Chapter 33

Chapter 33
## Chapter 33

The study of magic is a field of immense depth and complexity.

Even practitioners from different academic traditions often possess little to no understanding of each other’s specific disciplines.

Given that context, what could **Lucian**—who until very recently had no experience with the mystic arts—truly comprehend?

He was essentially fishing in the dark, tossing out authoritative-sounding terms. His goal was simple: he needed to provoke the captive into speaking before a serious cross-examination could even begin.

‘What is the nature of this sorcery? Were these fanatics actually preparing a ritual?’

He had shook the tree, and something had indeed fallen out. Whether it was a harmless garden variety secret or a lethal revelation, however, was still uncertain.

**Lucian** spoke once more, pushing for a deeper reaction.

“Naturally, this is all just my personal theory. I am not a practitioner myself, so the exact mechanics of the ceremony are unknown to me.”

He was careful to provide himself with an escape hatch. He couldn’t risk claiming total expertise; if their accounts clashed, his ignorance would be laid bare immediately.

“So you were attempting to manipulate me after all!”

The young man’s skepticism intensified as a result, but that was of little concern. The captive knew even less about the arcane than **Lucian** did.

**Lucian** dropped his volume, cultivating a heavy, oppressive mood.

“Nevertheless, only the path of Black Magic can tether incompatible creatures together and compel them to move in such a coordinated swarm. Did that sorcerer not instruct you to place specific items to act as anchor points throughout the territory?”

“…!”

“If such a command was given, then he is undoubtedly a Black Mage. In contrast to standard mages, a practitioner of the dark arts must first corrupt the local mana in that fashion before they can manifest their powers.”

“T-That is impossible!”

The youth’s gaze shifted frantically.

The placement of those anchor points, requested by their mage, was a highly classified objective known to only a handful within the **Empire Liberation Front**. How could a man who had never even approached the **Yellow Forest** be aware of such a detail?

“I-If your claims are accurate, what is the end result?”

“What do you imagine? I have already informed you. It is a mass-scale sacrificial rite. Though his ultimate motive for such an act remains a mystery to me.”

“…!”

“Answer me. Is your organization intending to slaughter us at the cost of your own lives? Is this truly a pact made with a clear understanding of what the ritual entails?”

The young man fell into a heavy silence, his chin hitting his chest.

Uncertainty remained. But if they had all been misled by the silver tongue of a malevolent Black Mage… if not just him, but even the high-ranking officers had been tricked…

‘…I must prevent this!’

He was prepared to trade his life for the freedom of his homeland. But to perish merely to feed the bottomless avarice of a Black Mage would be a pathetic end—entirely devoid of purpose.

The youth clenched his jaw and looked up.

“If I provide the specifics, can you put a stop to this horrific ritual?”

**Lucian** met the boy’s eyes with a grave expression and gave a firm nod.

“I will see to it personally.”

“Sigh.”

The prisoner exhaled a long, weary breath, having reached a turning point. A moment later, the secrets he had been protecting began to emerge.

—

“I possess little knowledge of the mages myself. I only know that our leaders arrived one day accompanied by two practitioners. They were introduced as reinforcements.”

One appeared to be in his thirties, while the other seemed to be in the twilight of middle age.

The younger man identified himself as a member of the **Celestial School**, while the elder claimed affiliation with the **Beast School**.

“Naturally, we had no way of verifying those claims. We rarely encounter magic; how would we know the internal politics of their orders?”

“That is reasonable enough,” **Lucian** replied, offering a nod of validation. Perhaps encouraged by this receptive tone, the young man’s voice steadied.

“The mage from the **Celestial School** was largely idle. He claimed he needed to gather mana and preserve his vitality for the coming day. Conversely, the one calling himself a **Beast School** mage was tirelessly active.”

Commanding the monsters, etching the totems that served as anchor points, and designating their placement—all of it was orchestrated by the **Beast School** practitioner.

While the **Celestial School** mage remained passive and gave no direction, the **Beast School** mage was aggressively involved. Eventually, he began insisting on live, wild animals, asserting they were vital to fortify the enchantment.

“Frustration grew among our ranks because this outsider was constantly issuing demands. But our commanders ordered us to satisfy his needs, so we had no choice but to obey.”

“And you provided everything he sought?”

“He insisted the magic would be impotent without fresh livestock, so we complied.”

The **Beast School** mage had stressed repeatedly that the offerings had to be animals, not monsters or people. His comrades bit back their irritation and hunted for him, swayed by his logic that only creatures filled with the purity of nature would suffice as fuel for the spell.

Fortunately, after receiving several animals, the mage appeared content and ceased his demands.

“He kept the totems inside the animals’ stomachs for several days, retrieving them only once they were dyed a vivid crimson. He then handed them out, instructing us to place them in precise locations, calling it the most vital phase of the strategy.”

“And that day arrived today. You were intercepted while returning from placing a totem, correct?”

The young man went quiet at **Lucian’s** deduction. It was clear he wanted to thwart the Black Mage but still hoped to protect the broader secrets of his cause.

**Lucian** frowned visibly and knelt down before the youth.

“I realize you are hesitant because we are on opposing sides, but do you really think withholding details is wise in this context?”

“….”

“You are ignorant of magic, and my knowledge is limited as well. Even if we combine our insights, we may still miss something. And yet you are filtering your confession? Do you truly wish to avert a catastrophe?”

At that, the youth bit his lip until blood welled up. He was caught between a fading hope for ‘the cause’ and the terrifying thought that he was becoming a traitor.

**Lucian** gave him the space to think. Pushing harder now would only cause the boy to retreat into silence.

After a long pause, the young man spoke with visible effort.

“In three days, the mages intend to lead a swarm of monsters in a raid on **Greve City**, situated behind **Bornholm Castle**.”

“**Greve**? That is a civilian hub. It is crowded, certainly, but it holds zero military importance.”

“That is the point. It is a diversion. Because it is the most inhabited center in the region, **Bornholm Castle** will be forced to send its garrison to protect it. The actual target is **Bornholm Castle** itself, once its defenses have been thinned.”

“…!”

**Raymond**, who had been observing the exchange in silence, started. He knew they were plotting, but an assault on the castle?

**Bornholm Castle** was famed as an unbreakable fortress. How could a rebel group without a standing army achieve such a feat?

‘It would be nearly impossible even with siege engines. Can they truly take it with just monsters and two mages?’

“The mage from the **Celestial School** is tasked with breaching the outer walls. They said he has been hoarding his power for a single, devastating spell to be used that day.”

The youth answered **Raymond’s** silent question immediately.

The ramparts shattered by sorcery, followed by an unstoppable wave of beasts? No matter the quality of the defense, the castle would be plunged into total disorder. If the stronghold’s command was broken, the **Empire Liberation Front** would be free to strike and claim their prize.

“That is all I will tell you.”

The young man’s jaw set firmly. He believed that by exposing the mages, he had fulfilled his debt to morality without betraying the rest of the plan.

**Lucian** was satisfied and offered a thin, approving smile.

“I appreciate it. Because of your choice, many innocent lives will be spared.”

“….”

Despite the praise, the youth remained silent. He was finished speaking.

With the interrogation concluded, **Lucian** stood up and moved away from the captive to arrange for his transport back to the fortress.

It was then that **Raymond**, wide-eyed with curiosity, approached.

“That was remarkable, Young Master. I had no idea you were a student of the arcane.”

“What magic are you talking about?”

“You mentioned earlier that they were fouling the mana by placing anchors. I have never heard of Black Mages employing such a tactic.”

“Of course you haven’t. Because that isn’t a technique exclusive to Black Mages.”

“…I beg your pardon?”

“Utilizing an object as an anchor—whether it is a totem, a sigil, or a charm—to boost a spell’s power is a universal practice among mages. It is not some dark secret of the Black Arts.”

**Raymond** stared at **Lucian**, his expression completely blank. Had he not just argued with absolute certainty that it was a sign of a Black Mage?

Seeing the confusion, **Lucian** let out a dry chuckle.

“I used a bit of deception to extract the truth. They likely never considered the threat of a real Black Mage. If they believe they are being used as pawns for a dark ritual, they are far more likely to cooperate, aren’t they?”

“T-Then, it was all a fabrication?”

“Half of it was a bluff. Though it appears the other half was actually the truth.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“Well, there is a silver lining and a dark cloud. Which would you prefer first?”

**Raymond** felt a sudden pang of anxiety. Since they had compromised the enemy’s strategy, shouldn’t the news be entirely positive?

“The silver lining, please.”

“The silver lining is that I have decoded the enemy’s true objective.”

“I heard that as well, I was standing right here.”

“I am not referring to the **Empire Liberation Front’s** objective. I am referring to the mages’ objective.”

**Raymond** was lost again. Was he implying the mages were working toward a different goal than the rebels?

“I don’t quite understand, but you clearly see something I don’t. I will ask for the details later… What is the dark cloud?”

**Lucian** replied with a grimace.

“It wasn’t just a bluff; a genuine Black Mage is involved. It seems the fools in the **Empire Liberation Front** are the ones being played.”

“…!?”

—

**Lucian** immediately dispatched the **Empire Liberation Front** captive to the fortress. Simultaneously, he called for **Tristan** to hold an urgent strategy session.

“I conducted a preliminary questioning of the prisoner before your arrival, Brother.”

“…I specifically told you to stay out of this, yet you insist on diving into the center of the storm anyway.”

**Tristan’s** face darkened. He clearly disliked **Lucian’s** habit of expanding the scope of every problem.

Ignoring the obvious irritation, **Lucian** simply shrugged it off.

“You may be annoyed, but the news I have is far more troubling. There is a practitioner of the Black Arts embedded within the **Empire Liberation Front**.”

“What?”

“They are posing as rogue mages, so the rebels are likely unaware. You surely grasp the implications of this, Brother.”

**Tristan** went quiet, his face hardening into a mask of gravity.

Rogue mages were typically outcasts forced into the shadows. If not for the threat of Imperial law, they would seek legitimate recognition and status.

But Black Mages were an entirely different breed.

‘They have no interest in rank or social standing; they seek only offerings and victims.’

The very essence of a Black Mage’s existence was the subversion of order. There was no world in which such a person would help the **Empire Liberation Front** for a seat at a political table. One had to assume the rebels were merely a convenient tool for the mage’s own ends.

“The **Empire Liberation Front** intends to seize **Bornholm Castle** using magic. The Black Mage likely intends to exploit that chaos.”

“Do they plan to harvest the inhabitants of **Bornholm Castle** for their ritual?”

“Unlikely.”

**Lucian** shook his head at **Tristan’s** theory.

“**Bornholm Castle** is a vital military asset, but it is not a residential paradise. It is a place that turns into a graveyard the moment a war starts. The bulk of the civilian population is in **Greve City**, located behind the fortress.”

“But the **Empire Liberation Front** has no strategic reason to move against **Greve City**, do they? It is just a crowded town with no tactical worth. It is a mere stopover that would surrender the moment **Bornholm** fell.”

“According to the captive, they plan to use it as a decoy. The strategy was to draw the garrison out of **Bornholm** to defend **Greve**, leaving the castle vulnerable.”

“…Wait. Let us piece this together.”

The **Empire Liberation Front’s** primary goal was the fall of **Bornholm Castle**, using an attack on **Greve City** as a lure. Since the loss of **Bornholm** would be a catastrophic blow to the Empire, it was the only logical target for a rebellion.

However, for a Black Mage, the prize isn’t a pile of stones like **Bornholm Castle**—it is **Greve City**, a dense concentration of lives ready to be used as sacrifices.

And by coincidence, the mages were assigned to lead the monsters toward **Greve City** first for the diversion before regrouping with the main rebel force.

“The Black Mage is using the **Empire Liberation Front** to gather his sacrifices in **Greve City**, and then he intends to disappear.”

“…!”