There Are No Bad Young Ladies in the World

＜ 4-Star (5) ＞

– Crack! Crunch!

In an instant, the mansion was covered in ice, and everyone gathered on the battlefield blinked in astonishment.

It was an anomaly that occurred as soon as they felt the flow of magic pouring out from beyond the main hall.

‘This is… war magic…!’

Among combat magic, those that exert influence over the entire battlefield are classified as a type of war magic.

Even those without a deep understanding of magic could recognize it, and Countess Rodeia, who herself was at the level of a 4-star mage, immediately understood. This massive freezing magic emanating from within the mansion was the large-scale spatial freezing magic that Sir Melverot had used during the Northern War.

A magic classified as at least 4-star, even at the lowest estimation.

In short, it meant that there was another 4-star mage inside the mansion besides Countess Rodeia.

“Do not panic! Mages often use magic to control the battlefield environment!”

Countess Rodeia swallowed dryly and looked up again at the floating Arch Lich.

Despite the fierce battle, with sword wounds all over, the monster was still raising corpses and blocking the subjugation squad.

However, with a sudden burst of war magic, a large number of the monster tribe were instantly frozen.

Of course, some of the subjugation team members were also caught in the magic and lost their mobility… but most of them had enough experience to escape the aftermath of the magic on their own.

The enemy’s damage is absolutely greater than ours. This was an opportunity.

If left alone, they would once again pour out an absurd number of monsters to block the advance of the subjugation team.

Right now is the gap given by the heavens. At this moment, when the number of monsters has temporarily decreased significantly.

That monster must be subdued.

Thus, Countess Rodeia climbed the frozen railing.

The Arch Lich, realizing Rodeia’s intent, roared again and tried to unleash magic, but a couple of arrows flew and lodged in its chest.

– Kaaah!

Looking at the Arch Lich, who screamed in agony, there was an archer with fierce eyes standing among the corpses of the monsters.

With her platinum hair tied back, she shouted to the mercenaries, “Now!”

– Saaak! Paak!

With a single sword, Jayden, who had rushed to the front line, swept away all the goblins and attacked towards the railing. The extended sword strike cleared the path to the Arch Lich.

It was just a moment. This gap would not last long.

The monsters were swarming again, but Elentena, Drinis, and other forces who had already joined the battlefield were working together to block the increasing number of monsters.

Gripping the Holy Blood Sword, Rodeia leaped through the gap and finally reached the Arch Lich.

“Move aside! You wicked monster!”

The light emitted from the bright red letters engraved on the blade flowed along the sword. Following the line of the sword strike, it was cutting the Arch Lich’s body in half.

A strike from the left shoulder down to the center of the body.

She tried to split the Arch Lich in two with a single sword, but the sword’s progress was blocked by the Arch Lich’s sturdy body.

– Kaaah!

The sword stopped near the solar plexus.

However, even that seemed to be a fatal blow to the Arch Lich, as a twisted scream echoed throughout the mansion grounds.

A 6-star necromancer, Fine, affectionately named it Happy and cherished it the most.

It was a result she had crafted over several months, directly receiving power from her, but in front of Rodeia’s Holy Blood Sword, it ultimately allowed a fatal blow.

– Crackle! Pop!

– Tremble!

She was trying to push the sword that stopped near the solar plexus all the way in, but she couldn’t completely subdue the Arch Lich, who was somehow holding on.

– Bang!

Somehow, the sword was deflected, and the Arch Lich floated back to the railing on the second floor of the main hall.

“Ugh, couldn’t finish it in one strike!”

– Crash! Clang!

Rodeia rolled on the floor, and the Holy Blood Sword was also thrown onto the railing.

The Arch Lich, who had suffered a fatal wound, approached to destroy the troublesome Holy Blood Sword, but the sword, forged by Rodeia, a 4-star transmutation wizard, refused to be touched by an unholy being.

– Bang!

The Arch Lich, once again harmed by the holy power, staggered and floated, then collapsed on the railing.

It was somehow summoning demonic creatures with its magic, but it seemed to be reaching its limit.

However, it had been driven into a corner.

Although Countess Rodeia had no expertise in combat magic, with the help of other wizards and long-range attackers… it wouldn’t take long to subdue the creature that had almost no means of self-defense left.

It was at that moment when she was about to give the order to switch to an all-out attack.

– Gooo

A grand sound, almost like a giant ship’s horn, reverberated through the air.

Above the shattered ceiling, the massive demon summoned by Grand Duke Beltus could be seen. The monstrous figure, which seemed as if it could devour the world at any moment, was gradually dissipating into magical energy.

The soldiers on the battlefield, who were looking up at the scene, all had their eyes wide open.

The grand demon summoned by a 5-star summoner was disappearing. What did that signify?

Someone had subdued Grand Duke Beltus.

A mage of the highest rank, who had reached the realm of 5-star magic, dabbled in necromancy, and could skillfully merge various fields of magic… had been subdued.

– Fwooosh!

The enormous body visible under the starry sky gradually became faint and turned into smoke, disappearing.

“No, no way…”

“They captured… Grand Duke Beltus…?”

The members of the Veldern Mercenary Corps and the Countess Rodeia’s guards all stopped their swordplay and couldn’t help but look up at the sky.

As the demon’s form completely vanished… the Arch Lich, who had been on the brink of death, rose and floated again.

“Do not let your attention be diverted! We are still in battle!”

“Yes, yes, Your Excellency!”

The soldiers on the battlefield, who had come to their senses, gripped their swords once more.

As the Arch Lich roared again and the numerous monsters began to rise, the Arch Lich entrusted all the battles to the monsters and started to float away into the mansion.

“What, what?!”

“The Arch Lich is fleeing! It’s escaping into the mansion!”

Countess Rodeia was taken aback by the sight.

The liches seen in numerous danger zones, starting with the White Labyrinth, never ran away. This was because the labyrinth was their home base, and they were creatures far removed from fear in the first place.

Running away out of fear of defeat made no sense.

There must be another reason why that archlich suddenly fled the battlefield…

“Damn it! Chase it! We must finish it off completely!”

Countess Rodeia grabbed her holy blood sword and, dragging her heavy body, quickly ran out into the corridor.

Following the archlich’s escape route, she found that the mansion’s corridors were already in ruins. It was clearly the aftermath of the battle between Grand Duke Beltus and Derik.

The archlich, flying across the destroyed area, descended through a huge hole in the middle of the corridor.

Continuing downwards, it wasn’t difficult to reach the underground wine cellar.

– Crack! Bang! Crack!

Countess Rodeia, who had followed the archlich with the fastest movements, saw an unbelievable sight as soon as she landed and looked up.

The wine barrels were all smashed, and the cellar floor was flooded with wine.

In the middle of that crimson scene, as if blood were flowing like a river, Baron Derik Lydof Ravenclaw was sitting, gasping for breath.

His body was covered with all sorts of wounds and bloodstains, and his magic power was almost undetectable.

He had fought to the very last drop. It was rare to see Derik, who always fought with ease, fighting to such an extent.

And in front of the wrecked man who couldn’t even support his own body… was Grand Duke Beltus, completely frozen and subdued.

‘What am I seeing right now…?’

Countess Rodeia swallowed her breath.

Baron Derik Lydof Ravenclaw, who seemed to be at most a 3-star mage… had subdued Grand Duke Beltus all by himself.

Grand Duke Beltus had already been beaten to a pulp by Pine, his magic power almost depleted, and he was in a state where he could barely control his body, driven mad by the power of necromancy.

Of course, no matter how much that was the case, the idea that a 5-star mage… could be defeated by a 3-star mage, two levels lower, was absurd.

The rank of a wizard was such that each step created an unimaginable gap.

Especially, as the rank increased, the difference became so extreme that… while a 1-star wizard might occasionally defeat a 2-star wizard, it was almost impossible for a 3-star wizard to defeat a 4-star wizard.

‘Traces of ice magic…’

But if it’s not a 3-star wizard… how should it be interpreted?

A chill was flowing around Derek, who was completely exhausted. It was clear where the source of the large-scale ice magic that had just frozen the entire mansion was.

Derek had become a 4-star wizard.

The implications of this were significant. The difference between a 3-star and a 4-star was so vast that it could be metaphorically described as the difference between heaven and earth.

From the 4-star wizard rank, the empire tried to identify all individuals at that level. This was because they often exhibited power close to that of a war weapon.

They were often renowned wizards in each region, and could be counted on one hand… Even among the most famous noble families, a 4-star wizard was considered the most important asset.

In some cases, those with great achievements could even become the head of a family at the 4-star rank… If a new 4-star wizard had been born at this moment, it was like a huge bomb had been dropped on the power structure of the southwestern continent.

At this age, a 4-star.

It was an unbelievably fast pace, historically speaking, with only a few comparable cases. It was similar to, or even greater than, Melberoth, the ruler of the north.

Rodeia swallowed dryly and quickly regained her composure.

‘This is not the time to be thinking like this…! There must be a reason why the Arch Lich rushed here..!’

Derek was already at his limit from the battle with Grand Duke Beltus.

In fact, he was struggling just to stay conscious, gasping for breath while leaning on the ground.

He had already pushed his body to the extreme, and if he had used 4-star magic once more here… he would literally be feeling excruciating pain as if his whole body was on fire.

Even Rodeia, in perfect condition, would be quite exhausted after using 4-star magic once.

Using such magic in a battered state was no longer a matter of ability, but of mental strength.

There was no way he could resist the Arch Lich’s attack. At this moment, Derek was completely incapacitated.

From the perspective of Rodeia, who was loyal to the empire, it was impossible to just leave it alone. It was absolutely unacceptable for that young genius, whose contributions to history were unknown, to lose his life in such a manner.

“You monster! Over here!”

With that, Rodeia drew the Sacred Blood Sword and roared at the Arch Lich.

– Whack! Thwack!

Once again, arrows flew and struck.

They were silver arrows, a special remedy for the spectral monsters. Felinne, who moved more nimbly than anyone else, was already aiming her bow from above the hole in the first-floor corridor.

Soon, other subjugation team members followed in, and Jayden and Orel, holding their swords, rushed into the underground storage.

– Thwack! Crack!

“Protect Baron Ravenclaw! He must be kept alive!”

Countess Rodeia shouted desperately.

The Arch Lich was already in a critical state. If they maintained the full offensive now, they could completely subdue it.

However, the Arch Lich, struggling on the brink of death, gathered its last magical power and let out a massive roar.

– Kyaaa!

The air trembled.

It was a third-class confusion magic, the Scream of Chaos. The soldiers, gathered around, all dropped their weapons and covered their ears at the vibration of the magical power spreading momentarily in all directions.

As the immense confusion, as if their brains were shaking, engulfed their minds, screams erupted among the soldiers.

It was the Arch Lich’s last struggle, drawing out its final bit of magical power.

Taking advantage of that brief moment, the Arch Lich flew towards Derek, who had been completely subdued.

“No!”

It was the moment when Rodeia, gripping the Sacred Blood Sword, was about to dash out.

– Whish!

However, the Arch Lich, as if having no interest in Derek, flew past him and headed towards Grand Duke Beltus, who was in a more secluded corner.

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His body, which no longer showed any signs of life, merely sagged as the Arch Lich lifted him with magic.

For the end of that greedy noble who had tried to dominate the world as the master of the great Beltus family, it was a very pitiful demise.

The Arch Lich drew in the sagging corpse and enveloped it with magic, then once again unleashed a spell with a great roar.

It was the summoning magic that had manifested when they first arrived at the mansion. However, instead of summoning something… the Arch Lich’s true form was being summoned by someone else.

– Paaah!

The Arch Lich, who was gripping Grand Duke Beltus’s body, was engulfed in immense magic… and soon completely disappeared.

– Whaack!

– Crackle!

After everything was over, only dust was rising.

“He escaped…”

“Damn it! We almost had him!”

“The monsters are disappearing…! But still… it’s our victory…!”

The underground wine cellar was completely destroyed.

Now, the only thing left there was… a man who had finally blossomed his talent.

The floor was soaked with blood, and his body was covered in wounds.

It was a situation where it wouldn’t be surprising if he died from excessive bleeding at any moment.

“This is no time to celebrate victory! Call the medics immediately!”

Countess Rodeia splashed through the wine-covered cellar and ran out.

The hero of the battlefield, who fought against the necromancer until the brink of death and finally claimed victory, was dying.

– Thud!

Derek, unable to keep his balance in the gusty wind, fell into a puddle filled with wine.

– Splash! Splash!

Hearing the urgent cries of the soldiers running to find medical help and the Countess Rodeia splashing towards him… Derek slowly let go of his grip on consciousness.

“Sir Derek! Hold on! Hey…! Bring the medics quickly! Damn it…!”

Even Rodeia’s fading voice was sinking into the faint darkness.

How long had it been since he had risked his life to cross swords with a strong opponent?

Suddenly, he recalled the time when he faced a giant wild boar with a trembling body as a child.

It was the memory of the first time he manifested his magical power. It was then that Derek first began to understand the mysteries of magic.

In retrospect, nothing has changed since then.

With such self-deprecating thoughts, Derek slowly closed his eyes.

The light from outside shone into the dark underground storage.

Derek’s blood-soaked figure lying beneath it looked like a knight who had just finished a holy war.

Biting her lower lip, Rodeia removed her gauntlet and pressed Derek’s wound with her bare hands.

Nevertheless, the bleeding continued. The amount of blood gushing out was alarming. This man had truly risked his life with the sole intention of capturing the necromancer.

Seeing the unceasing bleeding, Rodeia clenched her teeth.

She had to save this man at all costs.