Magic Is Learned For Nothing [EN]: Chapter 269

Sing of Heroes 2

Leopold VIII.

The aging king gazed out over the city from the castle that had been his home his entire life.

His father was born here. His grandfather, and all his ancestors before him, were born and raised within these walls.

Fort Ponman was a city steeped in pain.

It had been invaded numerous times by various powerful nations. Each time, the people had united to drive them out.

But these victories came at a great cost.

It wasn’t just the lives lost in battle.

A significant number of people were also taken as slaves.

In particular, it was known that as many as 200,000 citizens had been enslaved by the warlike kingdom of Neck Haus.

Diplomatic efforts had secured the return of about 50,000, but the fate of the rest remained unknown.

He had dedicated himself to making the kingdom prosperous.

One of his key initiatives was fostering the ‘Heung’ [a cultural emphasis on joy and expressiveness], which defined the national character. Recognizing that his people were more jovial than those of other nations, he heavily supported theater and bards.

Encouraging them to express themselves freely.

Initially, plays and songs that mocked the royal family and nobles dominated the scene, but over time, the themes broadened.

The plays and songs became diverse, encompassing a wider range of subjects.

They exerted a considerable influence on other kingdoms, even earning Fort Ponman the reputation of a cultural powerhouse. The Royal Theater School was established, attracting students from across the land and beyond to study theater and song.

Of course, he also invested in national defense.

However, his brother’s deteriorating relationship with Duke Gong was rapidly draining the kingdom’s internal strength.

His brother wanted him to abdicate the throne.

“Brother! Have you ever ventured beyond our borders? It’s a jungle out there. How long will you continue to repeat the same mistakes? If we persist on this path, we will inevitably be invaded again. This is unacceptable. We must bolster our national power.”

The king understood his brother’s concerns.

But he could no longer bleed the people dry with excessive taxation. Such oppression would inevitably backfire.

“We can suppress any dissent with force. Give me ten years. If we can make the kingdom strong within ten years, the people will understand.”

No.

His brother’s idea was fundamentally flawed.

They are people. Living, breathing beings. Treating humans with humanity – that is paramount. His brother still failed to grasp the true power of the people.

The people do not exist for the benefit of the royal family.

The royal family exists because of the people. His brother had not learned this crucial lesson.

“Your Majesty.”

Baserabap’s voice cut through the king’s thoughts as he watched the Bone Dragon’s rampage. He tried to remain composed, but a note of urgency crept into his tone.

“Ah, forgive me. I was lost in thought for a moment.”

“I must insist on escorting you out of the castle immediately.”

Baserabap, Duke Sijinpi, and the Royal Guard Knights, clad in gleaming golden armor, stood ready.

Despite the unfolding chaos, the Royal Guard Knights maintained impassive expressions, as if their faces were masks.

“Where am I to go, abandoning my home?”

“You are merely seeking temporary refuge.”

“Where did that monstrous creature even come from?”

The Bone Dragon’s power was causing a surge in undead activity. The undead, clawing their way out of the ground, began to attack the citizens indiscriminately.

“We are still investigating the source.”

“Could Duke Gong be behind this?”

“I highly doubt it. No matter how ambitious he is for the throne, he wouldn’t destroy Fort Ponman. A king without a people is powerless.”

“Find the source of that monster as quickly as possible.”

“Understood. Let us depart now.”

“Must I really leave?”

“You must. If the knights within the castle cannot stop that monster… this place will become too dangerous.”

“What about the people in the castle?”

“We will evacuate as many as possible.”

“I understand. I am counting on you.”

The aging king nodded curtly. He longed to remain in the Rose Palace until the very end. But his death would pave the way for the Duke Gong faction to seize control of the kingdom.

He could foresee the kingdom’s grim future under their rule.

The aging king’s last hope rested with Crown Prince Lauzel. Given Duke Gong’s actions, he was certain that Lauzel was still alive.

It was a fragile hope, but… it was all he had left to cling to.

He must return.

His return would instantly disrupt Duke Gong’s plans. The Duke Gong faction would no longer be able to promote Abel as the next crown prince.

He had to hold on.

“Cough, cough. Let us go.”

The king, escorted by Baserabap and Duke Sijinpi, made his way towards the portal.

* * *

The Ghost Horse smacked its lips, watching the Legion soar into the sky.

It seemed the joke had gone a little too far.

Okay. I did my best. I brought that heavy human all the way here.

The Ghost Horse reassured itself.

It glanced at the swarm of zombies rushing in and bolted in the opposite direction. Unburdened by the Legion, it moved with incredible speed, weaving through the fleeing humans and becoming the first to escape the castle.

It felt like his chest was expanding as the Legion took to the sky for the first time in ages.

Only bad things had been happening lately.

If he made a mistake, he could miss the timing and be unable to remove his armor.

The thought alone was terrifying.

Flap, flap.

Nuvyeo Nuvyeo vigorously flapped its wings and flew towards the Bone Dragon.

“Is your back feeling better?”

Legion asked.

-Ah, much better. It felt so good to have a warm towel pressed against my back.

In truth, the dislocation of the lumbar vertebrae was so severe that Mark had injected a small dose of the remaining nano machines. This allowed Nuvyeo Nuvyeo’s back to recover enough to begin self-repair.

Because his body was so strong, he quickly regained his strength.

In a few months, he would once again be Nuvyeo Nuvyeo, the former Emperor of the Sky.

“That’s good to hear.”

-Thanks to the meat you gave me, Legion, my relationship with my wife has also improved.

Legion hadn’t actually given it to him. He had simply told him to go to the estate and get some Hydra meat from Silkeut.

It seemed to have worked wonders.

“I’m glad. I’m glad you’re doing well.”

-Yes, it was amazing. My wife is pregnant.

“……”

Damn it, everyone gets pregnant if you just give them Hydra meat. I’ve never even used it. Other people gobble it up and start families.

I feel a pang of envy for some reason.

“Were the kids thawed properly?”

-Well, they were thawed well, but I’m not sure about the rest…….

“You’re not sure?”

-Something seems to be wrong.

“Why? What happened?”

-The thawed employees have lost their memories.

“Lost their memories?”

-That’s what I heard, anyway.

What kind of nonsense is this?

I went through all that trouble to thaw them, and they’ve lost their memories? Those bastards are useless.

I think I need to go back to the estate when this is over.

Wedge! Wedge! Wedge!

“Here it comes again.”

-Don’t worry.

Nuvyeo Nuvyeo and Bibyeo Bibyeo adjusted their course towards the sky.

What kept flying towards them was the Cydok [a type of projectile] fired by the mutated zombies. It wasn’t particularly fast, but it was still a threat.

But it wasn’t enough to actually harm them.

Nuvyeo Nuvyeo and Bibyeo Bibyeo, executing a wide turn, plunged towards the ground as if hunting prey.

The mutated zombies inflated their bellies again to fire Cydok.

But Nuvyeo Nuvyeo and Bibyeo Bibyeo were even faster.

They flew at ultra-low altitude and severed the zombies’ necks with a single sweep of their wings.

Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof!

Dozens of mutated zombies, now headless, exploded in bursts of Cydok.

Wedge-!

Nuvyeo Nuvyeo, carrying Legion, approached the Bone Dragon at tremendous speed.

The Bone Dragon, recognizing Nuvyeo Nuvyeo and Bibyeo Bibyeo, sensed a threat and unleashed its Fear.

-Kuo! Kuo!

A wave of intense murderous aura surged forth, washing over Nuvyeo Nuvyeo and Bibyeo Bibyeo.

Nuvyeo Nuvyeo and Bibyeo Bibyeo merely frowned slightly.

They were not the strongest warriors of the Wyvern tribe for nothing. Nuvyeo Nuvyeo and Bibyeo Bibyeo opened their mouths.

Powerful fireballs were launched in rapid succession.

The fireballs, flying even faster than their own speed, slammed into the Bone Dragon.

Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack!

But the Wyvern’s breath could not penetrate the Bone Dragon’s shield.

-He’s incredibly tough. What should we do? Should we try a body slam?

“That’s too dangerous. I’ll handle this myself.”

Legion stood up from behind Nuvyeo Nuvyeo. He gripped his twin iron swords and steadied himself.

“Drop me on top of his head.”

-You’re going to fight that monster in close combat? Isn’t that too risky?

“It’s alright. It’s difficult to break through his defense with this level of magic anyway, so I’ll have to charge in.”

-Yes, I understand. I’ll drop you on his head.

Wedge! Wedge! Wedge!

Nuvyeo Nuvyeo and Bibyeo Bibyeo split apart, flanking the Bone Dragon. Their bodies, flying at ultra-low altitude, gradually ascended into the air.

-Kuo! Kuo!

The Bone Dragon swung its massive tail wildly.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Dozens of houses were pulverized by the tail’s impact.

“Call the Gerling! [Ancient Magic]”

He cast the fastest and most rapid-fire magic from his repertoire of ancient spells. Hundreds of magic bullets erupted from Legion’s fingertips.

The magic bullets detonated near the Bone Dragon.

As expected, the scattered ancient magic could not breach the Bone Dragon’s barrier.

-Kuo! Kuo!

The Bone Dragon swung its forefoot.

Nuvyeo Nuvyeo narrowly avoided the blow, twisting its body to evade the Bone Dragon’s attack.

Babababababa!

Legion continued to unleash a barrage of magic.

It was a spectacle, as if an entire squadron of mages were casting spells simultaneously.

But this was the desperate tactic of wizards who were nearly extinct.

The Bone Dragon remained unfazed.

“Turn around one more time!”

At Legion’s command, Nuvyeo Nuvyeo executed a wide, 360-degree turn in the air.

Legion launched himself from Nuvyeo Nuvyeo’s head and plummeted downwards.

The Bone Dragon raised its head and fixed its gaze on Legion. Then, it swung its tail with all its might.

“Let’s see who wins!”

Legion crossed his twin swords and began to spin rapidly.

Like a whirlwind, Legion hurtled towards the Bone Dragon’s head.