Chapter 55: 《The Uninvited Guests of the Royal Capital》 – (1)
(I)
“….”
After parting with her sister in Rieli, Judith boarded the air carriage once again and did not arrive in the royal capital, Lexia, until nearly midnight.
‘…It’s silent.’
Just like Rieli, it seemed that a massacre had swept through Lexia as well.
Despite being the capital of the kingdom, there was not a single sound of human presence, which was rather lamentable.
‘This place should be good.’
Hiding within the shadows of the night, Judith stopped the carriage at the outer perimeter of Fortress No. 1, where the palace was located.
The Progenitor Vampire or its subordinates were surely inside the palace, making this the closest Judith could approach by carriage.
“….”
She moved forward, treading lightly on the tips of her toes to avoid making any noise, steadily making her way toward the palace.
-Clank, clank.
“…!!”
…The occasional sounds of monsters.
Noticing the patrolling Skeleton Soldiers, Judith hastily ducked into a back alley.
‘Of course, there’s no way there wouldn’t be a patrol.’
Having occupied the very heart of Avilia Kingdom, there was no way they would leave it unguarded.
The streets were crawling with Skeleton Soldiers armed with top-grade weapons.
‘…Soldiers? No, they’re more like knights.’
Unlike ordinary skeletons, these ones exuded an aura that was on a completely different level.
Upon closer inspection, their bones gleamed like steel.
Mistaking them for mere skeletons and attacking recklessly would surely end in disaster.
They were at least A-rank or higher, which meant their senses would be far more developed as well.
…She needed to suppress her footsteps even further.
“Huuh….”
A cold sweat formed in her palms from the tension. Taking a deep breath, Judith carefully maneuvered through the alleys, sticking to the darkest shadows as she advanced.
However, she had to trade safety for time.
The palace in the royal capital was already quite a distance away, but moving only through back alleys, avoiding main streets, meant she had to take a significantly longer route.
“…You can do this, Judith Evergrit.”
Convincing herself that, at least for tonight, she was the world’s greatest assassin, she stepped forward into the next alleyway.
-Clank, clank.
“….”
…How many hours had passed as she moved through the shadows?
At last, the massive central plaza of Fortress No. 1 came into view.
According to her memory, just beyond this plaza was the secret pathway leading to the palace.
She was practically there.
The palace of Avilia Kingdom was within arm’s reach. Somewhere inside, her father was imprisoned.
“Father, just wait a little longer.”
Swallowing down her renewed determination, Judith cautiously peeked out from the alleyway to assess the plaza.
There was no cover in the plaza—she would have to cross it all at once.
That also meant there was a high risk of being detected by the Skeleton Soldiers.
…No matter how long she had to wait, she had to find the perfect moment to cross without being seen.
“….”
Holding her breath, Judith remained hidden in the alley, watching and waiting.
After observing for several minutes, she discovered a pattern—the Skeleton Soldiers patrolled in squads of five, with two squads rotating every 15 minutes.
One squad patrolled the plaza for 15 minutes before leaving for their next patrol route.
Then, about 30 seconds later, the next squad entered the plaza and patrolled for another 15 minutes.
This cycle repeated endlessly.
‘Thirty seconds….’
…No matter how she looked at it, the only window she had to cross the plaza was in those brief 30 seconds when the patrols switched.
‘…That’s enough.’
For an ordinary person, it would be an impossibly short amount of time.
But Judith, who was more confident in her speed than anyone else, found it more than sufficient.
“…Here I go.”
Timing her movements precisely, Judith dashed into the central plaza the moment the Skeleton Soldiers swapped patrols.
With all the speed she could muster, she sprinted across the vast plaza.
‘Good…!’
As expected, the Skeleton Soldiers had yet to appear, and her legs carried her forward like she had wings.
At this rate, she would reach the secret path leading to the palace without any trouble.
…That is, if nothing unexpected happened.
“…I found you.”
A voice.
A human voice—something she hadn’t heard for hours.
Judith’s breath hitched, and she came to an abrupt stop.
“Hunting you down was a hassle, Judith Evergrit.”
“…?!”
The voice came from above.
Descending from an airborne carriage, a small figure was dropping toward her.
“Flash Strike.”
“…?!!”
Before she could even process who it was, the figure suddenly unleashed a devastating beam of destructive energy straight at Judith.
‘If that hits me, I die.’
Her instincts screamed at her.
There was no time to think—Judith flung herself into a roll, barely dodging the attack. Her blue hair whipped through the air as she evaded.
“Damn it….”
Gritting her teeth, she quickly scanned the situation.
Whoever had followed her all the way to this capital—now controlled by the Progenitor Vampire—was no ally.
After rolling to safety, Judith finally lifted her gaze to get a clear look at her attacker.
And sure enough, the small figure floating above with a long magic staff and a deeply worn witch’s hat was someone all too familiar to her.
“Milan….”
The strongest magician of Avilia Kingdom and the indisputable powerhouse of the Hero’s Party—Milan Edran.
With a calm yet eerie smile, Milan peered down at Judith.
“You really came too far, all the way from Nevirthol to the royal capital.”
“Ugh….”
Milan’s distinctive, aloof tone rang in Judith’s ears.
Unlike Milan, who seemed composed, Judith was anything but.
If Milan had come, that meant she was here to eliminate Judith.
After all, Judith had seen the hero’s blue blood with her own eyes.
This time, they were going to silence her for good.
…That’s why they had sent Milan, the most powerful member of the Hero’s Party.
“Damn it….”
Judith bit her lip.
It wasn’t just Milan that was the problem. This place—the heart of the royal capital—was crawling with Skeleton Soldiers.
If she caused too much commotion, they would swarm in by the dozens.
‘…Or maybe that’s a good thing?’
Her mind raced.
If she had to fight Milan one-on-one, she had no chance.
Even if she managed to hold out at first, Milan’s overwhelming firepower would eventually reduce her to ashes.
…But if a swarm of Skeleton Soldiers got involved, it would be a different story.
It would be dangerous for Judith, but it would also be dangerous for Milan.
In the chaos, she could use her speed to slip away into the side passage.
It was the only viable strategy she could think of.
For that to happen, she needed the Skeleton Soldiers to arrive quickly.
‘…Thirty seconds have already passed, haven’t they?’
By now, the first and second squads should have rotated, and the plaza should have been crawling with Skeleton Soldiers.
But strangely, not a single one had appeared.
‘What the hell? Why aren’t they coming?’
For hours, they had patrolled the plaza with absolute precision, never missing a single second.
Yet now, at the most crucial moment, they were nowhere to be seen.
Had the skeletons decided to slack off?
Judith’s expression darkened.
“Fufu.”
Milan, seemingly amused by her reaction, let out a small laugh.
Noticing Judith’s confusion, Milan spoke in a mocking tone.
“If you were waiting for the Skeleton Soldiers, you should give up. They won’t be coming.”
“…!!”
Judith’s body tensed.
“I put up the most powerful barrier possible. No one can interfere with this place.”
Of course.
There was no way this cunning archmage had entered enemy territory unprepared.
Milan had sealed off the plaza with a barrier so she could kill Judith without any interruptions.
“…Ah, right.”
Milan clapped her hands as if she had almost forgotten something.
“I brought a special gift.”
“A… gift?”
“….”
Milan rummaged through her leather bag and pulled out something.
A small, round object the size of a toy ball.
But it wasn’t smooth. It wasn’t something that would bounce off the ground.
Milan tossed it toward Judith’s feet.
“This is your reward for making me wait in the sky for hours.”
“….”
The object rolled on the ground with a dull thud.
As it came closer, its details became clearer.
First, she saw blue.
Then, a mix of flesh color.
As it drew nearer, she could make out a nose and ears.
By the time it was five meters away, Judith realized what it was.
And when it finally stopped at her feet—
“Sis…ter?”
—Judith recognized it as the severed head of her sister, Ruby Evergrit.
“Ruby….”
She trembled as she picked up the severed head of her sister that Milan had thrown.
This hair, these facial features. No matter how many times she looked at it, it was unmistakably her sister, Ruby Evergrit, whom she had seen just half a day ago.
“This… This is impossible, how….”
Tears streamed down her face against her will.
Her sister had said she would finish gathering the corpses of the fallen soldiers in Rieli and then return to the village where the citizens had evacuated.
So why…
Why was her sister’s severed head now in her hands?
“…How is it? Do you like it?”
Milan watched Judith’s reaction with satisfaction.
The girl hailed as a Great Mage wore a twisted smile as she began explaining her ‘gift’ in detail.
“I followed your tracks all the way to Rieli, but you weren’t there. Instead, I found someone who looked just like you, tending to the corpses. When I asked for your whereabouts, saying I was your ally, she was overjoyed and eagerly told me that you had gone to the Royal Capital, pleading for me to follow and keep you safe. She even claimed to be your sister.”
“….”
“But then I thought about it—Judith Evergrit, you are a traitor guilty of treason.”
“….”
“Naturally, that means your sister is also a traitor by blood.”
“….”
“So, I killed her.
As a companion of the Hero, I took the liberty of applying guilt by association.”
“….”
“You wouldn’t object, would you?”
Milan chuckled.
“You… you….”
Judith’s forehead throbbed with rage, her eyes turning bloodshot.
A fury unlike anything she had ever felt before erupted from deep within her chest.
That… that thing is called a companion of the Hero?
That Great Mage who was supposedly protecting the world?
This was someone who had mercilessly slaughtered the people of Nesril Village and killed her innocent sister for a nonsensical reason.
How was she any different from the Progenitor Vampire and its kind?
“You insane… fucking bitch….”
She could think of nothing else.
Nothing but the overwhelming urge to kill the mage standing before her.
Judith drew her sword.
“…That’s the expression I was waiting for, Judith.”
The former Hero’s Party member smiled with satisfaction, raising her staff in response.
“Uaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!”
Judith let out a cry—a mix of despair, sorrow, and wrath—before kicking off the ground.
With her sword aimed straight at Milan’s heart, she dashed across the plaza with the intent to skewer her like a spear.
“…O Titan of Judgment, awaken to her fury.”
Milan raised her staff and began chanting.
Behind her, seven massive blades of light materialized, spinning ominously in midair.
“Argos’ Spears.”
With a flick of Milan’s staff, the enormous blades tore through the air toward Judith.
“Ugh….”
Just one hit from those spears would rip her body apart.
Judith furrowed her brows.
She couldn’t comprehend how something so massive could move with such speed.
But even so, with her agility, she was confident she could dodge them.
“Hup….”
Twisting her body, Judith narrowly evaded the incoming spears.
Her movements never slowed—each graceful step carried her forward, making her resemble a nimble feline.
Boom!
Behind her, the spears she had dodged crashed into nearby stone buildings, triggering massive explosions.
Ignoring the deafening noise, Judith continued sprinting, weaving through the destruction.
After dodging all of Milan’s attacks, she finally closed the distance between them.
“I’ve got you.”
A victorious smile spread across Judith’s face.
Milan had no time to chant another spell.
Judith’s speed was overwhelming—if she attempted to incant, she would be impaled before she could finish.
“Prepare yourself.”
Milan was proficient in healing magic as well.
That meant Judith had to kill her in a single blow.
As much as she wanted to torture her, she couldn’t afford to be greedy.
She aimed her sword directly at Milan’s heart.
“Die, you psychotic bitch.”
With all her might, Judith thrust her sword forward.
But, unfortunately, the gleaming tip of her blade never reached Milan.
Just before her sword could pierce Milan’s chest—
Something struck her side with immense force, hurling her far away.
“Urgh!”
Judith tumbled across the ground, rolling several times before coming to a stop.
Grabbing her sword, she scrambled to her feet, quickly raising her head.
Yet, there was no one in sight except for Milan, standing there unscathed.
“What… What the hell…?! Gah!”
Confused, Judith barely had time to react before something slammed into her again, sending her flying once more.
“Kh…!”
Coughing up blood, she staggered to her feet.
She had been struck twice now—both times with direct hits.
Her entire body throbbed, as if she had been crushed beneath a giant hammer.
“How foolish, Judith Evergrit.
Did you really think I only cast Argos’ Spears?”
“Ugh….”
Using her sword for support, Judith barely managed to steady herself.
Milan looked down at her mockingly.
“…S-rank Magic: Invisible Hands. I cast it the moment I entered the Royal Capital.
Your eyes will never perceive them.”
“Invisible Hands….”
She knew what that was.
A spell that summoned multiple colossal, transparent hands, allowing the caster to control them like tentacles.
It was one of Milan’s signature spells.
‘The first Argos’ Spears was just a distraction to knock me back using Invisible Hands….’
Judith’s face darkened as she realized she had walked straight into Milan’s trap.
In her blinding rage, she had rushed in without considering the possibility of unseen attacks.
…But even if she had anticipated it, would anything have changed?
“….”
Judith glared fiercely at Milan.
As a former candidate for the Hero’s Party, Judith could faintly sense the flow of magic.
But right now, around Milan, she felt nothing.
The Invisible Hands were exactly as their name implied.
They couldn’t be seen.
They had no scent.
They had no detectable magical aura.
Most people wouldn’t even know they existed before being torn apart.
‘Like hell I’ll let that happen.’
…She couldn’t die here.
She still had to find her father.
She still had to infiltrate the Prime Minister’s office and uncover information on the Hero’s Party.
And, above all, she still had to avenge her sister.
She had known from the start that Milan was the stronger opponent.
But giving up wasn’t an option—not when the rage in her heart refused to let her go.
“….”
Without hesitation, Judith rolled up her sleeve.
Then, with her sword, she slashed her own wrist.
Blood spurted out in a crimson arc.
“…Are you insane? Or are you trying to make your death easier? You think I’ll just let you—?”
Milan narrowed her eyes at Judith’s sudden act of self-harm.
Raising her staff, she pointed it at Judith.
Once again, one of the Invisible Hands swung forward, aiming straight for Judith’s gut.
“Khak…!”
The impact sent Judith flying.
Her longsword tumbled from her grasp, clattering onto the ground.
“…Not yet.
I still want to play with you a little more.”
“Urgh!”
Another invisible blow struck her, sending her rolling again.
Blood oozed from the wound on her wrist, the sticky crimson pooling rapidly.
“…I always hated your arrogant attitude.”
“Kh…!”
“You dared to point your sword at the Hero? You even had the nerve to voice your opinions?”
“Khkk…!”
“Judith Evergrit, I have always wanted to kill you.”
“….”
The Invisible Hands relentlessly pummeled Judith.
The girl, once so striking with her vivid blue hair, was now utterly battered.
“Let’s end this.
You can atone for your sins in hell.”
“….”
Milan, expressionless, prepared for the final strike.
“…Die.”
With a wave of her staff, an Invisible Hand rushed toward Judith’s skull to crush it.
Milan believed her mission was now complete.
But—
“….”
“…?!!”
Judith, unexpectedly, moved.
She ducked at the last second, narrowly dodging the Invisible Hand.
‘She dodged…?!’
For the first time, Milan’s composed expression cracked.
‘Impossible.’
She refused to believe it.
Yet, as she attacked again—
Judith dodged effortlessly.
And this time, Milan saw it.
The Invisible Hands were now smeared in Judith’s blood.
Making them no longer invisible.
“…Now it’s my turn.”
Judith smiled.
She had found her opening.
And Milan’s face turned pale.
Judith discarded her longsword to lighten her weight as much as possible.
Then, drawing a dagger from her waist, she dashed toward Milan like an assassin.
“Tch, Invisible Hands!”
Milan swung her Invisible Hands once more, but now that Judith had successfully marked them with her blood, they were no longer a significant threat.
“…Too slow.”
Judith dodged effortlessly as she closed the distance between them.
The closer she got, the darker the Great Mage’s expression became.
“Fire Daggers!”
“….”
“Wrath of Thunder!”
“…I told you, you’re too slow.”
Milan hastily cast additional spells, but Judith’s speed exceeded even her wildest expectations.
She wasn’t just a cat—she was like a flying squirrel leaping between trees.
Despite the severe amount of blood she had lost, she still moved as if it was nothing.
“Ice Spikes!”
“Hup!”
Even the icy shackles that sprouted from the ground were shattered by Judith’s dagger.
Once again, she found herself facing an unguarded Milan.
“Dieeeee, Milaaaaaaan!!”
Gripping her dagger with both hands, Judith swung it down with all her might toward the witch-hatted girl.
The menacing dagger of House Evergrit sliced through the air.
‘It’s over…!!’
Finally, vengeance and victory were at hand.
Death was imminent for Milan.
And yet—
“…Hmph.”
“…?!”
A smile played upon Milan’s lips.
“What…?”
And then—
Another impact struck Judith’s abdomen.
“Khak!!”
The Invisible Hands she had marked with blood had not moved.
Yet, the same crushing force reverberated through her entire body once again.
“Kh…!!”
Judith rolled across the central plaza, kicking up dust.
“Agh….”
“Khak!!”
“Feigning weakness is harder than it looks.”
“Gah….”
Milan didn’t even give her time to breathe before smashing her down with Invisible Hands.
The second daughter of House Evergrit had been utterly battered.
She was now in an even worse state than before—her body torn apart beyond recognition.
“Urgh….”
Judith groaned, having even lost her precious dagger.
Milan slowly approached.
Then, crouching beside her, she whispered mockingly into Judith’s ear.
“Judith.”
“Ugh….”
“You’re way too impatient.”
“….”
“Invisible Hands—there weren’t just three. There were four.”
“…!!”
Even through the pain crushing her body, Judith’s eyes widened in shock.
The three Invisible Hands she had marked with her blood—
Why had she foolishly assumed there were only three?
Why had she let her guard down just because of that number?
Someone of Milan’s caliber could summon five—seven—even more.
“Damn….”
Tears streamed down Judith’s face.
She had lost her chance again due to her own recklessness.
Was she really going to die here?
Like this?
Just as the Hero wanted?
She hadn’t even avenged her sister.
She hadn’t even revealed the truth about the Hero’s Party.
‘Revenge? The truth?’
Revenge…?
Her sister, Ruby Evergrit, had died.
If she had stayed in Rieli half a day ago, as her sister had asked, wouldn’t she still be alive?
The truth…?
If she had ignored her pointless sense of justice and simply remained a quiet member of the Hero’s Party, wouldn’t everything have gone smoothly?
She had neither the honor of the Hero,
Nor the power of the Prime Minister,
Nor the strength of the Progenitor Vampire.
So what right did she have to involve herself in all of this?
Where had it all gone wrong?
Were her dreams, her sense of justice, just foolish ambitions…?
“Damn it! Damn it aaaaaall!!”
With death staring her in the face, countless regrets and thoughts flooded Judith’s mind.
Milan looked down at her with satisfaction.
“…That expression suits you best.”
Raising her staff once more, she prepared to end it for good.
At her command, the four Invisible Hands lifted into the air, poised to crush Judith into nothing but a pile of mangled flesh.
“Goodbye, Judith.”
A victor’s smile.
The moment before death.
“….”
Judith quietly closed her eyes.
Bracing herself for the pain to come.
…But what she was met with was not pain—
It was the sound of an enormous explosion.
BOOOOOM!!!
“Khuaaaaahhh?!!!”
“…?!!”
A sudden explosion erupted right in front of Judith.
Milan, who had been moments away from finishing her off, was sent flying.
She crashed into the edge of the plaza, slamming into a building.
“What… the hell….”
Barely able to lift her head, Judith turned toward the unknown attack.
A strike against Milan—here, in a place occupied by the Progenitor Vampire.
That meant it could also be a threat to Judith.
But she had no strength left to run.
She didn’t even have the energy to move a finger.
“What the fuck was that?!”
Even Milan, caught completely off guard, cursed as she staggered back to her feet.
The impact must have been serious—blood was now trickling down her forehead.
“What the hell is that…?”
“Who…?”
And then, they both saw him.
A single old man stood before them.
“A… an old man…?”
Dressed in a pristine, well-tailored butler’s uniform, his white hair was neatly combed back.
Despite his age, he maintained a dignified air, much like a servant of nobility.
‘…Fangs?’
However, the sharp fangs protruding from his lips,
And the pointed ears reminiscent of an elf—
Made it clear that he was no mere human.
“A vampire….”
He looked just like one.
-“How peculiar.”
The old man finally spoke.
His voice carried effortlessly across the distance,
As if it was being drilled directly into their skulls.
-“I came to investigate which rat had dared to intrude upon the Lady’s domain….”
His pitch-black pupils gleamed menacingly.
His tone was soft.
Yet Judith and Milan could feel the sheer fury laced within his words.
-“Turns out, there are two of you.”
“Kh…?!”
“Ugh…!!”
As his expression darkened, Judith and Milan’s visions warped.
A demonic, blood-drenched presence loomed before them.
A chilling aura wrapped around their bodies, suffocating them.
“What….”
Milan’s legs buckled.
She collapsed back onto her knees.
Cold sweat poured down her face like a waterfall.
‘What is this…?’
Her vision blurred.
Nausea and dizziness overwhelmed her.
Her complexion turned pale, and her breath became ragged.
Gripping her throbbing head, she ran through the possibilities.
‘A mind trick? A hypnotic spell?’
…No.
This wasn’t hypnosis or magic.
This was her own magic—being consumed.
‘This is….’
A buried memory from her childhood magic studies surfaced in her mind.
A theory dismissed as rare and unlikely—but still within the realm of possibility.
‘Magic Encroachment….’
Magic Encroachment.
When an external force’s mana invades a body,
Overtaking the original mana within.
It meant—
Milan’s mana was being swallowed by someone else’s.
‘No… no way… I’m Milan Edran!’
Milan’s pupils quivered.
Milan Edran.
The strongest Great Mage of this age.
Her mana reserves were immeasurable.
Her power could shake the heavens and earth.
Among magic users, the law of the jungle prevailed.
She devoured others—others did not devour her.
But now—
Her magic was being consumed.
By a foreign, malevolent force.
“Uurgh…!!”
Attempting to reclaim her mana, she tried to analyze the invading force.
Only to feel an overwhelming urge to vomit.
For the first time,
The Great Mage Milan felt fear.
“This… This is impossible….”
A being with such mana—
Such overwhelming, vast power—
Could not exist.
Not in all of history.
Who—
Who could possibly be capable of such a thing?
“…!!!”
And then, her gaze landed on the old butler.
As a mage, her instincts screamed at her.
The corrupt mana devouring her—
Belonged to him.
Why?
A mere warning.
He was proving to her—
That they weren’t on the same level.
“M-Monster….”
Animals marked their territory with scent.
This vampire marked his territory with magic.
He had crushed Milan before even speaking a single word.
“Who… who the hell….”
Who was this being?
Could it be… the Progenitor Vampire?
No.
The Hero had said the Progenitor Vampire was female.
…But.
That Progenitor Vampire had two direct subordinates.
One was a Zombie Maid wielding a greatsword.
And the other—
“…The Vampire Butler.”
The one who had defended Ermaile’s Teleportation Hub.
Everything lined up.
“Haha….”
Blood trickled from Milan’s nose and lips.
Along with it,
Her pride—and her courage—drained away.
All that remained was pure terror.
-“Now then.”
The old butler’s chilling voice echoed.
-“Shall we begin the lesson befitting of filthy rats?”
—
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