3km radius. So that whenever Ludrick came within the radius of the detection spell, I could immediately dodge.

Although she felt sad that it had to be this way, the first thing Sylphia heard after barely leaving the room was unexpected news.

“…Kun Ludrick accepted the position of court magician?”

“Yes. So I heard that it is currently undergoing a verification process in the North.”

It was a remark made by one of the royal knights who had become acquainted with her as they passed by, who had stopped his guard duty and spoke to Eileen in a friendly manner.

It was unexpected. I thought you would say you wouldn’t do it after finding out the truth.

Sylphia hesitated for a moment and then asked again.

“If it’s a verification process…?”

“Haven’t you heard? There’s been a surge of monsters in the north these days. That’s why the barbarians are pounding on the barriers more fervently.”

“…But?”

“So, the rumor spread throughout the palace that the verification process was that the cause was the demons, and that they had to go and eliminate them.”

The royal knight shrugged.

“I heard that since this is the first time in decades that the next court magician will be chosen, there is considerable interest from nobles and people here and there. I guess you don’t know yet.”

“……I had to leave for a few days.”

“Somehow. Anyway, that’s why you went north.”

It was something that wasn’t asked, but it was helpful nonetheless. It was something that a bored imperial knight said to kill some time while doing his free guard duty.

Thanks to that, Silphia thought deeply as she walked to the laboratory, knowing that Ludrick was not in the capital.

‘If the monsters are running wild… … .’

The story goes that the barbarians, whose survival is threatened by the rampant monsters of the Norse Mountains, are increasingly moving south, and attacks on the Wall are becoming more frequent.

I had never heard of it before the regression, but it made perfect sense.

But there’s something that’s on my mind.

‘… …She must be in the Norse Mountains.’

The entire vast Nord Mountains were the domain of one dragon. By this point, the number of dragons remaining on the entire continent had dwindled to a few dozen, so naturally, Sylphia was aware of her existence and whereabouts.

The Nord Mountains, a natural wonder untouched by human footsteps.

It’s even stranger that Sylphia doesn’t know about the mischievous dragon that claims the entire mountain range as its territory.

And if you associate that playful nature with the sudden movements of the monster.

‘… … It might be a leap of faith, though.’

Sylphia frowned at the ominous thought that suddenly came to her mind, and turned around to head to the lab.

Anyway, it won’t hurt to be careful.