Do Your Own Revolution

#116

Swoosh-

The scenery visible to the eye was one of two things.

The sky, or the sea.

However, what Irene saw sitting at the edge of the cliff wasn’t just these two things.

The massive glacier beyond the sea.

And the crack beneath it.

Since arriving at the Korhonen Territory, sitting here and looking at it had become one of Irene’s daily routines.

[······! ···! ·········!]

Bizarre intertwined voices dug into Irene’s mind.

Voices calling for Irene, voices telling her to die.

Voices urging her to come this way, and voices fearing her to stay away.

Different wills and emotions mixed together, endlessly tormenting her mind.

If humans could hear these voices, it wouldn’t be strange if they had gone mad long ago.

However, in Irene’s mind at the center of it all, an entirely different scene was unfolding.

Herself, unleashing all her power, creating an army of monsters.

And the many knights who confronted her.

What unfolded in Irene’s mind was the battle during the Elcidore Incident.

“I couldn’t do it all.”

Eugene. And the monsters created in the image of Eugene’s soldiers.

At first, they fought effectively, suppressing the knights, but gradually they were pushed back and eventually defeated.

Even the five special children she had particularly focused on creating were ultimately defeated.

Eugene had clearly said she should kill them all, but she hadn’t properly fulfilled those words.

“This can’t happen again.”

Since that day, she had thought that countless times.

After agonizing and pondering, she came to a conclusion.

Power greater than now.

She needed an even larger army.

“That’s why I came here.”

Irene spoke toward the invisible crack.

“I learned a lot from fighting last time. I improved the design structure of the pure-breeds and increased their numbers. I have tons of really strong dolls, and Eugene will come with me too. You can’t win.” ṛ𝙖𐌽Օ𐌱Ěṩ

So I just need to devour all of you.

If I enter the crack.

If I devour everything waiting for me inside.

She could gather power incomparable to anything until now.

She could properly accomplish what Eugene had ordered.

“Wh-what?! How dare you all… here of all places…! Aaagh?!”

“Lady Irene! Please dodge! There are intruders…!”

Slash-!

With a sharp cutting sound, the two soldiers guarding Irene instantly became corpses.

Slowly approaching her was a group of assassins wearing red cloaks.

Among them, holding swords dripping with blood, an incongruously seductive voice was heard.

“Lady Irene. That would be you, correct?”

Emma.

Russell’s mistress and collaborator dispatched from the Round Table.

Passing by the corpses of the two soldiers, she looked at Irene with a sinister smile.

I’ve come to escort you. My lady, please come with us.

A tone clearly intended to be threatening.

However, Irene didn’t respond to her words, simply continuing to look at the sea silently as before.

Frozen with fear?

Or just baseless bravado?

As Emma pondered this and that, a quiet voice reached her.

“Eugene told me. He said not to go with anyone except those he mentioned.”

“Don’t worry about that. My lady, Lord Eugene will be coming this way soon too. Now, please come this…”

“Eugene doesn’t know someone like you.”

A cold voice.

Emma was momentarily surprised by this demeanor, contrary to the foolish attitude she had observed while monitoring Eugene.

‘So she’s not just a thoughtless woman after all?’

She saw Irene’s face as she slightly turned to look at her.

With no trace of her usual smile, just an expressionless face dripping with coldness.

“You’re not Eugene’s friend.”

“……”

“If you were a friend, Eugene would have told me about you first.”

Must not eat them.

Swallowing those words, Irene briefly looked around at them.

‘They have imprints but they’re worthless. Their magical power isn’t even pure. They don’t look tasty at all, not even close to Karin whom I ate before, let alone knights.’

After confirming the individuals surrounding her, Irene completed all her judgments.

Trash.

Irene turned her gaze away, completely erasing any interest in them.

“…I’m sorry, but the current situation is more serious than you think, my lady.”

However, that didn’t last long.

With a slight nod from Emma, two assassins approached and held their knives to Irene’s throat.

The cold sensation of metal against her nape.

It couldn’t have been a more perfect threat.

“So while I’m still asking nicely, obediently come with us. If your face gets scarred, how sad would Sir Eugene be…”

But that didn’t last long either.

“…would you look at that?”

Emma’s expression twisted.

Despite having knives held to her throat, Irene maintained her initial expressionless face while staring at the sea.

As if showing complete disinterest in her and the assassins, an utterly arrogant attitude.

Emma felt a slight irritation rising.

‘This lowborn wench without even a proper lineage, acting so proud just because she has the war hero Eugene’s backing?’

If that’s how you want to play it, we don’t need to be so courteous either.

Snap!

Emma strode forward and roughly grabbed Irene’s face.

“Ha…!”

Irene’s cold face showed no sign of even noticing the killing intent Emma was radiating.

Seeing that face so blatantly ignoring her, Emma’s patience was rapidly wearing thin.

‘Russell’s orders were to avoid rough handling, but there’s no helping it if we want to handle this smoothly.’

Just a light slap or two…

Thud.

At that moment, the sound of something falling to the ground was heard.

What fell?

Is she trying to contact that Eugene bastard?

Thinking this, Emma looked down to check the ground and.

“…huh?”

What had fallen to the ground was her own hand that had been holding Irene’s face.

“Ah, aah, aaaaaagh–!”

“Wh-what! Lady Emma’s arm!”

“When did she…!”

Emma screamed while clutching her completely severed arm.

The assassins hastily drew their guns, but those with even slight magical power could sense something bizarre.

“Wh-what is this?”

“Until just now there wasn’t even a trace of presence…”

A murky, dark energy different from ordinary mages.

Several assassins’ eyes widened instantly upon sensing it.

“This is… could it be?”

Those who had been dispatched to contaminated zones could recognize it.

This magical power wavelength was that of monsters.

No, it was the special wavelength emitted by the crack.

And upon realizing this, they were gripped by an even more incomprehensible feeling.

Why was this magical power wavelength associated with monsters emanating from that girl?

“…ah.”

While the assassins were in confusion.

Irene’s expressionless gaze settled on one spot.

Her white blouse.

The blood that had splattered on the hem of that clothing had created a red stain.

“This clothes, Eugene bought it for me in the capital.”

Only after seeing that did Irene’s gaze turn toward Emma and the assassins.

“H-huk?!”

“Th-this is…”

Amethyst eyes gleaming beneath dark shadows.

The assassins felt chills run down their spines upon meeting that gaze.

Such murderous intent that even assassins trained for decades were terrified.

Even Emma, trembling in pain, froze at that chilling voice.

“Because of you people, it got dirty.”

Slash-!

A brief statement.

As those words ended, black tentacles shot out from beneath Irene’s feet.

Tentacles rushing toward the assassins with growling teeth and bulging eyes.

Their faces instantly turned pale when they saw it.

By the time they realized something had gone wrong, it was already too late.

***

“I know most of our combat forces were dispatched to the glacier… but wasn’t this breached too quickly?”

“Nothing to say about that. Who could have known they’d attack in such numbers.”

30 minutes.

That was the time it took from receiving reports of knights infiltrating the first floor until Russell and his knights broke into this office.

“We’ve subdued all the knights from the main house. All that remains are Reina, who’s stationed in the annex, and you.”

Knights surrounding Margrave in a semicircle.@@novelbin@@

Among them, Russell spoke while drawing up his magical power to the fullest.

“Lord Russell. A report from the annex, sir. They say the automatons are delaying their entry…”

“What are they doing at this crucial moment. Send reinforcements immediately.”

These idiots are whispering in front of a seven stroke imprint mage.

I can hear everything, you fools.

While thinking this, I observed Russell’s figure as he aimed at the Margrave.

The magical power crystals formed around his body, and the magical power sword made from those crystals.

Without needing to look further, it was Duke Buckenheim’s crystal magic.

‘A Korhonen direct descendant using another family’s magic.’

Just how much must this person have hated his own family?

While I was thinking this, Margrave Kassel called out to his son in a grave voice.

“Russell. Why are you doing this?”

“To become the master of Korhonen.”

“So you’re saying you’ll protect this land in my stead?”

“That’s not my job, but the Knight Order’s.”

With a cold sneer, Russell continued speaking.

“The Knight Order will take charge of the Korhonen Territory and wall defense. The automatons you developed will be used for mining labor and drilling operations. Korhonen will become far wealthier than during your reign.”

“You’re saying you’ll sell our autonomy for momentary profit? Even though that means handing over Korhonen’s sovereignty, the North’s governance to them?”

“I wouldn’t have inherited it anyway. The successor was Reina, not me.”

Rather than protecting a freedom that was never mine to begin with, selling everything to the Knight Order is a much better deal.

Though he was speaking without hesitation, Russell’s face didn’t look entirely pleased.

“Do you think the Knight Order can properly protect the North?”

“That’s none of my business. I just need to reign as Korhonen’s next lord. Unlike you, who’s trapped here half-dead claiming to protect the territory’s people!”

“What a pathetic fellow.”

With that sigh, Margrave spoke while looking at Russell.

“This is why I didn’t choose you as my successor.”

“……”

“Everything that made you who you are came from Korhonen’s land and its people. Do you think what you gain from selling them off will protect you forever? Do you think becoming a willing slave to magic nobles will satisfy that petty vanity of yours?”

Shaking his head, Margrave continued.

“You will be discarded.”

“…!”

“And the North you seize will transform into hell…!”

“If you didn’t want that, you should have quietly passed the title to me-! Not to that lowborn adopted daughter without a drop of our blood-!”

Cutting off Margrave’s words, Russell’s voice burst out.

Russell shouted as if throwing a tantrum.

However, that only lasted a moment before he turned his head with an indescribable expression.

“…Out of respect for the former Margrave’s honor, I won’t kill you.”

“……”

“Hand over your imprint. I’ll arrange a suitable place for you to recover.”

It seemed merciful at first glance, but in reality it wasn’t.

The seven stroke imprint [Steel Puppeteer] was what suppressed the count’s illness.

Demanding its surrender was no different from telling him to die.

“And you, Eugene Lorentz.”

Having said his piece, Russell now approached me.

“The die is already cast, and I am the ruler of the North. From now on, I’m the one you need to negotiate with. Not that dying corpse over there.”

“What if I refuse to acknowledge that?”

“Could you really do that?”

As if he had anticipated my resistance, Russell lowered his voice while looking at me.

“We’ve captured that woman Irene who’s always with you.”

“……”

How can he be so triumphant while jumping into the fire pit himself?

While I was thinking this, Russell brought his face close and growled.

“Don’t think this is just bravado. We’re serious. If you make any rash moves, I’ll immediately order that woman’s death…!”

“That’s where you’re wrong.”

I looked at these pitiful ignorant fools with a deep sigh.

Oh you poor idiots.

What? Kidnap Irene?

Kill her if I make any sudden moves?

Go ahead and try if you can.

How do you plan to kill someone who walks away laughing after taking a direct hit from an armored train’s cannon?

Looking at Russell who frowned, seemingly not grasping the situation, I spoke slowly.

“Your planned coup. It was doomed from the start.”

And the next moment.

Aaaaaagh—!

“?!”

“What was that sound just now?!”

“No, more importantly, that voice is…”

A scream was heard from outside the mansion.

A woman’s scream so high it seemed to tear apart. No, it would be more accurate to call it a death cry.

Russell’s voice went pale, apparently recognizing the owner of that voice.

“Emma? Why would she be screaming…?”

“My lord.”

This is urgent.

While activating my magic circuit, I turned my gaze to look at Margrave.

‘I’m going to kill your son now, is that really okay?’

A question too cruel to ask a father.

Unable to voice it out loud, I just looked at him silently, and the masked count’s face moved up and down.

“Kill him, Eugene.”

“As you command.”

The moment Margrave’s approval fell, I transmitted magical power from my magic circuit to my imprint.

Kuu-!

“Kugh?!”

“M-my body…!”

The space instantly churned with my magical power filling the audience.

The knights’ faces all turned pale at feeling that pressure.

“By confirmation of Margrave Korhonen. The Imperial Army hereby considers Korhonen First Son Russell Korhonen as a rebel force threatening the legitimate governance of magic nobles from this moment forward.”

Congratulations, Young Master Russell.

You’re a rebel from today.

Muttering that internally, I pressed Heresy’s muzzle against Russell’s head.

“And according to His Imperial Majesty’s orders, there is only one sentence for rebels. Immediate execution.”

“…!”

“From this moment, I will carry out the imperial command.”

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