Napharoa’s expression hardened instantly.
“Chief. What is the meaning of this?”
Each syllable of his words was laced with anger.
The village chief quickly dropped to his knees and spoke.
“Y-Your Majesty. Th-this is a misunderstanding. We didn’t kill them.”
“A misunderstanding? Then where did all the beastfolk infected with the plague go?”
Ian checked the trembling beastfolk nearby.
They all looked genuinely wronged, supporting the village chief’s claim.
“We… we gathered them all in one place. W-we were told it would stop the spread.”
“Stop the spread?”
Ian frowned and asked.
“Who told you that?”
“T-that is…”
The village chief glanced toward Napharoa.
“Speak. Who said that to you?”
His tone had softened a little, which seemed to reassure the village chief.
“A few days ago, someone in a black robe came to us.”
At the mention of the black robe, Ian and Edelmar exchanged glances.
“When the guards told him he couldn’t enter the village due to the plague, he said the disease wouldn’t spread if the infected were isolated. At first, we didn’t believe him, but just in case, we gathered everyone in one place… and after that, no new infections occurred.”
“You said a few days ago—how many, exactly?”
“Three days ago.”
Three days ago would have been after Ian had already departed.
‘A trap? Or another scheme?’
Napharoa spoke.
“Where are they being quarantined?”
The village chief pointed toward a nearby mountain close to the village.
“They are living over there now. Our guards are watching over them.”
Napharoa looked at Ian.
“Sorry, but we’ll need to move again.”
“No problem. Let’s go.”
“Chief. Lead the way.”
Ian and his group followed the village chief toward the mountain near the village.
As they walked, Edelmar asked from behind.
“Are we really going? Is it safe?”
“We have no choice.”
Even if it was possibly a trap, they couldn’t turn back now.
“We should stay alert.”
Ian nodded.
Though they called it a mountain, the quarantine area resembled another village.
Inside the wooden fence made of tree branches, people were moving about more energetically than in the main village.
Despite the black spots on their bodies, the beastfolk looked peaceful and showed no signs of pain.
“Chief!”
A guard standing outside the fence saw the village chief and ran over.
Then, noticing Napharoa standing behind him, the guard hurriedly bowed and shouted,
“We greet the King of the Beastfolk!”
“Stand up.”
Napharoa waved his hand dismissively, as if he found the formality bothersome, and the guard stood up.
“I was told the beastfolk infected with the disease are quarantined here.”
“Yes, that’s correct. So far, there have been no deaths, and everyone is still in good health.”
Napharoa nodded, then looked to Ian.
Ian spoke.
“Please have the beastfolk gather at the entrance.”
“Of course. You heard him—make it quick!”
With Napharoa’s permission, the guard ran quickly back into the village and called out loudly to gather the beastfolk.
When they heard it was by royal command, the beastfolk didn’t hesitate and gathered at what looked like the entrance.
However, the number of people who gathered was very small.
“Is this everyone?”
“Yes, sir!”
At the guard’s confident response, Napharoa scowled.
The village chief asked urgently,
“What do you mean? Shai, Kashin, and Yeodong are all missing. Where are they?”
The guard, glancing nervously at Napharoa, hesitated before replying,
“You know the man in the black robe who told us to relocate here? He had an urgent request for help, so they went to assist him.”
Ian and Edelmar’s eyes grew cold.
“Where did they go?”
The guard bowed slightly and answered.
“I heard they went to help with something at the mine on the other side of the mountain.”
“The mine?”
The guard quickly nodded.
“Yes. They’re not mining anything—they just lost something while passing through and went to retrieve it.”
“When did they leave?”
“They left this morning, so they should be returning soon.”
Napharoa’s expression grew increasingly grim as he listened.
Ian said to Napharoa.
“King Napharoa, I’ll begin treating them.”
At the mention of treatment—the very reason they came here—Napharoa nodded.
As Ian approached the gathered beastfolk, Edelmar asked.
“Can you use magic?”
“Yes. I won’t be using my own mana.”
Edelmar gave him a puzzled look, but Ian didn’t elaborate further.
Arriving before the beastfolk, who looked at him with a mix of curiosity and caution, Ian pulled a folded piece of paper and a fist-sized magic stone from his inventory.
When he unfolded the paper, it revealed a magic circle drawn in complex patterns.
“A magic circle?”
“Yes. I need to use one if I don’t want to use my own mana.”
Ian had come to the Beastfolk Kingdom to understand what the dark mage was up to—but he wasn’t about to shatter his soul for someone else.
‘After all, I’m not a hero.’
That’s how this magic circle idea came to be.
“You even learned how to use a magic circle?”
“No. Lord Bernaba helped me with this one.”
“Oh-ho.”
In this world, magic belongs to the dragons. Naturally, no one understood magic better than they did.
As soon as Ian thought of using a magic circle, he asked Bernaba for help. He gladly explained the spell to him and even drew the magic circle himself.
He kindly included a thorough explanation, and Ian realized then—he had true talent as a teacher.
His explanations were clear and easy to follow.
Just by listening to him, Ian felt confident that he could now draw basic magic circles on his own.
‘I have to make sure Lord Bernaba becomes an academy teacher someday.’
Resolving this once again, Ian knelt on one knee.
He placed the paper with the magic circle on the ground and set the magic stone on top of it.
Then he stood up and spoke to Napharoa.
“I will now begin the healing spell.”
“Go ahead.”
Ian stretched out both hands.
Just as he was about to recite the incantation—
Whoosh!
A sharp arrow flew straight at Ian.
“Ian!”
Clang!
Edelmar swiftly drew his sword and deflected the incoming arrow.
“Kyaa!”
“Run!”
That arrow was just the beginning. A volley of arrows followed, all aimed at Ian.
“What the hell?! Who the hell is doing this?!”
Napharoa couldn’t get close because of the arrows and shouted instead.
Edelmar kept swinging his sword, deflecting each arrow.
Ian shouted quickly,
“Shield!”
With a sharp pain to his heart, a magical shield formed around Ian and Edelmar.
Ian quickly gathered the magic circle and the magic stone, then turned to Edelmar.
“Do you see the enemy?”
“There.”
Edelmar pointed with a nod of his chin. Beastfolk were visible, firing arrows at them.
They were all sturdy and well-built, but their faces were covered in black spots.
“They look like the ones who were supposedly at the mine.”
“Yeah. But why are they…”
As the hail of arrows died down, Edelmar, still inside Ian’s shield, dashed out.
“We’ll find out once we catch them.”
“Be careful!”
Ian dispelled the shield and drew Fragarach.
“Duke!”
Napharoa ran over.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes. The attackers appear to be the beastfolk who went to the mine.”
“I see. I suspected as much. But why would they…”
“Maybe if we catch them—watch out!”
Ian grabbed Napharoa by the collar and pulled him back.
BOOM!
A red fireball soared through the air and exploded exactly where Napharoa had just been standing.
Ian turned his gaze toward the source.
High up in the trees—so tall they seemed to pierce the sky—stood figures in black robes, looking down at them.
“Who are you?!”
Instead of answering, red fireballs began to form midair and shot toward Ian and Napharoa at high speed.
“I’ll trust that you can dodge on your own!”
“What?!”
Ian drew his sword and charged toward the incoming fireballs.
“[Seal Release]”
As the seal on Fragarach was released, the sword shimmered with light. Ian swung it with force.
The fireball flying toward him split in two.
BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions erupted on both sides, but Ian did not stop.
“Ermenia!”
Angelic wings sprouted from Ian’s back.
His running form lifted off the ground and soared through the air toward the black-robed figures.
As Fragarach gathered aura, Ian prepared to strike the robed enemies—
“Not so fast!”
CLANG!
A man with black hair appeared out of nowhere and blocked Ian’s sword.
“Get lost.”
Ian growled, pushing the man’s sword aside.
Shhk.
The man’s blade shattered under the force of Fragarach.
His eyes widened in surprise—but only for a moment.
Black aura quickly gathered over the broken part of his blade.
Ian stepped back, and the man chuckled darkly.
“You didn’t think you were the only one who could use aura, did you?”
“Tch.”
Clicking his tongue, Ian charged again.
The man, hovering in the air despite having no wings, casually blocked Ian’s strike.
“I’d heard you were skilled with a sword. You really are.”
Madness gleamed in the man’s eyes.
Then, a voice called out behind him—
“Dodge on your own!”
‘Dodge on your own?’
Ian raised an eyebrow while blocking the man’s blade.
“Hey!!”
The man shouted in panic.
Red fireballs came flying toward his back.
Ian shoved him away with his sword and swiftly ascended higher into the sky.
But the fireballs, as if equipped with tracking, followed Ian relentlessly.
‘No choice.’
“[Waterball]”
Waterballs formed beside Ian and collided with the fireballs, causing explosions in midair.
Ian turned, slicing through the last fireball, then sent a blast of aura toward the black-haired man.
However, the man effortlessly split Ian’s aura in half, then raised his sword toward him.
“This is fun and all, but I get a promotion if I kill you.”
Sharp aura shot from the man’s blade.
Ian quickly cast a shield against the thin, needle-like aura.
“So I have to break your shield first, huh?”
The man teleported and struck Ian’s shield with his sword.
BOOM!
The clash of aura and shield triggered an explosion.
Ian coughed up blood and covered his mouth in haste.
‘Damn it. My body can’t keep up anymore.’
The man’s sword surged with aura.
As Ian’s condition worsened, his control over mana faltered. Each clash of their weapons made Ian’s shield tremble.
Ian glanced around.
Edelmar and Napharoa were engaged with the beastfolk, while the dark mages were flying toward Ian.
‘No choice left.’
In his state, fighting with aura or mana any further was impossible.
He had to end it in one move.
“[Divine Punishment]”
Ian activated the skill ‘Divine Punishment.’
Thunder roared across the sky, and a bolt of lightning—ten billion volts strong—crashed down toward the black-haired man.
“AAARGH!”
With a scream, the man plummeted to the ground.
The dark mages rushed toward him in panic.
“Urgh.”
Ian knew logically that he should strike them now—but his body refused to respond.
He could no longer suppress the blood welling up inside.
Blood dripped from between his fingers.
At the same time, blood began to stream from Ian’s eyes, ears, and nose.
“Ian!”
Seeing Ian floating in the air, blood pouring down his face, Edelmar shouted.
Ian, staggering in the sky, lost his light-formed wings.
And with that, he began to fall.
