Chapter 66

The Great Barrier is a special barrier set up around the surrounding towns to protect the capital. It is prepared so that in the event of an emergency with the regular barrier stones, the capital, a major city, would not suffer damage from monsters.

The magical formula for the Great Barrier is a secret that only the head and deputy head of the Barrier Division are allowed to know. As it is a crucial defensive trump card, the installation locations are known only to a select few to prevent enemies and criminals from finding out.

Leban, the former head, would not be surprising to know the magical formula.

However, revealing the magical formula, which is essential to national defense, to a regular employee like Viela while hiding the truth, even though he has retired from the Magic Bureau, could result in punishment for information leakage.

If he is trying to have it deactivated...

"Impossible!"

Viela covered her mouth, barely suppressing a scream.

Leban is likely managing the Great Barrier. As long as he doesn't report, any anomalies in the Great Barrier won't reach the royal palace. If the Great Barrier is secretly deactivated... if something happens to the regular barrier stones at the same time... if a spell to attract monsters is activated within the city... if a large group of monsters attacks the city... the worst-case scenario begins to unfold in Viela's imagination.

She is more susceptible to thinking the worst because she has been kidnapped. The former royal palace mage, who worked in the Barrier Division to protect the country, would not degrade that peace. She hopes it's just her imagination, but she lacks the evidence to believe in Leban's innocence.

(If my imagination is correct, the claim that he contacted the palace is likely a lie as well.)

Everything seems to be set up to make Viela cooperate voluntarily. The room prepared for her, designed for women, was made comfortable to prevent her from wanting to leave. Even her kidnapping might have been...

She wants to consult someone without Leban knowing.

"First, I need to buy some time..."

If she finds a way to deactivate it alone, she will be asked to record the spell and derive the reverse formula.

Viela gripped the borrowed pen and inscribed a protection spell on the black parchment.

After lunch, Leban frowned slightly when he saw it.

"There's a slight inconsistency in the magical formula. That's not like a mage from the Technical Division."

"It's because I'm not used to this pen. I haven't quite gotten the feel for it yet. I'll get better with practice."

"I see, that's understandable."

Leban's initially cold tone softened. He seemed anxious but not in a bad mood.

Viela, heart racing, decided to make a request.

"Um, if I can't go back yet, can I send a letter to the capital?"

"A letter, you say. To whom?"

"My sister and my fiancé. Even if you've contacted them, they must be worried. I want to send them a message to let them know I'm safe and reassure them."

"Your fiancé, Lord Herring, is the leader of the Divine Beast Knights, right? Lord Herring is truly an amazing person. During the war, how many people were given hope by his presence...!"

Leban closed his eyes, emphasizing his words as if lost in memory.

Lukas, in front of Viela, is always modest. He says the true hero is General Gerald, that the current deputy leader, who planned the operations, is more impressive, and that he just happened to defeat the enemy.

Hearing about Lukas, whom she didn't know, Viela couldn't help but be impressed.

"Lukas is really an amazing person."

"Of course! The griffin, while powerful, is slower than the enemy country's wyvern. Aerial combat was a disadvantage for our country. Lord Herring turned that around and even brought down their ace. He's undoubtedly a genius."

"Do you know what made Lukas so exceptional?"

"His sense of balance, which he never lost even in tight turns, lungs and eardrums that could withstand sudden ascents, dynamic vision that never missed a chance, a broad field of view, and a strong body that couldn't be shaken off... and excellent combat sense. He's seen as flawless."

Lukas, she learned, had the physical ability to keep up with the full speed of the griffin, which was faster than the wyvern when carrying a rider. This allowed him to outmaneuver the enemy's wyvern and bring down their ace.

"Lord Herring is a true hero, worthy of the title 'King of the Skies.'"

"Indeed!"

"Of course, the current General Gerald, who recognized his talent and gave precise orders, is also an excellent person. All the knights followed him. It's truly admirable to have a trustworthy leader."

Leban looked down at his right leg, where his prosthetic limb was hidden under his clothes.

Viela felt a painful tightness in her chest and couldn't speak.

"Haha, I've talked too much. I shouldn't be in the way, so I'll return to my office."

Unable to stop him with his sentimental smile, Viela realized she had missed an important confirmation.

"The letter... was dodged."

She had been so engrossed in hearing about Lukas's achievements, which she had never known before.

(Because Lukas doesn't brag, and the duke and duchess don't like talking about the war... it wasn't the right atmosphere. Of course, there were casualties even though they won.)

During the war, Viela was a student and only knew what was written in the newspapers. During the war, all the articles praised the knights of the Dressia Kingdom for their bravery. After the war, the news was filled with celebratory articles about the birth of heroes, with no mention of the casualties.

Leban was likely one of the victims whose sacrifices were hidden for the glory of the country.

"...But I can't afford to feel sorry. Bad things are not allowed. I need to find a way to inform someone outside."

She had no confidence in evading the patrol guards around the mansion. Without any help, it seemed impossible for Viela, with "zero combat ability," "average running speed," and "no stamina," to escape on her own. It would be more constructive to contact a third party, make them suspicious of Leban, and wait for help.

If her suspicions were unfounded and Leban's reputation was damaged, she would prostrate herself and apologize with all her might and pay compensation with the expedition reward money she hadn't touched.

Praying that the compensation would be enough, she tried to bring up the letter again, but the servants explained that Leban was out. She tried to consult the servants, but they refused, saying they needed Leban's confirmation.

It was suspicious. The possibility that her bad feeling was correct was increasing.

"...I can't sleep."

Her mind was swirling with suspicions, and she couldn't fall asleep. In such situations, the best thing to do is to read a magic book to force her brain to tire.

But there were no books in the room. Viela left her private room to borrow a book and tried to enter the research room, but she noticed light leaking from the gap between the door and the floor. She could hear voices, one of which was Leban's.

Despite knowing it was dangerous, she was drawn to the door and pressed her ear against it.

"Viela seems to have understood the structure of the Great Barrier's magical formula. The protection spell she wrote in this practice, though I gave a harsh critique, was almost perfect for a first try with an unfamiliar pen. It was worth the risk to tamper with the eastern barrier stone to attract monsters. We've found someone with the talent we need, Viela."

It was Leban's voice.

Viela felt as if ice water had been poured into her heart, and the heat was being drained from her body.

The voice responding to him was the female servant who had been kind to her.

"But, Master Leban, time is running out. The royal palace's security will be strengthened, and more knights will be assigned to expand the search for Viela. General Gerald is a wise person and won't just follow the king's orders."

"However, there is good news. It seems that the hero Lukas has been placed under house arrest with surveillance. It's only known to a select few because it can't be made public, but with the leader in that situation, the Divine Beast Knights won't be ordered to leave the palace. It will take about two days for the palace knights to reach this town, and it will be even longer before this mansion is suspected."

"Before that, it would be best if Viela could grasp the key to deactivating it, but if she can't..."

Viela pulled her ear away from the door, afraid to hear the rest of the servant's words.

Leban is the enemy. Moreover, it's an organized operation with insiders in the palace. She doesn't want to believe it, but her hope for help, Lukas, is under house arrest for some reason and can't act.

(Why is Master Leban doing this? The palace's situation is transparent, and there's no hope for help yet. Lukas being under house arrest must be a mistake...)

Unable to accept the reality, she took a step back in fear, and felt someone behind her. Turning around in a panic, she saw the man from the patrol guard who had protected her.

"Master Leban didn't want to resort to violence, but it's a shame."

The guard held a short sword, pointed at Viela. There was no tremor in the blade. He was prepared to harm her without hesitation if she resisted.

"Please, come into the research room."

Viela had no choice but to comply. Gently opening the door, Leban was slightly surprised but quickly smiled and invited her in.

"Would you like to have a tea party at night?"