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・・・・・

I ran until I was out of breath and my lungs constricted. But no matter how much I ran, the square was far away and I couldn't get any closer. 

Feeling something strange, I took a deep breath and stopped walking. 

‘No way.’ 

When I lifted my head slightly, the tree I had broken a branch from earlier was right in front of me.

‘Am I dreaming? It’s not like I’m on a treadmill...’

But sometimes, places that were more surreal than dreams existed, just like in a fantasy novel. I had certainly seen a scene like this before: the protagonist becoming confused while endlessly circling the same space. This was a phenomenon often associated with hallucinations or illusions.

I frantically looked around and checked the time. The effects of the presence-erasing potion had barely worn off. Just as I urgently rummaged through my belongings, clutching the ‘Is This Fainting or Sleeping?’ potion, a voice interrupted me.

“The more I see it, the more astonishing it is. I didn’t know there was a secret passage like that in the temple.”

As soon as I heard that murmured remark as if he were intrigued, my consciousness began to fade.

・・・・・

'Ouch, my head...'

Waking up after fainting was entirely different from shaking off sleepiness. It required a surprisingly stubborn mental effort and more time than one might expect to revive a forcibly shut-down consciousness. I clutched my throbbing head and simultaneously recalled my predicament.

Benjamin’s outrageous act of summoning a devil had shocked me so deeply that I had let my guard down. I was already aware that the potion’s effects were gradually wearing off.

Still, I thought there was no need to drink it again. I never imagined that in the meantime, Benjamin would pretend to escape from prison and follow me! Yes, that was Benjamin for you. No wonder he gave up so easily. Damn it. 

I groaned in frustration for a while before suddenly sitting up and opening my eyes. Iron bars loomed right in front of me.

"...Where am I now?"

I found myself lying on a small bed in the corner of a prison cell.

'The smell of blood...'

As I tried to get up, I heard a clinking sound and slowly lowered my gaze. There were handcuffs on my wrists — or rather, handcuffs that bound the wrists of Shayne Speare, whose large hands matched his tall stature.

‘He's acting out a cliché, just like a former male lead would.’

I gazed pensively at the chains that connected my wrists to the bed and pondered. It appeared the ‘I Wish To Become A Face Genius [1] Too’ potion’s effect hadn’t completely worn off yet. The one small consolation was realising that not much time had passed since I had fainted.

Of course, apart from that, everything else was utterly bleak. All my potions were gone — emptied from my belongings. I couldn’t help but feel increasingly annoyed as I realised I had fallen into the role of a pitiful female protagonist in a tragic novel, helplessly captured by the male lead. To make matters worse, I didn’t even look like a woman in my current form.

’What kind of obsessive, possessive lunacy is this?’

“You woke up sooner than I expected. I had hoped you’d awaken once everything was settled.”

My thoughts were abruptly interrupted when Benjamin suddenly stood up and appeared. Startled, I clutched my pounding chest and silently looked up at him with wary eyes. It seemed he had been sitting in a blind spot within the prison cell where he was hard to notice.

"Who are you?"

“My apologies if I startled you, Lady Amber.”

“...”

What did he just call me? My identity had been exposed before I even had the chance to initiate a conversation. I was momentarily speechless, but I quickly forced a troubled smile and responded.

“There seems to be a misunderstanding, but I am not Lady Amber.”

I decided to deny it outright, thinking up an excuse. At this point, it was inevitable that Shayne Speare’s connection to the Chamberlain faction would come to light, but I had to avoid revealing anything more than that. 

How on earth did he figure out that I was Irene Amber so quickly?

"Upon investigation, we found no records of you before the popularity of your plays. Of course, there’s no birth registration either."

"I am from a foreign country. I've been wandering around."

"Unless you've lived in a burrow your whole life, that's complete nonsense."

"How did you know I lived in a burrow?"

"I have no interest in moles. If you are not Irene Amber, I will have no choice but  to kill you."

Come to think of it, I witnessed such a scene, so why was he keeping me alive? In fact, it was a situation where I could have died at any moment. I thought he had kept me alive to extract as much information as possible, but it seemed he knew I was Irene Amber and that was why he hadn't killed me.

I pressed my lips together and quickly started to rack my brain. However, there seemed to be no way out of this situation other than admitting my identity. At that moment, Benjamin spoke, not giving me any time to think.

"You have quite beautiful eyes."

“...”

Of course, it wasn't a pick-up line.

"While golden eyes may not be exclusive to the Amber family, they’re certainly rare enough that it's quite a coincidence to come across them."

So, he found out ‘Shayne Speare’ was in league with Chamberlain and did some background research, then roughly guessed my identity based on my eye colour. That must be it. But he was right. There were plenty of ways to temporarily change one's appearance, but eye colour was something that could not be changed by any means. 

I grew even more annoyed with the sly Benjamin, who was so unlike Lucas. I had appeared as Shayne Speare in front of Lucas numerous times, but he never suspected my identity.

"If you are not Lady Amber, can I kill you and then take your eyes?"

‘...What?’

I thought this was some crazy joke, but Benjamin seemed quite serious. He even stroked his chin like a cautious consumer considering whether to buy the item in front of him.

I had known for a long time that he was an extraordinary crazy person who spent his daily life cosplaying as an ordinary person, but I never thought he would say something that would change the genre of the novel. 

‘Please keep my body intact, you crazy bastard.’

After hearing those words, I thought that even if I died, I should never die by Benjamin's side. He seemed like the type who would take my eyes just because they were unusual. I sighed and lightly raised both hands in surrender.

"I am Irene Amber, damn it."

"You should have done that earlier. Why waste your strength?"

“...”

‘I'm so annoyed I want to kill him.’ That thought crossed my mind as I moved my lips. 

"Where is this place?"

"As you can see, it's a prison."

"Why am I locked up?"

“Stop busily running around and stay here until the chaos settles down. Honestly, you're a huge hindrance."

‘Who are you to say that?’ I was about to retort but froze. A faint black figure was still clinging to Benjamin's back.

“...Is that a devil?"

"Weren't you already certain?"

As he said, I was certain. But I had heard from Larry before that Walter's appearance was a direct imitation of Leraze’s true form. So, I thought it would be in human form...

"I really can’t understand. Did you actually summon a devil? You, yourself?"

Even as I asked the question, I thought it was unlikely. I knew that Benjamin was highly self-centred and far from having a destructive nature. Even if the world were to end, he was the type to calmly sip tea in a safe zone. So, he would never make a deal that would cause him to lose out or damage himself. 

‘But the devil isn’t exactly a volunteer.’

Rather, they were more like a predator constantly hunting for souls. I knew this well, having observed Felix's situation closely and suffered greatly from it. I knew that a devil’s bargain never worked in favour of humans.

"... It wasn't you who summoned it, right?"

He must have borrowed someone else's help. Whether by using his followers like limbs or threatening talented individuals. When I asked with certainty, Benjamin silently raised the corners of his mouth. It was a silent affirmation.

・・・・・

In fact, Walter was a traitor. Given how things turned out, the person who would be in the most trouble was Lucas, who had trusted him completely, without a shred of doubt. After all, Lucas had granted him a title, provided elite troops during the height of the invasion war, and even transferred command of the most elite knight order to him.

Although Walter's humble origins had prevented him from rising to the rank of commander of the knight order, he had been entrusted with duties almost identical to those of the commander, the only difference being the insignia he wore.

Due to this, the knights who hurriedly rushed over upon hearing the news could only panic and be confused as they saw the emperor who seemed to have fainted and was motionless, and Walter, who had seized the emperor's vital point. The imperial palace was a world of deception where everyone tricked and deceived each other as naturally as breathing. The realisation of Walter's betrayal and rebellion, and the understanding of the situation, came quickly.

However, in an instant, the emotion that was clearly visible in their eyes was overwhelming fear. The primal terror gnawed at them like a worm, to the point where they couldn’t even hide it. The war had been nothing more than a stage to make Walter stand out. He always led the charge, slaughtering the enemy, and the scene was etched into the memories of those who witnessed it. The path he left behind was like a scene from hell. He turned the already brutal war into an even greater devastation. He was an object of both respect and envy. The knights, with reverence, called Walter the ‘Mercenary of Judgment and Destruction.’

But deep down, they must have thought that they never wanted him as an enemy. If they were ever forced to face him head-on, they would rather close their eyes and humbly accept death, seeing it as the easier path. 

A blue-eyed devil, whose veins seemed to flow with iron blood, stared at them. At that moment, the knights felt that the swords which had protected them until now were nothing more than mere scraps of metal. They were prepared to face death, but they did not want to become the prey of a devil.

However, as the imperial family's most elite knight order, their disarray was only momentary.

"Punish the traitor and ensure His Majesty’s safety!"

They moved in perfect order, as they had been trained, and immediately surrounded Walter and Claudia. The sorcerers, who had received the call and moved in an instant, concealed their presence and waited at their respective positions.

‘If we provoke him recklessly, it will harm His Majesty. I will strike the target in one blow, and after that, wait until the order is given.’

Elisa, the head of the Ministry of Magic for this mission and acting vice minister, exchanged glances with her subordinates. At that moment, she suddenly flinched in surprise.

The target’s blue eyes briefly met hers in the air. Although she was momentarily startled by the clarity and transparency of his gaze, she quickly dismissed the thought — there was no way he could see her, as she was completely concealed by magic. Was it an illusion? But his gaze was fixed precisely in her direction. It was at that time when her doubts had slowly turned into certainty...

‘Attack!’

The knight commander's signal was given. Elisa swallowed her saliva and waved her hand in the air. It was a hand gesture that seemed like she was giving commands. Then, the air, compressed to its limit, quickly shot towards Walter, who was threatening the emperor with his sword.

The magic cast was heavier than a greatsword and sharper than an arrow. It was a terrifying magic that could tear an ordinary person’s skin to tatters just by grazing them. But the effect was undeniable. If it hit the right spot, it could kill instantly. At the same time, Walter began to move. He drew his second sword from its sheath with a speed that was difficult for the eyes to follow.

What a fool — no matter how much of a war hero he was, there was no way he could block magic with a sword. Trying to cut through magic with a sword was as pointless as trying to cut water with a knife or jumping into a raging storm with your bare body. Elisa was certain of Walter’s death. His brief hero’s tale would end here.

But it was then.

"D-did he cut through the magic with his sword?"

Someone muttered, unable to believe what he had seen with his own eyes. To his eyes, all he could see was Walter rapidly slashing his sword vertically from top to bottom. At the same time, the magic rushing towards Walter disappeared without a trace. It was like a storm coming to a sudden lull.

However, in the eyes of the sorcerers, including Elisa, it was clear what had happened.

‘...He used mana to envelop his sword with sword energy and accurately shattered the magic's core.’

The core was like the driving force of magic; once destroyed, the magic would vanish without a trace. Of course, this had always been theoretical, and it was the first time Elisa had witnessed it with her own eyes.

‘Is that really within the realm of human capability? Is he truly a monster?’

Using mana was not particularly special. Anyone with a bit of magical talent could do it. Enveloping a sword with sword energy required considerable skill and effort, but it was also something that anyone who had reached the level of a swordmaster could achieve. However, what happened immediately afterward was an unfathomable feat, utterly beyond anyone's reach. It was an overwhelming and unknown domain.

Moreover.

‘Now that I think about it, how on earth did he know where the core was? The location and form of the core vary with each spell...’

The magic Elisa used was not in any textbook. It was a spell developed by someone and never made public.

"When carrying out orders, there will come a time when a choice must be made. I will send the opponent to their end with as little pain as possible."

Felix Chamberlain. He always tailored his teachings to each sorcerer, focusing on the magic they needed. A figure who left a mark on the magical world, who was still remembered and discussed in various places as a promising talent. A star that had unfortunately fallen. 

This overwhelming difference in skill, making it feel as if one were directly facing God, could be explained by that person. Elisa wore a ‘No way’ expression but quickly shook her head. It was an utterly absurd hypothesis.

"...What should we do?"

At that moment, the sorcerers who had been holding their breath around them asked in panic. It wasn’t a mistake to hear their words as ‘It seems we’re about to die. What kind of death should we choose?’ Indeed, what mattered now was that the assassination of the traitor had ended in failure, and their location had been completely exposed.

Translator's Corner:

[1] In Korean, the term "얼굴 천재" literally means 'face genius', but it's actually used to describe someone whose face is exceptionally beautiful or handsome, comparing them to a genius.

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