Chapter 112: Calling each other’s Names

However, he didn’t move a single step from the platform. It was clear there were restrictions on handling that mighty power.

As I stretched my left hand back, Philius grabbed my hand as if waiting. The feeling of rings on our left ring fingers colliding was vivid.

The magic circle engraved on the rings is communication magic. Even though the light was lost, our thoughts seemed to be connected closer through the touching rings.

I inhaled deeply. And started mana breathing.

I saw mana boasting their own colors gathering to the key. From the King’s body, from under the platform, mana rose and was sucked into the key.

Indeed, it’s certain a magic circle is drawn under that platform.

‘Do you also see the scene I am seeing?’

The power adding strength to the King, no, rather power far more vast than what the King himself possesses, wasn’t pure. The magic circle itself was murky as if mixing various powers.

‘I see it.’

Philius approached me who was a step ahead. His chest touched my back. The moment I leaned my body on him, Philius hugged me as if waiting.

‘That was stolen from me.’

The most powerful among various powers flowing out from the magic circle had a jet-black light. The very power mixed with contaminated mana and pheromones he couldn’t control and shed in his childhood, which brought Rut to Philius, was flowing out from the magic circle under that platform.

‘He dragged me to the laboratory to obtain that power.’

The royal mage said it was power contaminated by Philius’s pheromones and his magical power, but that wasn’t an accurate expression. What the King is using is power stolen by experimenting on Philius in his childhood.

The magic circle served to control that power so the King, the key, could use it, not the original owner Philius.

‘We must break the link controlling that power.’

Then that power will return to its original owner, Philius.

‘…It will be painful.’

But unrefined, twisted power is dangerous in itself. Even a small fragment of that power had triggered his Rut.

‘We can do it.’

Philius placed his hand quietly on my stomach. He also felt the existence of the child I bear.

‘We will survive.’

I felt him raising magical power.

‘By any means necessary.’

The words I said to him leaving for the New Continent returned to me, to us.

Right, we will survive. By any means necessary.

I also raised the magical power I possess. The mana grown while purifying magical power contaminated by his pheromones.

“What are you trying to do!”

As Philius’s mana tried to disturb the weakest link of the magic circle, the King’s reaction was immediate. He shouted with veins popping. The light flowing from the key became stronger.

Pressure was applied to my body as if sinking into the deep sea. The heavy body found it hard even to breathe. My legs felt like collapsing any moment. Like the people fallen on the floor turning pale.

‘Jay.’

My name conveyed by Philius was more like a spell than a call.

‘Jay.’

He was resisting the King while repeating my name. To the one who stole his past and now tries to steal his future.

‘Philius.’

So I also called his name. The name of the boy I once dared to pity. The name of the person who gave me courage.

The name of the man who made me wish for a future I couldn’t even imagine.

‘Phil.’

The pressure applied by the key became fiercer. However, the reason I could avoid kneeling under that pressure is because I see the link of the magic circle weakening.

Wind blew. The wind began to shake the banquet hall turned into a sealed room. It was wind created by the power trying to return to its original owner piercing through the weakened magic circle.

Golden hair tickled my cheek. Philius hugged me deeper.

“Now you dare to try to steal even my power!”

The person who harbored inferiority complex toward Philius’s power, experimented on him, and eventually even stole his power shouted at the original owner.

I saw the weakened link finally breaking.

The wind became fiercer. The magic circle is still sturdy. What was pierced was only a very small hole. However, just with the power leaking from there, Philius’s breathing became rough.

The leaked powers were absorbed into Philius. I recalled when Philius engraved the magic circle on the blue diamond of the necklace. When the mana flowing from me combined with his mana. Contrary to that time, this time it was my turn to receive his mana.

I had to purify that blackly contaminated power.

The moment mana flowed in through the clasped hands, I bit my lip.

It was painful. Enough to want to give up accepting his mana at once. It felt like blood vessels would tear. The power running wild as it pleased seeped into every corner of my body quickly.

‘Jay.’

Philius tried to let go of my hand. But I couldn’t let him go.

Even if contaminated, this was also power originated from Philius. This power couldn’t harm me. Because Philius, the owner of the power, has never harmed me even for a moment.

When he was still a boy, even when the power of Rut ran wild and broke windows and gems of the mansion, he cast a barrier for me. Back then, I could only see the brilliant light emitted by broken diamonds as beautiful. Without getting hurt anywhere. Without even being scratched by fragments of destroyed gems.

Holding Philius’s hand, I focused on soothing the power running wild inside me. I recalled the barrier that protected me from Philius’s own rampage. Thought only of that sturdy peace.

I don’t know how much time passed. My hand became soaked with sweat before I knew it. Philius’s fingers seemed to slip between mine. Still, I held his hand desperately.

The power trying to flow as it pleased eventually began to follow slowly as I led. I breathed recalling when I learned mana breathing from Philius.

Inhale, and exhale. Just as Philius guided the flow of my mana, I moved his old power that lost its way to where it should follow.

Hoo. I exhaled breath. Before long, the mana coming out along with the breath abandoned the storm-like momentum and hovered around us like a gentle breeze.

Warmth returned to the fingertips that had cooled down. Blue light flickered. The blue diamond of the ring that lost its light began to find light. I was glad for the faint light emitted by the small 0.3-carat diamond.

And music began to be heard.

“How…!”

The magical barrier that allowed hearing only the King’s voice broke. Aaaah! Painful groans filled the banquet hall. Musicians, perfectly trained to play beautifully, were also screaming abandoning their instruments. Yet the music was clearly heard.

“How, dare…!”

The angry shout the King let out was no longer terrifying. The one afraid was the King himself. He was now afraid of losing the power that wasn’t his from the beginning.

“Dare, dare to take my power!”

Amidst the King’s screams and groans let out by those fallen on the floor, singing was heard.

“John lied to me.”

The links of the magic circle controlling contaminated power were breaking one by one. If the scene visible to my eyes now were translated into sound, it would sound like firecrackers bursting. Even while accepting the power starting to pour all at once, Philius let out a low laugh.

The power transmitted to me through him could no longer pain me.

The singing became clearer. It was the song wishing for martial luck. Unlike the refined music played by musicians, it was a song sung by mercenaries, willful and even noisy.

At that singing, the King shuddered. He seemed unable to endure the annoyance.

“Spes Umbra!”

Blood vessels sprouted all over the King’s body. The pale face turned dark red. Struggling to hold onto scattering power. He called the one who would replace him unable to move a single step.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Among people fallen randomly on the floor, Spes Umbra raised his body. Bleeding from the corner of his mouth. His pupils were murky gray.

“It’s your turn. Go and eliminate those worms, leaving none behind. So that the effort to restore your broken pheromones won’t be wasted.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Spes Umbra seemed not to feel pain. To my eyes, far from being restored, his pheromones just looked more broken. Like the black energy still rising from the magic circle.

That twisted power wasn’t just because it was contaminated as Philius failed to control it. A much more insidious energy was felt. That’s why it ran wild violently inside my body.

Dosel came to mind. The scammer who said he could purify gems. He believed without doubt that he succeeded in that research himself, but the research he dedicated his life to was bogus. His research was not purifying the power contaminating gems but twisting it further.

Forcing power that should no longer be able to manifest magic to move.

Count Umbra approaching Dosel wasn’t just because Pigeon Blood in Rubrum was depleted. The King also needed him.

What happened to Dosel who went to the police station on his own feet to surrender?

The magic circle the King was standing on seemed to tell. That he is no longer in this world.

And now the King is trying to erase the Betas singing songs grating on his ears as well.

Behind Spes Umbra, those bleeding from mouths like him raised their bodies. All were those who stood on the King’s side. Spes Umbra’s father, Count Umbra, was also one of them.

They followed behind Spes Umbra like orderly soldiers. With eyes that lost reason. Like the appearance shown by those whose consciousness was dominated by Philius.

“Initi!”

Duchess Mare shouted like a scream toward the King. Her complexion turned pale. Now they say they are targeting Betas, but who is next?