Magic Is Learned For Nothing [EN]: Chapter 373

The King’s Conspiracy 2

Duke Trump arrived at a building located on the outermost part of the palace grounds.

Originally, it was the residence for the palace guards, but now it was being used for other purposes.

As Duke Trump arrived at the entrance, the knights who recognized him snapped to attention, offering a crisp military salute.

Duke Trump nodded curtly, offering no words in return.

The knights opened the heavy door without a word.

As he stepped inside, a strange, pungent medicinal smell filled the air, a stark contrast to the palace’s usual fragrances.

Step, step.

Inside, over a dozen mages bustled about, deeply engrossed in their work.

“You’ve arrived,” a voice announced.

A man with an ambiguous aura, neither young nor old, bowed respectfully. It was Connelly.

The Archmage of Neck House.

He had once served as one of Duke Trebia’s personal bodyguards, but now he was secretly in league with the King, stationed here alongside the headstrong Saintess, Berrymore.

Berrymore, who was munching on a banana, grumbled around a mouthful of fruit.

“Why such over-the-top honorifics for someone who isn’t even a duke in our kingdom? Just say, ‘He’s here.’ Connelly is older anyway.”

Connelly frowned, his gaze sharp. “Be quiet, Berrymore.”

“Okay, okay.” Berrymore crammed the rest of the banana into her mouth in one bite and immediately began peeling another.

Berrymore.

Generously speaking, she was in her late teens.

She was petite with a perpetually youthful face, making her appear to be in her early teens at first glance.

However, her well-developed chest hinted that she was at least older than she looked.

But her manner was undeniably brash. She seemed to only consider her own immediate desires.

Most adults carefully filter their thoughts before speaking, considering the impact of their words.

Berrymore possessed no such filter.

As a result, she often left those around her feeling drained.

Nevertheless, Duke Trebia had specifically assigned Berrymore to work alongside Connelly.

Their synergy, surprisingly, was optimal.

If Berrymore were paired with someone like Smith or Reeves, they would likely be at each other’s throats within the hour.

But with Connelly, who regarded her with a grandfatherly fondness, such a scenario was highly unlikely.

“How is the progress?” Duke Trump inquired, cutting to the chase.

“Remarkable, actually. I hadn’t anticipated human body modification to proceed this smoothly. I must admit, I’m quite surprised.”

“What is the probability of success?”

“Seventy-three percent.”

“I see.” It was a significant success rate, but Duke Trump’s expression remained grim.

The method Connelly had secretly proposed to Duke Trump was, indeed, human body modification.

The goal was to transform ordinary 3- or 4-star knights into formidable warriors with abilities rivaling 5-star knights or higher, almost instantaneously.

It was an incredibly tempting prospect.

This was a technology that even the Empire, with its advanced mechanical magic, had failed to achieve.

Of course, the undertaking carried substantial risks.

There was a considerable chance that a valuable knight could end up paralyzed or worse.

Despite the dangers, Duke Trump had pushed this plan forward.

Knights, after all, were replaceable.

Even the most skilled among them were ultimately expendable.

But the King was not. Duke Trump was determined to seize the throne.

That was why he didn’t hesitate to authorize such cruel experiments.

That was Duke Trump’s unwavering conviction.

A total of one thousand knights had been mobilized for this human body modification program, representing more than half of the King’s faction’s fighting strength.

This meant Duke Trump was gambling everything on this endeavor.

Fortunately, 730 of the 1,000 knights had successfully undergone the upgrade.

He planned to compensate the paralyzed knights in some way, offering them land or titles.

Assuming, of course, that he successfully seized the throne.

If he lost the civil war, everyone involved in this would face a grim fate.

“What about the King’s Five Great Warriors?”

“Ah, there’s a reason they’re called the King’s Five Great Warriors. They succeeded admirably. Their combat prowess has increased by over twenty percent. Would you like to see for yourself?”

“Let’s see,” Duke Trump agreed.

“This way.”

Connelly led Duke Trump deeper into the building.

In addition to this one, there were three other secret laboratories, all dedicated to the forced enhancement of knights.

This particular laboratory was designated for Count Malaria and one hundred other knights.

As they entered, Duke Trump observed Count Malaria and the knights lying motionless on beds, seemingly in a deep, unnatural slumber.

While the other knights were only undergoing their first modification, the King’s Five Great Warriors were already on their second.

In particular, Count Malaria, Count Influenza, and Count SARS, who had been deployed after their initial modification, had demonstrated a significant increase in power.

Marquis Gaggle had been mercilessly cut down before he could even mount a defense.

While it was true that Marquis Gaggle’s reputation often exceeded his actual abilities, Count Malaria, Count Influenza, and Count SARS were by no means pushovers.

And now…

The King’s Five Great Warriors, having witnessed the effectiveness of human body modification firsthand, had readily agreed to undergo a second procedure.

“How much stronger do you anticipate they will become?” Duke Trump asked.

“The knights who received the first human body modification will be upgraded from 5-star to 6-star.”

“Good.” This was already known. He had effectively gained the power of 730 knights at the level of knight commanders.

What did that signify?

It meant that at least ten new legions had been created.

Legions with tremendous mobility and enhanced combat capabilities.

And…

“What about Count Malaria specifically?”

“He reached 6-star with the first modification. And by morning, he will have fully transformed into a 7-star knight.”

“7-star… a Sword Master.”

“Precisely. A Sword Master. That’s what they call it in the kingdom, correct? One of the kingdom’s Seven Great Powerhouses. This incident may very well lead to a significant reorganization of the kingdom’s Seven Great Powerhouses.”

Connelly smiled, stroking his beard thoughtfully. His gaze then shifted to Duke Trump, his expression unreadable.

His mouth was curved in a smile, but his eyes were colder than glacial ice.

“This civil war… won’t the King’s army win overwhelmingly?”

“Overwhelming victory…?” Duke Trump echoed, a flicker of unease in his eyes.

“If they can’t secure an overwhelming victory with this kind of power, wouldn’t you agree that something is fundamentally wrong?”

“…”

Duke Trump offered no immediate response. He simply stared at Count Malaria, who remained in a deep, unnatural sleep.

* * *

“Did you see all that?” Drayger asked his subordinates, his voice low.

The subordinates’ faces were grim, their expressions tight with concern. They nodded in unison.

Drayger, who had been observing the scene from behind a nearby building, was genuinely taken aback. He hadn’t known such a method of human body modification existed, a way to enhance combat power so rapidly.

However, he had also witnessed firsthand that it didn’t necessarily guarantee positive outcomes.

The scene they had witnessed unfolded as follows:

Duke Trump exited the building first.

The mages who had been assisting with the human body modification process then relocated to another building, leaving only Connelly and Berrymore inside.

“They are truly pathetic fools, to be so easily deceived by something like this,” Berrymore sneered, her voice dripping with disdain.

“They are simply blinded by their own greed. But make no mistake, these people are far from foolish. If they were truly foolish, they wouldn’t have been able to maintain this kingdom for so long. They have thwarted our plans countless times. They are a nation with considerable potential.”

“Looks like they’re finally going to collapse this time,” Berrymore retorted dismissively.

“Who knows?” Connelly replied, his tone noncommittal.

“A thousand knights. Three hundred and thirty have already become disabled. The rest will likely meet an even more miserable end. How much longer do they have to live?”

“One year,” Connelly stated flatly.

“Exactly. One year. A thousand knights, the very foundation of the kingdom’s military strength, will be dead within a year. What is that if not foolish? Furthermore, the King’s beloved strongest armed force will be completely decimated. Do they also have only one year left?”

“They’ve undergone the second human body modification, so their time will be even shorter,” Connelly added, a hint of satisfaction in his voice.

“It’s over. If the King wins, the kingdom will be utterly ruined. And the kingdom’s army, or whatever they call themselves, cannot possibly defeat those who have undergone human body modification. It’s checkmate,” Berrymore declared triumphantly.

“That’s right,” Connelly agreed.

“So, what are you planning to do now?” Berrymore asked, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

“I intend to witness the King’s rise to power. We should keep a close eye on the spectacle of them falling from the heights of hope into the depths of despair,” Connelly replied, a cruel smile playing on his lips.

“Hehe, Connelly, you have a rather twisted sense of humor,” Berrymore chuckled.

“Aren’t you enjoying yourself?” Connelly countered.

“Of course, I’m having fun too. I wonder what it will be like to watch them fall without wings,” Berrymore mused, her voice laced with malice.

This was the conversation that Drayger and his subordinates had overheard.

It was a chilling and disheartening revelation.

According to their words, the kingdom was living on borrowed time, its fate sealed.

“This is a disaster! What should we do?” Mamma Yujiro asked, his face etched with worry.

The kingdom collapsing due to a civil war?

None of the people present had ever seriously considered the possibility of losing their homeland.

Because they had never imagined the kingdom simply ceasing to exist.

Drayger furrowed his brow, deep in thought.

His initial mission had been to scout the leadership’s encampment, assess its defenses, and potentially sow discord. It was clear that security was lax, with several individuals having already passed out from excessive drinking.

Under normal circumstances, he believed he could easily infiltrate the camp, eliminate at least ten key figures, and escape without much difficulty.

But this unexpected turn of events had thrown a wrench into his plans.

What should he do now?

He was at a loss.

If the master were here, what would he say?

‘You do what you do. I’ll do what I do.’

The master’s voice echoed in his mind, clear as day.

“Okay, let’s do things my way. Don’t bother overthinking it,” Drayger announced, his voice firm.

“Yes?” Mamma Yujiro responded, confusion evident in his tone.

“Change of plans,” Drayger declared.

“Change of plans?” Mamma Yujiro repeated, his brow furrowed.

“Yes, let’s send everyone here… to heaven. They are obviously destined to die a painful death. It would be a kindness to grant them a swift passage now, sparing them the suffering.”

“That sounds like a reasonable course of action. They’re going to die anyway. Furthermore, they will undoubtedly inflict tremendous damage on our allies. It’s better to cut off their breath here and now, preventing further harm,” Bacon added, nodding in agreement.

“Good. Let’s move out. Release the security magic,” Drayger commanded.

“Understood,” Bacon replied.

Bacon and his exclusive servants swiftly disabled the rudimentary security magic surrounding the building. It was not an elaborate system crafted by an archmage, but rather a simple ward designed to deter casual intruders.

With Bacon’s skills and the combined expertise of his servants, bypassing it was a trivial matter.

After they entered the building…

A horrifying scene unfolded. A tremendous amount of red blood quickly soaked the floor, painting a gruesome tableau of carnage.

The entire operation, from entry to exit, took only a few minutes.

And then…

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

Flames erupted from the building, rapidly engulfing it in a raging inferno.

“F, fire!” one of the soldiers guarding the building screamed in terror. They hadn’t detected any signs of a fire within the building, no smoke, no heat, nothing.

Startled, they frantically threw open the door.

At that precise moment!

Boom, boom, boom, boom!

The trap magic was activated. Five 3-circle explosion magic spells detonated in rapid succession, unleashing a devastating wave of force.

The soldiers who had opened the door were instantly vaporized by the explosions, disappearing without a trace.

“What, what’s going on?” Soldiers and knights emerged from every corner of the palace grounds, their faces etched with confusion and alarm.

Most of them were unaware of the building’s true purpose and significance.

Therefore, they weren’t particularly concerned.

However, the very few individuals who knew the building’s secret function were gripped by a chilling dread.

In particular, Duke Trump, who could be considered a key figure in the entire operation, turned ashen as he watched the building burn.

Duke Trump, heedless of his own safety, ran towards the burning building without even bothering to put on his shoes.

The building was a large five-story dormitory. The flames were already consuming the entire fifth floor, casting an eerie glow against the night sky.

“Immediately! Immediately! Run in and save the knights! Hurry!” Duke Trump screamed, his voice hoarse with panic.

The knights and mages who received the order hastily cast spells to maximize their resistance to the flames and charged into the inferno.

At that moment-

Bang, bang, bang, bang!

The knights and mages who had bravely entered the building were buried beneath a cascade of debris and a deafening roar.

The flames were so intense that their survival was highly improbable.

“What, what is it? What the hell is going on?” Duke Trump shouted, his body trembling uncontrollably.

He was born into a family of mages, but he himself possessed little magical talent.

Realizing that his magical abilities were inferior to those of his peers, he had abandoned his magical studies early on.

Instead, he had risen to the position of prime minister through his exceptional academic achievements and political acumen.

But he had never experienced anything like this before. His mind went blank in an instant, and he was utterly paralyzed with fear, unsure of what to do.

“Blow! Freeze!” Someone cast ice magic, the spell resonating with power.

Only then did the other mages regain their composure and begin to extinguish the fire with water magic and ice magic.

But…

Every time they managed to suppress the flames in one area, an explosion would erupt in another. One of the mages who had approached the building too closely was engulfed in flames, the fire clinging to his body with unnatural tenacity. The flames were so fierce that they devoured his life in a matter of seconds, refusing to be extinguished.

“Damn it… It’s an intruder! Someone discovered our plan,” Connelly muttered, his voice laced with frustration and anger.

Things had been progressing too smoothly, almost suspiciously so.

It felt as if a colossal mountain had suddenly materialized, blocking their path and threatening to derail their carefully laid plans.