Side Story Chapter 233


    Anna and Kireua had been walking through the long, dark, and humid tunnel for who knew how long.


    Stop! Anna suddenly shouted to Kireua. He immediately came to a halt in front of her. The airflow up ahead is a little different.


    Okay. Kireua pulled out his ne and promptly infused it with his mana.


    After several buzzing noises, something shatteredmeaning a magic trap up ahead had been disabled.


    I know how valuable an elemental spirit mage is, but I never imagined you would make the mission this easy, Kireua muttered.


    I think that ne of yours is the real cheat. This is what people call being born with a silverno, a magic spoon.[1]. Anna shook her head.


    Kireuas ne was a gift from Iceline on his fifteenth birthday. Living up to her reputation of being a master craftswoman in artifact development, Iceline had created a masterpiece that could disable spells and traps that were weaker than the Fifth Circle dozens of times.


    Of course, it had cost Iceline an astronomical amount of money, but she hadnt spared any expense. She had built three such artifacts in different forms as gifts for her loved ones.


    I heard I could buy a small city with this ne Kireua murmured.


    Hey, <em>buddy</em>, Anna immediately simpered.


    Kireua was dumbstruck. Come on. Where did you sell your conscience?


    Dont you know that anyone rich is your buddy?


    Dont your elemental spirits say that they dont want a materialistic master?


    I dont think so. My babies wish for nothing more than my happiness. Anna stroked Sylphy, who purred. Sylphy didnt have a physical body, so it could shrink itself at will; the narrow space they were in didnt bother it in the slightest.


    Come to think of it, Queen Consort Iceline built three of those nes, didnt she? Anna asked.


    To be precise, a ne, a ring, and a bracelet. All of them have the same ability, of course.


    Three small cities could have been built, huh? I know shes a queen consort, but how rich is she?


    I think shes one of the five richest people on the continent. She paid for half of the Magic Tower, so the mages are extremely polite around her despite their reputation for being cocky.


    Once Iceline developed an artifact, the Magic Tower was in charge of the distribution and sales, but they took twenty percent of the profit asmission. Although that seemed like too much considering the Magic Towers limited role, Iceline didnt have a problem with that because the Magic Tower settled the ount without dy and sold her artifacts without suffering a loss.


    I envy you for having wealthy mothers. From what I heard, Queen Consort Charles is also so rich that shes one of the top five merchants in the continent.


    Kireua nodded. Theyre allpetent people.


    But wouldnt it be better for Queen Consort Charles to take charge of distribution? Avalon could keep all the profit that way.


    Obviously, Charlesspany was more than capable of distributing Icelines artifacts. In fact, the group was better suited than the Magic Tower, but the Queen Consorts didnt even try to use Charless merchant groupand for a good reason.


    The artifact sales are so profitable that theyre the Magic Towers main source of ie. Avalon would certainly grow much richer that way, Kireua agreed.


    So why would they miss such a good opportunity?


    The other kings arent fools. Its a bad diplomatic move since all the other countries would try to keep us in check.


    Oh. Anna''s eyes widened. She hadnt considered that aspect. I wasnt aware that you knew your way around diplomacy.


    This is the basics. And theres one more benefit to leaving the Magic Tower in charge.


    Im listening.


    The continent may think the Magic Tower is helping us right now because Tower Master Theta and His Majesty are acquainted


    Ah! Before Kireua could finish speaking, Anna pped. I get it now! Considering how much theyve profited, the Magic Tower is obligated to help Avalon! Not to mention the future profits theyd be giving up if they didnt.


    And thats politics. Kireua smiled.


    Seeing how well Kireua exined the diplomatic and political reasoning, Anna gave him a proud smile. Youre all grown up now. I think you can actually be an emperor.


    Wait. Kireua sensed ominous energy at the end of the dark tunnel and immediately stopped. Can you feel something up ahead?


    Hmmm it certainly feels like theres something Anna closed her eyes and probed her surroundings.


    Suddenly, she gasped and her eyes flew open.


    What? What is it? Kireua quickly turned to look at her.


    Anna was trembling as if she were having a seizure and her eyes were hazy and unfocused.


    What in the world is going on? Kireua murmured.


    Agh! Anna coughed up a handful of blood. Urggh!


    She started foaming at the mouth, the froth mixing with the blood. Kireua had seen elemental spirit mages in shock like this. When their elemental spirits were critically injured, the spirits were summoned back to where they came from, putting the elemental spirit mages into shock. Annas elemental spirit had been scouting the areait must have been attacked by someone. The problem was, Annas spirit could fight off a Master on its own.


    Kireua caught Anna in his arms before she hit the ground. He gazed down the tunnel with a grave expression.


    Who in the world is down there?


    <em></em> *


    A many in the center of a deep dungeon. He was a king and the hope of his people.


    The continent also called him the me Emperor out of respect for his martial prowess.


    Urgh bis groaned and slowly opened his eyes. Every part of his body hurt, and he was covered withcerations that were festering due to ack of proper treatment.


    bis had never imagined suffering a crushing defeat from someone who wasnt the Battle God or the Martial God. The man who was responsible for biss defeat happened to be seated right in front of him; he was quite younghe looked to be in his thirties at most.


    Are you up? The man grinned at him.


    How are you rted to Grand Duke Lucifer?


    bis had an idea or two about the mans identity. Since he had been studying Lucifers sword techniques for a long time, bis knew that the man was using a style simr to Lucifer, the Crimson Sky, who had been Thrans enemyand was long dead now. In fact, the man looked simr to Lucifer, especially his wicked blood-red eyes


    What do you think? the man asked back.


    bis frowned. The first idea that came to his mind was that the man was Lucifers son. Or perhaps the man was Lucifers student, like Bel and Zactorhowever, the chances of that seemed low, considering how much the man resembled Lucifer. It was far more likely that he was Lucifers blood kin and had inherited everything from him.


    But two things didnt add up if that was the case.


    <em>First of all, although its nothingpared to Joshua, Ive made significant progress of my own. Its hard to believe that theres another monster like Bel and Joshua in the same generation,</em> bis thought.


    Even if a hidden expert was bound to be powerful on some level, the man was beyond bisno, anyones expectations.


    <em>Lastly, Ive never heard of Grand Duke Lucifer having a son who is as skilled as him.</em>


    bis had devoted his entire life to theplete independence of Thran, so hed studied every possible obstacle that could stand in the way of aplishing his dream. The biggest obstacle in the past was, naturally, Lucifer, so bis had kept a close eye on Lucifers family after the Crimson Skys death. As improbable as it was, it would be highly problematic if a child of Lucifer inherited his demonic talent and turned his sword on Thran.


    Youre an open book. You must be thinking I never heard anything about the Crimson Sky having a son whos as skilled as me


    The man read biss mind.


    As the man who will take your dearest treasure Ill answer your question.


    What?


    The man stood and slowly walked toward bis. bis scowled at the man the whole way.


    Doesnt this seem familiar? The man smiled crookedly.


    What in the world are you saying?


    Duke Altsma, the Wild King.


    biss eyes nearly popped out of his skull. Wa-wait


    What youre thinking is correct.


    Impossible! bis eximed, dismayed. That wont!


    Before you deny reality, open your eyes and see the world. Do you really think anything about the world is normal right now? The entire race of dragons has been exterminated by a human, and gods are feeding on lowly humans.


    But but youre!


    ept reality. The man smiled slyly and positioned himself right in front of bis. Since I paid the price, its time to take your treasure.


    Before bis could say anything, the man threw a mana-empowered kick aimed at the mana hall in biss abdomen that he had spent his entire life building.


    With a thunderous <em>crack</em>, excruciating pain rushed over bis.


    Ahhhhhhhh!


    1. The raw is   ,     ? that is about how having a mage mom, Iceline, is as good as being born with a silver spoon in their mouth.