184 episodes
48 Floating City(1)
The terrace that exists at the top of Chimseonggung Palace.
There, Zion was looking up at the black night sky and the stars emitting a soft light in it.
slowly.
Zion’s hand reaching out to the stars.
Along his hand, darkness, darker than the night that naturally arises, begins to spread into the sky.
And when the darkness that spread like that reached its climax, wow!
Shion clasped her open hand tightly.
At that moment, the darkness that had stretched around Zion’s hand was condensed in an instant.
When viewed from below, it looked as if a star in the sky had been swallowed up by the darkness of Zion.
with him,
through-
Black stars starting to rise in the surrounding night sky.
Those black stars stopped increasing the moment they went from five to six.
“Is the six castle still there?”
There was a slight regret in Shion’s eyes as she recites and gathers the stars again.
The more you fight, the more you fight, and the more you fight against a strong enemy, the faster you grow.
Therefore, Sion thought that if she fought the battle with the remnants of the ‘Evil Queen of Frost’, who was stronger than herself, and the six claws who had similar power, she would be able to rise to the next level.
However, the present state of Zion remained at the edge of the Five Stars under Heukseongha.
Even this alone was beyond shock and incredible to see others, but it did not live up to Zion’s expectations.
‘ Perhaps both battles depended on the power of the divine rather than Heukseongha.’
It seemed that we should refrain from overusing the power of the divine.
‘ Actually, I can’t do it too much, though.’
Because the power consumed was beyond imagination.
With that, Shion, who had finished thinking about Heukseongha and Shingi, thought of the warriors who had left a few days ago.
‘ You must have reached the border of the magic station by now.’
Originally, it was already time to go inside, but it was delayed due to the conditions that the hero Claire Flosimar put forward instead of heading to the magic station.
There was only one condition.
Asking for help so that he and all his companions before returning can head to the Magic Kingdom.
It wasn’t particularly difficult for Sion, so he immediately contacted Tyrian and Elesis and made them join the hero’s party.
It might seem like sending the two drawn in to the hero, but Shion didn’t think so.
‘ After all, after returning from the horse station, everyone will come under me.’
In fact, it is correct to think that it has already been pulled halfway down.
In addition, at this time, it was much more advantageous for growth to be by the side of the hero than to Zion himself.
Because the fate of salvation possessed by the heroes will elevate them to a higher level.
‘ This will suffice to delay the great war, and now we have to deal with… … .’
Thinking about that, Zion looked up at the night sky, and suddenly a different look appeared in his eyes.
“ It’s coming.”
In Zion’s eyes, it was a huge city.
A city that floats in the sky, not on the ground, and gradually approaches the capital while obscuring part of the moon.
The wealthy city of Adegripa.
It was the only public city that existed in this world, and it was the place where Zion was headed from now on.
* * *
Where is the highest level of magic in the world?
When asked about it, people picked two places.
Once in the Empire’s capital, Hubris, the Magic Society Revion.
It was a place called a kind of holy land among wizards, collecting only the essence of all the knowledge of the magic tower that existed in the empire.
And the second was the wealthy city of Adegripa.
Founded by some dragons about two hundred years ago, this city had a different character from Revion.
If Revion was a holy land for human wizards only, Adegripa was a place where the highest-ranking wizards of all races in the world were gathered.
In a way, it is safe to assume that you are on a higher level.
In addition, although it is called a city, it was also a place that could be regarded as a horse tower as 99% of the people staying were wizards.
And now in front of the gates of such a floating city,
“ I think the time has come now… … .”
A wizard in the shape of a dragon was waiting for someone with his numerous attendants.
His name is Akendelt.
He was the deputy mayor of the wealthy city, and the highest-ranking wizard in the city’s magic rank ninth.
The reason why such Archendelt was standing in front of the gate connected to the outside of the city with such wizards was because of the exchange with the Imperial Magic Society, which takes place every three years.
Even if only the best wizards are gathered, the stagnant water will eventually rot.
For this reason, the wealthy cities valued and encouraged these exchanges with great importance.
The reason why Adegripa, who wanders the skies of the world without staying in one place, dares to come to the capital of the empire and stay for a few days.
“ It is said that the imperial delegation also includes Ahmad Ozrima, who is called the greatest wizard among humans… … Is that true?”
“ It is true. So, didn’t even me come out to welcome the delegation?”
To the question of the dog-headed sorcerer who was next to him, Archendelt nodded and answered.
It was not known what kind of whim the person who had been locked up in the university tower and did not show up was, but it was good news from this point of view.
“ I look forward to it. I hope we can get a lot from each other, but… … But are they really coming together? that… … .”
“ You mean Prince Zion Agnes?”
“ Yes.”
“ You said you accepted the invitation, so why not?”
The deputy mayor responds with a strange expression to the attendant’s question with a strange expression.
There was a reason for these two reactions.
For decades, the Imperial family had never visited Adegripa.
Since one of the dragons that created the city two hundred years ago signed a contract with the emperor at that time and was granted autonomy, an invisible conflict existed between the Agnes family and the wealthy city.
Therefore, there was no case where an invitation was sent to the Imperial Palace each time an exchange was made, but it was accepted.
“ It’s great. Isn’t it almost the first time? The royal family of the Agnes Empire came here.”
“ That’s the way it is. We have to go to the imperial castle from our side, but they are the ones who barely show their faces.”
“ But who is Prince Zion Agnes? I’ve heard that he is the closest member of the royal family to the next emperor due to his immense power and deep heart.”
“ Um… … .”
Archendelt raised his eyebrows for a moment as if thinking of something at the words of the attendant wizard, then continued.
“ Honestly, I have a hard time believing that.”
He could not believe not only those words, but also all the rumors that had been heard about Prince Zion in recent years.
Because Prince Zion, whom Archendelt himself saw at the Imperial Castle five years ago, did not match any of those rumors.
“ The Prince Zion I saw was infinitely weak and infinitely soft. He had no interest in the emperor, nor did he fit in. And that temperament could never change.”
So, frankly, Archendelt thought that Prince Zion would be the first to die if there was a battle for the throne.
But the fact that such a prince of Zion killed other members of the imperial family was not enough, so he was even called the next emperor.
It was more believable that the world would perish tomorrow.
“ Huh, is it? It’s really strange that Archendelt said that. Hopefully then… … .”
It was before the words of the attendant, who had a puzzled expression on him, were finished.
Paah!
A brilliant light suddenly burst out from the gate that had not reacted in the meantime.
“ It seems that the delegation is finally coming!”
It was the moment when another meditating wizard spit out an expectant voice while looking at it.
In the light, wizards wearing robes embroidered with the symbols of the Agnes Empire began to appear one by one.
From the highest-ranking wizards who represent each tower, to up-and-coming wizards who are called promising prospects to lead the next generation.
“ I think the level of this exchange meeting is quite high.”
When Archendelt looked satisfied while judging the skills of such imperial wizards,
“ Heh heh, it’s been a while since I’ve been here.”
An old man with long white hair, a beard, and an impressively kind eyeliner walked out of the light.
The gentle smile on the old man’s lips.
‘ Ahamad Ozrimah.’
Even though he had never seen him before, he knew the moment he saw the old man that he was a ‘magic of contempt’.
Unlike other wizards, the level of the old man could not be grasped even with his ‘half-faced eyes’.
In addition, the magic that flowed from such an old man naturally took over the surrounding space.
‘ After all, one of the ‘Seven Heavens’ is different?’
It was about time that the deputy mayor, who had a more expectant face, was about to step forward to meet Ahmad.
jerk.
A single footstep sounded in his ear.
The sound of footsteps that are so small that they cannot be heard unless one listens, yet ominously stimulates the depths of the listener’s heart.
At the same time, as if they had made a promise, everyone’s eyes, including Akendelt, began to turn toward the gate where the footsteps were heard.
and there,
jerk.
he was
A single man with pale skin and languid eyes in the uniform that symbolizes the Agnes family.
Zion Agnes.
bum bum, bum bum.
In the minds of those who watched as if possessed by Zion walking out of the gate so slowly, the existence of Ahmad and others was forgotten.
Because the alien presence flowing from Zion was already filling their heads.
‘ Those rumors… … Was it true?’
No, I was even thinking that the rumors had been reduced to what I was feeling now.
The pressure beyond imagination.
‘ How can a person change so much?’
Akendelt’s eyes fluttered relentlessly.
Is it true that the man in front of him is the same person as Prince Zion he saw before?
They looked the same, but even if they were completely different people, they would believe it.
“… … .”
Shion, who suddenly approached the Archendelt, looked at him.
“ I see you, Prince Zion Agnes!”
Only then did the deputy mayor come to his senses, and he hurriedly bowed his head toward Zion.
Could his cry be a signal?
“ I see you, Prince Zion Agnes!”
Subsequently, Archendelt’s attendant wizards also bowed their heads toward Zion and bowed.
Sion slowly scans those people as if looking for someone.
Immediately after that from Zion’s mouth,
“ Let’s get a city guide first.”
A voice so low that it felt like boredom came out.
* * *
“ This is a complex where the laboratories of manipulation wizards are gathered, and the name is… … .”
The deputy mayor of a wealthy city, Akendelt, who came to accompany the delegation as a direct guide on what kind of wind was blowing.
“ Isn’t it really strange, my lord. How can a city run so smoothly when there are only wizards?”
Hearing the words of Ahmad who was walking right next to him, Shion remembered what he had to do here.
There are two incidents in this wealthy city.
The first is the fall of the floating city.
The second is the assassination of a person.
‘ If you think about the future, the second case is more important… … .’
If I had to choose the more urgent of them, the first case was the fall of the floating city.
It was exactly three days after now when the floating city fell over the capital Hubris.
A colossal catastrophe almost comparable to a ‘frozen night’.
Of course, Zion had already thought about how to stop it.
‘ Would you like to know the location in advance?’
When Zion thought so, looking intently at one of the places where he was guided,
“ Today’s schedule will end with city guide only, and the full-scale exchange meeting will start tomorrow.”
Archendelt, who had been glancing at Zion once in a while, still couldn’t believe it, opened his mouth.
“ At the same time, the ‘magical proxy war’, which is called the flower of the exchange meeting, will also be held. Perhaps it will be of interest to you, too. Would you like to attend?”
“ I don’t think I will be able to attend.”
Shion replied with a small smile.
“ Do you have any other plans?”
“ I had to participate, not observe.”
The first step in preventing Adegripa from falling.
“ Yes? what does that mean… … .”
“ I… … deputy chief.”
Next to Archendelt, who was questioning Shion’s words, one of the attendants held out a piece of paper with a special magic coating with a strange expression on it.
“ What is this?”
“ This is a list of wizards from the Empire and the Wealthy Cities who will participate in tomorrow’s ‘Magic Proxy War’.
“ Why is this all of a sudden… … !”
The deputy mayor’s eyes, who were still examining the list handed to him with eyes full of doubts, began to widen.
Zion Agnes.
It was the name written at the end of the list of wizards on the Empire side.
“ Is your Highness going to participate in the proxy war as well?”
“ Is there any law against it?”
“ It’s not… … .”
Contrary to those words, Akendelt’s eyes were full of distrust and doubt.
Aside from the level of force he had, Prince Zion was not a wizard.
‘ What are you thinking? I’d be defeated without even being able to fight properly anyway. And why did the Empire accept it?’
A question that grows endlessly with tails on tails.
But the next day, his doubts were,
Quad Duck!
All turned to surprise.