CHAPTER 248

Whew…

Jin let out a quiet breath and removed his hand from his waist.

The moment Dino was attacked, Jin also unconsciously prepared to block the magic bolt.

Fortunately he managed to restrain himself.

Had his training been insufficient, he would've stepped forward, attracted everyone's attention, and ruined the plan.

'I did expect that if there was an attack, my sister would stop it, but… Those crazy bastards tried to kill Dino even with so many eyes watching?'

That just proved what Dino had said was indeed a sensitive topic for the Midnight Sun Magicians.

Those who'd fired the magic bolts were trying to keep their faces from showing any expression.

It was plain to see for Jin and the Runcandels, though. The fact that on the inside, those individuals were fraught with worry.

From the perspective of the Midnight Sun Magicians, the attack they had just launched was undeniably irrational.

Even in the case they succeeded and Dino died, the whole world would have criticized them.

Even the Runcandels, who presented themselves as the ruling force, had never killed a reporter so hastily.

Of course, that outcome was still better than having the truth exposed.

'Anyway, Luna is still as much a monster as ever.'

How many people in the world could actually block an 8-star mage's magic bolt using only their bare hands?

Not to mention it being a surprise attack.

Regardless of the situation, Luna's strength gave him goosebumps.

Hiss.

Joshua obediently followed Luna's instructions and sheathed his sword.

Before sheathing it, he bowed to Luna, appearing to admit his mistake.

Even though there was a surge of resistance, he knew very well that there was no need for the Runcandels to overcommit.

Murmur murmur.

The crowd was shaken at the sudden attack from the Midnight Sun Magicians.

However, what surprised them even more was the appearance of Luna Runcandel, the 'White Whale'.

She rarely showed herself in the world, so her fame came solely from rumors.

Nevertheless, bards sang songs praising her every day, and in the lyrics, Luna was a noble warrior with overwhelming beauty and neutrality.

As Luna took off her hood, the crowd had trouble suppressing their admiration.

The cause of this admiration wasn't her beauty, which had been perfectly articulated within the songs.

The crowd admired the dignity held in her dark blue eyes, as well as the endless boldness she showed even when standing before the Midnight Sun Magicians and the Kozak.

They were immediately fascinated by it.

A few seconds passed in silence. Given how silent the area had become, it was hard to believe so many people were gathered together.

"Are you okay? Dino Zeglun."

"Yes, thanks to you… Thank you, Dame Luna. You as well, Sir Joshua."

"You make quite an interesting claim. I want to hear your story in more detail, so please come visit the Runcandel's delegation later."

"Of course."

Dino lived with the Kollons in Luna's land, but they pretended this was their first meeting.

Luna then shifted her gaze back to the Midnight Sun Magicians.

"Nice to meet you, Midnight Sun Magicians, and Kal Zipfel. I'm Luna Runcandel."

"…Nice to meet you, Dame Luna. I'm the second commander of the Midnight Sun Magicians, Maul Henserker."

Maul Henserker, the second commander of the Midnight Sun Magicians, was standing on the steps of the Kozak looking down at the situation.

"You are? It seems the second commander has changed without my knowledge."

"My predecessor, Sir Drew Malaga, retired…"

"If it had been Drew, he would have gotten off those stairs before I had greeted him."

Maul's expression hardened.

Even with just a glance, it was easy to tell he was much older than Luna. Since nobody in the vicinity was his superior, he was effectively the representative of the Zipfel Clan.

However, they had been disrespected ever since their arrival.

As Luna and Maul's eyes met, the square grew tense.

Even those in the crowd breathed cautiously, the battle of spirit between the two great families overwhelming them.

It wasn't just the crowd. The Midnight Sun Magicians also looked stiff.

There were only three people who looked calm. Luna, Jin, and Murakan.

Naturally, there was a reason for their lack of nerves.

'Maul Henserker, to think you'd make such a rookie error when facing my sister. After today, the second commander of the Midnight Sun Magicians will change once again.'

Maul was obliged to show courtesy first before answering Luna.

Even if he was older than Luna, and affiliated with the Zipfel Clan, it was impossible for him to dare look down on the first flag-bearer of the Runcandels with his status only being the second commander of the Midnight Sun Magicians.

He had made a mistake against an opponent he couldn't defeat even in battle.

Joshua was glaring at Maul with a murderous look in his eyes.

Even though he knew Luna did not like him, Joshua had made sure to be courteous to her. Now that someone with the mere status of a second commander made that mistake, he couldn't help but feel anger.

"Sir Maul. If you find it difficult to come down, then we can remove those stairs for you. Did you not hear what the first flag-bearer said?"

Maul's face turned red as Joshua spoke in a deep voice.

His whole body was shaking from the sense of humiliation and defeat.

Fortunately, Maul wasn't a fool.

"…I was rude, Dame Luna."

Maul descended the stairs.

The other wizards aboard the Kozak followed after Maul.

It wasn't easy for the crowd, unfamiliar with the situation, to read the overall atmosphere.

The Zipfel Clan were definitely the greatest, followed by the Runcandels, so the people couldn't understand why Maul displayed such a submissive attitude despite being obviously insulted.

However, those more familiar with the two clans, as well as the nobles, all knew that this was the correct decision.

"Finally, we can talk. I would like to ask you a question, Sir Maul. Why did your men attack this reporter?"

"Kal Zipfel came here to apologize by order of the patriarch. The Pillar of the Fourth Magic Tower has come to pay for his sins with his life. Yet that man insulted the Zipfel Clan, twisting the truth." 

"Twisting the truth?"

"It's true that I made a mistake moments ago. However, it's also true that you interfered with the Zipfel Clan's business. Since nothing good will come of escalating this situation, we will be taking the reporter, Dino, with us."

Maul spoke, focusing his eyes.

Regardless of the fact that he had been crushed and humiliated by Luna, he was still the representative of the Zipfels.

If he were to retreat here with a poor excuse, things wouldn't end with just humiliation for him.

"That won't do."

"Why not?"

"Were you not listening earlier? I certainly told him to come to the Runcandel's delegation later. Therefore, Dino Zeglun is currently my guest."

"This is not a personal matter."

"It's not a personal matter, you say… That's not something you should say in front of Runcandel's flag-bearers. You're making quite a number of mistakes with your words, aren't you?"

"If you don't step down, you'll leave us with no choice but to respond with force."

Although he tried to speak calmly, nobody present thought the Midnight Sun Magicians could do anything against Luna and Joshua Runcandel. Even Maul himself thought so.

"Sir Maul, life is precious. And that lump of metal floating in the sky is most likely more precious to the Zipfel Clan than your life. It wouldn't be good if you happened to die, and that thing returned in pieces, would it?"

Luna smiled coldly.

Countless calculations went through Maul's head, and it felt torturous.

'Could it be that the reporter exposing this was Runcandel's ploy to force this situation? How much information was leaked to them? If I fight against this monster now, then…'

They would be annihilated without even being able to put up a fight.

A massacre that couldn't even be called a battle.

Every person's head would be severed before they could even board the Kozak.

Assuming they could relocate to a more advantageous battlefield and board the Kozak, victory was still not certain.

To begin with, that was an impossible scenario.

Even so, they couldn't back out.

Even if it meant being wiped out, Zipfel's prestige had to be maintained.

The whole reason for bringing Kal Zipfel in the first place was to protect the prestige of the Zipfel Clan.

"Both of you, please calm down."

It was Rani, who had just finished treating Kal Zipfel.

"Runcandel, and Zipfel. Everyone knows that the two of you have much greater might than the holy kingdom. However, both of you, we have been unable to begin His Majesty's funeral. You cannot do this on our land."

To Maul, Rani's words seemed as if they were the voice of salvation.

A voice of salvation that gave him a justification to step down.

And just as he was feeling truly grateful…

"However, the flag-bearers of the Runcandel Clan have done us a great favor. We nearly brought punishment upon the wrong person."

"The wrong person?! Look here, Rani Salome. It was the patriarch who personally ordered his own son here, the Pillar of the Fourth Magic Tower! Even while knowing he could be stoned to death. Do you think the claims of a mere reporter can disgrace the Zipfel clan's patriarch and his decision?"

Poke.

Jin poked Murakan in the side.

'What?'

'Shout at him and tell him to quit the bullshit.'

'Huh?'

'This is a situation where the floodgates are just waiting to be opened by one person. Things will go crazy.'

From the moment Maul tried to bully Rani, the faces of the holy kingdom's subjects started turning red.

Only fools wouldn't be able to see Maul was trying to pull the wool over their eyes.

The problem was that, since he was the representative of the Zipfel Clan, nobody could do anything to stop it.

'I can do that much! Cuz I'm a dragon, ya know? And Joshua won't know my voice. I'll shout, so let me just go over there for a second…'

At that moment…

"Shut up! You dirty Zipfel bastards! Are you going to scorn the land that Ayula gave us until the end?!"

A woman screamed.

She was sitting in a wheelchair, as she had trouble with her legs, and was wearing a robe with a large depiction of a dormant volcano.

'Looks like I won't need to.'

'Yeah. They're helping at just the right time.'

The rest of the subjects followed suit and raised their voices.

"Don't kill a reporter who stepped forward for the sake of the holy kingdom! At least let the truth come to light first!"

"If you're going to kill him, then kill us too!"

"Even the Runcandels wouldn't do something like that!"

Jin watched the scene for a moment, then suddenly sensed something strange and turned his attention to the woman who broke open the floodgates.

As he thought about it, she seemed strangely familiar.

'That woman… We've seen her somewhere before, right? Or does she just resemble someone?'

Jin kept gazing at the woman.

Although she couldn't have felt his gaze, the woman slowly turned her head and looked back at Jin.

There was a smile on the woman's lips, as if she was asking if she did well.

With that, he remembered. He remembered who that woman was.

'Vishukel, that man's sister…!'

Margiela Yvliano.

The instigator of the duel between Jin and Vishukel at the party.

At first, he didn't recognise her because of her makeup.

However, her mischievous and uniquely naive expression clearly belonged to Margiela.

—Young Master Jin went too far against the weak. The person who fell is our friend, is he not? Are you just going to watch? Brother, I'm so disappointed.

—…Are you goading me into dueling Jin?

—Yes, I hope you can teach him a lesson. In a more honorable way than what Young Master Jin showed.

He remembered the conversation between Margiela and Vishukel.

'Vamel, Kinzelo will help you, so go easy on us. Good for both of us, right?'

Margiela smiled as she mouthed those words to Jin.