Episode 14: I Know Everything
‘How?’
The first thought that ran through Fedelian’s mind when he saw Yohan holding the special-grade beast’s severed head was one of disbelief.
‘Even if it was a young beast, an special-grade beast is not something a mage who has just barely reached the level of high-tier magic could take down alone.’
The southern unit should have been annihilated.
He had deliberately assigned the fewest number of troops to the south under the pretense that it had the fewest beasts.
‘And yet, not only did he manage to evacuate the others, but he also defeated it?’
The question refused to leave his mind, circling endlessly. Had Yohan been hiding his true level? No, that didn’t make sense. There was nothing to gain from doing so.
His eyes quivered, and his mouth fell slightly open. He was utterly dumbfounded.
“Yohan!”
While Fedelian was lost in thought, Francia broke free from the knight restraining her and darted forward.
With a face on the verge of tears, she ran straight into Yohan’s arms, burying her face against his chest.
“Francia.”
“What were you thinking…!”
Her words trailed off, choked by the swell of emotion.
“I’m sorry.”
“Promise me you’ll never do something so reckless again!”
“I promise.”
Yohan smiled gently and patted her head. Her ruby-like eyes glistened with unshed tears as she looked up at him.
“…I’m so relieved you came back safely. Truly.”
With that, Francia buried her face in his chest again.
Two men watched the scene with displeasure.
“……”
“……”
They were Cassis and Fedelian.
Disgusting.
Fedelian scowled as he observed the overly affectionate display.
‘I didn’t realize she had a man.’
Cassis, his face unreadable, began piecing together their relationship.
‘Are they lovers?’
His violet eyes darkened as his lips pressed into a thin line.
“Both of you, calm down.”
Fedelian, unable to watch any longer, interrupted the moment.
“…Pull yourself together, Special-Class Mage Harsen. I need a full explanation.”
“Yes.”
Yohan gently free himself from Francia’s embrace and took a step forward. She clung to his sleeve. Yohan chuckled lightly and nodded to reassure her.
“Oh, and one more thing.”
Just as Yohan was following Fedelian, he turned back abruptly.
“This is the head of the Special-grade beast.”
Thud.
He tossed the head casually, letting it roll across the ground.
“That’s… really the head of an special-grade beast?”
“My goodness, did you really take it down by yourself?”
The officer and knight gawked at the head in stunned amazement.
“Please take care of the corpse disposal.”
With that, Yohan followed Fedelian.
***
Inside the central barracks at the forward base, Fedelian sat with his legs crossed and began speaking.
“I’ve already heard most of the situation. The beasts didn’t appear until you reached the edge of the lair, correct?”
“Yes.”
“You stayed behind to face the special-grade beast alone, allowing the others to retreat, and even brought back its head. That’s all I know so far.”
“That is correct.”
Fedelian narrowed his eyes.
“How did you manage it?”
“It was a young special-grade beast.”
“So you’re saying it was easy to handle on your own?”
“Yes.”
The crown prince studied Yohan carefully. He didn’t seem to be lying.
“Lucky, aren’t you?”
“Haha. Lucky, you say?”
Yohan smiled, meeting Fedelian’s gaze. His eyes locked onto the blonde man.
“All thanks to Your Highness’s blessings, I’m sure.”
“…What are you implying?”
“I thought Your Highness might know better than I do.”
Fedelian’s eyebrow twitched.
‘Does he know I orchestrated this?’
How could he? There was no evidence left behind. This had to be a bluff. Maintaining his composure, Fedelian pressed further.
“…Anyway, have you figured out why the special-grade beast appeared in the south?”
“How would I know? Only the one who orchestrated all this would know.”
“So, you’re suggesting there’s someone behind this other than the Dark Mages?”
Fedelian tilted his head, his expression unreadable.
Yohan’s gaze turned icy.
“There is. And they’re someone very high up.”
“Someone high up?”
“Do you truly not know?”
“I Don’t Know.”
Fedelian’s blatant shamelessness made Yohan inwardly click his tongue in disapproval.
“This entire incident was undoubtedly orchestrated by the Dark Mages, but they lacked the necessary information to pull all of this off alone.”
Yohan paused before continuing.
“Strangely enough, the beasts they manipulated seemed to have a clear objective, as if their sole purpose was to annihilate the southern unit.”
As he finished, Yohan’s expression hardened.
A high-ranking figure. The crown’s blessing. The mastermind behind this incident.
He had laid out all the clues. Fedelian should be able to grasp their meaning without difficulty.
“…I see. So, you’re saying there’s someone in the Bureau colluding with the Dark Mages?”
“That’s correct.”
Fedelian’s expression darkened, while a faint smile tugged at the corner of Yohan’s lips.
“How foolish, isn’t it? To conspire with Dark Mages under the gaze of the heavens in this empire. Surely, they won’t meet a peaceful end.”
“……”
“That’s what I think. Sooner or later, the instigator will face their punishment. I hope they’re prepared for that.”
Yohan smirked and added,
“I won’t be reporting this to the higher-ups. I trust you, Commander, to handle it appropriately.”
At that moment, Fedelian was certain: Yohan Harsen knew he had colluded with the Dark Mages to orchestrate this incident.
“…Understood. Take your rest.”
“Yes.”
Yohan bowed politely and left the barracks.
As Fedelian watched him leave, he leaned on his hand, narrowing his eyes.
‘He knows I was behind this.’
But how? He had made sure not to show any hostility toward Yohan. The only person aware of his dealings with the Dark Mages was Rudella Bismarck.
‘Rudella Bismarck? No, she would never betray me.’
She loved him more than anyone else. She was taught that way. There was no way she would turn on him.
‘How… How did he figure it out?’
Fedelian’s expression grew darker.
‘It seems I’ll have to keep a low profile for a while.’
If he acted recklessly, his trail could be uncovered. With a small nod, he resolved to wait.
The faint rustle of movement accompanied a figure emerging from the shadows in the corner of the barracks.
“You called for me?”
“Eliminate all the Dark Mages involved in this collaboration.”
“Yes, sir.”
With a soft shuffle, the man cloaked in black vanished without a sound.
‘Yohan Harsen. One day, I must kill him.’
Fedelian’s blue eyes gleamed with fierce determination.
&And I need to act quickly before Francia falls completely for him.’
***
That Night: On the Road to the Southern Lair
Under the moonlight, the forest transformed into a frosty white expanse, filled with an eerie, cold stillness.
Everything—trees, soil, rocks—was frozen solid, and the ground was covered in a thick layer of ice.
Officers, knights, and soldiers sent to collect the corpses and the beasts’ soulstones were stunned by the scene.
“Is this… where the battle took place?”
“Ice magic….”
“That much is obvious.”
The forest, aptly described as a frozen world, was blanketed in radiant white ice, trapping everything within it in a state of stillness.
Whoooosh.
A frigid wind cut through the air, biting to the bone. It was a suffocating cold, as though being dragged into the depths of the sea.
“Are all special-class mages this powerful?”
“Who knows? It’s rare to see their full capabilities.”
One of the officers picked up an ice crystal lying on the ground.
“But this doesn’t feel like just high-tier magic. It might be ‘Mental Manifestation.’”
“Mental Manifestation…?”
“Yes. It’s when a mage projects their mental image into reality, altering the environment itself.”
Magic that projects one’s mental image into reality—this was a miracle performed by transcendental mages, the stage beyond special-class mages.
“It seems the second Division has gained a significant figure.”
The officers and knights continued forward. When they reached the edge of the lair, they found a body.
“…The Vice-Commander.”
It was Tersis Galectico, frozen solid and lifeless.
“Rest in peace.”
An officer gently placed a handkerchief over his icy face, concealing it, and removed the dog tags from his neck.
“…What a bizarre reconnaissance mission this turned out to be.”
It was the kind of day that made you crave a cigarette.
***
Due to Magical Exhaustion, Drained of stamina and mental strength from magical depletion, Yohan retreated to his tent to rest.
According to the medics, he required sleep, and they prescribed strict orders prohibit visitors except for his caretaker.
Unable to sit still and do nothing, Francia brought a chair and sat outside his tent under the moonlight, waiting for him to awaken.
That’s when a man approached and spoke.
“…What is your relationship with him?”
It was Cassis Lenokhonen. Francia, not even bothering to meet his gaze, curtly replied.
“You have no right to know.”
“Are you his lover?”
“I said you have no right to know.”
Irritated, Francia glared at Cassis. Meeting her piercing gaze, Cassis’s lips curved into a faint smile.
His amethyst eyes, illuminated by the moonlight, seemed to ripple.
“At last, you’re looking at me.”
“……”
“I’m not accustomed to saying things like this, but…”
Cassis awkwardly smiled and looked away.
“I hope to maintain a good relationship with you, Lady Francia Fervache.”
“This morning, you asked for my name. How did you know I was Lady Fervache?”
“I happened to overhear as I walked behind you.”
“Were you following me? That’s… extremely unsettling.”
“……”
Cassis flinched. Earlier, she had shown warmth and kindness to that man, yet all she had for him were thorns.
Strangely, though, he found it thrilling. This was a feeling Cassis had never experienced before, and he felt his neck tremble slightly.
“…I apologize if I made you uncomfortable. Please believe that wasn’t my intention.”
“Oh, sure.”
Francia answered curtly, turning her head sharply away. The chill and disdain in her demeanor dug deep into Cassis’s chest.
‘I’ve never found women this difficult to deal with before.’
Though known as a heartless battlefield Demon, he was also admired for his good looks and captivating eyes by many women.
Dealing with women had always been simple and straightforward for him—they were invariably kind to him.
But this woman—Lady Fervache—felt nothing of the sort for him. And oddly, that only made her more appealing.
“Well, I hope we’ll have the chance to meet ag—”
“Francia.”
Before Cassis could finish, someone called her name. Instinctively, he turned toward the voice.
There stood Yohan Harsen, the Special-Class Mage.
“Oh, you’re already awake?”
“Yes. I’ve got some experience with recovering my mana.”
Yohan smiled warmly at Francia before turning to look at Cassis. His gaze was cold.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Lenokhohnen, Speical-Class Knight. I am Special-Class Mage Yohan Harsen.”
“…You know who I am?”
“You’re famous. How could I not?”
Yohan’s expression hardened as he spoke. Cassis could tell what Yohan felt toward him.
Hostility.
The reason for it became evident quickly.
‘It’s because I approached Lady Fervache.’
So, they are lovers after all.
‘…How irritating.’
Cassis’s amethyst eyes darkened, jealousy beginning to take root.
‘The woman who should be mine…’
Clench.
His teeth ground together.
Thud.
His fists clenched so tightly that veins bulged across his hands.
A murderous urge began to bubble up inside him, but now was not the time.
Barely suppressing his desire, Cassis forced an awkward smile and offered a polite bow.
“…I hope you recover well.”
So that one day, I can cut you down myself.
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