54.2-34 The Hidden Balance – Intervention of the Kingdom and the Choices of the Nobles

The Wizards' Outrage – and Why They Cannot Act

Damien's party's decision to abandon the noble houses and save the commoners sent shockwaves through the city.The Wizard Guild seethed with unrest.

"We can't let them get away with this!"A mage shouted during a high council meeting."Abandoning nobles and siding with commoners is nothing short of rebellion!They could become a threat to the entire magical order!"

But Armand, high elder of the Wizard Guild, calmly raised his hand to silence the outburst.

"Now is not the time to act rashly."

"But—!"

"If we make a move, the Kingdom will turn its gaze on us."

The room fell silent.

Armand continued in a composed voice."The sorcerers made a strong impression in this incident.Yes, they ignored the nobles' plight—but the Kingdom saw their overwhelming combat power.And the Kingdom doesn't want the Wizard Guild growing too powerful."

He tapped the table lightly with one finger, then added,

"Acting against Damien now would mean admitting that we see him and the sorcerers as a threat.And if we do that, the Kingdom might officially recognize the sorcerers."

The implication was clear.

Any attempt to punish Damien could backfire—strengthening the very forces the Guild sought to suppress.The Kingdom might use it as an excuse to extend its influence and officially acknowledge the sorcerers.

So the Wizard Guild, despite its fury, could only grit its teeth and wait.There was no justifiable reason—yet—to eliminate Damien.

The Kingdom's Decision – A Shield for the Sorcerers

Meanwhile, the royal court was watching the situation closely.The King's advisors exchanged quiet opinions before delivering their conclusion.

"For years, the Wizards have expanded by allying with the noble families.But if they monopolize magic entirely, they'll eventually become a threat to the Crown."

"The sorcerers, on the other hand, still lack political footing.Now is the perfect time to bring them under royal influence."

And so, the Kingdom made its decision—not to openly endorse the sorcerers,but to prevent the Wizard Guild from targeting them.

The official statement was simple:

"The sorcerers played a vital role in recent events.Their research and activity must therefore be protected, to a reasonable extent."

The message was unmistakable.The Wizard Guild could no longer brand the sorcerers as traitors.

The Nobles' Shifting Attitudes

Following the royal decree, the aristocracy was thrown into confusion.They had initially condemned Damien.But over time, a new concern emerged—not about Damien, but the Wizard Guild.

"The Wizards have accumulated too much power."

"If they start influencing noble politics directly, the Kingdom's power structure itself could shift."

To the nobles, mages were tools—soldiers, not decision-makers.But now those same mages were showing signs of ambition.

That, they could not tolerate.

So while they remained wary of Damien,they chose not to oppose the Kingdom's decree.

Damien's Party – Temporarily Safe

Thanks to this fragile political balance,Damien and his companions remained safe—at least for now.

Ian unfolded a newspaper and quipped,"Looks like the Kingdom's not planning to kill us just yet."

Cain nodded."They probably want to use us. Let the sorcerers grow strong—but under their watch."

Reanne said softly,"In the end, we've become... useful."

Damien gazed out the window.

This wasn't just a local incident.The balance of power was shifting.

And amid the turbulence,someone would make their move.

****

Chapter : A Misstep on Ice — Shaken Trust

A Damp Night, A Sudden Mistake

While on a mission, Damian's team encountered enemies near a swamp. Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't have been much of a fight. But—

"There's too many. We need to use the terrain,"

Lean muttered, scanning their surroundings. He raised his hand, and the air grew sharply cold.

"Freeze Wave!"

A surge of icy magic swept outward, freezing the water-covered ground. Enemies lost their footing, stumbling across the slick surface. For a moment, it seemed the battle had tipped in their favor.

And yet—

"Uh… did it freeze too well?"

Ian slipped backward, panic in her voice. Even Cain struggled to maintain balance.

"Damn it! My feet won't move!"

Lean had meant well. But the magic had frozen too wide an area—and now, it was their team at a disadvantage.

Momentum Reversed — An Unexpected Turn

One of the enemies lunged forward, blade flashing.

"Gah—!"

Cain couldn't dodge in time. The sword grazed his shoulder, sending him to the ground. The enemy pressed harder.

Ian threw a dagger, but her footing betrayed her. Even Damian had trouble swinging his sword on the ice.

"They're adapting to the ice faster than we are," Damian realized grimly, assessing the situation even while fending off attackers.

By the time Lean noticed it too, it was already too late.

Desperation — One Potion Left

As the battle dragged on, injuries mounted. Blood trickled from Cain's shoulder. Ian had hurt her back from a fall. Lean was nearly spent from overusing his magic.

Then came the biggest problem.

They had one healing potion left.

Ian fumbled it out of her pouch. "Shit… just one. Who gets it?"

Cain clutched his wound, Ian could barely stand, and Lean was running on fumes.

Everyone was hurt. But only one could be treated.

"Cain's injury looks worse… but…" Ian hesitated.

For a moment, silence.

Then Damian spoke, decisively.

"Ian, you take it."

"What? But Cain—"

"We need mobility. Cain's bow is important, but you're faster. If we want to end this quickly, you need to move."

Cain nodded wordlessly.

"I'll manage. Just end it fast."

Ian hesitated, then drank the potion. Her wounds began to heal instantly, strength returning to her limbs.

"Alright. Let's end this."

Victory — But Something Was Left Behind

With Ian and Damian working in tandem, they pushed the enemy back. Lean cast one final spell to dispel the ice, returning the ground to normal.

Their foes lay defeated.

But Lean's expression was clouded.

"…This was my fault."

He clenched his fists. "My ice made things worse. Cain got hurt because of it."

Damian answered calmly, "Everyone makes mistakes."

Lean shook his head.

"But my mistake made the fight harder. Cain bled for it."

Cain chuckled through the pain.

"We still won, didn't we?"

"But—"

Ian crossed her arms. "Look, you think we never screw up? Just because you're a mage doesn't mean you have to be perfect."

Damian added, "What matters is that you don't make the same mistake twice."

Lean looked at them—his teammates. Steady. Unshaken.

"…Thanks," he whispered.

And with that, he made a silent vow:

Next time, I'll do better.

I'll be someone they can rely on.

It had been a small incident—but for Lean, it marked a turning point.

***

Episode – The Altered Dagger: A Secret No One Noticed

1. The Aftermath of Battle – And a Fragment Left Behind

After the battle, Ian frowned at the dagger hanging at her waist.

"Ugh… I really need to get this fixed."

During the fight with the Titan, a strange metal shard had embedded itself in the blade. At first, she thought it was just a minor scratch—but on closer inspection, faint symbols shimmered across the surface.

She didn't pay it much attention.

"Well, it still cuts fine. That's what matters, right?"

She swung it lightly, curiosity in her eyes. The feeling was... odd, but not alarming.

'It's my dagger. It'll be fine.'

With a shrug and a small smile, she sheathed it again.

2. Indifference – And No One Notices

Ian took it to a nearby forge for repairs.

The blacksmith examined the weapon and muttered, puzzled, "Weird... It's like the metal fused with something."

"Huh? Really?"

Ian casually took it back and examined it herself. The blade had become smoother, the mysterious markings glowing faintly.

She stared at it for a moment and then grinned.

"Ooh~ Pretty!"

That was the end of it for her.

The blacksmith raised an eyebrow. "No, it's not just looks—these markings might be—"

"I said it's fine. As long as it cuts, I'm good."

She strapped it back on and gave a thumbs-up. "It's cooler now. I'm happy. Later~"

The blacksmith scratched his head with a sigh. "Tch… well, it's your weapon."

And just like that, a dagger etched with strange symbols went unnoticed by the world.

3. Curious Eyes – Then Forgotten

Not long after, some organizations began showing interest in the dagger.

The Wizard Guild

Arcane researchers from the Wizard Guild were intrigued.

"These symbols... This could be residual ancient magic."

"It might alter the laws of nature around it."

Ian shrugged. "It's just my dagger. It's always been like this."

Sensing her complete lack of interest, they gave up quickly.

The Holy Knights

The Holy Order wasn't much different. Las Bark narrowed his eyes.

"There's no divine energy... but something feels off."

Ian just grinned. "Yeah~ But it looks awesome now, right?"

Las Bark sighed. "Maybe it's just some fused alloy."

The Occultists – 'Those Who See Beyond'

Even the occultists took notice.

"Do you know what these markings mean?"

"Not really? Just happened in a fight."

"Do you know what kind of effect it has—"

"It slices real nice!"

"…Sigh."

Eventually, they gave up too.

4. An Unexpected Discovery

Later, Ian encountered a strange shadow creature in a dark ruin during a mission. Normally, such beings were immune to physical attacks.

But this time—

🗡 Slash—!

Her dagger tore through it like it was flesh.

"What the...?"

Ian blinked at her blade.

Until now, nothing physical had ever worked on shadow entities.

"…Seriously, what is this thing?"

She muttered to herself, baffled—but didn't dwell on it.

Her conclusion:

"Well... it cuts great. That's good enough!"

She laughed and twirled the dagger.

No one—not even Ian—understood what the dagger had become.

And none of them could foresee what role it would eventually play.