Chapter 71

At the end of the day, I thought that I should personally ask Mercy. Clasping her hand, I asked the question seriously.

“Mercy, I don’t understand it just yet. How on earth am I going to… going to deal with this many people?”

“Didn’t His Highness explain it? He said that he gave you a note.”

After Mercy said this, I was reminded of what Albert said after slipping something into my hand while he was on his way out.

…That’s for right now?

Feeling my expression grow stiff with awkwardness, I opened Albert’s neatly folded memo. Inside, I read the word ‘Electricity’ as it was written in English, then there was also a magic circle drawn there.

It was a strangely familiar magic circle, and when I thought about it, it occurred to me that it looked like the magic circle for ‘Forget’ that I practiced often.

He seemed to have prepared this while thinking about the magic circle that I was the most familiar with.

Albert had a plan for everything.

I feel a bit sad that he didn’t tell me about it in advance, but… It seemed like he hid it from me because he knew I’d be burdened with something significant like this.

“You have the wand with you, right?”

“Yes.”

I was holding the wand with my other hand. It was the wand that came back to my possession after Albert gave it back to me.

I can’t believe I’m about to perform a magic spell. I was feeling nervous because it’s something that I never thought I’d ever do, even after coming to possess Rosé.

Seeing me go stiff with nervousness, Mercy smirked.

“Big Sis, your job is simple. Just send electricity over to the ones that are frozen.”

Mercy stepped forward and came up behind me, then she held the wand with me.

“It’s your first time wielding magic, so it’s better to draw the circle in advance.”

With Mercy’s help, I began to draw the magic circle on the ground. The light from the end of the wand moved slowly.

“…What if I end up electrocuting everyone?”

I mean, I also know that Albert didn’t have such a cruel heart that he’d want to kill all of them.

He only uses force when necessary.

But the people in front of us now didn’t know that. I could see their eyes blinking nervously.

All they could do was move their eyes and blink, but this alone conveyed their emotions.

So I asked Mercy out loud so that the people in front could see what I was really doing. To comfort them, maybe. Mercy responded with a laugh.

“Haha, His Highness couldn’t have intended for you to kill them, Big Sis. He prepared it carefully, so you don’t have to worry.”

“……”

Her words allowed the blinking to slow down. I was right.

“His Highness is a generous man. Even if he’s betrayed by them all the time, he makes sure to take good care of his people.”

Mercy pointedly looked at the people around us as she spoke. It’s as if she wanted them to hear.

Besides, her voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear to me.

It seemed like she was amplifying our voices. I recalled the rumors about Albert, then I replied to her.

“He’s a true, genuine Prince. I didn’t go to the tower with him for nothing.”

…And while we’re at it, I wrapped up my tracks in all of this, too. Albert said I could, so I felt no guilt about it.

All I wanted to do was hope that my past wouldn’t hinder Albert later.

“…Looks like it worked well.”

“Huh?”

The faint voice couldn’t be heard as much as I thought. When I asked in return, Mercy smiled awkwardly and shook her head.

“No, never mind. Now then, shall we activate the spell?”

“Rosé, good luuuck!”

Next to Mercy, Blanc also encouraged me.

Yeah, I can’t possibly show that I’m hesitating when Blanc’s watching! As I looked at the people around us, I took a deep breath and waved the wand.

“Electricity.”

With a crackling sound, light came out from the end of the wand and flew straight to the frozen soldiers.

The vivid yellow light was distinctly beautiful, and it looked as if this brilliance had been taken right out of the sun.

As soon as the sharp light touched the ice, water droplets fell from the ice, like snowmen who were touched by sunlight.

Little by little, the ice melted and freed them all.

And it just so happened that the sun was rising from the horizon. The rays of the sun sparkled against the ice and the droplets falling from the soldiers.

The scenery in front of me was like straight out of a legend. It felt as if I was looking at a famous painting.

To the extent that I forgot that I was right in the middle of a rebellion.

Along with me, the people who were freed from the ice stared at the scene as though they were mesmerized.

Then, people began to fall asleep one by one. All the people brought by Rosteratu couldn’t defend themselves, let alone attack.

In this case, sleep was the best adversary.

It’s clear to me that even this was part of Albert’s plan. He managed to end the rebellion without killing one single innocent person.

And he plucked Rosteratu right out of the crowd.

My concerns were absolutely futile. Even if a hundred thousand troops came here, the result would have been the same.

Attacking Albert head-on in itself was reckless. Unless he would let his guard down.

“When will he come back…”

I looked around and murmured. Even after everyone fell asleep, I couldn’t see Albert anywhere.

His fight with Rosteratu seemed to have been extended. Though rather than a fight, I had a feeling it would be torture instead.

Albert would be beating Rosteratu completely one-sidedly.

I hope he can get revenge for all the time he had to endure.

While I prayed for Albert’s complete revenge, I carefully looked around at the fallen people. If they continue sleeping outside, wouldn’t they freeze to death? Was it okay to leave them like this?

Well, I mean, it’s not like I’m in the kind of position that I’d do them any favors.

“Roséee!”

Blanc flew straight into my arms, and so I hugged him tightly. With a loud voice and with his eyes sparkling, he spoke.

“You were sooo cooool…”

“I’m glad you thought so. But most of the magic that happened just now was planned by His Highness.”

There’s no way I could have made such a beautiful scene with just one electricity spell. But as he heard my explanation, Blanc tilted his head to the side.

“No, Rosé is also strong!”

Hearing his tearful voice, it sounded to me like it’s unacceptable for Blanc to praise Albert while I was in front of him.

“Do you hate Albert so much?”

“…Because he hates me.”

“That’s the Prince’s fault. How could he when our Blanc is this cute!”

My sly words made Blanc giggle lightly. It was always nice to hear Blanc’s laughter.

Glancing to the side, I found Mercy as she was reading something. Her expression was serious.

“Mercy?”

“There’s a problem.”

“What is it?”

“…I think we have to go over and release the restraints on the mages ourselves.”

“There’s no other way?”

“The restraints can only be removed by a mage since it’s a mage who put them on. We’re done dealing with the troops, so anyway, I think we’ll have to go and release them…”

Mercy glanced around at the people and pressed down on her temples.

“But I’m holding a spell now, so I can’t leave.”

“Even now?”

“Yes, my spell is illusory, right? I’m manipulating people’s dreams right now.”

…So these people weren’t lulled to sleep for nothing? Once again, I was shocked. And Mercy’s power also surprised me.

“You’re dealing with all of these people alone… That’s feasible for you?”

“Eyy, this is nothing compared to what His Highness could do though.”

Mercy smiled pleasantly at my compliment, but her expression was still stiff.

“I’ll have to call His Highness.”

“…It feels a bit wrong to call him now.”

Today was the day that Albert would kill Rosteratu. The coup had been moved up, but I was aware of what this entailed.

Today was also the day that he’d take over the palace and become the new king. Throughout the process, Rosteratu should be no more.

He would definitely come as soon as he’s called, but I don’t want to cut short the time he had to resolve his hatred for Rosteratu.

I recalled what happened back then at the tower, when Albert listened to Liam’s report.

Albert couldn’t even express his anger as he heard his people dying.

I held Mercy’s hand furtively. She tilted her head to the side, perplexed as to what I was doing.

I pointed to myself.

“Why don’t I go and do it? I’m a mage, too.”

“…Huh?”

“You need to be here, Mercy, and His Highness needs to exact his final revenge, so I’ll go and release the restraints. If the only requirement is for a mage to release them, then I could do it.”

Hearing me say that, Mercy blinked. But she didn’t refute my words. Her face didn’t immediately crumple either, so this must be a good sign.

I carefully continued speaking.

“You can just teleport me there, Mercy, and all I have to do is direct the spell at the restraints. Just send me to the right place, and I can do it. Or, is it in a really dangerous place?”

“…No, they’ve been hiding in the underground passageways for a while now.”

Mercy’s expression was still stiff.

“It’s dangerous. Big Sis, if you get hurt anywhere at all, I wouldn’t be able to face His Highness.”

“Schubert and Liam are there, too. You can trust them. And think about it, Mercy, we can’t end His Highness’ revenge here when he’s been waiting for this moment for a lifetime. How difficult has it been for him all this time?”

I gently urged Mercy. I could see her slowly being convinced.

“His Highness’ revenge… Ending here?”

These words seemed to be a catalyst for Mercy. Soon, she held my hand and looked at me determinedly.

“I’ll trust you wholeheartedly with this one, Big Sis.”

“You do a good job, too.”

“…But do you know which spell to use?”

This was the final test. If I don’t answer correctly here, Mercy wouldn’t let me go there!

In my mind, I flitted through all the contents of the books I’ve read before. To release those restraints. The English word for this is…!

“Unlock, right?”

“…That’s right.”

Looking a bit surprised, Mercy nodded.

“You must have memorized the incantation words well. I’ll show you the magic circle, let’s try drawing it together. If you can remember how to use the wand like earlier, it’ll be much easier for you to draw later. It’ll help you like a guide.”

“When will it be possible to just imagine the magic circle in your mind instead of actually drawing it?”

I was just a beginner, so I was wondering when it’s going to be possible for me.

“It varies from person to person. But it’s only possible if the magic circle is completely memorized in your head.”

She further said that wielding magic without magic circles was also possible.

But she also added that the spell would be very weak.

“You can skip drawing the magic circle, but wielding magic without a wand is the most difficult step. His Highness is famous for a reason.”

As I heard praise directed at Albert, I realized how little I knew about him.

“First then, I’ll put a defensive spell on you.”

Mercy waved her wand.