Surviving As The 5Th Prince Of Hellman Kingdom [EN]: Chapter 77

077

Amiika Arya rode on the back of the Seven-Tailed Fox, replaying her conversation with the King.

“Amiika, I know it’s a bother, but I need you to go to the Lionel Kingdom.”

“Why do I have to go there?”

“The Second Prince of the Lionel Kingdom, our nephew, has made a rather tempting offer.”

“The Second Prince? Are you talking about Domion Lionel?”

“Not Domion, Damian.”

“Whatever. What kind of offer did he make?”

“He claims to know the whereabouts of Schutz Reming’s hideout.”

Amiika was a woman who had little interest in anything other than magical beasts, mythical creatures, and divine beasts. She didn’t even know the names of the Lionel Kingdom’s princes.

Even she knew who Schutz Reming was.

The healer who created the only antipyretic [fever reducer] for the Red Star Fever that was sweeping the world and was in the process of developing a cure.

The King’s request was to secure him.

If that wasn’t possible, then kill him.

Amiika stared intently at Cliang’s back as he walked ahead.

‘If that guy is right, the enemy’s forces consist of one 7-star mage and three 5-star knights.’

During Cliang’s briefing, she had secretly instructed Molek to observe him.

Molek never missed the target’s heartbeat, the trembling of their pupils, or even the slightest change in body temperature. He couldn’t possibly fail to notice if someone was lying.

The result was a pass.

Throughout the briefing, Cliang showed no signs of deception whatsoever.

‘That man said he knew Schutz Reming’s location, right?’

Amiika, being as powerful as she was, couldn’t have missed the subtle glances Vice was giving Cliang.

‘He seems quite capable, but it’s a shame. How did he fall out of Domion’s favor? He’s cute, I wonder if there’s any way to save him?’

The moment a strange smile formed on her lips as she looked at Cliang.

Kwaaaang───!!!

A massive magical beast erupted from the ground, engulfing the Seven-Tailed Fox.

“Groooooooo!!”

“Kieeeeeeeek!”

The Seven-Tailed Fox reacted instantly. Its already enormous size grew nearly tenfold in an instant.

“Kyaaaa──ack!”

Naturally, Amiika, who was riding on its back, was thrown into the air.

It was an unavoidable choice for the Seven-Tailed Fox. Otherwise, both of them would have been swallowed by G-Dragon.

((Lady Amiika!!!))

Amiika’s guard, a 6-star knight, snatched her up with lightning-fast movements.

Amiika, tucked under his arm, looked at the massive magical beast that had erupted from the ground and attacked the Seven-Tailed Fox.

“Groooooooo!”

“Kieeeeeeeek!”

The massive G-Dragon bit the Seven-Tailed Fox’s neck and shook it violently. Amiika immediately recognized its identity.

“The Faceless Dragon!!”

The grotesque high-ranking magical beast that had shown interest in her when she looked into the Demon World to find a partner after becoming a 7-star summoner.

Swoosh- Kwaang──!!

Swoosh─ Kwaang───!!

G-Dragon repeatedly slammed the Seven-Tailed Fox into the ground with tremendous force. Yet, it never let go of the neck it was biting.

“Kiek- Kieeeeeeeek──!!”

The Seven-Tailed Fox’s scream of agony echoed through the forest.

‘Why! Why is the Faceless Dragon here!’

It was known to have gone extinct in the Middle Realm long ago. Amiika’s mind went blank at the presence of a magical beast that shouldn’t be here.

“Kieeeeeeeek──!!”

The Seven-Tailed Fox’s true value lay in its intelligence, which surpassed that of humans, and its utility in distorting the flow of magic in a wide area around it simply by existing.

As a top-tier mythical creature, its martial prowess using foxfire was also top-notch.

Flap- Flap flap!

The Seven-Tailed Fox’s foxfire could shift between extreme cold and extreme heat at will. It could instantly freeze ordinary magical beasts or incinerate them into piles of charcoal.

However.

“Groooooooo!”

G-Dragon was a top-tier magical beast that inhabited both the icy polar regions and active volcanoes that seemed ready to erupt at any moment.

Swoosh─ Tteudeudeudeuk!!

“Kkeueeeek!”

The Seven-Tailed Fox’s neck was half torn off.

Wajigeun! Kudangtangtang!

It crashed into the forest, snapping over a hundred years’ worth of giant trees in droves.

Amiika’s face turned pale at the sight.

‘I, I can’t win!’

The Faceless Dragon, with all its abilities focused solely on physical strength. In terms of sheer physical combat, it ranked among the top three of all high-ranking divine beasts, mythical creatures, and magical beasts.

((Vice!!))

She naturally shouted the name of the person who would help the Seven-Tailed Fox and fight G-Dragon.

The Lionel Kingdom’s Admiral.

Duke Vice Robleurch.

He was a 7-star knight who had reached the realm of coercion (强制) [a technique where one imposes their will on the world], going beyond twisting the laws of the world by imbuing his will into his sword, and instead, forcing his own laws.

The will to cut.

And the coercion (强制) [force] to be cut.

Vice’s aura, combining those two, could inflict significant damage on the Faceless Dragon, which was completely unharmed by the Seven-Tailed Fox’s foxfire.

At the same time, Amiika was puzzled.

‘Why? Why hasn’t he moved yet?’

The reason was simple.

Vice was unable to move.

The moment G-Dragon’s vibrations resonated, he had grabbed the hilt of his sword. And he could instinctively feel it.

Someone had forced a law upon him.

It was a sensation he had felt several times before.

Certain hit (必中) [guaranteed to hit].

A magic that was guaranteed to hit.

The calculation of spatial coordinates, which consumed the most time in the design, construction, and manifestation phases of magic. It was the same coercion that was the symbol of a 7-star mage, which completely omitted that process.

Focusing his senses, Vice counted each location where his instincts were sounding the alarm.

‘One, two, three, ······ Just how many has he laid down?’

The moment he drew his sword, dozens of high-level spells that were guaranteed to hit him would rain down.

‘How, how is this possible?’

Although he was being ravaged by a giant worm, the Seven-Tailed Fox was manifested, so proper magic couldn’t be activated.

Vice had experienced countless battlefields where life and death hung in the balance since before his coming-of-age ceremony.

He immediately derived the answer.

‘······ It’s prepared.’

He had stepped into the heart of a mage’s fortress, predicting that the Seven-Tailed Fox would disrupt the flow of magic.

The Seven-Tailed Fox’s appearance itself must be the trigger for the traps.

It was obvious who had prepared it.

7-star mage, Fran.

And the one who had lured him here.

“Cli, ang.”

Vice gritted his teeth and glared at Cliang, who was just a few steps away.

If he wanted to, he was confident he could cut off Cliang’s head in less than 0.01 seconds. However, he wasn’t sure he could withstand the magical bombardment that would follow.

“Groooooooo!!”

“Kkeuek- Kkeueeeek──!!”

The desperate screams of the Seven-Tailed Fox, whose forelimbs were being torn off, rang in Vice’s ears as he sweated profusely.

‘Would the situation improve if the Seven-Tailed Fox disappeared?’

It was a trap designed assuming the disruption of magic. Meaning it couldn’t be established without the Seven-Tailed Fox’s presence.

But······.

‘Is there really no trap designed assuming the absence of the Seven-Tailed Fox?’

That couldn’t be.

It was a trap that had been prepared so thoroughly.

Even if the Seven-Tailed Fox disappeared into the worm’s belly, another trap would bare its fangs.

A dilemma.

That was the best way to describe Vice’s situation.

While he was unable to move and the Seven-Tailed Fox’s screams echoed, Cliang walked forward alone.

And Evan, Fran, and Reina appeared, greeting him.

“Count Cliang, you’ve done well.”

“It was nothing.”

Cliang bowed his head at Evan’s praise.

Fran added a few words.

“Only transcendents who can perfectly control their bodies can avoid the false detection of Amiika’s Molek. You, who are only slightly better than a recruit of the Lionel Guardian Army, have done a great job. There’s a rumor that you’re a golem created by a mage; I’d like to check it out later.”

“I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or a jab.”

“It’s a compliment.”

“I see.”

Evan chuckled as he listened to their conversation. Then, he looked at Vice, who was staring at him with a tense gaze.

“It’s been a while, Duke Vice. Is this the first time we’ve met since the New Year’s party?”

“Fifth Prince······ How are you here······.”

“I’m originally here and there. Well, what brings Duke Vice to such a secluded mountain? Bringing even island country folks with you.”

At Evan’s words, Arya’s 6-star knight quickly stood in front of Amiika. At the same time, Reina also reached for her sword.

A moment of silence.

“Kkeuek─ Kkeueeek──!!”

It was the Seven-Tailed Fox’s death throes that broke it.

“Groooooooo!!!”

A resounding roar of victory. In G-Dragon’s mouth was the Seven-Tailed Fox’s heart. The Seven-Tailed Jade was sparkling. Amiika turned pale at the sight.

The death of a summoned beast was sometimes a catastrophic event that could trigger the collapse of a star.

((N, no······.))

Wagjak!! Chaenggeurang!!!

The sound of G-Dragon shattering the Seven-Tailed Jade rang in Amiika’s ears like thunder.

((N, noooo──!! Cough! Cough!))

Crack─! Crack crack!

The largest star she possessed cracked. Blood streamed from her eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. It was a fatal wound that would require at least three years of recuperation.

((L, Lady Amiika!!))

Arya’s 6-star knight began searching for the best way to overcome this situation.

7-star mage Fran was keeping Vice in check. G-Dragon was still intoxicated with the Seven-Tailed Jade.

He quickly found the answer.

Fleeing.

That was all.

He chose to quickly leave the scene with Amiika in his arms. Evan’s eyes sharpened as he watched the two flee.

“Sir Reina. Be sure to take care of them and return.”

“Yes, sir!”

Reina chased after the escort knight who was fleeing with Amiika in his arms.

“Now that the surroundings have quieted down, shall we resume our conversation? Duke Vice, why did you come here?”

Vice’s mind began to race furiously.

As he had expected, Fran had laid dozens of traps, even considering the death of the Seven-Tailed Fox. Each prepared magical trap must have been created by consuming high-grade magic stones.

‘If those were to detonate all at once, it would be difficult for even me to survive.’

There was a saying that if a knight and a mage of the same rank fought, the knight would win in the vast majority of cases. But that was only if the two were to encounter each other unexpectedly.

If a thoroughly prepared mage and a knight were to fight, as they were now, the mage would win every time.

“G, gro! G, gro!”

Leaving that aside, considering even G-Dragon, who was making a fuss while savoring the Seven-Tailed Jade, there was virtually no chance of Vice surviving, no matter what he did.

‘Amiika Arya and her escort aren’t trying to kill me right away. Does this mean there’s room for negotiation?’

Vice slowly opened his mouth.

“What do I have to do for you to spare me?”

“Hoo, do you think I’d just let you go when I’ve invested in you?”

“I am one of only three 7-star knights in the kingdom and the Admiral of the Navy. Frankly, isn’t it too wasteful to just throw me away like this?”

“Tell me. What can you do for me if I spare you?”

“I will withdraw my support for the Second Prince and declare my support for the Fifth Prince. In an instant, the East will be in the Prince’s hands. If the honor you will gain by using Generol and Genesia is combined with the support of the East, the Fifth Prince’s status will easily surpass that of the First Prince. I will make you the next king.”

“The next king······. I know what you mean. But how can I trust you, who came with the island country folks to kidnap Schutz under Damian’s orders?”

“I swear on the seven stars I possess.”

“Weak. It’s not like your stars will shatter like Amiika Arya’s if you break an oath or two, right?”

“······ Then what more do I have to do?”

“An oath on your stars is basic. Directly denounce that you, under Damian’s orders, came with the island country folks to kidnap Schutz Reming, and if that wasn’t possible, to kill him and steal his research. It’s the truth, so there’s no need to create evidence, right?”

Vice smiled inwardly.

As expected, they couldn’t easily abandon him, a 7-star knight. However, he didn’t like being forced to support the Fifth Prince’s faction as if he was being threatened.

‘First, I’ll survive. Fifth Prince······ I’ll be sure to repay this debt later.’

He opened his mouth with an expression completely different from what he felt inside.

“I understand. However, in the process, make it so that I, feeling disillusioned with the Second Prince, took the initiative to kill Amiika Arya and her escort and save Schutz Reming.”

He would become the one who heavily backstabbed Amiika and killed her. It was very regrettable to be on bad terms with the Arya Kingdom, with whom he had maintained a close relationship.

‘Still, my life comes first.’

Vice assumed that the Fifth Prince would naturally accept the offer. It was much more advantageous for him to receive his flawless support.

Surely that would be the case.

“Tsk, I can’t stand to talk anymore, it makes me want to throw up. Sir Fran, did you get the video?”

“I’m recording over 10, so one of them must have turned out well.”

Vice was momentarily unable to grasp the situation at Evan’s gaze, which looked at him with contempt.

‘Video? Recording? ······!!’

Soon, he realized he had been deceived.

“Fifth Princeeeeeeeee!!!”

Sreung- Flash──!!

The moment Vice drew his sword, the magic spells that were waiting for him as their target flashed simultaneously.