MLWP 38

Chapter 38

“Get back!”

Before she knew it, the Holy Knights had surrounded the Mage Tower, controlling the scene. Celia clicked her tongue without thinking, seeing she’d arrived a bit later than expected.

“I wanted to get here before things got blocked off.”

Even though she’d hurried, she’d been delayed in several places along the way.

“Celia! Over there—someone’s hurt!”
“Help us!”

Because the explosion had been so massive, debris had scattered into nearby homes and shops.

It had taken her time to drag wounded civilians out of the wreckage on her way here—but at least she’d managed to save a few. Still, something nagged at her.

“Hey, memorize this spell right now.”
“You’re teaching me magic? Now?”
“You wanted me to before, remember? It’s a healing spell.”
“I don’t even know how to open my mana circuit yet.”
“You’ll figure it out eventually. Anyway, no time to explain—just memorize it. Use it when you’re desperate.”

She’d taught Krondel a simple healing magic formula.

It wasn’t anything powerful, but it was still magic—if used incorrectly, it could cause trouble. Celia wasn’t confident he’d use it properly.

“Didn’t have time to teach him properly…”

She shook her head. She could check on him later—right now, there were more pressing matters.

“Step back! It’s dangerous!”
“Experts will be here soon! Leave it to the royal mages!”

How am I supposed to get through this?

As the knights waved them away, Krondel’s expression grew increasingly anxious.

Celia grabbed his hand, pulling him aside from the knights.

“What if you use your prince status to make them back off?”
“I’m pretending not to be a prince when I’m outside, remember?”

Right—she’d forgotten. The knights probably had no idea who he really was. Celia hesitated for a moment.

“If you need assistance, I can help.”

“Flier.”

Flier had arrived slightly before Celia, accompanied by a few of Diamanga’s guards. She’d probably rushed over to see if she could help.

“That person is…”

Flier looked curiously at Krondel’s face but didn’t pry. That was her considerate nature. Celia smiled faintly.

“You got here quickly.”
“Not quickly enough, I’m afraid.”
“Oh please—no other noble would bring their guards and push through a disaster scene to help like you just did.”
“…Lord Phillips is here as well. I believe others will arrive soon too.”

In the distance, Alec Phillips stood watching as if it were a spectacle. Celia met his gaze—given how they’d clashed verbally last time, she’d expected hostility. Instead, his expression held a strange curiosity.

Celia silently mouthed:
‘What are you staring at? Want me to read your letter out loud here?’

Alec flinched. Ignoring him, Flier leaned close and whispered,

“If you need to go in, I’ll draw their attention.”
“Can you do it?”

Krondel asked her politely. Flier nodded.

“Not all of them, but I can divert some.”
“You’ll handle the rest of the attention,” Celia said to Krondel.

Even if he wasn’t acting as a prince, he could still stand out among the crowd and distract a few knights. Krondel met Celia’s eyes squarely.

“…I won’t ask if you can do it.”
“Of course not.”
“If things look bad, I’ll come after you right away.”
“I’ll have it under control before that happens, so don’t worry. You too, Flier—you trust me, right?”

Her words carried genuine conviction. Both of them stayed silent for a beat, then nodded almost simultaneously. Flier whispered,

“Please be careful.”
“Always.”

“Captain of the Knights!”

Flier dashed off first, swiftly seizing the attention of the Knight Commander. Seeing her, Krondel also raised his voice toward the knights blocking the way.

“Hey! My family is inside!”

The two stood out so much that all eyes turned toward them, and the guards’ vigilance loosened.

Taking advantage of the opening, Celia slipped around to the rear, found footholds, and leapt upward. As she drew the sword hanging at her waist, Perriott hummed eagerly in her hand.

The Mage Tower’s barrier had been hastily activated and was now tightly sealed—but there was one spot that caught her eye.

“There.”

A hole—part of the barrier and wall had blown apart, probably where the explosion had originated.

“The magic around that area is weakened.”

Celia cast enhancement magic on her arms and legs—not for brute force, but for sharp precision, enough to pierce that single gap.

She extended her sword arm and tensed her legs.

“Now!”

Swoosh—!

Her body sprang forward like a coiled spring, crashing into the weak point of the barrier.

Crack.

She felt the mana forming the shield fracture—

“KIEEEEK!”

A chilling scream rang from inside. That familiar, nauseating sensation filled her chest—the telltale sign of a monster emerging.

“Damn it.”

She’d expected this, but still—inside the Mage Tower?

Celia swallowed a curse and broke through.

Spin—

“…Huh.”

She should’ve entered from the upper side of the tower—this should be the Archmage’s chambers at the top.

But instead—

“…This is underground?”

The highest floor was below her. The whole space felt upside-down, as if the building had been flipped. Even the spiral staircase wound in reverse. The mana flow throughout the tower was completely distorted.

“This feels like the treasure vault all over again.”

That vault had been like a dungeon, crafted by mages—this was the same, half-transformed into something unnatural.

Shattered walls and debris littered the corridor. And then—

“…The Tower Master is still holding out.”

Researchers floated midair or lay sprawled on the ground.

Their unconscious bodies were protected by golden light—the bright, buoyant aura unique to Acla. Celia let out a sigh of relief. That meant the Tower Master was still alive.

“Come here.”

Celia gathered the floating mages, anchoring them safely in the air so they wouldn’t fall and get hurt. But as she watched the golden shields shimmer, worry crept in.

“Even a Tower Master can’t use infinite mana…”

She hurried to secure the survivors and was about to head upward to assist Acla when—

Something flicked past her eyes.

“…?”

A shimmering liquid, like starlight in the night sky.

It gave off a sweet yet ashy scent, clinging to an unconscious mage’s body as if trying to burrow inside.

“Not on my watch.”

Celia instinctively charged her sword with mana and slashed it away.

Thwack.

The liquid dodged and floated upward, beginning to flee.

“Hey!”

Celia reached for it—but the mage it had touched groaned weakly.

“Hey, are you alright?”
“Ugh…”

The mage mumbled something and passed out again—but looked more at peace now.

By the time Celia checked, the strange liquid had vanished, leaving only its faint scent behind.

“What was that?”

Whatever it was, it drew her gaze—and she could almost hear faint whispers, like it was calling to her.

“…Just my imagination?”

She shook it off and moved quickly. Helping Acla came first. As she bounded up the spiral stairs, another scream rang out—

“KIEEEK!”

“That’s…”

The large research chamber—they used that room often.

Celia braced her legs, ready to leap. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears—an all-too-familiar feeling.

“Huuh…”

Taking one deep breath, she burst through the research lab doors.

Bang!

“Don’t—!”

Someone shouted desperately. Blood roared in her ears.

Time seemed to slow as her sword thrust forward, aiming straight at her target.

A massive humanoid monster turned its head toward her.

Behind it stood Acla, facing off alone. Their gazes met.

“Tower Master.”

Inside Acla’s vast golden barrier, unconscious figures lay protected—Rose, Marin, and others, unharmed. Relief flickered in Celia’s eyes.

Then she caught the airflow shift.

Wait—

That desperate “Don’t!” just now—it had been Acla’s voice.

“Was she… warning me?”

Celia’s eyes darted to where her sword was aimed—

“!”

CRASH!

She twisted her blade’s trajectory at the last moment, muscles screaming in protest. She rolled across the floor, landing hard as Perriott screeched against the ground.

Before she could even rise, a powerful impact struck nearby.

The shockwave’s gust threw her backward.

CLANG!!

Celia drove her sword into the floor to anchor herself and stood in a flash.

“…”

It was her first time seeing a humanoid monster.

In her past life, she’d fought countless beast-like ones on battlefields—reptilian, quadrupedal, even winged. Rarely, she’d seen those mimicking dragons or ancient beasts.

But this—

“A human…?”

Could such a thing even exist?

Before her shock subsided, she saw a familiar face embedded near the creature’s chest—

Her fists clenched tight without thinking.

“…Liman Jaycal.”