◈ Episode 411. A Promising Future (1)

Fierce performance.

Trusting you more than anyone.

This was a development that even Nash hadn’t expected.

“……Brother, are you sure that you have subjugated the Source of Fear?”

The William Family’s arcane magic, 『The Source of Fear』.

The caster gains complete control over the heat of an area, but the side effects include hearing voices and hallucinations. The caster loses control over the manifestation of magic. Nash remembered his father’s eyes, which had always flared with fire.

‘Not only my father, but also my grandfather…….’

He’d heard that none of his more distant ancestors had ever been able to control their original cowardice. I was told that it was called Fear because it was uncontrollable.

But this moment.

His flames were distinctly different.

It was burning fiercely like a Fear.

“……How come it’s easier to move than before?”

It didn’t cause any serious damage to the surroundings.

Hearing Nam Taemin’s words, Nash looked at his surroundings.

The adventurer wasn’t the only one.

“I can finally breathe.”

“Wow. It’s like the middle of summer, but it’s still bearable.”

“Stop complaining, they’re fighting for us!”

The heat was not lost on the fragile people of the Empire. Nash’s face lit up with excitement. Brother Bensch, you’ve done something no one in our family has done before……?

As a child.

Bensch’s words as he headed for the Magic Tower came to mind.

The corners of Nash’s eyes moistened.

“Really, you have managed to break the chain of the William family?”

In the process, my brother must have suffered unspeakable trials.

Nash nodded decisively.

So much for the emotion.

‘What kind of hardships did you go through in the Magic Tower?’

I’ll save the Empire, I’ll save Antonium from the thorns, and then I’ll listen. Nash glanced at Scavenger, who was half-hidden in the sewers.

“Scavenger. Is your lair safe?”

“If you mean the sewers, it’s not looking good, to be honest. The thorny vines are coming out of the Imperial Palace’s sewers, too. Everyone’s trying desperately to stop them, but I don’t know…….”

“I see.”

Imperial Palace Mage.

It was Nash who had been maintaining and repairing the defensive magic circles that had appeared in the sewers.

Naturally, he had some knowledge of the sewers’ structure.

Nash spoke to Scavenger.

“The sewers leading to the palace are surrounded by magic circles. It’s meant to kill intruders, but the precise condition for its manifestation is when a significant mass is applied to it.”

“……Significant mass? Can’t you say that a little easier?”

“It means don’t get too close.”

Perhaps the clogged sewers were a specialized defense against the Thorn Vine’s advances, but weren’t the Scavengers also subjects of the Empire? Moreover, they were defending Antonium from behind the scenes.

Nash adds.

“Stay alive if you want the credit.”

“……!”

“When the magic circle is unleashed, the entire sewer system will collapse. If we don’t get buried, we’ll survive, and we’ll be able to completely block the Thorn Vine’s advance. One concern, however, is that…….”

Scavenger’s eyes widen.

“Emilio……!”

Nash nods.

Yes, the King of Scavengers.

Emilio had traveled through the sewers and into the Imperial Palace’s basement to determine the exact cause of the situation. If the thorny vines grew any larger, reaching a mass that would unleash the magic circle.

And if the sewers collapse……….

“Emilio may never return.”

There are many traps and magic circles lurking beneath the Imperial Palace.

The treasury of the empire.

The Warlord’s Library, in particular, must be protected.

Can Emilio get past the traps and magic circles to get the information? And even if he does, will he be able to escape safely from the sewers and onto the thorny streets of Antonium?

Grumble!

Even if Bensch was holding on, his range was limited to the thorny vines leading out of the Antonium… ……. Nam Taemin can be heard grinding teeth.

“Damn, I can’t even burn that thing down.”

A rose bloomed on a thorny vine.

The Scavengers had told him that there was a human being sleeping within those petals, so the best he could do now was to trust and wait.

Nash said to the fidgeting Scavengers.

“Believe me.”

“……?”

“Emilio, your king.”

“……!”

“Because I also believe.”

And I’m not just talking about Emilio.

I mean Brother Bensch, the people of the empire, whose battles are unknown in the flower blossoms, the Emperor in the palace, and finally, Hoyeol, who declared that he would return in four days.

*

Sneaky.

Emilio moved stealthily and entered the Imperial Palace’s basement.

Countless years of experience as King of the Scavengers.

His stats increased during the Warring States Period.

Thanks to all of that, Emilio was unharmed.

But that was all.

‘Damn.’

Emilio’s eyes confirmed the flower’s true identity.

They were all over the stairs, where the guards were supposed to be.

Emilio shook his head.

‘Wake up.’

It’s time to shake off the fear and see clearly.

Antonium, what this ridiculous thorny vine is.

Emilio shook off his fear and started walking.

Suddenly, he sees a thorny vine reaching through the outer wall.

Emilio took a closer look at the vines.

‘Isn’t it unusually thick?’

His accelerated brain came up with an answer.

Maybe this is the first root that has ever grown.

If so, if we trace this thorny vine back to…….

‘Maybe we can get to the source.’

seug.

Emilio instinctively squeezed himself through the crumbling outer wall.

He had learned that if you were pricked by a thorn, your whole body would be covered in flowers.

He moved cautiously, staring at the thorns.

Emilio was able to reach the other side of the wall.

And then he saw it.

“!”

A burst of light.

A collapsing rift.

The [Warlord’s Library].

One step, two steps…….

Emilio cautiously peered inside the former emperor’s library, and then gasped. A strong floral scent assaulted his nose. Inside the Warlord’s Library, there were roses in full bloom.

“……What is it?”

Roses blooming on a single thorny vine. Emilio thought. Why were the roses here so different from the others?

“!”

There was no need to borrow the spinning monarch’s brain. Even though Emilio did not receive a proper education, he knew how many emperors the current emperor was.

“Seven……. Seventh……!”

That’s right.

The number of roses in bloom was equal to the number of emperors of the empire.

The number of roses in the basement of the imperial palace was equal to the number of emperors.

Emilio comes up with the correct answer.

‘So, this thorny vine grew using the emperors as nourishment?’

then.

Does this mean that the current Emperor has become one of the roses?

Isn’t this the kind of news that should be told to Claudi?

‘I must get out of here.’

However, at this moment, one question remained for Emilio that could not be resolved. A system message that was not visible to Emilio, an Arcana, but was clearly visible.

[You have come to face the Monarch of a hostile faction].

If the current Emperor has become a rose, who in the world is the monarch now living and breathing in Antonium? The answer to that question was provided by the subject itself.

Burrrr─

Suddenly, the roses shed their petals.

Soon, the roses, in full bloom, shook their heads.

Their stems snapped.

At the same time, a voice rang in Emilio’s head.

-“The Eternal Lord of Roses, Seric Rose, will ask.”

It was not a telepathic message addressed to Emilio alone.

It wasn’t just the roses in the Warlord’s Library that stirred. Every flower in Antonium bowed before the Lord of the Eternal Roses, and everyone in the vicinity of the city heard the Monarch’s voice.

And finally, the player’s vision.

[Seric Rose, Lord of the Eternal Rose, appears].

[The field transforms].

[A never-ending, eternally rosy future looms].

[Status abnormality, “Eternal Sleep” occurs].

“!!!”

A flash of light.

A wide-area status abnormality manifested.

Only four individuals rejected the state.

Bensch, Matisse, and Bellier.

Three senior mages.

And then.

‘Hang in there, Nash. The name of Seric Rose has been uttered……!’

That was the last we heard of Nash, holding on to his consciousness with extreme mental strength.

Could it be because of that?

It didn’t take long for them to recognize each other.

Seric Rose, a man with a crown of thorns on his head.

He turned to Bensch and spoke.

“What is your name, brave mage?”

Bensch thought.

Where does Chief Lee see this situation? Did he see that the cause of all this would be right under his nose? He burst out laughing.

“How can a senior like me know what Chief Lee is thinking?”

But in this moment, he knew what he had to do.

Seric Rose, this un-Emperor who wore the Emperor’s name.

To burn him.

Bensch replied.

“Flame Emperor, Bensch William.”

In his heart, Bensch had guessed his opponent’s identity.

Just as the chief had said.

Wasn’t it a situation where a great evil entered the interior of Antonium?

Surely it was the demon, he thought.

But the answer was unexpected.

“William. A nostalgic name.”

It sounded like it had known the Williams family for a long time.

There was an undeniable elegance in his tone.

There was something different about him than the demons he’d been familiar with.

“Bensch of William’s Family. You have proven yourself worthy of the title, and I, Seric Rose, will reward you with what you deserve.”

“Huh?”

He chuckled in disbelief.

What does he call his own awakening to become Flame Emperor?

Bensch didn’t speak, but instead, Fear flared in his eyes.

‘I can’t lose.’

Thorny vines and flowers vulnerable to flame.

On paper, fire magic was a perfect match.

But Seric Rose still had the upper hand, even in the face of Fear.

“Choose.”

To be precise.

“I, the merciful one, will give you a choice.”

That was clearly the emperor’s attitude.

“What do you want, eternal happiness or vain truth?”

*

Let’s see, I’d better be prepared, eh?

‘Pride, I don’t know what he’s up to yet.’

In any case, it doesn’t change the fact that we need to enter the blockaded city of Antonium. Which means there’s bound to be a siege. The important thing in a siege is firepower.

I stopped by Garnet Hall and looked around at the magic tools for the final battle.

Kiko Armin, Senior Enchantment.

“Ah, if you’re Chief Lee, I’m sure you’re perfectly capable of handling that staff. Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to rely on it!”

Apparently there’s not much else to do today.

She’s watching me pick out the tools.

By the way, I have a newfound appreciation.

‘I used to have to choose just one.’

I chose the Sixth Sight Brooch over the fancy items in the Magic Tower.

But those days of level restrictions are long gone.

[Level: 976]

It was nearly a thousand levels.

No matter how great a magic tool it was.

It meant that it shouldn’t be too difficult to wear.

“I’ll take this one.”

“Ah, yes.”

“I’ll take this one, too.”

“Okay, wait a minute……!”

“This one too.”

“Yes, please!”

Anything goes.

Thanks to the generous discipline of the Chief.

I had a dozen or so tools in my inventory.

Suddenly, one tool caught my eye.

[Small Magic Sun]

It was a top grade magic tool that Bensch wanted to borrow so badly.

Yes, I’d finally gotten around to it.

What’s the point of strictly restricting the magic tools now?

“May I also ask for this, Senior Kiko Armin?”

“This……? Yes, I’ll take care of it!”

As I said before, firepower is key in a siege.

Bensch, Bellier, Matisse, and Nash.

It wouldn’t hurt to bring some tools for them.

‘I can use them if I have to.’

I left Garnet Hall with my inventory packed like a merchant. Out of nowhere, out of thin air, I spotted Hiel. Hiel bowed respectfully.

“I apologize, my lord.”

When she appeared unannounced, she often begged for forgiveness with the same intensity as she did now. One might have misunderstood me.

Needless to say, I never accused Hiel of anything like that. She always had a good reason, even now.

Hiel’s concerned voice rang in my ears.

Unusual.

“The survivors of the Dredsen, I can’t feel their breath.”

My eyebrows twitched.

*

“I see you have finally chosen reality.”

Seric Rose, Lord of the Roses, speaks up.

“Behold. It is, as I said, it’s completely vain.”

He looks at Bensch, covered in rose petals.

“B-Brother Bensch……!!!”