“Then, can I ask you for a favor as well?”
‘Ah, so that’s how it is.’
Nothing in this world is ever truly free.
Since she had asked Kellive to act as bait, she was naturally prepared to pay the price.
“May I hear what the favor is before deciding?”
“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t make such an unreasonable demand of Morgana.”
Kellive smiled leisurely, his narrowed eyes glancing lightly at Morgana before looking away.
Meanwhile, Raon, standing behind him, looked as if he might clutch his forehead and collapse at any moment, pressing him urgently.
“Then, can’t you do something about Sir Gawain, who keeps picking unreasonable fights with Sir Lancelot? At this rate, Sir Gawain might end up taking the blame for Count Ruddle’s affairs as well.”
“It’s an old grudge. That’s why I only called Raon here.”
At Kellive’s relaxed reply, Raon trembled with frustration, his face turning pale.
Just as he said, Gawain’s expression visible through the window was downright hostile.
Tilting his head aggressively, he bared his teeth at Lancelot as if threatening him—a sight that was certainly concerning.
Though she didn’t know the reason, it was clear Gawain deeply disliked him.
As she curiously watched the scene outside the window, Aide suddenly blocked her view, abruptly leaning in.
“Can I break it now?”
His sparkling eyes were brimming with impatience.
Morgana grinned and politely gestured toward a secluded corner of the terrace with both hands.
“If you hide where no one can see you for a moment, I think you’ll be able to break it even faster!”
“Easy.”
With a faintly amused smirk curling his lips beneath his somewhat manic expression, she slowly vanished right before Morgana’s eyes.
She disappeared so seamlessly, without even a trace of movement, that it was hard to believe even while watching.
‘So he really is the master of the magic tower…’
Does that mean he doesn’t even need incantations?
Since not even a hint of her presence remained, it seemed there was no need to worry about Aide.
Just then, Olivia entered the banquet hall holding Excalibur.
Clutching the sword and beast tightly against her chest, she scanned her surroundings with a grave expression before briskly heading straight for the terrace.
At the door, Morgana, who had been waiting, immediately took up her sword and firmly instructed her.
“Stay away from the terrace. No matter what sounds you hear, absolutely do not let anyone come through.”
“Yes, my lady!”
Since no one paid any attention to Laves’ request, he eventually sighed pitifully, his shoulders slumping as he shook his head.
“Very well. The matter with Count Ruddle… is important… I’ll do my best to piece together the shattered relations with the ruined delegation. It’s not like a kingdom already in ruins will lose anything more, right?”
As Raves began to step back quietly, Morgana suddenly caught his arm.
When his moist eyes, brimming with a glimmer of hope, met hers directly—Morgana grasped both his arms with her hands and smiled brightly.
“Raves, step outside and stand by the window for me!”
💫
Light from the chandelier streamed in through the terrace window.
On the floor, the shadows of Kellive and Morgana were sharply defined.
The contrast with the darkness outside was so stark that even upside-down, it was easy to tell whose shadow was whose.
Morgana fidgeted with Excalibur’s hilt in one hand as she scanned the darkness.
There was no predicting where Balin would appear.
From a distance where one more person could easily enter, Kellive’s smooth voice whispered.
“Relax.”
As usual, he lightly tapped the tip of his gloved fingers before continuing.
“I’m used to this kind of thing.”
No sooner had his words ended than blood suddenly gushed from Laves’ mouth as he stood by the door.
Kellive’s previously relaxed voice grew heavy.
“The mastermind who ruined Morgana’s grand banquet has come to visit.”
Their exchanged glances silently counted down.
3, 2, 1…
Simultaneously, Raves swiftly drew the curtains with a sharp motion.
The light spilling in from the Great Hall was cut off.
With a whoosh, a distorted space unfolded in Kellive’s hand, and a sword shot out at blinding speed.
The moment he gripped it, he swiftly distanced himself from Morgana.
In the darkness, the moonlight glinted off a dagger as it sliced through the air with a sharp swish.
“You ruined a man’s life, yet you dare act so composed, Kellive!”
Balin’s eerie, tearing voice filled the terrace.
Kellive’s sword lightly deflected the dagger aimed at the floor.
Sniiit—the sound of the blade cutting through the air was razor-sharp.
In the darkness, the rapid movements were impossible to track clearly.
Balin glanced at the wound on his arm and raised his dagger again.
“For the wasted years I spent in the dungeons, I’ll take payment from your shadow!”
His target had been Kellive’s shadow from the very beginning.
Shiiiik—stepping back, Balin flicked his wrist, spinning the dagger with practiced ease.
A flicker of madness flashed in his eyes.
Morgana instinctively retreated as she saw him charging from the far end of the terrace, his murderous intent anything but human.
Suddenly, he staggered as if stepping on empty air.
He flailed his arms to regain balance, but his limbs refused to obey, creaking unnaturally.
“What—what is this?!”
Watching him tilt sideways as if sliding, Morgana tightened her grip on Excalibur.
Now’s the time!
—Hah, indeed. I must personally show you my greatness, even here in Avalon. Now, behold the radiance of my dragon eyes!
Her hand holding Excalibur lifted toward the sky.
At the same moment, a brilliant light exploded outward—whoosh—engulfing the terrace, the Great Hall, and the palace in a radiant glow.
Fwoooosh—
As the light intensified, Baylin’s scream tore through the air.
“AAARGH, MY EYES! MY EYES…!”
The flash was blinding, as if it would sear the eyes of anyone who dared look, before abruptly vanishing.
Morgana, who had squeezed her eyes shut, cautiously peeked with one eye.
Kellive’s sword dripped with Balin’s blood.
Perhaps because the light was too bright, he shook his head slightly and frowned.
“Aaagh, my eyes! My arm! You little…!”
Balin was rolling on the ground, curled up as if writhing in pain. Whether it was against his will or not, he thrashed about as if trapped in an invisible box, unable to break free beyond a certain point.
Standing over him, Aide smirked as he looked down.
“So good. Thrilling.”
A magic circle spread beneath Aide’s feet.
As the area expanded to where Balin lay, thick, cracking sounds echoed, as if something was shattering.
“No, my sword!”
Even in the midst of this, Balin clung desperately to his sword, refusing to let go.
A crimson energy began to seep from it.
Smoke gradually filled the invisible box before swallowing Balin whole.
“Cough… I don’t regret this. Even in death, Kellive, you…!”
Now, it looked like nothing more than a black box.
Occasionally, crimson lightning crackled within it.
“Aaagh!”
Watching this, Kellive quietly stepped in front of her.
“Don’t look.”
The yellow brooch on his chest caught her eye again.
Strangely, she felt at ease. Though she hadn’t witnessed the brutality directly, it wasn’t a sight she wanted to face.
Instead, only Aide’s voice echoed.
“Crushing it.”
As he clenched his fist, a sharp shattering sound rang out.
Balin’s voice was heard no more.
Kellive lifted his head and glanced back briefly.
“Aide, is it over?”
“Yeah. Disappointing.”
He replied as casually as if he had merely plucked a weed.
As if he didn’t even remember what had just happened.
The moment Morgana was about to sigh in relief—Whoosh!
The curtains that Raves had drawn suddenly opened.
In an instant, ordinary light flooded the terrace once more.
Coming from the darkness into the bright light, her vision blurred instinctively.
As Morgana furrowed her brows, Kellive raised a hand to cast a shadow over her and asked,
“What’s wrong?”
In response to his steady voice, Olivia’s voice was heard.
“M-Morgana, where are you? Just now, a strange light covered the royal palace!”
“Ah, that was Excalibur…”
The light had been so vast that it engulfed the palace—no wonder those in the Great Hall were startled.
As she stepped forward to explain, she was met with Olivia’s pale face.
Tears streaming down, Olivia trembled before collapsing to the floor.
“I’m sorry, Morgan.”
“Olivia, what’s wrong?”
After a brief hesitation, Olivia bowed her head even deeper and sobbed.
“The moment the flash appeared, M-Mangeum suddenly ran away from my arms.”
Ah… Morgana’s lips twitched.
For Mangeum, who fed on divine energy, Excalibur was the greatest feast.
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