Magic Is Learned For Nothing [EN]: Chapter 449

Magic is Learned in Vain – 450

# 450

The Eve of the Storm (1)

Fort Pomman, the capital, was in an uproar.

It was the worst-case scenario imaginable.

The nobles couldn’t understand how such a thing could have happened.

The nobles, who filled the Grand Hall with King Lauzel, were red-eyed, demanding accountability from Baserabap and Duke Legion.

“This isn’t just a minor issue! The empire’s princess died on our kingdom’s soil. They will hold us responsible. Before that, Baserabap and Duke Legion must be sent to the empire as those responsible. They must bear the brunt of their anger. Otherwise, the kingdom… its future cannot be guaranteed.”

Duke Sizinpi said with a slightly raised voice.

From his perspective, it was the perfect opportunity to eliminate Baserabap and Duke Legion, who had become his political rivals.

He believed that if he didn’t miss this chance, he could seize absolute power.

However, the situation was far from ideal.

What he wanted was for the marriage to fall apart.

The best-case scenario was for Princess Rosemary to become displeased with something and return to her home country.

If Baserabap and Legion were held responsible for that, it would be the icing on the cake.

But things had become much bigger than he had anticipated.

Princess Rosemary had died.

At first, he thought he had misheard.

The empire’s princess died?

He didn’t even want to think about the aftermath. He could somewhat guess what kind of situation would unfold.

The empire was a vast country.

It was also at the pinnacle of mechanical magic [magic powered by technology].

They called themselves gentlemen. They constantly said they loved peace.

When you met them individually, they seemed plausible. They never tried to harm others.

They always had a mindset of considering the other person, which was ingrained in their actions.

Foreigners were impressed by such imperial citizens.

Many women wanted to marry imperial men because they were touched by their consideration.

They said.

“The men in our country should learn from the men of the empire. They are all too patriarchal. They don’t understand their respect for women at all. You can tell everything from one thing: ‘Ladies and gentlemen!’ Where did that saying come from? From the empire! From the beginning, there was a respect for women, so that saying came about.”

That’s what they thought, but…

If the empire’s interests were at stake, they would change 180 degrees.

The kingdoms that had relations with the empire felt keenly that international affairs were governed by the logic of power.

They were not just thugs.

They were like an axis of evil.

The empire did not leave the kingdoms that had fallen out of favor with them alone.

They used overwhelming military power to devastate the opposing kingdom, then forced them to surrender unconditionally and sign unequal treaties comparable to slave contracts.

The kingdoms that were half-subjugated to the empire were sucked dry to the bone. The people of that kingdom had no future.

No matter how hard they worked, 50% was taken by the empire and 40% by the nobles.

Therefore, countless tenant farmers starved to death in the winter.

“Cough, cough.”

Duke Sizinpi swallowed a groan.

The kingdom might be in such a situation. If so, there was only one way.

Regardless of the reason, the lives of all those involved in this incident had to be handed over to the empire.

If the emperor of the empire would then appease his anger, that would be good, but…

The possibility was slim.

However, they couldn’t just stand by and wait for their necks to be cut off!

“Duke Sizinpi is right. Clearly, Baserabap and Duke Legion are great figures who support the kingdom. But! This matter can never be overlooked.”

“Your Majesty also knows. This matter can never be glossed over.”

“That’s right. Action must be taken immediately. The survival of the kingdom is at stake.”

Numerous nobles from Duke Sizinpi’s faction protested to King Lauzel.

The nobles who supported Baserabap were silent, like mutes who had eaten honey.

The nobles who supported Duke Legion were a small minority.

Only those who had received noble titles from Marquis Persimmon in the past supported Duke Legion. Unfortunately, they were still young and had weak voices.

Marquis Persimmon was the biggest force supporting Duke Legion, but in the current situation, he couldn’t recklessly say, ‘They are innocent.’

The situation was that serious.

The same was true for King Lauzel.

He didn’t want to marry Princess Rosemary, whom he had never met.

When he thought about his future, it was even terrifying.

However, when he thought about the kingdom, he couldn’t only think about his own future.

Yes, if sacrificing himself would bring peace to the kingdom, he could sacrifice himself as much as possible. He promoted the marriage with that in mind.

But! He never dreamed that such a thing would happen.

Moreover, weren’t the people who went to meet the princess Baserabap and Duke Legion, whom he trusted the most?

King Lauzel felt like his ankles were sinking into a deep swamp.

A swamp that he couldn’t escape from no matter how hard he struggled.

How on earth did the kingdom fall into such a state? Until recently, the kingdom’s future seemed hopeful and bright.

“Everyone, be quiet.”

King Lauzel said to the ministers in a weak voice. In recent years, he had been praised as a wise ruler. The ministers knew this, so they didn’t try to upset the king unless it was absolutely necessary.

But now was not the time for that.

The survival of the kingdom was at stake.

In order to protect the kingdom, some kind of result had to be reached.

They raised their voices and shouted that the heads of Baserabap and Duke Legion should be offered to the empire.

“Stop! Stop!”

The king frowned and raised his voice.

Only then did the noisy nobles quiet down. They all had dissatisfied faces.

“Great Sage Baserabap.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Duke Legion.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I will listen to your stories.”

The result was out.

The death of Princess Rosemary. The anger of the empire.

There were reports that the commercial city of Conjuring had been devastated, but it did not catch the eyes of the king and nobles.

Only the death of Princess Rosemary.

They didn’t even try to listen to or open their eyes to anything else.

However, the king gave them a chance to explain. Perhaps this was an ultimatum.

Baserabap took a short breath and opened his mouth.

“Count Annabelle planned this.”

When Count Annabelle’s name came up, the nobles stirred.

He was Duke Sizinpi’s closest aide.

Duke Sizinpi immediately realized what Baserabap meant by saying that.

He thought that the old fox was trying to drag him into the mud.

“Nonsense! He is a next-generation talent who will lead the kingdom! His loyalty to the kingdom is also very high! I have already confirmed Count Annabelle’s loyalty several times! On what basis are you saying such terrible things! Reports say that Count Annabelle is missing! Are you trying to cover up the mistakes you made by blaming him?”

Duke Sizinpi shouted in anger.

Baserabap glanced at Duke Sizinpi. There was no personal motive in his eyes as he looked at him.

Just…

He just felt sorry for Duke Sizinpi because he was sure that he would be just as shocked as he was.

“Duke Legion has recorded this incident from beginning to end with CCTV magic. I swear in my name that there are no staged scenes.”

Baserabap took out the magic video device from his arms.

It was a video device that was always attached to Daganda Z and the Bone Dragon’s shoulders.

Legion believed that evidence should be left at any time and in any place. So, he had high-performance CCTV magic devices that could store up to one year attached to Daganda Z and the Bone Dragon.

The reason he had the devices attached to them was because he didn’t want to carry them around.

Thanks to this, it could serve as crucial evidence in cases like this one.

Zzzzzz-

A hologram was created, and the screen recorded on the video magic device appeared.

-The love between a thousand-year-old lich [undead creature] and a young lady.

-Ah, ah. Lich oppa [Korean term for older brother, used affectionately by women], your heart is so warm. I want to give you everything I have without holding back.

-Ah! Young lady! You are so beautiful! Please let us love like this.

Everyone froze.

Baserabap and Legion also froze.

What the hell…

Legion almost summoned Lich Mamon immediately and punched him in the jaw.

What the hell did you do to the video magic tool!

“Ah, no, what is this.”

Baserabap also froze and couldn’t say anything.

Having lived for over eighty years, this was the first time he had ever experienced something like this. The screen was too embarrassing.

A naked skeleton lich and a young lady were whispering sweet nothings of love.

Their love was heading towards its climax.

All the nobles in the Grand Hall were spaced out, watching the hologram with expressions that said, ‘What is this?’

Everyone was so out of their minds that no one could open their mouths.

Legion hurriedly pressed another button on the video magic tool. Only then did the hologram work normally.

They were all scenes of what happened in the commercial city of Conjuring as they were.

Countless numbers of monsters gushing out like a fountain.

A torrential downpour.

The monsters indiscriminately attacked private homes and massacred the city’s residents.

No one noticed.

There were no warning sirens, and no broadcasts telling people to evacuate.

“Wh-where the hell is the security force? The army?”

A noble exclaimed in shock, as if he was struggling.

Most of the nobles lost their words in a different sense from the previous video.

The commercial city of Conjuring suffered extensive damage.

It was not impossible to recover, but it was said that it would take a considerable amount of time to resume operations.

The reason was unclear.

According to some, an unbelievably heavy rain fell in the area.

As a result, there were over thousands of disaster victims.

The informants of each noble were killed in Conjuring.

The reason they were killed was simple. They were all infiltrated into the castle.

The informants were annihilated without a trace by the Demon King’s absolute magic.

Surprisingly, even that scene was vividly captured.

“Th-th-that! That’s the Demon King!”

The nobles didn’t know the Demon King’s face.

However, the only being who could control the giant monsters was the Demon King.

Even when viewed on the screen, it was clear that the being with six arms was the Demon King.

A monster that shattered the castle in one blow and devastated the city.

In the meantime, a scene of Count Annabelle stabbing Princess Rosemary was vaguely captured.

Everyone doubted their eyes.

Legion pressed the pause button and zoomed in on the scene.

“Co-Count Annabelle!”

A groan close to despair flowed from Duke Sizinpi’s mouth.

With this, the ball was passed to Duke Sizinpi.

Depending on how it went, Duke Sizinpi could end up taking the blame for this.

As the screen progressed, Duke Sizinpi and the nobles lost their words.

What happened in the commercial city of Conjuring was not simple.

No, it was very serious.

It could be considered treason.

Why on earth!

Did Count Annabelle open the gate to the Demon Realm?

The screen captured by CCTV magic ended.

Everyone was frozen like ice.

They had expressions as if they had forgotten how to speak.

It was not the time to simply worry about the empire’s invasion. It was certain that some kind of conspiracy was lurking.

They had headaches.

It was very ominous, but they couldn’t know the exact reason.

“I will explain.”

Duke Legion stepped forward.

Everyone’s eyes turned to Legion.

“The reason this happened… Duke Sizinpi probably didn’t know either.”

“I don’t know what you mean. What does what happened in Conjuring have to do with Count Annabelle?”

Duke Sizinpi’s voice lowered even further.

Of course.

In a situation where he might end up taking the blame, he couldn’t unconditionally drive Legion away.

“Count Annabelle was a believer in the Stone Head Church.”

“Stone Head Church?”

“What is the Stone Head Church?”

“I think I’ve heard of it… I don’t remember it well.”

It was the expected reaction.

Legion added a word.

“250 years ago, the one who drove the continent to the end of destruction was the Black Dragon. It is called Black Dragon, Black Demon Dragon, Black Demon, etc. It is a heretical group that worships it. It is not simply a heretic who worships the Black Dragon.”

“Then?”

“I know that they are preparing for the resurrection of the Black Dragon.”

At Legion’s words, everyone’s faces turned black.