Chapter 128
Valar swallowed hard at the dark, red foreground.
A star mage’s rampage is caused by the energy of a tainted star breaking through the vessel of magic.
[Dark Burning Star].
The stellar energy that was building up like a bomb had already reached a dangerous level.
“Ugh…”
“Hmph…”
The ordinary people who were unfortunate enough to be caught in the crossfire were unable to withstand the star energy and sobbed. Even if they survived, they would be mentally scarred.
The situation wasn’t better for those with the ability to see; they could barely maintain their sanity and were constantly plagued by fear and despair.
He must find Arellin now, but the spatial distortions make it difficult.
Unfortunately, Valer had spotted the Pession horde earlier than her daughter.
“Archduke Halbern?”
The Pession greeted Valar, surprised.
“Have you come to rescue us?!”
“No, I’m trapped myself.”
“…”
Sperom’s clanmates shot him glares demanding an explanation of what was going on, but Valar neatly ignored them.
“Your Highness, where is Arellin?”
“I don’t know, she was nearby, but we couldn’t find her, though we did look for her…”
Apparently, he couldn’t bring himself to abandon his escort and chamberlain.
Valar checked with Pession, the twins, and Aaron, and found the scene even more confusing.
Where to go.
Where would he find his daughter?
Had he reached her?
Zing-.
A creepily beautiful aria sounded from far away.
The landscape shattered as white as the softly spreading sound.
“Purification…”
He wasn’t mistaken after all.
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
Those who were crying in fear, those who were paralyzed with terror, and those who could barely breathe in panic, all became dazed, as if mesmerized by the soft melody that sounded in the distance.
“Ha, this.”
Should he thank her for the location? Or should he thank her for confirming something new. He couldn’t decide.
After all, his daughter possessed abilities not found in Halbern blood.
A gift that all wizards hope for, a salvation.
Valar pressed his forehead to his eyes, feeling like crying.
“Ah, Sis…”
They never talked about this.
***
“Do… Ruin…”
Parched lips stretched to form a single word.
The last thing the runaway wizard remembered was going to Halbern Manor with his partner.
Suddenly, his vision went dark, and when he awoke, he was in an unfamiliar place.
‘I’m about to go insane.’
He had vaguely thought that this moment might come someday, but he hadn’t expected it to be so soon.
The end of a fire mage is a giant explosion.
Using all of his own magic as fuel, he engulfs the area around him in flames.
“Do… net…”
Muti hoped that no one would be unfortunate enough to be caught in his rampage.
May he be the only one to die.
His death was already preordained.
There was no turning back from the moment he entered the pre-rampage stage. He would die like so many of the older mages he had seen.
Even as sobs escaped his lips, Muti held back as much of the tainted stellar energy as he could as it tried to escape his body.
If the rampage was slowed even a little, more people would live.
He could see nothing in his darkened vision, but Muti saw a zuma light.
When he’d first discovered his wizarding talent and entered the tower, a poor street orphan with nothing.
When he didn’t have to worry about food and shelter for the first time.
When he was happy to make friends his own age.
From helping the senior wizard with his research and growing his magic to finally being chosen by the stars.
He burst into tears.
He didn’t want to die.
It was the ending he had planned for, but he didn’t want to die like this, having accomplished nothing.
Kuuuuuuh.
Muti’s despair-tainted stellar energy rampaged even harder. He was terrified to the point where he couldn’t even breathe at the sight of the runaway and death that was right in front of him.
Zing.
A refreshing melody that opened his senses, which he had closed in a desperate attempt to suppress the tainted star energy.
Hmph.
Muti sucked in a breath.
The solemn, soft music, unlike anything he’d ever heard before, gently caressed his anxiety.
Like a light.
A melody that penetrated like salvation.
“Ah…”
Behind him, an unfamiliar energy washed over him like a tidal wave.
He shuddered as he felt himself being washed clean.
The rampage stopped.
“Ha. Ha. ha.”
The pollution that had risen to the limit was quickly cleansed, and the rampaging energy subsided gently.
Just like when he first became a mage.
As if he had been reborn.
Tears welled up uncontrollably in his eyes as he realized he had been saved from the brink of death.
Muti opened his eyes.
His vision, which had been dark, was now in bright light.
“Just a little, just a little more…”
***
Playing like this reminded her of the time she practiced alone in the practice room. She used to practice day and night.
When she felt suffocated, lonely, and tormented by a constant stream of thoughts that she wished would just go away.
Zing.
The smooth boing, the beautiful melody.
Just as it comforted her when she was alone, the music at her fingertips comforted others.
The low notes of the violin’s G string lull her to sleep.
Perhaps because it was written during one of Bach’s happiest times, the music had the power to make the listener feel relaxed and happy.
“It’s so, so beautiful…”
“Hmph, hmph.”
She guess this is the power of music. It sings about life and comforts people.
What they couldn’t say in words, they could say in music.
After one song, the wizards looked at her blankly.
“Ah…”
After she finished playing, she clasped and unclasped her hands, feeling different than usual.
No, it’s only a five-minute piece, why is it so hard?
Her hands were shaking, as if something had sucked the energy out of me.
Woosh-woosh-woosh.
Ether shuddered as well, and just then, the wandering eyes of the mages came back into focus.
“Huh? That’s…”
She was wondering if she should hide the Ether. Suddenly, one of the wizards approached her, sobbing.
What, what.
“Huh? Mu, Muti?”
“Yes, the runaway. Isn’t he about to run away?!”
“We’re all going to die.”
The mood turned grim again, with no reward for playing.
Then.
“Huh?! But why are your eyes still the same color?”
The wizards were getting suspicious.
“Hah…”
The wizard called Muti squeezed her hand.
“One, one more song.”
“…?”
A moment of panic at the unexpected encore request.
She heard the mutterings of the stunned wizards.
“Runaway…”
“Did… stop?”
As the stunned wizards stood dumbfounded by the unprecedented situation, the only Star Wizard in the room pleaded with her.
“If I hear one more song, I think I can use my magic.”
There was no way she could refuse under the circumstances.
She picked up her bow again.
Bach’s Partita No. 3 for Unaccompanied Violin, Gavotte and Rondo.
“Ha…”
Muti raised his hand, looking relaxed and at peace.
The magic power that flowed from his body created a trajectory, quickly drawing several magic circles.
The landscape blurred with a light and refreshing sound.
The strange landscape disappeared, and they were finally back in the business exhibition hall again.
“Wow.”
“We made it!”
The wizards hugged and rejoiced.
The mundanes, who hadn’t quite grasped the situation yet, stood dumbfounded.
And I…
‘committed.’
She realized that she could no longer hide her identity in the steeple.
‘Should I jump?’
She was thinking to herself, “Maybe a quick bounce will do the trick,” when suddenly a shade of color came over her face.
“…?”
She reflexively looked up and locked eyes with a pair of piercing green eyes.
Long, silver hair cascading down her back, green eyes like emeralds.
Who could this be?
“Ha.”
The man’s lips twitched.
“I was just wondering where my daughter popped out of nowhere.”
“Uh…?”
Her hand was grabbed. The next thing she knew, she was in his arms.
What?
She was just trying to get her bearings.
The man ordered his henchman.
“Let’s go. We’re going back to Pythal.”
Wait, I’m going home!
