Chapter 71: The Unforeseen Rampage in the Royal Garden

“Baron Rex’s blood analysis results are strange. Could it be that the runaway-inducing drug wasn’t used?”

Herace’s brow furrowed at Enoch’s report. He had firmly believed that the blood, drawn from Baron Rex—who was alive but in a state akin to suspended animation—would surely show traces of the drug.

“I believe the runaway-inducing drug was used,” Enoch replied, “but its components might change within an Esper’s body during a rampage. This is, after all, the first time an Esper who has undergone a significant rampage is alive, albeit in suspended animation.”

“If we could investigate Baron Rex again, now that he’s been transferred to the Center…” Enoch’s voice trailed off.

Baron Rex had already been handed over to the Center, where Devon Green’s followers were undoubtedly subjecting him to all manner of experiments. It would be foolish to assume his condition remained preserved, given the potential changes his body might have undergone under the guise of research.

“…When is he being handed over to his family?”

“The Center prefers to do so after the festival, but Baron Rex’s family is requesting an immediate transfer, as there are still matters concerning his inheritance and title.”

Herace’s lips twisted into a grim line.

“They intend to pull the respirator as soon as they receive him.”

“It’s a family matter, so there’s little we can do.”

“To think that being at the Center is actually prolonging Baron Rex’s life… how ironic.”

Enoch agreed with a bitter expression, letting out a long sigh.

“…It’s a shame our efforts might be in vain, but we still have the blood sample, so let’s wait and see.”

“There’s little chance of success there, I think. Perhaps we should focus on the media manipulation regarding the former royal PR team’s culprit instead?”

Life sparked back into Enoch’s emerald eyes.

“You caught them?!”

“Indeed.”

“Are they… dead?”

“We’d barely received jurisdiction over the investigation when they were reportedly shot resisting a robber in Burness City, near the border. It seems they were trying to flee to the Sterling Kingdom.”

Enoch’s brow furrowed at Herace’s dry explanation.

“Procyon’s doing, then.”

“There’s no trace of an Esper, so there’s no way to prove it. Victor Frankl will enter the palace within a few days to hand over the body to the Royal Guard.”

Nothing seemed to go right. Procyon, responsible for public safety in every city of the Empire, outnumbered all Espers in the Royal Guard and Antares Unit combined. As long as this organization, with its vast network, remained in Devon’s grasp, it was clear it would be exploited as a political tool.

“…I’ll try spreading some conspiracy theories through external media, but I’m not sure if they’ll gain traction. Isn’t Trisha Haxson’s verdict already delayed because His Majesty the King intervened?”

“There were protests from injured reporters, but he likely didn’t want to blow things out of proportion and tarnish the Empire’s image, especially with international media watching. Politically, it’s an understandable decision. It’s a bit disappointing for me, but Devon must be relieved.”

“…I need to go see Bliss. We can’t let the matching tests be conducted at the Center as well.”

“A request came in to authorize other facilities as military installations, since the Antares Unit’s facilities cannot be publicly broadcast.”

Enoch let out a wry chuckle and stood up.

“Apparently, Moore Corp has equipped facilities on par with the Center to find Bliss Moore’s Guide.”

“……That’s illegal.”

“Precisely why a conversion to military facilities is necessary, wouldn’t you say?”

Herace sighed, looking at the brazen approval documents for illegal facilities that had come from Bliss.

****

Ethan and his companions left the ceremonial hall as the sunset began to paint the sky.

“Isn’t the floral wreath a bit too large?”

Having only ever experienced the Spring Flower Festival through broadcasts, Ethan was taken aback by the immense size of the wreath, which far exceeded his expectations. It was a “wreath” in name only; this colossal installation, far too large for anyone’s head, would require an astonishing quantity of flowers. Simply choosing the primary theme flowers for it was enough to determine the year’s highest floral sales.

“You really must be from some backwater town. I’ve never met anyone who’s only seen the festival on TV. Morapolio City doesn’t host the Spring Flower Festival, after all.”

From the south all the way to Ashilton, the cities along that almost direct route hosted the Spring Flower Festival, featuring enormous floral wreaths. Morapolio, situated significantly to the side of those cities, had no connection to the festival, and the village Ethan lived in even less so.

There were a couple of paths leading to the outdoor parking lot. They chose the one that wound through a beautifully landscaped garden, a space open to all those who worked in the royal palace.

Unlike their rushed entrance, moving through corridors and moving walkways to stay on schedule, they were now strolling leisurely, admiring the sights they hadn’t properly seen before.

*Thud!*

“What… is this?” Ethan mumbled, utterly devoid of any sense of reality as he stared at Huey Cloud, who had fallen beside him and was groaning.

“Damn it! Get out of the way!”

Enoch Cloud’s urgent voice pierced the air, and a tree, engulfed in flames, was hurled directly at them.

*Crash!*

Kyle reacted instantly, twisting the tree with his psychokinesis. The flaming projectile narrowly missed Huey, striking a nearby statue with an explosive force that sent fragments scattering in every direction.

“Oh no!”

Kyle, his face etched with alarm, frantically pushed away the burning splinters raining down around them. Yet, he was overwhelmed, and several fragments grazed their clothes. Fortunately, the guard uniforms were made of special protective fibers, allowing Maxon to shield Ethan effectively. However, Huey Cloud was not so lucky.

“Lord Huey’s clothes are on fire!”

Several people, standing farther away from the immediate danger, shrieked as they pointed at Huey Cloud. Some frantically searched for their tablets to report to the Royal Guard, while others let out mournful cries. Yet, no one dared to step forward and extinguish the flames themselves.

“Damn it!” Ethan exclaimed, biting his lip, then sprinted forward.

“Ethan! Are you crazy?!” Maxon yelled, rushing after him.

But Ethan had already reached Huey Cloud, tearing off his own jacket to smother the fire clinging to Huey’s body.

“Are you alright, Lord Huey? Try to grab onto me! Can you stand?!”

“Lord Ethan!” Kyle protested, but Ethan was already helping Huey Cloud to his feet. Though his usually sharp demeanor was now terribly disheveled from the recent ordeal, Huey soon recognized Ethan as his helper, his face registering surprise. He quickly, however, pointed in the direction from which he had come.

“Enoch is in danger. An electric-affinity Esper is at a severe disadvantage against a fire-affinity Esper.”

“What are you talking about?!”

*Boom! Crackle!*

This time, the head of a sparking statue crashed near them. Simultaneously, smoke began to billow from the center of the maze, where the meticulously trimmed trees stood taller than a person.

“Trisha Haxson… she escaped. Enoch tried to protect me…”

“…!!!”

“That’s impossible!”

Her prison was surrounded by a nine-layered barrier, its walls constructed entirely from the purest quality Ecanetium. The nine-layered barrier was a torment, crushing Espers and plunging them into helplessness. High-ranking Espers guarded its front, and even if escape were possible, it would be incredibly difficult to vanish so completely and then unleash abilities in the middle of the garden.

“…I also don’t know why Trisha Haxson is attacking me.”

He disentangled himself from Ethan, feeling Maxon and Kyle’s wary gazes, and straightened his back.

“Thank you for your help, but if you could, please call Arthur Swan or Bliss Moore. If a few Royal Guardsmen foolishly confront that madwoman, she might get enraged and choose to go into a rampage.”

A rampage. Hearing that the Esper causing such havoc was S-rank Trisha Haxson, the onlookers screamed and quickly fled. With a temper as fiery as her affinity, an S-rank Esper like her going into a rampage would spell disaster. If an impact powerful enough to reduce a small city to ashes were unleashed within the palace, the entire royal grounds could fall within the rampage’s range.

“They are already en route, but since they are coming from the unit, the Royal Guard Commander will arrive sooner.” Kyle replied stiffly.

“Then, everyone, get to safety quickly.”

Huey Cloud nodded, then limped, attempting to return to the center of the maze.

Ethan urgently grabbed his arm, stopping him.

“Where are you going, Lord Huey? It’ll be difficult for you to face Trisha Haxson, who is a physical-type Esper!”

Huey glanced down at his captured arm for a moment, then gently removed Ethan’s hand.

“Although we’re intensely clashing, neither of us intends to kill the other. Just as Enoch couldn’t let me die, I feel the same. I only intend to hold out until Arthur Swan arrives.”

*Crash! Bang!*

Again, fragments of burning wood showered down upon them. Kyle, his face filled with exasperation, batted away the debris heading for Huey, then shot a worried glance at Ethan. As an S-rank psychokinetic, he was the most useful in this situation. Protecting Ethan was his priority, but Ethan himself seemed disinclined to leave, which concerned him.

“Ethan, you need to get away. That’s… hey!”

‘Just as I thought.’

With Maxon’s alarmed cry, Ethan stepped towards the center, prompting Kyle to sigh in resignation.

Circling around the maze to run in was no longer an option, as fires had already consumed many areas. In the distance, people could be seen crowding the main palace terrace.

*Crack!*

A burning wall collapsed, revealing the interior. At its center stood a large chessboard with human-sized chess pieces and a fountain, currently devoid of water. The shattered head of a statue, which had flown their way, was clearly a chess piece, making the scene all the more chaotic.

*Whoosh!*

“Maxon! Use your ability!”

At Kyle’s shout, the flames, hurtling towards them, abruptly twisted mid-air. Huey Cloud’s eyes widened slightly.

“He’s an Interference-type Esper.”

A B-rank Interference ability couldn’t repel S-rank flames, but it could distort their direction. While it superficially resembled psychokinesis, it was fundamentally different; psychokinesis could move a ‘burning tree,’ but not the ‘flames’ themselves.

Huey began to run, distancing himself from them. Trisha and Enoch would undoubtedly be where the flames were thickest.

“Huey Cloud! So you came crawling back on your own!”

A chess piece head, glowing red-hot, flew through the air. Huey dodged it, and the ground where it landed cratered.

*Bang!*

*Crackle, crackle! Thud!*

As Trisha attacked Huey, a tree enveloped in sparks crashed down, splitting sharply. The lightning-struck tree transformed into a blade, threatening Trisha, but her psychokinesis sent the pieces flying back at Enoch.

“Gah! I told you to call Arthur Swan! Why did you come back in here?!” Enoch yelled at his brother.

A pillar of fire erupted between the two brothers.

“How touching,” she sneered, her long, luscious hair rippling with her movements.

Clearly enraged, she seized the opportunity of Enoch’s exhaustion to hurl a volley of fireballs at Huey.

*Bang, bang!*

Maxon stepped in front of Ethan, twisting the trajectory of the flames aimed at Huey, while Kyle levitated a fragmented chess piece and launched it like a cannonball at Trisha.

When she faltered from the sudden assault, Huey saw his chance, attempting to snatch her hand. He intended to inject her with a near-lethal sedative using his Drug ability, but getting close proved difficult.

“Get back!”

Arthur Swan arrived. Four or five sharp, dagger-like crystal formations materialized from his hand and shot forth with a whistling sound.

“Aargh!”

Trisha screamed as one pierced her shoulder, then retaliated against Arthur Swan. A long, powerful stream of fire, like a dragon’s breath, licked fiercely against Arthur Swan’s shield for a prolonged moment.

Huey used the distraction to quickly support Enoch.

“…Let go!” Enoch roughly rejected Huey’s assistance, glaring at his brother.

“Who let that madwoman out?!”

“……I don’t know either.”

“How can you not know?!”

“If I had known, I wouldn’t be under attack like this today.”

“……”

‘Damn it!’ Enoch glowered at Trisha Haxson, who was consumed by madness yet not in a rampage.

“If there was water…” Huey murmured. Arthur Swan was struggling, creating ice spears without a medium and maintaining a shield.

Watching from a distance, Ethan quietly muttered.

‘Samwol, water.’

‘Just fill the fountain a little.’

That’s what Ethan ordered. He distinctly remembered ordering just that.

*Whoosh!*

As if it had been waiting for this very moment, water erupted from the sprinklers, whose entire tank system had been locked for winter pipe cleaning. Simultaneously, water began to gush from the tiny ‘peckers’ of the six cherub statues surrounding the fountain, as well as from the water bottles they held.

[You crazy b*tch! There’s a limit to showing off your powers! Not the pecker!]

Ethan blanched, watching the water kindly cut off from only the cherubs’ ‘peckers’ at Dongja’s scolding.

‘I messed up. I messed up again.’

The surrounding fires gradually began to die down. Arthur Swan, momentarily stunned and bewildered, shook off his surprise and finally formed a proper spear.

*Kiiiiing—!*

Maxon and Kyle’s eyes widened. It was their first time seeing Arthur Swan’s spear up close like this.

“Wow…”

The way the surrounding water gathered to form a nearly two-meter-long spear was quite different from Bliss’s water.

*Whoosh—!*

With a heavy, piercing sound, the spear flew and embedded itself directly into Trisha Haxson’s chest. It wasn’t just long; its varied thickness meant its entire cross-section was as sharp as a blade.

“Kyaaaah! Aaagh! Cough!”

Her prolonged screams and writhing body abruptly ceased as her breath was cut off in an instant, silencing her cries.

“Cough, gasp!”

“Ugh!”

It was no different for the other Espers present. Huey, Enoch, Kyle, and Maxon, as well as Arthur Swan who had just launched the spear, all clutched their throats, struggling to breathe.

“…Where did that water come from?”

A voice, colder even than Arthur Swan’s ice spear, echoed among the slumped Espers. Ethan, now even paler, was flailing, being dragged away by his Esper who had appeared out of nowhere. He thought blankly, ‘It’s because of that crazy, attention-seeking ghost girl, Samwol.’