Piece 26 (part 2)

SRINGGG!!!!

SRRIINNGGG!!!!!!!

SRIINNGGGG!!!!!!!

"Are you kidding me!?!?!"

Invidia became completely overwhelmed by my light magic slashes, and she began to focus more on dodging instead of approaching me. And since she wasn't paying attention to me at all, I used this chance to do something else that might take even more time.

Melvin's first rule of magic combat: 'When casting a magic, you should know the time to cast it. You don't want your enemies to be attacking you right when you're casting it.'

My light slashes were never meant to harm Invidia, because I knew she is more than skilled enough to dodge it. In fact, I already have something else in mind that can allow me to truly win this battle.

" 'Fire Magic: Firebomb!!' "

VWOOOMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!

With that chant, a powerful lump of spherical flames appeared on top of my left hand, and the pressure of its power turned everything hot.

The flaming ball in my hand isn't like any fire magic that anyone thinks. It's something the magical genius Melvin himself invented, and this one does not act the same way as any fireball.

This one explodes… powerfully. Hence the name, 'Firebomb'.

"You… gotta be kidding me."

"So long, Invidia. Thanks for all the games we've played all these years." I calmly said to her, and I pushed the firebomb towards her.

Not only was the firebomb quite large, but it also flew incredibly fast. Invidia might've been fast enough to dodge the light slashes, but she cannot dodge this explosion.

But, just in case…

ZRRIINNNGGG!!!!!!

As Invidia started to run away from the firebomb, a flash of light appeared in front of her. The first thing she noticed was the blade coming out of the light, but it was too fast for her to react.

Melvin's second rule of magic combat: 'If your magical attacking technique had a possibility of not hitting your opponent, then do whatever it takes to turn that possibility into 100%.'

With a speed faster than light, I swung my blade downwards, and Invidia was not fast enough to dodge it.

SRESSSHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

"AAAAAAHHHHKKKKKKK------!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Invidia screamed loudly after my blade took one of her legs, and she fell on the ground face first.

Her body curled on the ground while her hands held the leg that was chopped off. Her face then turned towards me, but I only waved my hand at her before disappearing into a blur of light again.

Melvin's third rule of magic combat: 'A magician is at their strongest when their creativity and intelligence combined.'

Initially, I casted the light slashes to completely catch Invidia off guard. And while she was busy dodging my light slashes, I casted an even more powerful magic technique, the firebomb. However, the firebomb's speed is rather slow, and there is a chance that Invidia's skillful experience is enough to dodge it. So, I chopped off at least one of her legs to turn her immobile.

Now, Invidia is on the ground. And behind her, the firebomb has also just landed on the ground.

BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The powerful explosion completely wipes away the east part of the big castle, and a huge portion of the castle was found collapsing. Even though it happened at the east yard, that explosion was more than enough to collapse the entire castle had it occurred inside the castle's lobby.

As I landed on top of the part of the building that still stands, my saddened gaze was kept towards the explosion site, and I cannot feel more saddened.

This is… too easy. She should've died a much more painful death.

But, I don't have time. I have to hurry. I don't know how long until the empire can gather their soldiers again, and I must be out of the castle when it happens. I need to grab my stuff from my quarters, and I had already prepared them since I'm always ready to leave this wretched place.

I am just… wondering deeply.

What the hell happened to you, Melvin? Where did you go?

Arriving at my bedroom, I quickly grabbed all of my essentials. One item stuck out the most, and it was the necklace that was once a gift for one of my birthdays. It was a lovely gift, and my mind was kept towards the person who gave it to me.

Melvin… I have to find him.

The trial for Count Bond and his family was done at the castle today, at noon. But since the castle exploded, and so many people died, I became concerned about visiting that place. But, I need to find out where that guy went. I need to know where he is, so I can leave this place with him.

Surely, he is still alive. Right? He is strong, after all.

But, arriving at the castle, there were only guards all over the place. The ruined castle is roamed with knights and investigators, trying to understand the situation that is going on.

I can't go inside. I also can't really tell if that guy has left already. I'm also… not sure whether or not he is included in the corpses that existed on this bloody battlefield.

As I was watching the castle from above, I noticed a person had arrived at the castle area. His short red hair and fat appearance made me enraged that he is still alive, because I had some hopes that whoever the attacker was, they'd at least murder him.

The Emperor of Veldonia has arrived, and he does not look happy. A pair of powerful individuals are following behind him, and I've known them as the two thorns that will forever be the emperor's right and left hands.

The strongest knight of Veldonia, and the most experienced arch-mage. The duo has been my father's greatest strengths, and those two are probably the reason why my father is still alive and well as the emperor.

"Your Majesty! A corpse was found at an explosion site at the eastern yard!" A knight came by and reported loudly to the emperor, and the emperor opened his eyes widely at the knight.

"And what makes that corpse more important than these corpses??" Father asked the poor knight, and the knight stuttered as he answered.

"I-It has red hair sir!! We couldn't exactly identify whose body it was--"

The knight stopped explaining because the emperor suddenly grabbed his shoulders, and my father looked incredibly enraged by that news.

"Whose… body is it?" The emperor asked the knight, and the knight shook his head wildly.

"W-We still don't know, Your Majesty!! But according to the reports, Her Highness Invidia was once sighted battling an assassin. However, Princess Elizabeth is nowhere to be found in her quarters. Her room is also in a mess…"

"So, it's Elizabeth. Invidia is powerful, there's no way she'd die." The emperor said lightly, as if my death had no real meaning.

Well, I'm glad he is thinking that way. After all, that will make it easy for me to make my escape.

As I was about to jump away, a shadow moved across the castle. I was afraid that it might be one of the emperor's lackeys, since some of them do watch things from the shadows. I decided that I should escape now, while everyone is focused on the castle.

Damn it… I couldn't find that guy, though. Should I just leave without him?

Wait. He could be at the usual meeting spot. Maybe he's waiting for me?

With that in mind, I opened my angel wings. A light magic technique that allows me to fly in the air by creating wings out of light magic. And using these wings, I flew towards the pond outside the city, where Melvin and I have spent most of our time together.

Arriving there, I was disappointed. There was no sign of him, not even a mark that he's been there. He probably just didn't come here, and I was just hoping for nothing.

Melvin… there's no way you died, right?

The attack on the castle did happen at the room where the trial was supposed to happen. All those bodies that I saw, they are indeed at the trial room.

It couldn't be… was he one of those bodies that are…

No. I shouldn't think like that. It might be healthier for me to think that he was the one who killed all those people. Yes, thinking it like that might be better.

"He's definitely fine. So, just in case he comes here…" I muttered on my own to convince myself, and I walked to the tree that we are both very familiar with.

It's the tree where we grew up. It's the same tree where we both had our first kiss. It's the tree that we both cared about.

Using my sword, I began carving a note on the wood. I wrote down stuff to make sure he knows what it means, and I just left it there before flying away.

What I wrote was a single word, 'West', because that is where I'll be heading. I've learned that there are plenty of families who have gone rogue and were not on the emperor's side for many-many years, and if anyone ever wants to fight against the emperor, that will be the place.

To the west. I will create my rebellion to overthrow the emperor there.

No more torture. No more massacre. No more.

.

.

.

"So… did Dad see the message?" The voice of concern was heard from the little girl as we sat on the sea water, and I only laughed from remembering something so stupid.

"That's the funniest, but also the most unfortunate, part. Apparently, your dad was already there before me."

"WHAT!?"

"Yeah! He was actually there before me. But unlike me, he didn't leave behind any marks or messages."

"W-What an idiot…" Milly commented so annoyedly, and I only chuckled.

"But… he does have his reasoning. Remember when the emperor talked to the knight, saying stuff like 'Princess Elizabeth was the corpse'?" I pointed out what the issue was, and Milly opened her eyes widely.

"… He thought… you were dead?" Milly asked with such horrified eyes, and I nodded grimly at her. 

I turned my gaze behind me where a single white haired guy is approaching us, and his beautiful face is wearing the brightest expression that reflects the sunlight beautifully.

"His family was killed by the emperor. Everyone that he knows has left him behind. And then he found out that I had died in an explosion.

Now… do you get why he was that strong?" I asked Milly softly, and the young lady can only look so horrified thinking about it.

Seeing her so terrified made me glad because it proves she actually cared so much. Had she reacted normally or in any other way, I would've been really disappointed.

I stood up from the waters and turned to my husband who I've married for seven years now. It may have been seventeen years, actually, since we both got turned into stone. But seeing his smile now, I realized that such a smile has never been a fake one.

Because he has always smiled like this ever since I first met him. Because he is genuinely happy that he is here with us.

"What are you two talking about~?" Dad asked as if Milly and I just did something naughty, and I just chuckled while giving him a tight hug.

"About you. About how much you've done for us." I said honestly, and he chuckled from the kind words.

"Aw~… wait, you're weirdly kind all of a sudden. What are you planning?"

"Can you guard the carriage while Milly and I go and take a tour of the city together?"

"H-Hold on, I'm coming with!!"

"Then, no one will watch over the carriage, honey. Come on, you gotta at least do that."

"That's not fair!! You two spent literally two hours sitting on the water together!"

And so, the bickering began. If there's one person in this world who can truly argue with me, it is him. Everyone else will just be defeated with my logic and knowledge, but he will always find ways to talk to me with his creativity. Also, we're both really competitive when it comes to being with Milly.

"Why don't we just ride the carriage around? I can ride the carriage!" Milly suddenly said behind me, and both Melvin and I did not expect such words to come out of her mouth.

Certainly… there were just far too many surprises from this cute daughter of ours.